It Snowed!

 

It was more than a dusting, and less than a good snow, but still it was (and is) pretty. I love how the snow outlines the branches of my Poplar. It was a gentle snow, which happens here with really cold temperatures. Yes, I know it is balmy to some folks and a deep freeze to others, depending on where you live. 

The snow started sometime after 1 p.m. on Friday and continued for around 12 hours, more or less. I didn't stay up to keep tabs. It was beautiful Saturday morning, cold and windy. I put up the spare bird feeder Friday afternoon after the snow started sticking, which didn't take long since we have been so cold lately. The birds really seem to enjoy having a place they know they can get a snack. Given the speed with which they empty the feeders some days, it is less like a snack, and more like the all-you-can-eat bird buffet. 

The days have been sunny since mid-day Saturday, so while things are melting a bit and getting slushy, the nights and the ground are cold, so large patches of snow will be with us for a while...maybe waiting for another one. We'll have to wait and see. 

What Are You Afraid Of?

I wrote the following post a year or more ago, and it has been sitting in the draft folder gathering dust. Time has marched on and it is now and it is January 2025. Hopefully some of the things I wrote about then are about to change for the better. Since that time, Elon Musk purchased X (formerly Twitter) a couple years ago, and literally cleaned house. It is now a much more pleasant place to gather as we count down to Jan. 20.

What powers your fear? News? Turn it off. People? Tune them out. To do otherwise simply gives them power over your mind.

The media has been peddling fear porn and propaganda nonstop 24/7 for nearly 3 years (more if you look deeper). The government has been pressuring social media and the main stream media channels to suppress any information that does not fit their narrative. We call that censorship. Why would they do this? What kind of government would encourage censorship of it's citizens you may ask. Don't we have the right to free speech? We're supposed to. 

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

This seems pretty straightforward to me. You have the right to your own thoughts and opinions and the ability to express them, as well as the right to peacefully assemble to make your opinions known and hopefully bring about change. These are addressed in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which is comprised of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. As far as I know, Congress not passed any law restricting free speech. Nevertheless, it is being done through through social and main stream media outlets at the behest of the current administration.

Now back to the idea of fear. What should you really be afraid of? Not the plandemic, that's in the history books (yes, I know there are still some clinging to that narrative).

No, what we should fear is losing our ability to speak freely without consequences from the government. We should fear losing our right to choose how to live our lives, make our living, and to make our own medical decisions without coercion or threats.

We should fear losing our right to peaceful assembly. This is our legal means to make our grievances known. Remember, we are not servants of the government. They work for US, or at least they are supposed to.

What I mean by fear in this post is not the quaking in your boots, frozen in place kind of fear. It is the "stand up and take serious note of what is going on, why and how it could affect you" kind.

So again I ask, what kind of government does these things? I will let you ponder that. I will say it is not a government that is pursuing the best interests of "We The People".

Countdown to Jan. 20

Certification!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring these news worthy updates.

We are now one step closer to having Donald J. Trump back in office. Our prayers continue to be answered. 

When this was made official, a round of cheers erupted from the floor, as Kamala Harris stood there certifying her own loss.

A New Dawn on the Horizon

Well, it has been a long time since I crossed the threshold here. It's dusty and there are cobwebs everywhere. Apparently I am a poor steward of this blog. However, the light is always on and somewhere there is a broom, so here goes.

It is December 2024, and there is a new dawn on the horizon. Some are looking forward to it, even counting the days. Others are wailing in fear of what they perceive as unimaginable horrors. All I can say is relax, and wait and see before setting out with waving of arms and gnashing of teeth. It will quite likely not be what you fear because you have been programmed to believe the absolute worst. 

Breathe! After all, we have endured the past four years and that has not been pleasant. Lies and propaganda usually aren't. But, we are still here and the future looks brighter than it has in four years.

Having said all that in hopes of calming down the voices screaming in your heads, it will not be an easy ride. Nay it could be very bumpy. What has happened, economically speaking, cannot be fixed in an instant, no matter who holds the figurative reins. No, it could be painful, but think of it as growing pains. We may need to go through some difficult times in order to emerge stronger. 

Yet, in the midst of all this, we also need a social, moral and cultural realignment. We need to return to our core family values. Yes, that is an old and perhaps overused phrase, but nevertheless I believe it is necessary for the continuance of humanity.

