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 VINCENT (Starry, Starry Night) Written by Don McLean and Performed by Josh Groban |
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| Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
Starry, starry night Paint your palette blue and gray. Look out on a summer's day With eyes that know the darkness in my soul. Shadows on the hills, Sketch the trees and daffodils, Catch the breeze and the winter chill In colors on the snowy linen land. Chorus Now I understand what you tried to say to me And how you suffered for your sanity And how you tried to set them free. They would not listen. They did not know how. Perhaps they'll listen now. Starry, starry night Flaming flowers that brightly blaze Swirling cloud and violet haze Reflect in Vincent's eyes of China blue. Colors changing hue. Mourning fields of amber grain Weathered faces lined in pain Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hands. Chorus Now I understand what you tried to say to me And how you suffered for your sanity And how you tried to set them free. They would not listen They did not know how Perhaps they'll listen now. For they could not love you But still your love was true. And when no hope was left inside On that starry, starry night You took your life as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you. Like the strangers that you've met, The ragged men in ragged clothes. The silver thorn, a bloody rose Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow. Now I think I know what you tried to say to me And how you suffered for your sanity. And how you tried to set them free. They would not listen. They're not listening still Perhaps they never will. |
 | The gemstone aquamarine is the blue, or perhaps more correctly, blue-green or aqua variety of the mineral beryl.
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, and it is commonly recognized as the Zodiac stone for the constellation of Scorpio (although it is usually referred to as beryl in this regard). As beryl, aquamarine is mentioned in the Bible. Aquamarine jewelry is associated with beauty, honesty, loyalty, and happiness. |
| Other gemstone color varieties that are also the mineral beryl include emerald, morganite, and heliodor.
The hardness and durability of aquamarine make it a fine gemstone, and its light blue or aqua color makes it a fine choice when the harsher colors of some other gemstones would overwhelm or distract from an outfit. Its typical delicate color allows it to be used in a larger stone where its beauty can be impressive. |  |
| Aquamarine is colored by trace amounts of iron, and most gem aquamarines have been heat treated to produce the popular blue-green colors from less desirable yellow or pale stones.
The leading producer of aquamarines is the country of Brazil, which has many mines. Pakistan, as well as many U.S. localities, produce wonderful specimens as well. Recently, a new mine in China has produced large numbers of excellent flat (stubby) hexagonal crystals, for a fraction of the price of those beautiful Pakistan specimens. |
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| Aquamarine is sometimes found in huge crystals (unlike emerald). It is also known in a glassy form, often without showing crystal form, and sometimes with many holes or other odd shapes. Other times a large cluster of prismatic crystals can be seen to all have the same alignment - a sign that it is really a single crystal with many faces. |  |
 | The birth flower for March is daffodil. In the language of flowers, daffodils symbolize chivalry, respect, modesty and faithfulness. |
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| Daffodils form a group of large-flowered members of the genus Narcissus. Most daffodils look yellow, but yellow-and-white, yellow-and-orange, white-and-orange, pink, and lime-green cultivars also exist. Daffodils grow perennially from bulbs. In temperate climates they flower among the earliest blooms in spring: to this extent daffodils both represent and herald spring. They often grow in large clusters, covering lawns and even entire hillsides with yellow. |
| Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. Daffodil is the common English name for them all, and Narcissus is the Latin, botanical name for them all. Some people refer to daffodils as "jonquils", from the Spanish name for the flower.
To the right is narcissus with yellow center. |  |
 | The name of the flower is derived from an earlier "affodell", a variant of asphodel. The reason for the introduction of the initial "d" is not known, though from at least the sixteenth century "Daffadown Dilly" or "daffadowndilly" has appeared as a playful synonym of the name. What a fancy March birth flower. |
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| LONG-GONE BARN Ann Telling Photo |
| This old barn near Amsterdam, Montana, is long gone by now. Those are the Tobacco Root Mountains. |
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| (CIRRO-CUMULUS?) Clouds over the Limestone Hills west of Townsend, Montana. |
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| Double rainbow over Townsend Ann Telling Photo |
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| The Telling residence. Those are the Big Belt Mountains northeast of Townsend. The Missouri River is flowing into the upper end of Canyon Ferry Lake The small square body of water is the old Townsend sewage lagoon. Ann Telling Photo |
 ONE HUNDRED FAMOUS VIEWS OF EDO (TOKYO) NUMBER TWENTY-TWO |
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| Furukawa River, Hiroo (Hiroo Furukawa) |
| The valley of the Furukawa River, looking west toward Shibuya. |
| In this idyllic landscape we have moved into the hilly southwestern part of Edo, and stand here in the valley of the Furukawa River, looking west toward Shibuya, between the heights of Azabu to the right and Shirogane to the left.
