My Song...

The Tears Dry, Though.

2011-08-04T03:44:00.003+01:00

What Sucks Is That I'm Leaving The Same Legacy For MY Progeny.

It hurts when, being the oldest son in the family, your dad-- father, I mean [difference there; ask me some other time] never calls to see "howzit, kid?"

Not once in 7 months of his grand-daughters' birth have I been on the receiving end of a call, social, familial or otherwise.

I think, in the same 7 months, I heard from my half-brother... let's see... Once? On facebook? mafia wars request? I think so, yah...

And my sister-- she messaged me to tell me to call my dad. On father's day-- or my father on dad's ... what the fuck ever.

Yeah. I was at Wisteria. No phone signal. Notice I didn't miss any messages from my whelp, either.

And my ... and Flower. I don't visit 'blog' anymore; I don't read the words that 'supposedly' won me.

Eighteen months later, and don't want to write on blogger, because I don't want those who know me online-- those who I might still convince I am capable of, against all odds, succeeding-- I can't journal my failures to be a real man here daily. I can't take the shame. Sorry...

No, baby momma. No, father. No, sis.

I don't like me. I don't show me.

Slainte.

Her Words Won Me.

2011-07-21T07:10:00.002+01:00

Her Voice Keeps Me.

It was better than two years ago I met a woman on line-- more specifically, on blogger.

I could complicate it here, tell all the details we've figured about what day, what topic, what time...

I'll save those for another post. But, our meeting was ONLINE-- no faces, no clues. Physically.

And through her language, through her vibrant mastery of the ... hell, through her sheer mastery of WORDS...

Well, my heart was won. I was lost. I'm in love.

And then I moved here, based on that on-line meeting [and a couple physical rondevous, really. Because, y'know...] . And then, I heard her classically-trained voice.

Oh my GODDESS...

When she goes into studio and puts that magnificent voice on record for posterity, I pray I am fortunate enough to be rhythm-keeper on percussion as background.

In the interim, I'll walk out of the house from time to time, overwhelmed and teary-eyed; I hear The Voice.

I AM a lucky man...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Through The Eyes Of Freedom

2011-02-08T14:49:00.019Z

Saoirse's eyes...

Two weeks of taking in what must have seemed at first awfully bright visual sensory input have sharpened to the high end of chiaroscuro definition. With my own windows of the Soul open and taking her in, those yellow-flaked blue orbs causing neuron fire for synapse construction over the light-and-dark contrast of the ceiling fan blades.
Total absorption in the thing; not defining it, mayhap not even knowing, thinking or caring to try. Just taking it in, OBSERVING it.

Freedom... Saoirse is, I'm told, a parallel in the Irish language.

Too young to let either reflections of the 'past' or worries of the 'future' mar the Present.

There's a lesson there.

Think I'll go hold her again and watch the birds eat. I'll stand there in what, when we see adults doing it, we call 'daydreaming'. We've suppressed that this is the key to learning: the total, non judgemental Zen-observation of our first days...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Unbeknownst To Me

2011-02-01T23:27:00.016Z

Flower Had her Camera Running

@ ... the Redneck Central General Horspital[sic], Sock,and Pill Emporium

SHE WAS CANDID...

She usually shoots photos-- GALLERY QUALITY, by the way-- so, not seeing the flash i never suspected i was caught...

I've not watched the video yet. I doubt I ever will-- my tear ducts NEED reserves...

Given I take a photograph every two or three days, and am occasionally wont to wax verbose and have a new daughter with which I am utterly enamored enough to kindle fire under year-long sleeping muses, I'll likely dedicate a great deal of this blog to those aspects of my life.

See?!!?

I imagine there will be garden pictures as well, and have no doubt l'il Sprout will be in there-- in the front-or-back pack papa pilfered por phree... hehehe!!!

Thanks, folks, for hanging with me this dormant-- insofar as writing--- year. I have been active; heck, you should see my aluminum can and glass collection, on top of Mafia Wars and Pot farm stats! ROTF!!!

More soon!! Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Long Time No See Me...

2011-01-26T20:26:00.008Z

My 1st 2011 Post: Been A Busy Year For Me...

I bet it only gets busier!

Saoirse Pearl-- trhe first pronounced 'sear-shuh', an Irish word for freedom-- was born yesterday morning at 0807 hrs. She weighed in at 7#14oz-- NOT the 13 ounces I erred yesterday-- and measured 20" head-to-toe.

A son 23 years ago, a daughter yesterday.

So, when does the fun start?!?

About 23 years nine months ago apparently! LMAO!!!

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

This Song Is CORE...

2010-12-31T05:20:00.004Z

I'll be investing time the coming year with Windows Moviemaker and this tune, I'm so sycophant.

I'm not christian, but just like all the REAL PEOPLE in this video, I AM...

Jesus isn't a WHO. It's a WHAT.

Every one of these folk was a beacon.

I got video work to do, folks. Do yourself a favor-- TWO, even:

1) LISTEN to the song. Listen and HEAR.

2) BE.

Salinte, Folks.

Cygnus

It's Starting To Look A Lot Like...

2010-12-10T19:03:00.013Z

A Full Winter Onslaught!!!

Let's see: we got a full Lunar Eclipse on the Winter Solstice, chriss-mess a few days later,

the drunken revelry of Gregorian's calendric New Year in a few mas days,

and, here at Casa de Crazies, a Stork Fly-In about three weeks followin'...

I know, I know-- I wish it wasn't gonna be so all-fired slow and quiet 'till St. Paddies' either...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

2010-12-02T19:15:00.005Z

Got BOB???

HERE'S one reason to think about it-- or check up on yours if it's been a while. I mean, global warming has it acting more like Winter than Fall, friends! HAR!!!

Slainte!!!

Cygnus

Goodbye, Salle...

2010-11-27T22:26:00.012Z

Me S-10 Takes Me On 'er Final Beer Run...

Then made her way into some great hands-- two mannered youngsters from the next county over. They run an independent body business-- and judging from a GANDER AT THEIR WEBSITE, they're talented as well...

It were a good deal-- I got what I wanted, and the young men got a solid mechanical vehicle. Given Salle's 'major flaws' were aesthetic, and the men have a talent for makin' bodies purdy...

Everybody wins!!!

I have mas wheels in line-- no skate pun intended, though I like it! ha!-- and will use [some of] the made fundage for insuring, registering, defleaing and otherwise Swanverting the other Chevy.

WHAT-- you think I wanna (be) Found On (the) Road Dead?!?

HAIL KNOW!!

Slainte, folks-- and Fare Well, Salle!!! You did me! HARAA!!!

Cygnus

Let's Get MIKEY!!!

2010-11-23T23:02:00.012Z

'Cause I Ain't Tryin' It Jest Yet...

Oh, I'll be desparate enough soon enough-- soon as someone elses schnozz confirms alcohol and not just yeast..

If This is me last post, well-- I died trying! HAR! Gotta be close to the top way out...

[Don't You Believe It:]

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

No Swan Left Behind...

2010-11-21T20:50:00.009Z

Leastwise Not In Le Kitchen De Crazy...

Not one to be outdone in the kitchen, Flower's punkin' seed-roasting binge left me feeling... restless. I mean, three days into my Blueberry Project, and alls I can do besides wait is feed the yeasties a bit...

Well, of late I've seen a brisk business in homemade frothy beverages not just of the adult kind.

Digging around the net today for DIY recipes, I started with Cream Soda, and am glad-- all the ingredients needed, right there in the pantry. [Root beer will be a fun experiments, too, but alas, I has no extract. YET.]

Worst case scenario, I get good redneck blogfodder with pictures of an exploded bottle; best case, my Mom has something homemede to drink over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

And, I have a new avenue of a new hobby to explore...

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Cygnus Scores SIX TIMES!!

2010-11-19T04:16:00.006Z

And For Less Than 20 Bucks!!!

Won't my daughter be proud?!?

Slainte, folks!!

Cygnus

Mobile, Al. RenThingie Picture Post

2010-11-17T05:04:00.005Z

I Put A Joust Vid On youtube As Well

I didn't take a lot-- it was a working trip for me. Still, gotta smile occasionally, even there.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

FPG Pictures

2010-11-10T05:01:00.019Z

Florida Pagan Gathering

I went, I saw, I drummed.

It was four, five days; I took pictures. I won't charge you for the ones I'll publish here.

I turn around tomorrow [mayhap today, as you read this the 10th...], headed for Mobile, Alabama's Renaissance Fest, then get to be HOME for a few months. I'll have a newborn daughter waking me up not too long thereafter-- I'm convinced that combining mine and her momma's Karma will produce a Morning Pearly-Bird...

It's a lovely clusterfukk I'm waltzing currently. I DO wanna/gonna blog more; the upcoming winter will help that, what with slowin' mobile...

Enjoy the pictures for now; we gotta LOTTA talkabout this Winter...

Slainte!!

Cygnus

Cygnus' Bodhran Practice

2010-10-29T21:30:00.005+01:00

My Mind Diskombobulated...

Got a phonecall from a friend this mornin'; seems they might wanna good mule-Swan for a trip next week after all.

Works for me-- work for me works for me... AHEM.

But... mental adjustment is required. I mean, here I am, home for what seems like all of 12 hours since last weekend's tentless fuferaw, looking forward to wasp stings and mosquito bites up @ Ma's for a day or three, and to generally unwinding and Flower-pickin and such...

Now I gotta go I'm being forced FORCRD I TELL YOU to endure five mas days and nights of sleeping in the wilds when the sun comes up and drumming the nights away around the bonfires 'till it does.

Oh, the agony.

Better step out in the Sunshine and give this a good think-over...

Well, I don' know 'bout you, but I feel better already!

~~I'm not know for doin' a lot...
A go-getter, maybe I'm...~~

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

And Going And Going...

2010-10-28T02:43:00.016+01:00

Or More Accurately, And Reaping And Reaping And...

We're making chili tonight. It's quick, easy, seasonally appropriate.

It's been rainy the past two days; damp. Warm, but damp and... 'fally', if I may be so bold. It certainly is.

