Transformation

Ella Enchanted

Mystic Marsh 5:30 a.m. in July

Incredible Edible Egg

I thought it would be a good time to showcase those incredible eggs I mentioned yesterday. Of course these are merely the remnants of the brilliant ova that hold beauty as illustrated in colors only Mother Nature can create.

New Camera, Lotsa Pics

I've wanted a camera with a zoom lens for ages. Right time, right place, we bought a Canon Rebel for less than half-price. I've already gone a bit nuts clicking on a whim. This, my first photo of barn cats, with said camera, was taken at a farm where we buy the most magnificent eggs.

Tree of Infinite Sorrows

A number of years ago, I read a children's book entitled: Because of Winn Dixie. The story was charming but a part of the book that continued to resonate with me involved a tree filled with dangling glass bottles. The bottles were intended to keep the ghosts away. I loved this image and knew I'd probably start my own hanging bottle tree someday. That day has arrived. My tree is called the "tree of infinite sorrows." For every bottle of "spirits" we empty at Mystic Marsh, we fill it up with all our sorrows and hang it on a tree limb where it appears in gentle sway and clink. There is something soothing about loosing oneself of pent-up sorrows and sending those bottled-up woes into a literal bottle that glints and glows as it swings those damning feelings into oblivion.

Always on the Edge of Reason

Is it any wonder a somewhat sane person often finds themselves teetering on the edge of reason when Murphy's Law is the only constant in life? Take for example, our seemingly jinxed work abode. Two days ago, our shared printer ran amok spewing out scads and scads of paper bordered with what can only be described as some ancient script dating back to the inception of the PC printer. For over an hour, we booted, unplugged, disconnected, re-fed, reset, shook, dismantled and flung a few vexing words at this seemingly innocuous machine. Even the best damned troubleshooting from our brilliant tech. folks, couldn't foil the monster in the machine. Finally we left that pugnacious piece of plastic alone to stew. By morning the tantrum was over and (knock wood), all systems go. Okay, so that was two days ago. Yesterday morning I thought I'd do a nice turn and wash staff dishes. Flip went the faucet handle and -- you guessed it -- no water! Never having enough patience to leave anything alone, I monkeyed with it and then had a nice little shower. I flung a towel over the offending appendage and stalked off to find some real work. Should have thought to warn staff who all turned the faucet on and were met with a squealing leak. What we didn't notice was the rivulet running behind the sink, saturating the carpet. I received my second washing that day while tucked under the sink in an attempt to turn the water off. Success was sweet but now I need to suck it up and call a plumber. Maybe I need to first look at one of our do-it-yourself plumbing manuals. Hmmm ... I'll let you know how it turns out!

Lakefront Property

Well I didn't know I owned lakefront property. The torrential rains did a number on the fields of Mystic Marsh. What once were corn and wheat fields (we rent some parcels to brother farmers), are now four foot deep lakes. Being barely over five-feet myself, I thought better of attempting to traverse these temporary waters. Alden, a seasoned fisherman, of course had hip boots handy so with camera in hand, he walked the hundred acres and brought back a photo diary of the lakes. Fortunately our cabin is perched atop a high spot and is in no danger of becoming a houseboat, so in misfortune, we found a bright spot. Probably a bleak outlook for our farmers. I suspect the crops are beyond saving.

I should also mention I own a pond on my home property - in the basement. Yep, the troubling rains raised the creek behind our house and I now have to wade to my washing machine. Don't worry, we have the appliances up on blocks so you won't read any "shocking" news about me at the moment. I'll let you know when the trout start jumping.



All-in-all, we are counting our lucky stars. Wish the same could be said for so many others.

Fleeting Spring and Other Things

I believe it's time to lament the lack of Spring. Just when we're lulled into thinking the warmth is here to stay, in blows the wind intent on shivering me timbers and reminding me how fickle Wisconsin weather is. I suspect summer will hurry in on little pig's feet and blow like a furnace without reprieve now that it's June. Weather is always a good contribution to life analogies.

