Sep9

dropped.

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‘when your first baby drops her pacifier, you sterilize it.

when your second baby drops her pacifier, you tell the dog: ‘fetch!’

*-bruce lansky

 

*  Bruce Lansky is an American author and internationally known children’s poet, anthologist and is often called ‘the king giggles.’ He has a passion for getting children excited about reading and writing poetry. Lansky’s poetry books—including A Bad Case of the Giggles, Peter, Peter, Pizza-Eater, Mary Had a Little Jam, If Kids Ruled the School, and Rolling in the Aisles – are among America’s best-selling children’s poetry books. He is also the editor of the middle-grade fiction series Girls to the Rescue and Newfangled Fairy Tales. Lansky has performed in more than 300 schools from coast to coast and enjoys his quiet time at home in Maine.
Sep8

‘i should have had the pickle.’ – preston sturges

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i’m always up for trying something new

after reading an article

about how to make

quick and easy pickles

i gave it whirl

 so simple

 tasted quite good.

—

here’s my recipe for what i call

‘Quickles’

buy a jar of your favorite dill pickles

store them in your refrigerator

eat them at your leisure

when you’ve finished off the jar

keep the brine

 make your own new batch of pickles

prep/cut up

cucumber spears, carrot sticks, green beans, onions, jalopenos, etc.

pack them tightly into your jar of brine

make sure they’re submerged

seal the jar

give it a shake

put in the refrigerator

after 24 hours or so

open your jar

and

voila

enjoy your new jar of

QUICKLES!

—

tips for safe quickle-ling:

– only use the same brine for one or two new batches to keep it fresh

-always store them in the refrigerator

-if the old liquid loses some strength, 

you can add a pinch of fresh salt, extra dill, or a splash of fresh vinegar 

 

—

‘in the last analysis, a pickle is a cucumber with experience.’

-*irena chalmers

*Irena Chalmers (1935-2020) wore many hats in the food industry. The author of more than forty books, she regularly contributed to such publications as The New York Times, Food & Wine, Gastronomica, Food Arts, and Nation’s Restaurant News. She was a founding member and past president of both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Les Dames d’Escoffier International, as well as a James Beard Foundation “Who’s Who” of Food And Beverage in America. Her first book won the 2008 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for the Best Book for Food Professionals in the U.S. and later, the 2008 Gourmand World Cookbook Award—Best Book for Food Professionals in the World.

Until her death, Chalmers divided her time between being a faculty member at The Culinary Institute of America, “The Last Word” columnist for Chef magazine, food essayist for WAMC/NPR Northeast Public Radio, blogger, consultant, and counselor to many about to embark on their own culinary adventure.

Sep7

a direct passage to the soul.

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national cinema day 2026 is listed as the 5th or 6th or 7tth or 12th of september

depending on the source

in honor of the holiday

i plan to celebrate it a number of times in September

beginning with one of my all-time favorite films:

 

Cinema Paradiso/Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, (Italian),  is a coming of age, nostalgic, sentimental, comedy, drama, all rolled into one, written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore in 1988.

 Set in a small town in Sicily, it is also a celebration of films and comes right from the heart. Mostly told in flashback, it focuses on the friendship between a young boy, Toto((Salvatore Cascio)), and an aging projectionist, Alfredo((Philippe Noiret), who works at the town’s cinema. When Toto  begins helping out in the cinema booth, he learns to love the magic of movies and develops a passion for films that shapes his life path.

Credited with revitalizing Italy’s film industry, Cinema Paradiso has been cited by some as one of the best films of all time, and a world cinema classic. It is particularly renowned for the ending , considered among one of the greatest endings in film history. It was a commercial success, received critical acclaim, and won several awards, including theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the Cannes Film Festival’s Grand Prix, and 5 BAFTA awards.

—

‘life isn’t like in the movies. life… it is much harder.

whatever you end up doing, love it.

the way you loved the projection booth when you were a little squirt.’

-Alfredo to Toto

 Ingmar Bergman described film as a direct passage to the soul.

 

—

credits: miramax films, 1988

Sep6

‘wild ducks and tomorrow both come without calling.’ -russian proverb

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-before-

skies dark and murky

tornado warning screaming

strong winds blow the trees

 

-after-

sun returns, wind stops

 clouds dot skies of powder blue

tornado moves course

—

 the ducks, one not-duck

unruffled play near river

with tall friend, heron.

 

—

‘more rain, more rest; more water will suit the ducks best.’
*Historically, the saying was used by farmers and outdoor laborers who were forced to pause their work and rest when a heavy downpour hit. While the rain halted human labor, it provided perfect, thriving conditions for water-loving ducks.
(and sometimes a heron too)

 

 

 

 

—

huron river, ann arbor, michigan, usa – late summer 2026

Sep5

marathon du medoc.

