Friday, May 31, 2013

Square Dog Friday... Toys !


.

Square Dog Friday or Why toys don't last at our home !

Nice tall person who walks us and who is in Japan now,  gave us The Two Square Dogs
this really nice toy.
I really have enjoyed this toy. Thank You nice tall person who walks us.
Gud dug, Watson

yesh
minemineminemine mine
gud dug thehamish needs toy
memememememe me
yert
mine
me

toy. . . parsnip
music. . . Summer,  Joe Hisaishi

update...
When you look at a Youtube,  many related videos will pop-up plus an amazing amount  of really strange ones,
As I watched Watson and thehamish video several  little square black Scotties videos poped up. And of course me being me I had to watch them. ummmmmmmm oh noes !
I smiled and kinda choked up remembering my Little Square Black Scottie Kirby who I still miss after all these years.
The force was strong . . .
All  I wanted to do was run out that second in my jammie and find another Little Square Black Scottie.
The Force Was Strong with this one.



Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Wednesday In Japan... Yes, Hanshin Tigers !

Tucson son is visiting his brother, family and friends in Japan


Japanese son sent me this app so I could watch the flight.
And I did.


Walking in the Temple's bamboo forest.
I want to do this.

The sign says that the temple is a historical national monument
please don't walk dogs here.
awwwww no Square Dogs allowed.
yert !


This is really where I want to be, a Hanshin Tigers Baseball game.
I am a huge fan.
It was raining off and on, everyone stayed.
They lost (again) bummer.
Family buys bentos next to the stadium and beer at the game. Perfect !
Photos are from Tucson and Japanese son.
I wish I was there.

..................
Subliminal Coffee has been posting about movies.
Ones that she likes, disliked and wants to see.
One movie she wants to see is "33 Postcards" (coming soon to netflix) which got me thinking about three movies that I have on my Netflix list and one extra.

Afterlife... Japanese 1999
Hirokazu Koreeda
When I lived in California I had two Asian TV channels (LA) to watch on Cox cable. In Tucson on my "basic" comcast cable I have almost as many Hispanic channels as English but not one Asian channel, even on their premium package. But I do get the Chicago (WGN) channel ? which I do watch every once in awhile.
 I miss the LA channels very much, I was able to watch many interesting and different  movies.
Thank goodness for Netflix !

I watched this movie 13 years ago.
With any movie you watch you bring what is happening to you at that moment
or your personal history.
I think being raised Catholic had much to do with how I viewed this movie and why I still think about it long after the CGI's of Summer Blockbuster have been forgotten.
How sad that I never thought I would go strait to heaven but would end up in purgatory first, working off all my sins so this movie was very interesting to me.
I missed the first few minutes so it took a few moments to figure out what was happening.
You are at a  "station" between heaven and hell. People who have just died are helped by guides to remember their memories and pick one defining moment in their life. This moment will be recreated and then they will take it heaven. It is their only memory that they move on with.
I don't want to tell more (you are just dropped in the story) but for me it was very suprising how I felt after watching this quiet movie.

Next on my list.
Still Walking... Japanese,  2008
Hirokazu Koreeda 
A death in the family of a favorite son still weighs on the family 15 years later.
The movie centers on yearly gathering to commmemorate his death.
I like the directors work and many of the actors in this movie and from what I have read it sound very interesting.

And just so you don't think I am always thinking of death.
Third on my list
Good Morning... Japanese 1959
Yasujiro Ozu
I have read and heard much about this film off and on for many years
and have wanted to see it for a long time.
Tokyo in the 1950, social structure, culture and two little boys.
The boy are constantly bugging their parents for a TV.  The parents finely tell the boys to stop talking and  they do and how it affect the family and the people around them in different ways.

A film I saw it in 2006.

Riding Alone For Thousands Of Miles, China  2005
Yimou Zhang
 An aging Japanese father tries to re-connect with his dying son. He travels thousands of miles in China to finish a film his son was working on and didn't finish.
Understated and quiet film.

ummmmmmm I think you can tell I am not a "Twilight" film person.
I have a very eclectic list of movies on my queue, watching "The Girls From Paris" French 2001, but NO sparkly vampires please.

