Project 365 – Week Fifty-Three

Wow – 53 weeks & not one missed picture - although there were a few slightly odd ones. I can't believe Dr. M & I didn't miss a single day. I think my New Year's Resolution will be to do the same thing next year – I think I can be reasonably sure to actually achieve that. As promised, I'm starting this week on Saturday, Christmas Day (although Dr. M snuck on here & posted a picture on Saturday last week). And I'm ending on Friday again – I want to start the new year fresh next week. Then I'll get back on track.  

Saturday, December 25^th – Christmas Day!
It started snowing Christmas morning, and by the time we left the nursing home after spending lunch with Dr. M's mom (who was thrilled to see him) this was what it looked like.

That evening Daddy wanted me to take a picture of the mini pecan they found. They get these periodically & apparently they're perfectly formed & very tasty. And cute!

Sunday, December 26^th
So it just kept on snowing. No church for us today! I have a post showing some of the lovely snowy scenery here, but here are a couple of bird pictures. Daddy & Amy have a wealth of cardinals – it is the state bird of NC after all.

And here is a blue jay who apparently has a taste for Old Roy dog food.

Monday, December 27^th
Lots of pictures today. We pass these flags when we go to the nursing home. I'd like to say that it's because the local high school mascot is the Rebels, but I'm sure we all know what they really mean. Sigh.

Of course we have pictures of sheep – this time they're Lincoln County, NC sheep. I think they're well insulated from the snow!

That evening we went to Dr. M's aunt & uncle's house for soup & sandwiches. Afterward Dr. M enjoyed her new recliner – it has a built-in massager.

 

Tuesday, December 28^th
Dr. M took a picture of the sunrise on Tuesday.

I went to lunch at Atlanta Bread Company with my cousin KJ. She didn't really want me to take her picture, but we Project 365ers are ruthless. Heh. We had a great time - & didn't nearly get done talking.

I wanted evidence that I did eat something besides cake while we were in NC.

  
Wednesday, December 29^th
We headed home on Wednesday. I had lost my sunglasses so we got new ones at a truck stop. I think I'm the stuff LOL.

Here's part of our journey. We were joking that we weren't sure we'd make it up that snow covered road in the distance (click on the picture to make it larger). Don't worry – there's a tunnel. And we know that's not really a road :)

Thursday, December 30^th
Laid back day of doing not much but laundry & putting away Christmas presents. I got Dr. M this sock monkey wine cover.

Friday, December 31^st – New Year's Eve!
Today we went to Yellow Springs to eat lunch and wander around the shops. It's a nice little new age-ish kind of place. There's a clothing shop I told Dr. M he has to bring me back to when I lose 20 pounds. After that we went to the mall in Springfield to go to the Christopher & Banks (sweater sale!) and to get some calendars. No pictures of any of that. However, here is a clue to where we went next. What treat do you imagine we had?

On our way out we saw this bush with a very content fluffed out bird ensconced. What a cutie.

We will likely not stay up until midnight tonight – but we'll see. I have a book to read. Anything could happen! So once again I'll wish everyone a Happy New Year! I'll be documenting it again – can't wait to see what pictures we end up with!


Go here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants.

The Poetry Bus – The Bug Sings Auld Lang Syne. Sort of.

Jeanne Iris is driving the bus this week & gave us three prompts. I picked the "Write your own version of 'Auld Lang Syne.' Post it as a verse and sing/play it on your blog player" one.

Auld Lang Syne for You and Me
 
Should you and I review this year
And for the old days pine?
Should you and I regret these days
And auld lang syne? 

Oh I with you my sweetest dear
And you with me.
Yes I with you my only dear
And you with me!

Sure 'twas dark and sometimes light
And sometimes smelt of brine
But you were there & so was I
For auld lang syne. 

Oh I with you my sweetest dear
And you with me.
Yes I with you my only dear
And you with me!

Well close your eyes and sleep this night
We'll bide this darksome time
And by my side you'll wake the morn
With auld lang syne. 

