Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
December Poet: Emily Dickinson
Yeah I know that's just way too easy choosing Emily Dickinson. But it's December and I have a lot to do and lots of things to think about and my cats need attention and anyway she's one of my favorite poets!
It seems kind of pointless to share biographical info as most people know the basic stuff. Throughout the month I'm going to see what I can find that isn't as well-known. For this first post though I thought I'd share some sites that are good sources of information.
Dickinson Electronic Archives
Poets.org page on Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson Museum
Emily Dickinson International Society
Since there are so many poems to choose from I thought I'd share two today. If you have a favorite please share it in a comment - I'd love to hear!
There is a pain -- so utter --
It swallows substance up --
Then covers the Abyss with Trance --
So Memory can step
Around -- across -- upon it --
As one within a Swoon --
Goes safely -- where an open eye --
Would drop Him -- Bone by Bone.
* * * * * *
It's all I have to bring today –
This, and my heart beside –
This, and my heart, and all the fields –
And all the meadows wide –
Be sure you count – should I forget
Some one the sum could tell –
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the Clover dwell.
It seems kind of pointless to share biographical info as most people know the basic stuff. Throughout the month I'm going to see what I can find that isn't as well-known. For this first post though I thought I'd share some sites that are good sources of information.
Dickinson Electronic Archives
Poets.org page on Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson Museum
Emily Dickinson International Society
Since there are so many poems to choose from I thought I'd share two today. If you have a favorite please share it in a comment - I'd love to hear!
There is a pain -- so utter --
It swallows substance up --
Then covers the Abyss with Trance --
So Memory can step
Around -- across -- upon it --
As one within a Swoon --
Goes safely -- where an open eye --
Would drop Him -- Bone by Bone.
* * * * * *
It's all I have to bring today –
This, and my heart beside –
This, and my heart, and all the fields –
And all the meadows wide –
Be sure you count – should I forget
Some one the sum could tell –
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the Clover dwell.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Another Library & a short history lesson!
I haven't been doing great on finishing my library visits and now it's December and I still have 10 left. I was thinking maybe I should try and get them all in by the end of the year but decided that would make it seem like a chore. So I'll go slow and get the list finished in 2011!
Anyway I did visit a new branch on Saturday - the North Sacramento Hagginwood branch. It's a small library which is wonderful because I can look at all the books available in the subjects I'm interested in. I found an interesting book called The American River. I'm interested in reading more about the American and Sacramento rivers as they are rather prominent here! I also found a cool quilting book called Quilt Sensations.
At a minimum when I go to the library I always check the Sacramento history section, beading and quilting, mysteries, poetry and of course, Tudor history. In the Tudor history section I found Edward VI: The Lost King of England by Chris Skidmore. Edward VI was the only, much sacrificed for (at least on the part of Katherine, Anne & ok fine, Jane) son of Henry VIII. He became King on Henry's death in 1547 but died in 1553 at age 15. The book is good so far and anything on Tudor history is, of course, interesting to me. The only bothersome thing so far (I'm only 67 pgs into the book) is that in the introduction the author says "Two different strands make up Edward's reign: the personality of this Tudor king who was the most gifted of all his siblings; . . . " I humbly (or not so humbly) beg to differ. Elizabeth was, without a doubt, the most gifted of the three Tudor children. From that belief I will never be moved! That aside I like the book so far!
Here's a couple of pictures of the library and some nearby street art.
Anyway I did visit a new branch on Saturday - the North Sacramento Hagginwood branch. It's a small library which is wonderful because I can look at all the books available in the subjects I'm interested in. I found an interesting book called The American River. I'm interested in reading more about the American and Sacramento rivers as they are rather prominent here! I also found a cool quilting book called Quilt Sensations.
At a minimum when I go to the library I always check the Sacramento history section, beading and quilting, mysteries, poetry and of course, Tudor history. In the Tudor history section I found Edward VI: The Lost King of England by Chris Skidmore. Edward VI was the only, much sacrificed for (at least on the part of Katherine, Anne & ok fine, Jane) son of Henry VIII. He became King on Henry's death in 1547 but died in 1553 at age 15. The book is good so far and anything on Tudor history is, of course, interesting to me. The only bothersome thing so far (I'm only 67 pgs into the book) is that in the introduction the author says "Two different strands make up Edward's reign: the personality of this Tudor king who was the most gifted of all his siblings; . . . " I humbly (or not so humbly) beg to differ. Elizabeth was, without a doubt, the most gifted of the three Tudor children. From that belief I will never be moved! That aside I like the book so far!
Here's a couple of pictures of the library and some nearby street art.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A Pippin Story
Six years ago when Pippin came to live with me, he spent the first couple of nights sleeping curled up underneath my chin. He was scared and I guess it felt safe to him. I tell him this story - kind of like telling your kids about when they were born - and I know that he understands me. I know this because almost every time I tell him the story he'll try to sleep underneath my chin that night! Really, truly I am not making this up!
The last week or so my upper back and neck have been hurting. I think I pulled a muscle in all the driving I did last last weekend. Anyway it was getting better until I made the mistake of telling Pippin his story last night. The first picture is the less than 2 lb kitten who originally slept underneath my chin. The second is the 14+ lb cat who repeatedly attempted to sleep there last night. Which is why my neck hurts a lot this morning!
The last week or so my upper back and neck have been hurting. I think I pulled a muscle in all the driving I did last last weekend. Anyway it was getting better until I made the mistake of telling Pippin his story last night. The first picture is the less than 2 lb kitten who originally slept underneath my chin. The second is the 14+ lb cat who repeatedly attempted to sleep there last night. Which is why my neck hurts a lot this morning!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A quote for you
As you've probably noticed I change the quote on this blog weekly. I have one Word file that is 27 pages long full of quotes plus various other smaller files devoted to quotes on specific subjects or people. I like quotes! Anyway this one is somewhat longer so I thought I'd share it in a post. I found this on a blog called The Happiness Project. It's an interesting blog and worth taking a look at.
I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming. ~Goethe
I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming. ~Goethe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)