Saturday, May 19, 2012

MzTeachuh: Peace is a State of Balance...

MzTeachuh: Peace is a State of Balance...: Mount Fuji in the Sunset, ancient Japanese print-- this is what peace looks like  ... and understanding in yourself and between others, ...

Peace is a State of Balance...

Mount Fuji in the Sunset, ancient Japanese print--this is what peace looks like


 ...and understanding in yourself and between others, where respect is gained by the acceptance of differences.

peace

noun, interjection

1.
the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
2.
( often initial capital letter ) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.
3.
a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.
4.
the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security: He was arrested for being drunk and disturbing the peace.
5.
cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.

This is what peace sounds like.

Arthur Rubinstein - Brahms Intermezzo, Op. 118, No. 2 in A major

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBzK5tKFVc

Can't resist using this word as an interjection-

MzTeachuh: Sherlock Finale: The Reichenbach Fall

MzTeachuh: Sherlock Finale: The Reichenbach Fall: Sherlock and Watson use tech now Not sure if 2912 Moriarity likes the new ending No, not Moriarity! The finale for the BBC pr...

Sherlock Finale: The Reichenbach Fall

Sherlock and Watson use tech now
Not sure if 2012 Moriarity likes the new ending







No, not Moriarity! The finale for the BBC production of Sherlock is this week. What new twist?

The word is something new will be revealed about Sherlock!

 There have been many Moriarities and many Richenbach Falls, we'll see what it looks like in 2012.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/

Since there will be a third season, this outcome should be even more marvelous than all the others.
BTW, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle originally wrote this story to kill off Holmes, of whom the author was sick and tired. Maybe Doyle will finally get his wish.


The arch villain with  the best quizzical look, Jim Moriarity.

Sir Arthur, and a great moustache
Don't forget, you can always read the actual stories, which are generally more interesting with the reader's unique imagination. (That means you.)


http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/d/doyle/arthur_conan/index.html


Thursday, May 17, 2012

MzTeachuh: Hope Is a Verb with Its Sleeves Rolled Up

MzTeachuh: Hope Հույս Is a Verb with Its Sleeves Rolled Up: 'The Forest,' Paul Cezanne Hope must be green because it grows. Hope must be harmonious, joyful, persistent. Hope is victorious, full of...

Hope (հույս) Is a Verb with Its Sleeves Rolled Up

'The Forest,' Paul Cezanne

Hope must be green because it grows. Hope must be harmonious, joyful, persistent. Hope is victorious, full of glory. Հույս կա մի բայ իր sleeves ուղղում Up

Like this music by Vivaldi, written with a spiritual purpose.  Gloria, Performed by
NATIONAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OF ARMENIA
Art director V. Martirosyan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMHguvZPcqQ&feature=related

With the last century's history in mind, I would say Armenians are full of hope.

This is for Amy and her family.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

MzTeachuh: Music that Makes You Feel Smart

MzTeachuh: Music that Makes You Feel Smart: This actually makes you smarter by connecting synapses in your brain! Bravissimo, Herr Bach! Mozart's good at that, too. Yehudi Menuhin & ...

Music that Makes You Feel Smart

This actually makes you smarter by connecting synapses in your brain! Bravissimo, Herr Bach! Mozart's good at that, too.

Yehudi Menuhin & David Oistrakh - Bach Double Violin Concerto in D minor - BWV 1043 - Vivace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmmpjziKcFU&feature=fvst

Put up this painting just because I really like it: bright, clear, and has movement.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

MzTeachuh: Music to Grow a Garden By

MzTeachuh: Music to Grow a Garden By: “Gardening Tools,” Hand colored linocut  © Liz Lyons Friedman   Got my gloves, rake, man, where's my hat? The Gardener, Van Gogh W...

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh: Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh: Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break: MzTeachuh: Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break : Irises at St. Remy, Van Gogh In person, this painting shimmers and glows as though it is gr...

Music to Grow a Garden By

“Gardening Tools,” Hand colored linocut  © Liz Lyons Friedman
Got my gloves, rake, man, where's my hat?

The Gardener, Van Gogh
Well, at least here's the Beethoven to back me up. Very busy music, the Sonata for Piano and Violin No 5, "Spring Sonata." Great active sound for working with the bees, fingers in the dirt, splashed by the water, digging around, optimistically placing new petaled friends in my home. And maybe this guy can help with any heavy lifting. 


The Second Movement of Beethoven's Spring Sonata is for sitting, pouring some herbal mint iced tea from that teapot into the chalice, and catching your breath! Bit of a gardening break in that comfy green strap chair.


Time to resolve the garden, and the plans for the remainder of the day. The last Movement of the Sonata, and the gardener. Pansies, rest in your bed. Roses, gently hang on your trellis. Jasmine, exhale, sweeten the air. Four-o-clocks, it is four o'clock, say your prayers and close your petals have sweet dreams. You, too, moss roses, rest and regain your strength for your nuclear brightness in the morning. As for me, I'm joining my family to renew my strength. The one in the house.

Monday, May 14, 2012

MzTeachuh: Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break

MzTeachuh: Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break: Irises at St. Remy, Van Gogh In person, this painting shimmers and glows as though it is growing. It is at the Getty Museum in Southern...

Take a Beautiful Music/Art Break

Irises at St. Remy, Van Gogh

In person, this painting shimmers and glows as though it is growing. It is at the Getty Museum in Southern California.

