A Night Of Celebrations

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living."

-Amanda Bradley

Last night, Alan and I, decided to have a nice dinner at home, then take a ride over to San Francisco, to see the lighting of the Menorah, in Union Square, for the 7th night of Hanukkah. The first candle lit this year was in honor of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, who were killed in the recent Mumbai massacre. I have never been to a public lighting ceremony before, so it felt nice to be able to go last night. I enjoyed myself very much. We listened to the music and watched the dancing, and when the children in the crowd sang the Dreidle Song, a smile came to our faces. I think we will go at least one night of Hanukkah from now on. It was just lovely, and you left with such a good, warm feeling of family.

On our way to to San Francisco, we saw from the Bay Bridge, that Coit Tower was lit up in red, I believe in honor of the Emerald Bowl, which was playing at AT&T park. I had completely forgotten that the game was being played last night! LOL. So THAT explained the traffic crossing the bridge! LOL. Anyway, in the Cal vs. Miami game, Cal came out ahead, 24 to 17. I would have thought that Coit would have been lit in green, for the Emerald Bowl, but when I checked the official logo, it was in red. Go figure. LOL. If you happen to know why the logo is in red, rather then green, give me a shout. Or if you know of another reason why Coit was lit up last night, feel free to leave me a comment in the comment thread for this entry.


It was a beautiful night last night, no matter where you were in the San Francisco. It was mild in temperature, the sky was completely clear, and folks were happy no matter where you looked. That kind of happiness is fun to be around. Sometimes the best way to help your own mood, is to surround yourself with positive, happy, enjoyable experiences. We try to do that as much as possible. The only thing that was missing last night, were our two little boys. I could just see them singing and dancing along with the other children. Hendrix would have been singing louder then anyone else, and Dylan would have been hopping up and down with excitement. He does that when he is happy. There I go again, like with Elvis, I don't see to kittens, I see two little people. LOL.

-Carly
"Coit Tower In Red"
San Francisco, California
December 27th, 2008
Early Evening

Round Robin Challenge: Favorite Toys

"It is never too late to have a happy childhood."

-Tom Robbins

Karen's choice for this RR is "Favorite Toys." We don't really collect toys per se, and I was never really a part of any of the uber Toy sensations in toys, such as Beanie Babies, but we do like good old fashioned board and card games. We had some classic games that Alan had as a child, but they were lost to the hands of a thief some years back. Now we mostly have the card games and a few board games like Monopoly and Balderdash. Skip-Bo is Alan's favorite of the card games, my favorite is Quiddler. Fun. I wish I could find Masterpiece, or Stock Market at a toy store again. I should probably take a look around eBay, I know Alan would love to get one of those old games some birthday or Christmas. For now we have Skip-Bo, which we play so often, that I just got a brand new set for this Christmas, to replace the set I got last year! We play it a lot!

I love stuffed animals, as a little girl that would probably be considered my favorite toy. I had a small stuffed skunk named Stinky, and a stuffed turtle my brother brought back from Vietnam. I still have the turtle, but he is packed safe away in our storage room outside. I still love that turtle after all these years. I have a multitude of bears scattered around the house, which for some weird reason the cats have shown no particular interest in. LOL. I guess the stuffed Christmas bear was something special in their eyes. My very favorite stuffed animals is a Boyd's moose, I named him Ross, after Ross Perot. LOL. He is always on my bed or on my desk. When I have a good pout on, I have been known to drag him from room to room. LOL. He just makes me smile, so it's nice to have him around. Moose are such beautiful animals. I wish it was practical to own one. Yep, I am one of those crazy old ladies who still loves stuffed animals at the advanced age of 46!

Be sure to visit all the participating Round Robins, by clicking on the links below!

Linking List

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos
Posted!

Marina... Milepebbles
Posted!

Em Dy... Captured Beat


Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Suzanne R... SuzyQ421's Photo Blog
Posted!

Marie... Photographs & Memories
Posted!

Linda... Mommy's Treasure
**Welcome New Member**

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

Molly... Return of the White Robin


Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Terri... Ways I See The World
Posted!

Valerie... Rosemary's Other Baby


**Don't forget to find out what our next challenge will be! Drop by the official Round Robin blog later this weekend to find out all the details! See ye next year!

-Carly
"Skip-Bo"
Berkeley, California
December 2008

Tra La La La La La La La La

Q. What do vegetarians wish for Christmas?

A. Peas on Earth goodwill toward men!


Is that the face of a bad kitty? Yep, that is indeed the face of a bad kitty! LOL. No, actually, that is the face of a kitty who is hopelessly in love with a stuffed Christmas bear. As with all children, the Christmas tree has been an almost unstoppable temptation for my little boys. The lights, the bears, the ornaments, it's all so inviting, that I ask you, what's a kitten to do? Well, he investigates! LOL. Their mommy could have avoided the trouble by not putting up a tree, but why do that? It came as a wonderful lesson in boundaries, that I am proud to say has taught Hendrix the word NO! He now knows the word, and Dylan, who you see in the picture, responds best to hearing his name, said in a very disappointed tone. They are great kittens, and for the most part, the Christmas season has been smooth sailing, especially with the new big Santa sack we bought at Costco to hold the gifts until Christmas morning.



Santa came in the wee hours of the morning on Christmas morning, and he was a generous soul this year. I got a new bracelet, and some music, a SIMS2 expansion pack (Apartment Life), a new warm luxurious bathrobe in powder blue. A new apron, which has an original hand drawn design on it, by a local designer! It's FABULOUS! A new set of cookie sheets and a turkey roaster, and a new cookbook from The Cheeseboard Collective, here in Berkeley. I LOVE that place. Imagine, if you will, 600 kinds of cheese all in one room! LOL Don't even get me started about the bread! Oh my, there is just nothing like one of the Asiago rolls warmed slightly, and served with a big bowl of tomato soup, and a Cranberry Vinaigrette salad.

Alan got some new music from Santa as well. The Best of Bob Dylan and the best of Jimi Hendrix. There is going to be a lot of music playing in our house this year. Hendrix is crazy for Three Dog Night, and Steppenwolf. Whenever I put their music on, he just cuddles right into me, and cuddles. Dylan is more of a Harry Connick Jr. fan me thinks. I listen to his music often, and when I do, it is usually Dylan's turn to snuggle in. Alan also got a new brown sweater, and a pair of slippers, from Hendrix. Hendrix likes to bite his daddy's feet, so Santa, and Hendrix, thought that new brown slippers would be the perfect solution. :) Cozy.

It's been a great Christmas this year. There was a moment or two of sadness as we remembered those who couldn't be with us. Alan's brother Darryl, our friend and landlord P. and of course, Elvis. I will miss all of them forever. It has been such a difficult year, losing all three, but they were here in spirit. Darryl is a constant presence in our hearts, as we think about all the fun we had once upon a time. And I couldn't help but think of "P" as I cooked our Christmas dinner. He got me a new stove just a couple years ago, 3 days before Christmas. Thanks again "P." And I already told you about all the little happy surprises concerning my Elvis this Christmas. He was THE WORLDS BEST KITTY. Now he is HEAVEN'S best kitty. Be sure to ask for him when you get there. He will be the one in the tuxedo. Meow. :)

-Carly
"Bad Kitty"
Berkeley, California
December 24th, 2008
Late Evening

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

"It came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags. Christmas can't be bought from a store... Maybe Christmas means a little bit more."

