"Dream Homes"...A Round Robin Promotion

"It's a conspiracy , I tell you. The minute you start, they put you on the all-American sucker list. You start out to build a home and wind up in the poorhouse. And if it can happen to me, what about you...against every boy and girl who were ever in love."

-Jim Blandings, "Mr Blandings Builds His Dream Home." (1948)

I love old movies, and this one has always be a favorite. Although the movie was released in 1948, the situation goes on. A dream house can be a carefree flight of fancy, or the worst nightmare ever. LOL. Remember the Tom Hanks movie "The Money Pit?" Or how about the "Duplex," in which Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller play a young couple who purchase their first home, only to find that they have to contend with a crzy next door neighbor.And speaking of crazy neighbors, how about the very dark film, "Pacific Heights?" Eeeeeeeek!

LOL. I am thinking of "Dream Homes," because that is the theme for our next Round Robin outing, chosen by Gem, author of the blog, "Journally Yours." The above photos is a picture I took, just this past May, of Jerry Garcia's house, which sits in the Haight/Ashbury district of San Francisco. My photo doesn't do it justice, I will have to go back and take another one at some point. I wonder, what made Jerry purchase this particular house? Was it the gorgeous Victorian archetechure? The location off the very famous 60's culture street? Was it indeed his dream house?

I have some very specific ideas in mind for what I would want in a dream house. I won't tell you now, of course, you have to come back here and read my Round Robin entry on Wedensday, September 20th. LOL. One thing I will give away right now, I have always wanted 10-20 ft inflatable moose antlers mounted on top. LOL. True. I love the moose, it is such an angelic creature, so instead of a silly gargoyal, I prefer moose anters. :) Inflatable moose antlers. Don't forget that. :)

I hope you will come back and read my entry, but what would be even better would be if you played along with the Round Robin Challenges, and post your own entry about what your "Dream Home," is or would be like. Is it a penthouse apartment with a view of Manhattan? How about a houseboat, like the ones on Richardson Bay? Maybe you want to live in a bamboo hut on a private island, like Gilligan did, or maybe you want a nice comfortable house, near good schools, in a town with a very low crimes rate, like the idealic town of Stepford. LOL. Anything goes, so put on your design caps, grab your camera, and go out and photograph the exterior of a house you consider to be a dream home. Write up and entry describing it to us, and post your photo. All the information you need to play, can be found on the official Round Robin blog.

Come on along...you know you want to. :)

Round Robin Challenge: "Dream Homes"

-OndineMonet
"Jerry's House"
Haight/Ashbury
San Francisco, California
Spring, 2006
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #128: 9/11, Five Years On

If tears could build a stairway
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven
And bring you home again

-Unknown

Weekend Assignment #128: Share your thoughts about 9/11. You can remember back on what you were doing on the day or give some thoughts to how we think about it today. Thoughts personal, political, or philosophical are all up for consideration. Tell us all what you think about when you think about September 11, 2001.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Where to begin. Let's start on the evening of, September 12, 2001. Alan and I had moved into our little cottage in the hills, just four months earlier, and we hadn't done much unpacking during those summer months. I did some, but not a lot, you see during that time, and for a couple years after that, I was in a pretty deep depressive state. So deep in fact, that I was, at that time, afflicted with Anhedonia. I was numb to most emotion, not just joy and happiness, I was numb to all emotion. I would react normally, on cue, which was my way of trying to make the world think that I was ok, but those closest to me knew that there was very little actual feelings, or emotions going on behind my eyes behind my eyes.

Alan, in an attempt to help in my recovery, encouraged me to watch a silly "reality" program with him, that aired from July-September of 2001, Fox's "Murder In Small Town X." It was basically a whodunit, with a case of "investigators,' attempting to solve the fictional murder of a family who lived in a mythical town in Maine. So, every week we watched the show, and then discussed the clues, and shared with each other who we thought might be the most likely suspect of the townsfolk. I watched week after week, took in every clue, debated vigorously with Alan about motives...and felt absolutely indifferent, so a puzzle that I would have considered a guilty pleasure just a couple years earlier.

The show concluded it's run on Tuesday, September 4th, 2001. Right until the last show, we debated what it's eventual outcome might be. The winner was a surprise to both of us, but the show did conclude with a satisfactory ending. On Monday, September 10, Alan and I sat down to dinner, and began discussing the show, and mused a bit about what the winner might be doing at that very moment. We ate a little later then normal that night, so after dinner, Alan went to bed, and I sat up for a while, watching TV Land. We had just a pleasant evening, and while my overall condition had not changed, I felt a strange kind of peace, not the same as numb, but for once, all the people, places, and events that had led to my depression, were not on my mind. I had stopped ruminating, and what was left was, a whisper quiet silence, except for TV Land and those fabulous old shows that have seen me through so much. TV can be an amazing comfort.

I went to bed, with a rerun of "I Love Lucy," on the TV in the bedroom, playing very quiet as to not wake Alan. I slept a gentle sleep that night, no nightmares, no busy dreams, just a deep, body resting sleep. I woke the next morning to the phone ringing. It was strange, because when I looked at the caller ID, I saw that it was Alan calling from work. I kind of smiled, because I thought he was calling to tell me he forgot the grocery list, but of course, he wasn't

His first words were, "Carly, are you ok?" LOL. "Yes Alan, I am fine, why?" "Haven't you heard?" He said with his voice so serious and sad. At that point I looked around the room. Everything was in place, there hadn't been an earthquake, the sky outside the window was the most vivid shade of blue I had ever seen it, and Elvis was sleeping at the end of the bed, cuddled up to his favorite bear. "Heard what Alan?" After a moment he said..."America is under attack...the World Trade Center is gone." It was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. "Gone, what the hell are you talking about? Where did it go?" "Carly, it's a terrorist strike...the Pentagon has been hit." At that point I looked over at the TV, and saw that the same episode of I Love Lucy that had been playing when I went to bed, was on again. The same episode. The digital cable box, which sat directly beneath it, had a little red dot lit. "What is that?" I thought to myself. "Carly, turn on the TV and stay home until I get there." And our conversation was over.

