tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681203181235497532012-01-31T18:49:45.167-05:00HereMeredithnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-52324354819043486432011-08-06T13:40:00.002-04:002011-08-06T14:09:59.020-04:00

Even at the shore it was hot this week, but getting up early to take some photos takes the edge off. First a walk to the bay, some early fisherfolk had beat me to it, but it was pleasant anyway. Not to be deterred, I headed for the beach and found a few things to snap. A sandy blue lifeboat is always a good subject. And finally a view through the lifeguard stand. Give me an

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-65792552458173020392011-04-11T17:36:00.000-04:002011-04-11T17:36:03.008-04:00

Longwood in early spring. A willow just coming into leaf down near the Italian Water Garden. Sunday April 10 was a bit cool and overcast, not much was in bloom yet but the promise is everywhere. Give it a few more weeks and this place will be popping. I went to hear a lecture on "Beyond Beauty" which was given by the head of the horticultural staff and was aimed towards explaining where and how

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-84680916080828648982011-04-01T09:43:00.001-04:002011-04-01T17:00:31.253-04:00

I suppose, in a way, it's cute that Mother Nature wants to play along on April Fool's Day. On the other hand, some of us are losing our sense of humor at her antics by now. Go Phillies!

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-84683096056975019192011-02-02T16:54:00.001-05:002011-02-03T11:02:09.751-05:00

Or thereabouts.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-28642900375290625612010-12-21T16:30:00.002-05:002010-12-21T16:54:59.319-05:00

Last night's lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice and the longest day of the year to create such an incredible din in my head that I had no choice but to stay up and see it for myself. After all, as everyone on every news show that talked about it reminded me, this is my last chance since another such event will not occur until 2090 and I, if not all of us, will be long gone by then.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-71960389740265978702010-11-24T14:06:00.002-05:002010-11-24T16:47:12.843-05:00

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-60690584723930856772010-11-15T16:59:00.003-05:002010-11-15T17:15:23.817-05:00

I love the Shore anytime, any season, but it's especially nice in the late Fall. The header picture was taken at the end of Madeline's street looking out to the bay. I think the golden color the marsh grass turns in the Fall is striking. The last photo was the Saturday-night sunset taken from her deck. If I'd known it was going to be so spectacular, I'd have headed down to the bay again, but it

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0Sea Isle City, NJ, USA39.14736896349185 -74.7035980224609439.13904846349185 -74.71818902246093 39.15568946349185 -74.68900702246094tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-77159325357959111122010-11-10T15:55:00.002-05:002010-11-15T17:45:55.922-05:00

Siena streets exhibit the flags of the contrada or wards, the divisions of the city still in effect from medieval times. Each contrada has its own flag, mascot, animal and these districts are fiercely competitive especially during Palio (horserace) times. The flags make for a colorful street scene.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1Sienna, Italy43.328174695525846 11.332397460937542.828693195525844 10.3985594609375 43.82765619552585 12.2662354609375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-38408601058726089192010-09-05T15:55:00.003-04:002010-09-05T16:12:10.673-04:00

" "> It won't be long now...heading to Florence and Tuscany, and the first thing I want to do is have a gelato. So, I'm studying up. I've been learning how to decipher the flavors (I'm going to try cioccolato con peperoncini paired with maybe a caffe or maybe a fior di latte. Yes that sounds just right.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-14036713169907423312010-06-29T14:18:00.002-04:002010-06-29T14:23:44.307-04:00

IT was love at first sight. Henry James was 26 when he crossed the border from Switzerland and made his way, on foot, down into Italy — “warm & living & palpable,” as he wrote ecstatically to his sister on Aug. 31, 1869. The romance kindled that day lasted nearly 40 years, and played a significant part in his career; he set some of his greatest works in Italy, including “Daisy Miller,” “The

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-48754115150418345242010-06-17T15:50:00.008-04:002010-06-17T16:21:43.959-04:00

Photo from the Guardian.uk.coWave rolling up on the shores of the GulfYou could hardly believe it; it was truly cringe-worthy. Uriah Heep at his best. Just a few minutes into the congressional grilling of BP CEO Tony Hayward, this bozo makes a statement apologizing to BP for the government "shake-down" they were subjected to yesterday by President Obama's demand for the $20B fund to help restore

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-11480787101389518322010-06-17T09:14:00.005-04:002010-06-17T09:27:20.260-04:00

uite excited to be off to the shore for a good long stay with my friend. We hope to get to the beach, Cape May, and visit some friends. I know this post is lame, but I need to get rid of the Lost post. Old news. A couple more things: did you see Rachel Maddow deliver the speech President Obama should have given? I don't want the White House to hire her away from her real job, but they should give