-Dr. Seuss



We have had a magical day today. It started out with a wonderful good morning kiss from Hendrix. I had been feeling a bit sad last night, because I knew I wouldn't be getting my Christmas Eve morning paw pads and kisses. In the 11 years that Elvis was my boy, he always woke me that way on Christmas Eve. But this morning, as if by magic, Hendrix filled in for Elvis and kept the tradition going, by purring softly in my ears, and giving me a gentle little kiss. It was a perfect way to start my Christmas Eve. Happiness. :)


Around noon, I picked up a box at the Post Office, it was from my friend Martha. Inside was a wonderful garden stone, in the shape of a paw pad, and when I turned it over, it had Elvis's name on the bottom. He loved my garden, so of course, it was such a sweet surprise that it moved me to tears. Thank you Martha! I immediately placed it next to a new rose that bloomed this week, and opened fully this morning. A Green Ice rose, one of his favorite in the garden. It has a sweet/spicy scent, and he loved to sit next to them. He just loved flowers. Elvis is definitely here in spirit. I feel him with me even as I type this. :) Martha, you were a part of the magic today, I will always remember you for that! :)

Later in the day, after delivering some Christmas good wishes, we came home and Alan and I gave each other a special ornament. We have been doing that each year on Christmas Eve, since we discovered the Christmas Fantasy in Tilden. They have some really gorgeous ornaments, and it becomes our official first gift to each other every year. One new ornament. Later in the day, we played some serious reindeer games with the kittens, which is always fun. The boys are all tucked in now, and Alan have the rest of the evening to just enjoy ourselves. They are going to be so much fun tomorrow, when they open their presents and socks! I am sure I will have more pictures, so keep checking back!

A Christmas Story is playing on TBS for the next 24 hours, and we will probably watch at least one showing of it. It's our favorite holiday movie, but I have Miracle on 34th Street, the Sebastian Cabot version, saved in the DVR, and I enjoy that one too, and yet, It's A Wonderful Life is also on tonight, so I am not really sure which one will get our attention. LOL. Too many good choices. No matter what we end up watching, I am already so happy this Christmas that I suppose it really doesn't matter much. :)

Well, Alan is almost done making the Latkes, so I am off to dinner. Yep, he is making dinner! Life is good.

From Our House To Yours...

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HANUKKAH

EMPS #17: Holiday Greetings

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."

-Ansel Adams

I thought it would be fun to play along with everyone else this week, so, here is my entry for the EMPS. This is a photo gone way wrong. LOL. But it has a fun quality to it that I am proud of in a weird way. I find it visually appealing, so I thought I would post it and see what all of you think. :) Feel free to play art critic, tell me what you think. Good photo? Bad photo?

And now my Holiday Haiku...

A Prayer Before Christmas (Haiku)
By Me :)

Lights Dancing Like Stars
A Prayer For Peace On Earth
Peace Begins With Love

Have you done your Monday Photo Shoot Assignment yet? If not, you have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET to play along. You can get the assignment here.

Don't forget to come by later tonight to see Dylan and Hendrix's Christmas greeting. See you later tonight!

-Carly
"Peace On Earth"
Berkeley, California
December 2008

Who Needs Rockefeller Center?

"Too bad Lassie didn't know how to ice skate, because then if she was in Holland, on vacation, in winter, and someone said, "Lassie, go skate for help," she could do it."

-Jack Handy

I have been watching movies and TV shows for years that feature skating at Rockefeller Center, in New York City, and I would daydream about how beautiful it must be to see it in person. New York City is at the top of my wish list of places to see one day, I would especially like to spend the holiday season there sometime. I would like to see the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then the rest of the holiday celebrations throughout the season, finally bringing it all together by seeing the New Year come in while partying in Times Square. Romantic isn't it? Well, I am beginning to think that daydream won't be happening for me, but I am not too upset, because I think I have the next best thing right here. Holiday Ice Skating at Justin Herman Plaza on the Embarcadero, in San Francisco.

