The National Parks on Audiotree Live (Full Session)

Caleb mentioned that he had seen this band live, and so I decided to check them out.  This set goes pretty slow with the interview/narration.  However I think the idea behind their name and their music is that you feel like you are in a National Park when they sing.  I thing the accomplish that.  The lead singer talks about the music scene around Provo which is interesting.

Movie Review: *****Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

This tar Wars film again introduces us to a new world.  In this case it is the moon of Endor, where the Empire is constructing another death star super station.  The Battle of Endor then has a battle on three different levels, each with its own significance.  On the surface the Ewoks join a small group from the rebellion to battle for entrance into the station so they can destroy the generator and bring down the shield surrounding the death star.  Then there is the battle in space, as the rebellion sends a fleet of fighters to destroy the new death star.  And finally inside the death star, Luke Skywalker battles his father, Darth Vader, and then also Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).  With battle on all these levels taking place at once, this is an amazing series of action and intrigue.  We are not introduced to new characters.  However Emperor Palpatine plays a much bigger role.

Movie Review: ****^Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

I still love this movie.  It was such a fascinating film.  From the World of Hoth, where Luke Skywalker runs into a snow creature, and Han Solo has to save him, to Han Solo being frozen, and Luke Skywalker is unable to save him, this movie jumps.  The information that Darth Vader shares as to Luke's parentage is classic, "I am your father." is in the vernacular now.  This movie also introduces us to Yoda (Frank Oz), the wise Jedi sage who completes Skywalker's training.  Again we are introduced to interesting worlds and tremendous conflicts, which makes for a great movie.  The ice planet Hoth is an inhospitable planet, Dagobah is over populated with plants and snakes, and the Cloud City of Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) is a mining community in the sky.  The other scene that is classic, is after a chase through an asteroid field and floating away with the garbage.  If not for Bobba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) the bounty hunter, they would have gotten away.

Movie Review: *****Star Wars: A New Hope

This movie introduced a new universe.  It is the first of the Star Wars movies made.  It was exciting and full of new creatures and worlds and lots of fun.  I know it has been redone, to add more special effects, but the original version is good enough for me.  What is better than a group of young people saving the rebellion.  Lots of fun.
We were also introduced for the most part to a series of new actors:

	Mark Hamill	...	Luke Skywalker
	Harrison Ford	...	Han Solo
	Carrie Fisher	...	Princess Leia Organa
	Peter Cushing	...	Grand Moff Tarkin
	Alec Guinness	...	Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi
	Anthony Daniels	...	C-3PO
	Kenny Baker	...	R2-D2
	Peter Mayhew	...	Chewbacca
	David Prowse	...	Darth Vader

My Poetry: Ode to Sheri

Ode to Sheri

I have felt the fire of you inner flame,

Burning me, as I snuggle close to you in bed.

And I have heard the rumbling of you inner core, 

The cavernous echoing of each snore.

I have touched the satin of your skin

It's texture a playground for my fingers.

My hand has brushed your sating hair,

Played with it, curled it, twirled in upon my fingers.

I have looked into your eyes,

And there, seen a spark of heaven.

I am yours.

Picture Book Review: Madeline

Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans, The Viking Press, New York, 1939
This is a cute story about a little girl who lives at a convent school, and ends up at the hospital to get her appendix out.  I love the "two strait lines, and the youngest was Madeline."  This is a book for reading aloud.

Book Review: Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary

Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Tracy Dockray, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1967.

I love this book.  The characters in Beverly Clery books are very interesting.  This book is no exception..  In this book, Mitch and Amy are twins.  As twins will, they do not see everything the same.  In fact, they often butt heads.  Amy struggles with math, and Mitch with reading.  At the same time, a local bully, Alan torments them both.  Bernadette, is new in town, and she has a crush on Mitch.  These characters make for some interesting reading as they struggle with school, bullies and getting along. 

Picture Book Review: Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

The Viking Press, New York, 1982.
Barbara Cooney is known more as an illustrator, but she wrote and illustrated this book for which she won the National Book Award for picture books.  This book has delightful pictures of the sea and the Northeast.  The girl in the story has three goals, to travel, to live by the sea, and to make the world more beautiful.  Miss Rumphius travels, but eventually her body gets tired; So she settles in a home by the sea.  She loves the Lupine flowers, and takes it upon herself to plant their seeds everywhere.  In this way she completes her third goal.  As she grew old, she would tell her great nieces and nephews that they should have the same goals.  This book reminds me that we all have parenting roles, whether as a father or mother or aunt or uncle.  We all play a part in rearing children.

Movie Review: ****^Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

I really enjoyed this movie, and in my opinion it is one of the better movies of the summer.  The interaction between Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) really makes this film go.  Then there is the bad guy, Vulture (Michael Keaton) who just happens to be the father of Peter Parker's date to the prom, Liz (Laura Harrier).  Keaton is into dealing arms which were left behind by the aliens when they were defeated by the Avengers.  However, as the government controls a larger and larger share of these items, Vulture and his mean have to resort to stealing.  Spider-man comes upon their plot defending New York.  In the meantime Stark Enterprises downplays the reports from Spider-Man and his ability to help as a teen.  However he is the only person who can save the world from Vulture.
There was a time when Spider-Man was in the good graces of Stark Enterprises, who provided him with a fancy outfit with computer enhancement.  However after a bungle they take this away, and Spider-Man is left to his homemade suit.
Side-kick  Ned is played by Jacob Batalon and Spider-Man's aunt is played by Marisa Tomei.
I love Michael Keaton in the movies.  In this case he makes an excellent villain.  Combine that with the Stark/Avengers angle this movie is very good.

Booklet: Fun Around the Campfire, Boy Scouts of America

Fun Around the Campfire, Boy Scouts of America, New Brunswick, NJ, 1952.
This is a very old booklet, but has lots of relevant ideas for having fun around the campfire.  It is written from the perspective of a campfire program for a scouting event.  I starts with the attitude of the master of ceremonies and the song leader.  It has ideas for songs, ideas for skits, how to make a fire, including a fancy fire-starter.  There is even an idea of what to add to the fire to make different colors of flame.  It has ideas about seating, and where to place the fire or fires, and all that fun stuff.  It says the program should follow the fire, rousing stuff when the fire is flaming hot, but then calming with the fire to more spiritual and meditative items towards the end of the program.

Picture Book Review: Go, Dog. Go!

by P.D. Eastman, Beginner Books a division of Random House, New York, 1961.
This is one of my favorite books ever.  I love the pictures of the dogs.  I especially like two bits.  There are a couple of dogs, "Do you like my hat."  "I do not like it"  And then finally, I do. What a hat. I like it!  I like that party hat!"  And then there is the Ferris wheel, and the dog that says, "Go around again."  These two statements are part of my vernacular, and I often come back to them.

Movie Review: ****I Will Fight No More Forever (1975)

This is a made for TV movie telling the story of the forced removal of the Nez Perce from their lands in the Walla Walla Valley.  The Nez Perce and Chief Joseph (Ned Romero) resisted the removal.  The had previously been promised this area.  The man in charge of bringing him in was General Oliver O. Howard (James Whitmore) of Civil War fame.  Captain Wood (Sam Elliot) supported him throughout.  There were times when the press, and politicians and the community at large were all murmuring about Howard's efforts, as a band of only 100 seemed to be too difficult for him.  Plenty of opportunity for Elliot to theorize on how it was wrong to chase the Nez Perce.  this concludes with Chief Joseph's famous speech in which he delineates all those who are dead, and then announces he will not fight no more.

Play Review: The Crucible

A play in four Acts by Arthur Miller, Bantam Books, New York, 1959.
This is the classic play about the Salem witch trials.  It was a really bad time, as after the local officials gave the investigation over to the courts, they lost all control over what was going on.  You add to that a teenage girl who has lots of power based on what she says, and she has girls mimicking anything she does, adding strength to her testimony.  Those who want to correct the situation, are only accused themselves, as the teen, Abigail, is able to fake attacks by the spirit of others in an uncanny fashion.  She is able to convince the court authorities and that is what counts.  then those accused are in a precarious situation.  Admit your guilt, and you are not hung.  Refuse to confess and the devil still has you and you are hung.  Over 100 people confess.  Something like 12 were hung.  What a bind.    I was hanging on every word there at the end.  This is a classic.  I actually saw this with my dad at Utah State when I was high school age.

DR. SEUSS (THEO LESIEG): Ten Apples Up On Top

by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo. LeSieg, illustrated by Roy McKie, random House, New York, 1961.  This is a simple book of three animals balancing apples on top of their heads, a lion, a tiger and a dog.

Movie Review: ***^Hope Floats (1998)

This is a very good character study, which starts with the premise, what if your best friend, and your husband, expose that they are having an affair on national television in some kind of talk show.  Can it get any worse than that?  This movie shows that it can, but then hope floats and things start turning around.  I must admit this is not my favorite Sandra Bullock film.  It is a bit too slow.  Birdee (Sandra Bullock) and Matisse (Harry Connick Jr.) have something going, but it really develops slowly, and by the end of the movie is still just in its starting stages.  The relationship that needs to resolve is that between Birdee and her daughter (Mae Whitman).  She is always waiting for father to pick her up, and blames the relationship mess on her mother.  The finally begin to crawl out of a hole, but it is interesting how this is done.  Grandma (Ramona Calvert) has a very big roll in keeping everything going.

The Big Brag by Dr. Seuss

The Big Brag tells us who we are when in our pride we brag and boast of our own greatness.  The rabbit says he is best because he can hear so far, and the bear because he can smell so far.  It takes a worm to set them both strait and provide some humility.