Work of the Poet

The Family Holiday Letter

2009-12-06T18:24:00.008-05:00

December 6, 2009

Dearest Family,

Well, it’s that time again; time for the holiday family letter from the Knutsons. I guess the most exciting thing that’s happened this year is that Mom & Dad both applied for, and were accepted to, Medicare! Imagine! Just in time for Dad to order those special diabetic shoes that he’s been wanting for the longest time.

Medicare paid our pharmacy $800. for them. They could never have afforded them if they’d had to pay for them themselves. They certainly don’t have any trouble with health care, Ha! We would ask you though not to spread this around the family or tell any of your friends. You never know with all the hullabaloo about health care in the country what could happen if people or the politicians found out.

So now let’s see, oh yes, Abilena’s teacher says she’s so good at coloring with crayons that she will probably be a designer some day. Also she was picked to play the lead in her kindergarten play, The Taming of the Shrew. I’m sure you know that’s a Shakepearean comedy. I thought it was amazing that the kindergarten teachers got together and agreed NOT to modernize the language but to leave it in Shakespeare’s own dialect so that it would be more authentic. The kids did an amazing job!

Abner graduated from elementary school this year and is going to a special magnet school for engineering. I’ve been driving him to school every morning, getting up at 5 AM to get him there on time. I’ve just about had it with freezing cold mornings because the car ( now 10 years old) has to be warmed up for almost a half an hour before we’re able to go. I’ve been asking Abner’s Dad to take over for me but so far no luck! Oh well, that’s the way it is when you have kids. You must sacrifice all (not to mention sleep) for them…

My big one, Ace, had a little problem this year but he was lucky. He got off with a strict warning and 250 hours of community service for his DUI. We always tell him not to drink and drive especially when he’s driving home from college to visit us. There are so many cops along that stretch of the Saw Mill Parkway just waiting to pick off young men who have just a teensy bit too much alcohol in their bloodstreams.

Believe it or not we got another cat this year. Yes, another cat. That makes 5 cats but, really we just love them all. We’re spending a lot of money on kitty litter but Costco usually has a bargain on 100 lb bags so we stock up weekly. I’ve been trying to get Abilena or Abner to clean out the litter boxes regularly but I’ve been having a little trouble getting them to do it. I usually end up doing it when the odor gets offensive. The kids are really quite busy with school, the dance and sports, so I can’t blame them totally.

Well, I guess that’s it for this year. I wish you all a very HAPPY HOLIDAY and HAPPY NEW YEAR. I don’t expect any of you will complain this year the way some of you did last year that I use generic holiday greetings. After all, if you want to say Merry Christmas, fine. But, as you know, we are extremely broad-minded and don’t want to give offense to anyone.

Love at the holidays,

Abril & Adrian Knutson, the kids and the kitty cats

Take This Tune

2009-12-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

Jamie wants to give some time to all the traditions in some fashion during the winter holidays in her Take This tune meme. So to kick them off, she's posted a great spiritual with many variations that draws on both the Old and New Testaments sung by the incomparable Audra McDonald.

For my post Ron Winans sings "Rise up Shepherd, and Follow" in the following video:

Ron Winans was a member of the gospel-singing Winans family and died in 2005 two weeks before his 49th birthday.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2009-12-05T15:34:00.004-05:00

Tracy of Hey Harriet hosts the Shadow Shot Sunday meme.

Shadows from late afternoon sun.

Go see Tracy's gallery of participants' shadow shots.

Looking at the Sky on Friday

2009-12-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

Tisha's the host of Looking at the Sky on Friday.

A dark cloud passes on a sunny day.

Go over and visit Tisha at Crazy Working Mom to join the fun and see what others are posting for LATSOF.

Letter to Santa by Little Johnny (edited for the family)

2009-12-03T10:47:00.006-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Love birds

Obama and Afghanistan

2009-12-01T17:03:00.003-05:00

Via BBC:
Obama 'to lay out Afghanistan exit plan'

Support for the Afghan mission among the US public has been falling

President Barack Obama is expected to announce that US forces will begin handing over to Afghan security forces by mid-2011, as part of an exit plan.

In a much-anticipated speech to the nation within hours, he is also set to unveil a rapid deployment of 30,000 fresh troops over six months.

But Mr Obama will not give a pullout date; officials say that will depend on conditions on the ground at the time.

The administration's sense of urgency is palpable, says our correspondent.

In Tuesday evening's address at West Point military academy, Mr Obama is expected to make an accelerated troop surge the centrepiece of his new strategy for Afghanistan.

Don't think I'm happy about this. I want to get out of Afghanistan and out of Iraq! I thought Obama would do both things and that's why I voted for him.
I won't be listening tonight because I'll be more unhappy than I am now watching him go against what he's wanted to do all along!

Decorating for the Holidays

2009-12-01T16:00:00.003-05:00

Ruby Tuesday

2009-11-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

Well, here's Ruby Tuesday again! With a brand new badge for the season! Take it if you want it by right-clicking and saving the image.