The open green area in the distance is Hiroo Fields (Hiroogahara, south of the present Hiroo area), and Hiroshige has exaggerated the expanse of the actual place, perhaps in deference to the literal meaning of the name, "broad fields." We see small groups of people enjoying themselves, with temporary tea stalls set up here and there. For an Edo resident purchasing this print in 1856, however, its chief attraction may rather have been in the foreground, in the restaurant that is half-hidden by the margin to the left. The bridge can be identified as Sagamidono Bridge, the popular name--taken after an estate of the governor of Sagami that once lay nearby--of what is known formally, now as then, as Shinohashi, or Fourth Bridge, in a nomenclature that numbers the bridges in order proceeding upstream from Azabu Juban. |
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| THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN (OR THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS) JULY 21, 1861 | |
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| CARRYING IN THE WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN | |
| On July 21, 1861 the First Battle of Bull Run occurred. It was the first real major conflict of the American Civil War. A Union army, consisting of 28,000 men, commanded by General McDowell, fought 33,000 Confederates under General Beauregard. The Union army, under pressure to crush the rebellion in the South, marched towards Richmond, but met the Confederate forces coming north from Manassas, a Southern base.
At the beginning of the five hour battle the Union soldiers had the Confederates on the retreat, except for one brigade commanded by General Jackson. Due to Jackson's ability to hold his ground and his stubbornness, the men saw him similar to a stone wall, hence the nickname "Stonewall" Jackson. Thanks to Jackson the Confederates were able to hold out until General Johnston showed up with 9000 reinforcements to help out Beauregard near Henry House Hill. The arrival changed the course of the battle and soon the Union soldiers were fleeing back to Washington. However, because of the disorganization of Beauregard's army, they could not pursue McDowell any further. The battle proved that this was not going to be a one sided war for either side, as was predicted. The casualties soared to 2,900 killed, wounded, captured, or missing for McDowell's army and 2,000 for Beauregard's. The battle spurred a sense of victory in the South, pushing them on, and in the North a feeling for revenge. |
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| BULL RUN BATTERIES |
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| Photo of Federal Cavalry at Sudley Springs after the First Battle of Bull Run |
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| The painting Capture of Ricketts' Battery, depicting action during the First Battle of Bull Run, one of the early battles in the American Civil War. The painting is oil on plywood, and is displayed in the Henry Hill Visitor Center at Manassas National Battlefield Park. |
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| SUPER KABUTO |
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| APPLES |
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| 1. Name the youngest president ever. 2. On the other side, name the oldest president ever. 3. Who was the tallest U.S. president? For Bragging Rights, give us his height. 4. Name the shortest president. Give his height, too. 5. Who is the only president to have been divorced? 6. Name the two presidents who were voted in by the House of Representatives due to electoral vote problems in the elections. 7. Two presidents were bachelors when they were elected to the White House. Name them. Who of this pair was married while in the White House? 8. Name the only president buried in the District of Columbia. 9. Name the first president to serve when there were 50 United States. 10. Who was the first president to appear on television? Name the event in which he appeared. |
| 1. The youngest was Theodore Roosevelt, who was only 42 years old when he was sworn in following the death of President William McKinley in 1901. 2. Ronald Reagan was 77 years old when he left the White House in 1989. 3. The tallest president was Abraham Lincoln, who was 6 feet, 4 inches. 4. The shortest president was James Madison at 5 feet, 4 inches. Just one foot shorter than Honest Abe. 5. Prior to his 1980 election as president, Ronald Reagan had been divorced from Jane Wyman in 1948 and married Nancy Davis in 1952. 6. Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams were elected by the House due to Electoral College votes not being a majority. 7. The bachelors were James Buchanan, who never married, and Grover Cleveland, who married Frances Folsom in 1886. 8. Woodrow Wilson is buried at the Washington National Cathedral. 9. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first to be president of 50 states, in 1953. 10. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to appear on television at the opening ceremony of the 1939 World's Fair. |
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| CERO |
| Description: Color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, yellow spots forming lines above and below a bronze stripe from pectoral fin to base of tail; front of first dorsal fin is bluish black; lateral line curves gradually to base of caudal fin.
Similar Fish: Spanish mackerel, S. maculatus; king mackerel, S. cavalla (only the cero has the yellow-brown stripes from the pectoral to caudal fin). Where found: near shore and offshore fish occurring mainly in south Florida, especially over coral reefs and wrecks. Size: Common to 5 pounds. Remarks: Unlike other mackerels, does not stray far from south Florida waters; spawns offshore in midsummer; feeds on small fish and squid. |
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Who was Murat Bernard 'Chic' Young, and what is his connection to the Hawaiian Islands, a British politician, gambling, newspapers and a classic American food?