But the rain, and the bit-higher-than-seasonal-norm warmth, helpeth the garden. The green peppers are still proffering belles, the okry eluding my eye long enough to be good for naught but seed once weighed out.

In turn, the green peppers, full o' water from the heavens, helpeth the chili. NECTAR OF THE GODS, man!

It's been a good learning year in Georgia for me. I've kept some written records, and plenty of photographic log... I'll fare 3x better next year.

Hope you're staying dry and warm wherever you are, and the rains come as a blessing.

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Swan Dimensions

2010-10-27T07:27:00.011+01:00

I'm Gonna Share This Part Of Me Here, Too...

This is some of the writing that led me here-- led me and Flower to ignite, propelled me to move to Georgia. The better post, the first one, I want to repost here, because it [polyamory] became a physical reality in my life as of this Summer Solstice past, and it shall ever remain so.

The following highlighted text is a post from my PagansWan blog, written round 'bouts 18 months ago. Boy, did I call THIS one! HA!!!

Got Love?
You're in the bedroom moaning with sexual pleasure from a partner you love.
I'm in the kitchen-- same house, or one miles or countries away. And madly in love with you.

If I LOVE you-- unconditional, limitless, real capitol LOVE, not lust or puppy love or that wonderful romantic love we all get when we first meet someone special-- then why would I not be happy that you are gaining pleasure?
My being jealous doesn't denote love.
That I demand, expect or think that all your pleasure--sexual or otherwise-- come solely from me is not only unfeasible but smacks more of a want to possess, of ego-driven self-aggrandizement.

OUTSIDE OF SEX
Two of the three people I profess to love will never share a bed with me. "He" won't because neither of us are homosexual. "She" won't for various reasons, distance being a major factor. (Even if we were close the love might needs remain unrequited due to the opines of her spousal unit-- whom she loves very much, thank you.)
That doesn't negate ONE IOTA the love I feel for them.

Is that love 'different' than the love I share with the one I actually have a shot at getting into the sack?
Sure-- insofar as they are unique individuals. For me the love for each one differs not in amount, not 'more' or 'less', but in shades of subtlety having to do with reasons we were drawn together. Personality types, interests, dislikes... all factor in, but I don't see the LOVE in and of Itself as different. Different than family (e.g. sibling or parental) love, but the same love one non-blood related adult has for another.

50% OF [Traditional] Marriages...
So you're married. Happily. In love. The kind of love that grows as your friendship and life together are growing, long after the initial romantic fires wane. (And they do, folks. Be Honest.)
Then...
Attraction to another. Even if it is purely a physical attraction it doesn't cause you to love your partner any less.
Who's in your mind's eye that night during love-making?
And what if you and this new attraction begin to become friends, bond.. Does development of this new one cause those aspects of your current relationship to diminish? Might seem so, given the divorce rate.

But I question...

Was the first "love" Love? Now you only love the second "love"? Was, or is, then, this love you transferred Finite? You can't still feel them both?

I don't have the answers. These are questions helping me constantly examine and evaluate my beliefs on this issue.

Thanks to everyone for commenting on this. Your words and thoughts have occupied endless hours of my time. A little extra thanks to Allie for prodding a good deal of today's thought on the matter.

And Granddaddy (and Grandmommy!) THANKS to He, She, and V.J.T. for bringing an exceptional-- and it seems, an extraordinary-- amount of LOVE into this bird's existence...

********
The numbers have changed-- life is dynamic-- but the writing sounds the idea well.

Um, the best reading-- like most blogger-- is in the comments section of these two posts.

There'll be more.

Isn't there always?!! HARAA!

Slainte.

Cygnus

"Shiver Your Timbers Or Something"

2010-10-26T06:40:00.009+01:00

"Can I Do That In Public?"

A lady laughed; when she was walking away I could nae but help to hear her sharing with her family the reason for her glee.

Sacred Clown.

wouldn'y have it any other way.

Slainte, folks...

Cygnus

Naturally!

2010-10-19T20:02:00.004+01:00

My Rose Lady Turned Me On...

To this band, and the second song I hear by them fits her like skin.

Enjoy, folks. I'll be back more with some sillySwan schtuffs; I hear the muse grinding her coffee beans...

Slainte!

Cygnus

They Say 'Find Something You're Good At"...

2010-10-08T05:42:00.004+01:00

And Stick To It.

And from twelve oz. to 40 at a time, well...
I'm glad I've endured!!!

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Happy Birthday STEVIE RAY VAUGHN!!!

2010-10-03T20:38:00.009+01:00

Texas Tornado!!!

I could run every damned video of him on youtube...

If I can turn his cd off long enough to get there! Here: this'll get ya primed and over there...

Slainte, Stevie Ray! Hope Elysia is bein' kind to ya!

Cygnus

Time To Sow...

2010-10-01T05:48:00.028+01:00

[Thanks, Bullseye...]

So, I've had a good learning year in Georgia. Near 100# of mostly veggies, and a few fruits, from garden beds tended since Feb last.

One of the most remembered, Flower and I reminisced @ luncheon today, was a tomato pulled from our vine-- a sun-warmed compliment to the cool turkey and mayo...

GODS! Abrosia.

So, I go to bed tonight mentally designing my future garden-- next years' tomatoes wher the beans were, given the nitrogen fixation; more peas, and earlier! And, no matter the opines of others, we needs mo' squash. And okry. LOTS more okry...

I have a better idea of shade-- foliage times in and out, sun angle for warming beds... y'know-- all those things we gardeners KEN, but do na 'know'... the things I've only begun to 'learn' this past year. So mayhap, come fall, I'll put in another bed down Yaupon Maple way...

Yes, another evenin' o' the seasonal temps hath made me wax Autumnal. But,then... I AM a witch...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Headed to Bed...

2010-09-30T06:51:00.005+01:00

The Cool Of Autumn Creeping In The Window...

And coyotes hae been yapping the past few nights. I woke early this morn to the song, long enough to whisper-chime in a "NICE", then drifted back off to sleep asong their lifting yewls...

The cool creepeth in... into my aging bones, into the open windows @ nite...

Into the Winter...

Into the winter we go...

Into the Fall bed I fall...

Sweet Dreams, Kindred.

Cygnus

Worth Watching Every Minute Of...

2010-09-29T21:29:00.008+01:00

Oh,The Oxymoronicism...

"Um, I think I take that one, too!"

I just betcha do, lady; I just betcha do...

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

I Didn't Know They Could Ride...

2010-09-27T19:15:00.005+01:00

"...FOR EVERYONE ENJOYMENT" [sic]

Well, everyone except the horses!!! And maybe the dogs...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Lazy Sunday...

2010-09-26T23:05:00.006+01:00

Seems It's Not Just Me...

The clouds are also on cruise mode... I bet this dragon-prow pulled the thunderstorm behind it...

The kittenseed I planted is sprouting nicely, but still, like cacti, seem to prefer the drier clime of roof-eave...

Hope you're all having a beautiful weekend, rain or shine.

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Thus I Become Imortal...

2010-09-23T06:15:00.034+01:00

For I Become A Father. Again.

Hiya folks. Cygnus here.

I been gone a while. And longing, of late, to return...

I got some new fun gizmos to work with-- cameras, drums...

Kittens... [LOL!! NO, NO, Lady A... I swear!!! LMAO!!!]

Then there's music... always music somewhere in my life. That bodhran-- I smacked it around a bit more of my absence. I played a flute-- y'know, for a few minutes. I even saw a guitar a few times, and heard on once!!! So, I'm thinkin' I'll do some musica.

Actually, I'm not thinkin' much about it at all. I just wanna be back on blogger. Winter's a-comin' on, and I've had an interesting year to date, and gotta lotta fodda to share. Plus, I's gonna BE a fadda in late January!!! [Um, SURPRISE!!! for those of you new to this blog and/ or not up to date with my FB fiasco a.k.a descent into the online equivalent of Dante's 9th Level...]

But I digress...

Yes, a Papa to be. At forty-three. ~~And deep in Polyamory~~

whuh???-- Oh yeah--- digression.

So, y'wanna see a picture?
Wanna hear a poem? Wan' me t'leave y'alone??

Stick around...

Slainte, folks...

Cygnus

Worth Popping By Blogger For!!!

2010-08-25T22:00:00.009+01:00

Found THIS Article Particularly Fascinating...

Curious to why it seems to suprise so many in the print media. We regular Joes and Janes are tired of party politics as usual and are casting our voice via the ballots-- as is our Constitutional duty, I opine...

Here's a snippet:

The Tea Party now has beaten the establishment candidate in Alaska, Nevada, Utah, Kentucky, Colorado and Connecticut. Assuming they are going to win some or maybe all of those seats in November, they begin as real power brokers. But I guess the real lesson of 2010 is to assume nothing.

Yup, cause, y'know what's said about ASSUME-tion...

Slainte, folks. See ya around...

Cygnus

Happy Birthday Buddy Guy!!!

2010-07-31T01:35:00.002+01:00

A Blues Legend...

Here uncluttered by words or other stimuli-- just pure, unadulterated blues guitar:

Slainte, Mr. Guy!

Cygnus

Out Of The Monkeysphere

2010-07-26T02:55:00.005+01:00

I'm Thankful For The Internet

...because of the number of like-minded people I realise are aware, communicating, and WILL STAND when the time comes. [Hell, most of you probably already are!]

Slainte, Gwath Avathar!!!

Cygnus

When The Moon Hits Your Eye...

2010-07-25T21:05:00.005+01:00

The Song Is Stuck In My Head...

But I love this scene from the movie, which, coincident if you believe in such, came to mind a millisecond after I began belting "~... THAT'S AMOREEEEE!!!!!~"

Slainte, folks...

"Snap out of it!!!" HA! Love it!!

Cygnus

Mathematics On Friday

2010-07-23T18:41:00.003+01:00

Maketh My Head Hurt...

But I took pen to paper anyhow, just curious how much food I've garnered from the garden.

Lettuce, tomato, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, onions, cantaloupe, strawberries, peas... so far we've reaped just under 60#. Not bad for half-way through the season!

Well, folks, sorry this is so short, but-- I got a fresh tomato and some bacon screaming to be eaten.

Hmm... reminds me of a girl I once knew...

Slainte, folks!

So Lost...

2010-07-21T23:13:00.008+01:00

I Got So Lost In This Video......

I closed my eyes and belted the words. I'm gonna have to put up two videos, because that's how this version is recorded. I hope you take the time to listen all the way through.

This is one of my favorite Stevie Ray songs, sad and harsh though it be. It's a poor second video and not the ending I know, but...supposedly these two tie together.

Regardless, the man was a God. Watch his emotion throughout; he's not 'singing' or performing this tune-- he's FEELING it, living it, expressing... He's THERE...

God, I tell you; a blues-belting god...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

"TEA Party Federation..."

2010-07-18T22:03:00.006+01:00

Kicks Out Williams over blog post"

Read and make your own mind; I'm just passing this interesting thingamabob along...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

I Wanted To Hear It From

2010-07-17T05:45:00.005+01:00

The Gentle Giant Himself...

Several good covers out there, but nothing quite as evocative as Mr. Williams on his own poetry...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Having Some Fun!!!

2010-07-15T17:57:00.014+01:00

Click On The Picture(s) Below.

It should go to full-size screen. Look at the two boys-- neither of which have identical twins. But...

They're in two, three places at once!!! ALL THE LAWS OF PHYSICS HAVE BROKEN DOWN!!! I mean, who drove only half a white car to the park? Rest of the family stay behind to watch the all-star game?!?

We..... maybe not. But I am having fun watching the seven-years-old in the Spongebob britches try and figger it all! HA!!

Slainte, Folks!!!

Cygnus

"Who's God?"

2010-07-15T03:16:00.002+01:00

"You know when you want something really bad, and you close your eyes and ask for it? God's the one who ignores you!"

Nice movie night at home. Here's some pic's from last night-- I got a few print-worthy water-sun shots; you get the dregs! HA!!!

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Found This By Accident...

2010-07-13T19:24:00.003+01:00

Was looking for a Harrison Ford playing the gutbucket video, and at the end of some or other, this popped up. I got such a kick and laugh out of it, I thought I'd share...

Slainte, folks, and keep your lips off da floor!!! HA!!!

Cygnus

i hold a loved one

2010-07-12T17:50:00.007+01:00

Looking into the palid sky backing yellow-green treetops dropping to the valley
I sense in some way I must matter to my sire
Midst the most unusual still of time even as wind moves leaves
I search and find neither how nor why...

JMc aka Cygnus

Slainte, folks.

It's Not Braggadocio-- It Really IS That Big!!!

2010-07-11T18:57:00.007+01:00

Camera Day For Me, But Don't Worry: It'll Be A Photoless One For Y'all!!!

Formulated the plan in my mind last night, and will spend a fair portion of today's computer time loading pics & vids, clearing cameras, charging, organizing the dumped amalgam, and hopefully learning as little new-to-me colorful words and phrases as possible whilst creating my first ever full-length edited video. No promises on the latter there...

I can promise a glimpse of my 3.5#, 14 3/4" garden monster on my other site later this eve though...

Slainte, folks!

Kinda Computer-Frazzled...

2010-07-10T06:00:00.003+01:00

Don't even want a subtitle tonight; I want a bath. I want Mafia Wars to hurry up with my property income [ yes, gads, I've been faeried into the evil time-consuming Underworld of online gaming! AARG!!!] because YouTube takes so long to load videos I shot at Wisteria who still hasn't contacted me about volunteer security before I'm too busy next year to offer time due to newborn lug-about regulations...

And my garden needs weeding. And some rain. Somebody do a rainsong for me???

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Three Glimpses At The Day Here...

2010-07-09T20:30:00.005+01:00

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

I Love This Tree

2010-07-07T17:33:00.011+01:00

A prime example of how, against all odds, totally out of the bounds of ordinary, unlike anything even the most vivid imagination could have conceived...

one can still grow and stand, their difference marking them a beautiful, unique contribution....

Kudos, Tree.

Cygnus

First Amendment? WHAT Constitution?!?

2010-07-06T16:20:00.004+01:00

Gotta Love Gub'mint, Eh?

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Daft Hermit Does Trash...

2010-07-05T00:25:00.005+01:00

Happy Fourth, everyone!

I hope it has been as wonderful day for you all as it has been here. We went to a friend's house for a grand pool party-- fun for kids and adults all.

I was just tying up some contacts on the net [because, y'know, some of my ken are into that sorta thing...] when youtube led me to this marvelous little production. Andy is one of the coolest, gentlest chaps you'd ever wanna meet online (and in person I'm sure!), and has a gift with the camera that never ceases to astound my artistic sycophant. Enjoy, folks, and I'll see yall in a few days!!!

Slainte, Andy&Mel!!!

Cygnus

A Musical Journey

2010-07-01T03:35:00.008+01:00

Incus

Really, folks, you have to see this group live to truly experience the Journey.

And, it IS. They are.

Go to their site; find the tune SHINE.
Enjoy.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Hey, I Didn't Pee On That Stick...

2010-06-30T01:38:00.001+01:00

But Flower Did. Guess What???

I can feel my father's smile shine through and shape my eyes at this prospect, and look forward to a wee little one seeing it there in late January.

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

It's A Jungle Out There

2010-06-28T23:47:00.028+01:00

Post-Wisteria Pictures

Been out of state-- and off-grid-- for ten days now. Whilst away I had a friend come water my garden for me (THANKS M!!!). She was able to reap a small bit for her gracious help-- go HERE to take a gander.

And now, gander at what she dinna pick:

We'll start gnawing on the stuff above tonight, and the following in the coming days:

I won't bore you with the weighing details [seeing as I haven't yet tended to that task. Ahem...] but in stead allow my photography to send you to the arms of Morpheus.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Even I Can See Through This One!!!

2010-06-15T01:58:00.007+01:00

Once Again Giving Our Military-Industrial Complex Vested Interest

You'll love THIS ARTICLE about how much money we could extract out of-- er, I mean, how much we could, ahem, help Afganistan's infrastructure-impoverished nation convert and share amongst it's populace and happily co-existing, U.S.-installed governmental head! Er, I mean ass.

NO!NO!NO!!! I meant HEAD!!! Honest Abe I did!!!

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Then, How Do I Get Her To Grandma's For Christ Mass???

2010-06-13T18:17:00.009+01:00

Well, I Got My Research Project For The Day...

I ran across this atten-getter in the "Today In History" block on my homepage:

1920: US Postal Service rules children may not be sent via parcel post

I tell ya folks, all this government intrusion is really starting to cramp my arse. I mean, I bet these law-makers secretly own airline stock, and will increase postal rates phenomenally as their income drops -- all the while blaming the economic downturn on that e-mail fad!!!

I tell ya, I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore! I'll send my kid on the European Trip any damn well way I please!!! WHO'S WITH ME?!?!

Ahem. 'Scuse me. I get... passionate about political crap...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

A New Eye

2010-06-09T18:07:00.012+01:00

"Oh, What Strange And Wonderful Worlds!!!"

Thanks and Slainte, Momlady; now I can share the world as I see and participate in it with the masses again. (Um, if three readers may be considered a "mass"...:)

Slainte, everyone!

Cygnus

Garden Of The Future

2010-06-05T21:42:00.009+01:00

My Ideas For Winter/Spring 2011

Because, really, what better way to plan for next year than when your garden groweth NOW?

We needs more peas next winter. A little later outside than Janus' month. We certainly need more spinach, and there container gardening is likely the best answer.

More staggering of major items like peppers and tomatoes. And melons!
" Lawds, yes! Mooon!-- that spells..." a metric butload of cantaloupe and 2 varieties of watermelon showing up all just too late for any backyard 4 Julius celebratory.

And the zucch's. And more yellow crookneck.

The pole beans would benefit from 8' tall trellises.

And another bed. 16x8. North grassy area-- get good enough sun all early spring afore the surrounding trees leaf&blossom to cover the peas-and-brassicas expansion!

Other than that-- and watching how much of the back 4 gardens sink unto the 7th Circle-- not a lot going on. Time to gather and prepare une petitte super:

Cabbage leaves
Onions. Baby squash
Shredded cheese, browned breakfast sausage. Spices to your heart's content
Spoon sauteed ingredients in cabbage leaves. Roll.

Bake. Savor.

Vino, anyone?

Slainte!

Cygnus

This Day In History

2010-06-03T00:46:00.006+01:00

1774: Quartering Act forces American colonists to feed and house British soldiers

And, folks, we all see how well that worked out, right?!!

Justa headsup, Uncle Sammie...

Slainte!

Cygnus

Back Home...

2010-06-01T00:15:00.011+01:00

After Four Days In The Red Baton

We was gone for a few days, folks; sorry I ain't been around. But given what I came home to, mayhap I shall dissappear more often...

My big papas...

I swear everything doubled in size; some enough to lay to vining for lack of trellis or caging:
" I guarded the house real good, papa; promise!!!"

Another on garage duty...

Future 'SKULLDUGERY'. [Um, it's a long joke...]

The start of an Armenian Yard-long:

Pulled near a pound of green beans off plants, and 1/4 lb. peas. Sitting here typing and listening to a beautiful summer shower water for me this eve...

Slainte, folks...

Cygnus

I Woke up Hearing This One...

2010-05-24T23:43:00.010+01:00

In My Head.

I chose this version of the video because of the years on the leaflet-papers in the drawing first displayed. Total coincidence, for sure.

If you believe in those...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Everyday Pictoral Goins-on Around The Casa...

2010-05-24T01:43:00.012+01:00

A Random Glimpse At Some Of The Weekend

Slainte, Folks.

Cygnus

Balls Bigger Than English Peas

2010-05-22T23:48:00.009+01:00

I want to share an e-mail I rcvd...

HATS OFF TO CHARLIE DANIELS....AT LEAST HE HAS THE COURAGE TO SPEAK HIS MIND!!!
I don't know how everybody else feels about it, but to me I
think Hispanic people in this country, legally or illegally,
made a huge public relations mistake with their recent demonstrations.

