Pic Today 12/31/15

 

 

NEW YEAR'S EVE

CHECK LIST

Here's what we need

      to celebrate New Year's Eve . . . 

1.  Twelve grapes.

2.  One bottle French champagne.

    (With one in reserve, if necessary.) 

3.  Pad of paper.

  (To write down 2016 resolutions.) 

There's a hispanic/latino tradition

of eating 12 grapes at midnight

for good luck in 2016.

1 grape at each strike of the bell at midnight.

(12 grapes for good luck)

The champagne, so we can toast the new year,

hopefully with someone special.

And the pad of paper, so we can write down

our resolutions for the new year,

promises of change for 2016.

But remember,

   resolutions are a bit like babies . . . 

"fun to make, but difficult to maintain."

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! ! 

Pic Today 12/30/15

 

 

 

 

WHEN RIVERS GET ANGRY

10-inch rainfalls have turned

Missouri streams and rivers into 

torrential flood waters,

covering roads and highways,

driving people from their homes

and businesses.

 (Unfortunately, accounting for several deaths.)

The beautiful Meramec River has been 

especially hard hit, unable to handle the

unrelenting rains and runoff.

The last 2 images show Maggie (daughter)

and Andy's river house, and our

  historic riverview cabin . . . 

1) View from their 2nd floor bedroom window,

overtaking their river home, and

2) Hillside overlook of the cabin (see the roof?)

surrounded by the Meramec River waters.

(It's as close as we could get.)

Most rivers crest on Wednesday.

No way to tell how much damage

until the waters recede.

People's lives and property suffer

when "rivers get angry."

Pic Today 12/29/15

 

 

 

 

 

HEAVY RAINS AND WINDS

FLOOD MISSOURI

It's bad.

Heaviest rains have caused

record flooding throughout our state. 

Hundreds of roads and highways

are underwater, and closed.

Virtually every river and stream

is overflowing, and dangerous to all traffic.

Crazy weather.

Never seen it this bad.

Pic Today 12/28/15

 

 

 

 

FAR TOO MUCH RAIN

Suddenly, torrential rains

dampen the holiday season.

Non-stop storms and flooding

forecast for the next 3 days.

Weather man calls for 5-8" of rain.

(That's too much, too fast.)

Just when I was planning on

welcoming the New Year

down at my Meramec River cabin.

(This should all be snow!)

 

Pic Today 12/27/15

 

 

MY HOLIDAY CONFECTIONS

It's important to create something special 

this time of the year, a personal creation

fresh from the kitchen, from scratch ...

preferably something sweet,

to bring to a holiday party

or Christmas dinner.

Here's what I created this year . . .

1.  Christmas Jello (my own invention)

with 3 different layers/flavors of gelatin,

mandarin oranges & mini-marshmallows.

2.  Two-layer white cake, iced with

   Italian Merinque Buttercream

    and red raspberries on top.*

*made with my new Kitchen-Aid Artisan mixer,

   discovered and claimed in a nearby dumpster.

    (Really.)

Guess which one was the "crowd favorite?"