I love wildflowers. Since the days of Ladybird Johnson, Texas has made an effort to promote and protect wildflowers. So powerful is her legacy and so fond her memory that even the most right wing conservative in an already extreme Legislature doesn’t dare speak a word against her or the legacy she has left us.

Hello, fellow DFHs.

I heard on the news that an increasing percentage of young adults are living with their parents. I know that there are many Firedoglakers who are taking care of their parents, whether in the same house or not, it’s still a new and different responsibility. Without going political on the subject, we are being faced with changes that some have said we need to face with austerity. But, I want to think of this as a chance to face our future with bigger hearts. I know that there are many reading this who have put time, money and effort into the Occupy Events. I know that there are people who face the future by rescuing animals and adopting them. They are sharing their love with those who need it.

We are getting married on the beach…

I say let our imaginations as well as our fondnesses for some regular comfort food just step forth in the comments and set a Splendid Table. With all the creativity here at the Lake, with pure imagination with no ingredient constraints, along with what some may need to consider for dietary constrictions, or budgetary constriction too for that matter, I’m completely convinced that we’ll end up with a fabulous spread.

What do you do to keep growing and to keep life interesting and meaningful? What would you like to do that you’ve never attempted? What’s holding you back, and is it surmountable? What’s on your “bucket list”? I’ve put on a fresh pot of coffee. Pull up a chair, and let’s talk about what you want to be when you grow up!

This is that midwinter time when it isn’t time to start planting, and it’s a bit cold for the outdoors; the days may be getting longer but they feel the same, and I light candles to cheer myself up.

So what did Santa bring you this year? Yeah, I know, we can’t ever seem to get peace on Earth but are there some other goodies that you got that you needed or really wanted? Did anybody else wind up with a gift sort of out of the blue that you’d been trying to budget money for prior? This is our last chance to talk about our holidays for almost a whole year so let’s get it going!

We’ve even gone past what is my final day of the mid-winter holidays, Twelfth Day/Fiesta de los Tres Rejes/Epiphany. Now do we start the regrets, just to balance off any excessive cheer we felt? There’s a lot behind the old saying that we’re going to pay for this later.

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the very last day of this year from Hell. This year 2011 has been terrible in so many ways. It’s a good time to make sure we start off right on 2012.