Coffee by Pierre Bonnard

Coffee:

is a 1915 painting by Pierre Bonnard, who died on January 23, 1947, at age 79.

Holiday Reading

Holiday Reading:

by Carl Larsson, who died on January 22, 1919, at the age of 65.

Happy Birthday, Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie turns 83 years old today. On August 3, 2023, Saint-Marie issued a statement announcing her retirement from live performances, due to health concerns.

Universal Soldier:

Some things never change. And on that depressing note, please join me at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering, where we'll share a drink and visit.

The Universe in a Cup of Coffee

The Universe in a Cup of Coffee:

from the YouTube page:

The chemistry of the universe is, in a way, in your morning cup of coffee — from the evolution of caffeine as a defensive chemical weapon in plants to the swirling eddies of milk and coffee fueled by diffusion, Brownian motion and other phenomena. After watching the video, you’ll never look at coffee the same way again.

I only drink coffee in the mornings, and I drink it black and without any sweetening. I don't usually ponder weighty matters then, spending that time catching up on news stories, social media, and email newsletters. This morning I'll try to engage a different part of my brain.

Please join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

Her Scents of Pu Er

Her Scents of Pu Er:

Her Scents of Pu Er from Aeon Video on Vimeo.

"For a Chinese tea master, each sip is a rich expression of memory

For Yu Hui Tseng, drinking tea isn’t simply a daily habit or a cultural norm, but a spiritual practice at the very core of her being."

Please share your own drink-related post and join us for the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

Tea for your brain?

This AARP article claims tea might help reduce dementia risk. Join me in a cuppa?

Please post your own drink-related thought and join the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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Breakfast

Breakfast:

is a 1917 painting by Pierre Bonnard, who died on this date in 1947. Please post something drink related and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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We're moving from record-breaking lows and a 5-inch snow that stayed for a week into rain and higher than normal temperatures for the rest of the week. If you like four seasons and variety in your weather we are the place to be!

Is tea a national disgrace?

So asks this British writer who says, "Britain’s favourite beverage is a boring, beige relic of our colonial past," and "We just putter along, thinking tea is good; but it’s not good. It’s a lukewarm mug of leaf water, presented as a cure-all for life’s ills." Oh, dear! Shocking! The closing is this: "Analyse. Is this nice, or do I just have Stockholm syndrome?"

Being American, I think I'll stay out of the conversation. Coffee, anyone?

Please share your own drink-related post and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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It snowed! There are about 5 inches of snow in my area.

The Practice of the Presence of God

The Practice of the Presence of God is a book of collected teachings of Brother Lawrence (born Nicolas Herman), a 17th-century Carmelite friar. The compilation includes letters, as well as records of his conversations kept by Brother Lawrence's interlocutors. The basic theme of the book is the development of an awareness of the presence of God. You can read it online here at this link or here at Project Gutenberg or at Internet Archive.

"That he had always been governed by love, without selfish views; and that having resolved to make the love of GOD the end of all his actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied with his method. That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the ground for the love of GOD, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His gifts."

“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

You can listen to it read to you here:

I discovered this book in high school, having come across a little paperback copy somewhere. I've always been interested in spiritual practices, both from my own tradition and from those of others.

Please join me in a cozy beverage:

Post your own drink reference over at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

Tangerine (2015)

Tangerine (Paramount+) is a 2015 comedy drama film about a transgender sex worker who discovers her boyfriend/pimp has been cheating on her. An interesting film about a lesser-known culture. It is well-regarded and has critical acclaim for its portrayal of transgender individuals. Awareness is the first step.

trailer:

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I'll be joining the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering with my coffee:

You'd be welcome to post a drink reference and join us.

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas tells the story of a Bohemian king who goes on a journey, braving harsh winter weather, to give aid to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. The Feast of Stephen is today, December 26.

lyric excerpt for T Tuesday:

Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.

Please join us for the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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A few more little trees. The doll's name is Betty.

 

Artworks That Define Christmas

This Guardian article includes some beautiful images but not a single depiction of a drink.