By the time I heard of what had happened that day, the towers had already fallen, the Pentagon had already been struck, and United Airlines, Flight 93, had already crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania. I sat down in a chair, and watched those buildings fall over and over that day. I watched my local FOX affiliate KTVU, interview the heartbroken wife of Flight 93 passenger, Tom Burnett, talk to the media from her San Ramon, California home. San Ramon is in the East Bay, where I live, she was in some ways, a neighbor. The world had suddenly gotten a lot smaller that day. After a little while I got up from my chair, to open the back door. I felt like I needed to see the back yard. I almost immediately looked up into the morning sky. It was a blue...but it was the most amazing blue...it was a blue that I haven't seen since. Later I found out that, there hadn't been a single cloud over the U.S. that day. It was perfection of late summer, it was the day we all dream of. The air was clear, the sky blue, and there was an early autumn crispness to the air.

I think I looked at the sky forever. I just stood there...looking up into all that blue. To be truthful, I don't know exactly how long I stood there. I noticed at one point, that there were no sounds at all. No children playing outside, no dogs barking, and the oddest thing of all...I didn't see or hear a single bird in the sky. It was the loudest silence. All at once, I heard the front door open, Alan was home. Together we watched the coverage on the TV for most the rest of the day. We didn't talk much, if at all. I was watching the most horrific events on TV, and was still feeling nothing. Intellectually, I understood it's devastation, and the loss, and the incredible pain, but I felt nothing. The first real sound I heard that day, was the Ethereal Musician, at about sunset, he broke the silence up here in the hills, by playing "America," on his saxophone. Except for his tune, there didn't seem to be any sound at all. Still...I felt nothing.

A couple years later, in 2003, I emerged from the hold Anhedonia had on me. All emotion came pouring back almost as quickly as they had left me a few years before. Since that time, I have formed some pretty strong opinions about 9/11 and what led America to that point, most of you who read my blog on a regular basis already know how I feel, so I won't go into that right now. However, since John said we could take the opportunity to share our thoughts be it "personal, political, and philosophical," I think I will speak about a few things that are on my mind right now.

Politics...

America is still under attack, and it frustrates me that in the five years since the September 11, 2001 attacks, we have not captured Osama Bin Laden. It is an outrage, and I hold the Bush administration directly responsible for the fact that he has not yet been brought to justice. But I don't just hold them responsible, because I also hold every single member of the senate responsible as well. More pressure needs to be placed on the administration to do it's job and find Bin Laden. I wish members of the media, with the exception of the brilliant Helen Thomas, would do their job, and ask tougher questions...and keep asking...loudly...until we get some real answers and not irrational made up answers we are been given now. Also, I think we should have some proper memorials and permanent tributes in place by now at the World Trade Center grounds, Shanksville Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon. It's shameful that our government has done so little, to honor those brave individuals of that day.

Bottom Dwellers...
(Internet Hoaxes and Urban Legends of 9/11)

Before the sunset on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, the first hoaxes and incidents of grifting had already occurred before the sun set over New York City. There is an Internet urban legend making the rounds, which has been making the rounds since 2001. The subject line says, "Remember This." It is a lie regarding the questioning of Oliver North, during the Iran/Conta hearings, by then Senator, Al Gore. In the email FWD, is information about how Oliver North tried to tell Al Gore that he had grave concerns about Osama Bin Laden, and that he considered him a great terrorist threat to his family. Sigh.

I can't believe that someone, who lived through the events of 9/11 alongside all of us, would have created such a lie, let alone, circulate it to well meaning people who feel inclined to pass it along to those they care about, out of concern. At best this is a practical joke, at worst it is liable. I received a copy of this email today, and I have to say, it made me a little angry. Not at the person who sent it to me, but at the original bottom dweller who apparently has no grasp of what took place that day...the lives lost...the devastation done to everyone, and the ensuing distrust that has taken place. We are coming up on the fifth anniverary of 9/11, and if you are reading this, then you have a computer. Please, don't take things like the information in that email for granted as being the truth, just because a friend or someone you know hits the FWD. You can check things like this out, and a good place to start is Snopes.com, which is an excellent resource for determining if you have been the victim of an Internet hoax or urban legend. To read about the particular email I received, click on the link here, or see the link below.

Some Personal Thoughts...

I have been given a second chance, I think by God, to live a full life. Complete with emotion and creativity, and yes...all the feelings and passion of two lifetimes. I love as much as I can, and as fully as I can. Tonight, as I sit in my office writing this, I grieve for the losses America endured on 9/11 and in the days after. The war in Iraq is a passionate point with me, and I hate the thought of it. I hate that we have suffered the additional loss of life we have, because of some misguided, at best, ideology on the part of the Bush Administration. It was an irrational thought process which plunged us into this illegal and immoral war. And we have wasted time, resources, money, and worse of all...life in order to satisfy the ambitions of our leaders. We are NO safer then we were on the night of September 10th, 2001, but in fact, we are in some ways all whole lot worse off. We are hated around the world because of the policies and actions of our government and actions by certain members of our military abroad, and personally we have never had fewer civil rights in America then we do right now.

Keep in mind, we all have the power to enact change in this country. Please, do your research, and vote in the upcoming mid-term elections. Make your voice count, and then hold your politicians responsible. Write letters, write factual emails, and write in your blog!We can be a positive part of history, or we can sit around and look for others to do our work for us. I don't know about you...but I am making my life work for me...and I am working for a positive change. I am living my life, because the sad fact is...a perfect day, a perfect morning, carries no guarantee that it will end the same way it began.

NOTE: Ironically, Alan and I learned that the winner of the Fox network reality show, "Murder In Small Tow X," was Angel Juarbe Jr. He was killed on the morning of September 11th, 2001 in the collapse of the World Trade Center, just one week after the last episode of the series aired. He was a firefighter for the New York City Fire department.

-OndineMonet
"Blue Skies"
Berkeley, California
September 6th, 2006
Afternoon

Links
Snopes.com

Time Magazine 9/11 Pictorial Essays

The 2996 Project

Tom Burnett Family Foundation

Twin Towers Orphan Fund

Build The Memorial: The World Trade Center Memorial Fund

The American Red Cross

I Saw The Light

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

-Jeffery Goldman

Isn't that a beautiful butterfly? Sigh :) I had the best time the other day at the conservatory, chasing it from flower to flower, taking photo after photo of it's beautiful, graceful movements. I am going to miss the Butterfly Exhibit, when it closes at the Conservatory of Flowers in late October. It has been nothing short of magical to me, to be able to see all the different varieties and study their behavior. I have been waiting all summer to photograph this particular butterfly species, Mimosa Yellow (Pyrisitia).

It just made me smile to see it in person, after having admired it for years in art, and pages of insect lore. I did a little reading tonight, and found out some interesting facts about butterflies in lore and mythology. For example, many cultures consider the butterfly to be the symbols of the human soul. The Chinese and Japanese cultures, use the butterfly as symbols of joy and happiness. The Blackfoot Indians, believe that dreams are brought to us in sleep by butterflies.

I have decided that the painting I am about to start in a few weeks, will be of one of the butterflies I was able to view at the conservatory exhibit. Butterflies inspire me, and make me feel really good inside, it seems like a natural choice for my painting. I can't wait to begin painting it, but I have to put it off until at least mid-autumn. Still, it is a good feeling to already be planning what it will look like, and where I will hang the painting when I am done, and of course, it will remind me of the awesome time I spent this summer, learning so much about patience and beauty from their little lives. :)

"I Saw The Light"
By Todd Rundgren

It was late, last night
I was feeling something wasn't right
There was not another soul in sight
Only you, only you
So we walked along
Though I knew that there was something wrong
And a feeling hit me oh so strong about you
Then you gazed at me and the answer was plain to see
'Cause I saw, the light, in your eyes

Though we had our fling
I just never would suspect a thing
Till that little bell began to ring in my head
In my head
But I tried to run
Though I knew it wouldn't help me none
'Cause I couldn't ever love no one, or so I said
But my feelings for you
Were just something I never knew
'Till I saw, the light in your eyes

But I love you best
It's not something that I say in jest,
'Cause your different boy from all the rest
In my eyes
And I ran out before, but I won't do it anymore
'Cause I saw the light in your eyes.

-OndineMonet
"Sunny One"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
September 6th, 2006
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: "Nostalgia"

"Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days."

-Doug Larson

Funny the things I find myself feeling sentimental, and nostalgic about. Like this for example, the "Doggy Diner," sign. When I was a little one, in the late 60's and 70's, I would find myself looking for certain landmarks that seemed comforting to me, as my parents would drive from here to there all around the Bay Area, either in the course of running errands, or some other flight of fancy such as avoiding visiting relatives. LOL. Sad, but usually true. Anyway, as my parents would bicker in the front seat, I would be sitting quietly in the back seat, looking for familiar landmarks that appealed to my childhood eyes.

The Doggy Diner hot dog chain was located in about 50 or so places, throughout the Bay Area. Hayward, Oakland, Emeryville and of course, 13 in San Francisco alone. Alas, as the popularity of the hamburger grew, the love of the hot dog declined, and in time the Doggy Diner closed for good. Sigh. And with it's demise, went the canine icon, a 10 ft tall, rotating dachshund head, that had been so beloved by me in my childhood. Sigh. After all how often does one see a 10 ft tall, rotating dachshund head? :) Funny thing, I don't remember much about the hot dogs they served however. LOL. Ahhh...Nostalgia!

This Doggy Diner sign is the very last one remaining, out of the original 50 that were manufactured, and there was quite a fight to keep it as a San Francisco landmark by the Ocean Beach Historical Society. The new owners of the property, where the former Doggy Diner restaurant had stood, The Sloat Garden Center, had scheduled it's removal, but it was saved through a petitioning of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and while it was not named an official landmark, the city of San Francisco did take partial ownership of the sign, and agreed to pay for at least part of it's upkeep, but the Doggy's adventures weren't quite over. It seems that a little more then a year after San Francisco took responsibility for the sign, it was knocked over in a wind storm, damaging the pup's nose. Due to the amount of public outcry, the Department of Publics Works gave the Doggy a nose job, and replaced the sign in the median of Sloat Blvd, where it stands today.

The design for the Doggy sign was created by Bay Area resident, Harold Bachman, and the sign was immortalized in the popular comic strip, "Zippy The Pinhead." During a fundraiser for the beleaguered sign, a special t-shirt was made that featured Doggy, Zippy & Griffy, from the famous comic. I sure do love these old icons, and this challenge has inspired me to look up some other area icons from my childhood. This was an awesome challenge topic!

Be sure to pay a visit to the other members of the Round Robin Challenges, who participated in this challenge. Thanks goes to Dorn, author of the journal, "Through the Eyes of the Beholder," for bringing us such a fun topic to take on!

Linking List

Dorn... Through The Eyes Of The Beholder
Steven... (sometimes photoblog) POSTED!
Karen... Outpost Mavarin POSTED!
Chris... It's All About Me I Think POSTED!
Carly... Ellipsis... Suddenly Carly POSTED!
TJ... Every Picture Tells A Story
Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix POSTED!
Julie... Julie's Web Journal POSTED!
boliyou... Percolation
AscenderRisesAbove... AscendersRisesAbove Studio Updates POSTED!
Suzanne R... New Suzanne R's Life POSTED!
Gina... Gina's Space POSTED!
Valorie... Retrospect USA POSTED!
Marie... Photographs & Memories Too POSTED!
Janet... Fond of Photography POSTED!
Becky... Where Life Takes You POSTED!
Linda... Blah Blah Blog POSTED!
Tess... First Digital Photos POSTED!


-OndineMonet
"Doggy Diner"
San Francisco, California
August 30, 2006
Afternoon

The New View

"Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it."

-Alfred Hitchcock

Today, ABC's The View, began it's 10th season, and as you probably know by now, also debuted Rosie O'Donnell as the show's newest cast member. All the drama is apparently in the past, because there was absolutely no mention of the unpleasantness that had taken place earlier this year with Star Jones Reynolds, or the hissy fit that Elizabeth Hasselbeck threw at the end of last season, regarding the 72-hour abortion pill, nor was there a mention of the candid remark made recently by, Meredith Vieira, regarding her opinion that The View has become a bit of a joke." I didn't actually expect that any mention about those incidents would be made, but wouldn't have been surprised if they had. No, it did seem to be a new day on the set of The View, but how did that first new day of the 10th season go? Well, lets just say...there were some bumps.

