Firstly, some funnies foraged from the web from Debby Gies – D.G. Writes is where you will find an archive full of wonderful posts across several subjects including writing tips, social issues and book reviews.
Now some jokes I have scrounged from a number of Anon sources and Letterpile
More writerly wisdom
A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell.
She decided to check out each place first. As the writer descended into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes.
“Oh my,” said the writer. “Let me see heaven now.”
A few moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers, chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they, too, were whipped with thorny lashes.
“Wait a minute,” said the writer. “This is just as bad as hell!”
“Oh no, it’s not,” replied an unseen voice. “Here, your work gets published.”
Priorities
A writer comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. “What happened, honey?” the man asks.
“Oh, John, it was terrible,” she weeps. “I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn’t notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn’t make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is–”
“Wait, wait. Back up a minute,” The man says. “My agent called?”
We hope you are leaving with a smile on your face… thanks Sally and Debby.
Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.
We had snow this week… the first since 2017 when it arrived unexpectedly and kept us housebound for about four days as it turned to ice. This time it lasted 15 minutes and because the ground was so wet it disappeared as quickly as it came. A good thing really and hopefully the last gasp of winter before better weather next week. A garden centre is definitely on the cards… for bird seed and spring plants.
People are often surprised when I say that we always had snow when we lived in Madrid which is the second highest capital in Europe. We were actually about 30 kilometres from the centre of the city in the mountains to the north at 900 metres. We had a long sloping drive down to our gates and needed our 4 wheel drive when the snow was down to get in and out. It could drop down to minus 10 at night but then there would be brilliant sunshine and you could sit outside and get a tan. Very like living in the Alps.
A snowy day in December
Christmas lunch December
When we moved back to Ireland with everything we owned, I unfortunately couldn’t pack the sunshine… I love living back here but I do miss our friends along with the 300 days of sun.
As we are in the middle of the Archive posts… there has been no afternoon video this week, so to make up for it here is one of my favourites…
As always my thanks also goes to my friends who contribute to the blog and this week…
William Price King William joined me for the Breakfast Show on Tuesday and his series of iconic Duets on Friday. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr
Carol Taylor will be here on Wednesday with the next of her A-Z World Cuisines andthis week she spotlightsAustralia. Head over to check out her own post this week which is the Healthy and Green Kitchenwith a great deal of interesting information and a great recipe on.CarolCooks2
Debby Giesis having a lovely time in the sun but as always she has been doing the rounds daily to share our posts… She was here on Monday this last week with some great funnies... You can catch up with her posts in her archives on D.G. Kaye
Thanks again for your support this week… as always appreciated.
Firstly, some funnies foraged from the web from Debby Gies – D.G. Writes is where you will find an archive full of wonderful posts across several subjects including writing tips, social issues and book reviews.
Four men were bragging about how smart their cats are. The first man was an Engineer, the second man was an Accountant, the third man was a Chemist, the fourth was a Government Worker.
To show off, the Engineer called to his cat. “T-square, do your stuff.” T-square pranced over to a desk, took out some paper and a pen and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle.
Everyone agreed that was pretty smart. But the Accountant said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, “Spreadsheet, do your stuff.” Spreadsheet went out into the kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into 4 equal piles of 3 cookies each. Everyone agreed that was good.
But the Chemist said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, “Measure, do your stuff.” Measure got up, walked over to the fridge, took out a quart of milk, got a 10 ounce glass from the cupboard and poured exactly 8 ounces without spilling a drop. Everyone agreed that was good.
Then the three men turned to the Government Worker and said, “What can your cat do?”
The Government Worker called to his cat and said, “Coffee Break, do your stuff.” Coffee Break jumped to his feet, ate the cookies, drank the milk, peed on the paper, assaulted the other three cats, claimed he injured his back while doing so, filed a grievance report for unsafe working conditions, put in for Workers Compensation and went home for the rest of the day on sick leave
We hope you are leaving with a smile on your face… thanks Sally and Debby.
Welcome to the New Year’s Eve party and an opportunity to thank the friends who have contributed amazing posts throughout the year and those who have visited, commented and kept me motivated.
I hope you have been enjoying the holiday season and have managed to celebrate with family and friends. We have had a quiet Christmas and tonight we will have a special dinner and see the New Year in as always with hopes for a more peaceful 2024.
For so many this last year has been one of violence and loss beyond anything men, women and children should have to endure at this stage in humankind’s development. I am so grateful that we live and thrive without the fears facing particularly the young.
