Monthly Archives: February 2013

“Dream of Ink Brush Calligraphy” by Karen An-Hwei Lee

Posted on February 28, 2013 by jyourist

xxxx xxxx In prayer: quiet opening, my artery is a thin shadow on paper— margin of long grass, ruderal hair, sister to this not yet part of our bodies your lyric corpus of seed in rough drafts of pine ash, … Continue reading →

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Kodo drummers

Posted on February 27, 2013 by jyourist

For Valentine’s Day, JB and I went to see the Kodo drummers. These drummers combine athletic prowess, music, dance, and rhythmic drumming in their performance. They come from Sado Island off the coast of Japan where they train and create community. … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan, music | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“You Are What You Eat”

Posted on February 26, 2013 by jyourist

Mark Menjivar, photographer, has produced portraits of people through pictures of their refrigerators in his series “You Are What You Eat.” I first heard of him through a podcast of the Splendid Table, and was fascinated with the whole project. … Continue reading →

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Snow moon

Posted on February 25, 2013 by jyourist

This is JB’s picture of February’s Snow Moon. Magical, haunting. It is also known as the Hunger Moon or Wolf Moon (for obvious reasons to our ancient predecessors). Tonight we are observing the moon’s fully lit hemisphere with the earth … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, moon, winter | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Looking with amusement

Posted on February 24, 2013 by jyourist

I have to admit that my interactions with my mother and her husband have not always been characterized as those filled with joy and abandon. Usually we deal with one real or potential crisis after another and overlaying it all … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, family | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Peter Lamata

Posted on February 22, 2013 by jyourist

Peter Lamata‘s “Rain and Line”

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“Honda Pavarotti” by Tony Hoagland

Posted on February 21, 2013 by jyourist

I’m driving on the dark highway when the opera singer on the radio opens his great mouth and the whole car plunges down the canyon of his throat. So the night becomes an aria of stars and exit signs as … Continue reading →

Posted in cars, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

For a minute or two a primary source made Bobby Franks come alive

Posted on February 20, 2013 by jyourist

Yesterday, a parent came in to class to share some primary sources he had acquired. Since we are in the middle of our research project this seemed an awesome “show and tell,” especially because the items he was going to … Continue reading →

Posted in capital punishment, chicago, crime, history | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The students absorbing tonight’s homework assignment

Posted on February 19, 2013 by jyourist

(Research topics have been chosen. Now the students are on their own to immerse themselves in their topics. HW= Homework and yes, as WA made very clear, the word “understand” is on the board twice…with good reason.) 

Posted in reading, school, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mississippi, once again, in the lead—ratifying the 13th amendment 148 years later

Posted on February 18, 2013 by jyourist

It’s really hard to believe, but the state of Mississippi ratified the 13th amendment 11 days ago. That’s right. The amendment that abolishes slavery, and became part of the U.S. Constitution in 1865, was officially ratified in Mississippi on February … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War, Constitution | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments