4/30/07

#60--My Tree--Just Another Manic Monday


Manic Monday
Performed by The Bangles




Six o'clock already I was just in the middle of a dream


I was kissin' Valentino By a crystal blue Italian stream


But I can't be late 'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid


These are the days When you wish your bed was already made





It's just another manic Monday


I wish it was Sunday


'Cause that's my funday


My I don't have to runday


It's just another manic Monday






4/29/07

Deep Sea Puking on the Oregon Coast

Yes, it is time once again for me and my siblings to write about a similar experience. This week, Raymond Pert assigned the task of writing about an experience at the Oregon Coast. You can see his post on his site here, and Inland Empire Girls on her site here. It is also on Sunday Scribblings here.

When I was in my late teens, our family actually broke away from the annual trip to Orofino each summer, and branched out. We started going to the Oregon Coast. Now this was a big deal for a couple of home bodies like my parents. But I think after their first visit, they were hooked.

Raymond Pert had been living in Eugene and he and his first wife NH had some connection with a woman who owned an ocean front cottage in the town of Yachats, and she rented this cottage out when her family wasn't using it. So our family would rent it for a few days during the summer. It was a wonderful experience.

This wasn't a very big cottage. It was one big room with a bed, hide a bed, maybe a set of twin beds, but not a lot of room. I think on this particular trip I am thinking of, this small cottage held Mom and Dad, Bill and possibly NH, and Inland Empire Girl and her first husband SE and myself.

I'm not sure how the following exursion was planned, but I think SE wanted to try deep sea fishing, and Raymond Pert and I decided to go along for the ride. (I don't think RP wanted to fish, but I could be wrong.)

We were in Yachats, and I believe we needed to be at the boat in Newport, which was about 30 minutes away, at about 5:30 a.m. for the 6 a.m. departure. It was going to be a 6 hour trip. Well, I wasn't much of a morning person in those days, so the day didn't start off really great to begin with, but then things just got worse.

When I woke up that morning, um, how do I put this, oh, I'll just say it. I'd started my period. And that usually isn't a good sign that it is going to be a very nice day. Cramps and throwing up were the norm those days when "Aunt Flo" arrived.

So we arrived on the boat. There was a man with his young son on the boat who would be fishing. I think they had some saltines to eat. (They were a little more experienced than us.) I'm not sure what we had brought to snack on, but I don't think it was tummy soothing food like saltines.

We started heading out on the high seas, and I was already tired and the boat started going up and down. I don't really remember ever going up on deck. Perhaps I did. But my memory of this excursion is either laying on one of the benches in the bottom deck (not sure what the nautical term for that is), or I was in the bathroom with my head over the toilet retching my guts out. I would take turns with Raymond Pert.

SE actually stayed on deck the whole time and did get some fishing in. I don't think he caught anything, so I think we had to stop at a fish market on the way home so we wouldn't have something to prepare for dinner that night. SE did throw up over the side of the boat once. He did much better than RP and myself.

No, I have never gone out on a boat on the ocean since. I really would like to try again. I think I would do much better. Maybe next time I should take a little Dramanine and a little Pamprin. And some saltines.

That might do the trick!

Here is my tribute to our trip, sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island".

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip.
That started from a dock in Newport
aboard this tiny ship.
The captain was a mighty sailin' man,
he sure seemed brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day,
for a six hour tour, a six hour tour………
The weather seemed to be getting rough,
the tiny ship was tossed.
There wasn't much fishing for the two downstairs,
their breakfast soon was lost;
their breakfast soon was lost.
We prayed the ship would ground on some uncharted desert isle,
with Fishing Captain, no one else with him,
the Man with Saltines, and his Son,
the Engineer, (That's SE)
the Professor(Raymond Pert) and Carol Lynn, (That's me)
here on Fishing Boat Bile.

#59--My Tree--On The Fairway


Of our major professional sports, golf alone retains the lyrical innocence with which it began centuries ago among Scottish herdsmen slapping the gutta-percha ball around the bonny banks. Golf alone, despite huge purses, has remained immune to the violence and vulgarity that have turned other sports into spectacles of sanctioned mayhem. The game, as Andrew Carnegie believed, is an “indispensable adjunct of high civilization.” No other group of professionals is self-ruled by an honor code in which players call penalties on themselves. Golf etiquette prevails. Can football etiquette or hockey etiquette be imagined? Golf has no Charles Barkley, who has spit at fans. It has no John McEnroe, the obscenity-shouter, nor does it have enforcers, late-hitters, or self-absorbed clods who moan that they aren’t paid enough.
- Colman McCarthy

4/28/07

I Finally Get To Spend Some Time In My Yard...YEAH!!!

I found this beautiful, joyful jonquil in my yard today. There was a whole patch of them, in fact. What a wonderful surprise.
PKR got the sprinkler system up and going today, and Sadie loved trying to catch the drops of water in her mouth. This picture doesn't quite do the whole experience justice. She was so darn cute.





PKR's aunt and uncle are moving away in about a month, and his Aunt Susie offered this rose bush to us. It is a very special rose bush. It comes from PKR's Great Grandma's yard. Here is the story as Susie shared it with us in an email.
I have a little rose bush…more of a sprig…that we transplanted from Aunt Charlotte’s when she sold her home. It is a climbing rose, red, but has not really flourished at our house. I was praying that this year would be the year. Now that we are moving…but we’ll be in a rental….I wondered if you would like the little sprig.

The sentimental meaning behind this little sprig is that the bush was originally planted by Grandma Nancy Bushnell. Uncle Wayne transplanted it to his house when she died. No other family member…on either Taylor or Bushnell side…has a piece of this rose.

Would you be interested it moving it to your property? I think it would like to stay in Kellogg. (And Uncle Wayne would be proud that Pert Woolum’s daughter now is watching over the plant)

Ah, a mighty task, but I am up to the challenge, and plan to take good care of it.


But I did check out a couple of our roses, and they aren't looking too good. This is our "Lynx" rose. Planted in honor of our cat Lynx who died in 1996.


This is the "Mikey" rose. Mikey was our cat who found us when we moved back to Kellogg. He died of cancer in 2003. We have a rose for each cat we have lost since we have been married. Our "Jessie" rose is flourishing.

Here a one of two columbine's we also received from Aunt Susie's yard.

I was checking out the front flower bed, and realized these beautiful hyacynths were being choked by all the overgrown grass in the flower bed.

I made substantial progress on the bed. Still have some grass to pull, though. And the hyacynths don't get enough sun over here. Neither do the irises coming up behind them. So I may be doing some bulb transplanting soon.
But that will be another day. I'm just glad I finally got to spend some time in our yard and get some stuff done.






#58 My Tree--First Water Sprinkling of the Season

If you would conquer Love,
he must be fought
At his first onslaught;
sprinkle but a drop
Of water, the new-kindled flame expires.
- Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)

4/27/07

Depression: A Primer...By Ellen


When Katrina at "Notes on a Napkin" decided to slow down a bit on her blog posting, she left a list of blogs to check out. One of them on her list was "The Reign of Ellen". I spent some time today reading through some of Ellen's blog. I love it.
One of the things that was really interesting was clicking on her book Depression: A Primer. It takes you to this website, and you can look at her book online. It is a very well written book about depression and gives a lot of good information. Depression has been a big part of the dynamics in my family, so this was a very good book to look at and the information was great.
I encourage you to check out Ellen's site. Reading her blog may teach you a thing or two.

#57--My Tree--The Gift of God and the Friend of Man

I am the heat of your hearth, the shade screening you from the sun;
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table;
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead;
the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin.
I am the gift of God and the friend of man.
- Author Unknown

4/26/07

Thank God There Are No Technicals in Track and Field

What a pleasant afternoon I had today. Z2 had another track meet at the Lake City High School track, with Canfield Middle School in Coeur d'Alene hosting the meet.

I really enjoy watching track. I think it is exciting to watch the runners, the jumpers, and the hurdlers. And I have a wonderful group of parents whose kids are on the team who I sit with for a few hours and who also enjoy watching track.

