Showing posts with label Christmas tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas tree. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Seasonal Pics (Wordless Wednesday) and Words for Wednesday

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     






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 Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts to encourage us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    


This month, the prompts are being provided by Elephant’s Child.     


This week's prompts are a selection of phrases relating to love and/or relationships.  You can use some of them, all of them or add your own.


  1. Out of sight, out of mind

2. Absence makes the heart grow fonder

3. Puppy love

4. Love laughs at locksmiths

5. Love is blind 

6. A face that only a mother could love


“I heard an old friend of yours is back in town!”


Silence was not the answer she expected when she breezed through the door and said that.  A closer look at her sister’s face stopped her in her tracks.


“Something’s very wrong, isn’t it.”


“I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t go tonight.”


“Why in the world not?”


“It’s been too many years, lots of water under both of our bridges.”


“Too many years nothing.  ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’”


“Or forgetful.  After all, ‘out of sight, out of mind.’  What makes you think he’s going to care if I’m there or not?  All those years ago, it was a case of puppy love — if it had been anything more, we wouldn’t have let the miles and years separate us.  And then losing Steve in the fire, and ending up scarred with a face that only a mother could love...”


Sigh.  “Look, sissy, this isn’t just about him.  It’s about you!  You have one scar left, and it’s not that prominent, and nobody minds it at all.  True love, like the love of all your friends, is blind.  This is about getting you out for a bit, with the people who care about you the most, all of your friends who’ve been your friends for years.  It’s about getting your life back!”


“I know, I know, I shouldn’t hide, I need to do more, I’ve heard it all, and I don’t know if I’m ready!”


Deeper sigh.  “Sissy, every person at this reunion knows you.  Roger came back in town not just for this reunion party, but he’s looking for simpler times and old friends, too.  His wife died of cancer two years ago, and he told both Anna and Justine that he came back, in part, to see you.”


“Now I want to lock myself in my room!”


“Love laughs at locksmiths, I’ll kick the door in and you won’t be able to hide.  Doggone it, sissy, I want you to come, and everyone who will be there wants you to come, you need to eat and talk and laugh and drink the champagne toast to old times...”


“You know I can’t have bubbly, it goes right to my head.”


“Maybe you need for it to!”


There was a long silence.


“Okay, I’ll get ready.  Promise I can leave if things get to be too much?”


“I’ll bring you home myself if that happens.”



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Today is:


Alcyone -- Ancient Greek Calendar (kingfisher goddess; date approximate, but during the Halcyon Days)


Bill of Rights Day -- US


Cat Herders Day -- for those whose job or life is like trying to herd cats; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays


Centipede Boot-Making and Shoe-Repair Season begins -- Fairy Calendar


Consualia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (Festival for Consus, god of graineries, with games and races in the Circus Maximus in his honor)


Coonskin Cap Day -- debut of "Davy Crocket" on TV's "Disneyland" in 1954 (and the original Davy Crockett hated the things, by the way)


Homecoming Day -- Alderney, UK


Icelandic Yuletide Lad of the Day, Pvorusleikier -- Spoon-licker, who tries to steal all the wooden spoons he can find


Kasuga Wakamiya on-Matsuri -- Nara Prefecture, Japan (dates to the 12th century, to pray against plague and for a good harvest; through the 18th)


Koninkrijksdag -- Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba; Sint Maarten (Kingdom Day)


National Lemon Cupcake Day


National Regifting Day -- be careful here!


Navidades begin -- Puerto Rico (traditional Christmas celebrations that last through Three Kings Day)


Setagaya no Bori Ichi -- Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan (a two day flea market that dates back to 1578)


St. Nino's Day (Patron of Georgia)


Thorn Cutting Ceremony -- Glastonbury, Somerset, England (a sprig from the tree supposedly planted by Joseph of Arimathea is cut, with great ceremony by the eldest child of St John’s Infant School, and sent to the Queen, to decorate her table on Christmas Day)


Trivial Pursuit Day -- honoring Canadians Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, who created the game on this date in 1979


Zamenhof Day -- International Esperanto Community



Anniversary Today:


Sylvester Stallone marries Brigitte Nielson, 1985



Birthdays Today:


Adam Brody, 1979

Garrett Wang, 1968

Helen Slater, 1963

Nick Beggs, 1961

Don Johnson, 1949

Dave Clark, 1942

Tim Conway, 1933

Edna O'Brien, 1931

Friedensreich Hundertwasser, 1928

Uziel "Uzi" Gal, 1923

Jeff Chandler, 1918

Stan Kenton, 1911

J. Paul Getty, 1892

Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, 1859

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel,1832



Debuting/Premiering Today:


Gone With the Wind(Film), 1939 (Atlanta only, general release Jan. 1, 1940)

