Holiday Plates of Black Food

Last night, for the first time in probably 25 years, I got to sing along to some songs that hold such a sweet spot in my heart that... well, I was little verklempt. True to form, I remembered 90% of the lyrics (hence my inability recall things like what you call that big white cold thing in the kitchen).



The album: Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. The Label: Peter Pan The artists: The Peppermint Kandy Kids.

The track list:

Side One:
1. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 1:40
2. Rudolph's Christmas Party 1:46
3. Chris the Christmas Tree 2:17
4. Morris The Moose 1:41
5. Roly Poly The Polar Bear 1:53

Side Two:
1. Here Comes The Rhythm Band 2:39
2. All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth 2:05
3. South Pole Calling North Pole (Peter and Penelope Penguin) 2:11
4. A Letter To Santa 2:40
5. I Hear Christmas 1:40

I've been searching for CD or mp3 versions of these songs for a very long time and although I always see a lot of mentions of other people searching for them as well, I've never found the music itself. So this year I asked my mom to see if she still had the vinyl and lo and behold she did. It's even in reasonably good shape without too many scratches or pops. For a limited time, you can download here. Enjoy!

For more great vintage vinyl holiday downloads, check out: FaLaLaLaLa. There you'll find a link to the other Peppermint Kandy Kids album I loved, Santa Claus is Coming To Town.

Windpocalypse 2006

Holy crap. This has been quite the fall/winter weatherwise in Seattle, has it not? One of the worse windstorms ever, over a million people without power, flash flooding, some people losing their homes, and a few their lives.

And somehow, with all of that going on, the Spencers came out unscathed. Completely. We lost power for an hour the night of the storm and had to deal with the kids' disappointment of missing their last day of school before winter break, but that's it. Not even any branches to pick up. I'm almost afraid to post about it because I don't want the eye of Sauron to turn on us when we're hit by the next act of nature.

We're very thankful, and hope that all of our friends who are dealing with anything from minor inconveniences to all-out life disruptions are able to get back to some semblence of normal soon.

Number One Sign That You Are A Mom

Discovering that not 10 minutes after dropping your kids off at school after two unexpected days at home plus a 2-hour delayed start to the school day... you miss them already.

Now This Is What I Call A Snow Day

The family that skis together...
Originally uploaded by spencerUW.

Last night, after we saw that Seattle schools would be closed again today, Stephen said to me "Let's go skiing tomorrow!" I looked at him as if he was crazy, considering the whole reason schools are closed is that roads were awful.

But here's the thing. The roads *were* awful, but only in some places. Our street was fine... as was the nearest arterial. Side streets off that arterial - sheer ice in spots and very steep so for all intents and purposes unpassable.

But lo and behold, DOT told us that the highways were clear. So this morning, our bunch suited up and headed for the mountains. Because when my husband, who is many things but decidedly NOT spontaneous, wants to play hooky and go skiing... who am I to say no?

The skiing was brilliant, possibly the best snow I've skiied on, powdery and dry. The only down side was that it was very cold; 11F/-21C when we left this afternoon to come home. That's too cold to fully enjoy the experience and having experienced it I promise not to complain about the usual mid-twenties we encounter up there ever again.

For Crying Out Loud

A snow day today. And, guess what?!? Another tomorrow!

Snow days were much more fun when I was a kid. Of course, living in Michigan, snow days required actual SNOW, not just a friggin' inch. But truthfully, the roads are treacherously icy so I understand the logic.

The kids will be thrilled. Maybe we'll bake something.

*sigh*

The White Stuff Again

...and this time the kids even got me out there to throw some snowballs and build a snowman. It was fun... and now I'm done. Done! Snow needs to go away now. Buh-bye! Back into the mountains where I can go visit and ski on it any time I want, but don't have to drive on it or watch anyone else drive on it, or have it make me cold or late or wet. Begone!

Well, at least until Christmas. Snow on Christmas morning would be really nice.

November Snow

O Snowy Night
Originally uploaded by monagrrl.

Tonight we watched the snow fall... this photo was taken out the front window by my new Treo 680 (which, by the way, I love with a love that is not quite holy). We get snow that sticks so rarely in Seattle, and this might be the first time since we've lived here that it happened this early in the season.

The kids played outside, in the dark, and came in wet and happy. They're hoping for a snow day tomorrow, but I'm afraid they'll be disappointed... it's already starting to melt...

Tired But Happy Part Deux

I've just returned from having a woman rub olive oil, warm milk and honey all over my naked and well-scrubbed body.

No, I haven't taken up a new film career, I've spent the evening at my favourite spa. Today was the first time I've experienced the body moisturizing, and I have to say that I'm feeling pretty darn... uh... moist. And a little like a delicious fruit salad.

It was a nice end to another packed day. Nathan ran 1.2 miles to finish up the Seattle Kids Marathon, and the kids and I headed up to Snoqualmie with Anne and Michael to have a snowball fight in the snow. It looked like a winter fairyland, every tree flocked, 20" of new snow in the last 48 hours. So much different than one little week ago.

Tired But Happy

What a day! Today we:

• Did a bit of shopping (netting a new Treo 680 for Stephen and myself, two for the price of one!)


• Went up in the Space Needle


• Saw Santa Claus


• Had lunch and spent the afternoon at the EMP/SFM


• Walked through Pike Place Market


• Enjoyed a lovely egg nog latte


• Took in a most excellent concert at The Triple Door - The Paperboys (and I can't believe that this was the first time Stephen and I had seen them - WOW!)

And now... sleep, blessed sleep.

Giving Thanks

Oh, what a nice day and fabulous meal with friends and family. I'm not sure if my stomach hurts because I laughed so much or because I stuffed myself... and I guess it doesn't really matter, in the end.

'Twas The Night Before Turkey Day

... and our friends Anne and Michael have arrived from the UK for our now traditional visit. Well, at least it's a tradition with Anne; this is Michael's first time. It's fun to share this most American holiday (although as Michael pointed out tonight, the Pilgrims were still British citizens so the Brits really have a claim on it too).

Oh and the chocolate they brought. *sigh* Green and Black's Organic, several bars. Stephen and the kids partook while I nabbed the dark with almonds and placed it high on a shelf to be sampled... oh, who am I kidding?... completely devoured in one sitting on opening day.

