Alphabe-Thursday - K - Karpeles Manuscript

THIS IS AN ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

Empty tables are good, that means everyone has left for Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday, on her "Off on my tangent" blog.

      ...and everyone is invited to Duluth.....

       You may already know this place, and when you hear Duluth, Minnesota you may think of it.  This is Spilt Rock Lighthouse just off Highway 61, northeast of Duluth.  
       Can you journey just 38 miles away from here?  To the shore of Lake Superior, near Leif Erikson Park (Rose Garden) and a spot nestled quietly among College of St. Scholastica and University of Minnesota-Duluth?  That's where my "K" destination begins.

KARPELES MANUSCRIPT

 LIBRARY MUSEUM.

and what could be better - it's a Free museum.....expect to be amazed.....

Sorry, by now all the Christmas decorations are gone.  Meet a very wise Mr. Tree.   After all, who doesn't need to read about things?

Especially important documents we've maybe only heard about.

Don't just take my word for the letter " K " and   "KARPELES MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY MUSEUM

See for yourself....

If you can't slip away to Duluth, not even by ship, check out this link to Karpeles and view much of their collections right on your own computer.  Maybe not as good as in person, but it's there at all times! 

http://www.rain.org/~karpeles/dul.html

It's both educational and entertaining!

See, the U.S. Bill of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation Amendment, Handel's Messiah, all on display in their original handwriting!

All fields of history, exploration, literature, science, music and art.

There's even a gas bill paid by Thomas Edison!  Imagine that!


     Have you heard of the "Olive Branch Petition?"....you can see it there.

A special grouping about Sigmund Freud is going on now and lasts through April 30, 2012.

Prepare to be renewed and bring those children too busy with Angry Birds and other video games....this place will unleash surprising things!

902 East 1st Street Duluth, Minnesota


So don't forget to check out other letter "K" posts just visit Jenny!

.....and no worries, Jenny only looks like this when our assignments aren't complete!

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2012/02/alphabe-thursday-letter-k.html

Alphabe-Thursdays a Je ne sais quoi Journey

THIS IS AN
         ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

                         Celebrating the letter " J " 

In a word,   Jenesaisquoi

  or Je ne sais quoi.....

 Just feeling jet lag, after missing last week.  Can you guess what they're selling?

                              Je ne sais quoi
            "I know not what"

                     Just Journey along with me........I'm not joking.

Just follow the jolly jargon (on the pointy sign above)


Just jog over and you'll jive once you jingle and jangle your way here but(no jay walking please)

I'm jazzed that you jaunted over to such a jaunty place as this! 
Just so we can jazz ourselves up before we jet over to the jumping-Jack java house up the street.

please no jog trotting
just dance on over


Come on
you just know
you want to
open the door

Just take a peek.  So many hats (stuff that hubby might call junk!) Oh no!  ....and so little time.  I promise it's all jazzy kinds of far out bling and other things.....just waiting.

So jump to it
the java is
no joke
how jovial you feel
just sipping it!


If you have the urge to learn more "J" words....please check out Jenny's blog "Off on my tangent " and her Alphabe-Thursday class for more J's....

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2012/01/alphabe-thursday-letter-j.html

Je Ne Sais Quoi  live from Iceland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS91yH9BJ2M&feature=related

Alphabe-Thursday - A House is a House, Of course.

IT'S ALPHABE-THURSDAY
      featuring the letter " H "

                   FOR HOUSE!


 NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH a fairy-tale making,
 it a HOME; as many fairy tales often do.

Who lives in this cottage by the bay? Why I hope to someday!

I too, dream of the cottage by the bay, where honeysuckle grows and fish swim all day.  Just give me a fire by night, food enough, a mourning dove's song and you by my side.....forget the cobwebs, for there are many, but just enough to keep our cottage by the bay safe and sound.....

I have a weakness for shooting houses, always have and always will. 

They aren't always the most magnificent houses either.


Sometimes I shoot places people call "home"  like below, (this is just an example) because this car is so darn cute.

                   Please don't laugh.  You know people have literally lived right out of their cars.  My first husband and I did for an entire summer once.  Sure we were driving across country, visiting relatives; but we spent more time sleeping right there in our Plymouth Fury -
that featured one gigantic trunk!

Pretty nice streets for the 10th of January too, don't you think!

A house is made of walls and beams, stones and bricks, and loads of glass; while a home is built with love and dreams and bound by memories......

Why do so some people hide behind their window coverings.........

Some houses are linked with other houses, and called Row Houses or Townhouses, of late.  But still a "Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to." - John Ed Pearce.



"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself."  - Maya Angelou

Do the signs or personal belongings we hang outside our house, make it more a home.....than just another house along the avenue?

