John's Turkey

John cooked a turkey last week. When it was done, I heard him hollering, "It's picture perfect! Come take a picture!"

So I did! It was good!

_/\_/\_

Daisy

See? I can do better than I did with Daisy's other photos.

      Daisy's Set

_/\_/\_

Jack the Amazing Jumping Dog

Daughter Amelia was walking Jack the Amazing Jumping Dog in the field when I arrived at Frontier Animal Society on Sunday. They came over to say hello. And here is Jack (above) enthusiastically greeting me. I've never seen a dog jump so high!

Amy gave Jack a command and he was able to stop his jumping and pose beautifully so that I could say hello.

I love Jack's response to my hello!

Jack couldn't contain himself and began jumping again. He is being re-trained by Amy, who is Frontier's dog trainer, so that his behaviors are acceptable for a new home. Good luck, Jack! Someone as full of life and love as you deserves your own family! (Love your boots, Jack!)

_/\_/\_

Cats on Tuesday: Frontier Animal Society

My daughter Amelia is one of the managers of Frontier Animal Society in Orleans County, Vermont. Amelia is a dog trainer and she evaluates and trains all of the dogs that come to the shelter so that they can be more easily adopted. It's quite a responsibility and I'm so proud of her important work. She is also my personal "vet" — she gives my cats their shots.

Sunday John and I drove north to visit our home up in Barton but I had forgotten that it was Amelia's shelter duty weekend. I stopped by to visit her there and got a couple photos. Amelia didn't want to disturb the cats in the cat room, so we visited Fancy in the shelter's kitchen.

Fancy was brought to the shelter as a stray. She hates dogs, most cats and most people. Here is Fancy's adoption page. But she greets Amelia every morning at the shelter. Fancy lives in the kitchen because she can open doors. She can't yet unlock human doors, though, so when there is no staff present, she is locked in the kitchen. If Fancy is allowed to roam the shelter at night, she goes into the cat room and lets the other cats out of their kennels. Fancy has some health problems and is looking for the perfect home. I hope her beauty and personality make her easily adoptable.

Fancy

I would like you to notice that I have added petfinder.com badges on the right sidebar. I have one for Frontier Animal Society and one for New Hampshire. I hope that I can help these deserving animals find a home.

Thank you for stopping by!

To visit other participants, visit Gattina

_/\_/\_

Going Professional Soon

Aaron is a professional photographer. Even his family "snapshots" are stunning. He shot Daisy the Chihuahua in midair playing at home on the beach (click this link to see the photographs). My goal in life? To be as good as Aaron. So when we were in New Haven a couple of weeks ago, I forced everybody to play with Daisy while I lay on the floor to get photographs of her in midair that are as good as Aaron's. Everybody laughed at me! Even John! Well, Anna just rolled her eyes at me and muttered something like, "As if."

So I'm letting you be the judges. My photos are above this text. Aaron's are below. (Perhaps you couldn't even tell the difference in quality.) Whose photographs do you think are better?



_/\_/\_

The Roof: Part Last

Remember when John put a new roof on our Barton house in November? I had to go home on that Sunday in order to care for the cats and he didn't finish until Tuesday. So I never got a final photograph of the finished roof. We have been back and I have forgotten. I asked, begged and threatened Matt to take the photo for me. Matt moved (but not because of my harassment!). But we went back this weekend to inspect the house for winter damage and I finally got my photograph of the beautiful roof. John will install more (there are many roofs) this spring. More on the extensive winter damage in future posts . . .

_/\_/\_

Big Birds in New Haven

Mute Swan in New Haven Harbor
Note the water dripping from it's mouth after it ate a water plant.

Green Monk Parrots

For years I have tried to successfully photograph swans and parrots in New Haven. I finally got decent shots! We had gone to visit Anna & Aaron and the weather was perfect. Now I want an 800mm lens! I hope you click the links under each photograph to go to the complete blog post on each bird. There are different views of the birds there.

_/\_/\_

A Servant to Servants

Willoughby Lake, Westmore, Vermont in June 2002
taken at South Beach looking north
Mt. Hor on left; Mt Pisgah on right

Today the Burlington Free Press published an article about Howard Frank Mosher, a novelist that lives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, which is where I am from. Mosher, one of my favorite authors, is quoted: "“The Northeast Kingdom is not the kind of place that someone who’s going to write stories is going to leave,” Mosher said. He names a Robert Frost poem, “A Servant to Servants,” about Lake Willoughby, whose themes of isolation and madness, in Mosher’s words, are recognizable to a longtime Kingdom resident."

