Friday Fragments

It's Friday Fragments Day!  

It's Friday Fragments Day!

Welcome to Friday Fragments!  This is the place where we're able to put little snippets of fun or interesting things together without having to stretch that idea into an entire blog post.

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.  Thanks!

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I found a piece of paper that I cut out in 2008 about Benny's Sandwich Shop and Gifts in downtown Jacksonville.  The one paragraph mentions that it's been open for over 20 years without a street level sign.  You see this restaurant is in an underground tunnel.  I thought it was cool enough 3 years ago, but my memory is short and my organizational skills are so lacking that I have never gone.  Now I have the cutout on my fridge.  Let's hope I get there soon!

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In Feb the Car Show came to town and I fell head over heels for Jeep Patriot.  I had a Jeep Cherokee that I loved dearly and I ran that poor vehicle into the scrapyard.  I have a Hyundai Santa Fe right now and I love it, too, but it's got 94K miles on it and if it goes over the magic 100K number the resale falls off dramatically.  I mentioned to my husband tonight at dinner that I was thinking about renting a car for my upcoming road trip in July and he immediately said, "Maybe it's time to go buy a car.  Do you want to run over to the Jeep dealer while we are out and about?"

So we spent several hours at the Jeep dealer.  They have a real hard time letting people go when they know that a sale is going to go do a local dealer - and they of course want me to buy from them!

Funny thing.  If they had had a Patriot in a fun color I would have shaken their hands and signed on the dotted line.  The only colors they had available were black, red, white, gray and silver.

I just may buy another car from another manufacturer because of the color of the car.

I do know that I could just get the car painted, but it's just not the same.

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How long should I cook this?
15 min
Did they tell you at the restaurant how long to cook it?
No
Then how did you know?
It just looks like it would take 15 minutes.
Well, I'm cooking it for 12.
*12 minutes goes by*
It's still not hot, I'll cook it for 3 more minutes.
*I smiled*
*a few minuts goes by and he's had a bite or two*
Is  it hot?
Of course it is, I baked it for 15 minutes.

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The photos are the various stages of the Agapanthus flower, aka Lily of the Nile.  The Photo of the Day (POTD) yesterday was this flower in bloom.

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As seen on Facebook...
After visiting several antique stores and flea markets today, I think I came to a realization. Seeing as how all the pieces I really liked weren't for sale since they were for displaying stuff on, my personal style must be "flea market booth space".

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Thanks so much for joining me!  It's been a joy having you.
Kristin

POTD - Lily of the Nile

POTD - Lily of the Nile

©2011 Kristin Corlett

I think these are such pretty flowers, but they do come and go quite quickly. I wasn't sure of the name so I Googled "Blue bulb flower Florida" among other things and after a very long time I finally found the flower - It's an Agapanthus also known as Lily of the Nile or African Lily. Well, I wouldn't have thought it was a lily, I thought it was more like an allium, but someone else chose the name :)

Enjoy!
Kristin

Music and Food

Bistro Aix

On Saturday night my husband took me out on the town.  He got us tickets to see Kris Kristofferson and John Prine.  Both of these men are noted American country/folk singer-songwriters.  The headliner of the show was John Prine and I felt bad because I had never heard of him before.  The guitar strumming, storytelling type of singing isn't my very favorite, but my husband loves it.  He was in absolute heaven being there live and in person.  Kris Kristofferson sings the same type of music, in his own style of course and it was really cool to be there watching and listening. 

However, before all of this strumming and storytelling it was Prom night in the city.  We saw more floor length, shiny, bedazzled gowns on gorgeous girls with skinny suit wearing boys trailing behind than I've seen in a very long time.  It was a lot of fun to see all of the kids trying to be elegant.  They did a great job.

While watching the prom kids walk by us, Tom and I ate a fantastic dinner.  We'd never been to the Bistro Aix (sounds like ax) before but we won't be strangers any more.  Tom ordered the Housemade Spicy Sausage with caramelized onions, tomatoes and spicy harissa.  He ate every single bite.

I ordered the Green Salad with dried tomatoes and shaved cheese, tossed in a walnut vinaigrette with roasted chicken...

...and the Mac-n-Cheeses appetizer with four creamy cheeses topped with sharp cheddar. 

Two slices of wonderfully warm bread was served before the meal arrived and our water was served tableside in the nifty bottle that was the photo of the day yesterday.

At the very end we were presented with our bill -

I love a restaurant with a sense of humor.

