Into the Spirit of Things

Festivus

This has to have something

to do with Christmas,

right?

I just wrapped

a couple of presents

and now feel

much more christmasy!

I even wrapped a couple

of “gag” presents – such fun!

I’ve just sat down

with a glass of bubbly –

a present…

and the Carols in the Domain sing-fest

is about to begin.

I’m going to watch

and hum along to the carols…

I’m going to get

a little more festive.

I’m so tired… so tired!

But, today…

my Christmas present

to myself turned up.

I now have to new lounge chairs!

Woohoo!

They go beautifully

with my brand new floors.

My house smells different –

and a little funny

(new flooring will do that, I guess!)

and my house looks very different.

 I love it!

It’s time to get festive!!

Carols

Go Caroling Day

I don’t know how

I would react if a group

of people suddenly stood

at my front door,

singing carols.

I think I would be pretty surprised…

I can’t imagine it happening.

I wonder how people would react

 if I suddenly appeared

at their doors?

Today is Go Carolling Day,

but… here in Australia,

if we want to go carolling,

we go to the park

and sing along

at the annual carols night.

We sit around a picnic

and talk as people sing to us.

(Carols in the Domain

in Melbourne

started in 1938!)

We don’t walk around

and sing to each other.

I never really thought

about this before…

My voice isn’t cheerful enough

for me to go singing carols

to my neighbours, so…

unfortunately,

I will give this day a miss.

Perhaps I could sing along

to a Christmas CD?

 

I did learn that carols

were very popular 

from the 1130s to the 1150s.

After this time,

Prodestants took over

and carols were regarded as

non-essential parts

of the Catholic religion

and were "ditched"!

Luckily, they still fill

our ears as we rush

to the shops to finish

our last minute

Christmas shopping!

Happy Caroling!

 

Bar Hum Bug

Humbug Day

I’m guessing this is for those

anti-Christmas types…

and, I don’t mean those

who celebrate

different religious events

instead of the birth of Christ -

which to all kids

means the arrival of Santa!

I mean those people

who just don’t believe

 in Santa (What?)

or those who just don’t want

 to be swept up

in the Christmas Cheer…

Perhaps, they just don’t l

ike those carols!

Sadly, I am feeling a little this way

 at the moment.

I cannot believe how busy

I have been lately.

I am longing for the time

when I can lie back a

nd just relax for a little while.

Work has been amazingly busy,

 with obligations

and commitments rolling in,

one after the other.

On Wednesday, just as things

were about to ease up

 and the kids were about to

start their holidays…

one of my girls

broke her collar bones.

Nasty for her!

Fiddly paperwork for me!

Today, however, finally…

is my last day of work!

We’ll enjoy some bacon and eggs

 for breakfast

and will pretend to be interested

 in our fellow teachers

as they present to us

about Literacy and Numeracy.

 After celebrating the end of

the year last night,

a few people may need

 the grease of the bacon

and listening may become

very difficult… but,

it’s the last day!

There will be a few of my locals

 gathering at a nearby

watering hole this evening,

 downing a little bubbly

and celebrating the fact

that we have made it!

 I think, with a little bubbly

and a few laughs,

and no more deadlines looming

 (apart from Santa’s arrival

and Christmas Day!)

I will have a little less

 of the bar-humbug-ness

and a little more

Christmas Cheer.

How’s your Humbug-ness?

Ever Green

Look For An Evergreen Day

This has to be an American day.

Down here, In Australia…

evergreens are all around me.

Not many trees in my street

 ever drop all their leaves.

I do miss out on

the colours of Autumn…

but, outside my window…

I see green trees!

(I even see

a couple of evergreens

in the neighbour’s yard!

Maybe I should cut one down

in the middle of the night

and sneak it into my house…

 My Christmas tree

would be sorted, then!)

Problem Solved?

Bake Cookies Day

It’s difficult to ignore this.

Obviously, it is a

very special day

and requires absolute following

 and respect.

(I will not label today

as a Crazy Day!)

There is one problem!

I will be at work…

Therefore…

someone

may need to celebrate

this day for me…

I’m just saying.

Sweet Enough?

Maple Syrup Day

I almost let this day slide

into a sticky puddle…

But, I fought my laziness

and came up with some

fun bits and pieces.

 

 

 Maple syrup comes from trees…

the trees can live

for at least 30 years!

One tree can have four

maple syrup taps

inserted into it!

These taps do not

hurt the tree.

About 10% of the sap

 is taken each year.

If the days are warm

and the nights are frosty,

the tree will deliver more sap.

The sap flow

is at its fastest for 10–20 days,

 but the maple season

can last for about 5 weeks.

 The sap is pretty healthy –

its sugar content

is only about 67%.

I have some maple syrup –

the real stuff…

and, I must admit…

I quite like liberal drizzlings

 on my waffles and pancakes!

Today is the day

to enjoy maple syrup!

Pictures from here, here and here.

Chocolate Coated... but, wait!

Woohoo!

Chocolate Covered Anything Day

You had me at chocolate!

But, then…

Chocolate covered bacon…

Chocolate covered potato chips…

Now, I’m not so sure!

 

Cat Herders Unite!

Cat Herders Day ok…

label for this one

must be Crazy Days!

(Surely you were laughing

when you read the post title…

surely you thought I was joking

 and this was ridiculous!!)

I grew up with a cat.

He was the alpha.

Both of us knew this.

Both of us knew

I was slightly afraid of his claws.

 Both of us knew

there was no way

I could make him do anything…

I laugh at the thought

of being able to herd

 him anywhere!

And that is what

 today really celebrates.

Today is a day to acknowledge

those who do impossible things

 all the time.

Just for fun,

go herd a cat!

Check the Nose!

Monkey Day

As soon as I read monkey,

I thought of the very cool

proboscis monkey.

It’s one of the uglier monkeys,

 in my opinion,

but still could be

one of my favourites. 

 I went to National Geographic

for some information.

 

It grows to 70cm and

 males weigh about 23 kilograms.

  A cool fact – t

hey live in groups called harems!

A sad fact –

they are endangered

and only live

on the island of Borneo.

Weird fact –

they eat their fruit

 before it is ripe!

The sugars in ripe fruit

ferment in their stomach

and the bloating

will eventually kill them! 

What makes the proboscis monkey

 so ugly to me…

makes it super attractive

to the lady proboscis monkeys!

 

The males have the most

enormous nose ever!

It’s huge!

The lady monkeys love the nose!

The bigger – the better!

The harem has a dominant male

 and up to seven females.

While the proboscis monkey

is a great swimmer,

they need to work

on their diving!

They swing through the trees

and belly-flop

themselves into rivers.

To swim faster than

the local crocodiles,

they developed webbing

between their hands and feet!

Weird!  …and yet…

so cool!

 

Photos