Little Moses

Away by the waters so blue,
The ladies were winding their way,
When Pharaoh's little daughter stepped down in the water
To bathe in the cool of the day.
Before it was dark, she opened the ark
And found the sweet infant was there.

And away by the waters so blue,
The infant was lonely and sad.
She took him in pity and thought him so pretty,
It made little Moses feel glad.
She called him her own, her beautiful son,
And she sent for a nurse who was near.

And away by the waters so blue,
They carried this beautiful child
To his own tender mother, to his sisters and brothers.
Little Moses looked happy and smiled.
His mother so good did all that she could
To rear him and teach him with care.

And away by the sea that's called Red,
Little Moses the servant of God,
While in Him confided, the sea was divided
As upward he lifted his rod.
The Jews made it across, while Pharaoh's hosts
Were drowned in the waters and lost.


Carter family

E.E. Cummings, by Susan Cheever (2014)***

This is a good biography of Cummings, finished reading today. It includes many photographs from his life and acquaintances. Something I didn't know, Cummings was also an artist. His name was Edward Estlin Cummings, and he was called Estlin. This is my favorite poem by him:

All in green went my love riding
on a great horse of gold
into the silver dawn... et seq.

Roosevelt's Beast, by Louis Bayard, 2014*****

I started reading this book last night after watching "The Hunger Games" (2012) on TV. Its 299 pages took about 3 wee hours to read. Another one that I couldn't put down.

Roosevelt's Beast is a novel imagining what might have happened to Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit on an actual expedition into the Brazilian forest in 1914.

"Roosevelt's Beast is a story of the impossible things that become possible when civilization is miles away, when the mind plays tricks on itself, and when old family secrets refuse to stay buried. With his characteristically rich storytelling and a touch of old-fashioned horror, the bestselling and critically acclaimed Louis Bayard turns the story of the well-known Roosevelt-Rondon expedition on its head and dares to ask: Are the beasts among us more frightening than the beasts within?" - Goodreads

Kermit Roosevelt, a sketch by John Singer Sargent from his book

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I read a book by Louis Bayard several years ago, Mr. Timothy, which was pretty good but not as interesting as this later book. It was a novel of Dickens's Tiny Tim grown up.

Some Recent Notes

Last night I watched (again) the saddest movie I have ever seen, and certainly one of the best--"Legends of the Fall," 1994.

Putting Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins in the same film conjures up magic. The same thing happens in "Meet Joe Black."

*

Here's a poem I wrote on Jan. 10:

Water Sign

Water-colored, my eyes are
turquoise, blue-green
I crave the rain, clear aquamarine
water-bearer to earth, air and fire

Clouds cheer me, wet, weighty
with jeweled drops airborne
to anoint dry lips that mourn
for moisture in sea, sand, humanity

Drought alters all that lives and thrives
My eyes reflect the face
of earth in sere and sun-burnt poise

When silver rain revives
this parched and withered place  
my eyes turn back from amber to turquoise

Fireworks?

In all my years in this neighborhood, yesterday was the most quiet New Year's Eve I have ever heard. Sounded like a few kids with firecrackers, and just a couple of booms but no shooting stars, etc. Always before, at any major holiday, I've watched fireworks from my deck or high front windows. Nothing to watch this NYE. I can understand it as far as Democrats are concerned, but what's wrong with all the victorious voters who look forward to the rewards of 2017?

The better to see you with.

On the last day of 2016, I've decided to pick up my blog again. The Christmas and birthday holidays have been wonderful, with Jed, the sisters and nieces and nephews. Susan invited us to her house for Christmas Eve soup supper, and Jed treated us to birthday luncheon at Carrabba's. Dave and his daughter have been very good, checking on me and helping me out since I've been without a car.


A week or so ago, I had an eye exam and got a prescription for new glasses. They dilated my eyes. Up until then, I was seeing okay, but over the past few days my vision has got so blurry, it's very hard to read. And I have a stack of good books that "won't read themselves," as they say. I went to Walmart--they have a better selection of frames, and better prices on glasses than I expected. My glasses should be ready sometime this week. The doctor at UAB Eye Hospital said I've got cataracts and should have the surgery sometime in the future, so I've got that to look forward to.


I hope all my friends and loved ones have a very Happy New Year.

Pterodactyl time

I think I'm having one long anxiety or panic attack. I have no pain or nausea, can't identify anything specific, but feel like I'm dying. Like the worst has happened, but things can always get super-worse. I've had this before, but it never before lasted for such a long time.

The Greatest 1935-2007

Is it possible that Pavarotti has been dead for nine years?

He once said that his father was 70 years old and still had a beautiful singing voice. Luciano hoped that he himself would be granted such a blessing, and he was. His voice deepened and colored into the finest and most moving tenor voice I have ever heard. I rank him, Maria Callas and Elvis Presley as the three outstanding voices of the twentieth century.

I miss him. I haven't yet played all the recordings I have of him--half a drawer full. The other half, and another whole drawer, are full of Elvis recordings.

Another Crock-Pot Fiasco

Another pot to soak and scrape. I bet people who post these "simple easy" crock-pot recipes on Facebook get a good laugh when people complain about the results. I tried the cake-in-a-crock-pot recipe and wound up with a disgusting mush instead of a pretty brown-on-the-top confection. At least it made the house smell good for a while.
*
And why isn't PBS showing Poldark tonight? Should I blame Obama, or that other guy?

Pat and I went to the poetry meeting yesterday evening, and it started storming just as we started home. She was driving, and since she is one of the two best drivers I've ever known, we made it home through the sturm and drang. I slept this morning and this afternoon until nearly one o'clock, and when I looked outside, I saw that the storm had split one of the oak trees.

I'm making a quilt, or throw or pillow sham or something, out of my old raggedy jeans. Glad I saved them, and now I'm rid of them. Just have to sew the rows together and decide what I'm going to do with it.

I'm not going to fringe all the seams and then wash and dry it in my some-20-year-old washer and dryer, and try to deal with all the bits of thread left in them. But something will occur.

I voted.

So did it seemed like a couple thousand other people. I've never seen such crowds at a voting place. Scarcely dare we hope Democrats.

Made by MER?

I found this little quilt top in the basement, and just washed it. This photo looks blue and yellow and sort of orange, but it's really pretty pink, blue and white, all hand-stitched. It's hanging across the shower rod to dry. The size is about 40x70 inches.  The blocks are 10" square; I couldn't get far enough away to photograph the whole thing. I think it would make a lovely baby quilt, taking off the bottom 2 rows of blocks. I don't remember ever seeing it before.

I've got at least half a dozen tops that need to be quilted. I could have some of them machine quilted, but hand-quilting would be better for this one and Mama's basket quilt.

November at Last

Yesterday for dinner I had turnip greens, green beans, ripe tomatoes, and the best cornbread I've ever had. The bread was from a Mexican mix, with jalapenos and I don't know what-all. And then came bunches and bunches of trick-or-treat visitors--they got about fifteen dollars worth of candy. I had to raid my kitchen candy bin to eke out the treats. I always give individually-wrapped stuff, Hershey minis, etc. Wish I had thought to photograph some of the little gremlins, cutest things ever!

I guess November is my second-favorite month of the year. Just hope the weather cools down some and rains some. This week and next, I'll have people around fixing the roof and the outside gas gadgets, cleaning up the leaf-covered yard, and other things. Have already had the furnace inspected and the gas turned off from the wrecked grill and burnt-out yard lamp.

I read on the news that one of my favorite actors, Val Kilmer, is battling cancer. He's having fun with his art work, though. He starred in some of my favorite movies: The Ghost and the Darkness, Thunderheart, The Saint, and one with Kim Basinger that I don't remember the title. Also the best movie I've seen about Billy the Kid. Great actor.