I don't blame anybody in the world for wanting to come to the
United States of America , as it is a truly wonderful place.

But when the first thing you do when you set foot on American soil is illegal it is flat out wrong and I don't care how many lala land left heads come out of the woodwork and start trying
to give me sensitivity lessons.

I don't need sensitivity lessons, in fact I don't have any-thing against Mexicans! I just have something against criminals and anybody who comes into this country illegally is a criminal
and if you don't believe it try coming into America from a foreign country without a passport and see how far you get. What disturbs me about the demonstrations is that it's tanta-mount to saying, "I am going to come into your country even if it means breaking your laws and there's nothing you can do about it."

It's an "in your face" action and speaking just for me, I don't like it one little bit and if there were a half dozen pairs of gonads in Washington bigger than English peas it wouldn't be happening.

Where are you, you bunch of lily livered, pantywaist, forked tongued, sorry excuses for defenders of The Constitution? Have you been drinking the water out of the Potomac again?
And even if you pass a bill on immigration it will probably be so pork laden and watered down that it won't mean anything anyway Besides, what good is another law going to do when you
won't enforce the ones on the books now?

And what ever happened to the polls, guys? I thought you folks were the quintessential finger wetters. Well you sure ain't paying any attention to the polls this time because somewhere around eighty percent of Americans want some thing done about this mess, and mess it is and getting bigger everyday.

This is no longer a problem, it is a dilemma and headed for being a tragedy. Do you honestly think that what happened in France with the Muslims can't happen here when the businesses who hire these people finally run out of jobs and a few million disillusioned Hispanics take to the streets?

If you, Mr. President, Congressmen and Senators, knuckle under on this and refuse to do something meaningful it means that you care nothing for the kind of country your children and grand-children will inherit. But I guess that doesn't matter as long as you get re-elected.
Shame on you.
One of the big problems in America today is that if you have the nerve to say anything derogatory about any group of people (except Christians) you are going to be screamed at by the media and called a racist, a bigot and anything else they can think of to call you

Well I've been pounded by the media before and I'm still rockin' and rollin' and when it comes to speaking the truth I fear not.
And the truth is that the gutless, gonadless, milksop politicians are just about to sell out the United States of America because they don't have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to face reality.

And reality is that we would never allow any other group of people to have 12 million illegal in this country and turn around and say, "Oh it's ok, ya'll can stay here if you'll just allow us to slap your wrist."

And I know that some of you who read this column are saying "Well what's wrong with that?"
I'll tell you what's wrong with it. These people could be from Mars as far as we know. We don't know who they are, where they are or what they're up to and the way the Congress is going we're not going to.

Does this make sense? Labor force you say? We already subsidize corporate agriculture as it is, must we subsidize their labor as well?
If these people were from Haiti would we be so fast to turn a blind eye to them or if they were from Somalia or Afghanistan ?
I think not.

All the media shows us are pictures of hard working Hispanics who have crossed the border just to try to better their life.
They don't show you pictures of the Feds rounding up members of MS 13, the violent gang who came across the same way the decent folks did. They don't tell you about the living conditions of the Mexican illegal some fat cat hired to pick his crop.

I want to make two predictions.

No. 1: This situation is going to grow and fester until it erupts in violence on our streets while the wimps in Washington drag their toes in the dirt and try to figure how many tons of political hay they can make to the acre.

No 2: Somebody is going to cross that border with some kind of weapon of mass destruction and set it off in a major American city after which there will be a backlash such as this country has never experienced and the Capitol building in Washington will probably tilt as Congressmen and Senators rush to the other side of the issue.

I don't know about you but I would love to see just one major politician stand up and say, "I don't care who I make mad and I don't care how many votes I lose, this is a desperate situation and I'm going to lead the fight to get it straightened out."
I don't blame anybody for wanting to come to America , but if you don't respect our immigration laws why should you respect any others?
And by the way, this is America and our flag has stars and stripes Please get that other one out of my face.

I think I'll go put a hat on, so I can tip it to ol' Charlie...

Slainte, folks...

Cygnus

Yeah?? Define "Some... Other Means", Please...

2010-05-21T01:06:00.016+01:00

Dig This Quote, From A CNN News Story Today:

"That unit was created exactly for this purpose: to make a decision on whether a certain person who is detained should be treated as a case for federal prosecution or for some of the other means..."

Folks, there is no 'context' here. What ther hell 'other means', save Federal, I ask??!??

Slainte, and stay ready...

Cygnus

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2010-05-09T16:37:00.007+01:00

A New Number

2010-05-07T22:36:00.027+01:00

For Some Reason...

I've never really much understood the notion nor necessity of lines demarking state boundaries; in fact, the whole idea seems remarkably antiquated, hearkening to a time when Ugzug had to travel outside his own tribe's watering-hole territory to do his part propagating the evolving species.

None the less, many humans still feel a sense of dedication to wherever they call "home". Heck, I've met folks who have never traveled too far outside whatever neighborhood of Younameitropolis wherein they've dwelled since conception.

I was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and for most of my adult life lived in various regions of that vast, diverse 'state'. [Mayhap having been a military brat, with all it's inclusive itinerant meanderings, helped shape my headcocking attitude towards territorialism. Ironic as that reads. But, I digress...] At the ripe old age of fourteen suns I became holder of a license to drive thereupon and abouts. [And yes, we-- erm, they... Heh! See how ingrained the concept?!?-- have highways and byways there; even a horseless carriage or three. WHOA, Nellie!!!] Now, that license weren't good only in the Lone Star State, nosiree Bob! It were even valid if I wanted to take a long auto-mobile excursion to lands far and vastly foreign. Like, say, that "New" England, or even Georgia!!! [Um, the state, not the nation. Just clarifying...]

Well, today I went and paid an involuntary tax to have my license to drive issued from another "state". Now granted, the Tejas one was just as valid for driving in, through, around and about any other of the 49 United States, and mayhap even a few not-so-united ones. I exercised that privilege on more than a few occasions, too.

But then, I [bum-bom-BUUMMM!!!!] went and changed watering holes!!! AH, GADS, the NERVE!!!

So requireth the new number issuance.

And still, I'm oddly detached to trying to figger the whole notion out...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

I Ain't Been Around In Aeons...

2010-04-13T02:45:00.008+01:00

Here's A Rundown Why Not:

20 bean plants-- 4 varieties

5 cantaloupe plants

20 cucumber plants-- 4 varieties

26 lettuce/ spinach plants

4 okra plants

11 onion bulbs

17 pea plants-- 2 or 3 varieties

20 pepper plants-- 5 varieties

10 squash/zucchini plants

12 strawberry plants

18 sunflower plants-- 2 varieties

42 tomato plants--5 or 6 varieties

9 watermelon plants-- 2 varieties

This doesn't account the better than 25 cups of nasturtiums and marigolds started from seed, or the decent amalgam the herb varieties are making.

Nor does it count the better than half the seeds of many veggies and fruits still hiding under the dirt-- the above was a walking inventory of what exactly is showing, and a good half of these are in solo cups awaiting transfer and requiring watering attention throughout the day.

In other words--- PARADISE!!! HA!!! Who gots time to write with all the tanning garden play goin' down?!?

Salinte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Dragon Ass...

2010-03-28T00:59:00.021Z

Too Tarred To Spell It Right, Even...

Really, folks, I only weigh about a buck sixty-five in the first place; I ain't gotta lotta arse to sweat off. But it seems someome forgot to tell the Father Chronos in charge of the last few days...

The physical labor has been right about par-- I've double-dug another bed the last two days--

this one wider and longer than the previous ones. I'll accept the aches and pains of hours on end verking a pitchfork into compact clay better than twelve inches BELOW YOUR FOOT-LEVEL... Accept it as a great workout for my lower back, or my chiropractors' job security. Whichever...

The mental labour is taking it's toll, though. That streams from putting tomatoes out too early; waking at oh-godthirty to see if sunshine is peeking through-- or even stands a chance; wondering if months' worth of labor will end in naughta fruit nor veggie...

This morning's mental stress call added a "who-dun-it?"-- some pots, flowering bushes, and trimed branches [awaiting carving and whittlin' for various artsy-fartsy schtuffs] were spread all across the yard-- not of their own accord, them being inanimate objects...

Deer? 'Coons?? Feral Kitties?!?

The neighbors' dogs were immediate suspects, and proved culprits. Whilst Flower stood on [one of] their porch[es], trying to wax kind, the pooches [one staying at the others' yard for a canine slumber party (apparently a regular thingie with the two bastards) {hey, I'm with Clinton for once: "don't ask..."}] shot out of an open backyard fence. I immediately branded open pocket knife and gave verbal warning, having enough shiite for the hour. The neighbor took note, profusely apologizing. [Yeah? Apologive me four bucks for some lettuce, wouldja?!!?]

Anyhow, I finished right about dusk with some transplanting to a better soil-based medium than I'd previously tried [cloying and compaction resulted in the need for peat moss and vermiculite to be added to the mix]. Right about three minutes after that, I seem incoherent.

I'z tarred. I'z goin' to the arms of Morpheus, folks...

[Put strawberries and cucumbers 'neath the mailbox trellis this eve...]

[A hand-made trellis, from tree trimmings and yarn, put to the peas...]

Slainte.

Cygnus

Because It's What I Wanted To Do!!!

2010-03-25T02:25:00.018Z

So... I Spent The Day In The Garden
I double-dug another bed today..>
No, it don't have nothing to do with my twins fantasy... I'm talking about the 'creating soil' method developed-- or at least touted loud-- by Jon Jeavons.

The premise is grow all your veggies and fruits not in traditional rows-- thus wasting space with hilling-- but planting seedlings close together after giving ROOTS an extra head-start.

I have two comments:
A: It IS a VERY labor-intensive process. [Umn... No, thank you, Mr. President; I just paid my health care premium-- in BACK-BREAKING LABOR!!!] And next...

