This weekend, the temps. are supposed to be below zero for the high of the day, so if I need anything (I do), I'll have to make a trip into town and get it before Saturday.  Okay by me.  I have had a huge toothache on the left side of my jaw that has been giving me a lot of pain.  I called the dentist this morning to see if and when I can get in.  I hope they don't put me on antibiotics right away.  Last time, I didn't really need them; just salt water rinses worked fine. 

I did go to town yesterday, mostly to get new mousetraps.  I threw the old ones away because they just never catch any mice anymore.  I think the smell of death lingers on the trap and keeps them away.  As soon as I put a new trap down last night, I caught a mole, a big fat juicy one.  I like moles and mice, but I don't want them in my house.  I think they are very smart, very knowledgeable.  But this morning now, both traps are missing completely.  I have searched all over and they are not to be found.  I had baited them with tiny pieces of bratwurst.  Did the dogs smell the bratwurst and do something with the traps?  Did the mice/moles get caught by a leg only and drag the traps away somewhere?  If the dogs are responsible, I would find the traps, at least.  Tonight, I will nail the traps to a board, set them, and we'll see what happens. 

Our President is a macho man, a cowboy who has run roughshod over his "dogies," the American people.  And he is also running roughshod over the Middle East; right now, Iraq.  Does he intend to attack Iran?  I certainly hope he can be prevented from doing that.  We  have had a long history of treating Iran quite badly.  I can't help but remember the shock and disappointment I felt as a youngster when I read about "our country" assassinating their duly elected president and reinstating the ruthless and cruel Shah. 

Our country has never been a big supporter of Democracy around the world; it has been notable for propping up ruthless dictators, mostly for the deals our big businessmen make in their poor countries, to the detriment of the citizens of those countries.  The businessmen claim that they do it for "us," the consumer.  And what gives the U.S. the right to tell other countries they can't develop nuclear power?  We are the country who developed and SOLD the technology all over the world; now we insist that only our "friends" can have it?  If Iran develops nuclear weapons, perhaps we will have to begin treating them better.

What's at the heart of our latest national nightmare?  The never-mentioned OIL.  We never hear about what is happening to Iraqi oil.  Is it flowing to the West?  You can bet it is, and that is the only rationale for the invasion of Iraq.  Those who said "no blood for oil" were right in the very beginning of this travail.  And why do we need to do this? 

We are the sicklings of the world.  Pres. Bush himself said that we are addicted to oil.  Our addiction is not only destroying the planet with global warming, but it is now eroding our national life, taking our children's lives and ruining their bodies and minds; it is depleting our financial resources, chewing up our Constitution, creating debt that our grandchildren will have to pay, and making America the hated villains of the world. 

We must change.  We have to do an intervention on ourselves.  We must and we can find alternative fuel sources to fund our giant demand for energy.  Clean, renewable energy.  We've been hearing about it for years, and I am  tired of waiting.  The planet will not wait for us to change. 

What stops us from using our great American ingenuity and solving these problems for the good of all?  One problem is the lack of will to do what's necessary.  It seems to be easier to continue on the way we are, than it is to buck the sytem and get the job done.  My personal idea of why we are blocked?  It's the day our Supreme Court decided that corporations had the same rights as individuals.  And we know that corporations have the money, the time, the lobbyists, the people and the profit motivation to hog all the "rights," effectively becoming the darling class of American society.  They now have more rights than individuals. 

At least, at the very least, we should examine the history of rights of corporations vs. the rights of individuals in this country since that Supreme Court decision, and see just what has happened to our rights versus their rights.  This alone should prove that we need to make some changes to restore our country as a place where government belongs to the people, and not the other way around. 

My friend, John, goes running in the boots that I got him for Christmas - they are high tops, with 200 gram thinsulate insulation and a nice woodsy camoflage pattern.  Yesterday, he ran 15 miles in 3 hours; he is training for the Iron Man Marathon.  I keep telling him to cut back, but it seems to make him go further. 

                     Easy Italian Chicken

1 chicken, cut up (or four chicken breasts, thawed), sauteed in butter in a deep pot, turn once and add 1/2 large onion, cut up.  Peel and cut up 2 carrots and add to pot.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 1/4 tsp. cilantro.  Add one 32 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce with ground beef, 1/2 cup water.  Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour, then add 1 cup of rotini, fusilli, or elbow macaroni, continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so.

My successful tip on this recipe is that I added the rest of my chili with home-made baked beans, about 2 cups.  Those beans contained a lot of brown sugar, molasses, hamburger meatballs, etc.  If you don't have some beans or chili for this recipe, you could cut the spaghetti sauce down to 16 oz.  Fresh parsley is a good last addition.  My parsley bit it and had to be thrown out.  Dried parsley just doesn't do it for me.  I think it has no taste whatsoever.  Also, cheddar cheese cut up on it, or shredded cheese, is a wonderful addition. 

I have some sauce left over today:  I am going to fry up some bratwurst until they are well done and add them to the leftover sauce.    

I've signed on to an online petition to help save the polar bears, by cutting down on greenhouse gasses.  But I am so afraid that it is too late to reverse the damage.  Nevertheless, we'll never know if we don't try.  We humans have a lot of power. 

I've cleaned out my refrigerator this morning, and my freezer, and I'm going to make chicken cacciatore later.  That will use up the chicken, spaghetti sauce, chili and cheese leftovers I have found.  These things are all good yet; frozen or just waiting to be used up.  I like it when everything is spiffy in the frig.  I threw out the nopalitos and mole sauce from last summer.  After oohing and aahing over these items, they then just sat in the back of the frig, not doing anything. 

Some local idiot has proposed having a wolf hunt; removing them from the endangered species list.  He claims that only the wolves that present a "danger" will be killed - a danger to whom or what, I wonder.

The City has allowed bow and arrow hunting of deer within the city limits; the deer were traipsing over people's yards, leaving piles of poop here and there - naughty, naughty.  Actually, the deer come in to feed on the shrubbery and because little old ladies (with apologies to my friend) like to feed corn to them.  I also feed them, but I live in the country, so no neighbors complain.  Pepper is lying in the driveway right now with a ribcage she found, chewing away.  And my daughter has an entire herd of youngsters at her house.  They box each other with their hooves and butt heads over the corn, while she lectures them about their manners. 

Well, down to the mailbox I will go, getting all the mail and newspaper for this week; only scrubbing the kitchen floor remains to be done today. 

I went to the post office and picked up an application for a passport.  In my old age yet, I just might go somewhere, who knows.  I've often dreamed about traveling, even world traveling, but have seldom left home.  I've been to Canada, Mexico, San Diego, Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison; also Houghton, Duluth and other smaller cities.  And passed through St. Louis, and other bigger places.  But just in case I get back to Mexico, Canada, or some other exotic destination in my old age, I will need a passport now. 

Just pulled a pan of brownies out of the oven, and couldn't help muttering "You're doin' a heck of a job, Brownie" to them.  I spent my day cleaning in the kitchen, a thorough cleaning, which didn't get all done in one day.  This must be spring housecleaning, a little early, but I felt the need to get some deep cleaning done.  Maybe it's because the mice have invaded my house, big time.  I am setting traps, but they haven't blundered into them yet.  It's like a free-for-all in here.  They are very bold and noisy.  I had things so under control there for awhile. 

It's been awhile since I posted, and I sounded like a grumpy old woman then.  But I'm not going to erase that post; it IS one of my pet peeves.  I just haven't been feeling myself at all lately, though, so haven't posted on my blog.  But today, I want to say that I have made up my mind to get on an airplane and fly to visit my sister next month.  That was a big decision, since I had previously announced my firm refusal to get on a plane.  Well, I have some time to plan for it, but I think it is so peculiar about not being allowed to take cosmetics (like lipstick) on flight.  I will have to call airlines to see what is allowed and what is not. 

Good news is that Arnie's bite wound has finally healed, with only a little bit of stiffness where the wound was.  I will keep massaging it to make it soft again.  I'm so relieved; that really took a long time to heal. 

I have been reading a lot these days.  One subject I spend a lot of time on is nutrition, and the other subject I feel driven to explore is spirituality.  I've got Kabbalah for Beginners by Laitman, now.  I have, in my lifetime, gone from one spirit quest to another; Christianity, Norse and Greek/Roman mythology, Carlos Castaneda, Merilyn Tunneshende, The Toltec Mystery School, Native American authors, Tibetan theology, Ayurvedic writings, Theun Mares, and now Kabbalah (recommended by Mares).  I have had several excellent teachers of my own besides.  I guess you could say this has been my lifelong pursuit. 

Last night in my dreams, I was a man....I have dreamed this several times.  I love the dream that begins  "I was flying my rocketship across the southwestern desert, when I developed engine trouble and had to crash land....fortunately, the sand was soft and no damage was done...."  I always try to remember my dreams, and the lucid dreams are the best, informing me of various aspects of self that are not apparent in waking reality.  They are like being in a movie starring yourself.

On the mundane home front, the mice (moles, too) are attacking the house in earnest now, chewing on the house itself, coming in, and making quite a ruckus.  They are intent on finding something to eat and attacking bags of dog food, or anything else they can find.  I've put the dog food into a large plastic tub so they can't get in; then last night, one of them was chewing on my pantry cupboard.  I set one trap.  I can hear him now, nibbling on something brittle, occasionally squeaking to himself about things. 

Speaking of mice and men, I did watch the President's state of the union address last night, and while he always gives such a good speech, it is always something of a confection.  The Democratic response was RIGHT ON.  Every time I hear one of the Democrats speak now, I feel so heartened and uplifted.    

I have completed the full course of antibiotics for Arnie, my sled dog, who was bitten by a supposedly playful pup over a month ago.  The wound on his leg got infected, and my first course of amoxicillin was only for three days.  I got bawled out by my daughter, who said I surely knew better than to stop after 3 days, and yes, the abcess came back.  Then I had to begin treatment all over again; this time for 13 days, which is all the pills I had.  And even until the last two days, the wound was open.  But it closed on the last day, and I am hoping and praying (yes) that this time, I got it right.  The last time he played with that pup was last summer, and then he got that awful bite in his ear, which became a polyp, had to be surgically removed.  We have agreed that Arn is not to be subjected to this kind of play anymore from that dog.  He is so well behaved, that he just puts up with the rough treatment. 

Yesterday, I dismantled my coffee table houseplant display in front of the picture window, cleaned everything, and rearranged the plants.  They sure are beautiful.  I threw out 2 plants; one was a pot of oregano, 2 years old, that finally bit it, and the other was the parsley, that was looking pretty shabby.  Time to plant new herbs. 

