THROWBACK THURSDAY

The Weather Gods have proven themselves to have feet of clay.

Rising from the Arms of Morpheus this morning I opened the blinds expecting to see a blinding white snowscape.

But what did I see?

Nothing.

Nil.

Nada.

Just a wet ground from rain during the night and a light - - very light - - dust of white on rooftops and a few places on the ground.

We had been promised 5 to 9 inches of snow!

For this disappointing Throwback Thursday, here's a photo of a place where it really snowed.

That is my mother and I in front of our house in Stanley, North Dakota, sometime probably in the 1940's.

That is snow covering the ground.

And who left the door open??!!!

Well, the insulted Weather Gods are still saying we may get snow today but I think they've pulled back to 1 to 3 inches.

Or less.

Probably less, I'll bet.

And just to warm you back up, here's a photo from the 1980's either just before or just after SWMBO and I had moved to Mexico.

Those two wild men are Big Brent Bogdanski and Terrible Terry Taylor.

And you can bet neither of them was drinking straight Pepsi.

Terry lived on his sailboat and was thus known as a "yachtie". 

(By the way he is not related to me, in spite of his last name.)

Brent lived on dry land in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, and ran an amateur radio net.

He, thus, called himself a "terrestrial".

Good guys but hard partiers, as were most of the ex-pats we met in Mexico.

But it beat shoveling snow.

GODZILLA EL NIÑO

The first of a lineup of storms has moved through California, dumping much needed rain and snow, and more is on the way.

It's been misting or raining for a couple of days here in Arizona.

Yesterday's early morning view of the fog was foreboding.

One expects to see Poe.

Or worse yet, Moriarty.

Or Sherlock and Watson striding through the streets.

"Come, Watson, the game is afoot!"

When I turned on my television set this morning a message on the screen told me service was interrupted.

Probably that means there is snow on the dish.

Sure enough, this was the view out my den window.

But the temperature is now at 34 and climbing so the snow has already begun to melt.

I see drops falling and splashing in the bird bath.

(Judy's invention is still working, by the way. Not a tad of ice in the basin.)

I've been busy in the kitchen the past couple of days, baking bread.

Actually all I do is put the ingredients in our bread machine.

It does all the work.

Nevertheless, the results are nice.

That's our standby - whole wheat studded with Craisins (cranberry & raisin).

But yesterday I tried a new one - a Parmesan pepper bread.  Tasty.

For tonight's dinner I'll prepare another Smitten Kitchen recipe - Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake.

We'll see how that turns out.

Being retired means one can just stay inside a warm house and wait these storms out.

Having grown up in North Dakota means I can say "Oh, pshaw, you don't know what a snow storm is!"

As I told my friend, Tom, in an email this morning, my biggest irritation will be having to climb up on a ladder to sweep snow off the satellite dish so we can watch television and see how folks in truly beleagured parts of the world are doing with their ice and snow and cold and floods.

Fortunately all I have to deal with is snowfall that comes infrequently and goes just as fast.

TUESDAY TRAVELS

Wow! I am so thirsty.

Can't figure out why.

Somewhere in Colorado.

Back in the day.

When my beard was still reddish-brown.

THE UGLIEST DOG IN THE WORLD

It's a Mexican hairless dog which we encountered on the beach in a village called La Manzanilla.

He was essentially hairless except for a few tufts here and there.

He seemed not to belong to anybody as he roamed and scavenged for food.

I learn upon checking The Great Google that these types of dogs are known by the rather regal name Xoloitzcuintle.

Contrary to his appearance the Mexican Hairless or Xolo, as it is more commonly known, is one of the oldest breeds in the world, dating back over 3,000 years.

And there's more:

Ancestors of the Aztec Indians brought hairless dogs called "Biche" (meaning naked) with them when they arrived in Mexico from Asia. The Aztecs enjoyed the hairless dogs as pets, but also found them useful as bed warmers, food and sacrificial offerings. The toasty warm body heat of the toy hairless dogs made them in demand as ancient hot-water bottles, relieving stomach pains and rheumatic joints, or simply for warming beds during cold nights. Extreme cold made for a "Three Dog Night." The breed's palliative qualities magnified until its "healing powers" became a cure-all. Clay figures and remains of these dogs, dating from 300 to 900 AD, have been found in burial sites, where dogs guided the souls to a happy afterlife and furnished nourishment until it was reached. The Xolo is native to Mexico and is widespread throughout South America. It is named after the ancient dog Xoloti. At the end of the nineteenth century, it became completely a companion dog. The warmth from these dogs is still enjoyed today, particularly by the elderly. The Xolo is no longer in danger of extinction and is not in danger due to lack of interest. The Xolo today is being acknowledged with increased interest for its companionship, loyalty, cleanliness and flexibility to do it all! They make great companions, show, agility, obedience, therapy and service dogs.

Here's what one looks like when it's well-cared for.

Quite a difference from that one on the beach, eh?

When we would go to the beach in the latter part of our days in Mexico, we would pass through the city of Colima.

We once went to a museum there and learned about what we called "the Colima dogs."

They were the toys of this breed and we learned that they were frequently raised as food by the indigenous tribes centuries back.

As for the clay figurines, they have been copied by modern generations and are sold widely to tourists.

As tourists, we acquired several.

Their fat little bodies make them cute (until they reach the barbecue pit!)

Some of them even dance to entertain.

The Colima Dogs adorn our bookcases today, conjuring memories of our happy days in Mexico.

HEH-HEH-HEH

Gentle Readers, it's earworm time, courtesy of Miss Nina Simone, to mark the beginning of a new year.

You're welcome.

CHIRP, CHIRP

The other night I didn't top off the bird bath/drinking fountain before I went to bed.

The next morning there was a fringe of very light icing on which an early morning visitor could perch to get his drink.

After I added water and the sun came up, I think he was happier.

I thought at first he was a Goldfinch, though he looks stockier than those I identified during the summer months and he doesn't appear to have as much yellow as the ones in my bird books.

This guy I spotted this morning most resembles a White-Crowned Sparrow, notable for the vertical black and white stripes atop his head, not very visible in my photo.

He's got big feet for the size of him, useful for perching.

As for the new banner photo, it seems like a good way to begin (seriously, now) a new collection of days, weeks and months.

It could be a view in a Mexican restaurant but it's actually another photo from Pappadeaux in Phoenix, a Cajun restaurant chain's house.

The last time I was there a guy in the next booth was sampling alligator for the first time. 

He enthusiastically told me it was delicious.

I may try it some time.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

OMG! It's 2016. And only 312 more days of fretting over who our next President will be!

Can you believe people are actually beginning to say it could be Donald Trump?

But there are other more serious things to consider on this first day of the new year.

And there's that threat to our national security. (Don't try to deal with it if you've been drinking.)

Some people say our protection is not what it used to be.

Of course we still have our K-9 cops.

And our technology-challenged senior citizens.

If you begin to feel over-stressed in the new year there is one other solution.

But enough worrying about the new year.

Here, kitty-kitty.

I hope the year ahead is wonderful for you . . healthy, prosperous, and above all - - - full of laughs!