Sustainable Saturday- The Bear News

I'm a bit "under the weather", so I am repeating a post.

In September 2014, I had an interesting experience on a "rail to trail" walking trail a handful of miles from where I live in upstate New York.  

While researching another post, I came across this post from September 9, 2014.  I've had a couple of "close encounters" on the trail - including sighting a bobcat (possibly) three years ago.  But the following sighting may have been a little too close for comfort.

Enjoy this throwback post for day fourteen of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

September 9, 2014 - a Supermoon is rising tonight, but it is cloudy so we will not see it. So instead, I'll give you a picture from two nights ago, as the moon rose over the Chenango River near downtown Binghamton, New York.  Not that it has anything to do with my post - I just wanted to start with this picture.

Nature is on my mind, and the impact it continues to have on our lives is something I think about often.

We were walking three or so Sundays ago on the Vestal Rail Trail, a walking trail we try to frequent at least once a week where we live in upstate New York.

We approached a bridge carrying elevated traffic that crosses over the trail. My spouse suddenly stopped, and seemed reluctant to continue.  He was acting so strangely, in fact, that I wondered if he was in some medical distress. It scared me for a minute.

"I'm not sure if I want to keep walking", he said. "I heard a strange sound - maybe it was a motorcycle, I don't know".  I hadn't heard the sound but my hearing isn't the best - so I told him "if you have an instinct not to go any further, let's not."

We turned around.

This was so different from how my spouse normally behaves, and I wondered what he had heard or seen as we walked back to our car, cutting our walk short by about a mile.

When we got to our car he said "I thought I heard a bear."

Where we live, in the "Triple Cities"of upstate New York, this is not a joke.  Vestal has been seeing a lot of black bear sightings, and one of the recent sightings (May, I think), in fact, was on the Vestal Rail Trail near to where my spouse was spooked by something.

And then, last weekend, we found this on the sidewalk of the trail near to where spouse heard the noise. Let's just call it what animals leave behind after the digestive process is complete.

I hope it was a deer.  Anyone know for sure? 

It's small consolation to know that bears may be more afraid of us than we of them.

Someone at work set up an automatic camera in her yard, and showed us some amazing footage of bears in her back yard.  And, my guest photographer (who lives out in the country) takes in her bird feeders at night.  One night she was a few minutes late and had her own close encounter with a bear.  The bear ran off.

But they don't always run.  Sometimes they attack.  A high school friend who lives in Florida had her neighborhood make the national news for bear attacks.  


It isn't only bears.  A fox that may have been rabid attacked three members of an Endicott family earlier this summer (2014).  And, last year, we had our own close (or not so close) encounter, again on the Vestal Rail trail. We were alone, right after a rain, and are fairly certain a bobcat ran out and crossed the trail right in front of us.

You never heard about this kind of thing when we first moved to upstate New York in the 1980's.  But it is definitely becoming more and more common.  Increasingly, we know we are sharing our lives with wildlife.

It isn't just squirrels and sparrows (and the occasional skunk or raccoon anymore.

Do you have any wildlife sighting stories of your own to share for Day 14 of #blogboost the Ultimate Blog Challenge?

Tomorrow, I participate in a monthly meme - Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - and you are welcome to return for pictures of what is blooming in my house.

Skywatch Friday - The Office

Sunrise, upstate New York, Monday, January 8.

Traveling to work, I knew it was going to be an amazing sunrise.  When I got to my office about 7:15 am, this is what greeted me.  It took my breath away.

But there were blinds, and reflections.  I tried to get closer.  I knew I faced a race against time. That beautiful pink sunrise wouldn't wait for me.  I ran over to my cubicle, and raised the blinds.

And this was the result.  Nice color (none of these pictures had color adjusted, by the way) but too much reflection.  But, nothing unlucky for this Friday the 13th post.

I still have a lot to learn about iPhone photography and fixing circumstances like these.  A research project awaits.

Visit Skywatch Friday for other sky pictures from around the world.

Day 13 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Coincidence?

For your entertainment, let me present two stories.  Just coincidence?

This first story was circulating around the Internet yesterday.  I have not personally verified this information, but an urban-myth debunking website called Snopes (some don't trust it but I do, and have trusted it for many years) has confirmed it.

 In a 1958 Western TV show called Trackdown, a con man by the name of Walter Trump tells townspeople that only he can save them from meteors that will destroy the world at midnight - by building a wall around their homes.

At one point in the clip above, Trump threatens to sue someone opposing him.

At the end of the episode, Trump is arrested for grand theft by a heroic Texas Ranger.  Note, at the end, the show says it was based on an actual case in the Texas Rangers files.


Trump and a wall? Coincidence? (as this is not a political blog, I will leave the rest to your imagination.  I'm not trying to make a political point - only time will tell...)

2.  A book called Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan, was published in 1898.  The novella told the story of the fictional unsinkable ocean liner Titan, which, on an April night, struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its starboard side and sank.  There weren't enough lifeboats.  And, oh yes, in case this sounds vaguely familiar, the real-life sinking of the "unsinkable" Titanic in April, in the North Atlantic, after striking an iceberg on the starboard side, happened.  In 1912. 14 years later.
(Incidentally, the book is available for free online - it is no longer in copyright.)

Coincidence?

I think both are just coincidence.  With everything that is written, some scripts or books are going to "predict" history.   But, sometimes, truth and fiction can be equally strange. 

What do you think?

Day 12 #blogboost of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Winter Wonders - Soup Is Good Food

Every Wednesday, I post a "Winter Wonder"

Yesterday, I was wondering when winter would end.

The sidewalks were full of sleet and it was starting to ice over.  This morning it is still hazardous.  But tomorrow, it will be near 50F (10 C).

What a wonderful day for soup.  I was reminded of a post from January 25, 2014 when someone asked if I had any posts with winter recipes.  Indeed, I do.

I am happy to say that my mother in law (the person my spouse made the soup for) did recover from the condition that necessitated her surgery.

Here's my post, for day 11 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Sustainable Saturday- Marrying Soup

My mother in law, recovering last week from surgery, wanted comfort food - a couple of her favorite soups.  She is of Italian heritage, and so my spouse decided to make a soup that was fed to him when he was young.

Many Americans know a version of this soup as "Italian Wedding Soup".  (The "wedding", incidentally, refers to the marriage of the ingredients, not marriages of people.)  However, in my spouse's childhood, they knew this soup as Escarole Soup.

This is how my spouse and I made Escarole/Italian Wedding soup last week.

First, earlier in the day, spouse had roasted a turkey breast.  Now, he took the carcass, and made bone broth.  But, because we didn't have loads of time, he "cheated". We added some commercial chicken broth to the bone broth. (Whose broth? My mother in law's local store had Rachel Ray's broth in retorts but spouse has started to use organic free range broth in retorts sold at our local Aldi.)

Spouse strained out the bones and fat. He set aside the remaining turkey meat set aside for the other soup we were making.

Next, it was time for the meatballs.   First, spouse prepared a ground meat mixture.

Spouse made these from part organic ground turkey and part ground beef.  As my mother in law had some Italian seasoned bread crumbs, we added that, too. The meatballs will cook right in the soup.

Next came kale, one of the most nutritious greens there is.

Next, escarole.

Finally, sliced organic baby carrots (non-organic are just fine) went into the soup.  My mother in law had some spinach that was a tiny bit out of date but still good for cooking, and that went in, too.

Finally, pearl couscous. You can cook these right in the soup, too.
If you wanted, you could add some orzo (risoni)instead.  

Time to marry the flavors!

We cooked it until the greens were wilted and allowed some extra time for the flavors to blend. Then, it was eating time, with some Italian bread.

So easy, so nutritious. And, it tasted so good.  My mother in law is a good cook and she gave the soup a thumbs-up.

I hope it sped my mother in law's recovery.  Soup is the most sustaining food you can serve on a snowy winter day.

A snowy tree in my mother in law's yard

What is your "go to" food when someone is not feeling well?

Mondegreens

I have some problems with mishearing song lyrics.

I think it's just the nature of the rock n' roll music that I like. Mumbled lyrics that don't make any sense don't stop a lover of this music - just create something that does make sense in your mind, and move on.

I am far from the only one who mishears lyrics. In fact, I read a most entertaining post on the topic yesterday.    There is a technical term for mishearing lyrics, one of the surprising things you will learn in this post. If you don't get anything else from what follows, you would have increased your vocabulary by one word.

