Open Thread – Snowy Spruce
Thanks for your indulgence everyone, while The Mudflats has gone in to low gear for the holidays. You can always depend on the daily open thread as a place to post links, and enjoy good conversation. But the blog may be a bit thin on content beyond that… just for a little while. We’ll be back up to full speed in January.
Enjoy your hiatus AKM. Rejuvenate and restore your energy. Looking forward to a new year of interesting events and the Mudflats take on it all.
Perhaps 2011 is a good time to start a new train of positive thoughts, ignoring the obvious pain in the butt, flavor of the week, negative media hound type folk.
It’s renewal time. Those spruce trees just stand there and flex in the wind–whatever comes their way, snow or shine, year after year–growing ever bigger, taller, stronger, more beautiful.
The Federal court ruling against Joe Miller is out. Dismissed with prejudice — a legal term for “go away now and don’t ever come back.”
http://www.adn.com/2010/12/28/1622554/federal-judge-overturns-miller.html
Hit the road Joe and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Joe and don’t you come back no more.
What you say?
Hit the road Joe and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Joe and don’t you come back no more.!!!!
I fought the law and the law won;
I fought the law and the law won.
Now you don’t talk so loud
Now you don’t seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Despera~joe, why don’t you come to your senses,
you’ve been out for writin’ offenses for so long now..
truly LOL
marlys and slip…!
Here is the pdf of the ruling
http://tinyurl.com/293fmvt
It’s always good to take a break! No worries, AKM, we’ll be right =D
I’ve definitely been feeling the ol’ Paylin overload syndrome lately myself. Even items that are critical of our snow machine queen have left me feeling tired of… well… anything to do with her. It’s weird but I’ve noticed that when I purposely keep myself from reading sources (Internet, radio, tv, whatever) it seems like my mood takes a turn for the brighter, as if I’m back living in the pre-Palin world (remember that?).
So yeah, it’s OK AKM that this blog is taking a slight hiatus… after all even the best of us need a break every now and then.
PS, I will say that the one poll released today showing that Alaskans’ contempt for Palin ranks #2 out of 50 states polled did brighten my day!
She’ll spin it to blame the LSM but any way you dice it, it’s undeniable that the people who know her best are the ones to trust!
Totally, aussiegal77! And yeah, let me tell ya that as an Alaskan I can pretty much guarantee that those poll results are spot on (and maybe even a little over-favorable to her highness).
Enjoy your time off in beautiful Alaska, beautiful AKM. We can wait till next year for the rest of that so-called book.
Sarah thought that Michelle Obama said that we should avoid the “desert” and that’s why the Palin clan is moving to Arizona. “That’ll show her, we’ll have our desert, even if she says we shouldn’t”!
Palin has been so juvenile lately! First the dumb kindergarten comments about s’mores, dessert and the First Lady and now the even more dim comments about conservationists, pencils, pretty stationery. She is just so ludicrous and puerile, it’s beyond belief!
We thought it was bad when she acted like a middle schooler, and now she’s regressed to something below Piper’s grade level. No wonder Piper kept telling her how to drive, what she needed to do, and so on. Piper truly is more knowledgable than her mom.
thatcrowwoman,
thank you for posting the recipe, really appreciate it.
You’re so welcome, NEO! I was hoping you would see it.
I was just listening to Shannyn Moore. She says call 522-1018 and let them know you would like to see Thomn Hartmann back on. They are interested in whom might be interested.
A very sad day in Palintown as bloggers and MSM unite to discuss the latest polls, some of which focus on her dwindling popularity in Alaska:
http://www.slate.com/BLOGS/blogs/weigel/archive/2010/12/28/alaska-to-palin-drop-dead.aspx
Palin takes more hits from the right:
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/signs-doubt-about-palin-right/
Even the comments are against her (even if they consider themselves Palin fans).
Yep, no beings except her flying monkeys think she can win a Pres election. The conservatives want to win win win so they aren’t going to throw their chances away on the Twit. I guess it’s just one of those “common sense solutions” to ask her to support other candidates instead and raise money from the right. (I’m guffawing so loud I just went hoarse).
I read this today as well and thank goodness the over exposure is finally showing Palin to be the utterly unserious candidate she always was!
