1870

In honor of the 139th anniversary of the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, I used Wordle to create this funky 15th Amendment word cloud.


You can enter any text or any web page (with an RSS feed) to create your own. Thanks for the idea, Dena!

A Thousand Words

Check out the work of Pete Souza, the former Chicago Tribune national photographer who has now been named Obama's White House photographer. Souza's photos from Obama's first year as Illinois senator have been compiled into the book, The Rise of Barack Obama, which contains some truly telling images.


Obama in Moscow
(Tribune photo by Pete Souza / August 25, 2005)
Few recognized Barack Obama as he walked on a sidewalk in Moscow in 2005.


Kenya tradition
(Tribune photo by Pete Souza / August 26, 2006)
Sen. Barack Obama dances with one of the grandmothers who care for orphaned grandchildren at a CARE project that he partially funded in Siaya, Kenya.


Candidate's wife
(Tribune photo by Pete Souza / February 10, 2007)
Michelle Obama brushes off her husband's coat inside the Old State Capitol in Springfield in February just before he proceeded into the chilly winter air to announce his entrance into the presidential race.

Photos and captions taken from chicagotribune.com

Quatorze Juillet

Daigle is French... I think... (right, guys?), so I thought I'd be remiss if I failed to give homage to Bastille Day in light of my new heritage-by-marriage. As I'm sure we all remember from our history lessons, Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille, a prison that was symbolic of the absolute power of Louis XVI's regime. The storming of the Bastille was to the French what signing the Declaration of Independence was to the Americans: a cry of Revolution.

Prise de la Bastille, by Jean-Pierre-Louis-Laurent Houel

I found this picture here and, well, what can I say? I thought it was cool... and curiously disturbing. As gruesome as it may be, it reflects the reality that revolutions are an expensive business indeed.

Antiques & Garden Fair

Andrew's new employers graciously purchased tickets for us to see the Antiques and Garden Fair this weekend at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. It was a wonderful opportunity to see some lavish antiques, beautiful plants and gardens, and to welcome the much anticipated advent of Spring. I even spotted a vendor from my home town, Londonderry, NH, and upon speaking with the dealer, discovered that I went to high school with his son. A small world indeed. Here are some pictures of our favorite finds:

Topiarius

Although spring has continued to resist making a 2008 debut, Andrew has made his formal entrance into the world of landscape design. Yesterday was his first day at his new job with Topiarius, a landscape design company. Topiarius is a Latin word for ornamental landscape gardener, from which we get the word topiary. His primary task will be leading the crews responsible for the installation and implementation of the designs. We are both looking forward to the opportunities and experiences this position will afford him, not the least of which include being outdoors, building things, learning more about plants and landscaping, playing in the dirt, working for a small company (he is 1 of 4 on the team), getting a rock star suntan (or burn more likely), and most of all, getting the chance to use his artistic talents and skills in a new way. He has already been able to use his eye for design in combination with his experience at the Field Museum to offer new perspectives and suggestions. I have no doubt that Andrew will be a great addition to this company. I'm excited to see what they will create! Here are some samples from Topiarius's design portfolio:

We Are the Ship

While I usually leave book recommendations to Sarah, I couldn't pass up passing this along to you. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball is the first book written and illustrated by the award-winning artist, Kadir Nelson (pictured left). It took him almost 8 years to finish due to the 40-plus paintings he completed for the book. Here is a synopsis of the book from Kadir's website:

"The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.

Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The voice is so authentic, you will feel as if you are sitting on dusty bleachers listening intently to the memories of a man who has known the great ballplayers of that time and shared their experiences. But what makes this book so outstanding are the dozens of full-page and double-page oil paintings, breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game."

The title of the book comes from Rube Foster, the founder of the Negro Leagues, who said, "We are the ship, all else the sea."

If nothing else, take a look at Kadir's paintings. They are incredible.

The Artists Among Us

I have a few friends that are blazing some trails and leaving their mark. So I thought I'd share. Indeed, it is amazing what each of us brings to the table--our gifts, talents, skills, perspectives. I am becoming increasingly aware and appreciative of the fact that it takes all of us--a body comprised of many members--to change and celebrate the world. So, without further ado...

I know Brant Menswar from my home church in New Hampshire. He has been working for the past several (and perhaps more) years to follow his call to music. His band is called Fort Pastor and they have just released a new CD called "Beautiful Imperfection". Check out their website to read the band's bio and to read up on their own non-profit organization, The Social Justice Army.

Secondly, a friend of ours is a painter and here is her online gallery: Paintings by Jessica Shurr.

(If anyone is looking for some free advertising, let me know!)