Mondegreens.

I am, therefore, going to repeat a post from several years ago.

Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza

Have you been guilty of mishearing song lyrics, to sometimes comic results?

I have.  I bet you have, too. A number of websites exist for the purpose of discussing song lyrics and allowing people to discuss lyrics that other people have misheard, sometimes with quite comic results. 

There is even a name for this - mondegreens.

Take the song above: "Tiny Dancer", by Elton John.  I love that song.  I have several of the earlier Elton John albums, such as Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys, Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player and Yellow Brick Road.  Plus, I also own one of his greatest hits albums.

I've spent countless hours, since the early 1970's, listening to these Elton John songs. (I will also admit I am not partial to his later work.)  I clearly hear "Hold me closer, tiny dancer". But somehow, I never realized that young Tony Danza had crept into the lyric when I wasn't looking.

"Tiny Dancer" came out in 1971. Tony Danza was born in 1951. The show "Who's The Boss" started in 1984.  So, Tony Danza must have been pretty young - about 20, to be exact - when he appeared in the lyric, only 13 years after the song came out.

For the record, I never have watched the TV show Friends (the show that immortalized the "Young Tony Danza" lyric), so no wonder I was the last to know.

Until yesterday, that is. A tweet led me to the website Mental Floss (a wonderful magazine, by the way) which rated the "Ten Most Often Butchered Song Lyrics".

And "Tiny Dancer" was #1 on the list of most misheard lyrics!

Now, my personal most misheard lyric is the Bruce Springsteen/Manford Mann's Earth Band classic "Blinded By The Light.".  Someone even devoted a web page to the various misheard lyrics reported to him from that song.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Atlantic, the BBC has had its own fun with mondegreens.

I must admit, in more than one instance, that the wrong lyric makes more sense than the right lyric.  Like poor Lady Mondegreen, who never appeared in a 17th century ballad, but should have.

Do you have a favorite misheard lyric?  Or have you been singing the wrong lyric of a particular song for years?

Day 10 of #blogboost the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Music Monday - Suspicious Minds

Yesterday would have been the 82nd birthday of Elvis Presley.

In some ways, Elvis is timeless.  Although he died in 1977, he is still beloved.  I remember that my former next door neighbor's son, who is in his mid 20's now grew up as a big Elvis fan.

A music group I belong to on Facebook posted Elvis videos all day yesterday, so I decided to take a little informal poll of my readers.

Are you an Elvis fan?

If you are, what was your favorite Elvis song?

Here's mine.  "Suspicious Minds" was Elvis' last number one hit in the States, released in 1969.  It's interesting to note this wasn't even his original song - it had previously been recorded by its writer, Mark James, who also wrote "Hooked on a Feeling", a hit by B. J. Thomas, among other songs.

So, I decided to look up Mark James' version of the song - and, here it is.

It's a good song, but Elvis nailed it.  The song is a universal song - about a dysfunctional relationship.  It begins "We're caught in a trap/I can't walk out..." and, indeed, Elvis knew what the song was talking about.

But time goes on.  Elvis would have been 82 yesterday, and his ex wife, Priscilla, who is still alive, is 71.

Day nine of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Potato Parsnip Pancakes

It's January.  Holiday excess is over, at least for now.  But you still want to eat something substantial and tasty.  In fact, as I write this blog, we are having a snow squall.  Why not enjoy being indoors and try some potato/parsnip pancakes?

In my tradition, potato pancakes are called "latkes".  And latkes don't have to be made from just potatoes.  If you look online, you will find variations made with sweet potatoes, with carrots, and even with zucchini.

I'm not sure when my spouse first started adding parsnips to latkes (although he doesn't do that on a regular basis), but you can find recipes online with that combination, too. 

Some even add Indian spices to latkes (although we don't).  I think it is a natural. Maybe one day.

Yesterday, while shopping at our local farmers market, we saw some nice looking parsnips, and pat of dinner was born.  This is what my spouse did.  Noting that we follow the old "Points Plus" tradition of Weight Watchers, I am not putting point counts here.  You are welcome to do whatever you wish to this.  This is not a food blog, and I will not call the food police on you if you don't call them on me.

