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|June 26, 1981
|95 minutes
|Jim Henson
|Written by
|Jerry Juhl, Tom Patchett, Jack Rose and Jay Tarses
|Joe Raposo
|Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment
The Great Muppet Caper is the second in a series of live-action musical feature films starring the Muppets.
In the story, Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear play the roles of twin brothers (yes, twin brothers) who are newspaper reporters for the Daily Chronicle. Accompanied by Gonzo as their photographer, they are assigned to investigate the theft of a valuable diamond necklace from fashion designer Lady Holiday. They travel to London, England to interview her, but without any money for travel, they're forced to fly in the baggage hold of an aircraft and are thrown out of the plane as they arrive over Britain. They stay at the ramshackle (but free) Happiness Hotel, run by Pops and populated by the likes of Scooter, Rowlf, and the Electric Mayhem. When Kermit seeks out Lady Holiday in her office, however, he instead finds her receptionist, Miss Piggy, and mistakes her for the fashion designer. Piggy falls in love with the little green reporter and masquerades as Lady Holiday, even going so far as to sneak into a ritzy house in order to impress Kermit with her dwellings, much to the surprise of the true British residents.
In fact, the jewel theft was orchestrated by Lady Holiday's nefarious brother Nicky, assisted by three of her put-upon fashion models. Despite Nicky's instant attraction to Miss Piggy, they successfully frame her for the theft and proceed to steal an even more valuable prize -- the coveted Baseball Diamond, which is on display at a local gallery. Kermit's crew, along with their friends from the Happiness Hotel, have no choice but to intercept and catch the thieves themselves in order to clear Miss Piggy's good name. Piggy, meanwhile, has escaped from prison and, in a bout of serendipity, finds a motorcycle which she uses to literally crash into the film's climax and help apprehend the lovestruck Nicky. The Muppets then return to America the same way they departed, being thrown out of the cargo hold and parachuting back to Earth as the credits roll.
- Gonzo's classification as a "whatever" is officially cemented in this film, as this is the label affixed to his shipping crate en route to Great Britain.
- The fourth wall is completely demolished by the characters during the course of the film.
- Fozzie comments on the opening credits as they appear on screen.
- Kermit talks directly to the audience about the roles that he and Fozzie and Gonzo will play.
- Miss Piggy questions Lady Holiday giving her information about her brother for no apparent reason, to which she replies that it's important exposition that had to go somewhere.
- Kermit later reminds one of the guest stars (Peter Falk), after a meandering monologue, that they need to get back to the story.
- Kermit and Miss Piggy break character and start arguing over her acting skills.
- During the scene where Miss Piggy steals the truck, the driver (played by Peter Ustinov) questions the presence of Oscar the Grouch, to which he replies "A very brief cameo."
- The end of the bicycle scene, where all the Muppets are shown riding together was actually done by putting all of the Muppet characters onto their bikes, then hooking them together. Brian Henson, on an oversized tricycle, was amongst those pulling the bikes.
- In addition to Brian Henson, Lisa Henson worked as a production runner. On-screen cameos were made by Jim Henson and Amy Van Gilder (as club patrons), Frank Oz (working at the Daily Chronicle), Jerry Nelson and his daughter Christine (as father and daughter in the park), and Richard Hunt and Kathryn Mullen (in "Hey a Movie!").
- A full body Miss Piggy was used in the film twice. Once when Miss Piggy was leaving the supper club, and another time when she was diving in a pool during her fantasy.
- The song "The First Time It Happens" by Joe Raposo was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the 54th Academy Awards.
- Jim Henson had various friends and relatives suggest titles for the movie. The winning title was suggested by Lisa Henson.[1]
Production notes
A working title for the project was The Muppet Movie 2[2]; the film was a composite of two scripts - The Muppets Hit the Road (written by Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses) and The Good, The Bad, and The Muppets (written by Jerry Juhl and Jack Rose).[3]
The film began shooting on September 4, 1980 and wrapped in January 1981.[4]
The Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter (vol. 3, no. 2, 1981) had this description of the filming of The Great Muppet Caper:
"Watch for the shadow on the wall in Kermit's Fred Astaire dance number. It took 43 takes to get it right, the most takes needed for any shot in any movie.
Miss Piggy's underwater musical number was the most difficult scene to shoot, mostly because of communication problems. Lights, cameramen, cameras, speakers, monitors and Miss Piggy were all underwater. There were also 18 professional swimmers who had to dive into the pool at the right moment. We tried to get a dolphin to direct this part, but only one goldfish answered the ad.
So, the heat was on -- literally. We kept the water at 90 degrees Fahrenheit which made the air temperature a moist 95 degrees. The conditions were tropical! We then tried to get a director who also happened to be a monkey or a crocodile. One monkey applied, but he didn't like our terms (3 bananas/hour), and the crocodile ate his agent on the way to the studio.
We did almost all of our location shooting in England, working in and around London for about a month. Except for one rainy night, we never had to postpone shooting because of the weather. Then we went to "sunny" Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had bad weather half of the time! It just goes to show that you can't trust a cloud.
In Albuquerque, we shot the hot air balloon sequence which comes at the beginning of the film. It wasn't easy because there were so many variables. Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo went up in a genuine hot air balloon. If the wind blew, the balloon wouldn't go up. when the balloon did go up, a helicopter, with a cameraman suspended underneath it, followed it around. (We tried to find a bird to work the camera, but the chickens didn't like the idea and threatened to strike.) Occasionally, the helicopter would go above the balloon, forcing the hot air out and the balloon down, CRASH! An even more uncomfortable problem was filling the balloon with hot air. A burner was pushed up inside, and one time Kermit and Fozzie got singed! Gonzo, of course, loved it."
Frank Oz commented on the effects in an interview for Dynamite magazine:
"The water ballet scene with Miss Piggy was really wonderful. I was under the water for a week. I had three days of scuba training and then down I went. Having them swim for the first time really was exciting!
It's amazing, though, you work and work on the most difficult things and people say, 'That's nice.' then something easy will occur and it will be all anyone talks about! In the first movie, it was Kermit riding a bike. It was very easy to do that. It was just a simple marionette with strings. In the same film, there was that whole complicated sequence with Gonzo in the balloon, crashing into the sign and landing in the car. It took forever to film that -- and all the talk was about the bike! That's why we have a whole bicycle parade in this film.[5]"
A script re-write by Jay Tarses, Tom Patchett, and Jim Henson began on April 25, 1980.[6]
- Prior to 1993 video releases and TV broadcasts of the movie, "Night Life" lacked Dr. Teeth's vocals; when Piggy is walking down the alley after leaving Kermit, Joe Raposo's scoring is interrupted by Big Ben tolling, with no other sound effects; also the same score continues for both the jewel thieves and the Muppets going over their check lists; and Piggy delivers an elongated, "Hiiiiiiiiii-yaaaaaa!" as she crashes through the window at the Mallory Gallery.
- When this movie aired on the Odyssey Network, the entire bicycle sequence was cut.
- When aired on AMC, the following scenes were cut:
- Gonzo takes a picture of a pigeon was cut.
- Most of "Night Life".
- Muppet Performers
- Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, Bob Payne, Brian Muehl, Mike Quinn, Robbie Barnett, Hugh Spight, Brian Henson, and Kiran Shah
- Human Cast
- Charles Grodin as Nicky Holiday
- Diana Rigg as Lady Holiday
- Erica Creer as Marla
- Kate Howard as Carla
- Della Finch as Darla
- Michael Robbins as Guard
- Joan Sanderson as Dorcas
- Peter Hughes as Maitre d'
- Peggy Aitchison as Prison Guard
- Tommy Godfrey as Bus Conductor
- Katia Bong as 1st Model
- Valli Kemp as 2nd Model
- Michele Ivan-Zadeh as 3rd Model
- Chai Lee as 4th Model
- Christine Nelson as Girl in Park
- Reg Thomason as gentleman at Dubonnet Club (uncredited)
- Charkey's Water Ballet:
- Cynthia Ashley, Susan Backlinie, Sherrill Cannon, Christine Cullen, Susie Guest, Wendy Holker, Linda Horn, Lee Kenan, Darine Klega, Lynn Latham, Cynthia Leake, Kahren Lohren, Tricia McFarlin, Denise McKenna, Melina Lee Phelps, Denise Potter, Ann Rynne, Roberta Ward
- Cameo Guest Stars
- John Cleese as Neville
- Robert Morley as Man by Pond
- Peter Ustinov as Truck Driver
- Jack Warden as Mike Tarkanian
- Peter Falk (uncredited) as Disheveled Gentleman
- Oscar the Grouch (Caroll Spinney) as himself
Muppet Cast
- Muppet Characters
- Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Dr. Teeth, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot, Rowlf, Scooter, Rizzo the Rat, Sweetums, Pops, Lew Zealand, Lips, The Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, Beauregard, The Newsman, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, Louis Kazagger
- Background Characters
- Annie Sue, Crazy Harry, Gaffer, The Mutations, Droop, Timmy Monster, Frackles, Luncheon Counter Monster, Flower-Eating Monster, Miss Kitty, Lubbock Lou, Bubba, Gramps, Lou, Slim Wilson, Zeke, the Singing Food
- Animated Characters
Additional Credits
- Executive Producer: Martin Starger
- Producers: David Lazer and Frank Oz
- Associate Producer: Bruce Sharman
- Director of Photography: Oswald Morris
- Film Editor: Ralph Kemplen
- Choreographer: Anita Mann
- Muppet Designers and Builders: Caroly Wilcox, Tim Miller, Leslee Asch, Nomi Frederick, Ann Keeba-Tannenbaum, Janet Kuhl, Kathy Lazar, Joan Garrick, Tom Newby, Tom McLaughlin, Perry McLamb, Lyle Conway, Maria McNamara, Ed Christie, Connie Peterson, Jane Gootnick
- Muppet Technical Designers: Faz Fazakas, Tim Rose, Tad Krzanowski, Larry Jameson
- Muppet Costumes: Calista Hendrickson, Mary Strieff, Joanne Green, Carol Spier, Danielle Obinger
- Workshop Supervisor: Robert McCormack
- Muppet Doctor: Amy Van Gilder
- Special Assistant to Miss Piggy: Barbara Davis
- Design Consultant: Michael K. Frith
- New York Workshop Coordinator: Will Morrison
- Miss Piggy's Hairstyles: Christine Cooper
- Miss Piggy's Portfolio: John E. Barrett
- ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book - 8/9/1980 - 'Shoot Peter Falk.'
- ↑ Henson's note refers to project as "Muppet Movie 2" 10/27/80; Henson's notes refer to project as "MM2" 11/10/80, 3/-/80, 10/21/80, 10/6/80, 7/7/80, 4/25/80
- ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book - 7/7/1980 - 'Tom and Jay in town working on MM2.'
- ↑ Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journal, pages 130-132
- ↑ "Dynamite's Great Muppet Caper" by Jane Stine, Dynamite vol. 4 no. 12, June 1981.
- ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book - 4/25/1980 - 'Jay Tarses and Tom Patchett come over to begin MM2 (Caper) (re-write).'
See also
- The Great Muppet Caper (video)
- The Great Muppet Caper (soundtrack)
- The Muppets Go to the Movies (promotional special)


