Narf!!

Happy Year of the Rat! We slept with the lights on last night, to keep the ghosts away, and today I'll be feasting on dumplings (for luck), tangerines (for prosperity) and the longest noodles I can find (for longevity). Normally I'd have a nice bunch of many-petaled chrysanthemums as decorations, too, but since Sandy spent a recent weekend plucking all the leaves off my one remaining houseplant, I think fresh flowers would be way too tempting (and asking for trouble -- I don't want my kittens messing with my longevity!).

Perhaps even more than Mickey, my favorite rodents are Pinky and The Brain. (The series is currently being shown on the Cartoon Disney channel.) During this Year of the Rat, I will take inspiration from Pinky's easygoing optimism as well as Brain's ability to plan (although let's hope I am more successful in carrying plans through to a successful conclusion!).   

While I was searching Google Images for a pretty chrysanthemum photo, I found this cool rock called chrysanthemum stone. The mineral is called celestite and in new age circles it is believed to be a crystal of transformation that encourages spiritual "flowering." I want one!)