Over the Green Moon

Webs

2011-09-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'm just in here cleaning out the cobwebs.

One of them seem to have words in it. How curious. It's in disrepair now, but I can make out some letters, like "ome ig".

The Toy is not A Toy

2011-06-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

These are tags from a paint-it-yourself, wooden horse barn which included four plush horses inside it.

The main blue tag clearly identifies the product as a barn, with plush animals included. Okay, it says plush "animal", but there were four.

The white tag then informs us that the barn is NOT a toy, and must be "carefully" removed before giving the toy to children.

I'm getting confused. So the barn is just for decoration (display it with pride on the mantle), and some toy horses were thrown in because, why not, they just happened to be in the factory.

I imagine if the company sold a wagon with a cushion included, it would instruct you to remove the wagon. But carefully.

The World

2011-05-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

Be in the world, but not of it, and wear it only as a loose cloak about your shoulders.

Between Thoughts

2011-01-17T22:44:00.000-08:00

Break off a thought, just end it;

and then,

see what happens
before the next thought
springs up.

In that space,
in that interval . . .
What happens?

-- Krishnamurti

Gluten Free Brownies

2010-09-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

I finally created a gluten-free brownie that is pretty good. I'd like it a bit fudgier, and I'll try to tweak the recipe for that, but it's denser than cake. Perhaps cutting the cooking time by 4 minutes would help. I don't think the flour mix will matter much, but mine is mostly rice flour and corn starch, with a bit of xanthan gum and buckwheat flour.

Raven's Gluten-Free Brownies

3/4 cup gluten-free flour mix
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa

2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl (at least, that works for me) mix the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, stir together the liquid ingredients.

Mix the liquids into the solids.

Pour into a greased, 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch bread pan.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees farenheit.

Plants

2010-06-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

I planted four more flowers in the bed by the front door today. I think there are now eight different kinds of flowers there, along with a variety of herbs. Today's additions included what was labeled a "Chocolate Mint" coleus. In looking at photos online, it looks more like "Dark Chocolate", since it lacks any green edge. It is deeply textured, and a very dark purple. The other additions included a yellow, African marigold, a dahlia (sort of a mistake, actually), and a dianthus. I already had planted French marigolds, violets, pansies, primroses (earlier, but they are still blooming), and at the very front of the bed, a small mass of nasturtiums. There are various other plants mixed into the zoo, too. There is still a big open spot between the nasturtiums and the rest I want to do something with.

Out back in the veggie patch more growth is beginning, with the advent of summerish weather, and the first carrots are starting to sprout, after ten days. There are buds on the beans, and the borage is flowering.

Eye Doctor

2010-04-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out
it was only an optical Aleutian.

Black Bean and Edamame Salad

2010-04-19T22:59:00.001-07:00

I sampled this at a recent health fair at the hospital, and it was YUMMY.
Personally, I'd use a different oil than canola.

Nightly Incense

2010-04-19T02:44:00.000-07:00

Ah, the scent of dried bonito flakes, as the cats get their nightly treat. We are hoping to find soon a less odiferous offering to the feline goddesses.

Eekster

2010-04-18T18:54:00.001-07:00

Beset I was by the monstrous Purple Peeps, again and again! But I did Purple Peeps vanquish!

One Purple Peep prior to vanquishing.

Nice Snake

2010-03-14T19:52:00.001-07:00

A beautiful, black and white garter snake that was enjoying the nice weather today the Tualatin Hills Nature Park

Still

2010-01-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

~Magickal Graphics~

~Magickal Graphics~

Nutz

2009-12-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip. You don’t have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you’ll get the point..

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. They are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2.. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special..

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are NOT the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.

Craft Show December 5

2009-12-04T20:10:00.001-08:00

We'll be there, along with many other talented vendors.