Though Spring continues it's dodge and dart game, it didn't prevent the return of our lovely winged friends. The tree swallows are back and mating up a storm. We have a number of bird houses on our land (Mystic Marsh), but the chickadees and swallows decided they want the same digs. Quite a fuss ensues as they charge and flap at each other. We're pretty sure the chickadees won, however, the swallows continue their barrage, poor losers that they are. The orioles are back and we believe there are two pairs. Rose-breasted grossbeaks, cowbirds, catbirds, common yellow-throats, indigo buntings, bluebirds, and my beloved cranes have all made an appearance. The cacophony on some mornings is beautifully maddening. Did I mention the wacky male pheasants and their incessant crowing? Calling, calling for a mate from sun-up to set. I can't get enough of any of them.

We discovered a small pond not too far from our cabin. It was rife with tadpoles one week and now they're gone. We kicked up a few lingering tree frogs as we circled the pond. Then a bullfrog voiced his opinion so I carried on a conversation with him as Alden looked on in indulgent amusement. I would be perfectly content to spend my days exploring every nook and cranny of our marsh.

Hiddenite

So on our return trip from Colonial Williamsburg, Jannie & I decided to take a different return route. I'd never been to North Carolina so we decided to make this our general direction. Our friend Jude, whose Pop lives in NC, had mentioned a gemstone mine where one can sluice, creek or dig for flashy rocks. Apparently this is the only mine of it's kind in the whole U.S. of A. We were game so we went in search of the Hiddenite Mines.

We located the place, parked on a steep, red clay drive and hiked down to the permit shop. A permit to mine cost $5 and a bucket full of sand and hopefully gems, an additional $5. We really wanted to get back on the road so we decided sluicing was for us. We trekked over to the sluicing shelter and checked in with this gruff old geezer who didn't appear too happy to deal with we tourists. He told us there would at least be an hour wait because this was the time of year when they accomodated class field trips. We were a bit perturbed to say the least because we'd already paid and weren't apprised of this little item. (Of course now I know why the old fella was cranky!) We wandered around in indecisive fashion and I overheard another tourist cranking about paying and not being told about the invasion of the kiddos. After a bit of back and forth, we decided we'd pay a few dollars more and pan in the creek. I wasn't exactly equipped for this venture but my excitement and curiosity wouldn't allow me to back out. I hiked back to the car, donned my tennies, rolled up my jeans and trudged back to Jannie. (She's always prepared. Had on hiking boots, a great hat and rugged jeans.) We rented a pan and tool and set out for the creek. We were not disappointed. The setting was beautiful, the weather gorgeous and there weren't too many people around. Three very Zen hours later, we'd pocketed quite a few awesome gems. I had a pocket full of adventurine, rose and white quartz, jasper, amethyst and a few yet to be identified stones. Though I'm still finding clay and sand in the weirdest spots, I love it because it reminds me of a fab adventure with a dearest friend.

Tickling the Keyboard

It's been a while since I've posted so thought I'd at least write a sentence or two. The class is finis but why not continue to blog?

My friend Jannie and I returned a couple of weeks ago from a fabulous trip to Colonial Williamsburg. We also visited the Jamestown Settlement, Mt. Vernon and Monticello. There is no way to describe the aura that settles upon you when you step into the houses of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Walking the rooms they walked, seeing a semblance of the views they saw -- awesome to say the least. At the same time you steep yourself in the history of these historical men's lives, you are also conflicted about the fact they were both slave owners. Washington freed his slaves upon his death, not so for Jefferson. Of course we all know about his relationship with Sally Hemmings. One fact I didn't know about Washington was that he really was a proponent of peace. The weather vane on top of his house has a dove with olive branch perched atop the directions. I want that weather vane! I did know that Washington abhorred torture and set the precedence for abolishing torture as a way to illustrate to the world how a truly free country conducts itself in terms of human rights. Sadly we are now on the reverse path.

