Daily Koda

 A  little bit of snow on the ground, but you can still see green peeking throughout. Was pretty cold thought - going to chance, Christmas Eve here is going to be in the mid 50's with Christmas Day being a stormy mess.

  We are heading out in the am -SO these are the last white dog in snow pics for the year

Good Dog!

Sounds of the Season : 5

Merry Christmas from the Classic City! 

MARTHA'S EGG NOG

I'm pretty sure I post this one every year - and one of these days I am going to make it.

MARTHA'S EGG NOG

Fa -ra-ra-ra-ra ....

Quiz: How well do you know the holiday flick 'A Christmas Story'?

Sunshine AND rainbows

From the Maimi Herald :Same-sex marriage will begin Jan.6 in Florida — the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday evening denied Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s request to Justice Clarence Thomas that he extend a stay preventing the state from recognizing the marriages of eight gay and lesbian couples.

“The application for stay presented to Justice Thomas and by him referred to the Court is denied,” the Supreme Court announced Friday night, allowing Florida to become the 36th state, plus the District of Columbia, to recognize same-sex marriage.

In a statement Friday night, Bondi conceded: “Tonight, the United States Supreme Court denied the State’s request for a stay in the case before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Regardless of the ruling, it has always been our goal to have uniformity throughout Florida until the final resolution of the numerous challenges to the voter-approved constitutional amendment on marriage. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan.5.”

The case, however, isn’t over. Legal arguments haven't been heard before the 11th Circuit, which hasn’t ruled on the merits of the case.  ( the  rest  )

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/gay-south-florida/article4699455.html#storylink=cpy

Sounds of the Season : 6

DARLENE LOVE

( on David Letterman )

This was the very first one of the annual holiday tradition, 1986.




David Letterman ends his show this spring, so tonight will be the last Christmas for the show.

The NYT's take this week :

Darlene Love would like it known that she is available at the holiday season to perform “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” under certain conditions.

“It’s still a Christmas song till Jan. 1,” said Ms. Love, the rock, soul and gospel singer, as she sat in a Midtown Manhattan bistro on Thursday afternoon.

But she has vowed not to sing it for any other TV talk-show hosts after David Letterman, the man who gave her an on-air platform to perform it for nearly 30 years.

“People say, ‘He can’t demand that,'” Ms. Love explained, sweeping back her curly platinum hair. “I say, ‘He’s not demanding.’ I made a point myself, and I want to do it just for David.”

Television is rich with year-end traditions, whether it’s Rudolph’s resplendent nose or Charlie Brown’s defeated Christmas tree. But now one of these enduring institutions is about to fade out like so many Yule logs.

A few hours after this interview, Ms. Love, 73, stepped onto the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater and sang this signature song on Mr. Letterman’s “Late Show” for the final time.

Her prediction was that, when she concluded that show (which will be broadcast on Friday night), “it’s going to be a weepy moment, for me anyway.”

“I hope I don’t look like a clown by the time it’s all over,” she added.

Ms. Love’s annual presentation of this song, which she originally recordedfor the 1963 Phil Spector album “A Christmas Gift for You,” is one of several customs that will come to an end when Mr. Letterman departs his CBS program on May 20.

Her association with Mr. Letterman goes back to 1986, when she sang the song on his NBC show, “Late Night,” with the bandleader Paul Shaffer and what was then a four-piece rock group trying to replicate Mr. Spector’s echoing Wall of Sound style. THE REST

Christmas Morning ?

PBS Gingerbread Pancakes recipe from scratch - This recipe is a great seasonal spiced pancake with hints of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The flavor is not too overwhelming but is more subtle. Kids love these pancakes and you will too!

Ingredients

1 cup milk
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons molasses
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Up to 4 additional tablespoons milk or water, if needed

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the milk, sour cream, eggs, butter, molasses, and vanilla until well mixed – the mixture should not have any clumps of sour cream.  Tip : Use a blender on medium-low speed to mix the wet ingredients.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt over the large bowl holding the wet ingredient mixture.
Slowly whisk the ingredients until the batter is smooth.  The batter should not be runny but also not too thick.  You can add more water or milk if needed.
Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium low heat and coat it with non-stick spray.
Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter in the pan. Spread the batter in a 5 inch circle.
Watch for the pancake to start forming bubbles around the 1 minute mark.  When this happens, gently flip the pancake over and cook for 60 seconds or until golden.
Spray non-stick spray between cooking new pancakes.
Serve immediately.