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-78538235410717483192010-05-23T13:33:00.007-04:002010-05-23T13:50:36.070-04:00

An Inquirer columnist today said Lost fans are either extremely discerning pop-culture junkies or gluttons for punishment. Whatever they are, they are going to sorely miss their usual Tuesday night appointment with the heroes and villains of Lost. It's hard to believe for those of us who never missed a show...no more Jack, no more Locke or Sawyer or Kate. No more Des. It's like saying goodbye to

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-30405559418132373362010-03-28T17:03:00.003-04:002010-05-14T14:00:32.467-04:00

Ain't it the truth.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-40221699204280612822010-02-11T11:06:00.010-05:002010-03-01T15:57:06.565-05:00

Yesterday the sky fell on us. Never in my life do I remember this much snow practically all at once. First we had a huge snowfall over the weekend. I measured 19 inches on the table on my deck. Just as we got dug out of that, yesterday's blizzard hit. This time I measured 18 inches on the same table which I had completely cleared before the new snow started to fall. The weather people are

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-7290246134958411932009-12-19T16:02:00.002-05:002009-12-19T16:06:37.393-05:00

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-90215712842992738852009-09-14T12:37:00.002-04:002009-09-14T12:42:40.751-04:00

A man named Jarbas Agnelli saw a newspaper photo of some birds sitting on a wire. The photo inspired him to write a song based on the position of the birds. Aren't people amazing?Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-72241084003964699362009-08-18T08:18:00.003-04:002009-08-18T08:23:29.837-04:00

You can download a free! action over at CoffeeShop Designsthat will swiftly (it took me less than 30 seconds to do)create a diptych of a couple of your photos and resize it to fit your blog. Thanks CoffeeShop!

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-79950113409251948342009-08-10T14:09:00.005-04:002009-08-10T14:25:09.071-04:00

This is going to be a big movie week for me. I haven't been to the movies since before Christmas due to Bill's accident, but he has agreed to try it tomorrow to see Julie & Julia and on Friday The Time Traveler's Wife is being released. I'm so looking forward to this and I really like the cast...Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. I hope they make beautiful music together in this film because I so

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-13373976734865427202009-08-05T12:28:00.002-04:002009-08-05T12:33:26.869-04:00

This is an incredibly cool and clever poem set, not to music, but to--you know-- typography.Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-60309386933766457222009-08-04T13:01:00.004-04:002009-08-04T15:02:41.978-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyYou may have heard by now that the Republicans are madly trying to disrupt any and all discussions of the Health Care Bill now being worked on by congress. They have been advised to infiltrate all the Town Meetings where this subject is being discussed and just keep yelling and harrassing the speakers until they are so

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-14177958573661828492009-08-04T12:31:00.002-04:002009-08-04T12:32:24.434-04:00

Here's the pretty little thing we made this morning in my class.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-44192566700146496892009-08-03T08:00:00.003-04:002009-08-03T08:08:54.368-04:00

I've been obsessed lately with textures and overlays to give photos a dirty, grungy, kind of look. They take some experimenting with blending modes and opacity levels to get what you want, but it's fun to try different treatments. Here are a couple of originals and their new looks.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-18020416227600870392009-07-18T10:17:00.005-04:002009-07-18T14:52:29.606-04:00

Today in my class we learned to make a 9-space collage. I've been fooling with my Cape May photos for over a year now, and so I decided to use them for my collage. I got quite a few pictures that I love on that trip. I'm also toying with the idea of having some of them printed out as 8 x 10's because Mpix has a sale going on this weekend on that size. They really do a beautiful printing job. I

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-76802758908943034152009-07-17T10:23:00.005-04:002009-07-17T10:32:24.763-04:00

Every year our fire company sponsors a town fair. It's held on the town fairgrounds, a large lovely field surrounded by homes and playgrounds and war memorials. The fair comes and sets up all the rides and games and food stands and it feels like it could be 100 years ago and it feels like it could be nowhere but in the United States of America.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-56097105558022885492009-07-11T16:19:00.003-04:002009-07-11T16:27:05.065-04:00

This urn was interesting to me in the original, but since I took Jessica Sprague's free class this week, I decided to fancy it up.I used the following three textures, which you just layer on top of your photo any old way that looks best to you. Then you use the Photoshop blending mode "soft light" to blend all the layers together.I like what it did to the urn.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-38838884355838869922009-07-10T10:33:00.002-04:002009-07-10T10:34:44.869-04:00

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-8804042173482234632009-07-09T10:00:00.008-04:002009-07-10T10:21:13.723-04:00

