Chicago + Coldplay =

+

= FUN!

Be back online Monday.

Rita Rock

It finally feels like spring in Syracuse.
The nice weather gets me thinking about Camp Ryan
And Camp Ryan makes me think about Rita Rock.
Formerly known as Jesus Shoal.

(To the right of this little island are huge flat rocks just underwater and when you walk on them it looks, to those on shore, like you are walking on water.)




This is Rita Rock
Rita Rock sits about 100 yards from our dock.


But Jesus Shoal became Rita Rock one hot day last summer after Jackie and I swam out there to sit in the cool water and sun ourselves.
A few minutes after arriving, Michael was kind enough to send out a pitcher of cold Margaritas via Kid's Kayaking Drink Service.
Pretty soon Party Barge Boat Relay began bringing other revelers out
and dropping them off to join us.
4 pitchers and 15 people later Rita Rock was rockin.
Music was eventually provided (loudly) by all of us.
The day ended with a swim back to shore (with life jackets) and a nap for some.

A memorable day.

The Earth from Above

I was tidying up my netscape bookmarks this morning
and came across a link to Yann-Arthus Bertrand.org

One of his project's the "Earth from above" is an
in depth study testifying to the geographical
and historical reality of our planet from an unexpected angle.
Seen from the air, the Earth reveals its striking beauty
as well as the problematic traces left by the development of our societies.
Seen from above, towns and country, men and beasts are
suddenly one with the landscape and share in the same destiny.

Selected for its aesthetic and pedagogical value,
each photo taken then becomes the object of a commentary
written by a scientist, so as to provide the information
necessary to a full understanding of the visual testimony.

It is worth it to click the link above
and look at what has been put together.

Not much spring here yet

So I am going back where the skies are blue
and the flowers are blooming.

Meathead and Beer Pong

I am taking a class.
The Power of Digital Media.
It is a combination of classroom/online learning.

This button was handed to me today.













Others received similar buttons such as brat, bigot,
diplomat, crybaby, and so on.
This week in our online discussion we will be posting anonymously
in the character of our button.

This week I am a Meathead.
I will be posting as a Meathead.
Meathead - A stupid or dull person.
Grrrrreat.

And Beer Pong?
As I had only vaguely heard of this game,
some of the students in my class were kind enough
to explain the rules and merits to me today.
And it has NOTHING to do with getting drunk.
It is a sports game. I had trouble believing this.
But this sounds like a game a Meathead might try their hand at
so maybe I should play it to get into my role.
I've got beer, anyone got any ping pong balls?

Illustration Friday - Monster

The Monster Within

Friday Fact or Crap!

In the 1960s, Baskin-Robbins stocked a flavor called Beatle Nut.
Fact or Crap?

That's a Fact Jack!

Since Richard was so kind as to provide us with the date (and he was correct) here is the rest of the info-
Baskin-Robbins introduced the flavor on February 7, 1964, the day that The Beatles arrived at New York’s Kennedy Airport for their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatle Nut flavor consisted of pistachio ice cream with chocolate ribbons and walnuts.

It's HNT

Let's get half-nekkid!

Size Doesn't Matter

It was a little one but it showed its stuff!
Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga, California.
Sometimes referred to as Little Old Faithful.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better.

The grounds at Chateau Montelena











Auberge du Soleil Champagne
















Walking the grounds at Chateau Montelena
Lunch at Auberge du Soleil (Inn of the Sun)
One of the loveliest we've been to.
Award winning cuisine on the terrace overlooking the olive gardens and vineyards.
Cold champagne to take a break from the wine tasting.
Laughter and tears with your grrrrrlfriends.

Wineries visited -
Markham
Chateau Montelena

Best wine of the day -
Markham 2002 Zinfandel
$19.75 a bottle

Favorite songs of the day -
You Don't Own Me by Leslie Gore
Suzie Q by CCR
Reasons by Earth Wind and Fire

Napa Valley Cont.

Napa Valley Day One

no grapes








just mustard
















and beautiful wineries
like Opus One


Favorite Wineries visited-
Trefethen
Opus One


Best white wine of the day -
Trefethen 2004 Dry Riesling
Crisp, not too sweet. Excellent
$18.00 bottle

Best red wine of the day-
Opus One 2002 Cab
Smooth, soft flavor. So good.
$165.00 bottle

Favorite songs of the day -
Grrrrrl by the Beatles
Piece of my Heart by Melissa Etheridge
Mad World by Gary Jules

Crap!

Only a few birds can actually see blue.


















Nonetheless, the dominant sense in the avian species is vision—which is much more acute than a human’s. A bird’s vision is so great that it can see two to three times more sharply than humans.

Friday Fact or Crap

Most birds recognize the color blue, but can’t see green.

Fact or Crap?

