Quote of the Week

You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.  
- Jonathan Safran Foer 

Rosie - November 3, 2013

I know this statement to be true.  Sometimes those we love most and who bring us the most happiness can also bring us the most sadness.  That they aren't always human doesn't matter, the love is still the same.  Isn't that worth it?
 
A lot has happened since my last post.  I put together this quote last Monday but couldn't bring myself to publish it. 

Rosie and me

Early on Sunday morning, November 3, I said a tearful good-bye to Rosie, my constant companion for the last 16 years. 

Quote of the Week

 

There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat.  - Tay Hohoff 

This is actually Beretta, the stalker cat from next door.  She was helping me with my leaf blowing last week.  Quite often she is there to welcome us home.

Artistic Rosie

Rosie was feeling a bit artistic today.  He went from this...

To this...in four easy steps.

It's amazing what you can create with a digital image and some computer software.

You can make your own customized digital artwork.  Just choose your photograph, add one or more special effects to create a colorful design.

For this I used Paint Shop Pro, and layered the textures of mosaic antique and soft plastics followed another application of mosaic antique and finally applied the kaleidoscope as the finishing touch.

What interesting things have you done with your photographs?

Everything Is Coming Up Rosés

Wine Merchants Gourmet

For Wordless Wednesday...

Cartoon Rosie

Do you remember when the primary function of a phone was making calls?   Not too many decades ago, phones were wired directly into the walls.  Now we walk around not only carrying our phones in our pockets, but the internet and multi-feature cameras as well.

I was playing around with the cartoon setting on my phone's camera the other day and this was the result.

This is what my Rosie looks like after having been cartooned.  It reminds me of an old paint-by-number picture.

The Fluffernutter

This was my lunch the other day.  Hopefully the nutrition in the peanut butter offset the empty calories of the marshmallow creme - a gooey layer of carbs and sugar slathered on a slice of white bread.

The Fluffernutter was a phrase coined in 1960 for the peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich.  Marshmallow Creme (also known as Marshmallow Fluff) was credited to several inventors Emma and Amory Curtis in 1913 and Archibald Query in 1917, both from Massachusetts.  During World War I Emma Curtis created a recipe using peanut butter and marshmallow creme on white bread, which she then sold to Durkee-Mower Inc.  They changed the name to Marshmallow Fluff, which paved the way for today's Fluffernutter.  It soon gained popularity and has been proposed as the official state sandwich of Massachusetts.

The Fluffernutter is still most popular in New England, so what is a Southern gal doing eating one?  My Mom was from Maine and she would occasionally make them for lunch as an alternative to the many, many bologna sandwiches I ate.

Now that I've admitted it, who else enjoys a Fluffernutter?

The Stalker

http://callmelindi.deviantart.com

Stalking is something that happens to other people.  You know famous people, important people.  I never figured that would be me.  She is beautiful, I will admit, and I suppose I'm partly to blame for my situation.  I took pity on her and friended her because...well she lives with a bunch of real dogs.  

Now I find her waiting for me when I get home.  She appears from out of nowhere whenever I venture outside.  She boldly shows her affection for me and tries to force her way into my home. To get my attention, she throws herself at my feet, and when I try to leave her, she chases me down and trips me.  She even attacked my hubby.

To make matters worse, she lives next door and can scale the fence in two seconds flat.  Who knows...I may have to become a hermit.  Where is the "unfriend" button?

This is the face of a stalker!

She really is beautiful.

You know I'll find you!

Her moods can be as explosive as the pistol she was named for, but in all fairness to the lovely Beretta, she has calmed down some, and I no longer fear a feline home invasion.  Maybe living with six humans and a pack of dogs is sometimes just too much for her and she needs a little one-on-one with a cat person.  I can understand...that would make me a little nuts too.  I guess she could use a friend.

Beneath the Poplar Tree

I planted this tree a little more than 20 years ago as a seedling that I dug up from the woods next to our house.  It started out in a large soft drink cup and when it outgrew the cup and looked like it was going to make it, I planted it.  My guess is that it's nearly 2 feet in diameter and at least 50 feet tall.  Although the tree did all the work, I am very proud of having grown it from a mere sprout. 

So many people around here now are cutting down perfectly good trees and leaving their yards looking sad and naked.  It just breaks my heart when I see those lovely, healthy trees destroyed, leaving only ground out stumps and piles of sawdust.  I guess it is the fear of what might happen one day.

We are having a tree taken down, too, but for safety reasons only.  If it were healthy, that old maple, with all it's interesting character, would remain there shading the house for many years to come.  Fortunately, it is on the north side of the house and the neighbors have a large elm nearby so there will still be some shade. 

This is why it has to go.  It is so hollowed out it's a wonder it's still standing, but to look at the top of the tree, you'd never know it.  We (mostly me) have been putting this off for a long time but each year the hollow gets bigger and bigger and sooner or later, something will set up housekeeping in there, or it will go over in a big puff of wind...not a pleasant thought.  So Friday down it comes [sniff].

For now, cheers from beneath the poplar!

Freaky Fungi

I found these interesting looking critters under the dogwood tree this morning.  They are called Mutinus Elegans, more commonly known as Elegant Stinkhorn, and while they are found up and down the East Coast, I've never seen one before.  However, with the aid of Google I was able to identify these unusual fungi.

They are reported to have a foul odor but considering how close I got to take the pictures, I didn't smell anything.  The brown coloring is actually a slime which flies and other insects feed on which disperses the spores.  Yuck!  Because of their odor, they are not considered edible for humans.

Interestingly, in a study of a variety of mushrooms, the stinkhorn showed antibiotic activity against all six of the human bacteria tested including E.coli and Salmonella.

Has anyone else seen these or have them in your yard?

In Plain Sight

Betcha can't see me now.

Do you see the spider...hidden in plain sight?  Some of the best camouflages are found in nature.  I think this one is a Wolf Spider, and he recently participated in a capture and release program.  He was captured in the basement and released into a natural area outside.

Here is his release photo.  The capture equipment consisted of a flat piece of metal and something to contain him during transport.  As you can see he has been accessorizing with items found in the basement.

Freedom!

He quickly departed the table for the safety of the ground below.  They are fast!

Oh what a tangled web...wait, that's not mine!

He did allow us to remove some of his new-found accessories so he could hasten his escape.  Hopefully he found suitable quarters elsewhere.

I'm planning a change in my blogging schedule, but at this time I'm not sure what days I will be posting - other than Monday's Quote of the Week.  Thanks for reading Roses to Rainbows, and I hope you'll stick around while I sort this out.

Running Behind?

It would seem Mother Nature is running a bit behind everywhere this year.  In many areas it is still snowing.

It appears to be a late Spring here too.  While it was a relatively mild winter with only a dusting of snow and a couple 5-minute snow showers, we had a cool March - or so I thought.  The first picture was taken today, and the dogwoods have been out for a few days.

As you can see by the second picture, they were in full bloom by the end of March last year, so that makes them about 3 weeks later this year.  

However, March 2012 was warmer than usual, with temperatures overall about 20 degrees above average.  In retrospect, that makes this year about average.

How is your Spring compared to last year?  

Average, warmer, colder, snowy?

My How Time Flies!

Is it that time again?

Time sure does fly.  Twenty-six years ago today we tied the knot at the courthouse before the Justice of the Peace and immediate family.  It was a full day beginning with signing the loan documents on the house we still live in today.  After the ceremony, we loaded the car and headed to the beach.  While it is a day of many memories, oddly this one stands out.  It was the only time my Mom ever asked to borrow my car.  She made a last minute trip out to get a flower for me.  Since it was a simple ceremony, no one had thought about flowers.  