Hell... I forgot. But I think I was gonna say that I can see the roots growing easily to the depths in three months with this work that they would have otherwise taken a few years to attain of their own ground-breaking accord.

I love the peace being out in the garden brings. Even more so, I love walking in to the kitchen at the end of the day, hand full of dinner from seeds sewn by hand some sunny days prior... I love the suntan; the bees flying about hunting insects visiting the compost pile bringing the front water drainage down this way to water...

I LOVE LIFE, Folks!!!
Thanks, Uncle Hermit, for the holler-out on this, my day of birth.

And thanks to all the Forces That Be for making it a beyond-beautiful one, for giving me time to play in the sun...

Salinte, Folks!

Cygnus

This Day In History

2010-03-23T14:00:00.003Z

Isn't it ironic that the same day on the calendar that Patrick Henry says "Give me liberty, or give me death!", Adolf Hitler became dictator of Germany?

Slainte folks.

Cygnus

Just Words...

2010-03-19T05:27:00.008Z

And Sounds.

Taking a bucket of compost out tonight, I hear the coyote on the distant ridge.

Slow, deep-ish, near bark-like the first set-- almost like a large breed of dog, maybe a distant neighbor. But then another in the triad, higher pitch.

Then the third, removing all doubt.

Two nights ago this presence announced itself--much closer to our back stairstep, thank you-- 'midst our human conversation.

I went back out as soon as I could grab my herb pipe, hoping to toke whilst listening to the choral. Alas, only the neighborhood dogs seemed to have any current ear... But, the stars were out.

Mars is strong in the early morning sky. Seems befitting, what with Aries coming up astrologically and Mars astronomically current, high and strong in the early morning hours.

So I listen to the sounds. The song of the coyote, the Trickster, yes, still ringing in my ear. And the silence filled with an owl in the distance, and of insects coming alive and of the sky trying to stretch up and out and burst forth from the very night it must needs...

Even now, as This Strange Bird heads to bed, another in the woods is as well confused by this whole daylight savings thing, singing lone away...

Salinte, folks.

Cygnus

Three-Day Run

2010-03-17T05:33:00.007Z

I've Been Taking Photos, Folks...

I know-- surprise there! But really...

Look how the treeline's been blooming this last week or so...

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Compost, Burn, Reuse, Recycle

2010-03-16T05:00:00.004Z

I was honored with a Guest-authorship, on THIS BLOG, on the title subject.

Hope you follow, read, and enjoy, Folks!

Salinte!

Cygnus

I Ain't Always The Sharpest Marble In The Piepan, But...

2010-03-12T18:20:00.014Z

I Knows Fishy When I Smells It!!!

Lookie here... it's an ordinary occurrence, our beloved gub'mint doing things like spending better than 43 MILLION DOLLARS to inform us that their census [the only kinda sensus I sense they possess...] will be mailed out soon. Yup-- millions wasted on a totally unnecessary precursor: sounds like Uncle Sammy's business as usual.

What's kinda got me boggled is the funny-- as in "somethin' smells funny in that there garbage pile" kinda way-- stuffs I'm garnering just from scrolling blog titles today and yesterday. Take, for instance, the one which asks the perfectly legitimate question "why does the Dept. of EDUCATION need sawed-off shotguns?" [Saw this yesterday, too, on another blog, but cannae remember which one currently...]

Or this one, clearly informing us that the USDA Plant and Animal inspectors will soon be working around the clock-- literally [not just their usual figuratively] in the dark. Else, why would they need NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES???

I'm sure I could search and find all kinds of other mayhemic spending from a government bleeding broke from every orifice they have, but I think I'd rather spend this rainy afternoon researching how to make my green beans glow in the dark, thus blinding any sneeky inspectors. Or maybe explaining to a home-schooled youngsta why guns are banned at public schools run by an armed over-seer.

Come to think of it, the green bean thingie has likely already been done-- funded, no doubt, by our beloved we-dun-run-outa-yer-dollars-so-we-needs-more-taxes puppetheads...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

nOT sO cOMPLICATED aS rOME, bUT...

2010-03-11T01:57:00.029Z

Then Again, This Were Built In A Day

"Och! What hae I got meself into?!"
Well, a lotta math, mucho parts inventory-ing, some serious diagrammatic decoding, and six hours of communication, construction, and camaraderie.Or, some hard-core engineering experience for a seven-years-old!!! Not to mention a strain on a 43 and thirty-something-years old backs...

But all in all a highly creative-structured investment of a rainy day.

Everyone took turns either reading out-- well, counting out, since there were no numerated lists!!-- or issuing parts requisitions, and assembling according to diagram.

The K'NEX monstrosity-- a combination erector set cum 360-degree leggo thingie, contains 739 pieces, many smaller than my pinkie-nail. I cannot recommend them enough. Honest.

Great education. Great day.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Now It Are Finished!

2010-03-07T01:18:00.058Z

[Save For The Seedling Transplants. Give Me-- Or More Accurately The Weather-- Another Month! HA!]

Um... about that newly installed "it [are] done" garden bed of two days ago...

I thought it were done but for some edging to keep grass shoots out and the eventual planting. But...

In cometh Nature's Helper.

I'd only heard of the name, and knew it was some sort of soil amendment. I've seen some of it's effectiveness, pulling the rosemary plants out of the front-of-the-house bed. The soil there--heretofore solid red clay-- is aerated nicely,crumbling soft and deep. I gave much credit to the root structure of the removed herb.

Then I saw the black gold around the out-front mailbox. I'm sorry I took no pictures of that; suffice it to say that Flower was turning the soil there as I was working the 'water saver' amendment in to the new bed, and it was some of the richest, softest, smoother-than-loamy-textured soil I've ever had the honor of sifting through my fingers.

At the end of that day:
In addition to the Nature's Helper, I tilled in some of my own compost and an equal amount of generic topsoil. [Actually, the garden area is 4' X 16', or 64 ft^3. I double-tilled the entire area, the bottom 'layer' or till receiving 4cf each of compost and topsoil, and the top layer 6cf of the soil {clay!!! HA!} amendment]

Is Next [Day]: SVIMVEAR!!!

Today I sported shorts and a tank-top all day. OUTSIDE.

It was already near 60 degrees when I served the outside cats their morning rations. I was in "standard dress"-- tank under a thermal shirt. A few minutes of that and I knew there wasn't gonna be a lot of indoor time for the ol' MacMeister today...

Inside I change attire faster than a runway model paid by the stride, then venture back out. The day would reach better than 70 before sunset, and every ray of Ra my poor ol' dessicated deltiods could draw in was a hint of days to come.

Another hour, and some landscape timbers arrive. I've moved every inside started-form-seed plant out to soak up the rays and benefit from the breeze. For a couple more hours, I won't do anything except re-pot more and enjoy the sun.

Then... time to utilise. I was too busy to snap photos all along, but here is the end-product of days' worth of labor...

I'm right happy, folks. Overall, from grass-pulling to tilling to timber-staking, there weren't much more than nine, ten hours' worth of physical labor invested. In return, we have the beginnings of making this an 'edible estate'.

With near 70 tomato seedlings, cucumbers sprouting up, eggplant wanting to egg...hey, I'll needs all the space I can garner!

Gimme a year or three, the entire front 'lawn' will nae be; it'll be front 'GARDEN'!!!

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

Gonna Call It An Early Night

2010-03-06T00:56:00.025Z

The Younger Bird Conjures...
What Else?? The WORM!! HA!!!
Spent the afternoon-- and an absolutely beautiful one it was, too, easily in the mid-50's with nary a cloud to block the sun-- moving grass-- 'cuz I gots a lot o' stuffs to plant... I'd call it killin' grass, but the sod clods I dug up to make some new garden space went to cover a heretofore bare mudpatch.

Anyhow, I'm kinda tired, so ain't gonna invest a lot o' energy here tonight. [LOL! Like that's something different, eh?!!] Here--take a gander at my future squash & melon patch.

Early on:

Then, some fossil fuel-burning clay breakage

and it were done:
The grass went:

Time for a shower, sandwitch, and sleep, folks.

Slainte!

Cygnus

Swan's Poetry...

2010-03-05T06:09:00.013Z

I've Been Long Away... But, As Ever, Returns

Just short of ten years ago I was on a(n) Haiku kick. I titled the following series
'More On Haiku'
Yes, I was playing with words: 'More On'... Moron....

I lost a follower of My SONG last night. It isn't the first time, nor, likely, will it be the last. The title of the poetry run is not AT ALL meant to reflect on that person-- s/he is one of the finest Souls I've had the honor of meeting this Earth-go-round. But the underlying theme... something... my Psyche sees a thread, sews words and hurt and intent and mis-understanding all together.

Hope you enjoy, Folks.

*********

creativity
individuality
social deviants

*********

here's the blueprint plan
build everything to these specs
all your neighbors did

*********

think this way they say
discourage all unique thought
they're "educated"

*********

hear in hallowed halls
education echoing
for release from form

*********

I must disturb you
running around with my own
thoughts and ideas

*********

I'm a pretty gods-damned free spirit, my friends. It hurts when that costs me the love of friends, and sucks that my government hath reached the point of over-inflated self-import/empowerment whence these very words and thoughts could easily mark me as a 'domestic terrorist'. But... I've suffered these consequences all my self-awakened life. And see no change for the rest of it.

And stand proud, because I stand to be ME.

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus MacLlyr

Tomato Start-Ups...

2010-03-04T00:42:00.038Z

Catching Sunlight In Storage Bins

Those l'il opaque plastic storage bins with lids have proven great mini-greenhouses for peat-potted seeds. There were a few unutilized ones collecting dust in the garage; I sequestered them because they seemed the perfect thing to haul my seedlings out into the 50-degree days.

Remember the little "prizes" that came in the cereal boxes of our [my?!!] youth-- the ones with a plastic dome, gray sponge, and some unidentifiable seed (likely alfalfa sprouts)? I sprouted many a packet right there in my bedroom window-- wet the sponge, sprinkle seed, cover... et VOILA!!!

Well, think thus, but on a grandiose scale.

