James Bradley was an English astronomer, best known for two fundamental discoveries in astronomy. The first is the aberration of light (1725 - 1728), which explained the displacement of the apparent path of light from a star, providing conclusive evidence for the movement of the Earth.
The second is the nutation of the E
arth's axis (1728 - 1748), also known as the oscillation of the Earth's axis. Caused by the changing direction of the gravitational pull of the moon on the equatorial bulge, Bradley's observations covered the period from 1727 to 1747, as a full cycle of the motion of the moon's nodes is approximately 18.6 years. He choose not to publish until 1748 when the cycle was complete, but announced this discovery on December 31, 1744.
Nutation is defined as a rocking, swaying, or nodding motion. It is quite the coincidence that the discovery of the Earth's nutation would be announced on New Year's Eve, which in itself tends to include rocking celebrations, swaying (whether due to music or alcohol), and eventually a nodding motion as even the most stalwart of individuals will draw their merriment to a close and slumber.
As New Year’s Eve rolls across the globe with a sense of wonder and renewal, I bid each and every one of us great joy, peace and prosperity.
It is a magical time of year. As I grow older (and presumably wiser), Christmas has less and less to do with the hustle and bustle of crowds or the army of Santas available at every turn or the amount of presents under the tree. It is more about the opportunity to stop and smell the mistletoe, to listen to music that is put away the rest of the year, to focus on everything that is truly important in life.
It is a festival of the human heart, a time of year when heavenly forces inspire us to focus on joy instead of fear, on sharing instead of wanting, on love instead of hate, the rebirth of the soul and the return of the light to earth.
The "Toys of Tots" box in our office was filled to the brim, a testament to doing good things without needing recognition or reward. Store managers had the pleasure of calling up families who didn't think they'd have Christmas gifts and tell them the good news: "Layaway Angels" anonymously paid for their layaway items.
The vanishing days before Christmas and its fleeting magic tends to make people more mindful that you can’t buy what Christmas is about or put it under a tree. Gifts of wonder and time carry more value than monetary gifts, and the most meaningful gifts tend to cost little to nothing. The people we love around us is really everything we need.
"And he puzzled three hours, 'til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! 'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!' "
Italy emerged from World War I in a poor and weakened condition, a costly conflict borne by an relatively new and underdeveloped country. Post-war inflation and large debts led to mass unemployment, food shortages, strikes, and general unrest throughout the country.
With no obvious solutions in sight, millions of Italians left their homeland, about half going to other locations in Europe, hoping for a better life; the rest headed to ports of departure throughout Europe, including Le Havre (France), Hamburg (Germany), and the Italian cities of Naples, Palermo, Venice and Genoa. Steamships picked up their human cargo and set sail to points north, south, east and west. The overwhelming majority of immigrants traveled in steerage, packed in as tightly as space would allow, and days dragged into weeks, waiting and waiting for the ship to complete its journey and arrive at the dock.
My four grandparents were among the millions of Italians who immigrated to the United States. Eighty-five years ago today, on December 17, 1926, Emilio Frederick Tabacchi stepped on board the SS Duilio. Two weeks later, the ship approached the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, and for those on board the American Dream was finally at hand. Eventually he would pass through the huge Registry Room on Ellis Island and then travel by train to Santa Barbara, his home for the rest of his life.
Today I say thank you to those who came before me, their stories of risk, courage and determination an inspiration for me as I continue on my journey, each remembrance breathing life once more into those who paved the way for us.
"To those who came before me in seasons long ago
To those who are the loved-ones that I have yet to know
To those whose noble names I bear, whose light within me burns
To them in gratitude shall my heart be turned ." - Sally DeFord
Christmas would be incomplete for me without a panettone, a risen bread rich with eggs and butter, sweet with honey, scented with vanilla and lemon zest, with the finishing touch of dried and candied fruits. This labor intensive treat is best accompanied by hot cocoa or liqueur, although I have been known to toast a slice for breakfast or to even make a type of French toast using panettone.
My grandmother made them when I was a child, mixing ingredients, including a special flavoring that came from Italy called "spumadoro" which has a distinctive citrus flavor. The dough would rise, rest, be punched down and allowed to rise again and again, producing a high and light treat. The traditional method is accomplished over the course of several days, including long sessions of kneading and allowing for up to 20 hours of rising, creating a sweet, complex flavor as a result of the fermentation of the dough. Traditional panettone uses a biga – a pre-ferment made from a mixture of flour, yeast and water that ferments overnight – to achieve a high rise and a nice deep flavor.
This famous Italian bread has its modern-day beginnings in Milan, Italy, around the 15th century; that much is certain as it is mentioned in a recipe book written the personal chef to popes and emperors during the time of Charles V. The origins of this cake appear to be far older, dating back to the Roman Empire when ancient Romans sweetened a type of leavened bread with honey. The first recorded association of panettone with Christmas can be found in 18th century writings.
As with many things whose origins are lost to time, panettone is the stuff of legends and numerous stories about how it originated abound. The most common version refers to young nobleman who fell in love with the daughter of a poor baker named Toni. In order to impress the daughter, the nobleman disguised himself as a pastry chef’s apprentice in her father’s bakery and created a tall fruit studded bread to present to her father, calling it “Pan de Toni” and winning the admiration of the lady and the father’s respect who then blesses the marriage. Another version refers to a poor baker named Tonio who developed a special bread to earn the dowry for his daughter to marry a nobleman. A different version altogether says it was Christmas and the cook in a famous Milan family had no dessert to offer, so the guests were given a sweet bread baked by a kitchen boy called Toni. All three stories are rich and fanciful, just like a panettone.
Many variations exist, including cake stuffed with chocolate chips, cream, or even lemon liqueur, but the traditional recipe for a fluffy, dome-shaped cake dotted with dried fruit and candied citrus peel remains my favorite, with more than 50 million sold during the Christmas holidays. I will eat my share, both as dessert or breakfast, the yeasty citrus scent taking me back to my grandmother's kitchen with its wonderful sights, sounds, and smells, and the good times we shared as a family in that room full of love.
Cindy and I recently spent a couple of days in Victoria, British Columbia. We headed north from Bellingham, drove across the border and headed west to Tsawwassen to catch the ferry to Victoria. We lined up with the rest of the cars and patiently waited our turn to drive onto the ferry, and then watched as people got out of their vehicles and headed to the terminal.
As novice ferry waiters, we followed suit and found ourselves surrounded by various eateries, gift kiosks and coffee shops. Eventually it was time to get back in the car and drive onto the ferry, which we both expected would be spent in the car. Again we watched as practically everyone abandoned their vehicle and headed up one or two flights of stairs, and again we followed.
We were surprised and pleased to find out this ferry was more like a cruise ship than a transportation vessel, with multiple places to eat, comfortable seats, work stations for those with laptops, play areas for children, and 
even (for an extra fee) a quiet room with over sized chairs and wi-fi. I'm sure we looked like Ma and Pa Kettle visiting a big city, as I just couldn't stop looking around or wanting to walk all over the ship to see what else there was. It was a beautiful day and smooth passage as we threaded through the Gulf Islands and saw many small lighthouses, such as this one on Prevost Island.
An opportunity to see the Vinyl Cafe Christmas Show at the Royal Theatre and spending time in Victoria was the destination. The show was, of course, wonderful and Victoria, the City of Gardens and a favorite destination of tourists from around the world, was beautiful. However, as with many trips, it was not the destination that brought the most happiness, but rather, the journey. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best when he said "Life is a journey, not a destination.”
arth's axis (1728 - 1748), also known as the oscillation of the Earth's axis. Caused by the changing direction of the gravitational pull of the moon on the equatorial bulge, Bradley's observations covered the period from 1727 to 1747, as a full cycle of the motion of the moon's nodes is approximately 18.6 years. He choose not to publish until 1748 when the cycle was complete, but announced this discovery on December 31, 1744.
