Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 3

Heavenly Hymns

O Come, All Ye Faithful vs. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

At seven verses apiece, these two songs are longer than you think. While the first word of the stanzas of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" make a rather awkward sentence (O God See Lo Child Sing Yea), the first word of the stanzas of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" say OOOOOOO. Your choice here is really whether you like being told what to do, or telling someone else what to do.






Choral Carols

Breath of Heaven vs. Mary's Boy Child

Old skool Amy Grant vs. the King of Calypso. This match-up is really about the depiction of the young Mary, unmarried, having a baby. Are your heartstrings plucked by Ms. Grant, laying on the loneliness, or by Mr. Belafonte, joyously celebrating the birth of the babe?







Holidaze

Christmas Wrapping vs. Last Christmas

Battle of the Christmas love songs! Sure, Wham! has the name caché and breathy George Michael, but their lyrics pale in comparison to the epic journey told by The Waitresses. Each song's story lasts a year, but the outcomes are so, so different.







Kids Kristmas

Silver and Gold vs. Christmastime Is Here
Rudolph vs. Charlie Brown Christmas! Who will win???

Enjoy the pretty lights.

Fa-la-la Brouhaha Round 1, Day 2

Heavenly Hymns

What Child Is This vs. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

These two songs don't really have anything in common except that they're really old.  "What Child Is This" is both younger and older than "Lo, How a Rose": the lyrics for "What Child" were written 1865 while the text of "Lo" dates from the late 16th century.  However, the translation of "Lo" was 1894. Also the tune of "Lo" dates from 1599 (harmonization 1609) while the tune for "What Child" (yup, "Greensleeves") was written in 1580. Like I said, both old.







Choral Carols

Sussex Carol vs. Wexford Carol

This battle is known as "Nerds Know the Difference."  The "Wexford Carol" is Irish while the "Sussex Carol" is English (kind of), but don't let that influence you.  The words for the "Sussex Carol" were first published by an Irish priest who lived awfully near to County Wexford, so the two carols are probably cousins.






Holidaze

Baby It's Cold Outside vs. Let It Snow

Don't go! It's cold and snowing and don't you want to just stay here a little longer?  Granted, "Baby It's Cold" comes on a little strong. "You could get pneumonia and die"? Really? Death? On the other hand, "Let It Snow" is maybe on the naive side of the coin. However you prefer it, here are two date night songs for your listening pleasure...






Kids Kristmas

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas vs. Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey

Hippo! Donkey! Epic battle!

Enjoy the pretty lights. (People do weird things with their Christmas lights...)

Fa-la-la Brouhaha, Round 1, Day 1

Heavenly Hymns

Angels We Have Heard On High vs. Angels From the Realms of Glory

Straight off, we have an angelic battle. "Angels We Have Heard" is probably the better known of the two, and has the advantage in this bout, being number 116 in the Pilgrim Hymnal (while "Angels From the Realms" is the also-ran at number 117).   It features an epic "Gloria" chorus, and is likely why you think of eggshells at Christmas.  Our other angel hymn is that one you know but can't quite hum, and possibly you think the second line goes "God has spoken, He is mad."  Or maybe that's just me.





Choral Carols

Gesu Bambino vs. Do You Hear What I Hear?

In our "songs we hear the choir sing" category, we have two holiday standards. "Gesu Bambino" is that song you know and can sing all the words to, but never know the name of because it isn't anywhere in the song. Nope, not in there. Not in the Italian either. But watch the video and sing along. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" wound up on both the favorites and least favorites list last year. Certainly it might have been shorter if the little lamb had answered the night wind with a simple "Yes." Both songs are appropriate for mid-level choirs, though "Do You Hear" has a way better SSA arrangement.





Holidaze

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) vs. Do They Know It's Christmas 

While some might consider this the "battle of the Christmas downers," really it's a Beatle Battle. Ok, not really. It's a battle of a songwriter named Yoko and a songwriter named Midge.  But seriously, it's a battle of lyrics that are hard to hear, and reminding us that Christmas is more than just what's comfortable at home.






 Kids Kristmas

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town vs. Here Comes Santa Claus

Santa Claus is coming. HE'S COMING! But how? And with what? There's so many questions!!!

Enjoy the pretty lights.

The Fa-la-la Brouhaha!

Photo credit: Grzegorz Łobiński

Beginning tomorrow, I'll be running a little Christmas Song bracket tournament--like March Madness, but with Christmas songs.

These songs made the tournament after a very scientific process of asking people on Facebook.  They have been grouped into four divisions:

• Heavenly Hymns (straight from the hymnal and into your heart)
• Choral Carols (songs you want to sing in church, but leave it to the professionals)
• Holidaze (radio favorites)
• Kids Kristmas (pretty much what it sounds like)

Be sure to check in daily and VOTE for your favorites!

***

Disclaimer:  This contest is for fun. No whining, no complaining. FUN ONLY!

Many Projects...One Post

Weeeeellllll...I've done better with my Pinterest challenge than I have with blogging about it.

Here are a few projects that have been finished in the past month or so:

1.  Crochet Necklace

Here's the pin.

Here's my necklace.

This bannister post looks eerily personesque

I think the next one I make will have more beads, smaller beads, at varying intervals, and pull the crochet tighter around the beads. But I really like wearing this one.  Simple, and great colors.

Look at those great colors. So great.

 
I got these beads at Michael's on WICKED SALE...50% off...and decided on DMC pearl cotton for the stuff to crochet with.  I used a small crochet hook (size B...the smallest I've ever used).  I "loaded" all 20 beads onto the floss and started single chaining.  Every 20 chains, I'd bring a bead up and crochet around it.  It's just one big loop...I thought it looked best on me with four even loops which made little bead outcroppings, but it's unbound and has the flexibility to be worn differently.

I'm all for flexibility in accessories.

2.  Nightstand!

Here's the pin.

So. I didn't have a nightstand next to the bed. I was using a ClosetMaid Horizontal Organizer unit. Like this one:

It's an organizer! It's horizontal!

Except on end.

No longer horizontal! And less effective as an organizer!

Which is fine, except that our shoes are all over the floor, and as awesome as the ClosetMaid Horizontal Organizer is, it's NOT a nightstand.

So we got this one for free on Craigslist.

Ug. Ly.

Since I had to sand it down so much, I took the time to prime it.  I'm glad I did.  It made the paint go on nice and easy.

I found a can of "new black" paint that had been returned to Lowe's. $5! A pretty Martha Stewart stencil on the drawer, a coat or two of Rustoleum polyurethane over the whole thing, and a $1 knob from Second Use, and...

A thing of beauty and a joy to be able to store my nighttime crap in.

...voila!  So pretty! It looks great next to our black bed frame, and will go with any quilt we choose to put on the bed.

3.  Pot Roast

Here's the pin.

I don't have a picture of the final roast, nor did I actually get to taste it. But I heard from Recipe Taster #1 that it was pretty good. He's not got a super sophisticated palate, and usually enjoys whatever I cook, so I'll have to post more about this the next time I make the recipe.

Purple Scarf - Pancreatic Cancer Sucks

Last week's Pinterest challenge was this awesome fringy scarf.  But, it's the story behind the scarf that I want to talk about.

What is that story? Will you tell me? Will you tell me while I wear this awesome fringy scarf?

Pancreatic cancer is awful.  It's tremendously difficult to diagnose, and has an extremely low survival rate.  According to the NIH, "Ninety-five percent of the people diagnosed with this cancer will not be alive 5 years later."

My friend, Megg, has this blog, and one day she used some strong language.  I understand that strong language, having lost a few close to me to cancer.  She said she was feeling powerless, and wished she could DO SOMETHING.

So, we came up with this idea to sell purple scarves, and donate the money from the sales to help find a cure for Pancreatic cancer.

Here's her post, "Calling All Knitters":

I have a personal vendetta against pancreatic cancer.
I'm collecting purple scarves to sell for Pancreatic cancer awareness. ALL money (not just profits) will be donated to pancan.org.

Here are some facts about pancreatic cancer:

• The pancreas is used to produce insulin. Due to the fact that it doesn't have any nerves, pancreatic cancer often isn't diagnosed or even noticed until it has spread.
• There are very few treatments for pancreatic cancer.
• Only 2% of the American Cancer Society's research budget goes toward pancreatic cancer.
• Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
• The average life expectancy after diagnosis is 3-6 months.
• There are no early detection tools for pancreatic cancer.

I know what you're thinking. Everyone has a cause, and mine happens to be pancreatic cancer. Yours may be diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, ALS or any number of horrible diseases that have touched your life. You can't help all of them.

My request is simple. Make me a scarf. The scarves will be sold for $15 (I'm looking into how to sell them, but I'm going to start on my Etsy shop) and all that money will go toward pancreatic cancer awareness. Do you knit or crochet? Please consider making me just one scarf. I can't do it all...I need your help.
{I am requesting purple scarves, since that is the color of pancreatic cancer awareness. All shades, patterns and types of purple scarves will be accepted!}

Don't knit or crochet? That's OK. Would you consider buying a scarf? I'm planning on setting up a paypal for this alone, separate from my personal one.
Cancer has touched almost everyone. Please consider donating or helping me out, no matter what your personal cause is.

If you're interested in making or buying a scarf (I'm hoping to have WAY more options that my one, soon!) please email me at crazymegg at gmail.

***

 It is difficult to be angry at something that isn't sentient, like cancer.  But. We. Are. Angry.  We know those purple scarves aren't the solution, but it gives us something to do, to keep us busy and help focus that anger into something productive.

If you're a knitter and want to help, contact me or Megg.  

Here's the scarf I made, modelled by my amazing sister.  I will keep making scarves and posting about them here.  And Megg will be selling them here.  Thanks for reading.

Look how fringy! And purple! I just know the money from the sale of this scarf will be what cures Pancreatic cancer.

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup - First Trial

Last week's Pinterest project was Coconut Curry Chicken Soup.  I'm on a HUGE kick for this soup, having found a delectable option at our local supermarket.  But $3.99 is a lot for a cup of soup, and, while I appreciate the convenience of the supermarket deli, I can't afford to buy as much of this soup as I want to eat.  Clearly, making my own is the only way.

I went to Pinterest and searched for Coconut Curry Chicken Soup, and pinned a few interesting and delicious looking options.  My first trial was this option, because it looked a little more filling than the others I had pinned, what with the noodles and all.

As with oh, so many recipes, and particularly recipes from magazines, there are places in the instructions that leave room for interpretation.  "Shredded cooked chicken breast" is one of these.  I had some random Foster Farms lying around, and put them in the oven with some chicken broth to cook through, thinking it would keep them moist and the chicken broth flavor would be complimentary to the soup itself, as it contains 6 cups of the stuff.  Wrong choice.  The soup itself was mildly curry-flavored to begin with, so the standout flavor was indeed CHICKEN COOKED IN CHICKEN BROTH instead of the delicious curry-flavored chicken my mouth was wanting.  Lesson learned.

I was disappointed with the broth.  The lite coconut milk was too light, the curry flavors were understated, and the chicken broth was overwhelming.  Fine, acceptable, adequate...but not amazing, awesome, or delicious.

The vegetables and noodles were wonderful.  Keep that part.

I plan on making this recipe again, with some tweaks.  When I do, I'll write a review...and possibly an amended recipe.

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of this adequate dish.  Mine looked pretty much exactly like the picture in the original post, which is featured below.

Not my picture. Cooking Light has better photographers than me.