Our first Thanksgiving in Ohio, in the HOUSE.





AND I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE TURKEY!!! I cannot remember this happening in years. I mean . . . a few weeks ago I took a picture of a standing rib roast (that cost less that the fresh 12 pound turkey) . . . how could I forget . . . there was a lot on my mind (cop out?), my brother was coming, first time turkey in this house --took 15 minutes to find the can opener for the cranberries......





so, a photo of the rib roast....








and I HOPE I HEAR The whistle of the trains tonight, on a holiday, the trains in the distance. . . is very calming, inspiring almost....

I hung this on a tree outside the kitchen, so I can watch the squirrels eat, off course when they attack my bird seed I chase them with a broom (hello, Bellvue?)

I call this one squirrel picnic past tense, those are acorns on a large warm sunned rock . . .

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

-john

*************

from DONNIE DARKO: I JUST WANNA LIVE (a TURKEY's thanksgiving day lament)

BOOK FINISHED


I finished MR. VERTIGO by Paul Auster. One of mans' greatest fantasy dreams, to levitate and sail through the air, surrounded by one of man's harshest realities: early 20th century life: depression, war, abusive family and more. Follow Walt (the Wonder Boy) as he learsn to fly, learns to fall, learns how far one can fall, then picks up the pieces (when he's a senior citizen no less). Lots of rich language, lots of growing up, and lots and lots of feeling. Keeps you reading.

I had this book in my librarything.com. Not only does it tell me I own the book, but that 506 others own the book! 506 own MR. VERTIGO; how many have read it . . . Compared to 2238 who own V FOR Vendetta on one end, to FOUR who -admit to - own HAWAII's 2nd Spam Cookbook -- it was a gift, but I do like spam once or twice a year.

I could be reading any of these, or maybe even have read them!



that is only books with dust jackets or paperbacks with covers chosen at random -- a lot of books have no images.... check http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jbeckhamlat for all of them.
until tomorrow!

++++++++++++++++

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jbeckhamlat&deepsearch=all%3Asigned


http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jbeckhamlat&deepsearch=all%3Asigned


160 of my books are signed by the author . . . out of 781 of them.

I took to watching SEX IN THE CITY, and that book signed, well is far too much. I did find one by the author, 4 Blondes by Candace Bushnell that was signed, and the title is so sex in the city, and a bargain, cheaper than the original hardback. An early edition of SEX in the CITY is on its way.

Right next to PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT (if Bushness is half as good as Roth I'd be pleased).

signed:

UNSIGNED - but a GREAT READ (of course)

ah, have a booked, blessed, DAY!

-john

778

I now have 778 cataloged books in my library (see http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jbeckhamlat )

Many are signed, but many many are not. At the moment I am reading Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster, a most enjoyable writer. A friend shares his literary agent - how many degrees of separation is that?

The last book I read by him was The Book of Illusions: A Novel; a great story. Since I've moved to Akron I read that, then V for Vendetta by Alan Moore (a graphic novel). Maybe nonfiction next, I ordered something on France by Graham Robb today. And a new history of the INQUISITION (got of love that Inquisition!).
but, with a red face? I did order 2 books by Candace Bushnell (SEX IN THE CITY). Now, living in Akron I watch SEX IN THE CITY - I never watched it before this year. So NEW YORK......... and I kept seeing her name, Bushnell. So many stories. Have to have a copy (unsigned, signed is too too much, at least I found a hardback with a dust jacket. A signed copy of her later book FOUR BLONDES was affordable . . .

SO, pick up that old copy of 1984, or that older copy of Brave New World, and dissent, dare to dissent: READ AND THINK.

be dandy,,,,


_

a video clip

The Shadows of Autumn Leaves on the Den Wall

In the late afternoon, when the sun is sinking, it's falls behind a large tree across the yard. The beams come through the window (there are blinds you can see the lines), and the leaves rustling can almost be heard as the shadows flicker across the wall. A few feet from my monitor..... from where I sit to see the world . . .

