Winter Haiku

 January brings

Waves of cold both north and south

Bundle up, ya hear!

AI Generated Artwork

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.

Which are you?

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. 

One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. 

- Chinese Proverb

If the spider is patient, he gets his dinner. If not, he may move too quickly and scare away his intended meal. Then he goes hungry.

Now this is not a life-altering disaster, he simply rebuilds his web and begins the wait process. In the meantime, maybe he has learned something.

What is our take away from this? Patience is the key to accomplishment and impatience can lead to failure to meet your goals.

How can we apply this to our daily lives? Work, school, relationships, driving, and even dinner.

Patience is an virtue, and often it is kindness in disguise. According to our quote, patience is the difference between success and failure. I agree that this may often be the case.

However, with regard to some of the other daily instances of patience, it is simply showing kindness. For example, the elderly lady maneuvering the parking lot. We may be behind her, quietly (to ourselves) admonishing her for being slow, while she is being careful and doing the best she can. To allow her to move at her own pace without harsh reaction is kindness.

Also true with relationships. Patience with each other instead of grumbling about their "fill in the blank" is showing kindness as well.       

Most instances of patience is not life altering, it is simply us waiting our turn. What is your take on this?

Looking Back?

Hello friends!

I doubt that many of us are looking back on 2024 (or 2023 or 2022 or 2021 or 2020) with much fondness or enthusiasm. That is not to say that nothing good happened last year, although with all the yuck and suck it may seem hard to find the good.

Aside from the landslide MAGA victory, which I hope is a turning point for our nation to get back to sanity, decency and common sense, here are few highlights.

First, I discovered True Lemon. It is real lemon juice in powdered form. One packet equals one lemon wedge, but it is much more convenient, cheaper and they don't spoil before you can use them. Why is this a big thing? I'll tell you why. If you have ever had heartburn, you know how unpleasant that can be. The most common thing people do for heartburn is take antacids like Tums or Prilosec. Most folks equate heartburn with excess stomach acid, and yes, that can be a cause. However, the opposite is also true. Low stomach acid is another common culprit, but less often considered. 

Here is where the True Lemon comes in. I had picked up a package some time ago just to have on hand. Seemed like a good idea, right? So I started using one pack per day in about 10 oz. of water (I use small plastic water bottles - don't judge). I'm not sure now why exactly I started doing this other than I had read that lemon water has health benefits. Anyway, within a week or so, my frequent nighttime heartburn had disappeared. I have been doing this daily since sometime last spring. Now I get only the occasional twinge of heartburn. I am not giving medical advice nor suggesting that this will work for everyone, but it certainly has worked for me. It seems to me that the more you take of an antacid, the more you need them and for those with low stomach acid, this is a cycle you need to break. Could I stop using True Lemon and be fine? I don't know, but somehow I don't think so.

Second, by having made a purchasing mistake, I discovered Grape Seed Extract. I was buying Resveratrol for my hubby, and accidentally picked the wrong item because they were side by side in similar packaging. The online store could not accept a return, but generously gave me credit for it. Rather than letting it go to waste, I decided what the heck, I'll take it myself (ordered hubby the right stuff). To keep this from getting too long, the short story is that it has done wonders for my eyesight. I had been wearing prescription reading glasses for years. I began to notice that I could no longer see well with my glasses, but instead could see better when I took them off. An older pair worked, but I gradually stopped wearing them altogether. Now to be perfectly honest, my eyes are not back to where they were when I was young, but certainly good enough to not need my glasses. Would this also remain true if I stopped taking it? I don't know that either. Nor do I know why this happened. It is possible that it has made the part of my eye that focuses more flexible.

I realize that this is all anecdotal, but I am truly thankful to have stumbled upon them. Those reading this are welcome to share their experiences.

Until next time, take care and be safe.

We Made It!

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025. 

Finally, it's here. It's a fresh start. A new beginning.

These past four years have been nothing to write about, and yet everything to write about. However, we have all seen that if you say the wrong thing you could be cancelled. While nothing I have ever said here was particularly controversial, I opted not to have my full "say" on the political and cultural goings on around the country.

I don't listen to main stream Legacy media, and haven't for a long time. I prefer to ferret out the truth over listening to lies, propaganda and manipulative dialog that they try to off pass as news. X now has more real news than your favorite cable TV station or newspaper, and much of it you can get from the horse's mouth...er the original source.

