A Smoking Duo...

Loretta Lynn and Jack White.

I can't blog about another thing again until I've posted this video to share with you. I saw it at Sherry's and was totally blown away. Doncha love Loretta's Glinda dress. You'll want to turn it up for this one.

The Tree of Happiness Award

From the warm-hearted and talented Linda at Vulture Peek Muse

&
The the equally talented and warm-hearted Steve of Color Sweet Tooth

(how luck am I, to know these wonderful people, huh??)

Thank you so much for this award. I will cherish it and keep it always on the blog mantel.

This award has attached a requisite of stating six things that make me happy.
Because anyone who reads TPS knows that my family and my dear WP are who make me most happy, I will concentrate on other things; perhaps even food or something equally inane. I guess I'm not feeling all poetic about happiness today. ;-) We'll see what happens.

Food It is:

1) bread of the world
2) black olives
3) cherries
4) raw oysters
5) artichokes
6) asparagus

Steve's request is that his recipients of the Tree of Happiness Award list att least three of the six things be ones that readers don't yet know about.

1) Once in a while falling asleep to the low tone of the TV set when WP is watching. I don't know what about this makes me happy but it makes me feel safe and contented.

2) Watching the birds and squirrels at the feeders

3) African music

4) Blogging

5) Children

6) Chocolate (dark truffles but the less exotic Raisinettes and Reeses miniatures will do in a pinch) ;-)
I want to give the award to six people whom I depend upon daily for emotional, spiritual and intellectual sustenance. In other words, food for thought. It sort goes with the food list. ;-)

1) Linda, who is not supposed to be listed because she gave me the award, because she got from someone else, but I insist on including her. She is rich in love and spirituality and shares herself and her wonderful art generously.

2) Bobbie at Almost There. For being there, not almost, but always.

3) Dianne at Forks Off The Moment because everything she stands for makes me happy and proud to know her.

4) Steve at Color Sweet Tooth for his art, friendship and all the learning I do from his comments.

5) Betmo at Life's Journey and Betmo's Corner for her unwavering stand on so many important leftist issues and for her friendship and support. Oh, and the haiku!

6) Sherry at After the Bridge for her poetry, interesting tid-bits and images and her sweetness and friendship

If you haven't done so already, check out their blogs and stay awhile. Treasures abound there!

Love,
Pagan

What's Goin' On

There are a few things I intend to do differently next holiday season. The thing is, I'll have to add them on top of all the other things I did this year. It's something to think about.

One of the things I missed this year was my mother. She spent Christmas 2006 with us and visited this past summer from Portugal but it would have been great to have her around. Still, I know she was in many ways happy to relax and not go on any long trips.

Another thing I intend to try to add; notice the emphasis on try. When TCR and I were married, whether my parents were visiting or not, I prepared a Christmas Eve Portuguese meal of cooked salt cod, potatoes and greens, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar and a lot freshly ground black pepper. Crusty bread and white wine are essential with this meal. But in my new blended family, no one likes salt cod and we had extra company this year on Christmas Eve. It was quite busy. I enjoyed it but I'm still having a hankering for that salt cod! I'm hoping to pick some up tomorrow so it will be ready to cook on Wednesday. Sherry really got me going with her Italian family's version of bacalla (salt cod). The squid just about put me over the top with longing for Atlantic seafood. Sherry, won't your relatives agree that the little tentacles are the best part? :-)

Hopefully SG2, who is having four impacted wisdom teeth removed, is well enough to enjoy it. On second thought, I think I'd better wait and see how quickly she comes 'round from the surgery. She's not very keen on the idea and is experiencing a bit of anxiety. It's going to be a tough case for the Nurse Mother. Wish us luck. When all is said and done, if we're still speaking, it'll be a miracle. ;-) She knows I jest.

