Sunday, March 20, 2011

POTD - Little Clam


POTD - Little Clam
©2011 Kristin Corlett

My husband and I went on a little unexpected adventure today to an old plantation.  While traveling along the dirt road we came across this tiny stream with some twisted trees coming out from the banks.  When I went to photograph this tree Tom pointed and I laughed.  We both saw a cartoon clam in the tree trunk at the same time.  Do you?  Click on the photo to enlarge.  His two eyes are on top and his giant clam mouth is one of the ridges below that. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

EDITED - It was pointed out that there is an alligator head on the vertical branch.  Good eyes, Debby!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

POTD - Chandelier


POTD - Chandelier
©2011 Kristin Corlett

I went to an open house last night and there were so many beautiful chandeliers!  This style was seen in several place throughout the property.  I think I took a dozen photos of them.  On Sunday I'll be posting the whole tour of the Gabriel House of Care.  Until then...

Enjoy!
Kristin

Friday, March 18, 2011

Waldo Flea Market


It's been almost a week since I visited Waldo Flea Market and I'm still thinking about it.  In fact, there are a few vendors that I'd love to stop by and see again.

I've already talked a bit about the trip in these two posts - Souvenir Land and  Route 301 Florida.


Here's one of the main walkways in the flea market.  Boiled peanuts, cosmetics, car parts, misc vintage and junky junk, some food and lots and lots to see.


There were a lot of farm tables at the flea market.  It wasn't all local, but it really looked good.  Before Tom's liver transplant I would have picked up a grapefruit or two for him, but grapefruit is no longer allowed in his diet.  Grapefruit is so good at boosting immune systems that it would make his immune suppressant drugs null and void.  



At one booth you could ride a pony and buy a chicken!
I didn't see the ponies though.




Some of the vendors aren't as organized and neat as others. 


I liked several of these signs.  I think I spent a half hour wandering around this guys "area."


He got a phone call while I was there about this Coke sign.  Someone wanted to trade him something for it, but he wasn't going for it. 



This Miami Beach sign was one of the things that I pondered.  Funny thing, I never once looked for the price on it.   I have no idea what he was asking for it...bummer.  The Home of the 500 plate is cool, too!


Here are the full sized Dutch kids.  I featured them as the Photo of the Day here in, More Kisses. They were marked $25 each.  I can't imagine buying one without the other!


This shop, with the Dutch kids, the bowling pin and the letters, had a lot of items that I would have loved to acquire and put in my booth.  Well, I used to have an antique booth about 9 years ago and I loved finding cool stuff to put in it.  I'm thinking about doing it again - although you can't buy from another dealer and expect to make money.  So I passed on almost everything.


She had a great deal on these letters though.  The whole lot for $10 or $1 each.  I chose to just buy a C for a dollar. 


I'll leave the flea market with this photo.  This gal carried her bicycle around the entire flea market.  I think she might have been a regular here, either that or really friendly, because she talked with a lot of vendors. 

I had fun at the flea market, that's for sure.  It might be worth it one weekend to load up the car with a ton of stuff and rent a booth down there.  It looked like people were buying and that's a very good sign.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Kristin

POTD - Snapdragons


POTD - Snapdragons
©2011 Kristin Corlett

I took this photo on St. Patrick's Day 2011 in Jacksonville, Fl.  It got up to 80ยบ this afternoon and the humidity is not an issue yet.  This time of year with cool nights and warm days are the ones that make me love living here.  The flowering trees have flowered and are now green.  Landscaping companies are planting flowers in all of the condo communities and businesses.  Instead of a dull green,  the new sprouts of the palm tree fronds are lighter and brighter!  The Summer heat will be here so fast I don't even want to think about it - but the past few weeks have been gorgeous, just like the snapdragons I found.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Friday Fragments



It's Friday Fragments Day!  
It's Friday Fragments Day!

Welcome to Friday Fragments the fun stuff I found online link-fest edition.

Say that ten times fast!

Mrs. 4444 is our lovely host and I am so grateful for her continued hosting of this fun carnival.  For more Friday Fragment finds, please head on over to Half-Past Kissin' Time.

Thank you Mrs. Fours!!

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Have you seen the video with the baby that doesn't know whether to be horrified or laugh when it's mother blows her nose? Well, it's pretty funny.  Just watch a few moments of the video.  Please. 

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Disorderly Goods - Merit badges - have you ever thought that you deserved a merit badge for all of the things you have done, learned or just put up with? Me, too! These were funny.

