May The 4th Be With You... A Star Wars Memory

 

"Someone has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, flyboy."

~Princess Leia Organa

Star Wars

No, this isn't my, Ellipsis Movie Of The Week, recommendation, it's, well, a memory. You see, while my sister and I were never particularly close, we did share a love of movies. But as we found over the summer of 1977, Star Wars wasn't just a movie, it was a kid's blockbuster! When I say kid, I mean tweens and teens, like me. The movie was released on May 25th, 1977, and took off with light speed! By the time my birthday came around, a month later, it was a genuine hit! I didn't really have a big desire to see it, but my mother insisted I did, so off I was sent with my sister and her brand new fiancé to see it, at a matinee. The line was around the building, and down the block, and in that it was at the end of June, it was HOT, but folks were already on their 8th or 9th time seeing it! I have never loved the summer, and I have especially never loved that my birthday was in the summer, but it was fun to watch the energy of those around me in line. The movie was so-so. There was just something about it that had me wondering what the big deal was. My sister and her fiancé were a little too into each other for me to discuss the finer points of what I found lame, so there was that. As the summer wore on, and I discussed the movie with my friends, most of them decided I was nuts. They were either in love with Han Solo, or Luke Skywalker, which I completely understood, but that had very little to do with what was nagging at me about a perfectly fine movie! My guy friends simply insisted it was the best movie ever made, period, end of discussion! Then, I finally got my answer when I met my future husband.

You see, dear hubby is the brother of sister's husband. Yes, we married brothers. Alan and I met somewhere between the film's release and my birthday, Memorial Day, to be of exact. We didn't talk much that day. He can be a bit standoffish. Which is fine, the whole, families getting to know each other, thing was lame, but there was no avoiding it, so I figured that perhaps we could be... yikes... cordial. Um... nope. He barely acknowledged my existence. Shrug. Okay. It wasn't until years later I learned why he not only would not want to talk all things Star Wars, but why he had his nose out of joint that day, but that story is for another time. Eventually, he and I met again at the wedding, the following November, so here was my chance, I really wanted his opinion, and it was a safe ice-breaker. Why was the movie that ate the summer, so mediocre to me? I explained my impression to him, that the film seemed to be oddly off about something, and he said, it wasn't lacking anything, and then he asked me if I liked westerns? I had to think about it, but finally I told him, no, I didn't. I grew up in a time when there was a different western on every night of the week, I exaggerate, but take a look at the tv in the 50s 60s and 70s! Bonanza, The Big Valley, Alias Smith and Jones, The Wild Wild West, Wagon Train, Rawhide, The Riflemen, Have Gun Will Travel, Maverick, The Virginian, ugh, you see what I'm saying! I thought about it, Star Wars takes place in a Galaxy, far, far away, which was different than most sci-fi I grew up with! Suddenly it all came together! Star Was was a space western for our parents, and a glitzy sci-fi movie for we kids. The special effects for the time was truly amazing! Of course it couldn't fail! Well done, George Lucas!

So, all these years later, I am married to the love of my life, and we have this whole day planned around watching as many Star Wars movies that we can fit into one day! And I am thinking of my sister. She passed away, several years ago, without she and I ever really becoming close as sisters, and I am in truth, missing her most days, but I have grown to really like the memory of going to see, Star Wars, with her and WhatsHisName. Looking back, it was a good day! Space Westerns Rule!

 And I still have a crush on Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford!

May The 4th Be With You!

 

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Leucocholy

 

"There is no trivia in the strategic mind."

~Toba Beta

Master Of Stupidity

Hey... just sayin, but when you are the President of the United States, should you be spending your time obsessing on all the ugly gaudy details of building a ballroom? Or an unrealistic Arc d' Trump? How about turning the reflecting pool, on the National Mall, Caribbean blue, to match the pool at Mar-a-Lago? How about his obsession with seashells on a beach, that spell out, 8647? Trump's DOJ, this week, brought yet another indictment against, James Comey, for threatening Trump's life! Motherfucker! No "86" does not mean to kill, it means to get rid of something, such as old McDonald's hamburgers, that have been under the heat lamps too long! But Trump thinks if he stomps his foot loud enough, it will be a proper distraction from his own fuck up's. He thinks we can't see all his misdeeds and keep track of them, while being aware that he is using the DOJ to get back at his perceived enemies. 

