The Goat: January 2010

Sunday, January 31, 2010

January 2010 Links

These are the links to all of the posts I wrote in January of 2010.

Today I played BINGO. It was event arranged by one of the transplant organizations for all transplant patients and families. I was pleasantly surprised that most of the folks that attended today's event were lung transplant patients (both pre and post transplant.) I always like to meet people from the other groups, since I mostly hang out with the liver support group folks.

This was a free event, but we had a whole table full of prizes for all of the winners. (Remember that Times Grill gift certificate that I got the other day? This is where it was used.) We all got two BINGO cards and a handful of red cover-ups.

This was the first time we'd had a BINGO event, so our tools were primitive, yet very effective! That Office Depot box top was perfect to contain the master board and the BINGO balls.

The cards on the table next to the bingo hopper were the "keys" to show everyone what kind of game we were playing during the current round. Regular BINGO, Four Corners, Picture Frame, Inside Square and several others.

This was my card at one point. It was one of the times I didn't win. Seriously, I won so many times. I gave away two of my BINGOs to the people at my table because I just couldn't win again. I even failed to call BINGO twice. Then at the end of the event someone asked me about something that I had won and I ended up giving it to them :)

When I came in the door Tom said "Did you win more than everyone else?"

Ha!

At one point every single person at our table rubbed their BINGO cards on me hoping the luck would rub off. I even traded cards with one of the ladies. She didn't win - but I did!

So if you'd ever like to play BINGO with me, just let me know!

Hope you have a great week!
Kristin

POTD - Lake Trees

Lake Trees - by Kristin Corlett

I went out on a quest to photograph the moon and found these trees instead. Here are the reflections of two lights in a retention pond at a Jacksonville strip mall.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Oxtail soup part ii

Last Sunday I asked if anyone knew of an Oxtail soup recipe (here) because my Dad had lost his cookbook with the recipe in it and was wanting to make it again soon. Oxtail is from cows and using it the way it's described in these recipes is like boiling beef bones or chicken bones for stock. (In case you were wondering.)

My blogging friend Debby from Just Breathe remembered that her grandmother made something called Oxtail Soup but she didn't remember eating it. The name got the best of her though and she went looking around in her old cookbooks to see if she could find a recipe.

Debby was fabulous enough to scan two of the recipes she found. Click on the photos to enlarge them to giant sized to read the recipes.

"A Modern Kitchen Guide" published by The Bunting Publications, Inc. North Chicago, IL in 1934

"The Chicago Daily News Cook Book" published by the same (The Chicago Daily News, Inc.) in 1930.

Debby

My Aunt Marg sent me this message...

I'm assuming he wants a soup, not a stew, but both are just wonderful. FYI, you can add root veg, cabbage, beans and/or barley, whatever floats your boat, but I'm going to just do the basic clear soup for you. And yes, oxtails come from cows : )

Oxtail Soup

2 lbs disjointed oxtails
1 onion, sliced
2 tblsp butter or vegetable oil
8 cups water
1 tsp salt
4 peppercorns

Brown oxtails on all sides in fat, along with the onions, in a large pot. Cover with water and simmer gently, uncovered, appx 4 hours (till meat is tender and falling off bone).

Strain the stock and chill; when solidified, remove fat, then reheat stock. Remove meat from the bone and cut into bite-size pieces, or keep whole, depending on your preference; reserve till the very end.

1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery

1 minced clove of garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine, or more to taste
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Add vegetables, wine and seasoning to the stock and simmer gently, uncovered, appx 1/2 hour. If you want a clear soup, strain the stock at this point; otherwise keep the vegetables in the stock. If you wish to thicken the stock a bit, brown 1 tblsp flour with 2 tblsp butter in another pot, then slowly add the stock.

Add the reserved meat or whole oxtails and heat through.

I mailed off copies of a few recipes to my Dad, since he doesn't use a computer, but I think I may send him the two recipes that Debby scanned. I bet he'll like those, too. Marg's recipe was included in that first letter.

Thanks everyone for your help. I'll let you know when my Dad lets me know that he made the soup.

Kristin

POTD - Window Lock

Window Lock - by Kristin Corlett

Today's photo of the day is the window lock that we found on our guest room windows at the Bayly House (Bed and Breakfast) in Ireland. I used a brand new program (to me) called Poladroid to make my photo look like an original Polaroid photo. I thought the antique lock would look fun in this retro look.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Friday, January 29, 2010

Gifts in the mail

I love getting the mail.