Books For Sale

2009-11-19T00:58:00.000-08:00

We have many books for sale on half.com

http://shops.half.ebay.com/lazulibear_W0QQmZbooks

http://shops.half.ebay.com/house-silverwood_W0QQsellerZhouseQ5fsilverwoodQQmZbooks

Work Quotes

2009-10-27T00:11:00.000-07:00

AMBITION

“It was true that I didn’t have much ambition, but there ought to be a place for people without ambition, I mean a better

place than the one usually reserved. How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 6:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap

out of bed, dress, force-feed, shit, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you

made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so?”
—Charles Bukowski, Factotum, Black Sparrow Press, 1975

EIGHT HOURS

"One of the saddest things is that the only thing that a man can do for eight hours a day, day after day, is work. You can't

eat eight hours a day nor drink for eight hours a day nor make love for eight hours—all you can do for eight hours is work.

Which is the reason why man makes himself and everybody else so miserable and unhappy."
—William Faulkner, interview in Writers at Work, 1958

MENTAL DERANGEMENT

"Industrial man—a sentient reciprocating engine having a fluctuating output, coupled to an iron wheel revolving with uniform

velocity. And then we wonder why this should be the golden age of revolution and mental derangement."
—Aldous Huxley, Time Must Have a Stop, 1944

COMPOST

"But men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon ploughed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate,

commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in the old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will

corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not

before."
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

So Romantic

2009-10-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Valentine Whoopee Cushions

Even Pokemon

2009-10-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

On National Coming Out day, we find that even Pokemon are doing it.

Birthdays

2009-10-03T12:11:00.001-07:00

All this whirling around the sun makes me dizzy.

Sorry

2009-09-30T20:06:00.001-07:00

But it's all been said.

People

2009-09-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, and you may consider me crazy or aberrant if you wish, but the sheer number of people on the planet gives me the creeps, the willies; I react in a similar way when splitting open a log and seeing thousands of teeming termites spill out, or overturning a large rock and seeing ants scatter, towing their white pupae. I do not react this way to individual humans (or at least rarely -- there are some undeniably creepy individuals.) Every day I see all the people zooming in all directions in cars, on bikes, on foot, in planes, on skateboards, rushing madly around their anthill. It makes me want to hide deep in the woods.

New House!

2009-08-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

We finally found a new home, and it's really great. Two story, four-bedroom house built in 1915, with a garage, greenhouse, and fruit trees. And a snake under the deck. :)

Learn Nothing Day -- July 24

2009-07-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Etymology

2009-07-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tobacco Smoke Enema (1750s-1810s)
The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient's rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims. A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum. The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration, but doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase "blow smoke up one's ass."

Pride Corvallis Celebration

2009-06-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

The vendor area, with our booth in the foreground.

PRIDE Celebration

2009-06-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

We'll be vending this Saturday at the first Corvallis Pride Celebration:

PRIDE Weekend 2009

PRIDE weekend will be June 26th and 27th.

This year’s PRIDE will be held in Central Park. The weekend will kick off with the Stonewall Social and Dance on Friday, June 26th. Saturday, June 27th, will start at 11am with a parade down Jefferson street in Corvallis and will be followed by a full day of musicians, story telling, dancing, face painting, childrens activities, vendors, a non-profit expo, and much more!

A variety of late night activities designed with everyone in mind will finish our glamorous PRIDE weekend!

Local Crime Report

2009-06-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

ASSAULT WITH A BROWNIE: 10:33 p.m., Linus Pauling School, 1111 Northwest Cleveland. A man reported that his 14-year-old son had been hit in the face with a brownie thrown by another 14-year-old boy while the teens were on school property at about 10:15 p.m. The brownie thrower said it was an accident. The victim’s father did not want to press charges.

From the Corvallis Gazette Times, June 5, 2009

Yacon

2009-06-07T23:34:00.001-07:00

My yacon start.

"The Yacón is a perennial plant grown in the Andes of Perú for its crisp, sweet-tasting tubers. The texture and flavour have been described as a cross between a fresh apple and watermelon which is why it is sometimes referred to as the apple of the earth. The tuber is composed mostly of water and fructo-oligosaccharides. It has recently been introduced into farmer's markets and natural food stores in the US.

Although sometimes confused with jicama, yacón is actually a close relative of the sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke. The plants produce propagation roots and storage tubers. Propagation roots grow just under the soil surface and produce new growing points that will become next year's aerial parts. These roots resemble Jerusalem artichokes. Storage tubers are large and edible."

Yacon roots contain a lot of inulin, which is a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria. I bought a start from the people at the local "Peace Seeds".