The ladies, well at least it seemed to me, didn't appear to be as at ease in each others company as they have in the past. The timing and flow of conversation did not move as freely as I have seen it, with the topics being somewhat disjointed. Now that could be in part to the new cast addition, Rosie, and the stress of the first day, which is always difficult, but it might also have to do with the new set design, which I have to wonder about...as in...who thought THAT was a good idea? Weird, harsh colors, and a bare, streamlined set with no personality at all. It was stark. Maybe they felt it was a time to completely clean house, and do something completely different, but as a viewer I kind of enjoyed the comfortable home-like atmosphere of the old set. It just seemed a lot more relaxing and inviting. The new set looked like a place I wouldn't mind leaving...hmmm...maybe that is the point.

Timing. Timing is important in most things, and the ladies were lacking it this morning. One thing I found particularly disturbing was when the ladies began to discuss "Hot Topics," and of course the story on most talk shows has been the untimely death of Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, so it naturally came up in conversation, but when the women began to discuss his death, the discussion went abruptly off the death of Irwin, and onto Rosie O' Donnell's critique of the movie, "Hollywoodland." Now to be fair, the flow went from how you might tell your child that a beloved icon such as Steve Irwin had passed away, to how hard it must have been to tell children, years ago, of the death of Superman star, George Reeves. The part that was hard to watch, was that while discussing what a great movie, Hollywoodland was, there were clips of Steve Irwin in the background, behind the ladies, on a big screen monitor. The shift was strange, and the clips without any narration was awkward. It just didn't seem right somehow. Another weird moment was the reference made to a large bouquet of flowers that Tom Cruise sent to Rosie O' Donnell, which was sitting on the floor in front of the new panel desk. I would have thought it would have been a nice, colorful addition to the set, and it could have been displayed on a table behind the ladies, but instead, it was on the floor. Strange.

Maybe I am just being nickpicky, but there just wasn't a comfortable flow to the show, it could be that some kinks simply need to be worked out. Still, I had to wonder this past summer, when I saw those cheesy promo commercials that featured Rosie, Elizabeth, Joy Behar and Barbara Walters in a faux musical with the catch phrase, "We're shaking up The View," if it was going too far, and perhaps trying too hard, to put across the message that life after, Star Jones Reynolds, and Meredith Vieira goes on. I suppose like most things, time will tell. On a positive note, Elizabeth Hasselbeck was sporting a brand new look, with a lovely shorter cut hair style, that really suited her and gave her a much more trendy and up to date look. She looked both youthful and sophisticated. Now if The View can find that combination, maybe it will survive after all.

Did you see The View today? What was your opinion of the new changes? Tell me your thoughts.

-OndineMonet

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Silhouettes

"Watch me at the window from your place on the couch, watch me pretending that I am really looking out. You say, 'come here, I can't see you in this light,' but I'm much safer beside the moon tonight. 'Cause when I am a silhouette, I have no fear."

-Unknown

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Capture something in silhouette. Faces, bodies, trees, buildings - whatever is attractively shadowed is up for consideration.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Silhouettes you say...ok...as it just so happens I did some practicing with shadows and light. I think you have probably seen most of these, but not together at once, anyway, here goes...

silhouette of the walkway at the Leo Ryan Memorial Park

San Mateo, California, April, 2006

Santa Cruz Wharf, October, 2005

Memorial at Lone Tree cemetery, Hayward, California

Golden Gate Bridge in silhoulette, April, 2006

The Marin Headlands, Conzelman rd, Marin County, Ca

"I'll fill those canyons in your soul, like a river lead you home. And I'll walk a step behind, in the shadows so you shine. Just ask, it will be done and I will prove, until you're sure, that I am the one."

-Gary Allen

-OndineMonet
1. Point Montara Lighthouse
Montara, California

His Truth Is Marching On...

"I can look you in the eye and tell you I feel I've tried to solve the problem diplomatically to the max, and would have committed troops both in Afghanistan and Iraq knowing what I know today."

-George W. Bush, Irvine, California., April 24, 2006

One week from today, our country will recognize a very grim milestone. It will be the 5th anniversary of the events of September 11th, 2001. I dislike calling it an anniversary, because the images that come to mind when I think of an anniversary don't usually involve the kinds of images that we all saw on that horrific day five years ago. As I sit here right now, typing this, I am watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel called, "Inside The Twin Towers," which chronicles eyewitness accounts of what it was like to be in the towers, when it was struck. Poignant, first person, accounts. Sigh.

Sometimes I cry when I think about that day, often times I get frustrated that so little has been done to track Osama Bin Laden and bring him to justice. Sometimes I get angry that, in fact, the CIA quietly disbanded the Bin Laden unit known as "Alec Station," late last year. I don't understand why Bin Laden hasn't been caught. It has been nearly five years, and we are still in the same amount of danger that we were on the morning of September 11, 2001. Sigh. I often see a certain catch-phrase here and there, sometimes web banners on different Internet sites, that say the same thing, "Never Forget, September 11, 2001." Tell me...have we, as a country, forgotten, by way of indifference, complacency and depression, because we feel we have no real control over our future when it comes to terrorism? If we don't demand more of our elected officials, especially when it comes to the search for Bin Laden, have we not, in effect, given up? Tell me your thoughts.

And now, a few words from George...

"I would guess, I would surmise that some of the more spectacular bombings are done by al Qaeda suiciders."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C.. August 21, 2006

"I've reminded the prime minister the American people, Mr. Prime Minister, over the past months that it was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., June 29th, 2006

"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., June 27th, 2006

"I said I was looking for a book to read, Laura said, you ought to try Camus. I also read three Shakespeares... I've got a eck-a-lec-tic reading list."
-George W. Bush, New Orleans, La., August 29th, 2006
(He claims to have read 60 books since January 1st, 2006)

"The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., May 5th, 2006

And finally...

"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., May 5th, 2006

-OndineMonet

CIA Reportedly Disbands Bin Laden Unit

Inside The Twin Towers (Discovery Channel Schedule)

Still Life

Close to the gates a spacious garden lies,
From the storms defended and inclement skies;
Four Acres was allotted space and ground,
Fenc'd with a green enclosure all around.
Tall thriving threes confessed the fruitful mold:
the reddening apple ripens to gold,
Here the blue fig with luscious juice overflows,
With deeper red the pomegranate glows,
The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear,
And verdan olives flourish round the year.