As I said, I have seen the first movie and will watch it again
and I wonder if I will see and feel about it that same way after all this time.
The next two are next up on my Queue.
The last one I watched before.

movies. . . parsnip
music. . . 10 Mile Stereo,  Beach house







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Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Day, 27 May 2013

Today is the day we honor the ultimate sacrifice of men and women
for our country.
This is a day of Remembrance.
I have been to Arlington National Cemetery
and if that doesn't stop and take you breath away and make you think nothing will.
Or visit any cemetery near you. Tucson is having several ceremonies today with flyovers.



I stopped and thought today how lucky/blessed I am as I was able to walk outside
on a beautiful morning.


To my friend Bee who this Memorial Day is especially sad day without the Sarge.
To my Uncles who fought in WWII and were able to come back, and for all the soldiers who didn't come home, I remember you.

I don't understand why this is Happy Memorial Day ?
When did it become a day for sales, the selling of cars, carpet, shoes and furniture ?
Yes, by all means get together with family and friend and have a barbque, but also remember to give thanks to thoes who gave their life protecting our country so you could enjoy such a lovely day.

gayle
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Friday, May 24, 2013

Square Dog Friday... Japan

I can't believe it is Friday !
The older I get the faster the days go by.
But for some Square Dogs,  Friday can not come fast enough.
Although for Watson and thehamish everyday is Square Dog Friday.
So lets Woof it !

 The Square Ones help pack.
Or not.


not gud not gud not likin' suitcases


nononono no you stay out only me going now


My last post was about the suitcase filled with Omiyage
Suitcases stuffed full of gifts for family and friends and items that they have asked for.


ummmm we are waiting !
I can see there is no room for Watson and thehamish.


We had to repack the bag several times. Why you ask ? it looks like there is lots of room.
It was because son was taking several micro brew six packs of Flagstaff beer to Japanese son and they weight a lot.  You are only allowed 50 pounds per bag.
Even with all the repacking there was no room for
Two Little Black Square Dogs.
..................
Nice tall person who walks us is leaving again. We the Square Ones are not happy.
He did bring a toy for us to play with.
Small comfort.

hahahahahahahah Mum nice tall person who feeds us laughed
and said it looks just like me,  Watson.

well.....  I guess it does.

As you can see thehamish has the toy now.
As usual.

yesh i thehanish has new toy but not really likin' it that much
because i is very sadsadsad sad sadest gud dug ever
i am sad gud dug
oh woe is me
woewoe woe is me
woe

gud old dug Watson has nother gud dug toy
he is playin' with it
buts im' thinkin' he is sad gud dug too
sad


nice tall person who walks us gave us some cookies from Flagstaff
not knowin' what that means cookies is cookies
they are coming from a place that makes beer
they have the leftover stuff from the beer and make cookies from it
not understandin' what that means
we are likein' them but not makin' up for nice tall person who walks us being gone again
he keeps comin' and goin'
not gud not gud at all
oh woe is me
woe!
 
they havein' funny name
yert !
.............................

And just because I can here is your pretty to start the weekend.

Clouds over the Catalina mountains.

Temperatures are getting getting hot we are kind of stuck on 99 degrees so far.
We are all betting on when we officially hit 100.
We have to have some fun with all the coming summer heat.
The clouds in Arizona are wonderful and this month we have been getting some beautiful
pre-monsoon clouds.
Once we start hitting triple digets for three consective days with the correct dew-point
the monsoon will start.

So very lovely our castles in the sky.

suitcase. . . parsnip
music. . . Tenku no Shiro  (Laputa, Castle in The Sky) Joe Hisaishi




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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Ink ! Pens ! Oh My !

I usually only post three days a week
but
look what just came in the mail.
Inks and new pens.
So beautiful !



Heavy glass bottles of ink.
Pelikan Ink Of The Year, Turmaline/Red Velvet
Pilot Ink Autumn Showers
Pilot Ink Bamboo Forest


Beautiful inks and bottles.


Just look at the back of the bottle.


New pens. Both feel wonderful in my hand
Prera green pen (favorite color) clear body.
Platinum Shoji -ko (Lake Shoji) limited edition clear body pen.
This pen has a light blue transparent body, like the morning light reflected on Lake Shoji.
The second lake pen based on Mount Fuji's Five Lakes.
Beautiful to look at and to use.
 

