Solstice

Today marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, summer if you are fortunate enough to be in the southern. For travelers in the north, today has the fewest hours of daylight, in the south the longest hours of sunshine.

In modern times Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas on December 25. However, it is believed that this date was chosen to offset older Roman pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Natalis Invicti. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the December solstice because from that point onwards, the days began to have more daylight in the northern hemisphere.

Christmas is also referred to as Yule, which derives from the Norse word jól, referring to the pre-Christian winter solstice festival. Yule is the time when ancient believers celebrated the rebirth of the Sun God and with it days with more light. This took place annually around the time of the December solstice and lasted for 12 days. Fires were lit to symbolize the heat, light and life-giving properties of the returning sun. A Yule or Juul log was brought in and burned on the hearth in honor of the Scandinavian god Thor.

In England, Germany, France and other European countries, the Yule log was burned until nothing but ash remained. The ashes were then collected and either strewn on the fields as fertilizer every night until Twelfth Night or kept as a charm and or used in making medicine.  French peasants believed that if the ashes were kept under the bed, they would protect the house against thunder and lightning. The present-day custom of lighting a Yule log at Christmas is believed to have originated in the ancient bonfires associated with the feast of Juul.

Toad

Happy Chanukah-second night

First Blessing over the lighting of the candle...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lights.

Second Blessing in remerance of the miracles...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who brought miracles for our ancestors, in those days at this time {of year}.

Shalom

Almost There

While sitting at the desk.

the view as I turn to my left

the view behind 

and to my right

All my toys near at hand

I have some touching up to do, new curtains are being sewn, the bookshelves are completed and I've done all I'm going to for this room until next week.

Toad

Heavy Tweed Jacket is back

Heavy Tweed Jacket is back   Let us give thanks!

happy chanukah-first night

First Blessing over the lighting of the candle...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lights.




Shalom

Joyeux Noel

Royal Artillery Memorial-London

Rudyard Kipling and his fellow warmongers worked overtime at the beginning of World War I trying to convince the British people that due to the superiority of the Royal Navy the war in Europe would be over by Christmas 1914. They were horrifically wrong.  By the time trench warfare began late in 1914 it was clear the war would extend beyond Christmas.

Christmas is always hard on soldiers. To those entrenched in Flanders, London was a mere 60 miles away, the German border not much further.  Governments on both sides had prepared small holiday gift-boxes for the troops, with snacks, sweets and tobacco. Queen Victoria had set the precedent in 1899, ordering small tin boxes of chocolates shipped to soldiers in distant South Africa for a Boer War Christmas. German troops in Flanders, accessible from home by land, received, along with their wooden gift boxes, tabletop-size Christmas trees with candles conveniently clamped to the branches.





On Christmas Eve 1914 the Germans placed their trees atop trench parapets and lit the candles. Then they began singing carols, and though their language was unfamiliar to the British Tommies, the tunes were not. After a few trees were shot at, the British became more curious than belligerent, and crawled forward to watch and to listen, and soon they too began to sing. By Christmas morning, no man’s land between the trenches was filled with fraternising soldiers, sharing rations, trading gifts, singing, and – more solemnly – burying the dead between the lines. Fraternizing with the enemy is criminal offense in wartime, and when word of the Christmas Truce reached headquarters local commanders were severely punished. War began the next morning.

Several mostly unsuccessful attempts were made in 1915 to continue a Christmas truce tradition, to little avail. No war since has had a successful Christmas truce.

Toad

A child's christmas in wales read by dylan thomas

I'd sell my soul for his speaking voice so long as it didn't come with his demons as well. This is one of my favorite Christmas stories. I hope you enjoy it.

Toad

Shopping this weekend? Bah

Since #1 son's work schedule doesn't allow him much time off for Christmas this year, Mrs. T and I hit the road Saturday meeting up with Liz and her family in Kansas City, breaking bread and exchanging Christmas prizes.

Not being as familiar with KC as I once was, I asked several locals for recommendations of good places, near the interstate for us to meet. When the number 1 recommendation from several folks was the same (Oklahoma Joe's), I took that as a good sign, and planned accordingly.

Mid afternoon when we arrived, the line of customers wrapped around the building. Thankfully it was unseasonably warm since many patrons, unable to find seats inside tailgated in the parking lot. We went elsewhere, had a feast that couldn't be beat and hightailed it home.

So much for the myth of last minute holiday shoppers.

Toad

Christopher Hitchens-RIP

So long Christopher, We look forward to your reports from the other side.

Dog Time

Can your dogs tell time? Two of ours can. Charlie sleeps in our bed. At nine AM and not a minute sooner, she's awake, licking my face and ready for me to begin my day. Whatever mood I go to bed in, I begin my day laughing.

Pooh knows her bed time. Each night around 1, regardless of what else is going on, she heads to bed. She's also the first one awake but is quiet until Charlie's up.

My daughter sent the photo above. Every weekday evening, 10 minutes before her husband is expected home from work, her 2 guys move to their spot at the top of the landing and wait for dad. It's uncanny. Dad was late the day the photo was taken and the guys were becoming restless.

Toad

Regifted

Amongst the best holiday traditions are the endless loop of treasured television movie classics, White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife, Christmas Story. Most of us can recite the holiday programs in our sleep. My TIVO has 5 versions of A Christmas Carol, including Dr. Who's. I love them all.

To assist in the spirit of regifting, I offer this rerun from last year and last years last year. Someday, it's going to become a classic.

Happy Holidays.

Toad

Race to antarctica

There were no banner headlines in the next morning's newspapers announcing the feat, but at 3 PM GMT one hundred years ago today, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundson and 4 expedition members were the first humans to arrive at the South Pole.

