A Midsummer Night's Dream

We went to see Theatre Calgary and Mount Royal University's Shakespeare in the park, performing 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.  http://theatrecalgary.com/plays/sitp/more_info/

Here are some of my favourite photos and quotes:

EGEUS:

"Full of vexation come I, with complaint 

Against my child, my daughter Hermia. 

Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, 

This man hath my consent to marry her. 

Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke, 

This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; 

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, 

And interchanged love-tokens with my child: 

Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, 

With feigning voice verses of feigning love, 

And stol'n the impression of her fantasy 

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, 

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers 

Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: 

With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, 

Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, 

To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke, 

Be it so she will not here before your grace 

Consent to marry with Demetrius, 

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, 

As she is mine, I may dispose of her: 

Which shall be either to this gentleman 

Or to her death, according to our law 

Immediately provided in that case."

QUINCE:

"Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is 

thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our 

interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his 

wedding-day at night." 

OBERON:

"I pray thee, give it me. 

    I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
    Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
    Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
    With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
    There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
    Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
    And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
    Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
    And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
    And make her full of hateful fantasies.
    Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:
    A sweet Athenian lady is in love
    With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
    But do it when the next thing he espies
    May be the lady: thou shalt know the man
    By the Athenian garments he hath on.
    Effect it with some care, that he may prove
    More fond on her than she upon her love:
    And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow." 

PUCK:

 "Through the forest have I gone. 

    But Athenian found I none,
    On whose eyes I might approve
    This flower's force in stirring love.
    Night and silence.--Who is here?
    Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
    This is he, my master said,
    Despised the Athenian maid;
    And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
    On the dank and dirty ground.
    Pretty soul! she durst not lie
    Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
    Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
    All the power this charm doth owe. 

(He drops the juice on Lysander's eyelids)
    When thou wak'st, let love forbid
    Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:
    So awake when I am gone;
    For I must now to Oberon."

BOTTOM:

"Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them to 

    make me afeard."

PUCK:

"My mistress with a monster is in love. 

    Near to her close and consecrated bower,
    While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
    A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
    That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
    Were met together to rehearse a play
    Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.
    The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,
    Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
    Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake
    When I did him at this advantage take,
    An ass's nole I fixed on his head:
    Anon his Thisbe must be answered,
    And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
    As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
    Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
    Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
    Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
    So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;
    And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
    He murder cries and help from Athens calls.
    Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears
    thus strong,
    Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;
    For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
    Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all
    things catch.
    I led them on in this distracted fear,
    And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
    When in that moment, so it came to pass,
    Titania waked and straightway loved an ass."

   OBERON: 

"Welcome, good Robin.
    See'st thou this sweet sight?
    Her dotage now I do begin to pity:
    For, meeting her of late behind the wood,
    Seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool,
    I did upbraid her and fall out with her;
    For she his hairy temples then had rounded
    With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;
    And that same dew, which sometime on the buds
    Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,
    Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes
    Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.
    When I had at my pleasure taunted her
    And she in mild terms begg'd my patience,
    I then did ask of her her changeling child;
    Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent
    To bear him to my bower in fairy land.
    And now I have the boy, I will undo
    This hateful imperfection of her eyes:
    And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp
    From off the head of this Athenian swain;
    That, he awaking when the other do,
    May all to Athens back again repair
    And think no more of this night's accidents
    But as the fierce vexation of a dream.
    But first I will release the fairy queen.
    Be as thou wast wont to be;
    See as thou wast wont to see:
    Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower
    Hath such force and blessed power.
    Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen." 

THESEUS:

"Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth. 

    Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love
    Accompany your hearts!" 

OBERON:

 "Now, until the break of day, 

    Through this house each fairy stray.
    To the best bride-bed will we,
    Which by us shall blessed be;
    And the issue there create
    Ever shall be fortunate.
    So shall all the couples three
    Ever true in loving be;
    And the blots of Nature's hand
    Shall not in their issue stand;
    Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
    Nor mark prodigious, such as are
    Despised in nativity,
    Shall upon their children be.
    With this field-dew consecrate,
    Every fairy take his gait;
    And each several chamber bless,
    Through this palace, with sweet peace;
    And the owner of it blest
    Ever shall in safety rest.
    Trip away; make no stay;
    Meet me all by break of day."  

PUCK:

"If we shadows have offended, 

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumber'd here    

While these visions did appear.    

And this weak and idle theme,    

No more yielding but a dream,    

Gentles, do not reprehend:    

if you pardon, we will mend:    

And, as I am an honest Puck,    

If we had unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,    

We will make amends ere long;    

Else the Puck a liar call;    

So, good night unto you all.    

Give me your hands, if we be friends,    

And Robin shall restore amends."

Short story response

Zac Sparks Short Story Response

A Television Drama by Jane Rule


In the short story A Television Drama, author Jane Rule explores the realms of how people react to situations and how they view their reactions. The whole story is based on how she reacted to the situation as seen on page 152, “I saw him he was sitting by the laurel hedge,” would the dots in the paper have changed? Would the cameras have climbed into their nearly exposed winter garden? Would she believe now what she couldn’t believe even then, that she stood at that window and saw a man dying in her garden?”


The two main areas the story touches on are how people react to situations and how people cope with wondering how things could have been different if they would have acted. If I had ever witnessed something tragic or horrifying first hand there would be a certain trauma that comes along with an experience like that. Then I could really start to imagine how Carolee must have felt when she saw police swarming her neighbourhood and a man bleeding to death in her yard.




