Theme: The Power of Words
20A: Start of Molière statement: I WILL DEFEND
35A: Part 2 of statement: MY OPINION
40A: Part 3 of statement: TO THE LAST
56A: End of statement: DROP OF MY INK
Here is what Byron wrote about writing:
"But words are things, and a small drop of ink
Falling, like DEW, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
I don't quite understand those lines. The grammar is so confusing. Can you paraphrase them for me?
The Chinese translation of Molière' name is tragically beautiful: 莫里哀. I've never read any of his works though, but I do like his view that it's not reason that decides/governs love. Love is irrational and "there is something inexpressibly charming in falling in love...".
Nothing exicting about this puzzle. I've had enough APO Quips/Quotes.
Across:
1A: Indian tourist site: AGRA (Taj Mahal). And one more reference to this enimgatic land that offered us the mysterious Kama Sutra: HINDU (9A: Caste member).
24A: Retail customers: END USERS. This is more of a computer term, isn't it? END USER vs Programmer.
27A: "Spy vs. Spy" magazine: MAD. This clue should please Xchefwalt.
28A: Shake choice: VANILLA. I like dipping French fries into chocolate milkshake. Yummy.
45A: Like clear nights: STAR LIT. "Starry, starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze, swirling clouds in violet haze, reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue...". I hope you like this wonderful clip as much I do.
47A: Hop to it!: HIE. Hurry up duck, shake a leg.
48A: Land figures: ACREAGES
58A: Fragrant resin: ELEMI. I forgot. ELEMI was clued as "Varnish ingredient" in Olschwang's July 24 puzzle.
62A: Altercation: RUN-IN
65A: Feudal person: SERF. ESNE also means "Feudal SERF". FIEF is "Feudal estate". LIEGE is "Feudal lord", VASSAL is "Feudal tenant".
Down:
3D: Fleet: RAPID. I was thinking of ARMADA, but it did not fit. I did not know that "Fleet" can be an adjective meaning "swift".
4D: Sanctuaries: ASYLUMS
5D: Like some cobras: HOODED. I don't grok this. Why HOODED?
9D: Escape artist: HOUDINI (Harry). I forgot who mentioned this name in a comment sometime ago.
12D: God in Grenoble: DIEU. "Mon DIEU", though I often curse with "Oh, Merde".
13D: Argue for: URGE. I would love if it's clued as "Impulsive desire/longing", but I understand the rationale behind this verb cluing. Too many nouns in this grid.
26D: "The Delta of Venus" writer: NIN (Anaïs). I only read a few pages, way too provocative & graphic for me, a bit disturbing actually.
31D: A chip, maybe: ANTE
43D: Staunch: STEM. Hmm, no "Flower stalk"?
44D: Short theatrical offering: PLAYLET
50D: The easiest of putts: GIMME. Ah, the 6 inchers! No problem. I've never yipped or choked on those putts.
51D: City near Limerick: ENNIS. Not familiar with this town. WP says it's "located only six miles from Shannon and Shannon Airport". Here is the map, see ENNIS & Limerick?
52D: Woman's combo garment: SKORT. I love SKORT. She looks so pretty in her pink SKORT.
54D: Hebrew month: ELUL. The last month of Jewish calendar.
C.C.
20A: Start of Molière statement: I WILL DEFEND
35A: Part 2 of statement: MY OPINION
40A: Part 3 of statement: TO THE LAST
56A: End of statement: DROP OF MY INK
Here is what Byron wrote about writing:
"But words are things, and a small drop of ink
Falling, like DEW, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
I don't quite understand those lines. The grammar is so confusing. Can you paraphrase them for me?
The Chinese translation of Molière' name is tragically beautiful: 莫里哀. I've never read any of his works though, but I do like his view that it's not reason that decides/governs love. Love is irrational and "there is something inexpressibly charming in falling in love...".
Nothing exicting about this puzzle. I've had enough APO Quips/Quotes.
Across:
1A: Indian tourist site: AGRA (Taj Mahal). And one more reference to this enimgatic land that offered us the mysterious Kama Sutra: HINDU (9A: Caste member).
24A: Retail customers: END USERS. This is more of a computer term, isn't it? END USER vs Programmer.
27A: "Spy vs. Spy" magazine: MAD. This clue should please Xchefwalt.
28A: Shake choice: VANILLA. I like dipping French fries into chocolate milkshake. Yummy.
45A: Like clear nights: STAR LIT. "Starry, starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze, swirling clouds in violet haze, reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue...". I hope you like this wonderful clip as much I do.
47A: Hop to it!: HIE. Hurry up duck, shake a leg.
48A: Land figures: ACREAGES
58A: Fragrant resin: ELEMI. I forgot. ELEMI was clued as "Varnish ingredient" in Olschwang's July 24 puzzle.
62A: Altercation: RUN-IN
65A: Feudal person: SERF. ESNE also means "Feudal SERF". FIEF is "Feudal estate". LIEGE is "Feudal lord", VASSAL is "Feudal tenant".
Down:
3D: Fleet: RAPID. I was thinking of ARMADA, but it did not fit. I did not know that "Fleet" can be an adjective meaning "swift".