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The Marathon des Chateaux du Medoc 

is a famous 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon held every September

through the wine-producing vineyards of the Médoc region in Bordeaux, France. 

The 40th Edition of the Marathon:

will take place on Saturday, the 5th September, 2026, (today) and the theme will be “80’s !”     

 Key Features:

Wine and Gourmet Stops: 

 Instead of just water, the course features around 23 wine-tasting stations at local châteaux, alongside gourmet food stops.

Costumes: Runners are required to wear fancy dress or costumes, which follow a different theme each year. 

Atmosphere: The race focuses heavily on fun, music, and celebration rather than strict personal bests, featuring dozens of live orchestras along the route. 

2026 Official rules – the 5th September 2026- THE MEDOC HAS TO BE RACED FANCY DRESSED !

The Medoc Marathon is a 42.195km race restricted to runners only ;
if you just want to walk, the recovery ballad organized on Sunday in our beautiful vineyards (9-10km) is for you !

 Registration limited to 8 500 participants.

The Médoc marathon is open to all runners born before 5 September 2006 (20 years old).

Departure / Arrival

Departure at 9:30 am on the River banks of Pauillac and arrival at the same location. Race time allowed limited to 6:30 hours.

Time Out runners – A team of Medoc Marathon organization called “runners brooms” will run the race during 6.30 hours. They are carrying signs to identify them without confusion. Any runner crossing the finish line behind this team will not be classified nor rewarded. In the mid-race, any runners who is behind these « riders brooms » will be stopped, disqualified and not rewarded.

Bicycles, dogs and Nordic walking batons are banned due to the narrowness of the roads, the presence of many dust roads, and the large number of participants, as they may be dangerous for the safety of the runners. Because of the abundance of tasting stations, any personal assistance is unnecessary.

The Race Director reserves the right to ban any racers or carts which seem dangerous to him for the safety of marathon; he doesn’t have to justify his decision.

Abandonment:

Any runner who wants to leave the race will have to go to an amateur radio spot which are located every 2kms next to all the drinks bars or next to the medical tents. A shuttle will take you back to the finish line.

Awards on arrival:

All entrants will be rewarded until 6:30 hours race.
This time is long enough to enjoy the marathon even for a beginner.

  • many drinks Supplies 
  • many wine tourism activities (optional) 
  • many music band animations 
  • many castles crossing;
  • Many tastings of gourmet food

ATTENTION:  FINISH LINE CLOSED AFTER 6:30 hours race.

NO REWARDS NOR AWARDS beyond this time limit (the 3 000 volunteers who manage this race will thank you about that ).

Bottles of wine as a reward on arrival are not to be consumed on site.

Awards:

At 4.00pm on Saturday 6th on the banks of Pauillac. The prizes will be given only to the runners who are in.

  • For the winner Male and Female : their weight of Medoc wines .
  • A case of fine Medoc wines for the winners of each category.
  • A case of Medoc wine to the first 3 Challenges : Chateaux and Company Challenges.
  • A large number of nicely dressed runners will be rewarded on the finish line by a case of a Medoc wine. 

Special Awards:

  • Wheelchair runners (separate ranking).
  • A challenge for Chateaux contest and for company sponsor contests by the addition of the 5 fastest times.
  • Women’s Challenge for Chateaux contest, for company sponsor contests and for laboratories contest on the basis of the 3 female fastest times.

Charity:

We provide an annual financial and logistical support to many charitable organizations present at the village show : child welfare, league against cancer, organ donation, transplant, etc..

Note: The organizers of the Medoc Marathon remind you that alcohol abuse is dangerous for health and invite you to consume with moderation.

 

 

‘try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell.’

-william saroyan,

*american novelist, short story writer, playwright, pulitzer prize and academy award winner

 

 

—

source credits: a lady of leisure, forbes, food and wine magazine, mental floss, wiki

Sep4

two birds.

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Two Birds

M.C. Escher, Regular Division of the Plane (Birds) no. 18, India ink, pencil and watercolor, February 1938

About Two Birds

M.C. Escher created his iconic interlocking motif Two Birds in 1938, exploring how repeating, interlocking geometric shapes can fit together without any gaps. His fascination with interlocking figures began in 1922 when he visited the Alhambra, a 14th-century Moorish palace in Granada, Spain. He spent days sketching the complex, colorful tile mosaics that covered the walls and floors.

 Though the Moors avoided depicting living creatures due to religious tradition, Escher adapted their mathematical tile designs to feature recognizable animals like birds, fish, and reptiles.

Escher had no formal training in advanced mathematics, but he intuitively grasped geometric symmetry. By 1938, works like Two Birds and related prints such as Day and Night, marked his deep dive into tessellations – where a single bird shape serves as both the primary figure and the negative space outlining its counterpart. 

