Pictures from a quiet, rainy day at home

That's funny, Mulch, I never would have picked you for a debater. (kidding...) But judging a bunch of kids doing anything strikes me as a good measure of your returned health, so that is very fine news indeed. ;-)

Friend of mine I just phoned for a catch up after a number of months told me she had just taken an Argumentation and Debate course. This is a woman of my age, mind you, who in her "real" life teaches dance.

She laughed and said she almost dropped the course a number of times because it was kicking her butt, but she decided to stick it out. She also said she learned she is biased and likes to be entertained. I loled. Me too, I said, me too.

She said the reason she signed up for the course was so she could learn to cut people off at the knees when they argued bad politics at her. Now, she is the activist here, not me, but I had to admire her sentiment and her honesty. She said further that, whether she really learned anything about how to cut her opponents off at the knees or not, what she did learn was how to do research! And she is having great inspired joy in researching stuff! In places like the Harvard Law Review, for instance.

my friend the dancer, whoda thunk it. Ain't life grand???? hahahaha this still makes me smile wide.

Oh, your friend the dance teacher is very brave. I myself am far more comfortable dancing in front of people than talking to an audience!

Mulch, around here, tired puppies always get treats.

Roybird, I made the Picante-preferred almond cake, which is dense and not sweet, but is loaded with ground almonds and almond extract. The DH-preferred version is the one with the 7 egg yolks & 7 eggs whites all fluffed up, no doubt like yours.

Oh, that's a hoot! Your dancer friend is on a whole new adventure.

I used to enjoy verbal combat as a sport and was quite good at it. I also think it is good for kids to learn debate skills so their brains don't fall out in the tv or video games. But I don't actually like verbal combat as a sport myself anymore, other things interest me more. But if anyone really riles me up I can always bring out the cannons and settle the matter when I need to, ha!

My DH is not a verbal combat person and after we married I got progressively more annoyed with two of his old friends from grad school criticizing him for making jewelry, without even asking if it was what he really enjoyed and wanted to do. I finally had enough and decided their bullying ways were going to stop. It took me about 2 sentences to stop the less bright loudmouth, who was speechless for the first time anyone could remember. The other bully took one look and jumped in on my side and that was the end of that.

I was quite surprised as I had not even really gotten going yet.

Picante, we cross posted. I am totally totally uncomfortable dancing. Ever.

I like tired puppies getting treats. DH has plied me with cookies and chocolate, so this tired puppy is a happy tired puppy.

Mulch, I love that story. I have never enjoyed verbal combat and find it entirely too stressful but always deeply admire those who can pull it off so efficiently to a justified win. ;-)

Yes, my friend is quite brave and always has been.

Picante, I have both danced and spoken in front of audiences and find if I am prepared either one is a pleasant experience. I've always been curious about the factoid often referred to that fear of public speaking is stronger in most people than fear of death. I don't believe it actually but don't know how "they" measure such things. Anyway...... as in most circumstances I am not a public person I've always wondered about my lack of fear of speaking to groups...... seems out of character somehow!

The heavier, not sweet almond cake is what D.H.'s sister makes. It's good , too. I made chocolate chip cookies last night and was thinking about making ginger cookies tonight but it was warmer today so I was out and about more. Had meditation and chi gung practice this morning, went out to brunch with friends, met my B.F.F. for tea and a wander through a craft show this afternoon. I hardly ever see her so gave her her belated Birthday present from August and some of the hand cream I made recently. I had made her Promise not to give us Christmas presents this year but she remarked that edible gifts are an exception. Hmmm. I used to like acting and dance "on stage". Now, I lead tai chi stuff to small groups. I try Hard not to get involved in discussions or debates where I would be likely to get angry. I have a real smart mouth and a quick temper that has not always served me well. I try to be mindful of what results my words might bring about and to be thoughtful about whether I want to escalate a conflict. That is not what high school debating is, of course. I like for kids to do anything that involves thinking for themselves without media hype! Mulch, nice that you are well enough to help out.

Some friends and I are making gifts for Christmas, including some 'spa gifts'. I'd love to know how to make your handcream, Roybird, as maybe I could include it with my other gifts.

The key to presenting, speaking, talking, whatever in front of people is to understand that they want you to do well, they want to be entertained and educated, they want their time to be well spent. So, if you let nerves in, you let down your audience. IMHO. I also agree that being prepared is the most important component.

Brenda, I got the hand cream recipe from an article on D.G. by Sundowner ( Bev Walker ). It is her 1-2-3 hand cream and I bet you can look it up in "articles from the past" and print it out. It must be archived somewhere. I bet Dahlia would know. Sundowner would know! But I make it in small batches and can write it down for you if you can't find the article which is very good and has pictures. I had looked for a good recipe for some time before I saw it. Just in general I would say salves are easy, creams are hard. But, not that hard! What kind of spa gifts are you making? I love that kind of thing! I started with potpourri back in 2000 and have kept a book of my "recipes" since. I am more interested in scent than in medicinal concoctions. Altho, the lavender liquor was more medicinal than I would've liked. At one time I seriously considered buying or making a still to distill my own essential oils. After researching it; I decided it was too expensive plus required more plant material than I could grow at home. I know there are methods to distill small quantities but it was more than I wanted to take on. Not to mention that I wanted to study chemistry as well. Thank God I got a camera!

I spent most of my career as a negotiator and I believe the key to understanding in any verbal venture is to listen. Public speaking involves 'audience'. Listening to both body language and verbal expression can help you to motivate or entertain. I'm very familar with 'dispute' but not with 'debate'. They are different.

Hi, Dahlia. I agree that listening is important. Dispute is not Debate. Good point. Do you know where old articles are kept here?

Roybird you can find a specific person's article by going to their homepage but in general: guides and information/articles and you can put in the person's dg name or subject. I just luv the DG articles and refer to them all the time.

Thank you Roybird and Dahlianut for the info on the hand cream! I still have dried lemon balm sitting in a bowl waiting for me to figure out what to do with it... now I know!

We made bath salts and sugar scrub in different fragrances (bath salts in eucalyptis and in lavendar, and sugar scrub in vanilla). I want to make bath fizzies, but apparently one of the ingredients is more than the group wanted to spend. I may make them anyway. I think I will do the hand cream as well. And what bath is complete without a refreshing beverage? So, we also made kahlua. And, I plan on making vanilla extract for future gifts. I have to mention that I have been absent from two of our Friday gift making days, so my two friends have done most of the work. I have, however, helped with research and recipes, and final packaging.

Brenda, it sounds like fun. Good gift ideas. The hand cream is flexible enough that ingredients can be as much or little cost as you like. Thanks, Dahlia, for the link. I'm sorry Sundowner is no longer active. She is one of my favorite article writers.

I was just going to post this in the History forum and discovered they have no picture posting there, so thought I would plunk it here instead as it is such a nice photo I did not want to "waste" it, LOL!

This was the thread about the mason jars, over there, and this is an old pre-mason jar I have and was babbling on about. Speaking of hand made creams this jar was an apothecary container for zinc unguent, I believe. My dad used it as a cigar jar! and I keep little candles in it now......

ooooooo that is a beauty Kyla! It even has some runes scribed on it. How funky weird that we can't post pics on the History Forum.

Yes, I never noticed that before! I guess cause they didn't have pictures in the old days....... lol

And yeah, this jar is one of my favorite things. ;-)

Where did you see that Sundownr was no longer active? She is subscribed through March 28, 2010. Maybe they meant she no longer writes articles? According to her info page she updated her Garden Diary on Oct. 21, 2009. May she is just hibernating. Send her a dmail and maybe she will reply in the spring.
I agree that the DG articles are excellent. I just recently learned while I have been killing my Christmas cacti for the last several years -- I put them in a sunny window. They don't like direct sun. Duh. I thought it was the soil or that I wasn't watering them enough.

Paj I got that when I looked her up on the member list. Maybe a hickup in the list?

Great antique jar, Kyla. A treasure for sure.

Maybe they don't update the member list as often as they should. Or maybe they mean she hasn't posted in a while. Just guesses. But if you click on her name you will get her info page and she is still a member.

I have decided that Christmas cactus don't really like anything! Mine has bloomed and is now busy looking half dead. It is a couple of years old. Busy putting cute stickers on my hand cream jars and realizing that I need to make more which means I need to go buy more containers. Perhaps a brisk walk to the herb store is in order.

It wasn't. But, I did paint a little and I like these. Just tiny watercolors. Think I'll leave them alone. Here's one.

delightful!

Here's the other one. Water color is " hit or miss "; if you mess with it too much it looks over-worked. OOps. Forgot to post it!

This message was edited Dec 8, 2009 5:26 PM

Thanks, Kyla! Let's see if I can get the other one on here. There he is.

Great watercolors RB! I too liked to paint with WC but I over did mine and looked too much. I don't see the final painting until it is done.

Beautiful! I wish I had painting talent (okay, I do... but it has to do with painting walls, not pictures, LOL!)

Thanks, Sofer. With views like you have I'm not surprised you've tried painting!

Beautiful watercolors, roybird!

I got into painting the lighthouses of the Great Lakes around Michigan. I always go back there and get away from my in-laws by going overnight to the lighthouse to paint. My mom is good with her watercolors. This is one she painted of my dog Sophie sitting on my lap watching the sunset on an isolated Island off Vancouver Island. (from photo)

Nice!

Response To Roybird's Paintings

too cold outside to focus
and no flowers
only fuzzy bird staring. Will it snow?

Awww, that's sweet, Kyla. I'm glad your mother is painting, Sofer. It has a nice composition.

Cute little bird, Kyla. It looks kind of worried about the prospect of snow or am I just projecting?

I don't know but I think you are right it is worried. You can almost see its little bird eyebrows all screwed up.

That's what I thought I saw. Glad it isn' just me.

LUV the hummer paints roybird. That is a special painting your mom did Sof.

Oh, that's Sophie the Sweetheart.
Your mom & I are both very keen on the dog's view of the world.

She actually sat on my lap each night for a week we were on this island in Barkley sound and she watched the sun just as I did until it set and then she would turn around and give me a lick. She was unique.