Calorie Reduced Potato-Parsnip Pancakes - serves 2

Assemble:

3 potatoes (9 oz), peeled.
1/2 parsnip
2 egg whites
1 heaping tbsp whole wheat matzoh
handful of parsley
salt and pepper to taste
green onions to taste

Method

1.  Grate potatoes and parsnip.  Squeeze water out - my husband puts into a colander, and presses down. Others use cheesecloth.  Do what works for you, but you should squeeze the water out.  And, you don't have to use blue potatoes, either, but spouse uses them because they cook nice and crisp.  If you want to use a russet potato, the latkes will be a little lighter.

2.  Chop onions and parsley and add.  Add eggwhites, matzoh meal, and mix all together.  Form into patties.

3.  Normally, these would be fried.  But, what spouse did was take a saute pan and spray it with non stick cooking spray. 

4.  Flip and saute the other side.

5.  Here, the golden brown latkes are ready to serve.  Many serve with sour cream, but I prefer homemade unsweetened applesauce.

What kind of food does cold weather inspire you to make?

Day eight of The Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Sustainable Saturday - Tasting New York

The weather outside was frightful (no, not really - it was 10 degrees F but no snow falling and little wind) but indoors, it was so delightful.

In the Binghamton, New York area, for the first time, we have a weekly winter farmer's market in a permanent indoor market.

What can you sell in an indoor winter market, besides the usual honey, meat, eggs, baked goods and crafts (not that there is anything wrong with that!)?   How about (not pictured) tomato/basil saison (a type of ale, and it was good.)  How about local Portobello mushrooms?

Farmed trout from Bainbridge, New York?

The last of the late fall veggies are still available - here, golden beets and carrots.

Garlic, onions and potatoes.

Parsnips, daikon radishes, and turnips.

Taste New York was out there, too, featuring various New York commercial products.  (I want my spelt chips - just sayin'....)

An overview of the market.

So, what does New York taste like?  Well,  spouse bought some yellow potatoes and a parsnip for some delicious potato latkes.  Yes, Hanukkah is over but this market put me in the mood.   There were apples for sale, too, but we have homemade applesauce in the freezer.  If you want the recipe for potato/parsnip latkes, I'll post it.

Day seven of the #UltimateBlogChallenge #blogboost.

Skywatch Friday - The New Year

This is the season of clouds, unrelenting clouds, and time for another Skywatch Friday. (Come visit the site, and visit other bloggers posting their Skywatch pictures).

This was taken about two and a half hours before sundown on New Years Eve.  The line of light touching the hills is a boundary between lake effect clouds and sunny skies further away, I suspect.

Fast forward to January 4, when the sun actually made an appearance in advance of a cold wave, and these sundown photos.

Sky of yellow

And sky of red.

Visit #SkywatchFriday, and admire the sky from all over our world.
Day six of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

International Blog Delurking Week

We are all guilty of it. 

There's a blog out there, somewhere.  You like that blog, and you may even read it regularly, but you never leave a comment.

Maybe you are shy.  I get that.  I'm shy, too. 

Maybe you want to admire the blog post from afar. You feel you have nothing to add.

Maybe you've taken a vow of Internet silence. 

But, once a year, the blogging community asks you to break your silence.   This is the week.  It's International Blog Delurking Week, and it lasts another few days.

Thank you, Stirrup Queens, for continuing this meme in 2017.  And thank you, Laurel at Alphabet Salad, for reminding me.

The badge?  Go to Stirrup Queens and grab it.  It's OK.  It's free to all.  Melissa Ford, the owner of the Stirrup Queens blog, is generous.

You can just comment below, where it says "Post a Comment", and say "I'm here!"

Or tell me your favorite food.  That's good, too.  Or, just tell me where you live.

I love my readers, and I would love to know that you are one of them.  Thank you, if you have commented before.  And thank you for commenting today, if this post moves you.  It's easy, assuming Blogger is cooperating.

I look forward to hearing from you today.

Day five of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Winter Wonders - Walking on New Years Day

An amazing New Years Day in the Binghamton, New York area of upstate New York.

Blue skies.  Sunshine.

What a day to take a walk in the park.  Or, if not in a park, on a walking trail.

My spouse and I occasionally exercise walk on the Vestal Rail Trail in nearby, Vestal, New York.

