Kelly (my sister) just got a new Mac for her use at school. Its an IMAC of giganitic prportions. A 24inch screen.. just like dad's.
My sis is a movie maker. She commented in her blog, Moving Right Along with Kelly that the new IMovie is not a intuitive as the old one... but they new one has more features. I think that they have changed the metaphor again. The last one was pretty cool. I think that many people thought that it was intuitive. But the reality was that it was intuitive only if you had made a movie from the previous one. Frame by frame editing or sound is never really too intuitive. Somewhere along you have to crack open a book or watch a Lynda.com video to make that happen. My cameras have been missing or out of action since the move to the apartment. They are not readily available since we have moved back.. But there are other things that one can do. Such as put up drapes or unpack containers and figure out where everything goes. Then remember where you put it. I am finally get a beat on the new kitchen.
Last night I made homemade pizzia with the help of a new 11cup Cuisinart stainless steel pro. They have really upgraded the materials and the food chute on the new ones over my 12year + old one. It minced up the onion, it tore in the parma cheese, and it shredded the mozzarella cheeze with ease. The kitchen Aide Imperial red kneeded the crust to handling consistency. With fresh mushrooms and black olives slipped into the convection oven.. we had a couple of pretty good pizzas.
Its really great to have room to spread out.. although Linzi says I will get tired walking from one end of the kitchen to the other.. its the kind of tired that I want. Tonight Sue has offered to go out for dinner.. I wonder how that is going to work.
Take care all
Pat
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Pomegranate
I have been looking all over for another pomegranate for the front yard. The most common version is called "Wonderful". So how do you top that? First I was looking for any variety. Pomegranate juice is considered very "in"for its heart healthy antioxidants. Because of this, there are more people planting these trees. This year I looked for a bareroot pomegranate. The one I have in the front yard with the fabled lemon tree (Cammie) produced 12 mature fruit. We must be in the right plant zone. I think that is why Reza feels like he has come home when he is in the valley especally in the summer. Pomegranates are native to the middle East.
At the Paisley nursery they did not have a pomegranate for sale. Even though they had two varieties of figs, that enticed Linzi. Home Depot, Costco, Lowes and OSH did not have pomegranates in bareroot. So I was at Orchard Supply looking for some other home necessity when lo and behold there was a pomegranate in the potted section. Usually after the bareroot season, (We are on the edge of that now) the nurseries rip open the bags of left over trees and plant them into pots. This allows them to hold stock for much longer. It is usually much more expensive as well. This plant was a "Sweet" a much sweeter cultivator pomegranate or so the label says. Its heritage is the "wonderful". It looked pretty pathetic as does my currently planted pomegranate. Not a sign of life is evident in either tree. It will kick in after all of the other stone fruit have bloomed and they will produce beautiful waxy red flowers on a bright green leaf background.
I am severely pruning both since I do not want them to get any taller than the top of the outdoor patio wall (About 4 feet). They are really thorny plants. It is best to prune them with gloves. There soil requirements are few. Just need heat and more heat and some water every once in awhile. I am looking forward to a couple of years from now to compare the fruit from " Wonderful" to "Sweet" They are usually ripe at the end of September going into October. They will hold on the tree provided we don't get any early rains, until early November. They are a graceful component of a Thanksgiving cornucopia.
Love
Pat
At the Paisley nursery they did not have a pomegranate for sale. Even though they had two varieties of figs, that enticed Linzi. Home Depot, Costco, Lowes and OSH did not have pomegranates in bareroot. So I was at Orchard Supply looking for some other home necessity when lo and behold there was a pomegranate in the potted section. Usually after the bareroot season, (We are on the edge of that now) the nurseries rip open the bags of left over trees and plant them into pots. This allows them to hold stock for much longer. It is usually much more expensive as well. This plant was a "Sweet" a much sweeter cultivator pomegranate or so the label says. Its heritage is the "wonderful". It looked pretty pathetic as does my currently planted pomegranate. Not a sign of life is evident in either tree. It will kick in after all of the other stone fruit have bloomed and they will produce beautiful waxy red flowers on a bright green leaf background.
I am severely pruning both since I do not want them to get any taller than the top of the outdoor patio wall (About 4 feet). They are really thorny plants. It is best to prune them with gloves. There soil requirements are few. Just need heat and more heat and some water every once in awhile. I am looking forward to a couple of years from now to compare the fruit from " Wonderful" to "Sweet" They are usually ripe at the end of September going into October. They will hold on the tree provided we don't get any early rains, until early November. They are a graceful component of a Thanksgiving cornucopia.
Love
Pat
It works on a Shuffle
A big discovery. An Ipod shuttle, yes that little bitty paper clip size of an Ipod may actually hold and deliver an audio book from audible.com,
Over the last year and a half or so I have been enjoying books that I download on audible.com. I was wondering if the format would work on the little Ipod shuffle.
Some people look at my incredulously when they hear that I enjoy readin (listening) to books, Why don't you just read them? They say. There are many times that listening to books is more interesting. One is the use of some very good actors/readers changing voices to relate the different characters in the book. This adds color to the story and sometimes draws the listener in to the character. This is also been sited the reason why some people do not like listening to books. They want to put there own voices to the stories.
I enjoy audible books when I am walking. In quiet areas it allows you to be entertained when you are not in danger of being run over by a car. You may be surprised at how quickly your walk will proceed if your mind is engaged in a good book.
Some people are able to listen to books as they travel distances by car. It is important to remember that your first duty to to drive. Sue, by wife is not so happy about listening to books on the road. She also has difficulty with me listening to sports events on the radio in the car. She has to see what is going on to make since of it. As my dad has noticed in the football season, there is an awful lot of yammering before the next play occurs in football. That is why he has become an expert apple peeler in the season's progress.
For commuters that are not driving. Or me whom is just walking, books in audible are an interesting change from the music.
Happy Listening:
Pat
Over the last year and a half or so I have been enjoying books that I download on audible.com. I was wondering if the format would work on the little Ipod shuffle.
Some people look at my incredulously when they hear that I enjoy readin (listening) to books, Why don't you just read them? They say. There are many times that listening to books is more interesting. One is the use of some very good actors/readers changing voices to relate the different characters in the book. This adds color to the story and sometimes draws the listener in to the character. This is also been sited the reason why some people do not like listening to books. They want to put there own voices to the stories.
I enjoy audible books when I am walking. In quiet areas it allows you to be entertained when you are not in danger of being run over by a car. You may be surprised at how quickly your walk will proceed if your mind is engaged in a good book.
Some people are able to listen to books as they travel distances by car. It is important to remember that your first duty to to drive. Sue, by wife is not so happy about listening to books on the road. She also has difficulty with me listening to sports events on the radio in the car. She has to see what is going on to make since of it. As my dad has noticed in the football season, there is an awful lot of yammering before the next play occurs in football. That is why he has become an expert apple peeler in the season's progress.
For commuters that are not driving. Or me whom is just walking, books in audible are an interesting change from the music.
Happy Listening:
Pat
Spring is on its Way!
We were back to school today. I had no absences, although many of my students are experiencing some pretty sever asthma conditions, Many of my teacher friends were also going through the same issues. The pollen index is relatively low.. 38 today. Still there ware a lot a people out of breath, sneezy itchy eyes the dry cough.
This afternoon the sun is shinning and there is very little breeze. The pluots are in total bloom. I have not been around any almond trees but they could the the cause to this kind of allergic attack.
My two little plout trees, the 5 in lone and the big green/yellow one are giving it all in homes of attracting a bee or two.luots are a cross between a plum and an apricot. I am not really sure that they need to have bees to pollinate. As Alan Wilson the beekeeper and farmer's market man says, the bees have a great union. They only work when the weather is warm and dry. We are finally headed for some dry weather this week. The high today was supposed to be in the low 60's. Spring may be on its way!
