The Guardian for this meeting was Bruce Mowbray. The comments are by Bruce Mowbray.

Bruce Mowbray: Heya, Riddle.
Riddle Sideways: hi All
ElanVitalo Resident: Hi, Riddle.
Bruce Mowbray: Is life still a funny funny Riddle (a la John Denver)?
Riddle Sideways: nice sign and thanks, Bruce
Bruce Mowbray: Well, still no response from Yaku, unfortunately.
Bruce Mowbray: I IM'd and emailed him and put up the sign....
Bruce Mowbray: so he must be out of town or something.
Riddle Sideways: hey, just watched a PBS show on John Denver
Bruce Mowbray: Me too!
Bruce Mowbray: Country Boy!
Bruce Mowbray: I'd forgotten that he once sang with the Chad Mitchell Trio.
Riddle Sideways: It dashed a favorite personal story
Bruce Mowbray listens.....
Bruce Mowbray: dashed?
Riddle Sideways: Was sitting on a huge rock with lots of others, kids climbing about
Bruce Mowbray nods, listens.
Riddle Sideways: a tour guide with a group goes by
Riddle Sideways: points and says that is the place John Denver wrote Country Roads
Bruce Mowbray: Hmmm. Wow!
Riddle Sideways: immediately got off the rock
Bruce Mowbray: "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has an enduring place in my heart and personal history, actually.
Riddle Sideways: since then have told many about sitting on that rock
Bruce Mowbray: nods, your claim to fame!
Riddle Sideways: then watching that special it said he wrote it elsewhere
Bruce Mowbray: But (!) it was written by that couple....
Bruce Mowbray: the man and woman folk singers,
Riddle Sideways: something about West Virginia rhymed better
Bruce Mowbray: and they let him sing the lead,
Riddle Sideways: oh yes, by that couple
Bruce Mowbray: and it skyrocketed after that,
Bruce Mowbray: but he didn't write it.
Bruce Mowbray: yeppers.
Bruce Mowbray: I had always thought he wrote it, too.
Riddle Sideways: so, either tour guides are not to be trusted
Riddle Sideways: or your TV lies (sometimes)
Bruce Mowbray: Maybe it was "Rocky Mountain High" that your tour guide was thinking of.
Riddle Sideways: then again it could be both
Bruce Mowbray: Remember the origin of that one - during the Persiod Meteor shower?
Bruce Mowbray: "I've seen it raining fire in the sky..."
Riddle Sideways: brb
Bruce Mowbray: kk, take your time, np.
Bruce Mowbray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo

--BELL--

Bruce Mowbray: Heya, Mick!
Mickorod Renard: hi Bruce
Bruce Mowbray: Do you know the song "Take me Home Country Roads"?
Mickorod Renard: :)
Bruce Mowbray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo
Mickorod Renard: I think so
Bruce Mowbray: Riddle and I were just talking about John Denver and this song.
Mickorod Renard: ok
Bruce Mowbray: :)
ElanVitalo Resident adds song to databases.
Mickorod Renard: West Virginia?
Bruce Mowbray: yeppers.
Bruce Mowbray: My typist was born in West Virginia, actually.
Mickorod Renard: ahh
Bruce Mowbray: Bethlehem, WVa.
Mickorod Renard: mountain high?
Bruce Mowbray: just outside of Wheeling.
Bruce Mowbray: Well, 'mountain high' was in the Rockies,
Mickorod Renard: kk
Bruce Mowbray: a fer piece away from WVa. (!!)
Bruce Mowbray: How have you been?
Bruce Mowbray: Haven't seen you for a long spell.
Mickorod Renard: I was in the other day
Bruce Mowbray nods.
Mickorod Renard: saw aggers and storm
Bruce Mowbray: But you're the travelin' man, from what I hear.
Mickorod Renard: but I have dropped in a few times and no one here
Bruce Mowbray: kk. . .
Mickorod Renard: I have stopped my travels
Bruce Mowbray: I've just not been here the same times as you have, which is understandable.
Bruce Mowbray: kk, I have too (stopped traveling), but probably for different reasons from yours.
Mickorod Renard: I don't know what I am going to do now
Bruce Mowbray: My typist just can't hack it anymore, sadly.
Mickorod Renard: :)
Mickorod Renard: I have just been cutting my hedge but now I feel totally nackered
Bruce Mowbray: Hmmmm.
Bruce Mowbray: You're a FINE artist.
Bruce Mowbray: Do you know about Proko?
Mickorod Renard: its about 8ft tall and 3ft deep
Bruce Mowbray: WHOA!
Mickorod Renard: no? who's that?
Bruce Mowbray: THAT's ONE HUGE HEDGE, for sure!
Bruce Mowbray: Proko is a young man who teaches art - and an EXCELLENT teacher he is, too:
Bruce Mowbray: http://www.proko.com/library/
Bruce Mowbray: I am taking his lessons one-by-one.
Mickorod Renard: well, its a tough one if left too long.. I have to climb onto a stage and then hang over with petrol trimmers
Bruce Mowbray: oh dear.
Mickorod Renard: wow, that sounds fun, Bruce
ElanVitalo Resident searches databases for "petrol trimmers"
Mickorod Renard: water or oil or acrylic?
ElanVitalo Resident: OH! You mean a gas-motored hedge clippers, of course!
Mickorod Renard: yes
Riddle Sideways: back
Bruce Mowbray: Proko's medium is mostly charcoal or pen and ink, so far.
Mickorod Renard: hi Riddle
Mickorod Renard: ok
Bruce Mowbray: wb, Riddle.
Riddle Sideways: hi Mick, long time
Bruce Mowbray: I said the same, Riddle.
Mickorod Renard: yeh, sort of missed the ol' place
Bruce Mowbray: You do know that we're moving, don't you, Mick?
Mickorod Renard: I used to use ink to create trees
Bruce Mowbray: hmmmm.
Mickorod Renard: yes, I am going to send money
Bruce Mowbray: I've already sent my annual donation to Woly.
Bruce Mowbray: and she's received it, through PayPal.
Mickorod Renard: yes, i would run water by tipping the paper and making lil tracks all random from one point..then let ink flow down it to create the branches etc
Bruce Mowbray: beautiful.
Mickorod Renard: then sponge on leaves
Bruce Mowbray: I went on an "art hike" of Mt. Tamilpais in California once, and the instructor encouraged us to draw things with available objects.
Bruce Mowbray: I distinctly remember drawing with some weeds...
Bruce Mowbray: and it turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!
Riddle Sideways: ah, Mt. Tamalpais, nice place
Mickorod Renard: using weed can enhance one's artistic abilities
Bruce Mowbray: A BEAUTIFUL place to hike, for sure.
Mickorod Renard: he he
Bruce Mowbray: ha ha!
Bruce Mowbray: Had not thought of that connection, heh heh.
Mickorod Renard: I have been trying to master doing seductive women..its a real challenge
ElanVitalo Resident looks up Mt. Tamalpais in databases.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471
Bruce Mowbray: I think you're doing VERY well with that focus, actually.
Bruce Mowbray: I have seen some of your work!
Mickorod Renard: well ty...but I have a long way to go
Mickorod Renard: now I am trying Caravaggio style

