Wednesday, August 31, 2005

О том, что осталось «за кадром» третьей книги Канона…

Родители нерешительно топтались у Главных Ворот. Время от времени каждый бросал взгляд на великолепную громаду Замка...

How about that? Someone contacted me about translating "Little School of Horrors" for a Russian fanfiction site. So now I am an internationally published author. Snicker.

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 8:24 PM

I have loved Nickel Creek from the first time I heard their music. Produced by Alison Krauss they are "Newgrass" at its best. Their new album is not quite as far up the favorites list as their last one, but I loved this song:

Doubting Thomas

what will be left when i've drawn my last breath,
besides the folks i've met and the folks who know me,
will i discover a soul-saving love,
or just the dirt above and below me?

i'm a doubting thomas,
i took a promise,
but i do not feel safe,
oh me of little faith,

sometimes i pray for a slap in the face,
then i beg to be spared 'cause i'm a coward,
if there's a master of death
i bet he's holding his breath,
as i show the blind and tell the deaf about his power,

i'm a doubting thomas,
i can't keep my promises,
'cause i don't know what's safe,
oh me of little faith

can i be used to help others find truth,
when i'm scared i'll find proof that its a lie,
can i be lead down a trail dropping bread crumbs,
that prove i'm not ready to die,

please give me time to decipher the signs,
please forgive me for time that i've wasted,

i'm a doubting thomas,
i'll take your promise,
though i know nothin's safe,
oh me of little faith

I love it because it's honest, and because there have been times I have been exactly in the place...

You can listen to a short clip here

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 1:28 PM

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Time for the annual fair-haul brag-'n-boast:

Kira: Blue ribbons (first place) in ceramics and wheel-thrown pottery, honorable mention in beadwork (for a bracelet)

Toby: Blue ribbon in drawing

Josh: Red ribbon (second place) in models (fighter jet model)

and

(tada) Yours Truly: Best of Show in the Lacework category (resulting in a huge ribbon rosette) and a blue ribbon for my tatted doily, and a third place in the Christmas ornament category.

Now my success may in part be due to the fact that there wasn't all that much competition in the lace category (since tatting is not that common a craft any more), but hey, I'll take it! ;-)

I'll try and post pictures later.

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 11:22 AM

Friday, August 26, 2005

Kira got her hair cut for Locks of Love today.

Before:


During:


After:


She looks cute. Really. But - sniff...

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 7:32 PM

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

BTW, yesterday we celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss - we went out for a nice dinner at the Cafe de Paris, and my honey surprised me with roses and some bee-you-tiful earrings. I felt very treasured!
(Here's to the next twenty!)

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 8:16 AM

I have met some of the most interesting people online, people that have turned into friends of sorts through common interests and email penpal-ship. An orthodox Jewish mother of six in Australia. The head draper of a theater in New England, who is sending me step by step pictures of the reconstruction of one of Queen Elizabeth the Firsts dresses (which takes about 200 manhours to complete). A seventeen year old in Utah who turns out some great graphic art. A former English professor turned homeschool mom in Iowa who in her likes and dislikes could be my twin. A twenty-something gal who is into swingdancing and the Rennaissance Fair, and is just an incredibly charming writer.

If variety is the spice of life, my life has been spiced up quite a bit!

Anyways, one of these friends, in response to my bemoaning the fact that good sushi is hard to find in Boise (big fat surprise there) sent the following statement, which I felt was important to share as a community service announcement:

"Me, I'm still reeling from "Tex Wasabi: Sushi-Q" (I kid you not) which we found in Santa Rosa. The best of Texas BBQ and California style sushi, according to their advertisement. As it turns out (and get ready for a shocker here), Texas BBQ and Sushi are not only NOT soulmates, but shouldn't be close friends, or even indifferent neighbors. They should not occupy adjoining lots in a strip-mall, and in fact, occupying the same side of town may be too close."

A menu example:

Kemosabe Roll $5-1/2
Tapioca rice paper roll with sushi rice, BBQ beef brisket, french fries, crispy onions & a garlic chili mayo sauce.

Yum.

So, all my California friends, if you are ever in Santa Rosa, you will know which place to avoid. Snicker.

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 7:05 AM

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Can you just picture the conversation?

Noah: I am going to build a large, floating box in our backyard. It's called an Ark.
Mrs. Noah: Right you are.
Noah: No, really. God said.
Mrs. Noah: Talking to the Almighty now, are we?
Noah: Well, does that sound like something I would come up with? Anyway, it should only take about 120 years or so. Hope you don't have other plans.
Mrs. Noah: Are you daft?
Noah: No. God said.
Mrs. Noah: Do you have any idea what the neighbors will say?
Noah: I think I would really prefer to keep this thing quiet.
Mrs. Noah: How big is 'this thing' again?
Noah: 300 cubits.
Mrs. Noah: Oh. And you don't think the neighbors will notice?
Noah: Well, erm... well, anyway, I just thought I would give you a heads up...

120 years later:

Noah: Well, my dear, time for moving day.
Mrs. Noah: Say again?
Noah: We are moving into the Ark. God said.
Mrs. Noah: With all those stinking animals? Over my dead body.
Noah: Well, actually, now that you mention it...

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 9:13 PM

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Sunday night we made our way to the Idaho Center and took in the Alison Krauss and Union Station concert.

Wow.

I have always had a thing for Alison Krauss' voice - she has one of those pure, Celtic-style voices that float ethereally across the room. She is surrounded by people who I would go see as solo performers - Dan Tyminski (best known as George Clooney's singing voice in 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou'), Ron Block (who writes some of the loveliest gospel songs to come out of bluegrass), and Jerry Douglas (a mean Dobro player who was featured in a short solo set.) Add Barry Bales as an outstanding fretless bass man, and *can't remember the drummer's name except for 'Larry', but he was good, LOL* and you have a level of musicianship that is astounding. After more than a decade of playing together, these guys are so tight it is scary.

What I didn't expect is for Alison Krauss to be so goofy. Whoodathunk?

Anyways, the whole show was awesome. What really got me was the encore, though - most bands seem to save one of their big hits for that, and pull out all the stops. Here, they took away the mics and replaced them with two old-style radio microphones. Then the whole band unplugged, so the only sound you got was what the microphones picked up, putting the voices front and center. They then launched into an a capella "Down To the River to Pray" and then played a soft, subdued version of one of Ron Block's gospel tunes, "Living Prayer". It was the perfect way to end the evening.


In your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 8:38 AM

Monday, August 15, 2005

On the way up to Wyoming for the family reunion, we stopped at a gas station where they were still selling penny candy! That made me so nostalgic. I remember only too well the blessed days of my childhood, going to the kiosk on Jaegerstrasse, keeping the poor owner busy with one-of-those-and-one-of-that until the purchase added up to ten pennies, while behind me the poor man waiting to buy his pack of Marlboros hopped impatiently from one foot to the other... Oh, the memories!!

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 10:52 AM

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Does anyone recognize this sweet crib?



If'n you look at the file name, it should give you a pretty good idea, LOL

posted by Birgit
0 comments at 8:22 PM