Artibles

2011-02-24T16:16:00.000-08:00

Cat in the window -- Cats in the window

Shovelling

2011-02-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

when you grow too old to sled ride
you shovel
you awaken to the white tide downpour of snow
to shovel
the neighborhood is alive with adults
who shovel
demanding passage
by shovel

when you grow too old to ice skate
you shovel
children may sleep, buses keep
but shovel
todays' snow day will end
so shovel
your stores recede
you need
to shovel

when snowmen hold no interest
shovel
hot cocoa keeps you awake
so shovel
it's never too late
to shovel
your back may ache
but shovel

will it melt today, hard to say
let's shovel
todays' snow is tomorrows' ice!
go shovel!!!
a workout would be twice as nice
but shovel
the sun casts one weak ray upon
your shovel

copyright 2010, Kate
typos, spelling errors, grammatical mistakes courtesy Kate!

Winter Photos

2011-02-24T15:32:00.001-08:00

Midge Journal: The Lost Diaries -- Seventh Grade

2011-02-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

Midge Journal

Seventh Grade

October Journal

Monday: Sister Mary Constance assigned 5 pages of Math "homeworks" and Sister Mary Darren assigned vocabulary sentences and definitions as well as 5 pages of English. Sister Mary Annunciation assigned a chapter in Science, and Sister Mary Gabriella assigned 2 pages both of Social Studies and Penmanship. I went straight home to my room to die!

Tuesday: Got a 99% on my Math pages! Whew! What a relief. I want to be an archaeologist some day and you know how mathematical that is. Had a knotworth and Philadelphia cheese sandwich for lunch with celery and carrots.

Wednesday: Sceince is particularly interesting this year, but not as interesting as lunch is. Sigh. I got to sit next to Alan, the new boy, by accident of course. He had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I had hard salami and cheese on rye with spicy mustard and celery sticks and an apple. We're going to study together for Thursday's Sceince test (at the Library).

Thursday: Spelling assignments due today. Mine were all in order. Big Sceince test this morning. Alan and I, having studied together at the Library were calm, cool, and confident. Egg salad on marbled rye with a pickle and crinkle cut chips for lunch. Gym class this afternoon. I'll probably get the kickball in the head again!

Friday: I got 100% on the Spelling test. Yippee!! Mom says I can have my ears pierced in June if I get all 100%'s in Spelling all year!!! Had a meatball sandwich on Italian bread and mozzarella chese and a green, hard pear for lunch. Ken sat next to me and pulled down my knee socks. He had an olive loaf sandwich (yuck!), and a banana flip snack cake.

Saturday: 5 pages of Math homework to do this weekend. Have to clean my room TODAY! Barbie's Birthday party is tonight! I got her Love's Babysoft perfume and powder with a real powder puff and a Mystery Date game. I have to wear my same old rag of a party dress again. Mom says she'll curl my hair. Like that's going to make it different!!! "Oh, Midge, your hair is curly. Is that a new dress?"

Sunday: Went to 8a.m. Mass. Father Wally's sermon was soooooooooooooooooooo long I thought I'd die. I am going to bed early with a Nancy Drew novel. I'd rather read than sit up and watch "Bonanza". Yawn.

Silliness

2011-02-07T14:40:00.001-08:00

Junior (kitty), was sky high up in the oak tree.
What a sight to see!
Accidentally,
as I stepped out the back door.
Chit, chit, chit
came the exclaim of Squirrel
in his winter fur coat.
Goading Junior,
who surprise, surprise.
Climbed fifty feet.
On a calm winter day.
Just for play.
Junior looked like a little black and white bear.
Beyond silly in the air.
Meow, meow.
"You climbed up, now you get down!"
I replied.
And he did.
End.

Junior's Big Adventure

2011-02-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

Cat up a tree!

Rustbelt Arts

2011-02-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 12th, 12--7pm
Rustbelt Arts Sale, at the old B&O station, Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown, OH.
Over 50 arts and crafters and house brewed beer!

Running with Donuts!

2011-02-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

From the national news out of Raliegh, North Carolina.
The Krispy Kreme challenge. Run 2 miles, eat a dozen donuts, run back!!!
That's my kinda race. Burns 2,400 calories and raises funds for the
Children's Hospital there.

The Cloud with the Silver Lining

2010-09-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

Cheese and Onion Pie

2010-09-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

Double Plum!

2010-09-18T17:13:00.001-07:00

Twin Plum

Midge Journal: The Lost Diaries -- Seventh Grade

2010-09-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

Monday: First day of school! Walked all the way to school (two excruciating blocks) with Barbie and Ken. Sister Mary Maurice is our homeroom teacher this year. She is older than Granny.

Tuesday: Walked all the way to school (two long blocks). A new boy joined our class. His name is Alan. He's dreamy. Had an Underwood Deviled chicken sandwich and grapes for lunch.

Wednesday: Wow! Math is really going to be tough this year! Mom says I have to work hard and knuckle down! If I get an 'A' the first nine weeks of school I can get a pair of saddle shoes!!!

Thursday: Had confession this afternoon. I had to tell Father Wally about sticking my tongue out at Sister Mary Constance while she was at the chalk board during Math class. Everybody laughed. I got 'hard' penace for that.

Friday: Walked to school, (two whole blocks), with Barbie and Ken and Bebe (neighbors, classmates). Attended mass at eleven a.m. My stomach growled and growled. I had a tuna salad sandwich and a pickle for lunch. Bebe had mac-a-roni and cheese, and Ken had a sandwich and a banana flip snack cake.

Saturday: Went to the movies with the 'group', Barbie, Ken, Bebe, Rosie, Marty from Saint Eloise school. We saw "Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang" and "Mary Poppins" again. Rosie had cigarettes and we all tried them during the intermission. Yuck!

Sunday: Up at the crack of dawn to attend 8 a.m. mass. Went to Grandma's house--I got to drink coffee with the grown ups. Cousin Betty is having a baby. Her ankles are swollen. That doesn't account for the rest of her!!! Mom made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Have to go to school tomorrow. I hate school. Ken and Alan pull down my knee socks between classes.

On the move to Latin America

2010-07-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Geese in the park

2010-06-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

Lillies in the sun

2010-06-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

Pretties from the garden. This week only!

2010-06-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today's Birthdays!!! March 25, 2010

2010-03-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to . . . Elton John (63),
Aretha Franklin (68)
Sarah Jessica Parker (45)
Michael Stanley (63)

Four Weeks in Anguillia

2010-03-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

. . . Once I was a mild mannered optician bustling about a busy private optical selling eyewear. . . It was November '09, the ninth to be exact when I flew through the air and landed down three stairs into Anguillia. It was not at all like Alice's tumble into Wonderland. There was no tea and no Mad Hatter. The whole world faded to black and white; I felt indescribable pain in my left arm, the elbow region especially, my shoulder and left hip. I was subjected to trials and errors beggaring description on the part of the emergency facility assigned to cases of workers compensation. (The incident occurring at my place of employ.) At last my arm was cast and then the following day the cast was removed and a sling took its place on the recommendation of a pompadoured doctor, specialist in his field. I was forced to remain in a state of suspended animation for six weeks where I could not even button my own blouse! I was driven deep into the seedy underbelly of Anguillia where vampires reside.