I bought a package of four tomatoes on Tuesday; yesterday, 2 of them were completely rotted through and through.  Not just soft spots, mind you, but total decay.  The remaining two, I washed and saved, since they seemed to be good, but today, I just got done eating a sandwich containing slices of one of them.  There is an awful taste.  I pulled out a piece of tomato and ate it separately, and yes, that's what tastes bad.  I am so angry, I think I will call up the store (Walmart) and complain.  I do want my money back. 

I am so sick and tired of this.  It is not at all unusual these days to buy several pieces of fruit or vegetable, only to have at least one go rotten immediately.   Now two?  And the rest of them are on the verge of being rotten?  Ugh!  I hate this.  If they stick one piece of rotting fruit or vegetable in each package, just think what they are saving, and just think how we are being ripped off. 

Because we've been looking at property up north, I've been watching the weather channel to see just what is happening there during winter.  It is snowing! a lot!  If we were there right now, it would be very deep around us.  Is that bad?  I don't think so.  The deep snow probably is what protects the ground from freezing deeply, thereby preserving the roots and stems of plants that grow there.  Maybe this is why it is "Zone 4" think?  Because the temps are colder than here.  We had thought that Zone 4 meant it would be warmer, but that is not the case.

Well below zero last night, still -9 deg. this morning when I got up.  The dogs are not intimidated; even little Daphne stayed out for 1/2 hour.  I always worry that her fragile little paws will freeze, but she is such a toughie.  I check on her every 5-10 minutes to make sure she hasn't changed her mind about coming in. 

I haven't done much this winter...I do a little every day, but then I feel tired, so must take a nap in the afternoon.  I've made meatloaf again and plan to make it once a month from now on.  It's the topping recently found in a Woman's Day magazine that makes it special.  It is just mixing brown sugar and ketchup together and spreading it on top of the meatloaf before baking.  It's almost like frosting, but amazingly good.  For some reason, the only topping I ever used before was strips of bacon (not good for you, I know).

Strangely enough, I have been learning to drink water again.  After I grew up, I never drank water anymore.  Just coffee, tea, beer, wine, soda, but never just plain water.  And even now, after putting in the drilled well, 80 feet deep, and being assured that my water is 99% pure, I still didn't really drink much until I read this book by Masaru Emoto, "The Hidden Messages in Water." 

As I mentioned previously, I then rushed to the sink and got a glass of water and drank it.  Now I am drinking water every day, and believe it or not, had to get used to the taste of water.  Not that it has a taste, I don't know.  But in just these few days, I have come to enjoy and love water again, as I did as a child. 

A clear, crisp day, below zero at first; I went to town and bought some groceries, paid the last of this month's bills, and drove to visit my daughter, who has been sick lately.  Home, and took a brief nap, then off with Pepper for our walk.  But it was only about 7 deg. out then, and Pep didn't feel like going far.  But not because of the cold, but because she has some deer parts stashed somewhere, and wanted to get back to chewing on her bones.

I've had such strange dreams lately; all of them are about death.  Ordinarily, that would be rather depressing, but these were cheerful and exciting dreams.  Like having a flock of angelic geese, enormous with white curling feathers, come to carry me home.  I asked if I could bring my dog, but they were somewhat put off by her black fur, so I put a shirt on her, and that calmed their concerns somewhat.

And another dream about jumping into deep snow to rescue someone, and getting trapped in the snow myself.  A sad mistake, I thought, upon awakening, for the snow was deeper than both of us, and we were doomed. 

Anyway, winter progresses - actually getting cold, like the good old days.  It will be below zero again tonight, but sunny again tomorrow.  My daughter and I are eager to be planting our gardens already.  I heard that all the produce in California was hit by a big freeze, while it was in the 70's in New York city.  Very peculiar.  We had about 6" of snow night before last.  That will protect things in the ground from freezing too much now.   

Yep, it is.  And my brain doesn't want to be accountable to anyone lately.  I must really be happy to be a "shackhappy."  Ever since I got home from visiting my brother, I just want to go back into hibernation.  And what do I have to blog about, anyway?  Politics?  As I watch and listen to the Dem party leaders, it seems to me they have it all right, and I don't have anything to add to what they are saying.  Now if they will just take action.....I did call my reps to let them know I am opposed to troop "augmentation" in Iraq.  Now maybe I should also call the President?  I just want the nightmare that is Iraq to end for our troops.

Gardening?  Not yet.  I did buy some 1/4" chipboard, 5 sheets, 4' x 8', and have a plan in mind to paint it white, put it up as a ceiling in my kitchen.  Had a weird dream last night, that I sold my house, actually it was a nightmare, and I dreamed that the people who bought it were kicking me out, but not paying me for it. 

The other thing that preoccupies my mind is the real need I have to lose weight, and I'm determined to get the job done this year.  I ordered a carb blocker made from white beans(?) on the internet and all the food I bought this time is with an eye on NOT eating sugar and/or snack foods.  That is a good place to begin.  NO DESSERTS, hardly any snacks.  Oddly enough, that would mean eliminating my home-made freezer jam, since it was made with white sugar.

I'm back after visiting my brother overnight, and just woke up from a good night's sleep.  He's a fantastic guy, but life's a beach for him, and I can't possibly keep up with him.  Far from being shackhappy like me, his life is very social, he has many friends and activities to keep him occupied.  He even works, has a small job, just a couple of hours a day.  I miss my dogs, and can't stand the cigarette smoke, so home again, home again....

