SNOWY VALENTINE'S DAY

 The big winter storm sweeping across the United States and Canada this weekend just skirted my area but enough to leave a light white coating on the hills.

That's Glassford Hill, the thankfully extinct volcano in the heart of our town.

It's not normally snow-covered as it is in this photo.

And to the south the morning sunlight on the snowy Bradshaw Mountains.

In my back yard there was only a dusting of snow in the shaded areas.

(BTW, if you click on the pictures they become bigger and much more impressive.

Meanwhile my long-time friend, Comical Carol, sent this holiday greeting, (perhaps from her cat Harry?)

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

And Happy Statehood Day to Arizona, which became the 48th state on this day in 1912 . . 109 years ago.

LA MONJA RESTORED

 Good morning.

It's Judy again sitting in at the keyboard with the latest on our backyard icon.

Back in the late 1980's and early 1990's, when we lived in Mexico, we accumulated many objects to which we became attached.

This was after disposing of a houseful of things in the U.S. before moving to Mexico.

We swore we would not attach ourselves to "stuff" ever again.

Right!

The Monja (a stylized figure of a nun) was a birthday gift to me from Bruce one year.

When it was time to return to the states we couldn't leave her behind.

She has spent three decades in the outdoors of Arizona, winter and summer.

This year she was near disintegration and something had to be done.

She came into the corner of our kitchen and lay across a card table and waited for rehab to begin.

The very rough spots were worked over with a wire brush and an emery board.

Then a thin layer of "patio paint" was applied to her face and thick layers of the paint to the large cracks in the body.

This was repeated again and again.

Yesterday she was ready to leave the house.

She's back on her base in the sun.

For another three decades?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 It's Friday once again and Happy Lunar New Year!

Now if you're feeling properly looney, let us venture once again into that land of silliness and crack open the compendium of humor. 

Okay I can tell you're groaning so I'll quit.

Now just take my advice: enjoy yourselves on this auspicious weekend and always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(ohhhhhhhhh . . .)

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

 I cooked last night.

Kraft macaroni and cheese, seasoned with a bit of paprika and cayenne, topped (in a small baking dish) with Panko and Parmesan and heated at 350 in our toaster oven.

Spicy and delicious though a little dry.

That was actually a side to my pan-seared pork chops seasoned with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

That's where the smoke comes in.

I mistakenly tossed them in the skillet with the heat on high, not medium high as the recipe stated.

Before I knew it and realized my error the house was filled with smoke.

The oven exhaust fan wasn't doing the job but fortunately SWMBO got our ceiling fans fired up and windows and doors opened and eventually the smoke cleared.

And the smoke detectors didn't start screaming.

Amazingly the chops were not burned to a crisp and were quite tasty.

The main chef in the house was furious but settled down and enjoyed the meal (more or less).

Now, as to the mirrors.

Blogger friend Steve in London wrote the other day about acquiring a bean bag chair.

I commented that we had had a sort of bean bag back in the day and I would post a photo if I could find it.

Actually ours was a huge pillow-like cushion that I had to strap to the top of our Ford Pinto to get it home from the store.

(That car came to an untimely end but that's another story.)

I don't know what happened to the cushion and I couldn't find the photo.

But to atone, I have this picture of your scribe from back in those hippy-dippy days.

Yes, the hair is down over the ears and those are mutton chop sideburns.

And yes, those are love beads.

And yes, that is a Marlboro smoking in my mouth.

So sue me!

It was a long time ago!

Oh and yes, while it may look like it was taken in a mirror, it really wasn't.

My shame is complete.

I'm outta here. 

REFLECTING ON THE NEWS

 

SUPER SUNDAY

Well, there you have it, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won yesterday's Super Bowl.

I emailed a few friends midway through the game, asking if it should just be re-named the Brady Bowl.

One of them, my longtime friend Steve, answered back "Old guys rule!"

As for the commercials, I thought it was mostly an enjoyable experience but this 75% Norwegian would have to say he enjoyed this one the most.

How about you?

Did you watch the game and did your team win or lose?

And what was your favorite commercial?

SAMEFOLKETS DAG

 Recently I succumbed to the lure of Ancestry.com and gave them up fifty bucks or so to find out what they knew about my origins.

I expected it would be heavily English or Scottish.

I was surprised to find it was 75% Norwegian!

Now I knew my mother's family was pure Norwegian, having come over from the old country only a few generations back but to learn that I was three-quarters Norsk took me back.

So today I wish you fellow Scandinavians a Happy Saami People's Day.

The Saami or Sami People are the indigenous folk who originate in the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

And February 6th is celebrated as the official day although it is not recognized as a national holiday.

But reindeer races take place and attention is paid to the cultural heritage of hunting and fishing, and recognition of the crafts.

The Sami Flag is flown proudly alongside the Norwegian Flag on this day.

So here's the closest I get to the Sami Flag.

And adjacent to it flies the Norwegian flag.

Now I don't know about reindeer meat but I do know I love my Norwegian lefse, when I can get my hands on some.