The reason for this is that over time one narrative was created and that must be followed. You don't need to hear or see anything else. Do not trust your lying eyes, ya hear! Otherwise, you may end up as a victim of cancel culture. Yes, we have really come to that. It has been established that the Biden administration pressured the media (social and otherwise) to adhere to their narrative and censor real information. Think Facebook and CNN for example on issues such as Covid, and of course, politics. 

So just consider that everything you have seen or heard the past 4-5 years have been lies. You have been lied to six ways from Sunday. We all have. They have tried very hard to break us. Some have cracks, a few have shattered, but guess what? We will get up and put the pieces back together. It won't be easy and may be painful, but we can do it...Together.

Countdown to Jan. 20

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.

Good, Bad or Otherwise

Okay, so the age of Artificial Intelligence is here. Yes, it has been around for quite a while, but now it is in your face, everywhere. Have you ever seen a picture of cute otters on Facebook? Everyone in the comments oohs and ahs over them, saying how adorable they are...on and on. 

Do they not realize that the majority of these cute critters are just the product of AI?

Here you see my otter "photo shoot". Isn't he sweet and adorable"?

Full disclosure, the snow scene in a recent post was AI generated, just for fun.

What else does AI do? Well, it can write recipes for you. There is a site called goblin tools and it has a "chef" (link at the end of the post). You can put in your ingredients and it will give you a recipe. For the most part, these recipes will work, but you do have to check each one closely. If you leave out an ingredient such as broth, it may not automatically assume that more liquid is needed to make the dish work.

For example, my ingredients were ground beef, potatoes, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, onion powder, garlic powder. I intentionally used one can of soup and no additional liquid. It have me a recipe with one can of soup. I changed it up and did not specify the amount of soup, and it assumed two cans would be necessary. 

Dish Name: Creamy Beef and Potato Bake

- 500 grams (1.1 lbs) ground beef
- 4 large potatoes, thinly sliced (approx. 500 grams or 1.1 lbs)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
- 200 grams (7 oz) egg noodles
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Spread half of the sliced potatoes evenly in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix well.
5. Layer half of the cooked ground beef on top of the potatoes in the baking dish. Pour half of the soup mixture over the beef.
6. Add a layer of egg noodles on top of the soup mixture.
7. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, ground beef, and soup mixture.
8. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender.
9. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
10. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Give it a try for yourself. https://goblin.tools/Chef

Until next time, take care and stay safe.

And the Rains Came Down

A little January porch time.

In my last post I said that we would soon be having warmer temps, but that they would come with rain. Well, that was a complete understatement. Twice in the past 5 days, we have been inundated with enough rain to strangle frogs. 

It started Wednesday with some showers during the day and rain overnight and Thursday. Pull out the water pump for the basement...again. We had just gone through this several weeks earlier, before the cold snap.

It was a nice sunny-ish day on Friday with a high of 72. This is not unusual in this part of the country, but still...wow!

Then on Saturday - round two. Fortunately, it didn't start until late afternoon, but when it did it didn't let up until well past dinnertime. More water pumping ensued.

Sunday started off with some clouds and high fog, then a shower (which did not show up on the radar), and cleared up and the sun came out. Still way cooler than Friday at around 54, but nice enough.

We seem to be in the clear until Wednesday, and maybe we can get our basement dried out.

I hope the weather where you are is what you want. Either way, feel free to tell me about in the comments.

Until next time, take care and stay safe.

Just Another Day in January

It has long been said that January is the longest month in the year. In reality, it ties for the longest month with March, May, July, August, October and December. My thoughts on this are that January is one of the coldest months in most places in the northern hemisphere. When you combine cold with dark and often wet, windy or snowy, you get a LONG month.

Weather update here. We have climbed out of the freezing temperatures and will be quite balmy during the daylight hours for the next five days or so, hitting the mid sixties a couple days. Now we will still have two of the three elements for a long month...the dark and wet. Yep, our nice days come with some showers, again. It would appear that January will not duplicate this scene, but there are still eight days left, so we'll see.

Until next time, take care and stay safe.

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!

Getting Inked or Not

The prompt for Day 2 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge is Inked.

When Gina picked up her daughter after school, Tamara told her mom she wanted a tattoo. "I'm thinking about a spider web and a black widow hanging in the center. 

When her Gina said no way, Tamara brought up the age-old reasoning of every teenager, "but Mom, Jody has one." Jody was a new kid at her school and she was also goth. "Hers is really cool, and she said it didn't even hurt...much." Gina wasn't sure she liked this new friendship and felt Jody might be a bad influence on Tamara.