This was the first shot I took at a pretty little house on City Island, Bronx, N.Y. The woman came out while I was shooting and said "Oh, I haven't finished decorating yet!" I don't think I needed much more than the shot above to introduce the holiday season... What do you think?

I'll have more shots of City Island as the days go by so come back often to see shots of this historic seafaring community.

As usual sign Mr. Linky, comment and visit your friends who also post on Ruby Tuesday.

Take This Tune

2009-11-29T16:00:00.001-05:00

Jamie posted Joan Baez singing "Diamonds and Rust" for her meme this week. I chose Joan Baez, too, but she's singing "With God On Our Side," written by Bob Dylan. It's an anti-war song and the video is from 1966 the year I got married during a terrible time of protest and fear.

My husband, Vinny, was classified "1Y" during the Vietnam War which meant he was qualified for military service only in time of national emergency. He had a torn knee ligament which he lives with to this day. Obviously he never had to serve.

My nephew, Jim, came to spend Thanksgiving with us this year and we were delighted. He dressed for the day in blue shirt and kahki pants. He asked if he should wear a tie. He's blond, blue-eyed and takes after his father, my brother, in that regard. Jim, has been home two years since he went to fight in Iraq as a U.S. Marine. He's studying Arabic language and culture now at university and hopes to join the FBI or the State Department when he graduates next year.

Now putting all this together listen to Joan Baez sing, but open your hearts to the men and women who serve and defend our country. Be against war but for our armed forces. Be proud of those who go in harm's way to defend us.

With God On Our Side

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.

Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.

Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.

Oh the First World War, boys
It closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.

I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2009-11-28T15:13:00.005-05:00

Tracy of Hey Harriet hosts Shadow Shot Sunday.

It was a perfect day for shadows.

Go over to Hey Harriet for a gallery of shadow posts from last week and a list of links of us who are participanting this week.

Looking at the Sky on Friday

2009-11-27T17:10:00.004-05:00

Late afternoon, deep shadows, blue sky.

Posted for Tisha of Crazy Working Mom

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2009-11-25T14:38:00.001-05:00

To all my dear blogger friends
Enjoy your day!

Ruby Tuesday Giveaway WINNER!

2009-11-25T08:54:00.006-05:00

Good morning Everyone!

The winner of the Ruby Tuesday Giveaway is....

Number 46 BECKY AND GARY OF Woody Nook Creations

Congratulations, Becky and Gary. Send me your snail mail address in e-mail (my e-mail is on my sidebar) and I'll send the pillow on it's way.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
TO ALL THE RUBY TUESDAY PARTICIPANTS!

Thanks to everybody for keeping Ruby Tuesday going and making it a big success! You are all dear friends!

Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Enjoy your family and friends and all the good food!

See you next Tuesday!

Ruby Tuesday

2009-11-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Ruby Tuesday Giveaway Day!

We're giving away this lovely pillow that you see below!

"Truly Great Friends" Stitchery Pillow

Size: 10"W x 8"H

Reads: Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget

Around the edge it reads: The best antiques are old friends

From Classics and Country Home Decor and Gifts

All you have to do this afternoon and tomorrow is post your Ruby Tuesday post, link back here from your post, come back here, and sign Mr. Linky.

This contest will end Tuesday November 24 at midnight EST . One winner will be chosen randomly (probably using Mr. Linky numbers).

Please make sure you come back on Wednesday to see who won the giveaway. If you are chosen as the winner, you must respond within 48 hours with your snail mail address or an alternate winner will be chosen.

So join in the fun and don't forget to visit other participants!

Take This Tune

2009-11-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

Jamie here's another Thanksgiving song to celebrate the holiday.

Lyrics

Count your blessings one by one,

When dawn appears and day has just begun;

They will light your heart with happiness,

Make each hour bright and bring your gladness.

Count your blessings one by one,

When twilight falls and toil of day is done.

And in sweet dreams they'll come again to you,

If you will count your blessings each day through.

Count your blessings while you may,

For we arc here but little time to stay;

All around are hearts sincere and true,

Lovely things abound just waiting for you;

Count your blessings while you may

The big or small, whichever comes your way,

For then you'll find this world a place of love

If you will count your blessings from above.

Join with Jamie and the rest of us to post for the meme Take This Tune.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2009-11-21T18:03:00.004-05:00

Kissena Park, Flushing, N.Y.

Kissena Park is an ideal location to both relax and participate in fun outdoor activities. The beautiful Kissena Lake, flanked by weeping willows and shady trees, creates an idyllic setting to enjoy a sunny day. Stroll through the park to take in all of the lush flora and fauna and be sure not to miss the historic tree grove. The dozens of species of trees in the grove are some of the most exotic in the world. In fact, the grove got its start as part of a 19th century horticultural nursery for the New York region.

Visit Tracy at Hey Harriet for more enthusiastic participants in Shadow Shot Sunday.

Thanksgiving Laughs!

2009-11-21T10:13:00.011-05:00

Looking at the Sky on Friday

2009-11-19T16:24:00.003-05:00

Hi Tisha, here's my post for LATSOF.

