The Daily for Saturday Dec 19, 2020

[cruzn single]

Many thanks to Rich and Roy for all your work to keep this wonderful place "purring" along.  Love to see all the pets, sunrises, sunsets, and yummy baked goods.

 

I was going to post a picture of the Wreaths Across America photo from the cemetery where my DH is buried, but can't get it from Facebook.  Oh well!  Was going to attend the outdoor ceremony this morning (masked and distanced), but I have a FedEx shipment  (wine!!!) coming that I have to sign for, so I will go out there tomorrow after Mass!  It is so touching to see all the veterans' headstones adorned with the colorful wreaths!  It takes quite a lot of donations to make this happen for a whole cemetery!

 

I might do a little bit of baking today for neighbors, but it will only be a small amount.  I don't need the stuff around because I will eat it.  So the plan is bake, and give away promptly!  It is a gray, cloudy, cold day, so staying in is a good idea.  

 

Have a great day everyone.

[TiogaCruiser]

So @erewhon, I’m curious. So many of our Christmas decorations in the northern hemisphere are themed around snow and ice. What about your neck of the woods?

[AncientWanderer]

Greetings, Everyone!

Another shout out here for Wreaths Across America.  Because we had a donor doing matching this year, I ordered four through a ladies' club I belong to.  So eight wreaths designated to Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery here in San Diego.    

 

Wishing All a very pleasant Saturday.  😊

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is actually a sunset from my 2016 Seabourn Odyssey transatlantic.  I disembarked December 19 and spent the evening in Lake Wales.

 

 

Roy

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

57 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Good Saturday All,

 

Looks like we have another sunny day with the promise of more Santa Ana winds coming for the next few days. At least now we have some moisture in the air.

 

Today’s project is to bake and decorate cookies to put on a miniature tree for Dad. I haven’t worked with Royal Icing in over 40 years. I just detest it’s flavor so don’t use it. But the cookies will need the strength. 
 

 

When I was making the gingerbread cookies, I did some reading on royal icing. Some people suggested adding lemon or vanilla flavoring to the icing.

[Dismomx5]

Thanks for the Daily! I'll probably search out the Smoky Chicken recipe. I'm sure that I'd like it. The drink of the day looks cute, and I'm sure would taste delicious.

Congratulations to New Brunswick with NO new coronavirus cases yesterday. Something we all strive to. I'm thinking that we will be on lockdown here in Ontario from Christmas through New Years. I need to make sure that my grocery shopping is done early this week.

What a kind thing to do @Live4cruises.  To @StLouisCruisers, your neighbours sound like they will fit in to the neighbourhood nicely. My niece is moving into her new home on Monday. She has her bedding ready to go....and her Christmas tree and decorations. Priorities at this time of year. ❤️ To @Overhead Fredlove the squirrel feeder. I have a shepherd's hook for summer flowers. I might just do the same for my squirrels for the winter!

It's a gloomy day, but I'm hopeful to get the very last of my wrapping done (2 last minute gifts when the originals didn't arrive), everything out of place either back where it belongs or at least out of sight. No little ones today, so it should be a quiet one. Blessings to you all!

Be well. Stay safe. Be kind. Wear a mask.

 

 

 

[Vict0riann]

Good morning, Dailyites, and thank you, Rich and Roy and all the contributors!  DD has been making picnic tables for the squirrels, and has been feeding them (we're not supposed to...) The picture was taken in the fall - now she has the table under a plastic "tent".  They seem to love it, and look very fat and healthy.  I remember in Virginia, the grey squirrels used to make large nests in the trees and winter over there.  Here I guess they don't need the protection.  They do compete with our local black squirrels, and I think the tiny red ones are pretty well wiped out.  Rats with fuzzy tails!

 

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

We have another couple days of drenching rain, and then (hopefully) clear skies.  I really want to be able to see Saturn and Jupiter, or the "Christmas Star" this week.  Also it would be nice for our outdoor Christmas with DD, DSIL and grandsons this year!

 

All I have to do is look in all directions, I'm surrounded by evergreens 🙂  We have evergreen woods in front of and behind our house.  Will pass on the oatmeal muffins, but oatmeal sounded good for breakfast so that's what I had.  Will have stew tonight, it's just that kind of comfort food type of day. 🙂 

 

We have so many Christmas tree farms nearby, I don't know how they did this year, but do know that the one we chose this year was already sold out for U-cut and that was 2-3 weeks before Christmas.  They had a huge supply of already cut though.

 

@kazuI'm deprived too, never have had jello shots.  @summer slopethanks for the photo and recipe, that does look good!

 

Looking forward to DD, DSIL and grandsons visit tomorrow to see our village. Our daughter promised they would come by to see it after I told her I wasn't going to put it up just for DH and me.  Of course goodies will be involved too, maybe an outdoor picnic.

 

Have a safe day everyone, this will end!!

 

 

 

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks all!  I too wonder about all the ships in the Pacific.  Are they getting ready to go get crew? 
 

Love   all the squirrels, we have red, grey, brown and black ones!  
 

We are not putting up a tree although we have lots of decorations,  part of our tradition is to have the kids and grandchildren put up their ornaments and as this is not allowed this year....  unfortunately our government did not do enough early on and our hospital numbers are insane.  

 

I made oatmeal pumpkin cranberry muffins last week.  So some in the new freezer.  Now off to the Saskatoon farm to pick up some pies and saskatoons.    We will be dropping off goody packages along with gifts to our family.  

We also had a poor robin this morning,  not sure why?  

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning.  Our weather is still the same.  Yesterday, even in the 60s, it was warm enough to sit on the south patio and read for an hour or so.  The house blocks the north wind.