Admittedly at first I felt alone and lonely. It took some time to meet and learn the names of all f the characters inhabiting Anguillia; neighbors and friends, the flower shop, the popular bars and restuarants, the bakery and corner store, as well as the phone numbers for the police department and park police. Luckily I was not completely unfamiliar to Anguillia it's history, morays and customs having spent time there in '04 and '05. Now and again since then I had taken pause and refuge in Anguillia. Figuratively wringing my hands and drinking coffee iwth a sympathetic old friend; expounding tales of happiness and woe. Here I was writing one handed into a black and white marbled composition book. Researching and typing one-handed on my trusty lap-top computer.

I wrote thirty-three thousand, eight hundred and ninety-seven words in four weeks in conjuction with the National Novel Writing Month or 'Nanowrimo'. It ws not quite a novel, but I was not dissatisfied with my time in Anguillia either. With the rolling lap-top table butted up against the bed I travelled the fruit-named streets; from Blueberry Buckle Boulevard, to Apple Orchard Circle, across Quince and Pomegranate Streets, into the nooks and crannies of Fig Alley, down Cherry Place through Plum Way and Peach Cobbler Run, up Fruit Street passing around the Old Rugged Cross Graveyard onto the Town Square. I ambulated alone along the parkway overlooking Jangeo River staring contentedly into its murky depths looking for eel indigenous to the region. It was late autumn when I took the fall; the skies clouded over, rain soaked the ground, hail fell. The pines were drenched with moisture; thier needles suspended in ice. The holidays came and went and along with them came snow and ice; sneezing and snuffling ensued. As a matte of course a smart car got stuck in a snow drift.

It all ended abruptly. A shot rang out on Quince Street in the intersection adjacent Blueberry Buckle Boulevard. The novella ended. I spent the fifth week on holiday in New Orleans. I was to return to work upon the completion of the sixth week; my arm healed. I had to once again busy myself with selling spectacles once more. Few people like spectacles; fewer still want to pay for them. This is a dilemma when it is your job and you find you have been extracted from Anguillia.

End.

Learn more about Anguillia by reading the novella: A Taste for Blood; Not So Much coming to www.Lulu.com in April '10.

READ THIS

2010-03-22T08:16:00.001-07:00

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/victoria-frankenstein/6274704?showPreview

Lucky Charms Anyone?

2010-02-23T16:27:00.000-08:00

Remember when you were a kid and you enjoyed cold cereal at breakfast? Every day was a new eating adventure. Whatever happened to that? When's the last time as an adult you ate a bowl of Lucky Charms? I just did. And another, and another, and another. Finally I disposed of the pitiful remains. I do not remember the cereal tasting that good. Good meaning sweet. Lucky Charms used to taste like Cheerios to me only with the little marshmellows. Guess what? Not any more. Now the 'cereal' portion is 'frosted' the marshmellows are littler and there are more of them than ever in all the colors of the rainbow.

These changes are to accommodate the 'new' cereal audience. Those born in the "New Millenium". But this wreaks havoc with one's "cereal memories". We all have "cereal memories". Memories of the cereals that you ate each morning for breakfast. Cereals that you thought were handed down to Moses with the Ten Commandments. Cereals that you thought would always exist just the way you knew them. And when you least expect it you start to daydream about the crackling and popping of Rice Krispies or the chocolatieness of Cocoa Krispies or the intense maplie-ness of the Quaker Instant Oatmeal steaming at the table before rushing off to gradeschool. Who can forget the martian on the box of Quisp or the creatures on the box of Freakies? Or the 'cool' of Sugar Bear on Super Sugar Crisp. These aromas, flavors and images permeated a time and a place in our lives. Some of the cereals are gone and some remain stocked on the shelves of our local grocery stores. Those were simpler times; before high fructose corn syrup made us all obese and the "Nutrional Highlights" tab took its place at the top of the cereal box. We didn't care if it was good for you back then we just wanted it to taste good and to have great prizes inside.

I recall once getting "Tiddly Winks" from a box of Trix and an orange Saber Toothed Tiger from a box of Cocoa Krispies and I still have the green plastic head of Wilma from the Flintstones with a metallic silver ballbearring in it. As an adult I no longer regularly eat the 'kids' cereals of my childhood or of today although some of the television commercials do make them look tempting. You may be wondering what aberration caused the gorging of the Lucky Charms tonight? You got me? They were in the house!!! That's what I have been wondering as a binge eater for many, many years. What is it about cereal that causes one to lose control and devour large quantities in a single sitting? Who hasn't sat down thinking they would have just one bowl and consumed the entire box? Is it the crunch, the mingling of the cereal and the milk, is it the way the cereal absorbs the milk and gets soft or rubbery, or all of the above. Was I perhaps 'thirsty' for 'milk'? When I eat oats at breakfasttime I rarely pour milk on it, but rather eat it practically dry with just a little cinnamon and a big mug of coffee.

Lucky Charms with 110 calories, 0 grams of saturated fat, and 1 scant gram of fiber may still be "magically deliscious", but for an adult they are not the most bang for the buck. I will stick with my long cooking oats that do not "spike" my blood sugar or cause a 'binge', but I may now and again daydream about pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars and green clovers.

2009-07-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

Midge Journal: Summer Journal

2009-07-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Friday: After much consderation and a pint of Ben & Jerry's 'Chunky Monkey' I broke down and went to the "Mango Shack" Bar to see my old college sweetheart, Marty and his partner in music Lil'Kelly perform. It was an awful experience. Turns out Lil'Kelly is the Lil'Kelly I had in my "Digs 101" class last fall semester! Cute kid, sings well, plays a hell of a ukulele, but she can't 'dig' to save her life! She will never advance in archaeology. Martie was, well, Martie. When I went off for a summer in Greece to view antiquities Martie met and married a business major. I never did understand what he saw in her. And now, Martie is touring the tri-state area playing gigs with Lil'Kelly when he's not watching his triplet daughters. His wife is the CEO of a large cosmetics corporation. Sigh.

Saturday: Did laundry and deep conditioned my hair. Need to get those pesky split ends trimmed off, but not today. I'll give myself a pedicure after a hot bath and get to bed early.

Sunday: Went out to Brunch with Barbie and Babs. They got a good chuckle over my seeing Martie play at the 'Mango Shack' Friday night. Hefers! We went to the new Italian place over on Green Street. Barbie had Veal Piccata and a plate of tiramisu for dessert. Bab had an Italian steak salad loaded with rotini and assorted olives and cheeses and eggplant and so many hot peppers I thought she'd explode! I had the Greens and chicken. We drank two bottles of some Italian red whose label had a knight on a big white horse.

Monday: Got up early. 6:30. Had a banana smoothie, dropped Pierette off at 'doggie daycare' and headed to the gym. That cute yoga instructor is teaching the 7:30 class. Ofcourse Barbie and Babs arrived just after the session started. No repect for the mans' genius. The positions he can get into and stay in. Wow! Took a 5 mile jog afterward and then off to the library for some research in the periodicals. Prep work for fall classes. Picked Pierette up at the 'doggie daycare' and got home around 3pm. Pierette and I took a walk and then I made a salad and reviewed my notes for earlier that day. Got ready for bed and watched TCM all evening.

Tuesday: Got up at 6:30. Had a banana smoothie. Took Pierette for an hour walk and then jogged 5 miles. Made an appointment to have my split ends trimmed. Took a hot bath and got dressed and got my split ends trimmed. Raphael Garcia Buendia, a graduate assistant in the philosophy department called and invited me to a film at the museum tonight at 8pm. I said 'sure'. We got aquainted at a cocktail party spring semester. Cute guy. Waaay too young for me of course, but very cute and latin with a great sense of humor. Put on a summer sundress and high heels that show off the pedicure I spent hours on Saturday night. I skipped dinner so that I wouldn't have that stomach bulge and then my gut growled all through the movie. It was a Bergman film and I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo embarassed. Afterward we went to a little cafe around the corner from the museum and had a little snack. Got home around midnight. What a charmer. He insisted on walking Pierette with me down to the corner since it was so late and she needed to go out. I sent him on his way as soon as we got back.