They are so excited for the kids on our team, and we yell and cheer for our "Kellogg" kids, and we cheer when they are first, and we cheer when they are last. It is great. We also cheer when kids from another team run a good race.

Track doesn't require officials or referees. It isn't too often members of track teams, coaches or parents receive technicals, or get thrown off the track field. The only tension involved is when a race is neck and neck and you are hoping your man "wins by a nose". This is my kind of sport!!

But probably my most enjoyable thing about this afternoon was watching my beautiful daughter Z2 compete in the 400 run. She was in the second heat, and as she came around the final corner, her speed came on and she was a good 30-40 yards in front of the second place finisher. She had great form. Her long, muscular legs carried her to the finish line, her brown hair blowing behind her. Her face beemed as teammates gave her high fives.

Her dad challenged her to get below 70 seconds. She did. She shaved 3 seconds off her time last week, and her time was 69 seconds. She placed fourth overall, and this is with some pretty big middle schools from Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, plus she is only a seventh grader, and she was competing against eighth graders as well.

Her 4 x 100 relay team officially broke the Kellogg Middle School 7th grade record at this meet. And they placed third overall, with the KMS 8th grade relay team placing fourth.

She also ran the 200, and shaved about 1 second off last week's time as well.

I can't wait until Wednesday when we travel just up the road to Silverton where Wallace Jr. High hosts the meet. (Hey, e.h., I sure hope there won't be any wierd gravitational pull for Kellogg runners that will throw them off since we are so close to the center of the universe!)

More track stats to follow on Wednesday.

#56--My Tree--Out of the Warmth of Spring


Out of the first warmth of spring,
And out of the shine of the menlocks,
Among the bare and crooked trees,
She found a helping from the cold,
Like a meaning in nothingness....
- Wallace Stevens

4/25/07

#55-My Tree--Never Discontented

I never saw a discontented tree. They grip the ground as thoughthey liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do. They go wandering forth in all directions with every wind, going and coming like ourselves, traveling with us around
the sun two million miles a day, and through space heaven knows how fast and far!
- John Muir

George Michael and Cyndi Lauper Sited at KHS 50th Reunion Concert

I graduated from Kellogg High School in 1981. This year marks the 50th anniversary for KHS. Tonight, anyone who had been in choir at KHS was invited to participate in a 50th anniversary concert. The choir director, Joy Persoon, asked PKR and myself if we would do a funny 80's song. So I came up with a skit where we played the roles of George Michael and Cyndi Lauper.

"George" started out with "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" by Billy Joel.


"Cyndi" followed with Joan Jett's version of "I Love Rock and Roll" and also performed The Bangles hit "Manic Monday".



George sang one of his own hits, "I'm Never Gonna Dance Again".


They ended with "I've Had The Time of My Life", the theme song from "Dirty Dancing".



The Princess also performed tonight, as part of the KHS Select Choir. (In the middle in the gray sweatshirt).



She wasn't quite sure what to think of Mom and Dad's performance.

4/24/07

I Figured Out a New Trick on Windows Movie Maker


PKR and I are participating in the Kellogg High School 50th Anniversary Concert tommorow night in Andrew's Gymnasium. We are doing a small tribute to the 80's while dressed up as Cyndi Lauper and George Michael.


We have a pretty good selection of Karaoke CD's and found some songs to sing, but only wanted to have small parts of the songs.


Here is what I figured out how to do. I can rip the song off my karaoke CD onto my computer. Then I opened Window's Movie Maker and put the songs on it, cutting down the song to the part I wanted. Then I made a separate "movie" for the part of each song I wanted, then I saved them as high quality audio files onto my computer.


Then I inserted a blank CD and burned them. Now they will be on a nice CD for the concert tommorow, and it won't be the entire song on the karaoke CD, just the part I want.


It was so exciting to find out I could do this. Now anytime I just want to perform part of a song, or sing a medley of karaoke songs, this is what I can do to make it easier in the future.

