Happy Fertility.

With "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" still on our lips from Palm Sunday yesterday and hopes of Easter baskets to come on Sunday, the girls decorated Easter Eggs today in the basement.  I was about to title this post "Happy Holy Week" as this is, traditionally, the most holy week of the Christian calendar (I know, you Westminsterites...every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday).  And, indeed, it is an exciting week to meditate in a special way on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, to celebrate the work of His Spirit in the now, and to look forward to His coming again.  But Easter eggs?  Do they have anything to do with Jesus?  About as much as Rudolph does with the manger.  And, not unlike Christmas being near the winter's solstice, Easter falls near the Spring Equinox.  Colored eggs?  Other than tricking Eleanor into eating a hard boiled egg, they really have no religious significance.  Actually, after doing some serious research on Wikepedia (see "Easter Egg"), I learned that they are really a celebration of ancient fertility rites and the rebirth of the earth with spring.  Oops.

Roscoe is thinking, "People are so weird.  Why can't I just eat these??."

Roscoe Houdini Little

What would YOU do to get out of one of these?

Roscoe proved himself a bit too intelligent for his canine state this week.  Jason has christened him Roscoe "Houdini" Little, our beloved escape artist.  While we were at the coast (see some pictures of our trip on Gretchen's blog), Roscoe baffled the employees of Dogs Dig It by undoing a latch like this :

...and then opening two doors by turning doorknobs with his mouth...

in hopes of returning to his people pack and get some more cuddles from his girls like this :

The staff found him in the morning waiting in the lobby where we had checked him in the day before- no doubt wondering why we weren't still there waiting for him after his brilliant escape.  And what amazes me is, not only that he undid a latch that seems to require a thumb or that he opened doors by turning doorknobs with his mouth, but that he knew which doors to open.  "He is a wonderful dog," the staff commented, "gentle, non-aggressive, but he just really wants to be with people."  Well, who can complain about that?  Ingrid, if you ever read this, you made a good choice not taking him to Australia and putting him in quarantine.  I'm pretty sure he'd be in the Outback by now!

Doggie Daycare- Portland Style

 Almost three years ago, right after we moved to Portland, I almost swerved off the road when a girl in Raggedy Ann tights and a top hat rode by my car on her bike.  It is funny how things that seem abnormal become the new normal in our lives until they are no longer noticed.  Just yesterday I stood balancing on one leg in a yoga class with my hands above my head when I realized I was the only person in my row of eight mats who did not have a tattoo on my arm, neck, chest, or back.  THE ONLY PERSON.  Does that make me countercultural?

Spring break began today.  In hopes of getting away to the coast for a night we decided to explore some options for Roscoe while we are gone.  After talking to our vet and doing some research I was directed to Dogs Dig It, a 'doggie daycare' and 'hotel' in Southeast Portland that came with much praise. While waiting in the reception area for Roscoe to have his 'introductory appointment,' my eyes wandered around taking in some of the items offered for sale.  I guess I had another "girl in a top hat and Raggedy Ann tights" moment.  Below are a few of the items that were for sale.

So, we left Roscoe to bark his head off for two hours, like a toddler in the church nursery crying for mama, while we went downtown to enjoy the opening Saturday of Portland's downtown Farmer's Market. Below is a picture Jason captured with his phone above his head.  It was a bit packed, but then again, Portlanders are passionate about their market (and it was sunny and 68 degrees). 

 Rynn was a bit weary of the crowds in a forced attempt for a cute picture.  Who cares if you get to taste organic local Lavender Marionberry Jam when what you are really ready for is LUNCH?

A Bit of Yard Art

IMG_0647, originally uploaded by jasonchristopherlittle.

Jason was feeling a little nostalgic for Tennessee, a little inspired by the spring weather, and so he thought he'd add a bit of yard art to spruce up the place.

Meet Lord Blakely

Meet Blakely Dadson. He is a Portland artist extraordinaire, an amazing creator, a musician, and an integral part of our church family at Hope. Last week Blakely had an art opening at a gallery downtown that Jason and I were able to attend. Under the glow of downtown and through the gazes of strangers and friends alike we were able to see Blakely's new work.

As I left the card announcing Blakely's art opening on the kitchen counter that night, I thought it, like most pieces of scrap paper in our house, would be discovered by our children and rapidly consumed by scissors and tape. But this postcard did not succumb to the usual fate. Walking into the kitchen the following morning I found Rynn spellbound and speechless as she stared at the colorful image on the front. She looked up at me with great sincerity and said, "Mommy, where is this painting?."

To which I replied, "That is from Blakely's art show. You know Blakely...from church."

