PICASSOS EXTRAORDINAIRE...ANNA

NATURE

REMEMBER..

Remember thy word to your servant
Upon which you have caused me to hope
This is my comfort in my affliction
For your word has given me life

I rise before the dawn in the morning
And cry for help
I hope in your word.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE......DID PEOPLE USE TO EARN THIS THING?

In a flurry of intentions, speeches, hopes, unsuccessful bids for Chicago 2016 and soft-ball press corp interviews all rising in crescendo to the Nobel Peace Prize. Now if we could just figure out how to build the ladder that was supposed to get us up there or perhaps we could just fly down.

1. Where's my Nobel Peace Prize? I am sure I have had some pretty off the wall intentions and I have given a couple of speeches too and I intent to give a whole lot more.
2. Mr. Obama was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 12 days into his presidency: maybe he should be giving us classes on "how to win a Nobel Peace Prize in 12 days".
   
3. The new and improved Noble Hope Prize.
   
4. Let's hear it for all the armatures just about to be inducted into their 'hall of fame' of choice.
5. If CNN's Anderson Cooper thinks Obama's Peace Prize "was a joke" we really have problems.
6. Anybody whose last name is not "Bush", please send in your nominations: It's okay to nominate yourself.
   
7. You don't give people prizes before they have won them; Let's try this at the Olympics next time.
   
8. Our very own post-racial, post-accomplishment president judged on wishful thinking-Rush-
9. Next week is prizes for the people who intend to write a classical masterpiece.
   
10. Sunday night is prizes for those who intend on finding a cure for AIDS or whatever cure you really believe you will find.
    
11. Israel and Iran want to duke it out; China and Russia are emboldened; Iran's mad-man Ahmedinijad is on a joyride and North Korea's Kim Jong Il is dreaming up more nuke Ills.
    
12. This is so outlandish I have to laugh. I however wish the president well in all his intentions and efforts (how does one go about measuring intended effort?) but I am not betting on it. God save us all and help us all.
13. Oh, and the next guy in line to get this prize better step it waaay down. Let's keep the accomplishments down and step up the intentions and dreams and definitely on the the hope.
    
14. The president gets an award amidst his struggle over whether to expand the war in Afghanistan or not, preparations for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, seeking the impetus to jump start the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, a way to get the world meaningfully involved in the task of stopping Iran's nuclear ambitions, a declining US dollar, an inordinately wanton increase in the public debt, a quagmire of the thousand page-plus unread health care legislation, pesky town-hollers and plunging poll numbers. The above is truly the stuff of hope and potential and betting, but out there in Oslo, they bet on nothing: they just go right ahead and give it to you!
15. I hope the president uses this unexpected gift of goodwill from whoever is supposed to have symbolically conferred it and rallies NATO, the Security Council and world to real action in defeating Islamic fanaticism in Central Asia and around the world, and a successful carryout to the finish of the eight year war against terror in Afghanistan. When the president chaired the UN Security Council last month, he neglected a golden opportunity to make the lives of the trigger-happy Iranian chief fraternity difficult. I hope he swings this peace pendulum momentum sharply, clearly and decisively and strikes while the iron is hot. Bottle up all this goodwill and give us some tangible, definable hope.
16. So, as the world sees hope in America's crystal ball in the hands of President Obama, and as the Americans at home find it preposterous and SNL it to death, we don't mean ill and it's not just in-auspicious; It's fatigue at the prospect sitting through yet another Obama speech, for the 200th time and listen to some more Nobel Peace Prize laced hopeandchange speech. It takes a lot more than grand oratory to vanquish in-auspiciousness. Action anyone?
    

POTATO CREEK WILD EDIBLE FOODS NATURE HIKE BY ABIGAIL AND ANNA

Abigail says:

When we went for a hike in the woods, before we entered the woods, the teacher began to talk about a maple tree. He said that you had to get the sap into a bucket, from 30 to 40 gallons. At the next tree, we found out that you can eat the dark brown pods. (There are some in our backyard.) You can fry them with butter or oil. Either way, they taste great!

Then we entered the woods. First, we learned about poison ivy. We learned that poison from one person, can move on to another. It goes like this, “Once a man went to go cut down trees. He put his hand on a poison plant by mistake. When he came home and touched his wife’s hand, the same thing happened. Then his wife went and hugged the baby and the baby was poisoned. That is how it goes.

Then we came to a bush full of tiny red berries. The teacher said they did look good, but they were poison. A bird may eat them, but you can’t eat them just because a bird can eat them. Next we came to a bush of poke berries. I learned that a long time ago, people used to make ink out of poke berries. In those days, they didn’t have stores to buy ink. It was homemade. They had to make some themselves.

Next, we came to a bridge. On one side was a pond the other side was a lake. It was huge! It was like it wasn’t a lake at all! It was like an ocean! The teacher said that men made the lake. I couldn’t believe it. It was so big! The teacher said that the pond was there before the lake. Then he told most of us to stand around in a circle with two people on the edges. He even chose me. I was in the circle. Sophia and Joshua were on the edges. Next we came to a walnut tree. One of Miss Karen’s children had to find a walnut. Whoever she was found a walnut. Then the teacher began talking about it. After we walked a little way, we all stopped. Then the teacher held up a little box of acorns. I learned that some acorns are skinny, and some are fat and round. The teacher said that the usual acorns have been on earth for thousands of years. I couldn’t believe it. At last, our hike was over.

After a little while, Miss Karen said that we were going to the maze. After we used the bathroom, we got into the car, and followed Miss Karen to the maze. When we got there, Anna and I jumped out of the car, and ran to the entrance of the maze. We found many signs on the way. There were two groups that had maps. But Anna and I used our heads. When we were almost done, we discovered a narrow path. That was our finish. When everybody was done, we got into the car. Anna and I boasted about everybody else using maps and us using our heads. And we boasted all the way home.

Anna says:

I had fun let me tell you. We started by learning about the maple tree. I learned that when you tap a maple tree, Syrup pours out. I also learned about walnuts come from a walnut tree! Some acorns are big and skinny and some are fat. When we got to the bridge we had to stand in a circle. I liked the lake too even the swamp. Those redberries looked Good! But the teacher said that they were poisonous. He said that birds could eat them but people can’t.

The IOC Not Willing To Palter On Hopeandchange O'

Mr. President, America is not hoping for the Olympics in Richard Daley's Chicago for a chance to "inspire the world once more" as you said. Mayor Daley needs to focus his attention on getting Chicago out of the red and we are not holding our breath for the UN to pitch in and help fund the Olympics in the windy city.

The world is inspired by America being America every day. Freedom inspires one and all and America has not only demonstrated freedom but sacrificed and served millions of the world outside her borders towards the march to freedom from subjugation and despotism. It's not about you and your girls watching the Olympics from your backyard, Mr. President, and it's not about Oprah either.

This is a country that is proud and decent whether the world approves or not and we are tired once more of our president apologizing for only he knows what. This is not a country tenanted by smug conceited people, this is a fiercely egalitarian people; a fact that clearly bothers the president.

Mr. Obama's constant castigation of the American people and his magnanimity to the rest of the world seems to stir the former to renewed pugnacity. Maybe if we grovel to the IOC and the UN and the EU and the Iranian Ahmedinijad and Putin, maybe then, Mr. Obama will deem us worthy of his altruistic representation.

Go Rio!