Calvary Cemetery, Queens, NY

Go over to Tisha's Crazy Working Mom to find other participants in this great meme.

Ruby Tuesday Giveaway!

2009-11-19T09:18:00.000-05:00

Ruby Tuesday Giveaway!

My dear friends, in honor of Thanksgiving I'm hosting another Ruby Tuesday Giveaway!

Next Tuesday I will give away this lovely pillow:

"Truly Great Friends" Stitchery Pillow

Size: 10"W x 8"H

Reads: Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget

Around the edge it reads: The best antiques are old friends

From Classics and Country Home Decor and Gifts

All you have to do next Monday afternoon and Tuesday is post your Ruby Tuesday post, link back here from your post, come back here, and sign Mr. Linky.

This contest will end Tuesday November 24 at midnight EST . One winner will be chosen randomly (probably using Mr. Linky numbers).

Please make sure you come back on Wednesday to see who won the giveaway. If you are chosen as the winner, you must respond within 48 hours with your snail mail address or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Remember you have to be in it to win it! :)

Think Green Thursday

2009-11-19T09:05:00.005-05:00

Green Your Holidays

No matter who you are or where you live, chances are you'll be celebrating during the holiday season. While this is a time of joy and family reunion, so many of us get wrapped up in buying gifts, planning and attending parties and events, or competing with our neighbors for the best holiday decorations. All the hustle and bustle can mean that we forget to consider our impact on the environment as we go about our holiday activities.

Let us help you plan an eco-friendly holiday season! Here are some simple ways you can make the season of celebration a celebration of the planet we all share:

Travel Green. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the most traveled days of the year. There are many simple steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and travel safely. MORE>>
Eat Green. Just because it's getting colder outside doesn't mean fresh produce and meats aren't available in your area. Check out some of our ideas for eating green - and local - this holiday season. MORE>>
Give Green. The greenest gifts are those that are durable and easy to repair, recycle, or reuse. You can also help your family and friends go green by making responsible purchase choices. Check out our ideas. MORE>>
Party Green. If you're throwing a holiday party, make sure you throw a green party! Your guests will be surprised and you may convince someone to throw their own green holiday party next year! MORE>>

Perhaps the most important tip is: don't stop your green habits after the holidays. With a little creative thinking and some healthy changes of habit, you and your family can keep giving gifts to the planet all year long!

Have your own ideas for going green during the holidays? Share your tips with us -- we may feature you here! Contact us at info@earthshare.org or use our comment section below.

Thanksgiving Turkey sings "I Will Survive"

2009-11-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-11-18T10:29:00.004-05:00

Fleur de lis pattern fencing

Join Aileni and all the other participants in this fun meme.

What's a Turducken?

2009-11-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

Starting today and over the next week and a half, I though I'd post something interesting, possibly humorous, about Thanksgiving and things having to do with Thanksgiving.

I 've always wondered exactly what a turducken is. Have you?

Wikipedia says:

A turducken is a dish consisting of a partially de-boned turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed with a small de-boned chicken. The thoracic cavity of the chicken and the rest of the gaps are stuffed, sometimes with a highly seasoned breadcrumb mixture or sausage meat, although some versions have a different stuffing for each bird.

The result is a fairly solid layered poultry dish, suitable for cooking by braising, roasting, grilling, or barbecuing. The turducken is not suitable for deep frying Cajun style (to deep fry poultry, the body cavity must be hollow to cook evenly).

Claims that Cajun-creole fusion chef Paul Prudhomme created this dish as part of the festival Duvall Days in Duvall, Washington in 1983 are unverified. A November 2005 National Geographic article by Calvin Trillin traced the American origins of the dish to "Hebert's Specialty Meats" in Maurice, Louisiana. They have been commercially producing turduckens since 1985, when an unknown local farmer brought in his own birds and asked Hebert's to prepare them in the now-familiar style. The company prepares around 5,000 turduckens per week around Thanksgiving time.

Turducken is often associated with the "do-it-yourself" outdoor food culture also associated with barbecuing and shrimp boils, although some people now serve it in place of the traditional roasted turkey at the Thanksgiving meal. As their popularity has spread from Louisiana to the rest of the Deep South and beyond, they have become available through specialty stores in urban areas or by mail order.

The popularity of turducken is mostly limited to the United States and Eastern Canada.

The turducken song

And maybe you'd like to try a

turbaconducken

Here's a video to take you step by step through the making and assembly of a turducken:

WARNING: may not be suitable for people who intend to eat a turducken for Thanksgiving.

Ruby Tuesday

2009-11-16T16:33:00.011-05:00

Hi, my friends, it's Ruby Tuesday again! Here are a couple of photos I took this week.

Seagate
Gloria Pelkey

I've had this watercolor in my bathroom for many years and it's only recently that I realized it was a picture of a lighthouse. Do you see the light structure on the top of the house? I was surprised - you know how I feel about lighthouses... :)

I passed this tree today. I think it's a pin oak. It's almost bare now... :(

*Watch for my announcement on Thursday about a new Ruby Tuesday Giveaway in celebration of Thanksgiving. :)