Best Dogs: Best Images

Today I just sat by Annie and Shelby and let the camera capture what it could.Dogs are often tough to photograph. These two don't often sit still or by each other enough to get a single picture. Today they cooperated. Enjoy the images.

Best Film of the Day: A Disney Reunion

Before winter break our seventh grade class studied a play version of A Christmas Carol. I remembered how much I liked the Mickey Mouse version,but it had been a long time since I had watched it.  I couldn't find it at the local store and the library didn't have it. A student of mine let me know after break that she had found a copy at their house.

Today we were celebrating her birthday and it was the last day of the semester. It was perfect timing for watching  Mickey's Christmas Carol. I was hoping I could squeeze in some test reading while the film was going on. No such luck. I watched every minute of it.

It was such a release on a Friday morning at the end of finals to laugh out loud as I remembered Goofy playing the part of Jacob Marley's ghost. Of course, when he made his appearance in Scrooge's bedroom he tripped and fell.  Donald Duck were perfectly cast as Scrooge's nephew Fred. When I was younger could I ever really understand Donald Duck?

Of course Mickey was Bob Cratchet and Scrooge McDuck (with a perfect British accent) was Scrooge himself. My students just couldn't remember who played the ghosts and I laughed out loud when I heard the voice of Jiminy Cricket as the Ghost of Christmas Past.  When was the last time I heard or saw Jiminy Cricket?

I had to really pay attention, but other Disney characters were mixed in the cast. Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse, Ratty, and Mole were front and center, butThe Three Little Pigs were part of the carolers at the beginning.  I had remembered Huey, Dewey, and Louie, but had no recollection of The Big Bad Wolf or Chip 'n Dale until today. It was a enjoyable hour before the students went home early today.

I was not the only person that realized how clever this film was. Mickey's Christmas Carol was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Animated Short Subject of 1983. The hour ended in the best possible way when the student presented me with the VHS tape and told me I could have it!
" God bless us everyone!"

Sibling Assignment #116: Best Song from Another Time: Cheering for the Underdog

I gave this sibling assignment keeping up with my best theme for the month. Name a "Best Song for Stirring Up Memories of Another Time." Raymond Pert and Silver Valley Girl will be posting soon. I could spend hours replaying songs and remembering where I was, what was happening, what he was wearing, who was in the car, who was getting married, who had died,what trip I was on, or what movie theater I was sitting in.

Movie soundtracks stay with me. I learned many songs from The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins with Mrs. Williams in music at Sunnyside Elementary.   While listening to albums upstairs in the hall growing up I did fine rendentions of the songs from South Pacific and The King and I.  I never grow weary of listening to the whole soundtrack of Out of Africa, A River Runs Through It, or On Golden Pond. There are also those unforgettable movie songs that remind me of another time long ago. We sang "Mairzey Doats" driving down the Clearwater River on our way to Orofino for summer visits. I think everyone in my generation sang "On the Good Ship Lollipop" at least a few times wishing they were Shirley Temple. Who can remember time when you didn't know "Over the Rainbow"?

At this hour on this day the song that stirs up memories is "Gonna Fly Now" from the series of Rocky movies. My most vivid memory was hearing it in the original movie Rocky and wanting to get up and cheer as Rocky sprinted up the stairs triumphantly in Philly.  I knew I would get that jolt of adrenaline whether it was Rocky III or the most recent Rocky Balboa when I  heard the beginning chords of that theme. I loved being in the Rena Theater in Kellogg a few years ago at Christmastime watching the most recent installment with my siblings, wanting to run down the aisle cheering. I think we did our own rendition of the theme after we left. "Gonna Fly Now" is the quintessential underdog song. I love cheering for the underdog, I love watching underdogs progress into something great, I love the pure joy that shines in the face of an underdog.  When I watch an underdog achieve greatness, I want to shake my fists in the air and play "Gonna Fly Now".  Enjoy this powerful theme and go sprint up a flight of stairs!

Best of Friends: The Sheriff and Deputy

Kit giving McDuff a hero's welcome when he returned from the vet.

McDuff is the senior member of our cat family. We have recently observed changes in McDuff that causes concern about his health. It was time for his yearly check-up so he was loaded into the car carrier then off to the vet on Monday. He is ten years old, but after an exam and blood work the vet found nothing wrong with McDuff. We know his teeth need cleaning so his dental health may have led to some lack of appetite and energy. He will soon go back to get those cleaned. When McDuff returned home Monday he got a rock star's welcome. Kit, the Deputy was so happy for Sheriff  McDuff to return home.  That seemed to cheer McDuff up. He is beginning to seem more like his same old self.

McDuff has always been a mentor for Kit since Kit showed up on our property in a tree a few years ago. The two cats guard the place from strays and keep the riff raff away. They certainly are the best of friends.

Best Way to Grow a Fire

How many fires do we put out in a day? Sometimes it depends on what "hat" we are wearing or what events are playing out around us. Today a neighbor wearing his homeowner hat shared the woes of dropping foundations and leaks as we discussed the weather.  Wearing my teacher hat today  it was missing papers, lost books, and hurt students that sparked the fires.  Being finals week one student was burning the candle at both ends finishing up projects, studying for tests, and trying to stay awake. Another one was trying to balance completing the semester after missing a week of school from illness.

Each of us needs a fire that fuels our causes, our responsibilities, our passions. How do we build a fire that doesn't burn the property down?  How do we balance what it takes to build a fire while paying attention to space? This poem reminded me tonight of that careful balancing act we all play as we put out and grow fires in our lives. Enjoy.


Fire
What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing,
too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames
almost as surely
as a pail of water would.

So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.

When we are able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on the logs,
then we can come to see how
it is fuel, and absence of the fuel
together, that make fire possible.

We only need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire
grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.

-Judy Brown

Best Dam Built In Martin Creek

 

I may have mentioned already that we had problems when an unbelievable amount of rain fell last week on an ice rink we usually call our driveway. The water couldn't seep into the ground and had nowhere to go. When I was finally home in the light and could survey the situation I was surprised at how much water had built up on the walkways leaving the driveway. Above is a picture of our skating rink driveway.

Here you can see the brick walkway underneath the frozen ice. Wouldn't you know that the weeds are still alive and well under that ice? The water had nowhere to go and began heading under the door.

Using wood,dirt, and sand JEJ was able to build a dam to hold back the water that washed over the ice.

Annie is up on the rock wall here checking out the damage with me. Fortunately it was only water. The  rugs hanging on the fence are even dry now. I will be curious to see what the weather brings this week.