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PGA Tour to start new season in October 2013
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) – Starting next year, Fall Series tournaments won't feel like second-class citizens.
The PGA Tour policy board has decided to award full FedEx Cup points to the tournaments that come after the season-ending Tour Championship. That was one step in trying to shore up plans for a new season that will start in October 2013 and conclude with the Tour Championship in September 2014.
"With the fall tournaments moving to the front end of the PGA Tour schedule, the policy board believes the next logical step is for these tournaments to kick off the FedEx Cup and begin awarding full points,'' PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "All of these tournaments have been very successful and certainly deserve to be part of the FedEx Cup competition.''
For the past five years, the FedEx Cup has ended in September with the Tour Championship. The Fall Series events that followed only awarded prize money to determine the top 125 players on the money list who kept their full cards.
All that changes in 2013 with a fall start to the season.
Still to be decided is a major part of the puzzle – determining how players get their cards.
Instead of Q-school, the tour already has approved a plan to merge the top 75 players from the Nationwide Tour with PGA Tour players who finish from No. 126-200 on the money list for a three-tournament series. Fifty full tour cards will be awarded.
Tour officials have been retooling various options, though no consensus has been reached on a model.
Three options were reviewed at the Monday board meeting, and Finchem said his staff will get further feedback from the Player Advisory Councils on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour before deciding on the best model. A decision could be sooner that some might expect.
BEAU IS BACK: Beau Hossler never imagined he would be back at Congressional so soon.
A year ago, Hossler qualified for the U.S. Open at age 16 and missed the cut. He made it through both stages of qualifying again this year, and then turned heads at The Olympic Club when he was atop the leaderboard briefly in the third round of the U.S. Open. Hossler was only four shots out of the lead going into the final round, but he stumbled on Sunday and wasn't even low amateur.
Even so, his performance was enough to get a sponsor's exemption for the AT&T National, which returned to Congressional this year.
No one knew him last year. Now they do.
"I think I'm a little bigger name this year than last year,'' Hossler said. "But it's really great because especially at Olympic, I had a ton of supporters and fans, and it was really awesome to hear their roars any time I hit a pretty good shot.''
Hossler recently found out that he is known outside the golf course, too. Like the time he was buying a pair of socks.
"I'll tell you what, I was buying socks at Macy's the other day and some person didn't believe that it was me,'' he said. "So I had to show them my ID. It's pretty cool, though, because a lot of people know who I am now, being stopped in airports and everything, taking pictures. … You really wouldn't expect the guy from Jack in the Box to recognize me, but they kind of do now. So it's definitely different.''
Hossler said he had no plans to turn pro, and insists he will stay all four years when he goes to Texas.
Patrick Cantlay, a freshman at UCLA last year when he was low amateur at the U.S. Open, also said he was staying in college until he graduated. He turned pro last week and missed the cut.
YEAR OF THE COMEBACK: No lead appears safe on the PGA Tour this year, particularly if the leader is going for his first win. Marc Leishman, who closed with a 62 at the Travelers Championship, became the fifth player to come from at least six shots behind on the last day to win.
The trend began in January when Brandt Snedeker came from seven shots back with a 67 to win a playoff over Kyle Stanley, who made triple bogey on his last hole for 74. A week later, Stanley rallied from eight shots behind with a 65 to beat fast-fading Spencer Levin.
John Huh came from seven shots back in Mexico with a 63 and won in a playoff over Robert Allenby. The 54-hole leader, Daniel Summerhays, closed with a 73. The other comeback winner was Phil Mickelson, who was six behind Charlie Wi and closed with a 64 at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
In each case, the 54-hole leaders had never won on the PGA Tour. Last week in Cromwell, Conn., the 54-hole leaders were Roland Thatcher and Brian Davis, neither of whom has won on tour.
The last 54-hole leader to hold on for the win was Jason Dufner at the Byron Nelson Championship on May 20.
DOWN UNDER, ALL OVER: Considering the number of good players coming from Down Under, Geoff Ogilvy is the only Australian since 1995 to win a major.
Aussie icon Greg Norman, who won two majors, is puzzled by the lack of majors. Then again, it's not just Australia.
Sweden has never produced a male major champion. The last Englishman to win a major was Nick Faldo in 1996. Spain's last major was more than a decade ago.
"The simple answer to that is no, it's not an acceptable strike rate considering the talent and the capabilities of the Australian players we have out there,'' Norman said in a conference call last week. "There's a slew of them. But you can look at other countries, too, that haven't really done it. Sweden, you probably have more players on a global basis of that caliber than any outside of the United States, and they haven't done it. Then you look at Northern Ireland where you have back-to-back years with two guys.
"Why does it happen? Why the void? I have no answer because it doesn't make sense to me, because the players are good enough to do it on a regular basis,'' he said. "But when you think about it, you've got all these great players around the world and there's only four golf tournaments per year. So there's only going to be four winners. You can see the odds are getting harder and harder.''
DIVOTS: Alan Dunbar is the latest player from Northern Ireland to capture a big prize. The 23-year-old from Portrush won the British Amateur over the weekend at Royal Troon. He follows Graeme McDowell winning the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy winning the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional and Darren Clarke winning the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's. Dunbar's win gets him into the British Open, Masters and U.S. Open. … Six-time major champion Nick Faldo has been selected to receive the 2012 Ambassador of Golf Award, given to a person who has contributed to golf on an international level. The award is presented by the Northern Ohio Golf Charities and will be given to Faldo at Firestone during the Bridgestone Invitational. … Bubba Watson leads the PGA Tour in driving distance and greens in regulation. Since the tour began keeping track of these statistics in 1980, no one has led both categories in the same season. … The winner of the money list on the new PGA Tour Latinoamerica will be recognized with the Roberto de Vicenzo Award, named for the first Argentine to win a major.
STAT OF THE WEEK: The winner of the past three tournaments at Congressional had scores of 268 (Rory McIlroy), 267 (Tiger Woods) and 268 (Anthony Kim).
FINAL WORD: "It's getting harder and harder for him to win because the older he gets, the younger everybody else gets. And the younger they get, the less intimidated they are by him.'' – Greg Norman on Tiger Woods.