So does the very existence of humanity hang in the balance? That is a good question, and one I don't have the answer to, but there are things I do know. The majority of people are decent, hard-working people who care about others. That is evidenced by the outpouring of love and generosity to those suffering from the effects of hurricane Helene in western North Carolina and parts of east Tennessee. No division, no party lines, no cultural differences. Just people helping people...it's a beautiful thing.

Then there is a very small percentage of people who do not conform to the societal norms but do make the biggest noise and call attention to themselves in their desire to be celebrated.

It would be unfair to state that the entire country is morally bankrupt, but some do and this is why. When it is in your face every day, that is eventually all you see. The goal being to normalize abnormal and immoral behavior. We stopped watching TV for this very reason.

TPTB want us divided morally, politically, racially and economically. Heck, they even pitted us against each other based on medical choices. It is up to us to stop this, and we can if, instead of being divided, we stand united. We The People have spoken.

There are many more points for discussion, but that is a post for another day. For now, I leave you with this:  Fact of the day. Born a man, always a man. Born a woman, always a woman. Drugs and surgeries can't change the facts.

Until next time, take care and stay safe.

Image is AI generated for illustration.

Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

It is another chilly day in the sunny South. We never got any snow in my area, nor sub-zero temps, but mind you it did get down into the teens for several nights. It is supposed to warm up in a few days and then the rains return.

This was a typical Sunday afternoon, going to lunch after church. We went to McDonald's for their Big Mac deal, buy one get the second for a dollar, and then a quick stop at Dollar Tree (now $1.25 Tree).

In days gone by, there would have been a group of us meet up after the service to decide where to go for lunch. Well, when the plague hit in 2020, that put an end to that. Services were streamed and group lunches were a thing of the past.

Even when we were "allowed" to go back to in-person worship, things were changed forever. There is now one service at 10 a.m. Hubby and I still get lunch out and perhaps pick up a few things at the store on the way home like today.

Another thing I have noticed is how people respond now to getting sick. Do you remember when folks got a cold, or the flu, they would just say "I've had the crud"? Now it seems at the first sniffle, they get themselves tested. Unless you're seriously ill, why bother? Just my opinion, of course. 

I had the flu in early 2020 before the Vid was officially in our state. It was the same as any other time I had the flu. Now I must be clear here that it was a "flu-like illness" since I have never been tested for the flu (or anything else for that matter). 

Here it is four years later and the most I've had since is a very minor cold back in September. Could it have been the "thing"? Possibly, but most likely not. What would it matter anyway?

Now I'm not a doctor and don't give medical advice. You do what works for you and I'll do what works for me. 

Until next time, see ya round!

Celebrating 12 Years And Some Rambling

Today is September 21, 2021. I have been tapping away in this space (more randomly of late) for 12 years as of yesterday. A lot has changed. We have gone from three cats in the house to one and she is the queen, or so she thinks. Good times have been had and memories made. Many of those documented here on this blog. 

Facts and fiction have been written upon these virtual pages. Challenges issued and answered. Ideas shared with occasional wit and wisdom. Much of my writing has fallen by the wayside for a host of reasons. Leading up to this post, I have been re-reading some of my stories and looking at the pictures. I have characters that need to have their stories either continued or wrapped up. However life of late has not been conducive to creativity. 

There were once a number of writers whom I read regularly and traded comments with. They inspired me to put my best foot (or words) forward. But bloggers come and go, moving on to other things or just living life in real time. I do know that blogging is not dead. Hubby and I continue to read many interesting and informative blogs written by real people with real wit and wisdom and the ability to ferret out and present facts, which are getting harder and harder to come by.

Another thing that is in short supply, and I don't mean toilet paper, is common sense. I find that seriously lacking everywhere I turn these days. It seems like so many peoples' brains have just turned to mush and they can no longer think for themselves. They allow themselves to be spoon-fed whatever the so-called "experts" are dishing out. 

Next up, we need to throw that critical race theory right into the rubbish and get back to practicing good old-fashioned critical thinking. We need to rejuvenate our problem-solving skills and question everything before jumping on the bandwagon du jour.

And while we're at it, please stop rewriting history. It is ours...own it. For better or worse, we earned it. A new chapter is being written today. What will that teach those who come after us? As it often is with history, it will be lesson in what not to do.

As I move into my 13th year in the blogosphere, what stories shall I tell? Will they be fact or fiction, or more ramblings such as this from someone who longs for the world to be restored to the one she grew up in, however imperfect it was.

I'll see ya when I see ya! The virtual door is always open, so make yourself at home.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! I'm not much for New Year's resolutions, but as I pause to reflect on past years and the new year ahead, here are a few things that come to mind.