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie.  I'm looking forward to another 26 years.

A Season of Growth

When you put aside your fears you grow stronger.

When you put aside your doubts you grow more confident.

When you put aside your prejudices you become more open minded.

When you put aside your negative thoughts you become a more positive person.

Embrace your new identity.

I wrote that about a year ago as my analysis of this quote "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."  When I reread those words, I felt compelled to share them again.

Sometimes there are issues or situations in our lives that cause us to feel afraid or lose confidence in ourselves.  We may have formed opinions based on something we have read or simply accepted what we've been told we should believe.  

We often fear what we don't understand, and our doubts and prejudices can grow from that fear.

As we enter into Spring, a season of growth and renewal, let's enter into a new season in our lives as well.  We, alone, are responsible for ourselves, so let's put aside the negatives, embrace the positive and reap the rewards. 

The Hyacinth and Greek Mythology

These beautiful and fragrant flowers are native to the Eastern Mediterranean from Turkey to Israel and Northeastern Iran.  As pretty as they are, their bulbs are poisonous, containing oxalic acid which can irritate the skin.

The Hyacinth also has history in Greek Mythology.  It was said that Hyacinth was a young boy loved by both Apollo and Zephyrus, the wind god.  Hyacinth was throwing the discus with Apollo when he missed Apollo's throw and was struck by the discus and died.  This was not accidental, though, for Zephyrus, being jealous of Apollo, caused a shift in the wind which forced Apollo's discus off course, thus causing Hyacinth's death.  Apollo did not allow Hades to take Hyacinth, instead making him a flower.*

The hyacinth is sometimes associated with rebirth; maybe this is why.

*information source:  Wikipedia

Too Busy?

 

I've been busy at multiple tasks this morning, and thought there's no way I can get a post up today.  I don't have any ideas, and I'm just too busy to take the time, so I figured I'd just share a picture.  In looking for just the right one, I found this one of Dood when he lived outside.  

It reminded me that no matter how busy we are or how long our "to do list" is,  we should remember to take time to relax and enjoy the good things in life.  

So as you face the busy day ahead or look forward to the weekend activities, take a little time to stop and smell the flowers.

What Is It?

Semi-Wordless Wednesday. 

I took this picture on April 1.  What is it? 

Happy Easter!

On this Easter Sunday… Forgive someone.
Tell someone you love them.
Let your light shine.
- Author Unknown

What Did You Say?

What did you say?

Did you ever play the game in school where a phrase is passed down from one kid to another?  When it reaches the last person and he repeats what he heard, "the monkey ate a yellow banana" may sound like "the donkey's name is bandana". Well quite often we have that same experience. 

At dinner last night, it went something like this as I put my plate into the microwave to reheat it (I like my food to be hot).

I said "I want to put a little heat on that".  What hubby heard was something completely different, so while the microwave was running, he repeated what he thought I said.  When the microwave was stopped, I said "What was that about feeding a rat?"  He laughed and repeated himself, "What was that about beating the rap?"

After I cleared up the confusion, he said "I was wondering what you had gotten into while I was at work."  In case you are wondering, we can't blame the microwave for our auditory issues.  This happens with or without interference.

It's amazing how twisted our words can get.  If this happens to you, please share.

Spring has Sprung: The Vernal Equinox

Spring, otherwise known as the Vernal Equinox, arrived today at 7:02 a.m. EDT.  Every year, I post in honor of the arrival of Spring, and every year I learn something new.  

The word Equinox comes from the Latin words "aequus" meaning equal and "nox" meaning night. This means that the day and night are of equal length everywhere, and that the sun rises due East and sets due West.

There is a bit of folklore that says that on the Equinox you can set a raw egg on its end and it will stay upright.  Some folks performed experiment, and they were successful, but when they repeated it 3 days later, the results were the same.  Perhaps the days immediately surrounding the Equinox work equally as well.  So, having a dozen eggs in the fridge, I decided to give it a try.  Well guess what?  All my eggs fell over onto their little white faces.  Not one would stand up and salute Spring.