Now we wait for tomorrow. Bring on the turkey, yo.

Repent Seattle!

Wowee. I guess that the deity really is pissed at us godless heathens in the Emerald City. Either that or Zule is preparing to welcome Gozer the Destroyer.

Just in case... no one think of anything. Clear your minds!

The image was captured today during a kick-ass afternoon thunderstorm... we're not used to 'em here, so it's always a (short-lived) treat. We also got some hail, and now it's very very cold. I think that we need to watch out for the frogs next.

Read more about it here.

Call Me.. Impressed

I was going to report that Nathan is reading Moby Dick. But since he blew through it in 2 days, I have to alter the verb tense and report that he has read Moby Dick. It's the children's illustrated version, with no long dry descriptions of how whale blubber is processed, but still!

And for those parents who have any issues at all with their kids reading comics rather than "real" books, let me also report that Nathan's interest in the tale of the great white whale was formed while reading Bone, a comic series which has numerous references to the story. I think it's true that if you get 'em reading anything, as long as they enjoy it, you're on your way to having a reader.

Things That Are Not Fun

Skiing. In the rain. Very NOT fun.

Okay, that's the only not fun thing I have to talk about today. Since I pinkie-promised the girl, we skiied today, even though it was nearly 40 in the mountains and so the rain that was falling in Seattle when we headed out was still rain even above the snow line. Yet the lifts were going and so we took two runs down a very soggy hill.

It's strange being out so early in the season... it was definitely not busy (other people also seem to grok that skiing in the rain is not fun) and it's odd seeing no big snowdrifts and even some bare patches that need to be skiied around.

Still, given that the conditions were rotten, we're now set up with our rentals and we've knocked the rust off our skills. The kids did great and astoundingly so did I. I think it's going to be a fun season.

But not in the rain. Ever again.

Respite From The Rain

Today was a much-needed dry day - we've have precious few of them this month - so the kids and I did the workin' outside thing... raked, weeded, tidied, etc. Then after watching Michigan lose a close one to OSU (damn it), we biked to Top Pot where they enjoyed a donut and I partook of some nice joe. A little shopping, some banking, dinner and a movie later, and they're happily in bed dreaming of the skiing we've got planned tomorrow.

It's Saturday night and it's all good.

Bye, Bo

Bo Schembechler died today. How strange life is, that his heart gives out on him the day before the big... no, make that BIG! UM/OSU game tomorrow. I have fond memories of Bo leading the Wolverines while I was there, and though they were tarnished a bit by his stint in the Tigers front office (OY - he fired Ernie Harwell, fer cryingoutloud), I still am saddened by his passing. An amazing coach, one of the best of all time with a lifetime record of 234-64-8.

Hopefully he and Woody Hayes will be sitting somewhere tomorrow in another plane of existence, watching the game together.

And hopefully the boys will be inspired to take it to the Buckeyes and win one for Bo.

The White Stuff Returneth

The corollary to this being Seattle's wettest November in history is that all this rain means snow in the mountains and ski season getting off to a nice early start! The Summit at Snoqualmie will be open this weekend and we have shiny new passes just waiting to be used!

Sadly, Stephen is leaving on a weekend business trip tomorrow, and I really don't know if I'm up for taking the kids up for the first time this season myself. It usually takes me several runs down the hill before I stop saying words that children shouldn't hear and questioning my own sanity.

But oh I am mightily tempted.

Make My (Kids) Mix

I spent way too much time tonight playing with iTunes, working on a "Sleepytime Love Mix" for the kids - well, mostly for Nate as Soph doesn't listen to music right before bedtime. I got sucked in to all the good music I've got, and it was hard to pull myself away. Here's what I came up with.

Sleepytime Love Mix

The One Who Knows - Dar Williams
Walk Humbly, Son - Eddie From Ohio
If Only You Knew - Moxy Früvous
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) - Billy Joel
Burgundy Heart-Shaped Medallion - David Wilcox
Words - Bee Gees
Falling Is Like This - Ani DiFranco
Gentle Arms of Eden - Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer
Oh My Brother - Eddie from Ohio
Hey Kind Friend - Indigo Girls
Find The River - R.E.M.
Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss
May It Be - Enya
Into The West - Annie Lennox
Caledonia - Dougie MacLean
Hummingbird - Kris Delmhorst
The Moon And St. Christopher - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Lilly Wants A Mountain - Pete Droge
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - IZ
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Ladysmith Black Mambazo

But Sometimes Tuesdays Do

And when they do, what better time to remember that even the sucky days count toward that final number, and so should be enjoyed in whatever way they can... the sun shining when I awoke this morning, work well-done, salmon and glazed carrots for dinner, kisses from my kids.

The People Through the Train Window
by Dick Allen

All we’ll ever know of them are the lights
of their houses in the late evening winter,
and that their lives are intertwined as ours;
as lonely as a Scott Fitzgerald story.
Born to rush out on the earth and die;
how strangely we behave, as if it were not true
that there will be old gravestones up above our bodies,
and our children will be thinking of us sometime.
How else can I say it? We will die
and not come back, not ever, not return
to mystic restaurants and words we’ve spoken softly,
strokings, glances, and confessions, and
the seasons of this lovely planet will take no
notice of our vanishing; my hands
will lie as silently as yours; the wind
above the planet will not touch your eyes,
nor, within a hundred years, one face
of those within the houses with the lighted rooms.
Can we imagine that? All dead, all dead,
all of us dead, who never lived enough.
Good Lord, the carpe diem poets in their graves
were so right that it makes me tremble when
I think of falling into love, and out, and in again,
or listen to Jim Croce in his Creole voice.
Seize the day, oh seize the day, oh seize
your life with every tendon, every thought you have;
the moonlight hits the window, and the stars
have always gone this crazy in their crazy sky.

Mondays Don't Always Suck

Case in point: today was a very good day and I am content.

My swim today was effortless (other than the getting out of bed part).

One chapter of my work life is nearly complete and another may very well be beginning soon (more on this as it unfolds).

Nathan's school conference was this afternoon and it went very well... I love his teacher and the way she interacts with him, I love that he takes a pride in the areas that he excels in, and I love that he's motivated to work on improving the areas that need improvement. It's all good with that boy, as challenging as he can be for me to parent sometimes.

