Katelynn is in New England for Christmas and New Year. We all haven’t seen the Northern New England states, yet. So, we have planned a couple of trips with her. Originally, we wanted to go to Portland, Maine a day after Christmas first. But unfortunately, Kevin’s Jeep got rear-ended in Marlborough, a suburb of Boston. And that trip ended right there. Thank goodness, we are all okay.
On this trip, I planned to drive up to Brattleboro, Vermont. But then I saw, that Guilford has a nice Vermont Welcome Center at Interstate 91. We planned to visit the Kringle Candle Company in Bernandston, Massachusetts. Since Bernandston almost lies at the Massachusetts/Vermont border, we decided to hop over that border to say we have been in Vermont.
The Guilford Welcome Center is a beam barn, which pays tribute to Vermont’s agricultural roots. The building was opened in late November 1999. When we arrived at the Welcome Plaza, we looked at some beautiful ceramic pottery. Once we were inside the Welcome Center, there was a lot more art in display cases, history of Vermont, maps, and guides. The center has also a terrace from where visitors can see the old agricultural machinery in the meadow. From Spring to Autumn I imagine, it is a nice place to take a little rest and have a picnic in the garden or the apple orchard. When we visited, it was raining and there was still a leftover pile of snow on the ground next to the parking lot.
But now, I have some reading material I can look through to plan a longer trip deeper into the Green Mountain State. There is definitely a lot to explore in the future. For now, Katelynn, Sara and, I can say we have visited our 40th State. Vermont is State #41 for Kevin.
I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
So, now I have a bit more detail about my Portal Vein Thrombosis and Hypertension. The GI Team discussed my case for almost a week, before a surgeon came into my room, explaining, what was going on and how they try to insert that shunt into my vein.
Here is what I’ve learned: The portal vein is connected to a completely different vein system than the regular veins that transport blood back to the heart. Imagine, you drive on a highway (in this case blood through the portal vein). The highway has a narrowing, due to construction (blood clot). Lots of cars try to drive on that highway and it becomes congested. Now, people get the idea to get off Exit 1, Exit 2, … etc. In the beginning, this is no problem. Unfortunately, there are not only a few cars; there are hundreds of cars trying to get off these exits. Now, the traffic at these exits gets congested as well. Everyone tries to get around the traffic, and it becomes jammed as well. The exits in my case are the veins to the esophagus and stomach. They got congested, bulged out, and began to bleed. Therefore I had blood in my vomit and stool, last week. Tomorrow, it’s the doctors’ job to build a bridge over that construction zone to release the traffic to other highways and streets in the form of a TIPS procedure. They work on the construction by removing the blood clots. The surgeons had to discuss this project for a while to make sure the outcome would be long-lasting with minimal risks involved.
And yes, the team works with medication on my pancreatitis, stomach ulcer, and anemia. Today is day #10, me being in the hospital. I haven’t bled for almost a week now. So, they must have been doing it right.
Kevin, Pluto & Sam at Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Samuel comes from the ‘Old Testament’ in the “Bible.” The name originates from a Hebrew phrase that means “name of God” or “God has heard.” A fascinating aspect of Samuel is how he’s a respected figure across all Abrahamic religions — Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Despite differing faiths, Samuel’s narrative is fairly consistent: a wise leader, seer, and judge in ancient Israel, a remarkable story that began before he was born.
His mother, Hannah, had been childless for years. Samuel was born to her and Elkanah after much heartache and prayers. In gratitude, Hannah dedicated her son to the service of Eli, the priest. Soon it became clear that Samuel was no ordinary boy and was destined for greatness. He received divine oracles as a child. As an adult, Samuel was instrumental in the victory of Israel over the Philistines. It is said that Yahweh spoke directly to Samuel, after which he anointed Saul as king.
The first ‘Book Of Kings’ contains detailed information on the man. Though the “Bible” has two books dedicated to Samuel, he was neither the author nor protagonist of the books. Why, then, were the books named after him? It could signify how respected and revered Samuel was. Was Samuel a prophet, politician, or a seer ahead of his time? Perhaps he was all these things if we go by history and religious scripture.
Fox squirrels are large tree squirrels. Due to their ability to adapt to a wide range of forest habitats, they are Texas’ most common squirrel. Their greatest numbers occur in open upland forests with a mixture of oak and nut trees. Fox squirrels are an important game animal but their fondness for corn and pecans often cause them to be considered pests by farmers.
Squirrels are usually active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Fox squirrels nest in holes in trees or build leaf and twig nests. They eat acorns and other nuts, buds, fruit, fungi, insects, amphibians, and the inner bark of trees. Squirrels bury nuts for winter food and relocate the nuts by smell. Squirrels find only a portion of the nuts they bury and are important in planting many species of nut trees. A single squirrel can bury several thousand pecans over 3 months.
Squirrels’ long bushy tails are used for a variety of purposes. They can be wrapped around a squirrel’s face to keep them warm, used as an aid in balancing when they run along tree limbs, or spread and used as a parachute if the squirrel should fall. With a little practice, watching a squirrel’s tail movements gives you a clue to their mood. Quick jerks of the tail signal that they are nervous or upset.
Fox squirrels usually have 2 breeding seasons and litters a year. Breeding season peaks in January and February and again in May and June. The young, usually 3 – 4 to a litter, are born naked, blind and helpless. Just three months later, however, they can survive on their own. Squirrels can live up to 15 years.
National Candy Cane Day is on December 26, and while that doesn’t mean it’ll keep us from munching on the sugary sticks as early as Thanksgiving, it does give us a chance to indulge as much as we can before New Year’s. With beginnings in 17th-century Germany, these sweet treats were curved to represent the shepherds’ crooks. They later made their way to the States in the mid-19th century. Now we see them everywhere, even on trees.