He thinks we can't see it all.

We can.

And one day, he will face the serious legal consequences of his actions.

History will write his legacy. And he will become trivial, inconsequential and forgotten.

Leucocholy, used in a sentence.

You can say I am preoccupied with the future object of trivia that is trump, but the leucocholy I get from thinking of how insipid his ballroom is gives me a sense of well being, because I know I am not alone in the trivial existence that is 2026. 

"86" According the Mirriam-Webster

Weekend Baking... Cream Tea Scones

 

"One cup of flour," I say quietly.

"Are you seriously whispering?" he asks.

I look away from my cup of cream just long enough to glare at him.

"Does volume of someone's voice also affect how a recipe turns out?' he says/

I keep glaring at him.

"Should I sing to the cream?"

~Katie Cicatelli-Kuc

Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice

Scones for Sunday breakfast... a classic! Several years ago, I was really into making scones. I made every kind you can imagine, and a few of the recipes came from this site, King Arthur Flour. I just came across this recipe recently, so I downloaded it and added it to the new personal cookbook I am making for myself, because sometimes I just want something light for breakfast. I love regular breakfast faire, but I don't need meat at every meal. I am at that fun age, where blood pressure and body swelling is now my main hobbies. I am kidding, of course, but I do want to take better care of myself. Life is short, especially when you are officially elderly. Lordy I hate that word, but if the word fits, eat a scone for breakfast, with a bowl of fruit salad, and a glass of nonfat milk!

Try This awesome recipe, and tell me what you think!

Cream Tea Scones

King Arthur Flour

Lorquin's Admiral ( Limenitis lorquini )

 

Lorquin's Admiral

Cosumnes River Preserve, River Walk

Galt, California

April 30th, 2026

A fallen blossom returning to a bough, I thought... but no a butterfly"

~Arakida Moritake 

Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology

Yesterday was a beautiful day. Hubby and I took a walk, and a roll in my wheelchair, along the Cosumnes River Preserve, River Walk. It was peaceful and produced several birds we have not yet added to our birds list for this year, so that was nice. In fact the whole day was amazing, except for the keys that were dropped right on top of my head, the scary encounter with the skunk that ran right past my husband's feet, and the large rat and assorted lizards we encountered. We were definitely spending a day in nature! I will share more about all this later, but I guess on the bright side, the keys didn't break my nose, or put my eyes out, the skunk didn't spray us, the rat didn't bite us, and the lizards were quite content to mind their own damn business. As I said, yesterday was a beautiful day. There is beauty in the world!

More later...

Goodbye My Friend, For Now

 "If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we have to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it."

~Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ends his 11 year run in May. I will never forgive Trump for setting this travesty in motion. It's yet another thing, that adds to making life shitty, that we have no control to either stop or at least slow down. I get that late night tv has been losing money for years, but it's also true that Trump had his hands all over it! That's the worst part of life with Trump, being completely out of control to fix the things giving you pain. He wants to hurt us, to have us under his control, even in our very thoughts. Life is difficult enough, without having him as the president. We all needed, Stephen Colbert, and now he's gone. And while he will be back in the awesome form of helping to develop the newest movie in the, Lord of the Rings, film that is not the same in any way as inviting him into our living rooms at night, still I look forward to his future endeavors, and I wish him well!

And now Trump is killing culture. 

Comedy is important. Stand up for free speech whenever you can!

Read the New York Times article.

It Was A Very Good Tuesday

 

"We begin to read each book, 

not knowing if we will see a peacock's feathers, or a baboon's arse."