On some days it seems that every other town and village in Vermont and New Hampshire claims Frost as its own. But Frost (my favorite poet) did work at a farm on Willoughby Lake (now an expensive inn), and did love the stunningly beautiful area. Willoughby Lake is six miles up the road from our Vermont home in Barton.

The Free Press also published a review of Mosher's newest book, Walking to Gatlinburg.

Here is the poem about which Mosher spoke:

A Servant to Servants I DIDN’T make you know how glad I was To have you come and camp here on our land. I promised myself to get down some day And see the way you lived, but I don’t know! With a houseful of hungry men to feed I guess you’d find…. It seems to me I can’t express my feelings any more Than I can raise my voice or want to lift My hand (oh, I can lift it when I have to). Did ever you feel so? I hope you never. It’s got so I don’t even know for sure Whether I am glad, sorry, or anything. There’s nothing but a voice-like left inside That seems to tell me how I ought to feel, And would feel if I wasn’t all gone wrong. You take the lake. I look and look at it. I see it’s a fair, pretty sheet of water. I stand and make myself repeat out loud The advantages it has, so long and narrow, Like a deep piece of some old running river Cut short off at both ends. It lies five miles Straight away through the mountain notch From the sink window where I wash the plates, And all our storms come up toward the house, Drawing the slow waves whiter and whiter and whiter. It took my mind off doughnuts and soda biscuit To step outdoors and take the water dazzle A sunny morning, or take the rising wind About my face and body and through my wrapper, When a storm threatened from the Dragon’s Den, And a cold chill shivered across the lake. I see it’s a fair, pretty sheet of water, Our Willoughby! How did you hear of it? I expect, though, everyone’s heard of it. In a book about ferns? Listen to that! You let things more like feathers regulate Your going and coming. And you like it here? I can see how you might. But I don’t know! It would be different if more people came, For then there would be business. As it is, The cottages Len built, sometimes we rent them, Sometimes we don’t. We’ve a good piece of shore That ought to be worth something, and may yet. But I don’t count on it as much as Len. He looks on the bright side of everything, Including me. He thinks I’ll be all right With doctoring. But it’s not medicine— Lowe is the only doctor’s dared to say so— It’s rest I want—there, I have said it out— From cooking meals for hungry hired men And washing dishes after them—from doing Things over and over that just won’t stay done. By good rights I ought not to have so much Put on me, but there seems no other way. Len says one steady pull more ought to do it. He says the best way out is always through. And I agree to that, or in so far As that I can see no way out but through— Leastways for me—and then they’ll be convinced. It’s not that Len don’t want the best for me. It was his plan our moving over in Beside the lake from where that day I showed you We used to live—ten miles from anywhere. We didn’t change without some sacrifice, But Len went at it to make up the loss. His work’s a man’s, of course, from sun to sun, But he works when he works as hard as I do— Though there’s small profit in comparisons. (Women and men will make them all the same.) But work ain’t all. Len undertakes too much. He’s into everything in town. This year It’s highways, and he’s got too many men Around him to look after that make waste. They take advantage of him shamefully, And proud, too, of themselves for doing so. We have four here to board, great good-for-nothings, Sprawling about the kitchen with their talk While I fry their bacon. Much they care! No more put out in what they do or say Than if I wasn’t in the room at all. Coming and going all the time, they are: I don’t learn what their names are, let alone Their characters, or whether they are safe To have inside the house with doors unlocked. I’m not afraid of them, though, if they’re not Afraid of me. There’s two can play at that. I have my fancies: it runs in the family. My father’s brother wasn’t right. They kept him Locked up for years back there at the old farm. I’ve been away once—yes, I’ve been away. The State Asylum. I was prejudiced; I wouldn’t have sent anyone of mine there; You know the old idea—the only asylum Was the poorhouse, and those who could afford, Rather than send their folks to such a place, Kept them at home; and it does seem more human. But it’s not so: the place is the asylum. There they have every means proper to do with, And you aren’t darkening other people’s lives— Worse than no good to them, and they no good To you in your condition; you can’t know Affection or the want of it in that state. I’ve heard too much of the old-fashioned way. My father’s brother, he went mad quite young. Some thought he had been bitten by a dog, Because his violence took on the form Of carrying his pillow in his teeth; But it’s more likely he was crossed in love, Or so the story goes. It was some girl. Anyway all he talked about was love. They soon saw he would do someone a mischief If he wa’n’t kept strict watch of, and it ended In father’s building him a sort of cage, Or room within a room, of hickory poles, Like stanchions in the barn, from floor to ceiling,— A narrow passage all the way around. Anything they put in for furniture He’d tear to pieces, even a bed to lie on. So they made the place comfortable with straw, Like a beast’s stall, to ease their consciences. Of course they had to feed him without dishes. They tried to keep him clothed, but he paraded With his clothes on his arm—all of his clothes. Cruel—it sounds. I ’spose they did the best They knew. And just when he was at the height, Father and mother married, and mother came, A bride, to help take care of such a creature, And accommodate her young life to his. That was what marrying father meant to her. She had to lie and hear love things made dreadful By his shouts in the night. He’d shout and shout Until the strength was shouted out of him, And his voice died down slowly from exhaustion. He’d pull his bars apart like bow and bow-string, And let them go and make them twang until His hands had worn them smooth as any ox-bow. And then he’d crow as if he thought that child’s play— The only fun he had. I’ve heard them say, though, They found a way to put a stop to it. He was before my time—I never saw him; But the pen stayed exactly as it was There in the upper chamber in the ell, A sort of catch-all full of attic clutter. I often think of the smooth hickory bars. It got so I would say—you know, half fooling— “It’s time I took my turn upstairs in jail”— Just as you will till it becomes a habit. No wonder I was glad to get away. Mind you, I waited till Len said the word. I didn’t want the blame if things went wrong. I was glad though, no end, when we moved out, And I looked to be happy, and I was, As I said, for a while—but I don’t know! Somehow the change wore out like a prescription. And there’s more to it than just window-views And living by a lake. I’m past such help— Unless Len took the notion, which he won’t, And I won’t ask him—it’s not sure enough. I ’spose I’ve got to go the road I’m going: Other folks have to, and why shouldn’t I? I almost think if I could do like you, Drop everything and live out on the ground— But it might be, come night, I shouldn’t like it, Or a long rain. I should soon get enough, And be glad of a good roof overhead. I’ve lain awake thinking of you, I’ll warrant, More than you have yourself, some of these nights. The wonder was the tents weren’t snatched away From over you as you lay in your beds. I haven’t courage for a risk like that. Bless you, of course, you’re keeping me from work, But the thing of it is, I need to be kept. There’s work enough to do—there’s always that; But behind’s behind. The worst that you can do Is set me back a little more behind. I sha’n’t catch up in this world, anyway. I’d rather you’d not go unless you must.