Wednesday: Got up at 6:30. Had a double espresso. Took Pierette to 'doggie daycare'. Got to the gym and attended the 7:30 yoga session. The cute instructor was out sick. We had Helga, the instructor from hell instead!!! Barbie and Babs arrived late as usual. Helga did not appreciate that and made the entire class work exclusively on 'core' positions for the next hour.

Grabbed a banana smoothie at the gym and then worked out with weights for an hour. Jogged 3 miles. Drove across town to do some shopping. Found some cute outfits at the mall for my classes fall semester. Picked up Pierette from 'doggie daycare'. Got home around 3pm, took Pierette for an hour walk. Had pasta with tilapia for dinner. Sat down with the new Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novel, "Finger Lickin' Fifteen". Got to sleep around 9:30.

Thursday: Got up at 6:30. Had a mango smoothie. Took Pierette for an hour walk. Went jogging with Barbie and Babs. They had McDonald's for breakfast and couldn't keep up. Made a big pot of coffee when we got back to my apartment and we all put on clay masks and did our nails. Raphael called while the girls were there. They giggled and made googly eyes and whispered back and forth while we tried to have a phone conversation. He invited me to a cocktail party at some professor in the language studies departments house. I am not sure I have met the man? The girls left and I took a long hot bath and shaved my legs. Took Pierette for an hour walk. Took a nap when I got home so I would be rested for the party. Got up around 4:30 pm. Had a banana smoothie and got washed and dressed for the party. Put on a summery skirt and blouse and sandals. Raphael was cuter than ever in a wildly colorful tropical themed shirt and slacks. We arrived on time and enjoyed wines and mixed cocktails, crudites, appetizers, laughs, mingling and meeting new people. Got back to my place around 10pm. I offered him a glass of wine and we walked Pierette to the corner. I showed him the door around 11pm.

2009-01-24T11:52:00.000-08:00

Winter Haiku by Kate Finney

Mittens got a hole

Fingers gettin' frost bitten

Hot cocoa awaits

Poem: January '09

Snow Man

2009-01-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

Snow Man by Kate Finney

Pink fingers

Burning cold

Packed ice and snow

Rolled, rolled, rolled

Snow storm

Sculptural form

Life-like

Free standing

No armature required

Kindling arms

Cunning charms

A hat, a scarf,

A carrot nose

Beguiling,

Swift,

Fugitive,

Tenuous,

Evaporate,

Dissipate,

Evanesce,

Inanimate,

= Snowman

Poem: January'09

2009-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

2009-01-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

Midge and Barbie at the Arboretum

2008-11-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

"Midge and Barbie at the Arboretum"--A slide film by Kate Finney, '08.

"Buck's Boogie" borrowed from "Buckwheat's Zydeco Party"

by Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr., 1987 Rounder Records.

Appearing along with Midge and Barbie and Ginger the cocker spaniel

of Mattel, Inc. is Pierette the Poodle rescued by Kat Ricker.

Remember to check animal shelters and RecuePet when choosing your

4-legged friends. Many purebreeds and lovable mixes need a good and loving

home especially this time of year. Act responsibly, spay and neuter your

four-legged friends.

2008-09-28T16:27:00.001-07:00

Midge Journal

Winter Journal

Monday: Jogged two miles after breakfast of oatmeal and scrambled egg whites. Two more weeks until classes begin. I am updating and upgrading my media materials. Our University slide collection is vast. I show my students more than 300 slides per semester. If you don't jazz it up a little they get bored, fall asleep. The constant barrage of visual images keeps them alert! I have converted the slides to disc for for ease of viewing from my laptop with projection attachment. Those slide projectors are bulky and cumbersome to carry around from classroom to classroom.

Tuesday: Barbie called last night to blabber about some gorgeous Latin American hunk she met at the "Mango Shack Bar" over the weekend. Cried myself to sleep again over Stephen. I still can't believe he broke up with me that way. What an abuse of Andy Williams. And leaving that way on the redeye to the Bahamas. I didn't think he had it in him. You just never know. . .

Wednesday: Reading and preparing syllabi for upcoming classes. I took a two hour mid-afternoon nap after spending the morning at the gym; thirty minutes on the treadmill and thirty minutes on the stepper. I then stopped at the snack bar for a protein smoothie which I followed up with an hour weight training. Whew! Exhausted.

Thursday: Salon day! Manicure, pedicure, hair trim, eyebrow wax, leg wax, bikini wax. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do!

Friday: A.M. yoga class and then two mile run. Slushy out, yuck! I am having dinner tonight with Barbie and the girls at Gino's. Carb night! I hope she doesn't bring that goofy Ken along. He sits there smiling while she talks about other guys. What an idiot!

Saturday: Two hours at the gym and then laundry. Going to settle in with a 'novel' this evening.

Twins Days Festival--Twinsburg, OH

2008-08-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

I am a twin! All my life! This is the first time that we have visited the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio--the World's Largest Annual Gathering of Twins!

Get out next year and see the twins!

Some twins announced their arrival with graffiti on their cars!

Eatin' Park offered free cookies to twins!
Yum!

The Twinsburg Police entered their confiscated Corvette into the parade and displayed it during the day!

Twins souvenirs!

Twin shadows!

Geese come in twins and triplets too!

The guitar playing, hippie twins!

Our Favorite Twins!

The Chicken dinner was great!

Along the parade route.

Chili's Twins!

The

Band

Played

On!

Twins Days fall the first week end of August Annually.

In 2007 2,034 Twins registered for the Twins Day Festival.

That's a lot of Twins!

Twins Days was founded in 1976.

Researchers assemble here every year to research Twins!

Twins Days offers scholarships to a couple of pairs of lucky twins each year!

Each year a 'Royal Court' of Kins, Queens, Princes, and Precesses is chosen!

There is a Golf Tournament, a Baseball League Team, a Twins Talent Show, a Double Stack Pancake Breakfast, A 'Twins Group Photo', a Twins Chicken Dinner, a shuttle van to shuttle Twin and non-twin festival goers alike! There are also contests!!! Youngest Twins, Most Alike Females, Most Alike Males, Least Alike Females, Least Alike Males, Theme outfit, Oldest Twins, Twins coming from farthest in the US, Twins coming from Fathest Outside the US. There is also quite a bit of Entertainment from music to magic, rides, food, fun, vendors selling candles, potporri, jewlery, crafts, soap and more!

Parasails!

Twins Days Festival--Twinsburg, OH

The Twins Parade, Saturday 2-August'08

Article: Is Domestic Feline the Next White Meat?

2008-08-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Is it appropriate to ask your neighbor to collar or 'bell' her or his cat? What is the proper etiquette? Is it unthinkable to even bring it up?

Kristy of Oregon say, " . . . that's like telling a parent how to raise his or her child. . ."

Evangeline in Ohio agrees. . .

Walt of Western Pennsylvania states, ". . . cats should not have collars on them. They sometimes depend on silence, stealth to save them from dogs and other enemies. Dogs, now that's another matter. . ."

