Seven Swans Swimming

I am looking at my cats wondering if they are in fear of the “Fiscal Cliff”. They are asleep on my bed. They have no fear. They live in the kingdom of Everlast; ruled by me, Tamara. They do not worry about food or shelter or medical insurance. They do not worry about bills or even what may happen in the next 2 minutes. Everything they need is provided. Can it be that simple?

Today is the 7^th day of Christmas. Seven swans swimming. Swans or Cygnus are related to geese and ducks. There are 7 species of swan and they mate for life. A male is a cob and a female a pen. A group of swans is called a bevy and during flight a wedge. The males will take turns with the female incubating the eggs. Swan has been considered a luxury food in England since the reign of Elizabeth I. They are a symbol of love and fidelity.

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Sylvester. He was a Bishop in Rome in 314. Constantine was Ruler and the cathedral church in Rome was actually Lateran Palace, a gift from Constantine to Saint Sylvester.

 In some countries today is simply called Sylvester. Let me introduce you to St. Sylvester…. Once upon a time in Rome there lived a dragon in a pit whose very breath could kill 300 men. Emperor Constantine called Sylvester before him and asked him for help with the dragon. Sylvester prayed to GOD and as he was praying St. Peter appeared to him and told him what to do. Sylvester descended 150 steps carrying two lanterns and upon seeing the dragon spoke to it the words of St. Peter, bound the dragon’s mouth with thread and sealed it. As he climbed back up the steps Sylvester came across two sorcerers who had followed him to be sure it was done. They were half dead from the stench of the dragon breath. Sylvester carried them back up the stairs and they and a whole group of people were baptized. Rome was freed from the dragon and from a culture who worshiped false idols. 

St. Sylvester died December 31 at a very old age. So if you are visiting Italy tonight remember it is La Notte di San Silvestro.

A traditional Sylvester Day Punch

Silvesterpunsch

DIRECTIONS

Add tea to 2 cups boiling water; steep 3 minutes. Cover. Reserve. Boil sugar, 1 cup water in saucepan 3 minutes; remove foam. Add lemon rind, vanilla; reserve 1 hour. Combine sugar mixture, tea, remaining ingredients in large container. Chill 8 hours in refrigerator before serving. Yield, 12 servings

Recipe Source: Catholic Cookbook, The by William I. Kaufman, The Citadel Press, New York, 1965

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon dark tea

3 cups boiling water, divided

3 cups sugar

rind of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 bottle red wine

1 bottle Rhine wine

1/2 bottle Madeira wine

1/4 bottle rum

juice of 2 oranges

2 tablespoons pineapple concentrate

1/4 cup Maraschino juice

Details

Serves: 12

Have a pleasant day!

St. Colly Birds

Anyone else having a weird sleep pattern? I am exhausted by 6:30, in bed by 9, asleep by 9:10 and wide awake at 11:00pm, asleep again by 4am.  Maybe it is the full moon?

I watched Skyfall yesterday; the gift to myself, the wish for February.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…. December 28 is the Feast of the Holy Innocents or Children s Mass.  This day honors the male children ages 2 and under who were ordered slaughtered by King Herod in his attempt to rid Israel of a rival king. Estimations are that about 25 children were killed.

                  The massacre of the Holy Innocents by Duccio di Buoninsegna

Tradition dictates that the youngest child in the household is allowed to rule for a day. They choose the foods that are eaten, the activities of the day ending the evening with a dessert that is red in color or has a red sauce on it.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…. Four Collie Birds. Yes that is what the original scripts say, Collie Birds. A Collie Bird is a Blackbird, a member of the Thrush family. Some versions are written Canary Birds. Other versions have them written as Colored Birds, Curley Birds, and Corley Birds. Some say they were sent because of their beautiful song, others seem to think they were meant as a food gift. But maybe they were sent as a prayer as in the story of St. Mochuille or St. Colly. I would like to be surrounded by 4 monks like St.Colly. It is symbolic but of what I do not know.

