Winter Moon rising and this and that

Sauna Setting in my computer's editing program

Night time landscape setting on my camera

December 22 we had a full moon on the rise...

In spite of all the Decorative lights on our cul-de-sac, the moon was big and bright from the time it popped over the trees

This photo was 100% luck and straight out of the camera.
This street runs beside our house.  While taking photos of the moon, I decided to
snap a few of all the decorative lights.  As I snapped, a car was passing.
I was able to capture some of those funky speeding lights you often see  in night photos, lower right corner.

This and That

And this and that I found in my December 12th file.

We have been watching this steel go up for several weeks.
It is progress in the making there was an older 3 story building on the site.
It was torn down to make way for this multistory building.
The old building was in a flood plain from day one.  I guess no one ever really thought
Crabtree Creek would flood.  It did many many times. Right into the parking lot of the old
building and very close to the front door.
The site is still in the flood plain;  however, the new building is on top of a multilevel parking deck.
Once it is occupied all will have to be sure to move their cars to higher ground and
pray the water recedes quickly.

 The physics behind how these cranes can lift heavy things without breaking is
way above my understanding.


Photo from Crate and Barrel's front entrance

There you have it my this and that is finished.

Final Friday Fiction and Nature Friday

This month I'm using lines 8, 12 and 16 from
Things that Matter: 
 by Charles Krauthammer

I know this is a strange book from which to find my prompts.
I had a particular story I wanted to share.  Lo and behold I found them in this book
8:  should not be held liable
12: right of parents to make decisions
16:welfare of their child

Volunteer
(444 words)

I'm told I volunteered my parents for every event at school.
Once or twice my mama told me one day you will be the one being volunteered!*
She was correct.
In 1976, my daughter was in the first year of mandatory kindergarten in North Carolina.
She and I were home together 24 hours a day 365 days a year for her first 5 years.
I JUST knew she would be devastated without me.  This would be the first time in
her life that either my husband or I would not be around to 'guard' her against outside
influences.   After all, it is a parent's duty to see to the welfare of their child
She was so excited about her first day of school.
The first week of school seemed to be mostly about getting the children adjusted
to being 'still' for 7 hours a day and acclimating to their new routine and activities.
There would be a need for volunteers to keep the classroom in order: both children and parents.
Lots of class business to discuss.  My daughter's wonderful teacher *should not be be held liable for what happened next. It was obvious automatic volunteering was in my DNA and I shared it with my daughter.  Lo and behold when the need for a
Swish Mom
(no I did not mean to type Swiss Mom)
 volunteer came up....UP went my daughter's hand.   She was so excited when she came
running out to the car that day. 
Her: Guess what Mommy
ME: I have know idea
Her: You are the Swish mom for my class
ME: What is a Swish Mom
Her: Here this is from my teacher

Turns out Swish moms (S.M.) came to class 2 Monday Mornings a month.
S.M. stood by a table set up at the classroom door.  The table was full
of itty bitty cups of just the right amount of mouthwash with fluoride to prevent cavities.
As each child arrived at the classroom door,  they were given the cup, told to Swish it around in their mouth until the S.M. told them to spit it back in the cup.  Sometimes S.M. had to demonstrate how to SWISH.  Once they had perfected their swish,  S.M. handed them a Kleenex to wipe their mouth.

***************
Well as it turns out way back in 1976 the dental health of all children was #1 top priority at school.
It is the right of parents to make decisions to decide what they do and don't teach they children at home.  This S.M. thought swishing should have been done at home. 
My daughter was so proud that I was her classes Swish Mom and her proud was infectious.


Fluoride Varnish aka Swish Program click link to read about it.

Final Friction Friday is a blog hop...click here to read more fun tales



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Hosted by my Niece Rosy, and her 2 brudders Arty and Jakey HERE


My Mind's Eye found these in my November 20th folder...
My husband took the photos of the glorious leaves in the back yard.
The top left was taken from inside at night looking through the skylight
middle glow is the moon..the other two dots are either aliens or my flash. LOL
Bottom right is the same skylight during the day.

Bonus nature brought into the house.

This photo is entitled
It lives (still)

Truly amazing that I have not yet killed it with kindness and TLC.
Normally any plant who dares to come live here is doomed.
 When it comes to plants, I over do everything.  I really like snake plants.
I have had Slim the Snake plant for 3 months.  I was told water him once a month
give him some light and LEAVE him a lone.  I have a watering schedule on my calendar.
The 23rd of every month he gets a tall drink of water.  Every morning after breakfast
I sit him here on the table where he can enjoy the low winter sun puddles.
So far so good and Oh JOY he has a new leaf coming up slow in the center.

Thoroughly Poetic Pictorial Thursday

Today we join Two  SPOILED CATS 

Angel Sammy and Teddy for their poetic pictorial poem.

Below is today's most gorgeous picture from Angel Sammy

You know he has quite a view from way up high.

Angel Madi and I were quite inspired by this photo.

Eye Candy

by Cecilia

When I first saw this lovely photo,

it revved up my mind's eye mojo.

Flowers galore adoring each step and patio

Many a stoop on which to rest my tush-io .

Bricks laid with care by a master mason

Each one shaped to perfection.

Someone's mind's eye had a plan.
I say let's hire this man.

If I lived here

by Angel Madi

This is where I'd lay my head

This is where the mouses wait with dread

ready to scurry in a hurry

This is where I'd nap with delight 

while I'd watched the the butterflies dance

This is where I'd nap in the sunlight 

When I am feeling frisky, 

Say after a wee nibble of nip whiskey

This is where I'd leap with glee to ride for free.

Historic Oakwood Part 1 and Wordless Wednesday

Click here to read about the History

On Saturday December 8th (before the blizzard of December 2018) hubby took me 

on a photo shoot to see the homes that would be in the 47th Annual Candlelight Tour.
It was cold and overcast and little did we know what December 9th had in store for us.
I expect the 2nd day of the tour was cancelled.

Here is the first few lines for the write up about the Tour, December 8 and 9th, 2018
1:00 PM-7 PM both days.
There's a feeling of a small town community right in the middle of downtown Raleigh. Historic Oakwood is a community of homes most of which are dated from the mid- 1800s to the early 1900s. There's a continuing effort to preserve the Victorian, Queen Anne and Craftsman architectural styles of these homes from a century ago. The immaculate care of the exterior of a home is only a prelude to the beauty and attention to detail given to the interiors.

The next few days I'll feature some of the homes. Oakwood covers
several street we didn't go on all of them. I love all the colors and architecture and turrets.

There was no way to get all of this giant Magnolia in one photo
On left side of collage above is the front of the yellow home
lower collage on left is the side and that isn't all of it.

Host:

Comedy Plus

Merry Christmas Flashback

A few Christmas Flashbacks

First our Daughter's VERY FIRST Christmas 1972

Technically this is her 2nd Christmas; however, since she was only 4 months

old on her first Christmas we call this her First Real Christmas.

This picture is engraved in my mind forever. As you can see by this picture,

she was very surprised. Truly Christmas through the eyes of a child.

The next picture is what she was looking at that had her so excited

Note we had the Christmas Tree in her playpen to keep the inquisitive

hands of a 16 month old safe.

Flashbacks of Angel Madi's  NINE (9) Christmas in Blogville

Note:  First collage:
The red ornament on top left side of the collage has a bell in it.

Angel Madi loved the tree and the lights. I kept the ornament on the bottom it rang a lot. It never bother her when it jingled but she knew I knew. As the saying goes,  when a bell rings an angel is getting her wings. Well one thing for sure Angel Madi had quite an collection of wings when she flew off OTRB.

I could not decide between these 2 in 2015 I'm posting both

On 1 day and Sparks

... before Christmas I give to each of you...

Sparks

are all about spreading cheer and positive vibes via quotes.

Starting today I'll have a Christmas SPARKS every Monday

My favorite daughter and my favorite son-in-law arrive this afternoon.  It will be a short visit
(due to Hurricane Florence repairs still being in process at their home.  The last big project, all hard wood flooring replacement will start on 12/26.  Then just painting the baseboards and touch up to walls.
I'll be checking in today in between cooking.  Then MIA after 3pm
In the meantime

Merry Christmas

Secret Lives of Letters G and H

PSA:

Tomorrow will be the finale to my 12 Days before Christmas...YEP tease tease 

you have to wait til Christmas Eve.
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November Reader's Digest and I happened upon this article, 

"The Secret Lives of Letters", by Brooke Nelson.  Mr. Nelson says letters may be small characters, but there are amazing stories behind all 26 alphabet all-stars.

E and F can be found by clicking here