the bagpipe who didn't say no

It was nine o' clock at midnight at a quarter after three
When a turtle met a bagpipe on the shoreside by the sea
And the turtle said, "My dearie,
May I sit with you? I'm weary."
And the bagpipe didn't say no.

Said the turtle to the bagpipe, "I have walked this lonely shore,
I have talked to waves and pebbles - but I've never loved before.
Will you marry me today, dear?
Is is 'No' you're going to say, dear?"
But the bagpipe didn't say no.

Said the turtle to his darling, "Please excuse me if I stare,
But you have the plaidest skin, dear,
And you have the strangest hair.
If I begged you pretty please, love,
Could I give you just one squeeze, love?"
And the bagpipe didn't say no.

Said the turtle to the bagpipe, "Ah, you love me. Then confess!
Let me whisper in your dainty ear and hold you to my chest."
And he cuddled her and teased her
And so lovingly her squeezed her.
And the bagpipe said, "Aaooga."

Said the turtle to the bagpipe, "Did you honk or bray or neigh?
For 'Aaooga' when you're kissed is such a heartless thing to say.
Is it that I have offended?
Is it that our love is ended?"
And the bagpipe didn't say no.

Said the turtle to the bagpipe, "Shall I leave you, darling wife?
Shall I waddle off to Woedom? Shall I crawl out of your life?
Shall I move, depart and go, dear -
Oh, I beg you, tell me 'No,' dear!"
But the bagpipe didn't say no.

So the turtle crept off crying and he ne'er came back no more,
And the left the bagpipe lying on that smooth and sandy shore.
And some night when tide is low there,
Just walk up and say, "Hello, there,"
And politely ask the bagpipe if this story's really so.
I assure you, darling children, that the bagpipe won't say "No."

- Shel Silverstein

a short story about a miniature heart attack

Once upon a time...

This past summer, on the way to an afternoon of Annie rehearsals in the dark, cave-like theatre lab at Leach, I was driving.

Surprise.

I was driving myself to my rehearsal.

I was alone.

I was driving the speed limit.

I was driving safely.

I noticed that a policecar was behind me..."No biggie," I thought, "Just drive smart."

Then...oh, horror of horrors...

He turned his lights on.

His lights were flashing.

Red, blue, red, blue.

Oh, great.

What do I do?

There's nowhere to pull over. I'll just have to keep going until I can find someplace to stop.

I slowed down. Way, way down.

I was practically stopped in the road.

Then, zippy zoom, the policecar is passing me and (can it be?) is pulling over the car in front of me.

I breathe.

And smile.

And try to stop shaking.

Haha.

Happy Monday.

It has been brought to my attention that my blog is loading rather slowly.
I'm not really sure what's causing it, or if there is any way I can fix it.
Sorry :(

The Notorious Edmund is Finally Captured on Film!!

Ok, fine, so it's not really on film. . .

It sounded good, though.


Edmund, our resident mockingbird, has sat on our roof and serenaded us all summer. I believe that I've mentioned him on this blog before. This morning, I finally had an opportunity to snap a picture of him. At least, I think it's him. I don't know why it wouldn't be Edmund.



Isn't he cute? We're all very proud of the recitals he gives, perched on our roof.

a truck, full of..

...bicycles.

We're going camping. It's going to be great fun.

rocks

grumpy rock

freaked out rock

happy rock

Jeni Steele rock

silly girl rock

happy girl rock

sad/confused old man rock...my favorite ;)

"worried that a piano will fall on him" rock

"eek" rock

air-head rock (Stanley sister??)

another dumb airhead/Stanley sister rock

If anyone legitimately wants one, I'd sell it to you for a dime :)

what I learned today

Dick Van Dyke plays Bert in Mary Poppins.

I'm fairly certain that everyone is aware of that.

What I was not aware of until today, however, is that Dick Van Dyke also plays the old crabby banker man.

Am I just really ignorant and unobservant, or were other people unaware of this, too?

Theophilus, Marianne, Mulberry

This is how they prefer to sleep...on top of one another.

puppies

Question: What's black and white and in full supply at the Lighthouse?

Answer: Puppies.

Two of Sally's pups

A few days ago, Clarissa's border collie had an unexpected litter of seven puppies.

And last night, Sally had her litter...three pups.

Altogether, there are five males and five females. They all have similar coloring, but the border collie's pups are quite a bit bigger than Sally's.

So, does anyone will anyone want a puppy in a few months? Both mothers are very sweet-tempered, and I guess the dad is nice, too. He's very...bouncy.

More pictures to come.

Maybe.

If I decide not to be a lazy bum.

Random and terrible fact: Between now and when Babes in Toyland is over, the Light family only has two nights that are not busy...tonight being one of them. Yikes.

what He did

Do you want to know what God did last night?

He studded grasses with diamonds.

He wove intricate lace patterns.

He draped delicate strands of pearls on our flowers.

More lace.

More gorgeous lace.

I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses;

And the voice I hear falling on my ear the Son of God discloses;

And He walks with me and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

I would like a better camera. I've been entering to win one whenever the Pioneer Woman gives one away, but I never win. The pictures above would be about 95% lovelier if I had a better camera...:/

I just discovered that Rolla has a visitor's site: www.visitrolla.com.

To tell the truth, it's pretty cool. It makes Rolla look like a pretty spiffy place to live.

Which it is.

I think.

I guess I've never thought of Rolla as a 'spiffy' place.

The only lame thing about the site is that in the list of places to shop, Wal Mart is listed.

Can't you just see some Arkansas family stumbling upon visitrolla.com and saying, "Hey, ya'll! Let's go to Rolla; they have a Wal Mart."

That was mean. I like Arkansas people. I'm hoping to be an Arkansas person next school year.

Oh, dear.

I'm going to come back with an accent.

Oh, dear.

An Attractive Picture

Taken right after my wisdom teeth were removed. For the record, I have no memory of this picture being taken...I was still under the influence of some sort of drug. I think it's funny.

Ten...

...things that I am waiting for, both patiently and impatiently:

1. Christmas music, and the smell of apple cider on the stove.

2. The day I learn to play this glorious instrument.

3. College.

4. Our dishwasher to be fixed.

The caption makes me smile: "Most husbands help with dishes"

I dearly hope they do. I sure could use a husband with all of the dishes that I have to wash tonight.

5. This.

6. And this. Well, not the cowboy. Just the mountains.

And maybe the cows.

7. Snow.

I love it when it's snowy and the sky turns purple like in the picture above.

8. This...in 2010. I believe in you, boys!! It's possible...anything's possible...

I think. It might be too late.

They just went through an incredibly long dry patch where they didn't hit ANYTHING.

At all.

They're getting better. Albert hit two homers last night.

9. For this man to show up at my house and sing to me.

I'm serious.

10. Our fall camping trip. I miss these girls.

a quote

Pink Tulip

A flower is relatively small. Everyone has many associations with a flower - the idea of a flower. You may put out your hand to touch the flower - lean forward to smell it - maybe touch it with your lips almost without thinking - or give it to someone to please them. Still - in a way - nobody sees a flower - really it is so small - we haven't time - and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time. If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small like the flower is small.

So I said to myself - I'll paint what I see - what the flower is to me but I'll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it -

-Georgia O'Keefe

Yellow Sweet Peas

Hug O' War

I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

-Shel Silverstein