TREE CASUALTIES

The big snow gave a fatal blow to our faithful, if aged, Juniper. Around 2:30 in the morning I went out with an extended paint-roller poll (extends to 20 feet!) and started knocking of as much snow as possible. Unfortunately, I could not reach the upper limbs and retreated from the wind swept yard. I continued the effort when I awoke around 7AM, but, again only on the first 20 feet above the ground. Unfortunately, around noon the upper portions cracked off with a loud snap. The white dots indicate the approximate profile of the tree before the storm.

Snow Total = 20" and it's projected we get another 10-15" on Tuesday through Wednesday!

B.Y.O.S. FOR THE OLYMPICS

Started snowing last night in D.C. Here's the view of our parking lot this morning. We're expecting another wave of snow this weekend.

In the meantime, Mom tells me they're transporting snow from the Coquihalla highway to fill up the hills in the Vancouver area for the Olympics.

David Letterman was teasing U.S. snowboarder Shaun White that he needs to "Bring Your Own Snow" to Vancouver.

MICHAEL JACKSON EARTH SONG

Moving Memorable Michael Jackson Earth Day Grammy Award Tribute with Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Usher. Click here to see the Grammy performance.

Michael Jackson's DVD This Is It is now available. Mama-san gives This Is It an enthusiastic thumbs up "Spectacular -- A Must See!"

HANGING WITH MOM & DAD

For the last couple of weeks, Mom and I have line danced together. Dad and I have skated at Britannia & Sunset Arena -- he's prepping to return to play hockey.

The day we decided to give the ice rink at Robson Square a try, it was too warm outside so they wouldn't let us get on the ice. We tried to gain sympathy by trotting out the fact that Dad's 78 years old with his one and only daughter visiting from Washington, DC.

But they wouldn't budge so when Mom met us, we went to the Seymour Buffet at the Bay instead.

CARRY ON RESTRICTIONS

New! 2010 TSA Transport Canada Screening Procedures

Eric returned to Washington yesterday. Outbound flights to the U.S. were under increased scrutiny with additional screening procedures.

Basically no hooker bags or man purses wider than 12 inches. Homeless attire suggested. Layer clothes & stuff pockets.

Image Source:  theonion.com

OH CANADA

Happy New Year From Canada

Mochitsuki Day Vancouver Nikkei Place
December 29, 2009

ULTIMATE IN AIRLINE SECURITY

Here's the idea: Everyone strips down to nothing but their birthday suit, relinquishes all personal property (cell phones, etc.) and dons a Tyvek Utility Jump Suit. Then everyone is required to walk through an imaging screener to see what is beneath the skin (artificial joints, pace makers, etc.) or inserted into body cavities. Luggage and personal items are shipped in advance or on cargo planes to destinations. Like Brooke Shields: Nothing comes between you and your Tyvek.

And for Jennifer:

SNOW KARMA

Whether in Vancouver or D.C. Eric and I seem to attract record breaking snow. Last year around Christmas, Vancouver got close to 18" of snow. Here in DC we're on track to get about a foot and a half by the time we wake up tomorrow morning. Washington last saw this much snow back in '96 when I worked for Bell Atlantic in Bethesda and in 2003 when I schlepped ice melt at the hardware store.

PARADISE LOST

This week we started reading John Milton's Paradise Lost. Amazing imagery! The descriptions of Satan, his demons and where they dwell are quite fantastic. Pandemonium (as in the place of all demons), the gates of hell and its guardians, etc. reminded me of the work of H.R. Giger, Hieronymus Bosch and Gustave Dore'. So since my students are more visually oriented, I showed them some of these images.

DANTE'S AND OTHER JOURNEYS

This week in my humanities class, we discussed some of the underlying universal themes in Dante's Inferno. The one that was most interesting for the students (and me) was the Hero's Journey. The Inferno begins with Dante lost in a wood which has been analyzed, among other things, as a mid-life crisis, the guilt of a unnamed sin or contemplated suicide. Virgil, the Roman poet, appears (upon the intervention of Beatrice, Dante's now dead "first love") to intervene and show Dante the true path. Dante and Virgil go on a harrowing and transformative journey.

This is, of course, the "Hero's Journey" in which a troubled person is visited by a ghost, vision or other entity to guide them toward resolution and transformation. This pretty much describes almost any story. Since the holiday season is upon us, I thought about Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", "The Wizard of Oz" and "It's a Wonderful Life".

By the way, have you ever noticed that clothesline in the foreground of the bridge caretaker's shack scene? Since almost nothing in film is accidental, why is that there? I think it is a division between heavenly and earthly creatures. It is not until George is "no longer born" that both George and Clarence are shot on the same side of the clothesline. This idea is present in Renaissance paintings, too. Triptychs of the angel's visitation of Mary usually contain a column that divides the two figures.

I think Capra, a good Italian Catholic, knew what he was doing.

SYMPATHY NOTES

The many condolences from friends, colleagues, neighbors and former and current students have been comforting.
Thank you.

DAD 14 September 1933 -22 October 2009

My dad passed away on the evening of Thursday, 22 October.

He suffered much from Parkinson's and dementia for the past four years (nine years since he was diagnosed) and now he is at peace. In the past few months we've seen him slowly drift away from us as his dementia transformed him into what most resembled an infant: Aware, but unaware. Complex emotions stripped down to comfortable/uncomfortable, sad/happy, hungry/not hungry.

My mother is doing well. She, my brothers, Adrienne and I have been expecting his death for the past week--we have been by him since he stopped eating and drinking last Saturday. There is sadness mixed with relief. My sadness emerges when I recall his and my mother's struggle. I recall those many moments of pain as he saw himself no longer able to be an individual, self-sufficient, intelligent being and how my mom was ever faithful and supportive of him.

Here's the obituary we wrote:

On October 22nd, George Thomas Jenkins, beloved husband of Elizabeth and father of Mark, Thomas and Eric, passed away after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s disease and dementia. He was 76. In addition to his wife and three sons, he leaves behind five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

George, also known as “Jinx” and “Tom”, was a Deacon at Our Lady Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church in Middle River. George worked for the Glenn L. Martin company and then with the State of Maryland. His most memorable occupation, however, was a soda jerk at Block’s Drug Store in East Baltimore in the late 1940s. After graduating from Calvert Hall High School, he attended Towson State University then graduated from University of Baltimore’s School of Law. He also earned a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.

George was active in the community including managing championship teams for the Harford Park Little League, coaching basketball and writing successful grant proposals for the West Twin River Community Improvement Association. He was also an umpire in the Mason-Dixon Umpire Association whose members honored him with “Oakie” award in 1996.

In addition to his many sermons and poems, he also wrote skits that his family, friends and co-workers performed at holiday events. George will be remembered as caring and compassionate man with great integrity.

Viewing, Wake Service and Funeral Information for George T. Jenkins here.

SOUL LINE DANCE

Went to a soul line dance class out in Maryland. They run through about 6-8 dances in an hour long class. Too much fun. Songs like this one called "Texas Twist"

PILLOWS MOM MADE US

EN VOGUE-PNE

If the rain holds off, gonna see En Vogue tonight at the PNE

En Vogue PNE Vancouver Tuesday, August 25 8 pm

2009 PNE SUPERDOGS SHOW

I start work at the 2009 Vancouver PNE tomorrow. Am looking forward to seeing as many PNE Superdogs shows as possible. For opening day on Saturday, they're giving an extra show at 10 am. Every other day shows are at 1, 4 & 7:30 pm. For the inside scoop on how to get into the PNE free, click here.

NEW BOOKSHELVES

Here are the new bookshelves in my office. They are made of inexpensive OSB (usually used for sheathing) but finished with tung oil--though the desk has a polyurethane finish. The vertical fins, which follow vault's contour, are identical but the shelves get shallower as they move upward. Bill Putnam and Ari Goldstein, two former students who have started a side business called "Department of Furniture", developed and fabricated the design.

Updated by Eric

FACEBOOK, TWITTER?

Image Source: Terinea IT Support

Just joined Facebook but will Facebook Make You Stupid?
Study Finds Link Between Facebook Use, Lower Grades in College.

RUBBERMAID STORAGE SHEDS

Been busy writing about plastic & vinyl
Vertical Outdoor Garden and Storage Sheds.

Shopping Guide to Vertical Rubbermaid Storage Sheds

Bestselling Rubbermaid Outdoor Storage Shed
Why Vinyl Storage Sheds Are Better Than Wood or Metal
Checklist for Buying Vinyl Outdoor Storage Sheds
Where to Buy Inexpensive Plastic Garden Sheds

FLOWER PRUNING SHEARS

I'm in Writing Summer School at Squidoo and my assignment was to write a short piece. So I chose to write about my favorite gardening tool from Lee Valley Tools, given to me by my Dad. If you've never been to this fantastic gardening and woodworking shop, just ask my Dad to take you on a tour on the way to/from the airport.

http://www.squidoo.com/flower-pruning-shears

GREAT BOOKS

Great Rosy-Fingered Dawn! It's Eric's summer of dactylic hexameter as he bones up on the classics that he read (or was supposed to have read) in high school and college! Why? Well, let's just say that the Dean and Provost requested (that is a more polite term) that he teach a freshman honors seminar on several "Greats" of Western Literature. If your second question is "Why in Hades realm is an architect teaching classical literature?" I will be happy to explain at another time over a glass of ambrosia. In the meantime, this summer the reading list includes:

Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"

Sophicles' "Oedipus Rex"

Dante's "The Inferno"

Milton's "Paradise Lost"

Please join me in some interesting summer reading!

