"Solitude"

by Alexander Pope

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground.

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire;
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest who can unconcernedly find
Hours, days, and years, slide soft away
In health of body, peace of mind;
Quiet by day.

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mixed, sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.

Thoughts?

Poetry

I've never been big into poetry, but the day after the ball I went to we all sat around in rocking chairs in the kitchen reading poetry aloud and drinking tea. Listening to a variety of styles and topics in the poems people chose made me realize that in neglecting reading poetry, especially older poetry, I was missing out.

So I mentioned to my parents that I needed to enlarge my horizons in the direction of poetry, and they went off together yesterday on another errand and returned with The Book of Living Verse, edited by Louis Untermeyer (which has, among others, some John Donne, George Herbert, Francis Thompson, and G.K. Chesterton), and Selected Poems, by Tennyson.

Very exciting! Thanks, mom and dad!

Marcy

Mooooo Part Twooooo

It isn't the best of pictures (I was a little preoccupied with listening to the "how to milk" instructions going on), but this is Marcy.

Mooooo....

We got our first cow today. Her name is Marcy. She has beautiful brown eyes. Pictures will most likely be posted in a few days.

I will never drink milk the same way again. I have a whole new appreciation of what goes into making that delicious frothy white stuff!

SCOTUS to Rule on the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban

"The US Supreme Court says it will rule on whether to uphold the first federal ban on an abortion procedure since terminations were made legal in 1973. It will be the first time an abortion case has come before the court since President George W Bush appointed a new conservative judge to the bench. The case concerns a law passed in 2003 that banned a form of late abortion. The law was never enacted because an appeals court said it made no exception to protect a pregnant mother's health... A number of states have already introduced their own bans on the partial-birth procedure, but the federal legislation would outlaw it across America."

Hat tip: Pumpkinhead, here

Tea time

I just bought a teakettle. Now I'm just waiting for it to whistle, and then I'll have some Lady Grey Tea!

What is your favorite kind of tea?

Home Again

I'm back at home!

*achoo*

I have a cold.

Twizzlers...

make great straws, but don't try them on tea. That is just gross. Sparkling cider is much better.

I'd think of some other important information to impart to y'all, but the clean dishes await me to put them away, so that is all for now.

Update

The ball was last night. It was wonderful! (Thank you, "Junior" for your help with the dress! :-) Right now we're sitting around reading poetry aloud and drinking tea and eating chocolate with our feet up, recovering. :-)

Pairing Socks and Making Chocolate Snowflakes

On the Road

Scattered Thoughts

...from on the road.
Subdivisions look like mazes from the sky. I miss family and all at home, but am having a good time. Seeing people you haven't seen for a while is wonderful. Babies that were tiny now walk and run. Comfortable shoes are a must. Airplane food... no comment. More later if I have a chance, but for now that is all.

Announcement

For about the next two weeks because of traveling. :-)

Perspective