Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #16: Autumn Meets Winter

"In seed time teach, in harvest learn, in winter enjoy."

-William Blake NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Note: There is an alternative photo shoot assignment this week, so please read the full entry! :)

EMPS #16: Autumn Meets Winter.
In just a week or so, we in the Northern Hemisphere will welcome Winter. We here in the Bay Area have already had a lovely bit of snow here and there with more on the way. Lets say hello to winter, shall we? I want pictures of AUTUMN MEETING WINTER if at all possible. A pumpkin in the snow, leaves with snow at the base, a snowman with some harvest vegetables completing his outfit. Anything that depicts the merging seasons. Now I know that some of you don't live in areas that experience particular season changes, which is ok, because for you folks I have an alternative photo assignment.

Alternative EMPS #16A: BELLS or BOWS.
Silver BELLS. Big red BOWS. BELLS on a store's front door, BOWS on a holiday dress, BELLS on a sleigh, BOWS that light-up, BELLS that toll high in a bell tower, BOWS that hang on doors as a holiday decoration, BELLS that a Salvation Army person might ring, BOWS that a puppy dog might wear to be festive, BELL shaped holiday cookies. BELLS or BOWS, BOWS or BELLS... which will you find with your camera? Show me BELLS or BOWS. :)

Extra Credit: Do both assignments! :)

**Please Read**
You have until next Sunday night at 9:00 PM ET, to get your photo, post it to your blog or website, and come back here with the direct link. Please be sure to double check your link. It must be a direct link to the entry specific to this photo shoot assignment. No hyperlinks! Also, please include a link back here, so other folks can find the assignment and play along. :)

Linking List for EMPS #15: Pizza Toppings.

Now Closed!

Jama shows us so yummy fresh baked pizza, with pineapple, mincemeat, and mushrooms. YUM! :)

Vicki shows us just the toppings, several of which, I keep stocked in my own refrigerator for pizza night! :)

Karen picked up a pizza at Safeway to enjoy, and added some extra mushrooms. I love extra mushrooms on pizza! :) Yes, thank you, more please! :)

Tammy isn't a big fan of pizza, but being the ever creative gal that she is, she assembled a slice of pizza made entirely of chili flakes. :) Wonderfully creative take darlin! :)

Suzanne likes her pizza with black olives and pepperoni. Again, yes please! :)

Liz shows us "what lies on top" in a pretty and festive manner. Lovely! :)

Terri, went undercover, to show us some pizza in the window of a specialty pizza shop in her neighborhood. I will take a slice of that one, and that one, and...

Connie shares with us a recipe for Far Side Pizza. I love it when we get to share recipes as part of the assignment. Note to self... MUST POST MORE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS! LOL.

Mike comes by to share one of his very favorite frozen pizzas. :) There is nothing like making a frozen pizza on a cold wintry day. :)

Well, you guys really did a lot of wonderful things with last week's assignment. We had a nice variety of pizza photography to enjoy viewing. I have been hungry since last Monday, so, I am off to make some frozen Bagel Bites pizza in the microwave! :) See you next Monday, with a new photo shoot assignment. Hint: It's something holiday-ish! LOL.

Now Go Be PHOTOGRAPHERS! :)

Carly

Ra Ra Ra

"I've got to be careful I don't over cheerlead on this economy."

-George W. Bush

I am not sure when President Bush said what he did, but one thing is for sure, "over cheerlead" is exactly what he did. At every turn he insisted the economy was sound. Did anyone really believe him? Last spring a reporter asked him about the possibility of gas prices hitting the $4 mark, and he responded with what appeared to be genuine surprise. "I hadn't heard that" he replied. (Insert dumb grin here). Not only did it actually hit $5 a gallon, at one time San Francisco lead the entire nation in high gas prices, by reaching a little over $5! Ok, it wasn't for long, but it was long enough that it put a lot of folks in a bad way financially. No one I knew was even willing to discuss plans for Christmas, the brakes had been firmly applied even though the holiday was 6 months away. Now, here we are, just a couple weeks away from both Hanukkah and Christmas, and there is plenty of parking places at the malls, even on special promotion days.

I got an email from Old Navy Friday, they had a fantastic promotion Saturday. Buy $20 worth of items, get 4 free movie tickets. WOW! That is a pretty good bargain! I had planned to pick up a couple more sweaters for Alan, and some scarves for some friends of ours, so I decided to get up really early, grab some breakfast, and get there extra early. A deal like that would surely bring out the crowds... right? So, with my clock set, and all my warm toasties laid out, I climbed into bed, and thought about how much fun it would be to surprise Alan with some movie tickets. Wasn't I the clever puss?

My alarm went off at 6:00 AM, I grabbed some caffeine and off I went. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of rain that had been promised for the day. It wasn't too cold, and there was a nice bit of sunshine. Clear. I could see San Francisco just fine from here in the hills. It was a pretty day. That meant that there would be a ton of folks already gathered in front of the store. Nice weather, usually means lots of people. Some stores got 50 sets of tickets, some stores got 200 sets of tickets. I wondered what my favorite Old Navy store got? Would there be any left? I had left the house at well after 7 AM, and the store opens at 8 AM. Would I end up being #51 in line?

When I pulled into the parking lot, there were three other cars with consumers apparently waiting for Old Navy to open. I couldn't believe it. It was 7:30 AM. The store opens at 8:AM. I sat in my car for about 15 minutes, until a lady who walked to the store went up to the door, and stopped. I decided to get out of my car and get into the line that had now formed. I was #2 in line. In the next 10 minutes, about 13 people came up behind me. At about 7:55 AM a young man emerged from the store with these special little bracelets to hand out to the first 50 people. He only handed out about 20 bracelets. That's it. The young man had a look on his face somewhere between sad and surprised. :( His boss looked at the line, and was clearly disappointed.

I spent about 25 minutes in the store. I had a list, it was just a matter of deciding on the color of the items I was purchasing. I went up to the counter to pay for my stuff, and as I did, the young man told the manager there were about 20 sets of tickets left. They were both wearing frowny faces. I am sure that as the day wore on, they were able to give away the tickets, or who knows, maybe not. It was such a good promotion! Where was everyone?! Sigh. I had never seen anything like it. It was the strangest thing.

On the other hand, it wasn't completely unexpected. People see writing on the wall. The senate shot down the bailout of the automakers last week, which came as devastating news to some 6 million people who depend on that industry in one way or another. On the other hand, by not allowing the bailout to go through, it will mean one less forced fed tax consequence. I still don't know what to make of the whole situation. I feel for those people who depend on the auto industry, but a bailout at what cost? I can't believe the bailout of the banks came about with absolutely no accountability, and that more than half of it is already gone. But then again, Bush hasn't had to answer for any of his lies, missteps or blunders, so why should accountability, of anyone, be expected now?