Oh I with you my sweetest dear
And you with me.
Yes I with you my only dear
And you with me!


If you dare, listen to me sing it, here:

Happy New Year Everyone!

Saying Little with Many Words

So I haven't posted in several days. I was busy making merry & sitting on my bum – and frankly, forgot I had a blog. Heh. But now Dr. M and I are home so I'm going to try to get back into a routine. One that involves a lot less of Amy's German Chocolate Upside Down Cake, and a little more exercise. Although I was astounded to get on the scale this morning & discover that I only weigh one more pound than the last time I checked two weeks ago. Astounded I say! I'm pretty sure my scale is insane – but it makes me happy anyway.

After spending a week at my dad's house we are realizing just how small our place is. This is a blessing and a curse. I like that I don't have to walk very far from the washing machine to the closet. But there's nowhere for Dr. M to hide from me. Bwahahaha! I sat at my computer muttering to myself all morning (catching up on Quicken & bill paying does that to me) & he just had to sit there & take it. Wait - could this be the reason he's the Watering Man in the summer?

I have turned into one of Those People. After all of my high finance, I needed to go to the bank and the post office. I bathed this morning, but to leave the house I just brushed my hair & headed out in my sweat pants. No makeup. No structured pants (really, it's not polite of me to go running around in sweat pants). I didn't go to Walmart, but I'm sure I would have had my picture taken for that website if I had. You know the one – where unsuspecting fashion morons are highlighted for all the world to see. I am a fashion moron. And you know? It's not really that I don't know what I look like. I just don't care. Wow – maybe I should make more of an effort just for Dr. M. Poor guy!

Perhaps that will be my New Year's Resolution – do not leave the house without makeup & jeans (at least until I've lost enough weight that the view of my backside in sweatpants isn't cringe inducing).

Well, I'm off to compose a Poetry Bus gem. I'm sure it will be fabulous. I think I'm going to write a song!

The Poetry Bus and the Saucepan Christmas

The bus this week is being driven by Muse Swings who wants us to write a poem about the worst gift we ever received or gave. I have a terrible memory for things like this - apparently wanting to spare myself or the other party the humiliation. But then I remembered a picture of me opening a gift at Christmas in 2000. From my expression you can see that it wasn't the gift of my dreams.

Saucepan Christmas

Why it’s…
I hardly know what to say
A vessel of some sort?
It certainly is shiny!

Oh, it’s a pan
For the stovetop
For the oven
For my husband
To cook my dinner

Mystified,
But pleased with
Its beauty
I thank my
Mother-in-law.

For this to make sense, you should realize that Dr. M has always been the cook in this family. I know what to do with a pan, but you might not want to participate in the results.

It's that stuff again...

The sun has come out now & snow is leaping off of trees, but this morning was a winter wonderland outside Daddy & Amy’s house. I think we got around 6 inches or so. Ya’ll know how I feel about the stuff, but oh, isn’t it pretty! Especially since we’ve nothing to do but sit around and read (and eat). I might drag Dr. M out in a bit to see what the wider world looks like, but it’s ok if we just stay put right here. Although the aroma of Amy’s vegetable beef stew might drive me mad. Heh.

Project 365 – Week Fifty-Two - Merry Christmas!

 

This week was a squirrel kind of week. They've found a new squirrel diner!

Sunday, December 19th
So far the squirrels are just eating the (considerable) bird seed on the ground instead of trying to figure out how to get up to the feeder.

Monday, December 20^th

Here is a new bird visitor - a common house finch.

Dr. M took some more pictures of the campus deer.

And here is the full moon. The clouds covered the sky when I got up later at 3:30 Tuesday morning so I missed the eclipse, but the full moon was pretty nice anyway.

Tuesday, December 21^st

More squirrel silliness...

Wednesday, December 22^nd

We headed to NC on Wednesday. Here's a picture of my Dad's most constant activity these days - pecan cracking.