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Score Breakdown based on
63 Reviews
5 on July 25, 2016
as always stay was top notch. the only thing I missed was shooting the breeze with Terry and the people he hires. They are all super folk and its nice to chat with them. Just wish we had more free time to spend here. thank you Terry. Randy Means
5 on September 14, 2015
This is the second time my husband and I have stayed at Hermann Hill. We've been at the main Inn and just recently stayed in one of the cottages These people know how to pamper their guests. We will not hesitate to make this an annual getaway spot to reconnect and get away from it all. Well worth the money!!
3.8 on November 12, 2014
We stayed in the cottages. They thought of everything!! Our cottage was overlooking the river and train tracks, it was beautiful, and I actually enjoyed hearing the trains go by. They didn't run at night. We would definitely go back!!
5 on June 19, 2014
I brought my girlfriend here to celebrate her birthday and was thoroughly impressed! The staff worked hard to make us comfortable from the moment we arrived with appetizers and cocktails, then showed us to our room. Other than the great service and beautiful rooms, the thing that most stood out to us is the attention to detail that Hermann Hill has. If it was something you might forget, chances are that they have thought of it! I had never been to a bed and breakfast before, but we even reserved a room for next year!
5 on June 04, 2014
It was an amazing time! Great staff and wonderful location. Great breakfast!
5 on January 13, 2014
My husband and I love Hemann Hill! We have stayed at the Inn and in the Cottages and we love both experiences. The rooms are fantastic and we love their attention to every detail to make the stay perfect. The welcome tray is a wonderful treat upon arrival and the breakfast is amazing!! Hermann Hill is a great place for my husband and I to get away for a weekend.
5 on January 04, 2014
We needed a couples getaway but not too far from our children just in case! After doing some research I came across Hermann. I thought that would be a perfect getaway for us! When I came across Hermann Hill I knew immediately we needed to stay in a cottage for some couple time!! Best decision we made!! I had high expectations from reading other reviews and when we walked through the cottage door every expectation I had was met!! The room was amazing! We stayed 3 nights. When we arrived the first day we had a relaxing evening of sipping wine and dinner at the Cottage (which was amazing!) The next day we took on the Hermann Hill 3 mile walk, toured a few wineries (Stone Hill, Adam Puchta, and Oak Glenn), had lunch at Stone Hill (which was also amazing), enjoyed the Tin Mill Beers, and stopped in at the German Wurst Haus for some amazing bratwurst to cook at the cottage that evening! The next day we continued touring local wineries opening up our taste buds to wines we never would have thought to like. We had a great time! We also realized that as a couple we need to spend more time together and staying at Hermann Hill in one of their cottages definitely allowed us the couple time that we desperately needed with complete privacy and outstanding amenities! We are already planning our next trip to Hermann for one of the wine trails and will again be staying at Hermann Hill in one of their magnificent cottages (hopefully the same as our first visit.) Thank you Hermann Hill for an outstanding stay and the couple time that we needed! Tara Hoefling Missouri
3.8 on November 27, 2013
I loved everything about the cottage where I stayed for two days this November. The rooms are beautiful, the view of the river is lovely, the massage I had at the Inn was to die for, and the goodies in the fridge were the best I've ever eaten. I have only one, fairly large, complaint: The hot water runs out so fast I could only fill my jacuzzi tub about 6 inches deep. I asked about the hot water and was told it isn't legal to make the water any hotter (than tepid). All I can say is: Those huge, deep tubs were a big mistake.
4.6 on November 22, 2013
By far the best B&B experience ever for my bride and I. Every detail was thought of even from the second we walked in to check in. Service, food, view and the cottage absolutely the best. Thank you Terry, Betty and staff for this superb experience in Hermann! We will be back...
5 on November 20, 2013
Thank you so much for a wonderful week end , it was amazing. We both felt so pampered the spa, bringing our breakfast to our room, the jacuzzi tub was awesome! it was so great to be waited on. Gods beauty surrounds your place, the view, the sunrise was absolutely breathtaking. Everyone was so delightful and sweet and how special how we were greeted when we arrived. It was the most amazing week-end ever and we will be back. Thank you for everything Randy & Joyce St Peters, MO
5 on July 08, 2013
My husband & I were given a gift certificate from our sons for our 25th wedding anniversary at the Hermann Hill Vineyard Inn. We stayed their July 4, 2013 and you could not have asked for a better experience. The room was gorgeous, the view breathe taking, the service above and beyond and then to top it off the breakfast in the morning was very delicious. We would highly recommend this location. Thank you for making our 25th very special.
5 on May 18, 2013
We are two academics who have visited a Hermann Hill cottage over a dozen times in the last 5 years. When the semester ends, we're off to Hermann for some R&R. Service is exceptional, and even some very optional suggestions we made were done by our next visit. Every season has something special to offer--there's nothing like that quick December dash from the hot tub inside to the fireplace, nor the leisurely bratwurst grilling in May! We love the quiet serenity. It's always fun to read the guest book comments, sketches, and poetry that have been entered since your last visit.
5 on May 06, 2013
I'm not sure where to start. This, by far, the best retreat that I could have hoped for. My wife and I wanted to go and celebrate our 20th honeymoon without breaking the bank. Hermann Hill was the perfect spot. The staff is unbelievable! From the second you arrive (greeted by Lewis) through late night snacks, to the best breakfasts, through all the amenities you can find in the spa, this was just a dream of a vacation. The weather was not great while we were there, but with the pure luxury of the room we were in, it didn't matter. We sat on the very comfy bed and read, laughed and watched the clouds race across the sky. The busy world, which is my everyday life, was totally forgotten in the mists of a German valley. We, of course, signed up for the "same time next year" program and are already counting down the days. Thank you, Terry and Peggy, and the whole dedicated staff, for a great 20th honeymoon. We're looking forward to being there for #21.
5 on May 05, 2013
My wife and I recently stayed at this facility, in the Vignoles Suite, and loved it. We were looking for a place to relax and simply "do nothing" instead of our typical, hectic, vacation schedule. Peggy and Terry made everything about this trip easy and their customer service was outstanding, starting with our introductory questions and booking the room. We were greeted by a staff member, escorted to our room and shown all of the amenities. They thought of every detail to be able to relax, from the bottled water, outstanding breakfast, labels on the switches/remotes and even sandals to use after the hot tub. We took full advantage of their listing of local restaurants (including directions w/map) and the great view from our room day and night. After spending 2+ days relaxing and enjoying, we booked the room for next year as well. This was easily the most accommodating and well thought out place I have stayed, and I cannot wait to visit them again. They even overnighted my Cardinals hat back to me when I accidentally left it behind. Great facility, great food, great people.... definitely worth it!
5 on October 20, 2012
Received the stay as a gift from our son and daughter in law. What a Wonderful Gift. Everything about Hermann Hill exceeded our expectations. Very relaxing,great food. A good time of the year to visit the color of the fall leaves were beautiful. Great experience would recommend this to everyone.
5 on September 13, 2012
We wanted to celebrate our 25th anniversay with a mini get-away. This was the perfect place. There was some confusion because of booking thru Epedia (never go thru them - better prices and service straight from website). The staff went out of their way to make our stay the best it could be. Thanks again to all of you and especially Dawn for waiting late for us to get there!!! We will definately be back.
5 on July 15, 2012
We needed a short esacape from a long work week and our 7 kids and this was the perfect place. Service was excellent, food was absolutely amazing, the room was beautiful. Everything was absolutely perfect and far exceeded our expectations of a B&B. We even loved Lewis & Clark. We will be back very soon.
5 on July 09, 2012
The staff was so helpful.. Loved my time at this B&B and in Hermann.
5 on June 04, 2012
This was our first time to Hermann Hill and believe me, it won't be our last! It was the most relaxing vacation we have ever had! We stayed in one of the cottages and to be able to just sit on the deck, have coffee and watch the river go by was wonderful. Sitting in the hot tub wasn't bad either! The folks at the Inn are so nice and helpful. The breakfasts they leave in the fridge are wonderful! It's like your own little apartment! The bathtub, wow! It took about 30-45 min to fill it up and was so relaxing. After a year of being away from each other, it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for awhile.
4.8 on May 25, 2012
This place was an unexpected surprise. Being greeted at the door, wonderful rooms, a gorgeous view of the vineyards and the town below. We will definitley be coming back!
5 on March 20, 2012
They made us feel special and welcome. The two nights that we stayed were amazing! The breakfast was so good, we didn't need lunch. Lewis and Clark made the stay even more special.
4.8 on March 13, 2012
We just stayed in Chambourcin. I picked this room for the private hot tub, patio and the view to the northeast... And I was not disappointed! The sunrise from our hot tub was one of the best I've ever seen and I'm from Hawaii! What a delight Hermann Hill was. From the moment we entered we felt pampered. The wine and welcome plate (cheese, bread, grapes, sausage) was such a lovely surprise. The warm cookies and ice cream at 10pm were better than I could've hoped and I found myself looking forward to them each night. I LIVED in the ridiculously comfy robe they provide for your stay. Everyone is so nice, especially Jacob who checked us in. He was energetic, welcoming and knowledgeable…great combo. You could tell he loves his job. The breakfast was great as well... no complaints at all. I felt like there were so many extras I didn't know about, great value! The first day we were there the two chocolate labs, Lewis and Clarke, discovered us and checked on us frequently while we were on our patio (they cannot get onto the patio but they hang out in front..but don't worry we didn't hear them bark once in our two days there!) If you're an animal lover like me, this was such a delight. I had very high expectations for Hermann Hill and they exceeded them. I am so happy and feel so blessed that we got to experience it and I can't wait to come back. We also had the pleasure of touring cottage number 5 while we were exploring Hermann and my eye is on that one next. The cleaning lady who took time away from her job to show us around was so sweet and genuine. Thank you! Shannon & Mike from Eco Zipline Tours
5 on February 29, 2012
If you are in charge of planning the getaways, well stop looking book TODAY!! The cottages at Hermann Hill Inn are the best thing. Upon arrival your refrigerator is stocked with orange juice, bottle water, soda and snacks. Once you walk in you forget all your worries the cottages are beautiful, very clean, decorated very well and well worth every penny. Steam shower, hot tub, jacuzzi on patio, see threw fireplace in living room and bedroom what more can you ask for. What you see is what you're getting, but once you arrive you really do not want to leave. I'm looking forward to returning!!!
5 on February 12, 2012
We visited Hermann for a New Year's Eve getaway and loved every minute of it. Hermann Hill thinks of everything -- candlelit cookies / milk at 10pm at our door and breakfast in bed!
4.4 on January 12, 2012
Spent our 4th anniversary in the Virginia Seedling. We had a wonderful time!
5 on December 04, 2011
The service and amenities created the perfect setting to celebrate our anniversary. Can't wait to return next year!
5 on December 04, 2011
Phenomenal views, exceptional service, & reasonable rates made this location the perfect place to spend our 5-year anniversary. Will visit again in the future.
5 on November 06, 2011
What a way to relax. We had the perfect time. Sure it went by fast, but memories that will last forever. The staff was great, very clean and wonderful views. The food was great, too. We would definitely go back soon. Thank you so much for making our special day so special!
5 on November 06, 2011
We were in Hermann for a wedding and decided to stay for a nice getaway. We enjoyed our cottage, food, and the quiet atmosphere just for couples. Hosts couple were very welcoming, providing all we needed to make our stay relaxing and comfortable.
4.6 on October 19, 2011
