Christmas Past 8

One of my favorite trees from a Christmas past...

Perceptions

I've had two experiences lately that have pointed out how perceptions can vary tremendously.

I was speaking with a highly educated person recently and in the course of the conversation I mentioned an article in Scientific American Mind I had read about the topic we were discussing. The look on his face was obvious shock. I gathered he thought I was not someone who would be reading anything more thoughtful than a supermarket tabloid. There was no malice about the interaction, just surprise on his part.

A few weeks earlier, I was speaking with someone about HCC, and with disdain they said, "those college students," as if being in college was an awful thing. It was clear they thought seeking higher education was a waste of time. The sneer said "those college students" could use a little come uppance because they thought they were better than this person who had no college education. Of course, no interaction had occurred that would logically lead to that assessment, but this woman assumed they would look down on her.

So, someone with a Ph.D. is surprised we can have intelligent conversation because I have less education than he does. And someone who didn't seek college feels antagonistic toward people doing so.

I'm not sure I would have noted either of these things if they hadn't happened in close proximity to each other. And I'm not sure what it means except that perceptions are odd. We're all being affected by them every day and may not even recognize they exist - in others or ourselves. Much to think about.

Christmas Past 7

A view from Christmas past... the gold and copper tree I love.
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Christmas Past 6

A view from a Christmas past...

An ornament from a friend who I've shared tea with... Lovely!


-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Divinity Recipe

It is officially the Christmas season. No one can argue with me about that anymore. It's after Thanksgiving. It's December. It's official. One of things we love at Christmas - and other times - is divinity candy.

While I was in Kentucky visiting my family, I made a couple of batches of divinity. They were a big hit. My brother even bestowed the ultimate compliment on me:

"The divinity is good. It's as good as Mama's." 

Like me, and Mama, my brother doesn't hand out compliments casually, so I knew he meant it.

We shared some with the nurses at the hospital and one of them said it was the best he had ever eaten. So, I was feeling quite proud of myself. I will just not mention the number of batches I had to make until I kind of got the hang of it. Some things are best left in the past. Nor will I mention that every once in awhile I have to throw out a batch and start over. If things don't go well, you can't fix it. Just toss it and start over. It's cheap until you add the nuts.

If you didn't know my mom and her penchant for divinity making, suffice it to say she won the purple grand champion ribbon at the fair for her divinity.

It has taken me awhile to get the hang of it and, frankly, every time I start a batch there's an element of mystery to how it will turn out. But, I keep making it. Miss Joy has provided me with ample opportunity to practice this past year, which has been nice.

Anyway, I'm sharing the recipe with you in case you want to make some for the holidays. My mom heard this on the radio in the 1930s and wrote it down.

Mary Lea's Divinity

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites, beaten
pecans to taste

Mix sugar, syrup and water. Stir together and then cook over medium heat without stirring. Beat the egg whites so they hold their shape. I go toward the "stiffly beaten" side as opposed to the "soft peak" side. When the cooked mixture spins a nice thread, pour it slowly into the beaten egg whites and continue to beat until it starts to "fudge." When it will hold its shape you can spoon it out onto waxed paper to cool. I don't add the nuts until I know it's going to "fudge," but if you're confident you can put them in earlier.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Christmas Past 5

A view from a Christmas past... I do love stars!

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Photography

Lately people have been complimenting the photos on  my blog a lot. It's very kind and I'm most appreciative of their comments. It has made me think about some of my favorite photos here over the years. They appeal to me for different reasons.

I never feel particularly confident of my own photos, probably because my best friend is a professional photographer so I have that to compare my own work to. However, I suppose for someone who's never had any training and has never owned a camera that costs more than a couple of hundred dollars, they're not bad. Here are a couple I especially enjoy:



http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2007/06/home.html



http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2009/02/quivira-national-wildlife-refuge.html



http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2009/08/being-thankful.html



http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2011/08/perceptions.html



http://www.blog.patsyterrell.com/2011/07/30000-days.html

There are others, but these are some I've run across recently that I like. I posted links to the blogs so you can go back and read if you wish. I certainly understand if you only want to look at the pretty pictures!

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Christmas Past 4

A scene from Christmases past...


-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Christmas Past 3

A scene from Christmases past... It's one way I'm celebrating this year... I hope you enjoy...


-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Who We Are

I'm continually fascinated by how people communicate to the world who they are. We do it through thousands of things - from the clothes we wear and the cars we drive to the way we speak. What we choose to do for a living and how we spend our free time all give clues to who we are. Then there are a million more subtle clues. Of course, none of those tells the whole story - they're just a little bit of the picture.