My heart goes out to American retailers as well as the automakers. :( Can Obama be our president now? Please. If I promise to behave. :)

So tell me, have you passed up any good bargains, in an effort to save money this holiday season? Would you get up early, and stand in line for a good bargain? What would be your idea of a good bargain? Are you making any holiday gifts this year? Tell me everything.

-Carly
"Shopping In The City"
Dublin, California
December 13th, 2008
Late Morning

Round Robin Challenge: Hometown Holiday Decorations

"Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles."

-Unknown

There is a marvelous exhibit of giant Christmas bulbs at 101 California street in San Francisco. That is the downtown area, right at the Business and Financial district, and it is a really, really festive and charming way to celebrate the season! It is such a nice change from the usual bland gray skyscrapers. A nice splash of color for the cold, days of late autumn. It is going to be really brisk and cold the next week or so. Just in time for the holidays. YIKES. Snow levels are going to be down to the 2500 foot level, which means the Bay Area peaks will see a dusting of snow. As much as I am looking forward to it, I know for some it will be a dismal thought. I imagine this bit of color will lift spirits, at least a little. :)

Lets see some other decorations I spotted around town and beyond...

Christmas Tree in Union Square, San Francisco

Holiday banners in downtown Berkeley

Cute little reindeer at the Holiday Fantasy In The Woods, Tilden Park, Berkeley

Holiday wreath, Old Sacaramento, California 2007



That's it for me... how about you? Did you play? If not there is still time. You can post your entry for up to one week from today, after that time the challenge will be closed. If you post an entry, be sure to come back and leave us your complete information. You can find all the details at the official Round Robin blog. :) Be sure to check on Sunday, for the announcement of an all new challenge topic!

Follow the LL to see what everyone else came up with! :)

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Monica... Family Affair Photography


Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Martha... Menagerie


Marina... Milepebbles
Welcome New Member!

Sandra... Strong Chemistry


Suzanne R... Suzy Q421's Photo Blog
Posted!

Liz... Visual Counterpoint
Posted!

-rRose... Wait-NOTYET-MOUNTAIN RIVER WHISPERS


Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos
Posted!

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

Marie... Photographs & Memories
Posted!

Valerie... Rosemary's Other Baby
Welcome New Member!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Teena... It's all about me!
Posted!

Terri... Ways I See The World
Posted!

Kathee... Docu-diem
Posted! **Welcome New Member**

Happy Holidays Everyone! :)


"The Big Red Christmas Bulb"
San Francisco, California
December 11th, 2008
Noon

The Day After December 10th And Other Tales Of The City

"The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected."

-Will Rogers

Yesterday, as you know, was the day after December 10th. Which for most folks means it was just another day on the calendar, but in our house, it means the day after whatever strange event more then likely visited us the day before. If you read my last entry, then you know December 10th is a cursed day in the universe for us. Something something really bad happens, sometimes it is something amusing, but it is never, ever uneventful... and this year's December 10th was no exception.

This year's events could best be described as a cosmic practical joke. It went like this. Alan needs a special set of licences for the job he does. His everyday license plus some assorted endorsements. About 3 weeks ago, he got a renewal in the mail for them, and he put the letter on the bulletin board for taking care of later. His birthday isn't for another month, so he thought he had plenty of time to take care of it. on Wednesday night, we sat down to play a game of Skip-o and celebrate what we thought had been an uneventful December 10th, when he decided to take a closer look at the letter from the DMV. As he read he turned white as a sheet. As it turns out, the letter said in very small writing that one of the endorsements he needed would be from a division of Homeland Security.

????what? And on top of it, it had to be approved by no later then... you guessed it... December 10th! In that it was nearly 10 PM on that very day, Alan began to panic. Would he lose his job? Would he be demoted? What the heck are we going to do! And on top of everything, the cost of all the licenses and the various fees would add up to well over $100. Not a huge amount, if you happen to have it, but his check, which was due on December 10th, of course didn't make it into the bank that day! LOL. We were really nervous. He checked and checked again, it indeed said it had to be renewed no later than... December 10th!

"Carly, I read that notice about 5 times when it came, I never saw that part." He was beside himself, and so was I. Another odd thing was that he had never been asked to be cleared by HS before, which wasn't a problem on it's own, but really strange all the same. But things have change quickly in this country, so maybe it was a new thing. What to do, what to do? So, we went to bed, and he set the clock so that he could be at the DMV the next day pronto.

He was home before 9:00 AM. As it turned out, that portion of the form didn't apply to him, because one of the license covers that part of the requirements all on it's own. As for the rest of the endorsements, it was all done and in time, and the grand total for everything was $35. And when he called the bank, the check was there, so we are all set and doing just fine. LOL. What a difference a day makes! LOL. After he got home, we decided to go out and enjoy the day, and have a good laugh on the cosmic practical joke that is December 10th.

We went for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory in Union Square, and did some shopping for Christmas. We were going to go earlier in the week, but decided to wait until later in the week, so yesterday was a perfect day. Well, almost. While we were seated out our favorite little outdoor cafe, drinking our hot chocolate and cappuccino, a later sat down a couple tables away. She was dressed in a nice red wool coat and had on a ton of jewelry, but something just didn't seem quite right. After a few moments she put her head down, and began to lose her cookies... right there... barf, barf, barf. LOL. Holy Toledo. I have never seen someone that well off, that drunk, that early in the day. At first I thought she had spilled her drink, but then I realized they don't make drinks that color! Somehow the ice skaters a few feet away, no longer seemed all that charming~ LOL.

Alan and I got up, and went for a walk. LOL. Maiden Lane was a much nicer place at that moment, and who doesn't enjoy a brisk walk in the December sun? As gross as it was, there was some humor in it as well. While I am sorry for the woman, and whatever is hurting her so bad that she felt the need to get absolutely drunk that early in the day, it was, to us, one more shot from the evil elf of December 10th, and one more practical joke for the road. Alan and I don't just go shopping, we have adventures, and that was just one more. We could let it ruin the whole day, or we would just chalk it up to the curse. Right? We decided to not let it affect the rest of our day.

I thought about that lady most of the day yesterday. On a serious note, I think she was very symptomatic of how harsh this time of year is for most folks, this year more then others. Next year, I fear, might be even worse, unless Obama can help change things around. As scary as my December 10th was, I wondered if that lady might have lost a job the day before? Or maybe she lost everything she ever worked for in the recent downturns of the Stock Market? Or the scariest of all, maybe she had recently lost her home? Or maybe she just felt the disconnect that sometimes comes with the holidays. I don't know. Wherever she is, I hope she is better now. Sigh.

-Carly

Beware Of The Gnome!

"Destiny is a good thing to accept when it's going your way. When it isn't don't call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck."

-Joseph Heller

I Blame It On The Gnome Of Joy...