My wife and I recently celebrated our 10-year anniversary at Hermann Hill. Our expectations were very high, as this Bed & Breakfast came highly recommended by friends. We were blown away by the experience! From the views, to the atmosphere, to the cleanliness of the rooms, it was an amazing time. We will definitely return to Hermann Hill!
5 on October 18, 2011
My husband and I stayed at Hermann Hill on our honeymoon. From the fabulous breakfasts in our stocked fridge to the relaxing hot tub everything was perfect! There was a card on the fridge letting us know the weather forecast for the next day. The steam shower was like a mini sauna and was so relaxing. The view from the patio was stunning - whether it was at sunset and we were in the hot tub or at breakfast from our patio table. I can't wait to go back!
5 on September 16, 2011
We have visited Herman Hill B&B for 5 years now on our anniversary and everything about the Inn is relaxing and perfect. Strongly recommend a stay for the couple that needs the stress buster get away! The staff goes out of their way to make sure everything is to your liking. The ammenities are 5 star!
5 on August 02, 2011
MOST AMAZING ACCOMMODATIONS!!! We received a free night's stay in a Hermann Hill Cottage after having our wedding at the Hermann Hill Wedding Chapel & Pavilion and it was amazing! It was so fun to wake up to the amazing views, enjoy the breakfast they provided (which was awesome) and relax in our own hot tub! Everything about our stay was perfect, the staff is wonderful and I cannot say enough great things about Hermann Hill! We will be returning for future anniversaries!! Thank you Terry & Peggy!!
5 on June 26, 2011
My husband and I stayed for our honeymoon. We were on a tight budget, but still wanted a relaxing, isolated get away. Hermann Hill was perfect! We stayed in a cottage for 4 nights. The breakfasts were already in our room for the entire stay so we weren't disturbed by someone bringing food each morning. We enjoyed the sunsets, the grill, the hot tub, the whirlpool tub and of course the wine! I would recommend Hermann Hill to anyone wanting a romantic trip!
5 on May 28, 2011
The Riverbluff Cottages are exceptional! We vist 2-3 times a year for some R&R. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic getaway, you can just check in and stay there; if you're looking for some diversion, there is plenty to do within reasonable driving distance. We enjoy watching the sunrise and sunset from the hot tub. The rooms are spotless and quiet and the staff members were instantly responsive whenever we made a request. Highly recommend!
5 on September 19, 2010
This is our fourth time staying at Hermann Hill. As always it was fantastic. The villa overlooking the Missouri River was great. We were treated very well and always feel welcomed. The food provided in the villa was as much as you can expect. Thanks for another great stay.
5 on August 18, 2010
My wife and I really needed a get away weekend to help celebrate our 12th Anniversary. We lived in Germany for seven years and heard about Hermann. We came across the Hermann hill vineyard and inn. We booked the room and went to get away. What a wonderful suprise! We were greeted and shown everything to make us feel like we were home. The room and facilities were so very clean and organized. We had a wonderful anniversary largely due to the wonderful Inn Keepers and staff. The cookies and Ice Cream at 9:30 pm was wonderful! Thank you for a wonderful time and we will be back......
3.2 on July 08, 2010
We stayed in the Norton Room. The Inn is very clean, beautiful, and modern. The view from our room at night was beautiful and peaceful. The cookies delivered at night were great. For the money we spent, we expected a great stay. Unfortunately, our room was located right above the kitchen. Our first night away since our seven month old was born, and also having a three year old at home, my birthday weekend was to be spent sleeping in. That was not the case. We were woken up early in the morning to noises of pots and pans, utensils, and plates. We couldn't get back to sleep. It was a great disappointment to a weekend that started out nice and one that was very pricey.
Innkeeper Response
We have made considerable effort to isolate this room from kitchen noise. Though we have not received prior complaints in our fifteen years of innkeeping, perhaps other guests were disturbed but did not report this to us. We thank you for your complaint and will use this information to improve our service. Our kitchen staff has been alerted to be more careful during breakfast preparation. Since most of our guests eat in their rooms, we do much of the prepwork the night before, setting up two trays per room. Our guests fill out their breakfast papers the night before, choosing from our offering of four full and two continental breakfasts daily, including omletes and waffles made to order. Our kitchen staff arrives at 7:50 each morning. Their first task is to fill carafes with the juice, iced tea, and milks requested by our guests. Next, they place weather cards under each guest door, set up tray stands in the hallways, and remove any cookie and ice cream plates from the previous night. At 8:20 they put our signature French Toast and any breakfast entrees served in ramekins into the oven for our 9:00 breakfasts, and then get our plates to be used for the assembled components. All other entrees would be baked at a later time for the 9:15, 9:30, 9:45, and 10:00 options selected by our guests. We assume that the "breakfast noise" started at 8:20.
- Terry Hammer (innkeeper)
4.6 on December 14, 2009
We were married at Hermann Hill Chapel and stayed the weekend at the Hermann Hill Inn. I cannot imgaine a more perfect "wedding weekend"! Terry & Peggy thought of everything at the Inn and Glenda was AMAZING for the wedding coordination! We loved our gifts from Terry & Peggy. I highly recommend Hermann Hill! This B&B is by far the best! Thank you for a perfect start to our life together! We look forward to our next visit!
5 on November 08, 2009
WOW! Beautiful, peaceful, luxurious...just a few words to describe our 2 night stay in Hermann. First stay at Hermann Hill and we are sold! Will definitely return...great hospitality and amenities!
4.6 on September 03, 2009
My husband arranged for a sitter for our 18 month old daughter and surprised me with a one night stay at Hermann Hill Cottages for my 26th birthday. Not something he would normally do because he is not the lounge arround type. This was a spectacular place to get away and spend time together. The cottage was up on a hill and overlooked the Missouri River. The private hot tub just topped off the romantic place. We both loved every aspect of the cottage, location and the staff at the Inn was awesome. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my birthday. Thank you to Hermann Hill staff for making this special and helping my husband piece everything together!
5 on July 06, 2009
I've just returned from a trip to Hermann Hill Vineyard and Inn in Hermann, MO. You might call this a two-personality inn, as it is actually split between a beautiful inn overlooking a vineyard and bluff-top cottages overlooking the Missouri River. In either location the theme that pervails is beautiful views and attention to all the details that matter. I stayed at the Inn in the Norton room It had a gorgeous view of the vineyard and the town and river beyond. Fabulous food prevails here, with breakfast to order at whatever time you wish and where ever you want to enjoy it. Breakfast choices include two entrees, or lighter fare including a wonderful fruit, granola and yogurt parfait. I got the chance to visit the cottages while I was there. They humorously refer to them as an adult water park. There are many ways to enjoy getting wet in each cottage, including a fabulous hot tub on the decks overlooking a dramatic view of the river, along with an inside spa tub and a fabulous multi-jetted steam shower. Each cottage comes complete with a refigerator stocked with breakfast items, ice cream, drinks, and more. The decks also feature grills, so cooking and soaking are the prevailing themes here. I can't finish this review without mentioning Hermann Hill's signature Port Raspberry Chocolate Sauce. The Port used in the sauce is made from the grapes grown at Hermann Hill. This chocolate sauce is served over ice cream with warm cookies every night. Look for a knock on the door between 9:30-10pm, and you will find the most delicious way to end the day you've ever tasted. WOW! Hermann Hill is such a Missouri treasure. For those who enjoy wine tasting, romance and pampered getaways, choose this inn.
5 on March 12, 2009
We have stayed at the Inn and the Cottages several times in the last four years. Hermann Hill is one of a handful of B&Bs in Missouri that qualify for the Select Registry. It is extremely clean, the staff are wonderful, and the amenities are fantastic. Look at their website for specials and mid-week discounts. Whenever we need a break, this is our favorite getaway.
4.8 on January 28, 2009
They are called 'cottages', but they are so much more! You must stay at least 3 days to enjoy all of the amenities. A perfect honeymoon spot, no matter how long you've been married!
5 on November 17, 2008
We just spent the weekend in one of the Riverbluff Cottages at Hermann. What an unexpected pleasure we found in a lovely town in the heart of Missouri wine country. The cottages are wonderfully designed to allow you all the opportunity you need for relaxation and reconnecting. We had the pleasure of meeting the owners as we booked our visit for next year.Terry and Peggy have thought about so much to make your stay as perfect as it can possibly be, but still spent 20 minutes talking with us for ideas that could make things even better. We cannot wait till next year to go back.
4.6 on October 28, 2008
Wonderful, as always. We have been here many times and it's always a wonderful experience.
5 on October 28, 2008
what a great place to take time for a personal retreat
3.4 on July 31, 2008
Grat getaway with lots of luxuries in our cottage. We enjoyed the town and the privacy of our cottage.
5 on July 24, 2008
My husband and I were given a night at Hermann Hill Vineyard Inn for our anniversary! We had a "spectacular" stay in a wonderful place with a "beautiful" view (overlooking the Missouri River). The amenities offered were beyond belief & we hope to go back again next year!
5 on July 21, 2008
Hermann Hill was perfect. All the details to our cottage were great. They really thought of everything. The views are great and the privacy was even better!
5 on July 21, 2008
Hermann Hill Village is the most private and romantic place to rejuvenate our marriage. All amenities are thought of and the food is great. With at least 8 wineries in 18 miles a great getaway!
4.6 on July 07, 2008
Everything was perfect and soo private. The hot tub and in room spa tub are the best. Can't wait to go back for the 3rd time!
5 on June 05, 2008
i have never stayed in a place with so many ammenities and upgrades. it was so easy to find romance in the hot tub, steam shower, jacuzzi tub and in front of the double fireplace.wow!
4.2 on June 04, 2008
Very clean and private. Received big discount by waiting to book.
5 on December 11, 2007
Every year we go to Hermann Hill, our stay is exceptional! We won't stay anywhere else! The place is perfect!
5 on August 04, 2007
Was Breathtaking and is so much greater than it looks! Everything is exceptional!
5 on July 07, 2007
My husband and I stayed at Hermann Hill Vineyard and Inn on our honeymoon and will be back for our first anniversary! It is by far the best Bed and Breakfast we have ever stayed at and we recommend them to all of our friends
5 on May 29, 2007
My wife and I live in St. Louis and wanted to get away for a weekend and relax. After lots of research I decided on Hermann Hill Village Cottages. What an amazing place. We had a whole level of our cottage to ourselves with a private deck and hot tub. The view overlooking the river was fantastic and the trips to the wineries in the area were a great time. The room far exceeded my expectations and Terry and Peggy were fantastic. I called to ask for some more bottles of water and a fresh robe and 30 minutes later both Terry and Peggy were at our door. Talk about service, it doesn't get any better than this place!! If you are looking for the perfect getaway, this is your place. If you want privacy, the cottages are just fantastic.
5 on April 04, 2007
My husband and I are going back to Herman Hill in a couple of weeks (counting the days until April 22nd). This is our 19th year anniversary. This is our 3rd year at Herman Hill. Great attention to every detail. The food is excellent. The house is extremely clean and elegant not to mention the grounds/vineyard. Worth every penny!!!
5 on March 14, 2007
My boyfriend and I went for Valentine's Day and could have not found a better place to stay. The place was so beautiful, romantic and cozy that it made me fall in love w/ him all over. It may have been only one night but it was definitely a night in heaven.
3.0 on February 12, 2007
We enjoyed our stay at Hermann Hill. The treats for the dogs outdoors were a nice touch. The 3-mile walk was long, so we drove it.
5 on February 07, 2007
this was our first bed and breakfast to stay in. we are now spoiled. every nite you would recieved cookies. we opt for breakfast to be brought to our room.this made our stay very relaxing. i would recommand this place to any one.
4.8 on January 05, 2007
Our friends thought we were crazy when we said we were going wine-tasting in Missouri, but we had a great time relaxing in our comfortable room at Herman Hill, with a balcony overlooking the vineyards, followed by wine-tasting nearby.