4/23/07

#54--My Tree--Partly Cloudy

I watch the clouds as I see them
in pomp advancing, pursuing
the fallen sun.
- Denise Levertov

Kellogg Idaho Bunker Hill Sonic Metallurgy--A Rather Unique Find!

A newsclip image found on Jim's website.


While looking for an image to put on one of my blog posts recently, I stumbled upon this website called Kellogg Idaho Bunker Hill Sonic Metallurgy.





The website is created by Jim Larson, a former resident of Kellogg. He performs under the name Jimmy Crew.





Here is part of what he shared on his homepage:




I am influenced by all kinds of music throughout my life, from AC/DC to Frank Zappa.
This venture is influenced by my upbringing in the Silver Valley Mining District of Northern Idaho and Kellogg, Idaho former site of the Bunker Hill Mining Company where my father worked for over 20 years.




Sonic Metallurgy was originally called E=MC Groove which isn't a bad name either.





From his main page, you can click on links such as Mine Shaft, The Smelter and The Tailing Pond. These links include music he wrote inspired by his time in the Silver Valley, such as Lead Poisoning, Blast Furnace and Thursdays Hangover.


As I read more writings from people who grew up in the valley, I am fascinated by the things that had an effect on people's lives while living here, and what they focus on in their writings. For Jim, the pollution made a big impression. But his house was overshadowed by the Bunker Hill Smelter, so that makes a lot of sense.





I encourage you to check out Jim's website and see what he is creating. I emailed Jim and let him know how much I enjoyed his site. Drop in and see what you think. If you like it, let him know!

4/22/07

#53--My Tree--Celebrating Earth Day

First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see.
Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness.
God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
God spoke: "Light!"
And light appeared.
God saw that light was good
and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
he named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning
— Day One.
Genesis 1: 1-5
The Message Bible

4/21/07

#52-- My Tree--Guardian Of Our Back Door


Beneath them sit the aged men,
wise guardians of the poor;
Then cherish pity,
lest you drive an angel from your door.
- William Blake

4/20/07

Cappucinno Mousse Trifle


I wear many hats in my life. One of them is being a Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultant. I sell Pampered Chef items at home parties or from people ordering from our catalog. I enjoy having all the new kitchen items they come up with, and my kitchen is very well stocked because of being involved in this business.
For years I have been looking for a trifle bowl. But I could never find one I liked. So I was VERY EXCITED when the new spring line came out and it included a Trifle Bowl. What is cool about this one is the pedestal is separate from the bowl, and it also has a plastic lid, so it can be stored easily in the refridgerator.
Today was book group, and I tried out my knew bowl by making Cappucinno Mousse Trifle. Here is the recipe:
1 (16 oz) frozen prepared poiund cake (or 2 frozen prepared pound cakes, 298 g. each)
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1/2 cup instant coffee granules
2 packages (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
2 containers (8 0unces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided.
1 square (1 oz) semi-sweet chocolate for baking
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1. Cut pound cake into 1 inch cubes; set aside. Whisk together milk and instant coffee granules; let stand 5 minutes or until dissolved. Set aside one cup of the milk mixture. Add pudding mixes to remaining milk mixture; whisk until pudding mixture begins to thicken. Gently fold in half of the whipped topping.
2. To assemble trifle, put half of the cake cubes in the bottom of the Trifle Bowl, pressing down gentl. Pour half of the reserved milk mixture evenly over cake cubes. Top with half of the pudding mixture. Grate one-third of the chocolate over the pudding mixture. Repeat layers one time. (Reserve remaining chocolate for garnish.)
3. Reserve 1 cup of the remaining whipped topping for garnish. Spread remaining whipped topping over entire top of trifle, creating a smooth surface. Pipe rosettes around edge of dessert with reserved whipped topping. Grate remaining chocolate in center; sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Yield: 10 servings
For more information about Pampered Chef go here.

#51 My Tree--Imagination itself

The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself.
- William Blake, 1799, The Letters

This Just In.....

Well, Z2's relay team missed breaking the KMS record by a few tenths of a second. So Z2 said she will run the 100 instead of the 400 in the next track meet so she can run better in the relay.