Bamboo Forest and Autumn Showers

Turmaline

Prera Pen

Platinum Shoji
.................
coming atraction for tomorrow


 yert !

writing. . . parsnip
music. . . Blue Sky,  Nobuo Uematsu
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Wednesday in Japan. . . almost !

Son is leaving today for  Japan to visit family and friends.
When we travel to Japan we always take two bags. One is filled with clothes and stuff. The more important second bag is filled Omiyage and also today Birthday gifts. Omiyage are small but very nice gifts to give family and friends.

The Square Dogs do not like suitcases.
It always mean someone is leaving.


not gud nononono nots gud at all i needs to go too

nononon no you all stay out me going now


well maybe old gud dug Waston can go too this is funny he is standing on beer
yert !

After driving son to the airport for his 5am flight
this is what I saw driving home at about 4:30 am.


Morning sky at my back yard looking north.


Sunrise looking east


a few moments later...
Now I need a nap,  getting up at 2:45 is not gud as thehamish would say.

More Square Dogs and suitcase photos to follow on friday.


omiyage. . . parsnip
music. .. Flyin' To Fly,  Last Exile OST
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Monday, May 20, 2013

parley view parsnip... return trip



Last week daughter and I drove up to Flagstaff to help son pack-up his apartment and head back to Tucson after graduation.
Flagstaff is in the north and Tucson is in the southern part of Arizona.
On the drive back home you have to drive through Phoenix, what a hell hole of crap.
Can I say that on my blogs ? ? ?
It has become nothing more than an overcrowded  extended neighborhood of Los Angles.
Too much concrete, asphalt, cars and extremely rude obnoxious self absorbed people.
I was taking mental notes on how many people of one group especially was at fault, 
Then I realized that they probably never learned any common sense or manners from their mothers and fathers or family.
Some what frustrated I finally got through Phoenix thank goodness and started the lovely two hour drive to Tucson. And it is lovely drive once you get past Phoenix.

The sun was just starting to hang low in the western sky and after  several days of wind the weather was calm. Dust was suspended in the air so it gave the evening a lovely sparkling golden glow and as I passed several miles of lush cool green fields
about halfway to Tucson,

 I saw it....

Sitting on the open dirt verge between the highway, fence and the fields was the biggest raven/crow ? I have ever seen. As I was driving about 75 mph I only got a glimpse of this vinet  but a week later I can still vividly remember it all.

The bird was sitting in the open looking west across the carpet of green fields towards the setting sun.
I got the feeling he was just sitting there enjoying the quiet after a busy day.
It seemed so very zen.
It felt like this bird was enjoying the late evening, early twilight as much as I do.
But...
Of course reality set in and I think that the bird was just waiting for the evening to start so that all the bugs and small critter that take refuge in the green fields  from the hot afternoon heat would come out.
Dinner !

But I like to think and will think that this huge bird was really enjoying the beautiful setting sun and the coming twilight. 

All I know is that one quick glimpse put me back into a much better mood than I had been in since Phoenix.

zen. . . parsnip
music. . . Silk,   Ryuichi Sakamoto OST




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Friday, May 17, 2013

Square Dog Friday..... napping

Goodness it is Friday already. Where did the week go ?
Best day of the week if your a Little Black Square Dog.
You know the drill so lets woof it !

Yes, we Square Dogs are very good at resting, napping and sleeping.
So mum, nice tall person who feeds us said we could post a few photos of us,
The Square Dogs
 doing what what we do best, napping at some of our favorite places.

yesh we gud duggie are gudgudgud gud at sleepin'
besides eatin' chkikin' strips we the best at that
yert !



Watson sleeping on the pillow

thehamish sleeping under the pillow

 thehamish napping on some toys

with the Watson on a pillow

or napping with a baby Mia who he loves best of all

they are resting on the chaise

or on the sofa

with thehamish almost falling off

while Watson is napping on the ottoman

Watson in a basket

and thehamish squishes in

they are in the crate

or in the summer sun in a air conditioned home

thehamish on the pillow

and asleep by the pool

or when thehamish was very sick sleeping with a toy

together on a pillow

thehamish on my bed

or squished in a basket, the two headed dog of Tucson.

sleepy. . . parsnip
music. . . Very Little Wishes,  Macross OST
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