Category Archives: books

2025, books, gardening, Music, Nature, Poems

Autumn Musings

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My BFF suggested we go see Ann Reed last week; I haven’t seen Ann in a live performance for many years so I was excited to go.   She has such a huge repertoire, I hate to admit that this is still my favorite:

She (along with Joan Griffith) did a great set and in between many of the songs, she shared haiku with us, some of hers and some that she had found along the way.  When I went looking on the internet afterwards, I discovered she has a book entitled Our Daily Breath: Haiku & Photographs.

During my search I found a website, Haiku Universe, that will sent you a daily haiku or short poem.  You know me, I couldn’t resist.  It’s been fun the last week or so to get a little haiku every day.  Here’s one I particularly liked (by Tomas O’Leary):

then it came to me
like a bomb in my lunch bag –
it was my day off.

So I’ve had haiku on my mind.  Here are a couple of mine:

My orthopedists
Are both about twelve years old.
Having bad knees stinks.

It’s that time of year –
All of my hard work, yard wise
Fills up many bags.

Do you have any fall clean-up/organizing that needs doing?  Any haiku or poems speaking to you?

2025, books, Movies, Science, space, Travel, Uncategorized

Sci Fi

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I have never been a big fan of Science Fiction books or movies. I like Star Wars and Star Trek, but I really don’t consider them real Science Fiction, as they just seem to be Westerns that happen hundreds of years from now.

As I was contemplating the recent 550 mile drive from Dickinson to Luverne, I thought about one of the few Science Fiction books I love from my preteen years, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle, in which she describes people traveling through space using a tesseract, which is instantaneous travel by making folds in space and time. It would have been been so great to just roll up the Great Plains and get to Luverne instantaneously instead of driving eight hours! I suppose would have gladly accepted an offer from Scotty to “beam me down” to Luverne as well.

What are your most favorite and least favorite Science Fiction stories and movies? Where would you like to be teletransported?

2025, Art, books, Food

Sci Fi Pizza?

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At the library last week I happened upon a little hardcover book called Pizzapedia by Dan Bransfield.  It says on the inside flap that it’s a “biography of pizza”.  I wouldn’t go quite that far but it is a charming piece filled with marvelous illustrations.

And some humor.  I found this about ¾ of the way through, right after an illustration of a pizza-making robot and how it works:

Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Pizza Robotics

    • First Law. A pizza robot may not burn a pizza or, through inaction, allow a pizza to come to harm.
    • Second Law. A pizza robot must accept orders for pizzas except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    • Third Law. A pizza robot must protect its own recipes as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

If you’re not a Sci/Fi fan, here is a copy of Issac Asimov’s original Law of Robotics.

    • A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
    • A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    • A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These laws were first introduced in Asimov’s 1942 short story “Runaround,” which is part of the collection I, Robot. They were designed to create a framework for ethical behavior in robots, ensuring that they prioritize human safety and obedience while also allowing for self-preservation.

I’m pretty sure that any pizza-making robots out in the world aren’t too worried about having to pledge allegiance to Issac Asimov, but the author made me laugh and that’s always helpful these days!

What is your favorite?  Thin crust, thick-crust, stuffed crust, deep-dish?  Square cut or triangles?

 

2025, books, Movies, Mysteries

The Warden Threw a Party

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After Robert Redford’s death last week, I re-visited my goal to see more of his films.  I was able to find The Last Castle for free through my cable so watched it a few nights ago.  As I was watching it, a couple of things occurred to me.  First… while Robert Redford made beautiful and thought-provoking films, a lot of them are dark and depressing.  Second… I really don’t care for jailhouse movies. 

Yes, The Last Castle is a jailhouse movie.  No serious spoiler alerts except to say that it is dark and depressing.  And you know it almost immediately when an inmate, who clearly hasn’t done anything and is panicking in the jail yard, is killed by the prison guards.   I did battle it out until the end, but it wasn’t a feel good scenario. 

The realization that I avoid jailhouse movies occurred to me fairly early into the movie.  I’ve never watched The Shawshank Redemption, despite MANY people telling me it’s the best.  No Green Mile, no O Brother Where Art Thou, no Papillon (although I did read the book).   I haven’t even seen Jailhouse Rock; my aversion to jail movies apparently goes back aways.

That isn’t to say that I’ve taken a pass on all of them.  I have seen Cool Hand Luke, The Great Escape, Escape from New York as well as two other jail movies with Robert Redford – Brubaker and The Chase.  Technically The Chase isn’t in jail but it’s the chase after a jailbreak, so I’m including it.