Today is the last day to vote for a wild-card player in the All-Star Game to be held next week. As a loyal Phillie's fan, I urge you to cast your vote for Shane Victorino, aka "the Flyin' Hawaiian" as the final NL All-Star. If you missed last night's game, Shane drove in a run in the bottom of the ninth for a Phillie win, but that's not all that recommends him as an All-Star. He's a great runner

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-4105078894844671772009-07-04T08:57:00.002-04:002009-07-04T10:14:28.547-04:00

What a perfect day to celebrate this great country of ours. Hope you have fun.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-1387538590459239262009-06-28T11:19:00.007-04:002009-06-28T14:07:35.134-04:00

This may sound strange, but I like to browse in liquor stores. I like to look at all the interesting displays and the beautiful wine labels and pretty bottles. This week I was captivated by the vodka section. There are some really wonderful looking bottle shapes and design work on vodka bottles. And there are so many different kinds of vodka, you wouldn't believe it. Well, you might, but I was

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-59548447808391439232009-06-24T16:39:00.003-04:002009-06-24T16:41:34.207-04:00

Happy Birthday, you little cutie.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-28934932041149666182009-06-20T08:17:00.007-04:002009-06-21T11:37:37.938-04:00

This is officially (according to me) the wettest, darkest, coolest spring on record. My flowers and vegetables are just languishing around, too sopping wet to do anything but try to dry out. I've taken to putting everything under the eaves or tables trying to keep the rain off for a while. The lack of sunshine is making everyone crabby and depressed. Who would have thought you could get SAD (

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-73923683354848342332009-06-12T16:29:00.004-04:002009-06-12T16:51:29.958-04:00

Click on the photo to make it larger I put a button or badge or whatchamacallit on the left side of my blog announcing a Photo Editing Course taught by Jessica Sprague. I have taken just about every photography course she offers and I can assure you that she seriously knows her stuff. Her courses are written for PhotoShop Elements and the regular Photoshop and if you want to improve your pictures

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-48509585273470998922009-06-11T16:21:00.003-04:002009-06-11T16:22:06.559-04:00

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-67264228286568390342009-06-10T12:21:00.015-04:002009-06-12T08:54:49.504-04:00

This year's annual Library House Tour was more of a garden tour than a house tour and still more of a disappointment. I got scolded at the very first house for taking photos OUTSIDE! You've never been allowed to take pictures inside, which I completely understand, but for the first time, even outside was off limits. The heck with that. That's one of the reasons I go to the tour in the first place

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-77058026272082781922009-06-02T15:33:00.002-04:002009-06-02T15:35:23.711-04:00

Now, if he could just teach Republicans to do this, we'd really be getting someplace.Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-72756503651520252942009-05-19T09:23:00.002-04:002009-05-19T09:25:50.829-04:00

If you missed this on World News last night, here's the kind banker from Seattle who catches and escorts ducklings to safety. It's a nice story at a time when there aren't very many nice stories. From what I read, the mother duck has laid another nest in the same place so I guess he's got a steady job even if the banking one doesn't work out.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-81039755016057663912009-05-03T13:57:00.006-04:002009-05-03T15:14:14.939-04:00

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyondany experience, your eyes have their silence:in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,or which i cannot touch because they are too nearyour slightest look will easily unclose methough i have closed myself as fingers,you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens(touching skillfully, mysteriously) her first roseor if your wish be

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-53149251661572103742009-05-01T09:33:00.012-04:002009-05-14T08:27:20.007-04:00

Everyone knows newspapers are in trouble. Many have folded in the last few months and more will go this year. Advertising started going downhill in 2008 and, now, with the worsening economy, it is expected to go even lower. Even my beloved Inquirer is facing serious problems, declaring bankruptcy earlier this year and intending to close down The Daily News, the smaller of its two papers.We used

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-36876559842298025252009-04-30T08:04:00.003-04:002009-04-30T08:09:00.679-04:00

From Isaac Mizrahi's new spring collection .I guess it would have to be if you ever wore this. This is just wrong. I hope it doesn't catch on.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-66611701287429358622009-04-28T17:04:00.004-04:002009-04-29T08:08:34.786-04:00

It's not like you haven't heard this, unless you live under a rock, but Arlen Specter switched political parties yesterday and thus will be running as a Democrat in the 2010 senate race. The reason this is such a big deal is that the Democrats, who already have a majority in the Senate, now have one more. One more, you say. So what? And why did he do that anyway?Arlen Spector has been the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-15204558888433945112009-04-24T15:37:00.002-04:002009-04-24T15:41:03.181-04:00