It's True -- We Taste Like Pork

2009-05-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

Robot Identifies Human Flesh As Bacon

By John Brownlee
November 8, 2006 |
11:57 am |
Categories: Uncategorized

Let the robot holocaust commence: robots think we taste like bacon.

Researchers at NEC System technologies and Mie University have designed the cute little guy to the right: a metal man gastronomist, “an electromechanical sommelier”, capable of identifying wines, cheeses, meats and hors d’oeuvres. Upon being given a sample, he will speak up in a childlike voice and identify what he has just been fed. The idea is that wineries can tell if a wine is authentic without even opening the bottle, amongst other more obscure uses…like “tell me what this strange grayish lump at the back of my freezer is/was.”

But when some smart aleck reporter placed his hand in the robot’s omnivorous clanking jaw, he was identified as bacon. A cameraman then tried and was identified as prosciutto.

Absolutely horrifying. Like cows, once robots taste blood, their hunger for human flesh can never be satiated.

Garden Festival

2009-05-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

We'll be there with wind chimes and garden markers, and plush earthworms.

Sunnyside Up Art

2009-05-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

I have art on display now for the month of May at Sunnyside Up cafe in downtown Corvallis.

Gallery

2009-04-10T00:41:00.000-07:00

The Camas Gallery in the Bush Barn Art Center in Salem is carrying some of my creations now.

Goodbye Liz

2009-04-06T10:26:00.001-07:00

We lost a sweet friend late last night:

http://plantimpossiblegardens.blogspot.com/2009/04/rip-liz-1996-2009.html

Awareness

2009-03-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

"The extent to which LSD fomented the cultural revolution of the 1960s has all but disappeared in a miasma of drug war propaganda. ... In its time, LSD was more dangerous to the ruling order than Mao, Che, or the Founding Fathers themselves.

"The US Government threw everything but the kitchen sink at getting (certain) Americans to stop “turning on,” launching the Drug War that eventually locked up millions of drug offenders.... But it wasn’t the “turning on” part that they feared—for there are many benefits to having a population otherwise occupied in a false reality. No, it was the “tuning in” and “dropping out” part that kept them awake at night.

"Although it may be difficult for the uninitiated to understand this at face value, LSD and other psychedelic compounds have a profound life-altering affect on the user that, more often than not, serves to connect them (or reconnect, as the case may be) to the universal compassion and love for life that is inherent in our species. It invariably causes them to question the validity of the status quo, to examine their life and what surrounds them in terms of beliefs and values.

"And in this epoch of industrial civilization, the last thing a corporate culture that survives on war, aggression, and consumer spending needs is a consciously awakened population who inexorably choose to leave said culture in droves because they see it is killing the planet, themselves, and each other."

Peas are Up

2009-03-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

Make Me a Superhero

2009-03-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

Laundry Day

2009-03-12T15:40:00.001-07:00

We gotz wiggly laundry.

This is Nuts

2009-02-28T12:43:00.001-08:00

Genetic engineering has gone too far.

Hope

2009-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

I drew a card from a deck today that was supposed to be my focus for the day. The card was "hope". This article from the NY Times makes me hopeful.

Economic Scene
A Bold Plan Sweeps Away Reagan Ideas

By DAVID LEONHARDT
Published: February 26, 2009

The budget that President Obama proposed on Thursday is nothing less than an attempt to end a three-decade era of economic policy dominated by the ideas of Ronald Reagan and his supporters.

The Obama budget — a bold, even radical departure from recent history, wrapped in bureaucratic formality and statistical tables — would sharply raise taxes on the rich, beyond where Bill Clinton had raised them. It would reduce taxes for everyone else, to a lower point than they were under either Mr. Clinton or George W. Bush. And it would lay the groundwork for sweeping changes in health care and education, among other areas.

More than anything else, the proposals seek to reverse the rapid increase in economic inequality over the last 30 years. They do so first by rewriting the tax code and, over the longer term, by trying to solve some big causes of the middle-class income slowdown, like high medical costs and slowing educational gains.

Now at Wholesale Prices

2009-02-23T22:46:00.000-08:00

You Needed Something

2009-02-16T02:19:00.000-08:00

I have roots. You need some?