~Kevin Ansbro

Hubby and I took a ride to Tracy yesterday, just to check out the range on the new EV, and while there we decided to check in at the Clifton Court Forebay, to see what new and wonderful birds might be lurking about. We first found about 100 or so swallows, cliff swallows I think, flying around the first bridge on the road. There may have been a couple different species of swallows, they were flying so quick I couldn't quite get a shot of them. I need to come back in the early evening, when they are slower and ready to roost. You can spot them on the telephone lines sometimes. Next, to my delight, we came across a flock of Caspian Tern. I love those birds, and I was afraid I wouldn't get to see one this year, but happily, there they were, flying on both sides of the forebay! I only wish they could have been a bit closer, my camera is feeling it's age, but still, I'm not really complaining! It was nice. And it was nice in general to get away from all the drama of worldly events. As irritating as those worldly events were, finding, photographing, and being able to enjoy the beauty of those beautiful birds erases a lot of bad! And to make it all that much better, I had a delightful dinner with my hubby, a Jersey Mike's sandwich, and a Habit Burger Garden Salad. Yep, it was a pretty good Tuesday!

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Six Days, Seven Nights

 

Robin, Speaking to Quinn: I've flown with you twice,

 and you've crashed half the time."

~ Six Days, Seven Nights

Imagine six days and seven nights on a fabulous tropical island, sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? Although I would probably rather spend my vacation birding in Central Park, or shopping in London, I could see how it would be an amazing idea, especially if you're vacationing in winter, but good ideas can go horribly wrong. That's what this film is all about. Good ideas, bad ideas, and the love and strength to survive your choices along the way. You never know when fate will line things up, there are so many random moments in life, the worst idea can turn out to be just what you needed, and the perfect moments can sometimes fall spectacularly flat. Anne Heche and Harrison Ford are terrific, and they bring the adventure and romance!

Watch it! It's a pretty good time! It's a rom com worth curling up with!

The Calypsonians 

By

Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues

The Teacher Of The Month

 "If you're at the end of your rope... untie the knot in your heart."

~Cooper Edens 

If You're Afraid Of The Dark,

 Remember The Night Rainbow/Add One More Star To The Night

Okay, so it happened again. Someone tried to assassinate Trump. Again. For the third time to be exact. History will fill in the details. Was it real? Was it fake? There are reasons to believe both! I am not a conspiracy theorist, but there are oddities to this one. Ugh, I don't even want to discus my doubts because it's all so strange, but then w are talking about an event around Trump, so of course it's strange. It would be strange if it wasn't strange. All I know is, watching it all unfold live on, MS Now, was... strange. One minute hubby and I were discussing what we would serve at the dinner, if we were the caterers, the next minute men were climbing across chairs, and folks were ducking. Strange. Wanna know something else strange? The apparent bad guy was named Teacher of the Month, in December 2024. Before Trump took office for the second time.

 I am not giving any passes there is, NO ROOM FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE, but the last year and a half has seemed more like 5 years, than 18 months. It hasn't been an easy time to take. So much bad, in so little time, so I understand the desperate frustration, but for our own mental health we have to find things for ourselves, for self care. I get a lot of help from turning off the TV, after, Deadline White House... with Nicolle Wallace, and I nap for a couple hours. I have anemia, left over from my last bout with Covid-XEC, so I need a little extra rest anyway. You don't have to nap, but turning off the TV is mandatory. Believe it or not, essential oils, help. I keep a small bottle, on my desk, of cinnamon oil. I take a little sniff, when I start to fell stressed, and it brings calmness and serenity to my soul. That's my favorite scent, yours is probably different, but you get the point. Lavender is pretty good too! And if all else fails, find yourself a good therapist!

Donald Trump is not worth it! Truly he isn't.

Remember, you love pizza more than you hate Trump!

Losing your whole life, by going to prison for life, isn't necessary, when we have so much to be hopeful about. We just need to concentrate on seeing those things, more than what sits in the darkness. The midterms are right around the corner!

Anyway, here are a few scenes from the other night.