What lovely, delicate things Mother Nature gives us. Today is so beautiful, it almost takes your breath away. Everything straining to burst and bloom, from the tiniest flowers like these to the tallest trees. I almost stepped on these little beauties until I looked down and there they were scattered across the ground like the smallest of petals. Just so happy to smile at the sun.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-40678332293149792142009-04-21T15:37:00.003-04:002009-04-21T15:44:38.613-04:00

This is so cute. I know there's a lot of controversy about how much attention should be paid to Bo, but this is cute. I'm sorry, but it just is.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-68841352473056198682009-04-20T08:50:00.009-04:002009-04-20T09:25:20.823-04:00

I'm really glad I didn't miss John Boehner on George Stephanopoulos's This Week show yesterday morning. If I had I wouldn't know to what we owe all the global warming that is ruining our Earth. George spent quite a bit of air time trying to get a straight answer out of Boehner who seemed to maybe not quite understand the questions. But he gamely did his best. Here's Boehner's response to GS's

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-72007451891577934582009-04-19T10:18:00.003-04:002009-04-19T10:23:28.479-04:00

Well, I'm thrilled! I was a winner in one of Pioneer Woman's Smarty Pants quizzes yesterday. I won a gift card to Amazon.com and the chance to participate in the big quiz tonight. I think it gets posted about 10:00 pm for me, so I don't have too much hope for that one. My brain's just not usually working at that time of night. Most of her quizzes are pretty hard, but yesterday's was only 4

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-36063010194413260442009-04-15T08:26:00.002-04:002009-04-15T08:27:19.666-04:00

If you didn't see this on World News last night, here's your chance to watch it. It's nice to see Simon smile genuinely for a change.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-D75CWbSgY

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-42662601489082978202009-04-13T16:29:00.003-04:002009-04-13T16:35:53.127-04:00

LOON WATCH: Right-wing fail in pirate standoffPosted using ShareThisNow what will these crazies say? You know, these people are loony, but they are dangerous. I wonder how they can continue with their nonsense. They appeal to the lunatic fringe and yet they receive prime time attention. I hate the way Keith Obermann gives so much air time to them every night. In fact, I rarely watch his show any

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-79352377179278927972009-04-12T08:58:00.002-04:002009-04-12T08:59:13.065-04:00

Happy Easter to all my lambs.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-74663850239076460662009-04-06T17:11:00.006-04:002009-04-19T14:58:08.718-04:00

You know the rest of that old saw..."is a dangerous thing." Quite true, in my case. I'm taking an on-line course in creating your own Web page just because I wanted to fool around with my blog and I wanted to understand the html code which looks like so much gibberish whenever I open it up. So, I'm on Lesson 4 of my course and I got the background in. Isn't it pretty? That's the good news. The

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-71427775512039189332009-04-01T16:01:00.013-04:002009-04-19T14:58:27.371-04:00

Kodak's new camera, just released today. What do you think?Here's how they describe it."What you see is what you get" Viewfinder - Now you can take that photo at the exact moment you see that special scene. Don't try this while driving as objects may be closer than they appear.Facial Recall Assistant - We have all been there...you are at a party, "I know her. Oh, geesh, she is coming this way...

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-58068598942242980592009-03-19T15:15:00.009-04:002009-03-20T09:38:52.344-04:00

The good news is tomorrow is the first day of Spring. That's always good news. We got through another winter. The worst is behind us. Balmy will soon be the order of the day. Now for the bad news.The bad news is that the final episode of Battlestar Galactica airs tomorrow night. Now before you tune me out, listen to this by Jack Myers of Mediabizbloggers.com:"The most politically engaging,

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-26118346403861483602009-03-14T17:42:00.010-04:002009-04-19T14:59:09.523-04:00

Longwood's foo dog I read this morning in the newspaper how some local people have had their foo-dog stolen. They are understandably upset because they have had their dog for many years and it is very dear to them. Not only that, but it brings them luck. Somebody or bodies snuck onto their front porch in the middle of the night and carted their dog right off. Foo dog statues are part of a long

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-29492071732711490402009-03-07T14:34:00.018-05:002009-03-17T13:36:48.537-04:00

Here is the grand entrance to The Philadelphia Flower Show with fountains, columns, statuary, pools all in great abundance.Wednesday was "Flower Show" day, sunny, cold, and so crowded probably due to Monday's snowstorm. Madeline and I persevered as we do each year, ducking around people, trying to get up close for a decent photo, and generally battling the surge of people around each of the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-4355986494551226312009-02-25T15:42:00.006-05:002009-02-25T20:49:57.303-05:00

