Everey Writer Shoud Have a Dog

Every writer should have a dog.

Why? What does that mean? Having a dog is a lot of work. It's like having an exrra child in the house. It means taking care of it,

But it's so much more than that. A dog takes care of you.

• My dog gets me out of the chair.
• He reminds me that I need to take a break. I have to take him for walks several times a day, in any kind of weather.
• I feel loved and appreciated.
• I feel safe.
• He is a role model when it comes to napping.
• He comforts me when I'm sad. He does. He knows, and comes to make me feel better.
• He reminds me to play and never says no.
• It's a  loving friend on days when I sit all alone with my words and story-in-the-making.
• He is an excellent friend and will take the time to listen, if I need to read my story out loud.
• He never criticizes my writing, but loves me for who I am.

I recently read an article called 8 Ways That Dogs Are Good For Your Mind, Body, And Soul
This article will back me up.
Having a dog is good for you. My life would be so much emptier without Hector the Wheaten Terrier, my good and loving friend.

Here are a few photos to show some of Hectors important jobs:

Protecting visiting munchkins.

Chrcking out the neighborhood every few hours.

Serious napping.

The Joy of Anticipation

Christmas time brings me more joy than I can explain in words. It's something about the anticipation of things to come, the happiness of preparing surprises, and the joy of opening the heart and home to family and friends. It's as if I travel with the magi, following the star, excited to meet the Savior of mankind.
Wonder of wonder. Miracles of miracles.
Just believe.

Seven kind of Christmas treats

Christmas traditions.

It's December and time to bake.
According to old Norwegian customs and traditions, a household should bake no less than 7 different kinds of Christmas cookies.
Christmas was special in olden days and nothing was spared. The best ingredients and TIME should be spent preparing for the holidays.
Every home prepared in their own way, the country farms would bake their own, but there were also professional baking folk, women went from place to place, offering their experise, The baked for those who could afford to pay. 7 different kinds. Which baked goods varied.

I asked my mother-in-law about her Christmas baking. What did she do with seven children and a busy household?

"I baked 13 or 14 different kinds," was her answer.
I believe it. She is amazing, always doing her best to make traditions a special treat for her family.
I asked her which kinds she baked. She started on her list - goro, krumkake, fattigmann . . .

By the time she had listed all the baked goods she made for her family for Christmas, I had counted 15 different kinds.

Today my mother-in-law is 90 years old. Still busy. Still making us feel welcome at Christmas time or any time of the year.

To many Norwegians, baking 7 different kinds of treats, is a must before Christmas Eve arrives. Homemade goods taste better, and are more special to serve, should a visitor or two drop by the house. Besides, when you do your own baking,
the whole house is filled with the smell of Christmas.

Today's water color is a traditional Norwegian "nisse", bringing presents to the people in a small farm.


Source: Nasjonalbiblioteket