When two local veterinary clinics were posed the question; To collar or not to collar, the recommendation was unaminmous, "You have to be careful, they (cats), can get caught up and hang themselves. You have to be sure to get a breakaway collar. . ."

Annie, also of Ohio, says, "Oh my. . ."

Dr's Foster and Smith, an online and catalog business carrying a plethora of pet care items displays kitty collars, leads and name tags on it's web page and lately has introduced the "New"

Pet SafeR Micro I.D. TMRescue Cat Collar which stores your pet's vital information on a USB flash card (compatible with Microsoft and Mac), right on his neck for easy retrieval and quick recovery in case of loss. Incidentally, this Pet SafeR Micro I.D. TMRescue Cat Collar is a "breakaway collar".

When was the cat first domesticated? Does anybody know? Tippy and Alfred's Free Pet Newletter online reports that the Egyptians of the Nile Valley were the first to domesticate pussy around 4,000 B.C. The Nile Valley dwellers were largely an agrarian people who accumulated vast stores of grain. Cats moved in to the area from the jungle and outer regions to feed on the rodents who raided the stores of grain. Before long the little fellows grew on the Valley dwellers and they took to setting out table scraps to keep the cats close to 'home'. Eventually the Valley folk allowed the rodent slayers into their homes and discovered all of the kitties erogenous zones. The rest is history!

Archaeozoology in it's October 30, 2007 issue postulates inconclusively that domesticatin may have occurred a little sooner in an article titled, "Early Cat Taming in Egypt", which states ". . . The exact place and date of domestication is unknown. . ." and goes on to reveal that". . . a tomb painting. . . dated 5th Dynasty (c. 2500-2350), depicts a cat with what seems to be a collar around it's neck. . ."

The New York Times Magazine, article by Bruce Barcott, "Kill the Cat that Kills the Bird", Published: December 2, 2007 explores the cunundrum cat versus bird. Barcott details the drama of a retired science teacher/birder who shoots the feral cat, belonging to a "local managed colony" that attacks the endagered species that he is championing and the consequence of those actions. When brought to trial a dealocked jury was unable to come to a verdict and the case was dismissed.

In "Letters: Kill the Cat that Kills the Bird?" Published: December 16, 2007, one reader, LesDreyer of Pittsburgh, wrote that her ". . . domestic felines obey their predatory instincts thus she has employed the 'obvious solution'. . . a small brass bell on a sting around my cat's neck. . ."

The American Bird Conservancy on the web at www.squirrelsanctuary.org/cat.htm cites: ". . . one regularly fed cat that roamed a wildlife experiment station killed more than 1600 animlas (mostly small mammals) over 18 months. . . Birds that feed on the ground are most susceptible to cat predation. . ." The website goes on to disclose The Cats at Bird Feeders Study: A continent-wide study of 5,500 h0mes with birdfeeders during the winter of 1989--1990 showed that the domestic cat was a significant predator of birds at feeders. . ."

Lastly, Petsweekly reports, a "cat will kill it's prey based on movement, but may not recognize that prey as food. Realizing that prey is food is a learned behavior. . ."

If the first collar showed up in Egypt, where does the notion 'to bell the cat' come from? Wikipedia's invaluable resources describes "Belling the cat" or "to bell the cat" as ". . . an English colloquialism that means to suggest or attempt to perform a difficult or impossible task. . . " The origin of the phrase is attributed to Aesop's Fable "The Mice in Council". The mice in the story meet to discuss what is to be done to stop a disagreeable, marauding feline who is attacking and brutalizing their small community. One spunky, snarky young mouse proposes tying a bell around the feral beast's neck in order to sound a warning when pussy is near. An elder of the gorup asks, "Any volunteers?" The moral of the story: it is easier said than done!!!

"Cats and Wildlife A Conservation Dilemma" by John S. Coleman, Stanley A. Temple, and Scott R. Craven, reiterates that sentiment disappointingly, ". . . bells are mostly ineffective in preventing predation. . . even if the bell rings, it is usually too late for the prey being attacked. . . " They go on to predict a violent death of disease or being struck by a car as what awaits kitty if allowed to venture out on her/his own and recommends retaining kitty within a ". . . fenced enclosure. . ."

Helen, who works in wildlife rehabilitation and specializes in song birds strongly warns, " . . . keep your cat in the house. . . there are many more diseases that can be passed on from bird to cat and cat to human" today.

In the summer of 1729, after three years of drought and famine ravaged England and Ireland, Jonathan Swift wrote the essay, "A Modest Proposal" a ferociously brilliant satire suggesting that a "well nursed. . . one year old is a most delicious, nourishing and wholesome food. . ."

Does it perhaps follow that in 2008 with increasing rates of unemployment and dwindling resources, human over-population and excesses in the pet trade, could the domestic feline be the next white meat? Can we solve the world's hunger problem with pussy? Certainly the 'domestic long hair' is the most difficult to fricassee from the litter box to the frying pan, but with adequate gorging on native American bird species, the 'domestic short hair' could provide adequate and ample nutrition to the mutitudes unable to procure pork and chicken due to rising grocery costs. And isn't the white meat the most versatile, the most tender, delectable and toothsome?

Broasted Mr. Jingles this evening, Miss Kitty tomorrow stewed, broiled Emily and Elsa for company on Sunday, jerky of Felix in little Timmy's lunch pail!!! The vicissitudes of feeding on the friendly tabby down the road that ravaged your cat-mint at 3:00, the splendor of sauces succulent with the sweet meat of Tom from across the street!

One question, was Mr. Jingles wearing any identification? Was he clad in a glad plaid collar that tinkled delicately? If so would you, could you choose Mr. Jingles for your dinner? I think not!!!

Isn't the collar with the bell the outward sign of feline civility? It may or may not follow that 'Daisy Mae' knows why she is not as successful at the kill as 'Blue' or 'Grey' with that jangling bell-a-dangling at her throat, but it is a visible symbol of ownership, domesticity and responsiblility to the wild kingdom at large. This puss is no ration; no stray, no killer.

I am not suggesting that we start ingesting un-collared kitties or kitties in general, but what would the criteria be for choosing your dinner if cat was cuisine and you were hungry?

End.

The staff and management of ARTIBLES@blogger.com in no way propose ingesting domestic felines for their nutritive values which have not been established and are not under scrutiny by the FDA.

The names have been changed to maintain the anonymity of the sources.

All websites, journals and magazines that were reasearched and cited have been documented to the best of my ability within the text of this article, thanks.

Thanks to all those whose invaluable input provided fodder for this article.

Note: the writing style of this article is based on that of Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex in the City" the series.

Enjoy your pets responsibly and protect Native American Birds.

Art Sale approaching!!!

2008-07-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Paintings about to become available to you!
Any day now! Keep watching. This site
is about to explode with quality art works
for you!

Views of paintings available as soon as I download
pictures on digital camera and make room for them.
Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity!
Once the art is gone, it's all gone.

"Every work of art is the child of its time: often it is the mother of
our emotions. It follows that each period of culture produces an art
of its own, which cannot be repeated. . ." Wassily Kandinsky, "Con-
cerning the Spiritual in Art"

Gobble, Gobble. . .

2008-01-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

The above photos illustrate the 'before' and 'after' of the Thanksgiving Day, deep-fried turkey and the pumpkin pie hot from the oven.

The turkey was salted, rubbed with red pepper flakes and injected with balsamic vinegar and "Trappy's" cayienne pepper sauce before deep frying in peanut oil resulting in a moist, flavorful

bird.