As for me I am thinking that red velvet ice cream is nice red dessert for tonight.

Coventry Carol which is heard at Christmas is about the story of the Holy Innocents. Here are the lyrics and song.

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child

By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child

By by, lully lullay

O sisters too, how may we do

For to preserve this day

This poor youngling

For whom we do sing

By by, lully lullay?

Herod, the king

In his raging

Charged he hath this day

His men of might

In his own sight,

All young children to slay

That woe is me

Poor child for thee!

And ever morn and day,

For thy parting

Neither say nor sing

By by, lully lullay!

Juniper and Jesus

Baby, its cold outside! Feels like winter/Christmas. Color me happy! The heat was not on and I was bundled in blankets and comforters and wrapped in bliss. My feet are cold and I am wearing a sweater. Wonderful!

Baby, it is cold inside too! During your Christmas season and hearing Christmas songs I am sure you came across this one. Everyone has by now heard of this song….Baby, its Cold Outside. Not once in the lyrics does it mention the word Christmas, Holiday, New Years, nothing that could indicate it is a Christmas song. Yet it gets plenty of air time. Curious, I was.

The song was written in 1944 by Frank Loesser and was intended to be a Christmas song. He and his wife performed it for the first time at the end of their Navarro Hotel housewarming party. He later sold the music to MGM and his wife who considered it to be “their” song was angry. It is a duet and each part was marked by wolf and mouse on the printed score.

Frank Loesser wrote the music and lyrics to the music in the Broadway Play “Guys and Dolls”. The song Luck be a Lady is from this play. He has won Tony Awards and several Academy Awards including one for the song Baby, Its Cold Outside. This song appears twice in the MGM movie Neptune’s Daughter being sung by  Ricardo Montalbán and Esther Williams with Ricardo as the wolf and Esther as the mouse. The second performance is by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett with Betty as the wolf and Red as the mouse.

The first recording was March 17 1949 by Dinah Shore and Buddy Clark by Columbia records. It reached #4 on the Billboard Chart.

Today is the third day of Christmas it is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. John was one of 12 disciples of Jesus and had a brother James. They are often referred to as "the sons of Zebedee". They were originally fishermen. John is said to have lived well into his 90s. The gift of the Three French Hens is said as “Three Britten Hens” in French versions and indicates a gift of rare or exotic birds. But then I also found in an obscure Biblical tale a story of a juniper tree. One version of the 12 Days of Christmas song has the first verse written in French as containing the words joli perdrix. This translates to pretty juniper but may to English ears have sounded like pear tree. 

 A parent partridge will feign an injury in order to lure prey away from its nest to protect its family. Keeping that in mind here is the tale regarding the flight of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus to Egypt. That at one point in the journey they hid Jesus under a juniper tree to avoid him being caught by King Herod’s soldiers. Juniper trees are plentiful in Egypt and were a main ingredient in the embalming process. This tale could be the beginning of the junipers reputation as being a symbol of protection against harm. Perhaps the rare and exotic birds referred to in the third day verse could be the three Maji who helped the young family.

So if gin is made from juniper berries does it mean drinking gin will keep you safe from harm? 

Happy 3^rd day of Christmas!

St. Stephen's Day

December 25 starts the 12 days of Christmas, Christmastide or Twelvetide. So in my world the Christmas season has really just begun. Here is a little back story on the season.

Day 1 the birth of Jesus.

December 26 is day 2. This is known as St. Stephens Day. It is known as the feasting day of St. Stephen Protomartyr.  Protomartyr- the first Christian to shed his blood rather than to deny his faith in Christ; Proto from the Greek protos or first and martyr for martus - Greek for witness.

Gifts can be given on each of the twelve days that correspond to wishes for each month in the year. For example on day two I will give a candle as a wish for light and warmth during the cold winter month of February.

