Help for Procrastinators

"If you eat a frog first thing in the

morning,


the rest of your day will be wonderful."

---Mark Twain

Sometimes I go through my whole day avoiding a task I don't want to do. Sometimes I know I should do it next, but I don't want to, so I find piddly wasty things to do instead of knuckling down. The burden can lurk in the back of my mind all day, taking the spring out of my step and the sparkle out of my eyes.

I think Mark Twain was right: if you tackle the unpleasant task early, with gusto, the rest of your waking hours are a bit sunnier.

I'm off to eat my frog. Won't you set about yours, too? Bon Appetit!

Authentic vs. Religious

Wisdom from TJ (through JT)

In matters of style, swim with the current;

in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

- Thomas Jefferson

(thanks to Joe T.S. for the quote)

Finished Product Up Close

Someone requested a photo of how the mane braiding turned out.

"Are you lookin' at ME?"

Winter Joy

First, for our little town's winter parade, we dressed up the horses.


We sewed long, satiny mane rolls, fabric ribbons to braid in the horses' manes. We fashioned bright flowers from silk carnations, pipe cleaners and grosgrain ribbon. (Where is our florist friend Rebecca when you need her!??)

We spent the rest of the morning braiding and unbraiding, until we got it right.

Then we dressed ourselves in lots and lots of layers. Insulated coveralls may not look very celebratory, but we went for function over fashion.

That's Erica in the back. She and Merrill were supposed to be tossing chocolates to kids lining the streets. However, most of the kids lining the streets were sitting in parked cars with the heaters running, sheltered against 15 degree snow and wind.

Somehow, at the end of the parade, the candy supply was low and spirits were high.