I am also extremely grateful for the friendship, support and warmth from all who visit my online world and delighted to have met some new friends this year and I do hope that I have included everyone in my updated world map. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do for me personally and to spread news about Smorgasbord around the usual haunts.
I cannot take all the credit for the blog content as I have an amazing group of contributors who bring their expertise and talent to the weekly line-up.
William Price King – American Jazz singer, musician and composer has been writing the Music Column for the last ten years. This year we continued the series with music and the most popular dances from the Big Band Era… followed by a rerun of The Breakfast Show from the 1960s which will continue through 2024. William will be starting a new series on Friday’s from January showcasing some of the iconic hits by collaborating artists in ‘The Duets‘ and the first post is January 5th and I am sure you will enjoy William’s selected music as always.
William has some stunning performances on his YouTube Channel and here is just one I am sure you will all recognise and enjoy.
In 2024 I will continue to promote the authors in various ways with new book spotlights, book reviews and also the usual Summer and Christmas fairs. I will also be repeating the series ‘Share an Excerpt’ and ‘Share a post from your archives’
Now time for some music to liven this party up….another one of my all time favourites from Status Quo... Rockin All Over The World… thanks OfficialStatusQuo
Now time to thank another contributor who has been providing wonderful recipes and support for the blog for the last eight years with her first post in 2016 and Carol Taylor has had an amazing end to the year with the release of her first cookbook which is a feast for the eyes. I can highly recommend. A Homemade Christmas
Carol Taylor lives in Thailand following a long career in the catering industry.This year we reshared Carol’s Green Kitchen, and in 2024 we will be featuring the posts from her popular World Cuisine series from the beginning as Carol posts new episodes on her own blog. On her own blog Carol Cooks 2 Carol will continue her exploration of food, cultural cuisines and sustainability whilst working on her next cookbook.
Time for some more music and another of my favourites and it sums up how I feel about my life and what I hope to continue to enjoy, not just in 2024 but for a long time to come..Queen Official
Another amazing friend and supporter for the blog for the last seven years is D.G. Kaye… Debby Gies we began emailing each other back in 2015 and Debby’s first Travel Column was posted here in 2018 followed by the Relationship Column.
This last year Debby has also been sharing her knowledge and experiences through the Spiritual Awareness column..as always she continues to forage for funny gems to share with you each week. Debby will be taking a short break for the next couple of months as she will be travelling to Mexico but will be back with some new and exciting posts in March.
Debby has an amazing portfolio of books which I have enjoyed very much over the years and I can recommend them all.
Time for some music, and one of the most haunting songs which has been covered my many over the years. It always brings a lump to my throat, particularly when sung by Barbara Dickson. A song that reminds me of those loved and lost through the years. He Moved Thro’ The Fair...Barbara Dickson
This year author Toni Pike engaged readers onSmorgasbord with her series Personal Power which certainly encouraged many to share their experiences over their own lives.
About Toni Pike
Toni Pike is a multi-genre author who enjoys writing exciting thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children. She also loves travelling and being with family and friends. She lives in Australia and firmly believes that coffee and long walks are an essential part of any day.
Do you like books that you can’t stop reading? Pike is the author of DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.
The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.
She’s also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and coping with the journey. HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips with great advice for anyone who wants to travel overseas.
A selection of books by Toni Pike for children and adults
Time to thank two contributors who also bring the funny side of life to the blog… and first the best selling author Daniel Kempwho allows me to steal funnies from his Facebook page to share with you.
For the last four years author Daniel Kemp has permitted me to share his funnies from his facebook page Danny Kemp in the Open Mic Night once a month
Daniel Kemp is an ex-London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver never planned to be a writer, but after his first novel –The Desolate Garden — was under a paid option to become a $30 million film for five years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company what else could he do?
In May 2018 his book What Happened In Vienna, Jack? became a number one bestseller on four separate Amazon sites: America, UK, Canada, and Australia.
The next song is from one of my favourite all time bands and they certainly know how to keep a party going.ABBA – ABBA’s Music:Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
In the last three years it has been entertaining to have another Open Mic regular join the comedy team..Author Malcolm Allen Malcolm’s funnies never fail to make me laugh and I know that he has also entertained the audience for his Open Mic nights here once a month.