Later that day, I took the subway to the Nymphenburg Castle (Schloss Nyphenburg). I had a nice walk from the Palace Channel to the Palace itself. On my first visit, I just wanted to walk around the Palace’s garden and enjoy the nice weather and outdoors. While I was there, I got into a conversation with a local man, who pointed out the window of the room where King Ludwig II* was born in August 1845. He said Ludwig’s 155th birthday was three days ago. I laughed and answered, that my birthday was three days after Ludwig’s. But I’m not that old. I turned 27 that day of my trip to Munich. It was an educational conversation about Bavaria. As a Franconian, it is nice to learn about our state’s culture and history.
*King Ludwig II of Bavaria is also referred to as the Swan King or the Fairy Tale King. During his reign, he built the Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, and the famous Neuschwanstein Castles. Walt Disney got his idea for the Cinderella Castle from Neuschwanstein, which can be seen in every Disney Park around the world, today.
National Joshua Day is on December 25 each year. Joshua is many things at once. Some of you may know him as the lovable Josh — familiar, traditional, and always sunny. In Abrahamic religions, the name carries significant weight and importance. He was Moses’ right hand, after all, leading the people of Israel into the promised land. The legacy of excellence seems to have lived on. The Joshuas of today aren’t just leaders wherever they go — they’re also at the top of our list of favorite people.
Our Joshua teaches the younger cats, how to catch a rodent at his old & wise age.
Soulmates aren’t the ones who make you happiest, no. They’re instead the ones who make you feel the most. Burning edges and scars and stars. Old pangs, captivation and beauty. Strain and shadows and worry and yearning. Sweetness and madness and dreamlike surrender. They hurl you into the abyss. They taste like hope. Victoria Erickson
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the housetop the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and turned around, Down the chimney, St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
Kevin and I met in a club, 23 years ago. He was with a couple of friends, who were friends with my friends. After a couple of drinks, we got into a conversation. When I was ready to go home, he gave me a ride to my apartment. Since he knew where I worked, he had shown up the next day. Usually, I don’t give people my phone number unless they ask or I ask for theirs. But when Kevin was standing in front of me, I said: “Dude, I forgot to give you my number last night. If you want to hang out, give me a call. Maybe we can do something for Christmas together.” Kevin agreed, folded the note, and left. The same night, he called me. And we were talking over a beer in a bar.
The next day was Christmas Eve. I was on vacation leave for the remaining days of the year. Months ago, a friend of mine and I planned a small Christmas dinner for the night before Christmas. I asked her if it was okay if I brought a friend over. She said: “Well, it’s Christmas. Nobody should celebrate this special holiday, alone.” Kevin picked me up from home. When I sat in the car and we talked a little bit, he opened the glove box and handed me a little present. I shook it, to hear what might be in there. Kevin screamed: “NOOOOOOOOOOO!” Later on, I found out, why he did that. Well, the little elephant lost part of its trunk, when I shook the little box. Even when the elephant doesn’t look perfect anymore. But it is a story worth talking about. It was very sweet of him since we had known each other for a couple of days. And it was the first gift, I got from Kevin. I still treasure these three wooden elephants to this very day.
Pfeffernüsse, known as ‘pepernoten’ or peppernuts, originated from Central Europe. A confectioner from Offenbach am Main, named Johann Fleischmann, is believed to have created the recipe in 1753. Since then, the cookie has become very popular, attracting the interest of many people, including renowned individuals like Felix Mendelssohn.
Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands are the countries most popularly known for this delicacy. In North America, the ethnic Mennonites are also very fond of pfeffernüsse. Today, the recipe is widely available and the cookie is widely consumed worldwide. However, pfeffernusse is traditionally reserved for the holiday period, around December. This is in keeping with the tradition of its origins, as the cookie has been associated with the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day and Christmas.
The traditional recipe consists of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, mace, anise, sugar, butter, eggs, and flour. Popular nuts such as walnuts and almonds are also used to give the cookie some flavor. Leavening agents are applied to the mixture, kneaded, and then baked. They usually come out hard from the oven but would soften after a few days. Also, they are tiny and are sometimes shaped like nuts, which is probably why they are called peppernuts. Nowadays, bakers make alterations to this recipe to include some other ingredients or remove some existing ones. While they generally have a spicy taste, you can easily adjust the spice you want. On National Pfeffernüsse Day, homemade peppernuts are made available for the family and guests.
Our ancestors depended on the passage of times and seasons. And the best way to measure the seasons was by observing the Sun and the Earth’s orbit around it. The winter solstice is the time of the year when the Sun is reborn, announcing a new season.
On December 21, the day is shorter as the Sun seems to stand still at a lower elevation, making the night longer. But, it is a transition period that ushers in a new season of more sunlight. Yule celebrations used to be tied with different pagan traditions, bordering on mythology and culture. Popular notions include the myth of the goddess giving birth to the Sun god. There is also the celebration of the surrender of power from the Holly King unto the Oak King. Plus, the ancient festival of the Germanic people about the Wild Hunt and the god Odin is also around the same time.
All the above form the crust of the Yule celebration. But, as stated earlier, it is even more symbolic in that it helped our ancestors to determine times and seasons. Understanding times and seasons was usually the difference between life and death, food availability and famine, victory and defeat, and many other things. With the introduction of Christianity, the Yule celebration has been linked with Christmas traditions too. It’s thought that December 25 was chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ because it is the renewal period. Yule and Christmas both share certain similarities, and they often overlap as well.
Before Maine was colonized by French and English settlers, it was populated by Wabanaki tribes. Until two centuries ago, Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, before it voted to leave Massachusetts. As part of the Missouri Compromise, it became a separate state. It was then admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.
Nobody can say for sure why it is called Maine. Some say it was named by French colonizers after the province of Maine in France. Others say it was named by English colonizers as a reference to the mainland. Either way, it is Maine today, and it is the only state named with a single syllable, and also the only state to border only one other state.