With incredulity Rynn said, "Why, Mommy, did you not take me? I want to see this painting."

Four days later Blakely met our family at the gallery for a personal tour with Eleanor and Rynn. It was such a joy to see our children find wonder at new images and to see Blakely with his art. I feel so blessed to share in the creative life of others in our church and to see my children enjoy sharing in it with them too.

You can see more of Blakely's art at www.lordblakely.com.

a little sushi snack after all that hard art critique

And, check out this image of the Steele Bridge and the blooming cherry trees...the contrasting image of this bridge with all of its stark, efficient engineering next to the soft, pink blooming cherry trees of Waterfront Park.

My Babies...some pics for our family

Grammy...we are loving the leg warmers on these Coooold March days.

a mouse in the house!

a mighty fine doggy pillow

an afternoon at Portland's Japanese Garden...Rynn led us through following the map written in Japanese

Some Oscar night reflections

Are you kidding me??? Sandra Bullock for best actress? I had her picked for Number 5 in that list. I was pulling for Meryl Streep, but no one asked my opinion. Oh well. I haven’t seen Blindside yet, but perhaps I will. After all, parts of it were filmed-complete with Westminster students as extras- at my high school alma mater.

Several years ago, after spending an hour pouring over my alumni magazine from Westminster reading all the things my fellow classmates were doing or accomplishing- everything from Harvard Law School to Brian Bumgartner and Ed Helms now appearing on the “Office,” or Kate Guyton who just performed Cyrano De Bergerac with Jennifer Gardner and Kevin Kline- I descended into another mopey depression about all the things I have not accomplished in life. And then I’d start on my tirade about “It is no wonder I never made any plays in high school!!!” (never mind the overdramatic unsophisticated auditions I was prone to). Jason took the magazine, tossed it into the trash can, and said, “Caroline, no more of this privileged achievement porn. You’re done. No more of these alumni magazines.” And, he’s right. I love my wonderful husband. It isn’t about what you do in life, right? It is about who we are. But, I can still be a little, tiny bit jealous, yes? And why does it take us until middle adulthood to finally admit what a profound impact upon us our high school years really are?

Well, congratulations Westminster. Your movie won an Oscar. All those pretty green football fields (and even the helmets with the “W”!) are in the bright lights and on the big screen. I guess now I have enough distance in time and geography to be proud, to raise my Portland microbrew to you and brag, “Go, go, go, go you mighty Wildcats!.”

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

Each year Portland's Multnomah County Library chooses a book it deems worthy of making an "Everyone Reads" for our city. This year, with the support of OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) our library chose The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson. The subtitle of The Ghost Map explains its thesis as "The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic- and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World." It is indeed a story while at the same time being a non-fiction account of a cholera outbreak in 19th century London. The Washington Post called it a "medical thriller" and a "detective" story which I found a bit misleading. It is not exactly like watching House or CSI, but if you have an interest in public health issues or urban development you will probably find this book very interesting.

When cholera broke out in 19th century London, the city as a modern day phenomenon was still relatively new. Never before had so many people gathered to live in such a small space. It was characteristic 'urbanization' and 'industrialization'- buzz words of high school history classes. With this new concentration of people came new problems in waste management, disease, and resources...some of the same problems our own city planners face today. By looking at one disease outbreak in one 19th century London neighborhood, Johnson leads his readers to ask bigger questions about our own cities and the problems we must face. What makes his book so accessible, and why I think it became Multnomah County's Everybody Reads, is that he does this by focusing his story on two individual characters and the telling of their story. By engaging his readers in specific personalities and leading us in a narrative fashion, Johnson winsomely brings an average reader into the drama of history and public health.

Johnson connects a story from the pages of history to our own modern cities writing,

"And so our conversion to a city-planet is by no means irreversible. The very forces that propelled the urban revolution in the first place-the scale and connectedness of dense urban living- could be turned against us. Rogue viruses or weapons could once again turn urban areas into sites of mass death or terror. But if we are to keep alive the model of sustainable metropolitan life....we must do at the very least two things. The first is to embrace the insights of science...and apply the rational application of the scientific method to public health matters...The second is to commit ourselves to the kinds of public health systems (that developed in 19th c. London) such as clean water, sanitary waste removal and recycling, disease detection and mapping programs"(254-5).

I think Johnson's book is significant, and I would recommend it with the caveat to lower your expectations for a great thriller or mystery. Rather, approach it as a book that will make you think about public health issues and urban responsibility. You can read more about the book and the city's program to get folks reading at Everybody Reads 2010 or Powell's Books.