I like this story because it is dramatic and intriguing. The reader’s interest is peaked when Carolee discovers the man against the curve of the laurel hedge. “There, sitting against the curve of the laurel hedge by the lily pond, was a man, quite a young man, his head down, his left hand against his right shoulder. He was sick or hurt or dead” (pg 149) It is very well written and the tone of this story makes me want to read right to the end. The story reminds me of a crime show the way the setting is all quiet and normal and all of sudden things take a toll for the worst. After reading the text I can’t help but ask myself how the story would change if Carolee would have acted differently. Ultimately I think that is the main message the author is trying to convey.

The Legend of Bagger Vance - Movie Review

“The Legend of Bagger Vance” is an inspirational drama on over coming adversity and returning to the things you love and cherish. It is set 1931 during the aftermath of the great depression in Savannah Georgia. Matt Damon portrays a young and out of it Rannulph Junuh. Junuh returns to Savannah after running away from the war. Savannah needs Junuh for an upcoming golf tournament. After characters such as Adele Invergordon (Charlize Theron) and Hardy Greaves (J. Michael Moncrief) practically beg Junuh to compete, Junuh finally decides he will play and represent Savannah. But as we learn the biggest factor in Junuh’s return would have to be that of Bagger Vance (Will Smith) a dark and mysterious and almost godly figure that shows up out of the woods from seemingly nowhere to offer to be a caddie for Junuh. Bagger Vance will ultimately prove key in helping Junuh remember his authentic swing and over coming his demons to tie Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen in one of the biggest golf comebacks of all time. Directed by Robert Redford the film so eloquently indulges itself into the golfing world, from the emotions, struggle and heartache the game can so easily bring upon you. The movie which skips between the golf competition and the romance between Junuh and Adele goes very well together as it is easy to tell that Adele and golf are the two things that Junuh truly loves. The top notch cast also includes Jack Lemmon as Hardy Grieves as an old man, Bruce Mcgill as one of Junuh’s playing competitors “that hits more bad shots in a single round then most players hit in an entire season”. The films director, Robert Redford casted Matt Damon to play Junuh because he is a very prominent actor with notable roles in films such as “Good Will Hunting and “Saving Private Ryan”. His brisk performance is the royal icing on a clever and dramatic confection that manages to be substantial and inspirational all at once.

West Edmonton Mall

Mom said when everyone finished 2 subjects in their homeschooling books we could go to West Edmonton mall. We went last weekend! The first day we went to the water park and Nanny came with us. My favourite was the blue bullet waterslide. The next day we went to Galaxyland. This is me and Joe on the merry go round and it was so much fun.



And this is just me on the merry go round.

This is Katie and Sarah on the boat ride. If you look really closely you can see them. I went on the boat ride too but I'm not in this picture. And this is me and Dad on the bumper cars and it was a lot of fun!!! This is me and Joe at the play place and it was fun too. This is the swing of the century. I went on it, but I'm not in this picture . It was my favourite ride.

This is Joe in the play place.

This is me in the hot air ballooon ride.

And this is Katie in the hot air balloon ride.

And this is Joe in the hot air balloon.

And this is Joe on the airplane ride.

And this is Sarah at the mini golf place. She got a hole in one!!

This is me at the mini golf place.

And this is us at Chantelle's house and we stayed overnight there.

This is Sarah and Dad sitting on the couch at Chantelle's house.

And the then cute Wiskey dog.

THE END

The Panama Canal

In 1539 the first plans for the Panama Canal were drawn by King Charles V of Spain, but the project only became practical more then 300 years later with the construction of the Panama railroad. The railroad was used to transport goods from vessels on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, and became helpful in choosing Panama as the site for a water transit route.

Construction began in 1880 by the French under Ferdinand de Lesseps, the same person who conducted the construction of the Suez Canal in 1869. Harsh working conditions, yellow fever and malaria wiped out an estimate 22,000 lives before the project was bankrupted in 1889.

From 1819, Panama was part of the federation and country of Colombia, but when Colombia rejected United States plans to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, the U.S. supported a revolution that led to the independence of Panama in 1903

In 1904 the project was taken over by the United States under Theodore Roosevelt, after orchestrating Panama’s move for independence from Colombia the previous year. The discovery that mosquitos as the carriers of yellow fever and malaria allowed for disease prevention, and work moved quickly under improved conditions, although it would claim another 5000 lives before completion.

picture from 1904

The Panama Canal was finally completed in 1914. The total cost was $375,000,000. It was 51 miles long. And allowed more than 14,000 vessels ferrying nearly 280 million tones of trade goods between the Eastern and Western nations to pass each year. The cargo ship Ancon was the first to cross on August 15^th 1914.

Gatun Locks

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal

http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/panamacanal.htm

Global Climate Change

Today I learned about global climate change. The earth is heating up because human activity is increasing the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases come from using coal and oil. Polar ice shelves are breaking into small pieces. Polar bears are drowning because the ice is melting away.

There are things that everyone can do to slow down global warming. We can look for solar, tidal, hydroelectric, and geothermal power. We can stop driving so much, and start biking or walking instead. Or we could buy electric cars. We can turn off the lights, TV and computers when we're not using them. We can reduce, reuse and recycle.

Pauline Johnson

Today I learned about Pauline Johnson. She was born on March 10, 1861, near Brantford Ontario. Her father was a Mohawk Chief named G.H Johnson and her mother was an Englishwoman named Emily Howells. She became a much loved Canadian poet. She wrote 'The Corn Husker' and 'Canada'. Some called her The first Native voice in Canadian literature and others called her the 'Mohawk Princess'.

Canada (an acrostic poem) by Pauline Johnson

Crown of her , young Vancouver; crest of her, old Quebec;
Atlantic and far Pacific sweeping her, keel to deck.
North of her, ice and arctics; southward a rival's stealth;
Aloft her Empire's pennant; below, her nation's wealth.
Danger of men and markets, bearing within her hold,
Appraised at highest value, cargoes of grain and gold.