Sophie has created and posted a list in the living room titled "My favrotie thigs". The list includes "hello kittie, pony's unacone's, faries, Strobarry Sortecake, Balto the Sled dog, mom and dad, brother, Sophie" and in the first column, each item has "love it" next to it. It makes me smile each time I see it.

Not A Real Girl

We ended up at the mall today which is not unlike hell for me. It's just..."too." Too much noise, too much stuff, too much of my kids pointing out every last everlovin' thing they want, too much of me continually having to say "no."

The high point of today's trip, however, aside from Nathan hitting the emergency stop button on the escalator (good times!), was an appreciative comment from my husband after I had finished drooling over the swords in the window of the cutlery place. As we walked on, he stopped me and said, "You know what makes you different from most women? I have to drag you away from the swords, yet you walk right by the jewelry store next door to it without even noticing it's there. I like that about you."

I looked up and sure enough - there was a jewelry store and I had been so busy trying to decide if I'd rather have Sting or Anduril (Sting is much more my size, hobbit-like creature that I am, but Anduril is soooo pretty), that I hadn't even seen it was there, not that I would have wanted to stop anyway, but still.

I like that about me too. :)

Albert Einstein Was Never Good At Math

Someone on an online discussion group I follow posted a link to this article today:

The Myth of Prodigy and Why it Matters

It's a really interesting look at how gifted children don't necessarily - and in fact aren't especially likely to - become gifted adults. From the article:

We think of precociousness as an early form of adult achievement, and, according to Gladwell, that concept is much of the problem. “What a gifted child is, in many ways, is a gifted learner. And what a gifted adult is, is a gifted doer. And those are quite separate domains of achievement.”

It's amazing to me what a relief it is to read this. I was one of those so-called "gifted" kids, reading early, participating in special classes in elementary school, excelling on the college prep track, getting 5's on AP exams, graduating valedictorian. Then I went to college and found out that even though I was smart enough, I was by no means all that and a bag of genius chips. Now that I'm in my late 30's, I've come to appreciate, most of the time, that I'm an intelligent, well-read woman who is still curious and still learning and might just surprise herself one day by actually writing that novel she feels she has in her.

But there's still that part - I was going to say "that little part," but in all honesty it's bigger than I'd like to admit - that feels like a big ole failure. What happened to all that potential? When exactly did I squander it irrevocably?

The answer, this article would say, is that I've squandered nothing. I succeeded remarkably at being a gifted kid, at learning early and well. And then I grew up, and a lot of other people caught up with me. Nothing wrong with that.

It also makes me feel better about something that I'm actually embarrased to admit I fret about on occasion... that my kids haven't yet displayed any particular intellectual precociousness, that they've not been singled out as gifted or "above average" (at the ripe old ages of 6 and 8). That they're "only" smart, funny, socially comfortable kids who do well in school, sing, dance, play sports, love to read, write and draw. Of course I worry about that, right? Because that part of me (the one that's not as little as I'd like) sees their "lack" of giftedness as a reflection on me, a confirmation of my own mediocrity.

Yeah. Embarrassing. Get over myself already.

But the part of the article that grabbed me and that gave me hope for my own future virtuousity, as well as that of my kids was this:

Really what we mean … when we say that someone is ‘naturally gifted’ is that they practice a lot, that they want to practice a lot, that they like to practice a lot.”

What a concept. To get really good at something, to be an above-average success at it, you have to like it, want to do it and... do it. Hard work, desire, and dedication are going to move you farther along the path of achievement than coasting on innate talent.

In other words, all I have to do is overcome that laziness thing, and there's no telling what I can accomplish.

Wherein I Babble and Lust After Rats

Happy Veterans Day (Observed)!

Wait... that seems strange. Does one actually wish a Happy Veterans Day? I guess so, yes, why not!

But is it Veterans or Veteran's?

And I have to say, when you type "Veterans" several times in a row, it starts to look very wrong.

Regardless, 'twas a rainy, cold one here in Seattle and the kids and Stephen were home. I was home too, but I always am these days so that was no big whoop. I went to the bead shop and got some supplies for our very possibly ill-fated Christmas projects, the kids had play dates, and then this evening we went to see Flushed Away. Highly recommended - it's a very funny and enjoyable movie with some nice homages, great music, and plenty of Aardman references for the sharp-eyed to find.

And though this is a something I thought I'd never say, it's true: Kate Winslet is just as hot as a rat as she is as a person.

Servicus Interruptus

Annoying bad bad bad Qwest. They can't tell me why, they can't tell me how long it will last, they can't tell me if it will happen again. Tonight it was 2 1/2 hours, a few days ago it was 3, on-and-off it will happen for 10 minutes or so, during which time if I'm lucky I can jump onto an open network on my block.

Tonight I talked to Paolo... a very nice guy with a pleasing accent who could offer me no help at all beyond noting in my file that a very grumpy woman was suffering internet withdrawal, was mad as hell, and wasn't going to take it anymore. Oh, I was actually pretty nice, knowing that he's just the guy answering the phone, trying to do his job and not getting paid nearly enough to deal with me in full shit fit mode. I'll save my ire for someone in the business office when I call tomorrow to demand some answers, or if no answers then a big freakin' credit on this month's bill.

Yup. That's all I've got. I've officially turned into the most boring blogger evah.

Wisdom

Be humble, for you are made of dung. Be noble, for you are made of stars.
-Serbian proverb

I feel like I want to say more, but my own words just won't come right now. It's a strange mix of emotions today - some gratitude, some worry, some hope, some sadness. Just generally unsettled and unfocused.

Still, I wanted to share this great quote that Eddie From Ohio's Robbie shared with us at tonight's concert. It was a wonderful show, and so much fun to be there with the kids. We got them shirts which Robbie and Julie signed afterwards; they were so kind, and the kids were very excited to meet and thank them.

I love how my little ones love the music. We're doing something right, even if sometimes parenthood leaves me feeling more than excretory than astral.

Cautious Optimism

Wow.

I have to say it's looking good so far. I mean... 23 seat pickup in the House, 3 in the Senate. And more to come - could be as many as +32 and +5. Just wow.

