Year Two Without My Boo

Ole Boo Eyes or Boo, who departed this earth two years ago today

Happy Winter Solstice!

My Favorite Things 2013

Every year at this time I do a list of my favorite things for this blog.  I must confess, my heart is not really in it this year, having lost three of my beloved rabbits over the months, Ghiradelli, Cocoa, and most recently Ruby. But I will try to summon the Spirit of the Holiday season by writing about some of my new favorite things.

(1)  The painting, THE BLUE VIOLINIST by Marc Chagall. When I first saw this work, sent out as a meme from a jazz Facebook page I follow, it affected me in such a powerful way that I knew I had to have this for my wall. The musician's whimsical look as he plays the violin, the birds, the very melancholy blues that leap out at you from this work of art captured my heart and soul and now he plays on my bedroom wall.

(2) Thai Dye pizza from the restaurant Mellow Mushroom.  This is a very new favorite, as I only tried it last night. How can you go wrong with a pizza with both Daiya cheese AND curried tofu on it? Oh, and tiny crunchy bits of cucumber. Yum!

(3)  Lotte Asian Supermarket, Chantilly, Virginia. This is one of my favorite places to shop, not only to get those Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern ingredients for my own meals, but for the inexpensive produce
for the rabbits. Indeed, this place offers the best deals in town. Eggplant for 99 cents a pound? Really! Chestnuts, $2.50 a pound. This summer I got fresh asparagus for 99 cents a pound. Oh, and the rabbits love their Thai basil and Crown Daisy!

(4)  Silk now makes its holiday nog with coconut milk. Need I say more? YUMMO!!

(5)  The poetry of Mary Oliver.  I got hooked on this lady's work when reading a review of her most recent poetry volume.  If you love animals and nature, I highly recommend her.

(6)  National Museum for Woman in the Arts - I discovered this place during the government furlough this year and was so impressed that I became a member. I hope to catch their new quilt exhibit opening next week. It is in D.C. near Metro Center and worth the trip!

(7)  I did my first bird-watching walk this fall and I am anxious to get into it again. Now that I am finally properly equipped with a decent pair of binoculars, I can't wait to venture forth and admire our lovely winged friends. One of my favorite "things" is witnessing Nature's beauties like the birds and the squirrels. Sadly, my neighborhood does not boast any rabbits. I suspect it has to do with the fact that we have foxes lurking about.

(8)  Hot apple cider, especially in K-cup form! I drink lots of this at this time of year.

(9)  Doctor Who, the episode "Vincent and the Doctor." I know that is not this current season, or even current companion series episode, but I recently saw this episode and I can't get enough of it. If you love Van Gogh, even if you don't like Doctor Who, you must watch this one if you can.

(10) The Boston Red Sox. They rock. Thanks, guys, for winning the series for Boston this year. Best gift ever!

Well, that is it, folks. As Christmas time looms, I no longer focus on things so much as I do people and animals and those who meant and mean so much to me in my life. Life is so precious and short and as time whisks by, change barges its way in, and more often than not, not in a good way. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Let us hope we are all still here next year, healthy, happy and getting all we can out of this all too brief life.

Goodbye, Ruby

Ruby, my greatest gift and my teacher
b. February 2002 - d. 12 December 2013

Winter is Coming!

I am ever so grateful on icy snowy days that I have house rabbits to cuddle and that I don't have to walk them outside when the weather outside is frightful.  Hope you are all staying safe and warm during this very stormy week (and officially winter isn't even here yet!). Dog companions, be careful out there!

Hoppy holidays!

Cinnamon and Benjamin wish you Merry Christmas!

Apples at the Treat Seat - Come 'N Get It!

Cinnamon and Benjamin on the "Treat Seat"

Otherwise known as a zafu, my meditation cushion sadly has seen more use from my rabbits as a treat seat than a place to find inner peace. If I am so much as a minute late past the usual treat time, my guys go and sit patiently by the "treat seat", waiting for me to wake up and realize, oh yeah, apple time for my lagomorph masters. As Thanksgiving approaches, I do feel more gratitude than these bunnies will ever know for having them in my life.