Migraines, Shutdowns, And Ornaments Oh My!

Ornament #1 Penguin with Hat

"If ever the difficulties of your life seem overwhelming, consider the prospect of being eaten alive by savage penguins and rejoice that such horrors are unknown to you."

~A. L. Kennedy

Now That You Are Back

I am struggling. I just said goodbye to the only season that makes me feel alive, the parks, this week, will be shuttered, due to the stupid partial government shutdown, being waged by an orange toddler, the sky becomes cloudy, every night about 7:00 PM, as to obscure my view from the Christmas comet, and I have been plagued by Migraine headaches, on and off, for well over a week, with no apparent end in sight! So, now what? If so many roads of photography are going to be cutoff to me, I guess I will get creative.

In past years, I would gather up the cameras and head to Tilden, to photograph the Christmas carousel, and all it's lovely trees and ornaments, but Berkeley is so far to go, and well, my life has changed. So, I thought it would be fun to photograph some of the lovely ornaments Alan and I have given each other over the years, and share them here! We picked out such pretty ones, that it seems a shame to not share them over the holiday weekend. 

Forget that orange Grinch, happiness is all around!

 Right? 

~Mood: Happy

~Me :)

 

Christmas Stars And Shy Comets

"... freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin... inhale deeply and fill your soul with wintry night... ."

~John Geddes

 A Familiar Rain 

Isn't that beautiful?

I am still working on getting a photo of the Christmas Comet, but the weather is not cooperating... at all! Still, in that I am up all night, I am going to keep checking for a bit of clearing, as the rain moves through. Never give up, right?

 #88 Leaf Of The Day

December 18th 2018

Photographed December 15th 2018

Stockton California

Samsung

~Mood: Happy

~Me

 

At Christmas... Wrong Will Fail, Right Will Prevail

"And in despair I bowed my head;

 'There is no peace on earth," I said; 'For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!'

The pealed the bells more loud and deep:

'God is not dead, more doth he sleep!

The Wrong shail fail,

the Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!'"

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 Christmas Bells

We did it! We put up some Christmas decorations! A little scaled back this year, but the tree is up, and the teddy bears are on the job, and we both feel a little better! The holiday blues are fading a bit, but we both know this coming week will be a bit hectic! We have some business in the Bay Area. Neither of us have done our Christmas shopping, and as you probably know, there is a rumor on Capitol Hill, that Trump will commit the ultimate act of Obstruction of Justice, by firing Robert Mueller!

So much is simply out of our control. We can't make Trump, suddenly give a flying Gingerbread Man about his country! If he makes a move to fire Mueller, it could very well turn into a Saturday Night Massacre, ala, Richard Nixon. The difference is,  more and more Republicans are bowing down to Trump, and ignoring the Constitution. Also different, Nixon didn't have it's own propaganda network, financing his delusions of innocence. And finally the scariest of all... Nixon was the leader of a cult, HELL BENT on accomplishing the Apocalypse or a civil war, whichever comes first! Not to mention, Nixon actually loved his country, Trump has NO IDEA what love is, be it love between family, or love of country. He is all about the money.

Merry Christmas!

I guess all we can do is forge ahead, and hope the rumors are wrong, but firing Mueller on December 22nd, is just the kind of pussy move Trump would make. He is the biggest coward to hold any political office, let alone the presidency. I guess when it comes to him ever being held accoutable for his misdeeds, we will just have to wait and see, and hope for the best outcome. I wish his cult followers could love their country, more than they do their fantasies of a neoconfederacy. Oh well, like my Ommy used to say...

"If wishes were horse, beggers would ride."

I guess the updated version would be...

"If wishes were horses, Roy Moore would have ridden well."

And, by the way, why hasn't that jackass conceded the election yet?

#17 Leaf Of The Day

December 17th, 2017

Knight's Ferry, California

Mood: Guarded

~Me

 

Holiday Gifts You Don't Have To Dust

"Everyone wants a Christmas tree. If you had a Christmas tree, Santa would bring you stuff! Like hair curlers and slut shoes."

~Janet Evanovich

Visions Of Sugar Plums

It's the last full day of autumn, and I bet you thought I would be dwelling on it, right? Nah. Donald Trump received his Electoral College win yesterday, so there are bigger things to grieve than the passing of autumn 2016. Needless to say, I am, and probably will be, grieving a lot of things in the coming months, which is why I am just going to let the bitterness of winter absorb the painful feelings, and the sleepless nights. By spring I will be all brand new again, and ready to deal with a steady heart and mind... at least that is the plan.

 I guess we will see.

 But for now, today, we are just five days away from Christmas, and I am enjoying that! The tree is decorated with pretty decorations, every day Mr. UPS brings a gift to wrap, and I have started baking for the holidays! Apple Cinnamon cookies, Chocolate Chip cookies, and Mincemeat Pies! I am probably going to fix a bread pudding or two before the new year as well! Baking cookies for Alan is one of my favorite things to do. He is an amazing husband who loves me... I will never understand exactly why... because he could have done a lot better! Anyway, he does, and for that I am thankful to God and Santa, hell  I am even thankful to the Easter Bunny, just in case he deserved some credit, every single day! 