It doesn't matter if it's a box full of bills, junk mail, or those checks I talked about yesterday - I just love getting mail!

Every so often something completely and totally unexpected comes in the mail and I let out a little squeal of delight.

"I got ya something from Cali :) Hillary"

This card came in the mail today - well, this was the inside of the card. (The card itself was a design from Fabulous Stationery) which I totally love, but that's beside the point at this moment.

The point is that I opened the mailbox and grabbed all of the items and went back to my car and I saw a corner of an envelope hiding in the pile that had a familiar handwriting on it.

I could hardly wait to get into my condo.

On the way up in the elevator I was trying to figure out what my sister might want to tell me in a note. It wasn't a wedding or a baby shower or birthday and it was too soon for Valentines.

By the time I got into my condo and sat down to open the card I was truly stumped. I had no idea. Then when I opened the card I saw this! I smiled from ear to ear. It was a smashed penny that she got for me on her trip to California over New Years. How exciting! I love it!

Smashed pennies (or elongated pennies) are one of my many collections. I have a book and a half of them so far and this is one collection that I don't mind having others help me fill. Hillary has given me a penny from London, this one from Monterey, CA and another one that I can't quite recall at the moment. Click Here to read about the last time I chatted about my penny collection. More pictures of my pennies are included, too.

Have you ever had a collection that got out of control because everyone started buying you one of whatever it was you started collecting? Those are the types of collections that I resist like the plague, but this penny collection is small, inexpensive and contained in a small book. The penny smashing machines are sometimes a real challenge to locate, so it's a bit of a hunting game at times and a thrill when a penny machine is found unexpectedly. The pennies are easy to carry and as you can see, they are very easy to mail. This is one of my favorite collections, that's for sure.

Thanks Hillary! I love it!

Kristin

POTD - Orange Globe

Orange Globe - by Kristin Corlett

The little restaurants that line Ocean Street in Miami Beach all have a different look and vibe. Some are incredibly unique and have that punch of color that makes them stand out. The photo above is a close up of an orange globe lamp from one of those restaurants. We didn't eat at this particular restaurant, but I loved the atmosphere.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Friday Fragments

Mrs. 4444, from Half-Past Kissing Time, hosts Friday Fragments each week. Musings, ideas, photos of flowers and a pet peeve - it's all in here this week! Thank goodness it's fragment day. Whew. I wasn't sure I could keep it all in this week. Please visit Mrs. 4444's Fragmented post so you can find even more fragmented posters like me.

My cousin is going to a wedding this weekend. Her friend is the groom and his last name is Deal. The bride's last name is Good. So they are going to the Good-Deal wedding. Cute, huh?

I've been scraping together money to put into my rental condo accounts to pay the bills this month and the upcoming because I've got two of my units unoccupied. My law of attraction mantra is "I get checks in the mail." I am truly amazed how often checks come in the mail - sometimes, I have to admit, the check is for a quarter and I have to sign up for something in order to get it, but still, it's a check...even if I don't cash it! Today, however, I got a check in the mail that was from one of our condo mortgage companies. It was an escrow refund that was enough to cover one of the mortgages this month. I get checks in the mail!

Pet Peeve - I dislike pumping my own gas, I really do. I used to go out of my way when I lived in Lansing, MI to go to the Bay station because there was no self service there - and it was the same price as self service at other places. Those guys would check your oil and wash the windows. But anyway, back to my pet peeve. I really dislike the gas pumps that slow down to a mere trickle if someone on the other side of the pump is also trying to get gas. As soon as the one person is done the gas flows like mad for the remaining person. I've actually stopped and allowed the other person to finish before I put any more gas into my vehicle because it's going to take less time to go one at a time. Most gas stations don't have that problem, but every time I go to one that runs like that, I make a mental note to never ever go back.

I do dishes just so - I wash them by hand, even though I have a working dishwasher, I stack them like a puzzle in the dish drainer and I clean off all of the counters. I lay my towels out to dry and I make sure the sink is clean. It's probably an obsession. When I get up in the morning, as I'm making my breakfast, I put away the dishes and the kitchen is ready for the day.