Here is an Ellipsis Pop Quiz. What happens to Carly every December 10th? Anybody care to guess? Yep, you guessed it... something strange! I can't believe we have already arrived at the most cursed day in the universe, at least for me, December 10th. I don't know why it began, but ever year on this day something bad happens to me. One year some unscrupulous woman rented a car in my name, and had a fender bender. When the rental agency called me, I was thankfully able to clear myself, but wow... yucky. I have been burglarized twice on December 10th, two different years, and one year, Alan was nearly arrested as a stalker, when a new neighbor found it suspicious that he was on the roof, hanging upside down, looking at that unsuspecting woman (me) changing clothes? LOL. Well, actually, he was checking on the roof tiles, because we had bad wind storm the night before, and he was wanting to see if there is any damage. LOL. And yes, he was also being a bit playful. LOL.

On yet a different year, I got the flu, and it lasted until well after New Year's. In 2005, Alan ordered a garden hose from Amazon, and they ended up sending him 2 and when he tried to send it back. 2 weeks later, another 3 came! It was a mess trying to get the proper credit, and to get them to understand, we didn't need 4 garden hoses! It was 2 years before he dared order from them again! LOL. Last year on December 10th I again woke up with a cold, but the good bit of luck was that I recovered fairly quickly. I haven't been out of the house yet on this December 10th, and so far all that the day has brought was big doses of love from my 3 fellas, Alan, Hendrix and Dylan. But the day is young. LOL. Keep in mind one thing, dear readers, nothing bad will happen to you just for reading my blog today, it seems that the curse belongs solely to us. And in a weird kind of way, that makes me feel very special! LOL.

So tell me, do you believe in curses? Have you ever felt like you were under a curse? Does anyone want to venture a guess about my day today? Will something strange happen? Will it be a good strange, or a bad strange? Feel free to leave a guess. I am now off to climb back into bed, and pull the covers over me. I will report back tomorrow if the curse comes true yet again!

-Carly
"Blame It On The Gnome Of Joy"
Berkeley, California
December 10th, 2008
Evening

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #15: Pizza Toppings

"Pizza is a lot like sex, when it's good it's very good, when it's bad, it's still pretty good."

-Unknown

Baby it's cold outside, but the good news is there is yummy, hot, delicious pizza in the world to chase the cold away. That leads us to this week's photo shoot assignment...

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #15: Pizza Toppings.
Most everyone loves pizza, right? The other night I had a big slice of wicked good pizza! YUM! I don't eat pizza that isn't homemade very often, but Alan and I planned for it, and then just jumped right in. Cheesy, extra red sauce, pineapple, a few slices of ham. OMG. It was fabulous! Most of the time I prefer all veggie, because, well, I like my veggies, but if Alan is ordering for himself, it's all meat. I also love hot peppers, and sometimes pepperoncini. But that's just me. Show me what toppings you prefer on your pizza. If you don't happen to like pizza, show me what toppings grace the warm culinary bit of deliciousness you do partake of. An example would be a slice of cheese or bacon on a Slider, or onions on a hot dog. If possible, however, please try your best to keep to the original assignment of PIZZA TOPPINGS.

Extra Credit: Show me some pizza!

**PLEASE READ...

You have until next Sunday evening, at 9:00 PM ET to do the assignment, post it to your blog or website and comeback here with you link. No hyperlinks. It must be a link to the entry specific to this assignment. I would also appreciate it if you include a link back here to this entry, so other's will be able to find the challenge. If you need help in finding the correct link on your blog, drop me an email and I will be glad to help you. :) You can contact me at: Ondinemonet@aol.com.

Linking List for EMPS #14: Autumn Sunsets. 12/1/08 - NOW CLOSED!

In order of participation...


1. Greg

2. Karen

3. Vicki (No Link Provided)

4. Liz

5. Judi

6. Steven

7. Jama

8. Terri (here and here)

9. Connie

10. Suzanne
**Welcome New Member**

11. Martha

12. Mike


Good job everyone! GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! Go eat some pizza, just don't forget to photograph the toppings first, and I will see you next Monday with an all new photo shoot assignment. :)

-Carly
"Red Pepper Topping"
Me -N- Ed's Pizza
Dublin, California
July, 2008
Afternoon

Blech

"If we see you smoking, we will assume you are on fire, and take appropriate action."

-Douglas Adams

Let's finish this weekend of rants with one last speaking of my mind, shall we? Does it get anymore inconsiderate then this? The other day I pulled up to a Starbuck's, for a venti sized elixir of life, aka, Venti/Shaken/Ice Tea/Lemonade with Passion Tea w/no sweetener, when I was cut off in mid-stride by a woman who just had to reach the door before me, but not before pausing for 5 seconds to deposit her cancer stick under the proudly displayed sign prohibiting such such behavior. This lady wasn't on foot mind you, she was parked in the car next to mine when I arrived. She stepped from her pristine oldsmobuick, lit up, and then made the decision to share her toxins with the world, knowing she was about to enter a smoke free environment. Sheesh.

It has bothered me for a long time. I don't understand how these useless things can even be legal? Lots, and lots of information available at our fingertips regarding the dangers being caused to smokers, and those around them, and yet even in 2008 folks are still lighting up. You know what breaks my heart. Folks like Dana Reeve, who passed away a couple years ago from Lung Cancer. She wasn't a smoker, but I suspect that the years and years she spent in smoky cabaret clubs entertaining people with her beautiful singing voice, probably left her lungs damaged. Her son is an orphan now, after having also lost his father, Christopher Reeve, to a tragic accident. How many good, but stupid, people contributed to her illness?

I know, I know... stupid is a pretty strong word. I don't use it often, but what would you guess is the intelligence level of someone who still continues to smoke, despite all the information available with the ease of a keystroke? I can meet someone nice, intelligent, giving, and loving, and instantly lose respect for them just because of this choice. The most attractive man on earth becomes hideous to me, just because of smoking. I watched my mother smoke my whole life. I say "my whole life," because she doesn't have a life anymore, she is dead. She would smoke, rather then eat, so she could stay "attractive." She was a fool. We all tried to tell her. She ended up with emphysema, and the lung capacity of a woman of 116, when she was just 50 years old. We won't discuss what life was like for her later in life.

I have been reading a lot lately about how to avoid some of the mistakes I made with Elvis. I want my two new little boys to be with me as long as possible. Alan and I are hoping for at least 20 years. The fact is, this is the last time I will be able to handle raising kittens. They are energetic little ones, and with my ever increasing degenerative arthritis, I know my olden days will be painful ones. It's all about planning ahead. In my travels I have also been educating myself on cancer in pets. I keep wondering if there had been something I might have done to cause the cancer Elvis had. So far I haven't found anything to suggest it was something specific I did, but I am sure that his being overweight, which led to diabetes, probably didn't help prolong his life.

I have learned that pets, cats and dogs, do indeed get lung cancer from the second hand smoke of their owners. The tragedy is that most folks who own pets, do so out of a genuine love for their fur babies. You can't put a value on how much a pet can enrich your life. I wouldn't have taken a million dollars for my Elvis, and I believe that's how most pet owners feel, and yet, there are the statistics which seem to indicate otherwise. Sigh. Maybe it was because I had just had my daily weep of loneliness for Elvis, but as I saw the inconsiderate woman deposit her cancer stick where she did, and in that moment, I had the question go through my mind about whether or not she owned and loved a cat. Sigh.