• Smile more.
• Laugh first at ourselves instead of laughing at others (unless they are comedians).
• Say please, thank you and excuse me - manners y'all.
• Hold doors for others, especially folks with mobility issues.
• Don't be so easily offended, not everyone is out to get you.
• Do things without being asked or told, it will be appreciated.

In other words, just be nice. It doesn't cost anything, and everyone reaps the benefits.

Now back to the real purpose of the internet...puppies and kittens!

Welcome to 2020! Many blessings to you and yours this coming year.

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

What's Up?

So what do you write about when you have nothing share-worthy rolling around the ol' noggin? Crickets!

Okay, so let's talk about my day. It began with breakfast of one-half of a cinnamon and raisin bagel followed by a 45-minute aerobics class. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have calories leftover from that.

The afternoon was equally intriguing as I sprayed the second version of homemade weed killer on my test subjects, bleached the dickens out of my shower curtain liner, and made multiple trips up and down the basement steps and in and out the back door.

Awesome, right? I know...

I now have my dinner in the oven...meatloaf. What? You were expecting a 5-star, 3-course meal and fancy cocktails? I will be serving this beefy deliciousness with the dried hash browns that are now re-hydrating since I was too busy (or lazy) to go to the store for more potatoes.

To add to this fascinating tale, upon coming in from mowing, hubby announces that he has a meeting at 7:00, and is going to shower. 

"Didn't I mention that to you?" 

"Yeah, weeks ago."

Needless to say, dinner will be more of a sprint than a marathon.

So, how goes your day?



If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Playing The Game

This is Day 4 of the 2018 edition of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join us this month on our writing journey. Today's prompt is Win or Lose.

We have all heard the phrase It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.  What does that really mean? Does winning make you superior? Does losing somehow make you a better person, or just make you look like a loser?

This topic is a complicated one with lots of gray areas. It seems many now think that everyone should be a winner and get a trophy just for having participated–so that no one's feelings are hurt. What does that teach us?

There will always be shining stars whose talent and hard work should be recognized, and to give out awards for just showing up diminishes their efforts.

That said, winning makes you feel good about yourself and builds confidence. So, should we strive to win all the time? In a manner of speaking, but how you play the game will reflect either positively or negatively on you and upon your success. You should strive to win by playing fairly and winning on your own merits. Bottom line, whether you win or lose, you should do either with grace and dignity.

Successful people are admired and respected when their achievements come from their own hard work as well as for their benevolence to others.


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Crab Cakes...Who Knew?

Would you believe it? Out of all my years of blogging and all the stories I've told and words of wisdom I have imparted, my review of the simple crab cake would take the prize as the most popular post ever on Roses to Rainbows. Who would have thunk it?

Phillips Crab Cakes are tasty and a still good value for the money. I am glad you all have enjoyed this review. It was not compensated and written just because we like the product. 

Seven years after posting the initial review, this post has had 35 views this November alone. Is everyone looking for crab cakes for the Holidays? If you are, you can read about those wonderful crab cakes here: Crab Cake Review.

If you have tried them, please let me know what you think.

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Simply Complicated

"You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I'm looking forward for your next post, I'll try to get the hang of it!" 

Wow, it sounds like my writing must be so profound and so complex that it will take some period of time for them to "get the hang of it". I know you are wondering what masterpiece spawned such feelings of self-doubt. Am I next in line for a coveted Pulitzer Prize? I think not, but you be the judge. Here are the words that were "too complicated" for my commenter.

Puffy white clouds bring

Peaceful daydreams and lazy

days then drift away

Twas but a simple Haiku, paired with the above photo. So I won't be taking home the prize, and I sure could have used that 15 grand for a nice vacation somewhere under big, puffy white clouds.


If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Perfection or Good Enough?

How often does your quest for perfection get in the way of finishing your tasks? How much more time would you have for other things if good enough was exactly that...good enough? 

Wouldn't you rather mark five things off your to-do list and spend time with your family or read a book that's been collecting dust rather than dwell for hours on one task trying to get the last details perfect?

What is stopping you? Who are you trying most to please most, yourself or someone else? Does it matter to them or are they quite happy with good enough, especially if it means they get to spend more time with you?

For the record, there is a difference between doing a perfectly adequate job and doing it poorly; just as there is a difference between striving for perfection and being satisfied with having done a perfectly adequate job. More completed tasks equals more progress which, in turn, provides a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction than that one task which took hours.