More about the trip to come later!

Bloglines

Yikers! I Forgot a Week

Here I am again. Just when I thought I'd actually finished on time and on budget!

I signed up for Jott! Hey, does anyone remember the fake M&M candies called Jots? Not as tasty as M&Ms but cheaper. Anyway, I talked to myself and said " hello world, peace-out." It was actually pretty cool. My voice sounded a little muffled but what a cool technology. Maybe I've found a way to remind myself about all I need to accomplish in a day at work. I can't seem to manage post-its and scrap notes very well and far be it for me to actually check my weekly planner. Oh, I did add something to the milk list long ago. I think it was about the god-awful snow. Usually I love snow but enough was enough already.

Did I make it Stef????!!!!!

Huhhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh

In case you didn't guess, that huhuh...is me panting in my haste to finish up before 4/7. I didn't know how to make a panting sound using letters so just go along with me, okay?

Am I curious? Are nosy and curious the same thing? Then yes! I was the kid who stealthily unwrapped all the xmas gifts to see what I was getting then carefully replaced the wrapping so the gig wasn't up. I remember when my parents wised up and hid the prezies in the car trunk. I managed to sneak the keys too. I used to read the end of books when only a few chapters in because I needed the answers and outcomes right away. Once I tried walking across a frozen pond because I wasn't convinced it was unsafe. Good thing the water only went up to my neck.

I love trying new things but often am too impatient to read the instructions. I dive right in though the results aren't always stellar. Projectplay elicited a sense of childhood excitement. I couldn't wait to try and explore everything thrown our way. Wow! It's overwhelming, exhilirating and terrific fun. Currently I'm moderating an online librarians eco-course through the U.W. and during the programming week, I'm asking the participants how they think using web 2.0 could further our mission as environmental activists. It's nice to know some of the vehicles and to actually know the term web 2.0.

Projectplay is one of the best learning experiences I've had in some time. Thanks for releasing my pent-up inner child and for connecting us to the "curiosity" video. And here all this time I thought my parents were right when, annoyed with my curiosity, they said one day I'd cut off my nose to spite my face. Nose and curiosity are still intact. I'm ready for my close-up, Pinocchio!

Mashups - Mmmmmm

Wouldn't Mashups be a super name for a babyfood company? Yum yum.

I wouldn't say I had the best experience on mapbuilder.net. My first foray produced only the corner of a map that didn't allow me to scroll to find CP. The second time produced no map at all. Our library name is in the location box, however, so some success was achieved. (I like logobama too!)

I'm rolling around the idea of somehow working up a mashup that combines environmental issues and libraries. Today my creative drive is taking a nap, so I'll give this more thought when motivation repays a visit.

Do You YouTube?

Okay, so I thought screencasts could produce the same results as YouTube. Guess I jumped ahead a bit in my excitement. So....the can-do DeMille moment would have to occur via this fab vehicle. I loved the Harper College Library bit and of course had to show my staff. If you want to see another fun bit on YouTube, not library related, watch this http://youtube.com/results?search_query=food+court+musical&search_type=. I think we could easily perform Dewey 021 the Musical.

My only criticism about YouTube is that it's like eating potato chips. You can't view just one. Usually I visit it for comic relief but did find it helpful when I was looking for an old environmental commercial from my childhood which I linked to an on-line environmental forum I'm moderating.

YouTube can help enlighten the world about librarians by dispelling the myth of the pursed lips, pince-nez and moth eaten cardigans and show that we truly do have quirky, off-beat senses of humor. (Of course this doesn't mean I'm ready to give my cardigan to Goodwill just yet!)

Libraries must continuously reinvent if we hope to stay current and in demand. YouTube provides infinite possibilities for exposure, enlightenment and hilarity.

I'm Ready for My Screencast, Mr. DeMille

I can't believe I've fallen behind by 3 weeks again. I would kindly like to request that life allow me to hop off the carousel for a few hours so I can blog and daydream.

