I saw this sign this week
…and in my case increased caffeine…ugh!!!
*NOTE to SELF…gotta drink MORE water this time of year
PS~ Did you get a Flu shot? I didn’t. I don’t tend to do this. I only did twice in my life while we were on expat in China.
Wishing you a great week!
Oh my darling, Oh my darling Clementine ♫♫♫
Here’s a Thursday Throwback! I remember singing this song on the tire swing growing up as a kid.
Yesterday I picked up a bag of clementines at the market ( I eat so many of them this time of year) and they made me smile and think of this!
Darling Clementines
So I HAD to do some research…does clementine oranges have something to do with the song? I didn’t think so
This is what Wikipedia had to say
While at first the song seems to be a sad ballad sung by a bereaved lover about the loss of his darling, the daughter of a miner in the 1849 California Gold Rush, as the verses continue it becomes obvious that the song is in fact a tongue-in-cheek parody of a sad ballad. For example, in the second verse we learn that Clementine’s feet are so big that she has to wear boxes instead of shoes (presumably because size 9 shoes are not available); hardly a detail that would be mentioned in a serious romantic ballad. Her “tragic demise” is caused by a splinter in her toe that causes her to fall and drown – clearly a ridiculous accident, but told in a deadpan style. Finally, at the end of the song, the lover forgets his lost love after one kiss from Clementine’s “little sister”.
Gerald Brenan attributes the melody to originally being an old Spanish Ballad in his book South from Granada. It was made popular by Mexican miners during the Gold Rush. It is unclear when, where and by whom the song was first recorded in English for others to hear but the first version to reach the Billboard charts was that by Bing Crosby in 1941 when it briefly touched the No. 20 spot.
And I also found some other interesting facts!
So it’s kinda funny…nothing to do at all with clementine’s.
And in case you don’t remember the song. Check this out while you’re enjoying some clementines today.
Happy Thursday!
I have been so fortunate, so blessed and I’m truly thankful to have travelled to some really interesting and beautiful places in December over the last few years. I was thinking about that this weekend …missing some places, events, people.
The World celebrates Christmas! They light things up. It is a special time of year…
Here are just a few places I’ve been thinking about…
Bangkok, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Shanghai, China
Beijing, China
Of course Shenyang, China
Seoul, South Korea
And I can’t forget Brazil…
Wow, it was fun to look back a bit…
All these places are lovely, I am so happy I’ve been there…there are so many more places to see. I often said I would love to spend some time in New York City in December but then there’s places closer to home…maybe Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara on the Lake. I have been to all these but not at Christmas time. BUT no matter where we are or where we travel, one very special place this time of year will ALWAYS be HOME!
Today seemed like a good day just to be hanging out in the kitchen. It’s Saturday and it’s the first Saturday in December which means that Christmas Daddies is on television. ( Normally it’s on the first Sunday but this year is the first year for the new day Saturday) I REALLY enjoy watching this telethon. BUT, to be honest sitting all day…during the daytime in front of the TV doesn’t thrill me so I had an idea…
I can just hang out in my kitchen all day with the TV on and I can do my Christmas baking. Why not? It’s PERFECT!
And to start, well before I started Christmas baking…a new baked treat for Abby girl.
She was thrilled and VERY polite when I gave her the whole plate. One at a time was fine with her, no need to devour them all at one.
And then it was on to the really fun stuff. Cranberry Bliss Bars, Peppermint Bark, Almond Bark, Pecan Bark, Peppermint Patties and Peanut Butter balls. And poor David is not here to sample…he’s off exploring Charleston, SC today before he heads home on Monday.
Poor David…he’s missing out… haha
And…6 hours or so later…my table looks like The Land of Sweets…Who doesn’t love tasty treats at Christmas. These are the special ones, reserved only for Christmas time.
And the plus to all day baking in my kitchen, I saw the whole Christmas Daddies program with the grand total of over $410,000. pledged to go to make Christmas special for children in the Maritimes!!!
On June 5th 1873, two brothers James and Gilbert (G.W) Ganong founded Ganong Bros., Limited in St. Stephen New Brunswick.
In 1885, Ganong candy maker Frank Sparhawk invented the “Chicken Bones”, a pink,spicy cinnamon flavoured hard candy shell filled with bittersweet chocolate. Do you remember these?
Ganong Original Chicken Bones is a Canadian Holiday treat, passed down through family traditions and Holiday memories. This year celebrates 130 years of tradition. A Canadian tradition!
Yum! I just had to pick some up.
This week I am Home Alone. Well not all alone, James is here but busy with school and work. David is in meetings all week in the USA, so I feel like I am alone.
I have been spending my evenings passing time watching Christmas movies…like 3 movies a night!!!! I NEVER do that, it’s just too much TV. But, it’s been a rainy dull week and besides last night when James was off and we went out, I am cozy inside.
Do you remember the movie Home Alone? It’s a Christmas movie.
Today is December1st and time to send out our Annual Christmas Card.
From our family to yours…
Merry Christmas!
It’s Christmas Season and in Lunenburg County it means Christmas trees and wreaths. The smell of balsam fir delivered to homes all over the world.
One farm in particular…DeLong Farms and owners James(Jimmy) & Tina DeLong are very busy this time of year sending a little bit of Lunenburg County to various regions around the world.
Unfortunately I decorate too early for a real tree, but…I make sure I have a real wreath or two… love the smell (reminds me of my childhood)
And…there’s MORE than trees this time of year….
It’s OFFICIALLY Lobster Season. Atlantic Canadian Lobster is considered one of the world’s premier seafoods and is consistently in high demand. Canada currently supplies more than half of the world’s supply of hard-shelled Atlantic Lobster. The very nature of the harvest, where seasonal and regional fisheries dictate a fluctuating supply, means that there are times of the year when the product is a little bit harder to source than others. The lobster season in Atlantic Canada peaks twice year, once in the spring (April-June) and another now in December.
( Photos courtesy of Tourism Nova Scotia)
My favourite time of year to eat Lobster is December, but really I love it and will have it anytime. So these days as we are all thinking Christmas, some of the local boys are out Lobster fishing. Stay safe guys!
I just love where we live!
Father Christmas often appears as a large man, often around seventy years old. He is dressed in a red suit trimmed with white fur, often girdled with a wide black belt, a matching hat or hood, often long and floppy in nature, and dark boots. Often he carries a large brown sack filled with toys on his back. It has been said that the red suit only appeared after the Coca Cola company started an advertising campaign depicting a red suited Father Christmas in the 1930s.
The Father Christmas Festival in Mahone Bay is this weekend and next, and I love all the different Father Christmas figurines.
David having a little chat with Norman the Gnome
It has become a somewhat new tradition for me to visit Mahone Bay for this festival and…pick up my new Amos pewter ornament. Living away makes you really appreciate local and what your community and neighbouring communities offer. I love Amos pewter things and have decided a few years ago to collect these special ornaments.
Each year the Amos Pewter company create a new collector ornament. This year is the Winter Blossom. Each has a lovely inscription about the ornament …” There is a beauty in the cycle of the changing seasons. We wonder at the uniqueness of each softly falling snowflake, joining with others to blanket the earthen a magical whiteness. As the days become longer and warmer, each melting snowflake helps to foster new life that grows, transforms and ultimately fills summer with bursts of blossoms and butterflies. Change is the hope for newness and transformation. Nourish your dreams you embrace the changes in life’s seasons.”
For the last few years at the festival the image of Father Christmas has changed. This year’s 2015 “signature” Father Christmas is Della Robia. He has a gentle face and an Old World European look.
And a new feature this year… The Nutcracker Fantasy. It was my favourite. The creativity and the detail. I am AMAZED that every year there is something new that tops the year before. I could spend hours wandering around here…
And David’s favourite…
Mahone Bay is definitely ready for Christmas and after this weekend with all the specials my mood is very festive, It really is a wonderful time of the year!
The town of Bridgewater kicks off the Christmas season with it’s annual parade and fireworks! I just love this tradition…even on a cool rainy evening.
Such a wonderful evening. Thank you Town of Bridgewater for an awesome event!
Just An East Coast Girl 