The song was created as a memory game for entertainment. And you repeated all the verses as it was your turn and then added a verse. The first person to get the order and the gift wrong paid a forfeit of a kiss or a sweet or gift. 

The song was first published in 1780. There are different versions some adding hounds-a-hunting, ships-a-sailing, or cocks-a-crowing.

I found a version that has a “Very pretty peacock upon a pear tree” Which is much more colorful.

I wish you all a very Happy 2^nd day of Christmas!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Weezer First Noel

The First Nowell is a classical English Christmas Carol.

 It is from the French Noel, meaning Christmas from the Latin Natalis meaning birth. It was first published in 1823 by editor William B. Sandys. Folk myth weaves a tale of this tune dating back to the 16^th century and coming from a remote area of Cornwall thereby making the tune Cornish. It is unspectacular, but lovable and tells the story beautifully.  Weezer did a fun upbeat version.

Gabriel's Message is another favorite of mine thanks to Sting for adding it to his Album “If On a Winter's Night...” 

Another title for the tune is "The angel Gabriel from heaven came". It is a Basque folk Christmas Carol and tells the story of the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary to explain what is about to happen to her. Gabriel’s Message was first published in 1892.

Did anyone else not the get the memo that says “Please disregard all posted speed limits and have a safe day” ? Am I the only person in a car still going 30 when the sign says 30?

Also is seeing three ambulances, lights all still flashing, at Gold’s Gym a good thing or a bad thing?

I am craving some almond bread or maybe just almonds. Looking for recipe.  

Enjoy the carols!

The Christmas Song

Good morning!

We were chatting about Christmas Carols and here is a favorite The Christmas Song, aka Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, aka Merry Christmas to You (the original title). This carol was written in 1944 by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. First recording of it was by Nat King Cole in 1946 using an arrangement of his own creation and then again in 1961 using a full orchestra. It is one of the songs he is most remembered singing. Legend says that Bob and Mel wrote this song on a hot day in July in Los Angeles as way to keep cool. Mel says they had to "stay cool by thinking cool". It took Mel and Bob 40 minutes to complete the song based on these four phrases Bob had written down to "stay cool by thinking cool".

1.   Chestnuts roasting

2.   Jack Frost nipping

3.   Yuletide Carols

4.   Folks dressed up like Eskimos

Side B of this record is a carol called “TheLittle Boy that Santa Claus Forgot". 

I have never heard of this tune but it is rather depressing. It was written by Michael Carr, Tommie Connor and Jimmy Leach.  Vera Lynn recorded a version of this song and it is her version that is used in the opening scene of the Pink Floyd film Pink Floyd —The Wall.

Enjoy!

Elvis sings Bethlehem

No rant this morning.

However I did come across the word bitterness this morning in my devotional reading and since it seemed to fill an empty space in me I decided to check out the word I have used and not paid much attention to. Bitterness of heart sounds serious and intense and describes what I could not name in me before. Here is what I discovered that was interesting.

Old English – biter

German – bitter

Old Norse – bitr

Old Saxon - bitar

Gothic – baitrs

They are all very similar and mean to bite. It can be used as noun-bitter - very dry ale having a strong taste of hops, adjective – causing pain (bitter sorrow), verb- to make bitter, and adverb-extreme as in bitter cold wind. 

 Synonyms include painful, poignant, distressing, fierce, cruel, and ruthless. These all sound like symptoms. Truth they are. I can vividly see each moment these wounds were inflicted. I long to go back to each one and look my assailant in the eye at that moment right before it is committed and forgive them. This vision brings back the moment from the movie Elizabeth-The Golden Age when Mary Queen of Scots lifts her head and forgives her executioner. 

That moment, I long for that moment with each incident.

I was looking for something clever and entertaining to have Moola chat about on our facebook page this morning that was Christmas interesting and I came across Christmas Carols and the story behind them. Well that seemed a bit heavy for a stuffed cow to go on about so you my hearties get to hear about them. Some of them may be familiar and some are favorites of mine that may be obscure. 