If you are a smoker, try to rethink your behavior. You must know by now the dangers of your actions. If you are a smoker, please reconsider what you are putting your loved ones, including your pets, through. You are asking them to watch you die slowly, painfully, and when you do die, what you get is rest, while your loved ones live in the pain of facing life without you. If you are a smoker, then smoke in your car, let the rest of us who really want to smell the flowers outside of Starbuck's enjoy them. If you have been smoking for any length of time, you probably can't smell flowers accurately any longer. It's too bad, a rose in December is something no one should have to miss in favor of carcinogens.

As always, I invite opinions. I ask only that you be respectful. Tell me what you think. Do you smoke? Have you ever lost a loved one to Lung Cancer? How about other cancers? Do you believe that smoking should be restricted to inside a person's home only? Opinions, opinions.

-Carly
"Environments"
Starbuck's
Somewhere In The East Bay
December 2008
Afternoon

I Wonder... Is It Already Too Late?

"There's no money in poetry, but then, there's no poetry in money either."

-Robert Graves

Well, as of this past week, The National Bureau of Economic Research, has made it official... we are in a recession. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I have been saying that we were for months and months. But while it didn't come as any surprise to me, it seems like it did to President Bush. I wonder if it really did? How could it have? He had more access to information regarding the economy then you and I did, and yet, we got the same old tired lie... the economy is sound. The economy is doing a fine job. And wasn't that the biggest clue of all? Every time he says everything is ok, I run for cover. I am jaded... I admit it. But how can I possibly avoid it? Time after time we have had to endure his delusions and lies, and the outcome has always been total devastation.

So now we find ourselves with the irrefutable truth, staring us down. What happens next? We have been in a recession since the first of the year, could it be that we are actually in a depression, rather then a recession? Maybe we just aren't saying it. Could that possibly be? There are some scary statistics out there right now. 500,000 more people lost their jobs last month, and if the big 3 automakers fail, it will bring that much more devastation to an already over burdened unemployment system. What a mess.

I wish I knew how to feel about the probable Big 3 bailout. I can see both sides of the issue. If we bail them out, why not keep going with the love? Why not bailout the stores that I love, which are heading down the road of bankruptcy? November saw some mighty dismal sales figures, and while Black Friday posted higher then expected spending, I have seen the empty spaces at the malls here in the Bay Area, and I have to tell you, I don't remember having so much ease at finding a place to park, especially during the holiday season. It's a little spooky. I went to Target last Thursday to pick up some Christmas lights for our tree, and there were only 3 aisles devoted to holiday decorations, as opposed to the 9 or 10 aisles just last year. The prices were at least %30 higher as well. Less to choose from, at higher prices. Not good.

My heart goes out to the autoworkers. Their industry has been hit hard since the 80's. The average guy working a line making automobiles have very little to do with the stupid, greedy decisions being made by the top management. It's heartbreaking. On one hand I support the worker, but on the other hand I cannot support yet another bailout of greed and mismanagement. Alan and I watch the news at night, and we both wrestle with the issue. His point of view is that enough is enough. We have already seen waste of the original money given out to bailout banking. I never thought giving Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke free reign was a good idea, and I even mentioned that tight oversight and accountability needed to be in place. But do they listen to me? LOL. How would the money given to automakers be managed?

I fear that with a similar bailout of the auto industry, comes the waste we have already seen. It didn't particularly impress me that they drove to Washington to make their case. It didn't really impress me that they are willing to work for a token salary of $1. Nothing about what's happened has impressed me. All I know is that if the auto industry fails, and all those folks are forced out of work, it will be even more devastating for our country. I am beginning to think that we are in a depression, and no one is saying the word. DEPRESSION. If we have really hit bottom, or are about to, the good news is that there is only one direction we can go on from there. Hopefully.

So tell me, what do you think? Did it come as a surprise that we are officially in a recession? Do you think it is already too late to turn the economy around? Do you think we are poised to fall into a financial depression? How do you feel about the proposed bailout of the automakers? Tell me what you think. Opinions, opinions.

-Carly
"The End Of The Day"
Pacific Grove, California
November 15th, 2008
Twilight

The Wars We Wage In Our Own Minds: Rated PG-13

Christmas gift suggestions...
To your enemy, forgiveness
To an opponent, tolerance
To a friend, your heart
To a customer, service
To all, charity
To every child, a good example
To yourself, respect

-Oren Arnold

EGADS! Here we go again! I am not sure where to begin, except to say, that it shocks me that anyone could possible believe that there is some sort of war Christmas! Where does this kind of thinking begin? Go back in your memory to about 20 years ago. Do you remember hearing anything about a war on Christmas at that time? Probably not. Let me tell you what I honestly believe here. I believe that some in America have traded their holiday spirit for selfishness. I see commentators such as Bill O'Reilly insist that there is some kind of war on Christmas, because most retailers choose to display a Happy Holiday's sign as opposed to the more specific Merry Christmas. All of a sudden, Happy Holidays has been twisted into FUCK YOU GOD!

Baby Bill, as Keith Olbermann calls him, is waging a war in his own mind. But that's his problem, our problem is the fact that some folks are willing to follow him into battle, and that is what he counts on. The Bush years caused a lot of separation in this country, and imaginary wars on God was one of the religious right's greatest weapons. Speaking as a Christian woman, who found out when she was 37 that she was also Jewish by heritage, I don't offend easily anyway. If someone wishes me a HAPPY HOLIDAY, I smile because someone has just wished me well. If someone wishes me a MERRY CHRISTMAS, I smile, because someone has just wished me well. If I happen to hear a HAPPY HANUKKAH, I smile because someone has just wished me well. GET THE POINT! Wishing someone well is just that... WISHING SOMEONE WELL!

Yesterday I decided to take part in the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge, the topic was Christmas. Sigh. Marie and Vicki are the hosts of the challenge, and it is up to their discretion to decide the topics, just as it is my decision to decide what the Monday Photo Shoot topics will be, and every three weeks it is up to me to pick a Round Robin topic. What happens on my blog, is my business. Period. Photo Challenge memes are voluntary. If someone doesn't want to do a challenge I come up with, for any reason, it's ok with me. As I said from the beginning, participation is appreciated, but voluntary. I feel the same way about other folks blogs as well. If someone wants to celebrate a specific part of the holiday season, I don't really see the harm, because after all, participation is voluntary. If you are offended on some level, sit it out.

I took part in her challenge, because I enjoy Christmas. I am Jewish by heritage, and Methodist by choice. I study about the Jewish faith to find out what I might have missed, and Alan and I celebrate that part of my life by recognizing and celebrating the holidays together. We celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas in our house to learn about each other. Even after 18 years of marriage, we are still taking the time to learn about each other. While I don't speak about my faith much on my blog, make no mistake about it, it is important to me, and guides me in many of my decisions. I don't speak about it because my faith is a personal part of my life that I consider just one more part of myself that simply makes up the whole of me. I don't care for labels, but if you really need to know, I am a, Christian, Jewish, Methodist, Democrat, Liberal, FemiNazi, Photographer, Wife, Fur Baby Mama, Woman, and hopefully friend who tries her best.

There are real wars being waged, with real men and women dying. Why do we need to insist that there is an imaginary one on Christmas as well? There is no war. It all reminds me of Salem, and the witch trials, where one person pointed a finger, and all of a sudden some bored folks who couldn't think for themselves caused an fashionable uproar. A deadly one. Think about it for a minute... do you see a parallel? As for Christmas being commercialized, well, that is also baloney. Look, it's all up to you, the individual, to decide how commercial Christmas is. It doesn't have to be if you don't let it be. You don't have to buy ornaments every year, or loads of presents, or partake in any commercial exercise at all. That decision is one of the easiest to make. Christmas is only as commercial as you decide to let it be.

When I dropped by the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge yesterday, it was to support some friends, and have some fun, and take a little time off from the cares of the world for a little bit, which if I am not mistaken, is the point of Internet memes. What I found in the comment thread was some sniping, and swiping, that really left me feeling a bit sad. I decided to not put my two cents in there, out of respect to those who run the challenge, and those who disagree with the topic. I don't believe it was my place. A question was asked of the hosts, and the hosts offered an answer. End of story. This, however, is my blog, and I felt like I wanted to say a little bit about the general subject, because I do so nearly every year, because nearly every year, the subject of the WAR ON CHRISTMAS comes up.

Sometimes it feels like we haven't really experienced the holiday spirit since 9/11. Remember how it was for a few weeks after that awful day? People looked you in the eye and said "thank you" and "please." They let you cut into traffic, and if you had less items then them at the grocery store, they let you go ahead of them. We weren't taking each other for granted, or wasting time on worrying about who was being politically correct. Suddenly, we were a little less selfish. We were all in the darkest moment of our lives as Americans, after the unthinkable happened, and we were all wondering, could it happen again? One of the most poignant stories to come out of that horrible day, was when two men were running away from the wreckage of a building that had just came tumbling down, one of the men stopped to help a man who had just fallen. One of those men was an Arab, the other man a Jew. "Brother," said the man, "will you run with me?" It doesn't matter who said it first. So I ask you, do we really need to embrace made up wars?

Here is my wish this holiday season. I am hoping folks will get a collective grip. I am hoping that friends will remember their friendships first. I am hoping that as we more forward in this country, we will remember that commercialism of holidays has more to do with your own values the anything else. I am hoping for tolerance and understanding, especially when someone has gotten on your last nerve. I am hoping that I can write from the heart and it would be understood, and if it isn't, then I hope that you will ask me... and not just come to whatever conclusion best suits your mood. As for me, well, I am going to celebrate the holidays and be happy, how you choose to feel is up to you.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

If I have offended anyone, let me know. If you have something to say, say it! I invite respectful dialog, tell me what you are thinking. Opinions, opinions.

-Carly
"Happy Holidays"
Holiday Fantasy In The Woods
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
December 4th, 2008
Evening

Blogger's Community Photo Challenge: Christmas

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold everything is softer and more beautiful."

-Norman Vincent Peale

The folks over at the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge have chosen "Christmas" as their current topic! I can do that! So, here is my entry for this challenge round. I took the photo the day after Thanksgiving, while visiting the Holiday Fantasy In The Woods in Tilden park. I like to make my own holiday greetings whenever possible, so this is one of the designs that I am making for this year. :) I think it says Christmas rather nicely... don't you?

Have you played the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge yet? If not, just stop over their place for all the information, and the links to other participating photographers. You'll be glad you did!

-Carly
"Merry Christmas To All"
Holiday Fantasy In The Woods
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
November 28th, 2008
Early Evening

Goodnight Mr. Unknown, Wherever You Are

"Without mysteries, life would be very dull indeed. What would be left to strive for, if everything were known?"

-Charles de Lint

It's time to once again to ask the question... Who is this guy? I met him on a cold December morning in 2005, when I went out to my car, and found him sitting on the little brick fence that sits alongside my driveway. He is a mystery because no one who lives on the property knows where he came from, or who placed him there. No one that lives on the property has children, so how could the unknown man have gotten there? I have asked everyone I can think of, including a toy expert I used to know, and no one has been able to identify the vagabond traveler. I sure would like to know who he might be. If you have any insight into his identity, I would love to hear from you.

Every year, on December 3rd, I write about him, hoping that someone will finally recognize him and tell me his story. Do you recognize my little stranger? If so, feel free to tell me who he is, and if possible, where I can find another one just like him! See, I don't have the little stranger anymore, because he disappeared just as quickly as he had arrived. He made me smile in the short time I knew him. :) I liked him at "hello." I will never forget him! One of these days, someone will be able to tell me who he is. :)

Last year, in an effort to have a little fun, I asked folks to submit possible names for Mr. Unknown. Let's do that again! If you don't know who he is, but would like to submit a name, feel free to leave a name for him in the comment thread for this entry. :)

-Carly
"Mr. Unknown"
December, 2005
Early Morning

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #14: Autumn Sunsets

"Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better."

Henry Rollins

THIS CHALLENGE IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR PLAYING! :)

EMPS#14: AUTUMN SUNSETS.
Autumn only has a few more weeks left to it, and I haven't seen as much of it as I had planned to. Time moves quickly this time of year, so let's all stop for a moment to enjoy one on the loveliest times of day, SUNSET. Grab your cameras and show me an AUTUMN SUNSET where you live. If you are in an area with a lot of rain and clouds and not much in the way of sunsets, that's fine, show me how it looks just as the light begins to hand things over to the night. Show me as close as possible, the closing light of day. No archives for this one, I want to see this year's AUTUMN SUNSET!

Extra Credit: Show me a silhouette in a sunset!

You have until next Sunday, at 9:00 PM Eastern time, to take your photo, post it to your blog, and submit your link here. Please remember, no hyperlinks, and it must be a link to the entry in your blog specific to this assignment. Not a general link to your blog.

Linking List for EMPS #13: Turkey Day. 11/24/2008

Now Closed!

1. Jama... Sweet Memories

2. Karen... Outpost Mavarin

3. Julie... Julie's Photo Journey

4. Terri... Ways I See The World
WELCOME NEW PLAYER! :)

5. Liz... Visual Counterpoint

6. Tammy... The Daily Warrior

7. Martha... Menagerie

8. Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos

9. Mike... Everything Under The Sun
WELCOME NEW MEMBER! :)


We have two new members this week, Terri, and Mike. Be sure to go by their blogs and say hello, and see their entries. It's good to be supportive of each other! As always, I saw some really great photographic creativity this week! You all did a wonderful job with the assignment. I can't wait to see your photos next week! So, GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next week with an all new photo assignment. :)

-Carly :)

Weekend Asisgnment #244: Black Friday

Carrie: If it hurts so much why are we going shopping?