Food - Excellent.  Atmosphere - Lovely  We sat outside and it was a gorgeous evening and not even a little bit humid. The waiter was attentive but not intrusive.  A real bonus in my book. 
Even with a packed restaurant due to prom night, we never felt rushed nor neglected.
A great night was had by all! 

If you plan on visiting Jacksonville, I would highly recommend Bistro Aix.

I would also highly recommend going to see John Prine or Kris Kristofferson if they are coming to a place near you.

Bistro Aix
904-398-1949
1440 San Marco Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32207



*I was not asked nor paid to write this review.  I wrote it because I enjoy blogging about the things that I do, see, eat, hear about and enjoy.

Have a great day!!
Kristin

POTD - Flying Bobs

POTD - Flying Bobs

©2011 Kristin Corlett

A carnival on a Thursday afternoon. Not a soul around but all of the rides were still fully intact. I wandered around taking a few photos, but when I saw the "Flying Bobs" ride I laughed out loud. If you've been hanging around The Goat for any length of time then you know that my best friend and I call each other Bob. A Flying Bob carnival ride was like a dream come true. I only wish that I had found out when it was evening and the lights were all on. No matter though, it's still great.

Enjoy!
Kristin

The Launch!!

Getting up at 3am proved to be a bigger challenge than I was expecting. Since I normally go to bed around 3am, I tried to alter my sleeping habits a few nights in a row to be ready for the 3am wake up call, but I failed miserably. I only got about 3 hours sleep.

No matter, I got up, gathered together the people who were riding with me and we managed to arrive on time at the Sheriff's office on Merritt Island a few hours later.

Why the Sheriff's office?  Because a friend of mine got us included in a launch party that this particular office hosts for each shuttle launch.  We met at the office then we proceeded to be a part of a Police escort all the way to our special viewing area.

The photo above shows the view we had.  The actual launch pad was off to the left, out of frame.

The line up :)

The clouds rolled in and we were afraid it might make it impossible for the launch to take place.  Thankfully that wasn't the case.

The six of us from the transplant community that attended the event.  We left a gap so that the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) was visible in the background.  I think we may need to blow this photo up to poster size to actually see the building!

In case your eyesight isn't that good, here's the building.

At 8:56am the shuttle launched!  You had to pay attention because we were about 3 miles away so the sound didn't reach us right away. 

I'm so happy that I my camera because I couldn't actually see the shuttle with my naked eye.  It wasn't until I looked at my photos that I saw it. 

Still no sound.
A bird flew up and I remember thanking him for being in the photo. 

The shuttle has turned and is building speed.  Less than 30 seconds has gone by so far.

It was at this point that the first hint of the launch sounds started coming our way.  I was really hoping that the booster rockets would peel off at this point (although I knew it was too soon) because the clouds were so low and we wouldn't get to see any more.

and I was right.  This was all we were able to see.  The birds have flown up out of the grasses due to the loud roaring sound of the fuel rockets and the subsequent rumbling of the Earth.

It was truly a remarkable experience.  It was worth the sleepless night, the two and a half hour drive each way, the low cloud cover,  and the pretty much worthless rest of the day!

There is one more shuttle launch, the Atlantis in July.  Maybe another administration will bring back the shuttle or maybe it will evolve into something new.  Whatever happens, I'm so grateful to have been a part of this launch.

Thanks so much to the Shook family for inviting us to attend this event and to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office for taking good care of us and showing us a really great time.

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Water Bottle

POTD - Water Bottle

©2011 Kristin Corlett

My husband and I went to dinner at Bistro Aix in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, FL. The water was brought to our table in this bottle. I think it's just filtered Jacksonville water as I asked for regular tap and our waiter nodded and poured us a glass. It's a real nice presentation and we had a really great dinner.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Space Shuttle Endeavour

 Source

Date: May 16
Mission: STS-134
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 8:56 a.m. EDT
STS-134 Description: Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-2) to the International Space Station.


I'm leaving the house at 3:45am with 4 others in my car and we are headed to Cape Canaveral to watch the second to last shuttle launch.

All the years I've lived in Florida, I've never had a big desire to go just because I didn't want to be a part of the crowd or stuck in traffic getting out, but this time it's different. A friend of ours has an in with law enforcement so we will be guests of the Volusia Sheriff Dept and we will be escorted to a special location close to the launch site. It's pretty exciting!

Here it is, barely 8pm and I have to go to bed.

Nighty night folks!
This beauty needs her sleep :)

Let's hope the shuttle goes up and that I can get some photos.

Kristin

Be back soon

I'll be back soon!

Didn't want anyone to think something was wrong.