"Song of the Forests"(Shostakovich Op. 81), 1949

"Charlie Girl"(Musical), 1965



Today in History:


Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron, 533

Hulagu Khan captures and destroys the Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut in present-day Iran as part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia, 1265

Bartholomeus Diaz returns to Portugal after sailing round Cape of Good Hope, 1488

The State of Holland grants patent on a windmill with crankshaft, 1593

The first US law school is established at University of Pennsylvania, 1791

The first Irish magazine in US, Shamrock, is published, 1810

The first street-cleaning machine in US is used in Philadelphia, 1854

The King of Hawaii becomes the first reigning king to visit the Us, and is received by President Grant, 1874

The London Underground's Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway opens, 1906

Bandleader, Major Glenn Miller, is lost over English Channel, 1944

Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida; four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7, 1965

Samoa becomes a member of the United Nations, 1976

U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and cut off all relations with Taiwan, 1978

The 3rd reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is shut down, 2000

The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 to fortify it, without fixing its famous lean, 2001

Boeing's new Boeing 787 Dreamliner makes its maiden flight from Seattle, Washington, 2009

The Mayor of Flint, Michigan declares state of emergency over contaminated water supplies amid calls for a criminal investigation, 2015

Egyptian Archaeologists announce the discovery of a 4,400 year old tomb of Fifth Dynasty priest in the Saqqara pyramid complex near Cairo, 2018

Protests erupt across India against the new citizenship law that excludes Muslims, 2019

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Decor (Wordless Wednesday) and Words for Wednesday

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     






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Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts to encourage us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    


This month, the prompts are being provided by Elephant’s Child.     



This week's prompts are:


  1. Pounded
  2. Pearl
  3. Secret
  4. Tense
  5. Challenge
  6. Human 


And/or


  1. Middle
  2. Taken
  3. Button
  4. Rare
  5. Intelligence
  6. Praise 


There's something about the boys.  Each child is a RARE PEARL, and the girls are special in their own way, i couldn't do without them.  The boys, though, they are something.  What, i'm not always sure.


Last night, #2 Son POUNDED his way across the porch in those steel-toe boots of his and came crashing in asking, "Is it here?  Is my package here?"


His package from the Pepper Palace (yes, really) was here.  This was something he'd been waiting for, and he'd TAKEN time from work to come by and get it.


"This," he announced, as he dug a small bottle out of the MIDDLE of the packing peanuts in a good sized box, "is the hottest pepper sauce in the world.  Tabasco is 45,000 on the Scoville heat scale, this is 7.2 million."


And why, i asked, would you want this stuff?


"Oh, I tried it once.  Dipped the very edge of a toothpick in and put it on my tongue, it had me on the floor crying for almost an hour.  It was awesome!"


Son, i said, i thought you had more INTELLIGENCE than that.


"Aw, c'mon, mom, it's fun, and I'm going to have fun with this."


Please do not tell me, i noted, that you are going to SECRETly slip this on people.


"Well, no.  They'll know what they're in for.  It won't stop them, they think they're up for the CHALLENGE."


As i shook my head he asked, "Are Dad and Uncle JI [a/k/a Brother-in-Law] here?"


Of course, i said, but the last thing i need is for you to try to slip that to your uncle.


He laughed, "Oh, that would be funny!"


No, i said, don't push his BUTTONs, he just gets crankier.


"He's so TENSE, maybe this would loosen him up!" he joked.


He went in and spoke to his Dad and Uncle for a few moments, then came back out shaking his head.  "Is Uncle JI getting worse?" he asked.


Yes, i noted.  More set in his ways, and sometimes less able to deal with emotions and people.  It's the Asperger's.


"Yeah, I noticed.  Anyway, I gotta go.  This sweet little bottle and I have stuff to do."


What is it about us HUMANs that we have to invent stuff like this.  Maybe i don't want to know.   PRAISE the Lord i don't ever have to taste it.


By the way, be careful what you order from Pepper Palace.



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Today is:


Battle Day -- Falkland Islands


Be Someone's Pillow While You Watch TV Night -- a good idea, i guess, especially if it is cold


Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) -- Buddhism (especially among Zen Buddhists, and in Japan, a celebration of the Buddha's enlightenment)


CARICOM-Cuba Day


Constitution Day -- Northern Mariana Islands; Romania; Uzbekistan(Konstitutsiya Kuni)


Dia de las Playas -- Uruguay (Day of the Beaches, a/k/a Family Day or Blessing of the Waters Day; official opening day of beach season, marked with a ceremonial blessing by a priest, as well as sailing regattas, horse races, and more)


Dita Kombetare e Rinise -- Albania (National Youth Day)


