Special Delivery

Internet shopping equals boxes and boxes equals a happy cat.  Just another reason to love Christmas! 

Quote of the Week

Image Source: Wikipedia

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. ― Douglas Adams

On our journey through life we encounter many twists and turns and sometimes end up far from what we expected.  In the end, however, life has a way of placing us just where we are supposed to be, whether we realize it at the time or not.

Sticky Business

It's hard to believe another Christmas is almost here.  Another tree carefully selected and decorated.  Gifts ordered with the click of my mouse.  So what is different about this year?  Well, this is the year that my 15 1/2 year old cat started taking insulin.  We have been fortunate to maintain his condition for nearly 3 years with food,  Alas, that time has passed.  Now it is twice daily shots for Rosie B.

He's a good boy and so patient with all of our sticking and pricking.  He, as well as Sophie and Dood, are really enjoying the Christmas tree.  The tree skirt rumpled and covered in cat hair, but I don't mind.  It is as much for them as it is for us.

Waiting for Santa

Rosie and Sophie

Wordless Wednesday...no words required!

Quote of the Week

Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant. - Socrates

Our animal friends represent one of the truest forms of friendship not only with us, but with each other as well.  We can learn a lot from them.

It took some time for their friendship to reach this level, but they are the greatest of buds, and Dood totally idolizes Rosie.

 

The Rose Garden: The Wedding

Six months earlier.  "She said yes, Mother!" Gerald shouted, ecstatically.  "Can you believe it?  She actually said yes."  Gerald knew his mother was lurking somewhere nearby.  She usually did when he was alone in the garden. 

Allison sat cross-legged on the floor in the living room amidst a mountain of catalogs and brochures.  Her blond hair hung in ringlets around her face as she bent over a cake catalog, murmuring "chocolate with vanilla icing, or butter cream with chocolate icing?  No, I'd rather have carrot cake."

Gerald had been watching from the next room, thinking she had never looked lovelier than she did now in her faded jeans and Bon Jovi T-shirt, representing Allison's favorite band.  They went to see them the month before in Atlanta when they had picked up her wedding dress.  She deemed "Thank You For Loving Me" as 'our song' and they danced in the aisle as the band played.

Spotting him she smiled.  "Gerry, have you talked to the photographer and videographer?"  "I want to make sure they can be here for the rehearsal dinner, too.  Did you mention that?"

"Yes, dear, we are on their schedule for Friday night, and they will be at the church at noon on Saturday," replied her future husband patiently.  "Everything is under control.  You have gone over every detail to the utmost and then some."

"Are you saying that I have obsessed over my perfect day?"

"Not at all, sweetheart, not at all."

"Well, I still have to choose the cake.  What do you think?  Chocolate or vanilla?  Traditional or carrot cake?  Maybe even carrot cake squares with little miniature candy carrots for decoration?  I like it!  It's settled."

"I love a woman who's not afraid to make a decision" said Gerald, laughing.

All brides have issues and obstacles to contend with to make it the perfect wedding, and there is seldom such a thing.  The food is overcooked or undercooked, or someone has one too many cocktails and causes a scene or botches the toast to the bride and groom.  And so after many months of planning, comparing prices, interviewing photographers, and sampling countless hors d'oeuvres, the big day finally arrives.  

As Gerald dons his rented tux, he fumbles with the tie.  Frustrated, he mumbled "how does this go again?"  Then he smiles, remembering their first lunch in the rose garden.  It is so fitting that they exchange their vows in that same garden.  That's why they planned a Spring wedding.  The vestiges of Winter have faded away, but the wrath of Summer was not yet upon them and Mother's yellow roses were in full bloom just as he knew they would be.  

Allison emerges as the music begins.  Dum dum de dum... Her bridesmaids lead the way, their matching pale blue dresses swaying as they walk.  The bride was a vision of loveliness in her gown of satin and lace, strolling down the aisle as if on air.  Her hands cradling a bouquet of beautiful yellow roses.  She chose to wear her hair down covered with a lacy veil dotted with seed pearls.

Allison's face was radiant as she turned to Gerald.  He, himself, beaming to rival the sun.  What a glorious day.  Gerald wishes his mother could be there, and yet, at the same time he knows she is.  After all it is her garden. 

The minister is speaking.  "Do you, Gerald, take this woman...?  Do you, Allison, take this man...?"

