A Little Bibical Humor



Now I'll never do a laundry without thinking of this.   



There is one in every crowd.



Hearing problems? 



I hope they made enough for the cause.     

So even Biblical humor is fun.      Leave it to some clever minds with little or nothing to do.     The fight is on between God and The Devil, the leprechauns and the gypsies, good vs. evil . . . and endless fight and an individual struggle to want to believe in a power greater than ourselves where we hope for faith, hope and glory.    Choose sides and be in for the ride of your life.     You already have a choice between a Donkey and an Elephant . . . and you know the results of that.   

 It is Friday, the last day of November, 2012, and it is storming around here.  Restless sleep when things go bump in the night.  I am waiting for day light to see if my garbage can went off with the wind.     Our rivers are running high and there is more coming our way, so I am off to the kitchen and have some mince meat cookies in mind.    Some folks have lost power, hopefully we will not.   Enjoy your weekend and keep an eye open for some of the good deeds you can do today...toys for tots, food for the food banks, a donation to the folks in town that are sending packages and letters to our troops;   a myriad of causes  . . . all good causes that need a helping hand;  what is that ad we hear from Sears all the time . . "your in good hands" . . . so stretch out those hands and start your weekend in a generous mood, smiling eyes and open arms to a hug or two.    Sing out Merry  Christmas and hum along with the Christmas music . . . get in the mood . . be a believer . . isn't there a song about that....."I'm a believer" . . . Be one . . . and strut your stuff . . . Hugs to all.

Good Rainy Morning from Brookings

Blueberry pancakes and bacon, not a bad way to start a day.

The storms are back and there is nothing better to do on  a blustery day but to put the oven to good use.  I got a start on Christmas cookies yesterday and made the molasses crinkles and peanut butter cookies.

Molasses Crinkles

1 cup of packed brown sugar;  3/4 cup shortening; 1/4 cup of molasses
1 egg; 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda;
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Granulated sugar
Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg.  Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. 
Heat oven to 375 degrees; Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls.  Dip tops in granulated sugar. Place balls sugared sides up about three inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake just until set, 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.  About 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut butter Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar;  1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup shortening;  1/2 cup peanut butter; 1 egg;
1-1/4 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour;  3/4 teaspoon of baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Mix sugars,shortening; peanut butter and egg.  Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.   Cover and refrigerate at least three hours.    Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls.  Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet;  cool completely.  Put cookies together in pairs with jam or jelly if you like, or just leave them plain and enjoy every bite.

So today, if you are home and it is blustery out there and you want to stave off boredom, go out into your kitchen and get started on your Christmas cookies.    I had finished just in time as Jock came in from his duck hunting trip and he and Pat brought me over the remains of their wonderful dinner . . . I didn't have to cook . . . it was delicious and they had no desert over there and Pat said she knew where there was some.   I had a plate of cookies wrapped and ready for Jock to take home.    He is a cookie monster and never, ever, complains.    I am betting you know a cookie monster or two . . . don't forget to put on the tea pot, or coffee if you prefer, or even drop a few miniature marshmallows in some hot chocolate and have a cookie or two, after all the cook should try the cookies out to make sure they came out just right.   And . . . don't forget to put on the Christmas music and hum along.  I'm sure it helps to make the cookies come out just right.     I'm 'making a list, and checking it twice, gonna find out who is naughty' and make up a plate of cookies for them....bet you top the list.   Hugs to all.

Fragile

A client contacted Miro Rivera Architects and asked them to build a bridge from the main house to the guest house across the pond and they came up with one that looks delicate but is strong and sturdy.   Natural reeds were used in the hand rails.   I wonder what it would take to be invited to that guest house? 



Clever, Christmas is coming and what better way to display gifts.   I bet you have a book reader on your list.  



Loved this.  We all read as fast as we can, devour books by the dozens.   I am reading one now by Ken Follett, the first of a trilogy called "Fall of the Giants" .  I just read he has a sequel out to his"World Without End" so I have another book to buy.    He is a great writer and does a lot of research into history.     I find his books are never short. . . and it takes a long time to get through one, but well worth the hours.

So today, go build a bridge or two and take a book along for rest times.    Enjoy good health and take care of yourself.   Some folks have more problems than they can handle.    It is sad to hear and to see folks that are suffering.  We all thought one of our neighbors had gone off for Thanksgiving holiday, only to find that her new phone was not working, she was flat on her back for two days because of a back problem and was unable to move about.    She couldn't hold food down so didn't eat.  When she rang my door bell last evening I couldn't believe she had been alone.  She had some hot tea and some crackers but refused any other foods.   What a shame it is that we have  come so far away from the 'good old days' when we would know our neighbors and we would be there if there was a need of any kind.    Our world changed so much and we seemed to have changed right along with it and not for the good I might add.    We should be our brothers keepers when we live side by side and although not one of us wants to have hour long visiting neighbors, we do need to have five minute drop ins and know that all is well.     So if you have not seen your neighbor for days, be sure to check things out.   It is not being nosey, but being a neighbor . . . a quick hello could mean the difference in their lives;  a fellow human being . . . just like each of us. . . and one never knows when the shoe can be on the other foot.  So go, do a good deed, take that extra second to knock on the door and say hello.    Be kind, be good, be YOU.  Hugs to all.