Watched tv of the reaction to Pres. Bush's urge to surge last night.  At last, we are coming together to stand up for our countrymen who are risking their lives for an unknown reason. 

I finally pronounced myself well, although I still have some stuffiness left, and I tire easily.  I went to town yesterday, the first time in a month, and got some chores done, but mostly, to meet my daughter for lunch at a restaurant.  I had a gyro with lamb and she had a wrap with chicken.  We shopped for a bit and then went home.  I have been doing some yoga again, and it always makes me so sore.  But I went for a walk with Pepper, and that makes both of us feel good.  First walk in over a week. 

My son got to pin a medal on his sweetheart yesterday.  He was invited to her swearing-in ceremony as a deputy sheriff.  I am so proud of both of them. 

This morning I called my brother and let him know that I am well enough for a visit, so I will be driving there tomorrow morning and spend overnight.  And today I will call my sister to wish her a happy birthday. 

And Arnie, hopefully, will continue to show improvement with his bite wound.  This is the most worrisome thing to me right now.  I only gave him amoxicillin for 3 days before, and the bite wound appeared to be completely healed, so I stopped the medication.  In a week, it was back, and now I'm so afraid that it won't heal this time.  But I will give him the amoxicillin for at least 7 to 10 days this time, and maybe, just maybe, this mistake will be corrected.  If not, or if the bite wound gets worse, he will have to be taken to the vet.  The word "necrotic" keeps floating through my mind, and I just hope and pray he will be all right. 

This is the sixth day of this miserable cold, sore throat, chest congestion and cough.  When will it end?  I am undeniably better than I was, but still feverish, listless, and now coughing a lot.  And nothing seems to help much.  With the otc meds, I am able to sleep at night, though; that's good.

I've been contenting myself to get what little housework done that I can.  Yesterday, I took down an old calendar and hung up a picture.  I know I should take down the tree, but I like it.

I read Garden Way Publishing's booklet about solar pit greenhouses, and now I'm determined to erect a permanent pit greenhouse on the south side of my house.  Well, semi-permanent, anyway.  I will have to get a stringer 9' long, attach it to the house, and it will go right across my big picture window, cutting the window in half horizontally.  Believe it or not, this worked out well last year, except I just used old boards and plastic sheeting.  But this year, there will be fiberglass panels for the roof, the bottom half will be at least 2' high, while the wall side will be 5 or 6' high.  I will dig a trench 3' deep in the middle, and steps going down into it.  I'll be able to go in without too much fuss and work on plants, which was extremely difficult last year, because it was too low for me to do much.  Last year, I had to take the whole structure apart to work on the plants, and some of them suffered as a result.  The end walls (one will be the door) will be able to be opened for ventilation.  Last year, temps reached 100 degrees before you could shake a stick (the plants seemed to enjoy it, though). 

The greenhouse was the reason for my success last year, and this year's greenhouse will be better.  I'd like to construct another greenhouse on the west side of the house too, but doubt I could do it this year.  Maybe next year.  That one could be bigger and more expensive to build.

I've been going through seed catalogs.  Only two down, many more to go.  The first one, Shumway's, well, there I could easily spend $50.00.  I'm rationalizing, because most of the expense involves buying more blueberry bushes to go along with the two I already have.  Last year, one of the bushes actually produced a handful of fruit.  I'm hoping this year's crop will be more substantial.  I've also decided to grow my own potatoes, and the sets are rather expensive.  Ordinarily, to grow potatoes, I just throw old, sprouting potatoes in a hole, and that's just fine, but maybe a couple of varieties would be better.   

So today, I felt somewhat better, and managed to take seeds out to the birdfeeder, let dogs in and out and fed them, washed dishes in the dishwasher, and made Egg Foo Yung.  Here's how:

Mince 2 green onions and one stalk celery.  Pull tails off about 10 pre-cooked shrimp and dice.  Slice up a couple of crimini mushrooms.  Scramble 3 eggs, add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. sugar, a twist of the pepper mill, a can of bean sprouts, stir well and set aside.  Heat up small frypan with 1 tsp. sesame seed oil and 2 tsp. canola oil.  Saute the green onions and celery until they begin to brown.  Add the mushrooms and shrimp and continue cooking 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Heat 2 tblspns. canola oil in large non-stick frypan over high heat.  Combine shrimp mixture with egg mixture.  Pour into large frypan and use a wide plastic spatula to spread out the ingredients evenly.  When the edges begin to brown, use the spatula to cut into serving size pieces and flip them over.  Fry on other side until the eggs are completely cooked.  Serve with plenty of soy sauce.  Makes 2 plate-sized servings.  

This was about all I could manage to do today - a marked improvement over yesterday.

With my usual aplomb (whatever that means), I have managed to begin the new year with a nasty cold and sore throat, that everyone says is going around now.  Takes 5 days to run its course.  And so here I am, on the third day, and feeling somewhat better now, but again, my plans to visit bro are ruined for this week.  And of course, nothing, nothing accomplished.  Grrr.

So, for New Years Eve, I settled down to watch Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, and fell asleep; his voice can do that to a person.  I think I liked Tom Brokaw's show about global warming better....

