Stuff

Wind power in Denmark

Looks like a Ferris wheel in London

Dancers in Morocco or is it an exercise group?

the truth will out, it just takes time.

A lovely dahlia, nothing short of a miracle. 

Not a creature is moving, not a breeze to be had, a very quiet Sunday morning . . . well, it is six a.m. and most sensible folks are sleeping in.   The news is touting about record heat waves across our country.  I hope you are able to stay cool where you are.    I have some clippings to pick up this morning as I tried to clip back the margarita bush which has died on the vine. The only green was some new growth at the very bottom so it isn't dead yet.    It may have to be taken out completely but not by me, my sawing days are over.   I am waiting patiently for the new yard man to come and show me if he has talents to neaten the flower beds.  Right now they look wild and alive with color but so many plants and not enough room for them to spread properly.     The rains have created a jungle and the bees and butterflies are content.   I wonder where the little garden snake is . . . I don't really want to know as he scares me and he is all of eight or nine inches long.   I haven't seen the pregnant cat this week, maybe her time has come and she found her way to her own back yard.    I was going to put out a call for homes for kittens if she had them under my porch.    She laid around stretching and yawning defying me to throw her out from under the porch.    Now she has disappeared so maybe she does know where she lives.  I wouldn't mind if she brought her new kittens for a visit as long as she doesn't leave them behind.  So take a walk around your yard and see what you can find hiding in your bushes and plants.     Keep an eye out for the bees and butterflies and watch for a humming bird . . . ah, summer teeming with life.  Make this Sunday a lazy day, you deserve one.  I'm off to put on my coffee and open the other eye.   Hugs to all.

Saturday

I don't know who the Old Moss Woman is but I certainly love her photographs.   I may have shown this one before, or one very much like it as it is sunshine and shadows , serenity at its best.   How wonderful to wake up and be able to go for a walk along this trail.    Reminds me of the Redwoods. 

Here is one way to save your dollar bills.    How clever.    It takes some imagination and know how to be able to fold a dollar bill into art.  

Well, Saturday has arrived and it is summer;  put those two together and you have a fun day ahead of you.   You have choices to make today, have some fun and take yourself away from home and yard duties, or buckle down and catch up with some of your items on your to do list.    I haven't made up my mind yet.  It is much too early and I haven't had my coffee so until I wake up I will stay undecided.  I haven't even turned the news on or made my blueberry pancakes . . . so off I go.    Make your Saturday a day to remember by giving yourself permission to do exactly what you want to do;  not what you think you have to do;   be brave and reckless for a day and shore up your sunny side.  A good day for a ride to a beach, or a nearby lake.   A picnic lunch and a hike along a quiet trail . . . and if you are close by, pick me up, I think I just made up my mind  . . . Hugs to all.

Latest cartoons

The political cartoonist are up to date on Obama leadership.

\How many agencies are lined up with similar stories on how the American tax dollars are wasted.

Angie posted this on her Facebook and it should be re posted by all. . . join and spread the words.

I wonder what this man sees when he looks in a mirror.

I think we should have a special award for the political cartoonists who give us a chance to laugh as they bring out the latest news and events ongoing in our political society.   It is one way that most everyone checks out and learns what is going on in our nation's capitol.      How sad to find out that the individual workers are bent on getting their piece of the pie . . . millions of dollars spent on cheating the government and the government is 'us' . . . So, pay attention to the political cartoons and learn something new everyday.  Words and pictures help us to be in 'the know';   I'm looking at some words that I think will make you chuckle, "You need only two tools in life.   WD-40 and Duct tape.    If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40; if it shouldn't move and it does, use duct tape."      So take a little time out this weekend and check around and see if you need to use a little WD-40 and/or some duct tape.   

Make TGIF meaningful and enjoy the day and you will be ready for the upcoming weekend, sunshine, rest and relaxation on the river, in the back yard, or at a cool movie;  don't forget the ice tea or lemonade and share it which makes it taste better.    Smile, giggle, grin and laugh out loud as it exercises all the right muscles. . .look ma, no double chin.    Hugs to all.

 

Ideas

You may have seen this cartoon before;   it is one of those do as I say not as I do.  Although my doctor is fit and thin and practices what he preaches.    He is for moderation, the key to success if we would only practice it on a daily basis.

Marge sent some new ideas and this one seems to have merit.  Green grapes for white wine and I bet red grapes would look good in the red wines.   Wonder what the grapes would taste like.   Shall we try?

