Two Fantastic Albums

Two cds Brent and I have been listening to lately and reallllly enjoy: Genius Loves Company--Ray Charles and Various artists. We got this one near the end of our honeymoon last year. It is a compilation of Ray Charles singing duets with various famous artists like Norah Jones, Elton John, James Taylor, Van Morrison. Very gentle but lively. Surprise--Paul Simon. Now I am a very big Paul Simon fan, in case you were wondering, all the way back to the Simon and Garfunkel days. His last cd, "You're the One" is also great. This one, however, is very different. He barely uses the African rhythms he's become famous for at all. It took us a couple listen-throughs to really get into it but now we feel like we could listen to it once a day! Here's part of the lyrics to a song called "Outrageous": Who's gonna love you when your looks are gone? Tell me, who's gonna love you when your looks are gone? Tell me, who's gonna love you when your looks are gone? God will,Like he waters the flowers on your window sill. Take me, I'm an ordinary player in the key of C, And my will was broken by my pride and my vanity Who's gonna love you when your looks are gone? God will, Like he waters the flowers on your window sill.

random picture

Brent and Kirstin being goofy on a lazy (but it shouldn't be) Friday afternoon:

Grassi Lakes

Yesterday Brent and I went with my English class on a fieldtrip out to Grassi Lakes south of Canmore. It was a great day! We hiked and looked at wildlife, plantlife, history and generally, at God's creation. Here are some pictures: Climatis climbing a spruce tree. It's in bloom already! Lower Grassi Lake. Upper Grass Lake. Some petroglyphs we saw on the side of a boulder part way up the canyon. My instructor, Dr. Pamela Banting, and I, climbing down the stone staircase along side the waterfall.

Another marathon picture

Here's a picture I found on the Red Deer Advocate Website of our race. Can you find us? I haven't yet but we should be on the right side of the picture about half way down.

Running running running

Today we got our photos from our half marathon we did on the Sunday of the May long weekend. It was a beautiful sunny day and wonderful race, enjoyable and relaxed. I was so glad to have Brent with me! We ran it in two minutes slower than I ran last year, in good time considering we were somewhat lacking in time to train! I like this picture because Brent is completely off the ground. This in the last hundred meters when we blasted past everyone sprinting. Brent went one way around people and I went the other, which is why you can't see me. We still crossed at exactly the same time.

Mistress Mary, Quite contrary

How does your garden grow? Here is how my garden grows! My vegetable garden consists of (from right to left): radishes, carrots, beets, salad greens, spinach, garlic, dill. Four types of herbs, two from seed, to from plants. Top left oregano, top right mint. Bottom left basil. Bottom right thyme. Baby sunflower seedlings. Lupins from seed doing well. Also planted shasta daisies and obedient plant from seed. I really want some delphiniums at some point yet this spring!

Day after pictures!

Jorgen and Kev the day after grad. ;) Jorgen's drinking Dr. Pepper...it's not really beer. :)

More grad pictures!

Brent and I and Eric and Becky at the grad banquet. We (Dad and Mom B., Eric and Becky and Brent and I) went bowling after grad in our dress up clothes. Played two rounds., guys against girls. One serious, wherein the guys slaughtered the girls, and the second a very silly game in which Becky won! Becky and Kirstin watching. A couple more bowling pictures.

Grad!

Happy Monday morning all! We had a very busy weekend at home...Jorgen and Kev's grad as well as some family time and we picked up a digital camera (!!). So here are some pictures of the events. Kevin and his friends...three of them with canes and top hats! The three tall boys. Jorgen and Kalie. :)

Brother Kevin

What an interesting weekend it shall be! This morning after Brent reviews a drawing with his dad, and I head to the University to pick up some books, we head out to Banff where we meet my faculty sponsor to do some initial general research at the Whyte Museum. Then we head to Red Deer to pick up our race packages and eat a pasta supper, then to my parents' house to stay overnight. Then up early and to Red Deer to run the Woody's RV Half marathon, then back to my parents' to shower and have a visit, then to Pattersons to visit there and then back to Calgary because I have to write a paper due Tuesday. Wow what a lot of driving! It's going to be fun though! Also, we saw my mum a bit this morning--she stayed overnight so that she could leave first thing this morning for her flight to Kelowna. She's going to visit her mum (my bedstemor) in Westbank for the day. Bedstemor is 95 and at times very lonely. I'm so glad my mum can do this! My main inspiration for writing is the fact that I was perusing the Lacombe Globe website this morning and came across an article about my brother-in-law, Kevin. As the article explains, he got Gold at the Provincial Skills Competition and is now going to Nationals in Halifax. We are very very proud of him! Edited to add: the article won't post correctly, but if you edit out the first http from the address, you should be able to view it...or you can follow the link from the Lacombe Globe homepage. --Female 1/2

Easter and birthdays!

Holy smokes the semester is almost over! Brent's writing two tests today and I'm finishing off one last essay. Then we're leaving for Pattersons to babysit for a week and a half. We're really looking forward to hanging out with the Patterson crew. :) What news, what news. Brent won the Calgary Regional Home Builders Association competition for design! He also placed second for presentation. I am very proud of him! I'm also very glad all his stress and hard work and loooong nights paid off in the long run! I received a research grant from the University for the summer to write about Mary Schaffer, female explorer and travel writer. I'm really excited about it. I'll be spending lots of time at the archives at the Whyte Museum in Banff and some time hiking and lots of reading and writing. We spent Easter in Lacombe, mostly with Brent's family. It was very relaxing and really good to visit. I managed to watch Pride and Prejudice (the new one) twice, also Emma, and Sense and Sensibility--so it was a weekend filled with Jane Austen! CKUA spring fundraiser has begun and we donated early this year so we could be in the early-bird draw. ;) It started this morning at six and already both we and my mum have been mentioned for our donations. :) I know I've done this pitch before, but in case you were wondering, you can listen to Alberta's public radio station at www.ckua.com I HIGHLY recommend it for your musical education. Birthdays! April 19th was Dad Bouwsema's birthday, April 21 is Rachel Olson's birthday and April 24 is my Mum's! Happy birthday all! Last night Brent and I ran 13 Km for the first time this season. We're running the Woody's RV Half Marathon May long weekend, so we've really got to get cracking. Oh--it's the Queen's 80th birthday today!! Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth!! Well I have a TON to do before we leave tonight. We have so many fun plans to do with the Patterson kids! -Female 1/2

Foggy day in Calgary town

Good morning! Today is a foggy day in Calgarytown and the Glenbow museum has lost its charm. That's a line from a jazz song originally sung by Ella Fitzgerald (I think) in case you're wondering. News in the pirate world: This is serious business: if we want global warming to decrease, we've really got to hire some more pirates! Anyone want to volunteer? (Borrowed from another blog) --female 1/2

More music!

Ok I'll admit it, Brent and I are addicted to music. We decided back in January to spend our GST rebates on music and we finally got around to ordering it. We each got two: mine was 1) the Little Willies CD I mentioned previously and 2) The Soundtrack to Pride and Prejudice (the new one). Brent got Fiona Apple, a slightly depressed-sounding Sarah Harmer-like singer, and Cat Stevens "Catch Bull at Four". We're very happy to have new music! However, if you've had a chance to look at our music lists in the link section on the right, we have looooots more to get! --Female 1/2

First Robin of Spring!

I'm blogging this because Brent's short of time. When we were out running last Saturday, that is, March 25, Brent saw a robin--the first robin we've seen thus far this spring. :)

This morning, in my procrastination from homework, I slipped over to the MEC website and was perusing the catalogue with our trip to Nepal and my summer research in mind. Lo and behold I discovered that I could make a wish list! Consequently, I did. :) If you're interested in perusing mine, here's how to get there Also, I found a really cool thing that I thought I'd show you. MEC sells them. It's called a Filzer Orkoon, apparently a cross between a spork and a foon (according the website). They're on clearance for $5.75.

Blogging, blogging, blogging

Hey all you fine blogg readers It's approximately two minutes to eleven and will, in all likelihood, be eleven or later by the time I quit posting. Tonight we went with Bec and Eric on a much anticipated much needed adventure to Costco. We spent waayyy too much money but got all kinds of good things like...apples...and granola bars and spaghetti... Also, I got a CD--CDs are cheap at Costco!!--by the Little Willies. The Little Willies are a bluegrassy/jazzy group of musicians including Norah Jones. Norah Jones just happens to be one of my alltime favorite female artists. Prayer thought: younger brother Jorgen leave for a mission trip to Mexico in two days and at this point he is passportless and suffering from a foot injury. (That's Jorgen in the skateboarding picture). High moment of the day: 2006 Spring/Summer catalogue from MEC arrived today! I can start dreaming about all the neat things I would buy if we had money. Projects of the day: Brent's working on his house model. "I have three more pieces to put on the roof and then the basic roof shape is done. I just have to add details like dormers and chimneys and and and...soooo I still have a bit of work to do..." (and he made chocolate chip cookies). :) Kirstin's projects: Final exam in Medieval Marriage History...didn't go particularly well. Critique of Rural Western History paper...probably being too hard on the guy. --Female 1/2 Out

First Cut is the Deepest

Lately Brent and I have been listening to a lot of Cat Stevens. What got me back into a Cat mood was when one of the guys on American Idol sang a Cat song called...you guessed it, "The first Cut is the deepest". It's a really good song: pretty melody and thoughtful lyrics. I pulled out all my Cat records tonight (incidentally, I asked Brent for a record player for my birthday as a result) and discovered that I have seven records and two cds of Cat. Pretty impressive, hey? I just wish I could play them!

Marine Biology

Normally forwards are a pet peeve of mine, but this particular one I received from a friend who is also fiercely battling the never-ending school workload and I had to share it. The text that accompanied the picture reads: The photo shows two almost identical dolphins. The photo was used in a study on stress at St. Mary's Hospital. After you've read this, look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins should appear identical; however, the closely monitored scientific study found that people under stress will find differences in the two dolphins. The more differences you see, the greater amount of stress you are probably experiencing. Look carefully at the photograph. If you find more than one or two minor differences between the two dolphins it may be time to consider taking a holiday. So...I don't know about you guys, but I see a hereford cow on the right. Does that qualify me for a holiday?? Female 1/2

Wedding dresses and Winter Olympics

Brent and I caught just a few minutes of the closing ceremonies of the Olympics yesterday...long enough to see Andre Boccelli (spelling?) sing and see all the girls in wedding dresses. They looked very pretty. I think I would definitely have volunteered to wear my wedding dress again and carry a calla lily light. Actually, I would take any opportunity to wear my wedding dress again. It seems like such a shame that wedding dresses are so expensive and so pretty but we only get to wear them once. I really liked mine. Now that I'm thinking about it, I remember when three couples in the Woodynook celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversaries (they had a triple wedding) all three of the wives wore their dresses again. I would like to hope I could possibly fit into my dress in twenty-five years! You never know, it had a corset so there's a lot of room for adjustment. On another dress note, Brent and I watched Pride and Prejucide saturday night. I absolutely love that movie. I could watch it over and over and never tire of it. Anyway, I really love all their dresses also. I wonder how I would look in an empire style dress. I'm not so sure I would like to show quite as much cleavage as they show though--especially Jane. However, Jane and Elizabeth's wedding dresses are especially pretty. I wish lived in a society wherein I could ress like that and live in a castle by a lake. Brent and I have decided that when we have ten million dollars we're going to buy some land west of Calgary and build a castle like Pemberley.

London Fog

Quite possibly, aside from the times when I feel like I desperately need a coffee, my favorite drink from Starbucks, or Second Cup (preferably Second Cup for reasons which I will elaborate at another time...or you can ask me about it) is a London Fog. I was introduced to this delectable treat in my second year at RDC by two fellow students from my Children's Lit class. What is a London Fog, you might ask. A London Fog is merely this: Earl Grey tea (my absolute favorite) steeped in steamed milk rather than water with some vanilla syrup added...and of course, the mandatory foam on top. Two variations include whipping cream on top instead of foam, and caramel syrup delicately overlaid in a lattice on top of the foam or whipped cream. Yum!

Borrowed this picture from the CBC Olympic webpage...which I've been following closely lately seeing as I'm addicted to the Olympics. I think my addiction began in grade eight or nine when the Olympics were in Nagano and I had to do a olympic game scrapbook for Phys. Ed. If I were ever to go to the games, I'd want to do speedskating. I used to want to be a bobsledder but now that I run, I think I could handle speedskating...as long as they don't require me to stop very quickly...but maybe I'd learn to stop in training...

On a more serious note, also related to the cartoon, is the Danish/Muslim situation. Personally, I think the Muslim people involved in the threats and flag burnings etc. merely needed and excuse to get riled up. Why pick on the Danish country as a whole for the printing of a silly cartoon? Jesus is made fun of quite often and I don't go out burning flags and wrecking things. Actually, I've been feeling quite persecuted as a Christian in my university experience right now. That happens every now and again...Christians in the past were not very good people and did a lot of horrible things, but I wish contemporary society would not blame Christianity as a religion for the mistakes made in the past in the name of religion.

But to return again to the cartoon, it seems so strange that Denmark would be picked as the country of choice to persecute. Ok, they printed the cartoon first. But Denmark?? It's smaller than Alberta! In fact, I think you could probably fit five Denmarks into Alberta. Moreover, it's not even close to a world power. The Danish people are pretty peaceful, I'd say.

On an even more serious note, my Auntie Karen is a missionary in Turkey and things are not exactly all peace and happiness there either these days. In addition, she has strong connections with Denmark--she is supported by a church there. Consequently, if you feel like praying for her, please do. These are scary times for her.

That's it for me right now. I've got to go read about the murder of newly-married women in India by their mother-in-laws for a while...

Female 1/2

Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band

Sunday night Brent and I watched Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band, the movie. It was very very silly...you pretty much needed to be smoking something to think the storyline was anything profound. It was a musical of all Beatles music--the Beatles had an album called the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band, which is the first picture. While it was all Beatles music, the four band members were not played by the Beatles, they were played by the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton. Peter Frampton is second from the left with blonde hair. We decided that Jorgen's friend Dusty looks a lot like Peter Frampton... This is one of the lead Bee Gees...though I'm not sure which one he is. Bren figured that if he had really long hair, he would look like this guy. Isn't he "dreamy"? And I thought I'd throw in a picture of the Beatles on their Abbey Road album just for the heck of it. Someday I want to go there and get a picture taken of me crossing the street. Note that Paul is barefoot...conspiracists everywhere wonder why he's barefoot....