Perhaps these fine pink blossoms surely do make this a home, or not.

Come autumn, trees drop their feeble leaves in front of whitewashed, rambling houses,
some with carved door frames and some not; but all welcoming happiness to those who enter.

Can you tell if it's a home just by walking by?  What if, you heard the laughter of tiny voices amongst the sound of the purr from a sewing machine?

"A house is a machine for living in," - Le Corbusier
and making it pretty
or mysterious
the very face of a house that greets
us
It is what we make it.

A mere four-sided house, repainted in five colors creating a "Painted Lady" gleaming proudly from the Victorian Age, but in all it's glory, the face-lift does not guarantee it's a home.

                   But, no matter what, it's always the love we find inside a house that keeps us there.

If you desire more uses for the letter "H" why not visit Miss Jenny's Alphabe-Thursdays....

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2012/01/alphabe-thursday-letter-h.html

Alphabe-Thursday - 5 January 2012 The Letter G

This is an ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

                  Warning, this photo below is not really our classroom.....right?

Goodness no! Oh my Gosh, Gads! Goodness gracious! No way!
  Please don't worry, this grim looking teacher isn't ours!

Of course our teacher is Miss Jenny

                                         ....and she's way prettier too....

  Today for Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday class, we celebrate
                                 the letter " G " 
     and it's a Great letter, as the color green emphasis so well!

The Letter "G" stands for " gordian "  GOR-dee-uhn (adjective) -  Highly intricate; extremely difficult to solve.  Earliest documented use - 1579.

     Example:     It was so obvious, after the school board meeting that solving the gordian problem of, where to build the school district's headquarters, would take much time.

Brain teaser example of gordian:
Extremely (?) difficult to solve: you be the judge....
     its the beginning of existence and the end of time, its the beginning of everything and the end of space, what am I?

Hint:  do not think too hard on this.


do you want the answer now? Nah, that's too easy......okay, okay



scroll down for the answer




Answer:  its the letter e.


Next- gordian worm

Do we really want to see a close up of a gordian worm? No, probably not, so here is one favorite hunting ground of the gordian worm....the bird bath... a gordian worm, gordius sp., or horsehair- is an internal parasite of crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, beetles, cockroaches and others.
When they emerge from the host's body they are white, but then turn yellowish-tan to brownish-black and squirm and twist in the water much like a gordian knot.  They do not harm humans, animals or plants.  You'd be surprised if you knew all the places you can find these worms....not just in gardens and rivers or ponds, but swimming pools, pet bowls, toilets, bathtubs....!

Next Gordian knot

In Greek Mythology, King Gordius of Phrygia tied a knot that defied all who tried to untie it.  An oracle prophesied that one who would undo this Gordian knot would rule Asia.  Alexander the Great - naturally defied all odds.  He simply cut the knot with one stroke of his sword.  Creating the famous saying, "to cut the Gordian knot" which means to solve a difficult problem by a simple, bold and effective solution.....

Alexander the Great, coercing the Delphian Oracle by artist Castaigne J. Andre - 1898 photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

The Great and mighty - Alexander the Great, with his mighty sword!

One last cute riddle me this.... 
What does a  racecar and a kayak have in common?
the answer for this one will be in the comments!   

If you haven't had enough class today, why not go here for more

Jenny and all her students will be happy you did....
http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2012/01/alphabe-thursdays-letter-g.html
        

Alphabe-Thursday- Celebrating the Letter F

THIS IS AN
      ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST
 TODAY'S LESSON IS ALL ABOUT THE LETTER  "F"
                              as in "Fougasse"

    You may think Fougasse is a type of bread from French cuisine and sculpted or slashed into a pattern resembling an ear of wheat... or a type of pastry from Monaco topped with almonds and nuts, but there's something else, more interesting .......

             Today's Letter "F" celebrates Fougasse (cartoonist).  He was known throughout the world by using that pen name.  He was born on 17 December 1887 in London as, Cyril Kenneth Bird and he died on 11 June 1965.
                      Fougasse, was a British cartoonist best known for his editorship of Punch Magazine and his iconic World War II warning propaganda posters.  You can still see his work in various places.  For instance this was taken at Swindon, England at The Great Western Steam Museum.

This was one of  "Fougasse's" posters.


This poster was part of his series "Careless Talk Costs Lives" and was deliberately intended to be humorous....... During a time when Fougasse had many topics at hand to get thoughts out to the world through his illustrations.

By Fougasse, A Federal Art Project, between 1941 and 1943.


To better understand how "Fougasse" became his pen name..... He was injured seriously at the Battle of Gallipoli during World War I and invalided out of the British Army (hence his pen name Fougasse is a type of mine)

While he designed these effective propaganda posters including the famous "Careless Talk Costs Lives" series during World War II he also worked for free for the Ministry of Information, designing posters and for his work he was awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1946.