I have hope, for the first time in a long time, that we can start to undo some of the damage this horrific president and his puppet Congress have done. But we have to run with this opportunity and really make things happen - and soon. If the Dems can do this... start cleaning up the mess in Iraq, re-establish civil liberties and the rule of law, make the environment a priority, repeal the rich's tax cuts, clean up the rot and corruption in DC...

if they take the trust they've been handed and execute faithfully...

this could be a very good day indeed.

Oh, The Mirth

Stolen shamelessly after seeing it on Terrilynn's blog because, on the night before one of the biggest elections in our history doesn't everyone need a laugh?

Good Things Come...

In our household this fall, Sunday nights are typically reserved for watching The Amazing Race. It's a special treat for the kids, that even on a school night they get to stay up until 9pm, root on their favourite teams, decide which challenges they would or wouldn't do, and plan for the time that they're old enough to get on the show themselves.

All that being said, it didn't happen tonight - thank goodness our friend TiVo was ready and willing to step up for us. Instead, some friends watched the kids while Stephen and I headed over to the Tractor Tavern for a CD release party for a singer/songwriter we both like very much - Karen Pernick, whose new album is called Two Kinds of Weather.

Her first CD, Apartment 12 was on constant rotation for quite a while after its release in 1996. Yes, you read that right - 10 years, we've waited for a new one. I liked her first so much, I e-mailed Karen, who had no web site (remember, it was 1996 and very few people did), and asked her if she wanted one. She wrote back and said yes so I put together the very first iteration of karenpernick.com, then met her for dinner when she played a Six String Concerts show in '97. I didn't get a chance to talk with her tonight after the show, but maybe I'll drop her another note sometime to see if she remembers me. :)

Anyway, the show was great. Karen is as lovely as ever, her voice is like buttah, and the new songs are terrific. She was joined onstage by the musicians she worked with on the album, no-name slackers like Wayne Horvitz (who also produced the record) and Robin Holcomb. It was also nice to see Julie Wolf come up onstage to do some backing vocals on "Apartment 12."

One funny thing... we ended up getting to the Tractor about 45 minutes early, while Karen and the band were still sound checking. So we queued up in the rain (under the awning, luckily), waiting until they opened the doors. This is funny only because this used to be what Stephen and I would do before every general admission show we attended... we always liked to be there to have our pick of seats or standing room near the stage. It's been several years and two kids since we've been early enough to do that. Made me feel all twenty-something again.

Celebrate Good Times

It's a weekend of fun and frolic! From EMP last night to a lovely girls night out with my coolmom friends (minus one) tonight. It's become a yearly, or nearly so, tradition, dinner out at the oldest Mexican restaurant in Seattle, Mama's Mexican Kitchen. (Geek note to anyone who pays attention to such things: check out Mama's URL. They are OLD school.) In addition to the great company, margaritas, and food, we have come to expect that it will pour (check) and that we will get the waitress we love (check). We didn't get to sit in the Elvis room, but I guess one can't have everything.

I did get to spend a goodly amount of time holding the lovely Ms. Piper, aka The Best Baby Ever. And I was reminded again how much I enjoy this group of women. Our friendship is conducted mostly via e-mail (and mea culpa, I've been a very poor correspondent over the last few months), and we don't get together nearly as often as we should, but whenever do I'm reminded how glad I am to count them among some of my oldest Seattle friends.

In other news... it is raining. A lot. With more to come. Talking with various friends whose kids are still playing soccer for a few more weeks, I've never been so thankful that my kids' soccer seasons ended LAST weekend.

When You Wish Upon A Star...

Just back from a lovely family date night. We took the kids out for dinner and then to the Experience Music Project for a member's preview of the new exhibit that opens this weekend, The Music Behind the Magic. The exhibit examines Disney's musical history, from Annette Funicello on the Mickey Mouse Club to Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins to the phenomenon that is High School Musical.

Thumbs up all around, especially for the special performance of Jodi Benson, the woman who voiced Ariel in The Little Mermaid. As expected, my eyes ran pretty much through the whole thing. I'm such a sap.

Brilliance Or Insanity? You Be The Judge!

There are two LARGE bags of candy sitting in the kitchen, candy that my kids braved the bitter cold to procure on Halloween night. In fact, counting the bag of leftovers that didn't get handed out (said cold kept all but a handful of wee ghosties away), there are three.

Now, knowing that I have a wicked sweet tooth, and that I have personally seen, with my own eyes, dozens of Twix and Butterfingers in those bags and furthermore that I work from home full-time now and so am left completely alone with said three large bags of candy, you'd think this story probably has a predictable ending, right? And it probably involves me gaining five pounds, hiding candy wrappers under the coffee grounds in the garbage can, and explaining to the children that they've eaten a lot more candy than they thought they had.

Well HA! That is NOT the way it's going down with those three bags of candy. Because...

oh sweet mother what have I done?

I have given up chocolate.

Until April.

April 1st, to be exact.

Opening Day, 2007.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, and as it turns out it actually worked! Kind of. I made this sacrifice to the Baseball Gods just after they lost game 1 of the ALDS to the Yankees. "Oh merciful Baseball Gods," I pleaded. "Please help my Tigers get to the World Series, and if you do I promise to give up...

thinks quickly... has to be a true sacrifice, but nothing so harsh that I can't follow through on it. Too late to offer the firstborn. Sex? No! Alcohol? Ha! Sweets? N-... well, maybe not ALL sweets, but what about chocolate? Yeah, that's painful, shows I'm serious, but it's definitely do-able...

...CHOCOLATE! From now until... Opening Day next year! Just get 'em to the Series!"

And then... lo and behold, the Tigers won 7 in a row. American League Champions! World Series, baby! And I patted myself on the back, oh I did I did.

And then... well, we don't have to go into what happened next. Hoping the magic would work again, I offerred to extend the chocolate sacrifice, until the next World Series. Yes, you read that right. A whole YEAR. Never doubt how much I love my Tigers.

But the Gods were no longer listening. Or if they were it was in that "Well what more do you want from us we made the Cards hit easy grounders to your pitchers but even we couldn't help them when they kept overthrowing the 1st and 3rd basemen" way.

So the candy sits in the three bags, veritable mountains of chocolately goodness. And every once in awhile I walk into the kitchen and veer towards them, and then remember and walk forlornly away. Because I know that if I don't follow through on this promise that I will have absolutely no cred next year when we're in a close race for the AL Central with the Sox or Twins and I ask for that come-from-behind victory, or that strikeout with the bases loaded.