Then, of course, the Packer Game against the Bears.  Me being a Chicago native, I always have liked the Bears too, but I am a loyal Packer backer, so was glad to see that they won - I hope Brett comes back next year.  I suppose it all depends on how his operation on his ankle comes out today. 

Soon it was midnight, and I drank up the last glass of Frangelico, and by that time, I could barely keep awake.  Watched Growing Up Black Leopard and goodnight. 

Today, I seem to have gotten that nasty business that John brought home; headache, sore throat clear down to chest area, woozy and occasional nausea.  This is no way to start the New Year!

As the planet's ice fields continue to melt, I can't help but think about the prophecy that something big is going to happen in 2012.....

My resolutions for the coming year are about the same as last year's resolutions:  the weight loss thing, more construction on the house, garden better (and bigger) than ever, and continuing to give away possessions packed away that are never seen or appreciated.

Went for a walk with Pepper; it was raining, and we came back soaked.  I sent away for and received a Primus stove that fits in the palm of your hand and a headlamp.  Today, I organized all my camping gear, ready to go if and when I can get away.

I'll put a chicken to roast in the oven later, bake another squash, make cranberry sauce, fry up a yam in sugar and spices, and drink a toast to the coming year.  Meantime, I'll just settle down now with my seed catalogs.

Settling down now, after getting all my housework done for the week, I can begin to look at all the seed catalogs that have arrived to date:  Select Seeds, Shumway's, Gardener's Supply Co., J. W. Jung Seed Co., Farmer Seed and Nursery, Harris Seeds, Seeds of Change, Territorial Seed Co., Vermont Bean Seed Co., Totally Tomatoes, Pinetree Garden Seeds, Seymour's Selected Seeds, and Growers Supply.

I know I don't need another seed in my inventory, but some of them are irresistible, and I definitely want to try some new varieties this year.  It will be a hair-splitting effort to keep things under control. 

I had a nice talk with my grandson on the phone yesterday.  He is doing well, keeping busy, and I invited him to come over this summer to swim and camp out.

Arnie is doing very well now that I have started him on antibiotics - even he seems relieved, and the fur has begun to grow back over the wound already.  And John has responded well to my nursing efforts.  He loves the boots I got him for Christmas; they are keeping his feet warm and dry.  Well, everything is ship-shape, and I might just celebrate by jumping into the tub and giving myself a shampoo.  Aaahh, the evening beckons.

I was to have gone to my brother's today for an overnight visit, but this morning, after viewing what the weather channel had to say about it, I called him, and we agreed that I will drive over there next Tuesday.  He had to walk to his job this morning, and had trouble slipping and sliding on the ice, so he was very understanding about my not wanting to drive today.  Also, it's very foggy.

Of course, I love this weather, as long as I can view it right at home.  I definitely am going for a walk later on.  My friend, John, is sick (again) with flu-like symptoms, and I just hope and pray that I don't get it. 

Arnie's wound is not healing well, and today, I've started him on a course of amoxycillin treatment, 500 mg. every 6 hours.  I believe it's a bite wound from another dog he has to deal with (not ours) and it's probably abcessed.  John doesn't have enough money to pay a vet, so I will have to do whatever I think is best here.  The bite is on his left hind leg.

And my kitchen sink pipes underneath keep falling apart some, and draining into a bucket I have sitting under it (that's good!), but the annoyance factor is building up there for me.  I may take some wire later on, and tie the whole thing up tighter. 

But I didn't sleep a wink last night, due to worrying about driving in this weather, and now I'm so tired, I will just have to lie down and catch a nap.  The seed catalogs have been arriving in droves, and I had made that resolution that I didn't need any more seeds?  I could spend thousands.  I would need a huge field and a tractor to plant everything I would like to grow.  My 30' x 30' garden, plus whatever I can manage in side plots (not enough sunny places) will just have to do, and it will be a lot of work anyway.  So restraint is in order.

I have been spending a lot of time on the phone with my younger brother and sister lately; we all think it somewhat strange that none of us is married, and I am the only one who has a "special friend" even.  After we have talked, I end up spending several days recollecting my childhood, and it has been very enlightening.  My sister is in a self-help class through her church, and she describes her experiences to me, and the lessons then pass on to my own life experiences.  

Last night, I had such a weird dream, and I know now that dreams, too, are part of the jigsaw puzzle that is our life on earth.  We spend at least a third of our time asleep, so it's only natural that our dreams have great significance.  They are part of our reality. 

I see this morning that another dusting of snow has been added to the snow we already have.  Each bough and twig and trunk has an additional coating of snow, and the muffled silence is impressive.  I can't see even to the neighbor's house, nor to the road, and I have to bend down to get through the branches to the birdfeeder, etc.  This feels so protective and "interior" to me; the sky is pewter gray and it is supposed to snow a lot more over the coming days. 

This is a good time for introspection and to draw comfort from my surroundings.  I have been blessed with complete joy lately and have been getting a lot of housework done, taking many things to Good Will and throwing out stuff that just needs to be gone.  And I've gotten a pair of boots for my special friend for his Christmas present.  They came yesterday via UPS and fit him well.  I've also gotten a Primus stove, a little one that fits in the palm of your hand, mostly.  Now I'll have to buy a can of fuel for it and see if I can manage to get it lit and cook something outside. 

I had such a good time with my kids, playing Yahtzee and singing along to the Johnny Cash CD they had playing - I still remember the words and all.  After a nice luncheon of shrimp stirfry and other goodies, they had to leave, and I got out of there too, home to my sweet doggies. 