They recite the vows they wrote together to each other.  The minister pronounces them husband and wife..."you may kiss your bride" he said. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Gerald McLandon.  Congratulations!"

When they reached their table with their cake and champagne, Gerald notices a small box with a note at his place.  He opened the box and his eyes widened with a mixture of disbelief and amazement.  It was the diamond brooch that his father presented to his mother on their 25th anniversary.  The note said "For Allison".

Allison did, indeed, have the perfect wedding day.

If you haven't had a chance to read the first three parts here they are:
The Rose Garden
The Restoration
The Rose Garden:  Allison

Quote of the Week

Image Source: Mykl Roventine

"It came without ribbons!  It came without tags!  It came without packages, boxes or bags!"... Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!  "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"   
- Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Although a children's tale, it has a great lesson for people of all ages.  There is more to Christmas than boxes and bows.  Even the Grinch figured it out, and it is said "That the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!"

Something for Everyone?

Just in time for Christmas, Scotch introduces the stiletto tape dispenser.  Available in other colors and styles.  I guess there is indeed something for everyone!

A Holiday Project

Every now and then we start and finish a project.  This is the guest bathroom in my parents' house - otherwise known as the big bathroom when I was growing up.  I've written before that I still have this house, and it has served many purposes since I inherited it.  The most important was when my best friends lived there for a while.  It has provided extra storage, served as a backup when our power was out and is a place we can fix up and maybe move into.

We started Phase I of this project on the Friday after Thanksgiving and the carpet was laid down Tuesday night.  The project consisted first of taking up the toilet and reseating it so that it was level and no longer threatened to unseat its users.  Nothing in an older house is as simple as it should be, but I am pleased at how quickly this came together.

Next we bought a carpet remnant and my handy hubby made a paper pattern and cut it to fit.

 

After months of seeing the plywood covered by a few throw rugs, here is the nearly completed Phase I.  All that remains is a window treatment and a few decorations.

Phase II will consist of painting the cabinets (built in vanity) which are to the right, and replacing the sinks, counter top and faucets.

Stay tuned for more exciting home renovation projects.

Quote of the Week

When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold.  They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful.  - Barbara Bloom

None of us make it through this life unscathed, so we wear our cracks with pride.  They are like a map of our life showing where we have been and how we got there.  We are indeed beautiful in spite of, or perhaps because of, our history.

Happy Thanksgiving

Image source:  blacksnowcomic.com

Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

Quote of the Week

Talk about your blessings more than you talk about your problems. - unknown

While ignoring your problems won't make them go away, it is always better to focus on what is right in your world than to constantly dwell on what is wrong.

Dolphin Watch

Mammals of the deep

Swimming with beauty and grace

Bringing smiles and cheers

Down by the River

Semi-wordless Wednesday!  

Dinner at Skippers Fish Camp on the bank of the lovely Darien River.  Tasty!

Quote of the Week

Be a good listener.  Your ears will never get you in trouble. - Frank Tyger 

This seems like sound advice, and a true statement. It is only when the mouth gets involved that you step onto shaky ground.

The Waiting

I sit and wait.  The waiting becomes unbearable.  I wonder will my suffering never end?  Suddenly I hear a deep rumbling growl.  Startled, I look around...nothing.  Tick, tick, tick.  I hear the clock slowly, painfully clicking off the seconds one by one.  Just when I think I can't take another minute - Ding!  Pizza!

Written for Friday Flash 55.

A Day in Lake City

As I alluded to in a previous post, there was more to my Lake City detour than just a waterfall.  The main purpose was to meet up with my friend Sara Healy, whom I met through the wonderful world of blogging.

We met through her site, "a sharing connection" about three years ago when I first participated in one of her story photo challenges.  I don't think I've missed a post since.  A sharing connection is funny, thoughtful and thought provoking.  Sara puts herself into each photo story challenge, offers words of wisdom and delights us with her fictional stories.  She has also been a great inspiration to me as I explore the world of writing.

So after a number of emails and Google searches for a place to meet, we finally settled on a date and time, each coming from a different direction.  We spent the night in Brunswick, GA and they drove in from Tallahassee, each about two hours. 

I had been looking forward to this for a long time, and I will tell you that Sara is just as delightful in person as she is online.  We had a wonderful double date with her and her boyfriend.  The long-awaited lunch took place at Mike's Cafe & Grille.  

