Wordless definitions: puzzling

What is it about jigsaw puzzles that cats find irresistible? Every single cat I've owned has been unable to stay away from them. Okay, I get that the little pieces are fun to play with, but one cat (the late, great Antonio the Mighty Mouseslayer) would climb into the puzzle box while I was working on it, even if there were pieces in the box. Here we've covered the puzzle in progress and still Clio sits on top of it, right next to the box, as if she has to make sure no more of those tricksy pieces escape. I could just have easily chosen a picture of Gigi sitting on the puzzle, or under the puzzle table with a couple of lost pieces, looking straight at the camera with an innocent "who me?" expression. I guess it's one mystery I can't put together.

Photo of the Week--2/28/11

What is it about Germany that brings out all these picture-perfect castles? Neuschwanstein was built by a mad king, and this castle, Burg Eltz, has been in the same family for 33 generations. Actually, it's owned by three branches of the same family, one of whom still uses part of the castle. The rest is open to tourists, but at one time there were around 100 family members living in over 100 rooms of the castle. With it still inhabited, no wonder it's still in good shape, with fresh paint and lovely decor inside. I'm not sure why Boy is making a monster face, or holding up six fingers, but at least he's facing the camera.

How do I love thee, Library? Let me count the ways...

You've probably noticed I haven't been very active on the blog recently. I think I already said it's because I'm writing a historical reference book, and it's requiring a LOT of research. But I thought I'd take a little break from my recent immersion in stacks and stack of history books to write an ode to the place that is making this job possible: my local library.

My local library is one of the biggest single-branch libraries in the state, with a wonderful collection of books, videos, and I borrow items regularly just for my own entertainment. But my library is also part of a state-wide consortium, the Michigan e-Library (aka MeL), that lets me borrow books from any member library ... for FREE. So when I'm working on a major project like this one, I search the MeL database, put in a request, and they mail the book I want to my local library, where I pick it up as I would a book from my home library. For this project, I've received books from libraries at Oakland University, U of M Dearborn, Grand Valley State, MSU, Wayne State, West Bloomfield, and St. Clair Shores, among others. I can't imagine how I'd get access to those books otherwise.

The library also subscribes to various databases, so that I can search them for biographies, reference books, and newspaper articles that might be useful--and they will be, when I get around to writing the biographies for this book.

But wait! There's more! I recently got an e-reader, which I love and call Shiny (because it is shiny and I love it). My library belongs to another consortium which lends e-books and audio files, so all I have to do is log in and download something to read. Last week I "checked out" my first e-book, read it comfortably in one hand while using the exercise bike, and "returned" it.

Now I must end this love letter to my library, as it's time for a visit ... I need more books! Research materials! Audio books for a long drive! And maybe a treat from the in-house coffee shop! Swoon! I'll see you soon, my love!

Photo of the Week--2/14/10

I'd almost forgotten about this quirky little architectural detail in the town of Freiburg, Germany, which we visited in the summer of 2000. There were these little canals running throughout the town, and Boy was utterly fascinated. I barely got him to stop playing around them to take this picture, and for months—and I do mean MONTHS—afterward all he could talk about were his plans to put a canal in our garden, in the front yard, at school, at Grandma's house. It's strange, the things your kids get obsessed about that occupy your conversations for months on end, and that you later forget about. But Boy definitely went through a "canal engineer" phase, a major part of his sojourn through the "Age of Lego."

Wordless definitions: bliss

Really no explanation needed here, right? Face it, if you weren't afraid of hurting your back, you'd be rolling around in front of the fire this winter, too.

Photo of the Week--2/7/10

When we passed by St. John's Hospital, now a museum, in the beautiful city of Bruges, Belgium, I couldn't resist this picture. The hospital dates at least to 1188, when it was more a hostel for pilgrims that took in the occasional non-contagious sick person. I'm guessing that back then the water levels in the canal were a lot lower than they are today, judging by the half-doors and incomplete arches just above the water line. Or else there are aquatic people living in Bruges who walk along the floor of the river to their underwater houses, where they live in harmony with their air-breathing friends.

Photo of the Week--1/31/11

Now, that's what I call a castle! Yes, if you look at the very top of the photo, you see a little square section of the rock that isn't as rough as the rest. That's Dumbarton Castle in Scotland, and yes, we walked up to the top of this very tall hill to visit it. It was only accessible by a very narrow staircase, and we could imagine how easy it would have been to defend the castle from attackers. Why someone would want to attack ... that was a little harder to imagine.