What do these illustrations have in common?

Robert Hunt













Barron Storey
(He also illustrated book covers for The Good Earth and Farenheight 451)








John Mattos


They were all done by artists in the San Francisco Bay area we visited with this week. So much talent!

HNT

Mmmmm Good Grrrrrl Stuff!

I stopped over at H2O today.
They have lovely bath and skin products.
I bought this YUMMY gift pack.
I say yummy because it smells so good.
Almond.
The almond body scrub makes your skin silky silky smooth.
This one if for the grrrrrls.

Making Marbles

It's raining in San Francisco.
My body is still on east coast time.
I am waiting for The Amazing Race to come on.
I'm bored so I'm making marbles with my paint shop program.
I wish could play with these.
These would make good shooters.

Things I saw today in Palo Alto, CA that I will not see in Syracuse, NY.

1. Outdoor Hallways. The buildings at Stanford University have lovely outdoor hallways. Classrooms are attached to these hallways. How nice not to have to worry about 6 feet of snow piling up outside the door during class.

2. Outdoor lockers. Along the same line as the outdoor hallways, the elementary schools have outdoor lockers. Yeah right. If the kids had to run outside 6 mos. of the year to go to their locker in Syracuse, well, it just wouldn't happen.

3. Meyer Lemon Trees. Mmmmmm. So colorful and fragrant and sweet. Not like our grocery store variety by any means.

A dog is man's best friend.

They can also serve a purpose during an intense basketball game.
If your favorite team player is on the line to make some crunch freethrows and it is too painful to watch:
1. pick up dog
2. hold dog in front of your face
3. when the crowd cheers or groans, put dog back down.
4. repeat as needed.















(this works best with a small dog)

It was an exciting four days of basketball watching in our house as S.U. won the Big East Championship.

Good Find for the Kitchen

Flexible Grip Mats
$12.95

I love these from Crate and Barrel.
Four durable, flexible mats.
They roll to funnel prepped foods into pans and bowls.
Smart color-coding separates raw meats from fresh veggies.
Non-porous and non-absorbent polypropylene won't dull knives.
A non-slip backing keeps them in place.
Dishwasher-safe.

They store easily and work great.

Illustration Friday - Tattoo

SU 58 GTOWN 57

Down 15 pts at half-time the 'Cuse does it again!
Another nailbiting, heartstopping, sitting on the edge of your seat game.

Friday Fact or Crap

Titanic boasts the highest box office take in movie history worldwide.

Fact or Crap?







Sat morning update: FACT!

Released in 1997, Titanic thrilled audiences with its dramatic tale of two lovers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) trapped aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912. The movie also won 11 Academy Awards in 1998, including Best Picture.

'Cuse 86 UConn 84

Syracuse upsets #1 team/seed UConn in the Big East Tourny.
What a game, what a game, what a game!

Happy HNT.

The (half)nekkid eye.

wink, wink
nudge, nudge



This half-nekkid eye goes with another half-nekkid body part.
Stay tuned tomorrow.

Update: Here is the half-nekkid head that goes with the (half) nekkid eye.
(Shaved for swim season)

My how times change

When I was a teenager and got into trouble,
I was told "Go to your room".
Which I always did.
Gladly.
With a resounding SLAM of my door.
(although one slam too many resulted in my door being taken off the hinges for two weeks - that was not fun.)

My kids are not getting it so easy. When they are in trouble they will not be going to their rooms. I know what's what. They will be banned from their rooms.

Starting now. Today.

After a "discussion" with one of the boyz, I heard myself saying the words "You are sooo grounded from your room"!

The look on his face said it all.

It's good to change with the times.

Where is Calistoga, CA?

In the heart of the Napa Valley

What is in Calistoga, CA?

The Napa Valley Mustard Festival

The Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort

Mount View Hotel and Spa

Who will be in Calistoga, CA?
Joi, Peggy, Sue and Moi (in 12 days)

Who will be missed in Calistoga, CA?
Jean (damn it)

What will we be doing in Calistoga, CA?
Wine tasting, laughing, spa treatments, festival frolicking, dining, laughing,wine tasting, sleeping (maybe).

4 things you can do with a hole in the wall

This is the hole in the wall.
Made the night before a big party.
By one of the boys when roughhousing.
Who, out of respect, shall remain nameless.
(15 years old, middle son, mentioned in a previous post
about a fish)




Option 1: Fix it.
(no, no time )





Option 2: Put flowers in it.
(no, you can still see the hole.)







Option 3: Cover it.
(yes! perfect excuse to
get that wall hanging
I've wanted from Pier 1.)








option 4: when you are bored,
take a photo of it and turn it
into something else.



(and no the hole is not fixed yet)

Peek-a-BOO!

David says "Can't we just keep her"?