Category Archives: Christmas

Jan 1 2012

Bye Bye Holiday Decor

I have enjoyed the coziness of holiday decor so much this Christmas season…okay certain parts of it more than others.  Most of it is down but parts are lingering about because I like them so much. I feel like I could leave twinkle lights and a lit village up all year, but better judgment prevails.

So the first day of the new year was spent writing interspersed with bouts of distractedess which I’ll call errands and necessary naps. You may be wondering where the black eye peas, rice, and ham are for good luck in the new year, but not to worry. I would not miss an opportunity for good luck. I made my good luck in the new year black eye peas and rice dinner yesterday, feasted, and then pork loin roast today, and feasted. So got it covered.

Okay, here is a little video that reminds me of the hairy back side of Winter, the part after the holidays, cold minus the festive lights, and the let’s get on with Spring part. Now planning for green growing things begins.

Dec 23 2011

Christmas Catching Up

So I have been thinking about replacing the food processor with something of an upgrade for several weeks now. And then I looked them up on Macy’s web site only to find a 40% discount ending that day on the type of food processor I have been considering. Not having just fallen off the turnip truck, I called the local Macy’s to see if they were offering this discount in their store. No, they weren’t, but…if I could bring in proof of the online price, they would match it. Print/drive/yay!  My Indian name should be she-who-loves-deep-discounts.

Last night I went to see Magical Strings, family of Celtic musicians, like I have for many years during the Yuletide season. The music and Irish dancing were great as usual. Their stories, playing, entertaining, and Irish step dancing are like an evening from an ancient past where bards, musicians, mummers, and jesters entertained a captive audience.  And as was pointed out, we’re one day (yesterday) past Winter Solstice. Each day gets brighter from here. We move closer to Spring with each passing day. It has been splendid as Winters go. So mild and dry.

Tonight, it’s Ballanchine’s The Nutcracker over in Portland. It is nothing short of spectacular and the most beautiful ballet ever! I love that it snows on stage as the ballerinas whirl and leap with snowflakes in hand in the Waltz of the Snowflakes. Breathtakingly beautiful…and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Arabesque are always so very well done. It’s reasons like this that I am so glad to be here in the Portland/Vancouver area. This is my tribe. This is what’s important to me. Art that celebrates life.

Most of my writing work is caught up with just a little left to go, but I’m clocking out for the day. Click clunk! Time for a little dolling up and getting out on the town, breaking out the sparkly!

Happy holidays!

Dec 9 2011

A Glass of Christmas Cheer and a New Fuzzy Roomate

So I made my customary uber-chocolatey chocolate chip cookies tonight then a half glass of Bailey’s over ice. The Christmas season is definitely here if I’m drinking Bailey’s! Hang on…be right back. Went back for the other half.

So I invited someone over for a quick, light dinner (I made ham and cheese potatoes au gratin) and had just pulled some warm gourmet chocolate chip cookies from the oven. My fuzzy kitty friend darted in behind my dinner guest, quickly making herself at home. She noshed and is now napping. So I think it’s safe to say that I now belong to the gray booted kitty with golden eyes. Those eyes…are just so mesmerizing. Liquid golden pools. And she’s well mannered, too, and very sweet. I feel a featherstick will come into her life in the very near future. All really good kittys get feathersticks.

There’s dancing tonight. So off the computer and into a twirly dress and dancing shoes. I need to dance into the void of joy and the other dimension of laughter. To split the night and darkness with merriment.

Dec 7 2011

Sprinting towards Christmas Break, Furry House Guest, and The Writer’s Journey

I’m getting closer to Christmas break. How do I know this? All of my night classes have officially wrapped up as of tonight, my reading arrived, The Writer’s Journey, and I’m up and blogging at 11 p.m. + .  I’m finding it hard to shut down and just want to keep on doing, doing, doing…that creative energy that escalates as the night goes on.

So my kitty house guest departed, again, the next morning. Seems I have become the kitty bed and breakfast when kitty wants to get away from it all! But we know that kittys do exactly as they wish, so I’m neither here nor there on her comings and goings. Nice to see a friendly fuzzy face every now and then.

Torn…I want to blog but I want to go read my book, The Writer’s Journey, but I want to blog, and the book is calling to me from the next room. So, a bigger, better blog post next time and some reading while I still can tonight. Maybe a post about the reading… It’s said to be excellent reading about writing.

Big fluffy goose down, here I come!! Night one and all. And…happy holidays!

Jan 2 2009

Christmas Break, Writing, and Snow to the Knees

Christmas Break is quickly coming to an end.  I have watched The Dark Knight, I don’t know, about eight times while working on writing.  I’m really impressed with Heath Ledger’s performance.  It’s beyond the scope of the Joker, but wow, what a performance.  It’s more the Joker’s movie than Batman’s.

I have new story ideas and now want just a little time to sit and write.  That’s in the que after my National Board writing which is quickly wrapping up.  I’m so anxious to be done!  I know what I want to do next and am anxious to begin.

The snow just keeps on coming.  Today it was over my knees when I waded out to the satellite dish with the broom.  At one point, I didn’t think I was going to make it.  Couldn’t get the Jeep out of the carport.  Then my neighbor, bless him, has a friend of the family bring a skidder over to clear the driveway.  Now this is not your regular utility tractor.  No, this is big boy toys.  It was cool, so I just stood and watched as this ginormous piece of equipment cleared my driveway, shoving snow around like it was featherweight, and then, like magic, I could drive once again.  Which I did, but only a couple of blocks and back.  It’s just knowing that you can that’s important.