I'll be having espresso in this sweet cup The Daughter gave me. Please post your own drink reference and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

This is our Advent calendar, made for us by Mother when the kids were little:

Meet Me in St. Louis

Meet Me in Saint Louis (on Max) is an award-winning 1944 musical film starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart and Joan Carroll. It takes place over the course of a year, and one section of the film takes place during the Christmas season.

trailer:

The Hollywood Reporter in its review from the film's release:

It is a bit difficult to classify Meet Me in St. Louis. It isn’t exactly a musical, although it has some outstanding musical numbers in it. It isn’t exactly a comedy, although there is a vast deal of comedy in it. Nor is it exactly drama, although it has moving dramatic passages. However, there is no difficulty at all in describing it. Meet Me in St. Louis is completely delightful, homey, warmly human entertainment which has captured a nostalgic charm rarely if ever equalled on the screen.

Slant Magazine says it "remains one of the most vital of musical films." Time Out gives it 5 out of 5 stars and calls it a "musical masterpiece". Rotten Tomatoes has a critics consensus score of 100%.

Share a drink-related post and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering. My "ticket" is a screenshot from the movie showing Judy Garland bringing a tray of drinks in to the party:

Judy Garland Christmas Special

The Judy Garland Christmas Special is the 1963 Christmas episode of this show. I actually feel sad watching Judy Garland as she aged. What a tragic life, and dead at 47. That said, the Christmas special can be enjoyed anyway, right?

Join me in a cozy cuppa:

That mug on the left was broken long ago, but we remember it fondly. Share your own drink reference with the T Stands for Tuesday bloggers.

The Cup of Chocolate

The Cup of Chocolate:

by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)

I don't drink much hot chocolate, but it is appealing to me this morning. Join me? I'll be at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering hosted by Bleubeard and Elizabeth.

Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Walkin' Blues:

is the first song on the Robert Lockwood, Jr. album I Got to Find Me a Woman (playlist on YouTube at this link). Lockwood, who died on this date in 2006 at the age of 91, was the only guitarist to have learned to play directly from Robert Johnson.

There's a reference to Memphis in the chorus of the song Take a Little Walk With Me:

Come on baby
Take a little walk with me
Come on, baby
Take a little walk with me
Back to the same old place
Where we long to be
Come on baby
Take a little walk with me
Come on
Take a little walk with me
Back to the same old place, Memphis, Tennessee

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I'll be drinking some coffee while I listen to his music:

One of those cups can be for you. Please post your own drink-related something, and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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Happy Birthday (tomorrow), Petula Clark!

Join me in a cuppa over at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering. I'm getting ready to celebrate the 91st birthday of Petula Clark, who was born on November 15, 1932. According to Wikipedia, she is a British singer, actress, and songwriter and has had one of the longest careers of any British singer, spanning more than eight decades.

In late 1964 Clark's success extended to the United States with a four-year run of career-defining, often upbeat singles. These songs include her signature song "Downtown", "I Know a Place", "My Love", "A Sign of the Times", "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "Who Am I", "Colour My World", "This Is My Song" (by Charles Chaplin), "Don't Sleep in the Subway", "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener", and "Kiss Me Goodbye". In the US, Clark was sometimes called "the First Lady of the British Invasion". She had nine Top 20 hits in the U.S. between 1964 and 1968. Clark has sold more than 68 million records.

Downtown:

My Love:

Sign of the Times:

I have fond memories of singing these along with the radio when I was a child.

Woman Reading by Lamplight

Woman Reading by Lamplight:

by Carl Vilhelm Holsøe, a Danish artist who died on this date in 1935. Please join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering, where a post with any drink reference is your ticket to participate.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Hulu) is a 1975 musical comedy horror film starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick. If you haven't seen this one, why not? It's a must-see. If you have seen it, isn't it past time to watch it again? Absolutely hilarious! And Tim Curry shouldn't be missed. Seriously, if you see Tim Curry's name attached to it, watch it.

trailer:

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Please join me (I'm having a cup of Suisse Mocha) at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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Yesterday we were down to one redbud leaf:

The Lamb (2021)

The Lamb is a 2021 folk horror film, an international co-production between Iceland, Sweden, and Poland. The film stars Noomi Rapace. This is a fascinating tale with a lot of atmosphere. It is well-reviewed. I'd recommend it, especially for folks who lean away from the action movie-style of horror or movies with any gore.

trailer:

Roger Ebert's website praises the "fierce sense of originality you won’t be able to shake". The Guardian concludes, "We are not supposed to be scared. What is required of us is compassion and respect for Maria’s strange dignity and strength. It’s a great performance from Rapace." Rolling Stone calls it "the Sweetest, Most Touching Horror-Movie Nightmare You’ve Ever Seen".

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Join me at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering?