Let me introduce myself and tell you about this blog; my life in the Ozarks. It’s a busy life in these laid back hills, and well, I don’t think there will be any shortage of material to entertain you with.
Moonmooring is home. When I purchased it over 30 years ago the deed stated it had belonged to the Needmores in the 1800’s; we lovingly called it Needmore Acres. We moved here from California and there was a whole slew of jokes about outhouses, goats and Ozark hot tubs.
Dogwoods, the Arkansas flower.
I’ll tell you about Uncle Butch, who drank beer the same way I like Southern Comfort, straight up and room temp, and Grandma Dall who, along with Grandpa Ed, brought five of their six children here in the late 40’s. Her second husband Grandpa Dall was the Grandfather I remember. You will hear about Aunt Zoma, may she rest in peace, and her amazing gardening abilities, cooking skills and storytelling … must run in the family … how I got my strawberry patch, my first garden, compost, raised beds, the gold value of rabbit manure, possum grape jam, persimmon leather, paw-paws, okra, wild plums, chiggers and tick tape, road kill, the appearance of roadrunners and armadillos in these parts and my own stock tank. Mom and Dad will have a special place here.
I’ll tell about the ice storm of 09 and the twin floods of 08, and what a full moon on a clear night reflecting off a fresh snow looks like. You’ll hear about the changeling driveway to Moonmooring, dogs and cats, wood furnace 101, Adrian’s three story treehouse, outdoor showers, lemon drop peppers, and evenings on the porch listening to tree frogs.
I hope you enjoy a good recipe. I’d love to share some with you. There might be a poem or short essay about life in the Ozarks. I may recommend a book, and I’ll tell you about the Bruchas hanging throughout my home.
My Mom on the left and her mother, Grandma Dall (Thelma) taken in the early 50's.
There will be stories from and about friends and family … that’s fast becoming an endless list! If you feel shortchanged because you’ve not been mentioned, give it a rest, I’m sure your name will come up sooner or later.
This photo was taken in Greece a few years ago. I was draping myself over a flimsy balcony on the tenth floor of a cheesy hotel in the Omonia District in Athens. Scared to death it would give way and I would fall to my demise on the first day wearing nothing but a slip but determined that with enough coaxing my sister could get a decent shot; I braved the filigree.
This is truly beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.
Great blog! Right up my alley! Nice photos too!
Life in the Ozarks sounds like a great blog. Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting the other day. Good luck blogging!
Thank you, Sarah, for the comment you left on my blog.
I have one concern about “Winter’s Bone”, and as you seem to have contact with some of those involved, maybe you can pass it along.
Because of my “less-than-perfect” hearing, I’m hoping for closed captioning or subtitles on the eventual DVD.
If those are on the “to-do” list, my concern is past experience with some truly awful captioning on some releases that are sometimes not even close to what was actually said. I hope to God that whoever does this one has access to the script to get it right.
As Daniel Woodrell’s prose is an integral part of the story, I suggest that he be in attendance, perhaps with a 2×4.
Of, course, with lead times involved, I suspect that the DVD preparations may have already been made and I’ll just have to hope for the best. Regardless, I’ll snap it (up) the first time I come across it.
PS – If you see this comment repeated as a reply on my blog, I have no shame about plagiarizing myself.
Again, Thanks.
Regardless, I’ll snap it up</i< the first time I come across it.
(I hate it when that happens.)
“I’m getting wishy-washy on this one.” (Sound quality in “Winter’s Bone”)
Well, no more.
I’ve just seen it again, tonight, and the sound quality is definitely poor as far as the dialog is concerned.
There were far too many instances where I understood what was said, only because I had read the book and knew what it had to be.
Other people in the audience had problems with that as well.
So, I’m definitely hoping for close-captioning or subtitle capability for the DVD.
(PS – Still highly recommended by me, and still possibly the best movie of the year; but, be warned. )
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Thanks, for your latest comment on “John Hawkes – Man of Steel” ( http://paulinhouston.blogspot.com/2010/07/john-hawkes-man-of-steel.html – a little absolutely shameless self-promotion there
.
I’m glad somebody likes it; I feel pretty good about it myself.
I bought the DVD the day it came out (Oct 26) and love it. As it is both Close-Captioned and subtitled, it addresses my hearing problems. On top of that, the audio is much better than in many theaters (not even counting that you can always just turn it up
. The captioning and subtitling are spot on and I’ve realized that some things I thought I heard weren’t really there but almost certainly my memory filling in with what I had read in the novel (as dialog in a movie is usually trimmed to keep things moving).
It’s probably only a month or so before Academy Awards nominations are made, and I hope to God that “Winter’s Bone” is not overlooked. Especially John Hawkes (as that was the guy I was writing about in the first place), but Jennifer Lawrence is simply amazing as well.
Again, Thanks.
(Note: This is simply the reply comment I put on my own blog)
Hi Sarah … your writing is captivating and the posts male very interesting reads .. wish you all the best and greetings fro India
Regards,
Dilip
Sarah:
I would like to copy your reply into a comment on my John Hawkes post, if it’s Ok with you.
Thanks.
Your reply, about the speaking style of the people there causes me to reconsider my “not very good” remark (about the sound quality) in my post.
I don’t recall having any trouble hearing the music and singing, but I did have to strain to catch some of what was said.
I’m getting wishy-washy on this one.
I have been over to Marideth’s blog, and put both the comment (and your reply) there.
As for seeing it again, as I noted in my post I am blessed with the theater showing it within walking distance o where I live.
So, probably tonight.
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I got this reply on Marideth’s blog (emphasis mine)…
About the sound problem, I’m advised by the director that similar problems have occurred when the theater playing the film fails to notice the attached tag that says the movie is to be played at Dolby sound level 7.5 — Most films being shown these days are so full of explosions and very loud special effects that if played at 7.5 it would blow their speakers, so they play the audio set at Dolby 5. At that level the WB sound is very muddy.
I emailed this info to the customer service departments of the Landmark theater chain (which runs the theater I went to) and Roadshow Attractions (distributor of Winter’s Bone).
The latter replied, thanking me for the heads up, and promised to get with the theater to see what was going on.
Apparently, they did. Tonight’s showing was much better as far as audio goes; while I still had to strain in a few places to catch some of the dialog, it was infinitely better than before. The remaining part of my problems can probably be attributed to hearing I have already described as a bit “less than perfect”. Because of that last caveat, I still hope for captioning on the DVD.
But, in the meantime, there is at least one theater in this area that is now playing it the way it was meant to. So, I feel I have managed to accomplish something worthwhile.
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See you there?
Sarah
Go to California?!!!
Even if I could afford it…
Been there, Done that.