– john hartford
*John Hartford was an American original. He was a musician, songwriter, steamboat pilot, author, artist, disc jockey, calligrapher, dancer, folklorist, father, and historian.
—
source credit: cast-light.com
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
There wasn’t an acrophobe in sight at the Slackline King Championship in China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park this week. Competitors from across the globe walked a line about an inch thick that was suspended 1,300 feet in the air between two peaks more than 5,000 feet apart. watch if you dare.
—
‘a lot of people have a fear of heights. not me, I have a fear of widths.’
-steven wright
—
credits: source: abc news, photo: deng daoli/vcg
headed out to do some errands
get gas, groceries, pick up garden stakes, return something
but I happened upon this puzzle
just sitting there
when I got in line to return my item
like it was waiting for me
so I bought the puzzle
figured I’d do the rest of the errands another day
couldn’t wait to get home to put it together.
—
‘slaying the dragon of delay is no sport for the short-winded.’
-sandra day o’connor
yesterday i replied to my funny blogging friend from wisconsin
midwest mark at mark my words
https://wordpress.com/reader/feeds/132543474/posts/5777286675
who wrote about using funny fake names when making reservations
he asked if anyone else did this
which reminded me that i sometimes
use other names when ordering coffee
because for some reason
people often seem to get my name wrong
‘beth’ becomes: ben, seth, beck, bet, betty, etc.
am I not articulating well?
is it my fault that my parents
gave me such a complicated name?
with so many letters?
sometimes they ask me to spell it
B. E. T. H.
then they say
‘oh, just like it sounds.’
yes.
one time
I was with my teaching partner
whose name is judy
we each ordered a drink to go
with our own specifications
we each gave our names
when we got our drinks
they read:
‘judy 1’ and ‘judy 2.’
—
‘i’ve had my name mispronounced so many times, i’m not even sure i’m saying it correctly.’
-author unknown
A collection of empty chairs is called an author reading.
A collection of Eric Carle books covered in spit-up is called a storytime.
A group of exhausted mothers covered in spit-up is also called a storytime.
A cluster of teens reading quietly is called a mystery.
A pile of books gathering dust is called a hold shelf.
A handful of change is called a budget.
A stack of books on a nightstand is called a magical thinking.
A group of people who only remember “the cover was blue” is called a patron.
A plastic prize tub of stickers is called a summer reading program.
A collection of missing pieces is called a community jigsaw.
A group of retirees is called a Scrabble night.
A shelf of books in alphabetical order is called a miracle.
A group of shushing librarians is called a cliché.
A group of underfunded libraries is called a tragedy.
by Sally Miller
—
went to my grandson’s (a born entertainer), arts camp
in a beautiful northern michigan location
to pick him up and to see his choir performance
where some of their rehearsals even took place in the woods
it was a wonderful experience for him for many reasons
new friends, no electronics, learning to play piano, sing new music
time away from home, tell stories, eat camp food, have new adventures
at the camp performance
my daughter noticed
that grandson j, and his longtime friend, also j
were singing in much the same positions
where they had performed
at a school concert
where they first met seven years ago
so wonderful they are still friends and still love music.
—
‘the true beauty of music that it connects people.
it carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.’
-roy ayers
*Roy Ayers Jr. was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Hw began his career as a jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 70s, during which he helped to pioneer jazz-funk.
—
blue lake fine arts camp, twin lakes, michigan, usa – summer 2025
fresh offerings at the Ann Arbor farmer’s market
on world photography day
—
“taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.”
― marc riboud
Marc Riboud (1923 – 2016) was active in the French resistance as a young man during World War II, later studied engineering, and became a French photographer, best known for his extensive reports on the Far East.
can blowing a conch shell help alleviate sleep apnea? science says possibly.
Sleep aids come in all shapes and sizes — from gummies and pills to masks and machines. Now, researchers are eyeing a surprising new technique to help the millions living with sleep apnea worldwide: blowing into a conch shell.
In a recent study of 30 adults with moderate obstructive sleep apnea, about half of participants were taught to blow a conch shell (also known as shankh blowing in Hindu cultures), while the rest practiced deep breathing exercises. Six months later, those who practiced conch blowing were 34% less sleepy during the day and had an average of 4-5 fewer apnea events per hour during sleep. This group’s blood oxygen levels during the night also improved, which is notable as obstructive sleep apnea is typically associated with decreased blood oxygen levels due to repeated breathing interruptions.
While more research is needed, the surprising treatment could be a promising alternative for those who are unable to access CPAP machines or find them uncomfortable. Lead researcher Krishna K. Sharma said in a statement, “Shankh blowing is a simple, low-cost breathing technique that could help improve sleep and reduce symptoms without the need for machines or medication.”
*one personal note: a possible downside- your conch-shell noisemaking may cause everyone else in the house to stay awake much longer
—
“natives of the florida keys often refer to themselves as Conchs,
and for good reason: they have been drinking.”
-dave barry, ‘best state ever: a florida man defends his homeland’
—
source credits: tobi thomas, the guardian, photot: alex pena andalou agency
(none of these burritos are Pete the Cat. but similar in wrapping style)
photo credit: best friends animals rescue
—
Pete the Cat
has had three vet visits in the last few months
the doc has been treating him
for an ongoing issue with a couple of teeth
hoping it would clear up
yesterday was the last straw for him
when I went to put him inthe carrier
sprinkled a bit of catnip in there
used a laser pointer
gave him a couple of drops of rescue remedy
tried zipping it up after luring him in
he realized it was an ambush
he popped up and shot out like a rocket
ran upstairs
hiding under a bed
olive sat on the couch just watching it all go down
I called the vet to say we’d be late
got him out from under the bed
closed doors to all the other rooms
got a small towel to wrap his front paws
tried to hold on to him
it turned into wrestlmania
I was definitely losing
I was sweating
no idea what happened to my ‘wrapping towel’
olive was still quietly watching
we were in a battle of the wills
plus Pete has 4 paws and claws
finally
I was able to get ahold of him
somehow got him in the carrier
I think I lost a pound in our match
went to the vet
she showed me
how to wrap him in a big towel like a burrito
(a purrito?)
after she was finished with him
Pete walked right back into his carrier
(really!?)
he will need two more appointments
I’m going to have to practice on a stuffed animal
train for our next match
I think we both will need a few drops of rescue remedy
I may have backup standing by
he’s on to me now.
—
‘man just went past with a cat on his head.’
-Terry Pratchett, author
walking over a bridge in the park
i glimpse a slice of life beyond
centered
in a natural frame
—
‘bridges become frames for looking at the world around us.’
-bruce jackson
*Bruce Jackson is an American folklorist, documentary filmmaker, writer, photographer. he is SUNY Distinguished Professor and the James Agee Professor of American Culture at the UB. Jackson has edited or authored more than 30 books.
—
argo park, Ann Arbor, michigan, usa, summer 2025
I didn't have my glasses on.... 