Maine’s rocky coastline, rough mountains, green expanses, and wiggly waterways have inspired numerous artists. From writers and poets to painters, they have all flourished here for centuries. Maine’s mountains and shores offer enough hidden treasures for tourists and locals alike.
In 2010, Kevin, Katelynn, Sara, and I went to our local Christmas Parade again. This time, the girls got a glimpse of Santa. Katelynn was in first grade. Her class had the school play “Santa’s Suit”, where she was the “Lego” Elf. On Christmas Eve, Katelynn lost her first tooth. So, the Toothfairy and Santa visited our home on the same night. Unfortunately, Sara had a bad cold on Christmas Day. She wasn’t too happy. But we made the best out of the situation.
🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅
2011
Santa left apples, oranges, nuts, and candy under the tree. Of course, Sara found the candy first and wanted some. Kevin and I said she could have some after breakfast. Instead of listening, she was very sneaky, put one in her mouth, and acted like she didn’t know what we were talking about. Lexi was happy, she had a new toy duck, which was shredded by her and Ranger the same day.
Kevin came for a visit, today. After I took a long-needed shower, we went to the Healing Garden on the 7th floor of the Yale-New Haven Hospital. It’s not very big. However, the garden can be a nice little oasis. At this time of the year, it’s mostly grayish/brown or snowed-in white. I was amazed to find a blooming Rhododendron bush in this cold weather. There is a water feature. But it is not running, due to the Winter. On the mulch, between some plants can painted stones with motivating quotes be found. Some of the trees have cute painted birdhouses hanging from their branches. The birds seemed to like them. They might over-winter in these birdhouses. It was great to get some fresh air outdoors. For a week, I spent most of my time in my hospital room. It was a welcomed change.
Fallow Deer at the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky
The European fallow deer also known as the common fallow deer or simply just fallow deer (Dama dama) is a species of ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. It is native to Turkey and possibly the Italian Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula, and the island of Rhodes in Europe but has also been introduced to other parts of Europe and the rest of the world.
Outside of Europe, this species has been introduced to Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Fernando Pó, Israel, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Morocco, New Zealand, Peru, Réunion, São Tomé, South Africa, Comoros, the Falk Islands, Seychelles, Tunisia, and the United States.
Aurum & Evergreen — Festively blended with pink grapefruit and apple infused with pomegranate and cinnamon leaf, Aurum & Evergreen is a noble scent with ribbons of vanilla snow and Siberian Fir throughout.
Top: Sparkling Pink Grapefruit, Green Apple Peel, Valencia Orange Mid: Pomegranate Juice, Cinnamon Leaf, Strawberry Jam Base: Sugar Crystals, Vanilla Snow, Siberian Fir
In August of 2000, for my 27th birthday, I took a trip to Munich alone. Since we had the Bavarian Ticket, which could be purchased for less than 20 Deutsche Marks (about $11) from Monday to Friday (on the weekends, we just had to pay about $5 more to have the weekend ticket where we could travel with certain trains through all of Germany on Saturdays and Sundays) I began to make this a tradition to go to Munich more often.
On my first trip, I just enjoyed walking from the train station to the center square (Marienplatz). In that area, there are a lot of historical buildings to see. There is the Old Townhall and the much bigger New Townhall. If you come to the visit at 11 am and 12 pm (local time), you can watch the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. From March to October it also can be witnessed at 5 pm. The clock reenacts the scenes of Munich’s history twice daily. The first scene tells the story of the marriage of Duke Wilhelm V to Renata of Lorraine in 1568. And the second scene is the Cooper’s Dance (Schäfflertanz).
Frauenkirche (Munich’s Cathedral can be reached from Kaufinger Strasse to get to Frauenplatz, which sits northwest of the center square. At Frauenplatz is also a fountain with stairs where you can rest your feet in the hot Summers. You just have to share your space with the locals, the rock pigeons. And yes, it can get warm in Germany.
The German Hunting & Fishing Museum was very interesting as well. I was allowed to capture a photo of the taxidermied Eurasian Lynx. It was prohibited to capture photos in the museum. I believe they have changed the house rules since the use of smartphones. The museum is located in the former Augustiner Church on Neuhauser Strasse.
That day, I just strolled around and had some good ice cream, before I took the subway to the Nymphenburg Palace, the birthplace of King Ludwig II.
Flake Appreciation Day is a special holiday that is celebrated on December 18 every year in the United States. The holiday is used to show appreciation for snowflakes which are loved by many. Snowflakes are beautiful, unique, and naturally occurring. They come in complex shapes and sizes and are divided into 35 categories. As with human fingerprints, no two snowflakes are exactly alike. Snowflakes are created when water vapor in clouds freezes around dust particles due to humidity. Typically hexagonal, snowflakes can sometimes take the form of flat, needle-shaped particles.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial Entrance in Kill Devils Hill
The US Code directs that Wright Brothers Day commemorates the first successful flights in a heavier-than-air, mechanically propelled airplane. Orville and Wilbur Wright made that first successful flight on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. While other inventors created planes that flew, Orville and Wilbur invented the first mechanically propelled airplane. Those inventors who came before them also inspired the Wright brothers in many ways. From a young age, Orville Wright and his brother, Wilbur, developed a fascination with flight. Inspired by a rubber band-propelled helicopter created by the inventor, Alphonse Penaud, the brothers dedicated their lives to the invention. They first found success manufacturing bicycles, including the Van Cleve and St. Clair.
The Bill of Rights Day is observed on December 15 in the United States. It’s an important day to celebrate America’s Constitution and the framework of society that ascribes rights and freedoms to society. Bill of Rights Day commemorates the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, with the National Archives documenting its many celebrations of the day. The Bill was introduced by James Madison, who later became the fourth President of the United States. Now, The Bill of Rights is displayed in The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., as a reminder to all Americans of their constitutional freedoms.
