Imagine

I've Moved

2011-10-03T21:47:00.000-04:00

Please join me at my old blog:

Just Ask Judy

I'll be posting there now and in the future.

My last post here.....maybe

2011-09-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

I have decided that I cannot fight the malware monster that is dogging me here - the warning that many of you are getting, claiming that "Imagine" is an attack site. My stats have fallen considerably since it appeared, and while I do not blog for the "stats" and numbers, it is futile for me to continue here when so many are afraid to "click through" the warnings.

I am so computer illiterate that I have very little skill at getting rid of bad code or malware - in fact - my skills at that are less than none. If anyone knows how to track down malicious code and wants to help me, I will appreciate it greatly. I am saddened that I can no longer visit the web-site that put me in this predicament. Apparently he knows how to get rid of it, but I don't.

In a day or two, I will resume posting on my old blog - JustaskJudy - which I hope you will visit, as well as spread the word for me on your blogs.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci, painter, engineer, musician, and scientist (1452-1519)

I've Been Busy!

2011-09-17T09:54:00.000-04:00

SLOW DOWN, don't you know school is in session???

2011-09-14T17:10:00.000-04:00

In my errand running today, I passed through five different school zones, at the time when children were getting out of school.

I slowed down to the posted speed - which is 30-35 MPH - and immediately had 5-10 cars pass me by, with either rude hand signals or indignant looks. I know what they were thinking...
"Why is that old, white-haired woman driving so slowly?"

The answer is - school is now in session all over the United States, and while the posted speed limits and times may vary from place to place, the law is clear....

YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN IN SCHOOL ZONES.

And if you don't want to do that, at least allow ME to follow the law. God forbid any of us would hit a child!

I Have a Brain Ache!!

2011-09-13T20:15:00.001-04:00

Dealing with contractors and insurance people is a royal pain.

We got a quote from a guy whose spelling is atrocious. I suppose I should overlook it, since if he were a Rhodes Scholar he wouldn't be in the business he's in, but I am very impatient with people who can't spell even the most common words. For example:

What he wrote: hall (it should have been haul).
   debree        (debris)
                           land field     (land fill)
                           tare down    (tear down)
                           flute           (flue)
                           chemmy      (chimney)
                           peice     (piece)
   licabe       (liable)
   desides       (decides)

Can you blame me for not having a lot of faith in him - or am I being too picky?

New Uses for Old lawn Chairs

2011-09-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Breezy toilet


senior see-saw		and yes, I stole them!

Scene/Seen at the Black and White Ball.....

2011-09-12T01:35:00.002-04:00

benefiting the Jim Valvano Cancer research foundation, held in Raleigh last month. There were five types of centerpieces; here are three of them (designed by Mel, but I did the arrangements in the top photo.)

In the silent auction, there were paintings.....

and fancy purses.....

and precious jewels to bid on.....

as well as television, music and sports memorabilia, such as this signed cast photo from "Glee". More coming later..... (click to enlarge)

2011-09-11T12:26:00.000-04:00

9-11-11 Roses for Remembrance

YAY!! The Warning is Gone!!

2011-09-10T11:58:00.000-04:00

That warning, saying that my blog was an attack site, should never have been there to start. Thanks to those of you who braved the warning, clicked the "ignore" button and commented.

Apparently, it was a scam. Some site I had visited (and I know which one) put a cookie on my blog. When I followed the links to the conclusion, it wanted me to pay $100 to get rid of it. I am notoriously cheap, so paying to remove that was not gonna' happen!

I ran virus and malware, but that didn't take care of it, and neither did clearing the cache. Just now, I thought to delete all the cookies, and just like a snap of the finger, the warning disappeared!! It's too bad I didn't think of that sooner.Thank you for hanging in there.

Work is picking up, now that fall is on the horizon and weddings and parties are once more added to many date books. I am really enjoying my latest job, with Cyndey Davis-English of English Garden. In October, weddings get very busy with Mel Day of Dogwood Tree Florist.

My creativity gets tweaked (and satisfied) with both of them and I am truly grateful for the opportunities for being surrounded by fresh flowers and also with congenial people!

What are you grateful for today?

Sunset

2011-09-07T23:37:00.000-04:00

The photo doesn't do it justice!

2011-09-07T07:54:00.000-04:00

I have been receiving notices that my blog is "an attack site". It says it comes from google, and that my blog has been reported "once" in the last 90 days.

After I saw that (it even did it to me), I ran my malware and virus software, and NOTHING was found.

The second time I saw the warning, I followed it to its conclusion. It wanted me to pay $100 for software to prevent this from happening. The same thing happened on two blogs I visit regularly.

It is my belief that that warning is a scam to try and get me to pay for something I don't need.

I have no idea how this happens, and I will do the best I can to get to the bottom of it.

2011-09-06T23:39:00.000-04:00

I have been to a lot of places, but I've never been in Cahoots.

Apparently you can't go alone.

You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've never been in Cognito, either.

I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane.

They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there.

I have made several trips,

Thanks to friends and family.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump...and

I'm not much on physical activity!

Memo to Medical Types

2011-09-05T14:00:00.001-04:00

Edit below:

When a patient has a diagnostic procedure, particularly one performed in a hospital, the patient and his or her family will be understandably anxious to learn the results of that testing. Please do not make them wait any longer than absolutely necessary before you give them the information. In my opinion, that should be done as soon as you have the results. And if the results have not arrived - let them know that.

In the midst of all the hullabaloo around here from Hurricane Irene and the damage caused by the falling tree (which I'm sure you are tired of hearing), I had an ultrasound. It was four full days before I got the results, and only then after two phone messages to the office. When the nurse called, she said the doctor finally had time to read the results of the test. I submit that the doctor could have found some time to read the information sent by the hospital in a more timely manner. If it had been her family member, I'm sure she would have gotten the result out sooner.

It doesn't help when the patient has the symptoms of a major problem, or attendant aches and pains. It doesn't help when family members are hounding you to know whether you have received the report yet. And it certainly doesn't help when the patient is already drowning in stress from life in general. Doctors........it is a kindness to let your patients know something in a very timely manner.

Edit: I should have had sense enough to say that I am fine! The news was good, and I am grateful - I would have been much more grateful to have heard it sooner!!

2011-09-03T14:03:00.000-04:00

The tree guys - Dixie Tree Service - (whom I could not recommend more highly) came at 7am yesterday, to begin cutting the lower branches off the downed oak tree.

At 8am, the 40 ton crane arrived. we were concerned that it might crumble our already cracked driveway, but they were careful and we suffered no more damage there. The crane was used to help Alex cut the upper branches off and haul them to the front of the house.

Alex riding the crane made me think of how I rode the zip lines in Costa Rica. Believe it or not, I would have enjoyed riding that thing up and over the house, as Alex did several times. He was extremely careful; looking at the tree before making each cut. He had to be sure he did not do anything to dislodge the broken chimney from its precarious perch against the edge of the roof.

After the final cut of the top of the tree was made, the trunk section fell back into the hole, with a loud "whump."

After the tree was removed, we could easily see the extent of the break in the chimney, as well as the damage to all the gutters on the rear of the house.

We were very surprised that the deck railings held, even though one of the tall 4x4 light poles was broken. That tree was very heavy! I suppose it is a tribute to the original builder of the deck, Tom Buzzard, and I might let him know how good of a job his crew did.If you follow the link, you'll see that Tom now has a roofing company. He put the current roof on our home and did a fine job. Luckily, there was no damage to the roof that we can tell, except a few shingles were broken, and they can be easily replaced.

The chimney is another story. It was originally thought that they could use the crane to lift it back onto its axis. The 40 ton crane used for the tree was deemed not strong enough to lift the broken chimney (estimated to weigh between 5-6 tons). So, they went back to the drawing board, and they are submitting two options to the insurance company, one of which is to take the broken portion apart brick by brick and build a new chimney. At this point, we don't know exactly how the problem will be solved.

2011-09-02T11:15:00.000-04:00

The tree is off the roof, but the crane that helped to do it isn't large enough to lift the chimney back onto its axis. They have to rent a larger crane to attempt that. If it doesn't work, they will have to remove the broken part brick by brick and rebuild the chimney. The brick mason estimates that the broken part weighs between 5 and 6 tons! The crane that is here now - even though it is a 40 ton crane - would tip and come through the roof if they tried to use it to lift the bricks. Wish us luck and stay tuned.

There's a Little Light at the End of the Tunnel

2011-08-31T16:27:00.000-04:00

Maybe.

We met with the adjuster today; who, despite being rushed to do five more houses before quitting time, spent about an hour here. He went onto the roof, into the attic, all around the house and deck - even threaded his way through the branches of the tree to locate all the damage, followed closely by our General Contractor.

Apparently (as far as can be seen at this point) we don't have structural or roof damage, which is just about the only good news we've heard for a few days. The crane will be here Friday morning, to begin removal of the tree and attempt to set the broken chimney top section back onto the bottom, after which the mason will brace it with plywood and 2x4's until he can complete the job. Eventually, he will have to remove the old, broken flue tiles and put in new ones and then re-grout the entire fireplace. (Oh, joy.) Hopefully, they will not do any further damage during this process.

