December 23, 2022

Marina Zezelina/Shutterstock

Many have already left for the warm islands of the Pacific Ocean, some have already taken off to snowy slopes. Regardless of where you're headed please be careful. I'm a snowbird and I love snow, and I love sleet, and I love rain, and I love hail. In my hometown of Derry, New Hampshire they got a big storm there, and in the Midwest, we've got a big storm brewing, and also in the northwest. The area that's also going to be getting this is mountain west - Aspen, Snowmass, Telluride, Vale and other ski resorts. Wherever you’re going be safe and bring sunscreen. The sun can be just as bad in the snow as it is at the beach.

From: Almanac.com, December 21, 2022

For the northern half of Earth (the Northern Hemisphere), the winter solstice occurs annually on December 21 or 22. (The Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice occurs in June.) The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Thankfully, after we reach the winter solstice, the days begin to once again grow longer and longer until we reach the summer solstice—the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.

Getty Images

From: NOAA

Winter Storms

A winter storm is a combination of heavy snow, blowing snow and/or dangerous wind chills. A winter storm is life-threatening.

From: The Weather Channel

A look at the national current conditions and forecast is found at the link below.

I've been fascinated with gingerbread houses since I was a small child. God knows how many I've given out over the years, and this year was no exception. The winner right now of my own informal gingerbread competition is the Sunrise Pet Clinic. I'm so proud of these angels. The get creative and there's no end to the bounds of their imaginations. Please enjoy what you're going to see.

From: Sunrise Pet Clinic Facebook Page

It’s that time of year - you know what that means ….. gingerbread houses (or other things)

Voting is open from today until midnight, New Year’s Eve!  

ANY and ALL interactions (likes, loves, hugs, LOL, wow, sad, or angry) will count as a vote. 

Comments do not count but are ALWAYS welcome and fun to read.

I've been focusing on volcanoes for the past few weeks, and they remain at the forefront of my mind. As you know we went from volcanic lava flows to possible snow ball fights on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. These two volcanoes on the Island of Hawai'i while side by side are actually very different from each other.

From: The New York Times, By: JoAnna Klein, May 3, 2017

Mauna Loa, the biggest volcano on Earth — and one of the most active — covers half the Island of Hawaii. Just 35 miles to the northeast, Mauna Kea, known to native Hawaiians as Mauna a Wakea, rises nearly 14,000 feet above sea level. To them it represents a spiritual connection between our planet and the heavens above.

These volcanoes, which have beguiled millions of tourists visiting the Hawaiian Islands, have also plagued scientists with a long-running mystery: If they are so close together, how did they develop in two parallel tracks along the Hawaiian-Emperor chain formed over the same hot spot in the Pacific Ocean — and why are their chemical compositions so different?

HILO, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that a forest reserve, a trail and a sanctuary will reopen on Hawai’i Island after closures occurred due to Mauna Loa’s eruption, which began two weeks ago.

From: History.com, By: Editors, December 6, 2022

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25—Christmas Day—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

Bing Crosby - Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song)

Christmas caroling in Ryazan, Russia. Picture: Getty

The singing of holiday songs and carols seems to be a universal way to celebrate the season around the world. Some of my favorite Christmas songs include Bing Crosby's Mele Kalikimaha and Elvis's Blue Christmas. I hope you enjoy them too.

From: Classic FM, By: Rosie Pentreath, December 17, 2021

Step aside for a moment, ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. We’re taking a sleigh ride around the world to discover different nations’ caroling traditions...

From: Love to Know, By: Jennifer L. Betts, June 3, 2021

Singing and listening to Christmas carols during the holiday season can help you connect with your cultural roots and heritage. Learn various Christmas songs from around the world, from France to Nigeria.

Elvis Presley, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Blue Christmas (Official Audio)

Getty Images

If you find yourself feeling blue during the holiday season, you’re not alone. It’s bad enough that winter is finally here, and the days are shorter and darker. Celebrating Christmas, especially during a pandemic when many people are already experiencing stress and fatigue, can often seem like a recipe for depression. But Christmas can also be a force for good. In 2015, Denmark researchers attempted “to detect and localize the Christmas spirit in the human brain.” When study subjects were shown holiday images, they exhibited clusters of increased activation in the sensory motor cortex, the premotor and primary motor cortex, and the parietal lobule. What the heck does that mean? It means Christmas really does make us happy.

The Center for Biological Diversity

Tucson's pop-up ice skating rink is back for another holiday season.

Thanks to Pima Pain Center, the City of Tucson and Rio Nuevo, the temporary outdoor rink, dubbed Tucson Holiday Ice, returned to downtown Tucson on Sunday, Nov. 20. The rink will be up until Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023 at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.

Gloria Knott, This is Tucson

You know we're always wondering who we should give to and what our choices are. I recently found out that if you go to the Park Place Mall in Tucson, you now have the opportunity to easily give to one of six charities through a vending machine. So, read this and if you happen to be shopping and are in the mood to give, here you go. I think it's a great idea.

From: This is Tucson, By: Gloria Knott, December 21, 2022

A hygiene kit, garden materials, meal boxes, kitchen items, one week of tutoring and shoelaces are among the items you can donate through two vending machines currently stationed at Park Place Mall. With the swipe of a credit card and the press of a few buttons, you're supporting one of six nonprofits, five of which are local.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

I want to give a shout-out to Tucson Electric Power who has been very gracious during the holidays by helping to sponsor holiday light displays including Winterhaven, The Reid Park Zoo, the Tucson Botanical Gardens and others Please as we reflect again on the spirit of Christmas note below what's happening in Tucson; The Nutcracker at the Tucson Symphony, the Tucson Botanical Gardens, the Reid Park Zoo, the Desert Museum and much more. And don't forget Winter Haven, where my family will be walking through on Christmas Eve. So, all I can say is Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

This weekend, you'll find lots of holiday and Christmas lights, Hanukkah events and menorah lightings, a pop-up record shop, cat trivia, and more fun in our favorite desert city. Of course, things can change quickly these days. Check for the latest info before heading out!

Andersen Airforce Base in Guam is a participant in the Department of Defense’s longest running humanitarian airlift operation, Operation Christmas Drop. I just want to recognize all our service men who won't make it home for Christmas, but still practice the Christmas spirit by delivering gifts via parachute throughout the Pacific Islands.

Operation Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense’s longest-running humanitarian airlift operation. The tradition began during the Christmas season in 1952 when a B-29 Superfortress aircrew saw islanders waving at them from the island of Kapingamarangi, 3,500 miles southwest of Hawaii. In the spirit of Christmas, the aircrew dropped a bundle of supplies attached to a parachute to the islanders below, giving the operation its name. Today, air drop operations include more than 50 islands throughout the Pacific.

If you are wanting to make Christmas happy for our service men who may not be lucky enough to have lots of gifts coming, the public is welcome to do so. Here's a list of gift suggestions that are popular amongst our troops.

The ultimate holiday guide to gifts that overseas military service members actually want to receive - brought to you by veterans who've been there. Gift-giving is hard enough as it is – now a few thousand miles, holiday shipping deadlines, limited storage and weird base rules. That’s where we come in!

You know there are so many wonderful things we have for children in this day and age, but I seem to focus on games and toys of past times that many of us grew up with. Did you have a Raggedy Ann doll, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys - I loved my Tinker Toys, Erector Sets, and so many other toys that have stood the test of time. You'll be amazed to see when some of these toys were first introduced.

The holiday season is upon us, which means it's the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic gifts—and for Americans to gear up accordingly and look out for the best deals. For retailers, it means lining physical and virtual shelves with the most popular toys and newest gadgets.

NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), began tracking Santa in 1955. NORAD replaced CONAD in 1958 and took over the mission of tracking Santa's flight around the world, and they have been tracking Santa every year since!

Bay Area Lyme Foundation

So, I found out that I have Lyme Disease. For those of us who love to get outside and go hiking we must be careful about ticks. After you go out be sure to check yourself for ticks that you can pick up hiking in the woods or just through tall grass. I've certainly been guilty of bushwhacking and going off trail. If you're an athlete you may right off the symptoms including minor aches and pains, or fatigue as the result of a tough workout. I'm just going to say be careful. I'm encouraging any of you who may have picked something up to now ignore it and see your doctor.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks. Laboratory testing is helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, and reducing tick habitat. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tickborne diseases as well.

Last week I honored the new hire at the University of Arizona School of Dance, Duane Cyrus (who prefers Cyrus to Duane). Obviously, he has a tremendous talent and a tremendous resume. Through Cyrus I met this photographer named Devon. I'm hoping to introduce him to our arts community here in Tucson, but today I'm introducing him to you.

From: Theatre of Movement

Devin Newkirk photographs the beauty of the world as he sees it reflected in diverse human beings and in nature. He enjoys discovering and exploring natural and urban landscapes. Of equal importance, his photography reflects the abiding beauty of African-Americans and the African diaspora. One of his primary inspirations is Theatre of Movement, where he photographs human beings in one of their most graceful and beautiful expressions — dance.

Devon Newkirk Photography

As you know, last month we did a deep dive into Indian culture and many of the religions of India. We haven't tapped into Christianity and Islam in India yet. They represent a smaller percentage of the population than Hinduism, but a larger population than Buddhism, Jainism, or Sikhism and we do not want to leave them out. We plan to revisit them in the new year and also plan to revisit Indian fashion as well with our dear friends Dr. Gulshan and Neelam Sethi. She's promised to let us take a deep dive into her treasure chest of vintage saris and as for Gulshan, I'm not sure if his neru jackets are vintage, but he looks awfully good in them and hopefully he'll sport a few and we'll get to show you them in a mid-January issue of the Flock.

So many flockers have asked me if its ok to share this newsletter with a friend and of course it is. You can share the Flock with friends by simply forwarding this email to them. If they like it, all are invited to subscribe by following this link.

-- Surprise, Still Life & Photo by Cita Scott, Visit Website

Merry Christmas

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

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