I may have to do another recording … I hear from up north I don’t sound so Texas-y at all … LOL

It’s weird, I tend to flip back and forth on the accent thing and it seems to depend on who I’m talking with. 

We’re about to head out the door … our church has an annual “Grillin’ & Chillin'” event in May.  All the guys (and gals) that like to barbeque bring out their big ol’ bbq pits and cook beef, chicken, and pork while the rest of us bring side dishes.  The BBQ teams are quite competitive, in a fun way … nothing too serious.  But there will be trophies awarded for the tastiest morsels in each category, plus an over-all champ.  And then the back-n-forth “just wait ’til next year” will begin late this afternoon when our bellies are all full and we’re headed home.  LOL  The best part for the kids is that the volunteer fire department brings out one of their trucks and sprays the water hose way up in the air for the kids to run around underneath.

Here are a few shots from last year’s event:

Some Texans take their BBQ setups VERY seriously!

But bigger doesn’t always mean better … Dexter won best over-all BBQ with this quite modestly sized BBQ pit.

AJ (my hubby) took his judging duties equally seriously …

The kids loved playing in the water provided by the local volunteer fire department …

This is my girl … I think someone put shaved ice down the back of her swimsuit …

And here are all the teams that participated in the cook-off.   Winners got cool aprons and trophies!

I saw this on SarahD’s Xanga and thought it would be fun to do here, too.  She got it from Southernlass … enjoy!

Make a video or audio recording of yourself saying the following words on the list:

Syrup
Cement
Route
Rural
Town
Oil
Juror
Lafayette
Havana

Tournament
Oregon
Water
Drawer
Idea
Wash
Terrible

Nine

Five

Park

Caramel

Car

Now

Tire

Thing

MOOOOOO!

This is the accent challenge for my blog of d00000000000m.

It’s 6:30 a.m. and I’ve not gone to bed yet.  Thing is, I have an appointment at 9:30 and I know that if I lay my head down, I won’t wake up in time.  I got a good night’s sleep Wednesday night, but Tuesday night I didn’t go to bed at all, either.  I have got to get a normal sleep routine going.  It just seems like I can get so much more done in the middle of the night … no interruptions, no distractions.  But it’s not healthy.  Not at all.

I’d better go see if I can take a little 30 minute nap …

Have a good one.

I have the sweetest husband … this past Saturday, he went with me to Fort Worth, Texas to a museum.  The Amon Carter Museum, to be exact.  Which required a round trip drive of 654 miles.  Approximately 10 hours total driving …

My husband … he is not the biggest fan of museums.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  He has culture, to a degree.  He loves music and will go to hear a symphony, a jazz band, zydeco … you name it.  He’ll go.  And he enjoys the occasional theatrical production.  He’s even been game enough to join our community theater guild … performing in our premiere season production, building sets for our second production, and serving as assistant director to our upcoming production.

But museums … unless it’s the Texas Surf Museum in Corpus Christi (to which I now owe him a trip), himself is not so much a fan.  So when he agreed to go with me on my little road trip, I was exceedingly grateful.

A few months ago, Smithsonian Magazine featured an article on the history of Autochrome, which was the very first color photography.  I’m not sure, but I may have blogged about it when I first read the article.  The article mentioned that The Amon Carter Museum would be featuring an exhibit on this important discovery in the history of photography.  Well, of course, I had to see it … I mean, Texas is big … but not so big that we couldn’t make a highpowered road trip to Fort Worth, right?

We made arrangements for our girl to spend the night with a buddy, since we planned to head out EARLY Saturday morning.  Our original time of departure was scheduled for 4:30 a.m.  I felt pretty good about the fact that we left at 4:50 a.m.  (I’m notorious for running late, so 20 minutes was not too terribly bad …)  The weather was a bit dicey, in that we had a gorgeously scary lightning show until we got to Houston.  But once we hit the north side of H-town, things cleared up a good bit and the weather was beautiful for the remainder of our day.

In addition to the autochrome exhibit, there was an exhibit of snapshots dating from 1888 to 1978 … it was very interesting, too.  People are so funny when someone has a camera!

Regarding the pictures I took below … when I checked in at the museum, I was told that I could take pictures of anything in the museum’s permanent collection, but exhibits on loan were off limits.  The gal in the bookstore (where I filled out my photo permit) said the snapshot exhibit was on loan from the National Gallery of Art and off limits, but she told me the autochrome exhibit belonged to the Amon Carter, so it was okay to take pics of that exhibit.

You can imagine how awkward it was when a guard told me (after I’d taken several pics of the autochrome exhibit) that I was not supposed to take pictures of it.  What the????  I even pointed out where one of the annotations makes reference to the exhibit belonging to the museum.  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Hmm???  Strange.”  A few minutes later he walked back over, said he’d checked with his boss, and sure enough, the autochrome exhibit was off limits.  He grinned and said, “But you got away with taking a few.  I’m not going to confiscate your film.”  (I didn’t dare tell him that my camera was a digital that the pics could easily be deleted from … my thinking is this:  I wouldn’t have taken the pictures if I hadn’t been told it was okay.  I’m not planning on using them in any kind of way to make money.  They are for my own personal use.  And the annotation makes reference to the “autochrome holdings in the Amon Carter Museum …” indicating the museum owns the autochrome exhibit, and therefore photography of same should be permissible.)

So here are my legal and “illegal” shots from my visit to Fort Worth. 

This display case shows the components of the glass plates used to take autochrome photographs.  The powdery substance is potato starch that has been dyed orange, green, blue, and white.  The black substance is carbon black.  The colored powders are mixed together and spread on the plate with an emulsion (I hope I’m remembering this correctly … it is quite technical).  Then the carbon black is used to “fill in” any spaces that are not covered by the colored powders.  I am still not certain exactly how it works, but the colored powders somehow cause the exposure on the glass plate to result in a colored image, rather than a black and white one.  Simply amazing.  I think I am most amazed that two French brothers were sitting around the photo lab one day (at least that’s how I imagine it) … having lunch, and one says, “What eef we take zee potato and wee make zee powdair …”  “Oui, oui!  And zen we add zee colours to zee powdair … non?” 

Is this not a simply breathtaking image?  It looks like a watercolor, and yet it is a photograph!  Just beautiful … and all this before Photoshop ever existed.  Ha!

Since himself was such a good sport about being dragged to Fort Worth, we had lunch at Angelo’s. Here’s some interesting trivia from their website:

If it’s good enough for the big dude at Neiman Marcus … well I suspect my guy will like it.  🙂  (And he did.)

This has nothing to do with either the exhibit or lunch.  But I thought it was a pretty cool sign and so I took a picture.  Fort Worth actually has an abundance of old neon signs that would be a blast to photograph on another road trip.  Sadly, we had a long drive home and so I was only able to get a few.  Maybe the others will show up in another blog down the road.  We’ll see!

Our homeschool co-op is going through a transition.  The wonderful woman who originally organized it and has directed it for three years since its inception is “retiring.”  We are very blessed that one of our moms, a very bright and organized woman who’s been homeschooling for about 10 years now has agreed to “take it on.”  I’m very greatful grateful, because the program is very important to Jami for a couple of reasons:  (1) an opportunity to see her friends and (2) an opportunity to take classes that either I don’t have the confidence to teach or would just be better taught by someone more experienced.

Our new director sent out the schedule today so that those who are teaching classes can go ahead and put their kids on the roster for the classes they would like to take.  Since AJ and I are teaching a class in the afternoon (more on that in a bit), Jami is part of the lucky group who gets “first dibs” on the classes offered.  Here is her Thursday co-op schedule for 2008-2009:

• Composition with the Great Scientists (Each week the students will be writing multi-paragraph compositions on famous scientists in history — she took a similar class this year focusing on great composers.)
• Health & Babysitting (At the end of the course, students who complete the studies satisfactorily will become “certified babysitters” … pretty cool, huh?)
• Health & Fitness (I know this seems like a bit of overlap with the above, but we are not the healthiest family in the world, and I think the emphasis will be very helpful for all of us.)
• Lunch
• Latina Christiana 1 (I purchased a Latin curriculum a couple of years ago, but it was Greek to me.  Ahem …. anyway, we did not use it and so I am excited that one of our teachers is offering this.)
• Abeka 7th Grade Math (Self-explanatory …)

Now regarding the class I am teaching … I found a Photography Unit Study on-line.  It was very reasonably priced and so I purchased the download and printed it out.  I think it is perfect for our group of kids.  I think I will enjoy teaching it, because it combines two of my favorite things to do.  Here’s my course description.  Tell me what you think:

Someone once asked, “What is photography?”  The classroom responded with various technical comments regarding light and shadow.  For me, photography has always been a sort of visual poetry.  Not necessarily a group of words that rhyme, but an image that inspires thought, emotion, imagination.  If you think about it, most of the great works of literature, whether prose or poem were inspired by an event or image that was seen by the author.

In “Visual Poetry: Photography and the Language of Pictures,” we will be studying the science and art of photography.  As we cover topics such as shadows, lighting, focal points, foreground and background — putting what we learn to work by getting out there and making photos — we will use those photos as the catalyst for our writing.  The old saying “a picture paints a thousand words…” will be adapted to our objective as “a picture inspires a thousand words…”

The objective of our course is to help students learn to make photographs that tell a story, and use those photos as inspiration for their writing.  While the direction of this year-long exercise may seem to be mainly “photojournalistic” in nature, we do not want to stifle creativity by assigning only “just the facts” news stories.  In addition to writing assignments that are an integral part of the unit study, students will be encouraged to write human interest pieces, short stories, and poetry inspired by their photographs.  This is not to say that the photo must support the writing or vice versa – each should be able to stand on their own, independently.  The sole connection between the two is the inspiration that joins them.

At the end of this two-semester course, students will have created a notebook containing a portfolio of their photographs, critiques, lists, and written assignments.

Since there will be a wide variety of cameras in our class, it will take up too much of our instruction time for me to teach each individual student about his or her own camera.  Students will be expected to familiarize themselves with their cameras before the course begins in August.  I can help clarify any questions briefly (as long as the student brings the camera’s reference manual), but the majority of our class time is to be spent on learning about the art and science of photography, how to take good pictures and writing.  We will have two field trips, one in the fall and one in the spring – these will be for the purposes of getting out there and making photos.  We are going to be on the lookout for any gallery opportunities to view professional photographers’ work and if something suitable appears on the calendar, we may add that as well.


Materials List:

“Learn & Do: Photography Unit Study,” by Kym Wright. 
Each student will be responsible for ordering this text through http://learn-and-do.com/photography.htm.  The book (78 pages) can be ordered as a printed book for $15.95 (postage included) or as an eBook for $13.95 (you will be given a download link after payment has been made).

3-ring notebook
Dividers (“Photographs and Critiques”, “Lists”, “Experiments”, “Written Assignments”)
8 1/2 x 11 acid free paper (we will mount photos selected for your portfolio on this paper – you can find it in the scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart)
Photo mounting tape (also available in the scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart)
Lined paper for lists, critiques, and written assignments
Colored pens for captions and descriptions of the photographs
16 x 20 Foam Core Board (used to prepare a County Fair entry using a photo selected by each student from their own work)

Film or digital camera
Traditional film or memory stick, depending on camera
Flash ability (either built in, or a flash attachment for 35mm type cameras)
Access to either in-store or in-home photo printer
Items for a homemade pin-hole camera (I will provide you with a list of items you can easily find around the house for this the week prior.)

So anyway, that’s that.  Well, I stayed up too late watching stupid movies (the first two Matrix flicks … maybe I’m dense, but they just seem like typical sci fi … I’m not seeing this huge religious allegory in them.  Well, kind of, but it’s a real stretch in my opinion.)  I need to get to sleep.  Maybe tomorrow I will watch the third one and see what I think of it.  Maybe all the pieces will fall together. 

P.S. — Forgot to mention that Jami is not taking the Photography class because (a) she needs the math class more and (b) I can do the photography at home with her.  She actually came to this very mature decision on her own. 

P.P.S. — Just so there’s no confusion, the unit study is not called “Visual Poetry”.  My course title and description are my own.  The unit study includes some writing assignments, but the photography/writing concept described above is my own development.  As a bit of a writer, I like to get credit for the things that are my own, as does anyone else who writes.  LOL  The new director forwarded the course descriptions along to the previous director to get her input and the previous director said, “Laura’s description makes ME want to take the course.”  After a rough week, I really needed that pat on the back. 

Well, I’m steeling myself for the onslaught of humid, sticky Texas weather … It’s not even 11 a.m. here and it’s 79 degrees outside, but the humidity is making it feel like it’s 83.  We are going to get a bit of a “fond farewell” from spring tomorrow and Sunday evening, in that the high/lows will be 75/52 and 75/51.  By the time April 20 rolls around, we’re expecting a high of 83, with a low of 70.  The humidity will make it seem much warmer though, I expect.  And by summertime, it will be nothing to have highs in the upper 90’s, and even a few triple digits. 

I do so wish I had the freedom to move somewhere where the high was about 65 and the low was about 48 – 52.  You know, the kind of coolness that requires the lightest of sweaters or jackets.  Just cool enough to feel crisp and put a spring in your step, but not so chilly as to make your teeth chatter.

Hmmmm …..

1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Mitzi Dakota

2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavour, favourite type of shoe): Rocky Road Flats

3. Your Native American name (favourite colour, favourite animal): Blue Kitty

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Lee Liberty

5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): JinLa

6. Superhero name (2nd favourite colour, favourite drink): Purple Coke

7.
NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): Willie Eugene Delmar

8. Stripper name (the name of your favourite
perfume/cologne/scent, favourite candy):  Cherry Blossom Chocolate

9. TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Mannahan Memphis

10. Spy name (your favourite season/holiday, flower): Winter Iris

11. Cartoon name: (favourite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Orange Jeans

13. Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favourite tree): Lemon Poppyseed Muffin Magnolia

Based on the above, I think I’d rather be a Rock Star, a TV Weather Anchor, or a Spy.  The rest of them are just pretty silly, don’t you think?

Signing off for now –

Mitzi Dakota

yesterday evening my niece was racing her little brother to the front door of my mom’s house.  He got there first, with her coming up fast behind him.  She didn’t stop until AFTER she put her hand through the glass window on the front of the door. 

ACK!!!!!

Fortunately, my sister-in-law lives right around the corner and she was able to take my niece to the ER in the same hospital where my sister (my niece’s mom) works.  (Just in case you don’t remember, the kids stay with my mom when their mom is at work, and my mom doesn’t drive …)

Krista was a real trooper.  She ended up with 20 stitches (5 internal, 15 external).  Angie (my sister) said the only time she got really upset was when they gave her a shot of lidocaine.  I’ve been told it’s a very painful injection to receive.  When it was all said and done, Krista got to hang out in one of the empty hospital rooms on my sister’s unit until she finished her shift and then they went home.  She made sure that her little brother knew that she didn’t blame him and that she loved him.  (He had some goofy notion that it was his fault …)

We are just giving God the glory because if she’d hit that glass a little differently, it could have sliced open an artery and she could have died.  Thank you, Lord, for watching over us even when we don’t realize it.