A Male Viewpoint

An e mail came in yesterday from a male friend and I am still laughing as it was meant as a joke and should be taken as one . . . but, on the other hand, if you think about it a little bit longer, it is not as funny as it is supposedly meant to be as a lot of males have this attitude about marriage.   Some where, along the line, they have turned sour on life and the person they should be the closest to. . . naturally we are all on our best behavior when we meet and date for the first time.   We both put on our best bib and tucker and set our minds to listen to the love bug as we choose our mate in life.    He is thinking she is 'hot', great body, great eyes, great smile, fun to be with.  She's thinking he is a handsome knight riding on his big white horse reading to sweep her off her feet and live happily ever after . . . fairy tales are like that.
Then comes marriage and the barriers of pride and prejudice are let down.   The little differences come out of hiding and show a bit of temper, a bit of tears, a bit of anger for the knight has fallen off his horse and has become 'a man' with all the foibles and all of the little idiosyncrasies he never showed while dating....she's his'woman' and she can do it all while he can relax and play king of his palace.    Now, at this point in their lives, they should be able to grow up and remember that it takes two to tango and each one should put a little more effort into being the persons they should be. . . 'get over it' would be a good motto. . . help one another. . . talk to each other . . . make love, not war and the ending might prove different.
The ending here in these pictures are typical of the outcome of a divorce....says who?   If you haven't been there you have no idea what lawyers can do.   Two people who truly loved and cared for each other come to a crossroad they cannot ford.  They forget to be civil, to be caring and greed and avarice take over . . . love is gone;  things are more important so they think;  each one trying to hurt the other . . . a very sad time of life for both leaving a feeling of inadequacy;  lost pride; failure; stupidity and a hunger for the love they so badly need in their own lives.  Frank Sinatra can sing about "a second time around" and make it sound like it is as it should be, but within the heart is the first love, the lost love of what could have been, should have been and they could have, should have 'lived happily ever after.'

Yeah, pictures do speak a thousand words.     I hope if you are married you will give some thought to your own behavior with your partner.    It does take two giving and loving each other equally . . . none of this eighty percent opposed to twenty percent.....go fifty, fifty and make your marriage work.  Get rid of the selfishness, the greed, the wants and take good care of the needs.    Both need to know that 'love' is forever warts and all.      Kind words, helping hands, much love and laughter and it is all yours to have and to hold and keep safe in your hearts.     Work at it. . . and enjoy the moments.   Hugs to all.

Sunday Sunshine

Sunshine, blue sky, a few thready clouds and an open lily field, a short ride to enjoy it all on a Sunday afternoon . . . yeah . . . life is good.

It is time to go out and take my camera for some new pictures as I am all out.  The latest ones I am getting from family and friends are of a different caliber and I cannot bring them up as my computer gets confused or down right nasty and refuses to let me show them. It seems as though there is something new and different coming out daily from our computer wizards and I find it hard to keep up with.    I just watched my granddaughter Erin bring up pictures that she had scanned in , photographs from a long while ago and it was such fun to see them all.   Some I had seen before and some I had not, so it was like looking at a memory book and recalling some of the places and faces that were once a daily part of my life.     There were pictures of me with dark hair and a slim body, now that was a very long time ago.  Hey, I had something going and didn't know it . . . um . . . now if we could go back and know what we know...um.....oh well, I am sure I wouldn't change much but I am sure I would have paid more attention to 'if I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself' . . . but then I realize that changes go along with getting older and there isn't much you can do about it but enjoy the ride.

So today, your new week starts, and we are heading into the last week of November.   You have to admit it was a fast one.   Now comes December and my favorite holiday.  Christmas . . . it even sounds good just to say it . . . beautiful sights and sounds, Christmas lights that sparkle . . . here  in Brookings the volunteers have been out stringing lights in our park. It is always a joy to walk through and see what they accomplish.  Now to get ourselves in gear and prepare to make this Christmas special for those we love.  I never thought I'd live to see the day when anyone would want to take Christ out of Christmas, yet there are many who are working hard to do so.   Black Friday should tell us something when masses of people go out and shove, push and threaten their fellow man for a 'bargain'  . . . Walmart boasts of five thousand dollars a second  . . . seems impossible and ludicrous when our economy is at the brink of failing.   You have a chance to keep Christ in Christmas by following his way . . . stay within your own budget . . . keep it simple and build a thousand memories to keep you warm and loving each bright and beautiful December day.     Meet and greet;   stop and share as you take a friend to lunch or bring a treat when you visit for being 'sweet' is a part of you that needs to be shared to overcome those who have forgotten how to smile.     As Scrooge would say. . . bah humbug . . . and Tiny Tim would smile and say "God bless us everyone" . . . your choice!    Hugs to all.

Musing

Chashing Rainbows

Can't you hear the belly laugh?   What fun it was to blow bubbles and try and catch them.    A small reminder of the days of innocence when our world was moving much to slow to satisfy us and we couldn't wait to grow up.  It seemed we were always in a hurry and what we found when we got there was a myriad of surprises, some so good, so wonderful and delightful while others proved to be mysterious and sad.    Somewhere we didn't hear the tales of those who went before us, or if we did hear them, we certainly didn't pay attention to them.     A little good, a little bad, that's life in the adult world which really didn't change a lot from the days of innocence and learning.

Life is like floating bubbles filled with awesome beauty at times and a quick blink the moments are gone and we are unable to bring them back.     Some moments we do not want back, but then there are some we would love to hang on to forever.   Think back about the bubbles you blew up into the air in life.  Forgive yourself for any you blew to big to last and forget the contents as you paid a price;   now enjoy the small bubble filled with love and laughter and blow them into the air by the dozens.    Live and Learn . . . that is what life is all about.

Then I have to remember that we could also buy a large round wand and  you could  make a bubble king size, well maybe if you look hard enough you can find one and buy some bubble juice and get out there and blow them up into the sky and smile while you do it.    As a grown up you can put lots of good deeds and thoughts into the huge king size bubbles and hope they will fall back to bless you, your family and your friends.     It is Sunday, a great day to blow bubbles . . . go, have some fun and think good thoughts as the bubble rise up into the sky and disappear from view as the love and feelings continue to surround you and yours.    Hugs to all.

Something to Bake

The turkey feather may be on display and you have had your left over sandwich for lunch today and probably, have taken time out to read the newspaper and see all the Christmas ads and all the ideas for filling trays....well our paper had a scone recipe and I thought I might as well try it as I love scones and have not made them in a very long time.
I didn't have all the ingredients as they called for, but that is not unusual in my kitchen, but I followed most of the recipe and not having cinnamon baking chips I settled for those good old  chocolate ones.   It worked.   So here is a recipe for scones that you might want to make up for a special breakfast or a special person on your list...fast and easy and oh so delicious.

Cinnamon Chip Scones
2-1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teasoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/cup of 1 percent low-fat milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups cinnamon baking chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine flour and the next seven ingredients (flour through salt)
With a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs
Combine milk,egg and vanilla.  with a wooden soon, mix into flour mixture.  Stir in cinnamon chips.
Scoop out batter using a 1/4 cup measure and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until light golden brown.  Let cool before storing or serving.   Makes 18

Have fun, and enjoy.  (The recipe was submitted by Kelly Crowe, St. Clair, Pa.) Hugs to all.

Hey there!

Miss Emma thinking about the fish in the river, or maybe a swim.  She loves the water.   She loves being with her friends Keisha and Joey and their master Jock.  I think she would move in with them and leave us all behind as she finds it much more fun to be out and about than living a city life.    On the other hand, she's a bit fickle as she loves her run to the doggies park, her visits to grandma's house and doggy treats.    She follows Pat around to make sure she is there , just like a lady, can't make up her mind in a hurry.    Yeah, she wants it both ways.

Today is Saturday, after the Thanksgiving holiday and all of the treats we had.    Pat, Erin and I went to O'Halloran's and they have all of the Christmas lights up inside and out.   It is like walking into a fairy land.   We sat in the bar area and were treated royally.   We ordered a glass of wine to go with our dinner and Erin was carded not once but twice.   The waitress thought she was under twenty-one and did bring Erin her special hot chocolate drink with liqueurs of orange and another mixture with lots of cream dribbled with chocolate.   We tasted it and I found it a little to sweet for me.  My Merlot was almost bitter after tasting it.    They had a special on fresh ling cod for Pat, a big chicken Caesar salad for Erin and of course I had the ribs.  They do a bang up job on the ribs and I appreciated the finger bowl and the extra napkins.   Erin had a piece of lemon cake complete with a candle and a sing along from us.   