I enjoyed the comments in this link. One guy had a few interesting terms for Granny P. : She’s a “placeholder” and a “rodeo clown”. I just love the mental image of her as a rodeo clown doing her shtick while the main act gets ready.
Is this ever going to end?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/27/alaska.senate.race/index.html?hpt=Sbin
Of course not – it’s Joe the Miller! He got a taste of “My Precious” and the dark greed comes from deep within him now.
He needs to stop embarrassing himself.
Yes it is going to end, Federal Judge Ralph Beistline dismissed Joe Millers suit today saying “Generally speaking, the Alaska Supreme Court is the final expositor of Alaska law,” Beistline wrote in his ruling. “That must be the case here.”
As the case has been dismissed I don’t believe Joe can appeal that to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but I could be wrong. So far Joe is 0 for 4 I spoke to a friend who voted for him today and asked how he felt about “your boy Joe” now. Response was interesting, he seems to think Joe has no credibility left with most Alaskans and electing him would have been a terrible mistake. I quote “Joe is out for Joe and we didn’t see that”
http://newsminer.com/bookmark/10804899-Federal-judge-tosses-out-Miller-s-Alaska-Senate-lawsuit
Your rest is well-deserved. I hope you spend the time with your family and friends and just enjoying time and nature and whatever else you have been neglecting to keep us so well informed.
The new gov of Hawaii is disgusted by the birthers. Gee, come to think of it, I am too. I wish him luck and god’s speed, but I have a feeling that you “just can’t fix stupid”.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2010/1228/Why-Hawaii-Gov.-Neil-Abercrombie-is-taking-on-anti-Obama-birthers
Yesterday I asked for help in finding a way to help fund a project by Dennis Zaki,by something other than credit cards or PayPal. Well you Mudpups came through in Mudpup style. I got an address and have sent a check to Dennis for his Salmon People Project. Muchas gracias to all Mudpups who helped out. I only hope it gets there on time and he makes a wonderful documentary. Happy New Years to all Mudpups everywhere.
Thank you for supporting this project!
Dog racing season is here! I’m following my favorite kennel’s racer, Colleen Robertia on the Gin Gin 200! It’s a quickie, and race stats show her to be at the first checkpoint in less time than any of the racers – woohoo! There are only 18 racers (now 17) in this race and Colleen can make a name for herself and her kennel, and earn a much needed split purse. I know she knows we are out here cheering for her – I broke out in tears just seeing her great time on the first leg!
Follow along here:
http://www.gingin200.com/RaceCoverage.html
http://rogueskennel.com/blog/?p=764#comment-81452
Thanks for the tip – will follow along.
Need some good pupper news 🙂
thatcrowwoman’s Chocolate-covered Bourbon Cherries
(I pack cherries at the peak of their season in the summer, then chocolate dip for sharing during the winter holidays. It’s one of my favorite traditions!)
Use very large cherries, ripe but firm, together with their stems.
Pack a quart of cherries fairly loose in jars, stems up.
Make the following syrup (per each quart of cherries) and boil for 5 minutes:
2 cups sugar
¾ cup honey (I prefer mine dark and thick)
1 cup water
Let cool.
Add 1½ cups Good Bourbon per each quart of cherries (I use Jack Daniels) and stir well.
Pour over cherries, leaving ¼ inch “head space” empty at the top of each jar.
Seal jars tightly, and store for up to 6 months. I use regular canning jars or recycle cleaned glass jars that have rubber-rimmed lids for a tight seal. I store the filled jars in the back of my fridge, and flip them upside down every few weeks. Don’t worry if the syrup starts to look a little cloudy if/when you flip the jars.
After several months, drain the cherries.
Reserve the cherry bourbon syrup in glass jar(s), covered, so the alcohol doesn’t evaporate. Refrigerate the syrup until you use it.
The syrup makes great cherry cokes for grown ups, and is delicious in fruit salads, poured over pound cake, in parfaits, and in many other desserts. 🙂
Melt 2 cups of dark or semi-sweet chocolate in a small double boiler
(according to your taste…I usually make batches of both).
Dip the cherries into the chocolate, one by one, holding them by their stems.
Place them in a single layer on wax paper until chocolate hardens and dries. (You may refrigerate cherries after dipping to speed the process.) After several cherries have been dipped, the melted chocolate may start to get a little lumpy. (That’s why you just melt 2 cups of chocolate at a time.) I don’t mind the lumps, but you can thin the chocolate with a little of the reserved syrup if you want a smoother finish.
Store chocolate covered cherries in tin cans, placing a sheet of wax paper between each layer. Or, wrap individually in wax paper and foil. Store your cherries in a cool place so the chocolate doesn’t melt.
(adapted from Home Preserving Made Easy by Vera Gewanter and Dorothy Parker, published by Viking Press in 1975)
Share and Enjoy!
thatcrowwoman
That sounds absolutely wonderful.
oh. my. goodness. tipsy already. sounds delish. copying the recipe right this minute.
Dang. That is copied and ready for cherry season!
One tiny thing. As a daughter of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I need to tell you that Jack Daniels is not bourbon. It is a Tennessee Sipping Whiskey.
Go with Jim Beam.
I am going to looooove next Christmas!
WC took a few weeks off and returned refreshed and recharged. May your break do the same for you. AKM. All the best in 2011.
jimzmum——loved hearing your daughter playing the spoons. That is truly an art.
We have music in our family also, and it is what keeps me happy—–going to my grandson’s concert when he is back home.
here is the web site on you tube of his last concert when he was home.
We all missed him at Christmas as he was not able to come home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxHl-8fzUu8
Lacy Lady — your gs has my toes a’tappin’! He’s quite the entertainer, too…gets his talent from you, no? Thanks for the link. beth.
No—-I just drove him for lesson for years. When in 7th grade—I drove him to Cedar Falls (UNI) everyweek, then when that got too much—-drove him to Missouri—Truman Univ. all through high school. Parents/grandparents do what they have to do.
Wow! What fun! That video is now on my favorite’s list. Thank you for sharing. Please thank him for me.
I had so much fun directing that play. The actors loved it because of the difficulty of the music. Five part Bluegrass Gospel was not in their knowledge base at all. I didn’t get to see them perform before an audience, because I was in hospital during their run.
That was great! Looks like he has as much fun as those in the audience.
I saw his name after the video and googled and read about him. Very impressive. You must be very proud.
I really wish I could be home enjoying the holidays instead of working …… this week is especially bad with so many different companies wanting all their invoices before the end of the year.
Bah Humbug!
Oopsie…Palin’s presidential aspirations may need a boost in GOP circles as her support from republicans puts her in forth place against Romney, Huck and Newt.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/28/cnn-2012-poll-obama-palin-going-in-different-directions/
Gosh! Being behind Newt is not a good sign for her at all, the man is utter slime.
More on a similar theme dated Dec 15th
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/margie-omero/palin-overexposure-contin_b_797370.html
I concur. There is only one Republican with the stature to win the Presidency, and he is not running, out of disgust with the GOP.
Whom do you mean?
Colin Powell
If I’m not mistaken, he announced years ago (’95ish?) that he’d never run for the office…his Alma had been (was being) treated for depression and it was out of consideration of/for her that he wouldn’t.
While they –rightfully– saw nothing detrimental about admitting to (and seeking) needed help, they both knew any run for office would be a slogging through the mud of every single day of her life and every armchair psychologist/psychiatrist would be jumping in and constantly analyzing her six-ways-from-Sunday. He also knew his running would put added stress and strain on her as she worried so about his safety.
Although I disagreed with most of his politics and was greatly dismayed by his gung-ho support of the R agenda, I admired (and admire) him tremendously for putting his family first…for not seeking fame and glory at the expense of his Alma. To me, that is a sign of unquestionable integrity and honor. beth.
Not sure how gung ho he was, since he was left out of most important policy discussions and analysis anyways. Can you imagine discussing whether to go to war against Iraq and leaving the former General out of the loop?
[I was rather thinking of his speech to the UN. And, in general, (no pun intended) his willingness to even consider the initiatives and programs (or lack thereof) the Rs promote. beth.]
AKM enjoy your rest!
