The Great Potato Harvest of Aught 9

The Great Potato Harvest of Aught 9

Armistice Day edition, part 2

my sweet old etcetera
aunt lucy during the recent

war could and what
is more did tell you just
what everybody was fighting

for,
my sister

isabel created hundreds
(and
hundreds) of socks not to
mention fleaproof earwarmers

etcetera wristers etcetera, my
mother hoped that

i would die etcetera
bravely of course my father used
to become hoarse talking about how it was
a privilege and if only he
could meanwhile my

self etcetera lay quietly
in the deep mud et

cetera
(dreaming,
et
cetera, of
Your smile
eyes knees and of your Etcetera)

(e.e. cummings)

Armistice Day edition

i sing of Olaf glad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or

his wellbelovéd colonel(trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring Olaf soon in hand;
but--though an host of overjoyed
noncoms(first knocking on the head
him)do through icy waters roll
that helplessness which others stroke
with brushes recently employed
anent this muddy toiletbowl,
while kindred intellects evoke
allegiance per blunt instruments--
Olaf(being to all intents
a corpse and wanting any rag
upon what God unto him gave)
responds,without getting annoyed
"I will not kiss your fucking flag"

straightway the silver bird looked grave
(departing hurriedly to shave)

but--though all kinds of officers
(a yearning nation's blueeyed pride)
their passive prey did kick and curse
until for wear their clarion
voices and boots were much the worse,
and egged the firstclassprivates on
his rectum wickedly to tease
by means of skilfully applied
bayonets roasted hot with heat--
Olaf(upon what were once knees)
does almost ceaselessly repeat
"there is some shit I will not eat"

our president,being of which
assertions duly notified
threw the yellowsonofabitch
into a dungeon,where he died

Christ(of His mercy infinite)
i pray to see;and Olaf,too

preponderatingly because
unless statistics lie he was
more brave than me:more blond than you.

(e.e. cummings)

Politic or Treat

We live in a mostly Obama neighborhood, but with a healthy number of McCain signs around. The girls have been big on pointing out both the Obama and McCain signs. We have studiously avoided saying anything bad about McCain or Palin, telling the girls that we're Obama supporters because we think Obama's plans are better. Simple, positive terms. Even so, the girls (mostly Lily) have been in the habit of saying, "oh no! John McCain!" when they see a new McCain sign in the neighborhood. We SWEAR it's not because of us.

We went out trick or treating around the neighborhood on Halloween. Most of the houses had either no sign in the yard or an Obama sign. About three quarters of the way through our trick-or-treating, we finally came to a McCain sign at a house with lit jack o'lanterns. Lily stops and points it out - "Look! John McCain!" I explain to her, "that's okay, 'different folk have different views.' These are our neighbors, so just go say 'trick or treat' and 'thank you.'" I pause for a second and add, just in case, "Oh, and don't say anything bad about John McCain while you're at their door, OK?" "OK." They go, get their candy, and we're on our way.

A few houses later we come to another John McCain sign. Julia is already halfway to the door when Lily stops at the sign and says, "Look, Dad! John McCain!" I say again, "Remember, Lil, 'different folk have different views?' Now go on."

Lily runs after Julia, shouting at the top of her lungs as she goes,
"HEY JULIA!! DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN!!!"

A portrait of two sisters, in 40 words or less

(with some bias)

Julia Kane
Tells truths
Big Sister
Birthstone: Diamond the
Best!
Looks exactly like mommy
Goes to Kinergarden
The End

Lily Kane
Tells lies
The craziest ideas are in her head
Goes to preschool
Birthstone: Sapphire
The End

Julia's Christmas List

(Dear Santa, I'd like
a
nutcracker
I'd like to fly
I'd like some fish in a fish tank,
A rainbow for my room. I'd like some magic
powers)

Grandparents, you've got your work cut out for you.

New addition!

Introducing Buster:


Buster appears to be a dachshund/beagle mix. We got the name from Andy's dog in Toy Story 2. A little cliche perhaps, but it fits. He is about 1 year old and extremely calm and quiet but very friendly to all people and dogs.

What happens to a zucchini deferred?

(with apologies to Langston Hughes)
This is what happens when you go out of town for 11 days without realizing there are ripe zucchinis in your garden:
(Note the normal sized squash in the background and the largish squash and zucchinin in between)




(Obviously I'm really impressed with these zucchinis and really at a loss for how to convey it most impressively.)

These zucchinis went on to have a successful career in zucchini bread and chocolate cake.