Speaking of dishes - I made meatloaf the other day and forgot to fill a sink full of hot soapy water before I began. It's just a rule of mine that doing dishes as you cook makes for an easier clean up, but I was already involved in meatloaf making so I didn't fret too much about it. I put the meatloaf in the oven, set the timer and washed up the dishes. I kind of laughed when I realized that my clean up (even though I didn't fill the sink before starting dinner) took me less than 5 minutes.

I received some really great book suggestions from last week's FF - I want to Thank You. I haven't started reading any of the books suggested, because they are for my trip, but I did read reviews and look up each book. I think there are at least three books that I will be buying for my Kindle.

I promised to post some sunny photos for those with cold toes and/or cold weather. I hope you have enjoyed the flowers I found today on the Mayo Clinic campus. I was quite surprised to find these bushes filled with flowers, as the cold weather we've had has killed off a lot of plants. I guess these are hardy!

Are you looking for some Valentines Day treats? I found this recipe while stumbling the other day -- I'd say it would be pretty sinful. The photos are excellent, too! Chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.

One Pretty Thing had a really nice Valentine Round-up. There are printables, kids school printable valentines, stained glass box instructions and many others. Take a peek! Oh, here's a Kid Specific printable Round-up also from One Pretty Thing.

Have a great weekend!
Kristin

POTD - Arches

Arches - by Kristin Corlett

Nearly two years ago my friend Bob (AKA - JB, Jennifer, BFF) came to visit for a few days. We took a trip to St. Augustine and rode the tour train around to several locations. This archway was a part of the grounds where the Gonzalez - Alvarez house is located...which is the oldest house in St. Augustine.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Freight

What do you do when it's the end of the day and the shutter on the camera has not clicked once? or the jaunt out of the house entailed going to the post office and right back home? It means that not much exciting has happened and so it's back into the archives to find something fun to talk about.

You see, seriously, all I've been doing is getting myself ready for my trip and getting mad at the mortgage company - and who wants to hear that tune. I do think I got the mortgage problem solved, though so that's good.

December 2008 - the Christmas Cruise to the Bahamas. We were slowing closing in on the port when I saw these containers all sitting in the freight yard. The containers look so small en mass like this. When placed on the back of a semi truck they look giant! but stacked on the dock like they are and loaded onto the ship, they are just a colorful pattern. Be sure and click on the photos to see a larger view.

Here the containers look truer to scale since we are so much closer - but that's not the reason I took this photo. I took it because I'd never seen a "Tropical" container before! Cheap Thrills, I know.

I'm sending out tropical vibes to all of my Northern friends :)

I know you all are searching for sunshine.

I'll make sure I have something sunny to post each day until I go to Rome. Maybe I'll even get out of the house and take some sunshiny pictures!

Have a fabulous day!
Kristin

POTD - Unknown

Unknown - by Kristin Corlett

I blogged about these last year in one of my Ireland posts (here) and I still don't know what to call these things. I don't know if they are bunkers or offices or food storage areas - I'm seriously clueless. The closer I get to this trip to Rome the more often I've gone back and looked at my photos from Ireland. Everything seems so new and interesting. Hope you enjoy revisiting some of my favorite photos.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Lending Closet

A few of my friends from the transplant community got together this morning to move the "Lending Closet." The Lending Closet is a lot like your local thrift store, only a lot smaller and everything is free. It all started a few years back when someone who had been in town for a long time was ready to move back to their home after their transplant. They had furniture, kitchen stuff, everything from their apartment that they hated to just drop off at a thrift store, when they knew that others in the transplant community could really use the items.

Marge, who organizes a lot of our events and activities for the liver transplant group, offered up her garage for the donation of the items and the Lending Closet was born. Marge and her husband have been so very gracious to keep the lending closet in their garage for so many years, but the opportunity came along to be able to move it to a garage that wasn't hers!

So we moved it today and took inventory.

It took the four of us about an hour to move out of one garage, load the cars, drive across the street and down the lane to the new garage and load the new garage. However, the whole reason we all got together in the first place was because we knew lunch would be involved.

Oh, I kid!

Sorta.

As soon as that garage door started closing we all looked at each other and smiled and I think nearly at the same time we said, "Lunch?"

We went to the Times Grill and had a very good meal, as usual. Their lunch specials are $4.99 - perfect for our group. Early on in the meal Marge had mentioned that she wanted to ask the if the restaurant would be willing to donate something to the BINGO night we were having for the patients and caregivers next weekend, but she was very uncomfortable asking. So she looked to me.

Well, I think you all can tell - I don't talk very often. :) Meek and mild. I wasn't jazzed about asking, but then again, the worst that could happen is if they said no. So after we were all finished eating I asked for the manager and he said SURE! Then he came back out and asked if a $30 gift card and 4 - $5 off coupons would be something we could use. We were all elated. The gift card is now going to be the grand prize.

Thank You, Times Grill and the excellent staff. We appreciate your generosity.

We took a group of 35 there about a month ago. I'm sure that our patronage helped make that an easy decision for the manager, but even if he didn't know us, it was lovely. Thanks.

I took a few dozen shots of shopping carts today and yesterday. I didn't know how to use them in everyday blogging conversation, so they are now a part of the Lending Closet/Times Grill post. Enjoy!

Hope you have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - Bamboo

Bamboo - by Kristin Corlett

I'm so excited that my orchid is blooming again. It loves the windowsill I've chosen for it, that's for sure. The orchid lives in this bamboo container with little bits of the curly sphagnum moss hanging out over the edge. The blue Florida sky is in the background.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Monday, January 25, 2010

Water, Sun and Audio

The sun was shining so brilliantly today and I was out running errands. I was also listening to the few remaining CDs from the audio book I rented last week. I have been spending a lot of time in the car lately just to hear the end of the book, so while I was sitting in the car at the grocery store, I noticed the way the pond was positively sparkling under the rays of the sun.

I thought about returning the CD on Sunday when the darn thing was due - but I decided to keep it a few more days and just pay for the extra week. I wanted to hear the end. When I've read the book, I get a little excited reading it and I know I gloss over some of the details just hoping to get to the next part.

My condo is on the other side of the water - the taller 5 story buildings. I really do enjoy looking at this pond, from both sides! I claim that I don't like the water, but I do like the way it changes each day and actually, each hour. The sunrise looks different on the water than the sunset. High noon, as it looks in these photos looks totally different than it does at 4pm.

Did you know that you can rent books on CD (and to some extent cassette tape) at your local Cracker Barrel Restaurant? You can rent them from one CB and drop them off at any of their other locations. This makes it perfect when you are traveling. The books are all very current - usually the best sellers list from the past year.

I watch with fascination at the way the wind whips around the plumes of water. I'm so happy that the camera was able to catch the water mist that created a long wispy tail. From my perch on the 5th floor of my condo, I sometimes use my camera to see what the water is doing, but for the most part the birds eye view is pretty good all on its own.

If I had a long drive each day or several days a week, I might start checking out audio books at my local library. Strike that - I would do it. I love to have someone talking to me while I'm in the car. Usually I listen to talk radio, but when I'm on a road trip I need a book. I've had several favorite audio books, but the one that was by far the most fun was "Losing It" by Valerie Bertinelli. She read the audio book, so it was like having a girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat telling you a story. It was great. That one, unfortunately was abridged, but I made an exception because it was a short trip and I really wanted to hear that book.

Sunshine, water, fountains and audio books. Sometimes you just never know what I'm going to put together :)

I hope you have a delightful week!
Kristin

POTD - Bahama House

Bahama house - by Kristin Corlett

An abandoned house in the Bahamas. The floor was completely missing in this place, so that is why I believed this place to be abandoned. This was taken in 2008 when Tom and I were on our Christmas cruise.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Ox tail soup

Ox tail soup - image source

My Dad called me tonight to ask me to do a little bit of research for him. He loaned out one of his cookbooks, which contained his recipe to ox tail soup, and he hasn't seen that cookbook now in few years.

I'm thinking that who ever has the cookbook has forgotten that they got it from my dad and that there is a valuable ox tail soup recipe inside of its pages.

So, my Dad asked me to look up some recipes for the soup and to send them along to him --- whenever I get a chance. He made this soup once for us when we had our coffeehouse, The Dancing Goat and lately he's been getting requests from friends to make this soup again. This is why I have come into the picture.

I know me well enough and if I don't do it immediately, it won't ever get done because I will put it so far back on the burner that it's in a different county. Once it gets back that far I will have totally forgotten and it could be months before I remember again.