4D: Sanctuaries: ASYLUMS
5D: Like some cobras: HOODED. I don't grok this. Why HOODED?
9D: Escape artist: HOUDINI (Harry). I forgot who mentioned this name in a comment sometime ago.
12D: God in Grenoble: DIEU. "Mon DIEU", though I often curse with "Oh, Merde".
13D: Argue for: URGE. I would love if it's clued as "Impulsive desire/longing", but I understand the rationale behind this verb cluing. Too many nouns in this grid.
26D: "The Delta of Venus" writer: NIN (Anaïs). I only read a few pages, way too provocative & graphic for me, a bit disturbing actually.
31D: A chip, maybe: ANTE
43D: Staunch: STEM. Hmm, no "Flower stalk"?
44D: Short theatrical offering: PLAYLET
50D: The easiest of putts: GIMME. Ah, the 6 inchers! No problem. I've never yipped or choked on those putts.
51D: City near Limerick: ENNIS. Not familiar with this town. WP says it's "located only six miles from Shannon and Shannon Airport". Here is the map, see ENNIS & Limerick?
52D: Woman's combo garment: SKORT. I love SKORT. She looks so pretty in her pink SKORT.
54D: Hebrew month: ELUL. The last month of Jewish calendar.
C.C.
Good morning, C.C. and fellow DFs - first off, the pictures that were put out late yesterday are just outstanding - you put all our pictures together and it looks like an "Our Gang" cast, albeit a very devious one.
ReplyDeleteNot much to comment on with the puzzle; no stumbling blocks to speak of.
c.c., hit the G-spot for "hooded cobra" for an example of what the hood on a cobra looks like. Also, thanks for making me a skort fan; never cared for them before.
Almost the long weekend; make it a great day.
Dennis,
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you like SKORTS? They are so convenient and sexy to wear.
Uh....I would argue 'sexy', and I'd definitely dispute 'convenient'.
ReplyDeleteOh wait -- you mean for the female?
dick, I looked so intense probably because of my diapers were either wet or soiled and I was looking at my mom to get me cleaned up!!!
ReplyDeleteC.C., here's is a funny Yogi Berra's quote, "He must have made that before he died." -- Referring to a Steve McQueen movie.
Good morning CC & DF's: A few snaags for me. What is an end user? I absolutely love the term, but not as a customer (that's illegal in most states, esp as a re-tail customer - that's doubly illegal). 46D got me with the repetition, but the perps made it. 49D made me laugh - only a promising one? 'Come on'! 'Gimme' made me smile and think of CC.
ReplyDeleteSkorts for sports, but skirts for dates.
Flyingears, you are just beautiful!
Good morning CC and gang.......
ReplyDeleteI had a really hard time with this one. I only got about half of it.
I never heard the expression "end users" for retail customers. I also thought of "armada" for fleet. I never heard of "rapid" for fleet.
Some cobra's look like they have hoods in a way, so that is probably why they are called that????
I loved the starry night video....thanks for that. And thanks for the compliment yesterday CC.
So, french fries dunked in a milk shake???? EEUUWWWW LOL
Crockett1947: I still can't figure it out. (how to do a hyper-link)
I need to check out what you did with the pictures yesterday CC.
How about a picture of you CC???? I want to see what you look like. In my minds eye, you are beautiful.
Have a good day everyone.
Morning, folks!
ReplyDeleteSo-so puzzle for me today. Not particularly challenging, but a bit of slow in the bottom half due to numerous false starts on my part. I really wanted TAP IN instead of GIMME for 50D, for example.
The only unknown for me this time was ENNIS. Even ELUL and ELEMI were words I was able to pull out of the deep recesses.
Cobras can be hooded or non-hooded. The standard, non-hooded cobra looks like any other snake. The hooded variety (such as the King Cobra) have a large flap of skin around their heads that can be expanded when the snakes are agitated.
As for the Byron quote, keep in mind that he wrote it in the days before television. The act of writing coverts plain words (which might otherwise only be heard by a small group of people) into things that can affect thousands, or even millions, of people. Nowadays, of course, words can be broadcast on television, movies, Youtube, etc., without ever needing to be written down.
Oh -- and I love the way skorts look, but I hate the actual word. "Skort" just seems very ugly to me.
This is as close as I can get to a baby picture of me. It is my graduation picture. I will have to try to find a baby picture.
ReplyDeleteGood morning everyone. Like the comments already posted this was not too difficult. Like yesterday I struggled withe the NE corner until I woke up and got HINDU.
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed the photos. I will need to search to see if I can find suitable for posting.
Lois I really like your comments and they remind me of Ccs comments from yesterday.
Barry, thanks for the link to the hooded cobra. I was going to try to find one, but then I can't figure out how to do the link....
ReplyDeleteGood morning C.C. and DF's.
ReplyDeleteEconomics and commerce define an end-user as the person who uses a product. In contracts, the term 'end-user' becomes a legal construct referring to a non-reseller.
Here is a picture of a Hooded King Cobra.
Houdini, born Erich Weiss. I still think he was the greatest escape artist of all time.