Taken Sunday, October 28th, 2007 in lovely Akron Ohio. Later afternoon.



uploaded via the google blog uploader, no posting to youtube or vimeo (easier than youtube to post to). this was a bit of an experiment of a quick upload to the blog, leaving out that step of uploading to youtube or vemio and then embedding a bit of code....

hum. much faster.

_____________________

CORRECTION:

I called a bluejay a bluebird (I thought the picture was bad enough to get away with it? I thought it could be mistaken for a robin); well, the mistake of my ways garnered attention.

SO, I apologize to the fans of bluebirds (they do fly in ohio, listen and see:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/speciesguide_default/easternbluebird/tabid/6603/Default.aspx )

and am even more sorry for my sin against the noble bluejay. SPECTACULAR IN FLIGHT.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/speciesguide_default/bluejay/tabid/6819/Default.aspx
my god, they are members of the crow family!

now, for the news: flaming news: I lit a duralog in the fireplace to see how the fireplace worked (never having had one I wanted a test, the smallest duralog - 2 hours; burned for almost 3.)

I can just imagine Christmas with a log in the fire, the Tree lit; and an old radio show of Dickens CHRISTMAS CAROL in the CD player. try it: http://www.world-english.org/christmas_carol.htm

the fire:


FIRE IN FIREPLACE from john on Vimeo.



SO ENDS ANOTHER DAY,
the day after yesterday? or this morning (that bird correction was urgent!)

+
+
+

Carpix, not carfax. then the BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS..... out the living room window
the car:
2004 Audi A4

Here is a pic of our new (to us) car. A German Machine (where gas is $7.50-; almost 10 bucks a gallon in Britian; Gas in Amsterdam hit 7 bucks a gallon in 2005!).
SO they are interested in fuel efficiency. Its an AUDI A4, white stationwagon. We have gone suburban. A very good price, far below bluebook value. Paul likes WHITE CARS, and I find they are easier to spot in the parking lot.

see how lucky you have been for years: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/gas1.html





And here, out the living room window, eating (well, having eaten birdie flies up a branch to swallow before returning to the caged (squirrel proof) suiet seed lump. Is this the BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS, or was that a vulture?

from the wikipedia:

The mythology of the bluebird has deep roots that goes back to thousands of years. Indigenous cultures across the globe hold similar myths and beliefs about the bluebird. It is the most universally accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, hearth and home, good health, new births, the renewal of springtime, etc. Virtually any positive sentiments may be attached to the bluebird.

Many Native American tribes cownsidered the bluebird sacred.

According to the Cochiti tribe, the firstborn son of Sun was named Bluebird. In the tale "The Sun's Children" from Tales of the Cochiti Indians (1932) by Ruth Benedict: "She nursed him until the Sun father came back. Sun returned to the girl, and the girl offered the child to him, saying, 'Here is your baby. It is a little boy.' They named him Bluebird (Culutiwa)."

The Navajo people hold the Mountain Bluebird to be a great spirit in animal form and associate it with the rising sun. The Bluebird Song is sung to remind tribe members to wake at dawn and rise to greet the sun.

be well, click a google ad for ME!

-john

LEAVES & SWINGSET the falling leaves are drifting by the window still . . .

Leaf removal, from start to finish. With an emergency swinset-ECTOMY. A few guys blew the leaves to the curb in minutes; then the toy destroyer came, a bit later the CITY came and sucked all the leaves up with a giant vacuum cleaner!

Now the yard is clean and neat, well. The squirrels are having fun. SNOW is in the forecast (weather.com zip 44313)

What would Johny Mercers say, maybe . . . .

The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon Ill hear old winters song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

but only if Nat King Cole was listening I am sure....

click an ad?

A FEW PHOTOS from the HOME FRONT!

Here is Paul inspecting the back yard.



Here is the house from the front - lots of trees.

Here are a few of the many animals that live near us, on top of us, all around us:

Here is a black squirrel, much rarer, seemingly more skittish -- but I hear that they attack humans (they are from KENT STATE after all, we did see black squirrels in Toronto long ago)

We live on the corner of Kimberly and Addyston, so STOP bye!

Next: the leaves are collected and swingset removed!