American Badger in Texas. Photo by Jeff Heinatz

Carry Bag

2009-02-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is the wonderful carry bag Diana made for me with felted knitting. Without knowing me really well, she picked just the right colors for me, evoking the mossy woods. Diana held a little contest on her blog, then chose two winners at random. Carelia and I were the two winners! Diana has been making handbags, and didn't think I'd want a purple and pink handbag. She came up with a great alternative. Perhaps I'll use it to carry magic.

Begetting

2009-02-14T16:25:00.001-08:00

Peanut Corporation of America

2009-02-11T12:16:00.001-08:00

They call it Peanut Corporation of AMERICA. Get ready to wave flags.

Darlene Cowart of JLA USA testing service said the company contacted her in November 2006 to help control salmonella discovered in the plant.

Cowart said she made one visit to the plant at the company's request and pointed out problems with its peanut roasting process and storage of raw and finished peanuts together that could have led to the salmonella. She testified that Peanut Corp. officials said they believed the salmonella came from organic Chinese peanuts.

Peanut butter -- as American as tofu pie.

Try It

2009-02-09T17:20:00.001-08:00

Interesting Quotes

2009-02-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

First I read this one from Bill Gates:

"The market does not drive scientists, thinkers, or governments to do the right things. Only by paying attention and making people care can we make as much progress as we need to."

Yup.

And a few minutes later read this one:

"The actions of (Peanut Corp. of America) indicate that the company lacks business integrity and business honesty, which seriously and directly hinders its ability to do business with the federal government," said David Shipman, Acting Administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

I don't understand how anyone could use the terms "business integrity" or "business honesty" without bursting into laughter or tears.

First Ocean

2009-02-01T20:28:00.001-08:00

I found a photo online of the beach where I first saw an ocean.

I hitchhiked into Galilee, aka Pt. Judith, Rhode Island in June of 1970. I arrived after dark, and the ferry to Block Island, my destination, wouldn't leave until morning. I walked through the tiny town past seafood restaurants and found the ocean. Wow. I had grown up around the Great Lakes, but the ocean was DIFFERENT.

I wandered back through town wondering where I could sleep for the night. I came across a group of Vietnam Vets sitting in the back of an old pickup passing a jug of wine around (and other stuff), and they invited me in. Later they told me about an old refrigerated fish trailer I could camp out in. No, it didn't smell -- it was clean. I did worry that someone would discover me there in the morning before I woke up.

Flavors

2009-01-30T22:38:00.000-08:00

A typical artificial strawberry flavor, like the kind found in a Burger King strawberry milk shake, contains the following ingredients: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (10 percent solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, g-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.
(excerpted from Eric Schlosser's book 'Fast Food Nation' via rense.com)

But are "natural flavors" healthier? Not necessarily. To be considered natural, they just need to be derived from natural sources. So a single chemical substance may be extracted with powerful, toxic solvents. When a food product lists "natural flavors", you have no idea what it is, what plant or animal it is derived from, or what chemicals were used (and may still be present in trace amounts), or what changes were induced in the substance. Of course, some natural flavors ARE quite safe. Vanilla extract, for example, is just an alcohol tincture of vanilla beans. That is, if it was produced ethically.

Peace

2009-01-19T21:17:00.001-08:00

More Info on CPSIA

2009-01-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

A CNN article on CPSIA:

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/14/smallbusiness/toy_law_threatens_small_companies.smb/index.htm

Save Handmade

2009-01-13T19:04:00.001-08:00

You have until January 30 to send comments to the Consumer Products Safety Commission to let them know that more changes need to be made to the act to save small businesses and handmade goods.

www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML

Greenland

2009-01-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Take a fascinating look at life in Greenland at this blog:

http://www.kuummiut.com/

Info EVERYone Should Know :)

2009-01-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

Badger

The badger is heavy-set and broad-shouldered with short powerful legs. It is a formidable adversary if cornered, but is not the brawler it is reputed to be. In fact, the badger is often quite tolerant of other animals. It will even share its own den with red fox.