What are some of the signs that Spring has sprung, well besides the daffodils and tiny red buds on the maple trees, that is?  This is when the worms come forth from the ground, and ladybugs are seen on the fresh new sprouts.  The birds are gathering bits of straw, string and whatever looks like good nest building materials to create homes for their new families.

Yes, Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal of life.  Although depending on your location, Nature and the calendar may not always be in agreement.

Eli and the Redhead

Welcome to the 27th day of the 30 minus 2 days of writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of "We Work for Cheese".  Today's prompt is "And That's Why I Got Drunk".  My contribution today is a work of fiction and yet another adventure in the life of Eli.  Now go visit Nicky's post for more excuses.

It was in the wee hours of the morning when Eli stumbled up his steps.  He fumbled with his keys, then dropped them.  They went over the rail and into the bushes.  He stumbled back down the steps, missed the last one and landed in a pile of dog poop.  "Darn dog", he mumbled.  He scrounged for the keys, and jabbed a thorn into his thumb. "Sh..!" 

Eli rights himself, sucks on his injured thumb, and climbs back up the steps.  

Four hours earlier: 

Eli was sitting on his favorite stool at the Come As You Are Saloon.  He liked this place because he knew everyone, and they all knew him.  It reminded him of that old TV show from the 80s.  You know the one - where everyone knows your name.

Anyway, he was sitting there nursing a Stella, when in walked a woman.  Not just any woman, but the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.  She was a redhead, and he'd heard they could be feisty.  She was wearing 5-inch red stilettos and a black dress so tight it looked like she must have been born in it.  Her green eyes sent sparks flying when she looked his way.

Now Eli was an average dude, but he believed he sprang from Royalty.  He knew in his heart his mother was a Princess, and that made him special.

He left his stool and walked over to the gorgeous redhead. 

"What's your name, sweetheart?", he said, trying to be cool.

She just looked at him, then past him at his bar mate, Paul.  He tried again. 

"I said what's your name?  My name's Eli".

"Hmmm, that's nice.  What's his name?" indicating Paul who was watching this play out.  Poor Eli!  All the other women had turned him down.  They said he was just too weird...something about birds and he was constantly talking about his mother.

"Oh, that's Paul.  He's another regular here."

The redhead pushed past him and swayed over to where Paul was sitting.  "Hello there.  It's Paul, right?"

Not about to be left out Eli followed, then much to his embarrassment, he tripped on a loose floor board.  As he gyrated to try and stay upright he grabbed for the table, but got the redhead's...um...posterior instead. 

"Oh, sorry...I never did get your name," as he tried to recover.

As she swung and punched him in the nose, she said, "My. Name. Is. Judy."  Paul is now laughing openly at Eli's tortured look, not to mention his rapidly swelling nose.

"Bartender", called Paul, "another round on me, and an icepack for my friend, here." 

Eli slunk into a back booth, bemoaning his never ending stream of bad luck with women. About that time a man, another stranger to the bar, slid into the seat opposite him.  

"I saw what just happened.  That's a dang shame, too, she's quite a looker.  Had no right to treat you that way.  Women like that think they're too good for the likes of us, eh."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Eli gulped down his beer.  "I gotta hit the john" he said and headed down the hall.  When he got back, the stranger was gone, and so was his jacket.  "Dang, everyone's a thief these days."  Then he remembered, when he had pulled out his ID earlier, he'd stuck his wallet in his jacket.  Now he had a fat nose, no girl and no wallet.  He pulled the last ten bucks out of his jeans and called the bartender.  "Bring me a bottle of bourbon and a glass."

The next thing he knew he was climbing the steps to his house.  "Why?" he wondered as he collapsed on his couch.  

Later, when the fog had lifted, he remembered.  "That was why I got drunk!  It was punch and Judy."