The storm passed for the holiday and we had sunshine.    We hoped it would stay but we hear there are new storms coming down from Alaska and it is going to get colder.  Cold is good, after all it is November .    It was ludicrous to watch the news on television about 'black friday' which means money in the bank for the store owners and basically 'red friday' for the consumers who knock themselves out to fight over a few sale items.     Paula wrote that her son went out to try and buy one of the two bikes on sale for one of his nephews for Christmas and a woman was knocked down.   Fighting, shoving, pushing, herding . . . it makes us look like stupidity at its best and it certainly is not what the coming Christmas holiday is all about.   For a populace out of work, owing trillions of dollars, some still without a pocket or a window and our actions belie our actions sure speak louder than our words.     It is enough to get me on a soap box, well you knew it would.   
Go, enjoy your weekend.  It is time to get the boxes out of the garage and see what decorations you will use this year.   I miss the fresh tree and the snow and the people who were in my life so long ago.    I miss the traditions I used to partake in and have down sized to less.   A small artificial tree with its own lights;    a tall nutcracker and lovely red plates and bowls filled with goodies to share.   Put Christ back into Christmas and celebrate by sharing and caring.   It would be nice to have a large diamond ring but you cannot eat it. . . bring on the fruit cake . . . the sparkling eyes . . . the walk in hugs . . . and make your seconds count today and every day.   Hugs to all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ERIN MICHELLE



Erin Michelle then



Erin Michelle now

 I could fill the blog with tales about my granddaughter who came into this world with eyes shiny bright and to this day they sparkle with thoughts, words and deeds on how to make a better world.  Yes, she is altruistic, wants to travel the world and teach ASL sign language to those who cannot hear, cannot communicate, and show them how it can be.   If you are counting percentages, Erin has twenty percent of her hearing . . . did that stop her?   No way!!   She was a volley ball star at school even though the coach gave her a bad time thinking she wouldn't hear the plays but she showed her and was one of the stars.  She made the dance team and did an outstanding job, even got a starring part.    On to college and a degree.  Is a first rate photographer which is one of her favorite past times.  She has been teaching high school girls ASL sign language as a second language and took them on a trip they will never forget.     She loves to travel and will be doing allot  more of it soon as this January she leaves for Italy.   Imagine seeing all those wondrous sights and enjoying every second.   She has signed up and hopes to be accepted by the Peace Corps and eventually she wants to get her Master Degree.     She is following her dreams.  Proud of her . . . yeah!!. . . She is a chip off the old block, as the expression goes, and is following the footsteps of her mother who has been her first example of what being altruistic is all about.    Come to think of it her grandmother and her great grandmother had the same traits . . . makes us know how lucky we are.  I am hoping for pictures and tales of travel so be prepared for some bragging along the way . . . grandma's are like that!

So today, the day after the big feast, your bellies are still full, diet is on your mind but you might as well forget it as we have Christmas and the New Year yet to celebrate.     I hope you are not out shopping on Black Friday and encouraging the stores to continue such a practice.   The pictures on TV were awful with the pushing and shoving and even one fellow who promised to stab someone if he was pushed . . . how can they shop when they are not working ?   The economy in the bottomless pit.     Okay, okay, off my soap box and on to something better.    Today is Friday and you have a whole weekend to do as you please.    You don't have to cook with all the leftovers to use up and a walk around a block or two should help make room so you can finish all those luscious deserts.      We are suppose to get more storms, this time from Alaska, so cold and snow may be in the offering.     Go carefully if you are on the road home.     As you gear up for the Christmas holiday do not forget those less fortunate.  Light a candle;   donate whatever you can afford, pennies add up in a hurry if you give them a chance.     Hug a friend, kiss the dog and don't forget the cat too.    Go with a 'wink and a smile' . . . Hugs to all.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving.
I am counting my blessings today
family
friends
especially my blog followers
who are my family and friends
I have much to be thankful for
sharing
caring
smiling eyes
and lots of hugs
Yes . . . I am counting my blessings.
Hugs to all.
Jean

Prep





This old bird is probably wondering if she is going to be in the pot or the oven tomorrow.   



Maybe a taste of quail is more to your liking



and of course flowers on the table

My friend, Sharon Guinn is a talanted artist.  Oh to be able to take a brush in hand and come up with  both funny and serious art works.   Thanks for letting me use your pictures Sharon.     I hope you and all of your family have a special Thanksgiving .

