Good things happened

Room with a view, heroes and big family

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

- This is the view from my mother's hospital room in Thomasville, Georgia. There is a lovely little courtyard shaded by that Live Oak tree. I stand and look out at this serene view and have never seen one person down there. Looks like a good place to read to me.

- The young man who transports patients to physical therapy was a local football hero and knows that the high school in my suburb of Atlanta, Tucker, Georgia, won the state high school championship in 2008 and 2011. His team played them. I tell him I remember the banner going across main street last year. He smiles as if he loved that time in his life.

- I love people's stories. A student nurse is pregnant. I ask if this is her first. No, her sixth! She'll have three boys and three girls with this one and then will be done. She's one of seventeen children herself and always wanted a big family.

Mom is back home at the assisted living facility, as of Thursday afternoon. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Groundhog Day, the movie and the real deal

2012-02-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

- It being Groundhog Day tomorrow, it seems like a good time for Phil's (Bill Murray) Piano Solo from the 1993 film, "Groundhog Day." I love how he riffs into Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" at the sight of Andie McDowell's character Rita.

- Back when the film came out, my mother and sister decided to go to a movie one day and not knowing anything about it, chose that one. And they hated it. I walked into the room at the tail end of a conversation in which they were telling my dad and brother-in-law about the film. I announced, "I LOVED that movie!" Mom and sis looked at each other and burst out laughing and shook their heads. I stand by my original impression of the film and love how Phil took the opportunity to improve his life by learning to play piano, ice sculpt and speak French.

- It was raining last Groundhog Day. How do I know? I looked at last year's post for February 2. But after a couple of really rainy days in Atlanta, we are supposed to be cold today, but sunny. I wonder if that groundhog named Phil will see his shadow?

I'm out of town - mom's in the hospital again. (She will be OK.) So appropriately enough for Groundhog Day tomorrow - this was last year's post. And the third thing refers to 2010. Cheers and here's hoping for an early Spring!

Sunset walk, love and the 'burbs

2012-01-30T06:13:00.000-05:00

- Taking a sunset walk at Stone Mountain park on Saturday; a brisk and sunny day. I peeled myself off the couch and went at the 11th hour (so to speak.) The sun was setting just as I was five minutes away from my car.

- A man pushes a woman in a wheelchair on the pedestrian part of the street at the park, a feat in itself, since the last stretch is all uphill.

- Stopping by the grocery store after and running into five people I know. That's why I like living in the suburbs.

Making a difference, kind lady and special treat

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

- My friend Robert drives a school bus part time and one of the children, Lorenzo, likes to give him his artwork. This one was hanging on his refrigerator last weekend. I was delighted and saddened at the same time. Lorenzo apparently comes from a very large family and it makes me think that he might not be getting much attention at home. I tell Robert that he was put there for a reason and he is making a difference in this child's life.

- Another friend finds a friendly, untagged and unchipped dog roaming around her house; all attempts to find its owner were fruitless. She asks her friend the veterinarian what she should do with it. "Name it."

- Astounded that Easter candy is already available, I nevertheless snag a Cadbury's Creme Egg and savor it as a late night snack after a rainy trip to book club. I always smile at the yellow "yolk" in the center. And it was good.

I hope you find many good things around you this weekend, my friends. Have a great one!

Midday stroll, rumble and memories of fishing

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

- Having a 45 minute walk at my favorite park (Tanyard Creek Park on Collier) at lunchtime yesterday. I changed from my suit jacket to a hoodie, cranked up the iPod and enjoyed a midday stroll. The bonus was the extra energy I had all afternoon.

- The rumble of a train overhead on the trestle and watching the end of it before it disappears.

- My coworker is wearing a t-shirt that depicts a fishing tournament and he is surprised to learn that I used to fish with my dad sometimes. Dad said I wasn't a true fisherwoman since I wouldn't touch the fish or the bait, but oh my, the thrill of catching a fish can't be beat. And most of all I loved sitting by the lake on an early Saturday morning idly chatting with dad or just sitting in companionable silence.

If it could talk..., a hit and movie weekend

2012-01-23T06:06:00.000-05:00

- If this fern could talk, it would say, "I love me some outside!" It was a rainy warmish weekend in Atlanta. The fern comes in and out, but stays outdoors on the back porch if the temps are above about 40 degrees f. It sits on a stool that came from my great aunt's home right now, but in the summer it hangs by my front door.

- Making Spicy Mexican Slaw with Lime and Cilantro for game night with friends on Saturday. Click here for the recipe. It was a hit and went well with the potluck dinner we always have. My favorite thing: red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing for dessert. Yum.

- From the ridiculous to the sublime: watching two movies on dvd this weekend I've heard a lot about, but just somehow hadn't seen before - Bridesmaids and The King's Speech. I definitely recommend The King's Speech. :)

Cat vs. Piñata, memories and beautiful noise

2012-01-20T05:50:00.003-05:00

- Something fun for Friday/weekend - Cat vs. Piñata. I love that this was one made just for cats (you'll see.) The maker of the video posted it on YouTube with this message: "Made this piñata for our rescue cat Charlie to help him celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow as well as his one year anniversary of being ours. Like so many shelter cats, Charlie was on the verge of being euthanized."

- I was lead to this little video after viewing a film called, "What do books do when people aren't around?" from my county library's blog. It can be viewed here. It reminded me of that old cartoon that shows a kitchen at night with the salt and pepper shakers dancing, and all the cutlery in motion, etc. and they scramble back in place when the humans come back.

- A late afternoon walk in the mostly silent park, until rounding the corner and a sight to behold: the swings full of squealing laughing toddlers in motion. The mom and nanny brigade surrounding them all smiles.

I hope your weekend includes some fun and laughter my friends! Happy Friday!

Two Swimming Heads, nice of her and fresh start

2012-01-18T06:06:00.000-05:00

- My Tuesday night volunteer work puts me in a building that houses pieces from the State of Georgia Art Collection. These gals had been relegated to a back hallway for some reason. Still startling when I walk that way. (I've blogged about them before, but it's been a couple of years.)

The first one is my photo and I like that angle, but this one found online displays them to better effect. The artist is John Jensen, using Mixed Media Sculpture and it's called Two Swimming Heads. Click to enlarge.

- Waiting for an appointment with a room full of other people. A woman gets up from her chair to move to another section of the waiting room and a piece of paper flutters to the floor behind her. A young lady chases after her with it, only to be told that the paper was probably trash and didn't belong to the woman after all. When she comes back, we all tell the young lady how nice that was of her to do that.

- Finally getting my two "go to" calendars in place for the new year. Flat one on the desk to write in and one that displays three months at a time on the wall. It feels so clean and fresh. A lovely feeling.

Full of grace, gentle spirit and growth

2012-01-16T06:14:00.000-05:00

- You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love... From the I Have a Dream speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The sign borders the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta just next to Freedom Parkway.

- This is the original church building for Ebenezer Baptist Church, standing for more than 122 years. It was here, from the pulpit of the Heritage Sanctuary, that Dr. King preached his ministry of nonviolence. The sign asking that cars yield to bicycles is a tribute to the gentle spirit of the neighborhood.

- Due to church growth, this much larger church building now resides just across the street. The King Center is just behind it.

I love living in a city with such rich history. I took these photos last March (as you can tell from the leafing out of the trees) There were a number of photo snapping tourists around. It's a holiday for most people today, but not me. Sigh. Off to work on a light traffic day.

Oh yeah - it's my 1002 post. More than 1000 posts - I let that blogoversary slip by me last week. :)

Beautiful and delicate, reading and it's all good

2012-01-13T06:14:00.001-05:00

- Spotting a recipe for this Tomato-Cheddar Strata with Broccoli in the February 2012 issue of Country Living (left behind at the hospital* last weekend by my sister.) I made it yesterday (halving it since it was for one.) After describing it to friend Kim on an email, she said that it sounded "beautiful and delicate" and that fits perfectly.

- Standing in the coffee shop waiting and spotting a man reading a book at a cafe table on the other side of the window. I am always interested in what other people are reading, and move a little closer to see. "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck. Good choice.

- Calling the department of motor vehicles in my county to inquire about my annual tag fee going up instead of down, as it usually does. She explains. I sigh and proclaim my sadness with a little drama. She chuckles and is appropriately sympathetic. Neither of us ruins the other's day. It's all good.

I hope you have nothing but good things happen to you this weekend, my friends! Happy Friday!

* My mom is doing much better and was moved to a rehabilitation hospital yesterday. Thank you for all your prayers.

Venti sized, peacock feather and candlelight

2012-01-11T06:08:00.000-05:00

- Coffee Frappuccino for Lynn! The four best words I heard all day yesterday. I had earned 15 points from Starbucks and earned the right to have a free drink, so I went for the Venti size. :)

- Spotted on a woman in a shop: a beautifully done tattoo that features a colorful peacock feather that goes from inside wrist to elbow.

- The neighbors downstairs had an extra smoky fire in their fireplace, leaving my place smelling a little smoky, too. But finding the solution of having a candle burning in every room solved the problem and the flickering candlelight made all my rooms look beautiful.

The hospital, parking lot and some stories

2012-01-09T06:17:00.000-05:00

- Spending the weekend within this hospital in Thomasville, Georgia with my mother (who is recovering from the aftereffects of a fall.) The architecture of the building seems out of character for the surrounding neighborhood, but yet somehow fits anyway.

- And in the parking lot, while getting in the car to leave, there is this view. The tree is what is referred to as a "Live Oak" and has the usual ethereal looking Spanish moss dripping from it. The house across the street is typical of the beautiful homes surrounding the hospital.

