In lieu of three French hens, on this third day of Christmas, here are a few things to keep you busy during the Blogosphere's slow days:
First, my old internet buddy Chris Knight was interviewed by Bob Buckley over at the Fox network about his battle with bipolar syndrome. I learned a lot from it. It's well worth watching, especially for anyone close to someone who deals with forms of clinical depression.
Second, over at the Hogwarts Professor site, Elizabeth Baird Hardy wrote up a beautiful piece on Jane Eyre as a fairy tale. I can't recommend it enough for book- and fairytale-lovers.
Third, Mr. Pond just won a contest with an Ugly Duckling-themed story about the duck that carried Hansel and Gretel across the river. It's lovely, brief and captivating. Enjoy.
Fourth, Music of the Week: Eric Pazdziora (who has commented here a few times) composed a beautiful song, taking as its lyric a poem by George MacDonald. Eric and his wife, Carrie, are in the choir.
Text can be found at Eric's website. MacDonald and I have different ideas on Mariology, but the piece is hauntingly beautiful.
Last, Blogengamot head Travis Prinzi put up a fascinating post about magical thinking, creativity, and Santa Claus. I honestly think I'm too dreadful at acting to pull off that story with my own children, should I ever have them. The jolly old elf also seems to be a mixed and unpredictable experience that some former children remember gladly, some feel they missed out on, and others classify with growing pains. But I favor magical thinking, even if only in the context of a fairy tale that is never thought of as anything more. I don't doubt that it stretches the mind to think and believe greater things.
I hope you're all having a happy, magical Christmas season.
Showing posts with label family and friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family and friends. Show all posts
12.27.2010
12.20.2010
Photo Break
I have a cold, thanks to which I have done nothing today but read a book, talk to family, put ornaments back on the Christmas tree whenever Maia takes them off, and try to take the edge off the heat in some leftover Indian cuisine. As it turns out, lamb korma is really good when not entirely dominated by capsaicin.
But despite several efforts, I've not come up with a good post on writing for the day. One of these days, maybe I'll get ahead and start doing scheduled posts... till then, when I fail, you get Christmas pictures. Or other such things.
Lou and I, cutting our tree:
We always go with Lou's parents and Andy and Lindsey. Family photo:
Maia caught sight of the Christmas tree in the kitchen, bolted, and hid under the bed for awhile. When she finally came out, she discovered it was just a giant plant:
...at which point it became something to chew on, climb in, bat water away from, and otherwise enjoy to the fullest:
That became even more exciting when her people hung cat toys on it.
Family photo, in which I am starting to feel sick enough that I fail to hold the smile for ten seconds. Fortunately, I do manage to hang onto the cat, who clearly has places to go and things to do:
But despite several efforts, I've not come up with a good post on writing for the day. One of these days, maybe I'll get ahead and start doing scheduled posts... till then, when I fail, you get Christmas pictures. Or other such things.
Lou and I, cutting our tree:
We always go with Lou's parents and Andy and Lindsey. Family photo:
Maia caught sight of the Christmas tree in the kitchen, bolted, and hid under the bed for awhile. When she finally came out, she discovered it was just a giant plant:
...at which point it became something to chew on, climb in, bat water away from, and otherwise enjoy to the fullest:
That became even more exciting when her people hung cat toys on it.
Family photo, in which I am starting to feel sick enough that I fail to hold the smile for ten seconds. Fortunately, I do manage to hang onto the cat, who clearly has places to go and things to do:
8.19.2010
Huckleberry Week
The Great Annual St. Hilaire Family Huckleberry Picking Experience happened this week, and I am currently so tired that my most energetic act of the day has been jumping up at the discovery of a spider crawling up the couch next to me. Since I have a mountain of laundry to do, a book club party and a road trip to plan and shop for, and a few pounds of huckleberries to wash and freeze, I'm going to need more motivation than that.
I loved the huckleberry picking party, though. We had perfect weather, comparatively few bees/wasps/hornets, and not a single mosquito that I noticed. This was my first year going at the same time as the majority of the family, too, which made it especially fun. Here are some pictures.
The campground, as people began arriving:
Our little home away from home:
Looking up (my favorite thing to do when camping; I tried to take pictures of the stars, too, but apparently our camera doesn't do night shots):
Me plotting my novel for NaNoWriMo; or, as Uncle Claude called it, doing my homework:
Picking huckleberries:
...and feeding them to my godson:
In the morning of the berry-picking day, I busied myself in a good patch of bushes, picking away and daydreaming about my novel characters. It didn't take me long to fill my little berry bucket, and then I went looking for Lou.
Unfortunately, I'm the sort of person who doesn't dare get out of sight of the trail, because I can get lost anywhere. And I couldn't find Lou. I went as far as I dared in every direction, asked everyone I saw if they'd seen him. Nobody had. I told myself he hadn't gotten lost--unlike me, he can actually be expected to go someplace and find his way back--but the woods are big, and just because I've never seen a bear or cougar up there doesn't mean there aren't any.
After what felt like an hour of searching, someone thought they saw him. It wasn't him, it was his brother, but I ran after Andy and asked if he'd seen Lou, and he pointed further up the ravines. So I had a mini-Gryffindor moment, decided I'd be all right if I followed the ravine, and bolted off into the woods.
Out of sight of everyone, I began to feel eerily alone, so I stopped and looked around. I couldn't see or hear anyone, so I shouted for Lou. Everything was silent for a moment. Then--"Yeah?" He stood up and waved, from across the ravine and further down. And I started running again, scrambled across the first rocky pass I could find, threw my arms around him, and burst into tears. And we were totally fine; no wild animals attacked, and though I was completely lost at that point, he knew exactly where we were.
I stuck with him after that. Which means, since he liked that spot way off by ourselves, that I didn't get any pictures of the group picking. Oh well. Here he is:
and picking down in the ravine again:
Once I found him, I decided it was a beautiful place to stop:
After finishing the day's picking, a group of us went down into a little cave, where the temperature dropped from about ninety to about sixty:
...besides being cool, it was mostly just dark:
Back at camp, we got a sunset so lovely that I had to take a photo:
...and at that point, I proved that I'm not much of a photographer by basically forgetting about the camera. Other adventures included packing five adults, two coolers, and all necessary camping gear into a station wagon for twelve hours, making s'mores out of enormous marshmallows, praying the rosary around the campfire, making a birthday video for Uncle Joey, and guessing at the proper technique for cooking hobo dinners on a campfire. (Maybe that should be my next Tuesday recipe. Hmm.)
At this moment I'm grateful to be home and showered, not to mention within reach of Internet access, but I'm so glad to have gone. Hey, all you cousins who didn't come: I missed you.
I loved the huckleberry picking party, though. We had perfect weather, comparatively few bees/wasps/hornets, and not a single mosquito that I noticed. This was my first year going at the same time as the majority of the family, too, which made it especially fun. Here are some pictures.
The campground, as people began arriving:
Our little home away from home:
Looking up (my favorite thing to do when camping; I tried to take pictures of the stars, too, but apparently our camera doesn't do night shots):
Me plotting my novel for NaNoWriMo; or, as Uncle Claude called it, doing my homework:
Picking huckleberries:
...and feeding them to my godson:
In the morning of the berry-picking day, I busied myself in a good patch of bushes, picking away and daydreaming about my novel characters. It didn't take me long to fill my little berry bucket, and then I went looking for Lou.
Unfortunately, I'm the sort of person who doesn't dare get out of sight of the trail, because I can get lost anywhere. And I couldn't find Lou. I went as far as I dared in every direction, asked everyone I saw if they'd seen him. Nobody had. I told myself he hadn't gotten lost--unlike me, he can actually be expected to go someplace and find his way back--but the woods are big, and just because I've never seen a bear or cougar up there doesn't mean there aren't any.
After what felt like an hour of searching, someone thought they saw him. It wasn't him, it was his brother, but I ran after Andy and asked if he'd seen Lou, and he pointed further up the ravines. So I had a mini-Gryffindor moment, decided I'd be all right if I followed the ravine, and bolted off into the woods.
Out of sight of everyone, I began to feel eerily alone, so I stopped and looked around. I couldn't see or hear anyone, so I shouted for Lou. Everything was silent for a moment. Then--"Yeah?" He stood up and waved, from across the ravine and further down. And I started running again, scrambled across the first rocky pass I could find, threw my arms around him, and burst into tears. And we were totally fine; no wild animals attacked, and though I was completely lost at that point, he knew exactly where we were.
I stuck with him after that. Which means, since he liked that spot way off by ourselves, that I didn't get any pictures of the group picking. Oh well. Here he is:
and picking down in the ravine again:
Once I found him, I decided it was a beautiful place to stop:
After finishing the day's picking, a group of us went down into a little cave, where the temperature dropped from about ninety to about sixty:
...besides being cool, it was mostly just dark:
Back at camp, we got a sunset so lovely that I had to take a photo:
...and at that point, I proved that I'm not much of a photographer by basically forgetting about the camera. Other adventures included packing five adults, two coolers, and all necessary camping gear into a station wagon for twelve hours, making s'mores out of enormous marshmallows, praying the rosary around the campfire, making a birthday video for Uncle Joey, and guessing at the proper technique for cooking hobo dinners on a campfire. (Maybe that should be my next Tuesday recipe. Hmm.)
At this moment I'm grateful to be home and showered, not to mention within reach of Internet access, but I'm so glad to have gone. Hey, all you cousins who didn't come: I missed you.
7.15.2010
A Picture for a Thousand Words
I have grandparents in town this week, so instead of computer time I have family time. :)
This afternoon was happily summery, and while hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma at my parents', I took some pictures of the beauty around me. (For the sake of privacy, I won't generally post family pictures here... you're stuck with flowers and cute little animals today.)
When my parents bought their new place last year, the place had to have rat dung scrubbed from the inside, and the outside was a tangle of blackberry bushes and ancient cars. In that short time, with no outside contract help, my family has brought about a great deal of loveliness:
...of which that's just a taste. And here's a close-up of the sweet peas in the background:
I am so planting some of these next year.
The chickens decided to look at me while I was out taking pictures:
and here's my current favorite part:
want want want.
Anyway, I hope to have a post tomorrow. I'll do my best to handle that... and get caught up on email and comments here and at The Hog's Head and everywhere else... I'll try. :)
This afternoon was happily summery, and while hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma at my parents', I took some pictures of the beauty around me. (For the sake of privacy, I won't generally post family pictures here... you're stuck with flowers and cute little animals today.)
When my parents bought their new place last year, the place had to have rat dung scrubbed from the inside, and the outside was a tangle of blackberry bushes and ancient cars. In that short time, with no outside contract help, my family has brought about a great deal of loveliness:
...of which that's just a taste. And here's a close-up of the sweet peas in the background:
I am so planting some of these next year.
The chickens decided to look at me while I was out taking pictures:
and here's my current favorite part:
want want want.
Anyway, I hope to have a post tomorrow. I'll do my best to handle that... and get caught up on email and comments here and at The Hog's Head and everywhere else... I'll try. :)
6.03.2010
Congratulations
... to Mr. Pond, regular commenter on this blog, who has gotten an original fairy tale published! The story is a sweet little piece, a short read, and if any of you readers like fairy tales, you should definitely check out that journal.
Well done, Mr. Pond. :)
Well done, Mr. Pond. :)
4.07.2010
Rest in Peace, Michael Spencer
It is hard to find appropriate words to say about the death of someone you don't really know, especially when you're two days late with the news. But Michael Spencer, the Baptist pastor known as The Internet Monk, encouraged my faith over and over through his writings. He wrote very honest and loving thoughts about Christ and the gospel; he wrote some of the fairest-minded things about Catholicism that I've heard from a Protestant writer. He is also the pastor whose article on the subject encouraged me to give Harry Potter a try, and since I consider that set of books as one of the reasons I'm still a Christian, even that is hardly a small impact. I will really miss reading his thoughts.
He spoke the truth over his then-approaching passing back in February:
He spoke the truth over his then-approaching passing back in February:
"The ultimate apologetic is to a dying man.... There are a lot of different kinds of Good News, but there is little good news in “My argument scored more points than your argument.” But the news that “Christ is risen!” really is Good News for one kind of person: The person who is dying."Honestly, of all the times of year ... We humans don't typically get to choose when we die, but the octave of Easter would be an almost ideal moment. Right when we're all thinking about resurrection.
"Indeed, the cure for death does exist. Christ is the tree of life, once more within our reach. If we remain close to him, then we have life. Hence, during this night of resurrection, with all our hearts we shall sing the alleluia, the song of joy that has no need of words. Hence, Paul can say to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). Joy cannot be commanded. It can only be given. The risen Lord gives us joy: true life. We are already held for ever in the love of the One to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given (cf. Mt 28:18). In this way, confident of being heard, we make our own the Church’s Prayer over the Gifts from the liturgy of this night: Accept the prayers and offerings of your people. With your help may this Easter mystery of our redemption bring to perfection the saving work you have begun in us. Amen."Denise Spencer and family, you have my prayers.
--Benedict XVI, Easter Vigil homily
3.15.2010
Things Amazing and Awesome
News: My best friend, an excellent photographer, has just set up a Facebook page for her business. Her work includes senior photos (love Victoria as Bella Swan with the red truck!), a shoot of the local Tracing Days concert, and wedding/engagement pictures. It's well worth checking out, especially if you're anywhere near the Bozeman area and might need something photographed.
* * *
Something else to check out: Coolest. Music. Video. Ever.
Have you ever played the game Mousetrap? -- and by "played Mousetrap" I mean "set up the little course and rolled the marble, re-set and repeat," which is what my sisters and I did. Fantastic game. I loved it.