Sometimes it occurrs to me that I barely know myself, so I'm not sure what I am communicating at any given moment. And, almost immediately, I think of all the time I've spent discovering one thing or another about myself and am astonished I don't know more. But it seems foolish to expect anyone else to know much about me when I'm a mystery to myself in many ways.

It's quite amazing how much we tell about ourselves by things we never even think about. For example, if you didn't know me at all and saw me wearing a vintage pin, you might assume:
1. Either I spend a lot of time hunting for it or I inherited it. (It's the former.)
2. I don't pay much attention to fashion - at least not current fashion. (Although there was a brief few months a couple of years ago when sparkly pins were the "in" thing. But by and large they are not.)
3. I am probably more of a girly-girl than a tom-boy girl. (Most tom boys don't care much for sparkly pins of any sort.)
4. It's likely I have other vintage things in my home because it would be unlikely I'd go to antique stores for only one thing. (I've never bought a new piece of furniture in my life.)

Multiply that over dozens of little things like that and you get a good idea of who someone is.

In fact, in communication theory classes, a common trick of teachers is to ask students twenty questions about the teacher on the first day. Although they're just meeting, the number of questions students can answer correctly is quite high.

Even when we think we're being impersonal, we're broadcasting to the world who we are in a hundred different ways. I suppose the bigger question is how we got to be who we are. That one, I'm afraid, takes far more contemplation.

Christmas Past 2

I'm going to be revisiting some Christmas joys of Christmases past over the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy...
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Teens and Tweets - Emma Sullivan and Governor Brownback and #heblowsalot

So... there's been a little ruckus lately because an 18 year old said something on Twitter about Governor Brownback that his staff didn't like. Her principal demanded she write an apology letter. She has refused.

Regardless of your politics, you should be glad 18 year-old Emma Sullivan understands she has the right of free speech. Her parents or her teachers or someone has done a good job on that one.

Only because people like her have stood up and demanded to exercise their civil rights do we have any. It should not be the role of the Governor's office to try and silence anyone through fear or other coercion, which I can only assume was their intent when they contacted the Youth in Government program about it. Thomas Jefferson said, "Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny has found victory."

As citizens, we should be questioning why the Governor's staff felt a need to call the organization involved. I think it's great that they are monitoring Twitter - very smart - but their actions indicate they have little understanding of social media. A little knowledge can be more dangerous than none it seems. They made a very poor decision to take something out of that realm and bring it into another one.

Ms. Sullivan had 65 followers when she sent the infamous tweet with the hashtag "#heblowsalot." Now she has thousands of followers. In addition, her comments are a topic on multiple high-profile sites and national news organizations. People are tweeting their support for her views by using the same hashtag. If the Governor's staff had just left it alone, a few of her friends might have gotten a chuckle and that would have been it.

If I were a parent at Ms. Sullivan's school, I would be mighty, mighty, mighty unhappy with the principal. He instructed her to write an apology letter, providing her with talking points. She has refused, saying it would be insincere. It seems the principal missed an amazing "teaching moment" about civil rights and how best to exercise them. It seems Ms. Sullivan understands how to be appropriate in this circumstance.

Might Ms. Sullivan have said something less intense? Yes. Might the Governor's office have kept it in perspective? Yes. Her comments were not kind, but they were not yelling "fire" in a crowded theater either. She is allowed to express her opinion. Others are allowed to express theirs. Someone could have tweeted back that they were loving the Governor's presentation. They would have had the same right to express that opinion. (The fact that no one did is a little "market research" the Governor's staff might pay attention to instead of being upset about a tweet going out to 65 people.)

We cannot have democracy without free speech. It is part of the constitution. It is a right each of us has. We are allowed to disagree. We are even allowed to do so without respect. That might not be the most productive approach, but it is our right.

I can't help but think about the Pastor Martin Niemöller quote made famous by others in recent years:
First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Read more:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/69196.html http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/69175.html

UPDATE:
The Governor apologized for the overreaction of his staff. He should hire people who understand freedom of speech. And so should the school board.
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Train Case Travel - Vintage Style Updated

Remember these?

There was a time when everyone's Aunt had one. My Aunt Audrey did, although hers was a pearl-colored Samsonite one that I was totally in love with. So much in love that my Aunt Eva found me a child's version and sent it to me at Christmas one year. I still have it. I still love it.

When Aunt Audrey would visit, her Train Case, which, by the way, is what these were officially called, would sit in the bathroom, beckoning me to look inside it, but I didn't dare.