Our pumpkin pie was created with fresh pumpkin and a traditional flaky, lard crust.

ThanksGiving!

2008-01-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

From my TV to you!!!

Highlights in case any of you missed the parade itself.

I was missing Bullwinkle Moose who was not

included in the 2007 festivies. Maybe next year eh, Macy's!

FOOD REVIEWS:

2007-11-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

Little Debbie Snacks "100 Calorie Per Serving" Snow Puffs

Description: Fudge cookies with marshmallow and coconut. 8 individually wrapped cookies.

Little Debbie will entice you with the promise of 100 little calories, but do not let her lead you down the flowery path to over-sized t-shirts and elastic waist pants!!! Forget the "green packaging" and put the box down. Now!
Individually wrapping the cakes only makes driving more dangerous.

Are they sweet? With 11 grams of sugar they are succulently sweet and moist. The miniscule 2 grams of saturated fat could almost make
one believ that they are a newly discovered health-food, carrots move over! On the Drool-o-Meter these snack cakes rate a perfect 10.
If you are a binger, and aren't we all, keep in mind that rapid-fire gorging of these sticky little sweeties will leave your teeth unsightly, 'googie' and get 'goo-ga' all over your next little treatie. Yuck!
I don't know about most of you, but asethetics is a big part of eating and all that chocolatie 'googie' smeared on your teeth and your 'cakes' is a real turn-off. For those eating in the car it is also evidence of an elicit tryst with MS D!!! Enough said.

Autumn, Lake Glacier

2007-11-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

Autumn, Mill Creek Park, YO--OH

2007-11-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

2007-11-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

2007-11-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

2007-11-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

'Turtle'

2007-06-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is the box that was in my car the day I found 'Turtle' out in the road with a crow standing over him. Lucky for 'Turtle' I was prepared. He ran quickly to the side of the road, but I caught him anyway.

Notice the crack in 'Turtle's' shell. 'Turtle' was in the road about twenty feet from Ford Nature Center in Mill Creek Park, Youngstown, Ohio.

Here is the original environment that I created for 'Turtle' in a Sterite tub with peat moss and leaves and clover. As I was to discover peat is not a good thing to put in your turtle's temporary environment because it can get stuck in his arm and leg holes. You will notice 'turtle' has a crack in the lower portion of his shell around his tail.

2007-06-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

'Turtle' finds a snack out in the yard.

"TURTLE"

2007-06-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Little 'Turtle' on the scale.

Little 'Turtle' weighs in at .38 kilograms.

'Turtle' is an Eastern Box Turtle found in the road on 18-June-07. 'Turtle' had a crack in his shell requiring veterinary attention.

Promise of Spring

2007-02-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

2007-02-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

Finally the final installment!

Lott's Wife, Part III; A Foray Into Science Fiction

2007-02-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

As Lott's wife gazed back while entering the 'exit' portal, Lott had wished then that she would turn to salt. She extended her arm its full length and wagged her fingers like 'Nanny Macchina' from the 'Spawning Colony' and then she was gone.
It was then that Lott became immersed in searching the skies and the pursuit of the game 'crush' which entailed physically wrestling and smashing your opponent to the brink of exhaustion. The 'crush room' was painted orange and black and smelled of brine and sweat and the contestants would spend several hours a day pumping their muscles with water-filled weights on gravitational pulleys. The more they pulled and pushed the weights the greater the resistance. Lott spent several days a week engaged in this activity and several more 'crushing' doctors and sceintists aboard the vessel. It was a grueling sport and fiercely competitive; many of the 'crushed' never quite recovered, but rather remained ambulatory impaired, mangled or otherwise disabled.
Lott grew bored with the mundanity and ennui of the barbaric amusement and rented a space shuttle fleeing to the outer limits of the galaxy where he had heard of a tribe of 'trades women' who bartered in 'comfort'. This was the most popular get-a-way for midshipmen onboard. The spirals of stardust and ice particles flew passed the windshield pelleting it with hail and obscuring Lott's view yet he continued his journey. He was determined to yearn no more. The shuttle bumped down on a landing strip no larger than an ancient woven carpet. Maiden forms of turquoise and violet with outstretched tentacles swarmed the craft and enveloped Lott in spontaneous delight upon lifting the hatch. He could scarcely believe the quantity of 'women' all enratptured with his contenance and advanced intellect. They led him to an underground chamber all shiny and coal black with many rooms, a restaurant and noisy nightclub. A 'proprietess' introduced herself as Maple Dumpling and bid him to choose one or two of the greeting party to accompany him for the evening. Lott preferred a petite violet 'girl', Viognier with one large eye and seven delicate tentacles and selected a similarly lovely turquoise 'girl', Tublero for his second companion. They took him off to a buffet where every dish prepared was a variation of coconut shrimp; the aura of the room was rosy and the scent of lilac filled the air. He became intoxicated when they took him to a chamber where he bathed in an effervescent liquid the essence of almond.
When Lott awoke the next morning Viognier and Tublero were awaiting him with berries in a milky white glass dish suspended in a substance they called 'crustacean cream'. It was fluffy and smooth and tasted like coconut shrimp. Lott could never recall a day in his life when he had been 'happy'. As Viognier ladled berries and 'cream' into his mouth he felt 'happy'. Tublero wrapped her delicate tentacles around him and squeezed Lott. He was certain that this was what the great, ancient phiposophers had referred to as 'joy' and then they tickled him until he feared he would crack a rib.

End.

Midge Journal--A Holiday Extravaganza!

2007-01-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Saturday: This morning I got all packed and hopped on a plane for Branson, MO. Stepehen is meeting me there. The other tickets he sent me are for an
evening with Andy Williams at his theatre!!! What a surprise!!! I can hardly
wait!!!

Saturday Evening: Met Stephen for dinner at a lovely lakeside restuarant and then a limo picked us up at the door and whisked us away to the theatre for a concert extravaganza!!! First row seats!!! Andy sure looks good. Afterward Stephen and I actually got to visit onstage with Andy!!! We thanked him profusely for singing all of our holiday favorites, "Silver Bells", "My Favorite Things", "Winter Wonderland", "Christmas Present", "Christmas Bells", "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season", "The Bells of Saint Mary's", and especially, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"!!! The way he hits the high notes just like on his records! Wow! What a night to cherish and remember always.

Later Saturday Evening: We went out for an after concert celebratory dessert. What a nice ending to a perfect day! This is when Stephen chose to tell me he was going home to Bermuda for the rest of the entire month of December and he
doesn't see our relationship going any further after dating for five years, but it's been fun and he had a great time taking me to see Andy Williams!!!

Even Later Saturday Evening: Back at the hotel all alone in my room, (Stephen chose to take a red-eye flight back to NYC so that he could be on the earliest flight to Bermuda on Sunday!!!) I ordered room service at midnight and watched all night reruns of "Star Trek". Sigh! That Spock sure is a looker! Ok for you Stephen!!! Around 3am I awoke to yet another "Star Trek" rerun and the queasiest stomach. Around 3:30am I was hurling my hot fudge sundae from midnight!

Sunday: Had to call the airlines and reschedule my return flight as I have the flu. . . Happy Holidays. . .

Midge Journal--Early December & The Holidays!

2007-01-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Friday: Black Friday! Went shopping with Barbie at the Mall!!! She sure has the energy for shopping and the appetite for tacos!!! Found a great holiday outfit and fabu shoes too!!! Can't wait for an occassion to wear them.

