holidays

Once in a Blue Moon

Ania informed me yesterday that tonight there will be a full moon, and not only a full moon, but a blue moon at that, and apparently we haven’t had a blue moon on New Year’s Eve for nineteen years. So there.

That means that we’re starting off the year halfway through the lunar cycle. And empirically speaking, I suppose that would be half-full, not half-empty. How optimistic of us.

I wonder how often the moon gets a blue earth. Somebody do the math. I suppose it depends on where you’re standing. Doesn’t everything?

The Great Christmas Sock Project of 2009

Last year, I learned to knit. In an effort to figure out this knitting thing and to clothe my family at the same time, I embarked upon The Great Christmas Scarf Project of 2008. I made scarves for the whole family. Lace scarves, cable scarves, drop stitch scarves, scarves of every shape and description. By the end, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on the basics.

On the Second Day of Christmas

Merry Christmas from the DeArmond Family. May your holiday be warm at heart and your coming year full of new possibilities. Love to all.

Not a Creature was Stirring

December 21st 11:00 p.m.:

Life on Mars

T-minus ten days until Christmas. We sloshed through rain and mud yesterday to acquire a Christmas tree. I’m dreaming of a wet Christmas. Luke and I decorated the tree last night while Shawn and Ana made tacos. It smells like home.

Turning of the Year

Here we are, one turkey fatter (two in my case), past the first of the holidays and on to the next. Black friday is not a mall day for me; you couldn’t pay me enough. But fall has to scoot over for winter and at the DeArmond home, Friday was the day. We scooped gutters, raked leaves, and combed the lawn. The removal of the detritus from the front yard revealed the first tips of the winter bulbs making their way up. i got the leaves into a pile on the curb just in time to miss the green waste collector from city. Yay me.

Of Partridges and Pear Trees

I dread this part of the year. Christmas, you say? Thanksgiving? Nope. I dig the holidays. My favorite part of the year starts when the leaves to begin to turn colors and ends right after New Years. I love the holidays. What I don’t love is divvying them up.

Sigh... Here we go again.

It’s rough, you know? Everybody wants to go back and sit around that same Christmas tree they had when we were all kids, to shake that little silver sleigh bell and hear it ring again.

Springtime in Davis

Walking out of a chinese restaurant last night with a bag of takeout in my hand:

"Hi."

There's a mallard duck standing in front of me on the sidewalk.

"What are you doing here?"

We're about half a mile from the campus creek, as the duck flies. In the downtown shops and restaurants of this little college town, one of us looks out of place. He waddles up to face me, about a foot away. He's looking at my takeout bag.

"Sorry. There's nothing in there for you."

He wiggles his tail feathers.

And All That Jazz

It was late last night when a friend reminded me of today’s impending holiday. It’s Fat Tuesday – Mardi Gras. Almost missed it entirely. Not that it’s a real big holiday around this house. I don’t really go in for Lent so the idea of spending the eve before getting rid of the butter and yummy things in the house is just an excuse to have pancakes around here.

Seasonal

The take-and-bake pizza store has a sign out front: “Now Taking Valentine’s Day Pre-Orders!” Apple left a note in my inbox: “Apple TV: The Perfect Gift for your Valentine.”

You folks are reaching.

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