??? PASS YOUR MOUSE OVER THE QUESTION MARKS FOR THE ANSWER! |
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| Although the tamarillo is native to South America, most of the tamarillo sold in the U.S. is imported from New Zealand, where it is grown commercially. The original name, tree tomato, was used until 1967 when New Zealand invented the tropical sounding name tamarillo to market it. |
| Mustard Crusted Pork Fillet on Tamarillo Carpaccio
For 4 people 2 pork fillets olive oil freshly ground salt and pepper 1/4 teaspoon of mixed spice, approximately 1 cup of mild whole seed mustard Preheat oven to 375°F. Trim pork fillets on any fat and sinew and cut each fillet in half. Roll each piece of fillet in olive oil, and season well with salt, pepper and mixed spice. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sear the fillets evenly all over. Remove from the heat and when cool enough to handle, coat each with the whole seed mustard. Finish cooking the pork in the oven for 5 or so minutes or until done to your liking and the mustard has formed a lovely golden crust. Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing thickly. |
| Tamarillo Carpaccio 5 tamarillo / tree tomatoes 3/4 cup of water 3 tablespoons of honey 1 tablespoon of cornflour / cornstarch 1 teaspoon of mixed spice 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, approximately - to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper With a very sharp knife gently score a small cross on the bottom of each tamarillo. Blanch the tamarillo in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, refreshing in cold water, this assists peeling and removing the tamarillo skins. Once peeled, slice the tamarillo very thinly, chopping the rough looking, less neat slices and ends etc. very very finely. Arrange the best slices in neat circular patterns on each of the four serving plates and set the plates aside in a warm place until ready to serve. Mix the water, honey, cornstarch, mixed spice with the finely chopped tamarillo together in a small saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring continuously until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the warm sauce over the tamarillo slices and arrange the mustard crusted pork on top. Serve immediately with a selection of roasted root vegetable batons, (carrots, parsnip, potato) and steamed greens. |
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| EVENING |
| AELBERT JACOBSZ CUYP (October 20, 1620 – November 15, 1691) was one of the leading Dutch landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father Jacob Gerritsz, Cuyp is especially known for his large views of the Dutch countryside in early morning or late afternoon light. |
 Baseball Card (1909-11) |
| In September 1907, Cobb began a relationship with The Coca-Cola Company that would last the remainder of his life. By the time he died, he owned over 20,000 shares of stock and three bottling plants: one in Santa Maria, California; one in Twin Falls, Idaho; and one in Bend, Oregon. He was also a celebrity spokesman for the product.
The following season, the Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox for the pennant. Cobb again won the batting title with a .324 batting average. Despite another loss in the Series, Cobb had something to celebrate. In August 1908, he married Charlotte "Charlie" Marion Lombard, the daughter of prominent Augustan Roswell Lombard. In the offseason, Cobb and his wife lived in his father-in-law's Augusta estate, The Oaks. In November of 1913, the couple moved into their own house on Williams Street. The Tigers won the American League pennant again in 1909. During the Series, Cobb stole home in the second game, igniting a three-run rally, but that was the high point for Cobb. He ended batting a lowly .231 in his last World Series, as the Tigers lost in seven games. Although he performed poorly in the post-season, Cobb won the Triple Crown by hitting .377 with 107 RBI and nine home runs---all inside-the-park. Cobb thus became the only player of the modern era to lead his league in home runs in a season without hitting a ball over the fence. |
 Pierre Auguste Renoir was a French impressionist painter noted for his radiant, intimate paintings, particularly of the female nude. Recognized by critics as one of the greatest and most independent painters of his period, Renoir is noted for the harmony of his lines, the brilliance of his color, and the intimate charm of his wide variety of subjects. Unlike other impressionists he was as much interested in painting the single human figure or family group portraits as he was in landscapes; unlike them, too, he did not subordinate composition and plasticity of form to attempts at rendering the effect of light. |  |
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| Le déjeuner des canotiers (Luncheon of the Boating Party) | |
| The painting depicts a group of Renoir's friends relaxing on a balcony at the Maison Fournaise along the Seine river in Chatou, France. The painter and art patron, Gustave Caillebotte, is seated in the lower right. Renoir's future wife, Aline Charigot, is in the foreground playing with a small dog.
The diagonal of the railing serves to demarcate the two halves of the composition, one densely packed with figures, the other all but empty, save for the two figures of the proprietor's daughter Louise-Alphonsine Fournaise and her brother, Alphonse Fournaise, Jr, which are made prominent by this contrast. In this painting Renoir has captured a great deal of light. The main focus of light is coming from the large opening in the balcony, beside the large singleted man in the hat. The singlets of both men in the foreground and the table-cloth all work together to reflect this light and send it through the whole composition. | |
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| BILL MURRAY (Caricature) |
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| CLOSEUP OF THE GNOME IN MY ROCK GARDEN |
| DISCLAIMER: Material used in Bitts and Bytes is gathered from various sources--mainly the World Wide Web.
Authorship cannot always be credited nor the source defined. Authenticity of material is assumed to be correct, but is not guaranteed. |  |