This critter showed up after dinner - what in the world?

Dr. M wandered outside to get a picture of Daddy's Christmas decorations. We love the palm tree.

Thursday, December 23^rd
Thursday Dr. M & I went to have breakfast with a group of my college friends (which includes my cousin KJ). Did I remember the camera? No, of course not. I'll share some pictures later when I get email copies of my friends' pictures. We've been getting together sometime around Christmas for 27 years now.

I did take a picture of one of the pecan nuts that Daddy had - it looks like a brain! I think it's hilarious. But I don't know why :)

 
And here is Mount Pecan in the basement - this is just a fraction of what has come off the tree this year. I think these might keep Daddy busy well into March madness...

Friday, December 24^th
Daddy was out in the garden breaking up some of the ground while Amy's son was visiting. His dog Bullet was fascinated by the garden. Bullet reminds me of Alexander, the first dog I remember from my childhood (besides the terrifying Laddie at my grandparents' house).

While I was outside I saw this buzzard flying around the house. After I got the picture (of course!) I went in to make sure Amy was ok. :)

 
We had Christmas with my brother's family Friday night & I was a little out of control with pictures - but I'm posting my favorites anyway.

My brother's family has a new doggie member - Ripley. My sister-in-law loves animals - this makes three dogs in the family - & they have a snake too. Doesn't he look like "just shoot me now!"?

 Dr. M making Ripley's acquaintance.

 

 

Amy grinning at Daddy's "gift" to her - a Roomba. Since he does most of the vacuuming we knew who the gift was really for.

J was pretty pleased with her Justice gift card. I went the easy route & everybody got cash or gift cards.

 

My brother and his younger son smiling at their gifts.

 

My brother's oldest son is pleased too. 

 

I decided to show solidarity with the dog by wearing his antlers.

Saturday, Christmas Day!
Psych! I've decided to post this early because tomorrow will be pretty busy. So I'll post my Christmas Day pics next week. 

[Merry Christmas, my dear Bug! Heh]
Merry Christmas to everyone!

Go here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants.

I’ll be Home for Christmas…

The other day in the car I was listening to "I'll be Home for Christmas." The version was so slow & the person singing it sounded so unhappy that it sounded like a dirge to me. I started adding commentary – "I'll be home for Christmas… whether I want to or not…" And, "you can plan on me… if you must…" and "where's Madeline Kahn when you need her?" I could totally hear her German chanteuse in Blazing Saddles singing, "Please have snow… but I'm tired, so tired…" Maybe you had to be there. 

This is not how I feel about heading home for Christmas – I like those people, in general.

Now that it's scant hours before Christmas I think I might be ready. It's likely that I'll be unpleasantly surprised. I've been keeping track of everything in my head & it's entirely possible that I'm missing a person or three. For those of you expecting something who may receive nothing – our annual poem is your gift! Along with 83 of your closest friends. And all the people in blogland. You just have to share. OK? 

Next year I'm going to be so organized. Really. Why, I've already put the calendar idea on my task list. It's right there on October 15^th.

Dr. M and I have really appreciated all the Christmas cards we've received this year. Lots of them are beautiful, but my friend Jenny wins the prize this year with this lovely homemade card. Thanks J!

I probably won't be back here until next week, so to all of you who read these words – Merry Christmas! I hope you have the holiday you want.

Stretch Out Your Hand

It was my turn to write the 19^th annual Christmas poem & I really struggled with it. After 18 years of poems I guess it can be difficult to approach the subject in a new way. I'm still not sure what I think about it as a Christmas poem, but it's what came & it's what went out in our cards this year.  

If you're feeling brave you can read the other 18 poems here. Dr. M wrote the ones where his name is listed first and I wrote the ones where mine is. 

Rebecca Jo at Knit By God's Hand gave me the idea for this poem in this post. It went in a different direction from what I thought when I started, but she got me started down this road.