Samantha: I have a broken toe, not a broken spirit!

-Carrie Bradshaw & Samantha Jones, Sex in the City

Weekend Assignment#244: Black Friday.
The day after Thanksgiving, in the U.S. is widely believed to be the biggest shopping day of the year. Do you typically shop for holiday gifts on that day? If so, why? Is this year any different in that respect?

Extra Credit: Is there a particular bargain you are pursuing this year? If so, what is it?

Karen Funk Blocker, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Ahhhh... Black Friday! That unofficial, in fact no where near a real holiday, holiday, that we look forward to every year! Alan and I have been getting up early to go out on Black Friday and watch people for years, in fact we weren't even a couple the first time we decided to do it. We were just two good friends who enjoyed watching people go crazy at the malls. We have seen a lot of strange things over the years, and even participated a little ourselves, but mostly we watch others in their quests for the perfect bargain gifts. Union Square has become our favorite place to go. It's always beautiful in the city, and there is just a different vibe there. I was afraid that it might be a little sparse this year, given all the problems folks are having just making ends meet, but we weren't disappointed. It was a great year for shopping. It seems all those great discounts were enough to get folks into the square. Shopping bags were everywhere!

That is a good thing I think. I have seen too many wonderful little stores go out of business in recent years. More then one that I loved dearly. You get to know people who run small stores, and it is a nice feeling. When a small store goes under because of the economy, everyone loses. It started with the small stores a few years ago, and now even the big stores are in need of a little loving this holiday season. Sigh. Alan and I have decided to do $50.00 for each of us, plus whatever ends up in our Christmas socks. As for the boys, well, they will be getting a new fun Mouse in a Bag game, and some assorted catnip play toys, plus a new sweatshirt. I found some cute little teddy bear clothes at Michael's for about $4.00 each, so, they should be the warmest, best dressed kittens on the block!

We pretty much know what we will be buying this year, and where we will be buying it. I don't really need that much, but I could use some new cds and there is a great bathrobe I saw at Costco. Yummy, soft and warm. I smile when I think about that robe... hear that hubby? LOL. I am also asking for a Starbuck's gift card, there is nothing, nothing better than a tall hot chocolate with a pump of pumpkin spice syrup, on a cold December day! Unless it is a Venti/Shaken/Iced Tea Lemonade w/Passion tea... unsweetened! Yum! I also have a couple books on the wish list, and there is a Cuisinart that we are giving each other. We both like to cook, so we will both get a lot of use out of it together! Chop, Chop, Chop! :)

I will admit that we did do a little shopping on Black Friday. We always buy an advent calendar. It is a tradition. I know, I know, grown 40 - something people still toying with advent calendars, but Alan never had one as a kid, and we have so much fun guessing what might be behind each door. Hey, the one who gets it right most often, gets to pick the pie we will have at New Years! Wooo Hooo! LOL. So we bought the calendar, and I bought some things at... you guessed it... Old Navy! I had a $10.00 gift certificate and there were some really good bargains. I got an off- white sweater skirt for Christmas, and there was a sale on v-neck sweaters, so I got an off-white one to go with it. I have been waiting for that skirt to go on sale for months! Originally it was $32.50, but I got it for $8.50! I also bought 3 boat neck t-shirts and a green light weight sweater, plus a couple sweaters for Alan. He looks really good in sweaters!

As great as it was to find some bargains, the best part, as usual, was spent sitting at our favorite cafe in the square, watching people. I had hot chocolate with raspberry syrup, and he had an espresso. We watched folks having fun at the skating rink, we watched folks jamming the streets and singing along with the street music. We stopped to take a picture of the Christmas tree in front of Macy's and noticed that there were only men sitting on the steps facing the store. Hmmm. Click on the main picture at the top, and you will see. Those men are facing Macy's, where one by one, they got up to leave, as their wives/girlfriends/and significant others came back with their bargains. LOL.

Here are a few other sights from the day...

The Macy's Tree...
A gorgeous gown by Caroline Herrera at Saks Fifth Avenue. I LOVE it!That is definitely my taste! But my favorite designer will always be Vera Wang!

The holiday ice rink looked like fun. I will be visiting the ice rink at Justin Herman Plaza in a few days. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. It's gorgeous at night. :)


Anyone want a wig for Christmas?

It was a lot of fun, and good exercise to walk around the square and down all the streets surrounding it. It was nice to be one among the crowd. It was a pretty day, and for the most part, folks behaved themselves. Every year you hear on the news about someone getting injured or killed on Black Friday. This year was no exception, and I expect as things in the economy get worse, people will get more desperate. Sigh. As always, I am hoping for the best. Black Friday is more then shopping for us, it's another of our unofficial holidays we count as special. Later that day we went to the Holiday Fantasy In The Woods, in Tilden park. But I will save that for a different entry! :)

Extra Credit: Nope nothing specific. As I said, we pretty much already know what we are getting and how much it is. :)

-Carly
"The Men Of Black Friday"
Union Square
San Francisco, California
November 28th, 2008
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: On My Table

"High - tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Super squash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff, or is it going to eat us?"

-Anita Manning

For this Round Robin Challenge, my pal Steven asked us, "What's on your table." My answer to him is probably a pretty common one this week. It's a turkey. A 25 lb. naked Foster Farms turkey in a bag to be exact! Why is there a turkey all naked on my table? Well, you see, I am short, so short that sometimes, when I want to make sure that I am seasoning a dish properly, I work with it at the table, as opposed to the counter which is a little high for me. It's not easy being 4 ft. 11. LOL. I swear the older I get the smaller I get. I think it might be true, you do shrink as you get older. Next year I will be needing a step ladder to reach the table. Holy TOLEDO... I am the INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN! LOL.

Here are a couple more photos that followed!

Thanks for the challenge Steven, that was fun. :)

Linking List

Steven... (sometimes) photoblog
Posted!

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Martha... Menagerie
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Liz... Visual Counterpoint
Posted!

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!

Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos
Posted!

Sandra... Strong Chemistry
Posted!

boliyou... Endomental


Teena... It's all about me!
Posted!

Terri... Ways I See The World **Welcome New Member**
Posted!

Monica... Family Affair Photography
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!



Be sure to come by the official Round Robin Challenges blog on Sunday, to find out the topic of our next challenge! See you then!

-Carly
"The Naked Turkey On The Table"
Berkeley, California
November 26th, 2008
Afternoon

Shhhhhh... Don't Tell Mom & Dad (Feline & Furball Friday)

"I always say, shopping is cheaper then a psychiatrist."