Screencasts may just allow my inner director and actor to emerge. Yes, the sound is a bit warbly on the suggested sites I visited, but oh what potential! I could see this vehicle being used for reader's advisory. Picture it -- a Masterpiece Theatre set design, patron seated on a velvet Queen Anne's chair, (pipe optional) reading a few passages from a favorite book then providing a personal teaser about the book. How about getting kids involved, with permission of course, reading a few lines from H. Potter or Dr. Seuss. Could be fascinating and could draw a lot of people to our websites. Imagine how many classmates would log-in just to see a fellow classmate espousing the virtues of a Lemony Snicket book.

Mr. DeMille....I'm ready.:))

Dumas Key

I have long been a Stephen King fan but due to many twists and turns in my life over the past seven years, my focus has been on non fiction rather than fiction, particularly political and environmental works. Recently I found myself craving a good novel so I picked up Grisham's The Appeal (which by the way, is a riveting book). While re-shelving the Grisham book on our rental collection display, I noticed a copy of Dumas Key. The cover intrigued me with its Salvadore Dalian (probably not a word) cover art so I lugged the tome back to my office and tucked it away in my backpack. If you want to add some weight to your workout, I'd suggest tying a King novel to your back.

It took me about two days to find time to begin the novel, but was it ever worth the wait. While the book certainly had elements ala vintage King, I was blown away by how much King has evolved as a writer. He has completely mastered the art of subtlety without compromising his ability to set your heart-rate into high gear. Dumas Key is intoxicating, riveting, engaging and, at times, horrifying. Who thinks of building a tale around a one-armed artist and furthermore makes you long to befriend this man and his contingent of captivating pals? Now I want to move to Florida, find a secluded property on the edge of the ocean and live in my own "Big Pink" on stilts.

Podcast from Outer Space

Isn't the word "podcast" a stitch? Now honestly, didn't pod people come to mind the first time you heard the term? Of course there's always the pea-in-the-pod image too, but I kinda like the idea of E.T. sending me messages via podcasts. Everyone can use a "turn on your heart-light" moment now and then, right?

I just took a gander at "Uncontrolled Vocabulary" and added the RSS feed. Lost myself in an article concerning the cessation of social networking sites at a particular library. Gang activity was apparently one of the reasons for this unfortunate decision. I have long been frustrated by the knee-jerk movement of setting rules and policies based on a minute percentage of problem people. Why do we move toward negativity and subsequently send a message to our 99% trustworthy populace that we don't trust them? This seems bass ackwords. So I digress. I tend to get these soap box moments quite frequently.

Podcasts are actually pretty cool. I love the idea that we can scroll through archives to draw up a past notable broadcast and share it with friends or colleagues. Interacting in real time as was the case at WLA last year (using OPAL) was exciting. Podcasts allow us to dispense with the barriers of geography and even lend themselves to enviromental stewardship given the vast amounts of fuel we conserve by eliminating travel.

At this time, I am content to subscribe to other's podcasts. To responsibly establish a podcast through our library would be completely dependent upon having enough staffing to keep current and that's not going to happen anytime soon. But we do have the promise and the opportunity exits.

Senator Feingold & Me

Late last year, Senator Russ Feingold held a listening session at our library. He arrived early for a tour of the first LEED certified library in Wisconsin. Suffice it to say, my staff and I were agog. Senator Feingold has rock star status around here.

Gotta Love My Space & Facebook

What great fun to have permission under the auspices of continuing education to explore My Space and Facebook. I signed up for a Facebook account and my sis popped up as a Friend. Funny what you uncover about family members when you innocently happen upon their on-line activities. Suffice it to say she has way too much fun, at least it appears that way given the number of margarita glasses displayed in front of her!

I checked out the LaCross PL & Oshkosh PL Facebook links and the Arapahoe My Space link. What a hoot to see 96 & 97 year-old female in the profile. CSP is just a baby since we've only been around since 1964. At least that was the first established library. There was a traveling library in the early 1930s. I digress. I was quite taken with the the appearance of the Arapahoe PL link. It's savvy and teen friendly. Great photos, fun links and totally contemporary. The possibilities are endless.