From another perspective, there are those people who take immense pleasure in the intricate details of a project, and their satisfaction comes as much from the journey as from the completion itself. This is an entirely different thing.

Are you a perfectionist or a "good enough" kind of person?

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Quote of the Week

This is day 16 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Please join me as we share a month of reading, writing and discovery. Today's topic is 10 Years Ago, I was probably ___.

A friend may be waiting behind a stranger's face.
 ― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

The year was 2005, we had just gotten through 15 months of insanity where hubby traveled on business 2-3 weeks at a time.

I happened to read a small ad in the newspaper about a new wine shop that had opened up near us. We weren't all that much into wine at the time, due mostly to lack of knowledge and places that held tastings.

That was about to change...but that's not all that changed. We started going to the wine tastings on Saturday afternoons, and it was not only educational, it was a social thing. The owners formed a chapter of the American Wine Society which we joined.

There were wine dinners, live music and later Friday night get togethers at the wine shop. Unfortunately the local business was not enough to sustain them, and they had to close the shop. On the last of these gatherings we decided that we wanted to keep this going, so now we get together about once a month, bringing food and wine to share. We've been doing this for nearly 8 years. We have had dinners, taken trips, had parties, gone to weddings and rang in the New Year. 

A number of us even attend the same church now.  All because I saw this one little ad in the newspaper. Was it fate, karma? I don't know, but I don't think it was just chance. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful for and value all these friendships tremendously.
 
So what was I doing 10 years ago?  A lot less.  Cheers!


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Tis The Season!

Tis the season!  This phrase has many meanings.  The Holidays are nearly upon us, but for those of us with trees, it is now leaf blowing/raking season as well.  Remember when you could rake them up into a big pile and after an afternoon of running and jumping into them, you would rake them back into a pile and burn them? I guess some folks can still do that, but not us city-dwellers.  Nope, we rake, blow or otherwise collect bushels and bushels of leaves to deposit at the street for the city to come by with their huge leaf-sucking machines and vacuum them up.

Now for a look at the more traditional season.  That's right, Turkey Day is just around the corner. Christmas parades, tons of food, long siestas, and of course, football, team up to make the fourth Thursday in November, not just any day, but Thanksgiving Day.

I must one of the few people on the planet who doesn't get all wound up over a big Thanksgiving Day meal. It is a day that gives us license to make enough food to feed a starving army - to serve a half dozen people, and then eat as if we were that starving army.  I realize that many gatherings are much larger, so just multiply by your gathering by a factor of 10 and you will have comparatively the same amount of food per person.

Thanksgiving also gives us license to eat as if it's our last opportunity to feed for the next year.  

Picture this:

Frank: "I'm stuffed."

Bob: "I can't move...I can't even breathe."

Ron: "Alice, why did you let me eat so much?"  [belch]

Then you hear a voice from the kitchen.  "Does anyone want more pie?"

Frank: "Yeah, I'll take a slice."

Bob: "Me too!"

Ron: "Maybe just a small piece."

Do you hear conversations like this around your house after the big meal?  It's like we become bottomless food pits, and despite all the moaning and groaning, we continue to pick away at the leftovers until they are secured in plastic take-home containers for us to recreate the feast the next day.  No one walks away empty handed.

Guess what? Christmas is only 47 days away, and we can start all over again.  Click here for an update on how long you have left to shop!


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More Than Just a Number

Do you lurk, secure in your anonymity?  Do you regularly visit blogs, read their words and smile, laugh, or even cry and then slip quietly out the back door?  Is that you?

Image source: calitomshots

I thought so! I see your footprints, so I know you've been here, but your identity is only a number to me.  

Come now, don't you want to be known by more than just a number? We're real people here. We have names, personalities, interests and thoughts.

Our church has a ritual each Sunday wherein each person (or couple) signs a pew pad which is passed down the row and back to mark our attendance and alert us to visitors.

I will admit that at first we did not sign the pew pad...we weren't ready to be identified. Eventually that changed, and now our attendance is recorded by name, and not just by someone counting heads.

I hope that you will soon feel at home here, and 'sign the pew pad', so to speak, by leaving a comment and let me know how I'm doing.

As always, thanks for visiting Roses to Rainbows.  Y'all come back now, y'hear.

Designer Digs

If you were a kitten, wouldn't you just love to have a great place to play?  My friend Ashley's son, Michael, designed and built this multi-level kitty condo for his two kittens, Sunshine and Shadow. Now they could have gone to the pet shop and purchased a ready-made playhouse, but where would the fun be in that.