I don't know why they're called a Train Case, but I'm guessing because they were great for use on trains. Back when people actually traveled by train. Back when you couldn't go by air for the same amount of money and days less time. Back when travel wasn't miserable. I remember hearing people talk about that time. I just didn't get to experience it. The TV show, "Pan Am," makes it look so pleasant. They apparently haven't been on a nine hour flight to Paris with their knees digging into the metal of the seat in front of them and their own seat being hammered by a restless five-year-old behind them. Of course, maybe people were just always drunk when you didn't have to buy drinks and people remember travel through the haze of a good buzz. Maybe it was always awful but we just don't have our senses dulled sufficiently now. I think I've hit on a genius idea for the airlines. But, I digress.

Back to train cases... Just the mere phrase conjures pleasant images...

Aunties carried their toiletries in them - even if they were going by car, not train. Maybe by plane, as well. Train cases had a lift-out tray for cosmetics and plenty of space underneath for lotions, potions, hair curlers, and what not. I have to say "what not" because I don't use very many of the things the ladies of that generation did for their daily preparations to meet the world. (Anyone have a hair receiver lying about? On their dressing table? Exactly.)

Well, at one of my favorite thrift stores recently I spotted this gem. It still had the tray inside in pristine condition and the little brown envelope with "key" written on it taped inside one of the tray compartments. I'll let you do the mental math on that one.

I snapped it up for a mere $2.

My initial thought was to put my own makeup in it. But, I quickly determined that wasn't workable for me. Besides, if I gathered up every bit of makeup I've owned in my entire life, this case still wouldn't be full. But, I knew I would find other uses for it and its first foray into the world with me was a few days ago for our trip to see the Johnny Mathis Christmas show.

Are you wondering what I put in it?

Hair spray? No - don't own any.

Shampoo? No - it might leak on this beauty that still has the faint scent of dusting powder in it. I love that smell. Takes me right back to 1953 - even though I wasn't alive them. But, you know what I mean. Do they even make anything called, "dusting powder" anymore. It came in wonderful scents with big, soft, poofy bits you dusted the powder with. (Hence, the name, obviously.)

Delicates? No - I'm not sure what all that encompasses, but suffice it to say there aren't a lot of clothes in my world that are not "wash and wear" and pret a porter. (That's French for ready to wear - and it doesn't really fit here - but I just wanted to demonstrate that I remembered at least one phrase from the multiple semesters of French I took. Maybe I don't remember it from that but from the movies. But lets just say it's from class, shall we?)

Anyway... My train case has...



Computer and electronic widgets and gadgets. It will hold an external hard drive, my digital recorder and microphone, a pair of headphones with a mic for skyping, chargers, cables, pens, notebook, model releases, extra batteries, a tiny tripod, jump drives, and even the camera if I don't want to carry it. I have used one of those organizers for a purse to containerize some of the items, and small bags for others. Although I haven't yet tested this theory, I think it could also hold a tablet, mp3 player, and other similar goodies.

It worked great for this trip, but I haven't tested it on a longer one yet. Obviously, it's something you want to keep up with since it has all those sorts of goodies in it. But, it does offer some protection to them instead of them just bumping around in other bags. And it has the ease of everything being in one place instead of having to hunt for one thing or another.

I'm continually looking for the convenient way to store and access my computer/electronic things. This is the latest permutation. We'll see how it goes long-term.

Regardless, I now own this ultra cool, vintage train case. It's not as cool as Aunt Audrey's was - gosh, I loved that thing - but Aunt Audrey would be proud.


 ----- Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Christmas Past 1

I'm going to be revisiting some Christmas joys of Christmases past over the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy...

Last Christmas was such a picture postcard perfect day...

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Love it - a tree of books

Go here and see something fun!

http://bookshelfporn.com/post/2323500590

Theme Song for the Day...

In a nostalgic mood today... this song has been running through my head for a few hours. Funny how things like that just get "stuck" and add to whatever feeling you're already having.

"Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days
Oh, yes, those were the days"

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Xmas is Not Leaving Christ Out of Christmas

Xmas is not leaving Christ out of Christmas. In fact, it is the exact opposite. "X" is an abbreviation for "Christ" because it was the first Greek letter of Christ's name.

Constantine's vision that resulted in his conversion to Christianity included the intertwining of the Greek letters, "Chi" and "Rho." We would see them written as an "X" and "P." Because they are the first two letters of the Greek word "Christ," the abbreviation of "X" for Christ, or sometimes "XP," has been used for many centuries.

