Today in Tulsa Blogs

From time to time I find that I've spent an entire morning reading blogs. With all the banter and pontificating and re-telling and general memoir yumminess, it's hard to keep from it from time to time (read: more often that it makes me comfortable to admit. There's dishes and laundry and baby-raisin' to do around here, after all).

Everyone - that is, unless you're still one of those people who ask, "What's a blog?" and if you are, odds would have it that you're not reading this, anyway - has their vices when it comes to blog reading. Mine is The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Did you all see the Beef Stew with Mushrooms she posted today? Lord. Have. Mercy. On my thighs. Because that's right where a recipe by Ree Drummond typically heads - at least, that's true in my case. That all of the recipes on her site now print with ease thanks to HP, my hodgepodge, finders-keepers cookbook stuffed in a three-ring binder left over from college is expanding. Also, my second chin, it is screaming. These days, it's really been throwing its weight around.

Good thing second chins don't get a vote in my house. Stand down, chins!

Speaking of second chins, Hillary over at Life Yoga, a one-woman Tulsa yoga studio that specializes in private and small classes, has a set of resolutions we should all heed now if we don't want to be making lofty vows to ourselves to lose weight and get in shape come the morning of Jan. 1. While I personally have a hard time giving up all of the comfort food that's available around holiday time, I like Hillary's idea of starting family traditions to stay trim.

Start new family traditions. This year my mom and I came up with an idea to start taking a walk every holiday after our meal. We took an hour long walk a few hours after Thanksgiving lunch. All the boys were taking a nap anyways- so we didn't miss a thing and got to spend some great time together. And lets face it- we live in Oklahoma, it's probably going to be 70 on Christmas anyways...

However you choose to spend your holiday just know that it is an excuse to get together with your family and friends- not to eat whatever you want with no consequences. You will feel much better if you follow these simple steps- and will be able to make a much better New Years resolution than losing weight.

Okay, okay, Hillary, I give up - no five slices of pie in one day this Christmas for Tasha. Thanks for working to keep us healthy, woman.

For all my knitting friends, be sure to put on your creative thinking caps and enter to win a 500-yard skein of organic, fingering-weight merino from the folks at Clear Creek Lavender. The prompt: Name the new colorway. You have until noon or so on Wednesday.

77 Counties has a striking image of my beloved Theta Pond. I spent many an afternoon sketching and dodging bird poop at that pond instead of studying in the library, where I should have been. If you haven't yet checked out the 77 Counties project, do it now. The photos are choice.

My pal Carrisa over at And So She Blogs has a valuable lesson for all of you who forget to lock up (I live with one, too, Carrisa - we should start a support group). Plus, she's got delicious, buttery, sweet-smelling baby photos.

Michael Bates - or, as I like to call him, Bates (actually, I call him, "He Who Knows," but usually only in the confines of my feeble little mind) - has a reminder about tonight's showing of the newest Jack Frank show, Tulsa A-Z. Head to Batesline for details, and be sure to tune in.

Jeff Shaw over at Bounded Rationality has a review of a new restaurant downtown. I tried it a few weeks ago and I, too, give Zorba's Greek Grill two thumbs up.

For all you history buffs out there, boy, do I have a blog for you: Historic Tulsa. Check out three recent posts on midtown mansions: Parriot Mansion, Carl K. Dresser House (read: Tulsa wedding central) and Moore Manor, on the same tract as the Creek Nation Council Oak, the fabled birthplace of Tulsa. I love those old photos, don't you all?

The always snarky Irritated Tulsan has 25 Uses for Leftover Turkey. Here's a preview: Use No. 24 is pothole filler. Use No. 12? Monopoly game pieces. Use No. 1? Unmentionable here on this mostly family-friendly blog. Check it out - you won't be sorry.

Ever get the hankerin' for horseback riding? Ron over at Route 66 News has a little somethin' for ya - Route 66 Riding Stables. Check out his photos and review. While you're there, have a look around the site. Ron writes about everything from restaurants on Route 66 to Route 66 property for sale. It's a great resource and an even better read.

All these holidays got you thinking it's finally time to learn to boil water? Learn that and more in the cooking classes at The Stock Pot. Check Tulsa Food Blog for offerings and times.

Did you miss Garden Glow at Philbrook last Saturday? No worries - you can catch some pics over at What's Up @ Philbrook, a blog about Tulsa's world-class museum at 2424 S. Rockford, updated daily.

Speaking of Tulsa's world-class museums, take a virtual tour of the one on Gilcrease Museum Road, thanks to Yogi at Yogi's Den.

To what Tulsa and Oklahoma blogs are you addicted? Share and feast upon links in the comments.

Get Your Lights On: Christmas Lights in Tulsa

View Get Your Lights On in a larger map

This week isn't just about stuffing yourself with pound after pound of nap-inducing poultry or shopping the Black Friday doorbusters in your chain mail. As any former kid knows, Thanksgiving Day and the days that follow are for decking the halls and trimming the Christmas tree.