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Bookstore cats - I think I've only met one or two bookstore cats, but I have met cats who live in a restaurant supply store in Daytona Beach. The takes you to several photos and locations for bookstore cats.

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How funny!

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Teakettle Junction  - Would you bring a teakettle to hang on this sign? I bet I'd forget to bring mine!

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Tiny Messages - Color Me Katie is always doing something fun and thoughtful. Now she's making tiny notes and leaving them in public for folks to find. I bet it makes their day. I hope I remember to do this one day (or several!)

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Ain't this the truth. I notice it so much more in hotel showers that I do in my own, but that's probably because I know right where to adjust the handle when I turn it on.

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Remember when I talked about the swap and the Remains of the Day Journal?  Well the woman who put together the Remains of the Day class is in Paris right now.  She's blogging it as well as journaling and the other day she rewarded  us with this video, above.  It's a lovely vid of a caramel crepe being made before our very eyes.  Oh how I wish I could have tasted it, too!

Her photos aren't your average Paris photos - go on over and take a peek.
Her blog is called Dispatch from LA

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99 knitted trees in Austin - there's one day left to run on over to Austin, TX and see the knitting that has been going on. 99 trees have been knitted and it looks nifty! The link takes you to a few photos.

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Buildings that look like what they are - Have you ever seen a building that looks like the product it sells? In Orlando, FL there's an electrician or a heating and cooling company that has a building that looks like an air conditioner? Except it has giant outlets on it. Well this isn't a very funny story if I can't remember all of the details. Well the link has 10 buildings that look like what they sell. Very cool.

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I just threw a lot of links out there, but it's been awhile since I've done an all linky Friday. I just couldn't hold it in anymore. Enjoy!!


Have a wonderful weekend!
Kristin

POTD - My Magnets


POTD - My Magnets
©2011 Kristin Corlett

I made several hundred of these magnets the weeks leading up to my wedding.  I filled the entire front panel of my fridge with them and turned the fridge into a big mosaic.  Since then I have sold and given away almost all of that original batch.  A few of these are part of the original.  I've made several hundred more magnets since then, but ever since they have started becoming mass produced, they aren't as unique as they once were. 

I make the magnets by cutting out an image from a magazine, then I glue that onto a glass drop and then attach it to a magnet.  Some day I may actually do a little tutorial on it, but for now I'll just show some of the magnets I've made as my photo of the day.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Strawberry Shortcake

Florida strawberries are in all of the grocery stores, in road side stands and there are even ads on the radio!

The two little boxes of strawberries I got the other day just wasn't going to cut it.


So I got a nice big box of strawberries today and immediately came home and cut them up.

As much as Tom likes fresh strawberries, he doesn't eat too many of them before they start to spoil.

The remainder of last batch I brought home was turned into shortcake, but unfortunately we only had one serving each and it was gone.


I just couldn't let it happen again.

We needed just a little bit more.

After all, I only make strawberry shortcake but one time each year.


...and this is that time of year!

Did you notice the little heart shaped strawberry slices?

My sister Alison did that for her daughters on Valentines Day and I was hoping to get a chance to use that trick.

Thanks Alison!


This was my "photo" slice.

It is no way representative of the bowl that my husband ate a few hours later!

When I make strawberry shortcake at home I like to use pound cake as the cake part.  Then a couple of spoonfuls of strawberries that have been sugared, smashed and refrigerated overnight and then a dollop of whipped cream.

If you find some Florida strawberries in your grocers produce section, grab a box and enjoy a little bit of our sunshine.

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Master lock


POTD - Master lock
©2011 Kristin Corlett

What possessed someone to put this lock up so crooked? 
I get such a kick out of things like this.
Somebody just slapped it up there without care or concern.
But I guess it keeps the door shut.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

POTD - More kisses


POTD - More Kisses
©2011 Kristin Corlett

I found this very large Dutch kissing duo at the Waldo Flea Market in one of the shops.  They were much larger than any kissing statues I've seen before - they were probably two and a half to three feet tall.  The mirror behind made for an interesting shot, as the boy in the mirror is getting the first kiss!

It's been quite a day - my internet has been out since last night (on again now) and I couldn't get my photos to load in my photobucket account for a day now, so this is going the only post today.   I'll be very grateful if it shows up!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Monday, March 14, 2011

Look what I bought!

A friend of mine called me on Saturday and said that she'd found a really great sale on some patio furniture and would I like to be a part of the decision making and reselling?

Well, of course it all comes down to money.

How much?