Limerick brings back memories of when we were talking about the girl (or guy) from Nantucket.
Never heard of skort but that Mom sure does kick butt.
Alfred E. Neuman - What, Me Worry? I still think he looks like "Dubya". And these guys were the best!
Today is Race Your Mouse Day!!! It is also Dream Day in honor of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" in 1963. Finally, I found that it is National Cherry Turnover Day. Now it's off to the races. Ready, Set, Go!!!!!!
Have a great Thursday.
Barry, nice pic of the cobra. Hope I never run into that guy/gal. Need to be politically correct in today's world you know.
ReplyDeletekatherine, great picture!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning C.C. & DF's,
ReplyDeleteI'd call this a baseball puzzle; the clues were in the ballpark but they weren't direct hits, i.e. horn and not honk or beep for 5A Car signal.
Hooded Cobras
My unknowns or forgottens were:
58A Fragrant resin - Elemi - pale yellow substance, of honey-like consistency
26D "The Delta of Venus" writer - Nin A book by diarist, eroticist and feminist icon Anaïs Nin.
54D Hebrew month - Elul last month of the Hebrew year, preceding Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur
51D City near Limerick - Ennis town W Ireland capital of County Clare population 13,746
And, in hoor of 51D, as well as 18A, 24A, 39A, 6D, 26D, and 49D, I give you this original piece:
There once was a man from Ennis
who loved every girl like she's Venus
it wasn't his skill
that gave them a thill
but the humongous size of his ego
Not to take anything away from the deadly cobras but This guy would invoke real terror!
ReplyDelete@Katherine I like your graduation picture. You must have had many guys at your door.
ReplyDeleteDick: Not too many. I think I had a boyfriend back then! Too long ago to really rememeber! ha
ReplyDeleteC.C. your link of Starry, Starry Night was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately today's puzzle was a no-brainer! Just fill in the blanks.
Welcome to marie (who joined us yesterday).
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle was disappointingly easy. I worked over half of it at stoplights and one small traffic jam on the way to work. We can only hope for more of a challenge tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the plural of asylum not asyla? ;-)
Molière wrote comedic plays in which he mocked the upper class--his most intelligent characters were often the servants in the house, and he loved either to have the fortunes of the rich reversed, or have it turn out that the servants were really from a rich family they didn't know about, after the rich son or daughter fell for them. The rich were often portrayed as buffoons. Some slapstick, but it always has you rooting for the underdog.
ReplyDeleteThe outdoor American Players Theatre in Spring Green Wisconsin frequently puts on his plays along with a menu of other greats, like Shakespeare, in their summer line-up.
drdad--if anacondas amaze you, google "Anaconda regurgitates hippo" Unbelievable!! and-- warning--Gross!
ReplyDeleteLois: Dizzy Dean was a blazing star in the early-mid 30s with the St Louis Cardinals, winning several most strikeout awards. A seemingly minor injury, (being hit in the big toe by a line drive)shortened his career by several years. Pee Wee played with the Dodgers, from '40 to '58. Dizzy hung on into the 40s, says my almanac, with the Cubbies, so he and Pee Wee undoubtedly faced each other. Apparently Dizzy tried to come back too early, shortening what might have been a record- shattering career. I, too, recall his baseball announcing in those days when we'd be young forever.
ReplyDeletedrdad, that video reminded me of an old girlfriend...
ReplyDeleteNot much to say other than I was able to complete this puzzle unassisted. As CC says, a little bland. Lots of great cobra photos. I like this kind of hooded Cobra much better than those others.
ReplyDeletemh, bill cosby had a twin-turbo a.c. cobra - 800+ horsepower. He does a great routine about his first (and only) drive; scared him so bad he sold it immediately.
ReplyDeletegood morning c.c. and all,
ReplyDeleterather ho-hum puzzle today but noticed some clever word placements. i wondered if the O just above BAMA was a coincidence. alot and iota just next to eachother, peg just above sue .. and the center is interesting with yes, feels, and meat all touching.
c.c., starry night, and don mclean's tribute, are masterpieces .. thx for the link.
preparing for beastly temps in the bay area today.
Good morning C.C. and all. I know this had to be an easy puzzle, anytime I can finish it without first stopping by here is unusal for me. I love seeing all of your pictures, and I also played canasta as a youngster. Have a great day all.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, C.C., et al. Not too bad this morning. I got ELEMI by the perps, but it was a stinker. I knew the quote(or did after some fills), but the NW corner still made me think. I didn't race through it tho'.
ReplyDeleteMH that is my kind of cobra also. Sure would like to have one of those in the garage.
ReplyDeleteKatherine: Another use of fleet (I liked ships for that until I had agra) is the old love ballad.
ReplyDelete"Believe me if all those endearing young charms,
which I gaze on so fondly today, were to leave by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,
like fairy tales fading away.
Thou woulds't still be adored
As this moment thou art,
Let your loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin
Each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
Old Irish love song.
(I don't know if a woman would think being called a "dear ruin" was loving or not, but a lovely melody goes with the words. Roger Whittaker has it on one of his CDs.)