She did place 4th in the 400 event overall.

This is Track Mom, reporting to you from her living room. Good night.

4/19/07

Z2 debuts track season

Z2 participated in her first middle school track meet at the Lake City High School track in Coeur d'Alene, hosted by Woodland Middle School. She ran in the 200, the 400 and the 4 x 100 relay.

Nothing is official yet, but we do believe her relay team, in their debut, broke the Kellogg Middle School 4 x 100 record.

Way to go Z2!!!!!!

#50--My Tree--Shine on Crescent Moon


Here Men from The Planet Earth
First Set Foot upon The Moon
July, 1969 AD
We Came in Peace for All Mankind
- Anonymous
Plaque left behind on the moon’s surface by the crew of Apollo 11.

4/18/07

Breast Cancer Journey


Tonight at a meeting I was attending, my friend Jan shared about her journey this past year being diagnosed with breast cancer and the treatment she went through.
She shared with us the steps it took to be diagnosed, and the month long process from a painful spot on her breast she discovered through self examination, to a biopsy to surgery. This whole process took about a month.
"Listen to your body," she said. "If something doesn't seem right, have it checked out right away, because, if something is wrong, it may take a month or more before they can fix it."
She found a painful spot on her breast, and went through many tests. During this process she said she was in a state of denial, "which is a very nice place to be".
She was convinced after the biopsy that everything would be okay, but the doctor couldn't give her the news she wanted to hear. But she said God's spirit kept singing to her this song:
"Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me."
Through weeks of chemotherapy, she took some hard blows, such as losing her hair. She knew she had to keep going each day, putting one foot in front of the other, or "I would get myself in a hole that I couldn't get out of."
Her heart went out to the other ladies at the Cancer Center who were having chemo the same time she was, but were alone.
"Before we started chemo we attended a class, and were told if someone couldn't take us to have the treatment, then a social worker would come and pick us up and take us home," she said. "I always had someone with me. I was never alone. But others weren't so fortunate."
Jan also shared about the outpouring of love she felt from family, friends and the Silver Valley community.
"I don't think I ever knew what it was really like to have people praying for you," she said. "But I could really feel the prayers. I'm not sure I would have made it through this time as well without those prayers."
Flower, cards, emails and phone calls were a constant in her life, from people sending their prayers and thoughts and giving her the strength to go on each day.
When she was finished with her chemo, there was a celebration at the elementary school where she teaches. A banner was put in the hallway, telling her "Congratulations". The students and staff all wore pink in her honor.
As she wrapped up the program, she again emphasized, "Listen to your body. If something doesen't seem right, go and get it checked out. Your body will tell you what you need to know."
She also said self examination is the best form of finding breast cancer. Mammograms are only about 80 percent effective.
Jan wore a wig for much of this last year, but now sports a cute, spunky haircut, reflective of her personality, and the way she fought and now shares about her breast cancer journey.

#49 My Tree--Buds Willing to Burst Forth

The buds swell imperceptibly,
without hurry or confusion,
as if the short spring days were an eternity.
- Henry David Thoreau

4/17/07

My Own Private Kellogg, Idaho...Is it yours, too?


Mommy Dearest at Brodh2o listed ways she knew she was from Athol, Idaho. She got the idea from Shinie at I Guess This Is Really Growing Up, who did her list on Coeur d'Alene. The assignment for my siblings this week is to write a similar list about Kellogg. Their lists are here and here.

Because I am 8 and 9 years younger than my siblings, it is interesting the things that were around for them to remember, but not me.

Let me know if anything on my list sounds familiar.

