Monday, December 29, 2008



Look at this beauty! The feeders at my parents house were a feeding frenzy!
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Monday, December 22, 2008

Amazing Peace

This Poem was read December 1, 2005 at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at the White House.

Amazing Peace A Christmas Poem
by Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lighting rattles the eaves of our houses.
Floodwaters await in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to
avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and gray and threatening.

We question ourselves. What have we done to
so affront nature?
We interrogate and worry God.
Are you there? Are you there, really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension,
Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hop
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the
bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from
rancor
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps
quietly in the corner.
Floodwaters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children.
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they
walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth, brightening
all thing,
Even hate, which crouches breeding in
dark corners.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We ar thrilled by
its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of
Christmas.
We beckon the good season to wait awhile
with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and
Muslim, say come.
Peace.
Come and fill us an our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and
the Confucian,
Implore you to stay awhile with us
So we may learn by your shimmering light
How to look beyond complexion and see
community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.

On this platform of peace, we can create a language
To translate ourselves to ourselves and to
each other.

At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of
Jesus Christ
Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues the coming
of hope.
All the earth's tribes loosen their voices
To celebrate the promise of peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and
Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look to each other, and then to ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apologiy or
hesitation:

Peace My Brother.
Peace My Sister.
Peace My Soul.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

This is just sick....

I just don't get this at all.

"If You'd Like to Smell Like Burger King...."

Who are they trying to attract?

Sunday, December 7, 2008

O Christmas Tree!

Yesterday I went to my parents house to help them pick out their Christmas Tree. This tradition of going to the tree farm and picking out the tree dates back before I can remember. It is a family tradition that I love. There is something about being outside, shivering with nose-numbing wind and arguing the most essential question: What makes the perfect Christmas tree? In my family, we like big, fat, round, huggable trees. We also like trees that don't bite you back. You know the ones. This usually leads us to the long needle, white pine. For years, this species has been our bread and butter. Last year, we decided to switch it up. I know! But we loved our tree last year, and the Douglas Fir holds its needles a little longer.

This year, it was just Dad and I, Mom was not feeling well, so we took the truck and headed out. Because my parents live closer to the "country" than the "city," it takes us about 10 minutes to get to the tree farm - Thomas Tree Farm in Manchester, MD. (Just up the road) Usually our trek lasts quite a while. We debate, look from all angles, assess the qualities of each tree that we spot. Every one gives their input. Dad is usually concerned the tree we pick is too tall. Mom is usually concerned it has holes through the middle. And I am usually worried about the general shape, and tallness of the tree (I don't want it too short, now do I?)

This year, Dad and I set out with our saw, and cart (to carry the tree back). We head to the far field - we know where we want to go, and are on a mission. We find the stand of Douglas Firs and while this is good, its not good enough. Then we spot a row of trees at the edge of the field. These trees look like last year's abandoned crop. And in the middle, with no other trees around, I spot the perfect shaped tree. We beeline it to the tree. Walk around it. Nope, no holes. Pretty full. No dead branches. Dad gets on the ground and checks the trunk - if it is crooked, it is a no-go. (We've been there before, and trying to straighten out a crooked tree is near impossible) This tree has a perfect trunk. We ponder. Look around. And decide. THIS is IT. Dad saws, I pull on the tree to help.

We got this tree home, put it up without incident, and last night we decorated it. It smelled so wonderful in the house. I LOVE that smell. To me, it signifies Christmas.

To top it off, it snowed yesterday evening! It was beautiful.
Below are some pictures. Enjoy! :-)


Being Crafty

Whew! Busy busy. I want to first share some of the projects I've been working on the past couple of months/weeks.

1. I made a smock for my Godson - for when he paints and does artwork. He just turned 4, and is a light in my life.

2. I made a scarf - a Christmas present for someone who may or may not read this blog, therefore the name has been withheld. :-)

3. Christmas cards. Last weekend, my best friend Jami and I got together for card-making and had a blast.

Below are some pictures. :-)




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Monday, December 1, 2008

World AIDS Day 2008

I feel like I'm getting a little preachy, and I don't mean to. Forgive me.

Today was World AIDS Day - as is always commemorated on Dec. 1st. Having personal experience working to fight the HIV virus that causes AIDS, I just wanted to raise awareness for this devastating disease. Actually, Baltimore, MD has the second worst infection rate in the US, and 90% of new infections are in the African American community.

There are many organizations out there that help people with AIDS, and through school, I've worked with one in Baltimore, called Moveable Feast, which makes and packages meals to people that can't do it themselves -either they are too sick, or have treatments, whatever it may be. It is a wonderful organization. I encourage everyone (including myself) to find organizations, and do what you can to help. Thanks!