From time to time I've enjoyed taking pictures of wildflowers on the trail, and have even taken pictures of a creature or two.

But normally, I don't walk on the trail that much in the winter.

Wednesdays on my blog are a day of seasonal meanderings.  Winter is a time of snow where I live.  I have several readers who live in areas that don't get snow,and want to see snow.

This New Year's Day, though, not only was the trail itself free of snow but, in some of the small natural areas, water was running and snow was melting.

Then, yesterday, it rained for most of the day. And today, I am waking up to relatively warm temperatures ahead of a cold spell.

What a way to start the New Year.

Day four of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Dogs, Doves and Determination

The Rose Parade has taken place for 127 years now in Pasadena, California, usually on the first day of January.  (It is not held on Sundays, so on days where January 1 falls on a Sunday, like this year, the parade is held on January 2.)

I watched it, thousands of miles away, at my home in upstate New York

Creating a float takes hundreds of hours and lots of determination.  The rules seem simple - floats in the parade must be covered in natural materials.  So, every visible surface on every float you see is decorated in flowers, bark, seeds, walnut husks, or other natural materials. Flowers, seeds and more must be glued on individually.  Some materials are so fine that volunteers use tweezers.  Since most of the materials are perishable, they must be installed on the floats hours or days before the parade, by hundreds of volunteers.

The best floats receive awards.

The work is tedious - but, look at what this determination produces.

This float was called Doing Good in the World.

In this closeup, you can see some of the natural materials.

There are two other floats I would like you to see.   One float featured surfing dogs.  Yes, several dogs surfed, on real water, carefully monitored by handlers.

The float with the dogs was the largest and heaviest float ever in the Rose Parade. It is successfully rounding a corner which lessor floats have become hung up on.

The other float paid tribute to victims of a tragic shooting last year at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.  Several survivors of the shooting rode on the float.  Doves were released to honor the 49 dead.  A large flowered dove hovered over the float.

It was a beautiful tribute, but sad, knowing that so much violence still remains in the world.

Again, determination - determination to continue forward after experiencing something like that, was on display.

A lesson in determination for day 3 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Music Monday - A New Beginning

Today, January 2, is my first Music Monday of the year. 

2016 was not a good year for the world of music.  It is time for a new beginning, as I feature some songs about beginnings.

Beginnings - Chicago

From the Beginning - Emerson, Lake and Palmer (a group who lost two members in 2016 - Greg Lake and Keith Emerson.)

(Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon

Finally, from one of my favorite singers, the late Karen Carpenter - We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters.

Why don't we all sing these songs today, so 2017 will be inspired to be a better year for the world in general?

When I listen to these songs, I realize how many great musicians die relatively young.  Even when I was considering these particular songs, I remembered tha  Karen Carpenter was only 32 when she died from complications of anorexia.  John Lennon was only 40 when he was killed.  Greg Lake was only five years older than I am.

Our time here is limited.  I am determined, this year, to make some kind of difference.

Day 2 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Whispering Determination

Welcome to 2017, and a new Ultimate Blog Challenge. 

The Challenge requires 31 posts in 31 days. It's a discipline all bloggers need at least one time in their blogging lives.

For 2017, I chose a word - determination - as the word that will guide me this year.  This coming year will demand a lot from us. Today, as the beginning of my year of determination,  I remember someone from years ago who showed me determination from a deep place inside her.

On my Christmas tree each year is a simple ornament.  But the story behind it is less simple.

Many years ago, the company I was working for was bought by a new owner, along with a couple of other local businesses.  Two offices were combined into the office where I worked, and Pat came into my life.

Pat was many things - an experienced worker, a loving mother and grandmother, and a woman who love crafts - needlepoint, tole, and more.

Her and her husband, a building contractor, restored a house in Maine, New York, and had a loving marriage. 

Every year, at work, we would have a small gift exchange at Christmastime. Pat's contribution was always a Christmas ornament - usually made by her, or one made by another craftsperson.

One December day, Pat called her co workers together.

A couple of months ago, she said, she had found a lump on her neck.  She went to the doctor, who immediately ran tests.  It was cancer.  Not only that, they found cancer all through her body.  Doctors ran more tests, trying to find where the cancer had originated.  It turned out to be lung cancer. She had perhaps 18 months to live.