In Memory of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012:
Rachel D’Avino, 29 Dawn Hochsprung, 47 Anne Marie Murphy, 52 Lauren Rousseau, 30 Mary Sherlach, 56, Victoria Leigh Soto, 27
Charlotte Bacon, 6 Daniel Barden, 7 Olivia Engel, 6 Josephine Gay, 7 Dylan Hockley, 6 Madeleine Hsu, 6 Catherine Hubbard, 6 Chase Kowalski, 7 Jesse Lewis, 6 Ana Márquez-Greene, 6 James Mattioli, 6 Grace McDonnell, 7 Emilie Parker, 6 Jack Pinto, 6 Noah Pozner, 6 Caroline Previdi, 6 Jessica Rekos, 6 Avielle Richman, 6 Benjamin Wheeler, 6 Allison Wyatt, 6
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Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial
Here in Newtown, I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation. I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you’re not alone in your grief; that our world, too, has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you.
~ President Barack Obama, Newtown, Connecticut 12/16/2012
It’s a difficult task to pinpoint the exact moment that monkeys first emerged as a unique species within the animal kingdom, but it is believed that their appearance took place approximately 60 million years ago. This vast amount of time would pass, month by year by millenia, both creeping and speeding along, without the existence of a National Monkey Day! At long last, though, thanks to two pioneering college students, this would change in the year 2000.
Casey Sorrow and Erik Millikin, both studying art at Michigan State University, are responsible for the creation of this simian-centric celebratory day. Sorrow (fittingly) would admit to the Detroit Metro Times that he experienced a form of malaise around the holiday season and felt compelled to find a way to combat these December blues. After jokingly jotting down “Monkey Day” in a friend’s calendar, Sorrow took the idea and ran with it: when December 14th rolled around, he and his art school friends dressed up as monkeys and ran amok, putting on their best monkey impressions.
They would go on to incorporate ideas related to their newly formed holiday into their artwork and homemade comics. Publishing these pieces online allowed for the notion of a Monkey Day to spread, and now, decades on, the day is observed throughout the world in countries including Germany, India, and Thailand.
What started out as a bit of fun has evolved into a full-blown operation. Monkey Day serves as an important anniversary each year for raising awareness of modern threats to monkeys, with entities such as National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, and Greenpeace promoting the day. Sorrow and Millikin have also been instrumental in utilizing monkey-themed art as vehicles to serve this end, as well. Their work has brought an entirely new understanding of the term “monkey business!”
That cat … THAT CAT gets on our last nerves! He’s ornery; he does what he wants; he scatches every door frame to get into a room, even when we just “kicked” him out; he doesn’t let Kevin sleep; he complains, when we push him in the middle of the bed, so Kevin and I can stretch out; he gets himself stuck under the car wheel (we are still surprised, he didn’t kill himself yet). … Yeah, that boy ain’t that cute. We are still amazed, that Josh’ made it to 14/17. Who knows, how old this a**hole is. LOL … Well, we signed up for that eleven years ago. And now, we gonna deal with it, until he decides to cross the Rainbow Bridge. That might take another five to ten years. But after all, we love him. So, we want to wish Joshua a very happy, crouchy Birthday!
We know Alabama as the heart of America’s Deep South. Yet, this fascinating region comes with a long and rich history — before and after it would become part of the United States. Before European settlers arrived in the 16th century, Alabama was home to numerous indigenous peoples. The Spaniards were the first Europeans to explore the region, paving the way for other European countries to arrive.
The 250 years followed saw numerous battles for control of the area among the French, British, and Spanish. These events would culminate in the American War of Independence. What’s more, the foundations of the cotton economy began around this time — an institution that would go on to shape Alabama’s society, culture, and history. Before joining the Union, Alabama was part of the Mississippi Territory. Up until then, Alabama was claimed by the colony of Georgia. As pressure to create two states mounted, Congress carved out a new Alabama territory from the east of the Mississippi Territory. William Wyatt Bibb was the region’s territorial governor.
Within two years, the Alabama territory grew in population and economy. Petitions for statehood soon became louder. Alabama’s shift to statehood began at a constitutional convention that took place in Huntsville. Six months later, Congress passed a resolution on December 14 granting statehood to Alabama — the only state added to the Union that year. Alabama joined the Union a few months before Maine and a year after Illinois. The town of Cahawba in Dallas County was the first capital, and William Wyatt Bibb became the state’s first governor. Much later, the unassuming town of Montgomery in Alabama would set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement that swept the rest of the country and the world.
Since Kevin’s homemade Christmas tree got positive feedback, he installed it in 2008, again. The same year, I decorated a Christmas wreath for our girls.
I’m still at the hospital. But I am now in much better shape when I came into the Waterbury Hospital ER, last Sunday. Now, I’m sitting in a chair in front of my laptop, writing this blog in my Yale-New Haven Hospital room. What a journey it has been so far, and I still have a long way to go. Let me tell you, what happened, and what I know so far.
Saturday night, we’ve got the Christmas tree decorated in the front room. I stepped with my camera outside to capture photos of the tree in the front room window, when I began to feel nauseous. I took some deep breaths to no avail feeling better. I went back into the house to put my camera down, telling Kevin how I felt and that I go to the bedroom upstairs. After resting in bed for about five minutes, I had to go to the bathroom. I had really bad diarrhea and blamed it on the hotdog, I ate earlier in the afternoon. But when I looked at my bowel, I noticed something concerning: it was dark brown, almost black. After I laid back down, I could sleep for two hours. I felt fine until I turned on my side. I was sick all night. And in the morning, I had the same color in my vomit. I let Kevin look at it to confirm if it was blood. He wasn’t sure but looked concerned as well. That’s when I said: “I’m not messing around with this. I want to go to the ER! A doctor needs to see this. Especially knowing, I’m chronically anemic.” Kevin agreed with me. Later that day I found out, that this was a lifesaving decision.
