Belladonna

September 16, 2013

September 16, 2013 Photo of the day:

"Currant Affairs" [sic]

cur·rent af·fairs (ˈkʌrənt əˈfɛəz) - plural noun: events of interest and importance happening at the present time. En français: les actualités. Here's what's happening in our neighborhood this evening:

WOW! I'm glad I know such intelligent people. Earlier this evening, I posted this image of what I though were wild currants. Diana, a retired Pewaukee Lake Elementary teacher, informed me that these are actually Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade! A bit of research confirms that these beautiful berries are extremely toxic. When ingested the poisonous plant causes delirium and hallucinations. Apparently, it also has a history of use as a medicine, anesthetic, and cosmetic. The ancient Romans used it as a poison and it was used to make poison-tipped arrows. The name "bella donna" is derived from Italian and means "beautiful woman" because the herb was used in eye-drops by women to dilate the pupils of the eyes to make them appear seductive. Allusions to the notorious plant appear in the work of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde. Because of its beauty and sweet flavor, the berries of the plant are especially dangerous attracting children and pets. Consuming two to five berries or just one leaf contains enough poison to kill an adult! Thank you, Diana, for enlightening me!

September Sunday

September 15, 2013

September 15, 2013 Photo of the day: "Maple Leaves"

Chilly rain beating on the window pane,

The Sunday New York Times,

Strong, frothy coffee,

A Packers' victory,

America's Cup races,

A long walk,

A hot shower,

A glass of wine,

Rear Window on AMC...

What a nice September Sunday!

I feel well rested and ready to face another week.

Delafield Riverwalk

September 14, 2013

September 14, 2013 Photo of the day:

"Wisconsin Veterans' Memorial Riverwalk"

Today, we discovered the beautiful river walk

from Cushing Park to St. John's Military Academy.

This mile-long trail winds through

woodlands, marsh, and green spaces...

along the Bark River in Delafield.

What a tranquil setting...

for an afternoon stroll.

I was fascinated by the curly tendrils...

and the spiky fruit of these wild cucumbers.

I know, yet another dragonfly, but this one is red!

This little evergreen made a home in the base of an old tree.

There were so many varieties of wildflowers blooming...

After our walk, we enjoyed an early dinner

on the terrace of Revere's Wells St. Tavern.

Since today was "halfway to St. Paddy's Day,"

we were serenaded by Irish musician, Ian Gould.

This afternoon felt like a vacation right here at home.

Book Club

September 13, 2013

September 13, 2013 Photo of the day: "Book Club"

Today was the 2nd Annual Pewaukee Summer Reading Book Club. I had the honor of facilitating a group of seven Academic Decathlon students in a discussion of Ernest Hemingway's masterpiece, The Sun Also Rises. If you would like to read more about our Pewaukee Reads initiative and my personal favorites, (re)visit my post about last year's book club: iRead.

If you're looking for something to read,

you might want to try one of this year's books.

(Not all books pictured because they sold out and

all copies were checked out of the PHS library!)

An Abundance of Katherines (John Green)

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

*Divergent (Veronica Roth)

I Never Had It Made (Jackie Robinson)

*Inferno (Dan Brown)

*Insurgent (Veronica Roth)

Mind Gym (Gary Mack)

No Easy Day (Owen & Maurer)

*The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein)

The Best of Me (Nicholas Sparks)

*The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)

*The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway)

The Walking Dead (Kirkman, Moore, Adlard)

*Wild (Cheryl Strand)

*the books I read :)

Broken Wings

September 12, 2013

September 12, 2013 Photo of the day: "Broken Wings"

I know what you're thinking, "What is with all the bugs on your blog?" Yes, I've posted quite a few photos of bees (Busy Bees, It's a Bird, It's a Bee, Dewdrops on Daisies, Bee-utiful, and Let It Bee), damselflies (Hide & Seek with a Damselfy), butterflies (Chasing Butterflies), and dragonflies, but they often amuse me by their playfulness or attract me with their delicate beauty. They also let me get close enough with my iPhone to take their pictures! This afternoon, I noticed this guy clinging tightly to a potentilla blossom as the wind rocked him too and fro. I was impressed by his tenacity and ability to hold on while I struggled to focus on his constant motion (not an easy feat with an iPhone). When I reviewed my pictures, I noticed that his fragile, transparent wing was battered. Despite his scars, he is beautiful and strong!