The Café for today is open, so please take a seat, have a cuppa joe, and relax. The behind-the-bar pharmacy is well-stocked with pain relievers and headache remedies, so those of you incapacitated after last night’s kegger can seek aid here. Alternatively, we’re offering mimosas under the category of “the hair of the dog.”
Today’s hymn:
John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave;
John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave;
His soul’s marching on!
Chorus:
Glory, halle–hallelujah! Glory, halle–hallelujah!
Glory, halle–hallelujah! his soul’s marching on!
He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord!
He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord!
He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord!
His soul’s marching on!
John Brown’s knapsack is strapped upon his back!
John Brown’s knapsack is strapped upon his back!
John Brown’s knapsack is strapped upon his back!
His soul’s marching on!
His pet lambs will meet him on the way;
His pet lambs will meet him on the way;
His pet lambs will meet him on the way;
They go marching on!
(On this day in 1859 John Brown launched a raid on the federal armory in Harper’s Ferry, then-Virginia. The raid itself was a failure, and resulted in his death and those of his followers, but is considered by many to be the real start of the Civil War.)
John Brown on the day of his death, 2 December 1859.
Hi!!!
Good to see you.
I’m researching scenic drives through Kansas. So I’ll be in and out this morning.
Must … resist … flat-Kansas jokes!
One thing you learn if you want to enjoy life in Kansas: there’s more to scenery than mountains and water.
I know, it seems impossible. But I assure you, it’s true.
All I’ve seen of Kansas is what lies along I-70. But I fully trust Kansas has beautiful out-of-the-way spots, as does every state — even New Jersey!
Jinx on the I-70!
Sorry, dear, but there’s substantial evidence from the “Annals of Improbable Research” which proves that “Kansas Is Flatter Than a Pancake.”
Why did I bring this up without kansas here to support my argument?
I’m going to wait until next weekend to continue this conversation!
I’m sorry dear, I didn’t mean to get a pile-on started. A similar thing happened to me when I mentioned my hockey team allegiance not long ago. Made me grumpy, it did.
Speaking of which… The Maple Lucks managed to squeak out out a very lucky win against the “Heroic Habs!”
Dagnabit! I think the leafs went from 15th place, while the Habs were in first in the east, all the way to tied with the Habs in the standings in 2 games!
lol
It’s still early in the season. And I think that Ottawa will likely be the leader of the conference at the end of the season. Philly may have improved their top lines in a huge way with the addition of Forseberg… But the Philly defensemen are not built for the new rules.
Do you listen to the games on the net? (The ones that aren’t televised?) I do. Almost every game is carried on the net if you don’t mind the “radio” experience.
from those of us who live in states where no one can even remember where they are (or else can but don’t want to).
Kansas, the state I always tried to make sure I drove through at night, and the only one where I felt comfortable reading the map book while driving down the raod, as there wasn’t anything out there to hit anyway. I’m sure there are pretty parts, but Highway 70 isn’t one of them!
But the people there were great. I had a minor car problem (something with a frozen valve on my tires), and the guy at the service station fixed it for nothing more than a smile and thank you….
This was posted by Elizabeth Edwards on their Blog last year:
(I love this story — I lived in Lawrence 1976, so I think it’s almost about me)
That’s a great story. I met folks from Lawrence at the Telluride Bluegrass one year, and they were so cool, I wanted to see what Lawrence was like!
The redhead in this photo is my sister at the Edwards Rally when they came back (she never left Lawrence):
The Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas…very strange stuff…and yes, he really is in a glass lidded coffin in the mausoleum.
Need More Coffee
Later
Peace
For the fun of it. . . I know there are helium mines in the far SE corner of Kansas, but I also know there’s nothing to “see” there.
However, it might be an interesting place to take a few deep breaths before speaking.
John Brown
HAD he been made of such poor clay as we,
Who, when we feel a little fire aglow
‘Gainst wrong within us, dare not let it grow,
But crouch and hide it, lest the scorner see
And sneer, yet bask our self-complacency
In that faint warmth — had he been fashioned so,
The nation n’er had come to that birth-throe
That gave the world a new humanity.