I don't think I would want to waste my chips for kindling;   I would much rather eat them.

Now this is a good idea, neat too.

It is Thursday, the 27th of June;  the month almost gone.   I don't know about you but my June went by fast as I got in a little road travel and enjoyed a little time away from home.     It feels good to be back and settled in .  The grocery shopping done and it took me a good hour to clean and chop up my fresh vegetables and fruits which makes it much easier to fix meals.   I think the foods keep better and longer too.  I had a vegetable dinner last evening;  a baked sweet potato with a little honey and cinnamon, a few stalks of asparagus; some cauliflower buds and broccoli which was delicious and hopefully non fattening as I added a few pounds with all my fancy eating out as we wined and dined up the coastal highways.  I am trying to ignore those brownies I bought before I left on the trip.   I don't know what I was thinking, but you can be sure it wasn't my girlish figure.    I have an empty dish to return to my neighbor who brought over some custard pie before I left;   so I'll return the dish with some brownies...voila, an easy way to get rid of temptation.   I wonder why sugar is such a temptation when we know it packs on the pounds and the experts tell us it is poison to our system.     Sugar is blamed for a lot of weight gain, but it is in the over eating that creates the problem and the way our bodies react to it.    I once had a doctor tell me some sixty years ago that you don't cut out but you cut down on sugar, starch and fats as our body needs a bit of everything nutritious to stay healthy so how come I didn't follow his advice?  I thought I did, he just didn't mention portions!

So today think about spending some of your precious seconds fixing your fruits and vegetables in their special containers and be ready to fix a healthy meal.  In the long run it takes the work out of preparation.   Don't forget to fill you muffin tin with all the tasty tidbits to go on your hot dogs and hamburgers as you celebrate the Fourth of July which is coming up very soon.     Practice being a good scout and be prepared.   Invite family members and friends to join you as they come with a favorite dish and practice relaxation , meditation and peaceful thoughts as June leaves and July begins.   Hugs to all. 

New

A special board for the kitchen counter which does a special job of keeping your recipe handy as you cut up your vegies and fruits .  I'd like to see one and see it in action.

I guess you are in good hands when you sit on this sofa.

Now where was this stove when I was young with a growing family, friends dropping by and needed more than two cooking shelves.   How much easier it would have been to put on a big turkey dinner with all this space.

I was looking a some peaches at the market yesterday but they stayed there as the price is ridiculous.

Here it is Hump Day, Wednesday all day and it seems to come around very quickly for some but drags for others.   Time in each of our lives has its own way of passing as it moves swiftly for some and drags for others.   The old adage of 'what you put into your lives is what you get out of it' leads to attitude . . . yep, attitude . . . so if you are taking good care of yourself, eating right, exercising, extending the hand of friendship, giving of yourself without expectation of reward, then you have a tremendous attitude to live today.   On the other hand if you woke up grumbling, finding fault with everything and anything, then know you are going to have a 'bad' day, and endless round of downs .  The choice is yours.    Work at being 'goody-two-shoes' and challenge your family and friends to be a 'copy-cat' and watch a miracle happen.     You are a miracle in disguise, so it is time to take of the blinders and shine.  How to start . . . easy . . . put a smile on your face as you reach out and touch someone today.   Hugs to all.

New Ideas

How about an all wood tub;  sure is a beauty.  It looks a bit slippery to me, probably could get in but doubt I could get out again.

Hey John, a great idea for your office closet, no ocean view but I'm sue we could find a picture and make do.  

Looks like the artisans have been very busy.

Now here is an excellent idea for the holidays and gift giving.  

Moon, what moon, stormy weather. . . well hope all of you that did see it enjoyed the view.

This certainly looks like a good place to visit but I wonder what it is like in a huge storm.  