How this modern idea that it was leaving Christ out of Christmas came along, I don't know. But it is a falsehood that upsets people greatly so every year I persist in pointing out the facts. People have enough stress in their lives. Please don't pass that along and add to it. Instead, take a moment to share the truth with those who do.

Instead of wasting energy being upset about something that is nothing to be upset about, we could do something Christ might do if he were still walking the Earth. We are commanded to take care of those less fortunate. Here are some organizations that I think do a great job of that:
kiva.org
heifer.org
habitat.org

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Traveling with Greg

This past weekend Greg, his mom and I went to Branson to see the Johnny Mathis Christmas show. I took this photo of Greg in the hotel room shortly after arrival. He is a master at making a place his own. Travelling with Greg - and Ace - is always fun.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Happy Thanksgiving

It's the time of year when Americans pause to give thanks. I love the idea of an entire day devoted to gratitude.

As you enjoy the holiday, whether alone or with family or friends, I hope you find much to be thankful for. Sometimes the struggle is to be appreciative, even if we see things we don't perceive as positive. This year I will practice.

I hope you find much love in your life, and much to be grateful for on this day of Thanksgiving. And I hope you carry the spirit of it into the days beyond this one.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

My Day in Pictures

Can you guess what I'm preparing to do?



Yes... roll out pie crust!



The tricky part is getting it in the pan. Let it gently find its way into the curves.



You can do something decorative with the edges. I'm afraid this isn't my strong suit. I can make pretty pie crusts, but they're not very good if I work them enough that they're pretty. I think the secret is lard. And I'm not using lard.



There was enough left over to do something decorative on the top, but I didn't.



Mmmmmm... pumpkin pie!

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Joplin Tornado Six Month Anniversary

Today was the six month anniversary of the Joplin Tornado that hit in May. I took this photo a few days ago of the remains of St. John with the cross of St. Mary's. Before the tornado I don't think you would have seen them at the same time because other structures would have prevented that vantage point.

It's amazing how much has been accomplished, but it will be a long time before Joplin is back to normal. Heavy equipment is a mainstay at the moment.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Wisdom

I was going through some notes recently and found a page where I'd written the following comment:

"Wisdom is not just an accumulation of knowledge. It's a genius. A different sort."

I'm certain I heard someone say this in an interview but unfortunately, I didn't note who. I apologize for not being able to give credit.

I think it is true that wisdom goes beyond just knowledge. And it is truly genius. When I hear true wisdom it always gives me reason to pause, to consider, to think. I know it's something I need to contemplate more fully.

That moment stands apart. It's clear. It's as if the universe is giving you a little space before and after, separating it from the clutter of daily life, so you can recall the moment again and again.

Wisdom is a gift, given freely by those around you. I'm grateful.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Kinda Cool

I have to confess that I kinda like looking at my tumblr page occasionally. It is where I try to send everything I do online - photos I post from my phone to Facebook, Tweets, and blog posts. Unfortunately, it doesn't import all the blog posts so there is no where that has a complete picture of "Patsy Online." But, it's kind of fun to look at the snapshots of daily life in that format sometimes.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Lemon Curd and Scones for Creative Sisterhood

Monday night was Creative Sisterhood and I decided to make lemon curd and scones. I'm always on the lookout for the perfect recipe for both.

I have a lemon curd recipe I like that you make in the microwave. However, I find it really inconvenient. You have to take it out every minute to whisk and it's messy and time consuming.

So, I decided to look for a recipe I could make on top of the stove. I made a few modifications and this is what I came up with:

Lemon Curd Recipe

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Cook in top of a double boiler, whisking occasionally as it cooks. Obviously, don't dump hot butter into your eggs or you'll cook them and your lemon curd will be lumpy. You can strain it, but I always consider that a failure if I have to do that. I prefer the taste of it when it is cooked gently. Sometimes people will only use the egg yolks to avoid that problem.

Cook until done - about 12-15 minutes.

I realized I didn't have a double boiler, so I made do with a couple of pans I inherited from my mother's kitchen. It worked just fine.



I love the taste of these scones. I'm a fan of the plain scone - no fruit - just the basic scone. Of course, you could add something to this recipe if you wish.

Scones

1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream butter and sugar. Add sour cream and egg and mix. Add dry ingredients and blend only until mixed for a flaky scone. If you want a more traditional, cake-like texture, mix until totally blended.

Place by small hand fulls onto cookie sheet and mash down slightly into disks about 3/4 inch thick.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until done.