I agree with the crowd, this was pretty easy for an APO. No googling necessary. I had 42D as erasing for a while, but soon switched to the less used eliding so that starlit and hie could be inserted. Hie does seem like a stretch for "hop to it" with an exclamation point. Hmmm!!! Oh well, gotta give Alan an "E" for effort. Have a totally thoughtful Thursday all.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if A.P.O. had any particular critic in mind when he penned today's quote?
ReplyDeleteKatherine,
ReplyDeleteAnother gorgeous picture! To start, I suggest you gently dip the French fries in chocolate milk shake, and enjoy each bite slowly and mindfully. The combination of saltiness & sweetness is unbelievably satisfying, complex and pleasurable. But don't eat them when you are stressed.
Argyle,
"that gave them a thill". What is a "thill"?
Dennis,
I've never seen any man wearing SKORT before. Your comment reminded me of Clear Aye's kilt-wearing "going regimental" Scottish soldier.
Flyingears,
Thanks for the quote. Keep them coming.
Lois & Carol,
Sweet pictures. Both of you look so happy. I was still fighting against hunger in 1978.
Barry,
ReplyDeleteI still don't understand the structure of the Byron poem. Why didn't he say "a small drop of ink....produces WHAT makes thousands, perhaps millions, think" instead of "produces THAT WHICH...". Or is there anything wrong in my understanding of the poem's grammatical structure?
Dr.Dad,
DF minds think alike. The Nantucket girl/guy popped into my mind earlier also. Hmmm, cherry turnover, don't you love those organic deep-red cherries? Irresistibly sweet & juicy. Cherry juice is very rich in antioxidants, which will keep you young. And cherry blossom is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but perfectly edible. Try to sprinkle a few dried cherries when you cook meat next time, you will be surprised by the result.
Southern Belle,
I am glad you like the van Gogh link. It's very creatively and artistically done. I wish I could paint my feelings in words and show you how inspired I was by the clip. I dream, live, and hope in van Gogh's paintings.
Melissa,
Interesting take on OBAMA. I am also interested in the red dress and Chiquita banana sticker pictures.
Kazie,
You are a French language teacher, aren't you?
Good morning everyone! Not a bad quote puzzle today. No new words either!
ReplyDeleteDipping french fries into a chocolate shake? Yipes! The Starry Night clip was very nice.
Hey argyle, I think your last limerick line doesn't quite rhyme!
Have a great day!
Good morning c.c., DF’s and all! It’s a beautiful day here in SW Florida, nice and warm, not too humid; a great day for green beans and French fries.
ReplyDeleteAs all have said, an easy puzzle today; even a quote and quip challenged dolt like me got it. I did hit a snag in the SE corner (SKORT- never heard of them, I always called them FUGLY).
@dennis 6:06- Now THAT’S a home run!!
@c.c.- thank you, also, for the “Vincent” clip. It’s a beautiful song about a beautiful man, and it’s going on my iPod right now.
Lord Byron was the greatest of the ‘romantic’ era poets, the rare romantic with a fierce fighting spirit (he died while assisting rebels in Greece). Barry is correct in his assessment; today any speech or action is on the internet, YouTube or CNN in a matter of seconds. Back then, the actions of brave men and martyrs were largely unknown until men of letters like Byron exposed their actions to the masses. Words are like dew, the droplets of water on the ground in the morning that begin the whole cycle of life; the word- the impassioned plea of one human to the world that sets peace and justice in motion.
27a was great! I’m hoping the next MAD clue will have something to do with Don Martin…
Be well everyone.
@c.c.- look at the lines. Poetry is all about the timing (meter)of the verse. In poetry, grammar and proper punctuation go out the window. If I'm reading his stanzas correctly, there are 10 syllables on each line, hence the slightly incorrect grammar.
ReplyDeleteNot much of a challenge today, but then I like feeling smart, so it’s ok. I see we have skirt border = hem again. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteC.C. I’ve never tried French fries dipped in chocolate milk shake, but I love to to eat Fritos with my ice cream – especially when I’m stressed.
Dennis, and all – our gang is right on. I’m loving all the pictures. I hope we get all the pony pictures together somehow for a ‘posse.’ But I love Katherine’s grad picture too, and would like to see others.
Argyle!
xchefwalt. I was a Mad addict in my teen years and would wait for each issue's work by Don Martin. He was my reason for buying the magazine.
ReplyDeletelois,beauty is in the eyes of the beholder... ALL babies are so cute, but we have to wait till we grow up. Now, I wouldn't dare to post my most recent pic...
ReplyDeletedrdad, the youtube clip is just amazing.
Good Morning All, This puzzle was OK. Not too difficult, but not one single famous person's name to ease the way.
ReplyDeleteBoth "Fleet" and "Staunch" are good examples of heteronyms.
I liked Moliere's quote. Not quite as dramatic as Patrick Henry's, "Give me liberty, or give me death!", but the sentiment was similar.
ENNIS is very near the site of Bunratty Castle
Bunratty. G.A.H. and I spent a lovely afternoon and evening here.