Not too sure why I don’t like jail movies although it might be tied to the fact that I don’t like a lot of movies in which the chips are obviously stacked against the protagonist.  I’ve shied away from The Hunger Games and the Maze Runner – those kinds of things – for that reason.  And no movies about gladiators at all.

Any jailhouse movies that you’ve liked?  Any types of movies you shy away from?

2025, books, Fantasy, Mysteries, Nature

Best of Times, Worst of Times

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I read for a lot of reasons.  One of them is to find new ideas or to be reminded of ideas I may have had in the past.

The book I just finished (not revealing the title as there would be spoilers otherwise) had a fairly absurd premise but then managed to present several trains of thought that were tantalizing.  A huge asteroid is heading for Earth and scientists have determined that it will wipe out everyone and everything in two years, six weeks.  

One character, who works in banking, came up with a scheme that basically defrauds people but will make the bank a ton of moolah.  His theory is that by the time folks figure out they’ve been defrauded, the world will be ending.  Sadly the other members of the board agreed with him.

Another character, an aging rock and roll star, was facing terminal cancer and decided to end his life so that his music royalties would go to his first ex-wife as soon as possible.  He also made an extremely heartfelt apology to her for how he had treated her back in the day.

A third character, an anthropologist, was worried about the end of civilization before the end of the world.  Why, he postulated, would be the incentive to keep working?  Who would do the jobs that keep us all fed and clothed?

This last character’s questions have remained with me for days now.  Whenever there is some news of an asteroid that’s coming close to the planet, I do muse about the end of days.  But I have never considered what would happen if we KNEW it was end of days for sure.   How could we keep civilization going?  How would I personally get by until the end?  Would I feel the need to atone for my “sins”?  I’m not sure, but I think I would definitely make a trip to Alaska, the only state in the union I haven’t visited.

Anything on your bucket list you’d like to do if you knew the world was ending in two years and six weeks?

2025, books, gardening, Uncategorized

Running Amok

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I am a pretty quiet and rule abiding person. I have a wild side, though, that I show through gardening, especially by growing butternut squash, indeterminate heirloom tomatoes, and unruly rose bushes. I also think it is why I love terriers so much, the naughtiest of dogs.

I love the way vining plants are heedless to boundaries and barriers. This year’s butternut variety from Jung’s is a real winner in that respect. You can see it in the header photo. It has taken over much of the front yard veggie bed and is growing out into the lawn, into the pole beans, basil, peppers, and potatoes, and almost to the front door. I am waiting for it to grab my ankle when I walk onto the stoep.

The roses in front by the stoep are almost 10 feet tall. We have Brandywine tomato plants that are taller than I am. The rain this summer has been a blessing.

Robertson Davies, one of my favorite Canadian authors, describes in his Deptford Trilogy the Canadian penchant for quiet rule breaking, such as little boys surreptitiously setting off fire crackers at the end of a small town parade. If you haven’t read him, you must. His books are delights.

How do you push boundaries and break rules? What vining plants do you like to grow? Ever read Robertson Davies?

2025, books, Fantasy, Media, Movies, TV

All For One….

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When we talked about esoteric knowledge the other day, I would not have said that The Three Musketeers was a particular interest of mine.  Then I stumbled upon a tv series from 2014-2016, a British production.  Binge-watching is a perfect occupation when you’re nursing a knee. 

This particular series is a little darker than I like, but I realize that I’ve seen quite a few of the musketeer movies over the years, so it’s intriguing to see this one.  The production values are quite good – costumes and dialog seem more realistic than a lot of historical dramas.  Of course, there seems to be at least one nubile young woman each episode who manages to fall for one of the musketeers in just a day or so.  Then there’s the fact that all of the musketeers except D’Artagnan (the only character played by an actor who I recognize – Santiago Cabrera) have old, unhealed loved tragedies in their past.  Athos in particular can’t seem to get over his.

And it’s VERY violent.  I find myself listening more than watching every now and then.  I’m not surprised that there were only three seasons.  I’m about half way through the second season and I’m starting to wonder if Paris is going to run out of population, so many people get murdered each episode.  Last night I actually muted it for about five minutes while Captain Treville was getting operated on.  (Thank goodness I live in an age with anesthetic.)  It’s another show that I can’t watch up until bedtime or I have dreams that are much too intense.

As I’ve been watching the show, it occurs to me that I can’t remember if I ever READ The Three Musketeers.  All the comparisons that I’m making in my mind may be from other movies/series I’ve seen.  And there is still the one big question of why Dumas titled his tome The Three Musketeers when there are clearly four of them?  Maybe the book explains this?  So I put it on hold at the library.  I’ll let you know!

Did you have a play sword as a kid?  Ever taken fencing or shooting lessons?

