Monday, April 26, 2010
Gray-Malkin's Post MacBeth Career
Gray-Malkin used to have a good job. Well, a steady job. Gray-Malkin was the first witch's familar, or cat, in MacBeth. He hung out with a toad named Paddock.
You remember:
You remember:
| FIRST WITCH When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain? | ||
| | SECOND WITCH When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won. | |
| THIRD WITCH That will be ere the set of sun. | | |
| FIRST WITCH Where the place? | ||
| SECOND WITCH Upon the heath. | ||
| THIRD WITCH There to meet with Macbeth. | ||
| FIRST WITCH I come, Graymalkin! | | |
| | SECOND WITCH Paddock calls. | |
| THIRD WITCH Anon. | | |
| | ALL Fair is foul, and foul is fair Hover through the fog and filthy air.  But the final curtain rings down all all plays, both bad and good. And when that final curtain came, it was time for Gray-Malkin to find a new steady gig.  He tried out a number of positions. Rat Catcher for the Pied Piper of Hamelin.  Using trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for his penniless and low-born master in Puss and Boots.  Catching mice for Dick Whittington.  The cat who saved Lorelei from the giant.  And even the pussycat who went to London to visit the Queen.  But unemployment is up, an Gray-Malkin is poring over the classified ads again. He's wiling to settle on your hearth and eat whatever gourmet cat food you choose for him.  Just look for him on Craig's List.  |
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Super Ladybug!
Faster than a speeding banana slug (at 5 mph)...
More powerful than an aphid (of which it can eat 50 a day)...
Able to leap tall tulips in a single bound (as it beats its wings 85 times per second).
Look!
Up in the sky!
It's a bird. It's a plane.
It's Super LadyBug!
Yes, it's SuperLadybug ~ strange visitor from who was hibernating beneath your house. She came to your garden with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal insects ~ the ability to use her feet to smell! SuperLadybug, who can change the course of a citrus grove plagued with scale insects, and who, disguised in her little red and black suit, can eat over 5000 aphids a year. She (who can also be a he) fights the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the Organic Gardening Way!
Beaded aphids sold separately.
More powerful than an aphid (of which it can eat 50 a day)...
Able to leap tall tulips in a single bound (as it beats its wings 85 times per second).
Look!
Up in the sky!
It's a bird. It's a plane.
It's Super LadyBug!
Yes, it's SuperLadybug ~ strange visitor from who was hibernating beneath your house. She came to your garden with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal insects ~ the ability to use her feet to smell! SuperLadybug, who can change the course of a citrus grove plagued with scale insects, and who, disguised in her little red and black suit, can eat over 5000 aphids a year. She (who can also be a he) fights the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the Organic Gardening Way!
Beaded aphids sold separately.
Bluebird of Happinesss Cozy Cottage
Enjoy garden cottages, close to worms, grubs, flying insects, pine trees, and flowering plants.
Each birdhouse cottage comes complete with space to build a nest and lay eggs. Brand new construction makes these units water tight for spring showers.
Fields of bountiful nesting materials are just a short flight away.
Friendly cheerful neighbors (hey, they're blue birds of happiness) live close, for flight-pooling, chick-schooling, and bath-pooling.
Five deluxe models to choose from. Don't delay. These cottage gems are guaranteed to move fast!
Each birdhouse cottage comes complete with space to build a nest and lay eggs. Brand new construction makes these units water tight for spring showers.
Fields of bountiful nesting materials are just a short flight away.
Friendly cheerful neighbors (hey, they're blue birds of happiness) live close, for flight-pooling, chick-schooling, and bath-pooling.
Five deluxe models to choose from. Don't delay. These cottage gems are guaranteed to move fast!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Diary of a Sea Turtle
October
Monday
I've been swimming and diving all day. Haven't seen anyone else. A few other leatherbacks floated past yesterday, but I ignored them. It's not like I'm in the mood to mate or anything. Last night I did some shallow diving for a plankton meal. In the morning I'll do some deep diving. I haven't snacked on a jellyfish for a while, and I've got a craving. Hmm. Maybe it is time to mate again.
Friday
It's getting close to nesting season. I should probably start heading that way. Yesterday three different leatherbacks were giving me the eye. You should have seen the carapace on one of them! I told him size wasn't everything. I want a sensitive father for my babies. A nice artistic leatherback. I hope the little shy one comes back. I think he has beautiful eyes. I'm finally just offshore from the nesting grounds.