Robert Frost (1874–1963). Poem is from North of Boston (1915)

_/\_/\_

Anna's Smile of the Day

_/\_/\_

Andrew Made His Own Corned Beef and Other Stuff

Home-Corned Beef and Cabbage, New England Style

Serves 8 with leftovers. Published March 1, 1997.

If you prefer a leaner piece of meat, feel free to use the flat cut. In fact, we found more flat cut than point cut briskets in supermarket meat cases, so you’ll probably have to ask the meat department attendant or butcher to bring you a point cut. Leave a bit of fat attached for better texture and flavor. The meat is cooked fully when it is tender, the muscle fibers have loosened visibly, and a skewer slides in with minimal resistance.

Ingredients
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns , cracked
3/4 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon paprika
2 bay leaves , crumbled
1 beef brisket (fresh, 4 to 6 pounds), preferably point cut, trimmed of excess fat, rinsed and patted dry
7-8 pounds vegetables , chosen from the categories below

Category 1 Vegetables

• carrots , peeled and halved crosswise, thin end halved lengthwise, thick end quartered lengthwise
• rutabagas (small), peeled and halved crosswise; each half cut into six chunks
• white turnips (medium), peeled and quartered
• new potatoes (small), scrubbed and left whole
• boiling onions , peeled and left whole

Category 2 Vegetables

• green cabbage (small head), uncored, blemished leaves removed, cut into six to eight wedges
• parsnips , peeled and halved crosswise, thin end halved lengthwise, thick end quartered lengthwise
• Brussels sprouts , blemished leaves removed and left whole

Instructions
1. Mix salt and seasonings in small bowl.