-Homer, Odyssey, circa 850 B.C. Alexander Pope translation


I was a little tired today, so I decided to do some still life photography of the harvesting fruits and vegetables that are in our garden. I will show more of them throughout autumn, but for now, I have the first ripe pear of the season. Sigh. That first bite of a chilled pear is always a late summer event for me. The air is cooling, and sometimes in the early evening, as the sun is just beginning to set, my whole body feels more alive then ever, even when I am tired...all it takes is a little breeze up from the bay, and that first bite of a fresh, buttery, juicy pear to remind me why life is so great this time of year. Soon, the garden will be alive with autumn color and scent. It's life at my fingertips. Still life.

-OndineMonet
"Still Life Pear"
Berkeley, California
September 2nd, 2006
Early Evening

Tweet, Tweet, TWEAT, Tweet...

"Those little nimble musicians of the air that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art."

-Izaak White

I went to the San Francisco Zoo last week, on a cooler then normal day, which isn't the best time to visit the zoo, because most of the animals were cuddled up and not real animated, but one exhibit I did particularly enjoy was the new bird exhibit, "Binnowee Landing." For an extra $2.00 you can enter the large walk through aviary habitat. Included in the admission, is a feed stick so you can get up close with the birds, as they eat nearly right out of your hand. It was an awesome experience. I was able to get close to the Eastern Rosella, which is a large, colorful parrot, and for about 10 minutes or so, I had a friend in a small, blue parakeet, who sat on the end of the feed stick I was holding, as I walked around the exhibit photographing the other birds. I am getting real good at one handed photography! LOL. The birds in the above photo, are Australian Cockateils. I didn't get a chance on this visit to feed them, maybe next time. :)

Other birds...

Chilean Flamingos

Parakeets

Magellanic Penguin

Peacock

Eastern Rosella

My friend, the blue parakeet. :)

-OndineMonet
"At The Zoo"
San Francisco Zoo
August 23rd, 2006
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #127: "Goodbye Summer" Haiku

"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance."

-Bern Williams

Weekend Assignment # 127: Write a haiku saying farewell to summer. A haiku, as many of you know, is a poem of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five again in the third. Simple and fun, and anyone can do 'em. You can do more that one if you want. As a bonus, technically speaking, haiku are supposed to feature seasonal imagery, so we've got that going for us this time around.

Extra Credit: A picture of a fun summer activity you're saying goodbye to for another year.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

As you know, summer is not my favorite time of year, but it is necessary to have summer, so that beautiful autumn can comeback again. Still, summer is not without it's merits, such as the concerts on the beach in Santa Cruz. Opening night this year featured the Greg Kihn Band. For an old guy from the 80's he is still HOT! :) I looked hot that night too...tee hee...I had on my new shoulder cut-out T-shirt, and I wore my hair down, all 5 feet of it. Well, I pinned it up a little. :) Ok, so summer has it's moments. :)

Music On A Summer Night (Haiku)
By Carly Gordon

Summer music kiss
That's what a June night is for
Music on the beach

Extra Credit:

Greg Kihn on stage in Santa Cruz, June 23rd, 2006

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as seen from the Wharf

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

-Ada Louise Huxtable

-OndineMonet
"Greg Kihn Concert"
Santa Cruz, California
June 23rd, 2006
Early Evening

Nuit de Papillon

"Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume, it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake...as almost all hats are."

-Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) You've Got Mail

It was a long day. After a particularly fun time at therapy, I thought it might be a good idea to go to the butterfly exhibit, at the Conservatory of Flowers, to try to chase some sadness away. It worked. There were several new species to work with, but I was most intrigued with the White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae). It reminds me of fine ivory lace. I decided today, to take a few shots in b/w mode, just to see what it would be like. It was good for me to go out with the camera today, sometimes I think it is the best therapy of all. I tend to see things differently on days when I am a little sad.

I spent a lot of time with this particular butterfly, and soon, I wasn't feeling as sad, in fact, I found a good bit of energy from my visit with her. After I finished her portrait, I spotted a beautiful Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus) and decided to spread my creative wings a bit. I turned my camera on video mode, and took two short movies of it dancing and feasting upon a lovely sunflower. I was very happy with how they came out, so maybe next week I will revisit the conservatory and take some longer videos. Just as an experiment, later tonight, I am going to make a movie in my Windows Movie maker with the two video shorts and some stills which I will run together with some music, not quite sure which musicial piece yet, maybe something by Rachmaninoff, or maybe I will try some jazz, with Harry Connick Jr. I wish the butterflies lives weren't so short, so much beauty too lose, doesn't seem fair.

Later in the day, I took a ride across town to the "Six Sisters," at Alamo Square Park. There was another bride and groom posing for their wedding photos. That makes the 6th couple I have encountered, since last spring. :) It was a perfect day for the camera. I have been enjoying photographing the young brides, as every bride is beautiful, and every groom handsome. Good day with the camera. A lot of happiness and contentment was to be found. :)

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserved a little sunshine."

-Jeffrey Glassberg

Note: I found a great butterfly resource, by way of my friend Steven, Butterflies and Moths of North America. It is an awesome website where you can learn more about these amazingly beautiful creatures. :)

-OndineMonet
"Butterfly At Night"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
August 30, 2006
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: On Tuesday Or Even Wednesday Rated PG-13

"If being sane is thinking there's something wrong with being different...I'd rather be completely fucking mental."

-Angelina Jolie

Monday Photo Shoot: Post a photo of an award, plaque or certificate.



Our friend Karen, Mavarin, came up with a wonderful idea, which was to post a special subject for the completely underappreciated, and terribly overworked John Scalzi, AOL Journal Land's very own beloved BLOGFATHER. :) So, in honor of his recent win of the John W. Campbell award, this week's "Your Monday Photo Shoot," is to post a photo of an award, plaque or certificate. Our entries can be posted at John's blog, Karen's blog or at at both!

Well, see, I have won things, but never something which awarded me a statue, a certificate, plaque or the such. I have won a scrapbooking contest, which gave me a $10:00 gift certificate, and a mention at the stationary store where it was held. I won a diamond necklace from Sear's. LOL. I won a bottle of Champaign and a certificate for free Martinizing, but that was when I was in the 1st grade, back when children were allowed to win alcohol. Don't worry I didn't drink it, I gave it to my old kindergarten teacher. LOL. Still...as a grown up lady...I have never won an award. Came close though...I was nominated six times for a AOL Journal Land "Excellence in Journaling" award...lost all 6 nominations! ROFL. Losing that perfectly should really be rewarded with a certificate or something. Tee Hee. But it seems I can't win for losing. LOLOLOLOL

So, I suppose the closest thing to falling into the required criteria for this assignment would be the many, many, many certificates I have received over the years for having "successfully completed" all the various psychological programs required of me, after having either stressed myself out, or gone insane. LOL. Thank goodness I always enjoyed school, because I always stuck with my One-on-One classes, Group Therapies, MAP Groups (Managing Anxiety & Panic) Intensive Out-Paitent Therapy, and Adult Day-Care. Yep, I have been THAT nuts. LOL.

There were too many "certificates of completion," to scan and post, so I created one tonight, and framed it, so that it could be used as the official "What The Hell Happened," award. I know the print in the photo is a little small, trust me, you always want to read the fine print, so here is what my award says...

The Ondine Award or "THE WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED" Certificate.

This certifies that CARLY has completed years of Therapy, Group Therapy, Intensive Out-Patient Therapy, and...Adult Day Care!

"It's been lovely, but I have to scream now!"

Give her, I mean ME, a round of applause! And some Graham crackers. Man, Adult Day Care rocked! Good times, good times! :)

-OndineMonet
"Good Times Never Seemed So Good"
Berkeley, California
August 29th, 2006
Evening

Carly's Eggplant Capri... A New Recipe

"Mother's words of wisdom: "Answer me! Don't talk with food in your mouth!"

-Erma Bombeck

Well, my big New Year's resolution for 2006, was to create some new recipes. I didn't say how many. LOL. To date I have only come up with three new ones, so I decided it might be time to put the chef's hat on and get busy. LOL. The garden is beginning to harvest, and I have lost of wonderful fresh ingredients to work with, so, here is my newest creation. It's easy to prepare, and super yummy, so don't wrinkle your nose when you see it has eggplant in it...just give it a try. :) Then you can tell me you hate it. Now sit up straight! :)

Carly's Eggplant Capri

3 medium sized fresh Eggplant
(sliced in 1-inch slices)

1 8 oz.. pkg. Shredded Italian cheese blend (Provolone, Fontina, Romano, Mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan)

1/2 lb. Hot Italian Sausage (bulk)

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1/2 cup. Chopped, Marinated, Sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup Broccoli florettes

1 cup Progresso Garlic/Herb bread crumbs

2 16 oz. Jars Classico Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo sauce

Heat oven to 375. In a non-stick skillet, over medium heat, cook the sausage until cooked thoroughly, drain and set aside. Prepare and cut the eggplant into 1-inch slices. Dip the eggplant in either, 3 tbs. Milk or 1 beaten egg, then dip into the bread crumbs to coat both sides of the slices. In a skillet, cook the eggplant slices in 2 tbs. vegetable oil, over medium heat until brown on both sides. Arrange the browned slices in two layers in a medium, non-stick, baking dish. Pour one jar of the sauce to cover the first layer of the eggplant. Add the cooked broccoli florettes as a center, and put the crumbled sausage, onions andchopped sundried tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with about half the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining eggplant slices, the second jar of sauce, and top with the cheese mixture. Bake for 35- 45 minutes or until brown and bubbly on top. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 3
NOTE: I like a lot of sauce with this recipe, but it can be made with one jar, if you prefer. You can substitute fresh, chopped, Roma tomatoes for the sundried tomatoes.

To see my other recipes, visit my recipe blog "Ellipsis...East Bay Cuisine."

-OndineMonet
"Ingredients"
Berkeley, California
August 28th, 2006
Evening

The Little Kitty

"Where there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it provides to us how little our eyes permit us to see."

-Dorothea Lange

Whenever I leave the house, I always take my camera with me. Even if I am off to run a little errand, because you never know what great photographic opportunity might come your way. A couple weeks ago, I was going through a black and white phase with my photography. I am not sure why, but sometimes the world seems a lot more colorful when view in black and white. Anyway, I was coming out of one of my Yoga session, when I glanced over at this little meter box, which was standing open, and right there, just inside was this beautiful, yet mysterious black cat.

The color of his eyes were so green, in fact, they almost glowed. He just sat there, very calm and content, if not maybe a little amused, at the site of my photographing him. I must have taken 40-50 shots of him, from every angle I could, and some in color, but when I got home, and looked at the photos on the computer, I saw that this guy was meant to be photographed in black and white. :) I want to try to get back over to the Conservatory of Flowers sometime next week, to photograph the newest butterflies at the butterfly exhibit. I think I will try taking at least some of them in b/w mode. I think I like the challenge, or actually seeing it in a different light...and with different eyes. Isn't photography awesome? :)

-OndineMonet
"Little Kitty"
Berkeley, California
12:00 PM
August 16, 2006

Talk About Rewriting History

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

-Abraham Lincoln

What do you suppose Abraham Lincoln might say about the America, if he were alive today? Now there is no way to be sure, but do you see him supporting the vast polarization that has occurred in America in the last 5 years? Would he be likely to adopt the current ideals and policies republican party? Would he strive to change things for the better...at least as he would see it...even if it meant going against the republican grain. Do you suppose, if he had been here to experience 9/11, and it's aftermath, would he have changed very much inside? We all changed a little that day, didn't we? Some became scared, some found some inner strength to look for the answers, some resolved within themselves to bring the truth to light, no matter how unpopular it may have been viewed. We all changed that day, to some degree, but collectively did we change for the better?

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

-Abraham Lincoln

Last week Fact Check.org, published an article about how certain members of the republican party, are "falsely quoting Abraham Lincoln as advocating, exiling, or hanging members of Congress who damage military morale in wartime." According to the FactCheck article, it has been going on for quite sometime, and in all forms of media from speeches, to letters to the editor, but most recently by Diana Irey, who is currently running against Rep John Murtha of Pennsylvania. Also according to the article, Lincoln never said anything like that... in fact,the "quote" that has been circulated so freely among the republican party, came from conservative author, J. Michael Waller, who admits the words are NOT Lincoln's, but indeed they are his own. Waller claims that it was an error that quotation marks were placed around those words, and that the mistake should be blamed on his editor for not catching it.

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves."

-Abraham Lincoln

When FactCheck.org ran a search to see how many times the quote had been used against opponents of President Bush's war policy, there were 18,000 references to the quote, and on further examination of the original article written by Waller, there FactCheck notes that there were additional historical errors. FactCheck contacted the former managing editor of INSIGHT magazine, Scott Stanley, where the article first appeared, and he denies ever inserting the quotation marks as alleged by Waller, but Stanley went on to say that the mistake could have been made by any one of six "formatting editors," who were known to take liberties with an authors copy. The complete FactCheck article can be read here.

"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."

-Abraham Lincoln

Here is what I am most curious about. What do you think? A lying politician is almost a given. Lying doesn't know race, gender, or party affiliation. So, tell me, with the midterm elections coming up, just few short months away, how much research do you put into the candidates you are presented with? Do you rely on the party you most often vote for, to provide you with accurate information, or do you do a little bit of the footwork or I should say, keyboard work yourself? This is an important election coming up, a lot of things could change because of it, and a lot of things could, unfortunately, remain the same. Ever since Rep Murtha dared speak his mind, last November, regarding his feelings about the war in Iraq, there have been some serious, and mean spirited stones cast at him in the name of patriotism. And as it turns out, those stones sometimes are made of lies. Given the amount of marginal behavior by members of both parties, can you really afford to not do some researching of your own before you cast your votes in November? Share with me, what do you plan to do to prepare yourself to vote?

"To stand in silence when they should be protesting, makes cowards of men."

-Abraham Lincoln

-OndineMonet
All quotes via ThinkExist.com

"Nostalgia"...A Round Robin Promotion

"We could never have loved the earth so well, if we had no childhood in it."

-George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, 1860

What do you think of when you think of nostalgia? Car hops at restaurants? Drive-in movies? Antique cars? Soda Pop in real glass bottles? Or even Milk in real glass bottles for that matter. :) Sometimes I get nostalgic for things of comfort from my childhood. There were these frozen juice bars that I would buy from the ice-cream truck called, "Missles." They were strawberry, lemon, and orange. YUM. I haven't seen them in years. As I recall, they were delicious, especially on a hot August day.

Can you be nostalgic for something you have never tried or experienced? My whole life I have heard about a tasty little snack cake that is apparently sold only east of the Rockies. Drake's "Ring Dings." I have heard about them in movies, and in magazine articles, even an episode of Seinfeld. You can order them from Amazon.com. A 10 pk for $3.39. I have NO idea why I don't make the big leap and order a box. LOL. I just haven't. But how silly is that? What if I am missing one of the great American cultural experiences? Maybe I will put them on my Amazon.com wish list. LOL.

One thing I do miss however, is the great old greasy hamburgers from my youth. Back before strangers tried to save my life, by insisting that only polyunsaturated oils should be used on the fries I loved. I like it when my burgers are drippy with greasy yumminess. I like my burgers messsssssssy. Half a jar or mayonnaise, red onions, REAL cheese, and sometimes a nice bit of Lea & Perrins steak sauce. I always order my burgers without lettuce, because I am not fond of hot lettuce. Nope, why ruin a perfectly good burger, by adding something healthy to it? I do understand my approach to a good burger isn't the healthiest, so I don't eat them too often this way, but boy when I do...I enjoy every bite.

I think the thing I am most nostalgic for, are Drive-in movies. So many have closed here in Northern California in the last 20 years, the last one being the one located in Union City, California, which made way for the newest uber mall, which contains an uber theater. Sigh. It was fun going to the drive-in. I miss that a lot, but I have been reading here and there, that they are making a comeback. Crossing my fingers, eyes and toes on that one. :)

So tell me, what are nostalgic for? Or better yet, get out your camera and join the Round Robins for our next challenge, "Nostalgia." Our friend Dorn, author of the journal, "Through the Eyes of the Beholder," has chosen this topic for us to take on, and what a great choice it is. :) We can all relate to feelings of nostalgia...right. The date of this challenge will be, Wednesday, September 6th. Please pay a visit to the official Round Robin blog, and read Steven's announcement entry for this challenge. And if you haven't already done so, please welcome him aboard as the newest Round Robin team member! I hope to see you on September 3rd.

-OndineMonet
"Bob's Big Boy"
Berkeley, California
August 25th, 2006

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #126: Where You Live

"Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Homesick In Heaven"

Your Weekend Assignment #126: What is the most interesting thing about where you live? "Thing" in this case would be a famous landmark, a famous current celebrity or historical personage from your home town or county, a notable celebration or sports event... basically, anything that makes where you're from interesting and unique.

Extra Credit: Are there any books that feature your home town (or someplace nearby) in any way?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Where do I begin? LOL. I have shared quite a bit about Berkeley. Showed you the art about town, the awesome Berkeley Marina, the views of San Francisco, and I have shared a little about the quirkiness, that makes Berkeley never boring. From the minute you reach the city limits, you know you have arrived in a unique town, that can be super chic one moment, and completely retro the next. Berkeley has an energy to it, probably because of the university. This time of year is my favorite. School is back in session, and everyone is rested and ready to take on college life.
It is a special place, and I could go on and on, so how about I show you in pictures. :)

Autumn in Berkeley

The Berkeley Couches

The Frat House Shoes

The pizza from my favorite pizza place, The Cheeseboard Collective. Amazing pizza and a cheese shop that sells about 500 varieties of cheese. YUM! :)

The Berkeley Repertoire Theatre

The Addison street Art Walk " Poetry Plates"

The Sather Gate entrance to the University of California Berkeley campus.

The Sunrises over the East Bay Hills

The Sunsets at the Berkeley Pier

The music and poetry readings, "How Berkeley Can You Be?" day, the wonderful assortment if restautrants along Shattuck avenue, the Peoples Garden, the Poetry Garden, the public art, the street vendors along Telegraph avenue, the Peace Wall, and the beautiful Claremont Hotel, are more of the sites that make Berkeley a beautiful and unique place to live. I love it here. :)

Extra Credit: There have been many books set here in Berkeley and the Bay Area in general. One such book is, "Tales of the Fish Patrol" by Bay Area resident, Jack London. The book is a collection of short stories, set on the San Francisco bay, during the years of the author's youth.

