Tuesday 27 February, 2007

Week #39
Prompt: Color(ful)

Kindred spirits meet
Butterfly finds it's flower
Transcending logic
Conceivably happenstance
Imaginably 'twas fate

Sunday 25 February,2007
Sunday Scribblings Prompt: #48 Puzzled


The conundrum presented for me by this prompt was to decide what particular puzzlement to scribble about. In reflection, I'm baffled by the number of perplexing situations I encounter in a day's time, let alone a life's time.


It seems we're always trying to figure something out. It must be a phenomenon of nature!


I wonder why there are so many more poor and hungry people in the world than there are rich over fed people........ especially when there is plenty to go around.


There seems to be a lot of angry people in the world. The angry people are in the minority. I'm befuddled as to why the angry get most of the attention, when most of us want peace, at least I do. ............... Don't you?


I'm confused as to why the same problems have plagued us since we first emerged from the cosmos. Every generation repeats the faulty behaviors of their fore-fathers and theirs before them. Maybe we aren't as intelligent as we think we are.


Or, maybe we are all just pieces in some grander puzzle and we are behaving just the way we were designed to.

***********

1. Think of words ending in "-gry". "Angry" and "hungry" are two of them. There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word? The word is something that everyone uses every day. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what it is.

2. When one does not know what it is, then it is something; but when one knows what it is, then it is nothing.

@#$%^&*!@#$%^&*

1. One answer is language.
It is the third word of "the English language". The question needs to be spoken, otherwise the quotation marks give away the trick. This version apparently originated in 1996.

2. A riddle

Thursday 22 February, 2007

Poetry Thursday
Todays prompt is: the body knows

A few days ago, the 17th of February, was the anniversary of my father's birth in the year 1920. Today, 22 February, 2007 marks the anniversary of his death at age 58 in 1978.

Friday , March 12, 2004 I wrote a letter to my father and shared with him my feelings surrounding the time of his death. When I read Liz Elayne's suggested "totally optional" prompt for today: the body knows, I knew immediately that I would share the letter here on PT. It is edited into poetic form here with out the loss of any meaning and perhaps it has been enhanced.


Dear Dad,

I'm hoping that you are still in tune
With our earthly endeavors.
Is heaven really UP there?
Is that what it's called?
Rhetorical? Perhaps.
Answer if you can.
I'll try to open up and be receptive.

It's been a long time,
in earthly terms, since
We've talked.
The last time we met face to face
Was on 17 February, 1978.
My memory, vague at times,
Recalls it thus;


It was your 58th birthday.
I had driven into town early
Hoping that we could share
A cigarette, a cup-a, and
A moments conversation.
Driving up I found
You leaving for school.

You said you were going early
To study before class.I wished you a happy birthday.
We agreed to get together
At some other time.
Neither of us knew
That would be the last we
Would ever speak to each other.

It really was unlike me
To do something like that;
Drive down early to have coffee
before work. Was it fate?
Coincidence? I don't know,
I don't really care. I did it
And I'm thankful I did.

the body knows!

Three years; 1975-1978.
Were the best we ever had.
We became friends, shared
Adulthood, and respected each the
other, man to man.
We were proud of each other
for the accomplishment we made.

Your graduation from Junior college
age 57 with honors
stood me in awe.
I thought; "how wonderful that you
Were using your brilliant mind
To it's capacity."
Proud; "thats my dad."

The tragedy of your
Untimely death
tempered by the fact
that you died in the center
Of academia.
No better place for you
To leave from..

P.S. By the way,
If you don't want these letters;
Just send them back ;-))

rel

Wednesday 21 February, 2007

© Postcard published by R.E. LaRock Photographic services

Photograph by R.E. LaRock

STONE WINDMILL located in Chapman Village Park, Morristown, N.Y.. Built in 1825 by Scottish millwright, Hugh McConnell. Never completed because of his drowning in 1826. The stone building has been used as a jail and a WWII air warning post. Currently listed on the National Register.

Monday 19 February, 2007.
Prompt for One Deep Breath Week # 38: spicy Fibs

Could

Not

With head

Stuffed up

Conjure decent poems,

Only simple Fibonacci

Red

Nose

Chest full

Runny eyes.

Spicy ginger tea

Will be the drink that's best for me.

Sunday 18 February, 2007

Today's prompt for Sunday Scribblings #47 is CRUSH.

As usual, I mulled the prompt over in my head for a few days. On Thursday while in the shower, a scenario began to develop and bloomed into a full fledged vignette. I kept the stream flowing while I prepared my breakfast. Feeling the crush of time, I jotted down an outline while eating so that I could remember what I wanted to write come time.

Voila, Yesterday I referred to my outline an wrote....and wrote and wrote...Until I'd filled two pages, front and back and hadn't written the ending yet. I said to myself at 2230 last night, "this master piece is too long to submit to Sunday Scribbling, Maybe you could submit it to LMC (lifetime movie channel) but not for SS."

Dilemma; should I try to come up with a new scribbling at this late hour with snot dribbling out of my nose every two minutes, followed by an expectorated wad of phlegm from my trachea? Or should I just scrap SS for this week? A number of choices presented themselves but none I felt could be fleshed out adequately. Merde! Talk about feeling crushed.

Quit writing rel and tell us what you decided..................................

OK. rel's out-line of his story for Sunday Scribblings:

CRUSH

This is a story of Limerace Orgilis Le Beau, an accountant who lives in Paris France.

He wakes up late for work one morning and rushes to get to the metro because he despises the crush of the crowd. Once he's on the train he finds himself crushed up against a beautiful young women who reminds him of his new boss upon whom he has a crush.

Arriving at work he his told to go to the boss's office. Therein he expects romantic (lustful) activity to occur. Tongue tied and perspiring with stirring in his crotch he is crushed when she summarily fires him! He is crushed to say the least. In fact he begins to experience a crushing sensation in his chest. He blacks out, waking up in an ICU at the American Hospital.

Sitting beside his bed is his girl friend. The room is full of color, orange color, brilliant orange color. He drifts in and out of consciousness. He holds his girl friend's hand.

A steady intermittent sound filters into his consciousness. Wondering what the noise is, he becomes more and more awake, realizing it is his radio alarm. The sunrise's orange light is streaming through the bedroom window directly in his face, and the song on the radio is "CRUSH" by the Dave Matthews band..

He rolls over cuddles and caresses his girlfriend awake, knowing he has plenty of time for a "little" and still beat the early morning crush at the metro. Basking in the afterglow of their love making, she asks him what he thinks of the new boss. He says he has a meeting with him first thing this morning to discuss his promotion.

As he leaves the apartment gazing at the magnificent nude figure of his love, he says, "Dinner at Les Deux Magots tonight?" Au revoir ma cher, je t'aime, bonjournee ;-)"

That then is the gist of my story without all the names and descriptive details.

painting, by Claude Monet, entitled Impression: soleil levant (Impression: Sunrise) 1874

Saturday,17 February, 2007

My Brilliant, good friend Catch tagged me to do this meme. With runny nose, hacking cough and dulled brain I make the following disclaimer; What was i going to say?

Oh well here goes nothing.

A. available or single? No

B. Best Friend? Leigh

C. Cake or Pie? Pie

D. Drink of choice? Merlot

E. Essential Item? Back pack with: moleskin, assorted pens and pencils, currently reading, PDA, Cell phone, Digital Camera, extra toque, gloves, mittens, food. That's one thing, right? (backpack.)

F. Favorite color? Orange, or Blue, or Violet, or Red, or Black or

G. Gummy bears or worms? Honey-lemon cough drops!

H. Hometown? Ogdensburg, New York.

I. Indulgence? Dove Dark Chocolate

J. January or February? January. (my dad and father-in-law died in Feb.)

K. Kids and names? Michelle, Bob, Jacob

L. Life is incomplete without? Family and friends.

M. Marriage date? 22 July, 1967

N. Number of Siblings? 2, one of each

O. Oranges or apples? Apples

P. Phobias/fears ? Being poor, drowning

Q. Favorite quote? "A good book is the best of friends, the same today and for ever."

Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889)

R. Reasons to smile? I woke up today healthy, wealthy, and wise. See K., L., M., N.,

S. Season? Autumn

T. Tag 3 people Brian, bb, Rowan

U. Unknown fact about me? And then I'd have to find a new one. ;-)

V. Vegetable that you hate? ????

W. Worst habit?--------- prooooo cras ti na tio n

X. Xrays you've had? Chest, eye socket, nose, Heart.

Y. Your favorite foods? Seafood, Seefood, pasta, pizza, garlic, green salads, chicken..............

Z. Zodiac ? Libra/Virgo. On the cusp, trying to figure out if I'm a merman. (virgin with scales. ;-))

Thursday 15 February, 2007

Today for poetry Thursday the prompt is:

prose poetry

It is also the one year anniversary of Poetry Thursday.

Happy birthday PT. Thank you Liz Elayne and Dana for your dedication, and perserverance in building a beautiful site.

Today Dana has asked us to take a look at prose poetry and If you are familiar with this form, you could share your definition of it or talk about what ingredients result in a successful prose poem. You could also discuss why some writers regard this form with such contempt. If you are new to prose poetry, you could look into this form and share what you’ve learned about it.

I confess that I'd never heard of prose poetry until last week when Dana introduced me to it in her post. For today, I researched this form some, but not thoroughly. I'll share with you what thoughts are currently bouncing around in my head concerning this form. Realizing that this form has been around for a long time tells me that there probably is some validity to it as a separate writing form from either prose or poetry. That said, I still can't wrap my brain around this concept with any sense of comprehension. Below is my first attempt at prose poetry.

PROETRY CONUNDRUM

I met you just recently; introduced by a mutual acquaintance with common interests. Exploring you, confusion seeped into my pre-frontal cortex. Outside the box no rule ruled; gray scale ideas befuddled me. Learning that your parents were Hermes and Aphrodite enlightened my conundrum, and as I accept the dysphoria, understand more my muddlement. In the days to come your form will become less important and the message/story more .

Pondering, pondering....whether the joining with Salamacis makes an improvement over your separate forms or no, I must spend more time with you to find an answer. Gliding from the shore we will float the main stream together and see what we shall see. And you will show the best of you as do I. Take my Hand and teach me!

Wednesday 14 February, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

A sitting room at 10 Fitch.

Solarium at 10 Fitch

Wine tasting with Ken at Wagner Vineyards.

Dinner Saturday night. Parisi's Bistro. (PB5s) Auburn, NY

10 Auberge de Fitch pour les oiseaux

Sunday Morning in the Living room at 10 Fitch with Shawn (or Sean?), Katie C's beau. rel, D., and the incomparable Katie C.. Katie prepared delectable and scrumptious breakfasts for us on Sat. and Sun. mornings and served them with a combination of her bubbly personality and infectious laughter.

'Twas a perfect Valentine's weekend!

Tuesday, 13 February, 2007 (working day after call)

10 Fitch get-a-way weekend continued:

Katie H. had made reservations for 7 pm for us at the giverney restaurant at Mirbeau Inn & Spa. This Inn is about 7 miles from 10 Fitch, being located in Skaneateles, NY.

D. had the 4 course tasting menu, while I partook of the 4 course tasting menu (wine pairing). Our waitress was Maryellen. I was surprised that no one in this French restaurant spoke even a modicum of French.

Below is a sample menu. The dishes we had are highlighted but are not listed in the order they appeared on our menu. Interspersed between the listed courses were 3 gifts from the chef, ie; sauted prawn, roasted red pepper bisque, and ice creame on an orange slice. The presentation, and flavor rivaled anything we've eaten in France.

Dinner Menu

THE PAINTER’S PALETTE

This is a sample seasonal menu. Because we use the freshest local produce, the menu may vary on a daily basis.