The first one will be O Little Town of Bethlehem. St.Louis tune read more.

 It was written by an Episcopal Priest named Phillips Brooks from Philadelphia.  In 1865 he visited the city of Bethlehem in Palestine and that visit inspired him. In 1868 he wrote the lyrics and his church organist, Lewis Redner, gave the lyrics music. Adapted into a hymn tune, it was first published in the English Hymnal of 1906.

I am including the Elvis version complete with warm crackling fireplace.

Bethlehem

  Lady Tamara asks you to enjoy this 2:39 moment.

Blue Sugar

I still have not found the letter from yesterday I wrote and then allegedly was saved when the shutdown occurred.

It mostly was about Shaggy and her first ever Bikini Babe contest. That is where she works. Bikini’s Sports Bar and Grill as a Bikini Babe. They held a Santa Baby contest and she entered just for the fun, experience and the photo opportunity. She did not win, nor did she place. There were 10 girls and three of those would win. But if you ask her she will tell you that in her mind she did win because she had fun and overcame a fear. Shaggy is the one in pink.

I received the most awesome Christmas present yesterday. It is a painting of pumpkins. I have wanted this painting for a long time but just could not justify the amount to buy it with my limited income and bills. So the dream of buying it sat in my “If I ever had an extra $200” wish file. It was painted by the president of the Artz Council, Whitney. I am on the Board of the Council as their Social Media Guru. For a bit of back story memory; my kitchen is decorated in pumpkin, witch, and creepy kind of stuff. It looks like I decorated for Halloween and then neglected to un-decorate after the Holiday. Remember I adore pumpkins, their round shape and smooth texture, the bright orange color as well as all the other orange to white shades. I like the mystery of what a witch might be brewing in her cauldron, the potions and tinctures, the stews and sauces. So when Whitney painted those pumpkins I fell in love with them. There is a cheerful yet eerie feeling about the painting. She did a great job with the angle of the light which creates the feel of happy yet anxious that abounds in my kitchen. I am so thrilled with this gift.

Shaggy made cut out Christmas cookies last night and I am eating a tree and a little man this morning. They have just a touch of spice and are perfectly crispy. Good job child! She frosted some and sprinkled them with blue sugar as a gift for a friend this morning.

I even added some of the blue sugar to my sugar bowl for my morning tea.

Lady Tamara www.HighlandTitles.com thinks she will sprinkle blue sugar everywhere today. So festive!

Lost letter

SO here I sat this morning for over 30 minutes telling a wonderful tale and i-tunes performs 2 updates. Ok no problem. They finish and as I am about to lay a keystroke down up pops the do you want to shut down and restart to activate changes window. I am in motion and cannot stop as my cursor sits on shutdown I press it. As shock settles in on me the shut-down process starts and I stroke save but it is too late and my 2 page letter vanishes. After the Butterfly comes back online I can not find my letter. I have spent 18 minutes looking for it. So your breakfast letter is trapped out  there with Tron. 

My apologies. 
Have a very busy exciting day!

Marshmallow Men

About 2 weeks ago 10 puppies came in for me to shoot some photos of.

 They came again on Sunday because individual puppy photos were wanted. They had doubled in size since then. They also were to receive their first round of puppy shots and I am learning how to do it.  Make a tent, insert, pull back check for blood and inject. Sounds fairly simple and looked fairly simple and only two pups whimpered. I think I can do this. This certainly makes my resume` much more colorful than it already was; inside sales, dart team captain, RV accessory, animal injections, marketing, bartender.

Shaggy and I have been having a Harry Potter marathon; one movie a day until we see them all. I am noticing things in this marathon that I had not noticed before.  Seamus Finnegan for example, I just never really noticed him. He is in every movie and very funny. Quite a cutie too!  Has anyone else noticed the curious use of so many names that start with H? Harry, Hogwarts, Hermione , Hagrid, Hufflepuff, Horace Slughorn,  Helena Ravenclaw,  Hedwig, Horcrux…. seems like a lot to me.  I actually only know of 4 people named with an H Henry, Hannah, Holly and a Hilda.

