Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Goodbye to 2013...


 Today is breaking up Christmas at our house -- or at least, undecorating the tree so it can get hauled out of the house thereby helping us avoid bad luck in the coming year.

I know, it's different for lots of you -- some folks take the tree down Christmas night, some leave it up till January 6 . . . or April 1 . . . or whenever suits their fancy. Some people leave it up year round. Whatever works for you.
 
We have cousins from Florida visiting and, if past years are any guide, we'll eat an excellent meal, drink quite a lot of sparkling wine, and probably fall asleep well before midnight, assuring ourselves that we are celebrating the New Zealand, Austrian, French, or English  New Year.

 Tomorrow we'll eat greens to put money in our pockets and black-eyed peas and hog jowl for good luck -- another nod to our ancestors' traditions. 

Outside, it seems as if the new year is already underway...

I can't be sure but those green shoots just might be more saffron crocus...
 
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Saturday, December 28, 2013

Back on the Horse


Christmas was tough for my older son and his wife.  They had to cancel their trip to the farm as their beloved Lyca had unresolvable issues with walking. After several visits to the vet, they said goodbye to the almost thirteen year old 'puppy' on the day after Christmas. (Ethan wrote movingly about Lyca HERE.)
 
Lyca was one of the three dogs that shared Ethan and Aileen's  life during the time they lived here on the farm and she was also an honorary member of our 'Gang of Three' --  Bear, Maggie, and Jack, joining them on occasion for midnight prowls and groundhog hunts. I like to think they're all wagging and sniffing and greeting one another in the Hereafter. . .

But what makes me really happy is that, as Ethan put it, they chose to get right back on the horse and open their hearts to another dog . . . they found this cutie pit/terrier at a local shelter; she was spayed yesterday and went home with them in the afternoon.

 
Tally -- short for Tallulah Winifred Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Cake -- has found her forever home with some of the best dog parents around. A new dog doesn't diminish the loss of Lyca-- but it sure makes it more bearable

As the bumper stickers say, Don't Postpone Joy!. It looks like Tally would agree.
 
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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Crisco Joy


Sometimes it's the little things that make me smile -- the patches of light on the mountains as the clouds play peek-a-boo with the sun . . .
 
The unexpected pattern that appeared on the spoon as I scooped out some Crisco to make a pie crust . . . 

Sprinkling the pie crust scraps with cinnamon sugar and baking them for a treat -- just as my grandmother used to do for me. . . 

The mincemeat pie was nice too. 
 
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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Perfectly Politically Correct... I Hope


(I am not the author of the following and I don't know who was -- probably a lawyer; what do you think?)

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low- stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter (or summer, not forgetting friends in the Southern hemisphere) solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. 
 

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2014, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other countries nor the only "America" in the Western Hemisphere.

Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishees.

Merry and Happy from me to you!
 
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Monday, December 23, 2013

Hair Spam


Sharing an especially enigmatic message I received -- all pictures from the internet.



"If you have a great rectangular confront lowering make the impression of width in order to stability the length of the eye. If the hair is brief it is essential that it's not at all to be able to tight or even slender because using extension cables for you to previously loss of hair will only combine difficulties. It is good if you may analysis initial before attempting that upon. Very good. Good fortune on the brand-new change."

 
We strong condition my personal head of hair weekly, either overnight or allow it sit down on my hair with a bathtub hat for two several hours. Following cowashing, I use a new leave-in strengthener as well as rake serum through our head of hair in modest parts and permit the idea for you to atmosphere dried up. During wintertime several weeks, I could sit within comfortable hooded dryer for 25 units to speed the method. While I get sick and tired of lying to using my own head of hair (which does not take place usually), I am going to put it within turns and keep these looking for a few weeks."
  
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