Stretch Out Your Hand 

Every day my head snaps back
in surprise at evil.
Like a child, wide-eyed and amazed,
every time. Upheaval.

I try to be cynical,
to harden my heart.
Jaundiced and jaded,
impervious, apart.

But, like a child, my head snaps back
again and again
and again and I'm gasping for breath
calling your name.

Lord God Jehovah.
God of this morass.
God of my tender heart.
God of first and last.

Hear my cry as my head snaps back
for the wounded world
and for the sometimes wounded me
and sometimes hope tightly furled.

Jesus said, "Stretch out your hand."
That withered hand made whole.
Is that the answer then?
Unfurl the hope and free the soul.

And one more time my head snaps back
as I realize the meaning -
that I am not a mute observer
while the world awaits its healing.

Sing noel for Jesus has come!
His outstretched hand touches mine
and anoints my head and heart to
go forth go forth this Christmastide!

Dana and Mike Rhyne
Christmas 2010

This poem is being posted as part of the early edition of One Shot Wednesday. Please go here to check out the other poets.

Monday Meanderings

I’ve been having such a crisis of self-confidence lately. Everything I write seems to be drivel. Additionally I seem to have some sort of sinus thing going on that makes me feel extra spacey (note the word “extra” – there’s usually some amount of spacey-ness in my head at all times). My poetry is vacuous (except for my Christmas poem, which is a sledge-hammer – just what everyone wants for Christmas) and my comments on posts are bleh and I should just quit writing altogether. Ha – you should be so lucky!

I’m not writing this to garner compliments or sympathy – I would not believe you if you wrote them. I just need to write out the feeling in case that helps make it go away. Maybe in April – because if it’s the sinus thing I think that feeling is here to stay until they stop salting the roads up here.

Here’s another very important issue going on right now: since I had my hair cut it doesn’t know where it lives anymore. On the right side of my head? On the left side? Mostly on one side or the other with some outliers straggling into my face? And what is the deal with these bangs? Were it not winter I would be heading back to the salon & saying, “Pixie please!” Even if a pixie would make me look like a pin head.

I’m mostly ready for Christmas. I had one great idea that will have to wait until next year (calendars made with our photos). I waited too late & now I don’t have time to execute. I’ll put it on my calendar at the beginning of November next year. Hmm – maybe for Dr. M I will make a calendar with all the pictures I’ve taken of myself this past year. Now that would be entertaining. Or mortifying.

Well, I need to wrap this up so I can go make insipid comments on other peoples’ blogs. Have a great day everyone!

Project 365 – Week Fifty-One

The theme of this week is Brrr!

Sunday, December 12^th
I took these pictures when I got to church Sunday morning.

Monday, December 13^th
Dr. M took these pictures after I left for work on Monday. And, no, I will never tire of sharing indignant penguin luminary pictures.

Tuesday, December 14^th
On Tuesday I was headed out to work & did a double-take on the outside temp. Obviously, I had to take a picture.

Here is another scene I will never tire of sharing – the buffalo & the goat. The buffalo is the giant brown thing to the left of the center. The goat is showing us his best side next to the buffalo.

After that silly scene, Dr. M caught this lovely sun shot.

Wednesday, December 15^th
I thought these guys were kissing or feeding each other, but Dr. M says they were fighting.

Wednesday was our 20^th anniversary – and here are the gorgeous flowers I got.

Dr. M got a sheep.

Thursday, December 16^th
Thursday saw high activity at the bird feeders (Dr. M got the new non-finch feeder the other day). Cardinals (obviously) aren't finches, so we hadn't seen any around our back yard in a long time.
 

Friday, December 17^th
Guess who! It's Rudolph the Red Nosed Reinpig!

Dr. M's woolly socks. It's been that kind of week.

Saturday, December 18^th
This morning Dr. M went out to refill the bird feeders. Is it a good or a bad sign when you start spending more money on bird food than people food? I jest - I don't think we're quite there yet.

Go here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants.