There is plenty to peruse by just browsing Awakenings. For the February events, remember the festivities are posted on Pinterest for you to begin looking back to plan ahead.
If you enjoy trips down music memory lane, take your pick at Music Memories. Perhaps you will find your favorite recording artist in the Spotlight!
Looking for a special recipe? Visit yum, yum, yum … yummy! Hundreds of recipes to choose from, after all yummy recipes are good for the heart, mind, body and soul!
[Image Credits: Photos for this post are credited to Garry & Marilyn Armstrong. You are invited to visit both at Serendipity. You will definitely enjoy the visit and be sure to tell them catnip sent you…purr-r-r-r-r-r-r]
Stories of ancient gods of winter have transformed into the personifications of the season, Ol’ Man Winter and Jack Frost. The beginning of January finds most areas of the country experiencing visits from both…Ol’ Man Winter knock, knock, knocking at their doors, along with Jack Frost spreading his blanket of white over ground after ground covering sight after sight.
Rows of barren trees
Stretch along the shoreline
Casting shadowy figures
Amid bold Winter blue
Astronomically winter officially began on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014. However, some portions of the U.S. have been gripped by an icy chill and snow since November. The br-r-r-r-r cold atmosphere, snow covered driveways and vehicles have made it difficult to look past the bleakness of Winter. Yet, sometimes it takes no more than just a little imagination to turn the colors of grey into something of beauty.
Clumps of snow and ice
Cling to bare branches
Like popcorn balls
Waiting to be salted
There is actually beauty under the Winter sun that can only be encountered in the coldest season of the year. Relish in the Winter spirit…the sights and the sounds. Take in a deep breath. Let the cold, crisp air refresh the lungs during a quiet walk where the only sounds are the crunching of ice crystals underfoot. Listen to the wind-chimes as the North Wind sends a swift brush of cold through the air. Examine every tree, shrub, plant and field as it displays its own uniqueness having been gently touched by nature’s paintbrush of downy white.
Through the mystic woods
Filter rays of Winter sun
Spring scenes lie dormant
Beneath a driftness of white
Jack Frost invites you to experience the pristine side of Winter. . .
What’s next? Enjoy the warmth of a cozy fireplace with a
steaming hot cup of white chocolate cocoa spiked with a
stick of cinnamon or your favorite brew!
With the celebration of New Year’s Eve comes the ever popular toast of the evening as flutes are raised containing the quintessential wine of celebration and good cheer…festive, bright, sparkling CHAMPAGNE! There are many sparkling wines on the market but there is only one champagne and it is produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France, from which it takes its name.
There is a bit of controversy over this day’s celebration. It is thought the reason everyone celebrates December 31st as National Champagne Day is because of the New Year’s Eve saying – "It’s Champagne Day!" It is champagne day as far as the New Year’s celebration goes but as far as the National Holiday, it is more likely August 4.
Texas, The Lone Star State, The Beef State, The Banner State, The Blizzard State, The Jumbo State
Texas State Motto: Friendship
To capture Texas, you need to go big, and this aerial exploration spans thousands of square miles to reveal the great sites of the Lone Star State. Witness its lush forests, forbidding deserts, and shimmering modern cities. High-altitude views of landmarks reveal a rich, complex past where bloody battles for independence began and where the era of American idealism ended one dark November day. From humble beginnings to boastful proclamations, see why “everything’s bigger in Texas.”
A hardy winter annual native to Texas, the Bluebonnet was adopted as the "State Flower of Texas". This is the most commonly seen variety along roadsides and in uncultivated pastures throughout the state. Flowers are densely arranged on a spike with a characteristic ice white terminal.
Iowa, The Hawkeye State, The Corn State, Land of the Rolling Prairie
Iowa State Motto: Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain
A serious dispute over how large the state would be delayed Iowa’s admission into the Union as the 29th state until December 28, 1846, but by the delay the people of Iowa got what they wanted—all the land between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The state capital is Des Moines.
The passing seasons and moods as seen in Northeast Iowa. An epic photo-essay over Iowa that will warm you to its charms. And when was the last time the words "warm" and "Iowa" were used in the same sentence?
A toast to the holidays is here so bring on the good cheer! Eggnog (or egg nog) is a sweet, dairy drink with cream, milk and often rum, brandy or whiskey. Eggnog is popular in the US and Canada, though less so in Europe and the rest of the world. Eggnog Day falls on Christmas Eve and encourages you to make your own to celebrate the festive period!
It is incredibly interesting and absolutely amazing what different, unique Christmas decorations appear all around the world. What about the number of lights? Astronomical!
Christmas is very important in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank as it contains Bethlehem, the town in which Jesus was born. Fireworks explode during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem December 6, 2014. Check out the video at Awakenings.
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