--BELL--

 
Bruce Mowbray: ME TOO!
Bruce Mowbray: WOW!!!!
Mickorod Renard: yeaa
Mickorod Renard: yes, interesting his use of light
Bruce Mowbray: http://hermitdog.com/poser/poser_caravaggio_baptist_final.png
Bruce Mowbray: (That's one I did just this week.)
Mickorod Renard: you did a good reproduction
Mickorod Renard: he he
Bruce Mowbray: ty.
Mickorod Renard: it was suggested he used mirrors to reflect light onto the subjects
Bruce Mowbray: Here is an excellent discussion of Caravaggio, if you're interested:
Bruce Mowbray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfJgBpok4i4
Bruce Mowbray: YES! He did.
Mickorod Renard: ty
Bruce Mowbray: The link I just gave talks about his mirrors and his lenses.
Bruce Mowbray: FASCINATING!
Mickorod Renard: wow cool..cos at his time to make lenses was difficult
Bruce Mowbray: also, that he used "camera obscura" -- pin hole camera.
Bruce Mowbray: amazing work.
Riddle Sideways: ty, will watch later
Mickorod Renard: well..i am fascinated ..I know another great artist of long ago who used to do that
Bruce Mowbray: yw, it is an excellent vid, Riddle.
Mickorod Renard: trying to think his name
Bruce Mowbray: who was that, Mick?
Bruce Mowbray: kk, np.
Mickorod Renard: did lots of Venice
Mickorod Renard: thinking
Mickorod Renard: darn,,maybe later
Bruce Mowbray: yes, I DO understand !
Mickorod Renard: he he
Bruce Mowbray: Sometimes just putting your mind on something else for a while will help bring back the memory.
Bruce Mowbray: Speaking of memory: I've been having fascinating dreams lately - and remembering them!
Bruce Mowbray: and thinking about yours, Mick!
Riddle Sideways: good
Bruce Mowbray: yup.
Bruce Mowbray: Mick has INCREDIBLE dreams... and I am envious.
Mickorod Renard: Canoletto I am sure
Bruce Mowbray: Canoletto.
ElanVitalo Resident again consults databases.
Mickorod Renard: I think so,,dont quote me though
Bruce Mowbray: :)
Riddle Sideways: Mo got hit by a train
Mickorod Renard: ouch
Bruce Mowbray: I'll bet that Aph would know. She's an expert on all things Venetian.
Bruce Mowbray: ouchy ouch!
Mickorod Renard: I am having problems recalling my dreams at present
Bruce Mowbray: hmmm, interesting.
Mickorod Renard: but I know I am having lots
Bruce Mowbray: I just wish my dreams were not so self-deprecating.
Mickorod Renard: how do you mean?
Riddle Sideways: brb, in diff viewer
Bruce Mowbray: Mine almost always involve my inadequacies in awkward situations.
Bruce Mowbray: kk, np, Riddle.
Bruce Mowbray: Well, stuff like having to deliver a lecture before a class... and not being prepared for it.
Mickorod Renard: well...i dunno..many can make something bad out of nothing
Bruce Mowbray: I'm sort of a Jungian, so I interpret them as trying to send a message to me...  to my conscious self, as it were.
Mickorod Renard: I became a little paranoid that folks were making determinations about my dreams
Bruce Mowbray: oh dear.
Bruce Mowbray: wb, Riddle.
Riddle Sideways: back, ty
Mickorod Renard: I wouldn't mind..if they were open..but in fact they probably didn't and it was just my paranoia
Bruce Mowbray: :)
Mickorod Renard: hi riddle
Bruce Mowbray: Well, I feel that my dreams are also a bit paranoid,
Bruce Mowbray: I mean,
Bruce Mowbray: when am I actually going to have to prepare a lecture for a class....??
Mickorod Renard: exactly..or I travel around in medieval France?
Mickorod Renard: I wanted mine to be an open window for folks to play in with ideas but I dunno..maybe folks felt uncomfortable to do so
Bruce Mowbray: Everyone I know thought you were magnificent in tMaxine's Dreams sessions, Mick. In fact, the group collapsed after you left it.
Bruce Mowbray: Changing the subject radically, but would you 3 guys mind if I tried an experiment... in prep for tomorrow's poetry bash....?
Mickorod Renard: sure
Bruce Mowbray: THIS is an experiment with my line reader.
Riddle Sideways: ok
Bruce Mowbray: ty!

--BELL--

(I read part of the poem - and I could see the text in two different viewers, but it did not show up in the log… alas.)