The only upside is that it's going to be a lot easier to get through the holidays without gaining that five pounds when chocolate is completely off the table. Halloween... Christmas... Easter... *sigh* Cold comfort, but I'll take what I can get.

And of course... there's always Skittles.

KBloWriMo 2: Electric Boogaloo

It's November 1st, and you know what that means... the second annual KBloWriMo! The first was such a success, and so much fun to do, that I couldn't help but do it again. And this year, someone else ran with the idea and made it an actual "thing" - NaBloPoMo. Quite a list of participants she has signed up and although at first I resisted, I finally, just minutes ago, decided to be a joiner. Baa. :)

I feel like November is going to be a very good month, I have to say. October was... it was wonderful and weird and crazy and disappointing and I'm honestly glad that it's over. Thanks to everyone who wrote or commented or called to offer their condolences on the Tigers losing, in a craptacular fashion, the World Series. Baseball gods love 'em, they just plain choked, and it was NOT the exciting ending I was hoping for. Still, they made it to the Show, and I love them for that and the season they gave us die-hards who have suffered for SO long.

Work life is shifting, yet again, as I finish up with one job without really having anything solidly in place to transition into. That's both really liberating and really scary, but I've got lots of irons in the fire that could... um... whatever the heck it is the irons in the fire do. Get hot, I guess. In any case, I feel that good things could be coming soon, although I'm willing to admit that could be the giddiness of the first day of KBloWriMo talking. It's like Christmas, but with words!

And those are all the words I have time for today - we are bereft of potatoes, so off I must go a-hunting and a-gathering. But guess what? There will be more buttery wordy goodness tomorrrow, my poppets, so be sure to check back.

Blessings

Welcome to the world little niecelet of my heart, Maeve Olivia Rilo Searcy! Born October 21 at 8:57pm, just squeaking in on the Libra side of the cusp. Congrats wee one - you picked yourself some great parents!

Photos coming soon, I hear tell.

We can't wait to meet you.

A Decade And Counting...

I bet you're wondering if there is anything going on in my life right now other than baseball. Why yes, my 3 loyal friends who haven't stopped reading entirely out of sheer boredom with my Tiger obsession - there ARE other things going on, thank you for asking.

In fact, today - despite the rain and chill that have settled in now that Seattle has remembered that it's fall - today is a lovely day because my sweetie and I have been married for 10 years! TEN! That's a lot of years for someone to put up with me (keep those checks coming, mom). Thanks, love. And Happy Anniversary.

No big celebration is planned due to circumstances that require me to be working (yep) for a bit this evening. But we'll do a nice night out soon, and spend some time wondering aloud what this grand adventure called "our lives together" will look like once another decade has gone by.

This one has taken us from one side of the country to the other and brought us two fabulous children, with a good dollop of ease and contentment thrown in for good measure. I've no intention or desire to move or have more kidlets, so I'm happy to concentrate on increasing that dollop to a metric ton or so.

Bless You Boys, 2006

Joy in Tiger Town

Twenty-two years ago today the 1984 Detroit Tigers - our beloved Bless You Boys - won game 5 vs. the Padres and became World Series Champions. It seemed the inevitable outcome of a dream season where the team jumped out to a 35-5 start and led the division wire-to-wire. The names still bring a smile to my face: Trammell, Whittaker, Evans, Parrish, Gibson, Brookens, Lemon, Bergman, Petry, Morris, Wilcox, Hernandez, and of course, Sparky Anderson.

Today, the 2006 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant in a most dramatic fashion (and isn't that the best way?)... a come-from-behind victory capped by a walk-off 3 run homerun with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, completing a 4-game sweep of the Oakland A's. It couldn't have been scripted any better. And now the smiles come from Polanco, Guillen, Inge, Casey, Rodriguez, Robertson, Rogers, Verlander, Bonderman, Ordonez, Granderson, Monroe, and, of course, Jim Leyland.

In 1984 I took for granted that this is how baseball would always be... that the Tigers would be in the thick of the pennant race year after year, and the World Series would be a frequent event. It almost happened again in '87, but didn't. And then came the years and years of wandering in the wilderness.

Now, I know better. And so although I believe this team is just getting started, that they have years of good baseball ahead of them, I certainly won't take what they've accomplished this year for granted. I'm savoring every moment, storing some memories, filling up my reservoir of baseball optimism and joy to carry me through those seasons to come that won't live up to all we hope.

So congratulations to the Detroit Tigers, 2006 American League Champions. You done great. Now rest well, and we'll see you next week in the Series.

Thank You

fans

I haven't stopped smiling.

The disappointment of the last week of the season is completely forgiven.

Thank you.

Pitching performances of a lifetime by Kenny and Jeremy - wow. The boys carrying Leyland off the field on their shoulders. Bringing out the champagne and celebrating with the fans. And beating the "unbeatable" Yankees. It doesn't get any better than that.

Now it's on to Oakland on Tuesday and 4 more wins to get to the Series. But regardless of the outcome next week, I'm just so proud to be a Tigers fan today.

And I thought of something last night. Getting an extra month to play means one month LESS to wait until next season starts.

October baseball ROCKS! :)

Into The Swim

"Honey, it's 5:30."

"Mmmmph."

"Beep beep beep."

"You know, I'm tired. I think I'm going to just sleep."

A minute passes. I tell myself it's okay to go back to sleep, I DESERVE to sleep. I can start this routine next week. Another minute passes. I think about my new suit, and how I HAD to go buy it last night so that I could get up and swim this morning. I open one eye. I think about the Tigers, and how they got up yesterday on less-than-optimal sleep and played some damn fine baseball, beating Jeter's team and evening the series. The other eye opens. I think about the commitment I had made to swim twice/week, and how failing to honor it could anger the baseball gods, causing them to turn their backs on my team. That does it.

"Aw crap, I'm awake now. Fine. Thank you. And I really mean that."

"Zzzzzzzz."

So began my day. Out of bed and to the pool, for a nice 3/4 mile swim at a decent clip with my new red suit and goggles with a strap that didn't break. I'm rediscovering my love of swimming - I'm not sure why I've waited so long to get back to it. I'm good at it, have good form, am moderately speedy. I even ended up in the fast lane today because the medium lane was crowded and very slow.

I feel virtuous and productive regardless of whatever else I do or don't accomplish today. It's all killing time anyhow with "work" and "life" (what-EVER) until 5pm when I get to spend another 3 hours of intense stress, hopefully capped off by intense joy. Go get 'em Tigers! ROWR!

Public Service Announcement: Beware the Beer

beer
Originally uploaded by monagrrl.

Ex-Representative Republican Mark Foley claims that he sends suggestive messages to young boys because he's an alcholic - the devil's liquid made him do it.

Okay, I personally have had a drink or two. I've even been... shhhh... drunk. On occasion. Maybe once. And I can assure you that having alcohol in my system did not cause me to want to diddle young boys. Or young girls. The hot guy who lived on the 2nd floor in my dorm, sure. My husband after a particularly spirited foosball game. But we were all above the legal age of consent.

I guess it just works that way for Republicans. So keep your kids away from drunk ones.

The hypocrisy is nearly too much to stand. The "family values" party that is scared of two (legally consenting) dudes kissing, turns their back and ignores it when one of their own uses their position of power to send dirty e-mail to minors. If it wasn't so utterly gross and horrible, it would be almost funny.

(This image was photoshopped by my friend Grim on my Tiger forum, and I just had to share. Brilliant, no?)

On Second Thought

Yeah, you know the whole "I don't hate Derek Jeter" thing from earlier today? Well, thanks to the ESPN pre-game-that-was-postponed-until-tomorrow show, I've moved ever so much closer to, if not hate, then an intense dislike of the man. Because there's nothing that sets one's teeth on edge like being verbally assaulted for two hours with "Dude, Derek Jeter is the AWESOMEST ballplayer - nay! - human BEING who has ever walked the face of this planet. He can hit, hit can throw, he can run and - get this - he's kind to puppies, children, and nuns."

If Jeter Christ is so damned amazing, why didn't he just snap his fingers and part the skies over Yankee Stadium so they could have played the GAME?

Things I Feel Good About Today

Okay, so the first game of the ALDS didn't go as well as I would have liked. Nate pitched a good game; not the great game we needed to win, but a good one. Still, I was impressed that our boys - coming off a disheartening end to the season and most of whom hadn't seen any postseason action - could walk into Yankee Stadium and hold their own, but for one bad inning.

Let me say it now - and I may say it again, so sue me - I despise the Yankees. Even if it wasn't us who was playing them, I would still despise them. I hate their hubris, their sense of entitlement. I hate how the national sports media fawns over them, ignoring every other team (except maybe the Red Sox)... honestly, if you weren't a Tiger fan, you might not have known WHO the Yankees were playing, if they were playing anyone or just having a little intra-squad action. And I reserve a special hate for Jason Giambi, that steroid-enhanced, greasy, disgusting representative of all that is wrong with baseball. Ick, ick, ick.

The only Yankee I can't bring myself to hate is Derek Jeter. I'm not sure why, maybe it's that he is truly a phenomenal ballplayer and seemingly decent guy. Maybe it's his appearance on SNL a few years back doing the "Derek Jeter's Taco Hole" skit, the jingle of which I still sing every time I see him. Whatever.

So back to things I feel good about. I love that I get to see my team play, that baseball is still relevant to me in October. THAT hasn't happened for a very long time. I'm feeling that good things are going to happen this week on the writing front. I feel oh-so-virtuous that I got up this morning at 5:30 and swam laps for 40 minutes - I'm going to try to do it a couple of times/week as I do love swimming. And I feel good that I'm here, blogging again. I've missed it and I'll try to do it more often in the coming weeks as KBloWriMo is just around the corner.

Best Birthday Present Ever

THE TIGERS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS!

"They are winners now, and forever will be winners." -Jim Leyland

Good Stuff

A Morning In Autumn
by W.S. Merwin

Here late into September
I can sit with the windows
of the stone room swung open
to the plum branches still green
above the two fields bare now
fresh-plowed under the walnuts
and watch the screen of ash trees
and the river below them

and listen to the hawk's cry
over the misted valley
beyond the shoulder of woods
and to lambs in a pasture
on the slope and a chaffinch
somewhere down in the sloe hedge
and silence from the village
behind me and from the years

and can hear the light rain come
the note of each drop playing
into the stone by the sill
I come slowly to hearing
then all at once too quickly
for surprise I hear something
and think I remember it
and will know it afterward

in a few days I will be
a year older one more year
a year farther and nearer
and with no sound from there on
mute as the native country
that was never there again
now I hear walnuts falling
in the country I came to

Public Grovelling To The Forgiving and Benevolent Gods Of Baseball

Apparently in the blog post before this, when I was celebrating .500 with a little too much enthusiasm, I pissed off the Baseball Gods but good... since then, the Tigers have won only 5 games. They're now in danger of losing the division that they've led since May.

Now, I'm not sneezing at a winning season, really I'm not. We've come an incredibly long way and I'm grateful, oh-so-grateful. But... please. Please please please please please... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Mea Culpa. Don't punish this team for my hubris... they've worked so hard. I'll be a better fan, I promise. I'll watch or listen to every game from here on out, even if we're behind by a gajillion runs, I'll hang in there 'til the end, win or lose.

The dancing Tiger has been removed and will not see the light of day unless/until the Tigers make the post-season. The author of the previous post has been sacked.

Gimme a RAWR!

The Tigers have won 81 games. There are 162 games in a season. This means, the Tigers will have, even if they win not a single one of their 36 remaining games, a .500 record.

For the first time since 1993, the Tigers are going to have a winning season.

There's only one POSSIBLE way for me to react to that.

{blatant symbol of excitement and premature celebration removed}

Nice work, boys. But... please win some more games.

Or Not

The Lady Washington
Originally uploaded by monagrrl.

So that "good sore" turned into a "strained right quad" after I pulled it doing some moving and lifting of stuff and then on Friday morphed into a "severely strained right quad" after I used it to keep myself from falling down the basement stairs when a cat in the way (HEEENRY!) made my foot slip. I'm better today, can actually walk without pain, but geez. I guess it's true, the body ain't as resilient as it used to be.