About ten days ago I seeded several different veggies in peat pots. While many of the pots have not sprouted a thing, others have shot forth all three or four seeds I dropped therein. Now, I know the common method is to 'cull' the smaller seedlings-- to pluck the "slow-growers" and leave the healthiest sprouts to solo-grow. Well...

Look, if I were concerned with breeding... sure, I'd want the fastest, strongest seeds/plants as [re-]producers, as parent plants. I'd pluck and choose, keeping only the tallest, most 'vigorous' greenery. But... my concern right now is PRODUCE.

Way I see it, if I seeded 15 peat pots with 3-4 seeds each, and some have yet to sprout a single thing, whilst others have shot up every single seed...
Just because one of four is a bit more minuscule than Papa Pepper... the shorter sprout is still stronger stock than a non-springing seed, oui?

So I spent an hour or so this ante-meridian separating those tri's and quads, and will hopefully be rewarded with a plethora of produce come pickin' time.

I've now put a heat source [a borrowed heating pad-- Thanks, MOMLADY!!!] under the unsprouted lot-- primarily the yellow cukes and eggplant, but also the peats that have yet to spring seedling forth. If nothing comes of, then I'll re-use the peat pots, gearing for stagger-plantings.

In the mean time, I have a great lot of self-generated tomato seedlings readying for transplant long abouts 'easter'. [Two reliable local sources use this mobile date for earliest out-of-doors garden planting. Gonna follow suit, me. Except for exceptions already accepted! HA!]

And, I gots some dirty fingernails... better go scrub those, I reckon. Might wanna dig in some Flower's Garden later. Grit ain't all the rage there, really...

You folks have a good night. Let me know how your early garden planning/readying is marching-- no pun intended-- along!

Slainte!

Cygnus

A Small Preppers' Petitte Give-Away

2010-03-02T19:04:00.026Z

Prepping For Me... And You

The view out my bedroom window this morning:
I'm sitting here watching the hypnotic fall of snow, letting my mind stream-of-conscious flow both over the things I've done this week towards prepping and how exactly I'm going to go about details of my birthday give-away.

Nothing major here; I won't be giving a year's supply of beans and rice, or his-and-hers gasmasks, or even directions to my bug-out locale. What I do have is a plethora of items that will make handy for use either personal or as barter stash.

The stuffs I've added to my preps this week also include a few items that will be give-away goodies:

I can vouch for the sharpness and efficiency of the fish hooks, as I had opportunity two days ago to drown a few worms...
I had so much fun reeling in these crappie-sardines that I stood by the pond doing so until my hands were too cold to function.

You folks have a great day, stay warm, and find a reason to smile. I'll see ya later, and will fill in details about entry and prizes when I work them out.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Stuff's A-Sproutin'...

2010-02-28T00:24:00.052Z

Last Sunday I started a few different varieties of tomatoes, black beauty eggplant, and some lemon-yellow cucumbers (round, double-golfball-sized thingies) in peat pots. Today I saw the first of seedlings-to-come:

The reclaimed rosemary bed also recieved some seeds-- direct-seeded stuff that didn't work out back about six weeks ago (spinach, cabbage, lettuce),as well as carrots, onions, and more peas. [The peas out back are still there, having survived snow and, really, too little sun, and are finally beginning to show promise of stretching out and up-- but not nearly so much as little Bird's (indoor) pea!]

It was too early (then) for sowing the backyard bed-- the spring/summer area, I hope-- the soil still too cold (and clay-ey) even for the cool-loving brassicas I put down. I'm confident the front bed will produce better results because

a) it's later in the season;
b) the soil is better-worked;
c) the spot gets great afternoon sunshine.

Them there reasons just boost my hopes of feeding m'self, some, of my own accord.

Also taking advantage of that afternoon sun-- and the indoor clime enjoyed by Evil Genius' Pea [gotta love that! I mean, how many other l'il seven-years-old boys are encouraged to keep pea in the living-room window sill?!?]-- is a nifty window "herb garden". A kit I was gifted 'round Yule consisting of chives, basil, and oregano (plus some "moneymaker" tomatoes, put in the previous peat pot production) provided the seeds; the container was scrounged and seems the perfect platform for pesto-makin's. I'll admit to missing my prior climates' earlier (garden) starting times. I also admit that for NO REASON do I want to be anywhere other than where I am. [Well, okay... I win the lottery tonight, an estate in Hawaii will soon follow!!! Just sayin', dreamin...] I look forward to the coming season/s, to the challenge of the new learning curve; to getting more fruits and veggies this year than any previous because I met the challenge, and conquered.

And to winning that lottery, and building a greenhouse so's I can start all the earlier here-- when I'm not barrelling @ Pipeline! HA!!!

How goes your garden clime and aspirations?

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

I Have No Doubt... Because I Know You Folks.

2010-02-26T05:26:00.017Z

"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
--Margaret Mead

And, having nothing to do with anything heretofore (if you [c]ain't payin' attention to some lyrics here), I invite you to view the following video. I'd marry the girl on the cover of Contra [the still shot for the album] for naught other than that sexy button nose as an inherent feature of/on any future Cygnu-spawn.... [Her cuteness, strawberry coiffe, and lithe look don't hamper, either...]

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Way Too Busy Of Late

2010-02-24T03:20:00.048Z

I ain't even looked at a computer, really, the last few days. Don't know how much attention I'll pay to the inside thing the next few, either. Got stuffs to do...

Spent the day primarily ripping out established rosemary plants.
Plan on using the bed for summer vegetables-- I hear say the thing is full of sun that time of year.
Bided my time and started [in accordance with Farmers Almanac guidelines], indoors, in peat pots {see 'em, lower right?!?} [so I can get the required weeks' seedlings developed], the tomatoes and cucumbers [and an eggplant or three!!!]. Also been steadily plugging away at the undergrowth out back, wanting to reclaim some area inside the property line for summer lounging, and to keep an eye on future drainage issues/erosion prevention.
Have I mentioned the mess I made of the table for a few days? I mean, the yard I canbeat up well enough-- I'm the out-of-doorsman. The table? Where I should be breaking fast and having my lap warmed by a nice pussy?

Well... no wonder she ain't been 'round of late: No breaking! HAR!!!

Seriously, folks-- my body aches. Hamstrings and lower back ha'e taken a streching and then some the last few days [a few hours' work for barter-- Green Papers for trade-- in Stead of Home work]. My tushie is feeling hill after hill of hauling brush to and fro, up and down, weighted and un...
My hands are cracked-- raw, dry, and pitched...

WHOA!! [Um, by the way--I secretly LOVE this shit! HA!]

And now I gotta haul in pictures to compliment this tripe?

Did I mention the Olympics, by and by-- all the energy expended wondering why Ice Skating judges are so blindly prejudiced [as in 'to pre-judge']?

Well, then... I shant. You seen for yerself, aincha?!?

Slainte, folks. Gotta get some bean soup[told ya... they makes me scrounge here 'bouts...] and prepare for the fishing attack I'm launching the next day or three...
Slainte.

Cygnus

Real Standards:

2010-02-19T05:43:00.015Z

Remember When You Were...

Sole judge, jury, and [executioner?] creator of a leafpile's worthiness?

LIVE, Folks.

Slainte.

Cygnus

Headline Caption Contest:

2010-02-18T03:12:00.013Z

{Your Words Here!!!}

Leave your best headliner/ caption in my comments section. I'll ~~invite~~ ~~welcome~~ accept input as to the most, um... shall we call it Intelligentianus? comment [That's "Smartass" for the laltilliterate wordsmiths amongst ye], but, penultimately-- Swan-Pun intended-- I DECIDE...

I choose you, I'll send ya something. Not much; just some seeds or something.

Kinda a warm-up to March, y' Grok?!?

Slainte, Folks. Look forward to hearing from you...

And, THANKS...

Cygnus

Sorry 'Bout The Absence...

2010-02-17T01:55:00.017Z

Been really busy the last few days. Lots of stuffs to do 'round the casa, getting ready for upcoming spring-- which, as always, will spring faster than we are ready for, no matter our readiness-proclamations! ha!

Primarily some gardening research and planning, which ties right in with my prepping. I saw the question posed a few days ago on someone's blog title: "WHAT DID YOU DO TO PREP THIS WEEK?" Well... prepared for a lotta vegetation and flora come late summer, I can answer honestly. Still got a lot o' work to do... too much to clarify here, and enough to warrant the vagueness herein-- both "to do" and "been doin' ".

Top it all off, my Lady-Flower drove in from Florida, Saturn's Day nacht, back from a ten-day traipse 'cross the Carribbean seas. The following day was Valentines, and the very next her birthday.

Okay, I'll be honest and admit I BITE, having not done much for either. But, somehow filled the time with ... well, 'acceptably pleasing' itenera...

Also, I'm currently in the brainstorming phase for a first on this blog; something fun AND beneficial for all, I ken: a GIVE-AWAY-- neat little preppers' additions [I believe] handy for rounding out emergency pack gaps and/or future bartering. I'll keep you posted-- when I get some concrete idea of what exactly I'm thinking.

So... LONG WAIT, eh?? HA!

Hope not, folks! In fact, I'll step out on a limb and set an 'Indian Birthday' deadline: I'll give YOU stuffs on the day I were spawned upon this now-suffering globe!

[DAMN; now I gotta actually think and PLAN some she-aat out! HAR!!!]

Slainte, friends! Thanks for the patience!

Cygnus

I Get The Shirt,

2010-02-15T03:19:00.008Z

The Irony Of That.

My question is, if that IS a gun at his neck, then, um...
can some'un explain the smile???

I don't mean physically; no explanation save shitty hygeine-- and mayhap a lotta meth-- there. What I do mean is...

Well, then again, maybe with the meth factor I answered my own question.

Peanut gallery???

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

6 dubbl-oh 5

2010-02-13T22:03:00.005Z

3..2..1...

Another Movie What You Gotta Read First:

A Clockwork Orange.

Hope you can appreciate classical music, as well. Else...

You'll never slooshy Swan-Boi...

Slainte!