The Kitty Play Place Extravaganza

No siree, Michael's kitties were getting a custom made place to climb, play hide and seek, and of course, sleep. The materials consisted of plastic pipe, connectors, carpet and cable ties. 

One of the great things about this design is that it allows you to hang all sorts of interesting things for them to play with and they don't get lost or worse...eaten.

The play house is on their enclosed porch with lots of windows, so it is definitely a feline paradise.  You can see Sunshine relaxing in the window enjoying the morning breeze.

It was a fun project for Michael, and Sunshine and Shadow both appreciate his effort.  Ashley and I also enjoyed sitting in comfortable chairs watching them play, while catching up with each other.

Shadow says "Thank You!"

Sunshine in the window

Also a big thanks today to my good friend, Sara from A Sharing Connection, for using some of my photos in her Story Photo Challenge.  Check out the Mysterious Case of the Missing Aliens and help her solve the mystery.

Psychic Reader

Image Source:  seedsforfood.org

Dear Psychic,

Thank you for your recent comments. I'm happy to see that you have been enjoying my weekly quotes.  I would like to share some of your most interesting thoughts with my readers.  Please forgive my delay in responding, but your comments were directed into my spam folder.

Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation.  My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views.  I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!

So sorry to hear that, but if you are truly psychic, you should have seen that coming.

We may have a link alternate arrangement between us.

No, sorry, I don't think so, but thank you for asking.

Thank you a lot for sharing this with all folks you actually recognize what your speaking. You can definitely see your skills in the work you write.

You're welcome! I've been told I can successfully put two words together.

You have touched some fastidious things here. Any way keep on wrinting.

Wow! I'd better get some gloves. Oh, by the way, you might want to consider a proofreader.

Amazing article concerning the difference of newest and earlier technologies.

What a keen eye!  This was indeed a technologically advanced illustration.

Your style is really unique compared to other people I have read stuff from, Guess I will just book mark this web site. Thank you for posting when you have the opportunity.

I'm sure the "other people" are relieved that I didn't poach their stuff.

I would like to apprentice while you amend your site, how can I subscribe for a web blog site?

Wait...I thought you already had a site...you keep inviting me over. Remember, you even offered me a "link alternate arrangement".

I constantly emailed this web site post page to all my friends since if I like to read it afterward my links will too.

Thank you for spreading the word about Roses to Rainbows.  As always, I appreciate free advertisement.

Genuinely when someone doesn't know then its up to other users that they will help so here it happens.

Say what?  Let's try this:  When someone really doesn't know, then it's up to other users to help.  It begins here.

Oh by the way, do you see a lottery jackpot in my future? Hey, just asking...

As always, thank you for visiting here at Roses to Rainbows. 

Dood Climbs a Tree

You're probably thinking what's the big deal?  So the cat's on the cat tree, what a surprise. Well, it was. You see after years of living with cats, we finally got a tree for them. This was shortly after Sophie came to live with us (2007), and we thought they would all enjoy it since there are multiple perches and hidey places. There's even a crows nest on the top which Sophie claimed right away.

Look at me!

In fact she was the only one interested in the tree at all.  Rosie would lay along the base in the sun, but never ventured up (well once and then he was in pursuit of Sophie).  Dood just ignored it.  Maybe because he had climbed the real thing outside...who knows.  He doesn't like catnip either.

So imagine our surprise one day when we found Sophie in one of the tubes and Dood sitting above her looking down.  We figured it was like with Rosie, he followed Sophie. Now we occasionally find Dood perched on the tube nearest the window surveying the world outside from a different perspective.

Hide and seek?

I can see clearly now!

One theory is that Dood frequently took his cues from Rosie so maybe since Rosie didn't use it, he wouldn't either.  At any rate, our kitties continue to surprise and delight us.

In the Oven?

 

Dood's in the oven again!  There is a small table in front of the heat vent that forms a perfect little spot to collect the heat.  We call this the oven, and it is one of Dood's favorite spots during the winter.  I know it's because it is warm and toasty in there when the heat runs. During a warm spell when I switched to air conditioning, he chose other cozy spots. When the temperature dropped this week and I turned the heat on again, he gravitated back to the table. 

I wanted to get a good picture of him in there, so I put the camera on the floor and just as I pushed the button, Sophie walked by. Instead of a botched picture, I thought it was an interesting perspective.

No Fooling

Image source: Gisela Giardino

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. -Bertrand Russell