Pink October

I was able to keep the promise I made to myself to wear pink every day this month.  Pink isn't a common theme color in my closet, so I had to put quite a bit of thought into getting dressed; however, the unintentional and wonderful side effect of this was the reflection time it offered me everyday.  This path led from why I was wearing pink to thoughts of my loved ones to prayers for my girlfriend's mom and for an acquaintance who just went through a double mastectomy to reminding myself of all that I have to be grateful for.  For our mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and ourselves - let's continue to have hope and work toward a cure...

Halloween's Pink

Samhain

Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival.  During Mideval times, it lasted several days and marked the end of the harvest season and the coming of winter.  It was a time for taking stock of the herds and grain supplies as the freezes would enable the meat to be stored.  As part of the ceremonies, all village fires would be put out and bonfires would be lit.  Hearths would then be re-lit from the common fire.  People, and sometimes livestock, would walk through the center of two bonfires as part of a cleansing ritual.  Samhain also marked an end to the trade and warfare season and was a good time to hold tribal assemblies.

Witch Hands

We made these one year for a Halloween Party.  Easy, low on sugar, fun idea!  You can food color the popcorn or substitute a flavored popcorn if you want.  Just don't forget the accessories that jazz it up like the spider rings and the creepy-feeling ribbon.  Party on :-D

One More Snow Pic

This picture will give a good idea of how much snow we received - it was taken around 11:30 Wednesday morning.  Most of it was accumulated overnight, but it did continue to pile up throughout Wednesday.

As can be seen, I had already knocked off snow from the trees, but, based on their continued drooping, its easy to understand the massive amount of damage many trees in our area sustained.

Side note:  Check out the tomato cage :-)

Snow and More Snow

Pre 2 OSK-O

Snow continued to fall throughout the day yesterday, tapering off by late afternoon.  At 7 am"ish" Doug shoveled and I enacted Operation Snow Knock-Off to keep breakage to a minimum. By noon, Second OSK-O was implemented and seems to have been fairly successful.  The Aspen Trees sustained the bulk of the damage with several branches down and the Snow Crab experienced a significant split in a large branch.  We'll probably have to take that one down ourselves.  All-in-all, we lucked out in comparison to many of our fellow Fort Funners who had tree branches goes through their roofs and windows, land on cars, and had power outages.  We are Thankful :-)

Post 2 OSK-O

Talk about a change...

Yesterday

Today

Fall Fun??

Somebody really needs to get out here with a rake...

Haunted House

Haunted House
- by Jack Prelutsky

Tonight they have their party,
All the lights are burning bright,
But oh we will not go inside
The haunted house tonight.

The demons there are whirling
And the spirits swirl about.
They sing their songs to Halloween.
"Come join the fun," they shout.

But we do not want to go there
So we run with all our might
And oh we will not go inside
The haunted house tonight. 

Twister Man??

After I told my son that he did not need to go into Starbucks dressed as a Zombie, this is who showed up...

Critter Cam

This little guy is usually running all over the place, but I caught him in a quiet moment.  He didn't seem too happy to be the object of my attention...

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble...

From Shakespeare's Macbeth:


A dark cave. In the middle, a caldron boiling. Thunder.
                Enter the three Witches...

       1 WITCH.  Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

       2 WITCH.  Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.

       3 WITCH.  Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!

       1 WITCH.  Round about the caldron go;
    In the poison'd entrails throw.—
    Toad, that under cold stone,
    Days and nights has thirty-one;
    Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
    Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

       2 WITCH.  Fillet of a fenny snake,
    In the caldron boil and bake;
    Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
    Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
    Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
    Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—
    For a charm of powerful trouble,
    Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

       3 WITCH.  Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;
    Witches' mummy; maw and gulf
    Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
    Root of hemlock digg'd i the dark;
    Liver of blaspheming Jew;
    Gall of goat, and slips of yew
    Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
    Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
    Finger of birth-strangled babe
    Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,—
    Make the gruel thick and slab:
    Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
    For the ingrediants of our caldron.

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

       2 WITCH.  Cool it with a baboon's blood,
    Then the charm is firm and good.

Cyndi's Painting

Jan and I went to view this yesterday. The painting is entitled "Bone Marrow" by Cynthia Hurtubis and is on display at the CSU Student Center.  It is located above the stair case right outside the Greek Life office.  (Tar, Oil, Ink, Charcoal on Canvas - 72x72 inches) 

Cyndi was my Kappa Delta Big Sis.  I met her in 1986 and what I remember most of about her was her amazing smile, her creativity and her constant encouragement.  