It is always fun to chase new ideas but some are very fattening or a bit daunting, or more expensive than one wants to put out in pocket.    It is Tuesday, all day, another stormy day and I have a check up to go to; semi annual now as I age.   All I have to do is convince the doctor that I am like a bottle of good wine and age to perfection.  My blood tests results stayed the same as last visit so I guess I'm good to age a bit more. 
The furnace is back on as the storms come in cold and dark and the ocean comes alive with big waves.   We only have another day or two and then have been promised heat and sunshine and I can turn it off again.   The blessing of storms is that no watering has to be done in the gardens, but it also means the new fellow, Rocky, may not show up although I have high hopes he will when the weather changes.    A new man to do some yard work, sure hope he comes back and is able to fit me into his schedule.    The hedge seems to be growing taller by the minute.   
I hope your today is filled with sunshine and you finish up your projects and find a little time for yourself before the day is over.     A little quiet time never hurt anyone I know of.    I'd say a break makes for new energy and the renewed strength brings on a feeling of accomplishment which each one needs to keep up your self worth.    When you are pleased with yourself then you make your life bright and beautiful, just like you.    Smile with your eyes and give some one special a hug today.    Time marches on, so stay in step and march right along with it.     Hugs to all.

Bridges

Oregon is noted for its bridges and we crossed quite a few.  

Each bridge is different and are all sizes and shapes.   All seem to be in good shape . 

I tried to capture the fog as most of our trip home in a rain storm .

A piece of the new bridge they have been working on for a year.   There is a traffic light stop so you wait for your turn to cross by the equipment and the one way opening.

The rain made patterns on the wind shield and this one was really something to see as it looked like a row of tiny fishes.    As you can see the ride home was a wet one but each mile brought us closer to home.  It is really nice to go and see what is out there when you have the opportunity . . . but after a long wet road trip it is so nice to be home, inside and looking out at the rain.

I took over fifty pictures and most are views you have seen before.    Patricia and I have taken the road north many times and each time we have taken the pictures along the coast and have shown them.   Both Oregon and Washington are similar in the flora and fauna.   There are miles of forest land and many areas where the trees have been cut down and look barren and sad, but soon you come to an area where the reforestation has taken place and the new trees are thriving and it makes your heart sing.   The wild flowers are many, just weeds that have grown into beautiful bushes, some wild lupine reminding me of our Minnie Mouse who strived for years trying to grow lupine in her garden and was finally successful and so proud of herself.    The California poppies are plentiful and so colorful.    There are areas where the gorse has taken over and the beginnings of more to come, but the color is lovely and it is a shame that this plant is evasive.

Our travels took us from two lane country roads to the big route Five which I told you about earlier.   I enjoy the slower and rural roads the most as you have a chance to see all of the wonders of nature.   There are areas where there are sloughs which are strange looking areas of mud, water and inlets to bigger and more scenic rivers.   Some look like lakes  and huge of size.     We were always happy when it was time to stop and get the use of our land legs.    Of course it was always where there was a great restaurant with food you just could not pass up.    We filled up the car and us and being filled to the brim we had no room for desert but that didn't stop us from buying a whole lemon pie to take home with us.   We met so many nice folks on the road and there was always one gentleman to open doors for us.    Smiling eyes and friendship is right there  when you let the light shine through.     At one stop run by a man from Korea who was young and friendly and gave me a gift of a burrito type sandwich his wife makes.  He held my hands and asked how old I was and told of how his wife misses her mother and calls her on the telephone just to tell her how much she is missed and loved.     How they revere the old, maybe we could all learn lessons from that.    So many nice people who took time to open doors and share a smile.  

We arrived at Christine's home and saw the gnome garden in all its splendor .  Steve is a great gardener with lots of imagination and he did a wonderful fairy like garden under a big tree in her driveway.   I didn't get a picture but will ask Christine to send one so you can see it too.     There are broken shads of flower pots with plants growing from them;   little gnomes reading and the whole scene is one of peace and contentment just like we find in our garden areas when we have time to relax and enjoy.   I did get to the Tea Room, one of my favorite places to go and had the usual special of a cup of soup, a half sandwich and a luscious piece of pie.    The gift shop is lovely and the Madam Alexander dolls were on a special half price sale.  The temptation was there but I didn't buy one as I have no little girls in my life to share a doll with.    I thought to buy one for my girls but that could have gotten me into trouble . . . smile.    All in all it was a short hard trip but well worth it.     Christine is home safely, we are back and relaxed and ready to get into our own routine once more.     A busy week is in store with all the usual catch up things to do.   I hope you have caught up with you and are enjoying the beginning of your new week.    I do hope you have vacation time coming up and can make a road trip short or long and enjoy every minute of it.    Vacations are  a boon to good health.    So work on having a vacation soon.    Don't forget to reach out with a smile in your eyes and a lot of love in your heart and let the other guy have a chance to reciprocate.     Hugs to all.