He was no vain professor of the word —
His life a mockery of the creed; — he made
No discount on the Golden Rule, but heard
Above the Senate’s brawls and din of trade
Ever the clank of chains, until he stirred
The nation’s heart on that immortal raid.
-William Herbert Carruth
My formatting issue is solved. I made a change in my Settings/Comments Settings. And apparently buried in there is a setting between HTML or Autoformat. And HTML was selected (not deliberately by me).
So no matter how often I set it on-the-fly here, it was always going to go back to HTML formatting.
But, it’s fixed now!
I know you’ve been trying to get it fixed for a while. Congrats.
Now see, you shouldn’t have told me to ignore you, since this is exactly what I suggested you do on Friday. 🙂
I really tried to follow your instructions then (and my memory of your suggestions was what I was following), but I was so tired that when I just couldn’t do it.
You know that what with the Photo Fair last weekend, I really didn’t have any time off and my week at work was just about as hectic. By Friday, I was almost afraid to drive myself home from work. And I think I was dreaming before I got in bed.
So. I couldn’t remember who told me what to do, but somehow, I did it anyway.
And, although I’m late, I thank you.
I’m just glad you finally got it fixed!
I’ve even retraced what happened….
Someone (I lose the memory of names when I’m tired, so I can’t give credit) had a great suggestion for setting comment preferences so the comments collapse after a diary reaches certain number of comments.
I followed those instructions (and I love the results), but I must have had the format set to HTML format when I did that. That would explain why it was the default selection. Then when I saved my preferences, I was stuck.
!!!
BroFel, you just reminded me that the fellas and I want to go hike that Maryland Heights Trail while the leaves are changing this year!
For anyone who’s interested, the view is gorgeous:
And here’s the link to the details about the hike.
How are they there? We should be at peak colors but it’s been so unseasonably warm that almost nothing has started turning yet.
Hope you’re planning to take some pictures on the hike and post them in a cafe.
Indiana Fall Colors in 2003
I think the colors this year are going to be pretty muted; no cold weather yet. IWe’re getting yellow here in PA, and I read somewhere that Maine hasn’t had their first frost yet, either, which seems bizarre. It must be southern ME they’re talking about.
Beautiful. Really, beautiful.
Oura are just hitting peak in western Wisconsin and it’s a beautiful sunny fall day here. So, why am I sitting in a dark room at a computer? I don’t know. Time for a walk I think.
OMG!! This brought out a true gasp from me when I saw it. I had forgotten! Separation from Fall colors dims the memory. I had no idea. Now I remember!! Wow!! Incredible. Thanks for the memories.
Lord I can’t go back there.
Yes, these are the scenes we miss from way back when.
Say Puget4, where’s my TV remote? I’ve had enough of Dick Morris.
[Ultimate blog obsession–household commenting between spouses.]
I was thinking that Gooserock said you moved to the northwest from Ohio. Is that right? What part? (I’m in south central Indiana, about 80 miles from the Ohio border.)
We were almost neighbors….closer anyhow than now. We moved from Columbus but have traveled to Indiana several times. Good country…Indiana….
We used to go to Columbus quite a bit years ago when my b-i-l was getting his respiratory therapist-profusionist degree at OSU. I remember some great places to get muffins. And I liked to bike the trail along Scioto River.
But I have to admit I like the hills of southern Indiana and Ohio better than the central/northern parts of either state.
Erm, I didn’t realize that wasn’t an actual hiking trail link; can you imagine paying someone to go for a walk?
I was gonna say sumthin’ … but OTOH they do run a guided “Blair Witch” walk in nearby Burkittsville.
This may be the trail map you’re looking for. Looks like a good hike!
when I try to blog and run while supervising the yard work, marinating pork tenderloin and making potato leek soup for tonight, brining chickens for tomorrow night’s dinner AND cleaning the fridge all at the same time!
I can’t get the link to work, and I really wanted to look at the map; I think we’re going to head down next weekend if the weather holds.
Link works fine for me … but you could try going to the Harper’s Ferry National Park website — Maryland Heights is park of the Nat’l Park.
