Fragile Flower

No, I'm definately not referring to myself. I've started taking morning walks lately...sometimes up the road, sometimes out in the pasture. During deer season when I was going out nearly every day, I rembered how much I enjoy nature...just enjoying the sights and sounds. Even though this isn't exactly the prettiest time of year to be out, there is still plenty to enjoy. For instance, I stumbled upon these the other day. Not exactly uncommon, but a sight few people stop to notice, these are "frost flowers" I found on the back side of our property in a little 'holler protected from the sun for just a tad longer than the rest of the area. They're formed in certain types of plants when the ground isn't yet frozen solid, but moisture in the stems freezes and is squeezed out. That's the un-scientific version.

Crap-Lists

I had an inquiry regarding the last post as to the rest of my Crap-list. I'm happy to oblige, but I have to say that the list is constant yet ever-changing, sometimes by the day, sometimes by the hour, sometimes by the minute. Let me give my simple definition for "Crap-list": A Crap-list is a running list of things that make me say or sometimes yell, "Crap!"

For example, the dismal season of the Chiefs illustrated by their pathetic last-minute loss on Sunday has already been surpassed by several other things. Early this morning, Sally barfed. I said, "Crap!"...therefore, Dog Puke went to the top of my list, but was then surpassed by Fitted Sheets. Is there a class on how to fold fitted sheets? And to those who can successfully fold a fitted sheet - are you born with that knowledge? Is there an underground network of professional fitted sheet folders? Please, will someone help me out here?

The fitted sheet folding (or should I say, wadding and stuffing into the general sheet-storing area) was then surpassed by Chickens Who Lay Their Eggs In The Middle Of The Coop. There are EIGHT nice comfy nest boxes right at the access door, but now twice this week one hen has seen fit to lay her egg in the middle of the floor, just out of my reach, so I have to get a garden hoe from the garage and roll it to me. It's that or else risk mashing my face into chicken poo while I reach for it.

But then, Chickens Who Lay Their Eggs In The Middle Of The Coop was replaced by Christmas Stress, which has been making it's rounds on the Crap-list. I have a feeling this may stay at or near the top for a while, and yet every year it seems unavoidable that I must experience this phenomenon for a good week before Christmas. "Do I have enough gifts? Wow we're spending too much money...how are we going to get everywhere we need to be?" And more of that mental voice constantly beating at the inside of my skull. So, to keep that Christmas Stress at bay, here's a classic Christmas song to remind us all of one of the important things Christmas is about - family! :)

SIGH....

And #1 on my Crap-list right now...

You guys STINK.

Christmas Quiz

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Depends on how much time I have, and the degree of difficulty in wrapping the present.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial…less mess, less trouble, less fire hazard.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Well into December...mine just went up. None of this before Thanksgiving nonsense at The Homestead.

4. When do you take the tree down?
ASAP...a pet peeve of mine is seeing trees up in people's houses in February.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Yep, in small dabs. I really like eggnog shakes from Sonic.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I'm not sure...but I remember getting LOTS of awesome gifts. Bike, fishing poles, stuffed animals, games...we had (and still have) great Christmases.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Mom and Dad.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Hubby.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Maybe if I had a place to put it, and if I found the right one. Like the one Mom has where all the participants are bears.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Probably the infamous slip I recieved when I was little, which I didn't pay any attention to because there were toys to play with. My apparent lack of appreciation caused the givers to switch to just giving me money from then on.

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Throughout the year, if I find an item that screams someone's name. If not, after Thanskgiving.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Pretty sure not...if it doesn't work for me, I try to exchange it.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Pumpkin pie and Mom's peanut clusters.

15. Lights on the tree?
YES, lots of colored lights. White lights may be "elegant", but so very boring.

16. Favorite Christmas song?
"O Holy Night", and "Merry Christmas From the Family" by Montgomery Gentry. It's a classic.

17. Go out for Christmas or stay at home?
Depends greatly on family activites and who can be where at what time. It used to be a lot simplier.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Only if I sing the song.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel. We have quite a tradition in my parent's house that goes back years - the siblings fighting about who got to put the angel on the tree, followed by days of one of us always dragging a stool to the tree, and taking the angel off and putting it back on just to lay claim on putting the angel on the tree last. Mom finally fixed the issue by writing the name of the sibling who's turn it was to put the angel with the year inside the angel. This made any further taking off and replacing of the angel moot after the original placing, because it was in writing.

I hope if I ever become a mother, I have half as much genius.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning! What's up with the Eve thing? That's when Santa comes.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Commercialism that sucks the spirit out of Christmas.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Fishing, of course - our tree is covered with bobbers, old lures, flies, and fishing-related ornaments.

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Skip the other stuff and just go for the pie.

24 What do you want for Christmas this year?
What I REALLY want is to just to be successful in choosing gifts for everyone on my list, and that everyone enjoys them.

Crikey!

Once again it's time for my totally unqualified and random movie review. This past Monday I went out of town with a friend who had to attend a conference. While said friend was actually attending the conference, I was left with most of the day to waste. I did the only reasonable thing to do - I went shopping. However, shopping is only fun if you have copious amounts of money to spend and/or a certain shopping mission to accomplish. I'm not much of a random shopper, especially if I don't have much in the way of extra coin. The Christmas Crunch is on, which doesn't leave many dollars for selfish items. After a two-hour foray in one of my favorite stores, Sportsman's Warehouse - which I've only seen in Colorado and had NO idea they were taking root in Arkansas - I found myself needing something else to do. I felt I was making the staff nervous. Then I found a bookstore - another wonderful place to waste time. But, I kept finding books I wanted to buy. After it became apparent that it was dangerous to my wallet to stay, I hastily beat a retreat back to the car. Luckily for my purse, there was a movie theater in the mall complex, and what better way to kill time than watching a movie? I was really looking for "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", but alas, it was not playing in this particular theater. However, another movie I was very interested in, "Australia" was playing. I figured if the movie was HALF as good as the actual Australia, I was in for a treat. I purchased my ticket and a soda and settled in.

And a good thing for that soda. I surely would have suffered severe dehydration had I sat through the WHOLE movie without refreshment. What I thought looked like a nice little movie was actually a THREE HOUR sprawling epic. I should have paid more attention to the title...the movie lasted longer than it would take to jog the whole country of Australia itself. Or so it seemed. I'm not really sure what the movie was trying to accomplish - Action adventure? Comedy? Drama? Love story? Commentator on Australian race relations? It seemed to try to cram all this in, amid breathtaking scenery paired with my nemesis - computer animation. In any case, you'd be hard pressed to find another movie that crams in extreme cattle droving, WWII attacks, True Love, Aboriginal/White Australian angst, and Boy Coming of Age.

I left the theater thinking, "What was that? Was that a good movie? Was it terrible? Who am I?" Usually you know whether you liked a movie or not upon exiting the theater, if not before. I still don't know. I didn't hate it, but yet I do know that I don't really have a burning desire to see the movie again, even though I'll probably watch it if it eventually comes on TV. Luckily, it didn't dampen my passion for someday visiting the real Australia again someday. No confusion there!

In any case, you might enjoy the movie. Or you might not. Or you might. Who knows. Let me know.