 —

‘mighty is geometry; joined with art, resistless.’

-Euripides

 

 

—

Source Credits: Artchive, Wiki Art, M.C Escher, The Graphic Work, Royal Publishing House

Sep3

tiny spaces in big places.

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on a visit to the university of michigan’s law library

walking through the arch to the quad

inside waits

the reading room

silent and beautiful 

downstairs

in the underground library

among all the many, many books

near the rare book room

happened upon

something i had never seen there 

tiny little rooms, each one unique, tucked away in the great big books

 a welcome quote and greeting

when taking a picture

  one of the librarians

came over

she had created

this delightful space

  took a very long time

to make each one

to bring a bit of joy

to all who found them

this tiny jewel

was such a treasure 

to discover

in these hallowed halls .

—

’embracing tiny living is embracing a life of adventure and meaning.’

-author unknown

 

 

 

 

 

—

image credit for first two big photos: university of michigan

image credit for the tiny places: me

ann arbor, mi, usa, 2026

Sep2

a quiet day.

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‘september is like a quiet day after a whole week of wind.’

*mildred walker

*mildred walker was(  1905 – 1998) was an American novelist who published 12 novels and was nominated for theNational Book Award.  She graduated from Wells College and the University of Michigan. She was a faculty member at Wells College from 1955 to 1968.

 

 

—

furstenberg park, ann arbor, mi, usa

Sep1

the melody lingers on.

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A Dolly Parton-inspired corn maze in Grand Rapids that was planned before her death

has been given new meaning as a memorial to the late American icon ahead of its opening today. 

—

Michiganders will have a chance to celebrate her legacy while getting a little lost along the way. In America, a corn field can become a memorial fit for a queen. Here, 6½ acres cut into a maze form the contours of Dolly Parton’s face.People from all over are expected to flock to the maze and find their way through the Queen of Country’s big hair, musical notes, acoustic guitar, and her signature symbol, a fluttering butterfly. 

The maze will give thousands of families a place to go to spend time together this fall through the first week of November, but also to mourn and feel a little closer to Parton, a luminary who left a legacy of music, homespun sense, and good deeds.

“Dolly Parton’s story and what she stood for really resonates with a lot of America,” Allan Robinette, 34, told the Free Press. His family owns the farm, where the maze is and is awestruck by the interest. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you feel what she’s done is downright inspirational.”

When Parton died last week, Americans couldn’t help but take a moment to think about all the ways she had been part of their lives for decades even if they had never met her or been a fan, as a part of their lives through her music and cultural influence.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, saw the news of her death flash across his phone while in a meeting with other auto company executives, the Free Press reported. The group took a moment to paused the conversation to reminisce about Parton.

An annual fall attraction at Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery, the maze features a different design each year.The more than a century-old farm sells apples, peaches, cider, treats, and wine.This year, the maze was intended to be an homage to Parton. But, since the 80-year-old’s death, it has turned into something more.

—

‘the song is ended but the melody lingers on.’ 

-irving berlin

 

 

 

—

source credits detroit free press, the gander, usa today network

Aug31

‘i don’t hear anything, do you?’ – olive to pete the cat. ‘nope.’- pete the cat to olive

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olive and pete the cat, actively ignoring me

using their selective hearing skills

when i call their names

—

Why do cats ignore humans?

 Cats pretend not to hear you on purpose. They clock your voice instantly, they just weigh whether responding is worth it. Nine times out of ten, it isn’t.

They can hear a can opening from halfway across the house, and yet sometimes they don’t even twitch an ear when you call them from the other end of the couch. Are they ignoring you? Yes, they sure are!

 Science confirms they hear you perfectly-they are just actively choosing to ignore you.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo conducted a study and  determined the following:

Science:

  • Voice Recognition: The study showed that cats clearly recognize their owners’ voices and know when they are being called. 
  • Subtle Reactions: Instead of coming over, a cat will often just twitch an ear, move its head, or dilate its pupils to show it heard the sound. 
  • No Pack Instincts: Unlike dogs, cats were not bred over thousands of years to obey human commands or follow pack rules, so they feel no obligation to answer. 

Why They Ignore You;

  • Selective Attention:  Cats weigh whether an action benefits them before they decide to move.
  • Relaxation: If your cat is resting or comfortable, your voice is registered as low-priority information that does not require physical movement.
  • Autonomy: Felines prefer to dictate the terms of their own social interactions.


    Your  cat certainly understands you when you call them-they are simply choosing not to respond.
     Only 10 % of cats who recognize your voice will choose to do anything about it.

”if cats could talk, they wouldn’t.’

-nan porter

 

 

 

—

source credit:

Atsuko Saito and Kazutaka Shinozuka, University of Tokyo

“Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus)”Animal Cognition: 2013

art credit: gary larson, the far side