Blog du Wren

Happy Pi(e) Day!

I've been looking for an excuse to post this picture for almost a year now. This is a glorious fruit pie we made down in Portland with all local berries. It was delicious and beautiful!

Okay, so maybe Pi(e) Day isn't for another 2 days, but we all know what I save Friday posts for. And since today is Wednesday, unofficial crossword day, I thought I might as well go for it.

For some reason, this crossword* really took a long time and it didn't turn out awesome. It was my plan to submit this one for publication because I really like the theme, but a few of the answers weren't up to snuff*. That said, it still ain't bad so I encourage you to give it a try: Crossword - Happy Pie Day.

I also should thank Dan B. for saving me from using the answer "Radu II"*. His suggestion is quite a bit better, although still not NY Times material (which isn't his fault at all. How many things can you come up with that fit the form _ad_ _ i?)

As always, I would love your feedback (too hard, too easy, too many specific knowledge clues, etc.). Also, have a wonderful Pi Day on Friday. Bake a pie. Recite pi. Go to a Pi Sig frat party. (Oh, and for those of you who aren't following the whole Pi Day thing, check out last year's post on the subject for further enlightenment*)

Wednesday March 12 2008

File under: misc, holidays

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2007 - A Great Year

Monday December 31 2007

File under: holidays, pics

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Twas the Day Before Christmas

Twas the day before Christmas and all through the bus,
All were doing their own thing, all 12 of us.
Ukoiya and Lindsay were stretching on the floor.
Three days on a busacan make you quite sore.
Kelsey and Jules drew doodles here and there.
Now our plywood table/bed doesn't look so bare.
There is engine talk from Islando and Vern.
To get the bus running again is their main concern.
Joselynn and Paul are looking into flights,
Concerned we might not make it by Christmas night.
Hallie's in bed with a book. Amiel is online.
We can't get the bus working, but the internet works fine.
River is zonked from a late night at the wheel.
And I, our "head chef", reluctantly ponder our next meal.
What's that? It's a rumber from down below.
The engine guys are trying another go.
We all cross our fingers, and hold our breath,
But the egine quietly sputters to death.
Wait just a sec. It seems to be getting stronger.
The time between sputters grows ever longer.
It was air in the lines that had to be bled.
It's always something, we just shake our heads.
Now we're back on the road, we'll hit the border by dawn.
Here's hoping for smooth sailing from this point on.
So as we roll out of Palm Springs on Interstate 10.
I wish Feliz Navidad to you and your kin.

Monday December 24 2007

File under: holidays, poetry

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The Christmas Crassula Ovata

Among our family's Christmas traditions, I think the Christmas Crassula Ovata (that would be jade tree to you non-Latin speakers) has got to be my favorite. Okay, I better make that second favorite right behind pfeffern�sse*. It is something unique, it save cutting down a live tree, and there are no dropped needles messing up the floor*. Anyway, I mentioned it in an earlier post so I thought I would post a picture.

It turns out that combining my second rate picture taking ability with a camera that always seems to have trouble with light and exposure results in some shoddy pictures. But since a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe a shoddy picture is worth 134 words or so. Yep, just about right for a blog post. (Oh, and here's another at a picture of the tree. Notice how we've gracefully phased out the juice concentrate lid glitter ornaments.)

Monday December 17 2007

File under: holidays

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Stuff For the Stocking

Not that troothpicks need any help in the sales department– sales have been through the roof*– but it is worth mentioning that they might be possibly the best stocking stuffer around, esp. if your bare-footed recipient* likes to throw parties, likes to eat little cubes of cheese, likes to clean their teeth, or likes fun things.

Anyway, if you were hoping to surprise that special someone with 48 little pointy cylinders of fun, you had better get your orders in soon. Let's set a "get your order by the holidays" date of Friday, December 15th. Oh, and also worthy of note is that the long awaited "Fortunes" line is now no longer on back order! So place your orders at troothpicks.com or send me an e-mail (or write your order on the deed to a deserted tropical island paradise and send it to...*).

And if you need any further convincing that trootpicks are the perfect holiday gift, have a look at this professionally staged . Ooohhh.... Aaaahhhhh.... So festive!

Tuesday December 11 2007

File under: holidays, misc

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Post-Feast Burrito

Happy Thanksgiving! While the holiday is slightly different for me this year than last year, it will still be great. Instead of being surrounded by palm trees and beaches, I will be surrounded by friends, family, and traditional food. I sincerely hope that you are surrounded with somethings/someones that make you happy as well.

Speaking of food, we all know the standard: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, and pie. It is a meal that I look forward to for quite some time, but there is something that occupies the food portion of my brain* more, for which the anticipation is even greater than feast: the post-feast burrito. I claim the invention as my own and this Thanksgiving, I would like to share the recipe with you.

Start with a flour tortilla, preferably the large size*. First lay down stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey. Liberally drizzle gravy on top, followed by a layer of cheddar cheese. Zap it all in the microwave for a minute or so, depending upon your portions. Top it off with a little cranberry sauce, fold, and enjoy.

Thursday November 22 2007

File under: holidays, food

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Happy Halloween!

I'm not a fan of Halloween. Call me a party pooper (most do). But just because I'm not the biggest fan doesn't mean that I don't appreciate others' love of it. I'm also not so anti-Halloween that I can't admit it has its upsides: candy, clever costumes*, and The Simpsons Tree House of Horrors.

This year I got invited to a costume party. The costume I came up with hardly rivaled any of the others there. Hannah had the best costume of the night IMHO with a dead perfect Ugly Betty. (By saying it was dead perfect, I'm not implying that she was looking ugly. Anyone who knows the show and saw her would get it.) Other great costumes were Willy Wonka, Neo (from the Matrix), and a big fat tourist guy. Seeing the costumes, esp. the ones that were homemade, made me appreciate the holiday a little bit more.

So what was I? Well, have a and try to guess. (If you already knew, pre-post, please keep to yourself. Or if you are the one person that correctly guessd (Joe), sit quietly and marvel at how clever you are.) What you can't see is that I am wearing knee high rubber boots, which may or may not help. Need a hint? Hover for a clue or two: hint 1, hint 2, hint 3, and (big) hint 4.

Wednesday October 31 2007

File under: holidays

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Ode to Mom

She's got such verve, pizazz, and joy
I truly know I'm a lucky boy
To have a mother that's so fun
With awesomeness by the ton*
To match your vervey and joyous way
Here's how I wanted to say Happy Mother's Day
I figured this poem would do just the trick
P.S. Please don't be mad about the pic

To all you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday May 13 2007

File under: poetry, holidays

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Happy Easter

Have you ever wondered where Easter eggs come from?

(I just couldn't help myself. I've had this image on my computer for ages and love sharing it.)

Anyhoo, Happy Easter!

Friday April 6 2007

File under: holidays, pics

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Pi Day!

Whew! That was a close one. One of my favorite holidays of the year almost slipped right by me without me knowing. I guess that is what happens when the calendar industry is involved in a conspiracy against it.

March 14 or 3/14. Get it? 3.14. Like the ratio between the diameter and circumference of a circle. Totally awesome.

What is the best way to celebrate Pi Day? Well, first, you gotta eat some pie. Yes, I know it is spelled differently, but I don't questions the traditions that are passed down through the ages. Secondly, you should add one digit to your personal knowledge of pi. If 3.14 is all you know, annex a 15 to the end. For everyone else, here's a helpful start: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510 (that was from memory, thank you very much, except for the bold 71 that I missed. I guess I am slipping in my old age.)

Wednesday March 14 2007

File under: holidays

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