It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...Oh Dear

Since the world didn't end yesterday, I suppose I have no excuse for all the Christmas cards I didn't send or the presents I didn't buy or the decorating I didn't do. But how was I to know? It seemed such a sure thing! I mean, if you can't trust 56,1487890  interpretations of the Mayan calendar littering the internet, who can you trust? Ah well, I suppose I can still use the trusty 'It's in the mail' line. Please don't mention this to anyone.

Unlike myself, some people went right ahead and did all of the above. In fact, some did it over and above, decorating even their chicken coops. Do beautifully colored caterpillars count? Will my chickens be traumatized forever? After looking at these coops, I'm pretty traumatized myself. What sort of a substitute mother am I? Next year, darlings!

These photos and more come from the wonderful (if you are into things chicken) blog Community Chickens.

Bernie Kosman's coop in Ohio

Jolie Larson's hens

Becky Neville's coop-scape in Arizona

I don't think I've decorated anything that much since my children were reaching high to put ornaments on the tree. And I bet all of these chickens have names too. I suck.

Another giving idea came across my email desk yesterday, about the USO, an organization I haven't found anything to carp about, ever. I'm sure there is something somewhere, but please keep me in the dark, if so. I think they say what they are about well enough themselves:

"As a nonprofit, non-political organization, the USO is now, and always will be, about our troops. Wherever and whenever they go, the USO will be there, until every one comes home."

I haven't paid much attention to the USO in the years since Bob Hope was alive and making his yearly visits to military hot spots around the world (this link is to a wonderful Library of Congress site covering Bob Hope, On The Road, with radio and video as well as writings). These many years later, with the winds of war pretty much unceasing, they are still out there, doing good work. 

The item I came across is The USO WishBook. To give troops a package from 'home' ranging in price from 15.00 for a Comfort Food Package to the 6000.00 Build a Bike For a Wounded Warrior, and many choices in between, (sending a child to camp, resume writing help, books, etc.); check out the site.

We saw this on the way out to Zoni yesterday. I'd seen bits of it before, but now the area is all cleaned up around it (apparently there is some land here for sale). Once upon a time, before plastic, watering spots and cisterns were made with beautiful stonework like this. I've always wondered why we don't have more stone homes on Culebra, we've certainly got the rock to use. If you're wondering, which of course you are, what the difference is between a stone and a rock, it seems that a rock is big and a stone is smaller, and sometimes 'dressed' as for walls or other building uses. To read all about it, I found this article pretty interesting, with some good humor as well. If a writer can be amusing when writing about rocks and stones, it's worth a read to me!

Have yourselves a stellar Saturday. Do something seasonal.

And let's all keep working toward that day - until everyone comes home.