Winter Solstice

The longest day of the year ... just because the earth is cold doesn't mean there's nothing going on down there in the soil. Think about what lies dormant in your own life right now, and consider what may bloom a few months from now.

Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring.

Lunar Eclipse

Get your warm jammers on and get ready to look skywards tonight as the full molten moon will be cast with a long shadow during the total Lunar Eclipse! NASA says this can be viewed from our own backyard! Get those fire pits ready!! I am hoping to set my alarm and get a chance to spy this celestial show!! This is due to start 1:15 eastern time, and the moon is expected to take 3 hours and 28 minutes to pass. So if you hit that snooze button you still have a chance when you get up to pee!!

Also today I was drawn into updating some photo's and for some reason I kept on going back to one photo of my great great grandfather, so I jumped/toggled over to my genealogy software and looked up gg-grandpa's name, and specifics ... I guess he was sending me vibes from "afar" to wish him a happy birthday!! Happy Birthday great great grandpa, even though I never met you I still think of you!!!

Some Holiday Fun Sing A-Longs!!!

Here are a few clips that have been sent to me this week, they made me SMILE!!!! Enjoy!!






LOVE this one, Sting and my girl Eileen Ivers on fiddle!!!


Hope you have a great weekend!!!

Today is National Children's Memorial Day

Families around the world light candles at 7 p.m. in their corresponding time zones. As candles burn down in one time zone, they are lighted in the next, creating a 24-hour wave of light that encircles the globe. This remembrance ceremony provides the world with lit candles for an entire 24 hour period in order to honor the children we have lost, the children who lived and died, and who, even in death, continue to matter.


I Light This Candle

I light this candle in memory of you,
My life, my child, my heart,
May it shine bright and true,
As you did from the start.

In it's flickering flame I see,
The life we shared together,
The love and wonderful memories,
That I'll carry with me forever.

I light this candle in memory of you,
I look up to the Heavens where you are,
I see the lights of Heaven shining bright too,
But your candle shines brighter than the brightest star.

My child you are still so much a part of me,
Even though you are no longer here,
You live on in my heart where you will always be,
No matter what, I will always keep you there.

On this special night I light this candle for you,
And I hope every one who sees it will know,
How very special you are, how much you are loved and missed too,
And will remember you with me when they see it's golden glow.........

This song was written for my husband and myself byt a dear friend who since writing it also lost a dear child. I wish you could hear him sing this. Here are the words:

Once Upon a Dream
Author: Donal O'Shaughnessy
Copyright: 1998

Once upon a dream I looked out among the stars
and watched a scene of angels playing their guitars
it's you for me and anyone who needs to know
there is a Heaven a better place not far away

and I wonder, as I wander If you hear my prayers for you
and with each passing day I hope you know that I still love you Once upon this life You ran away, a passing glance
My toil, my strife Is eased a bit to know you dance
it's you for me and anyone who needs to know
there is a Heaven a gift for you that has been given

And I wonder, as I wander even though you live above
with each passing day I hope you know I feel your love

Once upon this night I'll light a candle, though it's far
to pass through the nightTo meet the light that is your star
and you and I can meet again among the clouds
until we meet in Heaven a dwelling place eternally

And I wonder, as I wander if your purpose in this life
was to light my way to guarantee we'll meet in Heaven ...

guarantee we'll meet in Heaven

Nation Children's Memorial Day

The 12 PAINS of Christmas!!

I had never heard this song until this morning and thought .... what a perfect little song for this time of year!!!

The Lyrics are below the song in case you did not understand the words!!

The first thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me, is finding a Christmas tree.

The second thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Rigging up the lights.
And finding a Christmas tree.

The third thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Hangovers.
Rigging up the lights
And finding a Christmas tree.

The fourth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Sending Christmas cards.
Hangovers.
Rigging up the lights
And finding a Christmas tree.

The fifth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Five months of bills.
Sending Christmas cards.
Hangovers.
Rigging up the lights
And finding a Christmas tree.