About Malcolm Allen
The author was born in London UK and experienced a challenging childhood, leaving school with no academic qualifications at the age of 15. He had mixed fortunes in his early working days but managed to secure a job in the banking industry at the age of 19. During a period of 32 years he enjoyed a demanding and successful career in London, the pinnacle of which was becoming a Company Director at the age of 37. Following a life changing experience in November 1998 he emigrated to Perth, Western Australia in September 2001, relocating to his current home in Melbourne, Australia in November 2015.
Welcome to the round up of posts from this week on Smorgasbord you might have missed and with only two round ups to go before the big day… time to get a little festive..
Hope you are all doing well and are getting your holiday plans sorted out especially if you are travelling to see family and friends.
We will be having a quiet Christmas but decided to get out earlier in the week for lunch before it gets really busy. There is a great burger place in the nearby town of Arklow called Eddie Rockets and they have branches in most major cities. So if you are visiting Ireland and fancy a burger keep an eye open for them. Anyway as we walked through the shopping centre we came across himself doing his Christmas shopping so I persuaded him to have his photo taken with me…
This is the second time in the month I have bumped into him and I am beginning to think he might have a crush…lol…
As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…
William Price King joined me this week for next of the The Breakfast Show reruns with music from the 60s to the 2000s. This week Inez and Charlie Foxx, Sam Cooke, The Beatles, Andy Williams On Friday the featured musician was Carla Bley – American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader – You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr
Debby Gies was here on Monday with the final post in her current series on Spiritual Awareness and it is a call for hope and peace.. On her own blog Debby shared her review for My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood and earlier in the week her December Writerly Links.. all very helpful. Head over to …D.G. Kaye
Carol Taylor was here with the final Green Kitchen of the year on Wednesday.. If you are looking for something delicious to prepare for family and friends, Carol shares a recipe for a a Cheesy Bacon Cob Loaf…a taster of what you can expect from her new cookbook A Homemade Christmas. Next year I will be sharing the first posts in Carol’s series on World Cuisines as she continues with countries later in the alphabet. CarolCooks2
Malcolm Allen was here this week too with some more of his festive funnies on Tuesday… certainly hit the spot.
Thanks very much to you for dropping in and liking, commenting and sharing the posts, it is always appreciated. ♥
Welcome back to my Spiritual Awareness series. I wasn’t quite sure how I would end off the year here, but it hit me when I came across two powerful videos from a YouTube channel I subscribe to called Above and Beyond. As you all obviously know by now if you’ve been following this series, I’m very connected with my angels.
When I was diagnosed with a tumor on my heart valve, now some fifteen years ago, is when through my terror of digesting such news, I got more in touch with my angels. I always believed in angels, but didn’t know exactly how they became, and the individual parts they play in their hierarchy. But my fear inspired me to pray to the angels.
I began gorging on spiritual books – angel books, and from those books, I was led to more inspirational books from the likes of Louise Hayes’ inspirational healing books, Ester and Jerry Hicks, one of my favorite books by them – Ask and it is Given, Doreen Virtue, and many more.
I was immersing myself in talking to my angels, especially in my darkest moments where I would rescue myself from paralyzing fear and pull my thoughts back to the light. That’s how I got through. And I began to realize the many signs along the way that were messages letting me know I was going to be fine.
My open-heart surgery was to happen at our St. Michael’s hospital, which has some top cardio-thoracic surgeons in the land. And when I walked in there for the first time to have the first of what would become a whirlwind of tests and scans I’d have done there in preparation for the upcoming surgery, what bestowed my eyes was a huge statue of Archangel Michael. I knew in that moment I would be in good hands. So, with the above all said, my spiritual self who understands a little bit about the higher realms, had learned where to send my fears.
We are currently in the process of a massive worldwide change with the taking down of the patriarchy, transiting through and into the age of Aquarius. It’s like a purge of evil, lies, fake news, hate, and all its ilk in battle with the truth globally, and the good are fighting to bring back truth where it belongs.
In this wake of chaos – losses, hurts, and wars – all of it, like an unleashing of all the evils of the world are now coming to a head. Remember, to build back strong, we must start at the bottom to begin again with a stronger foundation – kind of like how when God got angry at the world the first time and flooded the earth. And to start over, Noah built an ark and took two of each animal species to rebuild and re-procreate.
As the world feels as though it’s spinning out of control on so many different fronts, it also feels as though we’re nearing that start over point again with all the greed and hatred in the world right now. We are all living in turbulent times in one way or another. It almost feels as though the 2020s brought everything good and evil to the forefront, giving us a chance to make right our wrongs. Protests have become the only way to communicate our wounds to our governments.