2. Spear brisket about thirty times per side with meat fork or metal skewer. Rub each side evenly with salt mixture; place in 2-gallon-size zipper-lock bag, forcing out as much air as possible. Place in pan large enough to hold it (a jelly roll pan works well), cover with second, similar-size pan, and weight with two bricks or heavy cans of similar weight. Refrigerate 5 to 7 days, turning once a day.

3. Choose 7-8 pounds of vegetables of your choice from categories 1 and 2, prepared as described in the ingredient listing.

4. Rinse the brisket and pat it dry. Bring the brisket to boil with water to cover by 1/2 to 1 inch in large soup kettle or stockpot (at least 8 quarts), skimming any scum that rises to surface. Cover and simmer until skewer inserted in thickest part of brisket slides out with ease, 2 to 3 hours.

5. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer meat to large platter, ladling about 1 cup cooking liquid over it to keep it moist. Cover with foil and set in oven.

6. Add vegetables from category 1 to kettle and bring to boil; cover and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add vegetables from category 2 and bring to boil; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

7. Meanwhile, remove meat from oven and cut across the grain into 1/4-inch slices.

8. Transfer vegetables to meat platter, moisten with additional broth, and serve.

9. Serve this dish with horseradish, either plain or mixed with whipped or sour cream, or with grainy mustard.

and his Flaky Biscuit Recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Makes 16. Published May 1, 1993. After stirring in the milk, this dough should feel very soft and moist, but you should be able to hold it briefly between lightly floured hands without its sticking. If it turns out wet and sticky, return it to the bowl and sprinkle it with 2 to 4 tablespoons additional flour (of any kind) on all sides, gently patting in the flour with your palm. Let the dough rest another half-minute before removing it to your work surface. It is best to discard the dough that is left over from the second cutting, as biscuits made with thrice-recycled
dough tend to be tough and flat. These biscuits are best served at once, though leftovers may be wrapped and refrigerated for a day, then reheated for a few minutes in a 350° oven.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably King Arthur)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled, or lard
3/4 cup milk , cold

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust rack to center position and heat oven to 450.°

2. Mix first 3 ingredients in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted
with steel blade. Add butter; with your fingertips, a pastry blender, 2 knives, or steel
blade of a food processor, mix, cut, or process butter and shortening into dry
ingredients, until the mixture resembles dry oatmeal. (Transfer food processor mixture
to a large bowl.)

3. Stir in milk with a rubber spatula or fork until dry ingredients are just moistened.
Let dough rest for 1 minute, then transfer it to a well-floured work surface.

4. Roll the dough into a rough 6-by-10-inch rectangle. With the long edge of the
dough facing you, fold in both short ends of the dough so that they meet in the center;
then fold the dough in half by width, forming a package of dough four layers thick.
Once again, roll the dough into a 6-by-10-inch rectangle 1/2-inch thick.

5. Using a lightly greased and floured 2-inch cutter, stamp, with one decisive punch
per round, 4 rows of 3 dough rounds, cutting them close together to generate as few
scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour before each new cut. Push the scraps of dough
together so that their edges join; firmly pinch the edges with fingertips to make a
partial seal. Pat the dough into small rectangle, fold it as before, and re-roll 1/2-inch
thick. Cut out 3 or 4 more biscuits.

6. Place dough rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet; brush dough
tops with melted butter or milk. (May be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up
to 3 hours.)

7. Bake until biscuits are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHEWY BROWNIES
from Cook's Country

Makes twenty-four 2-inch brownies. Published March 1, 2010. From Cook's Illustrated.
For the chewiest texture, it is important to let the brownies cool thoroughly before cutting. If your baking dish is glass, cool the brownies 10 minutes, then remove them promptly from the pan (otherwise, the superior heat retention of glass can lead to overbaking). While any high quality chocolate can be used in this recipe, our preferred brands of bittersweet chocolate are Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate L-60-40NV and Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar. Our preferred brand of unsweetened chocolate is Scharffen Berger. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate , finely chopped (see note and related illustration)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (17 1/2 ounces) sugar
1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Referring to directions in Making a Foil Sling (related), make sling using the following steps: Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and
fit into width of pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet (if using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width). Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk cocoa, espresso powder (if using), and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix
with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.

4. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

STEP -BY -STEP
Brownies with a Shiny, Crackly Top
A glossy, crackly top is one of the hallmarks of a great brownie, but achieving it can be elusive. Can the type of sweetener you use help?

THE EXPERIMENT
We baked three batches of brownies, one sweetened with granulated sugar, another with brown sugar, and a third with brown sugar and corn syrup.

THE RESULTS
Only the brownies made with granulated sugar took on an attractive crackly sheen. The other batches had a dull, matte finish.

THE EXPLANATION
Why does granulated sugar work best? It’s all due to what might be deemed “special effects.” Whether on its own or in combination with corn syrup, brown sugar forms crystals on the surface of the cooling brownie. Crystals reflect light in a diffuse way, creating a matte effect.
The pure sucrose in granulated sugar, on the other hand, forms a smooth glasslike surface as it cools that reflects light in a focused way, for a shiny effect. As for the crackly crust, its formation depends on sugar molecules rising to the surface of the batter and drying out during baking. Since both brown sugar and corn contain more moisture than granulated sugar, the surface of brownies made with either of these sweeteners never dries out enough for a crisp crust to form.

STEP -BY -STEP
The Secret to Chewy Brownies
The secret to a box-mix brownie's chewy texture boils down to one thing: fat—specifically the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat. By using both butter (a predominantly saturated fat) and unsaturated vegetable oil, we were able to approximate the same 1:3 ratio found in
commercially engineered specimens to mimic their satisfying chew.

_/\_/\_

Andrew Baked A Cake

via Andrew's iPhone: Chocolate Blackout Cake

Chocolate Blackout Cake

Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or you'll end up with runny pudding and gummy cake. Serves 10 to 12. This recipe is from Cook's Country.

Pudding
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

2. For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.

3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.

4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.

5. To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

_/\_/\_

Watch Yourself Here!

Andrew (my son) sent me photos from his new home in Washington, DC from his iPhone. We haven't visited him yet, so I asked him to photograph his whole kitchen. The photographs are interesting in an odd way . . .

For sure, I won't anger Andrew when he is cooking when I am there! I think I'll just find a neighborhood dog to walk around the block when he makes supper!


_/\_/\_

The Revised Common Lectionary on Many Eyes

If you click on the image, you will see it full size in a new window.

Apparantly this word cloud visualization of the RCL is based on only one Sunday's reading of Year B (we are now in Year C). I am working on a way to easily create a text file of all of the readings for one year and create another word cloud. Would it be too big? I did a word cloud for this Sunday's readings (you can see it here and play with it yourself). It is fun to compare the two:

Many Eyes is a site I have watched for years and even played with a bit. This is my first attempt making a visualization. It is a fantastic classroom resource and activity. Here is an excerpt from the Many Eyes About page:

Many Eyes is a bet on the power of human visual intelligence to find patterns. Our goal is to "democratize" visualization and to enable a new social kind of data analysis. Jump right to our visualizations now, take a tour, or read on for a leisurely explanation of the project.

All of us in CUE's Visual Communication Lab are passionate about the potential of data visualization to spark insight. It is that magical moment we live for: an unwieldy, unyielding data set is transformed into an image on the screen, and suddenly the user can perceive an unexpected pattern. As visualization designers we have witnessed and experienced many of those wondrous sparks. But in recent years, we have become acutely aware that the visualizations and the sparks they generate, take on new value in a social setting. Visualization is a catalyst for discussion and collective insight about data.

We all deal with data that we'd like to understand better. It may be as straightforward as a sales spreadsheet or fantasy football stats chart, or as vague as a cluttered email inbox. But a remarkable amount of it has social meaning beyond ourselves. When we share it and discuss it, we understand it in new ways.

_/\_/\_

LOL Cat Bible: Lectionary Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 21, 2010