I just don't seem to have a moment to gather my thoughts.

I was available the whole day that Blogger was down - ironic, huh?

See you tomorrow!
Kristin

I turned off comments on this post.

POTD - Tendril

POTD - Tendril

©2011 Kristin Corlett

This little tendril will soon become one of the many vines that get tangled up in the trees and fences in the Florida landscape.  This plant, I believe, is called Muscadine Grape and if it is then the fruit can be made into wines, jellies, preserves, just like those fancy cultivated grapes.  It's amazing what a tiny little tendril can do. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - White fence with roses

POTD - White fence with roses

©2011 Kristin Corlett

I took this photo a month or so ago but I never thought it was fabulous enough to be the photo of the day, so I kept passing over it.  Today I looked at it again and it made me smile for the umpteenth time.  That's it!  It's the POTD.  What do I love about this shot?  The roses on the white fence reminds me of a cottage with roses growing every-which-way.  I like that the white fence posts on the right are not straight - another cottagey feeling.  The tree trunks against the house that are crooked and I really like the little cherub on the terracotta planter on the patio, too.

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Animal Crackers

POTD - Animal Crackers

©2011 Kristin Corlett

I remember as a child, going through the grocery store, in this case Meijer Thrifty Acres in Lansing Mi, sitting in the cart and asking for a box of animal crackers.  Usually they were in a large round wire bin at the end of an isle.  I didn't get the crackers very often because my Mom didn't buy snacks as a rule, but I did get them sometimes.  I can still recall holding the box, playing with the string, which I almost always tore off of one side, and showing my Mom each animal.  Meijer Thrifty Acres is now just called Meijer but the animal crackers box looks and feels a lot like my childhood memories.  The box even still has the string. 

Enjoy!
Kristin

Monday funnies

I know the funnies are considered a Sunday kind of thing, but I'm always a day late it seems!  

I didn't take the photo below, it came from Failblog.org, but I would have done everything possible to have gotten a photo of this had I seen it while on the road. Too funny!

Do you see the toy truck tied down on the trailer?!!  What a hoot!


One of my Facebook friends is Swedish so all of his status updates are in his native language. If I want to know what he's saying I copy the update into Google translate.  Sometimes it translates into something I completely understand and other times the results are so funny!!

Here is a recent funny -

He wrote, "I eftermiddags blev det en premiärtur med Wingen, nytvättad och fin!!"

Google Translate gave me, "This afternoon there was a maiden with Wingen, freshly washed and nice!"

I have no idea what this is supposed to mean but it made me laugh so hard!  I couldn't keep it to myself.  Aren't you glad the maiden was freshly washed and nice?!

I took this photo because of the little tag line "Garnish your piano with parsley!"

Ha!!  That is just a little too goofy for me.

However, I'll never forget it. 



I hope you enjoyed this little dose of funny.
Have a great week!
Kristin

POTD - Art?

POTD - Art?

©2011 Kristin Corlett

A few months ago this humorous stenciled graffiti appeared on a utility box near my home. I finally had the opportunity to stop and get the photo. Have you seen Art?

POTD - Kitty Hat

POTD - Kitty Hat

©2011 Kristin Corlett

My youngest niece modeling the kitty hat that I bought for the middle niece.   She's such a toddler now, no longer a baby.  When I was taking care of the girls I noticed that the two older girls no longer called her Baby.  They had called her Baby so often that I was afraid it might stick, but she's far from a baby now.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Mom's Kitchen

Awhile back I my photos of the day were the little stools and the next day I had the wooden crate that said bull dog on it next to this green cabinet.  I was asked if I could show off the rest of the kitchen.

My Mom remodeled the kitchen two years ago and these are the photos that she took. 

The storage and counter tops are minimal, but after using the kitchen for a few events and when I come visit, I find it easy to use.  My mom has it all figured out and she loves the way it works for her, so that's the only thing that really matters.

The kitchen was designed around that custom table.  It's a great piece.  There's now a big red and black rug underneath the table. I guess it hadn't arrived yet when she took this photo. 

The kitty knows that heater vent is under the sink cabinet.  She loves this spot.

The large windows are lovely. It makes the kitchen a bright place where you can look out over the back yard. This area has been constantly changing since this photo had been taken.  Several different chairs have been put to the longevity test but now a part of a sectional couch is in here, replacing the rocking chair.  The cafe table has been taken out and a small rectangle table has been brought in.  The cat sits on that table, too!  The rug has stayed though.  It's a great rug.

