Knitting, with Dogs

Happy New Year, Y'all

i am running into a new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that i catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises and
it will be hard to let go
of what i said to myself
about myself
when i was sixteen and
twentysix and thirtysix
even thirtysix but
i am running into a new year
and i beg what i love and
i leave to forgive me

From: Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir by Lucille Clifton

 

I hope y'all will be having your good New Year's meals today, and hoping for a good 2011.  I picked up a bunch of collards on my bike today. Yeah, I know the date says 12/30, but that's because I had the am/pm setting on my camera wrong.

This year's bike riding miles: almost 2500.  And I didn't start till April.  So I'm hoping for more miles next year if I can stay healthy.
 

 

Trees in snow

We had snow the night of Christmas.  First time in GA since 1886, or something like that.

I rode my bike 17 miles today.  It was chilly, but the roads were clear.

Little tree

LITTLE tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower
who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly
i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don't be afraid
look the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms
and i'll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy
then when you're quite dressed
you'll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they'll stare!
oh but you'll be very proud
and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we'll dance and sing
"Noel Noel"

e.e. cummings

Merry Christmas, my friends.

I have a new favorite YouTube channel

Hockeymom sent me the link to Captain Valor's YouTube video of re:Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton.

And I fell in love.  This guy is amazing.  He does American Sign Language interpretations of some wonderful geeky songs.  And he's ADORABLE!  Go watch and subscribe to his channel. 

2/2: Silent Poetry Reading

For I Will Consider My Dog, Bertie

(with no apology to Christopher Smart)

Kij Johnson


For I will consider my dog Bertie,

For he is as mundane as clean sheets, and as welcome.

For at the first glance at the glory of the sun in the east, he worships in his way;

For this is done by waiting impatiently at the door until he is let out to raise his leg against the birch in the back yard, his expression proof to the depth of his rapture.

For he confounds the student of dogly manners, by bearing his tail high and full of pride, all the time permitting other dogs to nibble and smell those portions of least apparent dignity to mankind.

For he has passed the First Degree of begging, that of starvation imminent, and mastered the Second Degree, which relies solely on cuteness to gain the ort.

For he wiggles with all the beguilement of a harem slave, but requiring less effort from the watcher.

For he relishes his visits to those professionals who poke or clip his Delicatest bits, tho' always he does this with the purity of the innocent.

For when secret ravishments of foods casually left in reach discommode him, he ever seeks the quiet places of the house to relieve himself of their burden;

For his favorite place to do this is in the doorway to his mistress's closet.

For his vices are simple and easily discovered.

For he has never yet thrown up in a car.

For when he sleeps he does so with charm, a tidy hump upon his ordained pillow, else loose-boned and sprawled upon the forbidden couch.

For in his eyes I have no Peer, reminding me of the power within.

For he loves me with the simplicity of his animal nature;

For his delight in living educates me each day.

1/31: Lazy

I missed posting yesterday because last night I was playing Fuli and by the time I looked up, it was 1:30 am and I'd finished all 20 levels.  I'm not sure I've ever finished a game in one fell swoop like that before.

So today I've been lazy. 

1/29: Cats can be awesome too

Y'all know I'm all about the dogs, but every now and then there's a nifty cat video going on out there:

cat vs. bear @ Yahoo! Video

1/25: Wii, and still no pics

I think must the the clumsiest person in this part of the state.  All those balance games on the Wii are so CHALLENGING for me.  Yeah, a 5 y.o. could do that stuff, but NOT ME.  Yet somehow I'm compelled to keep trying.

Stubbornness.  I haz it.

1/24: The other side of the family

I got to visit with the other side of the family (i.e., the in-laws) today, and will again tomorrow.

I finally decided I needed to knit myself some knee socks.  I've been meaning to do that for ages, but hadn't gotten around to it before.  They're toe-up, and I'm now over the ankle and heading up the calf.

Pictures later, hopefully.

1/23: back home

We got my brother's 56th birthday duly celebrated today.  We had hobo dinners, with yummy  gooey coconut cake for dessert.  And it's always a treat to be with family.

But we're back home now, and all is well.