When she told me it only took me a few seconds to say yes! and I hadn't even seen the furniture yet.


Oh, we also purchased a dozen picnic tables from the place, too.


Wanna take a guess how much we paid for each chair, bar chair, bar table, chaise lounge and anything else I forgot?

A quarter a piece.

25¢

I couldn't resist.

In two months when they get their new furniture we get the old furniture. 

We hope to have it completely resold to discount hotels in the area (with some seriously sad furniture - I've seen it) before we even have to take possession.  If not them, then someone else!

I think it was a pretty good buy.

Have a great day!
Kristin

POTD - Souvenir Land


POTD - Souvenir Land
©2011 Kristin Corlett

This is the sign that belongs to the gift shop I featured in last nights post, Route 301 Florida.  I think it is fantastically decayed and broken down, but I do wish the owners would have taken better care of it.  Shown some pride in the establishment.  Maybe they don't get enough business, maybe they like the decaying sign, maybe it's more of a tourist attraction this way.  Maybe.  I'm going to go back down this route in a few weeks so I can make more stops and take more photos.  When I do, I'll actually go into the gift shop and buy a souvenir.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Route 301 Florida

I had so much fun today!

I took a little road trip to go to a flea market I heard about and ended up enjoying the old Florida road and all of the photo opportunities much more than the destination - although I did like that, too.


I left my house in Jacksonville, drove a little North and West and caught up with Route 301 South.   I was rewarded right away with things I wanted to photograph. 


This grocery sign was right next to the exit of a church and church had just let out.  So while I was taking this photo every driver of the car that passed me smiled and waved, so I did the same.  Small towns :)  Gotta love em.

I wanted to photograph every farm stand and all of the signs announcing the produce coming up in the stand.  Strawberries were plentiful.  I didn't stop for any of the stands but this one, but I'll be back to this road again as I missed a lot.  I just didn't want to stop every 20 feet.



Doesn't this gift shop, just North of Starke, FL,  scream "Old Florida!"  It even had the pecan candies sign on top.  I can't believe there was an older car in the parking lot.   That helps make the scene.


You can get just about anything here, and a little snack, too!



Then I found the boot.


This was in Starke, FL.   Great great sign.  I had to take a photo of the shady side because the sunny side was completely washed out.  That Florida sunshine really fades red paint.

Around here if you have a bumper sticker with anything red in it, the red is probably gone.  So those I heart cats or gators bumper stickers just say I (space) cats. 



Destination!

Waldo's Farmer's and Flea Market - home of the big horse.  And indeed it is a big horse :)

More about the Flea Market this week.

Unknown Mami

That's what's happening in my part of the world.
For more views of cities and towns near and far, head on over to Unknown Mami's Sundays in my City post for more!

Have a fabulous day!
Kristin

POTD - Curvy Track


POTD - Curvy Track
©2011 Kristin Corlett

This photo is from the church carnival that I talked about yesterday.  I really liked the curve of the track in this one. It doesn't scream "carnival ride" so maybe that's another reason why I like it so much.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Saturday, March 12, 2011

It's a carnival

It's carnival time!

I always seem to notice a carnival the day that they are packing up.  Not sure what it is, but today, I got in on the first day.


My reward was to see a colorful Rooster and a monkey on the merry-go-round!  I don't think I've ever seen a rooster seat on a merry-go-round before.  What a hoot.



This photo is one of my very first intentional motion photos.  I've always wanted to get this type of shot of a Ferris Wheel.  I'm excited - where's the next carnival!!  I want to take more!


I think I should make a donation to the church because I didn't have any cotton candy.

or funnel cakes.

or tickets to ride.

or anything!



...but I sure did enjoy the well worn creatures and the blinking lights.



It was a small carnival, but everyone was having fun.  There were children laughing, holding their hands up on the rides, giggling when they won a prize and families spending the afternoon together. 


It was a lot of fun.

Thanks Lori for letting me know this was going on. 

I hope I win the 50/50!

Have a great weekend!
Kristin

POTD - Florida strawberries are here!


POTD - Florida strawberries are here!
©2011 Kristin Corlett

Florida strawberries have arrived in our grocery stores. The first strawberries of the season are big guys and are so incredibly sweet. I don't eat strawberries very often, but I always try to buy a quart or two right at the beginning of the Florida strawberry season.