They will replace the gutters on the rear of the house and replace 24' of deck railings and 4x4's. Until the tree is removed, we can't see whether or not the new deck table and chairs were injured. I haven't even finished paying for them yet!

Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers....please.

THANKS....

2011-08-29T21:22:00.000-04:00

to each one of you who left supportive and sympathetic messages over the last few days. I really appreciate them. We are knee deep in phone calls, email and quotes. Over the last two days, quite a few people have surveyed the situation and offered advice and referrals. We have yet to see the insurance adjuster, but he promises that someone will be here as soon as possible. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of people in NC who have worse problems than we do, and I understand they have to come first - but it is so frustrating to have to wait.

Posting and visiting will be sparse, if any at all, over the next week or so. As soon as there is anything to report....I'll be back. Y'all take care now, ya' heah?

All I Can Think About....

2011-08-28T19:22:00.001-04:00

Getting it off the house is a priority, as you may imagine. (see the post below for more photos.) Mr. K spoke to the insurance company today, and was told to get estimates for tree removal and hauling away. I'm concerned about the chimney, since it seems to be held up by the tree alone, and removing the tree may allow the chimney to fall. If it falls, the damages could be much greater than they are right now - so it is imperative that the company that removes the tree is capable of shoring up the chimney beforehand. Wish us luck.

There hasn't been much to post about until now....

2011-08-27T19:47:00.000-04:00

This 50-60 foot oak fell today, waking me out of a nap.

It busted our chimney.


And mashed the deck railings, although it didn't break them down. I had pushed all the deck furniture and decor over close to the house, so that if we got any winds from Hurricane Irene, it wouldn't do much damage. Little did I know a huge oak would fall on it all. Someone on Facebook mentioned that we were lucky that it didn't damage the pool. Actually, we would have been luckier if it had, since we need a new liner and some tile repairs. As it is now, we will have to have a new chimney, probably some new gutters, and I am fervently hoping it didn't damage the roof. We won't be able to tell until they remove the tree (unless we see water damage inside the house.)

2011-08-24T22:59:00.000-04:00

Move right along, folks, there's nothing much to see here.

Today was as busy as yesterday, but I did it alone. I went to the landfill, the post office, the pharmacy and the grocery. At the first one, I dropped lots of recyclables, and at the other three, I dropped copious amounts of moolah. The grocery brags in advertising about how it is lowering thousands of prices, but so far, my checkbook isn't seeing much difference.

In preparation for Hurricane Irene, which I devoutly hope is a non-event for central NC, I brought into the house most of the small items from the deck, and pulled all the chairs and tables up close to the house. The weather people are saying that the storm will veer to the east and that our area will only get rain and some wind - but that could change. If it does, all the furniture will be carried to the garage. I sure hope I don't have to do that. My back already hurts from dragging it around the deck, and I have to work for the next three days!

Our daughter who lives in this area invited us to dinner tonight. She has either the best luck in picking out steaks or the best grill in the world - but dinner was excellent - as usual. NY strips, mashed red-skin potatoes and spinach salad - yummy! Dessert was fresh-baked chocolate cookies. Then I got to watch TV on her giant screen. NOVA had a program on fractals, which I don't in the least understand, but am nevertheless fascinated by!Check out some of the images here.

A Busy Day and a Big Surprise

2011-08-23T19:50:00.000-04:00

We got haircuts this morning, exchanged some jeans for mr. k and ate at Wendy's, where a little boy (who looked to be about 13 mos. old) could. not. be. fed. fast. enough. to keep him from screaming in between every bite. He was quite fond of French fries. His mother came in "wearing" his little brother (about 4 months old) in a pouch on her chest, and leading the toddler and a girl of about four. I felt sorry for her. Having three kids under the age of four is not easy.

One of mr. k's strongest pet peeves is children making excessive noise in restaurants - even fast-food places. I don't know what was worse: the screaming kid or the carping about him. Sheesh.

After lunch, we went to get our feet done. Mr. k has been to the nail salon three times now, and he seems to enjoy it more each time. But, of course, who doesn't loved to be pampered? After he was finished, he sat up front to wait for me. Around 2:30, he got a phone call from someone in NJ, telling us about the earthquake. We knew nothing about it, even though many people in this area felt the shaking, we were seated in vibrating massage chairs when it happened, so we didn't feel a thing related to the quake. Then the girls in the salon turned on the television, and we heard all about it. After we left the salon, I drove to the pharmacy to pick up some meds and I had orders from mr. k to buy an emergency weather radio, in preparation for the hurricane that is rapidly advancing on the US. Shortly after I entered the store, my call phone rang. It was our younger daughter, who had been trying to reach us and got no answer on either phone. The TV reporters had said cell phones were not operating well, due to the jammed circuits after the quake. She was on her way to our house, thinking we were "dead." I put her mind at rest, and she drove to the store and talked to her Dad, who was sitting in the car.

I needed to go to the grocery store (badly) but after all the excitement, I was pooped out so we came home. I've been thinking of the excessive heat of this spring and summer, storms that have caused our trees to fall, an earthquake today and a hurricane on the way. What more can happen? I'm almost afraid to ask!!

Wham Bam!

2011-08-22T15:36:00.000-04:00

We had a doozy of a storm last night. The power flickered off and on several times, the rain was torrential and the lightning and thunder were epic. And then......we heard a loud boom. I didn't know until this morning, when I went out to check the pool skimmer, that this tree had fallen. It appears to have been struck by lightning, since the trunk is badly splintered.

As it fell, it took several limbs off a second tree, and skimmed the bark off another.

A slightly closer view of the trunk that splintered. when we left the neighborhood this morning, we saw limbs down and a few trees in three other yards. Since we moved here 29 years ago, we have lost more than 20 trees, but luckily we still have many more, and it didn't hit anything important on the way down.

2011-08-21T11:23:00.000-04:00


My mom and her sister with their father, in the 1940's. I barely knew this man, as he died when I was young. He lived about 100 miles from my parents, and we only visited there once or twice a year. He and my grandmother were divorced, long before it was an acceptable practice and something which my mom was ashamed of all her life. He lived on a large working farm and he was also the principal and only teacher in a one-room school. His six children all went to school there. I think I've mentioned before that he was responsible for mom having a bump on her nose. He could flick a piece of chalk with deadly aim, and every time mom or someone else misbehaved in school, he would flick the chalk to hit them on the nose. She said he never failed to hit his target. I'm sure nowadays he'd be called on the carpet for that, but in the 1910's and '20's, that was never thought about. Don't carp about the furs, please. This was way before anyone ever thought about it being a sin to shoot or trap animals solely for their pelts. I can remember stroking those furs lovingly when I was a youngster, and dreaming of the days when I would be allowed to borrow them. Of course, by the time I was old enough, they were out of style. I did have a "walking suit" (remember those?) with a fox-dyed lynx collar. It was spectacular! I loved wearing it, even though its marigold yellow color elicited a snarky comment from a woman I knew...."Isn't that the color they make hunters wear so they can be seen in the woods?"


This is a cartoon for a calling card that my mom designed for herself in 1934. She and my dad didn't get married until 1935.

*****

My brain is much this weekend. I worked over 15 hours in two days and that's a bit much for the old bones (and brain) as I'm finding out. I loved every minute of it, but I just don't bounce back as easily as I used to.

Want Some Advice?

2011-08-18T19:28:00.000-04:00

There was a lesson to be learned today, and I think I did well. Gold is selling at a very high premium these days. Someone mentioned to me recently that if I had any old jewelry to sell, I might want to consider doing it soon.

Typical procrastinator that I am, I waited at least a month to see what I had that I might rid myself of and make some cash in the doing. I found six pieces that I seldom, if ever, wear and today I took them to a jewelry store. I had only been in this store once before, but they had a sign on the door saying they were buying, so I went in. They checked the gold content and weighed the pieces, and offered me what I considered at be a decent, but somewhat disappointing amount.

I called mr. kenju and reported the amount, after which he said "Why don't you think about it overnight?" I realized that he had a good point, so I decided to go to a few more jewelry shops to see what they would offer.

All totaled, I went to four shops. The range of amounts they offered me varied by $310. I was SOOOOO happy that I had decided to "shop around."

If you want to turn some old jewelry into ready cash - be sure to get offers from more than one! The rate for gold today was $1,832.00 per ounce. I didn't have quite that much; however I'm pleased with what I did have!

Note: that is not my photo or my jewelry.

Did You Know? + Quotes

2011-08-17T15:26:00.003-04:00

Istanbul, Turkey is the only city in the world located on two continents.

In 1900, the average age at death was 47.

The "O" when used as a prefix in Irish surnames means descendant of.

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.

A chicken will lay bigger and stronger eggs if you change the lighting in such a way as to make them think a day is 28 hours long.

The average person walks the equivalent of twice around the world in a lifetime.

In 1903, there were originally eight Crayola crayons in a box and they sold for five cents.

Quotes from "Springs of Indian Wisdom":

1. Even the severed branch grows again, and the sunken moon returns:

    Wise men who ponder this are not troubled in adversity.