All the shit in the world is rising to the top because it’s being displayed in so many facets. With the world gone awry with everything from climate change, crime, wars, and corrupt politicians rising to unprecedented levels, no doubts there is so much angst and anger in the world being highlighted on the world platform. Darkness is plaguing us on many different levels. Love is the only answer to dispel the hatred, just as the light is stronger than darkness. We cannot turn off the dark, but we can collectively keep sharing a light, being a light among the darkness. Surely if a world can push up the garbage and negativity to shine upon us, we have the power to overcome it with love and compassion by being a light on the world stage instead of living in the darkness.
This is why I wanted to share the video below because I think the message from Archangel Michael is relevant for the current state of the world. And it would be wonderful if everyone in the world would take a time-out for five minutes and listen to his message.
We are all ascending whether we realize or not, from the 4th dimension to the 5th. Love is the answer. Love is the only answer. No more cover-ups and lies. Karma is moving at a much quicker speed at this time of the world. It is time we all search within, send out love into the world – not hatred, and keep our beating hearts and lights shining to help lead those who are lost or have forgotten the righteous path to humanity.
This video is inspired by the channeling of Ronna Vezane, who beloved Archangel Michael calls his “Sacred Scribe.” Ronna, now in her 94th year around the sun, has dedicated her life to Archangel Michael and to bringing forth his wisdom teachings to humanity for the last 35 years, which she now shares freely with the world.
Arcturians, starseeds are a highly advanced humanoid extraterrestrial species native to a planet in the Arcturus system in a higher dimension and are said to originate from a blue planet that orbits the star of Arcturus.
If you would like to learn more about Arcturians, there is a great explanation at The Spirit Nomad Blog
I hope you’ve enjoyed this spiritual series 2023. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and I’ll be back here in early spring with a new series. I remind you all to stay in the light!
My thanks to Debby for sharing this message of hope with us and I know she would love to hear from you.
About D.G. Kaye
D.G. Kaye is a nonfiction memoir writer who writes about life, matters of the heart and women’s issues. Her intent is to inspire others by sharing stories about events she encountered, and the lessons that came along with them. She loves to laugh and self-medicate with a daily dose of humor. When she’s not writing intimate memoirs, you’ll find her writing with humor in some of her other works and blog posts.
Kaye’s childhood kept her observant about her surroundings. Growing up in a tumultuous family life kept her on guard about the on-and-off-going status of her parents’ relationship. She began writing notes, and journaled about the dysfunction she grew up in. By age seven she was certain she was going to grow up to become a reporter. But life has a funny way of taking detours. Instead, she moved away from home at eighteen with a few meager belongings and a curiosity for life, finished university and changed careers a few times along the way, always striving to work her way up to managerial positions. Her drive to succeed at anything she put her mind to led to having a very colorful and eventful life.
Ever the optimist, D.G. conquered quite a few battles in life; health and otherwise, and her refusal to accept the word ‘No’, or to use the words ‘I can’t’, keeps her on a positive path in life. She hopes to inspire others with her love of telling stories with lessons to empower others, by sharing her own experiences.
In 2021, she lost the love of her life. “When the grief overcame me, I found my only way to move forward was through my writing (that book currently in the works) and communing with others who understand this journey. Through this and my own search for seeking comfort, I began podcasting – Grief, The Real Talk. This is a podcast for those of us who’ve worn the shoes, and for all those who wish to understand the journey of a griever.
The author has a natural conversational style of writing that draws you in as if she is talking to you personally. Her memories prompt the reader’s own experiences at similar ages, and raises a smile or two at the similarities between girls of a certain age, however many thousands of miles they live apart.
This is particularly true in this collection of stories as Kaye shares episodes from her childhood such as playing in her mother’s stiletto shoes which would fuel a lifetime’s love of footwear, a first kiss, and taking that first puff of a parent’s discarded cigarette.
With the smiles comes the tears, as we identify the moments of loneliness and isolation as a girl becomes a woman without the support needed from a mother, a dysfunctional family life, and the loss of a much loved friend who shared the formative years between teens and late twenties.
At the end of the collection is a wonderful tribute to her late husband, who made her laugh every day and was the first and last love of her life.
