Ring a Bell for Joan Blondell

This number always just blows me away. I think it contains Joan Blondell's finest moments on screen. And singer Etta Moten really adds a whole lotta soul. If you get bored around the middle during all the marching, take a closer look at all the wounded WWI soldiers and think what they went through. Some of the people on YouTube said it better than I can:
- "They fought in 'the war to end all wars' and came back to poverty and despair."
- "First comes the war. When they come home, the world they knew is completely different. 10 years later, the depression. after the depression, comes ww2-which their kids fight in. After the second war is over, things become a little better-but they're too old to enjoy it. And, during their final years, everyone hates them-because they're supposedly all racist and sexist bigots. Not a good time to be born."
- "Joan Blondell really conveyed such heartfelt emotion that I can't help but be moved by it. The singer is wonderful and her voice is so strong and powerful. I remembered seeing this movie years ago and was surprised by this downbeat ending. It's as if the director knows that even though this movie is a comedy, the reality of life cannot be ignored."
Well--just watch it anyway. It's got a catchy tune!

Go to Your Corner, Jack Horner!

I love love love my new "office." I started my cold-weather nesting early this year, so I've already been using this space for a few weeks.

In the House, Mouse?

With the onset of autumn came a sudden (obsessive) interest in a certain spot under these steps. The interest has waned a bit now, but we had 36 hours or so of nonstop fun (and I mean nonstop!)

Tell Us a Fable, Mabel!

At last summer's storytelling workshop, we made up our own fables (with morals!) and told them with tangrams on pizza box flannelboards. Here are the happy storytellers after a successful performance. Give 'em a hand, folks!

What's Up, Buttercup?

We went to see Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night, Saint-Rémy, June 1889. Oil on canvas" at the Yale Art Gallery. It's on loan from The Museum of Modern Art, along with "Cypresses" from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Cool to see them side by side because they don't normally live together. There are a gazillion videos that pay tribute to Vincent. I chose this one for its simplicity and because the colors of the paintings looked good on my screen. I am (pathetically) doing the whole Vincent thing: reading DEAR THEO, singing with Don McLean in my head, cutting off my ear, etc.

(after last night's rain, the big spike on my wild verbascum has burst into bloom for a second time!)

What's the Score, Agadore?

Here is my "Hero's Journey" board game that I created this past spring. There actually isn't any scorekeeping because the object of the game is to tell a story. Players spin a wheel (Phil helped me make it) to choose a quest and then roll a die to move their hero along a rainbow path gathering adventures. Alice and Brook helped me test the game out. They had some really good ideas that have helped me a lot when I've played with larger groups of kids. And I got to use felt and yarn and blanket stitch!

What's Shakin', Bacon?

I know a guy who is having a birthday today. Maybe he would like me to give him a pretty little kitty in a flower pot!

Whaddya Know, Joe?

Welcome to my teeny tiny world. There are ten of you who receive emails whenever I create new posts here. I love you all and some of you I don't get to see very often. I promise not to go crazy with updating. This is just a little space where I can deposit some of my spare brain cells, so you can bet that the content will be minimal. If the emails become an annoyance, please let me know and zap!--you'll be off the list. So. I spent some time last week updating my storyvine. Looks good on the scanner, no?

I'm Not a Snake, Jake!

I finally finished the piece that I was working on when we were in Tucson in April 2007. It's called "Ocotillo" in honor of the towering red desert blooms against brilliant blue skies.

Whaddya See, McGee?