: ) Pat
This afternoon the sun is shinning and there is very little breeze. The pluots are in total bloom. I have not been around any almond trees but they could the the cause to this kind of allergic attack.
My two little plout trees, the 5 in lone and the big green/yellow one are giving it all in homes of attracting a bee or two.luots are a cross between a plum and an apricot. I am not really sure that they need to have bees to pollinate. As Alan Wilson the beekeeper and farmer's market man says, the bees have a great union. They only work when the weather is warm and dry. We are finally headed for some dry weather this week. The high today was supposed to be in the low 60's. Spring may be on its way!
: ) Pat
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Data Memory in New Hampshire
Dad just got a new computer with one of those really large screens.. wow! Rumor has it that my sister Kelly is due for one in her job soon. Mikie Sue got ome eariler this year.
One of the ways that Apple tries to stay competitive is to ship new computers without adequate RAM to do what the computer can do best. So.. immediately you are scrounging around for some more memory... we all do this when we get older.. but for a computer that is brand new.. its hard to believe that this has to be one of your first orders of business.
I bought some RAM for Dad at the place I have been getting RAM for years.. even decades.. Memory Data out of New Hampshire. Apple wants around 800 dollars to upgrade your RAM to max on these new computers. Apple has made it easy to add RAM. The complete price for lifetime RAM that maxes our the computer at 4GB is 117$ including shipping.
It will take about 5 days to get here although I could have paid more and had it shipped by next day air. UPS with a ground tracking number is really okay. Post office priotiy mail was free but there is no way to track its progress.
You may link to the referrence at the bottom the page if you would also like to do business with them.
: ) Pat
One of the ways that Apple tries to stay competitive is to ship new computers without adequate RAM to do what the computer can do best. So.. immediately you are scrounging around for some more memory... we all do this when we get older.. but for a computer that is brand new.. its hard to believe that this has to be one of your first orders of business.
I bought some RAM for Dad at the place I have been getting RAM for years.. even decades.. Memory Data out of New Hampshire. Apple wants around 800 dollars to upgrade your RAM to max on these new computers. Apple has made it easy to add RAM. The complete price for lifetime RAM that maxes our the computer at 4GB is 117$ including shipping.
It will take about 5 days to get here although I could have paid more and had it shipped by next day air. UPS with a ground tracking number is really okay. Post office priotiy mail was free but there is no way to track its progress.
You may link to the referrence at the bottom the page if you would also like to do business with them.
: ) Pat
Sprained back
This week I have been suffering from a sprained/strained back. It started last weekend. As near as I recall, I was carrying way too many groceries home from the store. My eyes were bigger than my ability to carry them home, It is easy to do that since the grocery store is just 4 blocks away. We are so lucky to have such a close store of this quality. As I can attest, it may also get you into trouble.
Yesterday we got the first drapes up in the family room. We are still missing the bin that has the others. We have searched high and low for them. We made the mistake of opening them in the apartment. Those seem to have made it.. but their cousins still in the bag are no where to be found.
This weekend I made some oatmeal cookies. They were so good I made two more batches. I have a band new bright red mixer.
Our teacher friend at Western thought that he was living the good life. When he came back to work from his parent's home in Denver, he moved into the professor's apartments. He was so proud that when he picked out his phone he was able to choose a bright red one, We used to meet over at his house and eat archway cookies and play 5 handed spades. He always wanted to be a police officer. At the time he was too short. After leaving teaching at western, he became a minister then a police chaplain, and then a police officer. Now he is retired and living in South Dakota, driving a retirement home bus.. In his Christmas card he says he enjoys driving.
Hope you have a great day.
: )
Pat
Yesterday we got the first drapes up in the family room. We are still missing the bin that has the others. We have searched high and low for them. We made the mistake of opening them in the apartment. Those seem to have made it.. but their cousins still in the bag are no where to be found.
This weekend I made some oatmeal cookies. They were so good I made two more batches. I have a band new bright red mixer.
Our teacher friend at Western thought that he was living the good life. When he came back to work from his parent's home in Denver, he moved into the professor's apartments. He was so proud that when he picked out his phone he was able to choose a bright red one, We used to meet over at his house and eat archway cookies and play 5 handed spades. He always wanted to be a police officer. At the time he was too short. After leaving teaching at western, he became a minister then a police chaplain, and then a police officer. Now he is retired and living in South Dakota, driving a retirement home bus.. In his Christmas card he says he enjoys driving.
Hope you have a great day.
: )
Pat
Friday, February 22, 2008
Elton John, Improving Schools
Today on the rainy walk Elton John was the featured performer. What diversity in songs! Unlike some of my other favorites, Johnny D, Neil Diamond, and Barry Manilow, he does not follow so strictly a formula for his songs. I think what is very interesting is to hear Barry Manilow do some of the oldies from my parent's era. Somehow his style seems in. I must admit that I like his better than Rod Stewart's. I like Kelly's experience with the old torch songs.
When she was doing her internship in San Fransisco, a supervisor would always try to trip up her experience with the old torch songs. She knows them all, as she learned to play piano with them.... plus she is a gifted audio file. She not only receptively remembers everything that was ever sung to her, she can recreate it. Another reason why she is such a great speech and language teacher. The supervisor was never able to stump her with the old ones.
I think that in high school Kelly was able to take a class in music theory. What an opportunity! Do you think in schools of 1200 students this class is offered now? Nope! We have lost our electives. In many ways we have collectively lost our soul, our chance to get ahead in the competitive world.
When some of our new schools were built, there were extensive business departments. There were shop classes and and home ec classes. There were even elective history classes. What have we now? The push to move us vertically instead of horizonally. We now offer classes for 600 student slots in AP classes of English, Math and Science. The schools have 2900 students each. The schools are made for 2000 students. We have 1800 students in these two schools that could easily start a new school. And then they worry about how these schools are going to do on the testing that starts again this Spring. They want 8 weeks of 10minutes lessons to teach part of the test. It looks again like they are blaming the teachers for low performance. They (management and the state) should be looking for conditions that would provide incentives for proficient scores in the all important tests.
I think the state should follow the accredition model for improving schools. This model looks at the students success and follows the diversity and the strengths of a school. It also looks at communication, it looks at how the school interfaces with the community. These are all steps left out of the high stakes testing that is now promoted at the state level and the local level.
Once again a soapbox post.. it can only be a good as the soapbox that I am standing on!
LOL
Pat
When she was doing her internship in San Fransisco, a supervisor would always try to trip up her experience with the old torch songs. She knows them all, as she learned to play piano with them.... plus she is a gifted audio file. She not only receptively remembers everything that was ever sung to her, she can recreate it. Another reason why she is such a great speech and language teacher. The supervisor was never able to stump her with the old ones.
I think that in high school Kelly was able to take a class in music theory. What an opportunity! Do you think in schools of 1200 students this class is offered now? Nope! We have lost our electives. In many ways we have collectively lost our soul, our chance to get ahead in the competitive world.
When some of our new schools were built, there were extensive business departments. There were shop classes and and home ec classes. There were even elective history classes. What have we now? The push to move us vertically instead of horizonally. We now offer classes for 600 student slots in AP classes of English, Math and Science. The schools have 2900 students each. The schools are made for 2000 students. We have 1800 students in these two schools that could easily start a new school. And then they worry about how these schools are going to do on the testing that starts again this Spring. They want 8 weeks of 10minutes lessons to teach part of the test. It looks again like they are blaming the teachers for low performance. They (management and the state) should be looking for conditions that would provide incentives for proficient scores in the all important tests.
I think the state should follow the accredition model for improving schools. This model looks at the students success and follows the diversity and the strengths of a school. It also looks at communication, it looks at how the school interfaces with the community. These are all steps left out of the high stakes testing that is now promoted at the state level and the local level.
Once again a soapbox post.. it can only be a good as the soapbox that I am standing on!
LOL
Pat
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