Her mom responded with the parental logic of, "so if everyone else walked off the cliff, would you follow?" This was typical of many of their mom/daughter discussions, and usually resulted in Tamara huffing off to sulk, and her mom sighing in disbelief at the stubbornness of teens.

"Please" begged Tamara again.

"No! For the last time NO. You are not getting a tattoo" her mom said emphatically. To her it was absolutely unthinkable to "decorate" one's body in such a manner, besides, no one under the age of 18 could get a tattoo without parental permission.

The final word had come down. "No one in this family gets inked! End of discussion!"

When they got home, Tamara marched into the house and to her room where she promptly slammed the door.

Gettin' Cheesy With It

 Well, ladies and gents, it looks like we have a chill in the air. 20 Days of Chill to be exact. The January writing challenge is back in gear, so let's see if I can get motivated. The first prompt is "Gettin' Cheesy With It".

So what do we mean when we say something is cheesy? Cheap, tacky, lacking in taste? 

That's one way to look at it, but I much prefer to take a culinary view, and that is definitely not lacking in taste. On the contrary, it is quite tasty. In addition to it's delectable goodness, here are some interesting and unusual facts about, you guessed it, cheese.

• The calcium in cheese makes it great for your teeth and bones. 

• Cheese can help you sleep.

• Some cheeses are safe for the lactose intolerant.

• The same bacterium causes both smelly cheese and smelly feet. 

• The world's most expensive cheese is made with donkey milk.

• It's not the carbon dioxide that causes holes in cheese, but instead it is tiny flecks of hay in the milk.

• Mice don't actually like cheese. [It is my personal experience that they DO like peanut butter.]

Click here for the full story, and don't forget to visit the other participants.

    

Make me a Dream

Image source: Pixabay

Dream maker, dream maker, dream maker man

Make me a dream in your dream maker pan

Make it with sugar and make it with spice

Make it with everything happy and nice

Make it with silver and make it with gold

Make it with stories that ne'er have been told

Make it with sunshine and make it with rain

Make it with wheels from a slow moving train

Make it with ashes and make it with pine

Make it with wonder and all things divine

Dream maker, dream maker, dream maker man

Make me a dream in your dream maker pan

As The Seasons Change - New for 2024 on Rosie B. Designs

Front Cover

My 2024 calendar is out on Rosie B. Designs. I bought one so I could see for myself what it looked like in print. Here is a preview of a couple months and the cover. These are just cell phone pics, so eh.

However, the quality of the printing and the materials is very good. I got the large, and believe me when I tell you, it is large. [Note to self, get a smaller size next time.] 

Keep in mind that these dimensions are closed. The length will be double when open, so plan for your space when you order. There is a link below so you can see all 12 months, and your options for style, wire color, etc.

All pictures are my original digital artwork as indicated on the back cover.

Small: 5.5”l x 7”w

Medium: 8.5”l x 11”w

Large: 11”l x 14.25”w

 

April

 July

 Link to calendar on Rosie B. Designs

This Is A Wrist?

Hubby had a medical test this morning, and when he returned home we had breakfast. After we had eaten and chatted for a bit, he pondered the question, "Do you suppose it's time for me to take this [elastic bandage] off of my wrist?"

To which I responded, "I do believe that your wrist has moved."

Wow! You go for a minor medical test and unbeknownst to you, your body parts have been rearranged. It makes you wonder just what was in that stuff. I think I'll stay out of hospitals. 

A Walk in the Park

With Christmas just around the corner, let's take a step back in time and drive down a peaceful country road and enjoy the fall leaves as they near their peak.

We had taken a day trip to Hanging Rock Park in Danbury to have lunch at the River Rock Cafe (their French Dips are definitely a treat) and do a little walking. 

After lunch, we headed to the park. It was a spectacularly nice day for the third week in October with barely a cloud in the sky, and the leaves were gorgeous. We walked out onto the fishing dock where a guy was fishing and another couple was strolling around and taking pictures.

Next, we made our way to the huge shelter just above the lake. There was a cool breeze coming through the large "windows" which are just openings in the wall. We sat in large Adirondack chairs and chatted with another couple who chose rocking chairs.

Eventually we excused ourselves to go walking before it got too late. We chose a short loop walk, relishing the chance to be outdoors and back to nature even for a short while. I got the video clip on the way out of the park. It's not great quality, but it is a nice reminder of a fun afternoon.

Always remember to make some time for the fun things...it's all about balance.

How To Save Money On Your Food

Are those pesky "best by" dates getting you down, hinting that you should discard the product or suffer dire consequences?  I'll let you in on a little secret. They are just guidelines for maximum freshness and have zero to do with product safety.

Example #1: This is spaghetti that I obviously purchased in April of 2017. This has been in kept in my cabinet in it's original packaging ever since. It has a best by date of December 6, 2018.

Now note the date I opened it...October 3, 2023. That is six and a half years, folks. Now you know. Don't worry if you find a package that has apparently gone walkabout and just now shows up for dinner. It's okay! 

Need more proof? Example #2:

A can of corned beef hash.

Purchased in May, 2015.

It has a best by date of March 15, 2018.

So what did I do? Well, let me see... I cooked it and we ate it. Guess what happened next? Nothing!

If your can is not severely rusted or dented so as to damage the seal and is not leaking, open it. If it doesn't spew, give it a sniff. Does it smell like it is supposed to? Yes, then prepare it and enjoy!

Note: Any time a canned product is bulging, leaking, spews when opened or smells bad, toss it immediately.

The majority of your canned food will last significantly longer than the date printed on the can. As for pastas and rice, kept dry and away from pests, they will last for many years. 

Now, how to save money on your food. Stop throwing out food because of the "best by" date. Use your eyes and nose. If the can and food look good, smell good and didn't forcibly eject itself from the can when you opened it, you're good to go. 

The same is also true for your peanut butter, mustard, mayo, ketchup and hot sauces.

This has been a public service presentation that will save you money in the long run with prices going nowhere but up.

Here is a useful source of information. 

What about the foods in your pantry? Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will be safe past the ‘best by’ date, although they may eventually become stale or develop an off flavor. You’ll know when you open the package if the food has lost quality. Many dates on foods refer to quality, not safety. See FSIS’ Shelf-Stable Food Safety fact sheet for more information.

A Pleasant Fall

This picture was taken a few weeks ago at the Old Homeplace Vineyard. It is a lovely setting and a great place to sit and relax with a nice glass of wine and enjoying the amazing view.

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and for the most part it's still T-shirt weather in my part of the country. It is also very dry. Hubby cleaned the yard of leaves the other day, and the dust cloud was enormous. He said we should probably offer the neighbors gift cards to the car wash. I used the leaf blower to get enough dust off of him so he could come inside. He went to the basement to finish cleaning off with the vacuum cleaner...shoes, socks, jeans, etc. At that point, he could take a shower.

Yes, it was that dusty. We are hoping for a little rain early next week.

This is pizza night! What that means here, to anyone, not familiar with our tradition, is that every other Friday night I make homemade pizza. So, at this point, the dough is rising and we eagerly await the deliciousness.

Some of the men of our church are putting on a short play during the men's breakfast tomorrow. I've seen them run through it five times during rehearsals and it is good and funny, although not a comedy. The guy who plays the director asked me if I was a glutton for punishment. Eh, why not.

If this seems a bit on the rambling side, it's not your imagination. It is exactly that. I'm just trying (again) to revive this blog of mine. Please drop a note in the comment section if you stumble across this. 

A Missed Anniversary

Well, another year (plus a few months) has passed. I totally missed my anniversary in the Blogosphere this year. Roses to Rainbows is still open for visitors, although the proprietor is seldom here. There are a lot of gems buried in the archives. 

Time passes and life goes on, and yes, everything is fine...for some measure of "fine" in the world today. 

Sophie celebrated her 17th birthday in May, and she is hanging in there. Prices are higher and the containers are smaller. Many places have been hiring for months or even years, yet fewer people seem to be employed.

But to everything there is a bright side. We have had some beautiful fall weather, and our front porch has been replaced and looks great. Now, after many months, I can walk out my front door again. The birds are singing and the squirrels are playing or gathering nuts for winter.

We took a few short day trips to various parks around the area, and got back to nature. We listened to two Barred owls having a conversation. That was SO cool.

Two of the parks had a lake, and that is always peaceful. That is what we need most in the world. If you are a praying person, please pray for our nation and our freedom.

I'll be around occasionally to sweep the floors and change the light bulb...it is always on for you. If you happen to stumble upon my humble abode, I would love to see a comment now and then.

Until next time, take care and stay safe.