parley view parsnip... light show

Oh my goodness it is 15 December !

I am about two weeks behind.

But the reason is when gud dug Watson had his "stroke".

I am just happy to report he has recovered nicely.

The best Christmas gift for my family.

We will take him back to the vet for another check-up 

and  I will just have to keep watching him.

I have noticed a few changes but all and all he is still the most prefect Dr. Watson.

  

Saturday light show both natures and man made.

Blurry photo from my studio window.

Wind blown white clouds lifting up and over the foothills 

in front of the darker storm clouds.

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 The storm that has been hitting the west coast, blew into Tucson early Saturday morning.

It rained off and on all day.  We need the rain and it was wonderful.

That evening the storm broke up and moved away right at sunset.

These photos do not do the storm clouded sunset justice.

The air glowed and swirled golden all around me.

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hahahahahah the next one is so me.

 The washer and dryer are in my studio.

I was unpacking some new Christmas lights and wanted to see 

what they looked like. They are clear white and blue snowflakes.

Of course they are all tied up so I put them over my fan and plugged them in.

I liked the look and have left them there since right after Thanksgiving.

Now this is funny because I love fairy lights and use them all year in my home and yard.

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 Daughter came by and helped me put lights on the Christmas tree.

And cooked lovely dinner of a Chicken Tagine served over 

Couscous. With a salad and dressing she made using

Tangelo, picked from my tree,  juice with  a hint of mustard and cumin.

Such a nice dinner and day.

le sigh.

Here is your pretty to start the week !

The photo is approved by Dr. Watson and thehamish.

Found on Amazon.

Both sons like beer and they both approve of the art and the subject !

lights. . . parsnip

music. . . It Feels Like Christmas,  Muppet Christmas Carol

Square Dog Friday... naughty

Oh my goodness I can't believe it is Friday already !

Were has the week gone ?

Best day of the week according to some naughty Square Dogs !
So lets woof it.

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See Watson

See Watson jump

See Naughty Watson

See Watson upset his Mum

See Watson jump when Mum said 

no more jumping !

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 And speaking of naughty

 thehamish with messy morning beard

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Yes, he is a naughty boy.

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An  interesting item found on Amazon.

Goodness I wonder who might like this ?

Many of the blogs I read, everyone is making their own mincemeat 

for  several cakes and pies.

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I have never made mincemeat but I love it at Christmas.

So I buy some ready made tarts.

So while many of you are making homemade tasty cakes and pies,

I bought mine.

Naughty me.

But

I read on Codlinsandcream2   a very easy recipe for Mincemeat Cake.

It is a quick cake to use any leftover mincemeat.

I can even use store bought mincemeat, so I am going to try to make her cake.

Son and Daughter like the store bought little tarts but will not touch Panettone Bread.
I love it all !

But don't think me completely adverse to baking.

The Meyers Lemon tree has once again produced the very best lemons ever.

So Daughter and I will making several Meyer Lemon Pound cakes.

They freeze wonderfully.

Daughter, Son and I will be making cookies.

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Once again, here is your pretty to start the weekend.

Years ago this was Daughter's Christmas Card.

It is a Christmas Watson !

awwwwwwwwwwww 

My sweet baboo .

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mincemeat. . . parsnip

music. . . See Amid the Winter Snow,  Anne Lennox

Wednesday in Japan and wooden trees.

Oh My Goodness eat your heart out Martha Stewart !

 This is the way you should cook.

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.

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My two sons were away at university.

I had just moved and daughter was a senior at High School.

She was also taking Japanese class at night at the Junior Collage.

Every morning before school we would watch a Japanese TV serial,

on a LA TV channel 36.

At the last five minute they would show 3 Minute Meals. 

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The two cooks above were the chefs on the 3 Minute Meals.

The meals of course took longer but were presented in 3 minutes.

We adored them.

Daughter sent me this video of 3 SECONDS Meals.

I died laughing !

yert !

...................................

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 I designed a wooden Christmas Tree for the Kitchen nook or the Library.

I am not sure were this will end up but I was so excited that I had to post the tree.

The tree can be flat or fanned out.

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 It is a bit hard to see with the lights outside.

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The lights on the tree are tiny dots on copper wire. I am crazy about them.

I will try to get a better photo when there is not so much reflection.

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Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat !

lights. . . parsnip

music. . . Oh Christmas Tree,  The Muppets

Update:  comcast wants more money so they are slowing the internet down

 and it is hard to connect. They want us to buy some new equipment. 

money money money

So I will be missing some of your blogs off and on.

Sorry

parley view parsnip. . . just another day

 Over the weekend,

I finished my Christmas Card. 

Waited at Office Max for them to be quick printed.

Bought the wrong envelopes.

Found out I spelled everything right.

But forgot add the little drawing inside.

So I am adding that drawing to every card by hand.

Finishing the box for Japanese family

 it must be mailed no later than the 11 December.

I have all my shopping done,

what little I did, a long time ago.

Finishing up the homemade gifts.

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I like to enjoy December and Christmas.

The light, trees, smells and for Tucson the cooler weather !