Cyndi went to paint with the angels in August 2003.    

Looking for Fall...

Yesterday was the first time it actually felt like Fall was here...  Cooler temps, brisk wind, partly sunny.  I set off in search of Fall color and, although it's mid-October, can still only find a few pockets of evidence.  This is down near Arapahoe Natural Area in SE Fort Collins.

5 Little Pumpkins

FFive little pumpkins sitting on a gate,
The first one said,
"Oh my, it's getting late."
The second one said,
"But we don't care."
The third one said,
"I see witches in the air."
The fourth one said,
"Let's run, and run, and run."
The fifth one said,
"Get ready for some fun."
Then whoosh went the wind,
and out went the lights,
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

'Tis the Season for Change... Maybe

You know Fort Collins has been experiencing unusually warm temperatures when I'm still leaving the ceiling fan on and the window open at night...  Not that I am complaining - I love it!

On the downside, we don't yet have much indication that the seasons are changing.  To me, the best part of Autumn is color - lots of deep, rich, warm colors.  This maple is  just now starting to consider changing to it's fall hues.

Homecoming Dance Continued

The FCHS Homecoming activities wrapped up last night with the big dance...   This group is getting ready to head out for dinner.  Most of the girls are part of the FCHS cheer squad.  Talk about two lucky boys!

Homecoming Dance

Our Princess Bee is ready for the Ball...

Homecoming Week Continued...

Friday's Spirit Theme:  Class Colors
Seniors - Black
Juniors - Yellow
Sophomores - Purple
Freshman - White

Yellow is not her best color...  On the upside, she's only stuck in in for the afternoon as they performed at this morning's assembly in uniform :-)

Homecoming Week Continued...

Thursday's Spirit Day Theme:  Cowboys vs. Hippies

Doug pointed out that she wasn't wearing Lee or Wrangler Jeans...  She's never heard of those - lol!!

Homecoming Week Continued...

Wednesday's Spirit Theme:  Decades Day

One o'clock.  Two o'clock.  Three o'clock.
Rock...

Not sure about the Converse.  Maybe they are an update :-)

Homecoming Week Continued...

Tuesday's Theme:  Fashion Disaster

Personally, I don't think she looks that bad...  I'm trying not to be offended that she thinks my bike shirt is ugly :-P  In my opinion, the worst part of that outfit is the fake smile that says, "Just get this over with, Mom!"

Homecoming Week

It is Homecoming Week for FCHS!

Each day, the students have a themed spirit day - Monday is Neon Day...

Biker Doug

While it rained all day here in Fort Collins yesterday, the weather cleared up for Doug and his friends.  They are camping and biking in the Moab area.

This photo was taken by Yann Ropars - he can always be counted on to get great shots!

Changes Afoot...

Cold (40), cloudy and rainy is sure a change from the unseasonably warm weather we have been enjoying here in Fort Fun.  On the upside, I like the pattern the raindrops were making on my windshield :-)

No snow yet...

World Smile Day

A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.
 -- Author Unknown

Rest In Peace, Steve Jobs

"The world has lost a visionary.
And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success
than the fact that much of the world
learned of his passing on a device he invented,"
- U.S. President Barack Obama 

Joe to the Rescue

This very brave man's name is Joe... He's from Front Range Pest Control.

What I thought was mice or a squirrel in my attic, was actually a very large yellow jacket nest.  Fortunately, we heard them before they had a chance to burrow through the drywall.  Who knew they could do that?!?!

National Frappe Day

This is my current favorite:  Starbucks Caramel Frappaccino.  It's got, like, a gazillion calories with the extra whip cream and caramel drizzled on the top - yum!!

Mission Accomplished!

Finally got around to pruning those potentilla... No bandages or trips to the ER needed :-)

Discoveries:
That's a lilac bush at the end of the row - forgot it was there since the potentilla had almost outgrown it.

Wow - the stairs are wider than I remember.  You can't see them, they are just to the right of this pic, but they were getting covered from both sides.

Feels good to have gotten it done :-)

Pink for October

For my loved ones, and even just acquaintances,

who are fighting, who have fought,

who have survived, who have been taken - 

I will wear pink every day this month as a salute to you...

You are my heroes!!

KD Yard Art

Looking east down Laurel.

CSU Greek Life sponsored a Yard Art contest this week as part of the Homecoming activities.  Apparently, the judging was Wednesday, so I missed the full affect at the Kappa Delta House...

Looking at the house,
facing west down Laurel.