Well, you can't. But you can play this fun game. Here's what you do:Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.Go to http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.Go to http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days Third picture,

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-91283553039084592842009-02-24T17:10:00.002-05:002009-02-24T17:11:43.666-05:00

Happy Birthday you little outlaw, you.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-25346974463559749802009-02-24T08:59:00.003-05:002009-02-24T09:01:36.040-05:00

I found a good site on Flickr for textures this morning. http://flickr.com/photos/bcommeberenice/sets/72157600039099755/ People are incredibly generous and give so much great stuff away on the web. I made this header with one of this lady's textures. Her other photos are wonderful too. These can also be used with other image-editing programs.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-54878561570654634752009-02-23T09:18:00.007-05:002009-02-23T20:53:22.459-05:00

My favorite thing about Oscar night was the set design. Gone were the overgrown clunky golden Oscar statues of other years and the deep dark orchestra pit and the long walk of the winners down the aisle tripping up the stairs to claim their prizes. The whole theater was redesigned by architect and designer David Rockwell who reconfigured the entire stage and theater into a more coherent and

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-64916337667137194432009-02-19T10:22:00.010-05:002009-03-17T13:40:45.089-04:00

How can you not love this show? We started watching a little late so we could spin the commercials and then the tape ran fast and skipped some show and I cried out, “stop, stop, go back,” and Bill said (drily), “don’t worry; I won’t let you miss one exciting moment.” And as soon as it was over, I wanted to watch it all over again (I didn’t).Last night was terrific. I loved that it mirrored the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-71258838235746783232009-02-18T09:21:00.006-05:002009-02-18T09:54:03.959-05:00

Yesterday President Obama signed the 1,100-page American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. This $787 billion stimulus package is meant to revive the American economy and provide jobs and tax cuts for millions of people in an effort to jump-start economic recovery. According to an e-mail he sent me this morning, the President says that citizens can track every dollar spent and every job

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-45005038361886345062009-02-15T13:48:00.009-05:002009-02-20T20:46:29.633-05:00

Chris's Frankie in "Remain Aloof" mode Your cat monopolizes your favorite chair or he/she insists on watching The Dog Whisperer when you really want to see Top Chef. And nothing you can say makes any difference; you just get ignored no matter how hard you plead, beg, cajole. Well, here's the answer you've been waiting for--the "Control-A-Cat" remote control. Simply point it at your cat, press the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-25652042468341415032009-02-13T17:33:00.012-05:002009-02-18T16:52:13.854-05:00

(click on the picture to read)This post requires a little backstory. When Bill and I finally decided our kids were responsible old enough to stay home alone for a few days, I used to write out long lists of instructions, chores and duties in the hope that one or another of them might happen to glance at it and at least feed the animals or lock the doors at night. I know now it was probably

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-20580235194631171082009-02-11T09:51:00.007-05:002009-02-11T10:16:27.509-05:00

Poor Arlen Specter is apparently in the doghouse with his Republican colleagues because he voted for the stimulus package along with two other Republican senators (Olympia Snowe [isn’t that the greatest name?]) and Susan Collins of Maine (“Maine!” is there some theme going on here?). Those three votes allowed the package to pass right under the noses of the Republican portion of the Senate and

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-33132827391366908552009-02-06T10:06:00.004-05:002009-02-06T10:09:50.874-05:00

It's so cold and wintery here; it's definitely time for an adventure. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? A tropical island maybe? Or would you dare go on a once-in-lifetime Australian Walkabout? Would you want to explore ancient ruins, swim with the sharks, or cavort with polar bears? All these travels are possible on Ajira Airlines and for just $87.00 a trip. Check out their offer to

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-49047740066162989362009-01-30T09:06:00.007-05:002009-01-30T09:36:53.242-05:00

To Arlen Specter (U.S. Sen R-Pa)RE: Stimulus Package"I am extremely disappointed in all the Republican senators, and you in particular, during this time of national emergency. I would strongly urge you to think about the plight of this country and forget petty partisan politics that get neither you nor us anywhere. I can assure you that, as a registered Republican in the state of Pennsylvania,

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-85382027996647384452009-01-24T09:38:00.010-05:002009-01-25T09:05:01.900-05:00

So I am innocently reading a book by Paul Theroux called Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. He begins in London and takes the train to Paris, then to Vienna, on to Budapest, Bucharest and finally to Istanbul for the first leg of his long journey. Theroux has a very distinctive voice and you know this is not a typical travelogue by the end of the first page even if you're not familiar with his

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-91837551132177120782009-01-21T15:55:00.002-05:002009-01-21T17:12:51.509-05:00

