Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 23, 2008

The word of the day for March 23, 2008 is "resurrection" — noun — 1 acapitalized : the rising of Christ from the dead. b: often capitalized : the rising again to life of all the human dead before the final judgment. c: the state of one risen from the dead. 2: resurgence, revival. 3: Christian Science : a spiritualization of thought : material belief that yields to spiritual understanding.

HE is risen!
A very happy Easter—Resurrection Sunday—to you all.

Bubbles and I went out for a walk before church. The streets were full of sun and birdsong. Very few people were out and about. It did not rain yesterday, but the whole chilly world felt washed and new this morning.

I bought this lily two days ago and put it in the bedroom because it smelled so lovely. However, Lloyd and I both began to sneeze and cough. Apparently, we are allergic to Easter lily. I put it in the dining area, and will plant it out in the flower bed next week sometime.

Our quote for the day is from the Holy Bible , Mat. 28:6:

     He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

:^) Jan

Tags: Resurrection

aoljpictureUpload, aoljpictureUpload_1

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 20, 2008

The word of the day for March 20, 2008 is "botany" — noun — 1: a branch of biology dealing with plant life. 2 a: plant life. b: the properties and life phenomena exhibited by a plant, plant type, or plant group. 3: a botanical treatise or study; especially : a particular system of botany.

Happy Spring! The vernal equinox rolled in and out. Tomorrow is the full moon. Easter is Sunday. Today was clear, but windy as all get out.

Claudia was down last weekend with her son Mitch. They helped me walk the puppy Saturday afternoon. I was surprised to see how many lawns in our neighborhood are now sporting crocus and a few daffodils. The spears of iris leaves are pushing up in lawns everywhere. Some grass is green, but mostly still covered with last autumn's leaves, which got snowed upon before anyone had a chance to do that last rake-up of the year. For some reason, I'm having problems getting interested in bagging up the old leaves.

Our quote for today, inspired by the photo in Jeannette's Jottings, from William Wordsworth (1770–1850), British poet. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" (l. 1–4), The Poems; Vol. 1 [William Wordsworth]. John O. Hayden, ed. (1977, repr. 1990) Penguin Books.

     I wandered lonely as a cloud
     That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
     When all at once I saw a crowd,
     A host, of golden daffodils.

;^) Jan

Tags: botany

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 19, 2008

The word of the day for March 19, 2008 is “vernal” — adjective — 1: of, relating to, or occurring in the spring [vernal equinox] [vernal sunshine]. 2: fresh or new like the spring; also : YOUTHFUL.

Easter is early this year. Since the Roman Catholics settled on when to hold the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, it has happened on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal equinox. This means that Easter could fall as early as March 22. However, I understand that this will not happen in our lifetime. The latest that Easter can fall under this scheme is when the full moon is on March 20th and falls on Sunday. Then Easter would fall on April 24. I think that happened a few years back.

As we only lived a few blocks from church, Dad rarely drove us to church unless the weather was deemed extremely bad. I remember several times when I was a child in Iowa, we walked to Easter sunrise services in the snow. I would sing (yodel) the old camp song: “After Easter comes sunny days that will melt all the snow… Olee-yah kekee-yah, olee-yah cuckoo, cuckoo.” VERY quietly, so as not to be censured by my siblings.

Our quote for the day is from Krissy:

     Anyway, it looks eerily like winter will last way into Spring, if you know what I mean,
     with the snow and the pretty blue glowing Christmas lights all around.

;^) Jan

Tags: vernal

prayer request

A prayer request from my niece:

One of my supervisors called me into her office.  She had left yesterday afternoon fairly early. 

It turns out that her mom has breast cancer.  She had found a lump but didn’t want to spoil one of the sister’s vacation.  So Pam pressured her to go to the doctor.  And while the lump itself was not anything to worry about the tech got worried about something that she saw or didn’t see on the mammogram.  She ordered an ultrasound and found the cancerous mass behind the lump. 

Pam is going this afternoon with her mom to talk with the doctors, but they believe that they caught it fairly quickly and early.

Her mom, a woman of about 73 or so, has already decided that even though it is one smallish mass in one breast, she will have a double mastectomy done so she doesn’t have to worry about any recurrence.

Please keep Pam’s mom in your prayers as well as Pam and her family.  And like I told Pam, send up a HUGE thank you for a tech that followed a hunch and ordered the ultrasound.