This is the stove area.  Not sure if you can see it, but there's a pot filler on the wall.   It's a very cool fixture and so handy to fill up a large pot.

So that's my Mom's kitchen.

Happy Mother's Day to all those that celebrate the day!
Kristin

POTD - Hi

POTD - Hi

©2011 Kristin Corlett

New haircut, smudged mascara, sitting in my mother's kitchen, trying to get both eyes in the photo and not both chins.  This is the third self portrait I've taken for my 365 photography project.  You can see all of the photos I've taken so far on my Shuttercal photo calendar.

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Caregiver Tattoos

My friends Albert and Patti got tattoos recently to honor the gift of life that someone gave to their spouses, who each needed a liver transplant. Albert's tattoo says "Give Life" and shows a cross with the green ribbon for organ donation. The three doves represent the three transplant friends that have died in the past year from various causes.   The dates on the ribbon signify the dates of Julie's two transplants. The first liver that she received on January 2nd never woke up from the procurement procedure. She needed a second transplant and received it two weeks later.

Patti's tattoo is a butterfly with the green ribbon as the body and Matt's transplant date hovering above. His transplant wasn't an easy one either, but 4 months later he is recovering beautifully.

These two have often referred to the tattoos as "Caregiver Tattoos" but I'm not falling for it.  I was the caregiver and I'm not getting a tattoo.  I blog. That's my way of spreading the message.

I'm also a big chicken.
No way I'm getting one.

But anyway, back to the subject at hand...the tattoos are on their forearms so that hopefully people will ask about the images. This will be an easy way to talk about being an organ donor to the curious and to tell their story about how grateful they are to the donor and the donor family for the gift of life.

Albert & Julie and Matt & Patti will no doubt be wonderful spokespeople for organ donation.

Have a great day!
Kristin

For more information on organ donation please visit...
http://donatelife.net/

Magnolia blooms

I found a pretty good life cycle of a magnolia blossom today on a single Magnolia tree.

The tight bud is in the far background, left.  The foreground shows the protective covering split and the flower starting to emerge.

The Magnolia bud is now ready to start opening.

The bud has just opened and the Magnolia flower looks more like a tulip at this point.

This Magnolia flower is past it's truly beautiful, open stage and has started to go into decline.  The newly opened flowers were a little too high up in the tree for me to photograph.

The end of the Magnolia flower.  All that's left is the very center.  I'd have explained all of the parts and pieces to the flower, but I couldn't find a diagram and I didn't want to mislead anyone into thinking I knew what I was talking about! 

My knowledge of Magnolia trees and their flowers come from having a tree in my backyard in Michigan, seeing them everywhere here in Florida and observing and photographing them when they are in bloom. 

I welcome all comments, even those on parts identification :)

Enjoy!
Kristin

POTD - Missing

POTD - Missing

©2010 Kristin Corlett

A year ago my friend and her daughter helped me with a photography assignment.  My word was bubbles, so I decided to take it literally.  The girls were lightheaded blowing so many bubbles, but we got a lot of fun shots.  I'm so very grateful that I took a few photos of my helpers because sadly, in January of this year we lost Deb.  Our bubble blowing day was so much fun and it was the first and only time that the three of us were alone together.  Deb's daughter had a birthday the other day, her first one without her Momma.  It's no accident that I thought about this day and realized it was year ago.  

Enjoy the photo and go blow some bubbles!
Kristin

Towers of Power

I talked about the Towers of Power the other day in my Photo of the Day (POTD) but I took so many photos, I couldn't just stop there.   It's unusual to have two different tower types running side by side.   From my experience if there are two towers they are usually the same shape with a little variation, but these are very different.  I bet they were constructed many years apart - but that's just a guess.

My favorite towers are the ones that look like people with their arms holding onto the lines.   I could probably imagine this as being a person, but there's no singular top that I could pretend to be his head.  He's got a lot of arms, though.  I could use this guy to help me clean the house!

Weathered numbers.  A favorite find of mine!  I might have to come back with a zoom lens to get a larger shot.

I am thinking that the nest on top of this tower is an Osprey nest.  I am not very familiar with Osprey but I do know they build rather large nests very high up.  That's not a lot of fact for this particular observation, but I'm just going to go with it!

I like the shapes and lines in this photo.

Can you imagine climbing up the side of this by stopping on those bolts?  I think I'd probably hyperventilate after just a step or two. 

I'd never make a very good daredevil.

Debby, from Just Breathe,  asked if I heard any noise from these.  I've very aware of the buzzing sound that power lines can make, but these were surprisingly silent. 

Have a great day!
Kristin