Another thing to try to adopt next holiday is no presents. None at all. Not even small ones that we agreed upon and some people (you know who you are! ;-) go ahead an buy more elaborate gifts anyway. But I must admit I'm not complaining about the new cordless headphones WP surprised me with. Hooked up to my computer, I can so far walk from the bedroom where the laptop is and into the kitchen to pour more champagne. I don't like it when I start to want too many things. And yes, I've been a bit of a lush for two delicious, decadent days. Hehehe. The fun stops tomorrow. Yup. An aching mouth and minus four teeth later, I will be called upon to nurse duty for sure. I suppose I have to put a twenty under her pillow, too. ;-)

WP, his daughter M visiting from San Francisco and I took a drive over the mountain into North Adams to visit Mass MoCA. It was great entertainment. The company was good. It'so nice to see how happy WP is to have his daughter home for the holidays.

There is a Sol LeWitt exhibit at MoCA that knocked my socks off. There are lots of pictures posted to a Picassa online album.

Terrarium Heads:
Wayne (WP), Gina (PS) & Mari (M)

(you can barely see me in the middle; my hand i around Mari)

And stay tuned for a Artist of the Week post on Sol LeWitt.

What did you do today? And how was it?

Meaningless Meme

Ed tagged me for the Meaningless Meme and I, being unable to say no to such easy frivolity, am playing along.



1. Five names you go by:
* Gina
* Mommy
* Baby (at least it's not "Babe". which always reminds me of the pig)
* Mrs. P (which is not accurate but people always assume we're married)
* Pagan Sphinx (you know, in the blog world)

2. Three things you are wearing right now:
* earrings (always)
* an Indian print scarf
* purple tights

3. Two things you want very badly at the moment:

* a vacation
* a new work environment

4. Three people who will probably fill this out:

* Sherry
* Steve (because I'm curious as to what movie clip he'll choose)
* You!

5. Two things you did last night:

* Watched the movie Zodiac with WP
* Ordered a pizza

6. Two things you ate today:

* toast with butter
* black coffee

7. Two people you last talked to on the phone:

* SG2
* one known as a "busybody" - don't ask :-/

8. Two things you are going to do tomorrow:

* go to work
* pay bills

9. Two longest car rides:

* Paris to Lisbon (as a wee lass)
* Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

10. Two of your favorite beverages:

* wine
* sparkling spring water


And finally, my favorite part: a clip from a favorite movie, Breaking the Waves with the incomparable Emily Watson as Bess McNeil, and a stellar soundtrack.

Building Solidarity With A Blog Award

Who is Godless Liberal Homo?

He's a tireless, righteious blogger for peace and justice. One of his efforts was the Iraqi Blogswarm back in March, which was a very broad and hugely successful effort to mobilize bloggers who want withdrawal from the illegal war in Iraq.

He keeps a very focused blog with news and opinions about issues that left-of-center bloggers need to keep informed about. I know that I look to his blog for not only information but his take on it, as I trust his judgment and look to his leadership frequently. I don't know about you, but I need to feel that there are people out there whom I can look to for structure and organization. In essence, I look at Libhomo as a blog community organizer.

So when I received a comment from Libhomo that he'd given me a blog award, I wasn't surprised by his goal for doing so: he hopes that passing around this award will build solidarity between left-of-center bloggers. I've already received this award and passed it on to five bloggers. But now I have an opportunity to choose more for the sake of political and social solidarity. How cool is that?

Dianne of Forks Off The Moment
Word-wizzleler, liberal, open-minded, wonderful woman

Sherry at After The Bridge -
the sweetest Blue Collar Democrat on the web!

Homeyra at Forever Under Construction
A kind, creatively minded Iranian blogger

This photo connects to a fascinating post
Check it out!

Ben Heine

Click on the photo to connect to this stunning blog

Ben is a political cartoonist, artist and photographer blogging from Belgium

Betmo of Life's Journey
Beyond progressive into radical enough to tell the truth. Thoughtful and kind, too.

The Peace Tree

(Poetryman's blog with contributions from many tireless bloggers; in my case tired blogger ;-)

Here's the top post over at the Peace Tree
Trying to Have Hope
from the excellent blog The Intrepid Liberal Journal by Robert Ellman

Bobbie at Almost There
Family, nature, life, and paying attention to what's going on in the world
I love the photo below

Bobbie, her late husband Ralph and three of their four children. The fourth was to arrive later.

These blog recommendations represent people very different from each other in many ways but all of them having in common a desire for peace and justice for all.