Bruce Mowbray: kk, ty.
Bruce Mowbray: It seems to be working.  Fine
Bruce Mowbray: Fine.
Riddle Sideways: a poem with the bell text in the middle, nice
Bruce Mowbray: !!
Mickorod Renard: grin
Bruce Mowbray: I will be reading in voice and trying to flash the text of the poem at the same time,
Mickorod Renard: you don't have to make up the poems then?
Riddle Sideways: are you going to read out loud also?
Bruce Mowbray: Yes I will read outloud, so Just needed to test to see if it worked.
Mickorod Renard: ok
Bruce Mowbray: You can read anyone else's poem,
Bruce Mowbray: as long as . . . they have given permission,
Bruce Mowbray: and since Frost is dead,
Bruce Mowbray: well.
Bruce Mowbray: what can i say?
Mickorod Renard: I have been reading poems to my grand daughter,,before bed,,along with a story
Riddle Sideways: Dead Poet Society
Bruce Mowbray: WONDERFUL!
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, Dead Poet's Society ... Robin Williams. One of my all-time favorite movies.
Mickorod Renard: the books I have were too deep for her and in old English. but now I have a spike milligan book
Bruce Mowbray: You are building life-long memories, Mick.
Bruce Mowbray: (and also enabling her reading abilities....)
Mickorod Renard: I never remember any
Bruce Mowbray: There is NOTHING like reading outloud to a child to promote good reading habits.
Mickorod Renard: I made a dream into a poem once
Bruce Mowbray: i used to read whole novels outloud to my 8th graders, and they loved it.
Bruce Mowbray listens for mick's poem.
Riddle Sideways: read the first 4 Harry Potters out load
Bruce Mowbray: OMG! WONDERFUL!
Mickorod Renard: I found reading out aloud a transformation to myself..20 years ago..since I have been quite comfortable with it
Bruce Mowbray: Reading outloud is good for both reader and audience.
Mickorod Renard: yeaaa..I did the Harry Potter too out aloud to my son
Bruce Mowbray: Gosh!
Mickorod Renard: 20 year ago
Bruce Mowbray: I might be the only person on earth who has never read a Harry Potter book.
Bruce Mowbray: Seen most of the movies, though.
Bruce Mowbray: Rowling is a genius.
Mickorod Renard:

Out one day amongst my dreams

I found myself at an ancient medieval city gate

The sun reddened stones by its beams

Two millennium plus its age to this date

Inside the city I did pass Destroyed homes from some past fate

Left unattended nature has

Turned rubble back to beauty I felt in my conscience alas

A great urge of duty

To make some garden serene

Acknowledgment for some past act futile

When I turned around there was in being

A man traditional Arabian dress

And his partner dressed just eyes seen

The man did spot my crucifix

He said’ that’s not enough for thine’

And thus I realised what did mean

For one's actions are the real sign one should desire

Of a balanced spirit within

When they’d departed I did enquire

Of the name of woman with whom he had been

The voice said ‘why, of course that was the Magdalene ’

Riddle Sideways: congures many images
Bruce Mowbray: Would you consider reading your poem at the Poetry Bash tomorrow, Mick?
Mickorod Renard: I recall my disappointment in myself for allowing my lust for her to make me miss talking to Jesus
Riddle Sideways: :)
Bruce Mowbray: I suspect that Jesus might also had some lust for her.
Mickorod Renard: I suspect many who were in dreams would be familiar with it
Mickorod Renard: I am going balls out to make it there tomorrow but it is my grand daughter's birthday so I will be pushed
Bruce Mowbray: first things first.
Riddle Sideways: RL first
Bruce Mowbray: yes!
Bruce Mowbray: grand daughter first.
Mickorod Renard: its funny that poem I did...it still conjures up deep feelings
Bruce Mowbray: Oh yes.
Riddle Sideways: it would
Bruce Mowbray: Poetry has a way of touching the depths in us.
Mickorod Renard: I have kept most my dreams from the dream club
Bruce Mowbray: nods, understands.
Bruce Mowbray: As I have been practicing "Birches" by Robt. Frost, I have come to see it as a condensation of Western Civilization's evolving consciousness...
Bruce Mowbray: and the meanings just keep expanding.
Bruce Mowbray: I must go now.

--BELL--

Mickorod Renard: yes?
Riddle Sideways: also
Bruce Mowbray: Thank you, Riddle, Mick, and Elan.
Bruce Mowbray: A fine session.
Mickorod Renard: bye Bruce
Riddle Sideways: by
Bruce Mowbray: I appreciate your being here.
Mickorod Renard: take care
Mickorod Renard: bye riddle
Mickorod Renard: Elan