So today, the day before Thanksgiving, take time to check your grocery list and get to the store before the last minute crowds.    There is always some one item we forget  and have to rush back to pick it up.    Don't forget the mincemeat and don't shrivel up your nose as it make delicious cookies as well as pie.    Daughter Patricia and granddaughter Erin are busy in the kitchen making special treats and I have a couple of pies at the ready.    They managed to come in just as I was taking hot apple turnovers out of the oven so that is what we had for lunch with a big dab of ice cream.    One of my favorite snacks, and I didn't hear one word of complaint.     They surprised me with a 2,000 piece puzzle which is on the dining room table.    This one is beautiful, full of lovely colors and is going to take some time to get done.  The table is just not big enough to put out all of those tiny pieces so a few paper plates have been called to help.    The cookie sheets will have to be used sooner or later, but not before they are shined up after some cookie baking . . . yeah, those mince meat cookies I was talking about.     Son John is due home soon and those are his favorites.   
Our stormy weather continues but yesterday we actually had a break and the sky was filled with tiny puffy white clouds which lasted all of a half hour, long enough for me to tell daughter Christine that the weather was improving . . . well it did for at least a half hour and then a big huge black cloud came in with more rain.   There is flooding by the rivers and there are mud slides on the highways but the dauntless are out delivering a little treat and a hug . . . I now have some home made fudge to share as my friend Marcia F. came by with a smile and a hug.  She is all excited about the upcoming wedding of her daughter in a weeks time.   She has her mother-of the bride dress and promises to show me some pictures.  
So today make it a preparation day when you not only get all your groceries in order but your attitude as well.   Ignore Black Friday and those who have no sense of 'now';   rushing the season is not a fun way to enjoy our traditions.   Concentrate on sharing with family and friends, raise your glass with a toast for more caring and sharing of the important aspects of your life.     Good health, a bit of wealth, smiling eyes, arms that hug and a sense of your own worth.     You cannot solve the problems of the world but you can start solving the problems in your own space, one at a time, then your life will be one of Thanksgiving.   Hugs to all.



Rain



How deep, should I chance it?   waves, trees down and still the wind blows .



Downtown Port Orchard, Washington in the  height of the storm .



Sand bags come in handy but everyone is singing "Rain, rain, go away. . . "

 The telephone conversations and the e mails and the Instant Messages have all been about whether my daughter Christine should venture out away from the comfort of her own home to have Thanksgiving Dinner with us here in Brookings, Oregon.   A long trip from one place to another.  Maybe a good eight hours usually enjoyed with a ride along the Oregon coast which is always relaxing and beautiful with wonderful little towns to stop at along the way.    Old worry wart mom doesn't like having her children on the road in winter weather and the predicted storm hit the entire coast from California to Washington and has had hurricane winds, some up to hundred and nineteen, although we on the coast stayed at about thirty-five.  The weather is warm, almost like spring, very unusual and puzzling.   The advice was, according to mom, stay put until the weather changes and then come down and we will celebrate our time together with left overs.  "Only if I have mince pie" was the response.    Then last evening these pictures came through from daughter Christine who said, "I think we got all your rain.";   I think she did.    We still have blowing and rain, sometimes teeming but so far we have had nothing like the flooding she is having.  

From what I understand the storm is due to stay until after Thanksgiving and then let up for a bit.   I am hoping she doesn't venture out until the storm passes.   She has a mopping job as some rain went into her basement doorway and left her a puddle or two.  She has to get that fixed unless she is on first name basis with the fellow with the sand bags.     Meanwhile granddaughter Erin made it up from San Francisco by driving up in the late hours in teeming rain and darkness.   A good thing as the storm was much heavier and wilder all day yesterday.   We didn't ride down to wave watch but we did go to the Pancho restaurant for fish enchaladas and enjoyed every bite.  Erin is having a birthday this week and we have to start the celebration early as there are several places she enjoys and then she does a little special cooking for us.  

I've been given my 'marching orders' and am invited to be a guest at my daughter Patricia's home this year.  She and her daughter Erin have decided that I should have my wish to be invited to one of my children's home for a Thanksgiving feast and I do not have to do anything . . . well, maybe an apple pie and a mince pie but it is not mandatory, maybe not to them, but I have a couple of neighbors who love mince pie and know I will bring them a piece.    Some traditions are hard to break and besides I really enjoy baking pies. I honestly do not mind cooking the entire dinner but I notice that the results are not as they used to be, but then the chief cook and bottle washer 'aint what she used to be' .    It is time to pass the baton of kitchen duties and it couldn't go to better hands.   

So today as you prepare for the Thanksgiving Feast, find reasons to be grateful for everything you have whether you are in a storm or not.    Count your blessings for their are many who are suffering in ways we have never seen or heard of before.    Our storms are becoming stronger sometimes in weather but sometimes from within.    Life is not 'fair' but then it is not supposed to be.    You get out of it what you put into it, no more, no less.    So decide what you want your life to be like and start working on making it special, just like you.    Take time to share especially the smiles and hugs that lift the spirit and remember what you give comes back a thousand fold.     Hugs to all.