Katherine, your 1961 hairdo was very similar to the one I had for my first wedding. Tease, tease and then more teasing! I'll have to scan my high school grad photo and post it. These memory lane photos are fun.
C.C. You remind us of our good fortune, never to have been concerned about our next meal.
Der Katz,
ReplyDeleteInteresting take!
Clear Ayes,
Yipes & Yikes are the same, right? I have to pay attention to heteronym from now on. Very interesting!
KittyB,
Why do you like Shostakovitch's music? What is fingerwork? Did you make up the word?
Maria,
Good to finally see you!
Buckeye,
Sorry for not responding to your question on Minnesotan introverts & extroverts in time. I've never heard of it before. How did you get the William Snakespit's "peanut boy" poem?
Xchefwalt,
It's just hard for me to imagine a guy of such high MOREL can also be poetic. I am sure every flower will open and bloom at your words & DEW analogy.
@clear ayes- isn't that where the Blarney Stone is? I was there in '90 (during world cup) so some of the trip is in the mist of memory. I remember kissing the stone, bent backwards and upside down, too!
ReplyDeleteClear Ayes,
ReplyDeleteYour comment @ 10:36am yesterday "Maybe, I'm just putting my M.O. on her." Can you explain it to me what you were trying to express?
Xchefwalt,
How many times did you kiss the stone? Did you emerge a new person after that?
C.C.!!, you've never been thrilled while being loved? OMG! Better talk to the Sirens.
ReplyDeleteCrockett, maybe you could think of a better word...I think Barb B did.
Good morning C.C. and all, fun, easy puzzle-except for a very few pesky words, but those were easily fixed.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of "fleet of foot" from some poem. (I think)
drdad, is that a target on the back of that cobra?? Also, the Anaconda clip will give me nightmares!!
mh, I like your cobra much better, if that is a "real" Shelby, it is worth a LOT.
Welcome Marie, stay with us, we won't promise to be good, but we can be fun at times.
Argyle, Good limerick! Was it from Ennis?????
C.C. one of my favorite things is dunking french fries into chocolate milk shakes, have done it since I was a kid. When going to the drive-ins in high school, I would do that while everyone else was dunking their fries in ketchup.
Ken, that lovely song was sung on an old Andy Griffith show by the character: Rafe Hollister (I don't know the actor's name, but his voice was beautiful
mark -Buenos Aires
ReplyDeleteByron "mad, bad and dangerous to know"
I dont understand - bama, skort and arfarf - any help?
otherwise, as said before, somewhat routine.
have a good day all.
@mark- ‘Bama is short for Alabama. The University of Alabama football team is “The Crimson Tide”. See the lyric for the great Steely Dan song “Deacon Blue” (from the album ‘Aja’)- “They call Alabama the Crimson Tide/Call me Deacon Blue”.
ReplyDelete@c.c.- poets come in all shapes and sizes- bi-polar manic women, crazed and violent alcoholics, opium addicted mad men and blog posting DF’s.
According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone bestows one with the gift of gab. It’s not up to me to tell of its success.
mark buenos aires
ReplyDeleteskort is a combination of shorts + skirt = skort
arfarf is arf arf like bow wow dogs barking
Here is the link to my hubby's "pony picture" https://messman.homeserver.com/pictures/
ReplyDeleteI think having a "rodeo" with all the pony pictures would be a cute idea, as well as lining up all the baby pictures for an "our gang" shot.
Barry,
ReplyDeleteI still don't understand the structure of the Byron poem. Why didn't he say "a small drop of ink....produces WHAT makes thousands, perhaps millions, think" instead of "produces THAT WHICH...". Or is there anything wrong in my understanding of the poem's grammatical structure?
Well, first of all, keep in mind that poetic English is not always going to match standard English. Have you heard the term "poetic license" before? It means that poets can bend the rules of English as necessary in order to get the desired rhyme or meter they want.
Having said all that, though, it's actually grammatically correct to write, "...produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think" and it would be incorrect (at least formally) to write, "...produces what makes thousands...."
I'm not sure I can explain the exact rule of grammar, but it has something to do "what" being turned into "that which" based on what side of the verb it appears (object vs. subject?). For example, It is certainly correct to write, "What makes me happy?" as a question. In response, you could informally write, "This is what makes me happy," but in formal writing it would need to be, "This is that which makes me happy."
The problem, of course, is that so few people actually write formally today (assuming they even know how to do so).
C.C. Yes, "Yipes" and "Yikes" have the same meaning. I've always been partial to "Yikes" to express amazement..."Yikes! How did I get to be so old, so fast?"
ReplyDelete"Maybe, I'm just putting my M.O. on her." My "modus operandi", (a regular method of operation, usually indicating criminal (DF??) behavior) is to occasionally respond and even encourage our bolder DF'S with their banter. I don't always do it, but sometimes it is just too much fun to resist. I thought that you might feel the same way.
Xchefwalt, Blarney Castle is outside of Cork, which is south of Dublin. Ennis is on the opposite coast near Shannon. G.A.H. and I also kissed the Blarney Stone...kind of disgusting, but we were there, and it was there, so we threw caution to the wind. The attendant did spray some disinfectant between kisses. BTW, a resident of Cork told us that the Blarney Stone was the biggest practical joke the Irish have ever pulled on the rest of the world.