At home last eve, we decimated the rest of the smoked salmon, sharing the skin and fat with the dogs, who are still begging for more this morning.  John and I toasted each other with a small glass of Frangelico.  So then, I went for a walk with Pepper, and have put away and organized things that were collecting over the holiday.  Ramen noodle soup for lunch, and I am ready for a nap!

I am reading the book, "The Hidden Messages in Water" and I love it!  I rushed to the sink and got a big glass of wonderful water to drink, and have been remembering to drink more water.  Along with my breathing exercises, walking, and oh yeah, not eating so much.....The drilled well is a wonderful addition to my life, well worth the $3,500 or so to have it done.  The water is 99.9% pure, and has a good taste.

The snow is deep and sticky, I drove to my daughter's with all the presents I have, and spent the afternoon there, exchanging gifts, eating what her husband had prepared.  He's a chef, and it was quite a feast.  Smoked salmon, mussels drenched in garlic butter and parmesan cheese, and Italian beef sandwiches with au jus.   And many raw vegetables, dip and chips, cheeses and crackers.  A good time was had by all, and there was no room in my tummy for blueberry pie.  I received cameras from my son, and took pictures of everybody, plus a picture of a pileated woodpecker going at their suet outside.

But I was home by 5:00, had a nap, then spent a late evening visit with my friend, John; finally, went to sleep about midnight and up again this morning, I will be going over to my daughter's again later.  John has a lot of family up for the holiday, so don't expect to see much of him today, either. 

So for Christmas, I got 2 wedges of asiago cheese, a big slab of smoked salmon, a Hillshire Farm sausage, holistic treats for my dogs, an air purifier, "The Hidden Messages in Water" by Masaru Emoto, "An Inconvenient Truth" DVD by Al Gore, 3 throwaway cameras, a bottle of Frangelico, the complete Jerry Seinfeld shows on DVDs, a wicker basket, candy, cupcakes, even a bag of tortilla chips, a Harley Davidson cuddle wrap from my brother, $100.00 from my other brother, so I can afford to drive down and see him, and $40.00 from my sister.   

I seem to like lists of things, and often make up lists in my head as I'm falling asleep (takes the place of counting sheep).  "Things That Could Get You" is a favorite, like crocodiles and tsunamis.  "Things To Do Before You Die" is another and definitely puts me to sleep.  And "Seeds on Hand" etc.  But there are many lists; I heard there was a book published of some person's lists.  I would like to find that book.  I'm sure it would be very inspirational. 

I feel that I received more than I gave; I know that's a fact, but I didn't have much money this year, and tried to get everybody to see the wisdom of not spending too much.  I gave an electric hand mixer, many dish towels and hand towels, pot holders and mitts, energy-saving lightbulbs, a wrench, Suse Orman's FICO kit, loaves of wild rice bread, jars of strawberry jam, quarts of applesauce, Sudoku and crossword puzzles, 2 magazine subscriptions, 3 bags that compress your stuff into flat pancakes for storage, a set of southwestern-inspired bell chimes for a patio featuring Kokopelli, a set of books about gardening, and that's about it.  Maybe I'll take advantage of after-Christmas sales this year and do some more shopping.

And my son just called, so I have to leave now and get over there again.....merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! 

It began yesterday, late afternoon, changing from rain and sleet to snow, just as my son and his fiancee arrived at their destination in the far north.  This morning, everything is covered with a thick layer of snow, but not too deep, I would say about 4-6 inches is all.  It is beautiful outside, and the dogs love it.  But even they came back in the house sooner than usual.  In the far distance, I can hear the muffled sound of someone snowblowing their driveway.  The whole world is white, muffled, every branch and twig layered with about 2 inches of snow. 

We are eating a loaf of the wild rice bread I made yesterday.  It sure is thick and hearty, and I'm thinking of changing the recipe so that it is lighter and fluffier.  I cooked up two bags of beans for John, using both of my slow cookers, bagged them up in gallon freezer bags, and have frozen them.  Now he can defrost a bag, add whatever ingredients he likes, and enjoy.  We both like beans, but I like mine prepared differently than he does.  I have heard that slow cooking beans on a low heat setting is better for your health; that cooking them under high heat, as canning factories do, actually forms a chemical in the beans that is carcinogenic.  Well, I'm not an expert on that, but I have enjoyed cooking the beans up at home. 

Today, I'll work on getting my truck out of the driveway and down to the mailboxes and back; that way, I'll be ready to go tomorrow when I see the kids.  They are spending today with her folks, tomorrow with his folks (me and daughter, etc.), then on Christmas day, they have to leave and drive home already.  Last minute preparations are in order today. 

From Motherpeace by Vicki Noble, 1982:

Patriarchy has brought us no peace.  Instead, its leaders try to reassure us by arguing, as Winston Churchill did, that "safety will be the sturdy child of terror and survival the twin brother of annihilation."  What Churchill apparently meant, in his apologia for the nuclear age, was that we could assure survival not by actually annihilating people but by threatening to do so, perpetually, and hoping that no accident or folly would lead to war.

Today, leaders warn us about terrorists, while themselves commanding the terrible power to wreck, within half an hour, whole continents.  And the idealogists of Patriarchy tell us that "man" has always been a killer, his first tools a club to break an arm, a stone to smash a skull.  In this view, all that changes is the sophistication of the weapons and the "causes" over which to fight. 