In the ER I got a bed fairly quick, granted how busy the place was that day, after I stated: “Nausea, vomit, diarrhea with the possibility of blood in vomit and stool”. After a CT scan, ultrasound, urine & stool samples, and a couple of other bloody puking episodes, I’ve got an answer: “Pancreatitis with the possibility of an ulcer in my stomach; not even to mention my portal vein”. At that point, Kevin and I knew I would stay in the hospital overnight.
In the following days, more tests were done. And I kept finding out more as we went. Meanwhile, the doctors put me on an intravenous liquid diet to keep me hydrated. No water, no food for three days, due to tests and healing. On Monday, I’ve got an esophagogastroduodenoscopy done. Later, I found out I had some bleeding in the esophagus and a stomach ulcer. The doctor also discussed my history of portal vein thrombosis, the possible cause of a hemorrhage and narrowing in the portal vein, and that I might need Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Insertion (TIPS). A team of doctors began to communicate with a team of gastroenterologists at the Yale-New Haven Hospital about my health situation. On Wednesday, I found out I’ll get a transport to Yale. While waiting for my bed in New Haven, I finally was put on a Clear Liquid Diet. Thursday night, a room and a bed were ready for me. And I arrived at Yale at about 1 am on Friday. At 4 am, a doctor discussed with me my health situation, more tests, the TIPS procedure, a possible timeline, etc. and I pressed for some iron infusions as well. WTH, I lost a lot of blood already. And my hemoglobin level is in the basement. I do not want another panic attack episode, due to anemia ever again. It sucks!
Since I arrived in New Haven, I’ve got another CT scan done, can eat on a regular hospital diet, and found out a bit more about my portal vein problems. Unfortunately, I have another blood clot in my veins. But the GI doctors will discuss more, how they will put that shunt in my vein to keep it from bulging out, bleeding, and narrowing due to a former nasty blood clot, I had back in the Summer of 2018. I will stay very positive because I feel I’m in good hands with a great GI team here at Yale. Doctors keep me updated as they go. Due to today’s medicine and technology, there is a great possibility, that doctors can remove the clot, while they do the TIPS procedure. The nurses are wonderful in both hospitals. Now, I’ve got the weekend off with tests and can relax a little bit. There is not much that I can do other than follow the doctors’ advice to have a positive outlook, eat and drink on a hospital diet, take my medication, and keep my mind busy by reading a book, watch TV, write my blogs, communicate with family and friends online. One doctor said: “We will have you fixed by Christmas. This will be your Christmas present.” Well, it definitely will be a very nice Christmas present. I can’t think of a more precious gift, than a healthy life.
In 2004, Congress designated December 13 as National Horse Day and, since then, Americans have been taking the day to celebrate and appreciate the role of the horse in not only helping our country become what it is today but also its current role in the modern era. Horses, in general, contribute roughly $9.2 billion to the US economy. Whether they’re helping plow fields; move food and supplies into rural areas; move livestock in ranches; or just provide sweet, thoughtful equine therapy; horses have woven themselves into the fabric of life in America.
After the primitive Native American horses died out between 13,000 and 11,000 years ago, today’s wild-horse species were reintroduced to America by European colonists in the late 1400s. They’ve since flourished in the great plains and mountainous west, where wild herds’ thunderous hooves are still heard to this day. Rodeos are still a vibrant and celebrated part of the culture of the American West, and, in many rugged and rural areas, horses are still necessary for getting work done. While the history of Horse Day may be new to the millennium, horses themselves have always been intrinsic to the lives of many Americans.
The American Herring Gull or Smithsonian gull (Larus smithsonianus or Larus argentatus smithsonianus) is a large gull that breeds in North America, where it is treated by the American Ornithological Society as a subspecies of herring gull (Larus argentatus). Adults are white with gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots, and pink legs. Immature birds are gray-brown and are darker and more uniform than European herring gulls, with a darker tail. As is common with other gulls, they are colloquially referred to simply as seagulls. It occurs in a variety of habitats including coasts, lakes, rivers, parking lots, and garbage dumps. Its broad diet includes invertebrates, fish, and many other items. It usually nests near water, laying around three eggs in a scrape on the ground.
That pop of floral color in everyone’s home means the holidays are right around the corner. National Poinsettia Day on December 12 also forms a cultural bridge between the U.S. and Mexico. Poinsettias, known as Euphorbia Pulcherrima, come in hundreds of beautiful colors. Even if you have a limited holiday decorating budget, strategically placed poinsettias can enhance your home in a variety of ways. Bottom line: What’s a holiday party without a gorgeous poinsettia plant on the mantle?
Nothing brings in the holidays like the smell of freshly baked gingerbread. But before the decorative cookie led the popularity contest on the holiday dessert table, baking gingerbread was acknowledged as a specific profession. In the 17th century, only professional gingerbread bakers were allowed to make gingerbread, except at Christmas and Easter, when anyone was allowed to bake it.
In Europe, gingerbread was sold in special shops and at seasonal markets that sold sweets and gingerbread shaped as hearts, stars, soldiers, babies, trumpets, swords, pistols, and animals. Gingerbread was especially sold outside churches on Sundays. Religious gingerbread reliefs were purchased for particular religious events such as Christmas and Lent. Decorated gingerbread was given as presents to adults and children or as a love token bought specifically for weddings.
Gingerbread was also considered a form of popular art in Europe. Molds often displayed actual happenings by portraying new rulers, their children, spouses, and parties. Substantial mold collections are held at the Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, Poland, and the Bread Museum in Ulm, Germany. According to some food historians, the tradition of making gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800s. The first gingerbread houses were the result of the well-known Grimm’s fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel.” After this story was published, German bakers began baking ornamented fairy-tale houses made from gingerbread. They were brought over to America by German immigrants and became popular during the Christmas season.
In 1995, I visited Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Neuschwanstein with my then six-month-old son and a few friends. We had rooms in the Alpina (now Hyperion) Hotel. The first day, it was rainy. So, we just walked around in Garmisch. The next day was gorgeous. It was sunny and a perfect day to go see the Neuschwanstein Castle. At that time, there was some refurbishing done. So, we had a guided tour on a much smaller scale than the usual tour.
I discovered that King Ludwig II was very fond of the composer Wilhelm Richard Wagner’s operas. Ludwig invited Richard to his Hohenschwangau castle, which sits on a lower level across from Neuschwanstein. Every Summer, there is a concert in honor of Wagner under the roof of the Neuschwanstein Castle. Unfortunately, Wilhelm Richard Wagner never had the opportunity to visit the castle himself. He passed away before it was “finished”.In reality, the Neuschwanstein Castle was never completed. King Ludwig had his own tragic ending. His death was ruled by drowning in Lake Starnberg. It’s been said, it was suicide. But his death is controversial. Still today, many believe he was murdered. He passed away at the age of 40 on June 13, 1886.
Every year on December 11th, International Mountain Day aims to increase awareness about the importance of mountains. The conservation of mountains is a key factor in sustainable development. Mountains cover 27% of the earth’s landmass. According to the United Nations, 15% of the world’s population lives in the mountains. The mountains are also home to one-quarter of the world’s land animals and plants. Additionally, across the globe mountains provide freshwater to half of the world’s population. Another role mountains play is providing food resources. Six of the world’s most important food crops grow in the mountains.
As you can see, mountains are extremely important. Sadly, however, climate change and over-exploitation threaten our majestic mountains. As a result, the livelihood of those who live in the mountains is also under threat. Mountain people are among the poorest in the world. These threats to their home make it even more challenging to survive.
It was quite foggy until the rain arrived around noon. The weather(wo)man talked about severe storms. But we didn’t see much of it here in Connecticut. The storm line was further west from us, in Pennsylvania and New York State. Either way, we stay home and snuggle with our pets until the rain is over.
Though they were likely originally dwellers of both North and South America, llamas are believed to have gone extinct in North America during the last ice age, leaving them only in South America.
A cousin to alpacas, llamas were domesticated by humans around 4,000 or even 5,000 years ago, starting in Peru and the Andes mountains. Able to navigate tricky trails, llamas were often used as pack animals in these mountainous areas to carry loads of goods, while their fur was used to make textiles and fabrics.
In modern times, llamas are also often kept domestically on farms, sometimes as guard animals for other flocks such as sheep or even alpacas. Since they can live to be an average of 20 years, or even up to 30 years, owning a llama is a long-term commitment. And they love to live in herds, so it’s best to never have only one llama but at least two, or even several.
Bodhi Day is observed to mark the moment that took place 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and became the Buddha or ‘awakened one’. The story goes that, rejecting the luxurious lifestyle of a prince, Siddharta left the comforts of the palace at the age of 29 and went on a journey of deep introspection to seek meaning in life.
He meditated in Bodh Gaya, a town in northeastern India, under a Peepal tree (a species of Banyan fig), now famously known as the Bodhi Tree, and resolved to continue meditating until he achieved ‘bodhi’ (‘enlightenment’). He attained bodhi at the age of 35, after 49 days of continuous meditation. He was now able to see how everyone and everything was connected and therefore reached a state of enlightenment that would lead him to create the Four Noble Truths: Dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), Samudaya (arising), Nirodha (cessation), and Magga (path) in which the Eightfold Path is set out.
Buddhists commemorate this day by meditating, studying the ‘dharma’ (‘universal truth or law’), chanting sutras (Buddhist texts), and performing kind acts towards other beings. Some people mark the day in a more traditional sense by cooking a meal of tea and cakes. Bodhi tree plantings are held throughout the month and are usually accompanied by tea ceremonies, while incense and multi-colored lights are displayed during the following month in the capital city of Tokyo and in towns and villages across the country.
The trees were introduced to the U.S. by the United States Department of Agriculture facility at Glenn Dale, Maryland, as ornamental landscape trees in the mid-1960s. They became popular with landscapers because they were inexpensive, transported well, and grew quickly. Lady Bird Johnson promoted the tree in 1966 by planting one in downtown Washington, D.C. The New York Times also promoted the tree saying, “Few trees possess every desired attribute, but the Bradford ornamental pear comes unusually close to the ideal.”
In much of North America these cultivars, particularly ‘Bradford’, are widely planted as ornamental trees. The trees are tolerant of a variety of soil types, drainage levels, and soil acidity. Their crown shape varies from ovate to elliptical but may become asymmetric from limb loss due to excessive and unstable growth rates. The initial symmetry of several cultivars leads to their attempted use in settings such as industrial parks, streets, shopping centers, and office parks. Their dense clusters of white blossoms are conspicuous in early spring, with an odor often compared to rotting fish or semen. According to extension specialist Kelly Oten of North Carolina State University, the smell attracts flies which are the primary pollinators rather than bees. At the latitude of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the trees often remain green until mid-November, and in warm autumns, the colors are often bright, although, in a cold year, they may get frozen off before coloring. In the South, Callery pears tend to be among the more reliable coloring trees.
The state of Illinois is situated in the Midwestern part of the United States. The state has the sixth-largest population, the 25th-largest land area, and the fifth-largest gross domestic product (GDP). Nicknamed ‘the Prairie State’, the state’s motto is “State Sovereignty, National Union”. It is famous for agricultural productivity, dairy products, manufacturing, and soybean production. It is also a pioneer in food and meat processing. It is notable for cattle production and is a well-established state in social, cultural, and political views.
The state is a major transportation hub with road networks and routes connecting to international ports via its proximity to Lake Michigan. Some of its boundaries are formed by the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers.
When farmers started settling on the Illinois prairie, they discovered that the thick soil was not easy to sow. Then, a Vermont blacksmith named John Deere made the work easier with the invention of the steel plow that cut soil more efficiently than previous tools. Afterward, railroads and shipping lines grew with farms in the rich prairies as settlers spread across the state.
Many past U.S. presidents including Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama are known to consider Illinois as home.
Traveling around the state, one can glimpse nature’s wonders through Floyd Lloyd Wright’s designs. One can also take a tour to enjoy his architecture in Oak Park, Starved Rock State Park, and Horseshoe Mound. With so much to explore and see, Illinois is truly a place for urban and outdoor enjoyment.
In the Christmas Season of 2006, Kevin, Katelynn, and I visited California. Since we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Kevin’s grandparents in Anaheim, we stayed an extra day to go to Disneyland.
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2007
In December 2007, Kevin installed his first outdoor Christmas tree made of Christmas light chains. Everything was held up by a PVC pipe.
Some of my followers probably have noticed, I haven’t been posting for several days. Last Sunday, I ended up in the ER, and have been at the hospital since. I’m doing okay for what is going on. But I will write a detailed blog, once I’m back home and have recovered a little bit. In the meantime, I’ll keep it easy and wait for my procedure to be done in New Haven, CT.
St. Nicholas derived from Nicholas of Myra and was a bishop in 4th-century Greece. He was known for selling off his own items and then giving the money to the poor. He would commonly leave coins in people’s shoes and dedicate his entire life to serving people who were sick and suffering. This is how he gained his saint status, and is what inspired St. Nicholas Day (also commonly known as Feast Day or the Feast of St. Nicholas).
One well-known story of St. Nicholas involves a dowry for a father’s three daughters. In the third century, it was common for fathers to offer money to prospective husbands. However, one poor father with three daughters did not have money to do this. St. Nicholas paid for all three daughters’ dowries by leaving gold in their shoes.
As time passed St. Nicholas Day began in different ways. In Italy, this day was celebrated with feasts, gift-giving, and festivals. In other European countries like Germany and the Netherlands, children would leave their shoes or special St. Nicholas boots in front of the fireplace or front door at night and find presents in them in the morning. The history of St. Nicholas and his good deeds was part of the inspiration for the modern-day Santa Claus and Father Christmas, which is why there are some current traditions of leaving gifts in people’s boots or shoes (or stockings).
If someone at a park feeds bread to ducks, there are Mallards in the fray. Perhaps the most familiar of all ducks, Mallards occur throughout North America and Eurasia in ponds, parks, wilder wetlands, and estuaries. The male’s gleaming green head, gray flanks, and black tail curl arguably make it the most easily identified duck. Mallards have long been hunted for the table, and almost all domestic ducks come from this species.
Image of Knecht Ruprecht by Adrian Ludwig Richter (1803 – 1884)
In the folklore of Germany, Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand Rupert or Servant Rupert, is a companion of Saint Nicholas, and possibly the most familiar. Tradition holds that he was a man with a long beard, wearing fur or covered in pea straw. Knecht Ruprecht sometimes carried a long staff and a bag of ashes and wore little bells on his clothes.
According to tradition, Knecht Ruprecht asks children whether they know their prayers. If they do, they receive apples, nuts, and gingerbread. If they do not, he beats the children with his bag of ashes. In other (presumably more modern) versions of the story, Knecht Ruprecht gives naughty children gifts such as lumps of coal, sticks, and stones, while well-behaved children receive sweets from Saint Nicholas. He also can be known to give naughty children a switch (stick) in their shoes instead of candy, fruit, and nuts, in the German tradition.
Ruprecht was a common name for the devil in Germany and Grimm states that “Robin fellow is the same home-sprite whom we in Germany call Knecht Ruprecht and exhibit to children at Christmas …” Knecht Ruprecht first appears in written sources in the 17th century, as a figure in a Nuremberg Christmas procession.
According to Alexander Tille, Knecht Ruprecht represented an archetypal manservant, “and has exactly as much individuality of social rank and as little personal individuality as the Junker Hanns and the Bauer Michel, the characters representative of country nobility and peasantry respectively.” Tille also states that Knecht Ruprecht originally had no connection with Christmastime.
Ruprecht sometimes walks with a limp, because of a childhood injury. Often, his black clothes and dirty face are attributed to the soot he collects as he goes down chimneys. In some of the Ruprecht traditions, the children would be summoned to the door to perform tricks, such as a dance or singing a song to impress upon Santa and Ruprecht that they were indeed good children. Those who performed badly would be beaten soundly by Servant Ruprecht, and those who performed well were given a gift or some treats. Those who performed badly enough or had committed other misdeeds throughout the year were put into Ruprecht’s sack and taken away, variously to Ruprecht’s home in the Black Forest to be consumed later or to be tossed into a river. In other versions, the children must be asleep, and would awake to find their shoes filled with either sweets, coal, or in some cases a stick.
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Krampus is a terrifying figure found in parts of Austria, Bavaria, South Tyrol, Slovenia, and Croatia, most probably originating in the Pre-Christian Alpine traditions. In Tyrol, he is also called “Tuifl”.
The Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on December 6. On the preceding evening, Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. He sometimes accompanies St. Nicholas. However, Krampus will at times be on his own, visiting homes and businesses. Saint Nicholas dispenses gifts, while Krampus supplies coal and bundles of birch branches.
Europeans have been exchanging Krampuskarten, greeting cards featuring Krampus, since the 1800s. A Krampuslauf is a run of celebrants dressed as the beast and is still quite popular, many of the participants are fortified with schnapps. Over 1200 “Krampus” gather in Schladming, Styria from all over Austria wearing goat-hair costumes and carved masks, carrying bundles of sticks used as switches and swinging cowbells to warn of their approach. In the past few decades village Krampus associations parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout late November and early December.
Inspired by fresh-cut Christmas trees and the hot mulled cider served during Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll, the company president’s father, Mike Kittredge II, helped design this bright holiday scent.
Top: Balsam Fir, Pine Mid: Green, Moss, Sweet Base: Spice, Winter Air
The famous Walt Disney (Walter Elias Disney) was born in Chicago on December 5, 1901. However, the talented Disney we know did not emerge until 1919, when he began his career as an illustrator. In 1928, Disney created Mickey Mouse, a character he sketched on a bus. Can you imagine one of the most famous characters in the world being created like that? Today, the cartoon character is the centerpiece of the entire Disney brand.
