Christmas with Flickr Post 3

So now I am typsy typing, so I do not expect much in description.

But, LOOK OUT FOR A CONTEST TOMORROW!!!

Christmas with Flickr-Post 2

Flickr is a great way for people to see some other talented people. It also can be a way to see some really funky stuff, but you have to look at that quickly, before the moderator gods strike it down.

But, back to the post, here is the 2nd of Christmas with Flickr, this time from Longwood Gardens.

Christmas with Flickr, post 1

Flickr is a great resource for pictures, especially stuff you can borrow for your own screensaver, not that a Duck has done that.

But I figure with the holidays, lets give some talent credit. With a week to go to Christmas, the Duck Family shares some flickr finds.

To start off, lets go Philly style when Mayor Street was wasting gobs of money.

Christmas Express: "I feel the need, the need for Treed"

To fulfill that holiday addiction that is Christmas Lights, lets get a look at some lovely Ole Tannenbaums




I have no idea where this one was taken, so I will just give credit to the Photographer, Jaded1.


Off to Amsterdam with our next pic.



and Finally, PPG Rink in Pittsburgh...




ahhhhh, all the beauty, none of the smell

Christmas Express cooks, work party style

I am crazy, really I must have been dipping in the eggnog or something when I said I would bring Christmas cookies to our work party tomorrow. Well, maybe I was thinking about spiked eggnog, since the cookie decision was made at 8 in the morning and not 8 at night.

Anyway, here it is about 5 minutes to 11 and I am still baking away. I usually thrive on getting things done at the last minute, so this should have been a piece of cake, or cookie actually. But, working until 7, being down one car and not starting until 8 or so was not the best plan. So we wait and wait and wait.

What did I make?? Well of course, Sparky can share one of the recipes, maybe it will come out better for you.

M & M Dream Bars


24 servings

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup melted butter
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup M&M's
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, coconut, baking soda, and salt; add melted butter and stir until moist (the mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1 1/2 cups and press remaining crumbs into a greased 13X9-inch baking pan (I line the pan with non-stick foil.).
2. Bake 12 minutes at 375°F.
3. Combine milk and peanut butter; carefully spread over baked crust. Sprinkle on M&M's and chocolate chips. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over chocolate pieces and lightly press crumbs down.
4. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

Credit to GaylaJ

Oh yea and here is your dose of Lights, this time presented by MEHughes, from Mystic, CT.

Christmas Express visits Budapest

Which is Hungary, I think. Yes, Hungary, though briefly I though Budapest, India. Obviously work is frying my brain.



Thanks to Yanosso for this one

Christmas Express-Picture Find #2-Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts

Flickr is a great place to find some festive Christmas pictures. How do I know? Well, this is picture find #2 on the Christmas Express.



Credit goes to Hal Morgan on Flickr.

And next year, I really gotta get a graphic for the Christmas Express...

Express-Picture Find #1 Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

First off, I had to do a little bit of a double take on the name of the neighborhood in Brooklyn, but the beauty of the picture made me do a triple take.



I wish I could take credit for the picture, but alas I just found it. All props go to Richard Carey on Flickr.

Oh yea, and don't forget about the Christmas Cards

Christmas Express-The Card Edition

Last Years display


Introducing the Christmas Express here on Philly Transplant. I love Christmas and so for the next few weeks, look for quite a few Christmas related posts, recipes, pictures and other stuff, hopefully, since we all know about how best laid plans go.

We are doing those photo Christmas Cards this year, or at least we sure hope we are, since we have to take care of it this weekend or we will be sending the damned things out on Christmas Eve. Luckily, we picked up a few regular ones from Target last week, so we can get started some.

Along those lines, while this will not be a Christmas card exchange, since that gets to messy figuring out who gets what and who, etc, etc, etc, I will be asking my blogger buddies if they want a "Holiday" card from the Duck Family. If so, anytime this week, drop me an email at blujackit AT gmail DOT com, with your address and you will be on the list. Festive, isnt it?

Thursday Thirteen #14-Christmas Lights!!!

Thirteen Pictures of Sparky's Christmas Lights 1. The Lights in the backyard, the stars sparkle and the net lights aren't bad to work with. 2. This is our reindeer, which is on its last legs, literally, see the front ones are out. 3. The luminaries, which have been nothing but a pain in the neck this year. These are a one and done decoration. 4. The front window and porch. You should really see how much it lights up the front yard. 5. The other newest addition, and this one is very very cool looking. It kind of sparkles, even if its not supposed to. 6. The view when you pull into a parking spot 7. Our row of homes is great, they all decorate and all kind of match in theme. This is the whole row, well sort of. 8. The tree in the dark, the lights flicker, thats not a hole. 9. The tree so you can see it. Notice the Oregon Cotton Bowl ornament, the Favre ornament, the many Eeyores, and the engagement box from 2 years ago now. 10. I love what Mrs Duck does to the mantle and the steps. 11. As you can see, Mrs Duck loves Snowmen. And Kittie's stocking will stay up in the middle. 12. A tree closeup 13. This is just a picture that I took at Mrs. Duck's office, just because I ran out of home Christmas pictures. Happy Holidays Everyone!!! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Holiday Schilling

The Awesomely Awesome Local Girl is hosting a Christmas Tree Contest over at her blog, and yours truly is entered this year. If you feel festive, or even you know can be bribed with virtual hugs, go over and vote for my tree, heck anyones tree, because honestly, mine is not the best of the bunch this year. Hey, but don't forget the Sparkly, as Haley-O says.

Richmond VA, Christmas Capitol of the World??

So, Mrs Duck and I were watching the Crazy Christmas light show on TLC. I am sure it will be repeated many many times, so, dont worry if you have missed it. Anyway, besides the slightly stoned guy in Palm Springs, it was all about Richmond, Virginia. Apparently, they even have a website dedicated to there Christmas craziness. So if you are below the Mason-Dixon line, you may want to check out The Tacky Light Tour which lists all of these Christmas Crazies that put up hundred's of thousands of lights in the yard, starting 3 months ahead of time. Oh and did I mention the Deputy Sheriff of Henrico County who has been named Mr Christmas. He runs his own low watt radio station that does a breakdown of each light display that makes the tour.

Mrs Duck will not allow me to go that nuts, and truthfully, I dont really think I can, well at least not yet, since we do have to pay for electricity, but still rent, so I cant have a 65 foot inflatable Santa on the roof. And yes, I said 65 foot.