After everyone understands each other about the "strange words" you were shouting as you attempted to detangle yourself from a mammoth ball of Christmas lights not even Clark Griswold could muster, it'll be time to brighten these wintry, early-occurring evenings with the lighting of hundreds of thousands of little twinkling lights.

Good thing there are plenty of ways to see the first of this year's Christmas lights in the Tulsa area, and more than one of them includes cookies and hot chocolate. Check 'em out:

Rhema Lights On
When: Wednesday, Nov. 25, 6pm
Where: Rhema Bible College, 1025 W. Kenosha Street
Take a break from cooking and join Rhema's Hagin family as they flip the switch on one of the most anticipated Christmas lights display of the year in this neck of the woods. Making Tulsa visible from space for the 27th year in a row, Rhema expects to draw more than 200,000 from all over Oklahoma and our surrounding states to show off their 1.8 million lights. The kicker? Once you fight the traffic and find parking, there isn't one. It's all free and open to the public.

Utica Square Lights On
When: Thursday, Nov. 26, 6:30pm
Where: Utica Square, 21st Street and Utica Avenue
Put away the turkey, bundle up the kiddos and head to Utica Square this Thanksgiving Day to bear witness to one of the most well-attended, longest-running (40 years!) lights on events in the state. Santa Claus will make an appearance, and he'll stick around long enough to count down the lighting of over 700,000 bright-and-twinklies in nearly 200 trees all over Tulsa's most upscale, historic shopping center.

Garden of Lights

When: Thursday, Nov. 26
Where: Honor Heights Park in Muskogee
Count 'em - one million lights, baby. It takes 120 acres to contain all that Christmas cheer at Muskogee's Honor Heights Park. The fun continues through Dec. 31.

Arvest Winterfest

When: Friday, Nov. 27, 4pm
Where: On Third Street, between Denver and Frisco Avenues in downtown Tulsa
Wanna see the largest Christmas tree in the entire state of Oklahoma? Then you've gotta check out the new and improved, second annual Arvest Winterfest celebration. Relish the chance to ice skate outdoors (not always a sure thing when it comes to winter in Oklahoma) on a 60-by-150-foot rink, yummy food, live entertainment, photo ops with the Segway Santa and a carriage ride through the streets of downtown Tulsa. If you miss it this weekend, don't worry - it continues through Jan. 4. Get a listing of a full months' worth of Winterfest goodness here.

Wonderland of Lights
When: Fridays-Sundays, starting Friday-Dec. 20, 5-9pm
Where: Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, southwest of Barlesville
Ever seen a buffalo with a red, glowing nose? You just might if you head to Woolaroc for its Wonderland of Lights. See 650,000 lights, sing carols, sit back for a wagon ride and a cup of cider, see Santa and sneak a peek at the Holiday Horseman, all on Oklahoma's own 3,700-acre wildlife preserve. Just, whatever you do, don't tip Rudolph. Admission is $8 for guests aged 12-64 and $6 for seniors. Children 11 and under get in free.

Christmas Kingdom

When: Friday, Nov. 27
Where: The Castle of Muskogee, 3400 Fern Mountain Road
There's nothing like a 20-foot inflatable to get a person into the holiday spirit. Get that and 999 other Christmas Inflatables, along with thousands of lights, in this fourth annual, free event. Check out the horse carriage rides starting at 6pm, and don't miss Christmas in the Garden Room, cookies and hot chocolate (nightly from 6-10pm), tractor-drawn hay rides and a visit with Father Christmas (Fridays and Saturdays, 6-9pm). Check out the full calendar of events at OKCastle.com.

Lights on the Hill at Chandler Park
When: Fridays-Sundays, starting Nov. 27 thru Dec. 27, 6-9pm
Where: Chandler Park, 6500 W. 21st Street
When it comes to aerial views of neighborhood Christmas lights (not to mention the view of the skyline), it's tough to beat the top of the hill at Chandler Park. Throughout the rest of this month and into the next, take a drive through three miles of bright lights and whimsical displays, catch live performances by local high schools, churches and more. Plus, snag a scenic horse-and-carriage ride. Be sure to stay tuned until Dec. 5 from 4-6pm, when you and the kiddos can have your photo snapped with Santa. Don't forget to bring enough cookies and milk to share.

Garden Glow

When: Saturday, Nov. 28, 4-8pm

Where: Philbrook Museum of Art, 2424 S. Rockford Ave.

Don't use all your Christmas light-gawking energy before Saturday, folks, because this second-annual, free event at one of Tulsa's cherished landmarks is not to be missed. Spend some time perusing the exhibits at Philbrook and then head outside at 6pm to see thousands of lights come to life in the garden. The entire museum will be open to all, and music, food, hot chocolate and kids' activities will be in good supply.

Hey. Where do you go to find Christmas lights in Tulsa? Enlighten us (sorry, I couldn't help myself) in the comments.

Rhema photo by dsjeffries on Flickr

Wonderland of Lights photo from TravelOK.com