A True Friend

2009-01-06T00:06:00.001-08:00

Progress at Last

2009-01-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

Elevator company launches new lift which arrives quicker the more you press the button

The Otis Elevator Company have announced the introduction of radical new technology in their latest range of lifts which actually increases the response time of the lift the more you press the call button. Following extensive consumer research, the company identified a niche in the market as elevators across the world were reported to be completely ignoring repetitive hole pressing.

Information from unconfirmed sources indicate this technology may soon be extended to pedestrian crosswalk signals.

Modern Business

2009-01-03T15:35:00.001-08:00

Calvin and Hobbes is still on target after all these years.

Click on the image to see a larger version that is actually readable.

How to Make a New Year's Resolution Stick

2008-12-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a super-easy New Year's project.

Ever wanted to make a New Year's resolution stick? It's fun and easy!

First, find a stick -- one that's not too long, not too short, not too thin, not too stout. If it's dirty or crusted with guck, clean it up. Now if you want, go ahead and varnish it or paint it or cover it with glitter and geegaws. Or leave it raw and natural.

Now say: "I christen thee my New Year's Resolution Stick."

That's it!

(Please don't strike yourself with your stick, and do not aim it at your eye.)

(Vets now recommend not throwing sticks for dogs, as they can cause trauma to their mouths and throats.)

(Sticks not intended for children younger than twelve.)

Holidaze Lite

2008-12-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Whoosh, and it's gone.

We're Not Forked, We're Spooned

2008-12-25T00:33:00.000-08:00

Seasoned Poodle Greetings

2008-12-24T19:18:00.001-08:00

Cats :)

2008-12-22T23:29:00.000-08:00

Wild Cat Gang Keeps Boy Alive

Monday, 22 December 2008

Wild Cats save homeless boy

Police in Argentina recently found a 1-year-old homeless boy being cared for by wild cats, the Daily Telegraph reports. A policewoman on patrol noticed an unusually large cat gathering which, on closer inspection, was surrounding the boy. Doctors believe the eight cats snuggled up to keep the child warm on cold nights that would have otherwise been fatal.

“The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter,” the officer said. “There were all these cats on top of him licking him because he was really dirty. When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me.” The cats also apparently foraged for the boy's food. Police later found his homeless father, who said cats have always been protective of his son.

The First Christmas Dinner

2008-12-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

The three wise men wait for Jesus to finish cooking.

Creatures of Winter

2008-12-19T18:39:00.000-08:00

Wind Chimes

2008-12-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

I've been adding wind chimes to my Etsy store. Several have sold already.

Lawn

2008-12-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

And just when I was getting excited about mowing. Dang.

Why Not to Overfeed Your Cat

2008-12-15T01:14:00.000-08:00

With What You Have Left

2008-12-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

Playing a Violin With Three Strings

by Jack Riemer

On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight.

He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play.

By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play.

But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had to do.

We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin or else find another string for this one. But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again.

The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before.

Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.

You could see him modulating, changing, re-composing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before.

When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.

He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone...

"You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

A Story

2008-12-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair. At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window -- that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing.

Now there was only silence-deathly silence. The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate since he had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue. . . .

You can interpret the story in any way you like. But one moral stands out: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy.

Author Unknown

I Heard

2008-12-07T21:50:00.001-08:00

I heard that the sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

The Truth Revealed

2008-11-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

No Crushing Injuries

2008-11-28T19:40:00.000-08:00

No risk of fatal customer stampedes at today's show. Thank you Walmart for diverting the danger.

"Scentsy" (an MLM) melted candle wax right next to us sickened my other Flame within minutes of our arrival, and she had to leave. I heard the vendor telling shoppers it was "all natural" and put no chemicals in the air. Uh, yeah.... Paraffin in natural. The company's web site no where says the products are "natural" -- just that they are made with wax and "secret ingredients." Powerful ingredients that can gas a large room.

But at least I did learn to use a lucet , and started learing how to use an inkle loom.

Hopefully the neighbor won't turn the device on again tomorrow -- I spoke to her about it the first thing this morning, then late in the day after she turned it on again. Or perhaps I should take a large container of chili with me.

Some studies

2008-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

are weirder than others.

BEHAVIOR OF YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER CONDITIONS SIMULATING ENTRAPMENT IN REFRIGERATOR

(I didn't make this up.)