Saturday
Did the deed with the little shy leatherback. I wonder if I'll see him again. Maybe he'll write me poetry. I'd like that.
November
Monday
I haven't seen Shy Boy for three weeks. Maybe we'll meet again next year. I just got to the shore. These nesting grounds are quite deluxe. I always come here. I recognize some of the girls from a few years back. I'll probably keep coming here for the next 20 years or so. No time to chat with the others. I have a body pit to dig.
Tuesday
Finished my pit just in the nick of time. This year I laid 70 eggs - my biggest batch yet. Can't wait to see what my 70-uplets look like. I bet they'll all have their father's eyes. I stayed with them a few hours, but then I headed back into the water. The temperatures have been cool, which means probably more sons than daughters this time.
Time to head out to sea and find a new daddy for my next batch. I think I'll lay them farther up the beach, this time. I'd like more of a view.
January
Monday
I've been out swimming for months now, celebrating my 12th birthday. But I think tonight's the night for my babies to hatch. I want to watch them reach the water.
Tuesday
Nothing yet. Maybe they're still digging their way to the surface.
Friday
Here they come! Tiny babies. Some of them look like that big carpace leatherback I met back in October. I wonder who their mother is. I see about 30 with those dreamy eyes. Those must be mine. And they look to be excellent divers. When a bird flew swooped by, they all plunged deeper into the ocean. I feel so proud. My babies are ready for their lost year; they'll keep to the ocean, away from the shore. I'm planning to log 1000 miles this year. Maybe I'll see them again somewhere.
Monday
I've been swimming and diving all day. Haven't seen anyone else. A few other leatherbacks floated past yesterday, but I ignored them. It's not like I'm in the mood to mate or anything. Last night I did some shallow diving for a plankton meal. In the morning I'll do some deep diving. I haven't snacked on a jellyfish for a while, and I've got a craving. Hmm. Maybe it is time to mate again.
Friday
It's getting close to nesting season. I should probably start heading that way. Yesterday three different leatherbacks were giving me the eye. You should have seen the carapace on one of them! I told him size wasn't everything. I want a sensitive father for my babies. A nice artistic leatherback. I hope the little shy one comes back. I think he has beautiful eyes. I'm finally just offshore from the nesting grounds.
Saturday
Did the deed with the little shy leatherback. I wonder if I'll see him again. Maybe he'll write me poetry. I'd like that.
November
Monday
I haven't seen Shy Boy for three weeks. Maybe we'll meet again next year. I just got to the shore. These nesting grounds are quite deluxe. I always come here. I recognize some of the girls from a few years back. I'll probably keep coming here for the next 20 years or so. No time to chat with the others. I have a body pit to dig.
Tuesday
Finished my pit just in the nick of time. This year I laid 70 eggs - my biggest batch yet. Can't wait to see what my 70-uplets look like. I bet they'll all have their father's eyes. I stayed with them a few hours, but then I headed back into the water. The temperatures have been cool, which means probably more sons than daughters this time.
Time to head out to sea and find a new daddy for my next batch. I think I'll lay them farther up the beach, this time. I'd like more of a view.
January
Monday
I've been out swimming for months now, celebrating my 12th birthday. But I think tonight's the night for my babies to hatch. I want to watch them reach the water.
Tuesday
Nothing yet. Maybe they're still digging their way to the surface.
Friday
Here they come! Tiny babies. Some of them look like that big carpace leatherback I met back in October. I wonder who their mother is. I see about 30 with those dreamy eyes. Those must be mine. And they look to be excellent divers. When a bird flew swooped by, they all plunged deeper into the ocean. I feel so proud. My babies are ready for their lost year; they'll keep to the ocean, away from the shore. I'm planning to log 1000 miles this year. Maybe I'll see them again somewhere.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
A Maneki Neko Tale... or One of Many Tails
The Mankei Neko is the good fortune cat. With the right paw raised, he beckons wealth. The left paw raised beckons business. Both paws raised beckon both.
There are many tales of the maneki neko, and this is just one.
Once upon a time, in the Edo period (17th century), in a tiny village west of Tokyo, there lived a priest and his cat, whose name was Tama. The priest (and the cat) were very poor, and the temple was crumbling around them.