2. What we have done will not be lost to all eternity.
Everything ripens at its time and becomes fruit at its hour.

3. A thousand reasons for worry, a thousand reasons for anxiety,
    oppress day after day the fool, but not the wise man.

4. Luck may sometimes help; work always helps.
    If you do not worry about a misfortune for three years,
    it will become a blessing.

Tuesday at the Flower Shuttle

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Crazy Shoes!

2011-08-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

No copy needed.....I admire the creativity and imagination, and the quality appears to be high, but would you want to walk in any of these?

2011-08-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

Quotes from Crossroads Road, by Jeff Kay, author of the West Virginia Surf Report.com

If you are looking for a funny book to while away a few hours, this one will almost surely tickle your funny bone and may even give you a few belly laughs. Jovis and Tara, along with other assorted family members and hangers-on, are given two million bucks after her mom wins the lottery. The ensuing chaos is very funny. Here are a few quotes from the book. There were many others, but I can't print them here. Proceed at your own risk.....lol

"I don't think it's possible for Sue to tread lightly. Her ass is so big now, it's started to square-off. Have you noticed that? Really gigantic asses go square after a while, and it looks like the person has couch cushions in their pants. It's true, and Sue's have gone full-square. Actually rectangle, two giant rectangles rubbing together." (P.S. If you fit this description (or it offends you), I'm sorry - please don't shoot the messenger. I think it is funny (and true.)

"....I'm talking to the parents. They need to know what their trampy little harlots are doing in their spare time. But I'll take care of it. The farther you stay away from this, the better. You think it's funny, but it's a bigger threat to you than anyone. Naked 14-year old girls and men in their 40s do not mix, Jovis. You could be arrested, thrown in to prison, and featured on one of those child molester websites, complete with a bug-eyed photo and a map to our house.......Once you're pegged as a sexual degenerate, it's a difficult thing to shake....Plus, it's common knowledge that "prison is shorthand for "involuntary power-sodomy in a cinderblock shower with a man known only as "Chicago."

Jeff's book is available at Amazon, and for ebook devices.

The Blogger Meet-up That Only Partially Happened...

2011-08-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

Several weeks ago, two friends of mine announced a trip to my home town, to visit with a bevy of wonderful bloggers (some of whom I'd met and a few I hadn't), via a 4-seater airplane. Biff is a pilot; having secured his license this summer and Tiff is his wife. I asked if I could tag along and they graciously said yes.

I was very excited, and for a few days, I kept the news to myself, because I just knew some people in my family would not want me to get into a small plane for any reason, let alone a blogger meet-up (they just don't understand!!) When I told mr. kenju, I got the reaction I expected, but we were at dinner with friends, so he couldn't respond the way he would have had we been at home. I know they wouldn't take kindly to screaming in Nina's Ristorante...lol

Another family member also gave the expected reaction, although she had more believable reasons for me not to go than mr. kenju did (he of the rampant paranoia - don't tell him I said that, okay? In fact, don't tell him I said ANY of this!)

As the week wore on and the day of departure loomed, mr. kenju showed increasing frustration with my decision; telling me on the hour why it was a bad idea and making speculations about the state of my mental health. He wanted me to leave my check books, credit cards, diamond ring, extra car keys, etc. here, and to settle the taxes before I left. It became increasingly clear that he didn't ever expect to see me again after Friday. On Wednesday, I'd had enough drama and I pulled the plug on the trip (for me) sending an email to Biff and Tiff that I wouldn't be joining them, nearly crying as I did so.

I was later asked to work on Friday. Around mid-afternoon on Friday, my cell phone rang; it was Biff. They had gotten as far as Danville, VA and had to turn back due to inclement weather. Biff said since he had rented the plane all day, we could still go up and enjoy a flight around Raleigh - but I had to turn it down - since I was working. Darn it, foiled again!

Meanwhile, the bevy of bloggers was at lunch in Charleston - minus the NC contingent - I'm sad to say. From all reports, they had a great time, and were joined by one who seldom does that sort of thing - even mentioning it was outside her comfort zone. So, to those who made it there, I want you to know how much you were missed and to the two I had not met before - I am still hoping!!

As I said....I've been busy!

2011-08-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

A silk arrangement, done for a friend. Details below.

I had saved some real bird nests from ones we used last Christmas at the history Museum, and put two of them into this arrangement. (Thanks, Mel, for letting me keep them.)

I did the flowers for these four tall candelabra yesterday. They are packed in buckets, for easy transport.

Another detail from the birdcage arrangement.

Candelabra flowers - detail.

2011-08-11T22:58:00.000-04:00

What Will They Think of Next?

2011-08-11T00:16:00.001-04:00

British-born artist Ivan Lovatt forms sculptures out of chicken wire!

This koala is my favorite!

WHEW!

2011-08-09T19:28:00.000-04:00

It's a busy, busy week in kenju-land and still hot as Hades here. Friday and Saturday I worked; there were seven weddings to do and deliver. Sunday, we drove to Greensboro to visit our son and his family, and after a delicious lunch prepared by my wonderful daughter-in-law, we were taken to their swimming pool complex. The water was so warm that I stayed in the pool for about 90 minutes altogether. I had sunblock on, but it didn't do much good. The upper half of me is quite pink (in-between the freckles).

On Monday night, six of our neighborhood women went to Wine and Design, and painted a beach/water scene. I'm not very happy with mine. The last time I tried to paint anything was in the 1970's and I was using oil paints. Acrylics are a whole 'nother animal (as they say) and it takes a while to get used to the speed with which it dries. I'd love to go back there sometime and paint one of their floral canvases. Last night was fun, and it was a treat to see what everyone else was doing. There were 40-50 women there, and no two canvases looked much alike when we were done. I guess the instructor wonders what goes through our heads (or how it translates to our hands!)

On Tuesday morning, I went to the Flower Shuttle. Wednesday evening I go to the flower shop where I've been working, for a group photo shoot and dinner/social. On Thursday, five of our neighbors are preparing and taking lunch to our shut-in neighbor (for which I will make my 'adult' macaroni and cheese) and on Friday, I am pleased to be flying (in a small plane) to my home town for lunch with 10-12 bloggers, all of whom first met through the web-site WV Surf Report. I have met most of them, and I am looking forward to meeting the others. I am sure the Indian restaurant we are going to will never be the same again. All my family members think I am nuts to fly in a 4-seater, but I am thrilled to be able to tag along with two good friends, so I can see all the others again. There is nothing on the calendar for Saturday and Sunday - and that, my friends, is a very good thing!!

A Quote + A Question

2011-08-08T07:27:00.000-04:00

It is not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.

Moliere, actor and playwright (1622-1673)

We call them 'sins of omission.' Are you guilty of a sin of omission? Not telling the full truth...failing to say anything at all, when an explanation is necessary...

Some examples: If a person hits a parked car and fails to leave a note with contact information, it is a sin of omission. When a guy takes a girl home to meet his parents and doesn't tell them that she is of another religious faith (and he knows it is important to them) it is a sin of omission.

Okay kiddies....it's time for confession (truly good for the soul.) What sins have you omitted?

Wedding Flowers

2011-08-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

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Wreaths (today), and I am still trying to figure out why they wanted blue and white ribbons on something that is white and pink. I worked both last weekend (for Mel) and this one (for English Garden); two weddings last week and seven (count 'em) seven this weekend. Makes me tired to think about having that many - but it was fun! We went out to dinner tonight with our next-door neighbors, to our favorite Italian place. I had farfalle alla Nina (the chef and owner) with bowtie pasta, scallops and shrimp and a really tasty sauce - very buttery - of course. Since I had a plate of Thai food about 2pm, I didn't want an appetizer or salad and wonder of wonders - I didn't eat any dessert, although mr. kenju's tiramisu surely looked good. We ran into my very good friend Pam, with her husband and their next-door neighbors. It must have been the weekend for getting together with neighbors.... Monday night, some of the women in my neighborhood are going to Wine and Design. I am really looking forward to it. I have done a few drawings, but I haven't had a paintbrush in my hand for about 33 years. We have chosen to do a beach scene and it could get interesting. If mine turns out well, I'll post it.

Odds and Ends + A Birthday Party

2011-08-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Bloggers Renn, Tiff, Biff and Kenju meet with Renn's friends to celebrate her birthday (along with husband Chachi and daughter Nooze)

The truly fabulous birthday cake; four layers of dark chocolate/coffee goodness, separated by butter cream icing and topped by chocolate ganache. Heaven in a bite - baked by the cute blond on the left! She calls it "World Peace" cake, since no one who eats a slice could ever want to fight anyone!! (You might be in a sugar coma afterward....lol)

It took the birthday girl four tries to blow out all the candles! (She's not old enough to get winded that quickly!)

Our resident hawk lost something on our deck this morning. It is 12" long!

In case you can't enlarge it, the graphic shows an android peeing on an apple logo!

2011-08-03T23:14:00.000-04:00

Poor baby.....the birdbath water was at least as hot as the air.....101*

WOOHOO!!

2011-08-02T20:00:00.003-04:00

An Old Acquaintance

2011-08-02T00:01:00.004-04:00

Last weekend as we were delivering wedding flowers, we had to go to a country club that I had not been in since January 2008 - the last big wedding that my own business had there. For many years, I had seen a woman manning the reception desk on weekends every time I delivered flowers. She was so cheerful and friendly that I always looked forward to seeing her.

Mel and I went there in the morning to set up all his centerpieces and spread rose petals on tables that would hold crystal candelabra later - as soon as they were delivered. The older woman I remembered was not at the desk; it was another, equally charming woman. I didn't ask her about the older woman (but I should have.)

Later, Mel asked if I would stop back by that club on my way home to hang two sprays on the stair railings and also take photos of how the room looked after everything was in place. I was happy to do that, since the club is only five miles from my house. When I entered, who should be on the desk but the woman I remembered - so I went over and renewed our acquaintance. She said she remembered me, and I told her how much I had always enjoyed seeing her at the desk and what an asset she was to the club. She replied that she might be retiring soon - and I said that although I had closed my business, I still worked for several other florists, and that she might want to think carefully about giving up her "day" job. What she said then floored me:

She is 91 years old, and no, that's not a typo. She is 91! I knew she was of a certain age, but I had no earthly idea that she could be in her 9th decade. And as it turns out, the woman I saw when I first went to the club that morning is her daughter. She helps out; I suppose, so that her mother will not work all day long and into the evening.

If I could ask a favor of the Universe, I might ask that I could be so healthy that I would be able to work into my 9th decade!! I think the country club is to be commended for keeping on staff a woman of that age. She is healthy, happy, and as I said, a definite asset. Bully for her - and bully for the club!!

There's Life in the Old Gal Yet

2011-08-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

Did you ever do something so stupid that you simply couldn't believe you did it - and then realized that people saw you do it???

When Mel and I were delivering the wedding flowers on Saturday, we pulled up outside the Cathedral downtown and he handed me an altar piece while he took the other one. I walked into the sanctuary carrying a huge arrangement - but that is something I have done a kazillion times before. What I did that I have never done before and surely shouldn't have done this time is that I held the arrangement up so that it was essentially covering my face and blocking my vision. I was further distracted by the fact that there were 10-12 people there, preparing for a Baptism, and I hadn't expected to see anyone. The really stupid part is when I was following Mel and forgot there was a step UP to the altar - about 5" - and I tripped over it. My legs buckled and my knees came down full force onto a terrazzo floor. Guess what? Terrazzo is hard.

I was stunned, and for a second I thought I surely had broken my kneecaps. Several people rushed to my aid, but all I cared about was the flowers. Mel got the arrangement from the floor where it had fallen - and it is a testament to his good floral arranging mechanics that not one flower fell out of it and miracle of miracles - nothing broke! The other miracle is that I didn't utter a curse word (which I might normally do under those circumstances) - a really, really bad curse word - maybe even a whole series of them!

The men who came to help me started trying to lift me off the floor, but I thought it was best if I got up under my own steam, so I did. My left knee started to bruise a little and the right one had some skin knocked off, but it didn't bleed. I thought I'd be much more bruised and swollen, but it didn't happen. There was no ice to put on it, so I made do with a cool wet washcloth I had brought to work in my tool kit, to stave off the 101* heat. I guess that was enough to keep it from swelling.

On Sunday morning, I got an email from Mel asking if I was sore, and the truth of the matter is that I had forgotten about falling and I had to feel my knees to see if they were sore....lol

They weren't - and aren't - and I really can't believe that they aren't - but I am very, very glad that there are no aftereffects!! I'm feeling sort of indestructible about now, but I know I have to be more careful in the future.

The Concert.....

2011-07-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

and some not very exciting, random photos of that night. Our seats were directly in line with the front left corner of the stage, but we were in the stands, just under the private boxes. It is pretty high up to be able to get good photos with a point and shoot, even if it does zoom a little. I took a few short videos (and felt wicked, since it was against the rules) but I can't get them to play here, for some odd reason. This photo shows Pia and Lauren.

The women...

Nearly everyone but Scotty.....The show started at 7:15 and ran until about 10pm. They each did solos and also sang in small groups and there were two production numbers with all of them except Scotty. He didn't make an appearance on stage until the show had been going for two hours, and it was clear that everyone thought he should have come out at least once earlier in the evening. For the fist 30 minutes or so, I was thinking they should call it the Pia show, since she sang 3-4 numbers alone and a few duets. I like Pia, but I wouldn't attend a concert of her and no one else. Finally the others began to come out on stage. A highlight for me was when Casey played his bass viol and then sang with Haley. I love their jazz renditions.

My daughter and her niece (my 14-year-old granddaughter) sat down on the floor-level, but they were as far from the stage as we (my 11 year-old-granddaughter and I) were. James (the rocker) was the only one who came into the arena through the people on the floor, and my granddaughter was thrilled that she got to touch him on the arm as he passed by. I guess she will remember that for the rest of her life.

I think the contestants this year were the best group ever, and they have all improved since the finale. They are learning showmanship, use of the stage, stage presence and projection - and they are all terrific - with one exception. There was one guy I never cared for and I still don't, but I won't mention who it is, since it would serve no purpose here. He could have been your favorite. I was very impressed with Stefano this time. He has improved greatly and is a very good singer. Naima Adedapo is as well, and a great dancer too, which was not evident during the season. She did an African dance routine during one of her solos that was very good.

When Scotty came out, the arena (19,500 people for this event) erupted in thunderous applause and catcalls. He sang four songs (I think), a duet with Lauren, and then the whole group sang one or two more. It was a very good show. The video screens were kept busy with images from the season, their commercials for autos and messages from judges and Ryan. In case you didn't know, I won two tickets to the show with "Money Mailer". But I already had two tickets that my daughter had purchased for me. That made it possible for she and I to go and to take two of my four granddaughters (and I am sure the other two might have loved to go as well.) I was told that the tickets I won cost $205 each. Considering that they were fairly high up in the stands, I am trying to imagine what the floor tickets cost (the ones close to the stage). I had read that on the day of the concert, tickets were selling for up to $2,200 each. I was advised to sell my tickets - but I thought it would be very hard to get that much for my tickets even if I listed them online - and I really wanted to go to the concert. I think it was worth it!

Now for the odd coincidence department: When we were in the car trying to exit the parking lot, the car we were behind was driven by the two strangers we had sat next to in the concert. I know it was them, because they were in a car emblazoned with the logos of the company that I won the tickets from. The owner told me that she had an internal contest also, and the person who sold the most ads that month also won two tickets. Considering that there were 19,500 people trying to get out of the parking lot - what are the odds that we would be right next to the same people we sat beside in the concert???

Previews of Coming Attractions

2011-07-30T08:54:00.000-04:00

White rose boutonniere with a James Storeii orchid, gardenia leaves and seeded eucalyptus.

Corsage: a white calla and rose, with wax flower, rosemary and lily grass.

Wrist corsage: two miniature cymbidium orchids with wax flower.

The bouquets that Mel made, sitting in the cooler.


One of my pair of sprays that will hang on the stair railings at a country club.	I'll get to the post about the concert either tonight or tomorrow.

Later Alligator

2011-07-28T23:08:00.000-04:00

Sorry....I'm too tired to write about the concert tonight. I work tomorrow and Sat. too, so maybe I'll get to it on Sunday. Thanks for hanging in.

What made Me Deafer Than Ever....

2011-07-28T08:04:00.001-04:00

Taken last night at the Idol concert (Scotty and Lauren). I will write about it for you later, but now I have to go to work. I can't believe this is post # 1700! This is a video, but it won't play here and I don't know why.

Livin' the Life.....

2011-07-27T08:32:00.000-04:00

Found some place I can't remember - so I hope whoever took the photo doesn't care that I've borrowed it. I think I might be able to do this all day long. How about you?

Flower Shuttle Tuesday

2011-07-26T13:16:00.000-04:00


I loved the striations on this lavender chrysanthemum, and I don't ever remember seeing them before. They remind me a little of fritillaria, even though it isn't as pronounced in the mum petals. Can you tell I love blue and lavender flowers together? I have not been to the flower shuttle in about 8 weeks. Today I was welcomed so warmly by so many, that I feel I must try very hard to get back on track and go more often!!

Hereafter Known As.....

2011-07-25T00:01:00.009-04:00

"The great pantry cleanout of 2011." (I won't kid myself and say it will be done again this year!) I found a box of untried recipes, and some booklets like the one I'm showing here - but nothing as cute as this! I really hope that you can click and make them larger, because the copy if amusing and some of the recipes appear to be good ones. Let me know if you cook any filet of sole.....LOL

Yesterday's continuation of the cleaning yielded a bag of chocolate chips with bloom on them - dated 2006, and two stale bags of chips and pretzels. I have quite a few bag clips; if only I could convince that man who lives here that he has to fold the bags down several times (removing the air) before clipping them.

