Wednesday, July 30, 2008

What Color Are You?

you are deepskyblue
#00BFFF

Your dominant hues are cyan and blue. You like people and enjoy making friends. You're conservative and like to make sure things make sense before you step into them, especially in relationships. You are curious but respected for your opinions by people who you sometimes wouldn't even suspect.

Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.
the spacefem.com html color quiz
Very in-tres-tink!
MK out.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Movie-ng Right Along

It is still hot here in Little D. I did go to a movie today, but only after getting up early, going on a power walk (It was nice at that time of day.), going to work, taking care of a personal family issue and getting supper prepped. Actually, I threw the roast in the crock pot before I left for work, but the potatoes needed a little attention before I could go off to play. I oiled and seasoned them and put them into the oven for a time baked adventure.

Off I went. I really was cutting it close time-wise, as I had to drive down to Big D - and to top it all off...the traffic did not cooperate. I made it to my seat without missing too much of the beginning. The preview buffer saved me, thankfully. I saw As It Is In Heaven - a wonderful movie in Swedish with English subtitles. It is about Daniel, a famous conductor, who suffers from extreme stress and returns to his boyhood home – a place where he was bullied as a child. He was invited to attend a practice session for the local church choir, and ends up becoming the director. He gets caught up into the lives of the choir members, and most everyone ends up for the better. The movie first came out a few years ago in Europe and became very popular by word of mouth. Apparently, it has been playing in Australia for the last 80-plus weeks. It is a must see.

Recently, I saw Sex and the City, and although I have never watched the entire series, I liked this movie. Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis reprise their roles as Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte – those wild and crazy girls - living, working and loving in the Big Apple. The clothes were great and it was very entertaining all the way around. Not a heavy-weight picture by any means, but fun anyway. Another movie I saw in the theater is Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters – all actresses I love. A single mother (Streep) has raised her daughter in Greece. The girl is about to be married and would like to find out who her real father is, as she has read her mother’s diary and it could be one of three men. The dads are played by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Starsgard. Streep, Baranski and Walters were a girls band back in the day. Of course, when they reunite for the wedding, they do a little singing – ABBA songs. Pierce Brosnan also sings in this movie, and he.cannot.sing. Oh well. It is cute, cute, cute!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Too Hot to Trot!

It is so hot outside these days. It was 105 in Little D today.

After work, as I was walking to my car and trying not to melt, I thought about all the ways that I could stay cool. Going to a movie was on the top of the list, but I didn't have time today; so, I went to the grocery store instead.

Speaking of movies....I haven't mentioned any on the blog in like...forever! I have watched a few in the last several weeks:

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is an interesting study of avarice and greed gone bad…or would that be worse? Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and Marisa Tomei star in this movie about two brothers who decide to rob their parents’ jewelry store. The opening scene is more than racy. I would think that Marisa Tomei, with her credentials, would have more self respect and a better sense of personal responsibility, but no one asked me. It was pretty good, but it’s one of those movies that is like watching a train wreck. You know what’s coming and you are powerless to stop it.

John Cusack stars in Grace is Gone, about a man who becomes a widower with two daughters when his Marine wife is killed in Iraq. It was predictable, yet good.

I finally was able to see I’m Not There, the biopic about Bob Dylan. Different actors played Dylan in the different stages of his colorful life. Among them are Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Richard Gere. It was pretty good.

Jimmy Carter Man from Plains is a look at President Carter’s book tour following the release of his book Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid. It was really good, and it reminded me why I like the guy. He is very smart and he has a lot of guts. Right or wrong, the man is very genuine and he calls it like he sees it. I think that the Isreali-Palestinian issue is one of many tragic examples of man’s inhumanity to man. I wish both sides could agree to disagree and live side-by-side in tolerance, but I suppose that is my usual Pollyanna answer to all the conflicts of the world. “One World” is my motto, but unfortunately, we (the collective we) are too mortal and flawed to see past our own interests and prejudices to make it work. I think that will be our demise, unless we wise up quickly.

Gloomy Sunday – In German with English subtitles. I stayed up late to watch this movie and was dragging my behind at work the next day, but it was worth it! This movie is based on fact. Gloomy Sunday was a famous song in the 1930s, and there is an urban legend going around that over 100 people committed suicide in Hungary over an eight week period.

Christmas in the Clouds – cute, cute movie involving a ski lodge, a travel critic, a retired Indian chief, cross-country pen pals and romance. It was good.

Sophie Scholl – The Final Days is based on the true story of the only female in a non-violent resistance movement in Nazi Germany. It is in German with English subtitles. The movie was nominated for Best Foreign Picture in 2006. The actress who played Sophie won the German equivalent of the Oscar for Best Actress. It was very good.

There are more, but that's all the time I have today...

MK out.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

The Squirrel Days of Summer


I was walking back up the driveway after retrieving the newspapers this morning. I looked up at the tree at the side of the driveway.













I took a closer look.












MK out.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Faithful



Geysers












Friends














MK out.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Home Sweet Home


The youngun received this little bird house from the grands because he always enjoyed watching the birds that came to the feeders in their backyard.







A little family of birds have used it for the last three or four years.



Here's a recent FO - actually two!

The bright-colored one was my car knitting project. It took two months to complete. I made the lighter colored one last night at the Texas Rangers game.




The Rangers lost, but I won, because I had an entire washcloth made from scraps.




I bought this souvenier yarn on my Florida trip from Uncommon Threads in Palm Harbor. It's Anne, by the Schaefer Yarn Company.










MK out.

Friday, July 11, 2008

The One With the Bear

I just returned from a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with a group of friends from college. We had a great time. We get together every two years and pick up where we left off. This year, one of the girls opened her vacation home to the group; so, how could we say no?

I've been to Jackson Hole a few times, and it is definitely a place to visit again and again. The scenery is beautiful, and it is a nice, restful place - away from the hustle-bustle that is my real life.

Mollie, our hostess, is rather athletic. She lined up some activities that we probably wouldn't have chosen had we been left to our own devices, but were glad that we had her there to show us the light. One thing we did was take a relatively short hike to Inspiration Point at Jenny Lake. Relatively is the operative word, but it really was fun. On our way down to the boat dock to take the ferry across the lake back to the beginning point of our adventure, I was walking merrily along behind a group of people who suddenly stopped. Just ahead of us, about 20 yards ahead, a toddler aged bear crossed the path, heading down the side of the mountain towards the lake. The group ahead of me was trying to catch up to it to get a picture. As I was witnessing this scene, the words going through my mind were: Oh, there's a bear...It's not a brown bear...It's not black...It's kinda light brown...tannish...blondish...yellowish....OMG, it's a grizzly!!! Those fools are trying to get a picture of a grizzly bear...Uh...Where's mama bear?...I'm outta here!

So, no picture of the bear for me. I just kept walking towards the ferry dock.

Pics of the trip to follow.

MK out.