Nevertheless, there were some very nice parts to this weekend. On Saturday we took the kids to see the Lady Washington (AKA the HMS Interceptor in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie) which was docked down on Lake Union. What a beautiful ship. Hopefully the next time she comes this way, I'll find out about it soon enough to get us signed up to actually sail on her. We were driving home from doing some errands in the afternoon and saw her out with her sails unfurled. Make me heart hurt.

I just really want to be a pirate.

But, with me gimpy leg, I'm not sure how well I'd do at the lootin' and plunderin'. Drinkin' rum, I'm sure I could handle.

Aaaarh.

But It's a Good Sore

Oh.

Oh.

I am going HURT tomorrow. Today was the big Seattle post office softball tournament and we played 4 games back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Our record for the day was 2-2. And while my fantasy of superstardom didn't play out exactly as I'd hoped, I did manage to get on base a couple of times, bat in a couple of runs, and not make any heinous fielding errors. I spent most of my time playing right field and catcher, passably. All in all, as much as I might expect since I haven't played a whole game since I was on my college Arts Chorale team. Note to self: join a softball team next season. You had a great time.

But man. The muscles are reminding me that I have been neglecting the body big-time. And tomorrow is only going to be worse.

Tigers swept the Indians - yay! A's swept the Mariners - boo!

In other news, we are once again a gender-balanced household with the return of our guys. Both had good trips and I'm in awe of the amount of progress Nathan made on his music in one week; we were treated to a concert when we picked him up, and they sounded fantabulous.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

... but dayum, we're gonna miss our boys. This is a week of firsts for our family, as girlie and I are holding down the fort whilst Stephen is in Boston at SIGGRAPH and boyo is at choir camp in Tacoma. It's his first sleepaway camp, the longest he's been away from the parental units (we'll see him on Weds for visiting day, but we won't bring him home until next Saturday). It's also the first extended time that girlie and I have spent completely alone together... being second-born, she missed out on all that one-on-one stuff.

So. We've planned our meals, done our shopping, and made cookies to take on Wednesday. He called to let us know he's having a good time and enjoyed dinner; she's sleeping soundly in my bed. Laundry and dishes are done, cats and fish are fed, and I'm halfway done with article I have due on Wednesday.

It's very very quiet.

Sleep well, my far-flung family members. Come home soon.

Today's Horoscope

If a project is coming to an end, don't try to prolong its demise. Excitement is coming your way, but you must trust the process of letting go in order to get the most from this time. You may be ready to charge forward, but a little prudence can go a long way. Even if the path looks really wonderful, don't blindly charge ahead until you really know where you are going.

If I'm Dreaming... Please Don't Wake Me Up

55-25.

Let me type that again.

55-25.

With today's win, the Tigers have hit the halfway mark. At 55-25, they are 30 games (!) above .500 which is rockin' enough, but even more significant, for this girl who lived and breathed the '84 season... they've now matched pace with the Bless You Boys.

It makes me honest-to-god weepy, how much I love this team. Detroit baseball is BACK. And like all the great teams in our history, now they have a song!

Who's Your Tiger?

Put Me In, Coach

It's happened. I knew it would, eventually, but I didn't expect it would be today. And I didn't expect it would be the mailman.

I have been discovered.

Not whilst sipping a soda like Lana Turner at Schwab's, more like... oh the hubris of even making the comparison... ah what the hell. Like Honus Wagner (greatest shortstop ever for those of you who aren't baseball fans) throwing rocks across a trainyard. Signed on the spot he was. But in my case, it wasn't rocks, it was an actual baseball, and it wasn't a trainyard but instead the sidewalk in front of our house during my near-daily catches with Nathan.

You see... I have some mad baseball skillz that are readily apparent to anyone with eyes and a brain. Or at least to my mailman, who is recruiting more women for his postal service softball team. And damn it, that's good enough for me. When he said "Would you?" I of course said, "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" In retrospect, I think that scared him a bit, but I'm sure as he reflects on it he'll realize it was simple heartfelt enthusiam and love of the game.

I have dreams - oh, I have dreams. I'll certainly play shortstop, turn double-plays with ease, bat solidly near the middle of the lineup, and be carried off the field on the shoulders of my grateful teammates as I'm unanimously voted MVP after we win the leaugue championship. Pitchers will fear me. Batters will curse my fielding prowess. Players from other teams will try to woo me away (And other teams, if you're reading, let me nip that one in the bud. These people are postal workers. We don't want to piss them off, mmmkay?)

I hope we get uniforms. I'll wear high socks. High socks look SO cool.

The time is at hand. The world... erm... greater Seattle area is ready.

I will... I will rock you.

Happy Bloomsday!

Damn. Yet another year has gone by without me organizing my Bloomsday reading of Ulysses. One of these years, I will put out the call to any Seattle folk who would like to get together to read the book from start to finish. I did it only once, in college, and it was a very cool experience.

That's horribly English major geeky, isn't it?

yes I said yes it is Yes.

Blognnui No More

Someone really needs to update this blog, don't you think?

I see.

I guess since noone else is stepping up to the plate, it's all mine.

I honestly have no good excuse for the lack of time spent here, the lack of time spent writing PERIOD. Are things busy? Yeah, sure, what's new? Has *nothing* of note happened for the last few months? Well of course it has - there's been plenty to write about, several posts started and abandoned. I traveled to Peru, got my own monthly byline, was horrified by a massacre that happened at a house I know and love, watched my Tigers get off to an amazing start. My kids' baseball seasons have come and gone (Nathan's team made it all the way to the championship game before losing in a nailbiter), and we're just one week from the end of their school year. BJ and Tyler won the Amazing Race (TTOW!). My work-life has changed and more changes are on the horizon, my friends are having babies, and I watched a bear eat roadside dandelions at twilight.

Don't even get me started on politics.

So much prime blog fodder, the details now slipping into the muddled soup of the past, the emotions dampened, the edges blurred. Baby, once it's gone it's gone, gone all the way gone.

I saw Peter Mulvey last week at the Tractor, and as always happens with good music, and with Peter's in particular, I felt alive and smarter and desperate to make more of my time here, to create something that means something. I want to travel, to experience new places and people and things. I want to make beautiful things. I want to stop spinning all the time and to be where I am, not where I was or where I want to be.

So with two feet, I jump in here again and promise myself to let go of the guilt of the stories I missed telling. Grab the now and go.

Because these days it's all about the monkeys.

