Sensational Haiku Wednesday

ABSENCE

I

When you are gone, what

I desire more than presents

Is just your presence.

II

Tatted like white lace

Voids in the wet snow adorn

patio pavers.

Photo taken this morning

L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle Blogging

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 David Poole

Theme: MONKEY BUSINESS.  Since it's actually a double theme, I'll also go with APE IN THE MIDDLE.  Second things first:  The four longest answers each contain the hidden word APE, split between the first and last names of a real or fictional woman, consistently parsed as -A  PE-.

18 A. Early Mary Tyler Moore role : LAURA PETRIE.  Fictional Woman - Mrs. Rob PETRIE was a real dish on a favorite TV show from the distant past.

54 A. She played Carla Tortelli on "Cheers" : RHEA PERLMAN.  Real Woman.  You'd have to be, to be married to Danny Divito.

 3 D. She played Nicole Chapman on "Fame" : NIA PEEPLES.  Real Woman, who I've never heard of.  Cute.

 28 D. 1996 Madonna role : EVITA PERON.  Real woman, fictionalized.   Wow.  Has it been 15 years?!?

Plus the extended unifier:

4. With 36- and 62-Across, kids' ball game, and something this puzzle's four longest answers have in 
common : MONKEY

 36. See 4-Across : IN THE

 62. See 4-Across : MIDDLE.  In my neighborhood, we had a failure of imagination, and just called this often cruel game "keep-away." 

Hi gang, it's Jazzbumpa, reporting from somewhere in APE country.  Now, this dual theme is tight, cute, clever, and original.  High marks for every bit of that.  The only problem is that it's dead wrong!  And thereby hangs a tail, so to speak.  With that hint, I'll reveal why at the end, (which is sort of another hint, come to think of it.) 

Let's see what other kinds of MONKEY BUSINESS we can uncover in APE country.  Onward!

Shadow Shot Sunday / Mellow Yellow Monday

At the OSU - Michigan Game 11-26-11

Both teams were well represented

I was not the only CONFLICTED person there.

Wolverines hung on for a 40 - 34 victory.

Six Word Saturday

Going to the Wolverines - Buckeyes game.

Thanks to Son-in-law Joe!

From Ohio, live in Michigan -- Conflicted! 

 Oh, my - what colors to wear?

Puttin' On The Ritz

Performed by The Ad Hoc Trombone Quartet





From our performance last Saturday.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

PONDER

Thinking deeply on

The Vikings quarterback

Situation - Hmmmmm . . .

Photo credit: USA Today: 

On second thought, I'm

A LIONS fan; we've got the

Pack, so why Ponder?  

Shadow Shot Sunday

STRANGE BIRD?

Strange bird . . . (or lizard ?)

Hovers (or hangs?) thrusting its 

Beak (or snout?) in --- What?

Here's the answer.

Once more at the entrance to the Novi, MI civic center, we find this wire sculpture of a figure holding a globe of the earth.  It's still a bit enigmatic, though.  Is that a dancer?  An athlete?  A frolicking child?






Last week's shot made this week's collage. Very cool.

Six Word Saturday

Playing in a Book Store Today.

Part of our annual fund raiser.

Here is one of our selections.

L.A.Times Cross Word Puzzle Bloggging

 Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Julian Lim

THEME: GO OFF, don't GOOF OFF!  Common phrases starting with the words, "GO OFF" are clued* as if the words showed up in the theme answers; but instead, they are reserved for the unifier.  This results in some odd-looking partials until you pull it all together.   Then, you find that the theme questions define the answers quite nicely.

* With asterisks.

A 17. *Get carried away : (GO OFF) THE DEEP END.

A 64. *Act prematurely : (GO OFF) HALF COCKED.

D 11. *Lose it : (GO OFF) ONES  ROCKER.

D 28. *Digress : (GO OFF) ON A TANGENT.

And the unifier:  A 40. Explode, and words needed to complete the four starred answers : GO OFF.   This filled in partially from the perps, and it was not immediately obvious how to parse the goofy-looking  "_OOFF" until I took a good look at the clue.  

Hi, gang.  Reporting here from the DEEP END, it's JazzBumpa, the HALF-COCKED trombonist.  I don't recall seeing a theme approach quite like this before, so high marks to Mr. Lim for a creative and tight theme.  With that in mind, let's GO OFF exploring it.  We'll find some other gems, for sure.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Autumn Leaves

Japanese Maple

And other downed maple leaves

Mingle in my yard 

Shadow Shot Sunday

Reflections

The morning sun's reflection 

off my storm door cut into the

shadows of the hedge row,

while making shadows of its own.

  

Six Word Saturday

This long day is almost over.

Some of it was good, though.

Too much time in the car.

Was ready for home hours earlier.

Good night all - off to bed.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Opera House - Fayette, Ohio

I played there yesterday.

Charming venue, and a very appreciative audience.

Old Opera House

In a fading little town:

Echos of days past.