It’s working now; maybe it was getting heavy traffic earlier. Weird.
Mornin folks. It’s a rainy foggy-froggy dawn in Puget Sound. Quite a sobering poem to open with but perhaps appropriate on a Sunday.
Here’s another.
Martin Luther King closed his insufficiently-known “Beyond Vietnam” speech quoting words from this poem which became a minor-key hymn.
The words seem especially applicable today, which makes me wonder how long a possible God of justice is going to keep waiting for us “to decide.”
Lowell wrote these words as a poem protesting America’s war with Mexico.
Music: Ebenezer (Ton-y-Botel), Thomas J. Williams, 1890
Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever, twixt that darkness and that light.
Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.
By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever with the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.
If you like bad movies, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library has announced the lineup for their 16th Annual Bad Film Festival.
This is one of the things my library is known for, we have several film festival through the year. But, this one has a real following. Mark, the guy who has organized it every year, says that there are quite a few people that have never missed a single film in all these years.
I think that’s really weird.
Good morning. English Breakfast and the morning bloggies.
The plan for the day, take the cart and hike up to the grocery store. Shop. Hike back. End of plan.
Well, class prep too, but that’s inevitable. I should also think about going through the pile of comments from my writers group on my latest book. I’ve been shirking the duty for 3 meeting running which means I have 5 inches of paper to wade through (Comments from 7 writers on 3 set of 2 chapters). Fortunately this one’s pretty clean so there are a lot of pages in that stack that need only be glanced at. Still it can maybe wait another day.
TTFN
Morning everyone, I can finally write something as the Sun. morn. talk shows are over…now CNN…
What’s on the breakfast menu….I am starving and nothing sounds good that I have available, soooooo maybe I’ll just eat in the cafe today…
Some fresh melon, smoked wild Pacific salmon, raw Nanaimo oysters, and Puget Sound dungeness crab cakes.
Brain food–it makes you smarter and stuff like that.
I’ll have what she’s having!
Wow, that looks incredible, especially the raw oysters, well I’ll be thinking of all that as I eat my breakfast burrito from a fast food chain that my son will soon deliver to me.
Late to the party as usual- I remember my grandfather reciting ‘John Brown’s body lies amouldering in the grave’ at our community theater,in stentorian tones,part of ‘Under Milkwood., iirc.
I need to buy many yards of Tencel in a variety of colors.
Does anyone have advice for a reliable place to buy good quality fabric at a good price?
I’m setting up my sewing machine today!
Funny you should mention that, Katie. Several months ago a friend of mine took me to the most amazing fabric warehouse – it was enough to make any seamstress swoon. Earlier this morning, I sent her an e-mail, because I couldn’t remember the name of the place. When I hear back from her, I’ll find out if the warehouse conducts any business online – or whether they have an outlet in your neck of the woods. (I purchased some beautiful Italian velvet to cover the top of a bench, and I remember being quite taken aback by the low price.)
I recently helped move my parents’ belongings out of their home, and my mother insisted that I take her sewing machine. (The sewing machine filled with decades of fabulous mojo through the beautiful garments it once helped to create) Unfortunately, I haven’t sat in front of a sewing machine since Home Ec class over 30 years ago.
Having said that . . . do you have any tips on how to reteach myself to use a sewing machine? The threading alone has always been intimidating – plus there are dozens of attachments to make different “embroidered” looking stitches (really cool, but I wouldn’t have a clue how to use them). Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Good day!
Hi Anom,,,….I am a long time seamstress, although not too much lately…can I offer what I know.
It does not take too much to operate most machines in the basic way and that is to sew straight seams, start with that, and then add other features as you have a need and a little bit of skill.
If you have a booklet with machine, that will show you the threading guides, if you don’t have one it may be possible to find one on internet. On my machine it has the threading guide on the inside of the door that gives you access to the left of the sewing head. Not all machines even have that door or guide however.
Hope that helps a tiny bit. BTW my daughter 23 recently purchased and began sewing with a little session from me of about 15 minutes, so don’t be intimidated.
Hey Diane – something’s been going on between my computer and this site – and it ain’t been pretty. Earlier today, I sent you a note on the Spirituality thread, but I got kicked off the site when I went to post. I just sent you a note in response to yours above, and my comment disappeared. Yup – I’ve been kicked out of here many times over the past few days, but the most peculiar was when I tried to print a copy of Ductape’s diary about passing the children back – and each of the three times I tried, my computer locked up and kicked me off the Internet altogether. (My husband thinks the Feds are controlling what I post and print – and sadly that’s not even tin-foil hat territory these days)
Anyway – thanks for the tips and encouragement! I have one remaining box to go through and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the instructions will be in there. But I’ll be sure to see if there are any threading instructions on the door – thanks!
On a side note, allow me to summarize the comment I sent you earlier today. I thought it was really cool that your father allowed you to choose whether to attend church services. That was very progressive thinking for that time and that environment!
Thanks again for the tips – and I hope this goes through!
Thanks Anom for that…yes it was cool of my father in his long career of being not so cool to me….but good nonetheless….One of the lessons I have been learning lately is to see the good in the past, and maybe really not to call things good or bad anymore, cause they are just is’es.
About your computer problem, maybe you could try clearing the cache…or cookies for the site.
I feel like a spybot has taken over my computer as I am getting messages such as another user is using your browser,,,,and there are no other users but me or so I think…
A trick I learned for troubled posting is to make a copy of comment before posting and then you still have it….of course if you use Opera browser you can just save to note and it’s right there. I know I hate it when I write a long comment and it disappears.
Good to see you out and about today!!!
Anomalous,
It sounds like we’re in much the same situation. I haven’t sewed in many years (more than 30, I’m sure).
But I have this pair of Tencel slacks that I love & can’t wear in public anymore (totally worn out, poor things). And I can’t find them for sale anywhere (either in the real world, or online).
Anyway, they look pretty simple. So, I thought they’d be a good restart project. And it would be cool to have them in several different, bold colors.
And thus, my message. Maybe we could form a virtual sewing circle? I’d love any information you could pass along from your friend.
!!!
Oh my – jumping right into sewing pants sounds so. . .so. . . lofty! (I don’t recall ever wearing the “elephant” pants I sewed in 9th grade ;^)
As for me, my turning point occurred this summer when I ordered a Hawaiin print sundress and paid $40 plus exorbitant shipping costs. Oh man – what a waste – it was the simplest of designs and even with my limited experience I knew I could recreate it for less than $10 – and with a custom fit, to boot. At that moment, I wanted a sewing machine in the worst way – and lo and behold two months later. . .wish granted.
I’ll keep you posted on any e-mail updates about the fabric warehouse. I’m not sure how frequently my friend checks her e-mail – or whether she does so on weekends, but the information will hopefully be worth sharing once discovered.
I’m off to tend to some garden clean-up.
bye!
Well, these pants look pretty simple. The pant equivalent of a sundress. It has an elastic waistband, so no tailoring there!
I hate, hate, hated home ec and couldn’t sew a straight-line and couldn’t control the damn sewing machine and was the only one who had to make a skirt instead of a blouse (some humiliations have a remarkably long shelf life).
Which is just my ever-so-supportive way of saying “Good luck in your new endeavor.”
Oh man. . .not the shame of the skirt!
Seriously, I’m really sorry about the public humiliation – to this day I’m still bothered by similar experiences. Like the 3rd grade teacher who forced me to stand in front of the class once a week to show the students my bitten finger nails – or the wretched 10th grade teacher who mocked me every day with nicknames such as “tons of fun” because I wasn’t as slender as the “hot” girls he openly pursued. In retrospect, I’d still love to confront that a–hole, because – at the time – I wore a size 9. I subsequently starved myself to a size 5 – which was completely unnatural for my body type.
Go figure how kids end up with such negative self-images. (Sorry for my little rant, but thanks for the encouragement! ;^)
Good day!
Hey, rant away. I love a good rant.
As for me, this was a humiliation with an easy fix — I just didn’t sew ever again which, given how little I liked it, was an excellent solution.