The Norwegian team was competing for the honor of being first to the pole with the English explorer Robert Falcon Scott. Scott had set off for Antarctica first, while Amundson had planned to explore the North Pole. His plan, pre-Panama canal, was to sail around the Horn and up the US west coast to the Artic. Upon reaching Madeira, Amundson wired Scott that he had changed his mind and was heading to Antarctica. Scott was on a scientific expedition with a goal of reaching the pole, Amundson was going simply to be the first to reach the Pole.

Amundson did reached the pole first, Scott and his team arriving by a different route 34 days later only to find a note left for him by the Norwegian team. Amundson was troubled in later years by accusations of ungentlemanly conduct and being unsporting in his arrival without giving prior notice of his intention, the hurt was more painful because he and his team survived while Scott and his party perished on their return from the pole. Roald died in the Arctic in 1928.

Toad

3 down

Before

Apres

Early Thanksgiving week I met with our craftsman Chuck to discuss what I had in mind for shelving. Afterward I sent this drawing.



The shelves on the ends of the photo above were meant to be one foot deep and two foot long. They arrived 1x1. I'm having so much fun teasing Chuck about his broken tape measure that I didn't even notice the hurt when I reordered a 1x2 section.

Many thanks once again to little augury for the push and inspiration.

Toad

Odds, Ends and a Joyous Future

I. The Nativity Factor

Remember The Nativity Factor? All entries are in, votes are being counted and the adult shortlist may be found here while the youth finalists may be viewed here.

II. From the Ship of Fools

John Cook saw this sign outside the Church of All Nations on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

"This sign says it all, I think," he says.

III. America's Joyous Future

Thank goodness for churches.

Comet alerted us to this uplifting church noticeboard, said to be from Bethel Lutheran Church, Willowick, Ohio.

With one wall to go, reality is creeping in. I try to ignore it, but it may put off painting until tonight. Enjoy your day.

Toad

The Reluctant Painter

My plate is already plenty full. If I wanted I could spend all day, every day, preparing for the holidays, but I'm too easily distracted and won't leave well enough alone.

I prefer my world, especially my playroom orderly, albeit scruffy. So long as I know where my toys are, I'm a happy boy. Everything in it is neat, tidy, in very good order, meets all my needs, and is comfortable. Something isn't right though. I don't care for the color.

Since converting this rarely used guest bedroom to my personal toy store, I've tried all kinds of tricks to liven it up. I've tried cork, I've tried a single bold colored accent wall (with and without cork), Although I learned the hard way about writing on walls, I even tried greenboard paint. I was uncertain what to do.

Then Little Augury came to my rescue. In a post long ago she wrote "Why not make a small room mysterious by wrapping it in a dark color.."

little augury photo

With many black walled room photos percolating in my head, yesterday I decided to paint the walls chalkboard black. It was a horrible use of my time, but I love how it has changed the room.

The top photo is a this wall before shot


Before, this wall is behind the desktop

Apres

Remaining 2 walls are Sunday's project

Bookshelves are on order to replace the bakers rack

Fearing the room would become oppressive all black, I'm taking it one wall it at a time, finding it looks great, then doing the next.

Toad

My Christmas Present

Do you buy yourself presents? When circumstances permit, I do. Last Christmas I ordered a pair of slippers from Broadland Slippers.

They were so comfy, I asked them to make something special for my birthday. Sean and Mike mentioned that they had a piece of tartan available. I agreed before they they could change their minds.

While memorizing every photograph in Fiona Dreesmann's The Gentleman's Slipper I had the itch to add to my collection. I had something off the shelf in mind but nothing I felt strongly about. The boy's recommended this tartan with navy lining instead.


How could Toad, Laird of Dunnans Castle refuse tartan?

Toad

Toad

Let us in on a secret

both photos: Jak and Jill

Ladies, let us dumb boys in on a girl secret please. The audience here is approx 50/50 boys to girls. The scruffier half will spend many of their waking hours comparing notes with their scruffy companions. Save us and the sisterhood some grief, save us from ourselves.

It's holiday shopping season and I see clueless guys roaming the malls in search of what is hoped will be the perfect gift for the woman in their life. Leather goods are heavily advertised, perhaps a purse would be just the ticket.

Pretending the season's "it bag" is unavailable, should men just keep on walking (my vote) and avoid this minefield altogether, or is this an opportunity to pay attention, observe and learn more about the women in their life?

For instance, does a woman ever change the style of her go to, everyday bag? Could/should she be persuaded to update her choice? Color choice depends upon.....

Guys pay attention.

Toad

Imagine

John Winston Lennon

9 October, 1940-8 December, 1980

canned scones

Regular readers will recall that I'm rarely allowed unescorted in grocery stores. My bride and I usually disagree on what is a grocery essential, she taking the blinkered view. If I promise not to rush I'm allowed to accompany her because I remember where we're parked. In cold weather this is key.

Last night I discover canned scones. Canned scones may be as old as the hills but are new to me. No one makes better scones than you and your mother so I wonder that someone would bother. Are they any good?

Toad

Dave Brubeck- Cool Guy

Today we honor the 91st birthday of living national treasure, cool guy, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck.

Dave along with composing and playing partner Paul Desmond were founders of what became known as the "West Coast" jazz sound noted for its more relaxed tempo than pre war jazz.

There wasn't much music at home while I was growing up but on weekends if the old folks went to bed early I could often find Brubeck and Desmond playing on Playboy's Penthouse, a pre cable talk/musical variety show hosted by Hugh Hefner, set on a stage meant to mimic Hefner's Chicago apartment. Pretty salacious for the early 1960's. Youthful eyes could often glimpse a "bunny" without resorting to stealing a copy of the mag.

Happy Birthday Dave.

toad