Tuesday Ramble and Celebrations

Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own;
and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave,
it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy
that we can scarcely mark their progress.

Charles Dickens

Good morning, everyone. Yesterday I stayed in.  It was really nasty out.  It had snowed most of the night and then turned to ice and eventually to rain.  Walking was treacherous.  I've not even seen the outdoors yet. It stopped raining yesterday, but the night was cold.  Hoping the wet sidewalks have not turned to ice.  I'm planning on art class today, but who knows what I will find.  As much as I love it, it is not worth slipping and falling.  When I was younger, I didn't much care, but as one gets older it is easier to break a bone and takes longer to heal.

Had a wonderful evening yesterday.  Our meal was simple and delicious.  I tried to recreate an old fashioned traditional Irish meal--grilled sausages, sauteed potatoes with onions, and roasted veggies.   I shouldn't really have sausages, but, one certainly won't hurt.  

Dessert was more than awesome.  I topped a Fiber One Peanut Butter Brownie with fresh strawberries and fat free whipped cream.  The entire dessert was only two WW points.

This evening starts  the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat, the New Year for trees.  It most likely began as a folk festival to celebrate the changing seasons and emergency of Spring. It is a time to stop and reflect on the many blessings the land gives to us.  On this day it is customary to eat different types of fruit and foods--wheat, barley, figs, grapes, pomegranates, olives and dates--and to recite the appropriate blessings. One thing to do today is to eat a fruit one has not eaten for the entire season.  I WAS going to eat a pomegranate, but I also wasn't about to go traipsing about the neighborhood in yesterday's weather to find one. 

In Japan, the festival of Setsubun is celebrated today.  Festivities usually include throwing beans around one's home to keep evil spirits out of one's home.  It is said that they dislike beans.  Well, I'm not about to throw beans around my house, not really feeling like cleaning them up.  But, according to another tradition. if you eat the same number of beans as your age, you will enjoy a year of good health.  Looks like I'll be eating 67 beans tonight.  LOL!!!

Hubby went to the doctor yesterday.  They've got to follow him closely on his medication.  The doctor is also very worried about his kidneys.  His test results have been way off.  I guess you can say I have been dealing with this new diagnosis with denial.  I know it is wrong, but I just can't handle anymore on my plate right now. Here we have been waiting all these years for this miracle medication and it is definitely working, but rather than celebrate, we have to face this new diagnosis. Please keep him in your prayers.

Well, that's about it.  I'm going to jump in the shower and have breakfast just in case.  Have a good one and stay safe.