The sixth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Facing my in-laws.
Five months of bills.
Oh, I hate those Christmas cards.
Hangovers.
Rigging up the lights.
And finding a Christmas tree.

The seventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
The Salvation Army.
Facing my in-laws.
Five months of bills.
Sending Christmas cards.
Oh geez!
I'm trying to rig up these lights!
And finding a Christmas tree.

The eighth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
I want a Transformer for Christmas!
Charities! And what do you mean, your in-laws?
Five months of bills.
Ah! Making out these cards.
Edith, get me a beer, huh?
What, we have no extension cords?
And finding a Christmas tree.

The ninth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Finding parking spaces.
Daddy, I want some candy!
Donations.
Facing my in-laws.
Five months of bills.
Writing up those Christmas cards.
Hangovers.
Now why the hell are they blinking?
And finding a Christmas tree.

The tenth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Batteries not included.
No parking spaces.
Buy me something!
Get a job, ya bum!
Facing the in-laws.
Five months of bills.
Yo ho, sending Christmas cards.
Ah geez, look at this.
One light goes out, they all go out!
And finding a Christmas tree.

The eleventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Stale TV specials.
Batteries not included.
No parking spaces.
Mommy, I gotta go to the bathroom!
Charities.
She's a witch, I hate her!
Five months of bills.
Oh! I don't even know half these people.
Who's got the toilet paper, huh?
Get a flashlight, I blew a fuse!
And finding a Christmas tree.

The twelfth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Singing Christmas carols.
Stale TV specials.
Batteries not included.
No parking?!?
(sound of an annoying crying child)
Charities!
Gotta make 'em dinner!
Five months of bills.
I'm not sending them this year. That's it!
Shut up, youse!
Fine, you're so smart; you rig up the lights!!!
And finding a Christmas tree.

World Aids Day

December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2010 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. World AIDS Day is important for reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.3 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2009 some 2.6 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 1.8 million people died from AIDS.1

The vast majority of people with HIV and AIDS live in lower- and middle-income countries. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.

Scores of cities and communities all over the world will dim the lights this December 1st to mark World AIDS Day as part of the Light for Rights campaign which focuses on human rights, HIV and AIDS.

Remember to dim you lights tonight ... and I thought this song would be appropriate.

What Did the Pilgrims Really Eat!

The first Pilgrims did brings hens with them on the Mayflower. However, the record does not say how many, and if they survived the first great winter or not. We can safely assume, some of the Pilgrims most likely ate eggs.

We know, from Winslow's writings, that the Pilgrims did not eat fresh beef, enjoy milk or fresh cheese, butter and cream, until 1624. This is when Winslow mentions he made a voyage back to England that year, and returned from England with cattle.

The following is a list, which most likely was the fare of the first Thanksgiving, here we see some changes for the good. These items were mentioned in Edward Winslow's diaries, and were readily available, because of the help the Pilgrims received from the Native American Indians.

From the Ocean:

Cod fish, lobster, clams, seals and eels

From the Land:

Wild turkey, duck, rabbit, deer, partridge, goose and even eagles. Plums, pumpkins (which the colonists would stew or fry) and wild grapes and pumpkin. Beans, onions, lettuce, carrotts, and leeks, round out the vegetables available at that time. The Pilgrims had olive oil, wheat flour and Indian corn. They enjoyed walnuts, acorns, dried currents, and chestnuts.

Of interest, is the Native American Indians taught the colonists to make a certain dish, out of beans and corn. With just a slight variation on the recipe, this dish is still known today as "succotash."

Winslow's writings further tell us the Pilgrims ate "stewed or fried pumpkin", not pumpkin pie. No mention of cranberries and all the trimmings which come with the celebrating of Thanksgiving today. However, their diet was far better during the first harvest and improved each year as they learned from Native American Indians further skills in planting and harvesting.