Every trip during Project Play has first excited me, occasionally confused me and made me wish my only role here was to solely implement all the cool things I've discovered. But alas, this is not to be. I fear my priorities will be troubleshooting facility maladies, creating endless spreadsheets and dealing with political ineptness for years to come. I hope there's a 3rd semester because we all need a legitimate excuse to "play more."

Finally - a Moment to Blog

Can't believe I missed the freebie week. It's freakin' crazy around here what with annual report, snow, loss of two employees, snow, illnesses, snow, interviews, snow - catch my drift?!! Anyway, I'm in-between interviews right now, grabbing a bite and wishing I had oodles of time to blog.

Last week was one of those weeks. Here's a sampling of just three hours in one of my surreal days. First the power went out as I was sitting at my work computer. Of course the fire notification system began to beep so I rushed to call the security folks to verify we were not ablaze. No electricity means no working telephones. I scrounged for my cell phone, managed to call them off and -snap - the lights went back on and - whoosh- the HVAC systems kicked on with such ferocity, for a moment I thought I was having my first hot flash. Keep in mind the systems are programmed to turn on at 9, not 7:15. Not only did heat blast from the vents, but then I detected a burning ozone odor. Panic set in as I tried to locate the number for the service people. Finally I get the call through only to be met with a lengthy message about office hours, however, I was then provided with an after hours emergency number. Here's where I very nicely said "##@%##$$! The emergency number was the same as the normal business number! I left a very sweet message telling them their emergency number was worthless and to please call me back on my cell phone. Of course I couldn't remember my cell phone number and told the voice mail box to wait while I found it. They called back and said someone was on their way. In the meantime, the local fire trucks went out and I shouted out "don't go, I may need you." By this time it was 7:50,time to log-on to the computers and at least run a pick-list while waiting. No LINK access and no one available to troubleshoot before 8. This wasn't an emergency so I waited, then called the help desk after checking everything I could think of to determine why I couldn't log onto LINK. The upshot was that our great folks in automation couldn't remote in so I had to rush back to the network closet. Panic set in again as I feared I'd miss the HVAC repair man since I couldn't make like a clone and be in two places at one time. Fortunately we solved the LINK problem and I made it back to the front entrance just as the HVAC fellow pulled up. By this time the systems had shut down and only someone with a dog's olfactory senses could catch any remaing whif of ozone. There was no explanation but, there was a $170 bill that arrived this week. Quite a high price to pay for what I'm sure the repairman thought was my overactive imagination.

A Widgety Widget, a Willow-the-Wisp, a Clown

Yeah, I know, a fairly poor attempt at using a line from a "Sound of Music" tune. I managed to get the widget here, but is it supposed to work too? Sheesh, how do you solve a problem like a widget? Enough already, right? :)))

Google Docs Odyssey

I just experienced my first play date on Google Docs and I like it. Currently we email iterations of our library newsletter back and forth to each other. To be able to go to one location and make changes and updates would make the process so much better. I'm thinking we could also update our procedures manual this way as well. Google Docs not only "rocks" but it rolls a bit too!

Under the "garden" option at Google Docs, my perennial contribution was Night Blooming Jasmine because I remember reading a novel eons ago that painted a romantic picture of this plant and it's exquisite scent. I'm not sure it would do well here in the oft frozen tundra, at least not as a perennial, but it could be planted annually. I guess the gig is up - I've never seen nor sniffed Night Blooming Jasmine, but so powerful was the image, I just had to use it somewhere.

New Year - New Journey - New Experiences

I've been away so long I'll have to go back to semester 1 for a refresher!

Happy New Year to one and all and as Oprah once said, "Cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right." Speaking of getting it right, I hope I can figure out how to get that little Meebo widget over here. If only the other parts of my job would disappear so I could find time to play a bit more.