Inspired by the paintings of Claude Monet, Chef Moro has taken an impressionistic approach to the culinary arts. He has carefully created a “palette” of tastes to reflect and enhance the seasonal flavors of our local harvest. Chef encourages you to explore a wide spectrum of flavors by choosing the “tasting menu” option listed below.

4 Course Tasting Menu $63.00
5 Course Tasting Menu $68.00

4 Course Tasting Menu (Wine Pairing) $113.00
5 Course Tasting Menu (Wine Pairing) $123.00

FIRST
(A la Carte $13.00)

Beau Soleil Oyster on the Half Shell with a Ginger Mignonette
Duck Confit Salad with Watercress, Spiced Cashews, Dried Cherries
and a Roasted Pear Vinaigrette

A Salad of Sliced Prosciutto, Roasted Fennel, Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Baby Arugula, Endive, Olive, Lemon Vinaigrette and Local Goat Cheese

House Cured Smoked Salmon with Potato Crisps, Curry, Crème Fraîche
and a Petite Salad of Mizuna, Jícama and Apples

Venison Carpaccio with Romaine Hearts, Reggiano
and a Lemon Dijon Caper Vinaigrette

Hebi Sashimi with a Salad of Romaine, Radish, Carrot, Cucumber
And Ginger Dressing

SECOND
(A la Carte $15.00)

Sweet Potato and Vanilla Soup with Sautéed Jumbo Prawn, House Made Andouille Sausage
and New York Maple Syrup

Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib with Crushed Carrots,
and Horseradish Cream

Pan Seared Scallops with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
and Roasted Red Pepper Cilantro Nage

Sautéed Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Caramelized Pear, Strawberry Gastric, and Toasted Brioche
($10.00 Surcharge)

THIRD
(A la Carte $30.00)

Daily Spa Fish “So fresh I don’t know what it is yet” but it is only as rich
as your waist can reasonably bare.

Parsley Almond Pesto Marinated Halibut with Garlic Potato Puree, Wild Mushrooms
And Baby Carrots

Butter Braised Maine Lobster with a Squash Risotto.

Sliced New York Strip Loin of Beef with Herb Roasted Potatoes,
and Sweet Peppers Dressed in Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Hudson Valley Duck Breast with a Gingered Sweet and Russet Potato Gratin
and Sauté of Zucchini and Sweet Corn

New York Garlic Crusted Beef Tenderloin with “Whatever the Farmer Brings”

CHEESE COURSES
(Cheeses Acquired from the Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge, MA)
(A la Carte $13.00)

Blu del Moncenisio (Piedmont, Italy)
with Endive, Apples and Balsamic Candied Walnuts

Shelburne Farms Cheddar (Vermont)
with an Apple Tart Tatin and Fresh New York Strawberries

Clochette (France) with Roasted Tomatoes, Olives, and Micro Greens

A SWEET ENDING
(A la Carte $12.00)

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Vanilla Crème Brûlée with Almond Biscotti

Mirbeau Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch with Grand Marnier Anglaise

Mood Altering Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon Ice Cream and Toasted Walnuts
“Because you Deserve it”

“A Palette Cleansing Cold Plunge”
Trio of Sorbet with Fresh Fruit and Just a Few Small Cookies

Executive Chef
Edward J. Moro

I'd never done a wine pairing before and I can say that if you get the chance, do try it. The wines chosen, from champagne, white, to red, complimented each course perfectly.

We left completely sated but not stuffed to the gills. And although my usual limit of alcohol consists of 2 glasses (4oz) of wine, I didn't feel inebriated in the slightest.

Tomorrow, (or maybe later today):
Breakfast with Katie C.

12 February, 2007

We've returned from our weekend in Shangri-la.

As you can note in my last post, we were given a get-a-way weekend by our children to an elegant B&B in Auburn, NY named 10 Fitch. 10 Fitch is the name and the address of this beautiful and comfortable Inn.

All of the Gods worked together to make this a perfect escape.



The 2 1/2 hour drive, while short on a clear day, requires a drive through the "Snowbelt" encompassing Parish, Mexico, and Pulaski. Fortunately the snow was in hiatus on Friday and we encountered only brief, light snow squalls on the trip down to the finger lake region.

Following the expert directions provided by the Inn, we arrived right at three o'clock PM. We were greeted by Jay, husband to the Innkeeper, Katie Hess who showed us to our room and gave us a tour of the Inn.

Main downstairs hall leading past front door to the library.

Main staircase viewed from the dining room.

We went up to our suit via a circular staircase down the hall to the left of the above view which brought us to the door to our English suite.

After we settled in, Jay started a real fire with real wood in the real fireplace in our bedroom.

Then he brought us two glasses of a smooth dry red wine and some hors d'oeuvre.






Fresh daffodils on the dresser portends the coming Spring.
At 1615, our masseuses, Maria, and Michelle arrive to give us our in-room massage. Michelle asked me how much pressure I'd like applied. I told her to try to hurt me. She did a magnificent job and she didn't cause me any discomfort. It was perfect.

We had dinner reservations at Mirbeau's French restaurant "Giverny" for seven pm.

*****

Since it's time for me to hit the gym, I'll describe our absolutely divine French cuisine in the next post...................

Window curtain in the bathroom.

Friday, 9 February, 2007

The temperature is 0°F with fair skies. The wind at 7 mph from the west makes it feel like -12° F.

In a few hours we will be going away for a get-a-way weekend.

This last Christmas, our three children pooled their resources and purchased a gift for us of a weekend at an elegant bed and breakfast in Auburn New York.

Auburn is in the Finger Lakes region of NY, and is also the premier wine producing area of NY. The wknd does include a 6 hour chauffeured wine tasting tour.

Package includes: 2 Nights accommodations in a fireplaced 3 room suite, Full breakfast served in the dining room or privacy of your suite by request, 2 glasses of wine at a local restaurant, Fresh flowers in your room for your loved one, 6 Hour private wine tour of the Finger Lakes Wineries in a luxury sedan, Couples Massage in your room fireside (or if you've been really bad give them both to her!), Champagne and Strawberries served in your Suite after dinner with a fire awaiting your return.

Dining room

English suite bedroom
English suite Bed

English suite bathroom

Grand Elegance is what you will encounter at 10 Fitch, a luxurious Inn conveniently located in the Historic District of Auburn within New York's Finger Lakes Region, just minutes from the beautiful village of Skaneateles and the wineries. The property was built in 1904 with entertaining in mind, and restoration was completed in the fall of 2005. The comfortable and private atmosphere offers the hospitality and warm charm of a bed and breakfast in luxurious style, and is sure to please even the most discerning of guests.

"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come / When we have shuffled off this mortal coil."

William Shakespeare

Thursday February 8, 2007
Prompt for poetry Thursday:

cha-cha-cha-cha-changes

Poetry Thursday
More elaborate web page
Change for the better

A cursory browse around the internet tells me that articles, prose and poems about change are probably second only to those about love.
Myself, when faced with a myriad of choices, become paralyzed with indecision.
With that in mind, I took an inordinate amount of time coming up with today's post. To be sure that is no assurance of quality, only a reflection of my innate desire to please.


You know butterflies?
Think before you answer yes!
Knowledge gained from no.








Change may come
Or change may go
from within to some
others, from the crow.

We contemplate on the things we see
The beauty of the butterfly flitting on it's wing.
Did this metamorphosis , for us, come to be
A chance to change the song we sing?

To write a poem of any worth
Seemed unattainable for me,
But Parfait's gentle words gave birth
To change, and sprung me from my ennui.

In the past, I've been content
To let the changes happen.
A passive observer to this extent;
New life passed me by while I was a nappin'.

New friends out of the nethersphere
Have joined to come and visit,
Offering friendly encouragement here.
It's really not so hard to change; Is it?