Steel Kaleidoscopes

The Skunk

 
The skunk wandered into our yard to die and it chose my daughter's sandbox.

Maybe it was the allure of sand as a final resting place. Perhaps it was the comfort of the wooden slats as a place to prop its head.

The skunk had been circling the sandbox on one wobbly leg like it had been injured. A mulch delivery did not stir it, so I knew something was not right.

With my daughter coming home from school in a few hours, I did not want a skunk in our back yard, so I called Animal Control.

I kept an eye on the skunk, which would crawl in and out of the sandbox, seemingly making a decision on whether to stay inside on the sand or rub its back against the wooden slats outside, nestled in the grass.

Beach or grass? Grass or beach?

Then I watched it ease its body just outside the sandbox, resting his head on the side, face turned up toward the sun.

The woman from Animal Control poked the skunk with the end of our pool skimmer, said "she's gone," then placed the skunk in a bag.

It's just a skunk, but it was sad to watch it die.

Royal Morning

 
Thanks to Walt Disney, America is fascinated by the dawn of a new princess.

American Idol: Carole King

James and Jacob almost created a "Basic Instinct" moment when they spun J-Lo around. Check the DVR. And Randy hugging James after his solo performance? Simon is cringing somewhere. Here's the order of how the six finalists performed last night, with the odds of winning it all next month:
   
1. James Durbin
His opening 30 seconds of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" was the vocal highlight of the season. Truly a magical performance. Yes, he can sing, and there were shades of Axl Rose in his prime. Consistent week after week. You have to like his chances after this one.
Odds of winning: 5-1

2. Scotty McCreery
Now that was different. Never thought I'd hear a country version of "You've Got a Friend," but he nailed it. Showed additional vocal range and delivery was spot on. Carrie Underwood, make room on the charts. Cruising toward the finale, but against who?
Odds of winning: 5-1

3. Casey Abrams (bottom 3)
Casey is an acquired taste, which is why he's a long shot to win. He's clearly the best musician and entertainer and wildly more talented than Taylor Hicks, who won this with a unique approach in Season 5. Raucous version of "Hi De Ho That Old Sweet Roll" was well-done.
Odds of winning: 12-1

4. Jacob Lusk (bye, bye)
It's a shame that this soul singer is in trouble because he does have an amazing voice. Sang "Oh No Not My Baby" beautifully. My sense is that his sound doesn't ring relevant in comparison to the competition, which is steep. The tough cuts continue to come.
Odds of winning: 20-1

5. Lauren Alaina
She has a huge fan base, and is marching through the competition with Kelly Clarkson-like confidence. Thought it was a mistake to choose "Where You Lead," as "Gilmore Girl" fans are used to the original. Sweet singer with all of the tools, but not consistent.
Odds of winning: 7-1

6. Haley Reinhart (bottom 3)
Thought the background singers overwhelmed her as she labored through "Beautiful." Arrangement was way too busy and her voice got lost. Good singer, but can't really compete at this level. She may stick around another week, but her time is running out.
Odds of winning: 20-1

Careful Out There

 
Be happy.

Quote of the Day

"In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away."

— Shing Xiong

The Trestle

It stood majestic, deeply nestled in the woods behind Glenerie Chapel.

The old train trestle was made of timber and iron, a bridge over the sun-baked flat rocks and bubbling falls.

We walked it many times, using it as a segway to sun-bathing on those stones or simply taking a short hike through the woods.

We'd bring snacks and drinks.

We told jokes and shared junior high school stories.

And then a train would come barreling through, cutting through the sound of the birds and the breeze.

Sometimes when walking along the trestle we'd hear a train approaching, shooting adrenaline through our veins like an Indiana Jones movie. Once you were on the trestle, there was no where to go but to safety on either end.

The trestle was both a bridge and a destination.

Like the well, the trestle helped us come of age.

One Way to Diet

 
Yum.

Whistle

 
Toot.

American Idol: Songs of the 21st Century

What's with all the F-bombs? Thought this was a family show. Steven Tyler carried on like he was at a wedding, clinking his Coke glass. And Randy was dressed like he was going to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the pilgrims. Here's the order of how the seven finalists performed last night, with the odds of winning it all next month:

1. Jacob Lusk
Purest vocal of the night and his best in the last several weeks. Easy to sing emotionally when the song is personal. Covering Luther Vandross was a wise choice and will keep him around. Less is more for this talented singer.
Odds of winning: 20-1

2. Casey Abrams
Received some heavy internal marketing with staged J-Lo kiss (just guessing). Rocked out a poppy Maroon 5 tune with grit and bite. Needs to be careful as he comes across as a deranged postal worker at times. Wildly talented.
Odds of winning: 12-1

3. James Durbin
Neat that he covered Muse. Thought the chorus was strong but the verses were muddled. Sounded like he was singing over a tape of himself but that would be cheating, right? Marching band and civil war outfit was original approach.
Odds of winning: 10-1

4. Haley Reinhart (bottom 3)
One of her better performances, singing Adele's chart-topper "Rolling in the Deep." Well-sung, straightforward and simple. Choosing a current hit likely won her a lot of votes but she's still in the lower tier of the talent here.
Odds of winning: 25-1

5. Lauren Alaina
Thought she played this a little too safe. Nice song choice (Sara Evan's "Born to Fly"), and it fit her voice well. Thought Tyler's recommendation to sing Alison Krauss was right on. Looking for something special if she's going to truly threaten.
Odds of winning: 8-1

6. Scotty McCreery (bottom 3)
Just OK and almost tripped on the first step walking out. The voice is solid and he rarely makes a vocal mistake, but he's kind of flat-lined. Needs to step up and do something incredible. Where's the growth? First slot didn't help.
Odds of winning: 10-1

7. Stefano Langone (bye, bye)
This wasn't bad, but we're getting down to the deep cuts. Pre-song story package portraying him as a tenacious flirt may get some of the girl vote, but his time is running out. Great contestant but not winnable.
Odds of winning: 30-1

Quote of the Day

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside."

— Melba Colgrove, author