Each day, the priest would work and Tama would follow. At night the priest shared his meager food with Tama, and Tama showed his appreciation by ignoring the priest and sitting wherever he shouldn't.
One day, priest surveyed his temple, which was tumbling down and crumbling around his feet. Who should he see stepping delicately through the rubble but Tama, who had just finished shedding on the priest's bed. When the priest saw his cat Tama washing his whiskers instead of rearranging the fallen stones, he became angry, and scolded the cat.
Tama merely looked at him and continued washing his whiskers.
A few days later the rains began. Naotaka Ii, who was the lord of Hikone district (which is the western part of Japan, near Kyoto) had been hunting nearby when it began to rain. He quickly sought shelter beneath a tree near the temple, and just in time. The downpour began. As he looked up, estimating how much longer the rain might last, he noticed Tama in the entryway of the temple, beckoning to him. It looked as if Tama were inviting Naotaka into the temple.
Naotaka hoped the temple would be drier than the tree, though from its state, he doubted it was waterproof in any way. Still, it's not every day that a cat beckons, and so Naotaka pulled his garments over his head and dashed toward the temple and the waiting cat.
No sooner had he left the shelter of the tree than an enormous lightning bolt split the sky... and the tree under which Naotaka had been standing, leaving it a smoking stump.
Naotaka watched in amazement, and realized that the cat had just saved his life. had he not moved, HE would have been smoking where the tree now smoldered. He hurried inside, where he met the priest. Naitaka told the priest the story of how Tama had saved his life. As he told his story, he looked around for a mat upon which he could sit. There were none. In fact, there wasn't much of anything in the poor temple.
Naotaka made a decision. He and his wealthy family would become patrons of this temple, thus bringing good fortune to Tama and the priest as long as they lived.
The temple was renamed the Goutokuji Temple, and when Tama died, he buried beneath it.
At the entrance of the temple, there is a clay figure of a cat, with his left paw raised, honoring Tama. It is called the Maneki Neko, or Beckoning Cat. He was, the story tells us, the first Maneki Neko.
The bracelet and earrings are here.
And the story is right here.
There are many tales of the maneki neko, and this is just one.
Once upon a time, in the Edo period (17th century), in a tiny village west of Tokyo, there lived a priest and his cat, whose name was Tama. The priest (and the cat) were very poor, and the temple was crumbling around them.
Each day, the priest would work and Tama would follow. At night the priest shared his meager food with Tama, and Tama showed his appreciation by ignoring the priest and sitting wherever he shouldn't.
One day, priest surveyed his temple, which was tumbling down and crumbling around his feet. Who should he see stepping delicately through the rubble but Tama, who had just finished shedding on the priest's bed. When the priest saw his cat Tama washing his whiskers instead of rearranging the fallen stones, he became angry, and scolded the cat.
Tama merely looked at him and continued washing his whiskers.
A few days later the rains began. Naotaka Ii, who was the lord of Hikone district (which is the western part of Japan, near Kyoto) had been hunting nearby when it began to rain. He quickly sought shelter beneath a tree near the temple, and just in time. The downpour began. As he looked up, estimating how much longer the rain might last, he noticed Tama in the entryway of the temple, beckoning to him. It looked as if Tama were inviting Naotaka into the temple.
Naotaka hoped the temple would be drier than the tree, though from its state, he doubted it was waterproof in any way. Still, it's not every day that a cat beckons, and so Naotaka pulled his garments over his head and dashed toward the temple and the waiting cat.
No sooner had he left the shelter of the tree than an enormous lightning bolt split the sky... and the tree under which Naotaka had been standing, leaving it a smoking stump.
Naotaka watched in amazement, and realized that the cat had just saved his life. had he not moved, HE would have been smoking where the tree now smoldered. He hurried inside, where he met the priest. Naitaka told the priest the story of how Tama had saved his life. As he told his story, he looked around for a mat upon which he could sit. There were none. In fact, there wasn't much of anything in the poor temple.
Naotaka made a decision. He and his wealthy family would become patrons of this temple, thus bringing good fortune to Tama and the priest as long as they lived.
The temple was renamed the Goutokuji Temple, and when Tama died, he buried beneath it.
At the entrance of the temple, there is a clay figure of a cat, with his left paw raised, honoring Tama. It is called the Maneki Neko, or Beckoning Cat. He was, the story tells us, the first Maneki Neko.
The bracelet and earrings are here.
And the story is right here.