Feast of the Immaculate Conception -- Roman Catholic Holy Day of Obligation; recognized holiday in Andorra; Argentina; Austria; Chile; Columbia; East Timor; Equatorial Guinea(Patrona de Guinea Ecuatorial); Holy See(Vatican City); Italy; Liechtenstein; Macau; Malta; Monaco; Nicaragua(Fiesta de la Griteria); Paraguay; Peru; Portugal; San Marino; Seychelles; Spain; Switzerland; special observances

     Dia de las Playas -- Uruguay (Day of the Beaches, a/k/a Family Day or Blessing of the Waters Day; official opening day of beach season, marked with a ceremonial blessing by a priest, as well as sailing regattas, horse races, and more)

     Festa da Conceição da Praia -- Salvador da Bahia, Brazil (syncretic celebration of Yemanjá, Queen of the Ocean and the Immaculate Conception)

     Festival of Lights -- Lyon


Festival of Tiberinus -- Ancient Roman Empire (guardian of the Tiber River)


Mother's Day -- Panama


National Chocolate Brownie Day


National Students' Day -- Bulgaria (studentski praznik)


Popeye Day -- birth anniversary of his creator, Elzie Crisler Segar


 Pretend to Be A Time Traveler Day -- although some sites say this day was actually cancelled in 2015, others suggest dressing up as if you are from a dystopian future and running up to people, asking them what year it is, when they answer say, "Then there's still time!" and dash off.  Just don't get arrested if you try it at home, okay?    


Santa Marian Kamelen -- Guam (Our Lady of Camarin Day)


Shalako Festival -- Hopi and Zuni Native Americans (dates of main festivals and dance ceremonies vary by area, but usually the weekend nearest the 49th day after the 10th full moon)


St. Kliment Ohirdski -- Macedonia (St. Clement of Ohrid's Day)


Take It In the Ear Day -- a bizarre and unexplainable internet generated holiday; and by the way, your ENT will tell you not to put anything in your ear that is smaller than your elbow


Virgin de Caacupe -- Paraguay (Nuestra Senora de Caacupe/Our Lady of Miracles of Caacupe, patroness of Paraguay)


Winter Flowers Day -- internet generated, a day to find and enjoy whatever flowers are still blooming right now



Anniversary Today:


American Federation of Labor founded, 1886



Birthdays Today:


Ian Somerhalder, 1978

Dominic Monaghan, 1976

Sinead O'Connor, 1966

Teri Hatcher, 1964

Ann Coulter, 1961

Kim Basinger, 1953

Sam Kinison, 1953

Gregg Allman, 1947

Mary Woronov, 1946

Jim Morrison, 1943

"Red" Berenson, 1941

James Galway, 1939

James MacArthur, 1937

David Carradine, 1936

Flip Wilson, 1933

Maximilian Schell, 1930

Sammy Davis, Jr. 1925

Richard Fleischer, 1916

Lee J. Cobb, 1911

James Thurber, 1894

Elzie Crisler Segar, 1894

Diego Rivera, 1886

Jean Sibelius, 1865

Willam C. "Billy" Durant, 1861

Eli Whitney, 1765

Mary, Queen of Scots, 1542

Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), Roman writer, BC65



Debuting/Premiering Today:


"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"(Musical), 1949

"Green Grow the Lilacs"(Musical; precursor to "Oklahoma"), 1930



Today in History


Daitokuji temple, Rinzai line, established in Kyoto by Daito Kokushi, 1326

Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room, the second public library of Europe, 1609

The Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez is founded by Fray García de San Francisco, 1659

Margaret Hughes becomes the first actress to appear on an English public stage, playing the role of Desdemona in a production of Shakespeare's play Othello, 1660

Vienna's Ring Theater is destroyed by fire, killing over 600, 1881

The American Federation of Labor is formed by 26 individual craft unions, and Samuel Gompers is elected its first president, 1886

The Japanese military police launch a violent suppression of the religious sect Oomoto, 1935

The Chinese Nationalist government moves from mainland China to Formosa, 1949

John Lennon is murdered, 1980

The leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine sign an agreement dissolving the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States, 1991

The Cuzco Declaration is signed in Cuzco, Peru, establishing the South American Community of Nations, 2004

Kirsty Williams is elected the first female leader of a political party in Wales, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, 2008

With the second launch of the SpaceX Dragon, SpaceX becomes the first privately held company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft, 2010

Japan's Gvernment apologizes to Canada for the treatment of its POWs during WWII, 2011

Egyptian President Morsi agrees to not expand his powers but declares the referendums on a new constitution will be enacted, 2012

In Kiev, Russia, protestors topple the last surviving monument to Lenin, 2013

The Vienna State Opera stages its first show by a female composer, Olga Neuwirth’s “Orlando,” 2019

Sanna Marin becomes Finland's youngest-ever Prime Minister at the age of 34, 2019