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Argentine rocker Charly Garcia goes orchestral
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — One of Latin America's most influential rock stars is preparing to make good on his dream of playing guitar with a full orchestra in the majestic Teatro Colon opera house in Buenos Aires.
Charly Garcia says the work planned for Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 isn't a rock opera: It's more like something from the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's period. In an Associated Press interview, the 61-year-old musician calls it "a humanistic work that erases the limits between spectator and composer."
Mayor Mauricio Macri's approval for the concert was a vote of confidence for the talented artist with a troubled past. No-shows and drug habits left him in a psychiatric hospital five years ago. Garcia says he also got Yoko Ono's blessing for his latest adventure.


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Blueberry season is just around the corner, and if you're like me, you've had a hard time resisting the blueberries in the grocery store lately!
Apparently, you like them too because in North America alone we consumed 853 million pounds of blueberries in 2011. Wow.
Blueberries are one of my all time favorite fruits – and they pack a nice punch too:
- Blueberries are high in Vitamin C
- Blueberries are a great source on antioxidants
- Blueberries have manganese - good for your bones!
- Blueberries are packed full of fiber
You don't have to list off their good-for-me qualities to convince me to enjoy them. I love them atop homemade granola and milk for a morning breakfast. Or, with ice cream…. when we run out of milk :)
Some of our other favorite ways to enjoy blueberries are:
Cinnamon Rolls – either plain blueberry or a new fav blueberry rhubarb!
Waffles & Pancakes – Love, love, love. In fact, I'm having some blueberry buttermilk waffles for breakfast today!
Blueberry Rhubarb Jam – Amazing, any way you choose to use it!
Blueberry Lemon Oat Bars – Now these are downright amazing. And, made with Greek yogurt.
Blueberry Biscuits with Blueberry Vanilla Sauce – These are perfect for a brunch!


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The best, and best-loved, contemporary poets do more than feel the pulse of the times or capture verbal snapshots. They also reveal something about the nature of poetry – what it is and why it resonates – that readers crave but don't find elsewhere.
Mary Oliver and Mark Doty do just that, though in vastly different ways.
Mary Oliver, whose new book Red Bird is at the top of the poetry bestseller list, has always written about the natural world, serving more as a mirror than a commentator. Her imagery and experiences do most of the talking, and the result is poetry that feels clear and untainted.
This remains true in "Red Bird," her 12th collection in poems, as in these lines from "The Orchard":
all winds blow cold
at last,
and the leaves,
so pretty, so many,
in the great, black
packet of time,
in the great, black
packet of ambition,
The ambition in those lines is both that of the trees and the poet, and Oliver turns the mirror on herself in many poems, though not in a direct or obtrusive way. As in her previous book, "Thirst," the order and fragility of the natural world prompt her to consider both human behavior and the Creator.
When she describes a panther, for example, she moves easily from the "puffs of its feet," on which it stands or waits, to:
Because, Sir,
you have given him,
for your own reasons,
everything that he needs: leaves, food, shelter;
a conscience
that never blinks.
The subtle reference to God broadens the scope of the poem without undermining it or making the language feel self-conscious. The lines in this and other poems have a quiet, memorable power, as if the reader had overheard Oliver at prayer.
The strongest poems in "Red Bird" – and there are many – have a similar ease and grace. They feel effortless and they employ a subtlety and refinement that allow Oliver to tackle challenging subjects – death, the abuse of the earth – without sounding preachy or predictable.
Oliver's humanity shines through when she writes about love – for the ocean, people she has lost, and her dog Percy, who says of books, "I ate one once."
The poet gets in her own way, however, when she muddies her work with sweeping statements or political comments, such as:
We will be known as a culture that
feared death
and adored power, that tried to vanquish insecurity
for the few and cared little for the penury of the
These fall flat because they lack specificity and detail, which gives poetry so much of its power. They also ask readers to supply the emotion and resonance rather than the poet.
Oliver has far more impact when she does the hard work of helping others view the world through her lens. Yet where she acts as a "window" for her poems, Mark Doty holds a magnifying glass to his subjects. He uses language as a way to highlight a moment, elevate it, and unearth hidden depth and meaning.
Fire to Fire, his new and selected poems, illustrates how he has done this over the past 20 years.
Striking imagery and a powerful imagination are two of his best tools, as evident in his earliest poems. When Doty writes about an Easter contest in "Ararat," for example (from "Turtle, Swan," 1987), he doesn't recall an egg, but an oval full of glorious possibilities.
What might have coiled inside it?
Crocuses tight on their clock-springs,
a bird who'd sing himself into an angel
in the highest reaches of the garden,
the morning's flaming arrow?
Any small thing can save you.
The descriptions are surprising yet spot-on, and the precise imagery provides the perfect balance for plainer, more conversational phrasing.
Doty seamlessly blends the two, allowing him to pull a reader into the poem, loosen his hold ever so slightly, and then pull him or her in deeper.
As his work matures, Doty becomes adept at balancing sharp, insightful observations with language that ranges from plain to "poetic." He isn't afraid to use words that are multisyllabic or heavy in the mouth.
Nor does he avoid adjectives that might sound precious or inflated in the hands of a less-skilled writer. In "A Display of Mackerel," from "Atlantis," he opens with:
They lie in parallel rows,
on ice, head to tail,
each a foot of luminosity
barred with black bands,
which divide the scales'
radiant sections
like seams of lead
in a Tiffany window.
The lines work because Doty moves from a strong visual – fish – to a more abstract description, and then repeats the process in reverse.
He doesn't let the language get away from him and he continually surprises the reader, as he does a few stanzas later with "Suppose we could iridesce,/ like these, and lose ourselves/ entirely in the universe/ of shimmer."
By transforming an adjective into a verb, Doty helps readers see the scene with fresh eyes, just as he does when he broadens the image in the next three lines.
As "Fire and Ice" progresses, Doty becomes increasingly comfortable with long, layered narratives and complex subjects. The poems feel more intellectual, yet remain grounded in earthy subjects and universal emotions.
Doty never shies away from difficult topics, such as losing his lover and several friends to illness, or from the mundane. He doesn't just describe his dog in "Golden Retrievals," he views the world from the canine's perspective, including a comment on his owner's "haze-headed" behavior.
Doty satisfies the ear and the mind in much of "Fire to Fire." At times his poems become too abstract or overblown, especially the new work. That's when readers will most appreciate – and miss – his ability to reveal moments that they might otherwise have overlooked.
Yet weaknesses aside, both Doty and Oliver use their distinct lenses to illumine the human experience. That, along with their inimitable voices and visions, makes their work not just memorable but necessary.


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If you reside in Twin Rivers Unified School District, there is opportunity to submit an application for your child to attend a school of your choice within the district for the 2017-2018 school year.
Applications are available at your current school of attendance or home school and will be accepted until February 15, 2017.
For more information you may contact Enid Scott in the Student Services Department at (916) 566-1600 ext. 50842 or (916) 566-1620.


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DailyDirt: Interesting Spider Behavior
from the urls-we-dig-up deptPeople tend to have an irrational fear of spiders, which are more often than not completely harmless and also beneficial because they help control the insect pest population around homes and gardens. Perhaps, instead of focusing on their "creepiness," people should learn about how cool these little creatures really are. Here are a few examples of some interesting behavior in spiders.
- Yes, spiders eat bats too. Apparently, bat-eating spiders live on every continent (except Antarctica). Most of them catch bats in their webs, but huntsman spiders and tarantulas have been observed eating bats on forest floors. [url]
- Spiders can adapt to zero-gravity. A "Johnson Jumper" spider named Nefertiti survived 100 days on the International Space Station, during which it demonstrated a new technique for catching fruit flies in zero-gravity. Instead of jumping on its prey, it would sidle up to it. [url]
- Contrary to popular belief, spiders can be sociable. Of the more than 43,678 species of spiders out there, about 24 social spider species have been identified. In a most recent discovery, researchers found that females from a social species of spider called Chikunia nigra were surprisingly tolerant of other spiders from the same colony and were willing to look after another's eggs/hatchlings as if they were her own. [url]
Filed Under: bats, behavior, biology, nefertiti, species, spiders


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A coal-fired or nuclear plant can take a decade to build, but the construction of a wind farm can be completed in six months to a year. Here is a step-by-step look at the construction of a wind farm from the groundbreaking through power generation.
Step 1: The electrical contractors typically win contracts through a competitive bid process. Once on site, they wire job-site trailers, order materials, plan the work, create a schedule and hire workers.
Step 2: Once the developer and design team have identified the site for the turbines, the civil contractors build roads leading into the site, and the electricians begin digging trenches and burying cables for the underground collection system. The fiber-optic, ground, and SCADA system cables connect all the turbines to a central brain in the middle of a substation.
Step 3: The electricians work with the other trades to build the foundations for the wind turbines.
Step 4: The construction crew lifts the tower in three different phases, and the electricians and technicians connect each section electrically and mechanically. The electricians drop the control wiring or fiber-optic cables down the side of the tower through a cable tray.
Step 5: Once they have completed the wiring of the turbines and connected them to the substation, the utility then interconnects the substation with the grid.
Step 6: The developer tests the turbines, and the turbines begin generating electricity. At that point, the electricians turn the project over to the wind technicians, who are responsible for operating and maintaining the wind turbines.


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Balloon Works AX8-B Firefly
Image #16685
Taken: CTBA Club Flight Old Settlers Park 23rd June 2012
More pictures: Event: Previous All Next Type: Previous All Next Reg: Previous All Next
All images are the property of and copyright © 1983-2012 Jo Hunter unless stated otherwise. Please ask before using content from this site. Unauthorised reproduction of these photographs is forbidden.


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LRMd hangs on Ubuntu (Lucid and Maverick)
We've recently come across a case where stopping pacemaker (in this case via /etc/init.d/heartbeat stop) didn't work; and, similarly, crm configure property maintenance-mode=false wouldn't work. After some searching and testing the solution was found: Upgrading libglib2.0-0 to at least the natty version 2.28.6-0ubuntu1 fixed the problem. The bug seems to have been a locking problem.


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When I started this contest, I thought it would be fun to see what people came up with given the contents of a CSA box –sort of a locavore's "Chopped". A cool and wet summer has messed with my hopes of CSA baskets brimming with a wide variety of heirloom vegetables and fruits. Where last year's… Read more »
Oh My CSA Contest Winner: Summer Shrimp Soup
Filed under: Carolina Bed and Breakfast, Oh My CSA Contest, recipes


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Do Markets Erode Moral Values? People Ignore Their Own Moral Standa...
You loathe cruelty to animals, such as gestation crates.
But when you're in the supermarket with a limited food budget, comparing packages of pork
don't you pick the "best value"? You don't even think about the role gestation crates play in producing the most meat at the cheapest cost.
Many people express objections against child labor, exploitation of the workforce or meat production involving cruelty against animals. At the same time, however, people ignore their own moral standards when acting as market participants,... Thus, markets reduce moral concerns.
Prof. Dr. Armin Falk from the University of Bonn and Prof. Dr. Nora Szech from the University of Bamberg, both economists, have shown in an experiment that markets erode moral concerns. In comparison to non-market decisions, moral standards are significantly lower if people participate in markets.
"Our results show that market participants violate their own moral standards," says Prof. Falk.
Compared to the individual condition, a significantly higher number of subjects were willing to accept the killing of a mouse in both market conditions. This is the main result of the study. Thus markets result in an erosion of moral values. "In markets, people face several mechanisms that may lower their feelings of guilt and responsibility," explains Nora Szech. In market situations, people focus on competition and profits rather than on moral concerns. Guilt can be shared with other traders. In addition, people see that others violate moral norms as well.
... subjects may justify their behavior by stressing that their impact on outcomes is negligible. "This logic is a general characteristic of markets," says Prof. Falk. Excuses or justifications appeal to the saying, "If I don't buy or sell now, someone else will." [emphasis mine]
I might also add that the setting in which buying and selling occurs protects participants from seeing or hearing the morally reprehensible aspect. Markets are uniform, abstracted from nature, distant.
Views: 271
Another part of that is many of us grew up on family farms and killing was part of farming. We grew up wallowing in the entrails, blood, and chickens with heads cut off and thought nothing of it. We helped in the harvest and enjoyed the fried chicken dinner or the pork roast or beef steak.
We live in different times now. Killing takes place far away from the consumer and we don't know the conditions under which our meats are born, raised, and butchered.
I lived in Alaska for two years and went hunting, trapping and fishing with Indian native women. We always took the eyes of the creature as we thanked it for giving us food. An entirely different value system than on the family farm or at the supermarket.
Seeing that photo of the pig in a "gestation crate" is terribly revolting ... not the picture, but the process. As much as I hate seeing that picture, we need to see what the animals suffer in the process of providing food to our tables. Vegetarianism becomes a viable option for a devout carnivore.
No surprises here. I recently heard a woman interviewed on NPR who was coming out of one of the stores implicated as doing business with the company in Bangladesh where the building collapsed. Her response to the information was that they (the company) needed to do a better job of controlling those kinds of problems. Apparently though, she was not the slightest bit culpable as a consumer. Go figure.
But on the other hand, her attitude was somewhat understandable. While corporations do have a responsibility, it is hard as a consumer to control labor practices, as boycotting or wise purchasing decisions does not seem to end the problem.
I don't buy a lot of clothes, but I know full well that when I do buy something, that the labor or environmental circumstances in which they were produced are often hidden from me. So what should I do? Go without?
I once looked up some fair trade clothing online, and found a t-shirt for about $80. Seriously? Even if that does reflect an actual fair price (providing that it was not a scam that plays of conscientious consumers), who can afford that? Not me!
It seems that human behavior (which is what economics is) is a tangled web from which there is no escape.
It also seems to me that economic theory is just a way of legitimizing organized crime.
Dallas, the buying public needs to stand up and take responsibility for working conditions of those who provide us goods and services. Many years ago Older Women's League did a project on a $2.00 blouse and what it cost the women who made those blouses. It was a staggering learning event. OWL did the research and found out the truth about working conditions and living situations for those who made our garments, and we did a campaign to inform the public. We were able to raise awareness of immoral and unethical practices. We wrote articles for newspapers, radio and TV, we boycotted stores that carried these products, and we did a unit at public schools, which the teachers and principles liked.
One day, the mayor of Spokane asked me how many OWL members we had. I responded, "Three." The city council had been discussing us and thought we were legion.
What an interesting lesson on the power of highly motivated activists. On the other hand there are so many competing companies making blouses, I doubt all of that work focused on one company in Spokane made much of a ripple on overseas garment worker protection. Perhaps today one could post videos on what was learned to reach a broader consumer base.
Good for you Joan. Thanks for sharing. : )
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Well, the new (or replacement) milw0rm has gone online. As you may, or may not know, the crew of Offensive-Security have taken over. Str0ke was very close to closing the site down. After the initial announcement, Offsec stepped in and offered to relieve him of some of the administrative duties (updates mostly).
So, is the new site better? I mean, how can you improve on such a simple concept. Have an exploit, have a link to said exploit. Well they've found a way to not only make it better, but they succeeded in making the site an educational tool.
With Offensive-Security certifications slowly growing in popularity, it makes perfect sense for a security company such as Offsec to maintain the most popular exploit repository on the web today. It's a great combination; they train you in identifying and using exploits (for defensive purposes) all at the same time guaranteeing the exploit used during the training are available.
Good idea…
But how is the site better. Let's start off by how everything is organized. It's separated in few sections. Remote Exploit, local exploit, web application and denial of service. The old milw0rm had a similar organizational schema, and they even had (or have I suppose… it's still up) a shell code section. Which for me was not very user friendly. What it didn't have was a web application section, which in my opinion is a good add-on by the Offsec crew. Even if they removed a few of the sections originality found on milw0rm, the new site is very easy to navigate.
The search option is also better all around. Searching by description, author, type (remote/local/DoS/etc), platform and port number. It's pretty quick too and gives out very good search results. The submit information is revamped and easy to follow to anyone who wishes to submit anything.
This last part is what makes this site stand-out from the rest. They are actually hosting the applications associated with the exploits. Not all of them mind you, but they do have many downloads available. So in time, I'm sure we'll see lots more vulnerable applications with their respective exploits ready to be transferred in our lab environment.
So in the end, Offensive-Security have legitimized the existence of such a site. With this new avenue, an exploit repository site doesn't have cater to "blackhats" looking to annoy people or deface websites. They are maintaining and making available a valuable knowledge base for the security professional in training.
Congrats to all that worked on the new site. It's fresh, good looking and I'm sure it's going to be around for a long long time…
Check them out:
New milw0rm
//* Correction; as I've been recently informed milw0rm did have a webapp section. Guess I didn't noticed it at the time. My mistake.


text:
Matt Manzari Interview
The following interview of Matt Manzari was submitted three weeks late. I suppose that's what happens when you let Reed Hansen interview his best friend. Reed also failed to write an intro, so this is my miserable excuse for one. So how about: Matt Manzari speaks for himself. He really needs no introduction anyway. —Brooke Geery
Reed Hansen: First off what is your purpose?
Matt Manzari: Good question. If you're talking about life then my purpose would be to glorify God. If you're talking about purpose in wakeskating, then it's to push the sport in the right direction and help it grow.
RH: What is the right direction?
MM: First of all to give back to wakeskating and the people who get involved along the way as much as possible. I mean, for example, when we travel and meet so many new people, there's random people that open their lives and homes to us, and so many times we take it for granted. These are opportunities to show them how grateful we are and to make an impact in their lives and try to give them experiences that they will never forget. This way, when they talk about us, they're so pumped that we rode with them and helped them with their riding, that they just want to be more involved and bring more of there friends into it. Which in turn makes the lifestyle grow in a positive way. Second of all, to make the wakeskating look as good as possible to everyone that sees it including wakeboarders, skateboarders, snowboarders, and random people ect. You get the point. Basically wakeskating is still coming up and has a lot of time to grow. So we shouldn't rush things. There's still lots to do and respect to gain, but we're getting there.
RH: Boat riding, winching or PWC?
MM: I prefer wakeskating. That's like saying which would you prefer, peanut butter, jelly or bread. Separately they're ok but together they're a scrumptious treat.
RH: How do you feel about finless riding?
MM: Honestly, when you first start riding you should ride without fins, it makes learning your tricks easier to land, easier to throw and in the end it gives you a good start on board control. I know because I rode two years finless before I switched. It was really hard to change but once I did, I was really glad.
RH: What's your favorite kind of knife and gun?
MM: My Mossberg 12 gauge because they're the only gun company that still assembles in the USA and for a knife it would be my assist open Kershaw Ken Onion Edition.
RH: You've done a good bit traveling in your years. Where was your favorite place to travel (other than America)?
MM: Me and the Gator Team went to Bali to film for Transgression. It was some of the sickest scenery I have ever seen and I just had some crazy experiences. It was everything from the best surfing place of my life and me and Lechworth being the only two out there, all the way to being in some crazy tiki on a mountain with no road access, locals cruising with huge machetes and me and Vandall teamed up against an army of rats.
RH: Should boat companies be worried about Kyle Walton's winch attacks?
MM: Well I personally have winched a lot and have never been attacked by a winch, so I seriously doubt all the winches will form a gang and attack a bunch of salesmen. Actually Ben Horan's winch went after him but it only made it twenty feet into the water before Ben saw him coming and dropped the handle, so it never caught him.
RH: Everyone is wondering what new tricks Mafia Matt is doing. You want to let us in on a few?
MM: Well just trying to do some new flip tricks on gaps, some darkslides and that's about all I'm saying on that subject.
RH: Do you know the muffin man?
MM: Yeah actually, he reminds me a lot of Aaron Reed. They both have amazing mustaches and are great cooks.
RH: If you had something to say to kids out there trying to get better at wakeskating, what would it be?
MM: I think that a person's wakeskating is a personal and individual art, and a way to express your own passion for riding and fun however you want. So I would never want to tell anybody how they should or shouldn't ride. However I do have my opinions of tricks I think are or aren't cool and styles I like or not like. But I would say, don't push too fast to land tricks just to land them. Go out and shred and get a good solid foundation first. Its no fun riding with a guy that does a shuvit and kickflip and that's it, it just feels like he's just trying tricks to say he can do it. And without all the basics it hurts style tremendously. So just have fun and only ride against yourself.
RH: Do you think wakeskating is run by team managers?
MM: Yes it is and I'm glad. Without team managers to do the budget it would be a mess. They sit there and have to figure out how to distribute the money between what events to sponsor, trips, rider pay, where to do clinics, demos, and not to mention deal with all the riders when they need stuff done. The sad part is that they don't usually get the credit that they deserve. One example, I know that our GB manager not only does all that stuff, but he also organizes the whole GB grass roots tour that gives upcoming riders a chance to start riding in comps, not to mention all the crap he takes from us. It's really a 24 hour job. Thanks Troy.
RH: How did you and the Vandall hit it off so well? You know, he's a wakeboarder , you're a wakeskater, you live in Florida he lives in Cali ect. There are some differences.
MM: Well, pretty much the first time we hung out and realized that we both had a love for ice cream and movies that's second to none. We started talking and found out through ancient hidden diagrams made by putting 100 pints of Haggen Das "Caramel Cone" in an iceberg that we are actually long lost brothers separated at birth by a pine cone fight with the black ninja or as you all would know him as "Harrison Ford".
RH: How amusing…. For any girls out there that want to know, what is the best way to your heart?
MM: A nice little southern bell could always get to my heart.
RH: You grew up in New York. Why are you such a country boy?
MM: Well I grew up in upstate New York on a farm, about four hours from the city. That's like me saying why don't you act like you're from Miami? It's totally different. So I guess I was just born country and that's what I'll always be.
RH: Speaking of Garth Brooks, who has the best voice ever?
MM: Well hands down, the vocalist of the last 6000 years goes to Garth brooks and Celine Dion.
RH: Why do we know that the bi-level design is the best?
MM: Haha. Well it's kind of like taking a skate deck on the ground and doing tricks. You can do them but it feels light and like the tail didn't pop low enough. Then try putting trucks on it, it pops deeper and there is swing weight which makes it flip at a more consistent looking speed and just feels good on your feet. I'm not going to lie, when I first switched from a concave I thought I couldn't do anything. It took me a month to relearn some tricks on it. But once I did it was insane. I mean I feel like I'm skateboarding. It's the best thing since the toothpick.
RH: What is the best book you have ever read?
MM: Umm Clifford the Big Red…. Wait no, umm, The Puppy Who Lost his Wa…. Wait, I remember The Bible! I don't know, something about the fact that no matter where you are in life you can always find what you're looking for in there. Now, I'm not trying to push that on anyone or preach here, but my personal experience is that I wouldn't be even close to who I am today or anywhere close to where I am at in life and wakeskating if it wasn't for God. I owe it all to him. And if there is anyone out there who is skeptical, I challenge you to just start talking and getting a relationship with Him. And accept Jesus into your heart. Then just wait and see what he does in your life.
RH: Any sponsors or best friends you want to thank?
MM: Yes Reed, thank you for not making me have to interview myself, and get all confused and backwards. Thanks to my parents, the best in the world. My brothers Darren and Randall…., Ronn and Eric L thank you guys so much for just life., Josh Lechworth, I love you buddy, Silas Thurman, you would say golf over sleep. Scotty B, sorry about spray painting your lawn it seemed like a good idea. Troy Flick respect, Arian you the man, Curtis Graham thank you for dating Kelly Clarkson, my hamster Steve, Ricky G., Kevco, Corey Marotta, Brooke, Garret Cortese, Tony Smith, big Spence, go shackit. Ben Horan for inventing the skateboard, Nicky T for being a male model. Aaron Reed for his mustache. And Thomas Horrell. And I know I forgot people. So I'm sorry. Sponsors I want to thank Gatorboards, Nike6.0, Malibu boats, Performance Ski and Surf, Arnette, & Straightline. And most of all I want to thank God. PS. I love Brandon Rau


text:
Brownie Bar Factory
Craving unlocked: BROWNIES
- Bake a batch of brownies in 15 minutes
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No, no, we don't want to chomp on the wee Girl Scouts. They are the suppliers of Thin Mints, after all! We're taking about fresh from the oven, warm, fragrant, chocolatey brownies. The kind that are crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle. When the going gets tough, we want to be in our Mommy's kitchen right at the moment when she hands us our corner piece from the brownie pan.
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We will warn you that for your waistline's sake, it's best to bake brownies when friends and family are around. They are delicious and tempting and you will eat all six by yourself if left to your own devices. Our recommendation? Grab some ice cream and hot fudge and have a Brownie Sundae Party. Just be sure to invite us, okay?
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- Uses 25% less electricity than a conventional oven
- BPA-free, FDA compliant food-safe materials used throughout
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- Dimensions: 10 x 4 x 7.9 inches


text:
HarriL needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 30 designs submitted by 10 freelance designers.
I don't have many requirements at the moment. I'm placing my trust on your creativity. Logo may include the URL PSP-Themes.net with or without www, or just words PSP Themes.
Also logo may or may not include a picture of PSP. Simple cartoon style PSP picture would probably look good.
This logo will be mainly used on our website, which will be given a redesign after the logo is done. Logo will be placed on the upper left corner of the site.
Preferred size would probably be quite wide and not that high.
Colors: If you take a look at our current logo on our site I'm thinking about the colors in the second and third PSP image (blue/turquoise and green). Either both of them or one of them. Colors should be quite bright and "happy".
Of course PSPs official website is also a good place for inspiration:
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Dream of Me A6 Wedding Invitation
Double sided card, includes envelopes
These wedding invitations are a sweet A6 size. They are a flat card printed to both sides and come with white envelopes. Printed on a high quality Satin Deluxe card stock. Shimmer or Textured card stock is available with additional charge. Envelopes are included (smooth white envelopes are provided for Textured card stock). Guest names can be printed on invitations and/or envelopes, please select the personalisation option if you require this. Flat size 148.5 x 105mm.
from $4.40 ea
including gst


