Light as a Feather... Gump-Style

Where's the Forrest Gump Feather Theme Song when you need it?

I found this treasure while working in the yard yesterday. The colors took my breath away. My thoughts turned to the scene in Forrest Gump, the one where the feather rises into the air and tosses and twirls as it floats away. Oh, to be as light as a feather....

Feather Theme Song and short film clip

Mother Nature's Canvas

An early awakening...sunlit clouds...pink, lavender and gray...distant sounds...crowing...cawing...a dew kissed landscape...stillness...quiet breath.

Sky shots from this morning.

Do you think the bird in this photo is flamingo pink like the clouds?

It's as if Van Gogh added a few highlights when I wasn't looking. 

The roofline of the garage points to the heavens as if to say, "Look up!"

I love the colors in this photo. Caramel coffee with a touch of orange zest.

Ahhh... nature-made lavender and pink froth. 

Imagination At Play

A couple chairs, an umbrella, and two little girls filling their day. The carriage ride was completely unexpected and lasted all of ten minutes.

Lettin' Life Happen

I didn't want another day to pass without posting so I thought I'd take a few minutes to share a discovery I made recently. It is a blog called Wake Up Cloud. Henri has many great articles but I especially like this one.

Why Your Passion Isn’t Happening (And Why It Probably Never Will)

I hope to be posting in full force soon. Life happens and I'm living it. This week it is in the form of two granddaughters transitioning between summer camp and the start of the school year.

Enjoy Henri.

Lunar Lunacy

I saw him here again tonight—the man in the moon. He was
right outside my back door... and he was smiling.

I do believe. I do. I do. I do.

I do believe that there's a man in the moon and that he likes to stare at me through the second story window, cast creepy shadows on the sidewalk when I take out the garbage, and make faces at me behind my back.

If I were the man in the moon, I'd do the very same thing... but with more imagination.

                ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ 

Rustic Refuge

Go ahead. Step right in and make yourself at home. I know I'd like to.

The fireplace... what a lovely focal point to have. I wonder if this home is without electricity.

 This island vacation home in Spain would be a wonderful retreat to have available, don't you think? There's something quite appealing about living in such a minimalistic way. But, since we are looking at someone's "holiday home," I can't help but assume that this is as basic as their life gets. Information about the house, and additional photos, can be seen at www.homedesignfind.com. The island of Formentera, the location of this quaint abode, was uninhabited until the 15th century.

Love love love the rope picture...

Hummmmm

I may be contributing to hummingbird obesity. There have been two hanging around this summer and they are gluttons for red sugar water.

A Route of Evanescence

(The Humming-Bird)

by Emily Dickinson

A route of evanescence
With a revolving wheel;
A resonance of emerald,
A rush of cochineal;
And every blossom on the bush
Adjusts its tumbled head, --
The mail from Tunis, probably,
An easy morning’s ride.

Froggy Morning

There's something about a froggy morning... peaceful. Ribbit!

Simply Refreshing

This recipe is from an earlier post but it's worth posting again. I don't know why I didn't think of doing it sooner, especially with all of the hot weather that we've been having. It's so refreshing and so EASY! I think you'll enjoy it.

Orange Julius

1/2 of a 6 oz. can (1/3 cup) frozen orange juice concentrate 

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5-6 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender container; cover and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds). Serve immediately. Makes approximately 3 cups.

Dish Me Up Some Pretty

Here are photos showing a few of the diet meals that I've eaten over the past five months. Not only are they appealing to look at, they are quick (5-15 minutes) and amazingly easy to prepare. I've been able to drop 25 pounds because of them—which is a major accomplishment for someone who has had to battle to lose weight.

The essence of the Flat Belly Diet is focus on lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables. It has been extraordinary to lose weight while eating waffles, bread, pitas, crackers, and pasta. But beware. If you have problems with gluten, you'll want to go with alternative whole grains. That's exactly what I had to do. I had a rash on my face and arm that was getting worse. When I started eating gluten-free, it cleared up. The extra effort and expense that was required to eliminate wheat from my diet has been well worth it. I'm eating healthier than I ever have and I continue to lose weight.

Snapshot: A Moment In Time

Snapshot. A word seldom heard these days. When it is spoken, it is likely by someone much older, someone from a bygone era. When I was growing up, I recall hearing my aunt refer to photos as snapshots. At that time, they had narrow white borders and every photo was black and white.

Although snapshot seems like an appropriate way to describe a photograph—a moment in time—the word actually originated as a hunting term. What it meant was to take a quick shot without careful aim. It wasn't until the introduction of the Kodak Brownie camera (1900) that it was used to describe photographs taken with a handheld camera. Its original meaning was eventually forgotten.

There are certain snapshots that command attention. This is one of them. It shows my husband and our children after a day at the circus. (We had another daughter not long after.) As I look through my photographs, this is the one that consistently stands out. Maybe because I remember the day so well. Three happy children with clown faces and funny hats... a memory worth holding onto.

Circus World opened north of Haines City, Florida in February of 1974. It was to be the winter quarters for the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus but things didn't go as well as expected. In 1986, after changing hands a number of times, the park closed its doors.

I'm glad that we lived in Florida while the park was still in operation and that we had the opportunity to go there. Otherwise I wouldn't have this special moment in time snapshot.

Seeing Red

One of my favorite magazines arrived in the mail this past week. On its cover is a scarlet tanager. I've spotted this beautiful bird in the trees outside my kitchen window on occasion. Their color is so vibrant that they are hard to miss.

The best time to see the tanager here in Wisconsin is during the fall. That is when they begin their migration to Panama. The birds forage below the canopies of wooded areas that they use as stopping places. They sometimes migrate as far south as Bolivia, South America.

Every issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources has wonderful articles about a variety of things. Here are a few headlines from the August issue.

"Beware beetle juice"

"Tree stand tumbles"

"Frog warts, lizard gizzards or eye-of-newt"

"Hidden in plain sight"

"A walk in the park "

If any of these pique your curiosity, get information on this colorful and interesting magazine at  www.dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/.

Roma Makes A Friend

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite little Roma Grape Tomatoes. He was so unique that I couldn't bring myself to eat him. I decided to make him part of the family instead. Sorry, but I really can't explain the hat. It was just something I had to do. I laid awake nights thinking about how I needed to make Roma a hat. He seemed quite pleased with it. Here are a few photos from the life of this special little tomato. Enjoy!

Roma with his new hat... and face.

Roma with Herb.

Roma visits his "birth" family.

Roma on the porch steps.

The serious side of Roma.

Love at first sight. Roma's very best friend.

"Little Red Roma Hood"

Uh oh...

The moral of the story: Live life to its fullest because you never
know when you could end up as the main course.