"October" by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost –
For the grape’s sake along the wall.

-- Robert Frost

favorite iPhone apps: Mailbox

I am having so much fun with my birthday iPhone. And more than merely fun, it is turning into an essential tool.

Here are some of my favorite apps.

Mailbox by Orchestra. Oh this is a beauty. Set it up to handle all your gmail. When you get an email, you can chose to Archive, Delete, or Save for Later. Whatever you choose will be updated across all your platforms (phone, tablet, or computer).

Save for Later is awesome as it will let you take that email about where and when to drop off your child next Tuesday and set it to reappear in your inbox next Tuesday. You don't need to think about it until then, so why have it sitting in your inbox all weekend?

So, if an email is read-only, that is, no action on my part is required, I just read it and archive it. If action is required of me, I can deal with it immediately, or save it for later. Alas, it is not yet available for my desktop, but it is coming.

gone to the dogs

Zucchini Ratatouille

This recipe grew out of a hunt through the pantry that yielded a jar of spaghetti sauce and very little else. We liked it so well we made it the next day too.

Zucchini Ratatouille

chop coarsely & combine:
1 giant zucchini
1 large onion
6 cloves of garlic
1/4 C olive oil mix together:
1/4 C basil strips (basil leaves that you have cut into ribbons by rolling them up and slicing) or 1 T dried basil
1/4 C fresh parsley or 1 T dried parsley
1/8 C fresh thyme or 1 t dried thyme
1/2 t ground cloves
 1 t salt

dig out:
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 C Parmesan cheese, grated

layer:
1/2 of the vegies
1/2 the seasoning
1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 C Parmesan
1/2 of the vegies
1/2 the seasoning
1/2 jar of of spaghetti sauce
1/2 C Parmesan (if you can, mix all this up hours ahead and let the flavors meldge before you bake it. Add a little baking time to bring it up to temp from the fridge).

cover & bake: 350 for 45 minutes, or until the whole thing is bubbly.

Serve with good bread. 

reposted from 9.1.2008

fall cookery

I don't much like fall, as it is the end of swimming season, but I do like fall cooking. I'll be posting links to some of my fall favorites. What are yours?

homeschooling infographic

Source: TopMastersInEducation.com

love my nest

Love love love my nests.  The most expensive winter heat bill with our nest thermostats is -- as you can see -- lower than almost all of the pre-nest winter bills and significantly lower than most pre-nest winter bills.

Plus it manages heat more efficiently which means we feel warmer even though we are spending less.