You may recall his famous butler carrying a tray photo which since 2009 has been used to illustrate the front page of the British Airways' First Class Menus.


If you enjoyed this assignment or wish to see others please go here


http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/12/alphabe-thursdays-letter-f.html

Alphabe-Thursday Celebrating the Letter E

THIS IS AN
        ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

                                     today we are

                     CELEBRATING THE LETTER  "E"

                       " E " is for Elf  (plural elves)

An Elf does silly things....

but you'll never catch them when they do!

An elf - is a small and noble creature, dressed mostly in green, and are often mischievous and prone to be prankish.  They also have magical powers and move about secretly.

      Elves traditionally grow to 3 feet making them quite small, and they always carry a ladder.  But don't be fooled by their size; because they are enchanting little beings with great strength.  They have fat-round-little noses that tilt up at the ends, and their red hair is thick and they have smart-little-round brown eyes. 




Did you hear that?

You can call to them all day long, but you'll never see them!

...and although I'm sure you've heard this, Elves are not hired by Target

any elves there-are impostors!




They are, very clever and quite crafty!

One very good reason we can't ever see elves at work or play, is because they are very intelligent and humans just wouldn't understand some of the things they do. 

Like the photo above where an elf teaches a reindeer how to fly.


Mostly elves prefer to live below ground.  In underground caves, deep within hill mounds, inside trees, or barrows, and drains or cellars.  Of course elves are also busy working inside Santa's workshop.  Unless they are light elves (that you read about in storybooks) and they would rather live above ground in places like forests, woods, castle ruins and abandoned houses or people's barns, and they do meet mortals every now and then.

But if we were to peak inside of an Elf Village this is what we would find....

Lots of baking going on in an Elf Kitchen.


and then if we climb over a snow bank and dash into another woods

We'd see this sign outside the Elf School-House

Always remember.....

Elves cannot be sought out.

and

You can't ever marry an elf, unless you are an elf.

They learn how to be so smart in their classrooms.

and of course they learn the art of making toys.....


If only we could catch an elf hard at work this is what we'd see...

But, that will never happen don't you see...


Why?


Because Elves only come out at night and always keep to themselves.

If they are ever ready to appear, they will...but mostly they travel within their secret places that only appear on Elf  Maps...

google can't even find them.


I hope you enjoyed my tale about the noble and prankish Elf
which was originally told to me by another delightful creature

Mr. Mushroom-Gnome.....who is always willing to be seen.

Here he is hanging from our Christmas tree.....

and if you want to join in our classroom fun at Jenny's, Alphabe-Thursdays then please go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/12/alphabe-thursdays-letter-e.html

Alphabe-Thursday - Celebrating - The Letter D

THIS IS AN ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

       In celebration of the letter "D"  I offer  "decoration"
and Jenny from Off on my tangent blog, allows all week to complete our "Letter D" assignment.

                Decoration defined, is an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate, adornment.....


                      Oh yes, tis the season to pack away our autumn delights in exchange for all things bright and out of sight - since about this time last year..... farewell for now autumn decorations.

Decorations don't always have to cost a bundle either.  See these delightful musical figurines?  They came from the "Dollar Store"....yes, really.  Most everyone who sees them, begs to know where I found them....please don't tell, okay!

I will be most pleased, if my children continue to create as many of their own decorations locked within their imaginations and share them with the rest of us.....


                    
......and what could be more delightful than.....

to hang something fresh from your own backyard, not too much just a whisper of something alive.....keep them guessing - are these decorations real or not.....that shall be the question of the hour.....

         A person always feels better when they create......

     I especially like moving about my house late at night while every ones fast asleep, while visions of whimsy dance through their dreams...before they awake to see.....

our tree decorated with so many pretty bulbs in the hopes that kitty cat paws and little fingers won't break too many again this year.....

                 One of these days I'll have too many decorations.  Some are from my childhood, many from my own children's hands, or that of friends and loved ones.  Best are they that come from the heart of someone special...and once in awhile I'll buy just one more.
      Soon there will be no more room for tree......oh no!


    Funny how things happen, every year one or two disappear either by breakage, or tucked away in the hands of someone cherishing their Christmas past...and I'll see it again on another tree dear to us.



                   Everybody knows just how wise owls are, so why not include as many owls as you can when you decorate!

On a snowy moonlit night I shall wish upon an owl......
as he hides inside our tree
oh how I wish I might see an owl tonight.

           When you're decorating with your very own delicious treats, why not serve them on something filled with festive spirit, like....

                                       A Frosty Platter.......