 This music is so steady and calm and sweet.

Pachelbel - Canon In D Major

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80&feature=related 

MzTeachuh: Reading Is...

MzTeachuh: Reading Is...: My Summer Vacation: To Narnia

Reading Is...

My Summer Vacation: To Narnia

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh: Great Book for Kids to Read This Summer...

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh: Great Book for Kids to Read This Summer...: MzTeachuh: Great Book for Kids to Read This Summer (1) : Adventure with White Fang Its like a hundred degrees outside. Even video games ar...

MzTeachuh: Great Book for Kids to Read This Summer (1)

MzTeachuh: Great Book for Kids to Read This Summer (1): Adventure with White Fang Its like a hundred degrees outside. Even video games are boring. What's a kid to do? Jack London will take ...

White Fang by Jack London: Great Summer Read

Adventure with White Fang
Its like a hundred degrees outside. Even video games are boring. What's a kid to do?

Jack London will take you on an adventure anywhere, anytime. Boy or girl from grade 6 up will enjoy this, and you may even choose to go on the adventure, too, and share the reading. London's great talent at creating setting can give you goosebumps like its forty below when its July 10th and 97 degrees in the shade. White Fang, like the companion Yukon book The Call of the Wild, both really take you to the Gold Rush in Alaska in the 1890's. Maybe because Jack London, never one to be a wimp, actually lived in the ultra-rugged region himself. Here's more about him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London

It is still unbelievably difficult to get there and stay, but Jack's cabin is there for the visiting if you are a hearty soul. Or you can check out these websites:

http://www.yukoninfo.com/dawson/info/jacklondon.htm

http://www.arcticwebsite.com/LondonJackKlond.html

The She-Wolf leads the pack.
The very best aspect of this book for all readers is the point of view. Somehow London brought us to the wolves' minds. First, as we meet White Fang's parents and the wolf pack, and then the wolf cub's perspective of growing up and surviving the standard conflicts of nature, others, and self. The chapter when the cub first ventures out into the world by himself is absolutely amazing-- I really like Jack London. The several times I have taught this story to middle school kids, they have totally gotten sucked into the wolf's experiences.

White Fang is the lead
Of course, there is one crisis after another. It is an adventure story, with villains and heroes, both human and animal. And this book is truly much better than any movie--there is no way to portray White Fang's perspective except with London's narrative. And this book, unlike almost all other stories about canines, has a really happy ending. Whether you reveal that to the young reader at first or not is up to you.

Here is an online link with White Fang. The titles of the chapters are compelling just by themselves.

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Jack_London/White_Fang/

Jack London has numerous stories you may be interested in sharing with a youngster from middle to high school.

This is an online collection:http://london.sonoma.edu/

The dog wonders at the man's actions.
Maybe not such a good idea.
Here is a specific site for possibly London's most famous story, "To Build a Fire." Be warned, it is intense.

http://www.jacklondons.net/buildafire.html

These stories bring up themes of survival of the fittest and of man's inhumanity to man and animal, of course. But there are also rich veins of kindness to be mined, and gold nuggets of friendship and loyalty.

My family and my classes have made visits to Wolf Mountain Sanctuary here in Southern California. There are even movie star wolves there! Check it out, you may wish to contribute for their upkeep.

http://www.wolfmountain.com/

White Fang, the adventure hero!
Meet you on the Chilkoot Trail!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

MzTeachuh: Sherlock Tonight! The Hound of the Baskervilles

MzTeachuh: Sherlock Tonight! The Hound of the Baskervilles: Watson (Martin Freeman), Sherlock (Benedict Cumberpatch) Sherlock's best known case--"The Hound of the Baskervilles"--and there are ques...

Sherlock BBC! The Hound of the Baskervilles

Watson (Martin Freeman), Sherlock (Benedict Cumberpatch)
Sherlock's best known case--"The Hound of the Baskervilles"--and there are questions if he truly solved it. Maybe with this new take, the analysis will be solid. I will not spoil it for you, but this new Sherlock is actually making more sense to me. It could be the advances in forensic science finally match his assumptions.



If you want to read more on the genesis of this Sherlock series, here's a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_%28TV_series%29

Woof indeed
1939
So many other interpretations of this story, but I'm thinking this may be the best. Maybe because the new team has had 110 years of others working on it for them.

One of the major themes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle   was addressing was superstition and its role in problem solving. But the constant theme of friendship is actually my favorite. Such diverse gentlemen to be friends. 

What with Netflix and the Internet, you can compare and contrast the various productions yourself. You might wish to start with Basil's.


 Here's a cool preview. Hope there are no spoilers.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/baskerville.html

MzTeachuh: Pieta: Mother's Heart Cuore di mamma

MzTeachuh: Pieta: Mother's Heart Cuore di mamma: Pieta, Michelangelo           Pieta: pity, жаль , שאָד, huruma , pitye , شفقة ,samúð , pena , trua ,                 遗憾, κρίμα, jamm...

Pieta: Mother's Heart Cuore di mamma

Pieta, Michelangelo
          Pieta: pity, жаль,שאָד, huruma, pitye,شفقة ,samúð, pena, trua,  
              遗憾,κρίμα, jammer, llàstima, đáiong tiếc

 
No human connect is as profound as mother to child. This is universal truth. 
                   
              Mother's Day, May 12, Sunday. Let's give Mom joy.