I’ve never been able to look put together in the winter time.

I just don’t seem to ever have the right coat, boots, scarf, matching gloves or a hat that doesn’t look positively dweeby.

I recently bought a tailored red wool coat. It’s lovely. It attracts the multi-color hair of my dog like a magnet. Never thought about that when making my purchase decision. Its 80% wool makes me itch positively everywhere. That coat just isn’t going to work. It has to go back.

I also bought a zippy quilted black hooded jacket with nifty twisty clasps that I seemingly can’t get to twist. It too attracts hair of the dog faster than the speed of sound.

That coat also has to go back.

In the meantime I went into the bowels of my closet and found a circa 90’s coat – it’s actually a lovely micro-fiber, with a plush pile inside. It zips from the bottom to the top and has no give when you sit in the car. Can you say R-I-P every time you sit down? This zipper will not last much longer. Since the two coats have to go back I am wearing this ridiculous thing in the meantime. What choice do I have?

The thing with this coat is I have to shimmy it up over my hips in order to sit down in the car — to prevent further zipper ripping. When I am driving I have this spare tire of coat sitting around my waist – It feels positively ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is to see me get out of the car and wiggle accordingly to get the integrity back to my winter fashion nightmare.

Boots. I don’t get how one can wear high fashion boots with chunky 2 –3 inch look good heels, wedges or even date night spikes AND keep your feet warm, let alone navigate the sidewalks many of which are not shoveled, and walk with any grace or style.

Me? I wear clogs.  See?  It says it over there in my sidebar. I am totally afraid that I am going to fall.  I must really be 80. I like the idea of warmth and traction in a boot.   Practical boots don’t  “look” very good.

Most hats destroy my “do”. If the hat makes any fashion statement at all it usually doesn’t cover my ears. Earmuffs might seem like a good idea, but those make most of us looking like a puppy dog. Scarf wrapping is another approach, but then we get the static electricity thing going.

( sigh )

It’s 11 degrees out and I don’t have a thing to wear.

typical victorian wintergarb flickr image credit

This is a slice of life story that reminds me that moments between mother and child are fleeting, especially as they become teenagers.  

She didn’t have to tell me this story, but she did.

My daughter went with friends to the local fireworks. She was a little late and when she arrived she found that her pals had just devoured a funnel cake.

Mmmmmmmmm funnel cakes.

Funnel Cakes in my mind are the biggest yummiest rip off known to carnival mankind. Deep fried sweet dough dipped in more powdered sugar goodness. Totally delicious fat and sugar insanity.  The price for this sick treasure was a whopping $5.
 
Excuse me?

My daughter had 2.65

Once you know my lovely daughter’s determination you would have witnessed the gears inside her ingenious youthful mind trying to figure out ways ”to mooch the money I need” to get herself one of those funnel cakes.

Somehow she does exactly that

Off she then goes on an adventure to buy one of these disgusting treats.  Unfortunately she encounters the never ending funnel cake line. Obviously the facilitators of this fireworks extravaganza did not know how to meet the needs of this particular community re: funnel cakes.

My daughter made an executive ( hi I am a teenager) decision and cut in the front of the line, knowing this  probably wasn’t the best thing to do, she did it anyway – determined and all.

A grown woman approached her with a look of utter desperation and equal determination to get herself one of those greasy sugary things.

She negotiated with my daughter ” If you buy me mine - I’ll treat you to yours AND a lemonade!!” 

My daughter told me it was Funnel Cake Karma.

Classic.

May the 4th of July Carnival Karma be with you.

funnel cake flickr image credit

Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Publisher
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition, Weight Loss, and Green Clean  

This slice of life wiglet of a story was inspired by the above photograph, which was taken by the brilliant and ever so amazing photographer Robyn of Birdznest Photography.

Once upon a time it was spring.  We were digging in our great grand earth to prepare for yet another year of gardening.  Digging with young ones around, as many of you know can offer a challenge or two.  That particular year my son was five and his precocious sister was two.  I seemingly was the only mom on the block that was actively engaging the kids in gardening. All the kids from the neighborhood were in our yard and I loved being the house on the block that drew the kids over.

It happened to be an amazing day for finding earth worms. It had rained the day before and the soil was perfect for working it with your hands. Whenever someone found a worm I’d  say, ” AWESOME !”

I’d further explain the value of the worms for the soil. We then started talking about fat worms vs skinny worms and the kids decided to make a worm pile so we could pick the best ones for our garden.  The idea for a worm pile idea didn’t last very long, the boys started to put worms down the girls shirts. Especially, the fat ones.  Alot of squealing prevailed.

I overheard one kid say matter of factly that birds eat worms.  I thought to myself oh my gosh I hope no one starts eating worms. Only to glance ever so quickly at my lovely 2 yr old.

She was standing in the middle of the yard with her mouth WIDE open, her tongue stuck way far out and was swinging the fattest worm ever known to motherkind from her fingertips. She looked straight at me with a look that only she could have and swallowed the darn thing whole.

I think I screamed.

She never even blinked.

Heck – it’s protein right???? Tastes like chicken?

Got a story that’s a slice of life?  I’d love for you to share it.

Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
Websites: Nutrition Weight Loss, and Green Clean

How do you celebrate Earth Day?
If you’re not cleaning green – what’s stopping you?

I saved this picture a long time ago, it pleased my very hippoty-hoppity heart.

I don’t have it in a big size format
( if you haven’t noticed by now most of the pics on this blog are BIG )

Nor do I have the credit to whoever took it – I apologize.

I saved it quickly and in a moment of oh my gosh this is adorable glee.

Someone who loves bunnies captured this image and I appreciate you – whoever you are.

The bunny for me represents spring, in the natural re-awakening mother earthy kindof way. Yes — things bud, and birds come out from nowhere and the sun shines ever so brightly, but bunnies leaping speaks ever so much more about the yipeee of spring.

Growing up under our back yard stoop we had a family of bunnies. In the winter I loved looking for the elongated foot tracks they’d leave in the snow and the comical pea like pellets of poop they’d leave behind. I have no idea why their poop cracks me up,  but it does.

Each Spring a new crop of baby bunnies would be born. The cuteness factor of which I could hardly stand.

When I  I moved to my teeny tiny townhouse in 1996 a rather large bunny lived nearby.  Whenever I returned home that  rabbit would be standing somewhere just waiting for me.

I took it as a welcome home gesture.

I wanted to be sure you returned home safe -  thank goodness you’re back kindof waiting.

I always said to myself, thanks for watching over me.

I have to say nine out of ten times upon returning to my townhouse that bunny was waiting for me.

I have had a bunny watching over me and my family at some level ever since. Each time one sits waiting for us I am sure to pause and think hey thanks we’re back and I am glad your making sure we are OK.

I know I am looney sometimes – yet I really do believe that nature watches out for all of us. Even in crisis, even with all the abuse we have bestowed on our planet – it still gives back.

We are so tremendously blessed.

My post for this weekend extends to you the very same giggle that this leaping bunny picture evokes for me.

May the bunny be with you.

lovely artisan paints with bunny theme – this one in a moon leap – flickr image credit

winter path going places flickr image

2009!!  It’s Here!!  Where are you headed?  What is your health path?? How may I help?