I don't know how to ice skate mind you, but I love watching the folks who do. The families, the couples on dates. Grandparents with the little ones. It is a nice vibe. You can't feel bad inside while watching them have fun. Happiness is contagious. I know of what I speak. For years and years I let ghost of Christmas past bring me down, which can be absolutely miserable for yourself and those around you. Finally, I pulled the chip off my shoulder, and removed the stick from my bum, and got on with the business of living happy. A few years ago, someone I loved, left my life at Christmas. I miss them so much sometimes, but life has gone on. I think of them at the holidays, and wish them love and happiness, and I spend a couple minutes in that reflection, then I move on. What else is there to do? Yes Mr November, sometimes I still miss you, but you were right... life will move you forward...

...And into the light if you are lucky enough to have the will to embrace it. "But how can I appreciate Christmas when it has been so commercialized?" Christmas hasn't been commercialized, that is a silly thing people say when they want to feel superior. Christmas is what you decide it is. Hanukkah is a celebration that everyone can participate in, Jewish or not. It's about miracles after all. New Year's Eve really doesn't have to come with pressure filled declarations of resolutions, it can simply be about the the chance to start over, with a better attitude. I think about these things while I watch the ice skaters at the Embarcadero. After all, I got up this morning, not everyone will be that lucky today. Life, and the holidays, are what you make of it, you can't expect others to fill the void you have, you have to make your own happiness. There I said it. ;)

Now... on with the skating...







The Gorgeous Tulip sculpture at Embarcadero Center. This is one of my favorite pieces of public art in the Bay Area. :)

If you need a bit of uplifting reading, I came across a different take on the old holiday classic, It's A Wonderful Life. The new approach concerns what it would be like if George Baily had Type 1 Diabetes. Go give it a read.

"If George Baily Had Type 1 Diabetes."
By Carey Potash ) dLife

-Carly
"Skating In The City"
Justin Herman Plaza
San Francisco, California
Saturday, December 20th, 2008
Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #17: Holiday Greetings!

"Wishing you the blessings of warmth and good cheer this Holiday Season."

-Unknown

This photo shoot assignment is now closed!

EMPS #17: HOLIDAY GREETINGS.
Here is your chance to play greeting card designer! With all the holidays happening in December, the Solstice, Christmas and Hanukkah happening this week in particular, I thought it would be nice to create a HOLIDAY GREETING for our readers! Simply use your camera's editing software to create a holiday hello on one of your original photographs. You can pick any holiday, or observance in December, including New Year's Eve. If you don't happen to celebrate the Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, then create a more general greeting card design, but if possible, I would like to see greetings that fit the holidays celebrated in December. Lets see some HOLIDAY GREETINGS!

Extra Credit: Write a Haiku to accompany the photographic greeting!

If you are unsure how to write a Haiku, you can find some simple instructions by clicking here. If you are still having difficulties, feel free to email me any questions and I will try to assist.

***PLEASE READ CAREFULLY***
As always, you have until 9:00 PM ET next Sunday to complete your photography assignment, post it to your blog or journal, and comeback here with the direct link. Please, NO HYPERLINKS. You must submit the full direct link to be added to the Linking List, which will be posted the following Monday. Be sure to add a link to your entry back here, so others can find the photo shoot and play along!

Linking List for EMPS #16: Autumn Meets Winter. 12/15/08

NOW CLOSED!

Julie..."As winter creeps closer and closer the free water slowly gives way to the ice."

Karen did both assignments and brings us a bow in a box, and a bear with a bell.

Sherrie shows us a first dusting of snow, and a beautiful bell that hangs in her backyard!

Liz wrote us a beautiful poem to read, as she shows us the transition from autumn to winter.

Terri photographed carrots in the snow, snow on a beach ball, snow on a clothes line, and Zen bamboo.

Suzanne shows us the beauty of autumn meeting winter in Oregon.

Tammy posted a gorgeous Christmas tree, a snowy puppy, and trees with autumn leaves, frosted with fresh fallen snow.

Jama found some brightly lit colorful bows around town, plus some bells in an archway, and a pretty red bow on her favorite candle.

Nancy posted a photo of snow on the limbs of a tree, with the some magnificent autumn colored trees in the background that seem to go on forever.

Connie also did both assignments, she brings us a lovely autumn photo of ducks swimming in some very cold water, and a glass ornament that contains within, a bow and a bell!

Mike photographed for us, an autumn leaf encased in some ice. Beautiful. :)


Nicely done everyone! I know this will be a busy time for everyone this coming week, so I want to take a moment to wish everyone a HAPPY HOLIDAY! Now GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! See you one week from today with the LL for this week's photo shoot assignment!

-Carly

The Last Autumn Sunset Of 2008

"I didn't ask for it to be over, but then again, I never asked for it to begin. For that's the way it is with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance. But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets."

-Unknown

Last September, just a few days before the seasons changed from summer to autumn, I was on the San Francisco peninsula, doing some photos along the coast. We had the most beautiful sunset that night, so, in that I knew I was going to be busy the rest of the week, I decided to stop in at the Point Montara Lighthouse photograph one of the last summer sunsets for the year. It was absolutely spectacular!

As most sunsets do, that one inspired me. I thought about maybe doing a last photograph of each seasons sunsets, if the weather permitted. It was looking like I was not going to be able to capture the last sunset of autumn, do to all the storms we have had recently, but yesterday was completely clear, absolutely gorgeous. Warm, sunny, and lovely start to finish. The weatherman said it would be the day to get all the last minute holiday deeds done, because it was going to last only one day, the last full day of autumn!

We have everything done, so we used the opportunity to go across the bay into the city, to watch the ice skaters at Justin Herman Plaza at the Embarcadero Center. December has been such a blink for us, that we hadn't had the chance to get over there until yesterday! Actually, the ice skating rink has been there since mid November, but as I said, time has just been a blink! I will share those photos after Christmas, this entry is all about the sunset, and how it looked from Treasure Island, facing back toward the Embarcadero. I love it during this time of year, with the buildings downtown outlined like packages! I love San Francisco. :)

The Last Summer Sunset Of 2008!

-Carly
"Last Sunset Of Autumn 2008"
Treasure Island
Oakland/San Francisco California
December 20th, 2008
Sunset

Happy Hanukkah

"May love and light fill your home and heart at Hanukkah."

-Unknown

The Festival of Lights begins tonight at sundown. Happy Hanukkah everyone! I am making dreidel cookies a little later on today, and tomorrow Alan and I will be making a traditional Jewish feast together. He enjoys cooking as much as I do, and every Hanukkah we try to make a new recipe. Tonight it's Brisket in Wine Sauce. I found a number of wonderful new recipes at About.com. All of them are pretty simple, and so far they have come out just right. Alan is making the Latkes on Tuesday night, which I am really looking forward to. :) That isn't really a new recipe, it's a lighter version I developed after I learned I had Type 2 Diabetes. It's really delicious, and while I am eating a different version, it's just as yummy. Facing a diagnosis of diabetes wasn't the worst thing that ever happened to me, in fact, it has taught me a lot about nutrition. That's a blessing. :) It's a good time in our house, the holidays bring the best out in both of us. Happiness is a good thing.

From our house to yours... HAPPY HANUKKAH!

-Carly
Happy Hanukkah 2008

On The Last Full Day Of Autumn...

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

-John Muir

Here, as promised, is a round-up of my autumn photography for this year. Sigh. I know all the seasons last the same amount of time each, but it always seems like autumn is shorter then the others somehow. I can't believe it is over. I am already missing it, and like in other years, I will start looking forward to it coming around again, one minute after it becomes winter officially. I love autumn. Here are some of my favorite moments.

Enjoy...

The last Autumn full moon. December 2008.

-Carly
Autumn 2008

Will The Curse Of Christmas Eve Live On?

"The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her."

-Marcelene Cox

I started and finished all my holiday shopping yesterday! I was well prepared this year, and for the most part I stuck to the list and to the budget! Well, ok, maybe I went over our discussed limit a little bit, but not outrageously. It's just that I saw one or two things that I thought Alan would enjoy finding under the Christmas tree this year. He made me a list, and I got everything on it, but it seems like there should be one or two surprises as well. :) What fun would it be to open your presents, and find all the stuff you asked for, and no surprises?

So, I should be able to just sit at home on Christmas Eve, and not tempt fate, but again I ask, "what fun would that be?" In the way of curses, this year is shaping up to be right on target. December 10th did indeed provide the universal practical joke that it is so famous in our house, so you know that my personal tradition of being called a B*I*T*C*H by a total stranger on Christmas Eve will more then likely live on. At least I hope so. If it does, it will make 24 years in a row! That's right... we are on year 24! Oh how I look forward to it... LOL... and I swear, I do nothing to provoke it, it just happens! LOL. You know how it all began, right? The tradition was started by a nun with Turret's Syndrome, way back in the mid 1980's.

Keep your fingers crossed! It just wouldn't be Christmas without it. You will have to tune in, the week after Christmas to find out if the curse lives on. Anyway, back to the shopping...

This year's holiday shopping has been so odd. I did all my shopping in the real world, as opposed to the Internet. It was cheaper to get all bundled up, and go to the mall, rather then sit back and shop online. I bet it is the first Christmas in maybe 7 years, or so, that I didn't purchase the majority of my gifts online. With the unsteady economy, prices have been hugely competitive. There were some bargains which simply couldn't be passed up! And while I was hunting for bargains early on, Alan actually bought the first present of the year way back in October, when he found something for me at a cute little Farmer's Market we visited while on vacation. :)

I just had the best day shopping, and picking out things yesterday. I took the long way around the Bay Area, driving the back roads, so I could enjoy the last of the autumn color. No freeways, just the leaf filled streets, and the view of the snow on the Bay Area hills! The sun was moving in and out of the clouds, so I had a lot of different lighting opportunities to work with. Stunning. The sight of the Autumn leaves, always puts me in the best mood. I just love this time of year! Christmas is, of course, a winter holiday, but I always thought it should really be a gift of autumn! After all, winter can only claim it because it is only a few days into it's season. Somehow, that just doesn't seem fair! And since I only have a couple more days of autumn, I am doing a lot of photography around the area to make the most of it! I will have an "Autumn Photography Round-up" this Sunday, so be sure and stop by!

After all the shopping yesterday, I had a wonderful lunch, then climbed into my favorite chair and relaxed with my two cats. Dylan loves to sit on my lap and sleep, sometimes for hours, and since I can't disturb him, I have to nap along with him. LOL. Well, it would be just rude to move him, you know? I'm a good mommy, because after the nap, he and Hendrix helped my wrap presents, we played fetch with a BellBall. Dylan LOVES playing fetch. Some folks think only dogs play fetch, silly persons, cats love it too! And so do I! :) Hendrix isn't much for fetch, but he does make a nifty tower of tissue paper! LOL. I have little green and red towers all around the living room~ It's quite festive here!

I am now off to make some Pecan/Cinnamon strusel bread. We are making Hanukkah cookies on Sunday night, and I will probably make a small fruitcake on Christmas. Yes, I am one of those strange people who actually enjoys fruitcake. LOL. Oh my, I do step to a different drummer don't I? LOL. Oh well. As bad as this year has been, I will not give up! I have given up before, I won't do that again. No matter how bad things are, there is always something to believe in. Friends. Health. Kittens. Puppies. People you will always love, even if you are apart. Hot Chocolate w/Raspberry Syrup. Starbuck's. Holiday Fantasy In The Woods. Music. SNOW GLORIOUS SNOW. Photography. Naughty underthings ;) LOL. Opossums. Sappy holiday movies. Hanukkah, Christmas, New Presidents. And my personal favorite, a total stranger calling you a B*I*T*C*H on Christmas Eve. :) Let the tradition live on...