Gotta go play cribbage now. I'll check in later and let you know if I won.
Guday c.c. and fellow dfs and khs. (knuckleheads). Another hour spent on a relatively easy c/w. Didn't know 58(a), Fragrant Resin (elemi) and when I just wrote elemi my spell check came on. Is that a hint to it's commonality? Also, did not like the
ReplyDelete"You Betcha" clue to "Yes". I put in "Yep" at first because of the "slangy" reference. Should have been clued "Affirmative response".
Check last night's entry for my explanation of my "Horsey" picture. I'm still trying to find the real horse photo.
I did run across another picture that I will explain and post later.
cc; The "Boy stood on the burning deck...." poem was one my father told me YEARS ago. He also told me this one;
Old Mother Hubbard, Went to the cupboard, To get her poor dog a banana. When she got there, She found no spongecake, And the poor dog had to eat cheese. Makes absolutely no sense, but remembering those kinds of things is the reason why it takes me so long to do easy x/w's. There's little space left in my small brain for important information.
I must be off!
@clear ayes- I think it’s coming back to me now. Isn’t there a pub named Dirty Nellie’s there? I seem to remember a castle feast there with song and dance, then meeting golfers at the pub and drinking until all hours (I was NOT going to be outdone by the locals). I also seem to remember a road called ‘Seven mile crooked road”’ where my room was- 7 miles, very crooked.
ReplyDeleteGood morning all
ReplyDeleteWow! A BEAUTIFUL day has arrived in O! The weather here in the NW has been almost fall-like but a nice day or two will be a welcome change. Btw - welcome Marie. Good to have another Oregonian on board. For all of you on the Gulf Coast - batten down the hatches. It looks like you've got about four days to get ready for Gustav.
Today's xword was challenging in spots but solving was reachable. I knew the Moliere statement wording so that helped a lot. Most of the word/clues were very good but had a little difficulty putting myself into the author's mindset. Not being into woodworking, I had no idea what 19A referred to until the "duh" light came on. Had the same problem with 44D - just not my thing. 65A?? cast = slung? As in the past tense of sling? Whatever! And, 52D? I've never crossdressed so I had never heard of a skort. I didn't know what they were but I have seen women wear them. Walt, I like your word for them - "fugly" works for me. I don't think I could ever consider them "sexy" or "convenient", at least from this man's point of view. But, I'm only a mere male. The crosses provided the desired word nicely though so I've learned something new.
I've experienced the "end user" term in retail and computer usage pretty much everywhere I travel. But, I think the dark side usage of the term is largely frowned upon in most states when combined with retail implications. Thank you lois for making my mind wander. I'd almost gotten over the last virus you gave me.
Today is just too nice to waste so I'm "off to see the lizard".
ciao
walt, off-topic a bit, but I just read an interesting article about the difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Did you know some yams can grow to 7 feet and weigh as much as 125 pounds?
ReplyDeleteBefore anybody says it, yes, I'm having a boring day...
One of the great things about posting late at night is that few people go back and read them. Those who are there are the truly DF's. To them; "I salute you!" As I once posted, if God had meant for people to go to bed early, He would have never invented the electric guitar.
ReplyDeleteIn 1947 I lied about my age and enlisted in the United States Navy. (See photo to the right). I was assigned to the then Secretary Of State George Catlett Marshall. We, together, developed the "Marshall Plan" for the rebuilding of Japan and Europe. It was an honor to serve with Gen. Marshall. I, also worked with Joeseph Kennedy to continue the Lend/Lease program with Great Britain. A good time in my life.
Even then I was a
"Semen First Class!"
IMBO
Thanks all for the warm welcome !! I definitely fit in with the title of "df" you all give yourself. I used to classify myself as coming from the most functional non-dysfunctional family in the Midwest (as Most Oregonian's I am not a native...though I married one...arrrghhh) but some serious soul searching ( some call it therapy) has possibly changed my mind !! I have ,earned so much and love the links cc and others add. I truly enjoy visiting this blog, the group has become 'friendlier' over the time that I have been a casual voyuer....have a good day all.
ReplyDeleteThe Byron poem MEANS when a writer puts his thoughts into words..... the reader thinks about what was written.
ReplyDeleteDennis, yams sound like morel vegetables!!
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, what a cutie you were!!!
Wow, I managed to finish a quote/quip puzzle without any stops at my G-spot.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me why "hie" is hop to it? It kind of just fell in there and I was sure it was wrong until I checked here.
Had to laugh at hooded cobra though as that is what we girls in college used to call a certain part of the male anatomy :)
Lord Byron
ReplyDeleteThis is a test to see if I can add a link to an image.
7:33 today no unknowns. It was funny that ELEMI was also in today's syndicated NY Times puzzle (5 weeks delay from the NYT newspaper).
ReplyDeleteGot to run, online seminar in 5 minutes.