Out My Kitchen Window

2011-07-24T08:45:00.001-04:00

A mama cardinal flew up to my bone-dry birdbath this morning and made me feel guilty for not having filled it yet. It's been so hot that the water evaporates almost immediately anyway. So I took out a pitcher of water and some birdseed. I'm sure she will appreciate it - if she can convince herself to return. Somehow the birds haven't noticed (or don't trust) that I no longer have cats. I don't usually feed birds in the summer, but with the excessive heat, I'm sure they have a harder time finding something to eat. *** About 30 minutes after I posted this, I saw the mama cardinal merrily taking a bath!

I've been nursing along a pot of weeds just to see what kind of plant they grow into, but even they are drying up and turning yellow, in spite of my efforts. I miss seeing color in the back yard, but nothing would grow this year without extreme watering and care - so I'm not really sorry that I didn't put forth any effort, or buy lots of potted plants. I had to make do with the forsythia in the spring and the recently dried-on-the-bush gardenias. They were both pretty for a day or two and then dessication set in. The temperature reached 103* here yesterday and it will be at least 99* today. Thank Heaven for the pool; just looking at it makes me cooler. I hope to get in it today, though.

The deer have all but abandoned me. All last year I saw herds of 6-9 nearly every day in the woods around my home, but this summer, I only see 1-2 at a time and not every day. My son speculated that they have left to be near a water source (in short supply around here now) and will return when temps moderate and foliage returns. I hope so, as I love seeing them around.

How are you, your plants and animals weathering this extreme heat?

My Pantry

2011-07-22T13:44:00.002-04:00

The pantry gets cleaned out at least twice a year - or so I would tell you and believe it to be true - but what I found today makes that appear to be a lie. There were four (count 'em - four) containers of hot chocolate mix and although only one of them had an expiration date, that was April 1996. Since I don't think ANY hot chocolate has been mixed in this house since before 2000, I tossed them all out. There was a package (half-used) of lasagna noodles, which seemed to be petrified, so out they went.

A plastic container of dry cat food was there, as well as six cat bowls. Since my kitties have recently gone on to their great reward in the sky, I put those away in a storage closet for safe-keeping, should I ever again decide I want to clean litter pans daily and spend small fortunes at the veterinary office.The cat food will be donated.

The medicine chest also got checked; and it had cough medicine that had expired, and calamine lotion. It may be that stuff was still good, but why take a chance? I found enough band aids to last two lifetimes, especially since no children reside here any more, and the grand kids are beyond the point of needing them, at least not every time they visit.

My plastic storage containers have been multiplying (as I'm sure yours do). I'm referring to the smaller ones. The bigger ones seem to go missing every time we have company (and give them something to take home) and I seldom get them back. So I mated all of them to their better-halves and while they do take up a lot of space, at least I won't have to search for the tops - this week. The next time the dish-washer gets cleaned out by that man who lives here with me, they will all be heaved into the bin willy-nilly.

Who knows what I will find tomorrow, when I complete the project. Have you tackled your pantry/cabinets recently? What oddments did you find?

2011-07-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

We're having a heat wave. I think many of you could say that now and not be prevaricating. I was driving down a major road here today and the temperature gauge in my car said 101*. As I passed a certain point, it started sprinkling, and within seconds, it was a full cloudburst. By the time I had gone only half a mile, the gauge said 89*. Apparently, the rainwater was able to cool the air temperature that quickly, but I would never have guessed that was possible. We needed the rain badly, so I was glad to see it, and hoped that the area around my home was getting some of it too. About 90 minutes later, I retraced my route, and the pavements were wet until I passed the original place where the sprinkling started - then it was as dry as a bone all the rest of the way home. About 3 hours later, we got a measure of it too. Not enough, but some is better than nothing.

Are you an avid reader? I'd like to recommend an author whose books I've gotten to know lately. Her name is Lisa See. First, I read "Snowflower and the Secret Fan", and enjoyed it. Then a friend gave me her novels "Shanghai Girls" and its sequel, "Dreams of Joy". Each one is better than the last! I'm not suggesting that guys would like these books (although some might) but I simply didn't want to put them down, especially the last one. I've read that "Snowflower...." has been made into a movie. I can't wait to see it, and I hope they will make movies of the other two.

I'll leave you with a quote - a true one - I think, and especially of politicians:

"We have, I fear, confused power with greatness".

Stewart I. Udall, politician (1920-2010)

Quotes of Note

2011-07-20T00:20:00.000-04:00

Religious freedom should work two ways: we should be free to practice the religion of our choice, but we must also be free from having someone else's religion practiced on us.

John Irving, novelist (b. 1942)

*******

"Always show the greatest kindness to the ones you like the least. If you show kindness to your mother-in-law, who like all women has been bred to hate her daughter-in-law, then you will create an obligation she will never be able to repay." Author Lisa See, in Dreams of Joy, 2011

WOOT!!

2011-07-18T17:15:00.000-04:00

I, who seldom win anything, just won two tickets to the American Idol concert in Raleigh next week!! As far as I can tell, that's a $160 prize! I am sooooooo happy. Don't you wish you could go with me?

I almost said "Don't you wish you were me?", but that would be silly, since few want to be 70 and 20 pounds overweight.....lol (unless you're 80 and 40 pounds over!)

The Argiopes are Back!

2011-07-17T00:53:00.001-04:00

You'll pardon the blurry photo, I hope. I worked today, and it required more heavy lifting and bending than I am currently capable of, so I hurt my back. Getting a clear photo of the spider required me to bend over again, and I wasn't about the stay in that position long enough to get a good focus.

Remember this post about the argiope spiders?

A Tiny Wrist Corsage + More Rants

2011-07-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Working at the flower shop on Friday, I learned a new way to make a wrist corsage, which is especially nice for younger girls. It is attached to a slightly more than 1" wide double-faced satin ribbon, which gets tied onto the wrist in a "shoe-string" or double-loop bow. I enjoy learning new ways of doing things!

*****

Remember my recent rants? I have more (and you must be tired of hearing them). I shall rant on; however.....

The upstairs heat pump went out two days ago. The capacitor (whatever that is, and it costs a small fortune.

The plumber was unable to find a re-build kit for my old faucet - so it has to be replaced - another small fortune spent (or will be soon.)

The yellow algae in the pool has come roaring back with a vengeance. Apparently it really likes the Alkalinity Up and the 8 pounds of chlorine and quart of algaecide I put into the pool over the last few days. Sheeeesh!

I'm still waiting for the new stove hood to arrive, and the new stove top cannot (should not) be installed until it does. So......nearly two weeks after the new one arrived here, I'm still waiting. BAH!!

Happy Birthday to My Daughter

2011-07-15T08:55:00.000-04:00

On July 15, 1969, I gave birth to a baby girl. She was beautiful then and she still is. We are very proud of the woman she has become and I look forward to seeing what she can accomplish in the future. She has given us four gorgeous, wonderful grandchildren; she went back to school several years ago and became an R.N., and she loves her work.

Sweetheart, we hope that this next year will prove to be one of your very best!! We love you always!

2011-07-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

I went to a consignment shop today; not so much to buy as to find out their policies for consigning. I saw this brown pitcher, like one I bought in the early 60's. This brown ironstone was part of a set of premiums offered by a grocery store back then (A&P, I think). I had a large set of it, and I gave most of it to my daughter when she got married in 1992. I don't remember how much it cost when new, but their price today was $36. I can tell you that the whole set probably didn't cost that much! I asked my daughter if she still has her pitcher - and she does - although not much else remains. I can't imagine anyone being willing to pay $36 (or even $26) for that, unless they had a set and wanted to complete it. It weighs a lot even when it is empty, and when it's filled, it takes a muscle man to lift it!

This old Formica kitchen dining table reminds me of the one that my parents had when I was about 10-12 years old; only ours was yellow with gray accents on six chairs. Our kitchen back then was painted turquoise - wildly popular in the late 40's to mid 50's. The bright yellow table was quite an accent in the kitchen. I really wouldn't mind having one of these old tables now. They were functional, easy to clean and almost indestructible - to which this one bears witness!

Comments on Old, Old Blog Posts

2011-07-13T11:12:00.001-04:00

I received a comment today on a blog post I wrote way back in 2005 - I guess there's life in the backwoods of my internet experiences even yet!!

It's Too Darn Hot (a Rant in Several Sections)

2011-07-11T17:16:00.000-04:00

The temperature gauge in my car today was 95*, and I heard on the news that the heat index was 101* - and tomorrow, the heat index is going to be 105-110**. I don't know how many days we have been over 90* this summer, but it started early in the spring and hasn't let up for more than 1 or 2 days at a time. Add that to the fact that we need more rain badly, and you know why there is no green grass (except where people have sprinkler systems) and even the trees looked stressed from the unrelenting heat.

I thought I had a dentist appointment today - but after I went there, I found out it is tomorrow. GAH! I hate when that happens, and I have no one but myself to blame. They usually call me to confirm, but this time they didn't - so maybe I can blame it on them. lol

Our pool is yellow (again). Mustard algae rears its ugly head once more. Just about the time I get rid of it, we get a rain storm and it dilutes all the chemicals and the algae comes back. I am tired of fighting it and tired of paying for more chemicals!

The plumber made another visit today; I discovered a leak under the kitchen sink. It is in the faucet, so unless he can find a kit to rebuild it, I will have to buy another faucet. It's always something, isn't it?

