Fencing the Good, Bad and Ugly

Tags

beef, breakfast, chocolate, fundamentalism, immigration, Indian, Iraq, John McCain, marine biology, meat, paper crafts, pasta, quilting, salad, tips, Women's issues

This haunting print was done by Julia Margaret Cameron in 1867 and is British. It is entitled “Julia Jackson” and was prepared from an albumen silver print from a wet collodion negative. It is located at the Institute of Art in Chicago.

Another morose looking day. The dinginess of Spring is always apparent on days such as this. Everything is wet, brown, and unpleasant looking. The birds seem to step carefully among the rubble of winter, picking this or that, perhaps for a nest lining. The dogs seem oblivious to all this, focused entirely on what must be a cornucopia of aromas stored in snow for all these months.

The bedroom is done! I finished this morning with a good carpet cleaning with the vacuum attachments pulling ancient dust bunnies from corners and along baseboards. The bedding was the last to receive attention, and the quilt is now in the drier, the blanket has been replaced with its summer alter ego, the bed skirt fresh and perky once again. Of course this all means a lot to the cats, who are now busily finding new hidey holes to secrete themselves in. Tomorrow I start on the other bathroom. I’m still fairly upbeat about the process, albeit I know my way is most strange. The average women does the spring cleaning in a few days of concentrated work. I’m way too lazy for such an endeavor. I can only do this mind numbing work in small spurts, rigorously limited by the clock.

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Let’s see what folks have been talking about and doing today. I hope not quite so much. These long posts are taking up a bit too much time.

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I heard the other day that Bush had ordered that state laws be ignored and the fence put up rapidly along the border with Mexico. Now I think this fence thing is silly, costly, and insulting on a good many levels. Just so you are clear where I stand. Plenty of others agree with me. This is no attempt to keep out “terrorists” heck no, they undoubtedly find it far easier to just come in through Canada, the entire northern border is nearly wholly open of course. It was pushed through Congress at the opportune time, just before the midterm elections in 2006, and worded in such a way that no candidate wanted to be on the wrong side. My advice: be on the wrong side and then explain it to me. I’ll understand common sense I promise you. Instead we are stuck with this partial bandaid on a hemorrhage. What a waste!

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American Presidents Blog has a nice new find for you all. A nice link to a section of the Library of Congress, entitled “A guide to the American Revolution 1763-1783.” He gives you a preview of the site and the information you can find there.

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Begging for Bargains has a link to a shopping discount site with emphasis on coupons and other discount deals. Be sure to check it out, there are three different links in all.

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Another lovely chocolaty coffee cake for your delight. One more piece of the chocolate cake tonight and I’ll be baking something. I’ve been thinking about making Cinnabuns, but this would be way easier and might be just what I need for those high activity mornings of mine, cleaning away. Thanks to Coconut & Lime for the usual yummy recipe.

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You know when it gets awful hot in the summer? When the humidity is like a wet slap in the face every step you take. Where your nerves frazzle and even the panting of the dog is close to driving you batty? Well that’s when pasta salad is the best thing invented for dinner! And Copycat Restaurant Recipes has a hugely good one for you. Taken from a local restaurant in Louisville, called, Lotsa Pasta, this Farfalle Salad is just perfect to cool the heat. Note: the recipe is backwards, but you can see they just inverted recipe with dressing. It’s all there!

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If you enjoy paper crafts, or want to learn, get some inspiration from Craftiblog and her lovely card. I think these things are really cute, but I really would have so little use for them, that I doubt I would spend the time to learn. I still enjoy viewing other people’s creativity however. Hope you like it too.

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I have a secret. I love african violets, but alas I’m not so good at keeping them going. Especially keeping them blooming. Sally’s Gardening Tips has some help for me, and you, should you suffer from violet disability like me.

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The Contrarian has rather a broad range of taste, contrary to what I have found from most men. But for reasons unknown to rational creatures, he is apposed to curry. He has no explanation for this, and frankly, I miss curry, which I adore. I may simply make this, and set it before him, with an appropriate look that says, “don’t you dare complain until you’ve taken a bite.” This recipe is certainly long and a bit difficult but it has that look of true authentic cuisine about it. Try the Spicy Beef Curry when you want to make something very different and very exotic.

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Lynda at Essential Estrogen is my go-to girl when I want to find out what is going on politically in Iowa. She runs a fine blog. Today she has a deeply moving post about her miscarriages. If you have suffered through this, or know someone who has, I’d urge you to read her quiet, beautiful and honest account of how it has affected her life. Regardless of where you stand on issues of women’s reproductive rights, you cannot fail to be moved by her account of her three losses.