D.G. Kaye writes with poignancy but also great humour, which makes these first times all the more delightful and memorable. The experiences are not just relevant to girls growing up, as many are relateable to boys and young men coping with the cultural and social expectations of the day, and finding their way in life and relationships. Take a walk down the memory lane of your own life in very good company. Highly recommended.
Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.
Another Sunday has rolled around at the speed of light or so it seems… It feels like only yesterday I was thinking it was 6 weeks to Christms and now it is only two. I dashed off my Christmas cards to my family in the UK as I know that despite my ability to be there in three hours on the ferry, post can sometimes take a week or even ten days!! No wonder more and more people are sending electronic cards… as I will to the rest of my friends and relatives around the world.
It is currently pouring with rain and I am thankful it is not snow as I know some of you are having to shovel your way out of your driveways. We haven’t had a decent fall of snow worthy of mention for about 6 years. I will admit to rather wishing for a white Christmas as it does add that extra special element but I also know it causes chaos and travel problems, especially for those heading of to spend the holidays with family.
I was out and about again this week when Robbie Cheadlevery kindly featured Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story along with her review. I love it that the old boy still has his moment in the spotlight… thank you Robbie ♥
As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…
William Price King joined me this week for next of the The Breakfast Show reruns with music from the 60s to the 2000s. This week Little Eva, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles and Pat Boone… On Friday the featured musician was legendary Sidney Bechet. You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr
Debby Gies will be back tomorrow with the final post in her current series on Spiritual Awareness and it is a call for hope and peace.. On her own blog Debby shared her reviews for the latest short story collection from Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes, as well as the poetry collection by Kaye Lynn Booth. Earlier in the week Debby shared some thought provoking quotes and asks for readers to share their own . Head over to …D.G. Kaye
Carol Taylor will be here with the final Green Kitchen of the year on Wednesday. This week I shared my review for her fabulous first cookbook – A Homemade Christmas and what a feast for the eyes it is and for those of you who prefer your books in print, it is available in that format too. Next year I will be sharing the first posts in Carol’s series on World Cuisines as she continues with countries later in the alphabet. Anyway head over to Carol’s blog and dive into her archives for more recipes and great posts on food and cultures. CarolCooks2
Thanks very much to you for dropping in and liking, commenting and sharing the posts, it is always appreciated. ♥
Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.
I hope you are all well and not too cold. I know in Europe there is a lot of snow about and some of the ski slopes have opened early. Here it has been very cold but luckily just a bit of rain.
Our adopted feral cat has decided that her bed on the landing is preferable to roaming her territory during the day and just pops down for mid-morning 2nd breakfast, lunch, tea and supper lol.. She is cosy in her fully insulated two room house outside overnight but doesn’t spend much time these days on her padded porch or rooftop terrace… As soon as the lights go on in the morning she does a 2 second dash across and in the back door. She does enjoy company more these days and loves to spend ten minutes chasing the butterfly at the end of a wand, which is an enjoyable distraction for us too.
A wonderful surprise on Friday to find myself the subject of the Friday Showcase feature on Stevie Turner’s blog, along with Variety is the Spice of Life with one of its reviews. What a lovely way to end the week…Friday Showcase Sally Cronin
As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…
William Price King joined me this week for next of the The Breakfast Show reruns with music from the 60s to the 2000s. This week The Four Seasons, Neil Sedaka, Acker Bilk and Cliff Richard. Also on friday William featured #Jazz Pianist and Composer Thelonious Sphere Monk – You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr
Debby Gies will be back with another in her series on Spiritual Awareness on December 11th. This week she joined me with the funnies on Thursday. On her own blog Debby shared her review for the poetry collection A Few Places Near Home by Frank Prem, and earlier in the week a reminder of her most recent Spiritual Awareness post on Dreamcatchers. Head over to …D.G. Kaye
Carol Taylor was here with the Green Kitchen on Wednesday. Tomorrow I am delighted to feature Carol’s first cookbook – A Homemade Christmas along with my review and what a feast for the eyes it is. Anyway head over to Carol’s blog and read her own announcement for the bok and dive into her archives for more recipes and great posts on food and cultures. CarolCooks2
Thanks very much to you for dropping in and liking, commenting and sharing the posts, it is always appreciated. ♥
Welcome to the round up of posts this week you might have missed on Smorgasbord.
