Of all the animals we grew up with on that Oklahoma farm, everything from guinea fowl to piglets, the one animal we never had was sheep. Not a single one. No little fuzzy lamb was ever gamboling on the hillside. I guess sheep and red dirt just didn't mix.
Yet when the temperature dropped to 29 degrees the other morning and my window still open to the breezes I reached for the wool blanket. Just like fried chicken as comfort food, sometimes only wool will do. Wool checks the cold and warms the toes like nothing else. A little wool in the gloves, hats or socks makes the world a warmer place.
Warm wool and warm memories soothes.
Warm Christmas spirits comes not only from images of wee lambs, but also music, cards, cookies, movies: I watched Millions and Love, Actually to feed my holiday spirit.
Warm Christmas hearts come from people: family, siblings, and friends. Warm hugs can warm the cockles of your heart every time. The absolute best hugs come from grandchildren -- the gender doesn't matter.
Dancing into the Christmas season warm feelings also came from jobs well done, or maybe not well done, but done, finished, marked off the list.
See the truth.
God made time and he made lots of it.
Where dreams go to die, warm memories take over.
A quote from The Pooh Book of Quotations for no other reason than it warms me.
Piglet: "Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?"
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought."
Dancing into the New Year be warm through and through with memories and all the simple gifts of the Universe -- enjoy the life you have created.
A big fat warm thank you to Nora for her most excellent Taylor Breakfast post. No one could have done it better. Warm, tender, sweet and just enough smart ass for us to know it was from you. Your crazy aunt loves you.
Best of health to Brittany and anyone one else battling a health issue. Your crazy aunt, sister, mom, friend loves you.
Welcome 2012.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Taylor Christmas Breakfast in Fort Smith: Where the Old West meets the New South!
Merry Christmas to all my Taylor relatives! First, let me apologize for being so horribly late with this blog posting. I had grandiose dreams of compose a Night Before Christmas type poem to accompany my pictures, but that plan was a pipe dream so you are now getting a more understated post.
As you all know, I was granted the honor of hosting the Taylor Family Christmas Breakfast this year in my new hometown, Fort Smith. Instead of words, I have decided to let my pictures tell the story. So here it is, my Christmas Breakfast Pictorial Spread:
The night before breakfast, family has gathered at my apartment. As you can see, Andrew is appropriately excited.
No surprise to anyone, Mom burned the bacon. I told her not to be upset, we were all getting kind of tired of the hot dog jokes.
Don't worry Uncles! We have plenty of extra bacon!
Mom celebrated when she cooked the biscuits without incident (Aunt Jean helped).
Lovely Aunt Jane taught me how to make sausage gravy for hordes of hungry Taylors. I'm very afraid I will never be able to duplicate it on my own.
People line up for the food. I was afraid there was going to be a stampede, but everyone behaved themselves.
Jonathan was so anxious to get to the food!
Silence reigned except for the sounds of chewing.
The first empty plate!
The Taylor's who were so inclined went on a walk around Historic Downtown Fort Smith.
Trolley Ride!
Andrew looking oh-so-cool.
Michael. Need I say more?
Jeff and Michael doing something I forget... Changing poles maybe?
The two youngest skipping to my Lou.
They're king of the world! And the homeless... we found blankets under the bridge. I'm living such a cosmopolitan lifestyle now!
Pucker up, Brittany. I think it might be a love match.
Family Picture.
The Newman Family.
Enjoying lunch at my favorite local diner, Boom-A-Rang.
And here are the loveliest flowers ever! They were a thank you gift from Jerry and Jane. They are still in my office looking beautiful. I also got some Tontitown wine from Uncle Jeff and I got a wine holder and ornament from Jean, Cathy, and Brittany. I'm so lucky to have such a terrific family! Thank you all!
So, in conclusion, I think my first Taylor breakfast was very successful (sans bacon fiasco which wasn't really my fault). I hope I get the opportunity to host again sometime in the future and from me to all my family: Merry Christmas to all!
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Aroma of Christmas Fudge
Jean has been cooking up treats for days and the aroma is wafting all the way to Mukilteo -- in my mind.