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I’ve been confused as to exactly what the Biography tour of John McCain is or hopes to accomplish. On one level, he clearly wanted to get back in the news, his tour of Europe and the Mideast were pretty much a bust. On another we are undoubtedly supposed to conclude something about him from this trip down memory lane. I am not concluding much other that in a time when there are so many serious and important issues before us as Americans and human beings, this dude is waxing poetic and boring about his high school and classmates of ancient times. I remain convinced McCain is about McCain, and his way right of Bush foreign policy desires. He is busily trying to court the evangelical righties and make them forget those days when John was not sure the Republicans any longer fit his views of the world. I am sure he will succeed to some degree, it’s pretty much John or stay home on election day. I’d of course prefer they stay home, but I have no illusions that the wacko right is going to vote Democratic. That is simply too counter to their agenda.

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Victory, as Jon Stewart says, has taken on a new definition in the Bush White House. Victory meant that the Surge was working and violence was down. When violence went up again, it was because the surge was working. Neat trick isn’t it? The same can be said about the battle between Maliki and Sadr in Basra. Maliki acts like he won, but plenty suggest Sadr simply said, we will stop fighting, we won’t give up our weapons, and now get out of my city, before I really get mad. Now the claim is that Sadr is calling for a million man march against the American occupation. If he pulls it off, and many think he will with ease, one wonders how the Bushites will spin this one?

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Just when you thought you had all your list of species on the planet complete, well, as they say, do they always say? not so fast there buddy boy. There is a new species of fish on the block, yep partner. Well, no, not a species exactly, but a whole new family. You see, a family is like yours, and a species is like humanity, or something like that. In any case, these are part of the anglerfish group. A group is something I chose as some defining line between family and species. You can see I’m a fair expert here! Go look at the cute little fishes who like to crawl into crevices. Their eyes may be human like, so go figure.

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There are those that predicted pretty much what we have in the Bush Administration. A rather savvy writer by the name of George E. Lowe, told us this would happen. And he said that John McCain’s daddy would be surely turning over in his grave at the stance his son now takes against all things “terrorist.” Read this thoughtful and concise explanation of the chilling designs of the religious right. Fundamentalism is and remains a danger to this country and the world.

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While you are at it, continue on in the same vein with Susan Posner’s latest in the series Fundamentalist at American Prospect. It’s a must read each week on my list. Lots of interesting subjects this week, including Huckabee and the Charismatics, Ron Parsley and the New Deal, and more!

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Do you feel this way? A bad guy gets caught. He tries to minimize the damage by snitching on everybody he can think of guilty or not. He writes a book. He writes another one. Still the poor boob cannot get it. You are still a sleazebag and nobody likes you. Shut up. Jose Canseco are you listening yet?

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I’m actually afraid to go into quilt shops. The array of fabrics makes me swoon, quiver, shake all over, and realize that if I lived 17 lives I’d never get a chance to use all the lovelies I am seeing. (The same can be said for books too, and it causes me even more agony.) The Village Shop has a peek at Amy Butler’s new line of fabric. So go, only if you can keep your fingers off ordering more than you can reasonably use or afford. There is a link for a free pattern as well.

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I’m figuring that about this time next week, I’ll be opening the scary room, otherwise known as “my office” and begin the work of decluttering and cleaning it. It is not the worst room in the house, no that honor belongs to the Contrarian and his office, also the main avenue for transporting wood indoors, and where the cats eat. It is, to put it mildly in need of a hose job. Just in the nick of time, Tip Junkie comes through with a redecorating scheme for of all things: A Craft Room! Come, or go, as the case may be and see the lovely ideas she has accumulated for your perusal.

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Well the day would not be complete without reference to The Farmer’s Almanac so listen up:

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Wish on a spring frog for good luck. (please tell me how do you determine a spring frog? Is it in the genitals?)

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I’d like to plant some carrots in a container, since I lack garden space. What do you recommend?

The answer is poorly written. Don’t plant the carrot seeds 12″ deep, the container should be 12″ deep.

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Where have tornadoes caused a great deal of damage? (Umm, where they touch down? )

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This play holds the season’s record [for early closing], thus far, with a run of four evening performances and one matinee. By an odd coincidence it ran just five performances too many. ~~Dorothy Parker

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Wit has truth in it … wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words. ~~Dorothy Parker

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…as for helping me in the outside world, the Convent taught me only that if you spit on a pencil eraser, it will erase ink. ~~Dorothy Parker

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Burglers should dress better. At least that is one interpretation of the following story from Dave’s Daily: Burgler plays dead at funeral home.

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Aired Wednesday night on NBC: The husband of Democratic U.S. Senator Deborah Stabenow from Michigan has admitted he paid a prostitute he met on the Internet $150 for sex at a hotel room. Now, he could end up serving four years as governor of New York — if he is convicted.

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Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, while speaking before Congress, warned we may be headed towards a recession. Oh, thank you, Captain Obvious! Let me guess. Real estate market not looking too good either?

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Oh, and Bush’s secretary of housing announced he is stepping down. Well, sure. Nobody’s got a house anymore. He’s got nothing to do — might as well step down.

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John McCain appeared on the David Letterman show and told some jokes, taking a lead in the talent portion of this contest. Which is good, since he’s not expected to do so well in the swimsuit competition.– Will Durst

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