Pat was only able to work a couple of more months.   We all kept in touch after she went out on permanent disability.  It was a small office, and we were close to each other.  We knew each other, our spouses, our children.  Pat had to prepare her children and grandchildren. 

Pat always conducted herself with dignity and determination, and the months after the diagnosis were no exception.  By her example, she showed us how to face death with dignity.

Our office, in the next months, fell apart due to poor management.  One by one, we left.  By the next Christmas, several of us were unemployed.  As each co workers quit the job,  they started to spend time with Pat every Tuesday when she felt up to it.  When I left, I joined them in the Tuesday outings.

The Tuesday before Christmas in 1997, Pat gave us our final gift - the gift of her presence.  We took her out to a local restaurant, and she gave us a tour of her house - something that took great effort.

By January of 1998, we suspected the end was near.  She could not walk more than a few steps without losing her breath.

Pat died on February 13, 1998, a day short of Valentine's Day, a week after suffering a stroke and lapsing into a coma.  In my last visit to her, five days before her death, she lay on a bed, under home hospice care.  Her favorite country music playing.  I held her hand and whispered in her ear.  I don't know if it was my imagination, but I am positive she gently squeezed my hand.

In September of 2011, my neighborhood was flooded and we had several feet of water in our basement.  We were so fortunate, compared to many of our neighbors.  The next months were hard for us and many other in our community.

When we cleaned out our basement, I found that several of the homemade ornaments Pat had given me were ruined.  There was no way to salvage them.  But the ornament you see above, a needlework Pat made, had survived in a box above the water level.  Yes, Pat was watching over me.

Every year the ornament goes on our tree, a sign of survival, caring and love.


Time marches on, and things change for us all.  But Pat lives on in my heart, even after all these years.  Every year, I gaze upon the ornament she gave me, the ornament she stitched with her own hands.  It whispers determination.

One day, my time will come, and I hope I can face it with the same dignity that Pat did.  For now, I will be content to face 2017 with courage, dignity, and determination, through all 2017 will demand of us.

I am Determined to complete the challenges of 2017 and the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  Are you?

What Word Does 2017 Need?

In 2016, I started the New Year by choosing a word - Determination.

And then I totally forgot about it.

I had said I was determined to make a difference - great or small.  I don't know if I did.  But 2017 is not going to be 2016. 

In the United States, we have an incoming administration that is scaring many of us.  Hate is on the rise.  Minorities are fearful. 

Hand of Man, Owego, New York, 2015

The angels of our world seem to be in short supply, and powerless.

from Hanukkah House museum, Binghamton, NY  2012

Snowbabies may be cute, but this is quickly becoming a time for more than cuteness.

Those of us who choose a #WOTY (Word of the Year) are making our choices.  There are so many good words to choose from - love, happiness, explore, simplicity, daring greatly, enable, gratitude, and more.  They are all good words.  When I thought of mine, this word popped up right away.

We need, for 2017..... Determination

Perhaps I chose my word a year early.  NOW is the time for determination.

DETERMINATION - not to stay silent if speaking out against hatred is needed.

DETERMINATION - to stand up against events that need standing up against.   I think about authors who have written books that have changed the world.  It is possible.  I must remember that one person CAN make a difference.  Could a blog post change the world?

DETERMINATION - to make my voice heard if the quality of life of my brother in law, who is developmentally disabled, is threatened.  

DETERMINATION - once again, that I will grow my writing, and my photography, no matter what my personal challenges are this year.  Even if it only grows a little, it will be a victory.   

Today, I link with #FridayReflections at Everyday Gyaan and  Laurel at Alphabet Salad.  
Will you join us?   Have you picked a word for 2017?

Tomorrow, I join the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  Let's see what determination can do.
  
To all my readers, near and far:  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Skywatch Friday - Last of 2016

This is the last #SkywatchFriday post of the year and I will leave you with two shots.

A rare midday sunny sky in our part of upstate New York. Nothing unusual here except that the sun is shining and you can see blue sky.

Christmas sunset.

May your 2017 be merry and bright, with only beautiful skies, and the best sunrises and sunsets.

Please visit other Skywatch Friday sites, and a Happy New Year to you.

A Broken Heart?

Can someone die from a broken heart?