Two Meetings

Ramey, Jed and I went to Calera yesterday to the ASPS meeting. This photo is by Jerri H. It seemed to me that I smiled and grinned until my jaws were sore, but she managed to catch me looking--the way my mug looks in this picture--natural, I guess.

The "crowd" at the meeting was very small. When we arrived, a message came about the caterer; on the way to Calera he had been stopped by police, and all the food was unloaded and investigated. But eventually he arrived, and we had lunch. Then the prizes/awards were given out, and Ramey and I each won a couple of second and third prizes.

On Thursday, I went to the Leeds Arts Council where our poetry group entertained Jim and Liz Reed's Birmingham Arts Journal staff. This time there was a huge crowd, and I enjoyed meeting old acquaintances and new.

Something a bit funny happened when I got to the Arts Council--Joan D. hugged me, and one of her earrings got tangled in my hair. We spent about five minutes getting untangled, with everyone laughing at us.

Jed went back to Atlanta today, and I'm resting up for whatever this week has in store.

The Ghosts of Halloween

I want to make some more, maybe several in my old shrubbery, if I "have the time."

It's nearly noon, when I have to shift into high gear and get ready for tonight's event.

Cherchez les Duds du Clown

I've turned my house upside-down hunting Valentine Ballantyne's Halloween costume. This is it, from last year. Or some year before last.

Right now he and Jerry are dressed for Christmas. Those are the only two outfits he owns, except for his skivvies. No--that's wrong. His original costume was a red jumpsuit printed with white hearts, and a matching beret. I can't find it, either.

*

I had to go to Walmart yesterday to pick up a prescription. Then today I had to go to Publix to find all my stuff for the Arts Council meeting tomorrow night. And after turning the house topsy-turvy, I'm purt-near wore out, as Maw Maw would say.

What a Week Ahead of Me!

I just received an ASPS email that said I have at least one good reason to attend the Fall meeting this-coming weekend. That usually means at least one of my poems won, at least an honorable mention. I've registered for Jed and me to attend the ASPS awards luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 29.

On Friday evening, the 28th, the Leeds poetry group is entertaining Jim Reed's publishing staff at the Arts Council, and I've volunteered to help with refreshments. So that means I can get home from the Arts Council and just stay up all night and go to the ASPS meeting without having to change clothes. Just joking, but it's possible.

Jed is coming over for the awards luncheon, but I don't know which day he plans to come. Probably Friday, and he can give me moral support for the weekend.

An added incentive: Last week I ordered a new dress from Coldwater Creek. I hope it arrives soon, and the post-person doesn't try to stuff it into my mailbox or leave it on my front porch.

*

I was mistaken about the Birmingham Arts Journal meeting at the Arts Council. It's Thursday, Oct. 27, instead of Friday. So that makes it better for me timewise.

Another "Lost" Dream

One thing recurrent about this dream was that the same guy, who has appeared in other "lost" dreams, tried to help me in this one. The difference was that this time I recognized him. He was a student named Gerald who used to work for one of the law firms. I don't remember his last name.

Anyway, I had worked all night at UAB, and when I got in my car I took a wrong turn and couldn't find the right street to get out of town. I couldn't even get out of the Southside. Some of the streets were unpaved, with loose rocks and concrete scattered around. At a couple of points I got out of the car and asked for directions. One of these was a small shop run by a young woman with a couple of children playing in the floor. And then I couldn't find my car.

After I walked a few blocks, I met Gerald at the exit from some building. He said he had to get his car and would pick me up. I waited, and saw his car pull up and park across the street. When I got over there, I found his car but he wasn't in it.
*
It's funny, when you try to remember a dream. Much of it is fuzzy, and you try to avoid making up connections to the disconnected parts.

Kingdom of the Hwicce, 577-780s AD

Hwicce

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For Debbie, or anyone else interested in England. See the Wikipedia article. Refers back to Bath, England, where we visited in 1997.


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Hoping we can see "Poldark" tonight instead of some political blather.

Delta, a 7-year-old Border Collie

I'm in love again!