I've now Googled Ox tail soup and gotten a few pages of results. My Dad said that what he was looking for was mostly a broth, not filled with root veggies. I'm just not sure if what I've found is "right" - some of the recipes are terribly complicated.

Do you have an oxtail soup recipe? have you ever made oxtail soup? have you ever had ox tail soup? do you want to have ox tail soup?

If you do have a recipe, would you please do me the favor and send it my way. I'm going to send him a little packet of recipes for Valentines Day. Seems like the perfect gift for a Dad who has everything :)

Thanks!
Kristin

Here are the recipes that I've bookmarked so far - One, Two, Three, Four, Five

POTD - Dublin wash

Dublin wash - by Kristin Corlett

A photo I took of the laundromat that I went to when I was in Dublin, Ireland last year enhanced with the fresco effect in Photobucket. The backpack was from another patron. I used this photo last year when I was talking about our trip, but I thought it should be a part of the POTD. It's one of my very favorites.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Rome trip

The Roman Forum, Rome, Italy --- image source

We had a meeting last night to discuss the particulars of the trip to Rome. There are going to be 20 of us, I think. We learned about all of the places we are going to go, what to expect, what to wear, how to pack, what our apartments are like and other assorted things.

I found out that we are going to be going to mass on Sunday and be a part of the Papal blessing then again on Wednesday we will be a part of the Ash Wednesday service. Another chance at seeing the Pope Benedict.

We are going to go on a tour of the excavations under St. Peter's Basilica, tour through a section of catacombs, see the Colosseum and the Forum and and and. The list is almost endless.

I have a Life Magazine I think it is, that has the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. Goodness, that's been 15 years or more ago that the ceiling was restored. Anyway, of all things that we see in Rome, this is the one place I have been wanting to see. I take out that magazine a few times a year and look at the photos, look at the paintings and wish to see it in person. I found out last night at the meeting that no camera are allowed in the chapel. Oh goodness! I guess I am going to see it with my own eyes and not with the lens.

I started packing today for my trip. When we went to Ireland and the Isle of Man we could only take 22 pounds with us, so that's what I'm going to try to do again this time. The only difference is that this time there will be internet in the apartment, so I will be bringing my computer and cords - and now I have this big camera and it's cords and equipment. So, I may not make it to just 22 pounds, but I am truly absolutely positively going to pack light. Under 35 is my goal. Hold me to it, OK? :)

Rome :)

Can't wait!

Kristin

POTD - Chandelier

Chandelier - by Kristin Corlett

Another chandelier photo from an open house my husband and I went to in Tampa, FL. I wanted to ask the Realtor for something to clean off the dust from the light bulbs, but I thought that might be going a bit too far!

I just noticed that this is my 100th Photo of the day.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Friday, January 22, 2010

Commercial

Today was spent doing two very important things.

The first was a commercial shoot for my husband's garage organizing business, Monkey Bars, and the other was a gathering of the ladies going to Rome in a few weeks.

I really can't say what I enjoyed more, both were so very different and yet so enjoyable.

I only took one photo at the ladies dinner and that was of the salad dressing (I know, I'm totally weird) but I did take a few dozen of the commercial. I forgot to ask Tom to take one of me being interviewed, but I got everyone else. Including the monkey!

This is Sean miking up Tom for his spot. Sean is from London - Tom isn't.

Sean again and Ed. Ed is from right here in Jacksonville. These guys were both very very nice and kept us all on track and made this process easy as could be.

This was our host, Alan. What we were doing was making a 30 minute infomercial for our local access station. Alan acts as the host and leads us into and out of shots, asks questions, and pitches the product. He was very good.

This was a funny picture of Tom and Alan, but it was the "Before" shot of our garage. Oh goodness, that place was such a disaster.

Here is Alan and Frank. Frank is one of Tom's salesmen and he's describing the unique bars and hooks that are used in the Monkey Bars garage system, by using the trailer graphics as his demo board. It was really quite clever.

Here is our little monkey that we hired for the day. I wasn't too keen on the monkey idea, but this kid was a hoot and it was funny. I hope that humor comes through on the infomercial.