Argyle,
ReplyDeleteDid Euterpe ask you to drop the R in your 7:00am post? You MUST remember that something that might be obvious to others does not come readily to me. Are you aware that "thill" is actually a word?
Carol,
Another reason why some people do not like ketchup to go with their french fries is because of the sensitivity or allergic reaction to tomato (or any nightshade vegetables like potato, bell pepper, etc).
Buckeye,
Solid point on YES clue!
Xchefwalt,
"poets come in all shapes and sizes- bi-polar manic women, crazed and violent alcoholics, opium addicted mad men and blog posting DF’s.".
Who did you have in mind when you write the above comment? I know the blog posting DF's.
Barry,
Yes, Clear Ayes explained "poetic license" to me awhile ago. Boy, "that which" just sounds so strained to me.
Dennis,
If you ever go to Xi'An, you must try the street food, esp the freshly baked yam, the sweetest & creamiest in the whole world!
I did a thesis in school entitled "Lord Byron - Immortal or Immoral?" (They wouldn't let me do one on Hugh Hefner).
ReplyDeletecokato, 'hie' is a somewhat archaic word meaning 'hurry' or 'speed it up'.
C.C. I did not know that tomatoes, potatoes or bell peppers were a member of the nightshade family..the allergic reactions are more understandable now, as the nightshade plants are poisonous: Belladona and Mandrake. I now found Hot peppers, chili's and paprika are among the members..Chefwalt or drdad could probably enlighten us, but it makes sense if these veggies are part of a poisonous family, the "gentler" plants of that family tree could cause problems for some.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I love this blog!! Always something new to learn about. Thanks!
Crockett,
ReplyDeleteI finally got Argyle's poem. He is a very BAD, BAD, BAD Santa.
Dennis,
So what's your thought on Hugh Hefner? IMMORAL or IMMOREL?
@c.c.- bi-polar manic women= Sylvia Plath
ReplyDeleteCrazed and violent alcoholics= E.A. Poe
Opium addicted mad men= S.T. Coleridge.
You’re post ‘69’- ha ha!
Xchefwalt,
ReplyDeleteI thought of Sylvia Plath, but not Poe, or Coleridge (very unfamiliar to me). You are a BAD, BAD, BAD boy!
Before my Naval days; here's the horse shot I promised.
ReplyDeleteIMBO
I loved that pony so much I joined the rodeo. Here's me winning one of my many belt buckles. Wadda ya think, Lois. Have I got a chance?
ReplyDeleteAny Michigandorites out there. Here in Ohio we make Michigan cookies once a year. You just throw stuff in a bowl and beat the crap out of it for 4 hours.
IMBO
c.c.@3:04 PM
ReplyDeleteAre you aware that "thill" is actually a word?
No and 'til now, I didn't know I used it. Looked at it all those other times and never noticed the "r" was missing. Whoa, the meaning of thill gives a different light to my limerick, doesn't it.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteWhat does "fleet in arm" mean? What is "dear ruin"?
Argyle,
Yes, Santa, now you know why I was so confused.
Buckkeye you are a real cowboy aren't you. Lois will not be able to resist your bucking bronco!
ReplyDeleteXchefwalt,
ReplyDeleteTo borrow the line from Mark on Byron (@11:57am), I think you are "mad, bad and dangerous to know".
I just got home from our cribbage day. Yes, my team won 3out of 4 games.
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, it's so nice to know that we owe the Marshall Plan to your....what.....5 year old diligence?? You're on a roll today. And yes, I do check in the previous night's postings to see who was up to what in the wee small hours.
I meant to include my favorite Bryon poem in my last post. It is famous enough to just include the first 4 lines. Any man interested in attracting a woman (as most men are) could do worse than to memorize the following and recite as needed.
ReplyDelete"She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:"
Bryon was a good friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was married to Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who became famous as the author of "Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus" Percy Shelley was, in turn, a good friend of John Keats. All three poets wrote remarkable verse and all died young and tragic circumstances.
Buckeye: I think you show definate talent! Look at your right foot and your right arm. Perfect! You are a buckaroo if I ever saw one. Now the real question is... the one thing that the REAL cowboys have to prove is: how long can you stay 'up'?
ReplyDeleteDick, yes ( my favorite line, as Dennis hilariously said the other day). I agree. I like how Carol put it yesterday, that CC is a true DF but just shy about admitting it.
Argyle: Loved your limerick. Very appropriate for this morel group! Well done! Got a pic ?
Katherine: very pretty picture. I still like that hair style.
Ken: thank you for the scoop on Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese. Weren't they together for a long time? Seems like it.
mh: Great ride! Your Cobra is a whole heck of a lot more appealing than the links; however, Cokato's 'hooded cobra' beats everything!
Dennis: Very funny and interesting girlfriend!
Melissa: very astute observation w/the O and Bama, as well as the others. You are so good at noticing the subtleties.
@c.c.- Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote a poem called “Kubla Kahn” that was conceived in an opium induced dream.
ReplyDeleteI am bad. What kind of punishment do you have in mind?
@clear ayes- was my second Irish recollection accurate? I hope so; I really loved that pub (Dirty Nellie’s)
walt, did you ever see my question about yams?
