Black Dot

Flowers? Whaaa???!

*Disclaimer: Adult content

Today I told my students that daffosils reproduce sexually. They were disturbed by this announcement.

*Disclaimer: Adult content is over.

What could I possibly have to say after this shocking announcement? How about one of my favorite poems? I don't remember when I first read this poem but I think it was in Mrs. Low's English class my Junior year of High School. She was an incredible teacher. So even if it wasn't her, she introduced my heart to poetry

This poem continues to be one of my favorite.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

Growing up in Puyallup, Washington led to my gaining an early appreciation of daffodils. The daffodil parade, daffodil fields, my mom loved both of these things. You can click on that link to read a poem I wrote about her. I should add a disclaimer that I'm no William Wordsworth.

Love Is the Coal That Makes This Train Roll

Last summer I took as many of my nieces as my car had seat belts for to the donut store for a field trip. Of course the Black Keys were playing on my car's woefully inadequate sound system.

My niece Callie was especially enamoured with the song Howling for You. If you're my niece, seriously, I'm gonna love you no matter what, but love was streaming right out of my heart as she was singing da da da da da, da da da da da . . .
So last night I was thinking "I wish Callie was here, she would love this!" while I was enjoying the magical moment of the boys singing it live.

Then I thought what kind of grown-up would bring a child to a rock concert?! There's a dude smoking pot (a couple of dudes) and the music is so loud that my pants are actually moving from the sound waves. Nevertheless what might not constitute a healthy environment for a kid at 10 o'clock on a school night was a pretty awesome time for the rest of us.


I can't express to you the coolness of this giant mirror ball. Last time I saw them it came out of a giant box, so when I didn't see the box I felt, I'm not gonna lie, a little disappointed. But the rest of the show was so great that I was willing to forgive and forget. But no, forgiveness was not required, the magical mirror ball of your dreams was lowered down from the ceiling and none of my hopes were dashed.

None.

All the hopes were realized.

Spring Break

I have very little motivation to get my chores done today. I have an entire list of things that I've been putting off until spring break, but now it's Friday and I still haven't done any of them. The dilemma before me now is should I get started on the chores or bum around all day? Both activities have a certain appeal. The default is to do nothing; such an attractive plan. But then I wonder when am I going to do laundry, get my oil changed, grade science fair projects, get a new cell phone, clean out the fridge . . . ? Maybe spring break 2013?

But it's Friday so it's time for the next segment of the ever popular Low Calorie Friday Treat.

Swing of Change from Swing of Change on Vimeo.

Happy Friday!

* * * update * * *

Accomplishments so far:

Changed out of my pajama bottoms.

Got a new cell phone.

Experimented with a new recipe for whole wheat waffles. Had to peel it out of the waffle maker but the taste was phenomenal.

Thought about doing a little laundry.

Yay me!

Crackling Is What's Happening

I was watching conference in the Stake center on Saturday afternoon and making so much noise with the pop rocks I brought to snack on that I had to move away from all the other people to an isolated area in the last row so no one starts wondering, who's the jerk eating pop rocks?

I can't lie about this, I love pop rocks, I adore them.

Ben and Jerry's used to have a flavor of ice cream called Kaberry Kabam, it had pop rocks in it. I wish they still made it.

Recipe tip: try strawberry pop rocks sprinkled on top of a bowl of strawberry ice cream, it's amazingly delightful.

I've also tried them in hot chocolate, but that takes a die hard pop rocks fan to appreciate, not for the masses; stick with the ice cream.