2025, Art, books, Fantasy

Galahad, Gawain and Me!

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The legend of King Arthur has always appealed to me.  From an early age I loved the Prince Valiant comic strip (and Robert Wagner in the movie) and when Camelot came out in 1967 I managed to get my folks to take me a couple of times.  I’ve read Mary Stewart’s Crystal Cave series more than once and while the 2011 series isn’t quite to my taste, I have watched it – Joseph Fiennes playing Merlin was fascinating.

Had I lived in the legend, I could not have been a good Guinevere or lady-in-waiting.  Although I’m not crazy about the violence part, I would have loved to be a knight.  Fancy armor, horses, swords, cool knight friends and quests.

I am all about quests.  Set me a quest and I am all in.  So when the Hennepin County Library debuted their passport this summer, I had to play.  The passport is free for all who want to participate, with a page for each of the 41 libraries in the system.  There is a photo of the library and short description and each library has their own passport stamp.  There is also a few blank lines if you want to add any notes.

You know I had to make a spreadsheet of the libraries that I can sort by how far they from my house and their hours.  Don’t want to show up at a library that isn’t open yet!  And of course once I’ve visited a particular library, I can highlight it!  Quests and spreadsheets – I’m in heaven.

It’s been a joy to visit the various libraries (I’m about half way through).  They are each unique, with so many different programs.  Language classes, Lego Labs, chess tournaments, jigsaw puzzles (yes, every time I found one in progress, I had to find a piece or two), even community seed libraries.  And the artwork is wonderful.  There must certainly at some kind of art curator on the library staff.  Whoever it is has done a masterful job. 

Wall in Children’s section of Champlin Library

There isn’t a timetable on my library quest, although I’d like to be done some time in September.  Once it’s cooler, I have lots of indoor projects.  Also, I like stretching it out a bit!

Any quests that you’ve enjoyed?  Any you’re looking forward to?

2025, Art, books, Family, Government

Time for Coffee

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On Friday YA made our annual trek to pet deer and goats and llamas at Fawn-Doe-Rosa.  The route to get there is straight through Lindstrom, which is a pretty little town with deep Swedish roots and one of the cutest water towers ever (see photo above).  But it turns out that it’s not actually a water tower any longer. 

Back in 1992, the city built a new water tower because the original was no longer able to meet the demand.  At that time, the older water tower was “repurposed” as the world’s largest coffee pot.  A local business owner funded the conversion – adding the spout, handle and knob along with repainting it.  Initially there was a steam function but it hasn’t been working for years.

Several months ago the city council approved an initiative to spruce up the paint job and also to restore the steam function.  This time around, much of the cost was raised by the said of small water tower replicas.  Four weeks ago, the steam poured out of the pot again for the first time in years.

Just by luck, we were driving through Lindstrom at exactly 10 a.m., which is one of the two times per day that the steam functions.  YA was telling me about all this so I did a quick u-turn so we could circle back and get a good look.  There were folks hanging out on the street corners to watch as well.  It was cloudy, so while we could see the steam, I think on a clear day it would be more impressive.

A fun tangent, I recently read Off Main Street by Michael Perry and one of the essays is called “You Are Here” which is about water towers in the Midwest.  It was entertaining and I learned there’s more to a water tower than meets the eye.  Highly recommended reading.  Fun confabulation of reading and traveling!

Have you seen any fun water towers?  Ever climbed up one?

2025, books, Mysteries, TV, Uncategorized

Turn the Lights On!

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Dreams mean different things to different people.  For me, my dreams (the ones that I remember) tend to be my subconscious sorting through all my conscious flotsam and jetsam.  Over the years I’ve come to recognize that intense dark stuff – television shows, movies, books — can give me some whoopers to sort out.

This week there has been a perfect storm of dark stuff.  I’m reading Emperor of Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee.  The author calls it a “biography of cancer”.  It is EXCELLENT, however it is a bit gruesome in places and, of course, not very uplifting.  I’m also watching a series on Netflix named Dark Winds, loosely based (very loosely) on the work of Tony Hillerman. It’s much darker than the Leaphorn/Chee Skinwalkers tv show of twenty years ago.  Yesterday I fast forwarded through a bunch of the third episode because it was giving me the creeps.

As usual (I think I’ve talked about this before), I’ve been careful to only watch a couple of episodes a day and not after 7 p.m.  But the combination of the book, the tv show and my underlying low level of anxiety about our current political hellhole was a doozy.  I don’t even remember my dreams last night but I remember waking up three times pretty tense and anxious. 

Guess I might have to cut back to one Dark Winds episode a day and come up with some kind of soothing ritual before I go to bed. 

Any suggestions?  Thoughts?