Here he is pointing out the horrible "before" garage. tisk tisk

The commercial goes through the entire installation, but that wasn't too exciting in my still shots - so here is the "after" shot of the garage with the Monkey Bars installed in this tiny one car garage. Yes, that is a huge stain on the floor. I'm hoping that the boys in the editing room can erase the stain.

It was a full day of shooting, but it was a lot of fun - and I have a great organizing system in my garage - finally!!!!

Have a delightful weekend!
Kristin

POTD - Lighting

Lighting - by Kristin Corlett

The restaurant lights above our table last night at Mimi's Cafe in Jacksonville, FL.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Friday Fragments

Mrs. 4444, from Half-Past Kissing Time, hosts Friday Fragments each week. I have been scribbling little notes all week to add to my fragments post and I have left that note pad in the car. So this post is going to be really fragmented! Please visit Mrs. 4444's Fragmented post so you can find even more severely fragmented posters like me.

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I had to go to the Verizon store the other day because there were two messages that would not erase. One was an email message and one was a text message. I tried everything humanly possible to delete. I pressed delete, I pressed delete all, I pressed delete on handheld, I pressed delete again and again and again. The guys at Verizon needed to call tech support to figure out what was wrong. The guy punched in a bunch of numbers and/or letters and the messages disappeared. I asked him what he did and he said that only tech support knows! haha

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I record TMZ on my DVR once a week or so, if I remember. I hang my head in shame of this guilty pleasure. I don't know why I watch it, I don't know half the people they talk about - but this week I found out that it's been 3 years since Paris Hilton was put in jail for her DUI. Do you remember that? Her tearful, hysterical crying. Going to jail, getting out and then taken back the next day? Then her skipping to her parents car when she was released for good a week or so later? Three years. Time really does fly.

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I leave for Rome, Italy in 20 days. OMGoodness, 20 days! It seems like it was just the other day that I made the commitment to go. (It was May of '09) and it was just days later that I bought my big girl camera to take with me. I found out the other day that there is wireless internet in the apartment where we will be staying -- so that means blogging from Italy!! I hope it means daily blogging from Italy, but I'll have to find out how reliable the internet connection really is :) You just never know.

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It rained today. (Thursday) Big buckets of rain came pouring from the sky. We had a tornado sighting in the area, so there was a tornado warning for a few hours this afternoon, too. I dawdled around today during the misty rain, went to an office to pay a bill, got the mail, went to my support group, went up to the hospital wing and saw a tenant/patient and was in general in no real hurry to get home. When I did finally arrive home, the garage door didn't even get a chance to close all the way behind me before those big buckets of rain I mentioned came out of the sky. The whole sky turned black, the clouds were all the way to the ground and visibility was at zero. If I had had any idea that the weather was going to be that awful, I wouldn't have wandered around without care of concern. Thankfully, someone was watching over me and made sure I got home.

Did I mention that I have a broken windshield wiper? Of course it's the drivers side. I'm getting that replaced tomorrow. It was on my list this week, but I hadn't quite gotten that accomplished yet.

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A camera crew comes tomorrow around 9am to film the installation of a Monkey Bars garage storage system. I'm so excited. I plan on sitting in the back of my car for about 4 hours tomorrow. (I've got a hatch back) and listening to the last 4 disks of Breaking Dawn audio book. I'll take as many photos as I can, without intruding on the camera guy. It will be my first time seeing an installation.

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I got an anonymous comment on my blog earlier today. One that said that they really liked this type of information but they wished that I had used more pictures. There were three very nice photos and just the right amount of text. What is the point of posting these comments. There wasn't even a link embedded. I just don't get it. Who is getting paid a penny a comment to do this??

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You must go to Twig and Thistle and take a look at the free Valentine printable. Oh goodness! It's divine :)

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Have you got a book recommendation for a "couldn't put it down" type of book? I'm wanting something that will totally take my mind off the fact that I'm going to be in a plane for a bazillion hours flying to Rome. Thanks in advance and Happy Friday!!!

Kristin

POTD - 100 Dollar ride

100 Dollar ride - by Kristin Corlett

An antique carousel in St. Augustine, FL is always busy giving rides, so I'm thinking that there is a decimal point missing from this sign. That is indeed the case. You can ride this carousel for just One Dollar per person. What a deal.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The eyes have it

It's that time again! It's Wednesday, so it's time for a photography challenge submission. Since I can only seem to remember the challenge on that day it's due, I have to scramble to get it accomplished.