Cygnus

A Good Day For...

2010-02-12T21:05:00.043Z

???

Sleeping?
Nah. Too much to do.

Eating?
Well, always nice, food. Still, That only takes so long.

Um... "cuddling up"??Hmm. Ditto... 'Sides, I got the house to myself for another two days.

Meh!! Not according to Farmer's Almanac.

Yardwork?
Not today:
Snow started light and soft about four hours ago; I was watching the birds eat and noticed a downy flake or three float down. I didn't expect many more. I was mistaken.

A few moments ago
and it's not done yet.

Okay by me; I figure there will come a year when I'll be sick of it all. This isn't gonna be the one. In Texas, I might have seen some flakes (SNOWflakes; plenty of the metaphoric ones, eh?) every five years. I'm glad to be somewhere now that the reality of four seasons sparkles as beautiful.

Meantime, I got some foreign "-ing" words/practices to exersize: mopping, dish-washing, sweeping-- you know, kleening en generaux.
Guess I better grab a broom...

Man, I'm glad I doubled up on the beer run yesterday! HA!

Slainte, folks!
Cygnus

Cap'n Tripps...

2010-02-11T07:07:00.002Z

Forget Nanny.Gov. Anybody Read The Stand?...

Should.

And be afraid.

BE VERY AFRAID...

Slainte. [HAH!!!]

Cygnus

A Song About Freedom And Oppression

2010-02-10T02:39:00.006Z

With what I just read over at MAYBERRY's blog, this video came to mind.

Let's not let this become an Orwellian world, folks. I mean, any more so than we already have...

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Now It's Official:

2010-02-07T23:03:00.031Z

I Can Call This Place Home

Taco meat is on the range: nachos for the superbowl.
I have a nice screwdriver at the ready-- replete with a very smooth Russian import.

But those aren't the reasons.

The folk lovingly refered to as "the Trolls" [they roomed in the downstairs section of the casa] officially moved out. But that's only a contributing factor.

"Contributing how, oh Swan of Swans?" I can hear you asking thru the eather-- or ether, or airwaves, whatever your modus communicati.

Well, I could tell ya, but wouldn't you rather I show ya? Hun huh wouldn't ya huh??!

Well, okay then...

Several stack-racks of bowling balls -- one of the trolls is an avid bowler-- and large tool boxes were cleared from the garage. No, I dinna move my vehicle in; I did something far, far more important with the space...

Now to stock the reefer with frothy adult beverages and get an erasable board-- but even those are extraneous. Well, not really, but...

I DID throw my first round,
and it only took me four darts to find me mark:
The fifth woulda been there, too, mais alas-- wire-spit! So it goeth sometimes...

Anyhow, folks, y'all have a good night. I gotta go make coconut margaritas in honor of the Lady of the House's watching the game from somewhere in the Carribbean Sea-- we'll be watching together, if vicariously! ha!

Slainte, folks! Hope the Saints not only lose but loose hard! HA!!!

Cygnus

It IS The Source

2010-02-07T01:52:00.005Z

It'll Change Your Life Forever...

If you've never been here... Well, I'm sorry. Really. I am.

There are no words. To ride the ocean...

Salinte, folks.

Cygnus

I've Got A Problem

2010-02-06T04:01:00.056Z

Several, in fact...

Gonna be tought to pinpoint. But...

I'll just express the night. The last several days, actually. So, here I go.

Remember when you were youth? Did anyone load your plate with shit you didn't like, and refuse you dismissal from some formal setting until the crapoleum was gone?

I call bullshit. I pinpoint overweight youth of America--hell, overweight Americana in general.

Food: The Golden Rules

Eat When You're Hungry
Eat What You Want
Eat Consciously
When You're Full, STOP.

MORAL: If you dinna load your own plate, why the fuck should you be asked to 'clean' it???

In school, did some old biddy-- male or female-- tell you how to hold your writing imlpement? Did they say "do this first, then that second, then..."

Calling All Bullshit!!! ...

I Have No Golden Rule Here--- but... What Works For YOU???

As an adult do you see a solution to some moronics @ work that your supervisor never will, that s/he will never comprends? And, you've expressed as much to them, and they have some "go with the flow/ we have a system" tripe?

Wonder why they're the manager?

Well... So do I. So have I. So did I.

Slap caugh syrup down your kids' gullet at every throat-hack? Quit. It could just be an immune system building strength.

The writing implement?
Hmm...

I heard that tripe tonight. I made some observations. Then told L'il Dude "I hold mine the same way {as you do} [the 'wrong way', according to those 'in the know'] . And, y'know what? I write like a Champ!!!" [Then, I commenced beating my chest like a gorilla---RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE MORON FEEDING HIM THIS LINE O' SHIT!!].

My handwriting SUCKED as a youth. I'm male-- we aren't generally known for penmanship.

Bird was participating in some formal writing exercise wherein his handwriting was not the challenge-- his comprehension of words was.
I ask...how the fuck does correcting his holding of a pencil aid in his sentence structure comprehension?!?

Yup... IT DON'T.

["Doesn't." I illiterate on poipose...]

L'il Bird told me at one point tonight, "I like my mom's rules better..."

There's a very loose structure here at Casa De Crazy, from sleeping times, to eating, to playing...

En generaux, we all do as we feel.

UNSCHOOLING, it has been refered to [as].

I could be ranting, I'm certainly raving. Yet...

I know I have good penmanship. I developed it by writing. ON MY OWN.
Granted I know-- because I were drilled in-- sentence structure. But-- how to hold a pencil?

Shut the fuck up!!!

I out-scored all others at the task of sentence diagramming. Because I was corrected DURING SPEECH-- when I spake. I learned by listening and conversing.

And, why should I eat what YOU like?? We're different persons!!!

I've not yet set my step-father foot down with this person whose charge Bird is in whilst Momma is away for some week or so. But... it ain't far, that stomp.

I only stood for so much-- correction: only took in so much-- during my youth, and I'll only let this one take in so much. I'm letting it go-- tonight-- because the kid is learning that different 'bosses' have different rules, and we all have to learn to navigate different flowing waters.

But... forced eating? Nae. Hullo, LardA[ss A]merica. [Then someday he'll be mandated to pay for some forced health care in itiative?? PFFT!!!]

Or, be made to "Write this way!!!", then pleaded to, to accept text-verbiage as acceptable on college entrance exams?

Well, lettuce mention... Colleges ARE formal learning institutes...

"Here, hold the fork like so..."

And grow and grow,and become a Fukk U. graduate?!?

Two of the three previous words, Folks...

Cygnus

Re: Made In The U.S.A.

2010-02-05T20:01:00.006Z

The different colored text in this post is a forwarded email from my mom (verbatim). I thought it appropriate to pass on. Here seems as good a spot as any.

Many of you already do this. I'm going to make more effort.

One Light Bulb at a Time

A physics teacher in high school once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American.
Good idea .. . one light bulb at a time . . . ..

Check this out . I can verify this because I was in Lowes the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China. The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA. Start looking ..

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job . So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track. Let's get behind her!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now.. I do not buy it any more. My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico ... now I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.
This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, "Everyday Value".. I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - They were the same except for the price ... The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland, Ohio.

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here..

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... yep, you guessed it, bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA ! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!
My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago .. ........)
Let's get with the program . . .help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the U.S.A.
I Passed this on ......... Will you ???????

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

IT'S ALIIIIIIIVE!!!!

2010-02-02T01:19:00.029Z

It Got Fixed... So There Will Be No Bride!HA!

Remember that tiller I killed couple weeks ago? Ne mas muerte! Seems the right oil [2-cycle versus 30-weight... DAMN!!] makes a difference. Go figger...
I opened the intake chambre, damped up the pool of fuel I'd primed in trying to chase the old stuffs out, looked for a carb to clean (alas, no spagetti there!), replaced the spark plug (and am still convinced it dinna need so; least now I have a spare!), and...

Hell, I dunna know . But I do know that when the blessed thing were reassembled cranked yestere'en, it dinna object to blaringly waking up the neighborhood...

I'm still wondering how I'm going to belay the water-logging going on in the low section of the garden. This year, I mean-- I know in one or three the sunken pit cum swimming hole will be inches and feet of black soil...

I have much work ahead, and, weather-cooperative, will get a good bit of it done.

Regardless, I know this: I'll continue jumping the gun, planting stuffs ahead of their [recommended] time.

The peas are doing fine.

Something planted weeks and weeks ago is coming up in the raised-brick area.

I've checked charts; I've checked the back of seed packs. But, penultimately, I'll check my instinct. Rather, I'll listen to and abide thereof.

Ain't failed yet, folks...

Slainte!

Cygnus

Which Direction Does Your Rook Move??

2010-02-01T02:26:00.005Z

Sure, On A Chessboard.

What about when she gots a packing peanut on her arched back?!?

Slante, folks!

Cygnus

A Wee Bit O' Blarney For Ya...

2010-01-30T18:00:00.001Z

My Thanks To Momlady For The Jokes!

Have a gret Saturn's Day, everyone!

**********************************

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey!"

Miraculously, a parking place appeared.

Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."

**********************************

An Irish priest is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut . The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car.

He says, "Sir, have you been drinking?"

"Just water," says the priest.

The trooper says, "Then why do I smell wine?"

The priest looks at the bottle and says, "Good Lord! He's done it again

***********************************

Paddy was in New York .

He was patiently waiting and watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, "Okay, pedestrians. " Then he'd allow the traffic to pass.

He'd done this several times, and Paddy still stood on the sidewalk.

After the cop had shouted, "Pedestrians! " for the tenth time, Paddy went over to him and said, "Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?"

***********************************

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney.

"Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"

"Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney. "Where are ye callin' from?"

***********************************

Patton staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking buddy, Paddy. He took off his shoes to avoid waking his wife, Kathleen.

He tiptoed as quietly as he could toward the stairs leading to their upstairs bedroom, but misjudged the bottom step. As he caught himself by grabbing the banister, his body swung around and he landed heavily on his rump. A whiskey bottle in each back pocket broke and made the landing especially painful.