My outing this week was in the flesh to have lunch at a lovely hotel up the coast from us. The Arklow Bay Hotel… with David and my brother-in-law and his wife. Great fun as always and a lovely meal. My first roast turkey dinner of the season followed by apple pie, custard and whipped cream. The hotel was already decked out in festive finery and they had a full size Santa in the corner by the stairs, and who could resist his welcoming smile…
I feel I have been a reasonably good girl this year, so felt it was appropriate to let him know what I would like for Christmas…give him his due, his smile never faltered as he tried to compute the cost of a tropical island with a luxury villa, fully kitted out and stocked with food, medical supplies and high-speed broadband and a helicopter for weekly shopping and emergencies.
If you don’t see me in the New Year you will know he pulled it off… go Santa.
And some news for 2024…
My aim is to still provide a platform to promote your books in various ways, and also to bring you new series of of the regular features.
One of these will begin on January 5th and will feature William Price King’s selection of ‘Duets’ from the 1960s onwards. Artists collaborating with others to create amazing music that became hits and are still enjoyed today.
As always my thanks to my friends who contribute to the blog…
William Price King joined me this week for next of the The Breakfast Show reruns with music from the 60s to the 2000s. This week Bobby Lewis, The Miracles, The Everly Brothersand Ricky Nelson. Also on Friday William featured John McClaughlin, English guitarist, composer and bandleader You can also find William – Blog– IMPROVISATION– William Price King on Tumblr
Debby Gies will be back with another in her series on Spiritual Awareness on December 11th. This week she joined me with some of her great funnies on Thursday. On her own blog Debby shared the shenanigans involved in changing your phone and her November Writer’s links as well as her review for Stevie Turner’s latest release, a short story Farewell. A fun romp with an aging band, with a twist of detective story. Head over to …D.G. Kaye
Carol Taylor will be here with her next Green Kitchen on Wednesday 29th November. She also has some very exciting news with the upcoming release of her first cookbook – A Homemade Christmas which I have had the privilege of reading in advance. Brilliant and I was blown away by the recipes, memories and wonderful abundance of nibbles, starters, mains, desserts and baked goods and gifts. Anyway head over to Carol’s blog and dive into her archives for more recipes and great posts on food and cultures. CarolCooks2
Daniel Kempwas here on Tuesday with a selection of funnies from his Facebook page, and it had everyone laughing..
Thanks too for your visits and shares.. they are always appreciated.. Sally ♥
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH DREAM CATCHERS? DO YOU KNOW THEIR PURPOSE?
Welcome back to my Spiritual Awareness series at the Smorgasbord. Today I’m introducing you to Dream Catchers.
My dream catcher hangs over my bed. When I first saw one, I was fascinated to learn how they came to be and what they represent. I thought it was pretty but wasn’t sure what to do with it.
What is the Purpose of a Dream Catcher
Dream catchers were originally used by the American Indians, notably the Dakota and Lakota Indians, originating from the Ojibwe tribe. They are constructed as a hoop (usually made with Willow wood and netting and have feathers and beads hanging from below the hoop – sometimes referred to as sacred hoops. Each component of the dream catcher serves a purpose.
According to native history legend, a native ‘Spider woman’ created the dream catcher to be used as a spiritual protector for her people when they migrated away from their land. The Spider Woman began creating these dream catchers to provide spiritual protection for more and more people, until others began to make them. Many people are afraid of spiders, but the Ojibwe believe they are a symbol of protection and comfort. Legends vary between some tribes.
Dream catchers are also known as talismans to protect sleepers from bad dreams. Dream catchers are shaped as a circle, representing the circle of life. Although dream catchers began with the Ojibwe tribes, it was in the l960s and 70s when they became more mainstream in American Indian communities.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK?
Dream catchers are traditionally hung above a bed to protect the sleeper from their nightmares. They are also hung above baby’s cradles or cribs for same reasons. Good dreams are said to pass through the web and slide down to the feathers for peaceful sleep, whereas nightmares are said to get caught in the netted web, evaporating the caught nightmares by the burning of the morning’s sunlight shining on it. They are to rid sleepers of bad dreams. They are also considered good luck charms, good at dispelling negative energies. They are typically made into a wooden ring covered with a canvas or net made of natural fibres.
Some also like to hang them around entry point doors and rooms. Cleansing a dream catcher every so often is a good idea to remove all the tangled nightmares. To do so, you can do a sage smudge or wave it around incense to eliminate the negative energies. Burning sage is an age-old remedy for removing negative energies in our homes to release negative energies.
