View from the Front Porch will be on hiatus until January 8th. Before we go we invite you to take a break and enjoy this amazing version of Silent Night performed in ASL by Susan Layton.
From Chicken Wrangler Sara and myself, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate the day, and Happy New Year to all. See you in 2016!
This Wednesday we honor all veterans. I come from a family of veterans which means I have a deep-rooted interest in the day.
My husband is a retired Army officer. My father served in the Army Air Corps as a bombardier. My uncle was a Marine on Imo Jima. My son-in-law served in the Coast Guard. For one tour, I was a Department of Army Civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters, Yongsan, South Korea.
This year I’m celebrating with a sale on my two military romances:
Read here to learn the story behind the story and how personal experiences play into the fictional romance of Lily and Alex.
And, click on one of the following links to purchase the books and read the whole story.
To all those who have answered when called, gone where ordered, and defended our nation with honor, I send a sincere thank you.
When we think of Irish holidays, we usually think of March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. But there’s another celebration of Irish culture today…
National Leprechaun Day 
You know the elfin creatures in green suits and hats that hide in the woods and mastermind practical jokes. Folklore says leprechauns are evil spirits or fallen fairies, who occupy themselves with mending shoes, causing mischief, and making music.
If you’re in Dublin, you can stop by The Leprechaun Museum and learn all about the mischievous little pranksters, who have been equally adored and feared by the Irish for thousands of years.
No one knows for sure how these solitary beings came to have their very own day. My personal theory involves these wee tricksters coming up with the idea themselves. It’s the sort of thing a leprechaun would do.
Whatever the reason, it’s always fun to speculate about catching a leprechaun. You can find tips here.
Should you be successful, the captured leprechaun must give you his pot of gold.
You have to very careful, though, leprechauns don’t easily part with their gold. They’ve been known to offer three wishes if you won’t take their pot of gold. Best to have your own three wishes in mind now so you won’t be tricked.
If you’re looking for ideas to celebrate Leprechaun day today, check this FB link:
Or you could
Whatever you do, have a Happy Leprechaun Day!
Yesterday was Mother’s Day. The day set aside to honor mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.
For many women it was a happy day, spent surrounded by children and grandchildren.
For others, the day was probably not so fun. Not everyone is a mother. To those, I remind you of this quote by Oprah Winfrey
Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
But, we all had a mother so we do have someone to celebrate on Mother’s Day.
Where did the idea to honor motherhood come from?
Its roots lie in the British Mothering Day, which disappeared when the English settlers came to America.
Then in 1870 Julia Ward Howe , author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, conceptualized the idea of Mother’s Day in her Proclamation of 1870. Read the poem here.
In 1872, Howe asked for of a “Mother’s Day for Peace” celebration on June 2 of every year. Only a few states bought into Howe’s idea and eventually the movement died.
However, a West Virginia women’s group headed by Anna Reeves Jarvis adapted Howe’s holiday to be a day set aside to re-unite families and neighbors divided by the Civil War.
That Mother’s Friendship Day evolved into the Mothers’ Day we know and celebrated yesterday.
If you weren’t able to be with your mother, did you take up Groupon’s offer of a perfect child stand-in? For a mere $25,000, Groupon would send an actor to spend the day with your mom. It’s not a joke. Here’s the link.
If you forgot to acknowledge Mom yesterday, you can do it today. She’ll be thrilled to hear from you no matter what day it is.
Or you might check out Groupon. They may have another deal for honoring your Mother on the day after Mother’s Day.
The Easter season always reminds me of my years as Children’s Ministry Director. With all the hype about Easter eggs and bunny rabbits around, children can become confused about the real meaning of the season.
I loved explaining the true significance of this most holy Christian holiday in terms the children understood.
One lesson involved 
As we prepared, baked, and shared the rolls, I’d remind the kiddos that this is not magic. The dough bakes as it’s supposed to. The marshmallow melts as it’s supposed to do. And the sweet syrupy filling left behind reminds us of God’s grace, free to all.
When teaching the lesson, I also pointed out the other symbolism:
Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try it with youngsters, or the young-at-heart, around your house.
Ingredients:
Instructions
Another Easter Sunday lesson I’ve used involves jellybeans.
This is a variation of the Child Evangelism Fellowship’s Wordless Book.
Without words, this book tells the story of God and the best gift of all.
I love Easter candy…jellybeans, Hersey candy-coated chocolate eggs, especially those marshmallow Peeps.
I love the cuddly bunnies, but I think it’s very important that we remember the true reason for this season.
The tradition of predicting how long Old Man Winter keeps us in his grip based upon whether the groundhog sees its shadow has ancient roots.
European’s celebrated Feb. 2 (winter’s midpoint) on Candlemas Day, a festival of lights that also included a folk song for predicting the arrival of spring.
If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again.
The German settlers of Pennsylvania brought the tradition along with their folk song:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, So far will the snow swirl until the May.
Then the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club added a slight variation with Punxsutawney Phil, who has predicted Old Man Winter’s length since the first trek to Gobbler’s Hill in 1887.
These days we don’t think of the old folk songs. We’ve worry about two possibilities:
If the prognosticating groundhog (also known as a woodchuck, or whistle-pig), sees its shadow, it becomes frightened and scurries back into its burrow. This means six more weeks of winter.
If it’s cloudy and the groundhog does not see its shadow, he stays outside. This indicates a mild spring.
Last month on the 129th official Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Long Island’s Malverne Mel and Michigan’s Bill Murray went along with Phil’s forecast.
However, his country cousins – Staten Island’s Chuck, Georgia’s General Beauregard Lee, Ohio’s Buckeye Chuck and Las Vegas’ Mojave Max – all disagreed, predicting an early spring.
Stormfax says Phil has only been right 39% of the time. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club boasts he has 100% accuracy.
This year I’m thinking Phil was spot on. If you’ve watched the news for the last four weeks you know most of the country is buried beneath a lifetime quota of snow, ice, and cold.
My concern is Phil’s six more weeks of winter ends on March 16. That’s two weeks from now. I’m not sure Old Man Winter will surrender.
In fact, as I write this, snow is coming down outside. The weather forecast is for nineteen inches with more snow next week. How on earth will those crocus and daffodils I planted last fall push through all the white stuff?
Please Old Man Winter, give it up. My daffodils beg you.
And, so do I!
According to French writer François Rabelais, “Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective, and valuable than words.”
With Valentine’s Day this weekend, I expect romantic gestures will abound. Every year at this time sales of red roses and chocolates will soar. Couples share candlelight dinners. Expensive jewelry is exchanged. All very romantic things to do to express love for one’s sweetheart.
I’m wondering how whatever gestures of love are made this weekend can conpete with these:
Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal
Around 1632 Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal—with its elaborate minarets, 250-foot-high domed mausoleum and 42-acre grounds—as a tomb for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to the couple’s 14th child. When he died in 1666, he was buried beside her.
Edward VIII’s Abdication of the Throne 
King Edward the VIII became the most romantic English royal of all when he fell in love with American Wallis Simpson. Forced to choose between love and crown, Edward abdicated the throne in December 1936. Simpson quickly divorced her husband to marry Edward the following year. They spent the rest of their lives in retirement in France.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Love Sonnets to Robert Browning
The love between poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning is one of literature’s greatest romances. In 1850 Elizabeth Barrett’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese,” a series of love poems composed when the pair first began their courtship was published. “Sonnets from the Portuguese” includes the immortal line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
Joe DiMaggio’s Flowers for Marilyn Monroe
Married to Marilyn Monroe for only 274 days in 1954, Joe DiMaggio remained infatuated with the legendary blonde bombshell for the rest of his life sending red roses to her grave in Los Angeles three times a week for the next twenty years.
Over the years, my very romantic husband has given me some incredible wonderful gifts of love.
He’s not built a Taj Mahal, but a lovely home in the forest I dearly love sharing with him. He hasn’t abdicated a throne, but if he were royalty, he tells me he would. He has written love poems, and given me Hallmark cards, that equal or surpass Mrs. Browning’s sonnets. And, though I won’t be around, I can see him leaving me flowers. He surprises me frequently with a lovely bouquet,
How about you have you received some awesome romantic gesture(s) of love you’d be willing to share?
Martin Luther King was the pivotal figure in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. His calm civil disobedience and charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, here and around the world.
President Ronald Reagan signed legislation in 1983 designating the day as a federal holiday to honor the man and his accomplishments.
Dr. King inspired so many, so much that in 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize – the youngest man to receive the prestigious honor.
When we think about amount of violence prevalent today and the increasingly violent movies, television shows and video games, I totally agree with Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice.
Through his lectures and dialogues, he stirred, and still stirs, our conscience. Consider these MLK quotes as you honor him today:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
And as you think about that last quote, I remind you of the legislation passed in in 1994 establishing Martin Luther King Day of Service to encourage citizens to use the federal holiday as an opportunity to give back to their communities.
Even if you don’t have the federal day off, I encourage you to find a work that forwards King’s vision and participate. Let MLK Day be the start of a year in which you make a positive and peaceful impact in your community.
January is the time for making resolutions for the New Year. Resolutions never works for me. Too vague.
If you read this blog regularly, you know I’m big on measurable goal setting and AARs.
However, if you are one of those who does make resolutions and need some hints and tips, check out this blog.
No resolutions for me this year, but I have done my yearly ARR– after action review – and posted my 2015 goals to my accountability group.
I was pleasantly surprised during my review to discover 2014 was a good goal year.
All the work on our house was completed. Landscaping changed the mountains of dirt from the remodel and addition to flower gardens and lovely walks. We ended the year with the hammers and saws stopped and the workers are all gone.
Goal success.
I managed two releases Claiming Annie’s Heart and When Love Blooms. You can find both at all major on line book retailers for your e-readers or paperback.
Unfortunately, my writing goal was to release three books. Goal failure.
Yep! That’s the thing about goals. Sometimes we’re spot on. Sometimes we do all we can and fall short. Trouble is without goals we lack focus and too frequently flounder aimlessly.
We need to set goals then analyze why we fail AND why we succeed.
Not hard for me to know why my third book didn’t materialize. Last November I fell while playing Pickleball and broke my right wrist. Typing became, and still is, slow and sometimes painful.
I’m not beating myself up too much over the goal bust since what happened was a circumstance beyond my control. Well, mostly.
There are those who have aptly pointed out, trying to be athletic at this stage in my life maybe be a foolish goal and suggest I might want to eliminate such activity in the future instead of risking more injuries. I’ve taken the suggestion under consideration.
We’re twelve days into 2015. It’s cold, rainy, freezing in Texas. Colorado is sunny, bright, and snowless. Not the norm.Seems to me this is going to be a crazy year based on the start of things.
I’ve set my goals for the New Year and I’m going full speed ahead. What about you?
Let’s check back together this time next year and seem how we’ve done on our resolutions and goals.
As we said goodbye to 2014 and welcome in 2015 tonight, I’m sure many of us will sing the traditional “Auld Lang Syne.”
I aim to watch the ball drop in Times Square and join in to sing. Of course, there’s no guarantee I won’t fall asleep, as I’m prone to do long before midnight. But I can always watch the re-run.
Like everyone else, I’ll fumble and mumble through the verses, singing the chorus much louder. It’s the part I know best.
And once again, I’ll wonder what I’m singing like Harry Burns, played so well by Billy Crystal, did in When Harry Met Sally.
“My whole life, I don’t know what this song means. I mean, ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot?’ Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances? Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?”
This year I decided to figure out the answer to those questions. Since I broke my right wrist the Saturday before Thanksgiving and had surgery on Tuesday before turkey day, I’ve been doing more reading than typing anyway.
What I discovered is “Auld Lang Syne” translates to “times gone by.” Robert Burns wrote the 1700’s Scottish poem, which was then set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Round # 6294).
You can find the original words here.
These are the words translated from the Scottish dialect in case you want to impress someone tonight.
Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot and old lang syne?
CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup and surely I’ll buy mine! And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine; but we’ve wandered many a weary foot since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream from morning sun till dinner; But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend and give me a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
While Burns never intend for the words to be a holiday song, today it is well known for bidding farewell to an old year at the stroke of midnight. It’s also used at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions.
Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians have credit for popularizing the song during a live performance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1929. CBS broadcast the first half of his performance and, after midnight, NBC broadcast the second half. Between the two performances, his band segued by playing “Auld Lang Syne.”
Thus a tradition was born.
And, if you want to practice before your New Year’s Eve celebration or, know you’ll be fast asleep at midnight like me, try singing along with this YouTube video featuring Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians from 1947.
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