-OndineMonet
"Sather Tower"
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, California
November, 2005
7:00 AM

Note: Nzforme, you are absolutely correct. My goodness, if anyone finds out about my error...I will be kicked lock, stock and cat right out of Berkeley! YIKES! Don't tell anyone, ok? Thanks for the head's up. If I had actually gone there, I would probably have gotten it right. We tend to get a bit lax around here. LOL.

Steven's Feline Friday...Woo Hoo

"If you hold a cat by the tail, you learn things you cannot learn any other way."

-Mark Twain

For this week's edition of Feline Friday, Steven has asked us to do something a little different, so, we are creating a WooHoo of our favorite companions. Kinda cool! So, above you see, "The Many Moods Of Elvis." Enjoy!

-OndineMonet

Star Jones Reynolds...Love Coach (Ellipsis Poll Results)

"I have no use for people who throw their weight around as celebrities, or for those who fawn over you just because you are famous."

-Walt Disney

Poor George Bush, once again he has lost in the polls! LOL. Most recently, an Ellipsis (non-scientific) poll, for your choice of "Favorite Celebrity Behaving Badly." Nope, George only came in second, but in the #1 spot as the biggest baddy, as chosen by you, is none other than Star Jones Reynolds, for the awesome "Hissy Fit" she threw on her last day as co-host of ABC's The View. Let's give her a round of applause!

I was surprised that she actually took first place. Still, I guess it's not everyday someone actively works to infuriate Barbara Walters. So, what's Star been doing since her untimely exit from The View? Well, my research yielded an unexpected answer to that very question. According to "StarJones.com," her official website, it turns out Star landed a pretty good back-up job for herself, sometime back, as a "Love Coach" for AOL Coaches! LOL. Yeah, I can feel the love! Strange, I hadn't heard anything about that gig, but then again, AOL rarely consults me on such matters, or any matter for that matter. LOL. I wonder if the "Love Coach" offer came before or after that bizarre blogging incident last year. Hmmm... Also, do you think she will remain on staff as an official AOL "Love Coach" now that she has exited The View, which is a part of the AOL/Time Warner companies? Stay tuned, I predict another interesting turn of events in the saga that is Star Jones Reynolds!

-OndineMonet

Click here to see the complete results of the "Celebrities Behaving Badly" poll.

Round Robin Challenge: Transportation

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

-Robert Frost

We all have to get from here to there...don't we? Every since I found out that our current challenge would be, "Transportation," I have had Supertramp's song, "Take The Long Way Home," stuck in my head...again! A couple years ago, I was going through a rough time and I heard that song about six times in the space of about a week. It was playing in the background of a Lifetime movie, it was on one of the digital radio stations on my cable box, it was playing at the supermarket one day, and even the Ethereal Musician joined in the haunting, as he played a particularly soulful version one day when I was napping in the back yard. I had that song stuck in my head for 26 weeks. LOL. And along with it, the headache from HELL, and the interesting events of sleepwalking. LOL. I don't think it will be stuck that long this time around, lol, but it is a catchy little tune. :) So, I thought it would be fun to demonstrate how someone might "take the long way home." :)

I could ride a Merry-Go-Round, but I would just go in circles. That would never work!

I could fly away in a big balloon. Trouble is, the wind has to blowing the right direction...or I could get very lost. :(

I could hop onto a giant sky chair...but have you ever tried to gracefully exit one of those things? :)

I could sail away on a small passenger boat. I am only 4ft 10, that qualifies as a small passenger...right? Nah, where would I put Elvis? :)

I could catch an old-fashioned cable car like this one, and "climb half way to the stars." Half way? I don't like to do anything "half way." LOL.

This young lady had wheels installed on her bathtub. LOL. Is there anything better then a long bubble bath? I just bought some Jasmine bubble bath. :) Oh wait...she didn't have any controls installed on that thing! That would never work!

I know...a train! Remember that great old movie, "Strangers on a Train?" Ut oh! Never mind. LOL.

I know...I could ride a bike! I could even take a ride like Etta Place and Butch Cassidy did in the movie, "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid." Wasn't that one of the most sexy scenes in cinema history? :) Ahhh... no but see...sooner or later there would be a big shoot-out. There's always a Gloomy Gus somewhere!

I think I will just take a walk. I love walking in autumn, the crisp air, the smell of the first fireplaces of the season, and the blanket of beautiful colored leaves to play in. Yes, I will use my own two feet, to find my adventures and "take the long way home."

And now a poem...

"Feet" By Edwin Carp

You need feet to stand up straight with
You need feet to kick your friends
You need feet to keep your socks up
And to keep your legs from fraying at the ends

You need feet to stand on tippy-toe
You need feet to dance the Hoochy-coo
You need feet to walk away with
And I need feet to run away from you!

Tee Hee! Be sure to visit all the Round Robins, and see their interpretation of the challenge. Thanks goes to Robin, author of the journal, "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," for bringing us this awesome challenge! Be sure to visit the Round Robin blog on Thursday, to find out the subject of our next challenge, and welcome Steven, the newest member of team Round Robin!

Linking List

1. Robin "These are the Days of our Lives" POSTED!
2. Karen "Outpost Mavarin" POSTED!
3. John "Personal effects" POSTED!
4. Carly "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" POSTED!
5. Suzanne R "New Suzanne R's Life" POSTED!
6. Julie "Julie's Web Journal" POSTED!
7. Janet "Fond of Photography" POSTED!
8. Asender "Asender Rises Above Studio Updates"
9. boliyou "Percolation" POSTED!
10. Celeste "My Day My Interests"
11. Robin "Search The Sea" POSTED!
12. Kerrin "A New day A New Photo" **Welcome New Member** POSTED!
13. DesLily "Here There And Everywhere 2nd Edition" POSTED!
14. Steven "(sometimes) photoblog" POSTED!
15. Phinney "Paragon" POSTED!
16. Dorn "Through The Eyes Of The Beholder"
17. Betty "My Day My Interests" POSTED!
18. Marie "Photographs and Memories Too" POSTED!
19. Gina "Ginas Space" POSTED!




-OndineMonet