Holiday Shows

2008-11-08T23:07:00.001-08:00

We have three shows lined up:

HP Holiday Craft Fair Saturday, November 22, 2008
9am - 4pm
Benton County Fairgrounds Auditorium
110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis, OR

Holiday Expo Friday and Saturday, November 28 & 29
9am - 5pm
Benton County Fairgrounds Auditorium
110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis, OR

Town and Country Christmas Bazaar December 5, 6, 7.
Friday, 12/5 -- 5pm - 9pm
Saturday, 12/6 - 10 am - 6pm
Sunday, 12/7 - 10am - 5pm
Linn County Fair & Expo Center
3700 Knox Butte Rd., Albany, OR

Thinking

2008-11-03T23:38:00.000-08:00

The greater part of most people's thinking is involuntary, automatic, and repetitive. It is no more than a kind of mental static and fulfills no real purpose. Strictly speaking, you don't think: thinking happens to you. The statement "I think" implies volition. It implies that you have a say in the matter, that there is choice involved on your part. For most people, this is not yet the case. "I think" is just as false a statement as "I digest" or "I circulate my blood." Digestion happens, circulation happens, thinking happens.

From A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Niche Religions

2008-10-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Raven has Landed

2008-10-17T18:24:00.001-07:00

We have moved into the new house. Moving was exhausting, as always, but there were no glitches.

Today I started a garden here.

Six little chard starts. It's slim pickin's for garden starts this time of year, and multi-color chard was about the best I could do.

The Treehouse

2008-10-02T20:04:00.001-07:00

Astonishing Statement of the Day

2008-08-23T12:12:00.001-07:00

In announcing a system of wireless electric transmission, proposed to send energy to devices in both homes, businesses, and in large public spaces, an Intel spokesman said:

"The trick with wireless power is not can you do it; it's can you do it safely and efficiently," Intel researcher Josh Smith said in an online video explaining the breakthrough.

"It turns out the human body is not affected by magnetic fields; it is affected by elective fields. So what we are doing is transmitting energy using the magnetic field not the electric field."

What alternate universe do these people live in? Oh yeah, the Corporate Greed Universe.

(I'm choosing to not play with the typo about "elective fields.")

Prizes

2008-08-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

My prize for a winning image in the Learn Nothing Day contest arrived, a fun box of stuff which Aaron will enjoy.

Courtesy of Sandra Dodd at
sandradodd.com

Know Thyself

2008-08-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Question:

One of the great principles of philosophy and psychology is: “Know yourself”. How can I know who I really am? Which traps should I avoid? And which tools should I use?

. Answer:
The main trap to avoid is to confuse content and essence. The ancient dictum “know thyself” points towards essence, your true identity. Your name, nationality, religion, your opinions, political views, material possessions, likes and dislikes, desires, fears, ambitions, as well as your view of yourself as a success or failure, good or bad – in fact your entire personal history and your thought processes… all that is content. All content is subject to the law of impermanence (as the Buddha already discovered 2600 years ago), and if you try to discover who you are within the dimension of content, you will encounter frustration again and again. Or, as the Buddha put it, you will suffer. You suffer because you derive your sense of identity exclusively from the content of your life. Another word for content is form. That is what the ego is: identification with form. When you stop identifying with form, the ego is no longer in control. So, first realize who you are not (form) and what’s left is who you are. But then there is nothing left, you might say, but this is not so. What’s left is not form, but essence, which we could also call inner space. The space out of which all forms come and into which they disappear. The ancient Chinese philosophers called it the Tao. It is beyond time. It is the eternal, the primordial I am.

-- Eckhardt Tolle

Emily Wins

2008-08-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

With the help of the dear, departed Emily, my photo was chosen as a winner in the International Learn Nothing Day contest. See photo in a post further down the page.

My comment, after watching the winner in the video category:

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

Fair

2008-07-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

We went to the Benton County Fair today. Smaller than many, but kind of homey and nice -- most of your normal county fair stuff. There was a really cute young pig in the petting zoo. There were exotic animals in one building -- a majority were said to be rescued animals. It was the first time I'd seen a live coatimundi. A cool all-white snake, a large tortoise, a serval, a small tiger, and other reptiles, arachnids and mammals were also in attendance. The highlight of our fair visit had to be when Carelia caught the runaway pygmy fairy goat (yes, it was wearing wings). Watching her son eat a deep-fried twinkie was also of interest. (He's into weird things....)