ReplyDeleteCocato's right about the "Purple Hooded Cobra Of Love!!"
ReplyDeleteLois; I promise I can stay up longer than the mandatory ATE seconds. OOPS! EIGHT seconds.
IMBO
@dennis- sorry, bud, I must have overlooked that. Yes, real yams are very rare here in North America and can get huge! They are naturally sweeter than out native sweet potatoes, which is why canned candied sweet potatoes are commonly called yams.
ReplyDelete@c.c. and others- French fries and milkshakes?? In NY, the late night- after drinking staple was French fries and turkey gravy in the local diner.
Okay, Buckeye, did I say purple headed, well more maroon. Also, did you know I am a Michigander born and bred? My brother went to the U of M, my sister went to Michigan State and I went to Central Mich. There is a saying in MI...Oh How I Hate Ohio State! I am sure you are aware of it. Oh, how much fun are we going to have this fall?! GO BLUE!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you two are forgetting about the #1 ranked team in the country going into the season? I think my boys in GA might be a force to be reckoned with too.
ReplyDeleteDennis, I thought you were a PA guy? Why GA? I know you are definitely a DF kind of guy. Please put on a skort and explain yourself. By the way skorts are kind of sexy. You get a glimpse of leg underneath that skirt. Also, please explain to me why legs were called "gams" or do I have that wrong?
ReplyDeletec.c. Yes, I taught a total of 33+ years both French and German. Started in Sydney, Australia, and then from 1980 until I retired here in 2006.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't see your question until now--just got back to check up on things at the end of a long day. Glad to be noticed--I think clear ayes is the only other one in this group to have reacted to any of my comments before.
@ C.C. Within the construct of the song, which was written as a love song, some poetic license was taken. At least it sounds like it to my ear. The phrasing is quite archaic, but often song lyrics are. I think spoken language users would't use either "fleet in my arms" or "dear ruin". Having said that, if you revisit the words in my blog posting, the entire verse is about eternal love. First the writer says if all your young beauty "which I gaze on so fondly today" were to leave you, as beauty will with time, (for all of us). Then comes the line "were to leave by tomorrow and fleet in my arms" means that the loveliness he is holding would "fleet" or go away by tomorrow, she will still be as much loved as she is today. (Thou woulds't still be as loved as this moment thou art.) "let thy loveliness fade as it will" means that time will let her beauty fade. But he will love her just as much. Then he says "
ReplyDeleteand around the dear ruin, each wish of my heart, would entwine itself verdantly still." Here he is saying that dispite her looks fading with time, becoming a "ruin", every wish of his heart will entwine (wrap around the faded ruin". This man loves this woman and whatever and whenever anything happens to make her less physically appealing, he will love her as much then as now.
Well, I didn't mean to go on so long C.C., but I tried to account for some archaic English expressions that sound right in an old song, but wouldn't sound right in speech today. I hope this helps.
@Clear Ayes? I noted you were off to play cribbage. I played an amazing game last night. My opponent held J 10 5 2 and I held J 3 2 1. I was 8 holes out and he was 2! He lead the Jack. Having nothing to lose at this point, I paired him and am now 6 holes out. He plays his 5 and I play my 3 hoping he has either an A or a 2. He playes the deuce to 30 and I get my Ace in for 31 and five points. He leads his 10 and I have the last card, my deuce for a go. Just one of those miracle games we see now and then. I got lucky this time.
Xchefwalt, Durty Nellie's is in Bunratty Village close to ENNIS. It's a very well known pub. You probably went to one of the castle dinners at Bunratty Castle and then continued into the village to compete with the locals at quaffing "The Guinness". That misty party in '90 must have been a good one. I'm surprised you survived that challenge. Guinness is mighty strong stuff and they are the pros.
ReplyDeleteThinking about Guinness reminded me to post a new photo for a day or two. This one was taken in a little pub in Kilarney. If I look a little dazed it is because I was halfway through my second pint of Guinness. I didn't even try to compete with the local pros.
Sorry, "7 Mile Crooked Road" doesn't ring any bells. Maybe after leaving the pub you just walked verrrry crookedly back to your hotel room ??
BTW, have you ever tried Poutine? It's french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It's a big favorite in Quebec. Bon apétit!
Kazie, I remember asking you about your expertise in French. How wonderful to be fluent in German too. Lucky you to live in an area where you can see both Moliere and Shakespeare.
Ken, we've talked about cribbage here before. It is just a marvelous combination of skill and luck and even being about to "read" you opponent. If I had been your opponent, I would have played the 10 and held onto the 5. You still would have won the hand (I figure you would have 7 points) which would leave me with 2 to go and you with 1. If it had been your crib, I would count first and won the game with 4 points (maybe more since you didn't say what the cut card was). If it were my crib, you had 5 points in your hand and you win. Either way, good game. Congratulations.
Ken...I just reread your post. Your opponent played first, so it must have been your crib. With my play, I win. :0)
ReplyDeleteI agree. Today's (SAT) cwp was awful. Someone tried to get too clever. Thank you CC for putting it into the proper perspecive.
ReplyDelete