Aftermath

Mother Nature came out early, swinging. After our lovely week of fall weather, the temperature plummeted, winds howled, and we got wet, heavy snow dropped on us.



I failed to get pictures the morning of the aftermath, but the trees were bent double under the icy snow.

The poor trees didn't know what to do, so they cracked under the pressure.

Many of the broken limbs were good sized, one limb was about 20 inches around.


















The smaller ones were mostly whippy enough to recover.

But the bigger limbs just shattered. It sounded like gunshots going off all night.


















Getting to work consisted of playing dodge'em with all the tree branches in the roads and hanging over the roads and leaning into the roads.























All my cottonless cottonwoods took heavy damage.























Even the crabapples lost some branches. The lilacs aren't big enough to take much damage, luckily.

The Russian Olives? You can't kill them, not even intentionally. Probably why Wyoming has decided they are a noxious weed. All I know is there isn't a branch missing off any of my olive trees. Tough enough, for sure.

PlaceHolders

Busy.
Here's some pics of the awesome twosome (plus one) to keep you occupied until I return.

No, I insist.

You're welcome.

Max: I think, therefore, is it supper time yet?



Merlin, who is still waiting to grow into his headgear, executes a long down, radar ears swiveled for the stealthy sound of a treat leaving a pocket...


Anubis: I ignore in your general direction. Wake me when it's time to eat.


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Destruction As An Art Form

I bet you thought this post was going to be about art, poetics, the nature of the universe, or something ramblingly philosophical like that.

It's not. It's about Corgis. One who shall remain nameless pointed out I've been sadly remiss in the general worship of my four-legged companions, and I was about to get my Corgi Adoration card revoked. I grabbed my camera, but the guys were too busy engaging in some passive-aggressive destruction to do any posing. Preoccupation, thy name be Cow Ear.

Max, attempting to subdue an ear bigger than his head.

Cartilage-y, chewy, and apparently oh-so-entrancing, I buy them by the dozens. The Corgis obligingly destroy them as quick as possible, saving me the need to step on slimy-sharp bovine parts too often, and keeping me indebted to the UPS man who delivers the ears to our door. Regularly.

Merlin, taking the safe approach and gnawing around the perimeter

I tell myself it keeps their teeth clean, but that's only part of the reason. Who could resist the expression of bliss on the face of a Corgi with a brand new chewy ear? Max and Merlin carry them about like kittens, trade and steal them from each other, and occasionally bury them beneath the couch cushions, not to be found for months. Forget rubber toys, hooves, tennis balls, rawhide or ropes - dried up, dessicated cow ears are the pacifier of choice for the canine set at my house.

Max, really getting into his work

Anubis D.Cat, on the other hand, thinks a crinkled up page of my novel is the best play toy Evah. Who am I to actually finish the last three chapters and deprive him of his fun? That's my story in its wadded up, batted around the house, cat-slobbered, just before the dog ate it glory, and I'm sticking to it.

Anubis, on observing the chew-a-thon: "I gave up a spot on LOL Cats for this?"

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Happy Halloween

May your Halloween be zombie free...



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Poetry Thursday 7/19

This is what the Random Prompt Generator had when I stopped by. ZeroGravity. Since I already have a short story in the works set in space, inner spaciness came to the front and demanded its due. A bit difficult to wrap a theme around, and I think I overreached in one instance, but using a prompt was a good exercise once I made myself do it.


Zero Gravity

How egotistical of you
to assume lack of resistance
to your gravitational personality
was the only reason to stick around, although
I admit at first the push-pull of our relationship
was an attraction. Surely you knew free fall
could not go on ad nauseum. Here I am,
dropping over the horizon at a constant
rate, hoping against hope that I gain
enough speed to stay up, to reach
escape velocity. That I haven't,
yet, is no reflection on you,
just the weight of your
self-containment.

Equal Time

The cat complained that he wasn't getting any blog time, that those darn Corgis were sucking it all up. He even agreed to pose for the portrait. This is Anubis, the cat that thinks he's a dog. (The cat-headed dog instead of the dog headed person?)

He even comes when he's called, which is more than the Corgis do at times...

Did You See/Hear/Read This?

Since "Best of" lists seem to be popular this time of year, I thought I'd do my best imitation of best lists the next few day. Or Top Ten of various and sundry things used for inspiration, or that just made me giggle. If there were ten I liked, I'm flexible. Could be a Top 14 or Top 2 list. Bear with me.

Music
Speechless - Bruce Cockburn

Incredible instrumental guitar playing by the Canadian folk/rock/activist/singer/songwriter. I've listened to Bruce Cockburn for over 20 years and he just gets better and better. His guitar playing on previous albums was inspired, but Speechless is nothing short of phenomenal. You feel every song. You can get lost in the music. It also is great to write to – for certain passages.

I alternate between Speechless and regular Cockburn albums. As a poet I appreciate the lyrics the man composes. How could I not love a man who uses $.25+ words in his songs rather than teeny-bopper Orc grunts??

"Sinister cynical instrument
Who makes the gun into a sacrament --
The only response to the deification
Of tyranny by so-called "developed" nations'
Idolatry of ideology"
from Call It Democracy



Music + Music Video
Straight Outta Lynwood– Weird Al Yankovic
White and Nerdy

I like sarcasm, I really like well done sarcasm. The White and Nerdy video pokes fun at the rap song "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone by making fun of nerds everywhere. For me, seeing Donny Osmond nerd dancing in the background was hysterical. You can find White and Nerdy on YouTube and Google Video, as well as iTune$.

Also included on the album are the songs "Canadian Idiot", a riff on American Idiot by Green Day. In Weird Al's version, it becomes a commentary on the inability of Americans to see their neighbors to the north as anything but stereotypes.

"Well maple syrup and snow's what they export
they treat curling just like it's a real sport
they think their silly accent is so cute
can't understand a thing they're talking aboot"

Then there is "Weasel Stomping Day", where you learn it's okay to do horrid things as long as it's traditional.

"Faces filled with joy and cheer
What a magical time of year
Howdy ho, it's Weasel Stomping Day"


"Don't Download This Song" which is a parody of those artist fundraising songs that were popular in the 1980's. The video for the song was cartooned by Bill Plympton and can be found on YouTube and Google Video. Download it, it's visual sarcasm at its best.

"Once in a while
Maybe you will feel the urge.
To break international copyright law
By downloading mp3s
From file sharing sites
Like morphous or grokster or limewire or kazza.
But deep in your Heart.
You know the guilt would drive you mad
And the shame would leave a permanent scar
Cause you start out stealing songs
Then you’re robbing liquor stores
And selling Crack
And running over school kids with your car..."

NOT included on the album, thanks to Atlantic Records balking, (although the artist gave his okay), is "You're Pitiful", a parody of James Blunt's song "You're Beautiful". Strangely, the song was released into the wilds of the 'Net, where I found a copy HERE. I'm always amazed how Weird Al can get not only the lyrics and tone of a piece to match, but his voice too. Scary.

"Your homemade Star Trek uniform
Really ain't impressin' me
You're sufferin' from delusions of
Adequacy
You're Pitiful
You're Pitiful
You're Pitiful, it's true."

Time to go check my shelves for more "Best of 2006". Stay tuned.