Super Powers

There's a whole cadre of scholars who missed out on the onion sets in Grandma's Garden.  Rillito Nursery sells rubber banded groups of scallions anchored by tiny bulbs.  They grow beautifully in the garden.  And, best of all, they are speedy producers of snacks.

Now, you would think that scallions would be too sharp a taste for little kids. But, properly presented, they have become the go-to veggie for Prince Scholars.

Pinching off a small piece of greenery is a simple task.  Getting the kids to put it in their mouths takes a little bit of convincing..... but I have a trick up my sleeve.

Did you know that this veggie has the ability to endow you with a super power?  

What super power, you ask?

Extreme bad breath!

Once they stop laughing, they can't get close enough to the treats.  A small bite, a chew or two, and then there's an explosion of HELLO's and HOW are you's.... the open mouths spreading that onion-y deliciousness and empowering the littlest ones.

A first grade class stopped on their way to class to share the joy.  The teacher had as much fun as I did. Some of the big kids remembered the super power, others needed some convincing, but everyone ended up feeling as if their mouths were the source of hilarity.

The stevia growing in the vegetable bed was an easier sell.  It's extraordinarily sweet, just like the little paper packets you find on upscale restaurant tables.  The scholar gardeners were delighted, and so was I.

I had children eating unfamiliar foods, and coming back for more.  I count that a big win.

And It Just Gets Better and Better

I enjoyed Rep. Aguilar's delight when he nominated the pride of Brooklyn, Hakeem Jeffries of New York to be Speaker of the House.  

I enjoyed Kevin McCarthy's humiliation almost as much.

 

I had to agree with Laurence Tribe, who admitted on Twitter that while it wasn't nice to take pleasure in another's troubles, he was unable to hide his glee.  

Marjorie Taylor Green is pissed that she wasn't included in the Freedom Caucus's power grab in Kevin's office last night.

I didn't know that the position could be filled with someone who's not a member of the House.  Bring back Liz Cheney?  Adam Kinzinger?  

And, when the talking heads ran out of ways to spin the confusion, there was always George Santos.  That blue sweater made it easy to spot him...... sitting next to the children of another Representative - Elect... one of whom refused to leave his seat until a Speaker was chosen.

All those family members dressed to the nines, ready to watch their loved ones sworn in, left in the lurch.  I wonder if they got to go out to dinner afterwards anyway.

I shouldn't be enjoying it as much as I am.  But, I am.

America's Blood Sport

I was about to type and then I looked at the boys' faces and I stopped.  A young man made a tackle, stood up, and collapsed as they watched Monday Night Football.  

He needed an AED.  CPR was performed "for several minutes."  They waited for his mother to come from the stands and join him before the ambulance left the stadium.  

He's at "the only Level One Trauma Center in the area."

Players and coaches and the officiating staff were weeping on the field; talking heads were sniffling at ESPN's main desk.

I'm channeling Willie Nelson right now.  Mama, don't let your babies grow up to play football..................

New Year, New Resolution

My yogi gifted this to me.  It took me a while to hear it.  Once I got there, it was obvious.

It's adding on to something she wished for us as we closed out 2009 -a new year filled with radiant health- something I embraced then and believe in today.  This new piece just makes it more lustrous.

We ended our practice last Tuesday with her hope that we approach the new year in radiant health, with wonder.

Something about it made me smile.  She's been talking about wonder for a while but it never penetrated my consciousness until then.  

It was wonderful that I was able to do the poses that had be unattainable a few months ago.  The mesquite bosque was deliciously verdant, and it was wonderful that I had the opportunity to use that word in real life.  A single tree located in the middle of our plaza had been removed and replaced with red salvia; we wondered if the tree missed us as much as we missed it.

Science is wonderful.  Yoga outside in December is wonderful.  A house full of family is wonderful.

Looking at the world through eyes that expect wonder has been infiltrating my space over the last week.  I'm going out to look at 2023's first sunset with those eyes.  

Happy New Year!

Here's to 

and

and

May it be all that you want it to be, and then some!

Wishing all good things to all of you in the new year.

Picture Post, Day 4

 The moon and Venus through the clouds as I was grilling for Queen T

Picture Post, Day 3

Grilling dinner, watching the sliver of moon over the mesquite.

Picture Post, Day Two

New shoes.  New Socks.  New pants.  New hip.  Enjoying the late afternoon sunshine on Christmas day.

Picture Post, Day One

I'm going to pretend that I have a real job and I'm taking a real vacation.  There will be pictures, though, so you don't forget me.

*****

As Queen T noted, it looks better the further away you step.

Merry Merry and Happy Happy to You All!

This was first posted in 2009, when The Burrow was eight months old.  I still haven't found anything I like better to replace it.

I give you, today, my all-time favorite Xmas carol, courtesy of Walt Kelly and Pogo. Sing loudly and lustily to the tune of Deck the Halls.....

Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo! Nora's freezin' on the trolley, Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!

Don't we know archaic barrel Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou? Trolley Molly don't love Harold, Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!

Bark us all bow-wows of folly, Polly wolly cracker 'n' too-da-loo! Donkey Bonny brays a carol, Antelope Cantaloupe, 'lope with you!