I listened to President Bush's speech the other night, and as always, I strain to hear and understand exactly why we are in Iraq and why we have done such terrible things to the Iraqi people.  He mentioned, rather in passing, that we are fighting a war of ideologies that will take a very long time.  Yes, we may just have to cram democracy down all their throats, while losing our democratic rights over here.  A war that will never, can never, be won.

This recipe makes four loaves:  Peel, cube and cook one medium potato, mash and measure.  It should make 1/3 to 1/2 cup mashed potato.  Set aside.  Put 1 cup wild rice in food processor, pulse until rice is broken up a bit.  Cook rice in 2 cups water until all the water is absorbed; set aside.  Cook 1 cup rolled oats in 2 cups water according to package directions.  Set aside.  Start 2 packages dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with a pinch of sugar.

In large bowl, mix cooked rice, oats and potatoes.  Add 2 cups warm water, 6 tblspns. honey, 2 tblspns. salt, 4 tblspns. soft butter, and the yeast mixture.  Add enough bread flour to make a stiff dough (anywhere from 7 to 15 cups).  Knead dough 5 to 10 minutes. 

Let rise in greased large bowl for approximately one hour, or until it doubles in size.  Form 4 loaves and put in greased pans.  Let rise 1/2 hour or until doubled.  Bake at 375 degrees for anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the amount of flour used.  Turn bread out of pans to cool. 

When cooled and wrapped, these make excellent gifts in a Christmas basket.  The reason for such diversity in flour and baking times, I think, is that you don't want to have the bread be underdone and be gooey on the inside.  I had to take the bread out and slice it open to find out that I needed to bake it longer.

I don't think I blogged yesterday; that's because I went for the longest walk with Pepper, and my hips and back were aching before I got back home.  But as I stood resting, I reflected on how I no longer have the burning pain in my back, so I am getting better. 

When they destroyed my thyroid with their darn radioactive iodine, they gave me such a large dose, I swear they almost killed me.  I have been battling back from this ever since.  Talking to my friend, who had the same symptoms I did, she informs me that they gave her a dose of the same thing (but apparently a much smaller dose), and she has been A-OK ever since; she never had the weight gain and other health problems I've had.  Why did they have to give me such a high dose?  I wish I had not taken their word for it - that I had sought out alternative medical advice first.

I got an email from my grandson this morning!  I had a feeling the other day that he would contact me.  He is super busy and forgets to check his emails for a month at a time.  He must have quite a buildup of emails by then. 

Well, I didn't get started on those potholders yesterday...by the time I got back from the walk, I had lunch and took a nap.  When I woke up, it was getting dark, so I had scrambled eggs (organic, vegetarian eggs) and toast for supper.  Maybe today. 

Ah, the sun is shining and I went for a nice walk with Pepper, feeling pretty good here.  Got some laundry, dishes done, garbage out, dogs fed.

I am worried about Arnie's health.  That bite wound that had been swollen has gone down, but now he is licking it so much, he has the fur gone, and he licks and nibbles elsewhere at his fur, too.  I don't know if this is a food allergy or something even more serious.  Soon, I will begin to harp about getting him to the vet, if he doesn't show improvement soon. 

Apparently, calico prints are the best for quilting....I have only 3 fabrics that have calico prints, and a few others that are of doubtful value when quilting.  But I'm learning, so I think I will make do with what I have for these quilted potholders.  I'm making them for little Christmas presents.  Having selected 9 fabrics that might be used, I have only eliminated two that I won't be using.  I've been saving lint from my dryer, rolling it up and putting it in a bag.  Now I can just unroll these lints and use them as stuffing for the potholders, stacking them up 2 or 3 deep and cutting them out to 7 or 8 inches square. 

I can't think of anything even slightly worth mentioning at this time.  Walk dog, vacuum, and mainly, I spoke yesterday on the phone to all my loved ones, who called in succession.  My son, daughter and brothers; only missing is my grandson, who seems to have gone off the radar again - we don't know where he is or how to contact him.  Our emails have gone unanswered.  This has happened periodically for years, and we are beginning to think he wants it that way, and it hurts.  All we can do is play a waiting game and hope he returns. 

I sat down with my seedbox and a brand new notebook, and wrote down everything I have now on hand, and also the year it was purchased.  I am pleased to say that my seeds, for the most part, are newly purchased, and that I certainly have everything I need right now to have a fantastic garden this coming growing season.  I think I will spend some money on better fencing and greenhouse materials this year, instead of seeds and plants. 

I will be most anxious to see if the deer nibbling has destroyed the asparagus, etc.  If they  have destroyed things, I will be sure to have the fences in place BEFORE the planting this time.  I found a variety of Winter Lettuce among my seeds, and have decided to plant some now and see how it does on the windowsill. 

Should I list everything I have on hand?  Why not.  Beans, bush:  pencil pod black wax, Vermont cranberry, Jung's tricolor, Jacob's cattle, tender green;  Beans, pole:  vigna yard long, Kentucky blue, Kentucky wonder wax, scarlet runner;  Peas:  Mr. big, Oregon sugar pod II, medium green improved.  Squash:  gray winter (from Jill), sweet meat, table queen ace, delicata (sweet potato), vegetable spaghetti, Lakota, eightball zucchini;  Watermelon:  pony yellow, sugar baby;  Muskmelon:  classic hybrid, Jenny Lind;  Pumpkin:  baby bear;  Corn:  NK199 (elephant ear), miracle hybrid bicolor, golden midget, yellow hybrid, golden bantam, Inca gold. 

