Annie Dillard again

Here is an excellent snippet from Pilgrim at Tinker Creek:

At the end of the island I noticed a small green frog. He was exactly half in and half out of the water, looking like a schematic diagram of an amphibian, and he didn't jump.

He didn't jump; I crept closer. At last I knelt on the island's winter killed grass, lost, dumbstruck, staring at the frog in the creek just four feet away. He was a very small frog with wide, dull eyes. And just as I looked at him, he slowly crumpled and began to sag. The spirit vanished from his eyes as if snuffed. His skin emptied and drooped; his very skull seemed to collapse and settle like a kicked tent. He was shrinking before my eyes like a deflating football. I watched the taut, glistening skin on his shoulders ruck, and rumple, and fall. Soon, part of his skin, formless as a pricked ballon, lay in floating folds like bright scum on top of the water: it was a monstrous and terrifying thing. I gaped bewildered, appalled. An oval shadow hung in the water behind the drained frog; then the shadow glided away. The frog sink started to sink.

I had read about the giant water bug, but never seen one. "Giant water bug" is really the name of the creature, which is an enormous, heavy-bodied brown bug.. It eats insects, tadpoles, fish, and frogs. Its grasping forelegs are mighty and hooked inward. It seizes a victim with these legs, hugs it tight, and paralyzes it with enzymes injected during a vicious bite. That one bite is the only bite it ever takes. Through the puncture shoot the poisons that dissolve the victim's muscles and bones and organs - all but the skin - and through it the giant water bug sucks out the victim's body, reduced to a juice. This event is quite common in warm fresh water. The frog I saw was being sucked by a giant water bug. I had been kneeling on the island grass; when the unrecognizable flap of frog skin settled on the creek bottom, swaying, I stood up and brushed the knees of my pants. I couldn't catch my breath.

Firstly, the variety of animals on this planet never ceases to amaze me. Secondly, Annie Dillard is a wonderful writer.

baby Mark

A throw back to Texas, 2006.

I think Anna singing in the background might be the best part of this video. 

our wedding, part 6: portraits

The Bride's Family

The Groom's Family

Riley & Garrett

Kate & Courtney

The Ushers

Outside the church; With our flower girl, Annica, and ringbearer, JT

On a New Hampshire covered bridge, between the church and the reception.

our wedding, part 5: after the ceremony

Hanging around the church after the ceremony

Some photos, in no particular order...

The Sterns - who took lots of these photos for us!

This was when I was telling everyone how I had forgotten to take off my socks. I deliberately wore them from the parsonage to the church so I wouldn't get chilly -- I was so afraid that I'd be nervous, and when I'm cold and nervous I can't stop shaking. Well, I was fine. And the socks actually made me laugh when, at the front of the sanctuary, I realized I still was wearing them. And this calmed my nerves entirely. Afterwards, everyone got a kick out of it.

Laura couldn't be at our wedding, but she came on Nancy's necklace.

our wedding, part 4b

Here are some more lovely photos of our wedding ceremony. A friend took these photos, and I had them on a cd, but didn't explore them till now. They are some of the best.

Riley bends down as JT searches for where he's supposed to bring the ring.

Dearest Courtney

A photo of our wedding kiss!

This is my new favorite.

wordle

This is a pretty cool website.

A new teacher at our school showed it to me.

I made this wordle for Garrett's new fitness room:

pumpkins

I love pumpkins. I love the bright orange and pleasant roundess. I love them sitting on my coffee table, and I love eating pumpkin dishes. Here are my favorites for fall.

Pumpkin Chip Bars
From Leslie
These are moist and tasty, and even Garrett loves them, though he doesn't care for pumpkin.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix above ingredients together and bake at 350° in a 12x15” pan for 25 minutes.*

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately.

Add some of the the choc chips after the batter is in the pan, since they tend to sink to the bottom if mixed in the bowl ahead of time.

There have been times where I have used a combo of ½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce.

There have been times when I have used 1.5 cups honey, ½ cup more flour OR ½ cup less oil.

Absolute Best Pumpkin Seeds

From Elizabeth

• 1 cup dried pumpkin seeds (if fresh, heat oven to 250 and spread seeds on non stick surface and bake until dry, about 1 hour)
• 5 Tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbs. peanut oil

Combine 3 Tbs. sugar and spices in a bowl.

Heat peanut oil in large

non stick skillet over high heat.

Add seeds and 2 Tbs sugar.

Cook and stir until sugar melts and starts to caramelize, about one minute.

Pour seeds in bowl and coat with spice mixture.

Spread on paper towels to dry.