We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
In Germany, the Protestant religion was sometimes dismissed as “the Tannenbaum religion.” (The Vatican didn’t put up a Christmas tree until 1982.) Americans today buy some twenty-five million Christmas trees a year, but Puritan settlers once viewed the trees with suspicion. In 1659, the government of Massachusetts Bay passed a law that “whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labour, feasting, or any other way . . . shall pay for every such offence five shillings, as a fine to the county.”
3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,
3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
3:3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"
3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
3:5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan,
3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance.
3:9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
At the end of October, we spent two nights in Avignon before heading up to the Luberon for our hiking. It's about an hour or more north of Marseilles.
The old town is comfortable, easily walkable. We went to the two necessary sights - the medieval Pont D'Avignon (half of it remains) and the Papal Palace - sheesh, what crazy papal conflicts went on in the 14th C. Not much to see, just an old town to hang out in and tramp around in and to get lost in. Tracked 21,000 easy steps in the day when we checked. Have a beer in a cafe and watch the people. I've seen enuf cool castles, cathedrals, and palaces in my life.
Nice boutiques according to Mrs. BD, but no big name brands. Yes, she bought a couple of unique things. I have been trained to stay outside a shop, blending into the woodwork and maybe sneaking a cigarettelike a real European. Yeah, I had to buy a linen polo shirt for myself because the weather prediction said cooler than it all turned out to be.
Like so many famous medieval old towns in France and Italy, outside the walls are modern suburbs with big box stores, mass housing, auto repair shops and car dealerships, Burger King, and all of the things non-tourists want and need. The Old Towns are mostly for tourists and students. Avignon has been a destination for Brits for centuries and has some very Brit shops and cafes.
View from the Pont D'Avignon over the Rhone. They have a nice clean bathroom at the entrance to the bridge. Without the ancient song, who would have known or cared about that bridge?
I am reposting this because I had a chimney fire yesterday morning, shortly after our men's Bible study group left my study. This has been my second chimney fire here. Fortunately, I am not too far from the firehouse. I had this flue cleaned last winter, and my sweep was scheduled to come again next week. (I use my fireplace daily.) I climbed a ladder and sprayed the top of the chimney with a lawn hose. Seemed to work.
If you use a fireplace regularly, you need a chimney sweep. In the past 20 years, we have had two chimney fires here, and one at the Farm. It's not a joke.
Spring and summer are the cheapest times to get it done.
24:36 "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
24:37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
24:38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark,
24:39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.
24:40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
24:41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
24:42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
24:43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Turkey Hash is pretty good, and so is turkey soup (for which I am boiling a stock from one of the carcasses right now with water, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, herbs, etc - we fight over the carcasses and bones like jackals), but the main reason people in my family cook so many turkeys at Thanksgivings is for the sandwiches for a few days after.
Here's how I make them:
White bread Smear of mayo on one slice of bread Smear of cold congealed turkey gravy on the other slice Slice or two of left-over turkey, white or dark meat (I like the dark) Generous spoonful of my cranberry sauce Generous spoonful of turkey stuffing Salt and pepper
Squoosh the sides of bread together, and cut in half with a sharp knife. Then eat with a glass of beer. Delicious.
Then take a little nap.
How I make turkey stock:
Throw into a large stock pot a whole or chopped turkey carcass, leg bones, wings, etc. Not a bad idea to break the bones with a cleaver and/or to roast the carcass first so some of the bones brown. Cover with water. Take a bunch of celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Chop very roughly with skins on - do not peel - and sautee in butter or cooking oil until browned. (The skins add color and flavor) Then toss them into the pot. Add some cut-up raw potatoes, skins on. Throw in some salt, whole peppercorns. Then parsley, thyme, a little sage and marjoram. A little sugar. A bottle of white wine in there is optional. Simmer for 5-8 hours, adding water as needed. Then strain. That's a tasty turkey stock. It's man-cooking.
We had 22 for Thanksgiving. It's a cheerful chaos. Our prayer was for gratitude, of course, for family and friends. Little else matters. My only mistake was not getting the pianny tuned. Musicians are senstive about that.
Two turkeys as usual. Lots of leftovers. This is the one on the grill, cooked over firewood:
Thanksgiving - the one real American holiday, a serious holiday, a Christian holiday that non-Christians can easily appreciate, the best holiday of the year.
For at least one day each year, let's count our blessings and put aside our gripes and disappointments.
The tradition of Thanksgiving Day has its roots in the 1620 Pilgrim settlement in Plymouth, MA.
Those people had little to be grateful for, by our comfortable standards:
They arrived in November, late in the season, because the Mayflower's companion ship, the Speedwell, had to reverse course to England so the leaky Mayflower accompanied them back.
During the first winter 45 of the 72 passengers on the Mayflower died. Men, women, and children.
A lonely Squanto, who was a Godsend to the Pilgrims (few of whom were farmers, I think) died in 1622. He spoke English, having been sold in slavery in Spain, later taken to England. When he returned to North America, he found his entire tribal group dead from European diseases spread by explorers or Portuguese fishermen. (The large Indian farms were the ones that the Pilgrims took over.)
Their investors got screwed and the Pilgrims were in serious debt. Their London company, the Merchant Adventurers, hoped for good returns from timber, fur, and dried fish. Nope, never happened. Might well have happened had they arrived at the Hudson River. Those investors were unhappy.
Surely those Pilgrims were grateful for food, but for what else? I think gratitude was just bred in their bones. I would not compare them to Job, but it was rough.
23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
23:35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"
23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,
23:37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
23:38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
23:40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
23:41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."
23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
23:43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Honor those killed at Pearl Harbor, 
No 
And those are just the ones that were reported.
A 