Tags: prayer request

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 15, 2008

The word of the day for March 15, 2008 is "theatrical" — adjective — 1: of or relating to the theater or the presentation of plays [a theatrical costume]. 2: marked by pretense or artificiality of emotion. 3 a: histrionic [a theatrical gesture]. b: marked by extravagant display or exhibitionism.

My cousin Cathy is involved in a production of The Vagina Monologues at Texas Wesleyan University. She writes, "I was asked to audition, but declined, due to my unfortunate tendency to unexpectedly turn into a combination of Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig when I speak."

Well, I don't remember any speech problems when we were kids. Of course we weren't geographically close for most of our childhood, so I can't say we know each other all that well. Still, we have to know our limitations, as Dirty Harry put it. Cathy has opted to do backstage work. I invited her to write about her experiences, but she writes, "I hope, and expect, erecting scenery and bleachers (or whatever I am to do) to be fun for me and boring to discuss with others." So there you have it, some of us write and others do. Good luck in your endeavors, Cathy.

Those of you who are interested in the struggle against violence toward women will want to check out the V-Day site.

Our quote for the day is from William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Soothsayer and Caesar, in Julius Caesar, act 1, sc. 2, l. 23-4:

     Soothsayer: Beware the Ides of March.
     Caesar: He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.

;^) Jan

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 11, 2008

Monae, aka southernmush, has asked me to guest edit an entry to her journal. Well, now, that's a big undertaking. Getting a couple of paragraphs for my own WOTD is sometimes akin to pulling hen's teeth. Seeing as the chicken is the most widespread bird in the world, and not a one of them has actual teeth (cartoons notwithstanding) everyone understands this is a daunting task.

This is me with Bubbles, our "Juan Russell" terrier.

I am supposed to put something about myself in this entry. Those who have been reading my diatribes know that I like words. My home is littered with sesquipedalia, who annoy my husband and the dog and get into my writing whether I want them to or not. I like to read Monae's Dear Diary, Sybil's Village Life and Jeannie's Day to Day Life in the Lakes. I also read Jeannette's Jottings, Guido's Seawall Jokes and Northern Trip. Jan's Serendipity and Mrs. T's eternity are also on my list. I participate occasionally in the J-Land Photo Contest, the AOL Community Photo Challenge, and Val's Weekly Sentence.

Our quote for the day is from Abigail Adams (1744–1818), U.S. matriarch; wife and mother of United States President. Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams, During the Revolution, letter dated July 10, 1775 (1875):

     How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice
     ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable
     of so noble an undertaking! How often are the laurels worn by those who have had no share
     in earning them! But there is a future recompense of reward, to which the upright man looks,
     and which he will most assuredly obtain, provided he perseveres unto the end.

;^) Jan

Tags: difficult

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 9, 2008

The word for the day, March 9, 2008, is "objective" — noun — 1: a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of an 1: a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of an object. 2 a: something toward which effort is directed : an aim, goal, or end of action. b: a strategic position to be attained or a purpose to be achieved by a military operation.

Lloyd, Bubbles and I drove up to Olathe, KS yesterday. It was one of those deceptive winter days we get here in Kansas: sun was out most of the way, cheerful enough for it to be Spring. Yet, it was cold (14 F when we left) so that anyone without a coat was in a world of misery within a few minutes of stepping outside. We had a good drive, and Cyb and Ryan came over to my sister's for lunch (Big Bubba's barbeque and salads). The kids stayed all afternoon and ran the dog in and out of the house.

The main reason for us to visit my sister was to attend a lecture by the author, Cathy Maxwell. She is an excellent speaker: pertinent, coherent, humorous and well-versed in her subject. After hearing her speak, I have decided to put aside my career as a novelist temporarily. I haven't got the energy to push my writing while attending my husband, the dog and a full-time occupation that already keeps us in bed and board.

Our quote for the day is from Robert Browning (1812 - 1889):

     Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp - or what's a heaven for?

;^) Jan

Tags: objective

aoljpictureUpload, aoljpictureUpload_1

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 5, 2008

The word for today, March 5, 2008 is "celebrate" — transitive verb — 1: to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites [celebrate the mass]. 2 a: to honor (as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business. b: to mark (as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine. 3: to hold up or play up for public notice. [her poetry celebrates the glory of nature]. — intransitive verb — 1: to observe a holiday, perform a religious ceremony, or take part in a festival. 2: to observe a notable occasion with festivities.

A birthday party, sort of, at our house today. Lloyd is seventy-eight years old today.

Shown here with a staff member of the Oregon Vortex last May, Lloyd had been enjoying his retirement since 1996, until the Altsheimer's syndrome started to take away his time sense and concentration.

He is allowing me to drive and to see to his schedule these days. Still, he is able to have rational conversations and enjoy playing with his dog. We will have salmon patties with baked beans and a green salad with cupcakes for dessert. As an added attraction, Cyb's mother-in-law is in town for a conference, so I have invited her over for the "festivities."

Our quote for the day is from Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. Speech, August 11, 1841, at Waterville College, Maine before the Society of the Adelphi. “The Method of Nature,” Nature, Addresses, and Lectures (1849):

     We ought to celebrate this hour by expressions of manly joy. Not thanks,
     not prayer seem quite the highest or truest name for our communication with
     the infinite,—but glad and conspiring reception,—reception that becomes giving
     in its turn, as the receiver is only the All-Giver in part and infancy.

 

Tags: celebrate

aoljaolPictureAdd, aoljaolPictureAdd_1

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 4, 2008

The word for today, March 4, 2008 is "aurora — noun — 1: DAWN. 2 capitalized : the Roman goddess of dawn — compare eos. 3: a luminous phenomenon that consists of streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions and is caused by the emission of light from atoms excited by electrons accelerated along the planet's magnetic field lines.

First of all, and off topic, Happy Birthday, Claudia. She is mumble-six this year. Many happy returns of the day. The picture is a couple of years old, but she has only changed for the better.

As I opened the garage door this morning—way before dawn—I could hear the birds grumbling and muttering about the coming day. It always amazes me when writers have their protagonists out in the woods not waking until the sun hits them. How could anyone sleep through all that racket? Anyway, none of the birds were actually whistling yet, although yesterday afternoon, the cardinals were declaring territorial rights. I do love to hear them, the robins, the kingbirds and finches in the warmer months. Now while it is still cold, their calls lift my heart with the promise of SPRING.

I was reading an article about the aurora borealis yesterday. Apparently, people book vacations in cold places to see the Northern Lights. I suppose they also book vacations to see the aurora australis, but the Northern Lights are more accesible by far. Apparently, the auroras are expanding with increasing pollution. Eventually, we won't be able to see the stars for the "ghost dancers."

Our quote for the day is from Alexander Pope (1688–1744) The Iliad of Homer Book viii. Line 1:

     Aurora now, fair daughter of the dawn,
     Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn.

;^) Jan

Tags: aurora

aoljaolPictureAdd, aoljaolPictureAdd_2

Gryphon's Word of the Day, March 2, 2008

The word of the day for March 2, 2008 is "taunt" — noun — : a sarcastic challenge or insult.

It's raining out now. Earlier, a group of starlings landed in the hickory tree across the back fence. Bubbles paced the fence in hopes that one of them would forget itself long enough to land in front of him. He had been chasing robins and grackles this morning. Since he charges them from clear across the yard, they just flirt their tails and hop out of way just as he thinks he's going to have a snack.

Birds can be mean that way. When we lived on the High Desert in California, we had a female roadrunner that nested at the bend in our drive. She spent most of the morning in the creosote bush there. We acquired a toy collie whom we called Sally-Down. One afternoon, the dog started an unholy ruckus of barking and whining. I looked out the window toward the porch where we tied her during the day. The roadrunner had come to play. She would get just close enough that the dog couldn't catch her and taunt Sally, who was an exciteable sort anyway. You've seen the cartoon where the dog runs out to the end of the rope and gets pulled off his feet. Poor Sally! Eventually the bird stopped coming every afternoon to tease the dog. Until she stopped, I had to go out nearly every afternoon to chase the bird away to get some quiet.

Our quote for the day is from Walt Whitman (1819–1892), U.S. poet. Song of Myself (Fr. XXIV, l. 556–559):

     Seas of bright juice suffuse heaven.

     The earth by the sky staid with, the daily close of their junction,
     The heav’d challenge from the east that moment over my head,
     The mocking taunt, See then whether you shall be master!

;^) Jan