Saturday: Stephen called today from NYC. He's got a surprise he's planning for next weekend! I
can hardly wait! I hope it's an outing that I can
wear my near outfit to!

Sunday: Gave 'Spooky' my cat a bath. Whew! That cat sure hates water!

Monday: Prepping the classes for upcoming finals. The early morning students sure were sleepy after the long weekend, but they sure needed the reveiw. Ur wasn't built in a day!!!

Tuesday: Time for a pedicure. I really don't have the time for this treatment, but a girl's gotta dowhat a girl's gotta do. After all, the holidays are just a few
weeks away.

Wednesday: That new secretary brought in moist pumpkin bread today with miniature chocolate chips. I was so bloated by the time I waddled to class. I'll be spending a little extra time on the treadmill this evening.

Thursday: I received an envelope in the mail today from Stephen. It has airline
tickets in it and concert tickets as well!!! It's a secret. . .

The McDonough Museum Show and Sale!

2006-12-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hi! The images that you are viewing are the new 'Nativity' paitings that I created for the McDonough Museum Art Sale. I chose all sorts
of architecture for the 'Nativity' scenes. You will notice rounded, dome-shaped structures in the "Sumaria" scene, a ship in the "Viking" scene, an Egyptian theme with a pyramid and men ploughing a field, the 'Temple of Solomon', a couple of 'bridges', and
Bysantine or early Bethlehem depicted in the paintings. These were
fun to do and I almost couldn't sell them, but they have been popular and my favorite went first. . . "Vikings--on the water". Thanks to everyone who stopped out today. See the rest of you tomorrow.

The "Nativities" Sumaria, the 'Bridge and Pink Mountains','Bethelehem, at left', "Purple Mountains--King travelling with Monkey", 'Nativity"

2006-12-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

Midge Journal--More Autumn News--Late October

2006-11-20T17:37:00.000-08:00

Monday: Ran my pantyhose on a split fingernail this morning. I should have gotten the spay on ones! Running out for a manicure during my break this afternoon.

Tuesday: Halloween. Barbie scared my cat Spooky in her witch costume. I warned Spooky he had to stay in because the witches would be out and there she is all evil and frightening looking.

Wednesday: French toast for breakfast, juice and coffee. Have to visit the gym; doctor's appointment this afternoon. How I hate to step on that scale. Doctor Marsh weighs me with his eyes.

Thursday: Department meeting this afternoon. Archaeology department is large and the meetings last long into the afternoon. I'll bring a large skim milk, decaf latte to get me through.

Friday: Stephen ususally calls me Friday evenings from NYC. We have been dating for two years. Sometimes I think about how my life would be different if I had continued to date Alan after high school. I would probably have 2 or 3 babies by now. Yuck! Alan married a red-head called Midge Broiles. He's a banker now. Funny how he found another Midge and a redhead to boot. What were the odds of that?

Saturday: Viewing a documentary on the Builders of Zimbabwe with the archaeology club this afternoon at the student union auditorium. Looking forward to the popcorn and Milk Duds. Should be a fascinating film. My advanced class will be studying this material before the end of the semester.

Sunday: Sleeping in today and reading in my jammies all day.

Midge Journal--Autumn News, October/November

2006-11-20T17:08:00.000-08:00

Monday: Had poached eggs and toast for breakfast. Handed midterm papers back to students in two of my classes. The other two classes are taking their tests this week. A girl's got to have a life too.

Tuesday: Visited my hair dresser this afternoon. It was time for a trim.

Wednesday: The new department secretary brought in brownies this morning.
I thought I'd bust a seam!!! Two brownies before class!!! Discussed Sir Leonard Woolley in Ur excavating for thirteen years.

Thursday: Grading papers today.

Friday: Gave my cat Spooky a bath. Spooky does
not like to be bathed.

Friday night: Went out to a new bar with Barbie and some friends called the
Mango Shack. An Elvis impersonator
Rocked the house!!! My 'little' student
Kelly joined in on ukulele. What a time!

Ward Bakery Artists

2006-11-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

Sarge and his stained glass.
Nancy holds a baby.
Nancy Crish with her bottle cap necklaces.
Robin Maas the glass blower.

What a nice week end! This is just a sampling of what went on Saturday and
Sunday in Youngstown. Some of the images are a little fuzzy. I must have been
talking while photographing! There was a lot of caffiene and chocolate going
around and it really jags me up!!!

Ward Bakery Artists

2006-11-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

Craftsman Pat Crowe sells yet another
hand made mirror.
Robin Maas displays sterling silver.
Jim Cliff with his colorful paintings.
Detail of Robin Maas handblown glass bead earrings.

Ward Bakery Artists

2006-11-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

Ward Bakery Artist Mary Ann Limmer
in front of hand thrown ceramicware.
Tracy Segretti creating a handmade pillow.
Scott Pergande can't resist Jennifer Hill's
paintings and gourds.
Mary Ann's studio.
Tracy's creations and wearables.

2006-11-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

2006-11-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Mini Minies.

2006-11-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

Two Mermaids. A little fuzzy.
They are small and sparkly.

2006-11-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

Art Images available at the Ward Bakery Building Art Sale.

2006-11-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

Just in case you are wondering I will be participating in the November 18th--19th Art Sale at the Ward Bakery Building 1024 Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown, OH selling miniature paintings, 'minis' and if UPS arrives soon the book "Something Familiar" by Kat Ricker will also be available. So pack up the kids and your wallets and come out for an afternoon that is sure to delight and entertain you with 3 floors of studios, snacks, crafts
and art for sale.

2006-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

For those of you living in the Northeastern Ohio--Western
Pennsylvania area here is a short list of up-coming 'art'
events.

Saturday and Sunday
November 18 and 19
from noon until 5pm
Artists of the Mahoning Commons Holiday Open Studio
and Sale. Ward Bakery Building (Across from U-Haul),
1024 Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio. Free Parking.

*****Saturday, November 25th 11 am to 5 pm
*****Sunday, November 26th 12 noon to 4pm
First Annual Christmas Open House at the Butler
(Butler Institute of American Art), Wick Avenue,
Youngstowns, OH. As always free and open to the public.
Family oriented festivities--music, art activities, special
exhibits, beautiful decorations, a Christmas film series
and football. Expanded Museum Gift Shop! Free punch
and cookies. For lunch visit Winslow's Cafe in
the museum. (*Please no food or drink in the museum
proper. Thanks.) Tickets will be available for the

Butler Institute of America Presents the

36th Annual "American Holiday" Fine Arts and Crafts Show

Saturday and Sunday December 2nd and 3rd
Saturday 10am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm
held at the Chevrolet Centre, 229 East Front Street,
Youngstown, Ohio. Over 100 Fine Artists, Crafters,
and Artisans--Entertainment, Food, Free Parking.
(visit butlerart.com on the web).

Also that week-end, December 2nd and 3rd, make
plans to visit the Youngstown State University
Student and Alumni Fine Art and Craft Sale,
11am--5pm McDonough Museum of Art, YSU Campus,
Wick Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio. Convenient parking
available on campus.

2006-11-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

Lott's Wife -- A Foray into Science Fiction

Part II

Lott became highly agitated imagining his wife with the bloated polar prince. Rourke had toured the ship from stem to stern with the captain and several dignitaries from his icy world. A procression of Rourke's wives and several ambassadors trailed the captain and the nomadic prince peeking into cubicles and reasearch units alike finally investigating the biological sciences and medical area where Arianna was busy embalming an expired midshipman. Rourke unzipped his copper-red jumpsuit and winked at Arriance indicating that he wanted her to join his harem. Arianna squealed, mesmerized by his unnatural pale blue eyes and frosty body temperature. The mating ritual began, they commenced with the 'chicken dance' an old planet Earth amusement of another era; the midshipman cast aside by the necessity. The remaineder of the retinue dispersed to a reception of hot and spicy cuisine created to soothe and warm the body and Plutonian tales of riding the range on a spectacular, amorphous 'dragon' with large, roughly scaled wings breathing blue-white fire. . .

to be continued. . .

2006-11-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

i was born in a

'59 plymouth belvedere,

cream top, tan bottom,

after a snow storm

on west federal street, youngstown, ohio,

saint valentine's day,

1960

Life is a wringer washer set on spin; constant motion. Time could be an abstract element or time can be concrete. Contradiction can baffle or affirm belief. We are what we believe and we are not. We are all mineral and silica and water and salt and fire. We are that shiny film that leaves a radiant trail caught in sunlight behind a snail. Truth is transitory. Nothing is dogma. . . We are here on this plane in an effort to find balance, to grope around the crawl space that is the human mind, to search and investigate, realize, navigate, create and communicate or to accept the fate. We cannot recognize what the inner voice is saying; our voice. Misunderstanding is the child of confusion. Life is an accident waiting to happen. There is no coincidence. . . Life is a wringer washer. . . Life is a wringer washer. . . Life is a wringer washer. . .

2006-11-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome Friends. This is my official "Grand Opening".
Thus the theatrics. I tried to add music and sound effects,
but was unsuccessful. I hope that won't dampen your en-
thusiam and that you will visit often and sign up to have
'Art Streak' delivered automatically to your e-mail location.

November is a busy month, but I will try to post frequently
with images and short stories that will delight and entertain.
You can look forward to ongoing installments of the "Midge
Journal". Midge will be getting into some 'holiday' antics
that you won't want to miss in the weeks to come!

Feel free to comment. Artists like nothing better than critique
and feed-back; as well as applause. Don't be shy now.

Some of you may have visited the MIGHTYKAT link. If you
haven't this is an exciting time to peruse what Kat Ricker has
to offer. She is not only featuring a 'trailer' for her new book,
"Something Familiar", (which includes several of my drawings),
but she has installed a 'photo gallery' feature that is sure to dazzle.
Ricker has some mad skills with a pen, computer, and camera!
This 'photo gallery' is the bomb diggity with extra cheese. Not to
be missed!!!

Enough with the commentary! Enjoy!
Kate

2006-11-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Fruit of Love-- K. Ramunno-Finney

2006-10-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

A Vision for 'Top Cat'--Squidhead in the Trash

2006-10-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

Midge Journal

2006-10-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

September: 'Glam'

Monday: Classes begin again. The new students look so young and cute;
like twelve year olds. I feel like I'm teaching junior high school instead of college. One student,
a pimply faced kid, Walter even left an apple on my desk. After a lecture on the earliest known
farming village discovered in Northern Syria.
Tuesday: Spent the morning preparing lectures for Wednesday. Two o'clock went out for tacos with Barbie at the mall. We had our nails done. She is besieged
with phone calls from Herkamer Peavey!! Hee, hee.
Wednesday: Department meeting at 4pm and I chipped a nail! Such an eyesore against my blue suit. Didn't have time to run out and have it touched up--make note to self to purchase same color nail polish as manicurist uses to keep in desk drawer.

Thursday: Archaeology Club meeting at noon. What a great group of students! Every one of them has seen "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doon" too many times. I have to keep reminding them that archaeology is not that glamourous!!!

Friday: Morning class and then I'm free for the week-end. Taking a train to NYC for a photo shoot Saturday and dinner with that cute surgeon Stephan. Sunday morning I'll visit the Cloisters than catch a train back home. Plenty of 'prep time' for next week on the train.

End.

"La, La, La. . .,"

2006-09-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

"La, La, La. . .," Acrylic on Canvas, Painting 1999

2000 Cash Award Winner

19th Women Artists: A Celebration

An Annual Exhibition in Support of the YWCA

Youngstown, Ohio

One of two paintings created for the following narrative:

Muriel wrestled with her restlessness determined to curb it by drinking decaffienated coffee. In a manic, hyperactive fit she decided to eat herself into oblivion; to take one last attempt at piecing her life together or retching it apart. She wrangled with a one pound fruit cake, during her soap opera to no avail. The fruit cake won out and Muriel was left wearing her fuzzie slippers, gagging and gasping for breath chanting, ". . . oh, we love the old one. . .", exhausted and exasperated by this useless attempt at suicide. Meaning could not be ascertained by forcefully reaching the other side through candied fruits and nuts. No, Muriel was made of sterner stuff. And if one could overdose on fruitcake would it not be just as easy to succumb to a twelve pack of Hostess "Ho Ho's', lard notwithstanding, or a box of Little Debbie's 'fudge rounds' with hydrogenated oils!

Muriel realized that she was at a quandry. Every direction that she turned only pulled her deeper into the depths of disparaging. She felt as if she were walking through quicksand or breakdancing on a mine field. Muriel decided to pack her bags and leave; evaporating into the humid August air, travelling west-bound to anywhere outside the middle west or bust! She left no note, only the remainder of the fruit cake in a lump upon her lover's pillow; pock-marked and punctuated from her gnawing. She was certain that he would find this soggy mutilated mass of fruits and nuts rousingly erotic and lie awake all night anticipating the climatic conclusion of this seduction. She did not care that he would lose sleep over it, she knew that it was time to go. . .

"Woodpile"

2006-09-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

"Papaya"

2006-09-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

"Storm Clouds"

2006-09-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

"View of the Sky, St. Lucia, West Indies"

2006-09-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

Lott's Wife--a Foray into Science Fiction

2006-09-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Lott stared out the window at the stars glittering through the dark reaches of space. He had been shaken by his wife's departure. Arianna had always been phobic around other species, but her fear and dislike lifted when she met Rourke. Rourke, green-gold and massive, spoke with audacity and carried himself like one of entitlement. Lott a space pharmacist could not compete with the colossal Plutonian and yet found it difficult to believe that Arianna could leave her post as doctor on a spaceship and be satisfied as the concubine of a prince from Pluto. Such were the travails of life in the stars.
Lott could recall growing up in a ship not unlike the one he was assigned to upon finishing pharmacy school. He and Arianna had come from the same spawning colony and likewise both studied the sciences; he pharmacy and she medicine. It was not a surprise when they were both consigned to work on the same vessel. Their subsequent espousal was humbling and fugitive, Lott was befooled by love, but no more.
Gray with metallic flecks the interior of his cubicle contained all of the modern pharmacology implements. It was no longer necessary to pulverize medicinals for some centuries or bottle them up by hand either. Now-a-days a robotic arm did the individual mixing and dispensing at the flip of a switch. Lott found that days went by when his expeertise was not even necessary for consultation. He stared out at the stars that shone ageless and indomitable. In his mind a mechanical arm rocked his stainless steel crib and those around him silencing the clamor of a thousand cries for the duration of their interminable, dormant infancy. When the day came that the babies could crawl and express bi-products into a chamber pot the coddling ceased and the intensive education began; seventeen languages, mathematics, physics, galactic geo-astronomy, biology including species evolution, botany, philosophy and the 'sensory arts'. The years of learning had been thorough and Lott was a master pharmacist for it. He knew that those less fortunate who had the disadvantage of being thrust through a 'breeders' birth canal and reared by biological caretakers could never hope to accomplish the level of knowledge that he had at-
tained. His association with Spawning Colony number six-seven-zero-one had been very useful indeed.
. . . to be continued. . .

