This is my first Animoto video, using photos of my favorite racehorse, Zenyatta. I chose the song "Dance" because not only is Zenyatta a great racehorse but also a great dancer. Animoto is quite easy to use and I will definitely play around with it some more. I haven't been taking many photographs lately because of the rainy weather; as spring progresses I hope to get some great photos of horses and wildflowers.
27 February 2010
24 February 2010
For the Birds
On the way home from the chiropractor this evening, I saw a large red-tailed hawk stoop into an empty field near the airport. I often wonder, when I witness one of nature's little dramas, how many of the other drivers on the road are even aware of the event. How often I see crows playing in the wind, cattle egrets prowling for insects in parkways, turkey vultures kettling over thermals, hawks perched on street lights watching for prey; and wonder, am I the only one?
I have seen kingbirds perched on fence wires, starlings swarming in the sky like flying schools of fish, mountain bluebirds swooping in front of the car, road runners next to a freeway onramp, common egrets standing like statues in empty lots, pigeons dancing and black phoebes hawking for insects. Have you?
I have seen kingbirds perched on fence wires, starlings swarming in the sky like flying schools of fish, mountain bluebirds swooping in front of the car, road runners next to a freeway onramp, common egrets standing like statues in empty lots, pigeons dancing and black phoebes hawking for insects. Have you?
17 February 2010
Why Are They Hating on Libraries?
"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries." -- Anne Herbert
I wish the "powers that be" realized the truth of this statement. School districts across California, including my own, are considering eliminating Teacher Librarians from their schools, even while paying lip service to the fact that the library is the heart of the school. As a library media tech, I can attest to another fact: that the Teacher Librarian is the heart of the library. We techs are highly skilled at our jobs, but we don't have the training or credentials to do what Teacher Librarians do. They are educators and innovators and the driving force that propels our public schools into the 21st century and beyond.
The library should be a sacred place, the last thing touched by such tawdry things as money and politics. The school library in particular is extremely important, especially in lower income areas. So many of our students have no access to the public libraries because they have no reliable transportation, or their parents do not have the time or inclination to sign them up for a library card. But every student has access to the school library, not just for research but for pleasure reading. For many of these students, the school library is the ONLY source of books. How can we instill a love of reading and books in our children if the library is treated like a disposable item? How can we expect them to respect books and learning when library staffing is slashed, in the case of my district, by 50%?
I wish the "powers that be" realized the truth of this statement. School districts across California, including my own, are considering eliminating Teacher Librarians from their schools, even while paying lip service to the fact that the library is the heart of the school. As a library media tech, I can attest to another fact: that the Teacher Librarian is the heart of the library. We techs are highly skilled at our jobs, but we don't have the training or credentials to do what Teacher Librarians do. They are educators and innovators and the driving force that propels our public schools into the 21st century and beyond.
The library should be a sacred place, the last thing touched by such tawdry things as money and politics. The school library in particular is extremely important, especially in lower income areas. So many of our students have no access to the public libraries because they have no reliable transportation, or their parents do not have the time or inclination to sign them up for a library card. But every student has access to the school library, not just for research but for pleasure reading. For many of these students, the school library is the ONLY source of books. How can we instill a love of reading and books in our children if the library is treated like a disposable item? How can we expect them to respect books and learning when library staffing is slashed, in the case of my district, by 50%?
01 February 2010
The Cross-Quarter Days, or How to have a holiday every six weeks
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, the North American incarnation of the old Celtic holiday of Imbolc, one of the cross-quarter days that fall midway between the solstices and equinoxes. As the seasons divide the year into quarters of 3 months each, so the cross-quarter days divide the quarters into segments of 1 1/2 months. If you recognize the cross-quarter days as well as the solstices and equinoxes, your calendar will have a holiday every 6 weeks.
All of the major Celtic holidays fall on cross-quarter days, with the most important one -- and the beginning of the Celtic year -- being Samhain, better known today as Hallowe'en. This was the beginning of the dark half of the year in the Celtic calendar and the night that the veil between the worlds was the thinnest. All of our Hallowe'en traditions trace back to this ancient holiday.
Roughly six weeks after Samhain is the Winter Solstice, which has been or still is celebrated under the names Saturnalia, Yule, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwaanza and likely many more. All of these holidays involve light, symbolic of the shortening of the days ending and the prospect of more light returning to the world. The Solstice marks the beginning of Winter.
Next comes Imbolc, later known as St. Brigid's Day, Candlemas and Groundhog Day. Coming six weeks after the beginning of Winter, Imbolc marks the halfway point of the season, which is why the Groundhog is always correct in his prediction that there will be "six more weeks of winter."
The Vernal Equinox marks the first day of Spring, when the length of the day equals the length of the night, as it does twice a year. Halfway through Spring, we have Beltane on May 1, more commonly known as May Day. In medieval times, "going a-Maying" and dancing around the Maypole were important celebrations of springtime, but today May Day is more associated with worker's rights and the Soviet empire.
As the days lengthen, they reach their longest on the Summer Solstice, which boasts the shortest night of the year. Summer reaches its midpoint at Lughnasadh, on August 1, which was the Celtic celebration of the sun god Lugh. Lughnasadh later became Lammas, but isn't much noted these days, the only cross-quarter day that doesn't have a modern holiday associated with it.
The Autumnal Equinox again brings us an equal day and night and leads into Samhain, which is the midpoint of Autumn. (Interesting side note: the season is called Fall only in the United States; Brits know only Autumn).
And there we have it: a holiday every six weeks and a good way to keep yourself connected to the cycles of the natural year.
All of the major Celtic holidays fall on cross-quarter days, with the most important one -- and the beginning of the Celtic year -- being Samhain, better known today as Hallowe'en. This was the beginning of the dark half of the year in the Celtic calendar and the night that the veil between the worlds was the thinnest. All of our Hallowe'en traditions trace back to this ancient holiday.
Roughly six weeks after Samhain is the Winter Solstice, which has been or still is celebrated under the names Saturnalia, Yule, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwaanza and likely many more. All of these holidays involve light, symbolic of the shortening of the days ending and the prospect of more light returning to the world. The Solstice marks the beginning of Winter.
Next comes Imbolc, later known as St. Brigid's Day, Candlemas and Groundhog Day. Coming six weeks after the beginning of Winter, Imbolc marks the halfway point of the season, which is why the Groundhog is always correct in his prediction that there will be "six more weeks of winter."
The Vernal Equinox marks the first day of Spring, when the length of the day equals the length of the night, as it does twice a year. Halfway through Spring, we have Beltane on May 1, more commonly known as May Day. In medieval times, "going a-Maying" and dancing around the Maypole were important celebrations of springtime, but today May Day is more associated with worker's rights and the Soviet empire.
As the days lengthen, they reach their longest on the Summer Solstice, which boasts the shortest night of the year. Summer reaches its midpoint at Lughnasadh, on August 1, which was the Celtic celebration of the sun god Lugh. Lughnasadh later became Lammas, but isn't much noted these days, the only cross-quarter day that doesn't have a modern holiday associated with it.
The Autumnal Equinox again brings us an equal day and night and leads into Samhain, which is the midpoint of Autumn. (Interesting side note: the season is called Fall only in the United States; Brits know only Autumn).
And there we have it: a holiday every six weeks and a good way to keep yourself connected to the cycles of the natural year.
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