All for the family breakfast party scheduled for 12/10/11 in beautiful downtown Fort Smith. The gang will be on hand at Nora's for this annual festival of culinary delights, visits, naps, and total enjoyment by all, except for Nora's cat, unless the cat has escaped the reindeer hat. If only the cat could make Nora wear the hat instead. I'll bet Nora's home is dazzling and Fort Smith sparkling. Here is hoping no bad weather interferes. I'm imagining a walk or two, some strolls from hotel to home and back, a view of the river, carolers somewhere. And all the laughter that can be imagined. I'm missing it all the way in Mukilteo -- in my mind.
I remember when Ian was nine or ten years old and he was so conservative it made my teeth hurt, good mother that I was I tried to "save" him and help him break out of his conservative shell and become liberated and liberal like me. One day it dawned on me that I had spent much of my life trying to get people to accept me just as I am, and why the hell was I not according Ian the same courtesy that I had craved. Accepting people just as they are is an important life lesson, I've learned most of my important life lessons from my children. Thankfully before I had done too much damage I backed off, like a good mother, and let him grow in his own conservative way. Ian is still conservative and I'm still liberal but we keep muddling through our lives, through the world, in our own unique fashion.
I pondered this as I was thinking of the family getting together for fellowship; bringing all their different talents, and personalities, and skills, and methodology, and uniqueness, and gifts. What is normal? What is natural? Computer skills, fudge making, hiking new trails? It is a glorious family of glorious gifts that I will be missing Saturday -- in my mind.
Jeff, Julia, Jerry, Jean, Tal, Jane, Cathy, Brittany, Summer, Jonathon, Michael, Andrew and lovely Nora who has opened her home and hotel to the gang, and to all the family not trekking to Arkansas, Merry Christmas -- from my heart.
Other than missing the breakfast, I am actually on the stupid computer looking for toy ideas for Connor, oh the things we do for love. Have you noticed how toy catalogs and advertisements haven't changed that much. Twenty years later the catalogs are full of Monopoly, Barbie, and Batman, albeit electronic Monopoly, Barbie and Batman. The electronic stuff is overwhelming to me so everyone else can keep Connor in those kind of toys, I'll stick to the basics, the classics. I won't make the mistake of baby dolls and pot and pans again though, it will have to be something that crashes for my Connor's full enjoyment!
What I really want to mention is how much I love growing older, especially after I became used to the invisible stage. Thank goodness that surprise at not being seen is over. When you are older, and practically invisible; responsibility is less, love is more, public opinion is less, passion is moderated. I really can disregard public opinion on make-up, clothes, rituals, norms, bras. I love the transcendent quality of life with less guilt, more good feelings, losing the need to go along. Everyone expects me to be slightly off, slightly liberal, slightly faulty, but old age or at least older age is the ultimate liberator -- in my mind and heart.
I keep hearing one of my favorite quotes rattling around in my brain so I'm going to give it to you. "Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding is the third."
Nora, please post a blog about the Fort Smith adventure and your exact part in it. Now I think I will go make fudge.
All for the family breakfast party scheduled for 12/10/11 in beautiful downtown Fort Smith. The gang will be on hand at Nora's for this annual festival of culinary delights, visits, naps, and total enjoyment by all, except for Nora's cat, unless the cat has escaped the reindeer hat. If only the cat could make Nora wear the hat instead. I'll bet Nora's home is dazzling and Fort Smith sparkling. Here is hoping no bad weather interferes. I'm imagining a walk or two, some strolls from hotel to home and back, a view of the river, carolers somewhere. And all the laughter that can be imagined. I'm missing it all the way in Mukilteo -- in my mind.
I remember when Ian was nine or ten years old and he was so conservative it made my teeth hurt, good mother that I was I tried to "save" him and help him break out of his conservative shell and become liberated and liberal like me. One day it dawned on me that I had spent much of my life trying to get people to accept me just as I am, and why the hell was I not according Ian the same courtesy that I had craved. Accepting people just as they are is an important life lesson, I've learned most of my important life lessons from my children. Thankfully before I had done too much damage I backed off, like a good mother, and let him grow in his own conservative way. Ian is still conservative and I'm still liberal but we keep muddling through our lives, through the world, in our own unique fashion.
I pondered this as I was thinking of the family getting together for fellowship; bringing all their different talents, and personalities, and skills, and methodology, and uniqueness, and gifts. What is normal? What is natural? Computer skills, fudge making, hiking new trails? It is a glorious family of glorious gifts that I will be missing Saturday -- in my mind.