-Tammy Faye Bakker Messner

Shhhhhh. Hi, it's me Hendrix. Don't tell mom and dad that we are cuddled up in their bed! Today is something called "Black Friday" so they will be out all day. Oh they don't go shopping, they like to sit and watch other people go crazy at the malls. Whatever that means! Mommy always takes her camera, because there is always something to see! This year, however, they might be back home sooner then usual. There might not be as many people to see as in other years. That makes mommy sad. She likes to see other folks happy, and having fun. Sigh. Mew. It will be ok, when they get home we will play the "chase game" and the "catch the mousie" game. I won the last time we played, but Dylan is really good at it too! I After we play, we eat dinner. We get crunchies, but mom and dad get turkey. If we are good boys we might get some turkey too. I had my first turkey tasting just yesterday, and I must say, I LIKED IT! So please... don't tell mom and dad that we cuddled up in their bed! MEOW! :)

Now that you have read my Feline & Furball Friday entry, be sure to visit the host, Steven. You can see my pal Pickle, and find the links to my other furry pals. Steven says, Friday is the day for pets!

Note: As of today, I have been living with my new mom & dad 1 month! Wow! Dylan came after me, his anniversary is on December 5th!

-Hendrix & Dylan
"Cuddled Up"
Berkeley, California
November 28th, 2008
Early Morning

Happy Thanksgiving

"Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk - festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seed time and harvest, the ripe product of the year, and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God."

-Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Always,

Alan, Carly, Hendrix & Dylan

On The Day Before Thanksgiving

"If the only prayer you ever said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."

-Meister Eckhardt

Everything is all ready for tomorrow. The turkey is prepped, the pie is baked, and all that remains is the quiet reflection of the joys and sorrows of 2008. I am happy to be able to say that, given everything that has happened, Alan and I are still happy, and healthy and going on 19 years of marriage! We are thankful for what we have in each other. We work on our marriage, it doesn't just come easy, believe me. Sometimes I have no idea why he is still with me, given some of my mistakes, but he just laughs and gives me a hug and brushes all the mistakes away. I am thankful for Alan and his ability to forgive.

I wish everyone was as lucky as me. I worry about the world. The economy is so bad, and there are so many folks going without this year. It feels good to donate food to the shelter in Oakland, but it feels horrible to know it isn't enough. And we get told that things will get worse before they get better. Sigh. Christmas will be slight for most households this year, not only will gifts be hard to come by, but so will food and shelter. Every time I get fed up with this tiny cottage I live in, I stop and remind myself of how lucky I am to have it! It's not just a roof over my head... it's home. I am thankful for my home.

I have two new little babies this year. Hendrix is my little comedian, he is a laugh a minute. Adventurous, and brave, loving and feisty. Dylan is my love bug. He is elegant in his movements, and if given a choice, he would sit in my lap all day long. He greets me in the morning with hugs and kisses, and soft kitten whispers, and then his brother joins in. I have never seen two kitten who were more affectionate. They are my boys! :) I share them with Alan because it's the thing to do! LOL. Actually, Hendrix considers his daddy, his personal property, and I apparently belong to Dylan. The truth is, I think we all belong to each other. :) I am thankful for my baby family.

Along with all the personal things I am thankful about, I am also thankful to be able to say I was wrong. YEP... I WAS WRONG! I really wanted to see Hillary Clinton become our next president, and to be honest, I had very little if any faith in Barack Obama. I told you that before. But I also told you that just because we wouldn't be seeing her on the democratic ticket, it didn't mean I would lose my mind and vote for McCain because of it. I promised to try to find something to believe in when it came to Obama, and I did. Not just a little bit mind you, I completely believed in him on election day, and now more then ever!. He has acted more like a president since November 4th, then Bush has his entire time if office. I had almost forgot what it was like to have a competent individual in the White House. I am thankful for Barack Obama. I am thankful I can admit when I have been wrong!

I am thankful that our extended families are well and safe. I am thankful that my MIL is at home, resting after a recent heart attack. The doctor told her that the damage he thought was there, wasn't nearly as bad as he had originally thought. Thanks for all your kind thoughts and prayers. They reached her just fine. :) I am thankful for all of you who take a few moments out of your day to see what I am up to with life and photography. Friends on and off the net make my life a lot less lonely. I am thankful for you. If you are reading this, please know... I am thankful for you!

There is so much more I am thankful for. Little things. Rain, chocolate, spooky movies, stuffed animals, chilled pears, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a good sale at Old Navy, my therapist, music, Dr. B... . The list is endless. Mostly, I am thankful for life and whatever comes my way. Anyone can do the easy times, it's the hard times that build us. I don't automatically think about giving up anymore. I deal. I feel good about that. No hiding. No running away. No pretending something that hurts me doesn't exist. I feel it, give it it's due, and move on. Ok, sometimes I do better about moving on then other times, but I do eventually move on. I am thankful for inner peace. And oh yeah... autumn! :)

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day."

-Robert Casper

-Carly

"Thanksgiving"
Berkeley, California
Autumn, 2006
Late Afternoon

Let's Talk Turkey: Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

"When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste."

-Laiko Bahrs

I am all set. Thanksgiving is good to go in our house. I gave Alan two different menu choices, and here is the one he chose...

MENU B

Lunch
~~~~~~~~
Warm Potato Leek Soup
Toasted Havarti & Pear sandwiches on Sourdough

Mid-Afternoon Munchies
~~~~~~~~
Assorted fruit, cheese, and pumpkin bread platter

Thanksgiving Dinner
~~~~~~~~
Turkey (roasted with herb butter) & Gravy

Cornbread stuffing w/ dried cranberries

Homemade Cranberry relish

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
(stuffed with apple/raisin/pecan compote)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Bake

Brown & Serve Rolls

Dessert
~~~~~~~~
Fruits of the Forest Pie

(Everything is prepared so it is Diabetic friendly) It's easier then you think!

I know, I know... it sounds like a lot of food for two people, but I have gotten very good at learning how to cook portions for two people. LOL. Although, I will be making turkey leftovers for quite a while, in that Alan bought us a 25lb turkey! LOL. OMG, there is enough turkey this year for each of us to eat 12.5 pounds! LOL. Oh well, I am looking forward to developing some new recipes, and it keeps well in the freezer, when stored properly. (INSERT BIG SMILE HERE). I like that I have become an expert at making a fancy meal, that is nearly guilt free! It just takes a little bit of planning. It's a lot of work, but I look forward to it so much.

I am spending the rest of the day today shopping for those last minute prep needs, such as the fresh herbs and garnishes. I am also heading down to my favorite cheese shop to purchase 1/4 lb. of about ten different cheeses for the snack platter. I will use whatever we don't eat in the leftovers I am already planning for. There is only one hitch to everything... lifting the prepared turkey into the oven for roasting. I will be on my own for most of Thanksgiving day, because Alan has to work. He has promised to help be prep the turkey Wednesday night, which is most of the work, but the lifting of a 25 pound bird, plus the wight of the baking pan, is something I am not looking forward to. Darn old torn rotator cuff injury! Sheesh, I hurt that thing way back on Thanksgiving day in 2006, and yet it is hurting today as if I just injured it. I am afraid at this point it is as arthritic as my knees are.