1. Bought Candy at Swanson’s Store, a.k.a. the “Little Blue Store” or “Mina’s”.
2. Parked with your boyfriend or girlfriend up Vergobbi Gulch or Ross Ranch.
3. Walked “The Trail” up to Kellogg High School, then past the school and up to the reservoir.
4. You know that “Lead Creek” is the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, and going “Up the River” means going to the North Fork of the Coeur d’ Alene River. You could swim up the river. You couldn’t swim in Lead Creek. (And that’s pronounced crik, not creeeeek.)
5. You refer to the Kellogg’s only subdivision as the “Old Airport”, even though there hasn’t been an airport there for 40 years.
6. You attended either Elk Creek, St. Rita’s, Lincoln, Sunnyside, Wardner, Silver King, Pinehurst or Canyon Elementary before you came into Kellogg to attend junior high and high school.
7. When you were at Sunnyside, the Lincoln School kids seemed mean and scary. When you went to junior high, the kids who came from Pinehurst Elementary seemed mean and scary. 8. When you went to Kellogg High School, the Wallace High kids seemed mean and scary.
9. You knew there were prostitutes in Wallace and they lived on Cedar Street, but you averted your eyes every time you were in Wallace because you were afraid of what you might see.
10. Having an ethnic meal was taking a trip to Wallace and eating at Pepe’s Taco House.
Smelter Smoke was normal.
11. You rarely had new kids in class, and most of the kids you went to kindergarten with in the basement of Kellogg Junior High School you graduated with from Kellogg High School.
12. You took dance lessons from Betty Damiano.
13. You climbed up to the “Keep Idaho Green” sign made with tires spray painted white located on the hills behind your house.
14. You attended the St. Rita’s Bazaar and the Elks Roundup in Kellogg, and Frontier Days in Smelterville.
15. You dressed up funny and walked in the Kellogg Crazy Days parade.
16. The Dave Smith parking lot on Hill Street was once Pappy’s Pizza.
17. Speaking of Dave Smith, you remember when it was once Wellman’s Chevrolet.
18. You remember when Smelterville got the Fun Center, and with it came going Moonlight Bowling, playing Pac Man and Space Invaders, and attending dances at the roller rink.
19. Going swimming in the basement of the YMCA.
20. Remembering the picture of Noah Kellogg and his jackass when you ate in the Noah Kellogg room at the Sunshine Inn.
21. There was a wooden bridge over Lead Creek on Division Street.
22. Ice skating on Elk Creek Pond.
23. Switching the light off and on at the cross at the Kellogg Cemetery.
24. Attending a “kegger” up Latour Creek, or up the river or up some gulch.
25. KWAL was the only radio station you could listen to, because you couldn’t get reception for any others.

Tree Guest Appearance


My tree is taking a break tonight, and the Hollywood Palm Tree we encountered on our trip to California last summer was more than willing to step in as "guest tree" tonight.
Hooray for Hollywood
That screwy, ballyhooey Hollywood
Where any office boy or young mechanic
Can be a panic, with just a goodlooking pan
Where any barmaid can be a star maid
If she dances with or without a fan
Hooray for Hollywood
Where you're terrific, if you're even good
Where anyone at all from TV's Lassie
To Monroe's chassis is equally understood
Go out and try your luck, you might be Donald Duck
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood
That phoney, super coney Hollywood
They come from Chillicothes and Padukahs
With their bazookas to get their names up in lights
All armed with photos from local rotos
With their hair in ribbons and legs in tights
Hooray for Hollywood
You may be homely in your neighborhood
But if you think that you can an actor
See Mr. Factor, he'd make a monkey look good
With a half an hour, you'll look like Tyrone Power
Hooray for Hollywood

Deadliest Shooting in US History

Alan Kim / The Roanoke Times via AP
Often when events such as the shooting today happen, I can't quite wrap my mind around the whole thing. That is when the word helps me work through this senselessness. Today Shakespeare helps me draw closer to some understanding of today's events. The human condition really hasn't changed a whole lot since Shakespeare penned Hamlet. Hamlet asks the famous question at the beginning of this soliloquy. What question are you asking today?


--Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them?--To die,--to sleep,

--No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to,--'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die,--to sleep;--To sleep!

perchance to dream:--ay, there's the rub;

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? who would these fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

--The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns,--puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;

And enterprises of great pith and moment,

With this regard, their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!

