Happy New Year!

George Washington's Eggnog Recipe

Mini Capt assures me it is unsafe to drink!

Merry Christmas

Botticelli found at Maggie's Farm

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  This will be my first without my Mother and I will be spending it with my Dad.

A Christmas Gift For The Ladies

Christmas Season PSA

The Political Commentator lists 15 Steps For Avoiding Crime
Instead of trying to get pepper spray, I recommend a small can of aerosal hair spray.  Will work just as well, trust me.

Sheer Idiocy

Rule by Little Girls
This link to Crusader Rabbit leads to Andrew Bolt which leads to an article at the Australian that one needs to login and subscribe in order to read.  I am not sure if it is a paid link.  Too bad.  I would have liked to have read the original article.
These postings and all the fine comments do not remind me of this:



I do fear for my daughter's future, but I fear even more for my yet-to-be conceived grandchildren.  I could say granddaughter, but the truth is I fear for either gender.  When I see people stuck in their electronic devices rather than talking to each other, I see no future.
I recall attending a business luncheon and got into a conversation with another about the new trend of television/videos in automobiles.   My young colleague thought that the videos were a wonderful idea - the kids where kept quiet.  I asked her, with working full time, running children to this activity and that, cooking dinner while the kiddies are doing homework, etc, when does she get time to actually have a decent conversation with her children?   It is my belief that an automobile is a great opportunity to have a conversation with one's spawn.  They cannot escape or evade.  Yes, they can tune out, but if there are no distractions, they can at least absorb pearls of wisdom by osmosis.  Not the optimum, not the upbringing I had but one needs to adjust to changing times and take advantage of every bit of "down-time".   I wonder if she kept the video machine.
So I said all that to ask this - do we wonder why little girls, who have been raised on feminist propaganda in the schools, whose parents shove them in front of idiot, mind-numbing entertainment rather than have a conversation, who have been raised on feel-good self esteem rather than critical thinking that would challenge their brains, who yet to have any practical experience in the world, would think they have the answers to questions they know nothing of?
Humans are self destructing.

Photo found by google search

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who reads this.  You are truly special in my life.

Lord, I thank you for the blessings you have given.  Let us remember those who first celebrated this day after the first year in a new land;  they lost more than half of their family and friends and endured hardships that today we cannot imagine.  They made new friends and solemnly gave You thanks for their harvest.   I give thanks, Lord, for the wisdom of our founding fathers in establishing this great country.  Thank you Lord for the men and women who sacrifice their lives daily to ensure our freedoms – the freedom to practice our faith, the freedom to speak our thoughts, to be secure in our homes and persons.  Watch their steps, ears and eyes as they defend and protect us.  Seneca wrote, “Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.”  Let us all be grateful for our loved ones, safe travels for those travelling today, and bless the hands that prepare our meals as well as the hands that work to bring food to our tables.  I pray, Lord, for a grateful, humble, loving and wise heart. 

Dining Experiences

While neither one of these great ideas are in the US, I would dearly love to see these trends take off.

Restaurant Offers 50% Discount To Turn Off Phones 
Includes texting.
I enjoy going out to eat - white table cloths, polite wait staff, etc.  I usually go out on my own and have done for eons.  I am comfortable with myself and bring a book when I remember.  I like people watching.  What I truly shake my head at (other than men wearing hats indoors-but I already covered that) is seeing table after table with everyone at the table on their phones.  When I do dine with someone, I like the conversation.

Restaurant Plays Opera To Deter Teens Late At Night
This is not a new concept, but I think it is a great idea.  The fact that these teens should be home in bed is an entirely different post.   Maybe some swing music would encourage the wrinklies for dancing.  That should improve any late night run at a fast food joint.

Manet: Chez Le Pere Lathuile, 1879

In Defense of Fruitcake

Fruitcake!

I used to love fruit cake. My father's mother made it every year, soaking it for a year in rum. I think Dad and I were the only ones to eat it.  That is ok because when one comes from a family of 6 children, having NOT to share is extraordinarily delightful.  It was particularly tasty with vanilla ice cream or cornish cream. I can't eat it anymore due to a young adult onset of nut allergies, but I still enjoy the memory of the taste.  

"They"

I had always known this about the BBC and the Guardian, but naively thought rational thinking Brits wouldn't fall for it.  That was my problem - "rational thinking Brits".  Now I understand why my friends in Britain parrot the palestinian lie.  It is all they know.
Purveyors of antisemitism (from PJ Lifestyle)

Which leads to this article from spiked-online  Kristallnacht Then and Now

The narrative of European anti-Semitism had no place for the individual Jew. Jews were Jews, and any perceptible differences that may have distinguished one from another were of marginal significance. This stripping away of the individuality of the Jew allowed for the dehumanisation of an entire group, seen to consist, not of different persons, but of an homogenous people. That’s what Goebbels meant when he talked about the justifiable punishment exacted on the German Jewish community – the entire Jewish race was responsible for the behaviour of anyone associated with it.