It will be ok. I will put a heating pad on my shoulder, and take my codeine like a good girl, and all will be fine. Heck, maybe I should just stuff the codeine in the bird then everything will really be fine. LOL. Nah, it will be ok, Alan will be home to take it out of the oven when it is done, so I only have to worry about putting it in to roast. In all seriousness, the hardest part is going to be not having my little sous chef, Elvis, to help me prepare the food. He used to sit on a kitchen stool and watch everything I did, when I was making a meal. I even had a little chef's hat for him. Our routine was a simple one. We cuddled up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, because nothing officially starts until we see Santa arrive in Herald Square, then we donned our hats, and cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Sigh. I am so sad. It's the first Thanksgiving without him, and I miss him terribly. But I do have two new assistant chefs, who have already shown a great fondness for food! LOL. Things will definitely be interesting in my house this Thanksgiving!

So, that's what I will be doing Thursday. How about you? Tell me, what traditions do you have for the holiday? Are you having a big fancy dinner, or are you playing things low key this year? Do you prepare your feast with any special health needs in mind, or do you "take a break from healthy" for one day? Tell me everything!

-Carly
"Here Turkey, Turkey, Turkey"
Costco
San Ramon, California
November 19th, 2008
Afternoon

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #13: Turkey Day

"A two pound turkey, and a fifty pound cranberry. That's Thanksgiving at Three Mile Island."

-Johnny Carson THIS CHALLENGE IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR PLAYING!

We in the U.S. will be celebrating Thanksgiving this coming Thursday, so let's have a little fun with the holiday... shall we?

EMPS #13: Happy Turkey Day!
Even if you don't live in America, you can have fun with this photo assignment. Here's the general idea. Photograph anything TURKEY! TURKEY thawing in a pan, or roasting in the oven. You can use a stuffed TURKEY (as in stuffed animal) or a stuffed TURKEY ( as in dinner) as your subject. A paper TURKEY or plastic TURKEY used in a centerpiece would be interesting. TURKEY sandwiches, or TURKEY soup would do nicely, as would a TURKEY TV dinner. Live TURKEYS gathered in the wild, or at a petting zoo works, or if you can't seem to find a fowl TURKEY, but you know a real live human TURKEY, feel free to take their picture and post it. But don't forget to get their permission, if you don't they might think you are the TURKEY! I will even accept a photo of TURKISH coffee! If it refers to TURKEY it's perfect for the assignment! One thing... PLEASE remember, this is a family friendly photo assignment. No harming animals folks. Let's show our appreciation for the beautiful bird the TURKEY!

Extra Credit: If you do serve TURKEY for Thanksgiving, show us the WISHBONE!

You have until next Sunday, December 1st, at 9:00 PM Eastern time, to get the photo and post it to your blog, and then comeback here with the direct link. I cannot accept hyperlinks. It must be a direct link to the entry specific to this challenge. And don't forget to link back here so others can join in the fun!

Linking List for EMPS #12: Hot Beverages! 11/17/08

NOW CLOSED!

Jama says, "Tea for me, coffee for the hubby." :) Just like in my house!

Karen shows us some unusual hot chocolate, in some unusual mugs!

Liz shares soup and a poem!

Wammy likes to drink a big mug of peppermint tea, but sometimes "just to switch it up," enjoys some peppermint coffee as well!

Connie has a favorite hot cocoa recipe, which she shares with all of us!

Martha also enjoys hot cocoa, especially in a pretty mug!

I think we hot chocolate drinkers have the coffee drinkers beat this time around! :) VERY well done everyone! I will be looking forward to your turkey photos this coming week!

Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! See you in one week with an all new photo assignment!

-Carly

We Share Butterflies

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."

-Tenneva Jordon

This year has certainly had it's moments. At times it has seemed jammed packed with bad news, if not for America in general, then for us, on occasions. I knew 2008 was going to be a bumpy ride, when the pipe in the wall behind the toilet decided to become hopelessly clogged on January 1st! LOL Whew... what a way to start a new year! LOL. But then February brought the untimely death of Alan's wonderful brother, and March began with the death of our friend, and landlord P. Elvis was diagnosed with Cancer in April, and that hit us just as hard, if not harder, then all the previous bad news. Alan and I had a lot to deal with over the summer, but we came through just fine, on the prayers of friends and family. October came along, and it was mixed with sorrow and joy, as we lost our Elvis, but gained Hendrix and Dylan. Our new fur babies, that make us smile every single day.

Life is a roller coaster, I keep forgetting that. With the sweet comes the bitter. Yesterday, I got a call from the pastor of my parents-in-law's church. It seems my MIL suffered a heart attack a couple days ago! She is in the hospital right now. The doctor performed a, Cardiac Catheterization, and found that some minimal damage was done, but he isn't doing anything for it. Apparently whatever damage that happened will either fix itself, or doesn't need any additional repair. Either way, I am thankful she is resting comfortably. My MIL means a lot to me. She has always treated me like a daughter, rather then some strange creature that lured her son into the depths of HELL! LOL. Over the 19 years we have been related, we haven't had one single argument. Have we disagreed? You bet! Was it ever so bad that we couldn't agree to disagree... NEVER!

We have shared many things over the years. We sent books back and forth, and compared and shared recipes. Which, let me tell you is completely intimidating, because she is a chef and nutritionist! Yikes! And yet, I managed to impress her with a couple recipes of my own. At least she said she was impressed. LOL. We sent photos back and forth, and she was so enamoured with Elvis, that she actually began her very own, Grandma's Baby Book, to share with all her friends the photos of "her cat" Elvis. She is a lovely, strong, impressive woman, and I felt cheated when she and Dad moved away from the Bay Area just a year after Alan and I wed. I worry about them both, so far away, but fortunately they have a lot of folks around to take care of them and look out for their needs. I just wish I lived closer.

It sounds like she will be coming home from the hospital early next week, and I know someone will have them over for the holiday, but I wish Alan could spend Thanksgiving with them. You never know what can happen, and in that he has always had a happy and healthy relationship with them, it just seems like he should be there. We took a hard hit, financially, after Elvis's illness. We wouldn't change a thing, we have no regrets about giving him chemo, but the cost of everything has made traveling way to expensive to just pick up the phone and book a flight. Hopefully, the economy will get better in time. We'll see. For now, while going back east is out of the question, we are close in our hearts. Please keep my MIL in your thoughts and wishes. I just know if you could meet her, you would love her as much as I do. One of the things we share most often, was our mutual love of butterflies. Every time I see a lovely butterfly I think of her, so the picture above is just for her. :)

-Carly
"Beautiful Butterfly"
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
Spring, 2008
Afternoon