-----

Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Stealing Pens

My credit union has these pens in the tube everytime you go through the drive thru. They're so good about it that if you absentmindedly keep the one you use to sign checks when making a deposit, when you send the tube in, and your receipt comes back, there will be another pen in it.

I suspect they are encouraging us to take them and use them and spread their name! It seems I willingly oblige. And I'm not the only one.

Tonight at dinner, I noticed the pen left with the receipt for signature was a Hutchinson Credit Union one. I am curious how many of them they go through in a week, month or year. Obviously, I have absconded with quite a few myself. And, I confess, these are not all of their pens I possess.

The bonus of the whole thing - they're really good pens. Rarely do I use pens that write with black ink, but I do think of these as my "work horse" pens that are tucked into the laptop case, the car, etc. I've had accounts there for so long - and been taking their pens - that I have different styles. There's something disturbing about that but I can't put my finger on it and I'm not going to try too hard.

Thank you, Hutchinson Credit Union. If you really didn't mean for me to take them with me, you need to tell me. And I'll try to stop. Really, I'll try.
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Observer

On the auspicious day of 11-11-11 just past, I was listening to a talk show segment about numerology. It's not a new concept to me, but I've never looked at it to any large degree. She explained how to find your life path number and then she listed the basic personality characteristics of each.

Although I had done this before some years ago I didn't remember. My life path number is 7. I'm an observer. This fits me, but so do other categories. Isn't that always the way with these sorts of things.

But I've been thinking about it in the back of my mind since I saw that segment. Today I was having lunch with Trish and our conversation reminded me of a comment I'd heard in an interview with writer, Russell Banks.

He was talking about being a writer and said, "You have to stand on the borders, on the outside looking in. There's no other way around it. You move through but don't belong to any class. You can't belong to any class - you're outside all classes - alienated."

These two concepts are definitely connected to me. It seems Banks summed up the idea of being an observer. Because, of course, you can't observe objectively and also be involved. You have to maintain a distance in order to a true observer.

Much more to think about here...
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Chaos

"All of art is organizing your chaos."
                                                --- Jonathan Carroll

I heard writer Jonathan Carroll say this in an interview. It's so simple and yet so true.

Creative sorts are filled with angst and chaos, both of which feed on each other. I realize that's a cliche, but that's because it's true. That raw energy is the basic building block of creativity. When you apply some structure to it, you get something other people can relate to. Art.

The trick is being someone who can mold the raw energy into something meaningful. It's so easy to remain in chaos and get nothing accomplished. It's so easy to impose too much organization and get something boring.

Walking the line can wear a person out.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

Quote of the Day

A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.
--- Charles Evans Hughes

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

A Jewel Just Sitting There Waiting For Me...

So, there it was... On one of my regular rounds of the various thrift stores I spotted it... Just sitting there... unassuming... surrounded by detrius of various decorating schemes gone awry... It had been waiting for me...

Without hesitation I scooped it up. It was only $1.49. It needed to come home with me.

Why?

Well, that is one of the eternal questions, isn't it?

Because it looks cool, of course.

Do I really need to cover my tissues? No.

Truth be told, I really don't even really use tissues. But, once I owned this beauty I had to go buy some. The ones in those smaller boxes, that are more expensive than the larger boxes, so they would fit. It was after I owned six boxes of them (all packaged together) that I realized you apparently take them out of the box to put in the tissue holder. So, I could have just bought one larger box and taken half of them out. Lesson learned. Although, the six boxes I already own may last me another decade or so.

Pity I didn't know how they went into the tissue holder.

Why did I not know?

Because I wasn't alive when this little jewel was in popular usage.

The bigger question might be why I'm continually attracted to things that were popular in the 30s, 40s and 50s, when I wasn't even on the planet.

I don't have an answer for that, but I know this is cool. Enough said.

-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter

What Matters

I've been thinking a lot lately about what's really important to me, how I want my days to be, what I want my life to look like.

Some things that are really important to me may not be obvious. High on my list is the house I live in. I like older homes, with lots of space, great woodwork and hardwood floors, but with all the modern conveniences. I have a good deal of that now, but not all of it.

Travel is a huge deal to me. I've been confined the last couple of years and that is something to be avoided in the future. I am just not myself if I have to stay in one place for too long.

That may seem counter intuitive considering that my house is so important to me. But, it's a different thing. Home is where you come to process, to gather your thoughts, to create, to just "be." Then I need to go into the world to gather new thoughts, new experiences with new people and events.

What matters? Who matters? Those seem important questions to answer in order to determine how your life should look.
-----
Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter