Twitterific

Have you looked at Twitter lately? I've started my own page, and thought I'd link to some of the other Twitter folks whom I enjoy following:

Bridget Strevens Marzo -- an illustrator in France

Andrew Weil, MD -- lots of preventative health tips

Laura Boston-Thek -- a photographer in Germany

artwiculate -- fun with words

epicurious -- good recipe and foodie links

frugal traveler -- offbeat travel ideas

Sally Lloyd-Jones -- author/illustrator in NY

Sylvia Beach Hotel Snapshots

View onto Nye Beach from the Mark Twain room.


Edgar Allen Poe room. I wouldn't want to sleep under this blade! There's a raven on the dresser (out of the photo).


The Dr. Suess room -- one of the more colorful rooms at the hotel.


Tennessee Williams room.

Nye Beach Angel

I've always liked this angel, assembled from a hodge-podge of metal pieces: gears, grates, and random bits of iron. Last night, the sunset cooperated and I'm happy with the silhouette that resulted. The angel is on a cliff overlooking Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon. By the way, the weather was miraculous! No coat on the Oregon coast in January. How often does that happen?

Arachnophobia

For those of you with arachnophobia, this isn't the playground you'd want to visit.

The Sign

I just read a Christmas poem by Rachel Held Evans that I think I'll print out and carry with me each day of this next year.

Here's the first stanza:

You will find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes
Wrapped in flesh
Wrapped in blood
Wrapped in bone
Wrapped in the calloused hands of a carpenter’s son
Wrapped in scandal
Wrapped in genocide
Wrapped in poverty
You will find Him

Read the rest at Rachel's blog.

Celebrate It!

Anna -- "My family is full of freaks..."
Grandpa -- "Celebrate it!"

Things to Do in December

* Enjoy sparkly lights everywhere--on trees, houses, even boats (in Portland, there's an annual Christmas ship parade on the river)!

* Drink plenty of warm cider, peppermint mochas, hot buttered rum, and of course, Echinachea Plus if it's cold and flu season.

* Sing a few festive songs and carols -- we did that today with people from Crossway Church at our local Salmon Creek hospital.

* Hug someone who needs an extra hug or two.

* Take an action that's a little out of your comfort zone -- maybe throw an open house for neighbors or volunteer to watch a child for a single mom while she takes an evening to herself or anything else you might dream up. And then tell me in the comment section what you did! I'll let you know what I end up doing too.

* Write a poem about winter or God or candy canes or anything even remotely connected with December. Read your poem to at least one other person!

* These easy Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds make a tasty gift:
1 egg white
1 teaspoon cold water
4 cups whole almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Oven @ 250 degrees. Lightly grease 10 X 15 inch jellyroll pan. Beat egg white; add water & beat until frothy but not stiff. Add nuts and stir until coated. Mix sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over nuts. Toss to coat and spread evenly over pan. Bake for 1 hour in oven, stirring occasionally, until golden. Allow to cool & store nuts in airtight containers.

Those are my ideas. Feel free to add more.