Lots of Shiny Things

from the Speller:

Place a bowl of prunes on the table. Are you able to reach that plain saucer? There are four lemons on a saucer. Place the melon on the table. Does he grow citrons in his garden? I bought that pretty saucer at a sale. Bring a bowl of water for the table. Place the melon on the scales. --What made your face so pale?

I love the unexpected question at the end. A sudden change of mood, suggesting there's more going on than we thought in this domestic scene. (I added the dashes.)

Today's NY Times reports that there will be a memorial service today, presented by the American Turkish Society, for the late Ahmet Ertegun, with several notables speaking, including Susan Steinberg. Ertegun made an impression on me when I was young and mostly ignorant because of his unusual name. I used to wonder if he was real. Years later, when I knew a little more, I realized that he was Turkish.

Also in the Times today is a story about pedicab drivers in New York. The subheadline is "Drifting Through Manhattan in a Pedicab, as Though Down the Mississippi on a Raft." The story makes me want to go to NY and ride in a pedicab. A driver says of his work, "You're outside all the time. You start when you want, quit when you want, take whatever days off you want. You're pretty much your own boss. It's one of the last bohemian jobs left." Sounds like great work to me, though it's being threatened -- of course -- by new regulations.

Okay, so there are more important things in the day's news, but this one caught my fancy.

Here are the miniature spring flowers, joining the crocuses and daffodils:

These are Iris reticulata. Next to them are Tete-a-tete daffodils, but I don't have a good picture. And here is my new mailbox, given me by my doctor-artist neighbor, whose house was formerly #9:

Views are of its west, south, and east-facing sides. Zack's ship is still supporting it but needs to be repainted to match the shiny new box.

One more note: March 7 will mark the 20th anniversary of -- ????

Wind shift

After three days of blowing to the east, the wind sock is headed west and the pinwheel's spinning. It's a blustery-but-not-quite-as-cold-as-before Sunday. The Craggy Mountains show white tops as I drive down Jupiter Road to Holcombe Branch. The song I sing is "Didn't he ramble?" The temperature is supposed to be 61 by Thursday.

Eternity

Please squint as you view this, see it as you would normally, driving distractedly by on your usual morning route, at 45 mph. It's more mysterious and fun that way.
But even with the sub-text, it' still mysterious.

Valentines

One of my blog muses began simply and has become, while still as interesting both verbally and visually, more intricate and extensive over the past years. Images especially, I was thinking, have become increasingly abstract and even edgy. Meanwhile, mine are icons of a romantic ideal of life. Maybe it's simply different sensibilities, but maybe the one is a better way to face life, less blind-eyed. But on Valentine's Day (late) it's fine to show lovely things.

The Valentines pictured above span six decades, more or less.

When you send a Valentine,

That's the time for fun;

Stick it underneath the door

And run, run, run.

That one's so satisfying to say. Here's another, a brief quotation from something still under copyright, Father Fox's Pennyrhymes, by Clyde and Wendy Watson:

Country Bumpkin

Pick a pumpkin

Put it in your heart:

For little Jenny

Half-a-penny

Valentine sweetheart.

Also from that lovely book is this, intended for the summer fair in its cycle of seasons, but appropriate for this day as well:

Huckleberry, gooseberry, raspberry pie

All sweetest things one cannot buy.

Peppermint candies are six for a penny,

But true love & kisses, one cannot buy any.

"Love's a sweet no money can buy." ~ Father Fox

[Ooohhhnnnhhh nnnnrrhhhhsnfsnfsnffsnffhrnffhehehe...]

~~~ "The past is a different country. They do things differently there."

Quick quiz: who do you hear saying these words, in a distinct intonation? Having seen, once, and then again, and again, Scorsese's movie of The Age of Innocence, how can I not forever after and always hear these words in Michele Pfieffer's voice?

But now there's a new voice on the block:

[Oh oh oh...stop for a gasp of breath [nnh nnh nnh], [wipe tears from eyes, blow nose] You know, I hope, about the "My Dinner With Andre" action figures, and the Remains of the Day lunchbox, (you do, don't you? I hope so... ) -- but do you know about the "Age of Innocence" Board Book? Go look -- it's on LibraryThing. Once you get there, you'll have to drill down a bit -- search for the book, then look at the variant editions and their tags. I'm not saying that you'll SEE the board book edition, but you'll see it listed. Maybe we can find it at wonderful Powells.