Monday Musings

  The weekend began with our participation in a live nativity. Church members portrayed the cast of characters. The Innkeeper delegated Mary and Joseph to the stable, represented by hay bales and a rough wooden manger, where a baby doll Jesus lay swaddled. We dressed as two of the wise “men”, heavily bundled against the cold night beneath our regal costumes. A  local farm  provided live animals: a curious llama, an unhappy sheep, … …And a very pregnant miniature donkey (we thought there might be another baby born in the stables). Family members joined their church celebration at an indoor nativity as shepherds. Yesterday we enjoyed a secular tradition: photos with Santa at the local PetSmart store. Our Shih Tzu behaved appropriately. However, our Aussie Shepherd/Heeler was not impressed with the Jolly Red-Suited man, even when plied with treats. The neighbor’s doodles posed nicely. Have you done any pre-Christmas activities? My writer’s group holiday party was cancelled d...

It began to snow this morning and has continued throughout the day, ushering in the holiday spirit. Cookie baking is underway. The first type, four dozen ruby and emerald sparklers. This batch serves as a representative offering, readied for a cookie tasting after Sunday’s holiday music. The recipe is easy: make buttery cookie dough, shape it into teaspoon balls, tuck three chocolate chips in the center, and roll in colored sugar. Voilà! A tasty, pretty treat. Inside, the dining room table is laden with gift wrapping and wrapped gifts. Outdoor lights brighten the home exterior, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The greenhouse is freshly festooned with green lights, a four-foot fir, and other festive trimmings. Our widespread travels are reflected in the holiday decor. A Christmas Matryoshka Doll reminds us of our visit to Russia, where we journeyed the breadth of the nation via the Trans-Siberian Railway. On the other end of the TV credenza sits a handmade Haitian creche, a reminder of ...

Cyber Monday is a marketing term for e-commerce transactions made on the Monday following Thanksgiving in the United States. Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation debuted the concept twenty years ago, on November 28, 2005. Today is the online equivalent of Black Friday, the big in-store shopping day, the day after Thanksgiving. The cyber event provides an opportunity for smaller retailers to compete with larger companies. The strategy has been increasingly successful. When I opened my Email this AM, it virtually exploded with Cyber Monday sales and deals. Among my three emails: personal, Author, and miscellaneous, I received almost one hundred “special” offers. Did the advertisements influence my buying activity? Yes and No. I did make some purchases, which included sales. But, since I do a lot of my shopping online, I gamed the system. I researched sites for items of interest ahead of time, bookmarked the links, and returned to the websites today in search of bargains. BINGO, ...

  One of the busiest weeks of the year is upon us. Today we tackled the market: our grocery cart groaned under its burden, as we filled it with recipe ingredients and end-cap two-for-one specials. As the cash register total rose, we reminded ourselves of our blessings. The checklist continues: pulling the turkey out of the freezer to begin its days-long thaw, tidying the house for a holiday guest, baking and making do-ahead dishes, and placing fresh flowers on the mantel. Our Thanksgiving menu is traditional: roast turkey, dressing, special mashed potatoes (a family secret), a gussied-up sweet potato bake, green bean casserole (this year’s version a treat with frozen green beans from my garden and baby Bella mushrooms), cranberry-orange relish, Parker House rolls spread with Kerrygold Irish butter, turkey gravy, and pumpkin pie. On Black Friday, we always avoid the shopping crush and head to a local Christmas tree farm. The Thanksgiving visitor, our able-bodied young nephew, will d...

While working in my garden this autumn, I noticed there were more acorns than in previous fall seasons. The ground was carpeted by oak nuts. Is this abundance of acorns a harbinger of a severe winter? In fact, it is not. It is a mast year. Mast is a term derived from Old English  mæst , which means the fruit of forest shrubs and trees, which are wind-pollinated species. What are nature’s signs of a mast year? The characteristics are  synchronization :  simultaneous widespread production of large seed quantities of many trees , and  high seed production : a thick ground acorn layer, a single oak tree may drop thousands of acorns. Why does this phenomenon occur?  There are  three categories of hypotheses .  Economies of scale  can be due to  predator satiatio n (a proportion of seeds can escape consumption and lead to new trees) or  pollination efficienc y (from reproductive synchronization). Both ideas assume that a variable, large reprod...

  This emoji captures how I felt when I let my dogs outside this morning. And here is why: the weather data from our home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina at 08:00 AM. The polar vortex descended into the Eastern United States with a vengeance. Temperatures plunged overnight. Even Florida will experience unseasonal cold later today and tomorrow. The wind chill, or “feels like” temperature, was ten degrees worse than the thermometer displayed due to brisk winds. We had gusts up to 33 mph, driving our cold deeper. In addition, the first dusting of snow appeared. We were lucky: the Great Lakes area was pummeled with about a foot of snow in some areas. Is this a harbinger of a bad winter? According to the  Farmers’ Almanac 2025–2026 winter forecast , we may have a season of widespread wintry weather with dramatic swings. Where do you look for weather outlook: television or social media? Traditionally, I have turned to almanacs for guidance. The  Farmers’ Almanac ,...