Performing magic, in the real world, takes imagination, planning, and a lot of hard work. I have been attempting to turn that vast uninteresting expanse of bare earth around my house into something that will tempt me to look out the windows, rather than the reverse.  

This month my project has been planting trees and constructing a rose arbor and fountain grouping with a Neoclassical style. My arbor and fountain grouping brew is cooked up from 4 ten foot lengths of heavy duty 4" sewer pipe, sand and dirt, cement blocks, treated plywood, a 2X4, bendy board fencing, roses, 2 round plastic ponds, pond liner, and fountain and waterfall pumps.

Here is my plan.

Getting Started 

The film Max, while not a true biography of Hitler, explores the subject in a clever, frightening, and moving way. This movie fascinates with a mixture of the repellant intensity of lean hungry Hitler, the crucible of post WW I Germany, and the engrossing birth of modern art. Hitler’s struggle with his unrealized art ambitions and burgeoning modern art crash against one another with all the force of the proverbial unstoppable force and immovable object. This film is art about art.

I want to thank John Cusack for forgoing his salary so that this amazing film could be made and Noah Taylor for his incredible performance as Hitler. I highly recommend Max .

Cats are such amazing creatures. They jump lightly into the air almost seeming to defy gravity. Pearl is quite at home on the top edge of the bathroom door, like a gymnast on a balance beam.

(Don't do this at home. Expert on closed track.)

My ever curious cats like to see what’s going on when I am working at my computer. I often find myself looking at the screen between a pair of cat ears. Pearl is checking out a Google map page in the accompanying photo.

Now where is the nearest PetSmart? 

For a quick dessert, place 3 Newman’s Os (better than Oreos--no trans fats, no milk, no wheat) per serving in a zip-lock bag. Leave it unzipped a little ways and slide your hand over the bag from seam to opening to get rid of as much air as possible. Then zip the bag and run a rolling pin across the bag or press with hands or other object until the cookies are finely crumbled. Place in a glass custard bowl. Top with a Tablespoon of vanilla soy yogurt that you have stirred a little powdered sugar into. For the next layer, add a couple of Tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Grate a little Swiss chocolate over the top. We like Lindt Madagascar bars because they have no milk. Serve a milk free Black Forrest dessert that tastes wonderful.