This little photo shoot was an experiment.  I took this shot on my patio while trying to keep parchment paper taped to the screen on my patio.  I need a new system to keep the bright bright sunshine toned down...or maybe if I had 8 hands.  That would have worked!  Tape doesn't stick to parchment paper.  It looks like it will, but the tiniest of breezes lets you know that it is not stuck.  It was a comedy of errors!

Enjoy the strawberries!
Kristin

Friday, March 11, 2011

POTD - Top Ten Favorite Thing


POTD - Top Ten Favorite Thing
©2011 Kristin Corlett

Hands down one of my very favorite things in the whole wide world is seeing a cat with their tongue sticking out.  It's like they forgot to pull it back into their mouth and now have no idea that it's sticking out.  I crack up!!  Mocha rarely does this, but on this day she sat on my husband's lap for a good 5 minutes with her tongue out.   I was so afraid she was going to yawn or something as soon as I got my camera, but she actually looked at me - bonus!  

Enjoy!
Kristin

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Enchilada Pie

I took on a challenge today.

Not a big one to a lot of people, but for me, it was pretty big.

I was going to attempt to make a Mexican food dish for our Mexican Fiesta night at our potluck.

About the only slightly Mexican food I make are Nachos...but really it's more like chips and cheese. 


So I went to my favorite place to ask for help.

Facebook.

Oh and my Facebook friends came through with many suggestions!!

I chose Enchilada Pie from the wife of a childhood neighbor boy.  He and I attended school together from Second grade through High School graduation.  She married him and I just adore her.

Above are most of the ingredients for the Enchilada Pie.
Ground turkey, Mexican cheese, diced tomatoes with garlic and onion,  black olives, enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, frozen corn and cumin.  I also added in about a cup of Greek yogurt. 


Cook the ground turkey quickly, five minutes tops, so it doesn't get tough.
Stir, chop, flip, repeat.


While that's cooking and you aren't stirring, chopping and flipping, chop up some black olives.

Also open up the can of enchilada sauce and the diced tomatoes. 

When the turkey is just cooked add in the tomatoes, enchilada sauce, the black olives and the corn.  Simmer for a few minutes.  At this point I also added in a clove of garlic because I couldn't find the diced tomatoes that had both onions and garlic in them.  So I just added in fresh garlic.

stir, simmer, stir, turn off the heat.


Start layering.

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to coat the corn tortillas with enchilada sauce before layering the dish, so I dunked the tortillas into the meat mixture just to get them slightly coated.  I also wasn't sure if I could overlap the tortillas.  I didn't on the bottom row, but realized that it needed a thicker layer so I overlapped a bit.

The second and third layers (of only three) I added in some Greek yogurt and just frosted the top of the tortilla layer.  I thought it might add a bit more flavor and keep it from getting too dry.  (I was afraid of that since I used more meat than called for in the recipe)

Tortillas - Greek yogurt - meat mixture - Mexican cheese - repeat three times or until your dish is full and your ingredients are finished :)


Bake covered, then a uncover it and bake a few minutes more.

I didn't taste it until the potluck so I was a little nervous.

I keep doing this - taking things to potluck I've never made before.

Thankfully I've never had a disappointing dish.

This was really good!  The only things I would have changed was I would have added in even more enchilada sauce.  I thought it should be a tiny bit soupy, but it wasn't.  I also would have brought some sour cream to plop on top when I served it, but I didn't.  :)

No matter what I thought it needed, there wasn't a drop left to bring home.  It was a hit.

Thanks Amy!!  I now have one more thing I can make!

Let me know if you try this dish and if you changed anything.

The full recipe is below.

Have a great day!
Kristin


Enchilada Pie --- from the recipe box of Amy Stiles

3qt baking dish
350ยบ oven

1 lb ground turkey
1 Tbl olive oil
2tsp ground cumin
1/2c enchilada sauce (I used the whole 10oz can)
1can/15oz diced tomato with garlic and onion
1can/4oz green chilies (I omitted these)3/4c sliced black olives
1c frozen corn kernels
Flour or corn tortillas (I used corn)
1 bag/8 oz light Mexican Cheese (I used about 12 oz)
(1c Greek Yogurt - sour cream or even cream cheese if you desire)



Heat oil, cook the ground turkey 5 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Stir in cumin, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and chilies.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add in corn and olives.

Layer in dish - Tortillas, (yogurt), meat, cheese repeat.

Top layer - Tortillas.  (Oh, I didn't do this!  ooops.  I guess that's why it would make it look like a pie)

Cover with foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil, top with remaining cheese, bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove and let rest 5-10 minutes.  (Or put into the back of the car and drive it to your potluck dinner)