Leesburg Courthouse Controversey

This is a fascinating story, and I'd like to thank Barbara Curtis, over at MommyLife, for bringing this to our attention. She lives near Leesburg, and has been following the continuing saga of the Christmas displays allowed on the courthouse lawn.

A local resident submitted his application to put up this display for the public's enjoyment, on the courthouse lawn. It was approved, and stood there. Santa, as a skeleton, on a cross. How many ways can we list, that this is wrong? Such a sad image for the average five year old to behold, driving by on the way to school.

The Leesburg authorities have had trouble in the past swallowing the "religious nature" of the Christmas displays. They don't want to offend local atheists, etc. But evidently they don't mind offending the Christians, or for goodness sakes, just all the happy holiday-goers who really, really don't want to see Santa as a skeleton, being crucified.

Evidently the man who made this display thought he was making a statement against the materialism and greed of Christmas. Yeah. That was exactly what I first thought of, when I saw it -- NOT! What idiots in the Leesburg courthouse bought that explanation?

Anyway, after it had been up a bit, a news crew went to check it out. And while they were there, they spotted a nice, soft-spoken lady, who walked up to the display and proceeded to dismantle it. Yippee!  Three cheers for brave little ladies! Watch the video:

If I begin to wax eloquent on all the ways that the newslady and the athiest are wrong, I'll be here all night. Did you hear him say, "Offensiveness is in the eye of the beholder"?  In other words, "Lady, if you don't like skeleton Santa, then just avert your eyes!" When the Nativity Scene he detests is up there, he needs to heed his own words.

One lady noted that although she isn't Buddhist, she would never want to put up a display that mocks or desecrates that religion. The key, you see, is that, although you may not agree with a particular religion, you should still treat it and its followers with common respect. There is no law that dictates that anything one does not personally avow must then be ridiculed and humiliated.

The newslady says that this woman is vandalizing the display. I consider vandalizing to be a violent act. She is just removing it from view, placing it on the ground. I imagine tomorrow it will be back up. What a hubbub this is causing!

Leesburg authorities: Please, please, only allow displays that are not intentionally mocking and offensive to the people who might cherish the items being used in the display. Yes, I understand that means that displays ought not mock and deride Mohammad or Buddha or any other faiths. Or Jesus. Or Jesus. Keep His cross out of it. I wonder -- will the lady leave the cross as it is? And will the atheist find the cross alone, offensive?

Lasagna

Adam's lasagna, as promised:

Only, it isn't. I told him it didn't fill the house with the same enticing aroma. I was a tad disappointed. But he was working with inferior ingredients. I told him I had lasagna noodles, and I did. But they were made from (I kid you not) Jerusalem artichoke flour. Hmm. They were rather gummy. And he used the same canned tomatoes that we use weekly for our pizza sauce. I do love it on pizza; it's Del Monte diced tomatoes, the basil/oregano flavor. But it's not Adam's lasagna sauce. Boohoo!!!

So, here's how Adam usually makes his lasagna sauce:
About 30-32 oz. of tomato sauce (one large, or two regular, cans)
Finely minced garlic (3 or 4 big cloves), mushed up in a bit of salt
Oregano and basil to taste, quite a bit of basil, he says
1 lb. of pork sausage, cooked and chopped fine
Heat the sauce well before adding to the lasagna casserole.

The 3rd thing that wasn't right about tonight's lasagna was the pork. I usually just buy a lb. package of sausage in the cylinder shape. Tonight's pork wasn't flavored correctly; it didn't taste like your normal mild Jimmy Dean or a comparable brand.

So. Next time!! We will use normal noodles, normal sausage, and Adam's fabulous-smelling sauce. Yes!

Thinking on Tea

Tea time! Time to pull out the wedding china, and wash it all. Time to look for pretty little dishes, candles, silver and other lovelies. I dug around in my boxes and found the china I want to use. The church ladies are having the Christmas Tea!!

(And Carolyn, if you read this, I sent you an email asking if you're coming. Are you?)

This weekend, I crocheted a tea cozy. The yarn is silky soft. Mother says it will get dirty too easily, and I suppose she's right. Julia says it looks like a hat. She wondered if she could have it, to wear as a hat. I said, "NO!"

I think it looks rather like a coconut cake, with toasted coconut trim - haha! I like the openings for the handle and spout. I didn't have a pattern, so I have no idea if I could replicate it. Mother says she'd like one for Christmas in a darker color. She loves blue.

So, I'll be trying to figure out what I did, in blue :) But this cozy will be at the Christmas Tea on Saturday - yay!

If you wonder where the food posts have all gone ... well ... I have a confession to make. Adam is now doing the evening cooking. I've become a slug again. We're living at my parents' home, which means I don't have my "own kitchen," with all my favorite little things around me. I didn't realize how much my enjoyment of cooking was really just an enjoyment of my kitchen, my home, my little things. Adam says he really loves to cook, and I'm only pretending, and honestly -- he's right. So, he's the cook again. I can't tell you how lovely it is not to worry (about 3:00 each afternoon) what I'm making for supper. He's in charge! Yay again!

Tonight's menu? Lasagna. Maybe I'll get a pic of it for you. I just checked to see if lasagna is listed on my "Cooking" page, and it's not. Sounds like another recipe is about to be added! His lasagna is fabulous. I've never smelled lasagna that smelled like Adam's. It fills the house and makes me SO hungry.

Distance

The star burns

A thousand lifetimes away,

A giant to our little sun,

A speck in my dusky morning sky.

Some billion tons of gas,

He dangles like a teardrop

From the crooked limb

That cuts across my windowpane.

My eye, resting on sleep’s pillow

Gazes at him.

 I blink, I move so slightly,

And he’s gone.

A flaming, writhing, mammoth star,

Obliterated by a twig.

I shift, and he’s there again,

And I know how fallible is man.

December 2, 2011

Copyright by author

A little Christmas poetry:

The darling of the world is come,

And fit it is, we find a room

To welcome Him. The nobler part

Of all the house here, is the heart,

Which we will give Him; and bequeath

This holly, and this ivy wreath,

To do Him honor; who’s our King,

And Lord of all this reveling.

-- Robert Herrick, from "A Christmas Carol"

Silvermont Festival of Trees

Today we went to Silvermont with our homeschool group to see all the Christmas trees decorated inside. Silvermont is a lovely old home in town. Many fun social events are held there. It's no longer a private residence.

Mr. Grinch!

The theme this year must have been ribbons, because about half the trees were decked with them.

Many were gauzy wisps of ribbon, looped around the branches.

Grandmother came along too.

This one had a flashy ribbon:

A very red ribbon:

This one reminded me of an overly-shrouded bride, coming down the aisle.

Many of these cute paper stars twirled from the ceiling.

This was a favorite -- musical paper garland!

Is this getting you into the Christmas spirit? It should!

The Traveling Trio Goes to Town

 Today was Mole, Ratty, and Toad's big day in town! Julia and I have been looking forward to this for a long time. First, we took them to Rocky's, a throw-back 1950's type diner.

One of our favorite spots in town, as many of you know, is Bracken Mountain Bakery. Oh, the sweets! The puffy pastry! The hot cocoa! Our three friends nearly drooled on the pastry cabinet. Those are croissants and cheese danishes down there.

The bakery has begun its holiday decorating, and our three friends wanted a photo under the tree. It rather reminded Mole of the Wild Wood, so I had to hurry and rescue him.

Our next fun stop was O.P. Taylor's Toy Store, a popular landmark in Brevard. Outside their front door, we found ... a CAR! Toad was so excited until he realized it was a police car. That brought back some bad memories of his felonious days with automobiles.

He soon recovered himself, however, when we entered the toy store and found a RACE TRACK! Oh my, was Toad thrilled. He leaped on the front car, and called disparaging remarks over his shoulder to Ratty and Mole.

Upstairs in the toy store, I found a book section, and lo-and-behold, there was a Winnie the Pooh Pop-Up Book! So adorable! Our three buddies had to play with Pooh and Christopher Robin for a bit. Tigger is being thrown into the air with a big sheet. Ratty wants a turn!

And then they had to play Pooh Sticks on the bridge and watch Eeyore float down the river. This made Ratty miss his own river, just a bit.

For those who don't know, Brevard is the town of White Squirrels. Literally and truly, we have many white squirrels here -- hundreds of them. They're not albino, they are just a different color, and some are pure white. Thus, this cute toy, with whom our friends wanted a photo.

Toad, every the risk-taker, leapt into the train before I could stop him ....

And when I stopped by the bank to make a transaction, Toad thought the bank tube was a space ship. Quick as a wink, they all jumped inside. They were dismayed when I refused to send them flying through darkness to an unsuspecting teller.

Our last stop was Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah National Forest, which is just outside of town. I protected the animals in a ziploc baggie, because the falls were really spraying out mist today.

We've had a lot of rain lately, and I've never seen the falls so large. Ratty said he prefers his peaceful river. Toad wanted to leap from the top, but I told him he was ridiculous.

This concludes our adventures with Ratty, Mole and Toad in Western North Carolina. I believe the traveling itinerary has been altered a bit, and they will be heading to California. We'll be sure to let you know! Check here, or at Pom Pom's blog, to find out where they arrive. Bon voyage, my dear friends! How we have loved having you visit with us!