Here’s a wonderful lead in to Palin’s latest lie:
“If Palin tells you anything…check it, then check it again….”
http://www.frumforum.com/if-sarah-palin-tells-you-anything
As a Canadian, I alwasy thought of Frum as too Conservative for my tastes, Bush’s speechwriter, Axis of Evil, all that. But lately, he’s been left of the Repubs, showing his true colours, critizing the fringe, and now critizing Palin.
He’s been earning back my respect with his thoughtfulness. He is what the Republicans in the US need, critical thinking, policy analysis, reasoning.
Frum, who wrote for Bush, thinks Palin is not too smart. Well, compared to his last gig, Bush, he must have a low bar anyway!!
I think Frum is still conservative. But I think he is also a man on integrity and has decided that someone needs to speak out about the extreme right within the republican party. I don’t agree with him any more than I did, but I do respect him. I’d like to see more republicans like him and then maybe we could get back to truly have a diaglogue between the two parties.
Enjoy your time off AKM! We will still be here when you’re ready to get back to it. I am going to meet a woman this afternoon who needs some grant writing done. Might lead to something permanent. We will see….
My mother leaves for Florida today for 5 months. Wish I could just go with her. We have spent quite a bit of time together of late and I will miss her terribly.
Enjoy the break, but when do we get the end of the Palin book? I need to know how it ends 😉
Have a great New Year, everyone.
Let’s have a new contest! Who can write the best epilogue? Sixty words or less!
Happy holiday everyone. AKM enjoy the break and thanks for the beautiful pictures.
AKM, that picture is very cool. Immediately, I see hands coming out from the tree, as if to play the piano. Love it.
teh Mudflats Boogie, no doubt!
(and congratulations on your new job, also, too!)
Merry Cricket and i spent time together the other night. my family joined us for a mini mudstock. Cricket is a charming lady and great fun. she fit right in. i enjoyed every moment with her. i hope other pups get a chance to visit each other in the coming year. i have gotten a cold and am stranded because of the snow in New York but i am safe and warm and well fed; surrounded by loved ones. some of you pups will hear directly from me in the coming days. i am running behind on getting out my cards and things cause i can’t drive so am dependent on others to run errands. i will get it done though so please don’t be mad at me. Mod forty Watt posted a few pic of Merry Crickets:
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,10908.msg124584/boardseen.html#new
Awww Bubbles, you are so sweet. I had a wonderful time with you and your family. I only wish I could have spent more time with you. I really need to get a job that will allow me to get vacation time and be able to afford to go visit some of you wonderful mudpups!
AKM. rest yourself. kick back. enjoy the holidays. we loves ya and we will be good pups. kind and thoughtful as per usual. cause that’s how we roll. mostly.
bubbles, now I have to be nice? For how long? Sheesh. Thanks so awfully. Here is our younger daughter playing the spoons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH03_jCpgsU
aw, jimzmum, just nice “mostly” is all Bubbles promised…and “mostly” gives mudpups sufficient wiggle room, eh?
Hey, I read your link wrong at first glance…thought it said “Smoke on the Water” and was trying to wrap my head around your daughter playing That on spoons!
hahahahahahahahacaw Caw CAW!
Rock on, mudpups!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f7LwuVF8Oo
Funny! I can see how that would be difficult to process – spoons for Deep Purple.
Oh, and thanks for the link. It was great to hear the song again.
No wonder you are a proud mom! That was fun. Can’t relate to the song, but loved the spoon action! People generally don’t realize how difficult playing the spoons can be, but have you seen the commercial running on TV now where a young woman is trying to learn the spoons from either her mother or older sister/friend. That drives home the message about skill very well.
Congratulations on having such a talented daughter!
Thank you! She taught herself for this role. Also too, the autoharp, washboard, triangle, cymbals, tambourine, train whistle. This was the show I directed. We will find out in about three weeks if we have been nominated for an AFL award. Wonderful fun.
She’s great! Good luck on the award nomination.
we gotta be nice whilst Muddy is awake. at night we come out to play while big mama be sleep. heeeheee.
Good. Let’s get dancing then – Joe Miller LOST in the third court. Day-yam, there is a god.
Jimzmum! your daughter is a very talented young lady. i loved it! you are a proud mama. eh?
She is very good at it, nice to see her doing sign interpretation too. You must be proud of her!
Yep. Relax and take it easy, AKM.
We’ll keep the refreshments coming
… and the kitchen clean
… and the fire burning
… and the porch swept so everyone can find the WELCOME mat.
L’Shalom
<3 thatcrowwoman
I volunteer to tend the fire. I love that chore. Even having to get up in the middle of the night to add a few logs. Makes me feel like I am protecting a caring for those I love.
I will cook. I have been cooking non-stop for two weeks and loving every minute!
I volunteer to burn down the porch!
MSNBC has a detailed story today about the state government continuing to stall on the release of Palin emails. State law says that they must be released within 10 days. The Palin and Parnell administrations have been stalling for more than two years. Must be something juicy in those emails,.
http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/28/5707970-quest-for-palin-e-mails-may-exceed-her-time-in-office
Time for Court? Who has standing to demand they stop the delay?
Probably had time to scrub them pretty clean by now, don’tcha think?
I love your pictures and wish you the best during your hiatus from hectic blogging. We are so grateful to have you AKM.
In less beauty everywhere….there is no way SPIFOS (s.p is full of …) used the giant chainsaw we saw on her show the other night (I don’t watch it, I saw a photo) I live in logging country, and i’ve used a smaller chainsaw, and they are not toys! She would’ve been more scared than she was hiking the glacier, and she would’ve reacted differently after she was done, had she used that big saw. I call pant on fire on her for that.
Happy end of 2010 and on to a great 2011!
I think the chainsaw stuff was photoshopped, too, or however video is faked.
If it was real, she would have had real safety glasses on, not her regular glasses. Unless she’s real stupid.
Oh.
WEll, if you want a dose of ‘skewering Sarah’, this is pretty satisfying
http://www.politicususa.com/en/palin-intelligence
That was a savory column of sentiments that I share.
“Palin’s brand of patriotic fluffenstuff”, and “she’s no more qualified than Howdy Doody” describe it perfectly!
Have a great time off, AKM. Relax, we’ll be good 🙂
Good morning! Another beautiful picture. Thank you, AKM.
This is from another discussion group, and I think it is one of the funniest things ever.
One person wrote:
The Queen’s holiday message has been taped and will be shown tomorrow.
Her message strongly encourages exercise and contains a video clip of Prince William playing soccer with some young lads in South Africa.
It seems to me this message is similar to the nutrition/exercise message of our own USA First Lady.
What will Sarah do?
Another person replied:
Sarah will tell us that we shouldn’t be listening to cruise ships for our nutritional information.
Super!
HAHAHAhahahaha. snort. chuckle. even the Queen of England is smackin’ the hell out of Palin. Good on Ya Majesty! take that Palin. wotcher got to say now? feel like messin’ with Elizabeth Regina ll? go right ahead you fish faced frog.
I doubt The Queen thinks about quittypants too also. : D
That’s blasphemous to think the rill Queen in rill Amerika isn’t loved by the pretender to the throne in olde England.Ha! Where ever would thou get such an idea from. Thou must listen to the rabble that are protesting too much from the mudflats. Thou must only believe the rill Queen and her minions who bray forth their words of wisdom from the land of fauxnee patriots and fauxnee foxes, Faux Noise. god save the queen Quittybritches.
LOL!!! i hast blasphemed against her Royal Highhalibutt DairyQueen of Wasilla . forsooth, heretoforth and forevermore. May da rill dill queenie whatzerface forgive and forget dis most unrill ‘murikkkan. and so on and so forth. the pretender also too is sorry over there in the England where they don’t spik teh english words right.
Speakest thou of the Mat-Su Maid herself?
Here I am in GA with the same tree outside my dining room window – Honest! First time since 1947 we have had a white Christmas.
Enjoy your rest, AKM – we all need “low gear” every now and then.
it’s purty ain’t it. That is the first thing I thought of was what my trees look like.
like barbara said, enjoy your time off, i’m laying low when it comes to politics and specially Sarah Palin…a break is a good thing.
Congrats to Elton John:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/28/elton-john
enjoy the time off. happy new year! here’s an interesting link for starters: http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf
I love that. Thanks, barbara.