Cornia Cornia Cornia & Cornia

What's happening in our little world.

[shelleycornia]

Cat Lady

Images via Chronicle Books

A book of cat related poetry for cat ladies and gentlemen everywhere. Available through Chronicle Books.

[sparkcollective]

(was actually last week; it was amazing to me how many people knew this.)

A primer on sharks by Beatrix, my 8 year old:

“Sharks are massive predators.They swoop and dive in the water. They dive for fish. The Basking Shark does not eat fish. He eats plankton. Small invisible things...

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Want to learn to play capture the flag? Just follow this easy to read diagram B made for me. Remind anyone else of the game instructions for Whackbat in Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox?

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My Carravagio cat.

[theohpioneer-deactivated2018040]

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sigh...Mr. Darcy

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Sunset, Devil's Lake, WI.

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"Welcome to the puppet show!" Beatrix and Callum perform for me at the library.

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Callum declared himself "the doctor" when he put these old 3-D glasses on upside down.

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Sunset over east Madison 8:30 pm.

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The sky over east Madison around 6:15 pm.

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Trixie "singin' in the rain" under the sprinkler.

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The kids usually find their way to our bed for a snuggle. But this morning they are sweetly curled up with each other. (That thing on B's head is the ear of her very large elephant stuffie.)

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“Mom! Mom! Come look at this necklace. It’s half black and half red. You could wear this if you where a professional checkers player!”

Beatrix says this to me at Art Fair on the Square in a jeweler's booth. The artist heard, but was amused.

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Be quiet! I'm trying to build my monster.

Callum to Beatrix during church. He was referring to the new magnetic shapes toy Drew and Jeanette got him for his birthday.

[thebluthcompany]

Dr. Funke’s 100% Natural Good-Time Family Band Solution by Joebot

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Moonlight Ride Up Sundance Hill

I really wanted to think of a clever play on words to "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," but I couldn't think of anything good that rhymes with "Cornia" or "Sundance."

We where treated to a ride up the lifts at Sundance (yes, Robert Redford's Sundance in Provo, UT) to watch the sunset and the full moon rise. There where 15 family members in all and we split up over 4 benches. Grandma, Beatrix and Emma took 1; Grandpa, Gary James, Bram, Larry and Max took 2; Reed, me, Callum, Laurie & Adam took 3 while Nate, Holly, Harper, Marcy and Clark took 4.

The view was amazing. Riding with Laurie was very informative because she manages one of the bars at Sundance and knows many things about Mr. Redford. Fun!

At about exactly halfway up the slope, Callum declared that he was done.

—Shelley

[shelleycornia]

Walking the Plank

Last Sunday afternoon, Nate set up a zip line at Grandma's house and we all had to try it.

Callum liked hanging off of it better than walking it...but the other kids—they where good!

Here's Gary James Hartzell,

Beatrix,

Emma Diaz,

and Harper Lee Hartzell. (I don't know why, but I always feel the need to say Harper's middle name when addressing her.)

Bram and Max where too busy with the water guns to be bothered much by the zip line. Their parents, on the other hand, felt the competitive spirit bubble out. Nate Diaz was everyone's coach and the first one to make it all the way across without falling.

Not to be outdone, Larry Hartzell walked and walked and walked until he was the first one there AND back again. Too bad for Larry—the only pictures I have of him are when he first started and was told by Gary to "not be afraid to hold my hand."

There's Gary "Ghost Legs" now.

Next up: Reed.

Followed by me. I was so close—SO CLOSE to getting across. Alas, fail.

Holly next:

Followed up by Marcy:

Bored yet? Because the kids soon tired of us hogging the line and found other things to do.

—Shelley