- Three favorite stories from the weekend (I was there from Friday morning to Sunday evening):

Two visitors come in and we stand whispering beside my sleeping (and sedated) mother's bed. Ever the Southern Belle, her eyes open and she gently reprimands me for not offering them a chair.
A nurse is wearing a beautiful two-toned gold pendant. Her father had it made for her specially, knowing that she loved white and yellow gold together. It arrived in the mail one week after he died and is a Guardian Angel pendant. She never takes it off.
A woman who comes in to clean the room tells me how much she loves working there and that this is her favorite floor of all. I tell her that the people who work on that floor couldn't have been nicer, so I can understand that.

The wall, Bingo, the hawk and an alien

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

The following all happened in the space of five minutes:

- Arriving at friend and hairdresser Tim's home for a quick bangs trim, I decide that the mosaic wall they have created in their driveway might make a good blog photo.

- But lovely Bingo shows up and dances around me, remembering that I know where the treats are and am always allowed to give her one. I was singing B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was her name, OH! when...

- A voice at my elbow (which almost makes me throw my camera in the air from being startled) says, "There's a baby hawk in the back yard, come see." It's Tim's ethereal wife Maxie. Can you see the baby hawk? It's in some tall trees which are being taken over by the crazy all-consuming vine Kudzu.

- And there was a new sculpture on the way inside - a sexy posing alien. How 'bout that? The truth is out there, y'all. :)

I hope you have a rollicking five minutes in your weekend, my friends. I hope it's wonderful no matter what.

Midtown, quirky and Neil Diamond

2012-01-04T06:01:00.001-05:00

- The lights of midtown Atlanta looked so beautiful as I was leaving volunteer work last night that I just had to get a "through the windshield" shot.

- Techwood Dr, referenced in the street sign above, leads to the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology (aka Georgia Tech.) My GPS pronounces this street as "Tetchwood Doctor", which never ceases to make me laugh out loud. It pronounces all streets ending in "Dr" as "Doctor", except in Florida, which I will never understand.

- The director of my volunteer organization has a newspaper ad for an upcoming Neil Diamond concert. "Do you like him?" I ask. She answers, "No, I don't like him. I LOVE him!" Me, too. And we agree that "I am...I said" is our favorite Neil song. We decide we were separated at birth after a discussion about how both our ex-husbands didn't like him at all. :)

No resolutions, eat more chocolate and oranges

2012-01-02T08:19:00.001-05:00

Happy 2012, friends! Here are some favorite quotes about making resolutions, something I stopped doing because I NEVER keep them, despite good intentions. Well - I do resolve to eat more chocolate in 2012. Seems as though I'm always displaying oranges here this time of year - they are so good and I vow to eat more of them, too.

- I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

- Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde

- Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooks Atkinson

Good Things Happened - January - December 2011

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes there was beauty in unexpected places.

Or in a familiar town where loved ones live and spring comes early.

Or traveling through Georgia on the way to see mom.

In a park where I learned that walking for fitness can be fun.

And standing in the rain in Times Square.

The whisper of the river. Always beautiful.

A summer so hot that these guys got water every morning and rewarded me with their beauty.

The fruits of a master gardener's garden.

And watching the Braves play on a blue sky day.

Shimmering beauty in the fall.

And at the site of a famous battlefield, now peaceful and quiet.

This barrel outside a recovery shelter for men reminded me of an important lesson I often forget for myself: "Live your Life" - enjoy it, be happy and love whatever it is you choose to do.

I wish just that for everyone.

Happy New Year, my friends.

Goldfinger, oranges and singing anyway

2011-12-28T06:11:00.001-05:00

- See the gold forefingers on the new gloves I got for Christmas? This was the most interesting present I received - gloves that are touchscreen compatible! I think they've thought of everything now.

- Bringing a bushel of Florida oranges in to the crew at work and loving the smell of oranges throughout the building all day.

- Admiring the birds for singing in the trees even though it was a cold, dark and rainy morning.

The lights, best gift of all and long live the king

2011-12-26T18:16:00.000-05:00

- Christmas was beautiful in the Florida wilderness. Sister foiled the attempts of pesky kitty Pete to attack the tree by enclosing it in the dining room.

- My sister calls this "the best Christmas EVER!" because she learned on Christmas Eve that she will be a grandmother. I've never seen her look so excited.

- My brother-in-law's announcement that if he was king, he would proclaim that everyone would get to sleep until 10:00am every day. I hope he gets to be king. :)

It was a long traveling day and I'll be getting around to everyone's blogs tomorrow. I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Peace!

Poinsettias, abundance and snowman

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

- These poinsettias displayed to dramatic effect in the swanky office building a client works in. I've never been a fan of these plants, but they look beautiful here.

- Mr C's got in the spirit of things on a rainy Thursday afternoon.

- My coworker Joanne is a glass artist and actually blew the glass for this snowman ornament. Love his orange carrot nose! She made them for her clients, but I was lucky enough to be given one at the end of the day yesterday. Probably because I kept admiring them so openly. :)

I wish you an abundance of holiday cheer this weekend, my friends!

Christmas cactus, rescued and rescued again

2011-12-21T06:02:00.001-05:00

- Someone brought a baby Christmas cactus plant to the office. My photo of it astounded me - I used the Macro setting with the flash and ended up with a black background instead of the rather drab office background. Anyway - I think the plant is beautiful and perhaps someday it will end up looking like friend Susan's below.

And I thought you had to put it in a dark closet or basement during the summer to get it to bloom in time for the holidays, but a blogger, Mr. Brown Thumb, says otherwise. His post about it cracked me up. :)

- Rescue # 1 - Traffic in and around Atlanta is bad right now, due to the rush to get things done, I guess. On a work errand yesterday, the overhead electronic traffic sign on I-85 north spoke of an accident six miles ahead and that all lanes were blocked. It ended with, "DON'T STAY ON 85." I loved this nurture from a sign and imagined the caring person who typed it in some DOT office. And so I exited and made my way through the streets.

- Rescue # 2 - After my work day and moving on to volunteer work after, I finally made it home and at 9pm was in the midst of making cookies for today when I realized I had no brown sugar. Sigh. I was about to turn off the oven and go to the grocery store when I heard my neighbor overhead in her kitchen. I called. "By any chance...?" She did, and it was in a special canister dedicated to just that. I love organized people and am leaving cookies for her in a bag on her door this morning.

How to, early weekend morning and generosity

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

- My coworker was laughing hysterically at this video. It is pretty funny, but also makes me miss having a kitty! This cat reminds me of my Cleo, who was fairly placid, but had a little attitude, too. She would randomly bite me on the ankle sometimes, when I wasn't expecting it, just for fun. :)

- Walking out into an early cold, dry December morning. Five wrens sit in a leafless crape myrtle tree chirping and flutter into another when I get too close.

- Ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Saturday night at the nearby mall. Favorite moment: a family exited the mall and walked toward the parking lot. Their very little boy lingered with me and held out a round piece of cardboard, saying, "This is money." And offered it to me. I thanked him and was letting him put it in the kettle, when his father came over and gave him a dollar to put in.

Another lovely tree, fun greeting and a treasure

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

- This is the tree that stretches up into the rotunda of Georgia's antebellum Governor's Mansion in Milledgeville, Georgia - I posted about my visit there here. My sister snapped this photo and then we snapped no more, although we both had our cameras. I liked that it included a number of hand made ornaments, such as ones that might have been included on a tree in the 1860s.

- Most fun Christmas card received so far - from my cousin's stepdaughter (does that make me her stepcousin?) and her husband. They got married in Las Vegas this summer and posed at a slot machine. Someone went in and added the Santa hats. :)

- And this one from my aunt (my dad's older sister) felt as if I was sitting down to have a cup of tea with her. I love her exquisite handwriting (soon to be a lost art) and how she always includes a little inspirational leaflet of some kind. On a recent visit, a surprised Aunt Catherine opened the door dressed as if she was going out. I love how she dresses up, even when planning to just be home alone all day. And I love the thought of her sitting down to lovingly address her Christmas cards. I always love sending a card to her, too, because I know she truly treasures it.

I hope many treasures are in store for you this weekend, my friends, and that it is happy and full of good things.

It's what you do, my name and fun project

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

- This barrel marking the entrance drive to a men's recovery shelter sponsored by a printing client. It made me smile, so I call that a good thing.

- Finding the little snowlady ornament with my name on it on the Christmas tree at work.

- Uttering words I could have never predicted I would say in conjunction with a printing project, "I would think that vampires would not care for a foil stamp treatment that is too shiny." Yes - that is a teaser. An explanation to come later.

Unleaving, roses and a wee tree

2011-12-12T06:02:00.000-05:00

- The leaves have mostly fallen by now, but I'm seeing these beautiful red maple leaves around.

- Neighbor Marion's Knock Out roses are still cheerfully blooming in spite of a couple of hard frosts.

- And I finally decorated inside for Christmas. This wee tree is just the ticket for a single lady. The Santa on the left belonged to my Great Aunt Grace and the Santa candy dish makes just the holding spot for my charging cellphone. :)

No approach zone, remembering and it's coming

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

- I can relate. At my sister's house during the Christmas season, there is the constant yelling of "No, Pete! PETE ! Nooo!" :)

- A birthday call to my beloved niece Carla. She has moved with her husband and toddler from New York to Washington, DC. And I am impressed that my 22-month-old great niece is developing good conversation skills, asking her mother when they were going to the park across the street from their new home: "Remember Ken?" (Their doorman in New York.) "Remember the horses?" (Seen in lots of visits to Central Park.)

- Christmas lights everywhere and sometimes in the oddest places, making me look forward to the next two weeks being merry and bright.

I might finally decorate for Christmas inside this weekend. I hope your weekend is merry and bright, my friends!

Lovely lunch, literate cat and a rescued rescuer

2011-12-07T05:51:00.001-05:00

- An invitation for lunch to a lovely home on Sunday for lasagna and great conversation with a table full of friends. Susan and Rick have a lot, but they give a lot - an awful lot. And it was lovely to have something Italian and spicy for lunch rather than the usual holiday fare.

- Their cat Allie is 20 years old. That's pretty old in cat years, but she still loves to read. :)

- Dakota was banished to the back porch that day for too much exuberant barking. He came to their family as an adult rescue pet, but fit right in. A few days ago he was outdoors again, but urgently barking at this door. Susan went to check and Allie (who goes outside sometimes) was standing underneath Dakota. Every time Allie tried to move away, he herded her back and stood over her. The reason turned out to be a hawk squawking at them from a nearby tree. The hawk probably would have captured the frail Allie if Dakota had not been so persistent in protecting her. You know I loved that story.

*** Bonus today. Another friend, Mary Ann, brought a dense chocolate cake with a fluffy icing laced with crushed peppermint sticks. Yum! I asked for the recipe and here it is:

Peppermint CreamBrownie Torte—Serves 10-12 full slices

1 large box ( 1lb. 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker Original SupremeBrownie Mix w/syrup pouch

or 2 Ghirardelli Brownie Mixes. Bake in 9x13x2 pan

Heat oven to 350° Line 9x13 pan with 17x12 aluminum foil.

Grease bottom of foil w/shortening. Make brownies using water, oil and eggs.

Bake as directed. Cool in pan 1 hour on wire rack.

Make peppermint cream & dark chocolate ganache. [ below ]

Remove brownies from pan using foil to lift. Cut into 3equal rectangles.

Trim sides.

Place 1 brownie rectangle on platter. Spread with 2/3 cup peppermint cream.

Top w/2^nd brownie rectangle and spread w/darkchocolate ganache.

Top w/ 3^rd brownie rectangle. Spread w/ remaining cream. Refrigerate uncovered.

Just before serving, sprinkle w/crushed hard peppermintcandies.

Peppermint cream-

½ c heavy whipping cream ½ pkg (8oz) creamcheese softened

¼ c powderedsugar ½ tsp peppermint extract.

Beat whipping cream in medium bowl w/electric mixer untilsoft peaks form.

Set aside.

Beat remaining ingredients in medium bowl on low speed untilblended;

beat on medium speed until smooth.

Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Dark Chocolate ganache

¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream. ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Heat whipping cream until hot, but not boiling, in 1 qtsauce pan over low heat.

Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Let stand at room temp 1 hr or until thickened.

The Mansion, lovely Saturday and Advent

2011-12-05T06:01:00.001-05:00

- My sister and I had the honor of attending a party at the antebellum Governor's Mansion in Milledgeville, Georgia on Friday night. Milledgeville was the capital of Georgia when the Civil War began, but was moved to Atlanta shortly after. All the government buildings remain, including this one. It looks a bit gloomy at night, but there were "ambassadors" to greet us and escort us up those steep steps and carolers on the lawn. It was lovely to see all the beautiful holiday decorations inside; there was even a gingerbread house replica of "The Mansion."

- Since the first photo is so gloomy, I stopped by on sunny Saturday morning to get this brighter picture. It really is a treasure - pink stucco on the outside and a beautiful rotunda on the inside with a glass ceiling. But my favorite part of the weekend was seeing friend Susan at her antique shop on Saturday morning and visiting with other friends who dropped in while I was there.

- This was the second Sunday of Advent and four generations of women lit the candle on Sunday morning. Mackie (great name!) is a member of our church and she had her daughter, granddaughter and two great granddaughters with her. The baby smiled at the congregation on cue. A peaceful moment in an otherwise hectic weekend.

Eeyore, I choose purple and good answer

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

- Delighted by a Christmas Eeyore spotted on a very nice client's desk; my favorite character from the Pooh books. He says his mother gave it to him and he brought it in to work. Eeyore resides in the southeast corner of the 100 Acre Wood, an area marked as "Eeyore's Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad" in the land where the Winnie-the-Pooh characters reside. My client doesn't seem particularly Eeyore-like to me, just quiet, with slightly sad eyes.

- Another very nice person - Jennifer the dental hygienist, who lets me choose the color of my new toothbrush. Purple, I say. :)

- From friend Jerry: "My son asked Santa for an iPhone and he replied, '...my elf workshop doesn't make iPhones, the Apple Company doesn't allow us to make them and they are really expensive.'"

I hope the weekend brings you delight, fun choices and good things, my friends. Have a great one!

The Grinch, little hecklers and whitewashing

2011-11-30T05:37:00.001-05:00

- A delightful evening with the Fun Girls seeing "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" - the national touring company's "show on the road" at The Fabulous Fox Theater. A favorite moment: when the audience was invited to sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" with the lyrics displayed on colorful pull down banners and flipped over pillows. :)

- The actor Stefan Karl as The Grinch was as Grinchily Grinch-like as one could want. Another favorite moment: he just couldn't seem to spit out the word Christmas when he was trying to say Merry Christmas to The Whos and the children in the audience started calling out "Christmas!" He heckled them back with glaring mock sternness saying, "Where are your parents!!!"

- It's the 176th birthday of another famous American curmudgeon, Mark Twain. Check out the Google home page today for Tom Sawyer supervising the painting over of the Google logo. :) Mark Twain on finding just the right word, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

7 x 7 Link Award, memory lane and thank you

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

My friend Sara from a sharing connection gave me this award. You are supposed to pick 7 posts that fit the following categories. Wow - that was hard! I have had 980 posts, so I had to utilize memory and stats to come up with good responses.

And I am supposed to award this to 7 other bloggers. It's just too hard to choose, so I say any of you should use this as good blog history material and do it. Thanks Sara! You are a peach. And thank you to all who come here so faithfully. Here goes:

Most Beautiful Post: Darkness into light, good neighbor and anniversary. You thought I would choose one of those mountain / river posts, didn't you? I have to walk around the back of the building I work in most mornings to get in since the front door is locked until 8:30am and happened upon this beautiful sky one morning. It fit well with the quote, too.
Most Popular Post: Shadows and light, a red one and just right. This post has the second most page views of all time and I don't know why, but it has a gorgeous memory for me. My mom couldn't wait to get home to model that red coat for my father. She knew he would love it and he did.
Most Controversial Post: I stay away from controversy on this blog. I mean - seriously, there's enough controversy in this world, so I just want you to leave my blog with a peaceful feeling or having had a chuckle. But I'll say this one: Tribute, accent and ridin' music since Mr C's got that quote a little bit wrong. :) See Riot Kitty's comment.
Most Helpful Post: How to live to be 100. I like this advice so much that I've reposted it a few times.

Most Surprisingly Successful Post: Thomasville, downtown and brick paved streets from January 24, 2011. This one had a lot of page views. I like it because it features my new adopted home town - Thomasville, Georgia. I saw a framed cross stitched piece recently that said, "Home is where my Mom is." And so, Thomasville is a little bit home to me. I love that downtown area, the park adjacent to the rose garden and the lovely people.
Most Underrated Post: Treat, games and lovely. Underrated isn't quite the word because it was significant to me. It didn't have a photo and there was only one comment, but it was the first comment I had from my darling friend Jannie Funster. Jannie says she utilized that button at the top of the Blogger blogs that says "Next Blog" and happened upon this post. So Jannie was my first regular commenter and I know most of you because of her and seeing your comments on her blog and then others'. Thanks Jannie Muffin!
Most Pride-worthy Post: This Is Yours, family gathering and new message - I was delighted that a rock band asked me to help them with printed props for their video. I sent the link to the video shown in this post to my nieces and nephew and one niece reported seeing it featured on Entertainment Tonight. :)

The big day, score and hanging of the greens

2011-11-25T08:27:00.001-05:00

- Thanksgiving day at my cousin's home in Fayetteville, Georgia was all that I thought it would be. Favorite moments: 41 relatives cramming into the den to hold hands and bless the food, two little third cousins "playing the piano" and taking requests for songs, the delicious praline pumpkin cheesecake that all of us had spotted in the November issue of Southern Living. Yum.

- Telling my cousin how much I loved the crunchy "bread and butter" pickles and scoring a jar to bring home. :)

- And a few minutes ago, my own hanging of the greens on my front door. It has little white lights in it and I love walking up to my door after dark and seeing it lit up and glowing.

I've heard an awful lot about "Black Friday", but it will be golden for me. (The time and weather app on my new computer cracked me up with its black background.) :) I have the day off and I'm about to light the fireplace and have coffee. I hope you all have a golden weekend, too, my friends.

Portrait, ridin' music and Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T05:38:00.000-05:00

- A delightful young visitor to the office drew a picture of coworker Brenda standing inside a rainbow.

- Hearing "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers on the car radio and not remembering why I love that tune in particular, just that I do.

- My cousin tells the final count for Thanksgiving dinner, 41 in all this year. And 10 are elsewhere this year. I am thankful for them and for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving - even if you live outside the US. Peace.

Bounty, looking forward to that and breakfast

2011-11-21T05:46:00.002-05:00

- My church used to share its sanctuary with a first generation Slavic congregation who met there in the afternoon; they moved into their own space a couple of years ago. But the first Sunday-before-Thanksgiving they were with us, we walked into the church that morning and found a lovely surprise; a harvest display, much like this one. Since then our chancel guild has kept the tradition alive and the food is donated to a nearby food co-op. It's always a little thrill to see it again each year.

- My big volunteer job within my church will come to an end in December. I ask the woman I took it over from two years ago if she misses it. She smiles and says, "Like my grandmother used to say, sometimes the missing is pleasant."

- There are a few sandwiches left from an evening meeting and I spot two halves of pimento cheese on the tray. I snag them - they are what's for breakfast and will be sizzling on the griddle to make the bread golden brown and the cheese melty. A little indulgence on Thanksgiving week. :)

Score, home for the holiday and animal haven

2011-11-18T05:46:00.001-05:00

- I admired this fake pumpkin (one of three) on the sale counter at Rite Aid Pharmacy. They were originally $19.95, but were now half off. The manager walked by and said he'd sell all three to me for $15. I said, "How about one for $5?" Sold. :)

- A young man's face lighting up when he says he will go home to be with his family in Nashville for Thanksgiving next week.

- The new black cat at my hairdresser's home has the whimsical name of Stash Kardashian (because he looks as if he has a white mustache.) He was skittish and living in the woods before; they would just see flashes of him and their dog Bingo was always barking at him. One cold morning, his wife found Stash asleep in Bingo's bed in the salon. (He snuck in through the dog door.) She slipped in and put some canned food and water next to him and was gradually able to win his trust. They are kind and extremely fun people, so the kitty picked a good home and Bingo is relieved that he doesn't have to bark at him anymore.

I hope you encounter extreme fun and kindness this weekend, my friends. I hope it's a lovely one!

Giving thanks, paper turkey and protection

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

- The Thanksgiving card we are sending to our printing clients. A lovely idea (not mine) for a day that celebrates giving thanks and is one of my favorite days of the year because I get to see all my family at once.

- Coworker Tony helping his young granddaughter make "feathers" for her paper turkey she is to take to school. He suggested using colorful fall leaves and cutting them into feather shapes.

- He says he sent her to the fenced in back yard to get the leaves. She went to the back door, opened it and said, "Poppie?" "Yes, baby?" "It's dark out." "You'll be OK." "But what if there are raccoons out there?" "There aren't any - it's fenced in." "Poppie?" "Yes, baby?" "Will you go with me?" Me: "So did you go with her?" Of course he did. :)

View from the heart tower and a lake, parts 1 & 2

2011-11-14T08:23:00.008-05:00

- I'm having computer issues at home, so looked at old blog posts for my photo this morning. This was the view of sunrise from the "heart tower" at the Macon Medical Center is central Georgia - taken two years ago today. So lovely that heart patients (and their caregivers) get to have an uplifting view like this when they are awakened way too early.

- Niece Amanda took these two photos of the lake on the property in which she works in the Florida panhandle. I tend to think it was a sunset rather than a sunrise. She is not known for early rising.

- "Who so loves believes the impossible." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Advertising, the main draw and bright spot

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

- Spotted on the way in to work yesterday morning - a line from "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" in which they were talking about alluring cologne. :) No - I didn't recognize it - I Googled. :)

- Later, while driving through the Georgia Institute of Technology, this sign. I guess they're smart hunks, too. :)

- And stopping to pick up a Cuban sandwich for lunch on the way back to the office, this sign made me chuckle. The fedora wearing owner has so much infectious enthusiasm, he makes he want to go there all the time.

Sometimes I call something that makes me chuckle a good thing (especially during a busy day like yesterday.) I hope you find lightheartedness around you this weekend, too. Have a great one!

Rhapsody, early birds and kissing the phone

2011-11-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

Spaghetti Junction from the ground - from Google images

Spaghetti Junction from the air - from Google images

- This is the Tom Moreland Interchange in Atlanta (known colloquially as Spaghetti Junction.) I take it in the morning to go from I-285 to I-85 South on the way to work. On Tuesday morning, my late father's favorite music came on just as I was pulling out of my driveway, "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin. And the most soaring part of the piece was playing as I went over the top of this interchange.

- On the same trip, there were about 20 pigeons lined up in a row on the guardrail at the top of it, having a look at oncoming traffic below.

- My wee niece is staying with her grandparents while her parents are moving their belongings to a new home in another city. She asks to call her parents and then doesn't say anything - just smiles and listens. At the end of the last call, she still doesn't say anything, but starts kissing the phone when she hears their voices.

Sun dappled, big save and sucked in

2011-11-07T05:17:00.004-05:00

- Arriving home earlier than usual and finding the sun dappling through the trees breathtaking.

- Making my "dish" - eggplant parmesan - for friends. One friend keeps me company in the kitchen and, as I tend to get a little distracted, saves me from forgetting to put the second layer of eggplant in. :)

- Starting a book that my urban book club selected, "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay and getting sucked in with the first line, "This is what happened."

My pleasure, great service and the goodbye girl

2011-11-04T05:10:00.005-04:00

A windy drizzly day, but the trees sure are beautiful...

- The upside of having a cold all week is going by Chick-fil-A for chicken noodle soup at lunchtime. Delicious. But the best thing, they respond to your request at the drive-through-ordering-thing with "My pleasure." And say it again when I thank them as they hand out the soup at the window.

- Stopping by the Wal-Mart car service center for an oil change and an employee who is off duty, and only there to pick up his paycheck, rings me up at the counter because he spotted me waiting. More excellent customer service.

- My client, who I usually see at her home, brings her baby into the printing company. Wee Claire immediately waves and says, "bye bye" to me, since I am the one always leaving.

Sometimes it's the little things that will make my day, like hearing "my pleasure" or someone who goes out of their way to help. And a cute baby never hurts. I hope good things happen to you this weekend - let me know in a comment if they do.

The fabric, lucky day and that's what it's all about

2011-11-02T05:04:00.005-04:00

- Passing miles and miles of cotton growing in south Georgia last weekend, many times seeing it growing up to a farmhouse's front door. I never get tired of gazing at it - it's a big deal down there.

- A client I visit at her home has made too much soup and sends me off with a ziplock bag of it. It's a thick tomato soup with pasta in it and just the ticket for lunch back at the office for a gal with a cold.

- A quote that I like: The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects the wind; the realist adjusts the sails.

Wishin' and hopin', blueberry treats and sparkle

2011-10-31T05:42:00.003-04:00

- It's Halloween and I remember just how much I loved Trick or Treating when I was a kid, so I hope I have some Trick or Treaters this year! My plastic pumpkin is filled with candy I wouldn't want, ie. nothing chocolate, and I will leave the lights blazing in hope. :)*

- My 1 3/4 year-old great-niece is staying with her grandparents this week and will be trick-or-treating tonight for her favorite thing: blueberries (her mom doesn't want her to have candy yet.)

- A man and woman who live at my mom's assisted living facility are engaged. The woman's eyes sparkle when telling someone that "the big day" is in two weeks.

* Update, Tuesday, November 1 - I had 10 trick or treaters! So cute and smiling and all wearing homemade outfits. :) My favorite: my neighbor Elijah dressed as a ninja and his friend, who was EcoGirl. She was wearing a long green robe with a big yellow flower on her shoulder and a green crown.

A walk in the park, around the corner and a jewel

2011-10-28T05:15:00.006-04:00

- It's just a walk in the park. And at a beautiful one, too. My favorite Tanyard Creek Park in Atlanta, just around the corner from the industrial area where I work. My after work walk included this stroll over the bridge that runs over Peachtree Creek.

- And a golf course named after a famous golfer, Bobby Jones, is on the path, right around the corner. Click to enlarge the picture and you can actually see some late afternoon golfers.

- The creek at the other end, bordering the dog park, in which a rousing game of frisbee involving multiple neighborhood dogs was in progress. The park was the scene of a famous Civil War battle, The Battle of Peachtree Creek. It's difficult to think of such a battle going on in this hidden jewel of a place.

I hope hidden jewels are in store for you this weekend, my friends. And I hope it's a great one!

Chamber of Commerce day, reward and fleet feet

2011-10-26T05:15:00.007-04:00

- Another gorgeous day in Atlanta, blue skies, and the high temperature was 77 degrees. It's what I call a Chamber of Commerce day.

- Landscape designer James Farmer in the October edition of Southern Living magazine: "Fall is a Southerner's reward for having survived summer."

- Sitting in traffic* and watching a squirrel traverse a power line going across Indian Creek Drive, just like The Great Wallenda, only faster. :)

* And then spotting a woman dressed as a pink bumblebee or fairy. A policeman stopped traffic and the pink fairy lead a wave of women (and a few men) dressed in pink in crossing the intersection. They were on a three-day walk for breast cancer. They walked 60 miles last weekend. (This happened last Friday.)

Glimpse, scent of apples and inner peace

2011-10-24T05:10:00.006-04:00

- An brief trip home at 10 a.m. on Friday garners a glimpse of the leaf change in the driveway*. A beautiful time of day.

- The scent of apples from the bowl in the kitchen when I walk in the front door.

- Happening upon a friend who doesn't see me approach and loving that she is doing a little swaying dance with a smile. And the best part: she's not at all embarrassed, just hearing a beautiful song in her head and moving along with it.

*...of the condominium complex where I hang my hat.

Inside, jazz hands and three hugs

2011-10-21T05:39:00.006-04:00

- The geraniums had to come in last night since there was a frost warning. I admire how they are still gamely blooming in October, with some buds yet to open.

- My client's baby has learned some sign language. My favorite: the "jazz hands" that mean "all done!" And she reportedly uses it to her advantage; today used for not wanting to go in her crib for a nap. :)

- Meeting three friends for my urban book group meeting and getting three hugs when I leave.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends. Stay warm!

Enchanted cottage, his laughter and a good walk

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

- This enchanted cottage that is actually home to a landscaping business. It is across the street from a non-profit client and I love how they always have color in the front, no matter what the season.

- A coworker's laughter when I ask him if he watches "Dancing with the Stars." I like to make him laugh, just to hear his laugh - it's great. I explained that The Bangles were on the show Monday night and I thought he would enjoy them. More laughing.

- Parking a mile away from another client's office and walking there, so I can enjoy the cool morning air. And stopping on the way back to the car to pick up a sandwich for later. It's a good one: egg salad on one slice of bread, tuna salad on the other, with a dark green lettuce leaf in the middle. It's so pretty when cut in half and yummy.

Heritage weekend, family visit and marching

2011-10-17T04:51:00.012-04:00

- The Stone Mountain (Georgia) Highland Games with its Scottish clan tents, pipe and drum bands, vendors, and fans of all things Scottish roaming around.

- The Atlanta Pipe Band marching onto the field during the opening ceremonies on Saturday, featuring many speeches from visiting dignitaries. We sing our United States national anthem, the national anthem of the United Kingdom "God Save the Queen" + an unofficial national anthem of Scotland, "Flower of Scotland." There is a Scottish woman standing next to me who sings "Flower of Scotland" with a wistful look on her face while her granddaughter films her.

- This wee visitor to the clan tent area kept her mom busy running after her.

- Lining up for the parade of tartans on Sunday. This member of Clan MacRae mixes two heritage looks - love the thistle beading.

- Marching onto the parade field while massed pipe and drum bands play is my favorite part of the whole weekend. My other favorite part - when visitors to my tent pull up chairs to chat. It's like a once-a-year family visit.

- Clan Lindsay won for best tent. Whatever. Maybe next year. :)

The games, happy to be stuck with you and trail

2011-10-14T04:56:00.007-04:00

- Looking forward to hearing pipers like these (the Virginia Military Institute from another year) this weekend at the Stone Mountain (Georgia) Highland Games and hosting my Scottish Clan's tent for the fifth year in a row. All I had to do was walk into the tent and smile back then and suddenly I was in charge of it.

- It was kind of like that Air Tran commercial in which the last lines are, "Don't leave us with the babies! Don't leave us with the babies!" ...as the car is pulling away and the parents are going on vacation and leaving the grandparents with the babies. :)

- Someone leaves a trail of candy corn on the sidewalk outside my building. A guilty looking squirrel is startled when trying to sneak one away and scrambles off.

Candy corn seems so fallish. It's sure to be a beautiful fall weekend here in the ATL. I hope yours is lovely!

Happy 67, life is good and Honey Bunny

2011-10-12T06:00:00.006-04:00

- This old van with "Happy 67" painted on its side has been sitting in front of Mr C's for several days. It may be actually up for raffle or has been abandoned there. I hope someone wins it and drives it around - it's fun looking.

- Two little girls wearing festive pink dresses visit the printing company. One of them proudly shows off her sparkly red tap shoes. As they leave, she turns around and excitedly displays the lollypop her grandfather has given her.

- Calling niece Abby to get a recipe and saying, "Thanks, Honey Bunny!" to her before hanging up, which makes her giggle a little. She told me once that she likes it that she has her own pet name from me.

Sparkling in the morning light, treat and yum

2011-10-10T06:00:00.004-04:00

- Reading on the back porch on Saturday morning. A web spun by a missing spider sparkles in the morning light.

- Having a cream cheese filled pumpkin muffin to go with my latte. A delicious fall treat.

- While friends have a deep theological discussion, I try some of Alice's chocolate fondue, dipping squares of pound cake, strawberries and pretzels in the creamy dark chocolate. An involuntary moan escapes me, they look up, smile and decide to have some, too.

Lions, the moon and geese (oh my!)

2011-10-07T04:57:00.007-04:00

- A row of these lovely stylized lions grace the front of the SunTrust Bank building and the adjacent Marriott Marquis Hotel in downtown Atlanta. This is my attempt at a "through the windshield" shot of one of them after visiting my university client yesterday.

- And a better view of another of them from Google images taken by a summer visitor. :) Lovely.

- Looking up at the Waxing Gibbous Moon just as a plane flies across it.

- A honking flock of geese forming a V and flying south. The three to four geese in the front jockey for position before they situate themselves and take on the next part of their journey.

May your weekend journey contain many delights!

Myriad chairs, smells like and familiar spot

2011-10-05T05:05:00.006-04:00

- This chair place near my office is appropriately named "Chairish" and I had time to study the merchandise out front while waiting for the light to change. I decide that all those myriad chairs around that table at the right would look good. I like when things are not perfectly matched. Click to enlarge.

- A man emerging from the elevator leaves it smelling like fresh laundry.

- Driving 25 miles to make it to my women's circle group (only five minutes late) and finding they have left my usual seat open. It's lovely to slip into a familiar spot amid loving friends.

Watching, gracious living and football rivalries

2011-10-03T05:31:00.005-04:00

- Downtown Thomasville, Georgia, on Friday afternoon. Waiting patiently.

- All the tables in the dining room at the assisted living facility have a vase of fresh flowers with one deep red rose in the center.

- A woman sports a Gators t-shirt on Saturday morning, saying she can't wait for the game to start (University of Florida vs. University of Alabama). We discuss the divided loyalties of our respective families - some are loyal to Florida and others to Florida State. On this day, Florida lost to Alabama. Too bad, Gators! :)

I'll be posting Monday, Wednesday, Friday this week.

Delivery, made me laugh and birthday noms

2011-09-30T05:13:00.007-04:00

- Personally delivering a small print job during afternoon rush hour and feeling a little beleaguered after the hour it took me to drive it to a woman's home in the outer 'burbs. But the look on her face when she saw her baby's birth announcements made it all worthwhile. She was delighted and he is a fine looking fellow, isn't he?

- A bumper sticker on the car in front of me reads, "I hope God isn't too picky." :)

- It's my sister's birthday and I am traveling to Thomasville, Georgia to celebrate with the family tonight. We are going to a place in which she says the salmon was so good last time, she told the waiter that she wanted to "lick her plate!" I hope they have that this time.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Boop, rescue and fun name

2011-09-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

- Poor kitty! It's Random Photo Thursday. :)

- Friend Leisa rescuing me from my angst in trying to get labels to format for a mass mailing I do every year. She pretty much did it. Thanks friend! And I got a kick out of her three dogs spotting me from outside, one by one. They lined up at the door with tails wagging. "We've got company!!!"

- And later, at a neighborhood pub, choosing a drink called "I Have a Babysitter Mojito" based on its fun name.

Cool prop, viceroy and comfort food

2011-09-28T04:53:00.006-04:00

- Co-worker Nick's motorcycle, after being stolen, recovered and then considered "totaled" by the insurance company. Looks OK to me. He placed it in the nether regions of the printing warehouse for safekeeping for now. I use it to prop on when making private phone calls. :)

- Playing "Words with Friends" with a former co-worker and a (missing) blog friend. And a little thrill yesterday when I played a 72 point word and WWF named me the "Viceroy of Vocabulary." Woo hoo! Isn't "viceroy" a fun word?

- Fake meatloaf and real mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy (swoon) at the natural food grocery hot food bar. Comfort food and the couch at the end of a long day.

Daddy don't sing!, gesture and wild honey

2011-09-27T05:12:00.004-04:00

- I love the Avett Brothers and in this video, Scott Avett tries to sing "Just a Closer Walk (With Thee)" with charming results. So funny. :)

- They must be the nicest band in the world. There was a concert two weeks ago in Atlanta at a venue that was apparently over sold, disappointing a lot of fans who couldn't get in. So they have a letter on their website offering them free admission to an October concert in nearby Tennessee. Lovely.

- My friend Whitney posted the video above on facebook. She has a wonderful food blog now, Wild Honey, and I love her post about making a giant birthday cookie for her wee niece. You can check it out here.

Henrietta, losing track of time and good neighbors

2011-09-26T04:45:00.005-04:00

- A member of my church, from Ghana by birth, speaks about her efforts to promote food preservation in her native country and brings a Ghanaian dish to the luncheon - a groundnut (peanut) stew. Delicious.

- My sister calls while in port from her cruise with husband and friends up the east coast. They are in Bar Harbor, Maine, this day. She is having so much fun that she doesn't even know it is Sunday.

- Neighbors rallying around a man who has broken his leg, by taking food over and taking shifts walking his dog.

Out of town, future chefs and rumble

2011-09-23T05:26:00.004-04:00

A last look at summer on the first day of autumn...

- Calling a client and hearing music, chatter and tinkling sounds in the background. She says, "Do you mind calling me back next week? I'm in Barcelona."

- Students from the culinary school near home in their white chef coats, looking ghostly in the darkness as they walk from the bus to get an early morning start to their day.

- The rumble of a helicopter gliding through the darkness overhead, red and blue lights twinkling.

Sights and sounds - some from far away. I hope beautiful sights and sounds are in store for you this weekend, my friends!

Lunch, two nice people and saving $$$

2011-09-22T06:00:00.002-04:00

In the span of 30 minutes - three good things...

- Going to Georgia State University for a work errand and to the pizza and pasta cafe at My Old School (cue background song from Steely Dan) for a take out lunch. You can still get (what I call) a bucket of pasta with marinara sauce for $4. I guess that's what causes that Freshman 15. :)

- On the way there, hearing Garrison Keillor on NPR giving the "Writers' Almanac" on the radio with the information that it's the birthday (September 21) of the creator of Penguin Books, Sir Allen Lane, known for popularizing the printing of great novels and books bound by paper, making them more accessible and affordable. Many of Keillor's books have been published by Penguin and a true testament to his niceness: my niece's friend has a distribution position at Penguin in New York and he made a special trip there to thank her for all her work on his behalf.

- Finding a parking place with 8 minutes left on the meter in downtown Atlanta. Sweet.

Want cake, strawberry rose and yum

2011-09-21T04:57:00.010-04:00

- Ms. Kelly Funster, of the Funster family of Austin, Texas, outside Jason's Deli, spotting some cake she might like to have. Yes - that is friend Jannie Funster's daughter, eying that cake.

- Isn't that pretty? Jannie described it as "like a strawberry rose." Hmmm - there is a Jason's Deli near my house, too.

- Jannie reports that she and Kelly enjoyed that cake and Jannie took the rare opportunity to have caffeinated coffee in the afternoon.

All photos by Jannie Funster yesterday in Austin, TX while Lynn was pushing printing in the ATL. :)

Thanks to delightful Jannie and Kelly for providing some pics for today. (xoxoxo!) If you haven't checked out Jannie's blog, you are in for a treat! If you are a regular commenter over there, you get your own badge. Very cool.

The High, multi-tasking and pedicure

2011-09-20T05:19:00.005-04:00

- Too bad that blue sky over The High Museum of Art in Atlanta couldn't be bottled.

- A woman running in the park, pushing a baby carriage (complete with sleeping baby), talking on her cellphone, with a smiling leashed dog in tow who is trotting along with her. A great display of multi-tasking.

- A late afternoon pedicure, and choosing a color that made me smile, "Can you tapas this?" OPI nail polish chooses such whimsical names for their colors - this one was a lovely shade of wine/raisin.

Ballpark, the field and view from The Ted

2011-09-19T04:40:00.007-04:00

- The Braves lost on Sunday, but the ballpark experience at Turner Field (aka "The Ted") was lovely. A blue sky day, cheering home town fans and families having a good time together. The little blond boys to my right ate their weight in cotton candy and peanuts.

- The view from the seats.

- An early exit when the writing was on the wall. :) That gold dome straight ahead is the Georgia State Capitol building. Click to enlarge.

Playing piano, talk louder and perfect weather

2011-09-16T05:49:00.003-04:00

- This is a great story - an elderly couple walk into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic for a checkup and spot a piano. They've been married for 62 years and he'll be 90 this year. Check out this impromptu performance - love his bounce and how she keeps smiling toward the camera. We are only as old as we feel, it's all attitude.

- My hairdresser and I have something of a who's on first conversation, causing me to explain my hearing issues (from too many loud concerts, most likely), after he cuts my Justin Bieber-length bangs. How much? He either says $7 or $17; he repeats it a second time, and the third time says "SEVEN!" As I leave he debates having a beer and says, "Because I'm thirsty or it's Thursday - take your pick." Wise guy. :)

- A surprise invitation from friend Lori to see the Atlanta Braves play the New York Mets on Sunday, which promises to be a perfect weather day, with a high of 79 degrees.

I hope you have wonderful weather and good things happen to you this weekend, my friends!

Foggy morning, protector and in the crate

2011-09-15T05:24:00.009-04:00

It's Random Photo Thursday...there are three of them today.

- The Hiawassee River on a foggy morning. I put this one first so I can pull it up and look at it a lot today. So peaceful.

- My sister and brother-in-law's dog Moby when he was still kind of a pup. I only see him once a month, but we are pals. He has a ferocious bark and when I drove up last visit, he ran around the house with his gruff bark. I opened my car door, stuck my head out, and said, "It's Aunt Lynn!" He immediately came over and put his head under my hand for petting. But when my sis came out, he realized he had forgotten his job as protector of the family, backed up and started barking again. :)

- A client's baby, who had crawled into the family dog's crate. Such a change from my first visit, when she was a newborn - I was presented with the giant pump bottle of hand sanitizer and had already been asked to remove my shoes outside the front door (which I gamely did.) Oh how times have changed. :)

Smile sign, alternative transportation and books

2011-09-14T06:00:00.007-04:00

Photo by Jesse P. using Smartphone

- A sign seen by two friends, Jesse and Eric, at lunch yesterday. Jesse presented their two possible interpretations:

1. Don't go up to customers devoid of warm emotion, be full! (Eric)
2. Don't be lazy, carry stuff, pick up stuff off tables. (Jesse)

They asked one of the waiters. It was 2, but I like 1 better.

- Walking up to a building for a meeting and encountering a young lady getting off a little silver scooter. She is wearing a red skirt and matching red helmet and cool glasses. I almost tell her she will be a Good Thing, but decide the explanation is too long and possibly alarming.

- I am supposed to be reading two books for my two different book groups, "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn and "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. But I am enjoying the delightfully predictable "Folly Beach" by Dorothea Benton Frank. Sometimes a lighthearted book is just what the doctor ordered. :)

Big 'ol squirrel, no lie and fortune cookie day

2011-09-13T05:11:00.005-04:00

- Getting a kick out of the artwork in front of the art building at my old school - Georgia State University. This one is entitled, "6 ft Concrete Squirrel." The artist is Nimer Aleck II.

- And this one? It's called, "Table." Steve Comier created this in 1979.

- The admin at my mother's assisted living facility kindly mails an activities schedule to me. For September 13 it says "Happy National Fortune Cookie Day!" And they are having Fortune Cookies and lemonade at 3:00pm.

Self-portraits, traced hands and daisy festival

2011-09-12T04:35:00.007-04:00

- Seen on the bulletin board at church - "I love my church" from young Kiera. Love all the self-portraits of her friends below it.

- A group from the church goes every year to build a house in Mexico for a family - this time for a single mother and her five children. The house is just one room, made of cinder blocks with a roof, but much better than the shed they were living in. Love the names in the traced hands.

- On Saturday, going for a walk at Stone Mountain Park and wondering why there were so many cars trying to get in there. It was the 43rd Yellow Daisy Festival with miles of arts and crafts for sale. I did that once. This day I was just content with walking while listening to music.

Healing, Cleansing and Hope

2011-09-09T05:23:00.009-04:00

- Part five of Rene Clausen's "Memorial," subtitled "Petitions." Performed by the Pinellas County Center for the Arts Symphonic Chorus and Orchestra; Logan Brown, piano; Derek Edward Weston, conductor.*

Photo by ALM

- My niece took this photo, on the property of the plantation in which she works in north Florida, of a double rainbow. The Urban Dictionary says that a "double rainbow" is an expression that can be used as "a term expressing something of pure, unrivaled awesome. Used commonly when awesome or spectacular are simply insufficient." I think a double rainbow counts as being pretty awesome.

- This is the flag that was draped over the side of the Pentagon on September 11, 2011, it hangs inside the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

*René Clausen's Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy) is part of a composition entitled Memorial, created to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Memorial comprises four subsections - September Morning, The Attack, Prayers, and Petitions - and offers as its primary themes healing, cleansing and hope. It was first performed in February 2003 by The Concordia Choir and The Concordia College Orchestra at the Riverside Church in New York City.

Listen to the Kyrie if you have time this weekend - it is incredibly peaceful music. And I hope you have a lovely and peaceful weekend, my friends!

Fall is in the air, blueberries and having a walk

2011-09-08T06:00:00.005-04:00

- Yeah, it is!

- Washing some North Carolina blueberries for my cereal and popping a juicy looking one in my mouth. It is so sweet. And I vow to find more to freeze for the coming winter.

- A line of mallard ducks crosses Bobby Jones golf course, interrupting play. Golfers stand bemused beside their carts as they watch the 12 ducks walk in single file across the course.

Photo taken with iPhone - someone forgot to charge her camera battery. :)

Bear Pole Dance, sharing and follow the scent

2011-09-07T06:00:00.003-04:00

- This is an awesome video of a bear "pole dancing." It's only 33 seconds. Sometimes you need something silly like a dancing bear to get your morning off to a good start. :)

- One coworker brings in a bucket of okra from his garden, and another brings in Krispy Kreme donuts. They look funny next to each other and the donuts get lots more attention.

- Going to a meeting at 7pm, having already missed dinner, and being welcomed by the scent of cinnamon coffee cake, still warm from Janet's oven. Lovely.

Good place to sit, Labor Day and finally rain

2011-09-06T04:59:00.007-04:00

- Someone put a board between these split trees, making a good place to sit. It's at the next door neighbor's house in the mountains.

- Enjoying my split time between the mountains and home for Labor Day weekend. I did not labor at anything on Labor Day, but spent the day mostly on the couch, watching the rain through the windows.

- Thankful for the rain - this is the first weekend morning in recent memory that I have not watered the outside plants at 5am. And thankful for dodging the severe weather threats that dominated TV reports in the afternoon.

Sparse traffic, windowsill and much traffic

2011-09-05T06:00:00.006-04:00

- A quick, solitary trip to the mountains - just Friday evening and back to Atlanta on Sunday p.m. Traffic on the river was so sparse that I was startled to see this fly fisherman and might not have noticed him at all except for a faint scent of pipe smoke.

- My sister has added a hint of her life in northern Florida to the kitchen windowsill of her vacation home in the mountains - mallard ducks and watermelon. Her county in Florida is known for its prolific crop of watermelons. The small stones have always been there - something that her late mother-in-law must have put there. It was her house in the beginning.

- Summoning up patience at sitting through a long line of traffic trying to get through a busy resort town during the trip home. The tubing industry was doing a brisk business on this day.

Going greener, food porn and party dress

2011-09-02T06:00:00.009-04:00

- Many dignitaries were present for the opening of Atlanta's first public solar-powered charging station for electric vehicles at Atlantic Station. (Photo taken of the dedication from my car window on the way to a client meeting.) I almost cropped out the oil spots, but they are part of the story after all.

- A coworker quickly minimizes an Internet page as I walk up to his desk. He sheepishly shows that he was looking at Denny's newest attempt at cholesterol on a plate - a patty melt that has macaroni and cheese in it. Another coworker walks up and says, "Is there a Denny's around here?" :) It's 1690 calories - oh my!

- A mom and her daughter at the natural foods grocery hot food bar. The wee one announces she wants Spanakopita. I smile at her, impressed that she can pronounce that word and she smiles back and swishes her dress. A purple velvet dress with a grand sash. She says, "This is my special dress up party dress." I tell her it is very pretty and go on my way.

I hope your travels throughout the day and the weekend are fun and uplifting. Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Pete the cat, orange nails and networking

2011-09-01T05:18:00.006-04:00

- Pete the cat. Last weekend he was finally banished to the back porch by my sister, who considered him a little too frisky for inside that day. It looks as if he decided to spend his time wisely, by doing a bit of grooming. (Photo a little fuzzy because it was taken through glass.)

- Meeting a potential client for lunch and having a delightful conversation with her. Her nails are painted a vivid orange, which seems curious to me, but I don't ask. Just before parting, she shares that she is going to a place this weekend that takes their football seriously - Auburn University. The Auburn Tigers will play Utah State on Saturday and Auburn fans will be all done up in orange.

- A head clearing late afternoon walk in the park near my office and then talking to friend Jerry on my drive home (using hands free device). We share networking tips before hanging up. Dinner and couch were calling. :)

The view, along the way and watching

2011-08-31T04:49:00.010-04:00

More scenes from sisters weekend in North Carolina... Click on the photos to enlarge.

- The view from the fishing hole.

- A flower along the way.

- A weathered bunny watches from a flower bed.

Potential firewood, puddles and chocolate = good

2011-08-30T04:54:00.007-04:00

Photo by TS, taken with iPhone

- Niece's husband posts this picture on facebook of a fallen tree with the caption "Irene comes to Tudor City." Tudor City is the neighborhood in which they live in New York City. An uprooted tree is not really a good thing, but his friend's comment made me laugh, "Dude i hope this was not your favourite tree!"

- The little film posted on facebook of their toddler daughter running around in circles in the rain. Soaking wet and delighted with the puddles.

- All things from the internet today. A headline posted on The Atlantic, "Good News at Last: Chocolate Is Good for You! Maybe" The article by Marion Nestle can be read here. Her conclusion: "a little chocolate is delightful. A lot is not. As in all matters pertaining to diet, everything in moderation." But somehow I still think that is a bit of good news. :)

Sold, home and sweets

2011-08-29T05:39:00.008-04:00

- Traveling down to visit my family in south Georgia / north Florida and making my usual stop at Stripling's General Store on the way. Two nice men ask if I will try their barbecue sauce. It's their family business, always sold at Stripling's, etc. I know how hard it is to sell things, so I buy a bottle (and it is tasty.) I only notice the logo after arriving at mom's. :) The "butt" in the title refers to the part of the pig most commonly used for pulled pork. You can read about the company and see that crazy logo better here.

- Arriving at the assisted living facility and sweet Velma hugs me and says, "I didn't know you were coming home this weekend!" I hadn't been thinking of this as home, but home is where my mom is, I think.

- At church on Sunday morning, brother-in-law passes pieces of butterscotch candy down to me and niece Amanda. He always has individually wrapped candy to give to kids at church and I am happy to be thought of as one. :)

First time, another dragonfly and peace

2011-08-26T05:50:00.004-04:00

- After a late afternoon appointment at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, walking down to the lake because I never had before. I love the boat house nestled in the corner there.

- An electric blue dragonfly flies up to greet me on the way to the lake, buzzes about for a bit and flies away. It's dragonfly week.

- Earlier in the afternoon, joining hands with a dear, dear client and friend for a moment of prayer and walking away feeling refreshed and at peace.

I hope you have a happy and peaceful weekend, my friends!

Like magic, dragonfly and unexpected

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

- When my sister was at the river house in July, the neighbor next door (who is a master gardener), invited them over for the opening of the Evening Primroses. Apparently they open just once a year, at night. Neighbors from around the river bend neighborhood gathered and watched, and one by one, blossoms unfurled. Like magic. The brown stuff above is them, in a photo taken last weekend. My sister says next door neighbor must be letting them go to seed.

- A dragonfly buzzes around my car as I wait for a traffic light to change. I wonder if they are good luck - I've always loved them. So a Google search says that in Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness. Perfect.

- Receiving a friend card in the mail on the same day that things weren't going well and delighting in the bookmark with the chefs hat on it inside. I'll think of her every time I use it.

Sisters who can cook, friends and divine music

2011-08-24T05:03:00.006-04:00

- Sisters who can cook converged for a weekend of making pretty good food. This was the beginnings of the pesto that became a challenge because of that aging blender, but we figured it out.

- A donkey and his friend wander about in a field near my sister's house within the Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina. These two were always together every time we passed that way.

- A group called "The Dismembered Tennesseans" sing and play at the John C. Campbell Folk School, with the mountain range in the background. I ask my mother on the phone what that name means to her and she says, "They've lost limbs?" My thought exactly! But it just means that of a group that has been together since the 1940s, members have gone and new ones came in. The fiddler on the left is retired from the group, but made an appearance this night. And their music was divine.

Empty flower pot, filling it up and needs a name

2011-08-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

My sister lives in a gated community in which peacefulness abounds except for one lady who is all about the rules. One day she walked around with a clipboard and cited people for beauty infractions, including one neighbor who had an empty flower pot in her back yard. The photo below shows what happened when neighbors cheerfully pitched in to fill it up. :) And the flower pot lady wrote a poem about it. Delightful.

I am a little green pot living in a corner yard
And you would think that life for me would not be hard.
We were surprised to find out one day, when walking by
A neighbor saw me empty and she was so horrified.
She reported my condition to the powers here that be
And told them that my emptiness was horrible to see!!!

My owner told some neighbors and some friends of my sad plight.
And something almost magical happened in the night.
When she awoke one morning out the window she did see
A bright sunflower flower stake was placed inside of me.
And when she thanked her neighbors, her friends, she was surprised
When other lovely treasures appeared in my inside.

And now when people see me, they smile at me and know
That I'm a very happy pot our neighbors helped to grow.
My owner loves me so much that now she says she'll never
Move my treasures from inside (her neighbors are so clever).
She's sending you a picture to show what I've become
And wants to find a name for me, can you help her think of some?

- by MBG

Surely we can think of something for a name! Any suggestions? :)

Mountain girl, laughing and kindness

2011-08-22T05:46:00.007-04:00

Fire's Creek, Clay County, North Carolina

- Loving my few days in the mountains and deciding that I'm a mountain girl at heart.

- Laughing with sisters until my throat hurt.

- Grateful for the kind stranger who got my car started when my sister and I were in the middle of nowhere, trying to get home.

More tomorrow...

Sisters' Weekend, just ask and synchronicity

2011-08-18T06:00:00.009-04:00

- It's calling my name: the Hiawassee River that runs in back of my sister's vacation home in Clay County, North Carolina. Three sisters are converging today from three states, Virginia, Georgia and Florida, to have Sisters' Weekend 2011. We haven't gotten to do this in three years, due to family illness, etc., so we are looking forward to this time together. Our dad always said of prior Sisters' Weekends, "I'm so glad y'all are close." Me, too.

- A friend's response to the email solicitation I send out for donations to a non-profit (after my apology for asking): "A motto from my Mom; 'You don’t get anything unless you ask.'"

- And late in the day, in perfect synchronicity - my sister walks out of the world's busiest airport just as I drive up.

So I'll be around for blog catch-up on Monday. Thank you, as always, for visiting mine. And have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Funnel of Love, not so much and grasshopper

2011-08-17T05:55:00.000-04:00

- This was the "B" side to a record recorded by a woman named Wanda Jackson in 1961. She's known as the "Queen of Rockabilly" - I adore this twangy song and even more that, that she is opening for the singer Adele in concert right now. Someone in Houston, Texas blogged about her here.

- A client has her baby in the car and asks me to bring something she was picking up out to her. I ask if I can see baby Emery and she warns, "She's being fussy, but OK." She rolls the window down and Emery flashes me a huge smile.

- A grasshopper, a lovely shade of green, crawls to the top of the stone rabbit's head in my "garden" and surveys and then is gone in a flash.

Blue chair, sparkling and cherry ginger explosion

2011-08-16T04:48:00.006-04:00

- Rediscovering my blue reading chair that's in a corner of my bedroom. My two cats had sort of taken it over (one liked to crawl underneath, too), but both are beloved memories now. After a year, and after being vacuumed about 50 times, it called my name on Sunday for a couple of hours of reading and napping.

- My sister is coming to visit and it has sparked a little extra cleaning that I normally put off. I love opening the refrigerator door and seeing it sparkling and emptied out inside.

- Finishing the last cookie from a Saturday stop with friend Leisa at The Cookie Studio on Saturday. Cherry Ginger Explosion cookie - totally worthy of diet blowing. The Atlanta Journal rated this one of the top cookie places in Atlanta and says that "This Decatur shop donates a portion of its proceeds to the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children." So there you go, it was my duty.

Seizing the day, peanut butter pie and books

2011-08-15T05:38:00.008-04:00

- The view from Carpe Diem Cafe, and a lovely Saturday brunch with friends Leisa and Kim L. The trains rumbling by the Ice House Lofts building add to the atmosphere. The Atlantic Star Ice & Coal Company originally constructed this structure in 1926 and operated it until the late 1960s, as one of Atlanta's largest producers of ice and coal. The structure has won awards for its Adaptive Reuse and is now home to apartments and this cafe.

- Seeing food bloggers come together to support a fellow blogger, Jennie from In Jennie's Kitchen, in the sudden and heartbreaking loss of her husband to a heart attack. Tami, from Running With Tweezers, participated in what seems like a remarkable event - she made a peanut butter pie. Jennie's response to all the bloggers who asked that they could do to help: make a peanut butter pie to give to someone you love (it was her husband's favorite.) The Food Network even devoted a blog to this, you can see the list of the bloggers who made the pie for Mikey here.

- My suburban book group gathered to discuss the memoir we read. It was "read the memoir of your choice." A favorite moment, when someone held up "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham, and Geneva gasped, "Oh to read that book for the first time. Those lovely words." It's now on my reading list, along with about 10 others now. A good thing.

Reflection, the view and memorable

2011-08-12T05:29:00.006-04:00

Click to enlarge

- While photographing the view from my client's office, I somehow manage to capture my hands holding my camera in the reflection in the glass. That's Kennesaw Mountain off in the distance.

- I remember a story written by Lee Walburn, then editor of Atlanta Magazine. He and his wife had become empty nesters and so they moved to a high rise apartment building in midtown Atlanta (right next door to this building), enabling him to walk to work. He extolled the benefits of urban living and spoke of his view of Kennesaw Mountain in the distance and the tiny hamlet around it that used to be his home, and how it was lovely not being a part of the distant chain of headlights slowly making their way home to the suburbs during rush hour(s).

- This view always makes me think of that story. His editorials were always warm and memorable and I miss them very much. A quick Google search gives the information that after a long career as editor of Atlanta Magazine, Walburn, 73, is now retired and living in Armuchee, Georgia. He lives in a 106-year-old lakefront home with his wife, Jackie and making new memories.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

In front of the scarves, khaki clad and quotes

2011-08-11T05:10:00.006-04:00

- It's Random Photo Thursday and this one is of a happy profusion of flowering plants in front of a shop selling colorful scarves in Thomasville, Georgia. I always think I'd like to attempt one of those multiple planting pots - maybe next year.

- A very tall, slender woman walking down 14th Street in midtown Atlanta, wearing a long flowing khaki skirt and an enormous wide brimmed khaki hat, looking like a cross between Isak Dinesen and Scarlett (you know who I mean.)

- Wonderful Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) quotes:

“To be lonely is a state of mind, something completely other than physical solitude; when modern authors rant about the soul’s intolerable loneliness, it is only proof of their own intolerable emptiness.” – Out of Africa, 1937

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea." – Out of Africa, 1937

"When in the end, the day came on which I was going away, I learned the strange learning that things can happen which we ourselves cannot possibly imagine, either beforehand, or at the time when they are taking place, or afterwards when we look back on them." – Out of Africa, 1937

"Through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me leave to do my utmost!" – "Babette's Feast", 1953

Dancing, outside watering and a good thing

2011-08-10T06:00:00.002-04:00

- One of my coworkers recreated this with two former classmates for their 40th high school reunion on Saturday night. Watch it if you have time. I love the spirit of these actual senior citizens, who performed a dance to "Billie Jean" at an assisted living facility. It's one of those you tube videos gone viral.

- It's gotten sort of routine - going outside to water plants at 5 a.m. I sort of enjoy the quiet nurture time of watering the ferns, ivy, geraniums, dragon wing begonia and renegade pot of weeds. I imagine what their day is like in the sizzling heat and like to think they appreciate the early morning water.

- Hearing my mother's sweet voice saying "Hello?" when I call her in the late afternoon. I always ask her if anything good happened to her that day and yesterday she says the highlight is my call. :)

Cyclists, presidential and chocolate ganache tart

2011-08-09T05:34:00.004-04:00

- A sign of the times - a few workers in this office building in midtown Atlanta bicycle in. I've seen more and more of this lately with rising fuel prices. Just last week at different times - two women in business attire on motor scooters.

- A coworker gives birth to a 9.1 pound baby boy and gives him a rather grand name containing three names of former presidents of the United States, including his already Presidential last name.

- An individual dark chocolate ganache tart containing a surprise center - a fresh strawberry. Cheers to client Jenn's birthday and whoever made those for her.

Privacy screen, delicious and pretty in pink

2011-08-08T05:30:00.003-04:00

- My new rolling planter that affords a little privacy (while sitting down anyway) from the back porches of neighbors. I am pleased as punch with it. The butterfly plant hanger on the lattice is from my parents' home.

- Eggplant Parmesan. It took too long to make and the oven heated up the kitchen too much, but it was delicious. Should have taken a picture of it, but couldn't wait to eat it. :) It's for lunch all week.

- Friend Ginny's granddaughter - all done up in pink for church. She proudly shows me her pink purse, Hello Kitty bracelet, an enormous pink stone ring and her stuffed unicorn.

Almost forgotten, rain and sofa time and parm

2011-08-05T05:08:00.004-04:00

- These dark red beauties were purchased more than a week ago and had gotten pushed to the back of the refrigerator. They look so pretty in my pottery colander and they are sweet and luscious.

- A discussion with coworker Joanne - is that loud rumbling noise the recycling bins being pushed to the loading dock door, or thunder? I hope it is thunder and it is. Rain and sofa time at home ensue.

- Writing down the ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan - a recipe spotted on the Cooking Light website. I missed the Eggplant Parm at the hot food bar at the natural foods grocery this week - they ran out before I got there. So I'll just make it myself this weekend - as it should be anyway. Referring to it as "parm" makes me feel so Carmela Soprano!

Looking forward to cooking and sofa time this weekend - maybe a little movie watching, too. Hope you have a great one, too!

Rain, no arm twisting here and no regrets

2011-08-04T04:55:00.006-04:00

- It's Random Photo Thursday and this depiction of a rainy night in midtown Atlanta is what I am hoping for the day: a rainy day and rainy night. So far, so good - I woke hearing rain and a little thunder off in the distance.

- Someone's birthday inspired a red velvet cake put out at work to share. Oh twist my arm! One taste and I knew it came from Henri's Bakery - real butter and cream cheese in the icing.

- A big fail on sticking with the vegetarian diet for the day by ending up at dinner with an entree advertising itself as Asiago Peppercorn steak. No regrets. :)

All in the ears - it is, chivalry and lost and found

2011-08-03T04:57:00.006-04:00

From Google images

- A man comes in with his dog and I ask him what the dog's name is. "Yoda - because of his ears." The dog is friendly and comes up for a head scratch. He wandered up to their house one day and stayed. He looks a bit like a Corgi mix to me, but a Google search shows that any dog can look like Yoda if given the proper costume.

- A girl and a boy walking up the sidewalk next to a busy street - very young, probably in their early teens. A car whizzes by too close and the boy puts out a protective arm and switches places with her so that he is on the side next to the street.

- Returning a top that would need hand washing to a store (should have noticed that first) - it's been in the trunk of my car in a bag since May. And finding something underneath the bag that I've been looking for. Sweet.

Surveyor, down by the water and Georgian

2011-08-02T05:00:00.003-04:00

Taken with iPhone

- An early morning walk around Cherokee Lake in Thomasville, Georgia on Sunday morning. There were a few quiet walkers at 7:00am, as well as this guy, who found an awesome perch on a skinny stump.

- In perfect choreography, "Down by the Water" by The Decemberists comes up on my iPod just as I set off around the lake.

- A couple, strolling with their dog, slows down to let me pass. The woman asks, "Are you Georgian?" I tell her I am, but just visiting that part of Georgia for the weekend. They are from upstate New York and visiting their daughter, who has just given birth. They like Thomasville well enough to be thinking of moving there. There is serious humidity this particular morning, so that's saying something. :)

Magnolia, another day and fragrant hair product

2011-08-01T04:44:00.006-04:00

- A sun-dappled magnolia blossom on the tree in the courtyard outside my mother's front door in Thomasville, Georgia.

- On the way down on Saturday, a truck in front of me on the state highway going south swerves to avoid hitting something. It's a turtle, in no hurry, and it makes it to the shoulder of the road to live another day.

- Just before I leave to come back north on Sunday, beautiful niece Abby shows up to visit her aunt and grandmother. We hug and say "you smell good!" to each other at the same time and laugh.

Red gold, laughing and sofa time

2011-07-29T05:16:00.008-04:00

- Home grown tomatoes are like gold to me and friend and coworker Bobby keeps me supplied when his come in. Here they are at home (with Duke's Mayo - important) and later at work in a sandwich for lunch. So good!

- Coming into work in the morning and the plant manager is standing with Charlone at the small press, telling her some tale that has her in stitches laughing. A lovely sound, her laugh.

- It's been a busy week for activities after work and I decide to forgo the afternoon walk in place of sofa time for Thursday evening. Funniest moment - turning on the TV in time to hear Dr. Phil tell a weeping woman, "This ain't my first time at the rodeo!"

Yay - it's the weekend! I hope yours is wonderful, my friends!

Indoor pool, Go West and 25

2011-07-28T06:00:00.006-04:00

- I admire this dog's perseverance and it's something we can all relate to - the HEAT was getting to him. :) Make sure you watch it to the end.

- Niece's husband TS (does that make him my nephew?) is posting all across America on his cross country motorcycle trip with friends. A comment from yesterday: "Today we ride into the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and winding green roads through rolling hills under blue skies. Theme song of the day is Go West (from Pet Shop Boys)." I like that theme song thing - we should all do that for our day.

- I was one of the winners of the Sunday Quiz over at Fireblossom's blog and got a poem! She asked that I send a topic, but I sent a couple of New York photos taken in May instead and look at the result. Thanks, FB! Check out "25" here.