More This and That.....

It's time for the monarch migration. This years sightings should be some of the most plentiful in recent years, according to an article in Kansas City Infozine. The butterflies migrate from ther Canadian summer home to their winter habitat in Mexico each year. We should begin seeing them right now, with the peak of the migration expected to be through here around September 23rd. Seeing the monarchs each year is one of my favorite fall things.

In a discussion with my brother, who is in town this week from Ohio, and my cousins yesterday, it came to light that they had not read the recent announcement from Mattel:

Mattel recently announced the release of limited edition Barbie dolls for the Midwest market:

Leawood Barbie: This princess Barbie is only sold at Town Center Mall. She comes with an assortment of Kate Spade handbags, a Lexus SUV, a longhaired foreign lap-dog named Honey, and a cookie-cutter dream house with a lawn service. Available with or without tummy tuck and face-lift. Workaholic ex-husband Ken comes with a Porsche.

Overland Park Barbie: This modern-day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar mini-van and matching gym suit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation or secondary education. Traffic-jamming cell phone sold separately. Can swear in English and Spanish. Available at Target.

Independence Barbie: This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, bowie knife, a '78 El Camino with dark tinted windows, and a meth lab kit. This model is only available after dark and can only be bought with cash, preferably small bills, unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.

There are many more Barbies available, from all parts of Kansas City. The full post is on the General Blather blog, and is hillarious! Thanks, Heather!

This poem, from the "They Pay to Kiss Your Feet" blog, put into words some of my feelings about the rapid coming of fall:

fortitude

She waits for autumn
when the sky darkens earlier
and the leaves ripen
to shades of red and hues of gold.
She waits for yards to be set
on hot pink fire
and for driveways to be cloaked in blood orange.
For nights with breezes that cut
deep.
For a chill that is the reason
wool coats exist-
and goulashes
and turtlenecks
and mittens.
Because autumn leads to winter
and winter means snow
white
cold
covering
thick
snow
that makes even the darkest night
brighter.

Thank you, Jessi!

It's going to be a beautiful day in Kansas City. I've got a much needed day off, and I'm going to work really hard at enjoying it! Hope you can do the same.
~BG

posted by B.G. Roberts @ 8:53 AM