Crystal Perfection

Could someone please tell me how nature can be this amazing? This is an actual picture of a snowflake. Perfectly symmetrical and, if you look closely, there's even a smaller snowflake outline right in the center. How can something this perfect be created in an instant and just fall out of the sky? And not just one perfect design falling... but millions. It's so completely awesome. Another fabulous joy of the season. Merry Christmas.

Genetic sludge #1 or Thank You, Mr Bear

I've recently been told that at the ripe old age of 35 that i'm developing cataracts. Luckily they're the kind that start from the outside and work their way in, (instead of creating a giant blur in the middle) - referred to as "corneal spikes" or some crap. More genetic sludge passed directly along from my father. (He owes me a pony.) It's comforting to know that this bear has already undergone his cataract surgery and is blazing the way for me. Thank You, Mr. Bear. Your deed has not gone unnoticed.

My current obsession

My obsession of the moment is pioneerwoman.com. This woman is hysterically funny, takes fabulous photos, lives on a ranch and has recipes on her site that has you drooling all over yourself and side-tripping by the store on the way home so that you can make what you just saw. Her blogs are fantastically funny and sweet and completely honest. And she's obsessed with her dogs, which makes me love her even more. She's living a hard-working, cattle ranch life that I've dreamt about most of my life. It must correspond to one of my past lives, because I can clearly picture my wide open space, cabin in the middle of a prairie, with the mountains right next door. Of course, I'd be a prairie woman with a vegetarian lifestyle because I couldn't actually kill anything without sobbing hysterically and having a four hour memorial service for it.
But please run to check out this website. And take time to watch the videos.