This weeks Photo Challenge theme, given to us by Shutterboo, was "eyes."

I had already taken a photo of the eyes of the potatoes on my counter and the eyes of my dear sweet mocha kitty, but I wanted a few more ideas. I wasn't pleased with the way those were taking shape.

So I went to Facebook, as I do so often and asked the question....

EYES - got any ideas??

Here's what I got!
Friend -Your eyes, but with select color affect, so only the color of the eyes is seen, the rest B&W.
Friend -your eyes and eyes from other photosFriend - needles
Friend - aren't there hook and eye attachments on clothing? or how about the eye of a storm?Kristin Corlett -These are some great ideas. No storm around me, so I haven't been able to find the eye of a storm. Someone in the weekly challenge did the eye of a needle - it's really cool. Hook and eye - there are some of those on my bra! LOL

Friend -cross eyed!!! eyebrow

Friend - tiger eyes - you know marbles.

I have to say that there were some really great ideas. I either didn't have the item mentioned - tiger eye marbles, a storm, or I hadn't a clue how to photograph the item with the photography tools that I own. I also had no idea how to manipulate a photo that the first friend mentioned. (I plan on learning that one, though)

My eyes always look tired, so I really didn't want to use my eyes for this photo and I missed the message on crossed eyes and eyebrows until I started writing this post.

The ideas that were mentioned got me thinking and looking around my house.

I looked to inanimate objects that had eyes. This little guy caught my attention first.

He's a little chipped and worn, but he has great eyes.

Then I went back to my kitty cat string holder.

I love photographing this fella.

So, those are my two semi-finalists.

I can't decide. I love string kitty, but I don't think he has the power in the eyes to really capture the theme.

I think I'm going to go with the puppy statue.

What do you think? Good choice?

Have a great great day!
Kristin

POTD - Bean Mix

Bean Mix - by Kristin Corlett

I bought a package of the 15 bean mix at the grocery store to cook with my ham bone I saved from Christmas. While I was filling up the dish to soak them over night it occurred to me that the beans just looked stunning in the water. Yellow, white, red, brown, green...

Enjoy!
Kristin

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tuesday

Sometimes the sky is so blue here in Florida that I can hardly believe that's true. I've lived in FL for 5 or 6 years now and yet I still think that I live in the cloudy state of Michigan and expect to see a cloud filled sky. When I look in the sky and can't see even a wisp of a cloud, I am truly in awe.

Tom and I cleaned out our garages today. He's got a film crew coming on Friday to film a before, during and after of a Monkey Bars garage installation. Now, our before picture was a total disaster - so we have a very cleaned up version of before. It will make much better TV that way. We have another garage on the other side of the black car. Tom is moving one of our industrial racks over to the other side.

One of the best things happened while hauling boxes from one garage to another - I found my high school yearbooks. All four of them. They were in a box that was pushed waaaaay under a table. No wonder why I hadn't found it. I wasn't able to have the yearbooks for my reunion last October, but that's OK, at least they have been found!! Happy Happy Happy dance!

While cleaning out the garages I found these guys. They are the wall mounts for a closet system. Now, I have to believe that this was NOT an accident. You know some guy or gal got a huge chuckle when they presented this to their boss. "...with a little tweaking I was able to make this design both fun and functional!"

I see this sign every day in my condo community. Now I know that the golf club type of thing in that man's hand is supposed to be a pooper scooper - but doesn't it look like it's more of a pooper catcher?? It makes me laugh every time.

Yes, I'm easily amused.

Late night near my house. I can't get over how busy it is. Zoom Zoom.

I rented an audio book on Sunday for my drive from Miami home - I was in a hurry so when I saw the Breaking Dawn audio book I grabbed it. I knew it would keep me entertained. What I didn't realize was that it was 16 discs! Goodness! It's unabridged (the only kind I rent) but I didn't think it was going to be that many. So while we were cleaning out the garages, I had my trunk open and the CDs playing. Even though I've read the book a few times, I just can't turn it back in without hearing the whole thing. I've got until Sunday. I'm going to have to come up with some more creative ideas on getting in the audio book.

This is a little of my life today. A whole lot of cleaning. A little bit of laughing and a whole lot of rejoicing that the yearbooks have been found.

Have a great day!
Kristin