In sixth grade I wound up in Odyssey of the Mind and did a Cause and Effect activity, where I worked with a team to create a complicated domino effect fulfilling a list of requirements -- displacing so many ounces of water, etc. We had a lot of fun, and thanks to more scientific minds than mine, actually placed well in the competition.
This music video is created on the same principle as Cause and Effect or Mousetrap, but on a far grander scale. I just loved watching it. Enjoy.
* * *
Something else to check out: Coolest. Music. Video. Ever.
Have you ever played the game Mousetrap? -- and by "played Mousetrap" I mean "set up the little course and rolled the marble, re-set and repeat," which is what my sisters and I did. Fantastic game. I loved it.
In sixth grade I wound up in Odyssey of the Mind and did a Cause and Effect activity, where I worked with a team to create a complicated domino effect fulfilling a list of requirements -- displacing so many ounces of water, etc. We had a lot of fun, and thanks to more scientific minds than mine, actually placed well in the competition.
This music video is created on the same principle as Cause and Effect or Mousetrap, but on a far grander scale. I just loved watching it. Enjoy.
2.16.2010
Thank You. Thank You Very Much.
I had a lovely Tasty Tuesday post all planned out today, all Mardi Gras-appropriate and everything, and had every intention of posting it until I read Nathan Bransford's piece this morning. After spending so much time and energy in a far-off place these last few months, I could not refuse to take him up on the Writing Significant Other/Friend/Family Appreciation Day.Louis, who bears the brunt of my distractedness. He is forever patient with Sleepy Jenna who comes to bed at three AM, Grumpy Jenna who didn't get enough computer time, Emo Jenna who walks around on the verge of tears when her characters are unhappy, and the Spacebrain who only hears the last half of whatever comment her husband just made because her mind was busy solving problems on a distant world. He also reads my work, and YA fantasy is a bit fluffy for Mr. I'm-Actually-Enjoying-The-Essays-In-Les-Miserables. And if all that weren't enough, he made it possible for my "write what you know" to include "falling in love with a great soul."
Mom, who made me come up with a climax and resolution to Merry's story all those years ago, thereby giving me the impetus to finish a 120-page middle reader book that should never, ever see publication--but it helped me learn to write and push myself. Also, Mom puts up with conversation that can't possibly make any sense to her because I'm trying so hard to avoid giving out spoilers. "Well, when I changed this one character's name it gentled her way down, and that's no good because I need her to spend half the book arguing with this other character, and ..."
Dad, because he's just so good to me. He also helps my music writing and recording, being the person who can best tell me when I have the bass up too high and whether I got all the drum set parts right.
Beth, who got more excited about the idea I finally used for my NaNo novel than even I did at first. That helped me spend November in a land of magic and myth instead of fuming over issues, which was my other idea. (Ah, the reasons I write fantasy instead of realism in fiction.) Beth also keeps begging to read the book and came up with several of the world-building elements herself; one of my worlds is definitely a better place because of her.
My other sister doesn't like being named on the internet, but she tells me I have a way with words, and that means a lot to me.
My former boss, Jason, who set up the writers' group and preached us many a powerful sermon on goal-setting and achievement. Likewise, all the members of that writing group, whose creativity and criticism and friendship help keep me coming back to my keyboard.
Mom and Dad St. Hilaire and Andy and Lindsey, who regularly ask me how my book is coming along and want to know when they can buy it from a bookstore.
Briana, who asks to read it and faithfully encourages me in writing.
Others who ask about my writing, including my beloved book club girls, who think writing a novel is cool; Mike and Kay G., who asked me all through November how my NaNo novel was coming; also Brittany, who keeps asking about my other book--which I miss, oh yes, I miss it like crazy. I'll be back at that one this summer, Britt.
Travis, Arabella, George and the other Hog's Head bloggers and regulars who have welcomed me as a writer at the pub. Who needs Cheering Charms with you folk around?
All of you who read this blog, especially when you comment or tell me about it--you help me believe that I'm not wasting time shouting into a void, and it's hard to overestimate the importance of that.
Publishing industry pros who blog begin to feel like friends after awhile, even to a shameless lurker who never comments. Nathan, Rachelle, Anne, Holly, Jessica, and others--you give me important guidance and confidence in my work.
Thanks, everyone--including anyone I may have missed! If it ever gets to publication, there are about 60,000 words in this novel alone, thanking you for your help.
1.11.2010
Barbara Michael, 1921-2010
She was the short woman who somehow gave life to my very tall father, and had lived near or with my family since her widowhood over twenty years ago. She died Friday night at home with my parents, in my mother's arms, and we all believe she went on to Jesus.
Rest in peace, Grandma. We all love you.
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