Hunky Dory's pop is lolly gaggin' on the wagon, Willy, folly go through! Chollie's collie barks at Barrow, Harum scarum five alarm bung-a-loo!

Dunk us all in bowls of barley, Hinky dinky dink an' polly voo! Chilly Filly's name is Chollie, Chollie Filly's jolly chilly view halloo!

Bark us all bow-wows of folly, Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, woof, woof! Tizzy seas on melon collie! Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, goof, goof (Picture is from Robert Sabuda's The Night Before Christmas Pop-Up Book)

I Couldn't Stand It

I had the best of intentions, but the allure was too strong.  I spent part of last night and this morning reading the 154 pages of teh Jan 6th Committee's Executive Summary. 154 pages seems like a lot to be called a Summary, but I tackled it anyway.  

I will spare you the chore of reading it yourself by excerpting some of the highlights from the first 60 some pages.  This should get you through any water cooler conversations that might crop up this week.... if you can get past his taxes and Zelenskyy and the debt ceiling.

(Quotes from the Summary are in italics; the numbers following the quotes refer to the footnotes/documentation))

*****

Who were these people who thought that storming the Capitol was the right thing to do?  Here's an answer:

12 • Lewis Cantwell testified: If “the President of the United States … [is] out on TV telling the world that it was stolen, what else would I believe, as a patriotic American who voted for him and wants to continue to see the country thrive as I thought it was?”

*****

Lewis Cantwell wasn't the only one.  The Committee has compiled hundreds of similar statements from participants in the January 6th attack.17.”

*****

There is snark    This Report supplies an immense volume of information and testimony assembled through the Select Committee’s investigation, including information obtained following litigation in Federal district and appellate courts, as well as in the U.S. Supreme Court.

*****

They exonerated several entities.

 Although evidence identifies a likely miscommunication between members of the civilian leadership in the Department of Defense impacting the timing of deployment, the Committee has found no evidence that the Department of Defense intentionally delayed deployment of the National Guard. The Select Committee recognizes that some at the Department had genuine concerns, counseling caution, that President Trump might give an illegal order to use the military in support of his efforts to overturn the election.  

*****

They took on Fox News    

Although the Committee’s hearings were viewed live by tens of millions of Americans and widely publicized in nearly every major news source,22 the Committee also recognizes that other news outlets and commentators have actively discouraged viewers from watching, and that millions of other Americans have not yet seen the actual evidence addressed by this Report. Accordingly, the Committee is also releasing video summaries of relevant evidence on each major topic investigated.

*****

And then there's this.

According to testimony received by the Select Committee, the only advisor present who supported President Trump’s inclination to declare victory was Rudolph Giuliani, who appeared to be inebriated.40

*****

And this

 Cipollone: They didn’t think that we were, you know – they didn’t think we believed this, you know, that there had been massive fraud in the election, and the reason they didn’t think we believed it is because we didn’t.

*****

I'll be watching President Zelenskyy.  I'll be perusing the Trump tax documents.  I'll keep you informed as I plow through the Report and the Transcripts (I'm capitalizing them because they feel Important).

But right now, I'm going to dive into full on holiday mode, with the first Winter Solstice Party I've ever attended.  There will be a ceremony.  I'll tell you all about it next week.

Do I Let Him In?

The tree is still unclothed, although TBG and I are hatching a plot to light it and put it outside the living room window if all else fails.  The kids wanted a real tree.  I remind them that everything they put on they have to take off.  Somehow, that does not seem to deter them.

Left to my own devices, I'd stick to the candles and Santa pillows.

We've got Hanukkah on the gas fireplace hearth.....

.... someday to be a fusion fireplace hearth?.... with candles bought in Safad, Israel, with us in mind.  

The mail brings me love from Evanston and Belvedere.  Neighbors ring the bell with treats.

Amid all this wonderfulness, I'm having a hard time writing anything about the fact that a Congressional committee just sent criminal referrals regarding the former Chief Executive to the Department of Justice.  Instead, I'm going to send you to Rachel Maddow's podcast, Ultra.  She tells a story, over eight episodes, that is chillingly evocative of the current state of our current affairs.  Her conclusions are those I'd have made myself about today's situation if I were going to let him into my house again.

But I'm not. I'm going to sit back and enjoy the view.

Late Again

Big Cuter and Queen T and LiLou, our grandpig,  are visiting for a month.  

My house is full. My heart is full.  My plate is full, too. 

I've wrapped what needs to be wrapped.  I've mailed most of what must be mailed.  I've baked most of what must be baked.  And yet,  little pieces I've forgotten keep creeping up. 

It's annoying.  It's frustrating.  And,  ultimately,  it's funny.  More people to love. More joy to dispense.  

And a tree that's here,  but unclothed. 

It's bought and paid for.  It was driven home on top of The Uv,  with Queen T keeping it there by holding the tree stand through the sun roof. It was a long 4 mile drive home; I wish the church youth group 1 mile away had opened their shop again this year. 

We still have a lot to do.  I've given Queen T my desk so she can work from home.  I need to set myself up so that I can do the same.  Being on time is important to me.... and so are you.