Mind Over Blather: December 2009

Archived Comments

Morris ~

Happy New Year, Taylor.

May the Lord bless you during this year.

Jan 01, 2010 12:17

Taylor ~

It's Morris, the Sane Aussie! It's good to see you around here, it's been a long time. What a nice way to start off 2010. Thank you, Morris.

Jan 01, 2010 18:38

WaterBoy ~

Happy New Year, Taylor!

Hope you get to take that Fall color tour this year.

Jan 04, 2010 02:49

Taylor ~

Hello, WaterBoy, and a most happy 2010 to you! I think there are a lot of changes coming my way this year. We shall see what's in store, but I'm not going to make any predictions as every time I try to predict even my own life, an unexpected event trips up my plans.

Jan 04, 2010 04:30

AJW308 ~

Taylor, thank you for the good will.

May God continue to bless you and keep you safe through the coming year.

Jan 04, 2010 16:29

Taylor ~

Thank you, AJW. I appreciate that.

Jan 04, 2010 16:47

Giraffe ~

Happy new year, Taylor.

Jan 04, 2010 21:30

Taylor ~

Hey, Mr. Giraffe. Thank you. God willing, 2010 will be a good year. Maybe this new decade will be the start of new things for me as well.

I hope the year has gotten off to a good start for you, Giraffe.

Jan 05, 2010 01:04

Difster ~

Feliz Año!!!!!

May each year be better than the rest!

Jan 05, 2010 04:28

Taylor ~

Hola, Señor Difster!

Thank you. Yes, we always have hope for good things to come. And why shouldn't we? We have an awesome God who knows the number of hairs on our head, and our Lord who is always with us.

Jan 05, 2010 06:48

EN ~

Life is good, even if it gets tough. Here's to life and a new year.

Jan 05, 2010 16:07

Res Ipsa ~

Taylor,

May you have a wonderful new year.

Jan 05, 2010 20:44

Taylor ~

Life is good, even if it gets tough. Here's to life and a new year. Even IF? You mean "even when", don't you? But I know what you mean. Yes, a new year. Who knows what it will bring to each of us.

Jan 06, 2010 04:08

Taylor ~

Thank you, Mr. Res. I think I am going to try to have a wonderful year, and I pray God will show me how.

Jan 06, 2010 05:38

MendoScot ~

Sorry that I missed las fiestas con Taylor, we were travelling and not online much.

All the best to you and yours in 2010, Taylor.

Cariños desde Mendoza.

Jan 08, 2010 16:18

Taylor ~

Hey, I didn't see you there, MendoScot! Thank you.

Oh, there was nothing to miss here. You were much better off traveling with the family than hanging out online with us bloggers.

May 2010 be a good year for you and your family there in Mendoza.

Les mando cariños desde Dallas, Texas - dónde nos estan congelando las nalgas !

Jan 09, 2010 18:58

Jamie R ~

I fell asleep at 9 PM and slept right through all the fireworks and stuff being let off. Didn't give a crap either, ah ageing.

Jan 10, 2010 09:55

Taylor ~

And here's the Mad Aussie!

It's wise not to give a crap about things that don't mean anything - like how one spends one's evening on Dec 31.

I hope 2010 will bring good things to you, Jamie.

Jan 10, 2010 19:49

Jamie R ~

I expect it to, you know if you got on Facebook you could see the journey. You've already missed all the pictures from Canada and the USA and my take on the picture stories. And all the other stuff going on Down Under.

Jan 11, 2010 07:09

Taylor ~

I'd like to see all that! You have a blog, you know. I follow that and have enjoyed your posts about your trip, I also subscribe to your youtube videos, too.

You're asking too much to expect me to run with that Facebook herd. No, I won't do it. I don't think. Maybe. I'll have to think about it. OK. Fine. I'll join, but just to see your stuff. I have no interest in socializing. So, once I join, I have to beg you to be my friend, then, if I'm lucky, you will allow me to see your stuff? Oi. I hate that crap.

I'm messing with an ex-boyfriend on twitter. Heh. I follow him, and he obviously knows it. Though I've never directed any tweets to him, I will make comments that are obviously responses to his comments. And it gets to him. Oi. He's such a weenie, he deserves it. And he's a doctor, newly married, with a baby, but he whines like a baby himself.

I almost had regrets about breaking up with him, but it's obvious why I did - it could have never worked out.

Jan 11, 2010 17:33

Taylor ~

OK, it's done. I added you as a friend. Now I guess you have to wave your magic wand so that I may be allowed entry into your magical facebook kingdom.

I like that profile photo of you and Sarah on the basketball court.

Jan 11, 2010 19:47

JD Curtis ~

Saludos Taylor. I hope all is well with you.

Damn Cowboys. I was expecting it though.

Abrazos

Jan 12, 2010 01:46

Taylor ~

Hola, JD.

Yeah, these days it must be as hard being an Eagles fan as it is fun being a Cowboys fan. Most people did not expect the Eagles would get dominated like that again.

I'm doing OK. I hope your 2010 has started out good and gets even better.

Abrazos a vos tambien, JD.

Jan 12, 2010 02:45

Giraffe ~

Vikings are gonna stomp the Cowboys.

Jan 13, 2010 20:26

Taylor ~

You wanna start, eh? That's fine with me. I'm ready to rumble.

Stomping, you say. I see. I shall have to devote an entire post to this subject... You have been warned.

Jan 14, 2010 00:56

Giraffe ~

Bring it sister.

Jan 14, 2010 20:03

Taylor ~

Oh, I will, brother.

Just not yet! :)

Jan 15, 2010 17:46

Trees
By Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Trees are magnificent things. The neighborhood where I live has many big, tall trees and all kinds of greenery, but on a recent trip to an old part of Dallas, I was dumbstruck by all the old giants that soared over the residential homes that were nestled amongst them. I kicked my puny oak tree when I got home. Not really. It's a beautiful, big oak tree.

I love trees in all seasons, even after winter rains and winds have stripped them of all their foliage. As the world becomes darker and uglier, the beauty in little, everyday things becomes more appealing to me.

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Archived Comments

EN ~

Beautiful they are. I live in an old neighborhood with many oaks, dogwoods and Japanese Maples. This time of year is the proverbial "riot of color". Then there's the vineyard on the hill down the street. The affect of looking out across the hills and seeing all this red, yellow, greens and earth, is something not to be missed.

Dec 02, 2009 20:30

Taylor ~

That sounds lovely, EN. I can only imagine the scenery in your neck of the woods, which has so much natural beauty. I've been to California several times, but never made it that far North.

Dec 02, 2009 22:40

WaterBoy ~

Probably my favorite poem, one of only a few I can even stomach. Beautiful picture accompanying it, too. Thanks for the exceptional afternoon pick-me-up.

One of the things I miss most about living in the northern tier of this country is the magnificent color change in the fall. Here in the Colorado Rockies, there is less variety in the foliage where the deciduous trees are mostly aspen. It's still a great trip driving up into the mountains on those narrow, unpaved roads through the rocky wilderness, but just not as colorful.

Dec 03, 2009 21:52

Taylor ~

My aunt told me of the amazing Fall colors she saw when she and her husband went to visit his hometown and family in Michigan. She said it was like the trees were on fire. That's what you're talking about.

I forgot about the Aspens. My sister lives in Arizona and when I visit we'll take a drive up to Flagstaff for some sightseeing of the mountains and snow. The Aspens are beautiful.

Dec 04, 2009 00:47

WaterBoy ~

It's a full-blown phenomenon amongst some people. They'll mix a long drive with a couple stops to visit area wineries and cider mills along the way.

Here's a little sample:

Fall begins Golden fire Colors of the rainbow

Dec 04, 2009 03:30

WaterBoy ~

(cont'd)

Rainbow II A little side trip Best for last

Dec 04, 2009 03:30

Taylor ~

Poor Big Sam. Yeah, trees are beautiful but they can be deadly if they fall on you. But wood is awesome.

Thanks for those pics.

It's like nature's big finale at the end of the show, setting off the fireworks. Then it goes to sleep.

I never tire of the beauty in nature.

Dec 04, 2009 04:26

WaterBoy ~

"It's like nature's big finale at the end of the show, setting off the fireworks. Then it goes to sleep."

Well put.

Dec 04, 2009 04:50

bob k. mando ~

don't kick your poor oak tree.

water and fertilize it ... and wait.

patience, grasshopper.

Dec 05, 2009 17:34

Taylor ~

Heh. I was only joking. My oak is big, only not as tall as those 100 year old trees. Right now its leaves are a red that can't be closely compared to any other red.

I've never watered or fertilized it. It must have one heck of a root system, tapping into waters way down there. Droughts don't faze it in the least. It's an amazing design that maintains that gigantic amount of living matter.

Dec 05, 2009 18:07

bob k. mando ~

Heh. I was only joking.

but of course.

however, what humor value could i have gotten out of this if i had only read you figuratively?

Dec 08, 2009 07:56

Res Ipsa ~

Nice post.

When we were first married Mrs Ipsa and I took a color tour of the NE. It was great.

Dec 16, 2009 02:25

AJW308 ~

Taylor, We've had a day of fog, then it turned cold(er). All the trees here have 1/2" of hoarfrost on them. They seem to absorb stress as well as sound. To me, the most peaceful place in the world is a forest lost in winter.

Dec 18, 2009 16:24

Taylor ~

When we were first married Mrs Ipsa and I took a color tour of the NE. It was great.

I've always wanted to do that, but have yet to actually plan it. It's the long car trip thing - being cooped up in a car too long is rather unpleasant for me. Now, if I was traveling in one of those really nice huge motorhomes, where I could walk around, have a glass of wine, prepare a meal, and sleep, without first having to stop at some strange place and deal with strangers, I'd go for it.

Dec 19, 2009 18:32

Taylor ~

To me, the most peaceful place in the world is a forest lost in winter.

I know exactly how you feel. Some of the fondest memories from my childhood are of riding my horse through a quiet, dead still forest on a sunny but frigid winter day, stopping at those cozy little nooks of sunshine blocked off from the biting wind to soak up a little warmth.

Of course, all that peace and tranquility instantly vanishes when your high-strung horsie imagines a long, thin branch lying on the ground to be a dreaded snake, causing her to immediately and without warning leap into the air like a gazelle... Heh. Great times.

Dec 19, 2009 19:35

Arielle ~

As the world becomes darker and uglier, the beauty in little, everyday things becomes more appealing to me.

Me, too.

Dec 21, 2009 13:54

Res Ipsa ~

Taylor,

Go anyway. Make a plan and take the trip. You can save some driving and get a flight and rent a car. As for hotels, either do what I do. Stay in the cheapest thing available because you're not going to sleep all that well, or make it a B&B tour. The B&B's are going to be more expensive that time of year but it may well be worth it.

Dec 21, 2009 19:33

Taylor ~

Hi, Arielle!

We're probably not alone. I imagine that the blatant corruption and in-your-face vileness of today's world leaves decent people to seek respite wherever it can still be found.

Dec 21, 2009 19:43

Taylor ~

It just occurred to me that what would be even better is to make it a kind of camping/car trip. I don't know what sort of camping facilities are available in those parts, but I'd go for that. Your tent, food and all your gear are in the car as you drive wherever you please, then you find a nice campground and set up your tent, cook the meal, drink your brandy, etc... Yeah, I could go for that.

Dec 21, 2009 19:49

Res Ipsa ~

We did some camping when we went. I remember that some of the camp grounds had nice facilities and showers.

Dec 22, 2009 07:43

AXCrom ~

I do miss the colors changing here in Houston, the trees simply go from green to brown, usually over a weekend.

I took my wife (who was born in Houston) to Missouri last fall to see some friends of mine and she was astonished at the beautiful colors we saw, the vibrant reds and yellows and oranges that painted the mountainsides. The Ozarks are something to see in the fall.

Dec 24, 2009 14:02

EN ~

Just wanted to wish you a personal Merry Christmas Miss Taylor. Here's hoping your life shines as bright as your usually unseen heart.

Dec 24, 2009 16:18

Taylor ~

I do miss the colors changing here in Houston, the trees simply go from green to brown, usually over a weekend.

That's no fun at all. Dallas isn't that far from you guys, but there's a quite a difference in our climates. Houston's climate is very similar to that of Buenos Aires, where I was born. Now that I think about it, there's no burst of color in the Fall there either.

Dec 26, 2009 01:23

Taylor ~

The kindness we receive is a gift. Your kind thoughts here are just the same. Thank you, EN and Merry Christmas to you.

I hope your life shines brightly as well, EN. May you and yours be blessed.

Dec 26, 2009 02:57

Mind Over Blather

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy 2010 To Everyone

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Simply Beautiful