There is no indication of a 2nd harvest celebration. The celebration of Thanksgiving, becoming a United States national holdiay officially, did not take place until approximately 280 years later through an act of United States Congress. We can only know for sure, that the Pilgrims were brave and courageous, and learned to endure from their many hardships, coming to a new unknown land and colonizing it. Indeed, they must have been truly thankful....expect maybe, for those hard biscuits!

Today in History

I every so often read about "today in history" to see if there is anything I should not miss! There often is a lot I SHOULD miss. I do not care when the first Harry Potter movie opened or when the Sound of Music hit Broadway, but I do get a kick out of ture American history.


Today I read about a woman in the American Revolution, she is to beleived the first woman in the Conntinetal Army and she was injured this date back in 1776. I guess I never really thought about woman as soldiers back then.

On this day in 1776, Hessian Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen and a force of 3,000 Hessian mercenaries and 5,000 Redcoats lay siege to Fort Washington at the northern end and highest point of Manhattan Island.

Throughout the morning, Knyphausen met stiff resistance from the Patriot riflemen inside the fort, but by afternoon, the Patriots were overwhelmed, and the garrison commander, Colonel Robert Magaw, surrendered. Nearly 3,000 Patriots were taken prisoner, and valuable ammunition and supplies were lost to the Hessians. The prisoners faced a particularly grim fate: Many later died from deprivation and disease aboard British prison ships anchored in New York Harbor.

Among the 53 dead and 96 wounded Patriots were John and Margaret Corbin of Virginia. When John died in action, his wife Margaret took over his cannon, cleaning, loading and firing the gun until she too was severely wounded. The first woman known to have fought for the Continental Army, Margaret survived, but lost the use of her left arm.


But her battle does not end here. Horribly wounded and disfigured by grapeshot and musket balls, Margaret is taken prisoner, paroled, and transported to a Pennsylvanian hospital. When the Continental Congress formed the Invalid Regiment in June 20, 1777, Margaret Corbin was enrolled as one of the disabled soldiers and moved with it to West Point.

In June 28, 1779, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania awarded Mrs. Corbin $30 and suggested she receive a pension. She became the first woman in the United States to receive a pension from Congress. A year later, Mrs. Corbin was given this pension (one-half soldier’s pay) and a set of clothes.

Imagine the societal battles Mrs. Corbin had to face during that time. Her left arm was unusable, her face disfigured, and she was a war widow. Accounts state that the Philadelphia Society for Women had planned to erect a memorial in her honor; until they met her and saw face-to-face the reality of what impoverishment does to soldiers and their widows. She still lived a soldier’s life style – she drank and smoked and lacked a genteel way of speech. Despite this, Margaret remarried in 1782.

But her battle does not end there. The Invalid Regiment was disbanded and her second husband, also a disabled veteran, died within the year. She was moved from West Point to Buttermilk Falls and placed in the care of a Mrs. Randall.

Again Margaret Corbin seems to fade from history’s gaze until her death at age 48, in 1800. But her battle does not end there. In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution, in an effort to recognize Margaret Cochran Corbin’s pivotal role in US History, exhumed her body and had it re-interred behind the Old Cadet Chapel at West Point with full military honors.

Just Random Thoughts

I have not been a good Blogger since I found Facebook. AND I miss you Blogger!

It has been a rough summer with two hospital visits lasting a total of 17 days. Hey when I go to the hospital I do not mess around, I go for the long haul! UGH! Lately these guys have been my friends way to often (see picture) If you have never experienced the "joy" of potassium through your veins, I warn you ... eat foods high in P and take your vitamins! The pain is horrid. As my veins heal form the burns of the last round I have experienced muscle cramping. WHERE the hell is my Tylenol!! SO I am hoping this mess is over with and I can move on!

SO let me tell you about my AMAZING daughter Regina!! Early last year she decided to do a Triathlon. So she went into "over-drive" training very hard and ran her first NY Tri! YEA!! We were all so amazed at her task to do this. Moving forward she competed in yet several more Tri's only to get meaner and leaner!! Her next quest was the Mooseman Ironman Tri which was held this June in New Hampshire! It was really what they call a 1/2 Iron, 70.3 miles ~ swim 1.2, bike 56, and run 13.1. After 7 hours she did it! AN AMAZING JOB! Here she is soooo happy to cross the finish line! Weeks after her Ironman she was back at the NYC Tri, which also means the swim is in the Hudson River, I think that in itself is the bravest thing in the world to do, who the hell swims in the Hudson in NYC!! Anyway, she beat her time of last year and did I say looked lean and man! LOL (Photos from NYC Tri)
The swim! The Ride! Happy It is over! After that there were a few more Tri's and YET ANOTHER IRONMAN in NJ!! I'm not sure where she gets this energy from!!! She is an amazing woman, raising a son, working and training so hard. She has druing this quest raised a lot of money for cancer reseach. The world is a lucky place to have her in it!

OK so now I have been bragging about my daughter Regina .... now can I brag about my daughter Danielle??? Another amazing young woman!! She is my world traveler and dare devil! Yes, she may look like a California LA LA blond, but don't let her fool you!! She will be the first one in line to dive out of a plane or into the dark ocean at night! Actually she has dove at night, sharks and all!! She has motor biked through Vietnam, dove in the Australia reef, skydived, Bungy jumped in New Zealand 500 feet into a cavern, gone caving, etc. The list is just to long!! Here is her most recent adventure climbing Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo, a two day climb!

Climbing Mount Kinabalu from The Rogue Unit on Vimeo.

This is from her trip too!

Sipadan from The Rogue Unit on Vimeo.

What awesome woman I have in my life!!!!
Have a great day~

A Pittance of Time - Terry Kelly

Thanks to K over at Vancouver Voyeur for telling me about this clip! It is a day late but still so worth the Pittance of Time to watch this clip.

Veterans Tribute

A few Veterans Day Songs

Freedom Never Cries


Green Fields of France (Wille McBride)


Thank You Soldiers


Duty Called - Vietnam Veterans


Freedom Isn't Free

Halloween Song

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Today my mom and dad would have been married 68 years!! Happy Anniversary mom and dad what ever plane you roam on .... miss you xoxo

October 1942



June 1977

Dancing at the Movies - Music Video

A Fall Drive

I promise this will be my last fall pictures of the season!! Me and the hubb-muffin went for a drive up to Cooperstown, NY. Yes, the Baseball Hall of Fame is there, and there were multiple tour buses all over, so we stayed clear and did some of the other sites! Hope you enjoy the pics, and remember you can click to enlarge them! I swear next week it is on to more interesting things!


Lake Otsego, and the beginning of the Susquahanna River


Farmers Museum

Loved the angles of the building ...








A little harvest decoration!

John Fenemore Cooper House





A Canopy of gold,it was so neat to walk through, leaves crunchies under foot












OK the name of this place caught my eye!!

Stopped for a cold beer and glass of wine, this place was buit in 1865 and use to be a hotel.

A Nice Fall Walk

OK am I boring you yet with fall pictures?? I took a long walk today up near the golf course, and up and down the hills! I need to get past the 30lb loss freeze I have been on for two months!! SOOO seeing that I had my trusty point and shoot in my pocket, I captured these shots. I made it back up the hill only stopping once, to avoid heart failure!! Hope you enjoy! OH and the spider in the picture at end showed up when I was cutting back the summer flowers - after the walk. I had way to much energy today! (click on Pictures to enlarge)

This is the old IBM Country Club or The Homstead as they called it, now it is called Traditions at The Glen. Nice to see them keep this place up!

Heading down over the hill to the bottom of the golf course




I just LOVE how the sky came out in this picture, the the sun was in and out with all the clouds moving, it was really a nice day! I loved the look of this lone red tree in the distance...so on my walk back I hot some closer pictures.


Looking up a tree!





arachnophobia anyoone?