text:
Added to Shopping Bag
Aqua Master Jojo Joe Rodeo Techno 82-11 Diamond Watch
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text:
A place to share my thoughts, experiences, poetry, photos, musings and various extraneous, yet pertinent pieces of information about my life :)
Sunday, August 12, 2012
The Dis-Enchanted Oracle
So, I came across this interview with Fantasy Artist, Jessica Galbreth on Facebook. Apparently, after years of sharing her amazing images of beautiful winged Fairies, Goddesses and Vampires, she has decided that these talents were the result of "demonic possession". Demons? Really?
If you watch the interview in it's entirety, you will learn that Jessica became interested in the occult at an early age, experimenting with the Oujia board and Tarot cards, which ultimately led to the creation of her own, Enchanted Oracle Tarot deck and apparently, her demonic possession. She even considered herself a Witch! :::Gasp:::
Gee, me too! I grew up in a family that was very open in terms of it's acceptance of the paranormal. We played with the Oujia board, held seances and read whatever books were available at the time on Witchcraft, Satanism, ghosts, hauntings and paranormal phenomenon,. And yet, we considered ourselves a Christian family. By this I mean, we were baptized, received communion and confirmation, celebrated Christmas and Easter and if we were so inspired, actually attended church on those occasions, didn't eat meat on Fridays and fasted during Lent. We believed in God and for us, that was enough.
Delving into the "dark side" was scary and fun. However, when presented with the fact that we really didn't know who we were inviting in during our Oujia Board dabbling sessions and seances....our parents pulled the plug on our connection to the other side and the Oujia board ended up collecting dust in the attic.
It didn't stop me from eventually leaving behind my Christian upbringing to follow a Wiccan path. Do I believe that this is the result of "demonic influences" left over from my "dabbling" phase? Hell no! (pun intended). It was due to the fact that I had found a religious Path that resonated with me and where I found spiritual fulfillment. I don't hate Jesus. I don't hate Christians. I simply believe that there is a spiritual path for everyone and one will ultimately know it when they find it.
Jessica says that her realization came when her daughter became frightened by her images. Well, lots of things frighten little kids. Dolls used to scare the shit out of me and I'm not entirely sure that they still don't. She also said that she felt as if a dark cloud was hanging over her. According to the CDC, that "dark cloud" might be depression, which strikes 1 in every 10 adults. I would begin there before I began blaming Satan's minions for the fact that I was not entirely thrilled with my life. Even the most successful people find themselves dissatisfied with their lives, Winston Churchill, Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Edgar Allen Poe, just to name a few. It kind of goes hand and hand with the whole depression thing. Jessica also claims she felt "prideful". Really? Well I can't imagine why? I wonder if she considered being proud of her accomplishments a sin before or after she was reborn?
The way we find and embrace spirituality in our lives is uniquely personal. No two people, even when sharing the same religious belief system, will experience Deity in the same way. At times, the religious path which we inherited from our parents is enough for us and we feel no need to look any further. Or, like myself, one finds no connection to the Path handed down to them and they seek spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. That doesn't mean that there was something wrong my previous beliefs. It simply means that Deity had chosen connect to me in a way that I would understand and embrace. A spiritual rebirth, in the purest sense of the word, shouldn't include the prompt condemnation of the Path one left behind. In that case you've only succeeded in being reborn into a more hypocritical version of yourself.
All this being said, I find it regretful, if not a bit amusing, that Jessica now considers her talent, "Satanic" and all her successes demonically inspired. And yet, she is still able to create in a very similiar style, except now, with a more angelic, Christian influence? Well...after all, Lucifer was an angel once too and Satan is referred to as "The Great Deceiver". Just sayin..
In Darkness, Light!
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 8:34 PM
4 comments:
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Dear Dead People....
Merry Meet Again, my Beloveds!
I'm having serious issues with dead people.
Allow me to explain. Dead people are now sending messages either to me or through me in ways they never have before and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that!
If you've read my last entry, you know that my friend, Roy went to great lengths to send a message to his fiance, Michelle from beyond the veil. It was my pleasure and honor to help in whatever way necessary.
This morning, I received another message from my friend, Tommy, that I hadn't been expecting.
Tommy had a bigger than life persona. He was, physically, the most beautiful man I have ever known. His personality ran the gamut of every aspect one's soul could possess. He was wildly impulsive, kind, incredibly funny and cruel. He depised Mayonaisse! He displayed a child-like innocence, while exuding undeniable sexuality. He loved to be the center of attention and it was virtually impossible not to notice when he entered a room. Both men and women were enchanted by him.
Tommy and I became friends while working out at the local gym. Our friendship grew when he pushed me to do "one more rep, you candy ass!" I didn't even know this man, but knew we would soon be good friends.
Several years ago, Tommy decided to move back to Georgia. I was saddened by his choice to relocate, but knew that he would never be happy here in New Jersey. We never lost touch after his departure, but these days people don't talk, they text or update their status. That was until this past January when Tommy's cell phone began to "butt dial" me on a daily basis. He left me a text message apologizing for the same and asked me to call him, which I did. We chatted for a while, catching up on what had been going on in our lives, but hadn't spoken since.
For the past couple of weeks, I have thought about Tommy often. So often so that it prompted me to visit his Facebook page today to see what had been going on in his life. Well, I believe Tommy wanted me to know what had been going on as well. He passed away suddenly 4 months ago...my heart was broken..
Tommy shared with me things that troubled him since childhood and in doing so, always left me with the image of a heartbroken little boy with full pouty lips and sad eyes that was perpetually looking for someone to take care of him and yet, he would often push away those who loved him most.
Was I surprised to learn of his passing. Not so much. Tommy always played hard. He was fulfilling his dream of making a name for himself in the music business and lived a "Rock Star" lifestyle.
If anyone had the energy it takes to cross the veil it was Tommy. I truly believe that he knew if he reminded me enough of things about our friendship that I couldn't ignore, I would learn that he had chosen to leave this World behind far too soon.
Seriously, T...couldn't you have just called!
In Darkness, Light...
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 8:46 PM
1 comment:
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Life Sucks? Blame A Witch!
Merry Meet and Happy Weekend Blessings, my Beloveds!!!
So, not so long ago I was asked by someone if our Coven had cast a spell on them because they had been experiencing a string of bad luck.
My response was simple. "No, we wouldn't do that. The Universe works to keep things in balance".
What I actually wanted to say was, "No, we wouldn't do that! But perhaps if your life didn't consist of anger, hatred, jealousy, cruelty to those weaker than yourself and random acts of douchebaggery, you might understand why it has chosen to treat you in kind". Of course, I didn't say that.
That being said, I do believe the Universe and/or the Gods keep things in balance, just not in the way one might think.
Have you ever known a person so negative that they can suck the life out of a room just by entering it? It's very uncomfortable just being in their company. If, like the rain, you stand in it too long, you'll find yourself drenched by it. So is true of those who shine. The brilliance of their energy shines so that they draw everyone to them.
Not all who experience tragedy or hardship are responsible for bringing it into their lives. I've seen the most horrendous things happen to the most beautiful of people. It's difficult to understand or accept. I've found the most comforting explanation is that this is a necessary part of the soul's journey. One must live through, process and move past the experience in order to learn and grow from it.
I believe that there are people however, who find it impossible to "move past" their most difficult life experiences. They hold on to their anger, grief, fear or insecurities and allow them to color who they are and in turn, their entire existence. In essence, they literally become their worst nightmare.
We all grieve our losses, no matter how great or small those losses are. Some are easier to move past than others. But when one can find no plausible explanation for the unexplainable, they may look to place blame where none can exist. You can't blame death on the dying. Well, perhaps you can...but to what end? Physical death is finite, so too will be one's grief should the appropriate help not be sought to work through the pain.
Yet while grief may be a reasonable explanation for negative emotions, there are those who dance precariously through life behaving with reckless disregard for the way their actions impact on others, only to find themselves dumbfounded when an avalanche of shit falls upon them. And their first inclination is to look elsewhere to place blame....with the exception, of course, being the mirror.
Ah...but the mirror is the one place we can't escape, can we? The gift of ourselves we share with others, for better or worse, comes not from our reflection, but from our soul, the seat of who we are. We can dress up that image that looks back from the mirror, but inside we are unchanged. This alone, for some.....should make for many a sleepless night.
And just when you thought a Witch's spell was to blame your misfortune....
Pleasant Dreams!
In Darkness, Light!
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 9:24 PM
11 comments:
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Love Beyond The Veil...
Merry Meet My Beloveds!
How have you been? Yes, I know...it's been a while since we chatted, but my life has taken on some odd twists and turns and I've only now sat down to take a breath! :::Inhale....Exhaaaale:::
Ah that's better!!!
So, this weekend I've met with a startling revelation! That being, that the dead are capable of using you like a cheap hooker when they need to get a message to someone they love! Allow me to explain...
A little over a year ago, I learned via Facebook that an acquaintance of ours was seriously ill. I use the word, "acquaintance" because I can't, in all honesty, say that Roy and I knew each other very well. We had mutual friends and attended a few events together, but sadly we never had the opportunity to become close friends. What I did know of Roy was that he was a joyful, fun loving person, who had found his soul mate in his fiance', Michelle.
That being said, upon learning of his illness, I wrote to Roy to tell him how saddened I was to hear of his misfortune. He asked that I not share the details of his illness, as he only wanted positive energy being sent his way. He also asked that we keep he and Michelle in our thoughts. I was more than happy to oblige.
I heard very little from Roy afterwards, with the exception a few of his progress updates and the the lovely, albeit bittersweet photos of he and Michelle's wedding. My heart broke for them. Roy was diagnosed with lung cancer and his prognosis was terminal. A short time later I learned that Roy had passed away.
Michelle wrote me to tell me that a celebration of Roy's life was going to take place in the Spring and that Roy would have wanted us to be there. Strange, I thought...given that Roy hadn't really known us very well.
Michelle emailed me again when the plans were finalized and for reasons that were unclear to me at the time, I felt compelled to be there. But why? Surely there were others that knew Roy much better than my husband and I that would be more appropriate participants in a celebrate of his life?
As uncharacteristic of me as it was (I've never been a fan of dead people), I knew, with absolutely certainty that on May 5th at 1 p.m., there was only one place I was meant to be!
As we drove to the ceremony, I mentioned to my husband how important it was that I be here. His response was simple, "then you should be."
Oh Roy, you dead people are so much better at this than I ever expected!
When we arrived and upon seeing Michelle, I was almost immediately overcome by emotion. There were tables arranged with photos of Roy as he enjoyed this life. He was always smiling! The center of the hall was set up with a beautiful Native American altar that consisted of an equal armed cross constructed of stones. Suddenly, I knew that I had something that I needed to add to the altar.
I rummaged through my bag until I found a small, white heart shaped stone that I had been carrying with me for years. I sought out Michelle and asked if she'd mind if I lay it on the altar with the others. Her response was simple..."a heart", she said with a smile.
It was then she told me that Roy had always teased her about her ability to see hearts in everything...in the clouds, the trees, etc. If there was a heart, Michelle would find it. Suddenly, I understood why was so important that I be there to celebrate Roy's life. Roy had a message for his soul mate and I believe he knew that I would understand why it needed to be given to her in a way only she would understand.
And undertand I did. When my sister passed away, I asked her to send me a sign that she was ok. I asked her for something very specific, that only I would know. A heart shaped stone. Within minutes, it was there, lying at my feet. I have carried it with me ever since. The stone I placed on the altar celebrating Roy's life was exactly like one I found on beach after my sister's passing. As with my sister, Roy had sent his message of love to Michelle from beyond the veil.
As the celebration drew to a close...Michelle shared something that made the occasion even more poignant. This would have been their first year's wedding anniversary.
Roy, thank you for this blessed gift. It meant more to me than words can say. Don't worry....we'll take care of her.
In Darkness, Light!
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 9:42 PM
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Ike Davis gets the night off, to be replaced by Mike Hessman. Jason Bay's concussion will keep him sidelined for the second straight game.
Here's the lineup:
Jose Reyes, SS
Luis Castillo, 2B
Angel Pagan, LF
David Wright, 3B
Carlos Beltran, CF
Mike Hessman, 1B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Henry Blanco, C
Johan Santana, LP