Dance Groundsfolk! Dance!

Dance Groundsfolk! Dance!

Testing blip.tv blogging!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by monagrrl with a No license (All rights reserved) license.

I Love Being a Mom

Okay, yesterday was the Best. Mother's Day. Ever. The kidlets made me all kinds of sweet cards and pictures, stories and painted rock paper weights. We ate blueberry muffins, listened to the Tiger game (Tigers won! So did the Mariners!), ran a couple of errands and cleaned the garage while Stephen put some insulation in the attic to help keep the upstairs cooler. While manual labor might not sound like a great way to spend Mother's Day, it was exactly what I wanted to do... we've had so little time to spend on the house that all I asked for was a day of it with no complaints from kids that they were BORED.

Later in the day we did all go down to the park and Nathan got back on his bike a year after first removing the training wheels (with marginal success). After some initial stubbornness (on both mother and son's part), he started pedaling and didn't look back. The boy can now ride a bike and I am very proud.

We ended the day with salmon on the grill and a picnic in the backyard. Well, we actually ended the day with baths for two very grimy kids. Slept well, they did.

In keeping with the bike-riding theme, this poem came into my mailbox this morning. Made me predictably weepy.

Learning the Bicycle
by Wyatt Prunty

The older children pedal past
Stable as little gyros, spinning hard
To supper, bath, and bed, until at last
We also quit, silent and tired
Beside the darkening yard where trees
Now shadow up instead of down.
Their predictable lengths can only tease
Her as, head lowered, she walks her bike alone
Somewhere between her wanting to ride
And her certainty she will always fall.
Tomorrow, though I will run behind,
Arms out to catch her, she'll tilt then balance wide
Of my reach, till distance makes her small,
Smaller, beyond the place I stop and know
That to teach her I had to follow
And when she learned I had to let her go.

I'm not sure I needed to know this

But I am sure that I want to share it with you.

My Eyeball Just Fell Out of Its Socket. What should I do?

I found the link to this informative and somewhat squicky article on Literally, A Weblog - a fun place for those of us who include among our pet peeves the boneheaded misuse of words and phrases.

A Lesson Learned

A word of advice, gleaned from piping-fresh first-hand experience.

If you have the opportunity to do any travel by bus in Peru, and you're assigned to seats 1, 2, 3 or 4... ask very nicely whether you might be able to change your seat assignment. It doesn't much matter where, just do yourself a favour and request a higher seat number.

Why, you ask?

Peruvian driving is... how shall I put this? Insane and scary as hell. And if you're in the front row on the top level of a double-decker bus, you get to see the insanity up close and personal. "Safe following distance?" HA! Yield the right of way to pedestrians? HA HA! It is to laugh. Double-yellow means no passing? Thank you for that quaint... suggestion.

So unless you're looking for hours of nail-biting, seat-gripping, laughing-in-the-face-of-certain-death fun... move to the back of the bus.

Waiting...

A quality I find very endearing about myself, as I imagine you do also dear readers, is that I truly believe that I may have been the person to download the billionth song on iTunes. I so firmly believe that things like that can happen that I actually skipped yoga class so that I could be among those attempting to snag the lucky number. I mean - someone did, right? Why not me?

I wonder how long it will take them to notify me? Maybe Steve himself will send the e-mail.

I'll let y'all know.

Musicky Meme

My friend Betsy tagged me with this one and I figured - what the heck?

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

1. The River Driver - Great Big Sea. My kids have been way into the newest Great Big Sea Album, The Hard and The Easy. It's a collection of traditional Newfoundland tracks, and this one happens to be acapella. Is it a bad thing that my children are going around singing "I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry. Get drunk whenever I want to; get sober by and by"? Nah.

2. Captain Kidd - Great Big Sea. A theme here, no? And can you believe that instead of seeing GBS here in Seattle this weekend, we have to attend the kids school auction. Doh! Haven't told said children; they'd surely rebel.

3. Let 'Em Run - The Bills. Yummy.

4. Somewhere Only We Know - Keane. First heard this on Grey's Anatomy and immediately downloaded it from iTunes. It's a great little pop tune, hits all my buttons no matter how many times I listen to it.

5. Does He Love You? - Rilo Kiley. My dear blackwingedboy introduced me to RK, and I thank him muchly for it.

6. Snoopy vs. The Red Baron - Royal Guardsmen. Holy crap, this is an earworm. I accompanied Nathan on a school field trip a couple of weeks ago to see "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown." He asked some questions about Snoopy's nemesis, and I pulled this one up for him to listen to. And he does. Over. And over. And thus, so do we.

7. Imogen Heap - Headlock. I'm loving Imogen. I first became aware of her as the singer of "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia" on the Six Feet Under soundtrack and so liked her voice that I went looking for more.

Well that was fun! Now who to tag (and who might actually take me up on it)... let's try JBo, Lora, Toast, SandraDee, Ms. Boo, AP, and Anne. That should provide a nice variety. If you take me up on it, link back here so I'm sure to see what you have to say!

Modern Classic, Revisited

Another grey rainy day + post-traumatic rejection funk + normal dark sense of humour = LOVE this

Sleepless In Seattle Trailer re-cut as a horror movie

Revel. Enjoy.

Exhaling, Or Always A Bridesmaid

I've been metaphorically holding my breath for a couple of weeks now, waiting for some news, and it's made it difficult for me to feel much like writing. The news came today; not what I was hoping for, but at least it's movement. I'll try not to dwell in my little self-pity party for long, but let me just say that today I have a huge amount of empathy for anyone who has ever heard the words "if for any reason, Miss blahdy-blah is not able to fulfill her duties..."

Because while you'd like to think that there's some comfort to be taken in knowing you were almost good enough, there's no getting around the fact that being first runner up SUCKS no matter how "fabulous" you might be.

I've disabled comments on this post because I just need to vent and stomp my virtual foot for a bit without hearing about how one door closes and another opens. I don't want another door. Can't I just pick my own goddamn door and have it work out one time?

God, I love Molly Ivins

Read her latest column, if you haven't yet. Yes. This. Exactly this.

It's time for Democrats to put up or shut up

That Garrison Keillor

How does he know just what I need to read?

Poem: "Lost," by David Wagoner from Collected Poems 1956-1976 © Indiana University Press.

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.