We forgot our country was meant to be a place where people could live a happy life, free from fear, from want, from religious persecution, from unjust punishment, and from a totalitarian form of government. We got reminded of those things yesterday and it was like the lightbulb moment. Smack forehead! "Oh, that's what we forgot!" Barack Obama reminds us of our great strengths as a nation and as

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-16227634871912203072009-01-16T08:46:00.008-05:002009-01-16T16:53:59.315-05:00

President Bush has made his last official appearance before the American public and is now ready to hightail it out of town. I have watched several speeches and interviews he has given over the past week or so and marveled at the distorted reality he leaves as the legacy of his administration. For instance, in his final press conference on the 12th, he speculated about what he could have done to

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-965586010419455012009-01-01T17:37:00.003-05:002009-01-16T16:55:31.653-05:00

Dust if you must,But wouldn’t it be better to paint a picture,or write a letter,Make a card or plant a seedPonder the difference between want and need?Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,Music to hear and books to read,Friends to cherish and life to lead,Dust if you must but the world's out thereWith the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hairA

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-23587513221182697382008-12-31T15:02:00.003-05:002008-12-31T15:34:57.150-05:00

So 2008 is over and let us breathe a sigh of relief. It was a hard year in many ways for many people, but here's to 2009--may the New Year find us full of hope, inspiration, and the spirit of renewal.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-11862931736317633602008-12-27T10:49:00.028-05:002008-12-27T17:20:38.656-05:00

I am clueless about music. I rarely listen to it and most of the time it's just intrusive background noise to me, but there was a story in today's Inquirer about this song (which I do happen to like) that I found fascinating. Here's the story in a nutshell. "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, a song that is almost 25 years old, rose to #1 on the charts in the U.K. this Christmas season. The most

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-22422473119504757792008-12-25T13:24:00.007-05:002008-12-25T13:36:56.603-05:00

Click on the photo to see the Christmas wishes of a third grade class who decorated this little tree for Christmas. The wishbone ornaments are a nice touch.It's not raining, it's not snowing, it's not icy. The sun is out and it's pretty mild compared to what we've been through all ready. So that is enough for a joyous Christmas for me. Hope it works for you too. What are your Christmas wishes?

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-53878061084491337242008-12-20T15:46:00.009-05:002008-12-20T16:14:04.321-05:00

Don't forget to feed the birds and squirrels and other critters in your yard this winter. In fact, before your kids even start opening gifts, have them take some breadcrumbs and seeds out for the birds to celebrate the day. Thinking of others is always a good idea for those who are so gifted themselves. Longwood Gardens has a great display of real trees outfitted with the most amazing ornaments

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-6103515863153594312008-12-19T11:01:00.006-05:002008-12-19T14:24:42.937-05:00

Snap, crackle, pop. The bubble of euphoria that surrounded P-E Obama seems to be bursting as his plan to have Reverend Rick Warren give the inaugural invocation was announced yesterday. To say Rachel was miffed last night would be putting it mildly as she called it a betrayal of a significant portion of the people who helped get him elected. The Reverend is apparently an evangelical pastor who

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-53291784075927569372008-12-16T16:44:00.015-05:002008-12-17T15:56:42.874-05:00

I'm not sure even Superman could leap this one; it's awfully tall and it made me dizzy to take this picture. This is the new Comcast Center, currently the tallest building in town, at 17th & Arch where we went yesterday to see the Christmas show in the lobby. The show itself is all a video, but what a video! The screen is immense: 83 feet wide and 25 feet high. Comcast says it's the largest 4

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-43291414600883667792008-12-14T10:22:00.001-05:002008-12-14T10:24:27.592-05:00

Sometimes amid all the frenzy and hoopla of the season, simple can feel just right.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-34049666246429142862008-12-12T08:44:00.010-05:002008-12-12T09:32:25.731-05:00

Now here's my question on the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich scandal. The Governor has done some very nasty things and is on the verge of impeachment. Probably heading the list right now is his threat to sell the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama to the highest bidder, but this is by no means all the evil he has perpetrated. The list is quite extensive. However,the senate seat issue is such

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-2378417184619366592008-12-10T14:46:00.002-05:002008-12-10T14:50:51.272-05:00

It's a dark rainy day here today, and I am thinking how nice it would be to go take a little nap. But I just got home from running a lot of errands and have too much to do. Miles to go before I sleep.On a happier note, I filled (yes, FILLED) my car today for $15.62. I was stunned. The guy at the cash register said, "I bet you hate getting change from a $20.00 at the gas station." I said, "I was