(Posted by Ericus)

BARRY MANILOW 4th of July

Security lines were off the hook to get into the Capitol Fourth celebration on the Mall. So Eric and I sat on the grass by the Capitol Building. At least got to hear Aretha Franklin sing the American National Anthem. Barry Manilow opened the show with "It's A Miracle". Here's a YouTube clip from his show in Vegas.

EASTERN MARKET RE-OPENS

Capitol Hill's famous Eastern Market re-opened June 26th 2-years after a fire gutted its interior and destroyed much of its 19th c. exterior detailing. The fire forced the hand (finally) of the city, market management and local residents to renovate and restore the building. The renovation is sensitive and maintains it's identity as a neighborhood market.

In other words, it has not been turned into a "Whole Foods" or "Dean and De Luca". Like Gaul, the market is divided into three parts: the South Hall (market stalls), the Central Hall (service area) and the North Hall (meeting room/reception hall). Posted by Eric

SOUTHWEST DC AT NIGHT

SW Living: Flashback to the 60's & the glory of post-war modernism.
Posted by Eric

YOUNG JENKINS

I was asked to offer some thoughts on the retirement of Professor Karl DuPuy from the University of Maryland. The presentation began with the story of how I met with Karl just after my acceptance into the architecture program. In this first advising meeting Karl grilled me on my class schedule, career plans, grades, etc. On my way out of his office I must have no longer resembled the student in the above 1984 university I.D. for standing outside Karl's office was a veteran architecture student (who was a whole year ahead of me). The veteran grinned and said "Welcome to Architecture..." This got a few laughs. (posted by Eric)

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Tweet for Trees - World Environment Day & Twitter
Today is World Environment Day. Follow UNEP on Twitter & the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP will plant one tree for every twitterer who follows @UNEPandYou by Friday June 5th, World Environment Day. Find out more here.

"Portraits de planteurs" © Patrick Wallet / Yves Rocher
United Nations Environment Programme

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A MONTH MAKES

Here are before and after shots of our garden...taken about 6 weeks apart. The perennials have filled in the blank spots. Our garden theme this summer: "Garden of the Misfit Plants".


Our annual window box & tropical container plantings are dried out rejects, were saved (with the garden center owner's blessing) from the "to be tossed" pile or germinated from old seed packet samples. I am also transplanting tree seedlings--I found a bevy of Ginkgo tree seedlings (literally with seeds attached) underneath our community's elderly trees. (Update by Farmer Eric)

SUSAN BOYLE ELAINE PAIGE

O.K. Mama-san, you're usually a good judge of talent. Have you seen this video yet? What do you think? Eric brought it to my attention. Martin -- your fellow Brit is amazing. Click here then feel free to leave a comment in the guest comments at the bottom of that page.

Image Sources:
Susan Boyle, susan-boyle.com
Elaine Paige, broadwayworld.com

JOHNSON'S GARDEN CENTER

I started a new job at one of the premiere nurseries in the Washington, DC area to buy annuals for Johnson's Florist and Garden Centers which has been in business for over 77 years. Johnson's got its start as a small grocery store in the 1930s, later selling a few geraniums then in the 1950s dropping the grocery store and becoming a florist. Later plants, trees and shrubs were added to become one of the area's most beloved and thriving garden centers in D.C.

TENNIS BALL MACHINES FOR DOGS

Automatic Tennis Ball Launchers for Dogs

Over 2 million people have viewed this video of Jerry the tennis ball chasing dog who loves his automatic tennis ball throwing contraption. The University of Victoria built something similar to assist a wheelchair bound client who still wanted to play fetch with his dog. Click on the link above for the video and story I filed.

DEEPEST SNOW IN YEARS

Storm Drops Most Snow Area Has Seen in Years

"We finally received our long overdue Washington snowstorm!"

Only 5-8 inches - a mere pittance compared to the 18 inches we experienced this past winter in Vancouver.

Image Source: Bill O'Leary-The Washington Post