Once again, 2016, the year that will not quit, has struck, taking actress, singer and humanitarian Debbie Reynolds from us late yesterday, at the age of 84.

Coming a day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60, we first thought the news that she had been rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke during planning her daughter's funeral was one of the fake news pieces that clog social media and the Internet.

Alas, it was not.  The sad news came as I was preparing for bed.

So, once again, a short musical tribute.

"Good Morning", where Debbie sings and dances in the movie "Singin' in the Rain".

Tammy, from 1957, a #1 hit song recorded when Debbie was 23 years old.

And, from the 1973 movie Charlotte's Web, a song, Chin Up.

What a career she had. Movies. TV shows.  Voices in cartoons.

It doesn't surprise scientists that Debbie Reynolds may have died from extreme stress brought on by the death of her daughter.  It turns out mother and daughter were extremely close.

And, in fact, I believe this happened to my cousin's husband years ago.  His mother died from cancer, and several days later, his father died from a heart attack.

Nor does it surprise scientists that we, the public, can be so distressed by the deaths of people we don't know.

Now, Debbie Reynolds has joined her daughter.  May the Force also be with her.

Why don't we honor both of them today by telling someone important in our lives how much they mean to us?

Winter Wonders - May the Force Be With Her

Yesterday, there was a disturbance in the Force.

Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Lea in the original Star Wars movies, died yesterday at the age of 60. 

2016 continues its streak of being fatal for performers.

Why did I like Princess Leia from the first time I saw Star Wars, on a hot Wichita, Kansas summer day in 1977?  I was a young 24 and Ms. Fisher, 19, was on her way to fame - and, sadly, extensive drug use.  Perhaps it was self-medication (she had bipolar disorder).  Perhaps it was a byproduct of her acting genius. But, I didn't know any of that then.  To me, Princess Leia and her courage and spunk made those movies.

I had been a fan of science fiction since I was around 10 and read Robert Heinlein's Have Spacesuit - Will Travel, so I became one of millions of Star Wars fans.  Never fanatic, but I enjoyed the characters of Obi-Wan, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt, Hans Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and, yes, even Darth Vader.

Especially Darth Vader.  But most of all, I loved my Princess, the one who was - as we would say today - a badass.  Never passive.  She was as brave as all the others, and, unlike the others, even fought once in a slave bikini.

Now, the Princess is finally at peace, one with the Force.

I can't say anything that hasn't been said before so I will, instead, talk a little bit about Star Wars music.

My husband purchased Star Wars and other Galactic Funk, a disco adaptation of the Star Wars soundtrack, when it came out in 1977.  Now, we own it as a CD.  You can enjoy it, too, courtesy of You Tube.

This past month, my spouse and I saw the first three Star Wars movies again.  I will have those memories forever.

May Princess Leia forever rest in peace, and may the Force always be with her.

Happy 2600th Post - A Hanukkah Potpourri

Today I am posting my 2,600 blog post, and I have decided to make it a delightful mix.

For the past month, we in the United States have been deluged with the music of Christmas.

But now, Christmas is over, and it is the third full day of Hanukkah. (Here is an explanation of the holiday, .)

Today, for your enjoyment, some music of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, both traditional and modern.  Some are children's songs that teach.  Others are religious in nature.

But first, a few non religious "fun" facts about Hanukkah: (here is another take):
1. One of the fun parts of Hanukkah for children, besides helping to light the Hanukkah candles, is singing songs about the holiday, and playing a game called Dreidel.  When my son was young, I used to play dreidel with him using Cheerios.
2.  Hanukkah is a time to eat fried foods, as foods should contain oil in them.  A favorite is latkes, a fried pancake commonly made with grated potatoes and onions.  More on latkes below.
3. Another favorite is jelly donuts, or sufganiyot.  One will easily set you back some 600 calories, and, nowadays, they are filled not only with jelly but with every imaginable filling.


As this is not a religious blog, I will concentrate on the secular songs, mostly contemporary. But before we get started, how about those sufganiyot?  Want to see how they are made?

And now, some music.

This first song, by Six13,  is a play on "Hamilton", an extremely popular Broadway play in our country.

Next, a traditional children's song called Dreidel, by Shir Soul.