So this is just the beginning.  January is often much less kind.  But I’m ready for the best of the howling north winds and snow.  There’s a new pair of snow boots on the way for the next and worst weather of all to improve upon my  current footage.  There are plenty of scarves, hats, coats, long underthings, and woolen socks.  And I continue to knit on the chullo which has ear flaps for those incredibly cold arctic express winds in January.  More snow tonight in the forecast and the same tomorrow.  Might as well settle in and enjoy it.

-Patricia

Dec 29 2008

From Snow to Cavorting to Watchmen

It has snowed its hardest today.  My powerline to the house dangles precariously at a 45 degree angle still. The last snow slide sent it off the roof. The electrician comes tomorrow morning at 10.  Which means going to bed at 2 am on Christmas break will be a little challenging in the a.m.  But I love staying up late, cavorting around in my under armour, burning smelly things like this delightful candle called “peace,” drinking tea, listening to music, making things, and spending time with my dog.  That’s the short list.  I’m a busy one and am never bored.  Christmas break is an absolutely splendid time for someone like me with a plethora of interests and loves to read and write.  It’s play time!  So I’ll just bear it…don’t know about the grinning part and will take a mid morning nap later.  Maybe I’ll visit Starbucks for chai latte.

Today I wrote a rather lengthy paper on visual literacy for a grant thing…an end of the grant requirement to get your money sort of thing.  It was actually a fun and interesting paper to write…or at least that was my approach.  I am becoming a disciplined enough writer that I will now outline  to save myself much time in revision.  This has been a tough lesson for me… more of a surrender of sorts.  See, my inner muse is a stubborn, mule-headed hussy.  She just wants to write and “don’t impose your rules and structure on her.”  But I have finally got her to relent on the outlining by proving how much easier writing is with a little discipline which really is  just a little planning.  It doesn’t take away any of the joy of writing.  It actually increases it.  She finally acknowledged this today after the paper was finished. “See,” I said.  “Wasn’t that easier?!”  She scowled, flipped a nod in my direction.  I’ll take that as a yes.  So we’ve made progress.  For once the editor and the muse almost exchanged smiles…more like sneers and smirks in passing but it’s progress on one of the tougher points in the relationship.

Here’s a picture of my dog Merlin when he was about a year old.  He’s dangerously cute…meaning he gets away with way too much. He’s a Lhasa Apso and all boy.

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I discovered the meanest grilled ham and cheese on rye (Jewish not Russian) ever.  Try Hickory Farms sweet mustard, smoked gouda cheese, and black forest ham.  Grill it up and prepare to be amused.  You might even swear a little it’s so good.

So in terms of movies, we have been on a role lately…Ironman, Batman, and now Watchmen…screech!  Not if Fox studios has its way.  They want to stop the release of this movie because back when they didn’t release all of the story rights to the movie. So then the right thing to do is to… stop a movie that has been made and is anticipated from being released.  You know, karma can be such a bitch.  Tread easy, Fox Studios.

If you are looking for some seasonal music that delights the ear, check out Magical Strings.  They play Celtic music on instruments that they make themselves.  In fact Phillip Boulding actually teaches how to make instruments.  They also teach music workshops on Celtic music.  Amazing folks.  I have been to many of their Christmas performances and leave with a gladdened heart and usually a new cd.  Harps, hammered dulcimers, violins, Irish step dancing, a little magic, and lots of talent!!  That’s the Christmas experience with the Boulding family.

Okay, on to more writing for a teacherly thing and then the South American Chullo.  May the season bring you great peace, joy, and lightness of spirit.

-Patricia

Dec 28 2008

My Dog, Marvelous Green Tea, Raspberry Scones, and the Chullo

I love my dog. Seriously. The little guy is the greatest. He wears the dog sweaters I make for him, eats my cooking, and doesn’t complain. He’s a great companion. I’m an outdoors kind of person and love to go on road trips. Well, so does my dog. It’s cool. He’s all wiggles and smiles at the thought of riding in the Jeep and traveling.

We’ve been many places in Washington and Oregon together…the beach, Seattle, Portland. And he loves people. I pack things for road trips like most people do. There’s beef jerky, his lunch box, an ample supply of water, and, of course, my lunchbox. He’s a fan of chicken nuggets. He has a built in GPS for McDonald’s and often finds one before I can spot them. He begins sniffing the air and gets excited long before the golden arches appear. He lets me know that he could be eating chicken nuggets right now if I would just pull into the drive through, which is quite funny as well. At the drive through window, he’s in my lap, snout out the window, and in the face of the McDonald’s person at the window until his nuggets arrive. We have an arrangement of sorts. We get a Happy Meal. I get the pop and fries, and he gets the chicken nuggets with bottled water.

A Christmas ago, my oldest daughter sent me the most wonderful green tea I have ever tasted. It tastes like green tea and flowers. What an amazing boost to the spirits and sense of well being in the winter months! If you’re a green tea drinker, I think you might want to try this one. Lychee Green Tea…http://www.tealeaves.com/p-14-lychee-green.aspx It’s out of this world.

So I was in the kitchen last night, up to my usual culinary experiments when I made the most perfect scones ever. Raspberry and white chocolate with almond extract instead of vanilla. They were so good there are no words to describe, except, well, maybe “food of the gods.” They are gone now which says what is necessary about them.

I’m a knitter and like making things in the winter. So far I’ve made myself a new scarf and the dog a new sweater. Now I want to make a South American Chullo hat…http://people.uleth.ca/~hodd/Knitting/ChulloPattern.htm in my own style of course. It looks like a funky, fun jeans sort of winter hat. That’s for tomorrow. I’m thinking mine will look something like this, but not exactly.

-Patricia