Each component of a dream catcher represents something:
The spider webbing within represents an eternal web of life. The feathers are said to provide a soft ladder for the good dreams to follow to the dreamer’s mind. The beads are said to represent six directions – north, south, east, west, Father Sky and Mother Earth. The ring (circle of life) represents the earth mother, and the mind and spirit. For increased strength and protection some dream catchers also have arrowheads on them and represent the four corners of the earth. Each dream catcher also has a certain number of points – the webbing is tied at several points on the circle. The number of points denote various meanings:
13 points represents the 13 phases of the moon
8 points – the number of legs on the spider woman of the dreamcatcher legend
7 points – the seven prophecies of the grandfathers
6 points – an eagle or courage
5 points – the star
Does it matter which direction it faces?
Yes, it does matter! It is recommended to hang a dream catcher facing either East or South direction. Any other directions are said to attract bad vibes.
Below are a few links where you can read more about this powerful talisman.
In this article you will learn about the various legends about dream catchers. The Ojibwe claim to be the originators of the dream catcher, but several other tribes have variations of the legend: Dreamchatcher meaning, legend, history and origins
Below is a good video explaining the meaning and legends of the dream catcher:
My thanks to Debby for sharing the magic of dreamcatchers with us and I know she would love to hear from you.
About D.G. Kaye
D.G. Kaye is a nonfiction memoir writer who writes about life, matters of the heart and women’s issues. Her intent is to inspire others by sharing stories about events she encountered, and the lessons that came along with them. She loves to laugh and self-medicate with a daily dose of humor. When she’s not writing intimate memoirs, you’ll find her writing with humor in some of her other works and blog posts.
Kaye’s childhood kept her observant about her surroundings. Growing up in a tumultuous family life kept her on guard about the on-and-off-going status of her parents’ relationship. She began writing notes, and journaled about the dysfunction she grew up in. By age seven she was certain she was going to grow up to become a reporter. But life has a funny way of taking detours. Instead, she moved away from home at eighteen with a few meager belongings and a curiosity for life, finished university and changed careers a few times along the way, always striving to work her way up to managerial positions. Her drive to succeed at anything she put her mind to led to having a very colorful and eventful life.
Ever the optimist, D.G. conquered quite a few battles in life; health and otherwise, and her refusal to accept the word ‘No’, or to use the words ‘I can’t’, keeps her on a positive path in life. She hopes to inspire others with her love of telling stories with lessons to empower others, by sharing her own experiences.
In 2021, she lost the love of her life. “When the grief overcame me, I found my only way to move forward was through my writing (that book currently in the works) and communing with others who understand this journey. Through this and my own search for seeking comfort, I began podcasting – Grief, The Real Talk. This is a podcast for those of us who’ve worn the shoes, and for all those who wish to understand the journey of a griever.
I’ve always enjoyed D.G. Kaye’s conversational writing style. This book is no exception to her honest and entertaining narrative. She has compiled a collection of ‘firsts’ from her teen years relatable to all readers. I felt so at ease that I read this collection in one sitting, feeling like we were comfortably chatting over a glass of wine. These memories invited me to stroll down memory lane, recalling crazy crash diets, first kiss, first boyfriend, and first broken heart that felt like it would never mend. Her amusing fascination with shoes made me chuckle; how she managed those heels is beyond me. I laughed out loud when I read about the first hair dye episode. Her first car was a Ford Mustang given by her wonderful father, and while my first car wasn’t, her story evoked memories of when I bought a blue Mustang a few years later with equal excitement.
Kaye’s anecdotes are witty, engaging, and poignant. She has no trouble sharing her vulnerability. Low self-esteem plagued her in those years, but with her outgoing personality and wild sense of fashion, she rose above it, growing into the confident woman she is today. Being a teenager isn’t easy. Those years are about finding ourselves, figuring out who we are, and Kaye succeeded with spirit!
Kaye ends the collection with an emotive tribute to her late husband, her only true love. My heart still aches for her loss. She writes in her dedication, “To those who’ve been there, done that, and learned from. And for those who’ve yet to venture out and overcome.” She couldn’t have expressed the purpose of this delightful book any better. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a heartwarming memoir and a stroll down memory lane.
This blog feature amusing and heartwarming stories about our late Leonberger dog Bronco, as well as other Leonbergers. It also has a lot of information about the Leonberger breed, the history, care, training, Leonberger organizations, etc. I also wrote a Leonberger book, which I am featuring in the sidebar.
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 