The fair Ophelia!--Nymph, in thy orisons

Be all my sins remember'd.
Lord, please bring peace into this situation. Replace the anger, bitterness and fear with love, peace and joy. Comfort your people, Lord. Do not let these children of yours die in vain.
In your name we pray.
Amen

4/16/07

#48--My Tree--Longing for New Leaves

Before the leaves can mount again
To fill the trees with another shade,
They must go down past things coming up.
They must go down into the dark decayed.
- Robert Frost

4/15/07

The Breakfast Club

This week, Inland Empire Girl gave Raymond Pert and myself the assignment of writing a recipe/memoir piece for her to use in the recipe/memoir book she is writing. Trying to find a recipe and story to share was like going into a candy store and seeing all the jars of candy and knowing you can only pick one, but it is hard, because there are SO MANY CHOICES.

So I narrowed it down to two.

My story is going to focus on breakfast. I love making big breakfast meals, but, because of time and schedules, I don't get to prepare breakfast meals too often, but when I do, there are two items I love to make.

One of my girl's favorites is the Oven Pancake. I was first introduced to this dish before PKR and I were married, and PKR's brother Kent and his wife Robin invited us over for breakfast. We were joined by PKR's best friend Rory and his wife Mary. Robin served a special breakfast dish. She called it German Pancakes, but it was basically the same thing.

If I have time on a school morning, I make this for the girls. It is easy, but it takes about 1/2 an hour to complete, so you have to prepare in the morning so they have time to eat and get to school on time.

We have also prepared this dish for the morning after when the girls have had slumber parties. It is great with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Some enjoy it with syrup. Lemon juice sprinkled on top is also an option.

Here is the recipe for "Oven Pancake" is on page 35 in the "All American Favorites--All American Days" cookbook that was given to me when we lived in Glendive, Montana.

Oven Pancake
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a 9 x 13 inch pan, place 1/3 cup margarine or butter. Melt in hot oven. Mix eggs and milk. Stir in flour, salt and vanilla. Pour batter in pan. Do not stir! Bake 20 minutes. Serve with syrup, jam or fresh fruit.

Another breakfast treat that has been shared around our household in the last couple of years is a potato dish I created myself. I remember my brother Raymond Pert cooking me a potato dish with cream cheese in it one time, and I think this is how this creation came about. Partly it just evolved over time.

I recently submitted this recipe in my former church's cookbook called "Heritage Cookbook, Meridian Gospel Tabernacle Family: From our house to yours." This is the first time this recipe was ever written down. I had always just thrown it together.

Carol's Special Potatoes

5 potatoes
2 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tbls. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 oz. Cream Cheese

Take 5 potatoes and slice them thinly. Any kind of potato will do, but I enjoy red or Yukon Gold. I like using my Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer to do the job. I keep the peels on, but you can peel the potatoes if you like. Take a non-stick skillet and heat 2 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Medium High Heat until hot. Add potatoes to the frying pan and decrease heat to medium. Add about 1/2 TBLS McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning to the potatoes. Keep cooking and turning the potatoes until they are brown. Lower the heat to low, and add 4 oz. cube of cream cheese, cut up in 9 cubes. Stir in cream cheese into the potatoes until melted. Sometimes I add 2-3 eggs onto the potatoes and mix them in the mixture. Other variations include frying onions in the oil before adding the potatoes. If you have a green or red pepper fan, you can also add these either in strips or chopped. Crumbled, crispy bacon can also be added, or chopped up Canadian Bacon. You can also add chives or any other fresh herbs that sound good. Serve with a strong cup of coffee and a bowl of fruit, and you have a wonderful breakfast.

#47 My Tree--Evening Visitor


Your hand is the outrageous redeemer.

- Anne Sexton

The Reforestation of the Silver Valley

Here is the first place winner in the Youth Division Group Documentary at Idaho History Day 2007 in Caldwell, Idaho.

4/14/07

Z2 Advances to National History Day and Carries on a Family Legacy

Don't these three look excited!! It is because Christina, Sheila and Z2 placed second in the Junior Division Group Performances category, receiving three superior ratings which means in June they are going to the National History Day in Washington D.C.



