MOOD BOARD

This is the real holiday today. Words to live by and remember.

NEW YEARS DAY=MUMMERS!

Hope everyone one is having a great New Years Day!!!! 

The dead arose here sometime around 12:30pm and got right into the swing of things. Of course, a regular visitor will tell you that a New Years Day is not complete without the day long, and into night, spectacle of the Mummers Parade!! Over 10.000 participants, and over 40 divisions, fancifully dressed in baubles, bangles, beads, sequins and plumes and feathers of all types, marched and played instruments through center city for the 124th Mummers Parade. The term Mummer comes from Germany and means, "to costume, pantomime or masquerade. The parade made up of mostly blue collar, straight males, along with some women and children, some of which are third generations in the parade, bring the sparkle to the nines, to rival any drag or Broadway show. The parade made up of comic, wench, fancy, fancies and string band divisions turned it out this year, and all bought distinctively Philly performances on the day which dawned fairly mild but then gave way to some gales. The parade itself has roots in Northen European, British and Africa American traditions. More than a century of Philadelphia New Year's Day tradition is steeped in sequins, theatrical performances and copious amount of spirits!!!! Our particular favorite string band performances this year were that of Duffy, Aqua, Avalon and Fralinger and Polish American String Bands.

And of course, the two other traditions....

A Good and Happy New Year!

MAKE AMERICA....

 ...Divine Again!!!!!!

I 've said one can be parotitic and have respect for your country...but the government must earn it. Away since Saturday enjoying some sand and sea, but hope everyone is having a fun and 

Happy Independence Day!

🎆🧨🎇

ST.VALENTINE

 
  St Valentine's!

Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love. Believers say God worked through his life to perform miracles and teach people how to recognize and experience true love. This famous saint, an Italian doctor who later became a priest, inspired the creation of the holiday of Valentine's Day. He was sent to jail for performing weddings for couple during a time when new marriages were outlawed in the ancient Rome. Before he was killed for refusing to renounce his faith, he sent a loving note to a child he had been helping to teach, the daughter of his jailer, and that note eventually led to the tradition of sending little love notes and cards. While I may have never got into the holiday as much as others, I do like the fun of it with giving little notes and cards to friends and lovers on the day. I was busy last night making homemade chocolate covered cherries for work today for our desserts table. Nothing wrong with a little extra sweetest for the day, no darlings? Now back in school days, I use to love the little baskets or "mailboxes" we'd make and hang prior to our little Valentine party. One could get a little box of valentines with an assortment. I was always popular with the boys, but had I had these Valentines from my favorite comic artist, Caducado, I bet I would have been even more popular!!!  

I suspect I'll hear from by boys later today...having just caught up with them all recently. As for me today, I'll enjoy the sweet shop at work and have a nice dinner with wine tonight. Who knows, maybe I'll even have a champagne bubble bath as well!!! 

Spoke too soon. Just a few minutes ago I got a Valentine text from the Lad...containing this.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that....

💘💕💘

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Much romance, love and sweets ...to you all.

xoxo

ROSES

It's hardly to believe that's it's the New Year. Just a week ago, it felt like Artic temperatures which certainly lent for it to feel like Christmas. I was dressed in wool coat with fur lapel.  Now it seems more like early May with temps in the high 50's and later to reach 60's by mid-week. New Year's Eve I only needed my tux jacket with no over coat needed The New Years Eve and Day, here went off without a hitch, with copious amount of beverage being gulped. This years' Pork and Sauerkraut dinner was one of my top 5 cooked I believe, with no leftovers. And of course, we viewed the historic Mummers Parade that takes place every year in Philadelphia. Truely a spectacle. But a treat this year was to see the other long running, more then 100-year-old parade, The Roses Parade, out of Pasadena CA. It's been years since I have seen it, as most years I was back to work the day after New Year's Day. We watched it faithful when I was little.

The Rose Parade is tradition for more than 129 years, uses more then 20 million flowers for the lavish and creative floats, that demand more then 80,000 hours of manpower to create, by various groups. The main structure of the floats starts in May I hear. The parade follows the same five and a half mile stretch every year, with expected around 47 million viewing it on TV. The floats are incredible to see, and hard to believe everything is made from flowers, grasses, petals, seeds, and all natural materials. Jaw dropping color and detail I must say. In addition to the floats, there are many marching bands and equestrian units. While many flowers are used, the most popular are marigolds, irises, hydrangea, daisies, chrysanthemums, status and carnations, but the one rule is roses have to be present in every float. This year was a treat to see again, and very colorful. I also thought it was great that Gabby Giffords was the chosen Grand Marshall for the parade for all her work advocating against gun violence and helping to create and supporting laws against the guns. The parade certainly didn't disappoint and brought up some nice memories of watching it years ago.

My favorite was this one above. So stunning! I understand it won like 6 awards.

All the pictures are from the inner webs. Now excuse me. It's so warm I think I'll go put on my square cuts and go for a swim. Happy New Year Everybody!!!!