 

As usual I have enjoyed all the pictures. 

 

When we lived north of Houston, we had 38 pine trees in the backyard, which meant we had a lot of squirrels.   We also had a birdfeeder, which the squirrels kept emptying.  Bought a "squirrel proof" birdfeeder.  It took the squirrels a day or two, but at least one figured out how to hang on the domed top and still get the food.  Yes, they are rats with tails, but are cuter than rats.

 

@Live4cruises that was a very nice thing to do for your neighbors.

 

We are lucky to have such a caring, giving, supportive group on this thread.

 

Lenda

[dfish]

1 hour ago, Cruising-along said:

  I really want to be able to see Saturn and Jupiter, or the "Christmas Star" this week.  

I do too, but it looks like it will be overcast with rain or snow on Monday night.  Darn!  I was dusting off the telescope.  

 

Back when I was deep into the Irish genealogy of my family, my mom gave me this Irish Leprechaun ornament.  He gets front and center position every year on the tree.  

 

[Cruising-along]

13 minutes ago, dfish said:

I do too, but it looks like it will be overcast with rain or snow on Monday night.  Darn!  I was dusting off the telescope.  

 

Back when I was deep into the Irish genealogy of my family, my mom gave me this Irish Leprechaun ornament.  He gets front and center position every year on the tree.  

 

Oh Debbie that's too bad.  Around here you just never know, the forecast is hardly ever right. 😉  But keeping our fingers crossed.  My Dad had a telescope when I was growing up, he's the reason for my love of astronomy.  

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

We are also looking forward to seeing Saturn and Jupiter.  Actually, you see them in the western sky now, but in the western US they are too low for the telescope.  As DH says, they are in the light,"soupy" area of the sky.  However, the good news is you can see them with the naked eye.

 

Lenda

[Vict0riann]

Oh, Roy!  I just read on the Canadian news that Boris Johnson has confirmed a new, faster-spreading, strain of Covid in the southeast of England.   Please, can we all pray that they get it under control PDQ!

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/new-faster-spreading-strain-of-covid-19-confirmed-in-britain-1.5

[cruzn single]

@Vict0riann, I also saw that.  Scary!  And just when we thought things might be improving, now that there is a vaccine.

[dfish]

42 minutes ago, cruzn single said:

@Vict0riann, I also saw that.  Scary!  And just when we thought things might be improving, now that there is a vaccine.

We may be ok even with the mutation. 

 

 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-to-know-about-mutation-and-covid-19#What-this-means-for-a-vaccine

[StLouisCruisers]

I just received tonight's sunset photo from Clearwater Beach.  Looks a lot nicer than our Georgia temps, though looks can be deceiving sometimes!

 

[TiogaCruiser]

Finished and just delivered the cookie tree to Dad. It had some 3 dozen gingerbread cookies on it, and chocolates and snickers bars.

 

 

[erewhon]

Thanks for all the daily reports and photos.

@TiogaCruiser we mostly follow the Northern hemisphere traditions.

Turkey and all the trimmings, but weather permitting some will have BBQ's on Christmas Day, or beach picnics, are becoming  popular.

Christmas trees, wreath on front door, decorations in the house,....... we have some outdoor lights.

When we moved  house, we "downsized", so this year I have given away lots of decorations that we no longer have space for.

Like your cookie tree idea.

 

A grey moist day here, rain forecast for the next few days.

Stay safe everyone.

[St Pete Cruiser]

2 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

I just received tonight's sunset photo from Clearwater Beach.  Looks a lot nicer than our Georgia temps, though looks can be deceiving sometimes!

 

It was a beautiful day here today with temps in the low 70'sF and clear skies most of the day.  My group walked at Treasure island, which is about 15 miles south of Clearwater.  Several of us commented about walking around the promenade decks aboard ship,  which I miss.

[baltic17]

Lovely photos, especially of sunsets (which I won't see for a few days).  Out storm watching on the Oregon coast in Yachats - High wind and gale warnings, flooding (hopefully not too much in all the fire ravaged areas of the state) and small craft advisories.  Wonderful storm.  Made a big pot of veggie stew to enjoy and walked to the local bakery this am for fresh bread and treats.  Just finished my jigsaw puzzle, a favorite activity while my DH gets coffee in the morning on our cruises. 

 

Thanks for all the wonderful posts!

 

 

[Sharon in AZ]

Good evening everyone!  Late again. I read most of the posts this morning. Thank you for the Daily Rich. Thank you for your prayers list Roy. 
 

Spent the day relaxing and making cookies. DGD had no interest so the cookies got made but not the decorations on the cookies. DH had to take his new phone and get the screen saver replaced. He has only had it 5 days and dropped it somehow, thank goodness it was only the screen saver that cracked. On the way home he picked up the Baileys for my mom at Total Wine. 
 

Tomorrow I will share some ornaments that I have purchased over the years. Have a great evening everyone!

[oakridger]

14 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

So @erewhon, I’m curious. So many of our Christmas decorations in the northern hemisphere are themed around snow and ice. What about your neck of the woods?

I'm not erewhon but when I lived in the Philippines (not quite southern hemisphere, but tropical climate!) the prominent decoration for Christmas was the Star Lantern.  I really enjoyed them and there were many variations in design and color.

 

"The bamboo parol (pah-role), or star lantern, is the symbol of Christmas in the Philippines, representing the guiding light, the star of Bethlehem. It emits a warmth unparalleled among holiday adornments and is unique to the Philippines."

Edited December 20, 2020 by oakridger
Added info

[TiogaCruiser]

@erewhon @oakridger,

Does the genre of illustrations include pines, snow and ice?