Daily Notes- October 27th- 52 new cases of COVID in our Yellow State.

Christmas Cactus blooming in late October.  Welcome color on these chilly mornings.  Furnace running already.  Sweaters on.  Corduroy pants.  Smart Wool socks.  Lap throws in use. Dark by 4 pm coming soon.

Regarding the Christmas Cactus.  When I worked I mentioned in Fall classes to STOP watering the Christmas Cactus for the month of October and then begin watering to get flowers for Christmas.  It's the "feast or famine" principle of Mother Nature.  If plants think they might be dying- no water- they send up flowers (which contain seeds) to perpetuate the line so to speak.  I failed to water and then watered.  They got the message but too early.   And ..to clarify- if you water regularly- they might never flower. You have to scare them.  The red ones- are over 30 years old.  A Welcome Home gift from the Realtor.  We moved in on December 6th 1991.  Divided rarely- repotted even less often.  They like it that way. I do too.

Momma Rules for Christmas Shopping during COVID.  Make it. Bake it. Daughter is making the rounds of Goodwill for used clothing gifts and used books.  Nothing more is needed.  Well, a tree.  But that can wait till around Thanksgiving.  I just need to call in my order.  Hopefully, someone there remembers my name and I actually get a tree.

Paula out in Colorado is living thru the Fire and snow nightmare.  Los Angeles.  I can't imagine it. 

It's like the end of the world.  Disease, Fire, Hate. 

Today I am making Split Pea Soup for daughter.  I have two recipes.  One from Barefoot Contessa.  They are pretty much the same- split pea soup is pretty basic.  But Ina, holds back a quarter of the dry peas for an hour and then adds them.  Perhaps, less of a mushy texture?  We'll see.  It's more of a chopping recipe. Carrot, onion, celery and potatoes.  I enjoy chopping.  Especially if there is no "hurry up" involved. And I am happy to have that lovely baked ham end cut to add to the pot (and later cut into small pieces).

Storage Wars is on all day today.  And I have a new book to read.  I don't know which book I will choose. And Law and Order is on.  Yesterday there was zero for me to watch.  Zero.  I did watch a recorded NOVA episode on the alphabet.  How we went from pictures/marks to writing.  Every language's alphabet has the same source.  That was fascinating.  The origin of all the languages- the same source. And perhaps, with all our differences- all people from the same source as well.  It's something to consider.