Friday, January 23, 2015

5 about winter (2015)

Today Deb hosts 5 about winter because, "It's official. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you are experiencing winter. SO...tell us:"

life stuff button

1. Winter: What do you think about it in general? Do you love it? Hate it? Or say, “meh – it’s just another season!”

It all depends! As long as I can get truly warm enough, I enjoy wearing heavier sweaters, hoodies, and lightweight jackets. I am loving the visible evidence of longer days, as well. I've lived in New England where I had major problems with winter wind chill, blizzards, snow, slush, and my inability to get warm enough too much of the time. Maybe cultural stuff, too? But I got a fantabulous education from schools in that geographical area, and also loved the summers. And I've lived in the Intermountain West, where in general it is possible to get warm in winter. Even if you're not a skier, and even if you need to shovel it, powder snow that falls lightly from heaven to earth and blankets the ground is so very different from the heavy stuff.

2. Footwear: Show us or tell us about your favorite winter shoes/boots.
Show:

winter shoes

...and tell: I got these at least 6+ years ago at the Kmart that became Sears Essentials for a brief time, and that now is a Korean grocery store named "Zion"—owned by a Korean presbyterian. Everyone who has been there raves about it, despite Ranch 99 being about one block away on the other side of the street. I'm correct on length of ownership because I remember wearing these chunky boots the Sunday Karen and Rebecca came into town from Vegas for a Chargers game, visited me after, and we went out to dinner at Outback. They commented how cute they were!

3. Discuss: Pedicures in winter – necessity or silly?

Necessary only until the week before Thanksgiving Day; after that they can sabbatical until Holy Week.

4. Toasty toes: Whether you knit your own or buy them, tell us what socks keep your feet toasty warm!

Hand-knit or high-end bought socks would be so cute and cool, but they tend to wear out and not enough people see them, so I usually buy regular normal socks in the normal regular store, and for cozy warmth I usually layer more than one pair under boots like the ones in my pic as well as under combat style and shorter type boots.

5. Driving me crazy: What do you wish the drivers around you would do to make travel during the winter months a little less nutty?

Not so much the drivers, but the city / county / fed / state Streets & Roads powers that be. How on earth can streets in an area with zero snow alongside the coast and in the valleys, with land that never freezes at this elevation have some of the worst potholes in existence?

BONUS: What’s the weather like out there? Share a picture so we can shiver or be jealous!

I am so due for a major change—I've been at least in burnout mode, close to breakdown for too long now, so I pushed myself to Friday 5 today and to take some shoe selfies and a few of the view out the front door. Here are two! I love the shadows!

winter morning 23 January winter morning front door

Friday, January 09, 2015

1st random 5 of 2015

First 2nd Friday random 5 for 2015.

MaryBeth hosts today's random 5, and tells us, "In honor of Karla, the usual sponsor of this page on the second Friday, I announce it as a random Friday Five. But with a theme: NEW."

1. If you have one, what is your new resolution?

I haven't even started to imagine resolving anything again.

2. Many folks choose a new word for a year’s beginning, as Marci’s congregation does with StarWords. Do you have a word for the year?

MB linked us to Marci's page, so I asked her for a StarWord. Marci's word for me is "Grace"!!! I immediately thought of words from the very first stanza of the hymn, "Come, come, ye Saints":

Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.

William Clayton, 1814-1879

No further commentary necessary.

3. What is your new favorite exclamation/phrase at times of joy or frustration?

It continues to be, "Oh, no! Not again!" Mostly more disappointment and frustration these days. Somehow I need to find local community. And local opportunities. Somewhere.

4. Do you have a new favorite food, or an old one you are newly enjoying?

Neither exactly new nor old, but I'm loving freshly made Summer Slaw from the grocery store. Forever I've enjoyed the creamy vinegary tang of cole slaw, and this version with tiny tomato bits and slightly different ingredients every time I buy it is my latest preoccupation. Typically it includes radishes and green bell peppers. Sometimes jicama, too. I've given up trying to figure it all out.

5. Finally, in general: what is your new favorite thing?

My new favorite things needs to be my conviction I have a future that includes service and community.

Friday, January 02, 2015

top 10 for 2014

Inspired by several folks around the blogosphere, I'll begin this year with desert spirit's fire's top ten blog posts of 2014—enjoy!

1. Christmas 1: Psalm 148

psalm 148

2. last couple of days 5 "I've been savoring a popular local specialty, Rubio's Fish Tacos..."

3. Baptism of Jesus 2014

Baptism of Jesus 2014

4. springing 5 "All spring flowers are faves, but I'll choose crocus, since they tend to be first to..."

crocuses

5. mulberry bush 5 "I usually hanker after whatever I can find to feed my five senses..."

6. better late than never 5 "I'll claim gulls in general for now...the California Gull is the state bird of Utah..."

draw a bird day seagulls

7. Theology from Exile Matthew "I'll begin by stating a few years ago I'd sometimes make a theological observation and then add, 'the Jesus seminar notwithstanding.' Author Sea Raven has Jesus Seminar connections, but..."

8. touch of life: August synchroblog "...social and professional connections aren't the only kind. However, they're the type of connection I still obsess about a lot."

9. October synchroblog: mental illness / health awareness "Socially, professionally, and financially that story I'm trying to tell has been costly beyond anything I could have imagined..."

10. blog action day 2014: inequality "Besides churches where woman deacons and pastors have become routine and expected, several other large denominations, most publicly LDS (Latter-day Saints), LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod), and RC (Roman Catholic) recently..."