Next, it's time to cook Latkes, as in Latke Recipe, back to the Maccabeats.




A modern song called "Candlelight" also by the Maccabeats. 

A final song, a jazz song called "Hanukkah Lovin'" by Michelle Citrin, for fans of contemporary jazz.

As a year-end bonus, here's a recipe for latkes, a favorite dish for Hanukkah, made with grated potatoes, onions, matzoh meal, and, sometimes, parsnips.  They are normally fried since one of the themes of Hanukkah is cooking with oil - i.e. frying. But I've gained too much weight this holiday season, and, when it comes time for latkes,  I am going to turn to this recipe.  Or something similar.

Another way to cut down the calorie count is to incorporate other veggies into the latke - such as zucchini.   I love them topped with my unsweetened (homemade) applesauce.

Thank you so much to you, my readers, for making this 2,600th post possible.  Without your reading support and comments, I never would have made it this far.

May your days be merry and bright.  And may all your latkes be crispy and light.

Music Monday - Last Christmas

It was Christmas night when I read the news on Facebook - singer George Michael had passed away at the age of 53. As of right now, the cause of death stands as heart failure.

I thought - when will it end?  So many singers have passed these last twelve months.  But, I had already planned a post on Hanukkah music. I decided to run it tomorrow. 

Here is a selection of hits.  First, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, from 1984, in the Wham! years.  Get up and dance to this for your Monday morning.

Careless Whisper, from 1984, also with Wham!

Faith.  I so love the beginning of this song, from 1987, and George Michael's first solo album.

A 1991 live performance of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", an Elton John Song, with Sir Elton John himself.  John was one of many artists who expressed their shock at Michael's death yesterday.

In his 53 years, George Michael only released eight albums - three with a band, Wham! and five as a solo artist.


Finally, one more George Michael song (from 1984) with a title that seems somehow appropriate for this most untimely death.  "Last Christmas".

There were so many other songs I could have chosen from, but I am saddened today.  Too many artists gone this year - too many to name, and I don't even want to do a retrospective. 


This is my last Music Monday of 2016.  Let us hope that 2017 is a kinder year to the music community.

A Christmas Visit to the Circus

 Merry Christmas to all of my readers who celebrate this holiday.

At the Tioga County Historical Society's annual Oh Tannnenbaum fundraiser this year in the small town of Owego, New York, one of the themes was the Circus.

For many of us, we have memories of attending a circus and being amazed.

It bought us Joy.

Won't we buy a virtual ticket and pay a quick visit to a Christmas Eve circus?

Posters.

Old circus toys.

I only had one visit to the circus, in my late teens. (A certain relative knows what is coming).  My then-boyfriend (now my husband) was told by his Mom to take his little sister to the circus. So we went down to Manhattan (I grew up in New York City) and saw the Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden.

But not for long, because my little future sister in law was a bit overwhelmed by all the noise, smells and action - and we ended up having to take her home.

I've never been to the circus since.  But at least, at Oh Tannenbaum, I was able to visit it once more, at least briefly.

I will leave you today with a song sung by Pentatonix.

Tomorrow, a post in honor of Hanukkah.

Local Saturday - On the Cusp of Two Holidays

We are on the cusp of two religious holidays here in the United States - a major one for Christians, Christmas, and a minor one for those of the Jewish faith, Hanukkah (why minor? I'll explain later in the coming week).

Blogging about an annual public caroling event in downtown Binghamton, New York, has become another holiday tradition on this blog.

On the last work day before Christmas, people working in the Security Mutual building, a historical building dating from 1904, gather in the lobby to sing Christmas songs at noontime.

Part of the beautiful lobby.  I believe the murals (which are on two sides) were added in the 1980's.

The lobby's Christmas tree.

Here is a selection of songs from Thursday's caroling.  I am not an experienced video taker, and it shows.  I also did some panning so you could see the beautiful historic Security Mutual marble lobby, something members of the public can only see at this time.

Jingle Bell Rock

O Christmas Tree

Jingle Bells

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.

Tomorrow, another Christmas post.

Meanwhile, Hanukah begins tonight at sundown.  Last year, in the lobby, symbols of the two holidays sat side by side.  I will blog more about Hanukah later this week.

To my readers of the Jewish faith, may we light the darkness once again, and think of the days ahead.