And I had my little, secret revenge during cooking — every time we made something I didn’t want to eat, I would tell her I couldn’t because it wasn’t kosher and she always fell for it (bet you didn’t know that oatmeal wasn’t kosher).
Whew. I just said to good-bye to my company. Thanksgiving is officially over for this year now (although we’ll have a couple of turkey dinners w/ all the leftovers).
I kept sneaking off yesterday to log on and check the headlines. I’m getting anxious for something BIG to happen, and I don’t know what I’ll do if nothing comes of it.
It’s rainy and wet here today, but I snapped a few photos yesterday while the sun peaked out.
This Aster makes me think of parties (petals = streamers, bright colours etc.), taken yesterday.
Chrysanthemum. Love the colour. Taken yesterday.
oooo, Thanks. Very nice.
Olivia, your photos are awesome. Thanks for the inspiration. I’m glad we had a sunny day yesterday.
The images you choose to capture are definitely inspiring – beauty is all around us … :o)
Thanks to your wonderful photos and explanation a while back, I’ve been playing around with the panorama view. You can do amazing things w/ flowerbeds in panorama close up. I’m still fiddling with it, nothing posted … yet!
I snapped one yesterday also. Backlighting by the sun does amazing things to the color.
Chocolate Cosmos
Hey everybody, be sure to click on the thumbnail to see the larger version.
Chocolate cosmos. That is beautiful. I’ve never seen that colour before. Thanks Puget4! (Two of my favourite things: chocolate and flowers!)
Here’s another….just a weed….red leaf oxalis. I didn’t realize the leaves were pubescent (hairy) until I saw this picture. Fun! The camera has better eyes than I do. 😉
Red Leaf Oxalis
but good morning — late start (again) in the household, though I’ve at least had breakfast (and tried out the new toaster; fantabulous!). Need to make a small shopping list/plan menus for the week — depends what looks good in the grocery ads and/or if I feel like getting anything out of the freezer…
Back in a while…
Same lake as above but in 2004 (which was warmer and drier).
You can feel the fall warmth from these ones.
I’d prefer Bordeaux (I love Graves) but those pictures certainly are enticing.
I love the Beaujolais landscapes (it’s where my family comes from). Regarding wines, some Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent can be nice, but I definitely prefer Côtes-du-Rhône (Côte-Rotie is only 25 km from my home) and Bordeaux!
It looks beautiful there, and a nice Sunday afternoon Côtes-du-Rhône sounds good to me!
Ohhhhh!! How lovely. Truly makes me want to go to France. I’ll have to get working on my French lessons again. The language is as beautiful as these photos.
I hope you will find an opportunity to come to France. If you come near Lyon, let me know: Iwill gladly welcom you!
Merci! Bon soir.
That’s just about all I can say….
Those are some beautiful shots of some beautiful vines … and they’re really whetting my appetite! When does the new Beaujolais come out? Next month? (Of course, it’s all just masterful marketing, but it’s still fun.)
The “Beaujolais Nouveau” is released around mid-November. As many people in Lyon, I don’t usually drink it (IMO, it doesn’t deserve the name of wine!), but the event can be fun.
Morton Arboretum, IL
One of my “rejects” from last week’s photo fair, but appropriate now! The tree on the left is a silver maple, and had the most stunning green leaves turning red.
Heck of a reject.
The Morton Arboretum is wonderful. I have bunches of family and friends in Chicago and one of them lived in Lisle for several years so it was a regular stop.
It’s become a regular stop for me as well, whenever I’m out there. If I were living in the area I’d become a member; they have some pretty good education programs too. The Chicago Botanical Gardens are on the other (northern) end of the metro area, and are just as gorgeous, tho in a more cultivated way.
So … how about that local sports team? Was that a game or what?
No local sports games here today…any in your neck of the woods?
That was mainly metaphorical, tho I was happy to see (a) the B’more Ravens win finally, and (b) the Washington Racial Slurs lose.
I’m waiting for the coffee.
And reading the news.
Then, soon it’s off to work.
But, I’ll be checking back!