His Mind Was A River Of Gold:

Moral virtues come from habits.
They are not in us by nature, nor despite nature.
We are furnished by nature a capacity for receiving them,
and we develop them through habit.
These virtues we acquire first by exercising them.

Whatever we learn to do,
we learn by actually doing it —
men become builders by building
and harp players by playing the harp.

In the same way, by doing just acts, we become just.
By doing self-controlled acts, we become self-controlled.
And by doing brave acts, we become brave.

—Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC)

I Just Count The Wings:

Every time I see anything by Charley Harper I smile... I can't help it. His work is filled with nature and science. It is optimistic and full of promise. It is beautiful and whimsical.

When asked to describe his unique visual style, a style he called "minimal realism," Mr. Harper responded, "When I look at a subject -- wildlife or nature -- I don't see the feathers in the wings. I don't count the feathers, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting, in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe."

For Christmas this year, I want Santa to bring me a copy of "The Giant Golden Book of Biology: An Introduction to the Science of Life," (c1961) by Gerald Ames and Rose Wyler; Illustrated by Charley Harper (1922-2007). That would make me smile a lot!

Ah, Pizza:

There was a shift in plans for my birthday night -- the babysitter was a no-show. Anyway, we did end up seeing "Bright Star" (a beautiful but profoundly sad movie, take lots o' tissues!) and instead of my favorite restaurant, we ate at a nearby "wine bar." Really good wine. My sea scallops were just so-so, but my bestest friend Betsy ordered a Pear and Gorgonzola Stone-Fired Pizza which was oh-so delicious!

I've been looking for a similar recipe, and I think I've found it:

Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

16 ozs. pizza dough crust

3 comice or bosc pears (sliced and caramelized*)

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar

2 large sweet, Vidalia onions (thinly sliced and caramelized**)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

8 oz. tub of Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To caramelize pears > melt butter in medium skillet on medium heat. Add pears. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Cook 4-5 minutes until sugar has melted and pears are evenly covered with sugar mixture. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

To caramelize onions > heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss to coat well, then cover pan. Cook until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Press pizza dough into greased pizza pan. Prick dough with a fork and brush lightly with olive oil. Mix all three cheeses together in a bowl, leaving some Gorgonzola to sprinkle on top at the end. Sprinkle the cheese on the dough. Next layer the onions, then the pears, and sprinkle the remaining Gorgonzola cheese. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove from oven, grind some fresh pepper, scatter with the toasted walnuts and drizzle with honey. Slice into squares or wedges and serve... Ah!

A Thing of Beauty:

Hello, it's my birthday and I've got a babysitter for tonight. My friends are taking me "anywhere I want to go." Just getting out of the house and spending an evening in adult conversation will be special enough (Little M has been sick this whole week), but celebrating a birthday allows one to be completely selfish and gives license to do exactly what one wants to do. I think we'll inbibe and have appetizers at Cafe Toulouse first [my drink: Pimm's Cup; my picks: Humboldt Fog, honeycomb, nuts & fresh figs; Wild Mushroom Vol-au-Veni; Lobster Bisque; Green Room Mussels; and Grand Marnier souffle] and then see a movie -- specifically "Bright Star" -- Jane Campion's Cannes winning, beautiful film about John Keats and Fanny Brawne... I can't wait!!! "A thing of beauty is a joy forever..."

The Flower Duet:

My all time favorite song is "Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs..." from the opera "Lakme" by Leo Delibes -- popularly known as The Flower Duet. For my birthday about twenty years ago, my husband gave me a CD of opera arias. One aria immediately struck a chord with me; one that I had never heard before. The Flower Duet is haunting and beautiful and lush. "...given over to the 1880's fashion for exoticism, the delicate orchestration and melodic richness earned Delibes a success with his audiences." Much to my dismay, years later he was thrilled that it had been included in the soundtrack to one of his favorite movies, True Romance. Oh well...

Cowboy Lingo:
As I've said before, I've lived all over -- the product of being a military brat. But I've lived most my life in Texas and Louisiana -- two states that have their own language. Seriously, when you cross the state line either way, it's like crossing into a different country. Today, let's talk about Texas (and I'm not talking about speaking Spanish.) In large cities like Dallas and Houston, people don't know much about the western way of life. They're too sophisticated (city-fied) plus the populations are full of "out-of-towners." In smaller Texas towns though, there are pockets of people who still speak authentic Cowboy Lingo. And it bothers me that the language is dying. Blame it on TV or the Internet, globalization, or whatever, it's happening and it's sad. If you've never had an opportunity to carry on a conversation with a cowboy, you are really missing something. The language is colorful and meaningful and honest. There's no putting on airs or showing off, it is thoughtful and sincere.

Look at Legends of America, Old West Legends. As you read the "old slang, lingo and phrases," don't be put off by thinking that people really don't talk that way, or that it is ridiculous or made up... these are the real McCoy.
Here's just a few examples:
They ate supper before they said grace (they're living in sin)
Toad choker (a heavy rain)
Big hat, No cattle (All talk and no action)
Tighter than bark on a tree (not very generous)
He looks like the dog's been keepin' him under the porch (not a very handsome man)
Airin' the lungs (cussing)
Rattle your hocks (hurry up)
Mashed (in love)
Tear squeezer (sad story)
Pig trail (small road)
Grassed (to be thrown from a horse)
Snapped (drunk)
Indian side (the right side of a horse)
Jollification (scene of merriment)
Wattles (ears)
Love apples (canned tomatoes)

A Survivor:

Albert Alcalay survived a concentration camp during the Holocaust, then became a jazz-influenced abstract painter and ultimately a Harvard professor. "His early European work was expressionist in nature, but with his move to the urban landscapes of the U.S. in the 1950s, and death of a dear friend, Alcalay was forced to find a new visual language, one that was fluid and often informed by the events of his life, including the loss of his eyesight late in life." Alcalay was an amazing man and an amazing painter.