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 21, 2010

Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8

Isaiah 43

1 Dis iz wut TopCat sez: "Ai maded yuz, mai kittehs. Don b scardeyCatz; don b afrad. Ai luvz yu; yuz r mien.
2 Wen yu gose n 2 watr, ai b wif yu. Wen der b rain or fier, ai b wif yu. Yuz no drownded or b burnded.
3 Dis all cuz iz TopCat, yur Ceiling Cat. Ai giv yuz Egypt-land an Couch an Sofa.
4 Ai luvz yu. Yuz r prechus 2 me. Dis y ai protektz yu.
5 Liek ai sez b4, don b scardeycatz. Lyk srsly! Ai b wif yu. Yur lil kittehs, ai giv bak 2 yu.
6 Ai sez 2 mean peeps dat taek yur kittehs: 'giv dem bak! All kittens, giv bak 2 me.
7 All kittehs dat r mien anna ai maded - giv em bak.' Srsy!"
8 Yu gotz blind kittehs wit aiz? Yu gotz def kittehs wit eerz? Want!
9 Let da nashuns gadder. Yu see dis coming? O rly? Yu gotz pruf, so da kittehs can say "srsly?"
10 Yuz mah pruf, sez TopCat, mah servuntz what ai chuz to bleeve in me an unnerstan me. B4 me, derz no Ceiling Cat, and not aftur me needer.

see more dog and puppy pictures

Psalm 126 Sing sawng uv ascents 1 When teh Ceiling Cat bringz us bak to teh Lolmountain, we were lik kittehs who dreem. 2 Our moufs were lik filld wit cheezbugerz an stuffz. Srsy! We wuz happeh! 3 Teh Ceiling Cat roxorz us and we beez happeh! 4 Give us many cheezburgerz dat are ours! 5 Doz who give veggiez can reep cheezburgers. 6 Wen we go out cryen and stuffz wit cheezburger seeds, we comez bak wit lotz of happeh cheezburgers! Awsome!!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Philippians 3:4b-14

4 Iz konfidentent
5 Ate day, iz ah Joo.
6 Iz followded teh law n PWNed many church doodz, k? Srsly.
7 Iz thunk it mattererded, but Jebus wuz all liek "Nope, kthkbye".
8 Nuttin matterers wifout Jebus. Jebus iz more betteh den cheezeburgers. Jebus make cheezeburgers luk liek poo. Iz ken frow away all mai stufz so I ken knowz Jebus.
9 I wanna bee part of Jebus. Been Okeedokee wif Ceiling Cat doant com frum roolz. Itz cuz Iz beeleeves in Jebus. Itz frum Ceiling Cat. Iz getz it frum faif.
10 I wanna knoe Jebus betteh. I wanna knoe whut hovrded Jebus from def and knoe hiz hurtz.
11 Den Ceiling Cat will hovr me.

Neveh gonna gif yu up
12 Iz doant haz dat stufz. Iz notz purfecks, k? But Iz keep moovin to getz what Jebus wantz me to getz.
13 Kittehs, I knoed bout soem stufz, but I eated it. Iz onlie knoes bout da fewcher.
14 Ceiling Cat wants me to haz Cheezeburger. Jebus iz teh troo Cheezeburger.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

John 12:1-8
Jebus gets oilfeets in Bethany

1 An six days afore it was teh Passovr, Jebus wented to Befany, whar Lazarus livd (teh men he maded not ded).
2 An Martha was all liek, "OMG, eat lots, Jebus, becuz we luv u". An Jebus an Lazarus wuz all liek NOM NOM NOM!
3 Den dis gurl Mary, she gots reely nummy smelling oils an she rubbed Jebus's feets wid it. Den she tookded her hair and wipeded it off agian, and de hous smelled reely NUMMY, and de nummy smell wuz Jebus's feets.
4 But Judas (who wuz sposed to be Jebus's freind but reely wasn't) was all liek,
5 "OMG dat oil, it r worth so many cheezburgrs!!! U shood sell it for cheezburgrs an give dose cheezburgrs to all de poor kittehs. Srsly."
6 But reely, Judas was uncaring-cat, an stolded Cheezburgrs for hisself all teh timez.
7 But Jebus was all liek "STFU, kthx. Soon I go be dedz, so I can has oilfeets.
8 Dere will alwayz be more poor kittehs, but dere is only oen Jebus. Srsly."

Get ready now cuz the wild weekend is coming!
Board the Friday Ark at The Modulator (submit your post here)

Weekend Cat Blogging
#250 Mar 19-21 Nicky & Billy Sweetfeets Gingersnap

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos
Optional Theme
(submit your post here)

The Carnival of the Cats
(submit your post here)

Ree-purrted by KC

Visit the Pet Prayer & Praise Blog

Kitty Limericks

Technorati Tags: LOL Cat Church, LOL Cat Bible, Lectionary Readings, Prayer & Praise Blog, Weekend Cat Blogging

_/\_/\_