I loved that song that was written by Frank Loesser in 1944 and sold to MGM which they used in Neptune’s Daughter and performed by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. It’s since been recorded and sung by many others but no other rendition beats the original or this remake by Homer & Jethro with June Carter.
Spring is on the way but temperatures are still in the 20’s today with snow flurries. Temps are expected to climb into the 50’s by next week so fingers crossed!
For someone who has always lived in the northern area of the country, it’s not this time of year without snow & icy roads so be careful if you share this part of the world.
For most of us, it’s the start of the holiday or Christmas season. I used to say happy holidays before it almost became illegal to say Merry Christmas. I found this cartoon a few years ago, so appropriate!
Yesterday I created a post dedicated to all the little birdies out in the storm.
Today I recalled a poem my Great Aunt Ruth used to read to me all the time when I was small. It took me forever to remember what it was called. All I could remember was the line “And hide his head under his wing, poor thing!” I was thinking of this line when the little birds, mostly small robins, were starting to gather around my warm car in the parking lot yesterday. I wished I had brought some kind of food, like bread or crackers, not that it’s good for them, but I don’t carry bird seed and all the berries they were trying to eat were covered in ice. I supposed they just cracked the crystals like they do the hulls of the seeds they eat.
I long to hear my Aunt reading me those nursery rhymes again. She passed on when I was only seven, but I was blessed to live with her from the time I was born until the age of four. At that time, my parents began living in one of the farmhouses that was owned by my father’s step dad. I never called him grandfather and hardly knew the man. I didn’t know my paternal grandmother either. She didn’t have anything to do with us anymore than she did her son, my father. Which helped to create our perfect dysfunctional family.
But I digress. My sister and myself began to spend weekends with my Aunt and Grandmother after we moved way up to Richmond. They lived together in a bungalow in Detroit at the time. I loved that little house and it’s still standing today. I did a drive by and the neighborhood is still very well taken care of by all who still live there. Had a white picket fence, at the time, as well as berry bushes, an apple tree and a sour cherry tree that we kids used to love to climb and eat our fill in the late summer.
I have worried about birds in winter for as long as I can remember and sometimes would leave my garage door up during storms so they could go inside to keep dry. I thought about those words in the Nursery Rhyme about the “poor little robin.” I took it to heart and wondered sometimes when it was cold, how they could even stay alive out there, even in a nest. I think this is part of how humans are taught something called compassion. Something that many adults don’t have to pass on anymore. Hence the necessity for religious training that the modern liberal world mocks every chance they get.
(the way it was told to me)
Scene from frozen this morning after an ice and snow storm. More due tomorrow.
The poor little birds were still eating the ice-covered berries in the trees.
There was virtually no one outside today and so the birds were very active and hungry after waiting out the storm.
Enjoy the diversity of my photo display!
Changing seasons are one of the reasons I love Michigan. There is seldom a dull moment. I actually don’t have a favorite season anymore but I will say I hate oppressive heat and air conditioning which makes me stay north.
We do enjoy glorious seasons in Michigan.
I will also add that I am now in the season of what some call the “Sunset Years.” If this is true, I’m in for one looonnnggg and glorious of those too!
Peace and God bless!
This has been a long, hard winter for all of us. I am sick of the severe cold and all the shoveling and I’m sure most of you agree.
I lost my job, again, right before the holidays and my only sister soon after. It looks like I will be losing my home by the end of this year unless I find another job soon and I have to say I have not had the time nor the inclination to look under the circumstances.
Being snowed in and being depressed does not make for a healthy person mentally or physically when you decide to self-medicate with food. I do not drink or have any other vices and have found through the years what a great comfort food can really be. One of my overweight friends once explained to me “You cannot eat and cry at the same time.” I see what she is talking about now because for most of my life, I would lose my appetite if I was upset about anything. Now I become ravenous!
I am still working out regularly, but not happy with the fact that I had managed to lose over 20lbs last year and have now found myself putting that weight right back on again.
I have tried to take walks on several occasions only to start slipping and sliding on the mess that has continued for the last two months in my area so about the only time I am out is when I have to get supplies. I dig out if the snow is deep enough. For a couple of inches of snow I just drive right over it all. The unfortunate result of this is that snow becomes so compacted down that I am not able to shovel it at a later date because of the severely cold temperatures.
This comfort food actually comforts my stomach as well.
This makes a very delicious, but not super sweet rice pudding that I much prefer to store-bought. Much better for your sugar levels. The following video gives you an idea of how thick the pudding becomes when it is almost done. Please stir enough to prevent scorching keeping your eye on the heat, adjusting as needed.
After a seemingly endless, brutal winter…
“I shall revenge myself in the cruelest way you can imagine. I shall forget it.” Perfect quote from John Steinbeck “The Winter of Our Discontent.”
Place the onion, carrots, turnip, potato and squash in the pot of water that covers the vegetables at least a couple inches and bring to a boil, turning down to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients bringing back to a boil. Turn heat to the lowest setting to simmer an additional 30 minutes or until the pasta gets soft which should only take an additional 15 minutes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the ingredients and seasoning to your taste but this soup was delicious! The amount of the vegan bouillon or soup base depends on the amount of water you use and soup you end up with. This soup did not need any thickening due to some of the vegetables breaking down and the small amount of tomato paste.
How about beginning again.
I am officially retired, I guess. Lost both of my part-time jobs that I had in 2013 last month but just started collecting a not very substantial social security payment early.
I really am po’ now, but no longer a girl. I just liked the title. It sounds better than Po’ Woman Shines. It also seems better to be poor if you are younger. When you’re older it somehow screams that you have failed in life.
Thank God I don’t consider life pass or fail. It’s just life. I have had my ups and downs, good times and bad and I have never been a slave to money, though I have worked very long and hard in my life.
I still buy my lotto tickets and made sure to dig myself out of the 10″-12″ blowing and drifting snowfall that hit my area yesterday to purchase them.
So this is how I am beginning 2014. Unemployed and not able to make all the payments needed to stay in my home. I guess I can hang onto it for a while longer, but as soon as we get the spring thaw, I will begin to search for a place I can afford and have to let my super, duper upside down house go anyway they want it. If I can’t rent it out, it’s either signed back over to the bank or a short sale.
I have also promised myself now that I have more time, I can really beef up my website or forget about it.
Post or get off the site is my plan.
Below are some pictures of probably the same weather most of you are having.
Po' Girl Shines 
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