Brussels sprouts: jade cross hyb. - Broccoli: belstar hyb., Waltham - Cauliflower: amazing, snowball, broccoverde - Pak choi: brisk green - Cabbage, flowering: osaka mix - Cabbage: pinetree mix, ruby perfection - Eggplant: fairy tale - Cucumber: diva, Boothby's blonde, longfellow, national pickling, fancy green slicer - Peppers:  beaver dam, red cheese, big red bell, jalapeno, corno di toro, kaleidoscope, California wonder, super chili - Beets:  pinetree mix, Crosby's extra early, cylindra, early wonder - Celeriac: large prague - Turnip: golden ball. 

Carrot: healthmaster, red cored chantenay, danvers - Radish: crimson giant, early scarlet globe, German giant parat, pinetree mix, French breakfast - Tomato: large red cherry, big beef hybrid, delicious, early big red, green zebra, groundcherry husk, jolly hybrid, sugar lump, sweet cluster, tip top, wonder light, yellow pear, pineapple, roma, Rutgers select - Greens: vitamin cooking, Oriental salad - Spinach: pinetree mix, tyee hybrid, hector, Indian summer - Cutting Celery: afina - Chard: bright lights, bright yellow - Mustard: tatsoi spoon - Kale: red Russian, wild mix - Lettuce: chicken and rabbit blend, winter mix, bon vivant, pinetree mix, little gem cos, iceberg - Strawberry: hanging basket type.

Sunflowers:  giant sungold, sunny skies, ruby moon, pastiche, fantasia, bashful, tarahumara, elecampane - Nasturtium: gleam mix, tall climbing single, jewel mix - Calendula: radio extra, Pacific beauty mix, Indian prince - Marigold: tiger eyes, safari red - Sweet Annie - Pansy: strawberry sundae - Rudbeckia: rustic colors - Delphinium: Connecticut yankee - Morning Glory: heavenly blue - Nicotiana: only the lonely - Zinnia: giant cactus flowered mix - Aster: crego mix - Cosmos: sensation mix - Baby's Breath - Cut flower mix. 

Oregano, Greek - Parsley; Italian flat leaf, dark green Italian - Dill; bouquet, Long Island mammoth, fernleaf - White Sage - Thyme - Catnip - Basil; sweet, lime, large leaf - Cilantro or coriander.

I won't be able to plant all the squashes, tomatoes and corn I have - unless some kind soul offers me a place where I can grow these things. 

I went for a long walk with Pepper in the glooming.  Sometimes it rains, sometimes it snows.  There is supposed to be a meteor shower tonight, but it will be too overcast to see anything. 

I want to make potholders as Christmas gifts, so I got out a lot of books and saved patterns, and in an hour or so, had found patterns I can use.  Today, I'll go to the big bin of fabrics I have saved and see what I can use there. 

I made a list of things to do this morning, and it takes up a whole page of notepaper.  Repot African violet, trim Daphne's toenails, bag up and take out garbage, clean spare bathroom, wash dog bedding and jacket, empty vacuum and vacuum rugs, shampoo icky spot on rug, get out fabrics for potholders, shampoo my hair, go for a walk, clean countertops and stove, call phone company re: their screwup, and call bank re: their screwup.  The hardest things to do on this list are the phone calls, because I have to gather all the paperwork and know what I'm talking about before I make the call.  It's hard to know what I'm talking about!     

It's so gray, foggy, rainy and dreary outside, that I don't even feel like going outside for a walk.  Instead, I contented myself to get Christmas cards signed and addressed, and put them in the mailbox, flag up.  Also paid the last of this month's bills, etc.  Finished doing my bookkeeping for the year, have reduced overall debt by $2,000 and I'm so impressed, that it tempts me to go on a shopping spree.  I am desperately trying not to do that, though.  Still....there are a few things I would like to get. 

We've had a tragic episode here in the Northwoods.  A local man who writes an "outdoorsy" column photographed a female wolf and printed the photo in the paper.  It was radiocollared and a member of a local pack.  A couple of days went by, and the rangers noticed that the collar was signalling that the wolf was probably dead, as the signal goes on if the collar doesn't move for awhile.  They tracked the collar down and found it snagged on a log in a rapids.  It had been cut through with a knife, so someone had killed the wolf and thrown the collar into the river.  I guess there are two kinds of people in this world - those who believe that all the animals have their place in the ecosystem, and those who fear and hate (wolves).  I hope someone finds out who did it and turns them in.  Wolves are protected in this state.  It reminds me that the American Bald Eagle was almost exterminated by those who see a big black target and think it might be easy to kill and brag about.

December's cover on my Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine shows a beautiful bobcat, and below his picture is a headline for "fur school" on how to skin out trapped animals.  Why do they do it?  I just don't know.  The article about the wolf suggested that people may have reason to fear wolves while walking with their dogs.  I have been here in the woods for 60 years and have never experienced fear of wolves, walking with or without dogs.  And I've spent a lot of time in the woods, fields and lakes.  The scariest things in the forest are the two-leggeds, or the top-siders (as the muskies call us).