Jeff, Julia, Jerry, Jean, Tal, Jane, Cathy, Brittany, Summer, Jonathon, Michael, Andrew and lovely Nora who has opened her home and hotel to the gang, and to all the family not trekking to Arkansas, Merry Christmas -- from my heart.
Other than missing the breakfast, I am actually on the stupid computer looking for toy ideas for Connor, oh the things we do for love. Have you noticed how toy catalogs and advertisements haven't changed that much. Twenty years later the catalogs are full of Monopoly, Barbie, and Batman, albeit electronic Monopoly, Barbie and Batman. The electronic stuff is overwhelming to me so everyone else can keep Connor in those kind of toys, I'll stick to the basics, the classics. I won't make the mistake of baby dolls and pot and pans again though, it will have to be something that crashes for my Connor's full enjoyment!
What I really want to mention is how much I love growing older, especially after I became used to the invisible stage. Thank goodness that surprise at not being seen is over. When you are older, and practically invisible; responsibility is less, love is more, public opinion is less, passion is moderated. I really can disregard public opinion on make-up, clothes, rituals, norms, bras. I love the transcendent quality of life with less guilt, more good feelings, losing the need to go along. Everyone expects me to be slightly off, slightly liberal, slightly faulty, but old age or at least older age is the ultimate liberator -- in my mind and heart.
I keep hearing one of my favorite quotes rattling around in my brain so I'm going to give it to you. "Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding is the third."
Nora, please post a blog about the Fort Smith adventure and your exact part in it. Now I think I will go make fudge.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Moments
I read with pleasure Taylor's wonderful, tender and funny, poem about how Tyler had touched his life.
And I heard from an old classmate from Pleasant Hill school days, he wanted to share how people had touched his life. He shared a memorial he created for a Northeast High School Class of 1964 reunion in which he included a poem, which I will include here. Beautiful and poignant.
Touching lives is a funny thing. Sometimes it is direct ( think Jean here), sometimes it is financial (think Janice here), sometimes it is removed (think James here), sometimes it hurts a bit (think mom and dad here), sometimes it is special (think James here), sometimes it is funny (think Jeff here), sometimes it is _____, you fill in the blank.
You have all touched my life.
And I heard from an old classmate from Pleasant Hill school days, he wanted to share how people had touched his life. He shared a memorial he created for a Northeast High School Class of 1964 reunion in which he included a poem, which I will include here. Beautiful and poignant.
One day your life will end,
And all that will remain
Are the moments when you've lived your life
to the fullest...
And if you're lucky
Those moments live on
In the lives of the people you have touched.
Omar Khayyam
Can anyone touch that? Andrew?And all that will remain
Are the moments when you've lived your life
to the fullest...
And if you're lucky
Those moments live on
In the lives of the people you have touched.
Omar Khayyam
Who has touched your life? Tell them, because lives do end.
Downtown Seattle is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. All the highrise cranes are festooned with colorful lights, there is glitter and glimmer on every door, sky high trees in every foyer, but best of all is the Seattle Space Needle with its gianormous Christmas tree sitting on top, soaring sixty stories up above the city casting its benevolent glow over all. At four-thirty in the morning it touches my life.
Was your Thanksgiving all you wanted or needed it to be? Did it touch your life? I know Jean and Cathy touched Brittany's life.
I overheard two old duffers in a parking lot. As one old duffer was collecting Trader Joe's shopping carts he explained to the other old duffer, obviously a stranger, "I'm not a nice guy, but these carts all over are ...." I didn't hear the why, but for some reason that delighted me. Hearing him say "I am not a nice guy..." touched my life.
Speaking of parking lots Jeff, have you found another one to entertain me? Have you and Julia made it to the Crystal Bridges Museum yet now that the hub-bub of the grand opening is over? I know you have hiked the trails, but have you actually darkened the doors of the great American art world class museum? You and Julia touched my life and I want to return to "do" the museum with you at some point in my old age.
I remember telling Joe Elliott once that I didn't want to die young, and he said, "Jan, it's too late." That touched my life.
Jerry is reading -- a lot. He sent me this message:
Just finished a book that was very interesting. I told you after reading "Cellist of Sarajevo" I wanted to read more about the Balkan's. I found a book written in 1920 by M E (Mary Edith) Durham, "Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle". Look her up on wikipedia and then if you are interested read the book. It is available online, free download. I know you are smarter than me and you may understand it. About halfway through the characters, kings, countries, wars I could not keep straight, so I just kept reading, and then you understand the Balkan's. And that is you can't understand the Balkan's. I read one other book but I think this one is better. I have one more to go. "The Balkans - Nationalism, War, and the Great Powers, 1804-1999".
AND THEN SENT ME HIS READING LIST:
Downtown Seattle is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. All the highrise cranes are festooned with colorful lights, there is glitter and glimmer on every door, sky high trees in every foyer, but best of all is the Seattle Space Needle with its gianormous Christmas tree sitting on top, soaring sixty stories up above the city casting its benevolent glow over all. At four-thirty in the morning it touches my life.
Was your Thanksgiving all you wanted or needed it to be? Did it touch your life? I know Jean and Cathy touched Brittany's life.
I overheard two old duffers in a parking lot. As one old duffer was collecting Trader Joe's shopping carts he explained to the other old duffer, obviously a stranger, "I'm not a nice guy, but these carts all over are ...." I didn't hear the why, but for some reason that delighted me. Hearing him say "I am not a nice guy..." touched my life.
Speaking of parking lots Jeff, have you found another one to entertain me? Have you and Julia made it to the Crystal Bridges Museum yet now that the hub-bub of the grand opening is over? I know you have hiked the trails, but have you actually darkened the doors of the great American art world class museum? You and Julia touched my life and I want to return to "do" the museum with you at some point in my old age.
I remember telling Joe Elliott once that I didn't want to die young, and he said, "Jan, it's too late." That touched my life.
Jerry is reading -- a lot. He sent me this message:
Just finished a book that was very interesting. I told you after reading "Cellist of Sarajevo" I wanted to read more about the Balkan's. I found a book written in 1920 by M E (Mary Edith) Durham, "Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle". Look her up on wikipedia and then if you are interested read the book. It is available online, free download. I know you are smarter than me and you may understand it. About halfway through the characters, kings, countries, wars I could not keep straight, so I just kept reading, and then you understand the Balkan's. And that is you can't understand the Balkan's. I read one other book but I think this one is better. I have one more to go. "The Balkans - Nationalism, War, and the Great Powers, 1804-1999".
AND THEN SENT ME HIS READING LIST:
I have been reading to much. Since the 1st of September I have read:
"Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, one of your book club selections I think. I liked the history part of it, but the human side not so much.
"Lion of Liberty" by Harlo Giles Unger - A little different account of one of our founding fathers.
"Education of a Wandering Man" by Louis L'Amour - He quit school because it was getting in the way of his education. An avid reader. He hooked me when he said you can travel the world if you can read.
"The Last Stand" By Nathaniel Philbrick - Custer all over again.
"The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand - I'm sure you have heard of it.
"The Autobiography of Malcom X" by Malcom X and Alex Haley - I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I lot of his ancient history was off but the last 400 years he got about right. The history of slavery and the blacks in America.
"State of Wonder" by Ann Patchett - Parade Magazine had a list of 12 Great Summer Books. This was one of them. Not a bad book but...
"The Balkans: A History of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Rumania & Turkey" - 4 different people, each wrote a history from different prospective. Fits right in with the Balkans.
"Where the River Ends" by Charles Martin - Just a book I found on the markdown table. Depressing
"Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle" by Durham, M E (Mary Edith) - Already spoke about this one.
"White Heat" - by M J McGrath - Another one off the 12 Great Summer Books list. Not a bad book but...
I've started "In the Garden of Beasts" by Erik Larson - Another one off the 12 Great Summer Books list.
Also "The Balkans - Nationalism, War and the Great Powers, 1804-1999" by Misha Glenny.
Also "Dune Road" by Jane Green - maybe will finish it, maybe not. Markdown table.
Unfortunately most of these authors have other books I would like to read. I'm gonna run out of time.
Did you ever read "The Semi-Attached Couple" by Emily Eden?
Touching lives is a funny thing. Sometimes it is direct ( think Jean here), sometimes it is financial (think Janice here), sometimes it is removed (think James here), sometimes it hurts a bit (think mom and dad here), sometimes it is special (think James here), sometimes it is funny (think Jeff here), sometimes it is _____, you fill in the blank.
You have all touched my life.
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