However, things weren’t always so easy for Disney. In 1923, his first business venture Laugh-O-Gram Studios went bankrupt. At the time, he had only $20 to start over, so Disney decided to head to Hollywood, where he created a few cartoon characters with his brother. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to attain legal copyright for them. Then Mickey Mouse and other memorable characters such as Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck arrived. From thereon, there was no turning back.
After a few years, Disney began developing feature-length cartoons such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins. Disney made these animated creations during the 1940s to 1960s. Due to the success of these cartoons, it was not a surprise when Disney won 22 Oscars for his role as an American animator, film producer, and voice actor. But as we know, Disney didn’t stop there. He also opened theme parks in 1955. The Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, was under construction when Disney passed away. In 2018, the theme parks had already hosted over 157,3 million guests worldwide.
One afternoon in May 1993, I went up to our Fortress in Würzburg. Once, I walked up the hill, I captured some photos of the Fortress Marienberg. There is also a big wall, where visitors can overlook the city of Würzburg, which is my hometown where I was born, raised, and lived for 30 years before I moved to the United States.
Würzburg was also the filming location for the “The Three Musketeers” in 2010. Other places included Bamberg, Burghausen, the Herrenchiemsee Palace, Munich, and Potsdam in Germany. The movie was released in 2011.
In America, a cookie is described as a thin, sweet, small cake. By definition, a cookie can be a variety of hand-held, flour-based sweet cakes, either crisp or soft. Each country has its own word for “cookie.” In England and Australia, they’re referred to as biscuits, in Spain they’re galleries. Germans call them keks and in Italy, they have several names to identify the various forms of cookie. In America, the Dutch word “koekje” was Anglicized to “cookie.” The sweet treat came to America through the Dutch in New Amsterdam in the late 1620s. The earliest reference to cookies in America is in 1703 when the Dutch in New York provided 800 cookies for a funeral.
Hard cookie-like wafers have existed for as long (and maybe even longer) as baking has been documented. However, they were not sweet enough to be considered cookies by modern standards. They appear to have some origins in 7th century CE Persia, shortly after the use of sugar became relatively common in the region. They spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. By the 14 century, they were common in all levels of society throughout Europe, from royal cuisine to street vendors.
With global travel becoming widespread at that time, cookies made a natural travel snack, a modernized equivalent of the travel cakes consumed throughout history. One of the most popular early cookies, which traveled especially well and became known on every continent by similar names, was the jumble: a relatively hard cookie made largely from nuts, sweetener, and water.
The story of how International Cheetah Day was born is worthy of a movie adaptation. It all started in 1977 when American Zoologist, Dr. Laurie Marker took Khayam, a cheetah she raised from a cub at Wildlife Safari in Oregon, to Namibia. It was part of an experiment to determine whether captive cheetahs could be taught to hunt and live in the wild on their own again.
The experiment was a success, and she and Khayam returned home to the U.S. But during her stay in Namibia, Dr. Marker noted that livestock owners threatened the cheetah population in the wild. They were eliminating cheetahs vigorously because they were becoming a threat to their livestock.
Determined to help resolve the rift between Namibian farmers and cheetahs, Dr. Marker vowed to preserve the wild cheetahs and founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund in 1991. She negotiated with the locals and educated them about wildlife preservation. In honor of his memory, Dr. Marker chose Khayam’s birthday to promote cheetah conservation. Since 2010, the world has been celebrating International Cheetah Day on December 4 to raise awareness about the extinction threat they face.
Sadly, due to the excessive hunting of wild cheetahs for their fur, and the loss of their habitat due to increased human settlements, as of 2020, there are only around 7,100 cheetahs left in the wild. This is a shocking 50% decline in the last four decades. So, let us recognize this as the day to respect and conserve cheetahs.
Let’s throw this day to the dogs! Not just any dog, though. Today, we toast to the mixed breeds of the world, so raise your water bowls high … because this one’s for the mutts! There’s no ifs, ands, or mutts about it — December 2 is National Mutt Day, and we’re here to celebrate. In fact, we love this day so much, that we celebrate it twice a year. The next National Mutt Day is July 31!
Time to deck the halls, folks, because December 1 is National Christmas Lights Day! Before the invention of electric lights, families would balance candles on the branches of their Christmas trees—a risky practice that naturally led to several house fires. Electric Christmas lights were first invented in 1880 by Thomas Edison, who promptly strung them all over the outside of his Menlo Park laboratory. Because people were initially distrustful of electricity, however, it took another several decades for the invention to catch on. It wasn’t until 1903 when General Electric began selling pre-assembled kits of Christmas lights, that electric lights became popular with people of all classes. Today, electric lights are an integral part of the winter holiday season, and certainly aren’t exclusive to Christmas. As we get ready for the end of the year, let’s string up our lights and celebrate. ‘Tis the season, after all.
Eastern Poison Ivy or poison ivy, is an allergenic flowering plant that grows in Asia and eastern North America. The species is well known for causing urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, an itchy, irritating, and sometimes painful rash, in most people who touch it. The rash is caused by urushiol, a clear liquid compound in the plant’s sap. The species is variable in its appearance and habit, and despite its common name, it is not a true ivy (Hedera), but rather a member of the cashew and pistachio family (Anacardiaceae). Eastern Poison Ivy is commonly eaten by many animals and the seeds are consumed by birds, but poison ivy is most often thought of as an unwelcome weed. It is a different species from Western Poison Ivy, which has similar effects.
Wintry mornings wrapped in white, Evening, calm and still, Snowflakes dancing all around, Sled rides down a hill, Gatherings with loved ones — Such a pleasure to remember — all memories and special gifts That comes with each December.
Tanja's Little Corner of The World 