"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." ~George Bernard Shaw

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time." ~Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Z is for Zest! and Zesters!


Z !!

Zest is best
Adding spice and tang to life
High energy



This completes the 2013 A-Z Challenge
It was fun and I enjoyed reading as many others
as I could. There were about 1500 participants.
Next year I'll have to play again!
Whew!
To see the list of all the others
 and read some more just go here:



Eric Alder's Monday Photo Prompt 4-29-2013




Small bird feet
Sense worm tremors underneath
     Quick beak eats

~~~~~

Monday, April 29, 2013

Y is for Yummy Yams


Y !!


Lip smacking
Versatile vegetable
Yummy yams

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiery Sweet Potatoes(Yams)
10-12 servings
Time about 2 hours
5 pounds sweet potatoes/yams
1 cup coconut milk
1T Thai red curry paste
1/2 c dark brown sugar
4 T unsalted butter
1 t salt
1. Heat oven to 375 F. Bake potatoes on a baking sheet
until very soft-about 1 hour. When cool enough to
handle, peel and mash.
2. Heat coconut milk with curry paste over low heat.
Mix coconut mixture, 1/2 the sugar, 1/2 the butter
and all the salt into the potatoes. Keep warm until
ready to serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3. At least 30 min before serving, heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Put potatoes into baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 min.
Uncover potatoes, dot with remaining butter and sugar and
broil until brown and crusty on top, checking often so
they do not burn!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~
To read more A-z Challenges go here:
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sunday's Shadow Shot 4-28-2013


My blue chair
Warming in a sunny spot
Take a seat
~~~~~~~~
For more Shadowy Sunday Shots go here:

Magpie Tales #166- Weasel's Slumber Party

Illustration by Helen Ward


The Weasel party started out so quiet
So quiet before Badger created a riot
Created a riot and cakes flew all about
All about as Lizard began to shout
Began to shout "You never ask us-it's not right!
It's not right- we're so mad we want to fight-
We want to fight and fight all night!"
"Fight all night? Calm down-don't make a stink!
Don't make a stink, join us and have a drink!" 
From there on Badger and Lizard were invited
Were invited and never forgotten or slighted.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Tess Kincaid of Magpie Tales!
Once again we have a stellar image to poke our imagination.
Go here to read how others saw this image :

Saturday, April 27, 2013

X is for eXcellence

X !!



Change your words
Change your world

During this A-Z April Challenge some of us have been
in a sense "painting with words".
 This video is a wonderful example of showing the power of words.
I saw this video on a fellow bloggers eXcellent A-Z Challenge
yesterday and just had to share it today.
You can see more of Dana's The Daily Dose here:
http://dana-thedailydose.blogspot.com/
and her fabulous Haikus here:
http://www.pulitzerremix.com/titles/rabbit-is-rich/april-26-shrouding-the-treetop/

Have a great weekend!
To see other Six Word Saturdays go here:
http://www.showmyface.com
and don't forget to check out other
A-Z Challengers by going here:
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html,


Friday, April 26, 2013

W is for Water and Feline Friday!


W !!!


Mt Shasta  seen from Hammond Pond  March 2013

Clean water
We take it for granted
Silly us


Lovely Lola at the Catalina-
Zihuatanejo, Guerro, Mexico
November 2011

To see more A-Z Challengers go here:
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html

and to see more Fine Friday Felines click on the link below:

Thursday, April 25, 2013

V is for Vegetables!

V !!


What would we do without our delicious
home grown or Farmers Market vegetables?
Yesterday I had great fun prepping and planting
in my deer fenced garden.  So far I have planted
spinach, red onions, garlic, potatoes and herbs.
More will be planted once it's warmer.
Have a scrumptious day!



Early Thursday morning......beyond the garden
you can see the beginnings of the greenhouse
that Russell is building. Next year we will be 
able to start our veggies a lot earlier! 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

U is for Unbelieveable Crime Scene

U !!


Unbelievable
It had to be a bear that ripped apart
the bird feeder and evidently made off
with a local farmer.....only some clothes
were left and no sign of life anywhere.
What do you think happened?
~~~~~~~~~~
For other A-Z Challengers go here:

Monday, April 22, 2013

S is for Siblings

S is for Siblings


Three ewes equal six baby goats!
Our neighbors have 6 baby goats....
each mother had twins! So cute.


Here's two more siblings...
Russell and one of his many bothers-er brothers.
Rick is 18 months younger.
They are holding their high school graduation photos.
It would be fun to have all 8 of the siblings
lined up with their high school photos!
Do you still have your high school photos?
I am not sure I could find my graduation photo....
~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Magpie Tales #165 Sorrow



Monhegan's Schoolteacher, 2004 by Jamie Wyeth


She reads by the window 
By the window's moonlight
 Moonlight in cold limbo
In cold limbo she savors 
She savors those words
Those words with a bite
A bite brings sad thoughts
Sad thoughts of tomorrow
Of tomorrow and the cold snow
The cold snow that will cover
Will cover her sorrow


After the Snowstorm-January 18, 2013


Thanks to Tess Kincaid for this
 evocative image by Jamie Wyeth.
To read how others saw this image go here:
and to see more Shadow Shot Sundays go here:

Saturday, April 20, 2013

R is for Remnants and Romance

R is for Remnants and Romance


Baking a pie leads to kisses!


We take good care of each other....
I keep cooking good meals and Russell
keeps working hard on our new home!
What a team!
~~~~~~~~~
For more A-Z Challengers hop over here:
And to see other Six Word Saturdays sidle this way:


Friday, April 19, 2013

Q is for Queen

Q !!!!


Superiority
Cats know they deserve only the best
Silly us

~~~~~~~~
Want to see more Feline Fridays? 
Slink over here:

And to read more A-Z Challengers scamper over here:

Thursday, April 18, 2013

P is for Peaches


P!!!



Big sweet bites
Sticky juice dripping off my chin
Peachy bliss



Last summer I bought some lovely ripe local peaches.
Some were devoured immediately and some went into
becoming delectable Ginger Peach Jam.
The others became a Peach Pie.
!!YUMMY !!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

O is for Onions, Oatmeal and Oh my!

O!!!


Onions are an important staple in our home!
A lot of our favorite recipes begin with
"first chop one onion".


Oatmeal! A great way to begin your day!
We prefer the Steel cut oatmeal to the dull flaky kind.
Add some raisins and Golden Lyme syrup for a real treat.


OH MY!
We were so surprised to see these birds
yesterday morning at the bird feeder.
Evening Grosbeaks- very gregarious, travel
in large groups and are monogamous!
I apologize for the blurry photo- but it was
the best I could do at the moment!
More info here:
for more A-Z Challengers ooze over here:

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

N is for Nasturtiums



Nasturtiums

Warm sunny colors
Sweetly beckon the hummingbirds
bees and butterflys



I always plant nasturiums not only because
they are so pretty, but they attract all sorts
of pollinators that we love to watch and enjoy
their busy-ness of life. Nothing better than
sitting in the sun enjoying life around you.
The flowers and leaves are also quite tasty
in a salad or used as a fancy garnish.
~~~~~~~~~~ 
To read other A-Z Challenges fly over here:


Monday, April 15, 2013

It's M for Eric Alder's Monday Photo Prompt!!!!


Every Monday Eric Alder posts one of his fine images
for us to dwell on and create something based on the photo.
Thanks Eric!

Photo by Eric Alder

There once was a Greek named Diogenes
Who searched all his life for honesty
He lived in a jar
Acting very bizarre
Growing old he became quite crotchety

"Where is that honest man???"

~~~~~~~~~~
To see more of Eric Alder's Monday Photo Prompts go here:
and to see more A-Z Challengers gallop over here:

Sunday, April 14, 2013

M is for Magpie Tales and Marriage

Spring, 1935 by Kuzma Petrov-Vodin 

Looking out 
We took the leap of deep friendship
Love rewards
~~~~~~~
Twenty-three years ago today my sweetie pie
and I got married. It's been wonderful and
rewarding being married to my very best friend.
I could not ask for a better life partner


Thanks to Tess Kincaid for Magpie Tales
I've been participating on her Magpie Tales since 
May 1st 2010. It's been so much fun learning how
to write poetry from all my fellow bloggers.
Not to mention all the nice people from all over
the world that I have "met".
Cheers everyone! Have a lovely week!
Here's the link to this weeks Magpie Tales:
and here's the link to April's A-Z Challenge:



Saturday, April 13, 2013

L is for Lemons and Limes along with Six Word Saturdays


L is for Lemons and Limes


As we drove back home
I saw this lovely field of yellow
and immediately thought
"I must have some lemon pie" 


Fortunately we always have lemons
and limes on hand.

YUM...

~~~~~~~
To see other A-Z Challengers
step sweetly over here:

Friday, April 12, 2013

K is for Kale


K is for Kale

Home Harvest 2012

Survives frost
Steaming deliciously into soup
Soothing meal


close up of our Kale 2012


Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.[3] Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.[4] Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss.[5] Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.[6][7] Kale has been found to contain a group of resins known as bile acid sequestrants, which have been shown to lower cholesterol and decrease absorption of dietary fat. Steaming significantly increases these bile acid binding properties
~~~~~~~~~~~~
For other A-Z participants somersault over here:

Thursday, April 11, 2013

J is for Jam and It's Feline Friday!

J is for Jam
  

There's the jam you put on your toast



Then there's the cat
stuck in a box jam.....



And then there's the jam Dexter the
 cat gets into when his human
makes him look ridiculous!
~~~~~~
For more A-Z posts hop over here:

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Eric Alders Monday Photo Prompt 4-8-2013



Put your ear
On the cold metal and feel the hum
of the city
~~~~~~~
Every week Eric Alder posts one of his images
to inspire us to write.  Go here to read and see more:

I is for Ice Cream


I is for Ice Cream


One of my favorite desserts
and it's good for you....really!!!!
First get a bowl...
Scoop some vanilla ice cream into the bowl
(or frozen Greek yogurt)
Sprinkle some tasty granola over it
Topped with honey....
so yummy it has to be healthy!!...


~~~~~~~~~
To read other A-Z blogs sweetly slide over here:

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

H is for Honey!!



H is for Honey


Sweet humming
Heard amongst the flowers
Busy bees


Who doesn't like honey?
Tomorrow I'll share what one
 of my favorite desserts is......
~~~~~~~
Meanwhile to see what other A-Z Bloggers
 are up to buzz over here:

Monday, April 08, 2013

It's Awwww Monday!



And just where do you think you are going?
Where is our breakfast????
To see other Aww Monday pics go here:

G is for Garlic- The Stinking Rose


G is for Garlic


photo by Tess Kincaid of Magpie Tales
~~~~~~
Another Night of
Sleeping on the Couch
This stinking rose
Offends her nose
When I've had a bite
So late at night
I sneak in bed
Away from her head
BUT! "Oh no! Oh ick !"
"I smell garlic!"
So off I go-
she's such a grouch
Once again I am sleeping
on the couch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This would never happen with us as we are addicted to
the "Stinking Rose" and most every main dish begins
with "2-6 garlic cloves-depending on how mean you are."
Here's one of our favorite garlic laced recipes.
Bon Appetit!

The Famous and Awesomely
 Tasty Garlic Spagetti
2 ample servings
6-8 cloves pressed raw garlic (more if you feel really mean)
1 raw egg
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon dry basil or 3 T fresh chopped basil
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan/romano/asaigo cheese-what ever you prefer
9oz fresh pasta or same equivalent in dry pasta

Mix garlic,raw egg,butter,basil,parsley,and cheese throughly into a "gunk"
meanwhile boil water for pasta, cook pasta, drain pasta and stir gunk into hot pasta
throughly and serve immediately with crusty bread and a big green salad. YUM
~~~~~~~~~~
To see the list of participants
and look at their A-Z blogs skip over here:  

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html
It's amazing how many bloggers there are!
ps: I originally wrote this for Magpie Tales back in 2011

Sunday, April 07, 2013

Magpie Tales The Bath

Woman With a Towel, 1898, Edgar Degas 

Timeless form
Slipping into warm oblivion
Days end bliss
~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Tess Kincaid for providing Magpie Tales
and this lovely image for our inspiration.
Go here to read other interpretations of Degas drawing:

Saturday, April 06, 2013

Feline Shadows for Sunday

Dexter the cat
He loves to be with his people


For more Shadowy photos slink over here:
And....for fun check out Feline Friday!
Have a fabulous weekend!

We are on the road again!

On the road again to Portland!
350 miles north in 5 hours!
Visiting friends and family
and having lots of fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To see more Six Word Saturdays