Blogger is making some changes

and they're making it impossible for me. I don't know what the problem is, but they're not recognizing my username or password when I try to migrate my blog. I've had this blog since 2003, long before Google bought Blogger, so this is a legacy blog, as they call it.

I'm looking at other options, but if I can't resolve this, my blog at this address will die at the end of May. If nothing else, I'll just use Wordpress. I've already imported everything over there just to be sure I don't lose it, but this is still my blog home for now.

Babies!

Our bantam hen, Chocolate Chip, hatched a brood this week. She had ten eggs, but one didn't hatch and one died shortly afterward -- its fluff didn't even have time to dry. We discovered them on Wednesday (CC was very well hidden) and they looked like they were a day old. Thursday was their first day out of the nest, and these videos were filmed today. Enjoy!

The teeny chirps are chicks' noises. The hen squawks a little in this one, but you can hear her clucking in the next (bok, bok).




This one was taken just a few minutes after the first one. The chicks look like they're just standing around, but they're mostly napping. In this one you can hear our guinea hen in the background starting around 40 seconds. #1 Son was recording it on his cell phone and wanted to get a closer shot of the chicks with their eyes closed, which displeased Chocolate Chip.



The mama is less than eight inches tall, and the babies are under two inches. Adorable.

An Experiment in Audioblogging: Shakespeare's Sonnet 30

So I got this wild idea that instead of continually telling y'all you should read poetry aloud, I'd just read it to you. I haven't figured out how to get a plain audio file onto Blogger yet, so I made the sound file, then added some images using Window's Live Movie Maker, and posted it on YouTube. It's a little under three minutes long, of which about a third is the actual poem and the rest is me yammering.

The first image, in honor of National Poetry Month, is "Poetry" by Alphonse Mucha, part of his series on the Arts.



Eldest Daughter says I should have written a script or at least a cue sheet, because my discussion is so unpolished -- but that was part of the point of doing it this way. I'm not a professional. I love poety, but I don't really know what to say about it beyond "It was nice and I liked it," which is about as sophisticated as my second-grade book reports were. I'm just a regular mom, and hey, if I can do it, you can too!


Many thanks to Dr Taylor and my classmates, Anne, Julie, and Daniel, for their insights and encouragement.

Table talk at my house

Me: Well, I think we should be in The Guinness Book of World Records for holding the STRANGEST EVER conversation around an Easter Dinner table.

Elaienar: Oh, no, it's not strange at all. Easter is about the death and resurrection of Christ, and zombies are people walking around after they're dead.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

As my first offering for this year's poetry month, I give you The Paschal Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom (c. 347-407), which I read this morning for the first time. The version I came across was written in prose form (four paragraphs) but on my second reading I noticed the poetic structure and have taken the liberty of dividing it into verses. It's no wonder this Archbishop of Constantinople was called Chrysostomos -- Golden Mouthed.

Whosoever is a devout lover of God,
    let him enjoy this beautiful bright Festival.
And whosoever is a grateful servant,
    let him rejoice and enter into the joy of his Lord.
And if any be weary with fasting,
    let him now receive his recompense.

If any have toiled from the first hour,
    let him receive his due reward.
If any have come after the third hour,
    let him with gratitude join in the Feast.
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
    let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any have delayed to the ninth hour,
    let him not hesitate, but let him come too.
And he that hath arrived only at the eleventh hour,
    let him not be afraid by reason of his delay;
for the Lord is gracious
    and receiveth the last even as the first.

He giveth rest to him that cometh at the eleventh hour
    as well as to him that toiled from the first.
Yea, to this one he giveth,
    and upon that one he bestoweth.
He accepteth works
    as he greeteth the endeavour.
The deed he honoureth
    and the intention he comendeth.

Let all then enter into the joy of our Lord.

Ye first and last receiving alike your reward;
    ye rich and poor, rejoice together.
Ye sober and ye slothful,
    celebrate the day.
Ye that have kept the fast and ye that have not,
    rejoice today for the Table is richly laden.

Fare ye royally on it.
The calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake ye all of the cup of faith.
Enjoy ye all the riches of his goodness.

Let no one grieve at his poverty;
    for the universal Kingdom hath been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he hath fallen again and again,
    for forgiveness hath risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
    for the Death of our Saviour hath set us free.

He hath destroyed it by enduring it.
He spoiled Hades when he descended thereto.
He vexed it even as it tasted of his flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he cried,
‘Thou, O Hades, hast been vexed by encountering Him below.’

It is vexed, for it is even done away with!
It is vexed, for it is made a mockery!
It is vexed, for it is destroyed!
It is vexed, for it is annihilated!
It is vexed, for it is now made captive!

It took a body, and lo! it discovered God.
It took earth, and behold! it encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art annihilated!
Christ is risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is risen, and the Angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead;
for Christ, having risen from the dead,
    is become the firstfruits of those that have fallen asleep!

To him be glory and power forever and ever.
Amen.