I was thinking about how happy my husband makes me, when we were at the Tilden Park Carousel about a week ago. The place is all decked out for the holiday, and all the ornaments on the trees reminded me of a Christmas past with my love! I had a great time doing photos, and enjoying the ride back to my lovely Berkeley. It is so gorgeous there, and it was a very clear night so I had a wonderful view of the bay and the city! San Francisco at Christmas time is a treat for the eyes and the soul! Some of the ornaments on the trees at the carousel, reminded me of times he and I have spent in San Francisco during the holidays, so I snapped a few pictures to share...

It's a beautiful holiday season. Our celebrations are small and intimate, but we are thankful for who we are, and our little furry babies! We love each other, and we try treat others the way we want to be treated. More than once this year I have found myself becoming someone I don't care much for, so to a certain degree I will be spending a good part of 2017 learning my way through this new world we are entering. There is no map. There are no classes, so I may not do well, but I will try to do the best I can.

Fair Enough?

If I could ask Santa Claus for one thing this year, it would be for him to help me understand how Donald Trump could possibly be our president? But that's not a simple question is it? Maybe there are some things neither Santa, nor God can bring you. Finding your own piece of mind on our own. I suppose. So, I guess that means I don't really want or need anything for Christmas, but if I do find clarity in a pretty box with a shiny bow, at least it's a gift I won't have to dust!

 Leaf Of The Day

December 20th, 2016

Don't Forget To Come Back Tomorrow 

To See My Last Autumn Photo Of 2016!

Mood: Grateful

~Me :) 

Happy Holiday's Bitches!

"If my Valentine you won't be,

I'll hang myself on your Christmas tree."

~Ernest Hemingway

88 Poems

Yep. It's that time of year again! Time for the annual fictitious war on Christmas, waged yearly by the senile minds of Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O''Reilly, and and now any and every Republican nut job who wants to be considered one of the cool kids, when all they really seem to be is, well, paranoid! But this year, thankfully, that might have all changed. Apparently the new GOD of the Republican party, Donald J. Trump has won the war on Christmas, or so says, Trump ass kisser, Corey Lewandowski, just by getting elected, and the people all said HuZZAH! The war is over!

Honestly, how much longer could this ridiculous holiday tradition endure? How many more books could have been written, pimped and then sold, on a subject as empty as the paranoid War On Christmas? It was mildly amusing when folks first begin whispering about it, then it turned to irritating as one idiot after another droned on about how commercial it had all become, as they wrote and sold books, at Christmas time, to back up their claims. 

HOW DARE LIBERALS WISH ME A HAPPY HOLIDAY?! 

CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN STOLEN

 BY HANUKKAH And KWANZAA I TELLS YA! 

Because, you know, no one can hold more than one holiday in their heart at a time, well, Republicans can't anyway. But the rest of us can. And do. In our house we celebrate Christmas, and Hanukkah. Take THAT Republicans! You see, some hearts successfully celebrate so much love and friendship for Thanksgiving in November, that they become so filled with the spirit of the holidays that it inspires them to express their well wishes for Christmas, Hanukkah, AND Kwanzaa... with a little room left over for New Years! Now I ask you, is that really something to be terrified of?

Each year I have said it, and I will say it again this year...

The holidays, Christmas in particular, are as exactly as commercial as you allow them to be! If too much commercialism is spoiling your spiritual time... don't buy that book that complains about the very thing you find so unseemly. And definitely stay away from Trump's "Make America Great Again" hat ornament! Something I personally find offensive, because Trump profits not just off the birth of Christ, but because he profits off his presidency, and when folks buy into that they don't see that the very things they have been complaining about, they are now contributing to!

Tricky. Very Tricky!

But is it war? Of course not! 

What it is, is, TACKY!

Is there a war on Democracy?

Time will tell.

Right now we have a choice about that.

Let's hope we always do!

If you have to purchase, or just want to purchase, some ornaments for your holiday tree, why not stick with something traditional...

A fashionable holiday Pickle

A pretty little tabby cat

A Carousel Horse

It's all good.

And it's all just as commercial as YOU choose to make it!

Leaf Of The Day

December 10th 2016

Mood: Happy

~Me :) 

 

 

December Is In Autumn Too!

"It's December, and no one asked if I was ready."

~Sarah Kay

It's December. It's cold. It began snowing in the Sierras just before Halloween, so even the Central Valley is keenly aware, it's cold! But at least it's not hot! I dislike HOT more than COLD because I can't think straight in hot weather. Cold weather tends to leave me in a great deal of pain, but at least I can think again. This year... well... I wish I wasn't thinking straight, or as clearly. I am grieving the election, and I have almost NO patience for stupidity. But let's not dwell. How about we do something different and focus on Christmas. Ornaments. Holiday lights and the fact that while it is December, it's still autumn. So leaves! Isn't it funny that more of December is in autumn than winter, yet winter seems to claim it!

 Lies... lies I tell you!

But I digress!