In most European circles, the old, poisonous idea of guilt-by-blood, which was applied to earlier Jews for the crimes of individual Jews, is no more acceptable than that of guilt by association. However, over the past 10 to 15 years there has been an important shift in the evolution of European attitudes towards Jewish people. One important development has been the impact of Middle Eastern and Islamic politics and conflicts on European societies. Since 9/11, Europe has become more sensitised to the corrosive effect of these conflicts, and the growth of significant Muslim constituencies in Europe has ensured that the crisis of the Middle East is not simply an external issue but rather one that has great domestic influence, too.

The Islamisation of Europe and the acceptance of the natives is truly mind boggling.  I guess Europe needs its own 9/11 - no I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  Muslim societies in Europe do not bring anything positive, yet Europeans turn a blind eye to the destructive all in the name of not being perceived racist.  How many young soldiers need to be beheaded on the streets, how many young girls raped before governments wake up to their ludicrous immigration and "human rights" rules and send the thugs back to the hell hole they crawled out of?

Another Good Grief Moment

A war anthem?
I always thought it to be a testimony to hope.

Relaxing

'Tis Good To Be Scottish

'Tis good to be Scottish!

thanks MiniCapt

Another "Oh Good Grief" Moment

How stupid is this government?
department of homeland stupidity

Update:
more stupidity
mainly because the majority of "voters" will never see this stupidity they voted for

wrong wrong wrong

At the very least provide your guests with towels before they ruin their clothes sitting on the furniture YOU invited your guests to sit upon.

I love dogs, cats, pets, etc.  I don't want my clothes ruined because you are too lazy to discipline.  I grew up with pets - they never sat on the furniture.  I  had my own pets as an adult - they never sat on the furniture.

A Picture is Worth ....

The Rapture and Beyond at American Digest

The sad thing is the sentiments of the two in the background will be held by millions...

Today in History

The Battle of Agincourt

painting by Donato Giancola

Shakespeare's Henry V as directed by Kenneth Branaugh is one of my favourite films.
non nobis
It gave, to me, the most  romantic scene ever written.
Henry & Catherine pt 1
Henry & Catherine pt 2

Musings on the Ridiculous

There is a new war on Coke.  Oh for pete's sake (and who was Pete, by the way), there are plenty "healthy" alternatives to Coke.  Let them make what they want.
the burp commercial

Now this is a new one, at least to me
Racist Halloween costumes
So now only cartoon characters are allowed on Halloween.  I can remember waiting breathlessly for years to be old enough to wear the Japanese kimono - complete with the hair sticks - that my mother bought for us when she lived in Japan.  I also wore the German dirndl.  Hell, my school uniform in
Scotland was a Kilt.  Ok, that was different.  My cousin had a kimono made for me a few years ago.  Am I not allowed to wear it ever because I am not Japanese?  Personally I never wanted to be a "demon" or any other ugly creature on Halloween.  From my own understanding, costumes are simply to disguise who one really is.

There may be more ridiculous musings but this will do for now.

Maybe I will be a brunette for Halloween.  (Ha!)

Happy Columbus Day

Once again (good grief - this has been going on since the 70s) Columbus is being maligned for simply trying to find a shorter route to Asia.    I am quite tired of this re-hashing a tired, and in my opinion, false meme.

We celebrate Columbus Day and the Fourth of July because history is written by the winners. Had the Aztecs, the Mayans or the Iroquois Confederation developed the necessary technology and skills to cross the Atlantic and begin colonizing Europe, the fate of its native inhabitants would have been far uglier. The different perspectives on history often depend on which side you happen to be on.

 We celebrate Columbus Day and the Fourth of July because history is written by the winners. Had the Aztecs, the Mayans or the Iroquois Confederation developed the necessary technology and skills to cross the Atlantic and begin colonizing Europe, the fate of its native inhabitants would have been far uglier. The different perspectives on history often depend on which side you happen to be on.

Sultan Knish has an excellent article.

Grief and Beauty

"When you are happy, so happy you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be — or so it feels— welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence.” 
― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

“Knock and it shall be opened.' But does knocking mean hammering and kicking the door like a maniac?”
― C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

An Autumn Path 

My Mother's Life

as written by my Father.