Tree Art

2008-07-20T16:56:00.001-07:00

daVinci Days

2008-07-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

We saw some of the daVinci Days this evening. Lots of cool stuff there! Sidewalk chalk art, Unidentified Flying Art all along the street, a large children's village with many interactive activities, and Kinetic Art. We didn't see the Kinetic Art parade, but did get to look at most of the entries. Here are a couple. The dragon is constructed of things like muffin tins, jello molds, and other aluminum objects, and it actually breathes fire. We watched the gorilla chasing a palm tree with a man in it. All these "vehicles" are human powered, and will race more tomorrow, on sand and water. (Well, I don't know if the gorilla races, but most of them do.)

It's Here Somewhere

2008-07-17T22:58:00.001-07:00

She said she lost her contact.

test

2008-07-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

test

Learn Nothing Day

2008-07-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Learn Nothing Day -- July 24

What Do You See?

2008-06-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh Well

2008-06-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

458 BC: Aeschylus, Greek playwright, was killed when an eagle dropped a live tortoise on him, mistaking his bald head for a stone. The tortoise survived.^[1]

What We Are

2008-06-05T12:33:00.002-07:00

ScienceDaily (Jun. 5, 2008) — The number of bacteria living within the body of the average healthy adult human are estimated to outnumber human cells 10 to 1.

Self-Esteem

2008-06-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Question: By dissolving the ego, won’t I be dissolving my self-esteem. Do I not need self-esteem to love myself and others?

Eckhart: Yes, self-esteem. Many people seem to have a problem with that - lack of self-esteem.

I read a while ago, when the Dalai Lama was younger he was meeting with a group of Westerners and they were talking about lack of self-esteem, and he just couldn’t understand that, what that was. And they tried to explain it, and then he went around the group and asked everybody, “do you have that?” And most people said, “Yes.” [And the Dalai Lama said,] “Oh, very strange, self-esteem”.

Now the human species is the only species on the planet, of course, that has a relationship with itself. Where [when] you have a relationship with yourself - that’s normal. But the cat doesn’t have a relationship with itself. Or the bird doesn’t have a relationship with itself. Or the tree doesn’t. So, birds, cats, trees, monkeys, flowers none of them have a problem with self-esteem. And even the most ugly looking cat wouldn’t have a problem with self-esteem. It hasn’t created a secondary, an “image self” - mind created. And once that’s created it walks with you, next to you, or behind you, or wherever it is. You always walk with a mental image of “me” and you have a relationship with that. And, often you don’t like what you see. That “image-self.”

For the whole transcript go here.

New Cafe Press Shop

2008-05-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

This idea came to me in a dream, and nagged at me for a couple months until I created the image and uploaded it.

http://www.cafepress.com/ThinkMousie

Glass Animal Pins on Greeting Cards

2008-05-09T09:02:00.001-07:00

I've begun listing a new line of animal pins on Etsy. I'm mounting each on a greeting card.

Trillium ovatum

2008-05-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

If Jesus Played Poker with Dogs

2008-04-21T00:21:00.000-07:00

First Day

2008-04-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the first day of the new Corvallis Artisans Market. To the north was the farmers market, and to the south were all the Earth Day activities. The Procession of the Species parade passed down 1st Street in front of us. Though it was snowing as we left the house, the weather improved somewhat and didn't prove as bad as feared, though bouts of hail and sleet hit several times during the day. For the first day of a new market just getting off the ground, it wasn't bad -- it should keep improving as the season progresses. Prior to the first day we were concentrating more on getting things made, but plan to continue improving the booth layout to make it into our Faerie Garden. The small table in front held color-your-own bookmarks for the kids, many of whom enjoyed coloring them.

Faerie Tresses proved popular.

Our Brains and Us

2008-04-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414145705.htm

Breakfast in Bed

2008-04-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Fog likes to have an intimate acquaintance with her food.

The Art of Tissues

2008-04-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

Aaron wanted to mount the Kleenex box on the wall.
I think it works.

New Inhabitants

2008-04-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Mist and Fog came to live with us yesterday.