Grin and Groan



I had to grin when I saw this picture as it reminded me of my daughter Christine.    Christine is a book lover.   I have no idea how many books she has in her home library but I can tell you she now has matching bookcases that reach to the ceiling.   



More truth than fiction.      The electric bills just keep going up, higher and higher,   We depend on electricity, more and more,  and if it should go off the grid, havoc would reign in our world and we would have to give up watching television and miss all those ads . . . smile. 



My little geranium loves its spot in the front yard and is still blooming.    Even the resident deer hasn't eaten the blossom, but they sure love to chomp on the stems that are delicate and must be tasty.    This was actually a throw away plant I just dropped into a hole that was left after the removal of a dying bush.    I meant to get the shovel and make the hole a bit deeper and replant the geranium, but I got busy doing other things and forgot about it.   I guess you do not have to be a master gardener to plant geraniums, they just love to blossom where they drop.   

So today, yeah, Monday all over again.    The storms are still with us and granddaughter Erin came up in the dark of night, she wasn't taking any chances of coming up today when it is to be the heaviest of the storm.    We were told thirteen inches of rain was coming our way, but we are experiencing more squalls than teeming rain.    Today will tell a story, we will all just have to wait and see what develops.   Meanwhile I will get to visit with my granddaughter and that is always a very special treat.    Have you noticed how quickly November is going by?     Holiday time, how did it get here so quickly?     Are you ready?   I'm not.   I am sure I am not alone as this has been one very long and very difficult year with horrendous negative vibes from politics to storms.    Apprehension is a good word to describe the mood .  Our loss of faith and hope follows . . . so, it is time to make up your mind on how you intend to celebrate the true meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas.      Hugs to all.



Pictures From the Car

One of our lilly fields which has been plowed and turned over and replanted.  Soon the little bulbs will start to show as they are planted row upon row and the workers will come in and snip their little heads off to make the bulbs stronger.  I tried to take pictures of the lily fields in bloom but usually the highway is so busy you can't take time out to stop and get a good picture.  I decided to try taking pictures from a moving car and am getting better . . . well, I did get the weed fence.

Here is another shot just a few miles up the highway and this shows how gracefully our weeds do grow.

I had  a picture of a huge rare white humpback whatle on the blog this morning.  It was there when I started but where it went is beyond me.  I noticed the newer pictures coming in will not show on the computer as they are taken by a different type of camera so my picture days may becoming shorter.  Time will tell.

Today is Sunday, a stormy one for us.    I talked with daughter Christine last evening on the telephone and she is still planning on coming down but a day or two later as the worst of the storms are supposedly today and tomorrow.   I tell my children if the weather is bad to stay off of the roads.    I hate to have them travel when the weather is or could be a big problem, but they are young and they don't see it in the same light.   They are also good drivers and smart so they don't think weather is a problem.  I'm remembering trips I've taken when weather was a very big problem.   So I will sit in the warmth of my home and wait patiently for them to arrive and listen to the adventure tales they will tell.   Remember, if you are traveling for the holidays to go carefully . . . I know, I know, you can lick the world with one hand behind you;  okay, good, but be careful while you do it.
I baked yesterday and made some cranberry breads.   I made one for me so will have some toasted pretty soon as my coffee is brewing right now.    I have some new marmalade to try, and English brand that looks luscious.   If you were nearby I'd share.    I also made two wine cakes as that is all I had the makings for.   The little loaves are all wrapped and put away to share over the holiday.     I'll shop today for some dates and make a date and nut bread which is one of my favorites  . . . um, with cream cheese . . . my taste buds sit up and take notice when I talk about all the good foods and deserts of life.    Calories do not count over the holidays . . . well in all honesty they do that is why we appreciate the lenten season and cut way back and lose those extra pounds.   It is just the season to indulge to bulge.    Meanwhile don't forgot those who are still waiting patiently to get on with their lives after the big Sandy storm.    Donate . . . donate . . . donate, it is the only way the organizations can come through with wll the help that is needed.     or world is made u p of heros and there are plenty of stories aboundng about the good deeds ongoing.   Be a part of the whole picture and do your part today.   Get out your baking tins and fill them up with your special recipes.   Don't forget to put on some of your favorite music and have a sing along as it helps make those ingredients blend into the magic of special treats.     Off to the kitchen!!!   Hugs to all.

Oh Dear!

Peeking over the back yard fence is one of the little resident deer.  Momma has gone on and left 'it' behind and it had no fear as it munched on the bushes taking its good old time.



Momma made it to the end of the open field and then just stood there waiting patiently.  As soon as her little one started across the field, she went on to the bigger field across the street.   They have a special haven there and they had a busy year as I think I was up to the count of seven little ones when they all came out to play.



This is one flight I wouldn't want to be on.   The pilot must have been terrified as a lightening bolt hit home.  We are hearing about so  many different things going on with our planes.   Maybe new ones are needed.   Something is amiss when you can't fly without fear of something going haywire.    Wasn't it seats a short while ago?    I used to love to fly and love going up but was not to happy with the slow down slide.    I was always glad to feel the bump when the wheels hit the tarmac.   
So today is Saturday, all day, and we  have a stormy one.   I can hear the rain pelting on the little vent which has a bit of musical sound to it.    I think I'll bake some cranberry breads today and stay put.  With all the storm brewing for the coming week,  travel will not be fun.   I hate having anyone on the roads when the winter storms blow.   If you plan on traveling be sure to go carefully and hopefully not get stranded on the road or at an airport.    Be wise, be careful and get to your destination in one piece.    Know how much you are loved  . . . think about the hugs waiting and your eyes will light up, your heart will swell at the thought of sharing time with those you love.     If you happen to have an obnoxious relative or two, we all seem to have them, turn the other cheek and make them miserable.    Wave your tiny finger at them when you are not prepared to send the very best, and relax and enjoy yourself.    Hugs to all.



Oh Well!!

What would we do without fairy tales?   I would hate to think of all the good reading and fun we would have missed if we had not had wonderful writers to tickle our funny bones on one hand . . . Puff the Magic Dragon . . . or squirm in fright as the monster spewed fire and created fear in its pathway . . . much like life in general . . . the dragons abide . . .come to think of it so do the angels so on with the tales and enjoy the read.



A 'typical' good old boy?   He has his say and what he said was, "We Americans got so tired of being thought of as dumb asses by the rest of the world that we went to the polls this November and removed all doubt"  And the sad part of that tales is that we really did, not all, but half of the population, yet, we all pay the price of the decision that was made.



So remember when times get tough. the tough get going.   When you see the need, reach down and help someone up.



And I hear the words, "I want my daddy home."    . . .

So today, can you believe it is Friday already.  Are you ready for your weekend?    The weather news this morning has a long line of storms heading for our coast.    We are going to be 'blustry' and yesterday I was out in the back gardens clipping the tea tree.  It does look much neater after a trim.   It is too bad the weather is going to be stormy as a lot of folks will be traveling home for the holiday.    It never fails, every year we see and hear about holiday storms;   it would be nice if they would hold off until after the holidays but then think of all the adventures one would miss.
I have told this tale before, but maybe you will not remember, or forgive me . . .   One year I was stranded in an ice storm in Connecticut and it was lucky my daughter had a school chum who lived there and her mother graciously allowed us to stay overnight with them.   No electricity, no heat. . .but, she had a fire place and put it to good work.   We had such a fun time we didn't even think of the storm until we put our feet on the ice cold linoleum in the morning.  One does move fast when the feet hit the cold floor and the goose bumps stand tall.   So, stormy weather or not, go and enjoy your weekend and see if you can find something adventuresome to do.    We cannot do anything about the weather but we sure can do something about our attitude and we can find ways to survive the storms of life and weather.   Put on your smiley face, open up those arms and make welcome those in need if they should show up on your doorstep.  You will be amazed at what a good storm offers.     Go carefully,  Go gently, . . . isn't there a poem that starts with that?   I think so . . 'softly into the night' . . . sound just right.   Hugs to all.



Signs



I am sure we would not ask for one of the handyman from this outfit.    Come to think of it I may have used one or two with some of the repairs over the last few years.  Talk about being had . . . it makes me wonder whatever happened to  pride in accomplishments.  At one time you could hire a person or a company to fix a household problem and the job would be done without a hitch.   Now, you get slip shod and unfinished work and told it can be finished for a price.    



Now here is a clue as to what is going on in our medical world.   Take a pill, take two pills, well maybe add a few more and one of them is bound to work if you can stand the mixture, which help create problems you never had to begin with.   



this one made me laugh . . . why can't weekends be five days and work days two days?   



More truth than poetry or are we about to get exactly what was promised with all the dysfunction ,on going, with our men in power.     Um.....the word 'power' can send a strong man over the top and we have seen in done more than once.  