Managing not to yell, Patton sprung up, pulled down his pants, and looked in the hall mirror to see that his butt cheeks were cut and bleeding. He managed to quietly find a full box of Band-Aids and began putting a Band-Aid as best he could on each place he saw blood.

He then hid the now almost empty Band-Aid box and shuffled and stumbled his way to bed.

In the morning, Patton woke up with searing pain in both his head and butt and Kathleen staring at him from across the room.

She said, "You were drunk again last night weren't you?"

Patton said, "Why you say such a mean thing?"

"Well," Kathleen said, "it could be the open front door, it could be the broken glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but mostly ..... it's all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall mirror."

**************************************

Slainte, folks!!!

Hiya Folks...

2010-01-30T00:44:00.011Z

Been a busy last few days for the MacMeister-- all good. I gots some sore muscles from doing some landscape cleanup yesterday and Tyr's Day; got much more @ both sites to do. And look forward to doing so. Really does boil down to loving the dirt under my nails, the Earth in my nostrils, and seeing the end result-- something where nothing was, or nothing where something was in the cases of cleanup/ trimming-- the open, airy spaces giving heretofore choked plants & shrubs some suneshine-sperading growing-room

I love physical work. I feel it more as the seasons continue progressing at seemingly alarming rates, but... I like that, too. Means I'm keeping somewhat fit.

I love the challenge of gardening. My attempt @ lettuce, cabbage, spinach... not showing any sprouts yet. Two weeks ago this stuff went into the clay. BUT... we've had a beaucoup of rains, and it is, in all honesty, a good bit more cool a clime than I've habited and greened my thumbs in for the majority of my adult life.
And just means I'll needs be all the more attentive, learn some new patterns and cycles. I'm cool with-- no pun intended-- the challenge...

Tonight I'm gonna take some more of last summer's okra culling and make a small contribution to the evening feast (again). I was gonna do country-fried steaks (aka, to me, as chicken-fried, but... it is beef. Can be, anyhow....), but apparently they aren't so prolific a thing up here (hell, you'd think I were in New York City ["GET A ROPE!!!"], the unavailability of them things here-- from resteraunts, to the local Dairy Queen. YES, I damn near walked out of the one visited for lunch today when told they didn't have those. ["WHUH??! No Dudes?!?]) Oh, they gots some li'l bitty cubesteaks @ the local mart, but...
Well, the fried okry will provide grease enough for tonight. I'll do the CFS for Kyddryn's birthday. Besides, don't wanna let 'em know I can do all the meal in one night. I mean, how would a man get any hockey viewage in thata-way? lol!

Speaking of-- tonight's featured match at casa de crazy is the Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars . My two favorite teams, my being
a) A Texan (bred and cornbread fed!!)
b)A[n aspiring] rock climber

I normally pull for one or the other of these teams-- until they meet, as oft they have, in the Western Conference Finals. Then, well... it's all Av's, seeding be damned!

And it's time, folks, for me to get to it-- to fry some garden fruits, to toun on the boob-toob, and to enjoy.

And the weekend sans seven-year-old, too?

Ah, well; too bad for all those sore muscles...

;D

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

And How Many Tomatoes Will That Be?

2010-01-27T10:00:00.001Z

I found a barber shop yesterday.

No, not a beautie buffoonery spot.

Probably one reason they don't want fifteen simoleans per whack. A nominally fair eight green frogskins will suffice. Or...

Well, first off, this is the boonies. The business is nicely set up-- chair, multi-mirror angles, kids' toy-saturated waiting area and all-- in a well-converted garage.

When I walked in, I could smell dinner wafting out of the cracked kitchen access door. Good home cooking at that... [I did mention the country locale, oui?]. I was greeted by a man licking his fingers in the best 'chefs perogative' way. I was invited to sit. I was draped. And he dissappeared...

To finish cooking dinner, whilst the wife came out to take the clippers!!!

"Talk to me," she said.

So I did. Told her what I wanted, and she proceeded to provide it. While there was no wasted movement on her part-- she had dinner to get to, after all!!-- the job was neither sloppy nor rushed. And we ambled on, as in any good barber chair, with the conversing.

By the end of the cut, I'd discovered that she hosts yard sales every weekend, and is as unenamored with the current economy as any tried-and-true American out there. She isn't unopen to the idea of letting someone set up alongside and proffer their wares-- in my case, garden veggies.

And will barter to boot.

SCORE!!!

Long about time for another clip, I hope the lettuce, peas, and spinach are going strong. Leave a shredded mass of dead protien on the garage floor, a bowl of leafy greens on the kitchen counter...

And see ya next trip! Ha!

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

A Version 'Specially For Cygnus...

2010-01-27T00:59:00.005Z

Listen Closely If You Know This Song.

I never heard it before tonight. I dinna like it. At first.

Then, I take it, there were a slight variation of words...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

Too Soon Or Not Too Soon...

2010-01-25T22:39:00.044Z

IS That The Question?

According to the peas, not really...

Not too soon to be planted, that is. A mite tough to see from this picture

but there are ten peas a-peain' down here.

These went in the clay about ten or so days ago, by some stairwork that'll provide a great natural trellis.

A week or so later the tiller were borrowed, and new beds laid and hoed. [Quit! I gots pictures!! Hey, I'll plow 'em all over the yard if'n I so choose!! You know I will...]

From the new bed's perspective, though, certainty is a bit more, ah... Schrodinger.

Here're the rows before it was a dark and stormy night:

Then came the rains

and washed the rows away. Thus the row-row-row-your-boat look apres.

I won't yet cop to spreading seed too early. I did hope to see some leafy veggie sprouts by now, but I dinna expect two nights' worth of swimming pool fill pouring from the heavens. The seed may be a bit more sporadically spread, but they're watered in well, and we've got a few days of soil-warming sunshine on the way. I mean, worst case scenario, I harvest instant mix-- no need to toss the salad! har!!

Okay, folk, I done given you enough imagery for the night.

If not, well, spanx or no, come on over! I gots plenty o' seed and bed-space!!! HARARARRR!!!

Slainte, friends!

Cygnus

Of Interest To Preppers:

2010-01-25T05:08:00.010Z

A "New" [?] Blog To Watch

I was going to take the night off to watch the beautiful rain continue to make my garden area a swimming pool, and to, sadly, see Mr. Farve miss a superbowl opportunity. BUT...

Some blog-hopping led me to a new site several of you might enjoy. Go See Freyja's site. I think you'll be impressed. Been a while since she's updated; hope that changes .

Would that we were all so far along the path to independence and freedom.

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus

Consider You'sef 'Non-Schooled'...

2010-01-24T04:27:00.039Z

Look @ the chess board; look @ the beer.

Wholly unintentional, and yet..
Ain't those just pretty melding colors-- all dark and beige and stuffs, the contrasts?!?

I was enamored of the board when we procured it for the Evil Genius' Diem Natum. When, of c'est nacth, it mached the Yeungling, well...

Can ye pronounce "kismet"???

PATIENCE
Is one of the toughtest disciplines to accept about, and take away from-- much less exercise during-- the penultimate strategorical game on the face of the planet.

And repetitive play teaches it.

Do the 'school' your spawn be attending do dat? I mean, sans Ritalen?
Folks, beneficial lessons too numerous to mention-- oft explained as a result of, and more oft during-- are gleaned, processed, and passed forth from these "play times"-- and are better (more learningly beneficial) than all the crapoleum I hear/read abouts spewing forth from pubic-- erm, I mean-- well, SHOULD MEAN-- them thar public --institutions.

Patience was the one proffered itse'f c'est nacth [that xlates to 'TONIGHT' for the monolingual of ye there].

This blogpost SUCKS.

I was public-schooled.

Comprends-tu, un peu?

yup; me neether. 'S why I'm totin' in pictures, tryin' to show youse..
And, ain't the colors all j'es PURTY???

Don't do it, folk!! Don't let eddication suprecede Gnosis.

Slainte!

Cygnus

Two- Faced:

2010-01-23T03:08:00.018Z

Like Janus the god...

A few knights ago, Mademoiselle Asphodel posted a Slipknot video on her blog. [Man! There's nothing sexier than a super-hot headbanging chick!!!] I cleared some floor space, set my feet wide and solidly, turned up the volume, and prepared for a day-after with minimal neck movement (because, let's face it, @ near forty-three, just a few minutes of proper pit protocol pains plentiful...).

Now, I had to do several double-checks. First and foremost-- I thought the featured band was Slipknot? You know-- masks, moshpits on- and off-stage, maniacal metal replete w/ unbeknownst lyrics. You know-- SLIPKNOT:

Instead, this is what I heard:

I heard it again next day on Sirius Octane. It's fast becoming one of my favorites, right in line with Pearl Jam's Just Breathe....

This is talent, folks-- the range of musical ability covered by this band. I love metal. I mean, I'd bear Kurt Hammet's babies could I, dig what I'm talking about?
But... I'd do Amy Lee, too. REPETITIVELY. And make her sing in between. Maybe even a hum-job, y'know?

I'm just saying, folks... always nice to be surprised-- pleasantly-- by in-depth, broad-range artistic talent.

G'nite, Folks. I'm off to snuggle up to my Flower and watch The Bourne Identity. [Like I said, variety...lol!]

Slainte!

You Want How Much?

2010-01-21T22:44:00.006Z

Well, I Just Ain' Gonna Be Able To Do It!!

Fifteen bones for a haircut? Geddafukoudahea!

Look, I realise I've migrated closer to yankeeland. I know shit's gonna be more expensive: Food. Beer.

Buds...

But honest, it's a freakin' butchering of dead protien, folks! I mean, in H-town I coulda got a choppin', left a sizable tip, and strode home with a sixer of Busch tall boys for all that!

Sheesh!! Never even been there, but suddenly I ken I aint in Kansas anymore, Tonto...

Oh, I'll eventually engrain meself to the fact that forking over, minimally, twelve clams for a mediocre snip will be de riguer. But, NOT TODAY!!!

Today? Twelve tokens are better one-for-one'd...

Slainte, volk!

Cygnus