Tree will be up this week, with the decorations and fairy lights all around. 

I like to put decorations up as soon as I can so I can enjoy them all month.

I love Christmas.

Not the rush rush buy buy Christmas.

But the quiet lovely fun exciting family Christmas.

....

 Tucson son shot the next two moonrise photos.

 So much more spectacular in person but still quite wonderful.

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 The moon has been outstanding this week.
Storm clouds at sunset.

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 We had some very early much needed rain.

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 And mentioning early, 

Santa Scotty dropped off an early gift for me.

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 Doesn't Watson look wonderful.

He seems to be better.

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 yesh, Watson lookin' gud but i thehamish is goin' to

........squirrellllllllllllllllll

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And just because I can here is your pretty to start the week.

Japanese Son played Santa for the Kindergarten class

 connected to his University.

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Doesn't he make a terrific Santa !

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happy. . . parsnip

music. . . Good King Wenceslas,  The Muppet Christmas Carol

Square Dog Friday . . . Christmas

Yes, here it is the best day of the week.

Square Dog Friday !

Watson seems to be progressing like nothing ever happened.

That is why I think Watson had a stroke and not a disk problem.

He seems to be in no pain and enjoying his walk and play time. 

thehamish is as nutty as ever.
yert !

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 Watson and thehamish 

in their Christmas finery.
2012

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This photo became...

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 a Christmas stamp.

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 Lot of Watson

Fabulous !

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 A Christmas toy.
Oh so cute.

 alert
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 attack

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destroy

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 gurrrrrrrrrr

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 umnrffummurrrr

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 i thinkin' iz im trouble

yert
i had gud time
 

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Here is your pretty for the weekend.

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Christmas tree from last year.

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merry . . . parsnip

music. . . It Feels Like Christmas,  Muppet Christmas Carol

Wednesday in Japan

I remember one trip to Tokyo at Christmas.

The lights all the lights everywhere and this song.

JR Tokai Express put out a series of very charming commercials from 1988-2000.

Wonderful small stories of people trying to get home 

to see their love ones for the holidays.

The song is by Tatsuro Yamashita and first appeared in 1983.

.........

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There are many Christmas carols and hymns that I love but I always listen to

this song and series first as they always put me in such a Christmas mood.

I hope I can find and post the video of the Christmas lights around Tokyo 

with this song playing in the background.

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And just because I can here is your mid week pretty.

 The best gifts under the tree waiting for Santa to come

with gifts (chkikin' strips) for the gud dugs !

excited. . .  parsnip

music. . . Tatsuro Yamashita

 

parley view parsnip... omg. . . did I really say that ?

 Goodness where did November go ?

Life sometimes gets in the way of living.
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I appreciate all my followers who comment and read my blog.

I apologize to many of you who put up with my political comments.
That was not what my blog was to be about. But when you hear and read lies
sometimes you need to speak out. 

Living out in the southwest in a border state we see things differently,
from the east coast intelligentsia.

Especially long time Westerners. I have lived out in the west for most of my life.

You can't understand what you don't live.
.

So from now on my blog goes back to.

Monday,  Tucson

Wednesday,  Japan

and we all know what Friday is.

Square Dog Friday !

It is in their contract and I do not want to go through arbitration again !

I always lose.
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 Famous Two Headed Dog Of Tucson.
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When I started my blog it was to be lots of photos with small amount of writing.

But it has  grown and veered off on tangents sometimes.

But now Tuesday and Thursday is my days to rant.

The first post will be to prove Obama lied about what his immigration

program will really do and cost.
And cost big time to us dwindling middle class workers.
The worker bees.

We all want to believe the best of everyone but he flat out lied.
Clinton could not have done it any better.
And this comes from a long time Democrat.

So if you do not want to listen to me about immigration or whatever
just don't read the Tuesday and Thursday post.

Next :

Thank you all for the lovely comments for Dr. Watson.

He is doing so much better you wouldn't even know he had a stroke
But I have notice that he is more confused sometimes.
.

But I am always watching him, waiting.
As I said before he is 16 (almost 17) and my brain knows that,
but my heart doesn't.

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 My sweet baboo.
.

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Here is Watson eating some crushed ice and some that got stuck on his beard.

The Square Ones love to eat ice.
When they were puppies I lived in a wonderful home right by the Pacific Ocean.
It had a fabulous ice machine. Very small perfect square cubes.
When The Square Ones were teething I use to  toss the tiny cubes
across the tile floors so they would chase them and chew them.
After teething they would still wait by the ice maker for me to toss some across
the floor for them. They love ice.
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I need to harvest my Tangelos !
But they really need to ripen a few more weeks.
Here is one of my favorite birds, a Gila Woodpecker
feasting on the fruit.

They have a beautiful black and white wings and back with a bright red circle
on the very top of the head.
But they are very naughty !
I love them.
,
And here is your pretty to start the week.
This is especially for the Happy Whisk.
She wanted to see my first try at making gingerbread
It is/was so good !
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nom nom nom nom
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baking. . . parsnip
music. . .  Mad World,  Tears For Fears