So today, be of good cheer as the Thanksgiving Holiday is about to come our way.    It has not been changed to a weekend date yet, wonder how come no one has thought to make it a Friday or a Monday and make it a longer holiday . . . . well maybe some folks take the extra day and make it a long weekend anyway.    What is that nonsense about a sale at midnight on Thanksgiving Day? . . . a pre-Christmas sale . . . hope you don't participate and take back your holidays and celebrate them for what they truly are.    Nope, not going on my soap box, you have already heard it all.   By now you could quote me and a few dozen others on what is wrong with greed, avarice, and pure selfishness.   Take back your life...it is your life . . . start today and make up your mind what is best for you and yours.      What is it the old mother's use to say . . . 'just because he or she jumps off of a cliff, doesn't mean you have to. . ."    Be wise . . . be loving . . . be forgiving . . . and be good to yourself.    Hugs to all 



RED HATS



One more jig saw puzzle completed . . . yeah for my team . . . but they were not here to the finish and missed out on all the fun.   It was a fun puzzle to do.   It would make a great banner picture for the Ladies of the Red Hats.    I was thinking of gluing and framing it for a local Red Hat group but then think of the fun they would miss if they didn't have it to put together.  So, if I return the puzzle to its owner, maybe it will get to the local Red Hats up there in Gold Beach and let the fun begin.
Hugs to all.



Just Musing/Aftermath

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asking his father for the courage to get through the events that were to come.
A picture to remind us to have faith, hope and charity so we can live the lives we have been given and have the courage of our own convictions.   The end results of the election have left many down hearted and concerned about the future of America and especially their own future.    The 'whites' as we are called by those who have come into our country illegally, some legally, bring along a bit of their upbringing and ideals of coming into America to benefit for themselves and take over by living off of the sweat of someones brow.   Not fair we whites cry . . . as we allowed ourselves to follow the 'golden path' and gave away our hard earned heritage.   

We hear that the rich white folks should pay a lot more of their hard earned money for taxes to help defray the cost of socialistic living;  why not the rich black person, or the Latino person who has made billions of dollars.   Oprah comes to mind , and although she seems to have lost her status, when she was in the limelight she built schools overseas for poor students but not here in America where she made her fortune.   My thoughts go on but some will think and say I am talking through my hat . . . could be, but I do know that the only way to survive is to start by helping yourself, be true to your own convictions and keep faith and hope starting on your knees.  Do not allow anyone to make you a lesser person;  you know who you are.

I feel like the little boy crying wolf when there isn't one .  . . only time will tell what is going to happen in our country and what will be offered  as the country is split in two.    Life changes on a daily basis.     I can remember when hamburger was three pounds for a dollar and now it is six dollars a pound.   Bread was ten cents a loaf and now is three dollars.  The hourly pay was fifty cents an hour and now it is twenty or more . . . our world has changed and will continue to do so.    We change right along with it so you will do what you have to do to survive.  

Know yourself and participate in life one second at a time.     And as "Annie" sings . . . "Tomorrow, tomorrow, the sun will come out"    and after the storm it usually does.
Hugs to all.   

Pics



Angie had this picture on Facebook today as she mentioned the snow in Truckee where she lives.    It has been a long time since I've seen icicles, a free Popsicle in depression days.   They do have a beauty all their own.  



This sign should be in Freddys where I shop.   They have sales like this all the time.   You would think the public was mindless and couldn't add.    The cost of a roast one week is so much a pound, then on sale week it is twice the price and you get one free . . . never underestimate the mind of a salesman.   I have to laugh as the can sales are on right now and once you could buy a can of peas, for instance, for fifty nine cents but today you can buy the same can of peas, ten for a dollar, the new way to sell can goods. . . and people think they are getting a buy.     Cranberry sauce use to sell for fifty nine cents a can and went up to eighty nine cents a can but not this year....a dollar and a quarter and a greater buy if you buy two for three dollars, according to the ad . . . where is the calculator when you need it?   So getting 'ripped off ' is the name of the game and we need to find a way to beat this on going rip off.     The secret is to buy fresh vegetables and eat them the same day you buy them, otherwise they rot before your eyes.    I found out this week that one way to preserve your fresh vegetables for an extra day or two is to put them in your cooler....that's right, our cooler where the climate is right to keep them fresh for a bit longer.   One trick I have learned is to use paper towels to help keep your fresh fruits and vegetables longer.    Wash your fruits and vegetables when you get home from the store, dry them, place them in a container and put a piece of toweling in the bowl or container and it absorbs the moisture and the items stay fresher much longer.  I am going to try the cooler and see if it works better.
So you have your tip for today. . . go and enjoy shopping for some fresh vegetables for dinner tonight.    Make your Sunday soup with chicken thighs and lots of fresh vegetables and you have something ready when you do not feel like cooking up a meal.     The Razzle Dazzle pie is on sale this week and well worth stocking up if you have freezer space.  My neighbor Jim sent me over a big plastic bag of peeled apples . . .all I have to do is put the shell together and I'll have my Thanksgiving apple pie at the ready.    And you thought one picture took place of a thousand words . . .

Go . . . have a good Tuesday and make it a fun one.    Laughter makes your world go around and lightens the load; so live your seconds with a smile in your eyes and try singing at the top of your lungs today and really feel the freedom of expression.    Hugs to all.