-Carly
"She Shopped Till She Dropped"
Berkeley, California
December 18th, 2008
Afternoon

Excuse Me While I Kiss The Sky!

"I'm gonna put a curse on you, and all your children will be born naked."

-Jimi Hendrix

According to Kiss This Guy, the single most common Mondegreen that they receive is "'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy" as opposed to the correct lyric of, "'Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky," from the song, "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix. When we saw Hendrix, aka "The Purple Haze" cozying up to that beautiful tiger, that was featured Wednesday night on ABC's World New Tonight, Alan immediately suggested it for the caption of the above picture. I simply couldn't help myself, it was such a great thought, my Hendrix cuddling up to a beautiful tiger, making a lifelong friend. (SMILE). 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky!

So tell me, do you have any favorite Mondegreens? I got the ball rolling, share with me if you have one. Holiday Mondegreens, Rock Mondegreens, Country Mondegreens, it's all good. :) Leave it in the comment thread or do your own Mondegreen entry, just be sure to come back here and leave me the link!


-Carly
"Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy"
Berkeley, California
December 17th, 2008
Evening

Fresh Snow Falling...

"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?"

-J.B. Priestley

Yesterday, Tuesday, the magical occurred in the form of soft, silent, gentle snow falling in the Berkeley hills. It happens from time to time, but not nearly often enough for this girl. :) When does happen, I feel myself come alive inside, despite the pain the cold brings to me. I am only in my mid 40's, so I am not about to let degenerative arthritis stop me from playing in the snow, especially when I know that it could be forever before it comes back again. Know what I mean? So, as soon as I could I got up, put on several layers of clothes, my boots, my gloves, my hat, my scarf, and got my camera and extra batteries, and headed into Tilden Park, aka, "my winter playground." I had to get up early, and then feel my way through the fog along the winding road, high above the city of Berkeley below, but even a case of the jitters wasn't about to stop me!

South Park drive at Grizzly Peak boulevard is closed from November 1st through March 1st every year. It is a steep road down into the park and rainy weather can make it a bit dangerous. I was able to park at the gate and take a shot downwards toward the first curve. The visibility wasn't very good, so I decided not to try walking it.

Tilden is beginning to be my favorite place on earth, no matter what season. In spring there is a snowstorm of beautiful blossoms to play in, in summer you can find all kinds of colorful dragonflies and damselflies frolicking about the top of the water on Lake Anza, in autumn there are some Japanese maple trees along with oak, Juniper, Eucalyptus, pine and cedar to make the air smell beautiful. It's an amazingly beautiful place to be in autumn, but yesterday was really something special! It's still autumn, so there were still a few leaves on the trees, but mixed with the color was the crystal clear white of the newly fallen snow. :)


I am crossing my fingers that we have more snow days, but I know it is a bit of a long shot. The Bay Area just doesn't get snow the way other places do. It's all a trade-off, we get some magnificent weather all year round, it's never really too cold or too hot, with the rare exception every 5 years or so, otherwise the climate here is wonderful all year long. Yesterday was, in my opinion, perfect. The only downside was that Elvis wasn't here to see it. I always wanted to show him snow. He enjoyed the cold weather so much. He loved to run around the backyard on cold rainy days, and just let the rain pour down on him. Strange cat. It was so funny to watch him run right out into it, and then right into the mud he would go. Big grin on his face.

Afterward I would bring him in and give him a bath. He would purr and smile. He was a cat that liked cold weather. In the summer when it would rain, sometimes he would sit under the dining table outside and just watch the drops of rain fall. I used to wonder what he had on his mind during those times? Was he daydreaming about a big chicken dinner? Was he thinking about a conversation he had the night before with one of his opossum friends? What could a cat like him be thinking about as the rain fell? He would have loved snow... I just know it. I think he would have been great to go tobogganing with, he loved to slide around, and he loved movement. I missed him yesterday. I miss him everyday.

Someday I will take either Dylan or Hendrix or maybe both along on one of my Bay Area snow jaunts. It would be my guess that Hendrix will be the one that will love snow. He is my little adventurer. He takes life at the speed of sound. Dylan will be waiting at home, to come and sit on my knee, while I sit typing at the computer about the adventure Hendrix and I had just had. That's what Dylan did yesterday, he sat purring on my knee for about 2 hours, which is better then any heating pad. I am missing Elvis so much, but these boys of mine take all that pain away, and turn it into warmth. :) There was more snow in the park this morning, so I say, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

-Carly
"Snow On Grizzly Peak"
Grizzly Peak Boulevard
Berkeley, California
December 16th, 2008
Morning

By Special Request Of Dr. B :)

"A world without cats... I dare not think of it."

-Anonymous

They Grow So Fast At This Age...

It came to my attention yesterday, that I have been a bit neglectful when it comes to showing off my two new sons. I scoffed at first, "but Dr. B," I protested, "I can't write about cats every day, I will end up chasing off all my readers!" To which he replied, "Well, don't you think your readers are also cat enthusiasts?" Well, ok, he had a point. But I know that some of you are definitely dog people. At least one of my readers is highly allergic to cats! LOL. And yes Dr. B., I do know that no one will break out into an unstoppable succession of sneezes just by viewing an adorable fluffy kitty-cat update on my blog. LOL. So, with silly worries aside, I present to you a full fledged kitten update. :)

Above you see Hendrix. Jeepers. He isn't really a kitten anymore. He is growing so fast, and look, he has completely lost his fuzz. My tiny little ball of energy, is now a sleek, deep purring, goofy ball of energy! He is still my comedian. He chases his brother, he chases my feet. He is all fascinated with my big toes. "No Hendrix, don't bite Mommy's toes." He loves food, his brother and Alan. He has really become Alan's cat, but he allows me to pet him as well. He is a caregiver. He took his brother in and he takes good care of him. He grooms him, and cuddles him, and at times, drives Dylan completely crazy! LOL. Hendrix has learned 3 words, NO, FOOD, and BAD! LOL. He knows about love as well, but that is best accomplished not with words, but with snuggles and scratches behind the ears. :)

It has been pretty smooth sailing with the boys. We put up a Christmas tree, and put all stuffed animals in the tree this year. Christmas bears mostly. It looks really nice. Both boys have already learned that the tree is off limits. It only took a week or so to teach them. I am impressed with their ability to learn. :) The Christmas tree is working out fine, but there is one bear in the tree that Hendrix has taken a special fancy to. I will let him have it after Christmas, but for now we are learning our boundaries.

Dylan's official nickname is "The Yam." Hendrix is the "Purple Haze." ;)

Both boys are in good health, although Dylan had a case of the tape worms a couple weeks ago. It happens. Doggone fleas. Bad fleas. Bad. Thank goodness it was a quick fix. One trip to Dr. B. and one tiny shot, and poof... worms be all gone! That makes me extremely happy. I don't like worms. I know, I know they aren't dangerous. No one has ever heard of a rabid worm, but OMG....YUCK! I swear just thinking about it made my skin crawl, but really, it all goes with owning a pet. Silly little problems like that. The good parts well out weight the bad parts.

So, that's about it. They are both growing like crazy. Gosh my kitties are becoming cats, go figure! I will miss the kitten fuzz, but I am so happy they are healthy. They will always be my babies. By the way, Dr. B, if you are reading this, I am working on a round up of photos for you to view here in a few days. It is a compilation of all the animal photos I have done in the last couple years. Squirrels, opossums, birds, dogs, and of course, cats. And I promise, more cat updates, so stay tuned.

NOTE: It's a tradition in our house to post a Christmas Eve greeting from the littlest members of our household, so be sure to check back late on Christmas Eve.

-Carly
The Boys
Berkeley, California
December 15th and 16th 2008

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