2006-09-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

"Dusk"

Photo '06

2006-09-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

"Tall Ship"

Photo '05

2006-09-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

"Bunch"

Photo '06

2006-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

"Beetle Bitten"

Photo '05

2006-09-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

"Bees of Summer"

Photo '05

Colorful images capture my attention; flowers, bees, trees, boats on the horizon, clouds, butterflies. Especially the intangibles. Those images that will not last. A beautiful sunset or pattern of clouds in the sky, pollen coated leaves, a ripening 'bunch' of bananas, the newly blooming cluster of croci returning in spring. These are the things I photograph and share.

2006-09-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

"The Abduction of Tanocka the Cat"

2002 2nd Place Winner

The 66th Area Artists Annual Exhibition

The Butler Institute

of American Art

Youngstown, Ohio

Tanocka was a chubby, striped calico kitty with little white feet. She frolicked in the grass and chased birds with her friend 'Buddy' a short haired tabby. She liked to open the cupboards and knock out cat food cans or remove the box of 'Tender Vittles' and serve herself. On Mother's Day she dutifully brought home a pretty red Cardinal. One day while Tanocka was out in the yard a flying saucer full of 'space aliens' flew down and snatched the 'kitty who was a cow'. I never saw Tanocka again. I sure miss that cat.

Midge Journal by Kate Ramunno-Finney

2006-08-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

Midge with
study for "Colossal Head"
from Veracruz, Mexico
Basalt 42"
Photo '06

Tuesday: Caught a 10am flight to Mexico. Bumpy ride.
Not the pilot's true vocation. Took longer than expected.
Tried to do nails on the tray table. Got on first coat of
clear. Did not purchase ear-phones for the movie. Was
looking for a little peace and quiet after long week shopping
with Barbie. . . No, please I don't want to try on anymore
cowboy boots. . . Purple. . . What you are calling purple
is blue, Barbie, blue! It's not a purple outfit, but a blue busi-
ness suit!!! I dress for success! When I'm not out on a dig
in the jungle I dress professionally. Teaching archaeology
at Harvard has always been an ambition of mine and I like
to be properly attired in the classroom!

Wednesday: First day out in the jungle on a dig. So glad to
be out in the wilds again. Temperatures are a little high for
this time of year. Drinking lots of water. That cute anthro-
pologist with the ripply muscles is not here. I am working with
a Botanist specializing in archaic flora--Herkimer Peavey. A
small-ish man, balding with very thick eyeglass lenses. If he
looks at the sun too long it'll set him aflame. He talks incess-
antly. I gave him Barbie's phone number. She won't mind at
all if he calls her when we get back to the states.

Thursday: A long hard day in the jungle. Unwinding this
evening with a bottle of Mescal. Begged off dining with Peavey
by the camp fire. . . My poor aching head. . . I deliberately
took my hat off this afternoon in the smoldering heat to be
able to use it as an excuse this evening. I will have time to
write out detailed notes of today's work.

Friday: Herkimer is getting on my nerves! He's found some
fossils and is quite impressed with himself! I asked a guide to
take me a little further into the jungle. The heat was terrible
today--but the jungle was much cooler and the bugs they were
a-bitin'. There are ruins and artifacts literally everywhere.
They were a prolific people. Jungle overgrowth is the biggest
impediment I have encountered--other than Herkimer.

End.

Streetlife Peru

2006-07-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Private Collection.
Exhibited: 23rd Women Artists:A Celebration!
An annual exhibit in support of the YWCA
Recipient: The Margaret Evans Award*
2005.

This was painted after a '99 trip to Peru to distribute eyeglasses to those in need.
Seventeen thousand people were helped during a one week mission sponsored by Lens Crafters and the Lions Club International.

*Margaret Evans; art professor and original director of the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio.

ART STREAK

2006-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

ART STREAK

March Bunch

2006-07-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

29-March'05
Artist's Garden.
I enjoy the sounds and shapes and smells of spring. The eruption of bulbs after a long, gray winter excite me. This bunch of flowers is one of the first to burst forth in March when the ground is still hard and brown and dense with cold.

It's A Dog's Life

2006-07-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Acrylic on canvas.

Exhibited 2000,
YWCA Women Artists: A Celebration.
Youngstown, Ohio.

Feodor

by Kate Ramunno-Finney

. . . Feodor was the kind of dog that did not care what you did as long as it did not involve another pet. You might call what transpired selective jealousy or latent possessive tendencies or give whatever other label that you might feel appropriate to the behaviors that Feodor suddenly and without shame undertook in reaction to Muriel's taking home a kitten. It was nearly as violetnt and ugly as when she came home without onions on his "whopper". It retained the pickle and the mayonaise that Feodor had wanted them to hold, but the absence of the onions was intolerable. . . He stormed out to his two-story dog-house with ceiling fan and swimming pool and howled long into the night. Quieting down around three a.m. when "Lassie" re-runs showed on cable! . . .

Preeti's Garden

2006-07-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Private collection,
acrylic on canvas,
'04--05.

I like color - lots of it.

2006-07-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Our Mermaid

2006-07-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

My illustrations for the story Our Mermaid by Kat Ricker.

At home in the ocean

Posturing

The Bath

Return

Artibles

Shovelling

Winter Photos

Midge Journal: The Lost Diaries -- Seventh Grade

Silliness

Junior's Big Adventure

Rustbelt Arts

Running with Donuts!

The Cloud with the Silver Lining

Cheese and Onion Pie

Double Plum!

Midge Journal: The Lost Diaries -- Seventh Grade

On the move to Latin America

Geese in the park

Lillies in the sun

Pretties from the garden. This week only!

Today's Birthdays!!! March 25, 2010

More Spring Reading!

Four Weeks in Anguillia

READ THIS

Lucky Charms Anyone?

Midge Journal: Summer Journal

Snow Man

Midge and Barbie at the Arboretum

Twins Days Festival--Twinsburg, OH

Article: Is Domestic Feline the Next White Meat?

Art Sale approaching!!!

Gobble, Gobble. . .

ThanksGiving!

FOOD REVIEWS:

Autumn, Lake Glacier

Autumn, Mill Creek Park, YO--OH

'Turtle'

"TURTLE"

Promise of Spring

Lott's Wife, Part III; A Foray Into Science Fiction

Midge Journal--A Holiday Extravaganza!

Midge Journal--Early December & The Holidays!

The McDonough Museum Show and Sale!

The "Nativities" Sumaria, the 'Bridge and Pink Mountains','Bethelehem, at left', "Purple Mountains--King travelling with Monkey", 'Nativity"

Midge Journal--More Autumn News--Late October

Midge Journal--Autumn News, October/November

Ward Bakery Artists

Ward Bakery Artists

Ward Bakery Artists

The Fruit of Love-- K. Ramunno-Finney

A Vision for 'Top Cat'--Squidhead in the Trash

Midge Journal

"La, La, La. . .,"

"Woodpile"

"Papaya"

"Storm Clouds"

"View of the Sky, St. Lucia, West Indies"

Lott's Wife--a Foray into Science Fiction

Midge Journal by Kate Ramunno-Finney

Streetlife Peru

ART STREAK

March Bunch

It's A Dog's Life

Preeti's Garden

I like color - lots of it.

Our Mermaid