Their peformance was on "The Triumph and Tragedy of the Sunshine Mine Disaster". They wrote a script based on research they did on this subject. They did a very good job. So Z2 and I, along with Christina, Sheila, and their parents, and GT Facilitator Marcia Wall and Brianna Wendt, who received first in the Senior Division Individual Performance will be traveling to the Nation's Capitol in June. Here they are doing their performance.

Another exciting part of this whole History Day experience is the fact my daughters are carrying on a legacy. My mom developed the Gifted and Talented program in the Kellogg School District in the early 1980's, and started helping her students develop projects to go to the History Day competition. She traveled herself to Washington D.C. at least one time. Now her granddaughters are carrying on the History Day tradition.



It always excited Mom to help her students work on the different projects. Just the other day she mentioned one of her former students, and can recall who they partnered with and what their project was all about. She always enjoyed helping her students find research on a particular topic and to develop their research into a viable project.



I also enjoy doing this with my girls. It was so exciting for me to work with both of my daughters on their projects, and I loved the fact they both had local history topics. I learned alot about both topics, and learned a lot about the strenghths as they worked on this project.



I always told Z2 and Kiki Aru that they were my ticket to get to go visit Washington D.C. And Z2 has 5 more years to go, and Kiki Aru has 7 more years to participate, so who knows, I may have more trips in the future!!



If anyone wants more information on History Day, go here.



Students can begin participating in fourth or fifth grade, up to their senior year. There are many cash prizes and scholarships given out. One of our seniors, who also made it to nationals, received a $5,000 scholarship from Albertson's College of Idaho. It is also a wonderful learning process of research, process, writing a bibliography and annotating research.



Students can participate in exhibits, documentaries, performances or write essays. They also added a new category this year of developing a web page. Or email me at pkrbywed@juno.com and I will give you more info as well.

Kiki Aru's Trip to History Day

Kiki Aru and her partner Jessi are smiling, because they won first place in the Youth Division Group Documentary for their documentary "Triumph and Tradegy: The Reforestation of the Silver Valley". They wrote a script and put narration and pictures on a DVD using the Movie Maker program. They worked hard and did a good job. They both won medals and a stuffed two-headed calf from the Idaho Historical Museum in Boise. The Youth Division doesn't advance on, but they learned a lot and have some good experience for next year.

#48--My Tree--Welcome Home

A man would always wish to give a woman
a better home than the one he takes her from;
and he who can do it, where there is no doubt of her regard,
must, I think, be the happiest of mortals.
- Jane Austen

4/13/07

The Princess in Wonderland


On Wednesday night, PKR, Z2 and myself attended "Wonderland", a musical presented by the Kellogg High School Select Choir, under the direction of Joy Persoon.

The musical is based on the "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice Through the Looking Glass" stories. The choir is filled with many talented students, and it was a fun production to watch.

The Princess was "The Rose" at the first part of the play, talking with Alice along with "The Daisy" and another flower.


She also was one of the "Dixie Chickens" who backed up Humpty Dumpty, who now wants to be a country music star.

It was a very clever and fun script and the kids did great. It is such a wonderful evening when you see talented kids doing such a great performance. I only wish more people could have seen "Wonderland".

4/12/07

On the Road Again

I'm on the road to Caldwell, Idaho today for History Day, so I will be gone from posting for a few days. If I have a chance, I may report on the road. If not, I'll be posting on Saturday night.

4/11/07

#47 My Tree--Footloose and Fancy Free

But the main things about a man are his eyes and his feet.
He should be able to see the world and go after it.
- Alfred Döblin

4/10/07

The West Wing--Good TV


I just finished watching the sixth season of The West Wing on DVD. We have a collection of all 7 seasons, and will probably begin the seventh season soon.
The West Wing was one of the best written television shows I have ever watched. I appreciate the way you can be laughing one minute, then all of a sudden you are wrapped up in the latest national crisis, or one on a more personal level.
When television moves me to tears, I know it is good.
I miss President Bartlett, and C.J., Toby, Josh, Donna, Leo and all the other West Wing regulars that I grew to love over the years.
If you have never seen this program, I encourage you to rent the first season. It is quite a treat.