Who decided that the song My Favorite Things should be a Christmas song?? I Hate that it is. Very glad I have not yet heard the Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers   A Christmas to Remember  yet. Do not like that one either. Alvin and the chipmunk song need to go as does the feed the world song. There are a few others.

Speaking of Christmas, I have completed my shopping. Actually was done before Thanksgiving. Now I can just relax and shop because I want to not, because I need to; much more enjoyable.  If I see something I think someone would like I can buy it and it truly becomes a gift of the heart.

Gingerbread marshmallows. Have you tried these yet? They are delicious and you just cannot eat one. They look like little Gingerbread men and taste like them too. I am so happy I bought them.

Lady Tamara www.LairdOfLochaber.com must now see what the special of the day is at Bath and Body Works.

 I missed the candle sale yesterday because they closed at 6 and I got there at 6:10. Merlin’s Beard!!!! World Market may have a tempting deal too. Have a happy Christmas! 

Hydrangeas and Buddha

I am fairly certain that relators do not have a separate “rules of the road” handbook. 

But someone failed to point this out to Ms Bumblehead. If you are so far out of your normal hood try to blend in. Do a drive by to get a feel of the area and then come back in and for the love of puppies pull into a parking lot to stop and stare at what you believe is a juicy bit of bloody commercial real estate for some client you have! Do not turn into a lane, slow way down and come to a complete stop in the middle of the road to stare out your open window with your mouth gaping open. The speed limit on that road is 45, the light was in our favor and yet you turned anyway. Some of us were actually doing 45 because the light was in our favor. Thank GOD the car next to me was turning left and pulled over into the turn lane. If you are pulling into the path of flowing traffic your goal is to get your bloody little hamster driven car up to the speed limit in quick time. NOT to slow down! NOT to stop! Female creature there was a huge, ginormous empty parking lot immediately to your right you could have pulled into. My guess is that car behind you stopped about 4 inches from your bumper. I pray you made it safely though the rest of your day.

I looked for you on Oxford Street Tavish I did not see you, maybe today.

I brought home several of the Hydrangea centerpieces and that got me curious about Hydrangeas. So here we go….

Hydrangeas are also called Hortensia. That is what my grandmother called them Hortensia and my grandfather grew them on the side of her house. They were in shades of lilac, blue, lavender. They were the same shade as her eyes.

 There are over 70 species. They are native to North and South America and East Asia. Some grow as small border plants and others can grow as tall as trees by using the tree to support it.

The island Faial in the Azores is known as the “blue island” due to the number of Hydrangeas growing wild all over it.

Terceira another island in the Azores is known as the “lilac island” due to the abundance of Hydrangeas of that color growing there.

Hydrangeas produce a pom-pom type of flower head grouping. In the middle are small flowers that are fertile and they are surrounded by larger flowers that are sterile.

These plants are moderately toxic if eaten. Smoking them creates a feeling of intoxication but death from cyanide produced can happen.

In Japan leaves from Hydrangea Serrata are made into a tea called ama-cha. This tea is traditionally used as a ceremonial tea in what is called kan-butsu-e or the Buddha bathing ceremony which occurs on April 8 the day thought to be Buddha’s birthday in Japan. During the ceremony the tea is poured over Buddha and also served to people in attendance. It represents the act of the nine dragons who poured Amrita over him at his birth.

In Asia full pink blossoms are given to loved ones as they mean “you are the beat of my heart.”

Hydrangea- greek form of hydor “water” and angeion “vessel or capsule” because the plant has a cup shaped seed pod.

Well now we know. Lady Tamara www.LairdOfLochaber.com needs to check on the water in her Hydrangea arrangements. Send you Mom a large white arrangement for Christmas they look like giant snowballs.