The ever loving RFK jr., and his wife, Cheryl Hines

The super creepy, ever loving, big boob Stephen Miller and Wife

The TEACHER OF THE MONTH

Trump want's to reschedule the event for sometime in the next 30 days, we'll see if he can pull that off. It costs money to produce these things, but the again, when did he ever worry about spending other peoples money? Also, there are schedules to be considered, both personally and professionally. I imagine some new evening gowns must be purchased, as we ladies don't like wearing the same gowns to a rescheduled rubber chicken event, especially after a gunman scares the ever loving boredom out of us! There is a whole lot to consider. As for me, if the WHCD does get another chance, I will probably tune in. I will be wearing my comfy leggings, my long soft shirt and my slippers, and I will have my Bingo card ready to go!

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Makebate

 

"Selfish and contentious people will not cohere, and without coherence, nothing can be effected."

~Andrew Hall

In that the word "Makebate" is an archaic word, I had a bear of a time find an example of a proper usage, here are some quotes the fit as alternative definitions. The word  dates bake to the early 1500's, so I'm guessing that it's usage in modern English is pretty much a rare event. 

Although perhaps we should bring it back!

Does the word remind you of anyone?

"Trump relies on his abilities as a MAKEBATE,

 to sew contention and quarrels among his cabinet, 

all for his own entertainment."

~Me

The word "MAKEBATES" appears in the King James version of the Bible.

 It refers to slanderers and false accusers.

2 Timothy 3:3 Makebate is mentioned in the margins.

A Pinch Of This, And OH HELL NO TO THAT

"A recipe has no soul. 

You, as the cook, must bring soul to your recipe."

~Thomas Keller

As you know, I like to cook. But things are getting way to expensive to make the recipes I want to make. But here's the thing, it's just as expensive, if not more, to eat out! So, what's the solution? Well, eat at home, but it doesn't have to be boring! There are so many fantastic recipes available, why am I paying $8.79 for a Garden Salad, with Crispy Chicken, from, Jack In The Box? A Big Mac Meal is now $11.00! I refuse! But Like everyone else, I loved my fast food.

 A Big Mac, once in a while, was really enjoyable, but in the last few years I have watched big corporations take advantage of everything from the Covid-19 Virus, to Trump's idiotic tariffs. Prices have inched up to a noticeable degree since 2021, sigh, what can I do? If I just have to eat out, Olive Garden, and B.J.'s Brewhouse, both offer reasonable lunch menu specials, which tastes better, and dining in the restaurant, is so much more comfortable. Anyway, in favor of eating at home, here is a yummy menu I put together from recipes from the New York Times cooking section. I think it sounds delicious, and the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen!

Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken Provencal

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

Chocolate Souffles

She's A Rainbow

"Life throws challenges, 

and every challenge comes with rainbows,

 and lights to conquer it."

~Amit Ray

World Peace: The Voice Of A Mountain Bird

The rainbow is from early this month, and it sure was fun to photograph. It had been a stormy day, and I was out in nature, trying to find some beauty. I didn't have much luck with the birds that day, and I was getting rained on, so we decided to head back home. While we were driving down HWY 5, the rainbow appeared across the highway. We pulled into In-N-Out Burger, to grab dinner, and that gave me time to snap a few photos of it. That's a pretty good time with nature I think. It's hard to feel down in the dumps when a rainbow crosses your path!

The Rolling Stones

She's A Rainbow

He's Sorry

 

"I justified my wrongs, Apology has lost it's song."

~Amogh Swamy

On my way to infinity: A Seekers Poetic Pilgrimage

Tucker Carlson is on an apology tour, having suddenly seen the light about Donald Trump, the way Marjorie Taylor Greene did! And he seems to think that by saying he's sorry,  it's going to make up for the pain he's caused in the last decade! The pain of all the lies he's told. January 6th, brought to light what Carlson truly thought about Trump, and the world was shocked about the lie's he told, but even more surprised about how he reunited with, and then campaigned for, Trump yet again in 2024! No, it wasn't just Tucker's campaigning for Trump that got him elected, he's simply one of the political opportunists that decided that it was all about ratings, and for that reason, I need to hear more about his how sorry he is about all the other lies he's told.

His lies go well beyond his endorsement of Donald Trump. Here are just a few of his bold faced lies, that have hurt many, many people. And he wants to apologize for misleading his audience about, Donald Trump? Weak willed people believe podcasters and influencers, and he knew that. I'm sorry? No, I expect he sees the writing on the wall. Trump will either be impeached, be removed by way of the 25th Amendment, or resign due to his health, and Tucker wants to keep his audience, so he sways along with whichever political wind blows past him. Afterall, he makes around 20 million per year to lie to his gullible nation. For the love of money.

Nicolle Wallace, and her guests say, it best.

He's sorry

The Kindest Of All Birds

 

"Be like the bluebird who is never blue,

 for he knows from his upbringing what singing can do."

~Cole Porter

We did a little birding the other day, just the usual places, and while we didn't find a lot new in the way of birds, we did find out two pieces of information that made us smile. First, the small bridge on Franklin Blvd has now been fully repaired and is now open for traffic! It has been closed since, January 1st, 2023, and was supposed to reopen in October of 23, but for whatever reason, repairs got pushed back! It's a fairly short bridge, but quite necessary. It provides traffic with a straight shot, to Thornton road, as opposed to having to travel through the middle of the Cosumnes River Preserve! The additional traffic Desmond road had on it, always seemed dangerous to me. Bruceville/Desmond is a fairly narrow road, with a dangerous elbow turn. The speed limit is only 35 mph, but I have seen folks traveling the road at over 50 mph. It's safer for the birds, and it's safer for the birders! So, YAY! 

The second piece of information involves that pretty little Western Bluebird. I spotted it, just inside the entrance to the Cosumnes River Preserve. It stunned me. It was sitting on a very thin branch, not making a sound. I was lucky I spotted it! They are such tiny birds, that sometimes you have to seek them out. It's a quiet little bird too. I have always got the impression that it was the kindest of all birds. It just give out that vibe to me. According to Google AI, the Western Bluebird symbolizes, joy, hope and the arrival of spring. And hey, it's not just me who finds them so ethereal, Neltje Blanchan described their disposition as, particularly angelic! So, Spring is here, finely, and I got a few photos, so it's a happy start of things to come! Last Sunday was a very good day!

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Into The Night

 

Diana: If he's still with you, you better let him go... if you ever want to see those stones alive...

 ( corrects herself ) 

... again

( corrects herself yet again )

... ever!

~Diana

Played by, Michelle Pfeiffer

Into The Night

Ed, has insomnia. He is depressed. His wife is cheating on him. He's screwing up at work. Probably because he has insomnia, due to his depression and his wife cheating on him. Or any combination of the three dynamics, but one night everything changes, and it all gets worse! Or maybe better. You see the sudden encounter with a stranger named, Diana, rocks Ed's life. Is she just what Ed needed? Or is she the worse thing that could have happened to him. You get the drift... Ed leads a dull life... but life can change on a dime, with twists and turns you never see coming, and suddenly life isn't a boring and depressing routine! With a great cast and an amazing, title song by, B.B. King, Into The Night, is a fun little mystery that will keep you guessing, what can possibly happen next?

WTF?

'Never put a sock in a toaster."

~Eddy Izzard

Wouldn't you just love to know what those gulls are thinking? That side eye from the gull on the right is everything! Oh well, it's just the randomness of the universe I guess. But isn't it fun? I'm mean do they know what the humans are doing?

Life in the Trump era

Monday... Hmmm... wtf?

Tuesday... HOLY HELL, who knew the Pope was soft on crime?

Wednesday... Will someone hide his tv?

Thursday... HE"S GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED

Friday... Oh well, we all had a good ride.

Saturday... Okay, he's golfing today. Everything will be fine... or not.

Is it already Monday again? Please hide his phone.

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?