Poinsettias plus 3

I always enjoy fresh flowers, picked out of the yard or given to me sweetly by my boyfriend or children.

Thanks to Home Depot, here are three pet friendly, Holiday Season flowers to brighten any one's day.

http://gardenclub.homedepot.com/3-festive-houseplants-not-poinsettias/

Facts about poinsettias:
1. The poinsettia is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family aka  Euphorbia pulcherrima Wild in which there are 700-1000 species.
2. The poinsettia is native to Mexico.
3. Due to the brilliant color, The Indians (Aztecs) considered the poinsettia a symbol of purity.
4. According to www.petpoisonhelpline.com
The white milky SAP found in poinsettias contains a chemical called a diterpenoid Euphorbol esters and saponin like detergents. Though this plant has been said to be poisonous to children and animals, they generally are not.
Signs of ingested plant are just mild dermal irritation, possible vomiting, drooling or diarrhea. All side effects, generally do not require medical attention unless the side effects are severe.

***Of course, use common sense when tasting poinsettias.
I am not a doctor and my advice is merely as such, advice.
Please consult your primary care physician or call 911 if you are faced with an emergency.***

Check out these websites for more information:

http://floridata.com/Plants/Euphorbiaceae/Euphorbia%20pulcherrima/524
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/poinsettia.asp#share-link

Juju on that beat

My son, is a musical theatre major.
He's hilarious.
Check out his page and subscribe.

https://youtu.be/ZJbTIEkECI4

So it was...

The life as it once was ...
No longer exists.

The aroma of fresh linens, baby powder and fresh air dissipates as the minutes tick...

New words, smiles and giggles
Are replaced with crayon drawings and fruit loop necklaces.

Mama replaced with C-A-T and C-A-R.

Pudgy rolls upon the legs of the new, form into muscle and the newness has faded...

No longer 2t, 5t or Juniors...

Muscles stretch and lengthen,
As bones grow.

Learning sounds and singing the ABC's gradually become Lol's and WTF's.

Birthday invitations, football games and play dates become fewer and fewer...

Smiles and giggles are gone.
Eye rolls and secrets become an unwelcome intruder.

Speaking together and family time, game night disappears with the ticking of the clock.

Faces become faint memories.
Hugs remembered with tears.

The scent of sweat, dirty boy and bonding is gone...
Replaced with saltiness, empty and lonely.

Times past are just a memory.
Memories hold the pieces together.

Nothing left to be broken.

The bird cannot fly without its wings.

Theory vs. History part 1

Long live English...

I was having a deep debate with Tripp, one evening and we were discussing his college major.
He plans to become a Creative Writing major with a minor in Psychology.
Interesting combination I thought at first.
Throughout our discussion he asked me a question.

" Do you think English majors should be required to take History of the English Language or English Theory & History. "

We debated this question and possible pros and cons for well over an hour.

English- One of the well known and highly used languages of the entire world.

Old English, Middle English, Anglo-Saxon English, and Latin are all words put together by symbols, markings and squiggles that in turn cause our mouth to make sounds to form words which in turn has made English our primary language, the language most of us use today.

Knowing the history of where words began, how they came about and why the letter a has been used instead of the æ is quite fascinating.
In addition to the history the reasoning behind the æ, ë, ß and ç are learning tools as well.

Why is the a connected to the e?
What are the two dots above the e?
What is the squiggly thing underneath the c?
What the heck is that funky b ish letter?

When did we stop using these and why?
Why did we decide English would be our primary language, why do we not draw photos instead of using words?
Why do we pronounce ellipsis the way that we do?
When do children learn to speak best?
Why do we speak?

All questions that I have asked.
I have many answers and though I feel well versed on the English language as of this moment, there are many other questions that arise.

Either way, Theory and History are both substantial and require great lengths of research, reading and investigating.

I do believe that in order to obtain a great word palate, both classes should be taught, not just in college but in grade school, middle school and high school.

Someone once said, " You will never know where you are going until you know where you have been."

I believe this statement not only applies to physical moments, but historically in language as well.

What do you think?

Danalthemom

Autumn, winter and meloncoly

The days get colder as the months come to an end,

The reds, yellows, greens and browns empty the witch hand shaped woods,

The brisk wind swirls as mother Earth exhales awaiting a long sleep,

The chipmunks gather,

The birds sing the song of beauty and finality,

Mothers, sisters and friends gather, bundled up for outings of shopping and spending,

Fathers, Grandfathers and sons clad in forest green Camo, smelling of deer piss and coffee ready to kill the 12-point buck they had been vying all year. 

The transient bundled in thrift store patchwork clothing, pajamas and a Santa hat pushes her shopping cart along the road, talking to herself, she is missing a shoe, but nobody helps her. 

The sun begins to set,

The air gets colder,

The singing of the birds dissipates

And the houses light up

Red

Green

White

Some blink, some do not.

The giant snowmen gradually grows.

Reindeer turn there robotic heads in unison. 

Faint Mozart in the background can be heard. 

Smoke wisps out of chimney's as families return home. 

The transient watches, laughing to herself.

She shoves the stale biscuit into her mouth after she offers it to nothing beside her. 

The sky is dark. 

The day is over. 

Winter is near.