Even if you don't put anything on your Frosty Platter - he's still such a delight to see!

                      Oh no! A bare Frosty!

Decorating with angels, musical or not, is always a wise thing to do....

To decorate something festive and of your own design, why not look inside your goody bag of bits and pieces and ribbons and bows and other artsy things.   You can create within less than an hour if you wish to that quickly, your very own Whimsical jar for candy or those long candy canes you just don't know how to store.....

I will be using this jar, but you could use a vase, or glass or any other object you can find!

....this is the end result for my decorated jar ... yours is what ever you wish it to be!

You can give it away or keep it as one of your special decorations!


You know your child is all grown up when they tell you, "Mom, it's not so much about the presents, but more about the decorations and all the things we share....like climbing in the truck and going to cut our tree...."

Yes, Virginia, those decorations are special, aren't they?!

So if you haven't got the link to turn in your assignment here it is

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/11/good-morning-class.html

Alphabe-Thursday's Letter C

THIS IS A ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST..... featuring the letter C!

My " C " letter for this round is   "camino real"

camino real (kah-mee-naw-Re-ahl) noun, plural caminos reales Spanish-and is
    a main road: highway, origin literally, royal road.


Sometimes there's only one main road leading to and from one place....

Spring Mountain Ranch, in Red Rock Canyon, outside Las Vegas, Nevada....people still speculate just how many times the last owner, Mr. Howard Hughes actually used this camino real or main road.....

Or the camino real can be a one way road circling through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area......

Inside Red Rock Canyon, outside Las Vegas, Nevada...camino real (literally) also called royal road is most notable in the California, Texas, and New Mexico areas of the American Southwest, and elsewhere that predate the automobile age, and now many are popular tourist itineraries.

Mural of Route 66, Truxton, Arizona  artwork by Sandy Rusnka, and photo courtesy of The Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division Washington D.C.
a quite famous camino real!

Camino real, or main road, also known as camino real, are often not just used for automobile traffic.....

Why did the turkey cross the road anyway?

All roads show the way to somewhere......

This photo was taken in the center of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota.  Can you see the Minneapolis Metro Dome?  Or the Weisman Art Museum?

Camino real or main roads....lead us to places.......

we may never see, if not for our journey there.......

On the left is the Weisman Art Museum, and downtown Minneapolis is in the background.

If you would like to see more examples of other C posts why not check out Jenny's blog for yourself here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/11/alphabe-thursdays-letter-c.html

Alphabe-Thursday welcomes the Letter B

THIS IS AN ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST
            FOR THE LETTER  " B "

May I introduce the lovely flower:  Bird of Paradise as my letter B word for this round..... an unusual stunning flower that represents joyfulness and paradise.

Shaped like a bird's beak and plumage.....makes me wonder are you a bird or a flower!

Doesn't he look like he's laughing?

           But before I go any farther, I want to thank the lovely and wonderful Miss Jenny, (who brightens my/our world just by being here, and posting these fun games for us all)

 Also, (drum roll please!!) .....  I happened to be the lucky number winner this time during Miss Jenny's fun fall autmness!  Sorry I'm like a week behind, but I was on vacation when the news came out but I have the unbelievable prize now! 

I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the box tonight! Thank you so much Miss Jenny, from the bottom of my heart!

Did I mention the runner is designed for Thanksgiving/autumn on one side and Christmas on the other!



Okay, now on with my letter B and the lovely "Bird of Paradise" Flower....

I came face to face with this lovely flower just recently.  It sure doesn't grow in Minnesota but it was everywhere I went in California.

The Bird of Paradise Flower is an herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the genus Strelitzia, or crane flower.  It has about five species, native to South Africa as well.  It thrives in Southern Florida, California and Hawaii.

Did I mention it resembles the actual Bird of Paradise?

(Sorry I didn't get to photograph the bird....)

Did you know: The Bird of Paradise flower is the 9th wedding anniversary flower?

This unusual shaped showy flower or rather genus Strelitzia more commonly called is  classified in the family Musuceae as being closely related to the (banana family).

The plant is trunkless, and its oblong leaves, growing to 1 foot, often rise 3 feet high directly from the rootstock.   The large flowers are orange or scarlet, combined with blue and white.

             Can you spot the Bird of Paradise flowers growing in the picture?


This is why they resemble brilliantly colored birds ready to fly from a boat-shaped nest, which is a purple bract as long as 8 inches.  They require rich soil, (Minnesota does have that) and abundant water, we sure have that too, but it's the sunlight and of course Minnesota's nature to become rather wintry that makes their taking root here probably not such a good idea!

 Have I teased you enough with this lovely flower, and perhaps you have a special B something you care to share........ just go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/11/alphabe-thursdays-letter-b.html