October 12 of 12

12 of 12 time! You know - Chad's idea. Seriously ... join in next month.


Even though I charged my camera battery the night before ... I forgot about what day it was until that evening. Still time to get some pics in, though. Here we go.

View of the fall sky from the back of the house:

The yard:

Kali's famous "Oh please throw the toy" look:

The koi pond - they're all pretty fat and healthy ... ready for the cold snowy winter predicted:

Rudbekia still blooming:

The shed that needs replacing:

Halloween decorations starting early:

We have lots of seasonal night lights that we put in the kitchen:

The new tile we put in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago (all by oursleves!):

Halloween again:

Hunter, in profile:

Batty:

That's it, y'all. We're having a little party on Halloween night if ya'll wanna stop by!

Why I'm Voting Republican

A repeat from 2008, but worth it. Thanks, Joe.

Promise Me You'll Always Remember

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

(Christopher Robin to Pooh) -- A.A. Milne

Note to self.

September 12 of 12

Again, I'm late. Meh.

These pictures were all taken on Sunday, September 12, 2010 in Seattle, WA. Do it next month.

The back yard and pond from the upstairs deck.

This unbelievably incredible book that I'm (slowly) reading.

Rudbeckia blooming in the backyard. Summer and fall flower.

Lantana. Tropical-ish, one of Scott's favorite plants. Purty.

The yard and house from the end of the yard. Kali would like you to throw her toy for her, please.

Kitty's memorial.

Rusty, falling-apart pink flamingo wind ornament we got in Hawaii a few years ago. I really do like it better the more it ages. Kitschier.

Gardenias, which don't bloom in Seattle. Heh.

Lots of happy koi in the pond.

Looking at the yard from the deck. The light is much farther south these days.

Your host, Me.

We had hoped to be a part of this flash mob today. Maybe next time.

Thanks for visiting my 12 of 12. Y'all come back now, here?

Stunning Music.

I wrote a paper on this piece, way back in college when I was studying music ... the "Enigma Variations" by Edward Elgar. I'll let you Google it if you want to learn more about it ... but this is, hands down, my favorite movement. Lyrical, sad, pensive, heavy, powerful and uplifting. And the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, my hometown orchestra, whose sound can fill the earth like no other (in my biased opinion).

Four minutes and twenty seconds long. Spend that much of your life experiencing this.