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-32387159608980463112008-12-07T09:29:00.001-05:002008-12-07T09:30:44.255-05:00

I knew mice weren't all bad. This one is in contention for an Olympic Gold medal.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-39581576233288386532008-12-05T15:21:00.005-05:002008-12-05T15:42:26.530-05:00

I mean it. Whatever you do, do not run out to your nearest Trader Joe's and buy these cookies . . . Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermit Joe Joe's. Just because they are the biggest mouthful of deliciousity you've ever tasted is no reason to speed to the store and stock up on them because they are only available during this time of year and once they're gone, they're gone. Good! You will have

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-38800273924332669402008-12-05T10:10:00.003-05:002008-12-05T10:41:21.801-05:00

This debate over whether or not to bail out the auto industry has gotten ridiculous. Congress blithely approved a 700 billion dollar giveaway to Wall Street giants and AIG with virtually no accountability or demands that they modify their business practices, but is making the automotive manufacturers grovel for a measly $25 billion to tide them over until the credit crunch eases up and people

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-25322560416807089602008-11-30T12:08:00.001-05:002008-11-30T12:11:05.488-05:00

Black Friday is over and retail sales were up 3% over last year. Despite the frightening economy, the home mortgage crisis, and widespread unemployment, we still went shopping. We have to shop, we are indoctrinated to shop--we have become a nation of shoppers. We shop online and in person. We shop every hour of every day. Sometimes we stand in line for hours or camp outside of stores all night

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-25275951640649403392008-11-23T14:11:00.008-05:002008-11-23T15:28:32.969-05:00

When we last we visited our intrepid pool builders, they were in the middle of renovating their pool and yard. I expressed much doubt that it would be completed in a few weeks as they had been told, but I have to eat some crow now. Yesterday, a mere 6 weeks since we last saw it, we arrived to find a beautifully completed project. The pool is up and running, despite frigid temperatures, and the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-66167930926721180612008-11-18T13:29:00.002-05:002008-11-18T13:49:59.316-05:00

Who said this? Ten points for the correct answer.The unassailable right to vote is the core principle of any democracy. And people have the right to cast their ballot for whomever they want, for good reasons, for bad reasons, or for no reason at all. Let’s face it, we as a nation are horribly uninformed when it comes to politics. Approximately one-third of the people in this country, people of

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-75890653023878661192008-11-13T15:12:00.013-05:002008-11-13T16:10:40.427-05:00

If you don't, you're missing a good thing. I just discovered her during the campaign and have since been watching her whenever I can. Her name is Rachel Maddow and she is a political analyist with a nightly show on MSNBC. That's channel 54 around here. She has a disarming freshness about her and I don't mean the nastiness you hear from many of the political commentators currently on TV. She can

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-12867908821816587392008-11-12T16:38:00.004-05:002008-11-12T17:24:45.730-05:00

Bill told me a nice story he heard today. Cole Hamels and his wife were in West Chester the other night eating dinner. Everyone in the restaurant knew who they were but didn't make any fuss or bother them one bit. They were able to eat in peace and privacy and enjoy their time together. It was only when they were obviously finished and ready to leave that the other customers arose and gave him a

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-80660541563185876202008-11-11T14:25:00.004-05:002008-11-11T23:02:15.111-05:00

Chris took me to see this cemetery a few weeks ago and we just stood in silence and looked at the gravestones that stretched as far as the eye can see in every direction. It was hard to take a photograph that could express the immensity. . .both of the place itself and how you feel when you look out at all that sacrifice. So many to honor.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-14024988844333089402008-11-09T16:28:00.007-05:002008-11-09T17:20:31.975-05:00

I've been feeling kind of at loose ends since the election. I don't know what to do now now that it's over and I don't have all that political stuff to read on the Internet.So to brighten myself up a bit, I am sharing a few blog posts that have touched me or amused me over the past few days. I hope you will enjoy them too. Only the first once is serious, but it is light and lovely. It is actually

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-47075598807664613012008-11-05T09:11:00.006-05:002008-11-05T09:57:34.149-05:00

I was so nervous last night I couldn't even watch TV. I saw up to the point they declared Pennsylvania and Ohio and then I went to bed. I couldn't stand to watch a night of indecision and waiting for results and thought I'd be better off waiting until it was final this morning, one way or the other. But, my goodness, didn't America come up big? A decisive victory and mandate from the people for a

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-44043013399311782312008-11-04T14:24:00.013-05:002008-11-04T15:09:30.078-05:00

Shepherd Fairey posterWe just came home from voting and, boy, was it an anticlimax after all the whooping and hollering. Just one man in front of us and about 6 doddering old ladies trying to get him signed in. God help the people who get in a longer line. This year the process was different from the last few times we voted. They handed us a manilla folder with a legal size sheet of paper in it

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-10071861920275205302008-11-01T15:03:00.007-04:002008-11-14T08:35:46.895-05:00

In case you didn't know, we had a big parade yesterday. A beautiful parade. The day was gorgeous, the crowd was jubiliant, the players were floating, literally. Philadelphia celebrated its World Champion Phillies in style and with much love. This city, so starved for heroes, embraced these "boys of summer" on a sparkling fall day to the pleasure and joy of everyone.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-77128626986429159442008-10-30T09:27:00.004-04:002008-10-30T09:42:06.166-04:00

It was the right thing. Our city has wanted a major championship for so long, and now we have it, and we are so happy. The Phillies took the field last night to resume the game suspended on Monday because of the nor'easter that drenched field, players, and hopes of a win, to score 2 runs and defeat the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2008 World Series championship. It was right for them to win and right

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-73546999386147965612008-10-28T11:24:00.005-04:002008-10-28T11:35:07.593-04:00

Photo from Philadelphia InquirerPoor Phillies. Poor fans. Poor anybody who was hoping for a Phillies' win last night. It was truly a miserable night. It wasn't just a little rain either. It was cold and windy and raining hard. They should have done something earlier than they did. Nobody could play in those conditions. Now, Tuesday morning it's still raining and blowing and wintery. What's to

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-7341606912762192872008-10-22T16:16:00.010-04:002008-10-22T16:56:26.998-04:00

Longwood has a fall exhibit of glass pumpkins on display. The pumpkins themselves are from Cohn-Stone Studio where you can find many more photos if you like glass fruit. The thing that really interested me is the clever way they've arranged them for viewing. The Longwood staff did the display, not the glass people, at least that's what we were told by the lady who seemed to be in charge of the

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-74852605430468408572008-10-22T09:47:00.001-04:002008-10-22T09:50:12.255-04:00

Sorry, Officer, it'll never happen again.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-90944242647787169992008-10-21T14:47:00.006-04:002008-10-22T09:52:35.272-04:00

Seriously. Is this necessary?These ugly signs are everywhere. I just wish I could catch somebody actually sticking them in the ground. Boy, would he or she get an earful. They turn the landscape into a toxic dump for their own stupid political preferences. What good do these signs do anyway? Does somebody riding along see one of these and think, "Oh, I'd better vote for this or that person." I

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-40351715337161078982008-10-18T18:21:00.001-04:002008-10-18T19:13:16.741-04:00

It's getting late, you know. The days are getting shorter and the air is cooling down. You need to restore your soul to make the long trip through winter, so get out now--before it's too late--and stroll around a garden. We are lucky here in Southeastern Pennsylvania to have a lot of amazing gardens to enchant us. One of the loveliest is Chanticleer in Wayne. Billed as a "Pleasure Garden," it's

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-9055623175107415842008-10-17T16:29:00.003-04:002008-10-17T16:52:25.449-04:00

I am telling this story because I just read one that reminded me of it in Paulz blog, only his was a lot more serious than mine. The ending just rang a bell with me. One day I decided to run to the grocery store on my lunch hour. I wasn't particularly rushed, but I didn't have a great deal of time to spare either. As I slowly moved down the aisle watching for a parking space, I saw one open up.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-5605517845525876902008-10-12T15:24:00.009-04:002008-10-12T17:28:15.059-04:00

Isn't this great? They have lots of cute halloween decorations inside and out. Love it.This post should really be called "Work in Progress" because it's mainly about Chris andShannon's pool project. They are in the middle of renovating their pool and yard, and it truly going to be gorgeous. Truly. It is.Here's where they are so far. This is the existing pool which will eventually be totally

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-75375890256636721012008-10-10T09:18:00.003-04:002008-10-10T09:29:40.909-04:00

I really don't: that's strictly your business. But I will say that before you vote on November 4th, read this article. It may make you think twice, or it may just confirm what you already think. Either way, voting in this year's election is possibly the most important vote you will ever cast, and I think you should be as informed as possible. This is a long article, I admit, but it is fascinating

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68120318123549753.post-19690062189318509052008-10-07T19:37:00.004-04:002008-10-08T13:17:54.594-04:00

Much to my chagrin, I am posting my only darling daughter's weekend escapade...sky diving. Never in my life would I have thought she would actually go through with it, for she is, you see, afraid of heights. Well, both she and Marc say it was the coolest thing they have ever done, so there's that I guess. Anyway, here she is in all her splendor.

Meredithnoreply@blogger.com0