Monday, September 11, 2017

Poem for Monday, Boonesborough Days, The Orville

On Summer
By George Moses Horton

Esteville begins to burn;
    The auburn fields of harvest rise;
The torrid flames again return,
    And thunders roll along the skies.

Perspiring Cancer lifts his head,
    And roars terrific from on high;
Whose voice the timid creatures dread;
    From which they strive with awe to fly.

The night-hawk ventures from his cell,
    And starts his note in evening air;
He feels the heat his bosom swell,
    Which drives away the gloom of fear.

Thou noisy insect, start thy drum;
    Rise lamp-like bugs to light the train;
And bid sweet Philomela come,
    And sound in front the nightly strain.

The bee begins her ceaseless hum,
    And doth with sweet exertions rise;
And with delight she stores her comb,
    And well her rising stock supplies.

Let sportive children well beware,
    While sprightly frisking o’er the green;
And carefully avoid the snare,
    Which lurks beneath the smiling scene.

The mistress bird assumes her nest,
    And broods in silence on the tree,
Her note to cease, her wings at rest,
    She patient waits her young to see.

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We spent Sunday in the area around South Mountain in spectacular early fall weather. Our first stop was the Boonesborough Days festival in Boonsboro, where we saw rescued raptors, historic cars, Civil War artifacts, a forge, a University of Maryland agriculture school information booth, a portable gristmill, amateur astronomers, a horse and buggy, lots of locally made food, and crafts including glassworks, furniture, pottery, doll clothing, ironworks, candles, ceramics, jewelry, chain maille, paintings, photo art, seasonal decorations, and more. After the festival, we went to South Mountain Creamery, where we got to pet calves and visit chickens and cows before getting cheese and ice cream in the store. We missed all of the Ravens' shutout victory over the Bengals and the Nationals clinching their division for the postseason, but both ended so well that we didn't mind.

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We ate a late dinner while watching the first episode of The Orville, which I liked rather better than most of its reviewers, though I may have been in a forgiving mood because I'm so mad at CBS about Discovery. So I enjoyed the wannabe Data with the similar voice, the wannabe Jem'Hadar villains, all the women -- I always love Penny Johnson Jerald, I'm very glad to see Adrianne Palicki on something other than Agents of SHIELD though they need to write her character better -- it is no worse than "Broken Bow" and I liked it better than "Encounter at Farpoint" the first time I watched TNG, so I will certainly watch again next week. It's no "Emissary" or "Caretaker"...but, when I was rolling my eyes, it was because of McFarlane's brand of humor included to lure his usual fans, not because of serious sci-fi stupidity. Afterward we watched this season's final, sad Endeavour, on which I must admit my favorite moment was Roger Allam's Thursday saying, "I am the law!"

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