Helpful Hints

2011-07-10T11:45:00.000-04:00

To keep lint and dist off glass table tops, wash them in a solution of warm water and fabric softener. Add one tablespoon of fabric softener to one quart of warm water. The fabric softener will clean the glass and will keep lint from gathering (also good for TV screens and computers).

When corks are too large to go into a bottle, toss them into hot water for a few moments and they will soften.

Instead of using expensive lime removers for toilets and bathroom fixtures, try hydrogen peroxide first; it can do the job at a fraction of the cost.

To remove permanent marker from appliances and counter tops, use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel.

Toss a few old bath towels into the wash with a shower curtain. The towels will rub off all traces of soap scum and dirt. Hang shower curtains back up right out of the wash.

When you go to bed at night, place flower arrangements into the refrigerator, making the flowers last much longer. Be careful that your refrigerator doesn't get below 35*.

Did You Know?

2011-07-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

The healthy human eye can distinguish about 17,000 different colors.

The pigmy shrew, a relative of the mole, is the smallest mammal in North America. It weighs 1/14 of an ounce less than a dime.

The lanula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the base of fingernails.

The cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth II, moves only six (yes, six) inches for each gallon of diesel fuel that it burns.

If you attempted to count the stars in our galaxy at the rate of one each second, it would take 3,000 years to count them all.

When NASA first sent up astronauts, they discovered that ballpoint pens would not write in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from freezing to 300*C. The Russians used a pencil.

The Meaning of Rose Colors

2011-07-08T08:21:00.000-04:00

Red: the symbol of pure love

White: symbolize purity or new beginnings

Yellow: everlasting friendship (old or new friends)

Orange: enthusiasm and desire; a burning love

Purple or Lavender: love at first sight, passion, luxury, royalty

Pink: admiration, appreciation, joy, thanks (any shade of pink)

Peach: sincerity and gratitude

This list leaves out the newest colors of rose - green - available from pale to lime green. I wonder what the meaning of these will be?

So, tell me: what's your favorite shade of rose?

Two Things

2011-07-07T00:01:00.028-04:00

Anyone need a 30+ year old pinata? I suspect the candy inside was probably stale when we bought it - but it might be still edible. lol This thing has been in a closet for at least 29 years, and I guess it is time to get rid of it.

*******

*Edit below: You know how frustrating it can be when you are waiting for something to be delivered and it doesn't come? I ordered a new cooktop last week from a company in Alabama, on the advice of my installer, instead of buying it locally, because the price was half on-line. YES, half, and shipping was only $15. They sent an email the next day saying it had been shipped. I waited for FedEx to arrive, but they didn't come and we had to go out to dinner that night. Lo and behold, on Sunday morning I found a sticky note on my front storm door saying that they had tried to deliver at 7:45 pm on Saturday night. Who delivers that late on Sat? On Tuesday, I called the 800 number to see if I could establish when they were coming. I couldn't get a human on the line, of course, but the robot told me they would deliver today (Wednesday). It is almost 6pm now, and I'm still waiting. :-(

* It came at 6:45.....YAY! Now I have to wait for the new vent hood to arrive, and I can call the installer.

Haircut Day

2011-07-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

Haircut day always take us into a building that has atrium walkways, with skylights in the ceilings, making for a wonderful place to grow greenery, both exotic and ordinary. I love croton plants. They range from simple, green veined leaves to wild oranges, reds and yellows - sometimes all on the same plant.When I walked in this morning, the sun was shining down directly on a croton with many red leaves, making it appear to be on fire. The photo didn't quite capture what I was seeing, but perhaps you'll enjoy it anyway.

I think I have told you this before, but when we were in Mexico (Cancun), crotons were used extensively in landscape plantings and depending on where they are located, the colors vary widely. Around here, they are used as indoor plants, but if our 90* + temperatures don't moderate soon, we could probably grow them outside!

The 235th Celebration of Our Independence

2011-07-05T00:01:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we hosted two of our kids and five of our grand kids for swimming and deck time. I cooked brats** and hotdogs, made potato salad (thanks Sandra and Billy - the potatoes are great!), baked beans and all the trimmings. My daughter-in-law sent a chocolate eclair cake (to die for). I still didn't make it into the pool, and by 4pm it was thundering steadily. It didn't quit until around 9pm. After sitting on the deck for almost three hours in 99* heat, I don't know who was roasted more - us or the brats!

We watched "A Capitol Fourth" and Macy's Fireworks and I am all out of celebrations at this point. Hope your Fourth of July was memorable!

Today is haircut day (it couldn't have come a minute too soon!)

** short for bratwurst.

Third Time is the Charm, Right?

2011-07-04T00:01:00.026-04:00

I'm not sure what is wrong with my new computer, but something keeps happening that is driving me crazy. This is the third time I have tried to write this post. About two or three sentences in, the cursor automatically moves to a previous line and if I don't notice it right away, I'll type on and on, while the words are out of place. That's easy enough to correct, but then, as I am typing, something (and it is not me) highlights all previous words and/or photos and they instantly disappear. That didn't happen often with Windows XP on my old computer, but with this Windows 7, it happens too often and I'm going nuts trying to get posts written. I am careful to click "save now" fairly often, so I don't know how that happens.

I was trying to tell you Happy Independence Day, so I hope it works this time - or I'll just forget it!!

Sorbonne Lilies

2011-07-03T00:01:00.008-04:00

I couldn't decide which photo I liked better, so I'm posting both. These Sorbonnes are my favorite lilies.

Happy Anniversary!

2011-07-02T00:01:00.005-04:00

to me - and to Mr. Kenju.*

Today we reach 47 years of wedded bliss - ROFLMAO - well, maybe not bliss all those years - but we are still together. It hasn't been easy for either of us, but we are proud of that record, especially since so few achieve it.

* check out the link above - and here's another one.

Im'ma Be on TV, Maybe.....*

2011-07-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

* probably not. (EDIT BELOW)

Mel gave me a heads up on Thursday that a local TV station would be at the shop that morning; filming a segment on how to have lovely wedding flowers on a budget. Knowing that I would only be in the background, if at all, I nevertheless dressed in slightly better clothes than I ordinarily do (which isn't saying much....lol) and I wore jewelry, which I seldom do for work.

I had barely gotten in the door when the truck, blazoned with WTVD Channel 11 on the side, parked out front. Shortly, the door opened and a reporter came in. Mel had set up his consultation table with examples of how to decorate wedding tables on a budget. The cameraman followed, and the interview commenced. I was in the rear of the shop, conditioning flowers for the weekend's weddings.

As the interview ended, the reporter (Amber Rupinta), came into the work area and was introduced to me. She appears to be a very pretty woman on TV, but in person, she is gorgeous!! (Amber, you should wear red everyday!) Amber spoke with us while the camera man took footage of the flowers I was conditioning, opening boxes, etc. I sincerely doubt that any of that footage will make the newscast, but just in case, it will be shown in the 4pm news segment on WTVD, Channel 11, Raleigh, Durham and surrounding areas, on Friday.

*NOT! LOL!! Mel looked good, though. I reminded him that the camera adds ten pounds. I didn't really expect to be on camera, so it didn't surprise me - or bother me - at all.

Flora

2011-06-29T19:46:00.000-04:00

Something pretty to look at; a rose, a peony and a gardenia.

2011-06-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

See the haze up ahead? That is smoke from the forest fires that are burning in eastern North Carolina. As we returned to Raleigh from Myrtle Beach, SC last week, this is what we saw for many miles of the trip.

Odds & Ends

2011-06-28T08:12:00.000-04:00

Stolen from a friend.

The bat I took out of the pool skimmer last week. Mr. kenju wanted to know what happened to his radar? lol

Weddings on June 25th, 2011

2011-06-26T14:39:00.000-04:00

This photo is supposed to be at the bottom!! The cake topper was too heavy for the cake, and so it had to be placed on the corner of the base tier. Had the bride told her baker that she had a heavy topper, the baker would have placed dowels in the cake to hold the weight. I think it is a really cute topper, though.

At Highgrove in Fuquay Varina, NC

The bride's mom provided these pretty lanterns.

Check out this fancy cloth on the Sweetheart Table! The empty vase will receive the bridal bouquet after the ceremony.

At Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh.

Click to enlarge all photos. I didn't do any of this work; Mel did it all.

Snakes Ahead (Fair Warning!!)

2011-06-25T17:59:00.000-04:00

I have no idea what kind of snake this is. I have never seen a black one with these greyish-white markings. Since his head is triangular, I assume he is poisonous. He was very aggressive, and slithered toward my van with no apprehension at all. I zoomed the last shot and then cropped it some (so you could see the detail) but he was only 3 feet from my car door when I snapped this - and moving rapidly. As soon as I took the second shot, I raised my window as fast as I could. It will be fine if I never see him or his ilk again!!

2011-06-24T14:41:00.000-04:00

On the way to work Friday morning, I saw something in the road that I thought was a brown snake. As I got closer, I could see that it was a small tree branch. I drove on another block and saw something else on the road in the distance; thinking it must be a branch too. But as I got closer to it, it began to move in a sinuous manner.......a long black snake with white markings and a triangular-shaped head (which usually signifies a poison snake).

I stopped the car and grabbed my camera, and the snake obligingly stopped and posed for me, but as I snapped that photo, he began to move again, getting very close to my car. I pondered closing the window - thinking he might be able to spring up toward me, but since he wasn't coiled, I chanced another shot - after zooming the lens as much as I could. He's an ugly sight - trust me. I'd show you, but I left my camera at work (I hope that's where it is). Photos to come over the weekend. Have a good one.

Signs

2011-06-23T19:15:00.000-04:00

There is a plumber here in this area whose truck reads:

"Head Pottyologist"

2011-06-22T16:35:00.000-04:00


R.I.P. Born 1997, Died 6-17-11	Her ear infection spread, and it was too enmeshed in her body to be cured. The poor baby lost 2-3 pounds in about 3 weeks and began to stagger and wobble, due to the middle ear infection. I am so sad to have lost her, especially so soon after her sister died from a kidney problem.

Quiet

2011-06-21T08:23:00.000-04:00

I suppose you have noticed that it's been quiet around here lately. I've been at a loss for words (which happens almost never - as some of you know.) Work and play have commanded my attention and both of those make me happy.

Myrtle Beach was alive and well, and hot as Hades (which I like). The temperatures hovered in the high 90's, but the light breezes and warm water tempered that, and made it not only bearable, but wonderful. The pool water was perfect for me (82* or above) and even the ocean was warm enough for me to go in. That is unusual for June. I don't want to go in the ocean until August most of the time. The Marriott Grande Dunes never disappoints, and this time was no exception. I think that place is the best resort in this section of the Atlantic coastline, including most places on Hilton Head. Their breakfast buffet is among the best (and most extensive) I've seen, and it resembles those we saw in Europe, as they cater to a foreign clientele as well as Americans.

The three days we spent there were made even better by a short visit with a friend from high school, who lives nearby. We were not fast friends back then, but we have become more acquainted at each reunion, and I wish I had known her better when we were in school. Thanks for the drink, Pat!

Now that our vacation is almost over, life, work and family intervenes and playtime is over. The wedding season is in high gear; providing me with all kinds of opportunities to work. The flower shop I worked in last weekend had five weddings plus a large photo shoot for a magazine. It was hectic around there, but also exciting. I only had time to take a few photos, but I'll post them soon. How has your week been?

If Only.....

2011-06-18T08:04:00.000-04:00

you could sit on my deck with me and catch the heavenly aroma wafting on the breeze of my gardenia bush that is chock full of blooms!! I took this photo two days ago, and there are about 10-15 more blooms on it this morning. Is there anything so pristine as a new gardenia bloom?

Would it Break Your Face if You Smiled?

2011-06-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

A creature of habit, I am, and freely admit it.

I once ate a bowl of Life cereal (sometimes two) every day for ten years before I stopped. Nowadays, I am in the habit of eating in the same drive-through restaurant at least 3-4 times a week. The clerk who takes my money (I think she must work 24/7 - she is always there) smiled at me once, I believe. The people who hand my food out the window never smile, including the owner/manager of the place. I think I might know why. I order from the "special value" menu, for two reasons. One: I am cheap, and this meal only costs $3.23. Two: it is just the right amount of food for me; if I order from the regular menu I am too full (I can't leave a crumb behind, can I?)

Do you think if I ordered from the regular menu I'd get a smile? I may try that one day soon (I'll leave off the fries.)

I ate at another branch of the same restaurant this week and the woman who gave me my food smiled bigger than I've ever seen anyone do it and gave me a resounding "Thank you!" She made me want to go back there again, even though it is much further from my house than the other place. I almost parked the car and went inside to tell her manager, but I didn't. I should have, and I may do it yet.

Do you have an easy reply for people who show you no smiles?

Well, I might not have much to say, but.....

2011-06-16T16:17:00.000-04:00

this woman does, and it will make you laugh your socks off!!

Go here to read an extremely funny post!!

Nothing New

2011-06-16T00:14:00.000-04:00

Ever get to the point where you have nothing to say? I'm there. (Never thought that would happen.)

Be back soon.

2011-06-14T23:55:00.000-04:00

The following questions were in last year's GED examination.

These are genuine answers (from 16 year olds. We are in serious

trouble!!)

Q. Name the four seasons

A. Salt, pepper, mustard and ketchup.

Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink

A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants

like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists

Q. How is dew formed?

A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?

A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to

flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature

abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight.

Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?

A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed.

Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?

A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.

Q. What are steroids?

A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q. What happens to your body as you age

A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?

A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery .

Q. Name a major disease associated with cancer. A. Premature death.

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. The abdomen)

2011-06-13T09:06:00.000-04:00

Pun Alert. This is a pun alert. If you ignore this alert, too bad.

 USEFUL TABLE FOR CONVERTING UNITS

 1. Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi

2. 2000 pounds of Chinese soup = Won ton

 3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope

 4. Time between slipping on peel & smacking pavement = 1 bananosecond

 5. Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 billigram

 6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour =  
 Knotfurlong

 7. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone = 1 Rod Serling

 8. Half of a large intestine = 1 semicolon

 9. 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz

 10. Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower

 11. Shortest distance between two jokes = A straight line

12. 453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake

 13. 1 million-million microphones = 1 megaphone

14. 2 million bicycles = 2 megacycles

 15. 365.25 days = 1 unicycle

 16. 2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds

 17. 52 cards = 1 decacards

 18. 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 FigNewton

> 19. 1000 milliliters of wet socks = 1 literhosen

 20. 1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche

 21. 1 trillion pins = 1 terrapin

 22. 10 rations = 1 decoration

 23. 100 rations = 1 C-ration

 24. 2 monograms = 1 diagram

 25. 4 nickels = 2 paradigms

 26. 2.4 statute miles of intravenous surgical tubing at Yale  
 University
 Hospital = 1 IV League

June 11, 2011

2011-06-11T19:27:00.000-04:00

A calla boutonniere (gorgeous color).

Mel's Centerpieces

A "Circus" rose

Mel made this one and the one below.

More Odds & Ends

2011-06-10T19:23:00.000-04:00

A third trip to the veterinarian yesterday revealed that Eclipse has pseudomonas bacteria in her ear. So now we have yet another expensive medication to be placed into her ear once each day. At least this med doesn't have to be refrigerated. Can you imagine how much a cat might hate ear drops that, in addition to being scary and annoying, are also frigidly cold?! The previous medication was not doing the trick against pseudomonas, obviously, and the two antibacterial shots she was given only served to pause the infection, not cure it.

When I asked how my cat could have possibly caught that infection since she has not been around any other animals and doesn't go outside, he said that bacterium lives everywhere on any surface, so it would be impossible to determine. I'm thinking that she might have had it on her foot and scratched her head near her ear. The poor baby has really shown the signs of an ear infection in the last few days; whenever she jumped down off my lap, she staggered. She was so nonplussed by it that she stood still afterward, as if in a daze.

The vet was nice enough to remove the evidence of the drainage (matted hair) and clean out her ear as much as possible. I was amazed at how docilely she sat there for him. I guess she was too scared to move - because for me - she would have scratched, kicked, howled and managed to jump off the table.We are hoping that this last medication will cure the problem in short order!

Odds and Ends

2011-06-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

A license plate I saw recently: WSHUWRME

My answer: not really.....lol

*****

In our area of NC, we are at twelve straight days (maybe more) with temperatures above 90*. "This is August weather, Mother Nature, and we don't appreciate being this hot this early in the year, especially when we haven't had rain in at least 10 days. "

*****

I'm working this weekend, so I might not get around to see all of you.

Question: Do you trust your computer if it tells you that you have a virus? I clicked on a favorite web-site (Jeff Kay's) a few minutes ago and got a page that said I had five viruses and that I should click something on that page in order to get rid of them. I have read that sometimes tracking sites will mimic computer security in order to get you to click on something that doesn't remove anything - but ads a virus to your hard-drive. How can you tell when they are legitimate? (This one purported to be Windows Defender)

Neighborhood Doings

2011-06-08T19:06:00.000-04:00

Last night we had our bi-monthly book club meeting. The book we read and discussed was "Raney" by Clyde Edgerton, which some found hilarious and others merely curiously written. Edgerton has written several other books as well, and if you are not familiar with his work, I suggest you give him a try. His books are perfect for summer reading; which is not to say they are lightweight, but the subject matter is not too serious (at least on the surface.) This book, his first, led to his being relieved of his teaching job at a nearby university. I read that a subsequent book was written which is about that very school. I have not read that one - but you can bet I will get to it soon!

It is quite an interesting education to get a mixture of opinions on the book during the discussion, as you discover some aspect of it that you didn't catch while reading - or a thought that another had that is perhaps opposite your opinion. We have now read five books and I hope we continue forever; it is entirely different to read and then discuss with others than it is to read alone without discussion.I heartily recommend it!

Today, four of us took lunch to my next-door neighbor, who is facing surgery on Friday. We had mushroom quiche, marinated carrots, tossed salad and fruit salad, with ice-cream-topped brownies for dessert. We stayed for three hours altogether, enjoying the company and conversation. I am indeed fortunate to have such nice neighbors. Our next get-together is a pot-luck dinner at one home, for which we will each cook a recipe from the June issue of Southern Living Magazine. It all sounds delicious (as I am a recipient of the RSVP's, I know what everyone is bringing.) My contribution will be shrimp salad served on leaves of endive. I ought to make a test recipe of it before the date of that event, but I have waited too late and don't have time now. Here's hoping it turns out well!

Did You Know?

2011-06-06T20:35:00.000-04:00

Seeing eye dogs are trained to stop at all intersections, regardless of traffic lights. The dog is unaware of the lights and is focused only on finding the curb or other obstacles that might be in his master's path. If the handler gives a "forward" command and the dog sees or hears a car coming at them, the dig disobeys the "forward" command. The dog focuses only on the cars, not on traffic lights.

During the time of peter the Great, any Russian who wore a beard was required to pay a special tax.

One of the most dangerous insects in the world is the common housefly. They carry and transmit more diseases than any other animal in the world.

'Goodbye" came from "God bye" which came from God be with you."

Baby whales grow at a rate of ten pounds per hour.

In the movie Babe, the piglet was played by over 30 different piglets because they outgrew the part so quickly during production.

A person who is lost in the woods and starving can obtain nourishment by hewing on his shoes. Apparently, leather has enough nutritional value to sustain life for a short time. (Bring good BBQ sauce if you plan on eating your shoes, and watch where you step.)

Recent Weddings

2011-06-05T11:45:00.001-04:00

While all the arranging was going on, I was making 44 boutonnieres, 23 corsages (20 of them wristlets), 1 halo (head piece) and 1 kissing ball! Three weddings are a lot of work.

I made the pew markers and bows.

Chester was caught drinking out of the pitcher, and from the position of his ears I can see that he was not happy about being interrupted. He's saying "Yep, I drank out of it - what of it?"

2011-06-04T17:46:00.000-04:00

2011-06-03T17:58:00.000-04:00

CONFUCIUS did NOT say...

Man, who wants pretty nurse, must be patient.

Passionate kiss, like spider web, leads to undoing of fly.

Lady who goes camping must beware of evil intent.

Squirrel who runs up woman's leg will not find nuts.

Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.

Man who runs in front of car gets tired; man who runs behind car gets exhausted.

Man who eats many prunes get good run for money.

War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left.

Man who fight with wife all day get no piece at night.

It takes many nails to build a crib, but one screw to fill it.

Man who drives like hell is bound to get there.

Man who stands on toilet is high on pot.

Man who live in glass house should change clothes in basement.

Worst Analogies Ever!!

2011-06-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

(From the Washington Post contest, in which high

school teachers sent in the worst analogies they'd encountered in

grading their students' papers over the years.)

1. Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the

center.

2. He was as tall as a 6' 3" tree.

3. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two

sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

4. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an

eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city

and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.

5. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who

had also never met.

6. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog

makes just before it throws up.

7. The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender

leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.

8. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck,

either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping

on a land mine or something.

9. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

10. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room

temperature Canadian beef.

11. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated

because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a

surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.

12. The lamp just sat there, like an inanimate object.

13. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag

filled with vegetable soup.

14. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances

like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

15. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience,

like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse

without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around

the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at

a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.>

16. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced

across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains,

one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the

other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

17. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.

18. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a

bowling ball wouldn't.

19. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

20. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when

you fry them in hot grease.

21. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences

that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.

22. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was

the East River.

23. Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap,

only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut.

24. He felt like he was being hunted down like a dog, in a place

that hunts dogs, I suppose.

25. She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword.

26. She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.

27. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike

Phil, this plan just might work.

28. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not

eating for a while.

29. "Oh, Jason, take me!" she panted, her breasts heaving like a

college freshman on $1-a-beer night.

30. It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple

it to the wall.

31. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around

with power tools.

32. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard

bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

33. The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after

the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.

34. Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put

in any pH cleanser

35. Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was

a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like

"Second Tall Man."

36. The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin

sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a

play.

37. The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.

38. She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that

used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you

banged the door open again.

39. Her pants fit her like a glove, well, maybe more like a mitten,

actually.

40. Fishing is like waiting for something that does not happen very

often.

41. They were as good friends as the people on "Friends."

42. Oooo, he smells bad, she thought, as bad as Calvin Klein's

Obsession would smell if it were called Enema and was made from

spoiled Spamburgers instead of natural floral fragrances.

43. The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson

Lee (D-Tex.) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure

made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee

hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton.

44. He was as bald as one of the Three Stooges, either Curly or

Larry, you know, the one who goes "woo woo woo."

45. The sardines were packed as tight as the coach section of a 747

46. Her eyes were shining like two marbles that someone dropped in

mucus and then held up to catch the light.

47. The baseball player stepped out of the box and spit like a

fountain statue of a Greek god that scratches itself a lot and spits

brown, rusty tobacco water and refuses to sign autographs for all

the little Greek kids unless they pay him lots of drachmas.

48. I felt a nameless dread. Well, there probably is a long German

name for it, like Geschpooklichkeit or something, but I don't speak

German. Anyway, it's a dread that nobody knows the name for, like

those little square plastic gizmos that close your bread bags. I

don't know the name for those either.

49. She was as unhappy as when someone puts your cake out in the

rain, and all the sweet green icing flows down and then you lose the

recipe, and on top of that you can't sing worth a damn.

50. Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can

tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

51. It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one

had ever seen before.

52. Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access

T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by

mistake.

53. You know how in "Rocky" he prepares for the fight by punching

sides of raw beef? Well, yesterday it was as cold as that meat

locker he was in.

54. The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating

electric fan set on medium.

55. Her lips were red and full, like tubes of blood drawn by an

inattentive phlebotomist.

56. The sunset displayed rich, spectacular hues like a .jpeg file at

10 percent cyan, 10 percent magenta, 60 percent yellow and 10

percent black.

Wedding: May 28, 2011, Part 2

2011-06-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

Prestonwood Country Club ballroom.

A gorgeous peony. This arrangement of peonies and allium was in the lobby of the country club. Allium below.

Wedding: May 28, 2011

2011-05-31T07:00:00.011-04:00

Rose Hill, near Rocky Mount, NC. Check out the links; this place is gorgeous!!

In a grove of ancient pecan trees - the ceremony site. It was sunny with light breezes when we were setting up. Shortly after we left the premises, the skies opened up and rain fell as if it were being poured from buckets. It was the kind of rainstorm that makes car drivers stop under overpasses - but we couldn't stop because we had to get back to Raleigh to deliver another wedding.

Blue and white hydrangea with delphinium. Navy linens to match the carpet - with burlap runners.

It might not look like it here, but this tree trunk was about 3 feet in diameter.

2011-05-30T00:23:00.001-04:00

The Aftermath, One Month Later

2011-05-28T19:39:00.000-04:00

These huge trees were felled during the string of killer tornadoes that raced through areas in and surrounding Raleigh, NC in April. Several of them fell onto the roof of the adjacent church (which has already been repaired), but these trunks and limbs remain. I am not aware of what the numbers mean, but I assume it is the diameter. Maybe you know? You may remember me telling how the tornadoes decimated a portion of South Raleigh, only four blocks from where I work. There are still many piles of lumber and building parts in that area, as well as tarps covering roofs, blown off porches, etc., and rubble. I cannot imagine the devastation in Missouri, and I know from experience that what you see on television is but a minute part of the way it looks in person. My heart goes out to all the people who have been affected by our spring and summer storms.

Salad with Crabcake on Top

2011-05-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

I had lunch yesterday at Winston's, with a woman I've know for about 10-12 years. I did the flowers for her four daughters' weddings. The last wedding was more than 4 years ago, and I was very glad to see her again and catch up. I had always admired her sense of style, elegance and poise, and wished we could become friends. I guess we had to get all the weddings behind us before that could happen. I enjoyed hearing about all her girls; were they are now and how many children they have. It is a very close family, and I admire them so much. We talked about how both of us are lucky to have such good children and grandchildren.

The salad with fruit and avocado was topped with a crunchy crab cake, but I didn't remember to take a photo of it. I can't whip out the camera in front of just anyone, can I? Trust me - it was very good! I think they ought to serve it with two crab cakes on top.....lol. The iced tea was flowing, and we managed to skip dessert......I feel self-righteous!

I'm working today and for the next two - so visiting might be sparse. Have a good weekend.

It's Not Only the Girls in My Family......

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

who have art talent! These two were drawn/painted by my oldest grandson, age 17, and I am surprised at how good he is! My daughter took the photos with her cell phone, so they are not the greatest quality - but I think they are terrific anyway!

I can tell you that he is much handsomer than his self portrait would appear. He did such a good job on the hands - hands are the hardest thing to draw well. I started college as an art major, so I'd like to think that they got their talent from me. Their mother was always good at art too, as was their uncle. But they didn't keep up with their art - and I am really hoping that the grandchildren will!