PATRICIA M. THAYER (Age 86) "Memories, light the corners of my mind. Misty water colored memories Of the way we were." (Bergman & Hamlish) Of Washington, DC and Williamsburg, VA died on August 2, 2013. Born in Louisville, KY, she had a particularly close and loving relationship with her grandfather, William Hammond. He influenced and motivated her interest in fine arts, history, traveling, large families and genealogy. During the depression, her father, Paul Martin, moved to Washington, DC. She graduated from Academy of Holy Cross in Kensington, MD and then attended both University of Maryland and Vassar College. Her education was interrupted prematurely by her marriage to then Lt. Raymond Thayer, 1946 graduate of the US Military Academy. It was rumored that the marriage was partially motivated by her desire to travel and get an early start on a large family of children. Both wishes were realized by accompanying her husband to occupation duty in Japan and the birth of her first two daughters while there. She acquired an appreciation for Japanese fine arts, furnishings, and china. With her husband sent to the Korean "police action," she returned to the US. Reunited for several duty stations in the US during the 50s, she gave birth to her daughter number three and twin sons. The long-hoped-for assignment in Germany arrived as did daughter number four, her final child. She focused on raising her children and pursuing her interests in European culture. Service life continued 15+ years with assignments both stateside and overseas and much traveling. She made many friendships in Europe. In the 1960's, she was appointed President of the German-American Wives Club in Wiesbaden/Mainz, Germany, as well as other social appointments of import. This gave her a life-long feeling of pride and pleasure as a result of the friends she acquired and cultural education afforded. A major ambition was to provide the best possible education for her children. Despite being challenged by "nomadic" Army life (33 different places in 30 years) and limited financial resources, she nonetheless secured educational opportunities for all her children to attend private schools abroad and in the US and top university level education for several of them. Upon her husband's retirement from the Army and settlement in the Washington DC-Annapolis area, she realized a long-delayed dream to resume her formal education by her attendance at Mt. Vernon College. Her course work in Renaissance Art History included a lengthy period of study in Venice, Florence, and Rome. Mrs. Thayer's special knowledge, talents, and skills in interior design, the arts, gardening, antiques, literature, English history were recognized by her many friends, children, professors, and fellow students. She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Col. Raymond E. Thayer (USA Ret.), five of her six children- Anne Callihan and husband Gary, Susan Thayer, Capt. Richard Thayer (USN Ret.) and wife Laura, Brendan Thayer, and Sarah Love and husband Jim; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral will be at Arlington National Cemetery, day and time to be announced. 

We buried my mother a week ago.  My thoughts are still to come ...  I never realised how cathartic this would be 

my favourite picture of her - in Germany

Is It Powerful Or Evil?

From the Paris runways
Laura Wood, from the Thinking Housewife, has posted this bit about a fashion designer's 2014 preview.  Now we can all agree that the fashion design houses around the world usually have, for the most part, strange  and unwearable designs on the fashion show runways.   Ok, some of my male readers may not be bothered and, truth be told, I cannot be either.  I wear what I like and if I cannot find it ready made, I can make it myself.
The ugliness in the attitude of the models is indicative of our society, the review of the show by Robin Givhan is insulting in that she calls it "a powerful rejection of conventional beauty."  While the use of non "conventional" models and tribal warlike choreography is perhaps edgy, do we not have enough violence in this world without celebrating it to sell unimaginative apparel?
I hold a traditional view when it comes to art - that it should celebrate the beauty of God's creations and the imaginative mind He has given the human race.  When we succumb to the mean, violent and ugly, we succumb to Evil.
This is real beauty and creative fashion

  and they are smiling

Something Very Exceptional and Very American to Celebrate

The establishing of the Constitution of the United States of America

Read it here!

It is the Weekend

And it is a gorgeous late summer weekend at that!

Congratulations, Australia

Australia is open for business, again

Good on ya!

This Should Make It All Clear

ht:theo

This Never Fails To Thrill Me

Isle of Man TT 2013

Well, kinda goes hand in hand with this

The Cafe

Real Equality

a real army soldier
Over at Duff and Nonsense I was struck by the tale of this soldier in the Civil War.  A soldier who, although a woman, managed to pass herself off as a man.  With the modern female demanding special standards, rather than competing on a level field with the men they claim to be equal to, this woman simply did the tasks asked of her.
A lesson a few could learn, methinks.

My Mother

A couple of days ago I posted my eulogy to my mother.  I decided to take it down for now.  The family is  having a memorial reception for her on Friday in the town where my parents have lived for the last nine years.  The funeral will be at Arlington.  We don't have a date yet.
This is one of my favourite photos of her.

With our beloved and crazy Dalmation, Pepper. 

I Have A Theory

Since Benghazi was blamed on a video, I say that these imminent terrorist threats are due to this video:
ht: american digest

just saying, that's all.......
ok the link didnt work, so I linked to American Digest

To Everything There Is A Season

t

Since there is no other way to say this:  My mother is dying.  We don't know when, anytime.  I have said my goodbye to her earlier this week.  When I can, I will tell you all what an amazing woman she is.
Update:
My Mother passed peacefully this morning.

Face Palm

What is this new trend with jurors speaking out after the trial?  I don't get it and I don't think it contributes to any conversation about any trial.  Once they have done their duty, they should keep quiet.  It just confirms my belief that our society is made of people who have no integrity, worship at the feet of celebrity, and quite frankly, the only brains they have are not worth eating.   But then I am saying nothing new here.

her 15 minutes

poler bearz r qute

This is how demographic suicide creeps up on nations

The most persistent myth of the Western Dhimmi narrative is that Muslims are a minority and must receive special protection and accommodation. But Muslims are not a minority. There are 1.5 billion Sunni Muslims worldwide, outweighing Catholics as the next largest religious faction at 1.1 billion and Hindus at 1 billion. They are still a minority of the overall population in Western countries, but a demographically trending majority.

Sultan Knish - read the whole article

It is a shame heads are still in the sand.  The article states that keeping muslims from immigrating into western civilizations is impossible.  I think that nothing is impossible, and until we get our children on board to having more children, keeping muslims in their filthy hell holes should be implemented.

Heir He Is

Title stolen from Drudge

As an American I can be excited as I want for the new heir to the British throne, and the birth of this little man has brought some joy into my current chapter.  I am, however, surprised at the amount of vitriol spewed on the blogosphere.
Now as for names:  forget George, Edward, James, and Henry - too many of them sat the throne.  And, in my opinion, more than half of each name were not quite up to the task, morally speaking.  Charles and William are already spoken for.  So that leaves (in order of preference) Arthur, Richard, Edmund and Edgar.  I am iffy on Alexander (one Scottish king); I cannot see them going Aethelred or Cnut.   These are all the traditional names for kings in England/GB.

Update:  George Alexander Louis.  Maybe George will now out-rate Mo' has the most popular boys name in the UK

Orchids

Blogging will be light while I deal with heartbreaking news.

Orchid and Hummingbird by Martin Johnson Heade

Origin & History
The orchid's name originates from the Greek orchis, meaning "testicle," and its history is one of lust, greed, and wealth. Some orchids are called "ladies' fingers," "ladies' tresses," or "long purples." Orchids were collected extensively during the 1800s; once, four thousand trees were cut down for the orchids growing on their branches. One collector alone was believed to have sent hundreds of thousands of orchids to England, where most of them died.
Sentiment & Symbolism
There are nearly 25,000 varieties of orchids. Greek women thought they could control the sex of their unborn children with orchid roots. If the father ate large, new tubers, the child would be male; if the mother ate small tubers, the child would be female. Indeed, the orchid's reproductive behavior has intrigued botanists for years: to germinate, an orchid's seeds need to be penetrated by fungus threads. The paphiopedilum orchid was named for Phaphos, a temple on Cyprus where the love goddess Aphrodite was worshipped (and where prostitutes were said to be readily available.) The most famous orchid, the vanilla orchid, was said to give strength to the Aztecs, who drank vanilla mixed with chocolate.
Color Messages
The orchid is a flower of magnificence that brings a universal message of love, beauty, wisdom, and thoughtfulness. In China it signifies refinement, and the innocence of children. A pink orchid conveys pure affection; the popular cattalya orchid denotes mature charm, and is often used in corsages for Mother's Day.

info from FTD

Russia - the new black

helmut safety
ht: blazing cat fur

Russia is not PC
ht: the other mccain

And then just type in "russian dash cams" at YouTube for endless hours of fun with crazy music.
Maybe I should learn Russian and move.  I wonder what their unemployment rates are?
less than 6%? blimey o'reilly

They have pin-ups:

and they have angst:

... well at least for brunettes they do  *snicker*

"to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another."

Red Divided and Blue Fly This Independence Day
Thanks to James Board for this article.  The comments are very interesting as well.

Happy Independence Day!

“Remember (Sodom &) Gomorrah!” The Revenge Fest Has Just Begun

An excellent post from the Thinking Housewife, one of my favourite blogs.   Whenever I read her blog I tend not to get anxious for I know there are many more of us - my hopes sustained - my faith secure.
 Here’s another realistic prediction. As marriage goes from being a union defined by biological ties to purely a legal construct, parents will have to apply to adopt legally their children. John Millbank writes:

[Gay marriage] would end the public legal recognition of a social reality defined in terms of the natural link between sex and procreation. In direct consequence, the natural children of heterosexual couples would then be only legally their children if the state decided that they might be legally “adopted” by them.

Read the full post here

ht: the thinking housewife

Commenter Quote of the Day

Twoiron

The only thing Obungler has touched that hasn't been bungled is Moochelle's vacation schedule. Otherwise, Obungler is batting 1.000. Not a bad bungling average for a guy who wears mommy jeans.

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/06/obama_administration_bungles_snowden_leaves_great_power_diplomacy_in_shambles_comments.html#disqus_thread#ixzz2XA0bjAXm
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