October always makes me think Orange

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Most Like an Arch This Marriage

Most Like an Arch This Marriage

By John Ciardi

Most like an arch—an entrance which upholds
and shores the stone-crush up the air like lace.
Mass made idea, and idea held in place.
A lock in time. Inside half-heaven unfolds.

Most like an arch—two weaknesses that lean
into a strength. Two fallings become firm.
Two joined abeyances become a term
naming the fact that teaches fact to mean.

Not quite that? Not much less. World as it is,
what’s strong and separate falters. All I do
at piling stone on stone apart from you
is roofless around nothing. Till we kiss

I am no more than upright and unset.
It is by falling in and in we make
the all-bearing point, for one another’s sake,
in faultless failing, raised by our own weight.

The Collected Poems of John Ciardi (University of Arkansas Press, 1997)



6 years after our first date and I wouldn't change a thing.
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Re-creation of Doc McKinley's Dental Office

Last week my friend Sharon drove out to the Dorothy Page Museum in Wasilla, Alaska and sent me these pictures. Within that museum is a recreation of my grandfather's dental office. I didn't actually have any pictures of this installment so it was a great thrill to receive these pictures.

The dedication (pictured above) reads as follows:

Dr Lee L. McKinley

Dedication

This re-creation of Dr. McKinley's dental office in Butte is dedicated to his efforts in pioneering "Bush" dentistry and his selfless commitment to the people of Alaska.

For over 40 years "The Flying Dentist" faithfully practiced his profession throughout the entire state serving people from all walks of life. It has been said that Dr. McKinley would often render services free of charge for those who's circumstances called upon his generosity.

In the early 1950's, he was also instrumental in adopting legislation that limited the power of the State Dental Board thus allowing more dentists to practice in Alaska.

As a youth, Lee McKinley was one of four sons of an Arkansas meat peddler. It was his fathers faithful devotion to good will and hard work that would eventually create a solid foundation in each boy. Individually the boys sought public service in the fields of dentistry and medicine. All four have become professionals in their respective fields.

From this early beginning, Lee McKinley entered college on probation as he was without a high school diploma. Undaunted by the work that lay ahead, he pressed on to graduate and practice dentistry in Detroit in 1934.

By the mid-forties, Dr. McKinley and family became disenchanged with the city life. With his son Blake and another youngster, Dr. McKinley loaded up a Hudson pickup and started out for Alaska.

Thus began the illustrious service of Dr. Lee McKinley in Alaska.

We are honored to create a tribute to such a fine man that gave so much of himself to the people of Alaska.

(A complete history of Dr. McKinley is available through narrative and video tape in the museum archives)

And here's a bonus photo of the Matanuska Valley from Wasilla

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This is my contribution to Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta



A little more about Grandpa:

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm
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Jaywalking Geese

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Help a Lazy Girl Appease Her Curiosity

Ok, all you botany experts out there: I need help figuring out what this plant is. It grows at one of the UW buildings about 2 blocks from my apartment. I didn't notice it until a week ago, although I've walked past this building daily for nearly a year. I don't know if it's pink all year round, or just in the fall.





The "flower" seems to actually be some kind of pod that contains a moist orange fruit like substance inside.



Have any of you seen this before? Do you know what it is?

I'm sure I could probably do some research on my own, but that would be way too much like homework. :)
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Rednecks

We found some awesome Rednecks for Obama bumperstickers and T-shirts.

Then Mr. H decided to redneck his facial hair.

“We Hunt, Fish, Drink Beer and Support Barack Obama”

rednecks4obama.com

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Patience

Sometimes getting the perfect shot can be a little frustrating and take quite a bit of patience. Most (if not all, I'm not sure) digital cameras have a significant delay between the moment you press the shutter button until the point at which the camera responds to the command. As a result, I have a library of photos taken just after the expression, or the smile fades, or the bird flies away, or in the case of these photos, just after the wave crashes.

Photographing a wave crashing means you need to pay attention to the timing of the waves. Spend some time just watching them crash over and over. What sounds does the ocean make at each point in the wave's lifecycle?

Then take lots of pictures trying to hit just before that perfect moment to accommodate the delay in the shutter response.

And don't be afraid to get your feet wet.





Then the blanket your husband is wearing as a cape because he forgot to bring a coat shows up in the picture.






And the cape is still in the picture when you finally get a shot of the wave crashing.



So you reposition to get an angle that does not include an ancient airplane blanket and try to pick up the rhythm of the ocean again.



every once in a while you get a cool shot, but it may not be exactly the shot you're trying for.



so you keep trying



Well, I got a little splash there.



Oh, that's a little better.



And finally, I got the shot I was waiting for.


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