"How did it get so late, so soon?" 

~Dr. Seuss

Leaf Of The Day

December 1st, 2016

Mood: Quiet

~Me

 

Fra-Gee-Lay

"For me, the subject of the picture is always more important than the picture."

~Diane Arbus

Well, Christmas has come and gone, and now New Year's is over. It's January 2nd, which means, I will be taking down the decorations and putting away the sparkle. No matter how much I might not be in a festive mood, I always feel a bit sad putting away the little elves and shiny ornaments. We had a scaled down Christmas and it was a giant relief, as opposed to past Christmases when Alan and I over did the decorating. We found a cute artificial tree at IKEA and some adorable mini decorations of bows and stars in gold and silver, and of course we had our traditional Santa Claus hat at the top of the tree. It was mostly a Christmas of new decorations, but Alan and I did keep one tradition, we still purchased each other, and for each cat, one new ornament from the Tilden Park Holiday Carousel. It was a blue teddy bear wagon for the Alan, and he bought me a sparkly cupcake ornament. For the cats, we bought each of them a red and green mint candy ornament. They were captivated by the sparkle, and to our astonishment, only patted them gently to see them sway and shimmer in the light.

We have very well behaved little boy kitties!

Alan's

For Hendrix, Dylan and Joey...

And Mine...

As for the ornament at top of the post, well you probably recognize it from the movie A Christmas Story. I bought Alan and extra ornament, because we had a date to go to the Orinda Theater, on December 11th, to see the movie, but unfortunately we weren't able to due to an extreme rain storm that hit the Bay Area on that very day! We were both terribly disappointed. It was a free showing, which included a visit from two of the stars of the film, and it was a great opportunity, however the rain was absolutely epic, so date night was cancelled. When I saw the Christmas Story leg ornament, online, I couldn't resist! I also purchased a cute cookie cutter of the same design!

It wasn't quite the same, but it made Alan smile, so it all worked out well!

That's what it's all about for me... seeing Alan relax a little... and smile.

He has the best smile!

Mr. Parker: You filty sicken hook-aid! Oh, smelly wok buster! Grout shell fratten house sticklr fifer! You bladder puss nut grafter! Dorton hoper...

Ralphie as Adult: What happened next was a family controversy for years.

Mr. Parker: You wart mundane noodle! You shotten shifter paskabah! You snort tonguer! Lame monger snaffa shell cocker!

(The sound of the lamp breaking is heard next)

Now in the movie, Mrs Parker claims that she accidentally broke Mr. Parker's major award, so we will assume it was a happy accident for her, a terrible one for him, But all kidding aside, I would never break any major award of Alan's, particularly one as nifty as this one! Hell, I would probably demand we buy another one exactly like it... you know... for living room symmetry!

;)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Fra-Gee-Lay

Ornaments (Photo Group Posted)

Photographed 1/1/2015

10:28 PM

HTC Vivid

Merry Christmas :)

"If my Valentine you won't be

I'll hang myself on my Christmas tree."

~Ernest Hemingway

88 Poems

Okay, I know, that quote really doesn't seem like a great poem for such a family holiday.

Let's try again.

"... freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin

inhale deeply and fill your soul with wintry night... ."

~John Geddes

A Familiar Rain

That's better, but not quite right either!

"He was a simple honest man. He never strayed,

He never drank  he never smoked, and he never kissed a maid.

And when he passed away his insurance was denied.

Because he never lived, they claimed he never died."

~Ted Gup

A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness & A Trove Of Letters

Reveal The Hidden History Of The Great Depression

Hmmm... That last one leaves us with something to think about,

 but it's not very festive.

"Christmas, when observed with the right spirit, 

still has the power to call miracles from 

Heaven to Earth."

~Richelle E Goodrich

Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings For Every Day Of The Year

There... that's better!

From Our House To Yours...

Merry Christmas!

 

Mood: Festive

~Me :)

Gingerbread Men

"One of the most glorious messes in the world is

 the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly."

~Andy Rooney

Alan and I put up our Christmas tree this past week, and it's going to be posted here soon, but until then there are a lot of things still to do to make everything in the house all merry and ready for the big day. One thing being the ordering of a nice flower arrangement! I love fresh flowers in the house for Christmas, especially organic roses. Why do they have to be organic? Well, see, Hendrix loves the taste of rose petals! He eats them like you or I would eat potato chips. LOL. Or for the holiday... Gingerbread men! He actually whines for them whenever I bring roses in the house. He found a taste for them when I began my organic rose garden some years back. I checked and it seems that roses are not a toxic plant for cats, unlike most traditionally Christmas decorative plants. Poinsettias... toxic. Pine... toxic. Lilly... toxic. Mistletoe... toxic.

 TOXIC, TOXIC, TOXIC! 

That's okay, I will just have to muddle through with gorgeous red roses! 

The things we do for love!

:)

Dangerous Winter Holiday Plants For Pets

(PetMD)

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Merry Christmas :)

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace."

~Agnes M. Pahro

From Our House To Yours... MERRY CHRISTMAS!