OMG!

First, the cold temperatures do not inspire me. Add a sprinkling of snow to the picture? I go into hibernation mode. I mean really!?!?! Do you think God intended for sea grass to be covered in snow?!?


Although it is pretty to look at, I hate it. Give me the heat, humidity and blazing sun any day.




Can you see the thin sheet of ice on the harbor? The name of the neighborhood is Hidden Harbor; not Arctic Harbor.

Hidden Harbor Working Girl?

Well, at least someone in our Hidden Harbor household is working! Unfortunately, the lack of opposable thumbs tends to slow her down, increase spelling mistakes and negate any earning potential she might have. However, she is certainly a joy to look at and love.

I'm not really feeling my own value right now. I don't have any freelance medical projects lined up and the lack of work (and income) tend to get me feeling a little blue. I understand that we all, as individuals, have significant value because we are made in the image of God. That the fact He took his time and skills in creating us gives us our worthiness and intrinsic value. I try to remember that. Honestly, I do. However, when I'm not working towards a 'goal,' (whether it be work project, cooking, just something task oriented) I have a tendency to feel lost, defunct of value.

I hate these days where I am incapable of looking in the mirror and thinking, 'I'm OK with me.' I understand that an overarching 'goal' in life is to lead each day trying to know God better. Trying to do right by his values and teachings. Some days, its just hard to translate that into . . . . well, life.

Snarf #2 - Update

Alright, I can't help it. The following is from Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. Keep in mind that this author is a little warped. Since Jesus can not 'be' with a woman, the author thought it would be humorous that the best friend be a nymphomaniac.

So, after watching Wizard of Oz (Biff had to come back to life in the 1990's in order to write the gospel of Lamb), Biff decided that the Scarecrow was wrong to ask for a brain, instead he should have asked for (sing along boys and girls) . . .

Oh, I would while away the hours,
Wanking in the flowers, my heart all full of song,
I'd be gilding all the lilies as I wave about my willie
If I only had a schlong.

Yep, you guessed it. That led to snarf #2 and a re-abrasion of my nasal passages due to hot mint tea. Dang! Teachers never told me that this reading hobby could be hazardous to my health!

Don't let that book blow away!

Whoa. Hold down the animals and small children. The wind is fierce. I mean, an average of 35 to 45 MPH with gusts of 60 MPH.

So, while I'm "holding down the fort," I've also been keeping one hand on my trusty current read, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. Hys-ter-i-cal! As in, burn-your-nasal-passage-because-you-snarfed-your-hot-tea-while-you-were-laughing hysterical.

For those of us who never gave thought to the Jesus' boyhood years, this will get you thinking. It makes you ponder about how 'human' Jesus was. Yes, I'm afraid that a book that burns nasal passages could help the population at large explore our human-ness.

No, it is not a religion book; nor is reading it a religious experience. Yet, I would consider it a must read for those of us who have a tendency to take religion, spirituality and the meaning of life a little too seriously.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my burns. Anyone know a good way to get antibiotic ointment up your nose and between your eyes?

What did you do for perihelion?

Peri-what? Perihelion. Today is perihelion. The day that the Earth is closest to the sun all year. About 3.1 million miles closer to the sun than it will be in early July (when the Earth is furthest from the sun).

So there you go. Perihelion. Now, what did you do today to celebrate perihelion? Throw a party? Spend the day outside? Angle your face to the sun and produce some vitamin D?



DJ and I used the good weather to our advantage and got out for a 'yak attack. Any day in January that you can get out on the water (without the risk of freezing or frostbite) is a great day, indeed.

Are your eyes bigger than your garden?

The following should be a gardener's commandment:

Thou shall try and use restraint when ordering vegetable seeds.

I have been perusing gardening websites today. If I were to plant/grow everything that looks interesting, I would need about 2 or 3 acres. But, just look at some of this stuff! Can't you just imagined these stuffed with a wonderful vegetarian sausage, tomato and cheese filling? Or what about making salsa with these? I can just see the look of shock on the faces of friends and family when receiving this. Or what about making pesto with this type of basil? One thing I have to plant is this vegetable. We discovered these beans at the New Bern Farmers' Market last year and fell in love with there look and their flavor. YUM! And, I might just have to grow these in honor of Barbara Kingsolver of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle fame. Yup. They are the beans that are shown on the cover of the book.

So, if you could grow a garden, what would you just have to plant?

And what have you been doing?

We have been all over the place! Charlotte, NC before Christmas; VA after Christmas; de-decorating on New Year's Day and completing the 'honey do' list this week. You can tell from the picture above that DJ's 'honey do' list included cleaning all the limbs and branches from around our dock. (I don't know why the man is smiling since he is shin deep in shoe-sucking muck.) He did this on Wednesday when the water level was the lowest we've seen since moving in June.

Anyway, it has been a wonderful, but exhausting holiday. I'm ready to say 'bye-bye' to the holiday season and 'hello' to 2009. I'm not making any New Year's resolutions. For years I have made the resolution to curb my cussing and we all f*&king know how that d^%m resolution goes to s#$t before January 1st is over. As you can see from the picture below, Ginger did make one New Year's resolution . . . . . to show everyone just who 'Mommy' (ie ME) belonged to. Like there was any doubt?!?



Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. May 2009 bring you peace, happiness, love and personal fulfillment (in whatever form that might manifest)!

My love,
Christa