I was worried about being late, so we ended up at the restaurant about a half hour early.  We walked in and when the hostess asked "two for lunch?" we told her we were having lunch with another couple that we hadn't met so we chose a table where we could see the door and keep an eye out for them.  Even though we'd never met in person, it was instant recognition, like greeting old friends after a long absence.

We chatted non-stop for two hours trying to cram as much in as possible.  We talked about food, wine, traded cat stories, and talked about their home renovation project (I hope that has been completed now), and of course, blogging.

Sadly, lunch was over way too soon - I felt like we had barely gotten started and could have gone on talking for hours.  We hugged, took pictures, and they headed home while we set out to see what Lake City had to offer.

Alligator Lake Park

First up was Alligator Lake Park.  Although we saw no alligators at the park, we did see a long-legged white bird hunting for its dinner, squirrels and dragonflies.  There was a playground for kids, and a wonderful screened in picnic shelter overlooking the lake.

Spanish Moss on a Live Oak

Then there was this old bearded tree.  At least all the Spanish Moss hanging from its limbs made it look bearded.  While I always thought that Spanish Moss was hazardous to trees, I find that is not true.  It is actually not even related to moss, and derives its nutrition from the air and rainfall.

Pretty Berries

I have no idea what these berries are.  I found these at Falling Creek Falls on a bush growing beneath a large tree.  They almost look like miniature grape clusters.  If anyone knows what they are, please share in the comment section.

Falling Creek Falls

Falls were not something I expected to find in Florida, the land of the flat, so I had to check this out.  While it doesn't have great height, only about 10 feet or so, it is still pretty and peaceful.  I posted the video of this recently.

Overnight at Cabot Lodge

Calling an end to our Lake City adventure, we looked for a place to bed down for the night before continuing on to St. Pete.  Thank goodness for smart phones, and Trip Advisor.  We found this small chain hotel only a few miles away.  Can you guess what was a big drawing point at the end of the day?  That's right!  They have a nightly social hour from 5:30 until 7:30 where they serve beer, wine and snacks.  There was a TV in the lobby and baseball fans were gathered around routing for their favorite team.

This was a lovely day, and our visit with my friend, Sara was definitely the highlight.

Quote of the Week

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.

- Elizabeth Lawrence

No time spent admiring the beauty of Nature is time wasted.

No Alligators?

Lacking in anything creative today, I thought I'd give you a glimpse into Alligator Lake Park.

Beautiful clouds.

I have dubbed this the year of the clouds.  Everywhere I've been, including my own home town, I've seen the most amazing clouds, and pictures rarely do them justice.

Where are the alligators?

Yes, I had actually thought to see alligators. 

Explaining the importance of this area.

This is a major player in Florida's drinking water.

This is just one of the places we visited on our recent vacation.  Stay tuned next week for "A Day in Lake City" where I reveal the main reason for our little detour.

Halloween 2012

 Wordless Wednesday

Quote of the Week

How beautifully leaves grow old.  How full of light and color are their last days.  - John Burroughs

As beautiful as the leaves are in the green freshness of their youth, they gain their own identity in the twilight of their lives.

Intracoastal Sunset

I love sunsets, especially at the beach.  I usually focus on those over the Gulf of Mexico.  The most beautiful sunsets are those with interesting clouds to absorb and reflect the sun's rays.  This evening, however, the beauty lay in the other direction.

Here are some satellite pictures of the area.

I took the picture from the end of the Boardwalk facing the islands.

The drawbridge has been replaced and was under construction when these images were taken.

This was one way to get from our condo to the Boardwalk.  We love having such a great choice of restaurants within walking distance.  

This was truly a beautiful evening!

Falling Creek Falls

Who knew you could find waterfalls in Florida.  I think of beaches, swamps, beautiful sunsets and lots of seafood.  We usually spend a week or so in Florida every fall, and almost always discover something new.  This year we detoured to Lake City on our way to St. Pete (more about that in another post). 

While picking Google's cyber brain for things to do in the area, I found this lovely little side trip only minutes from the interstate.  It is an easy walk from the parking lot to see the rapids that culminate in a drop of about 10 feet, forming a caramel-colored waterfall.

This may not have the grandeur of Niagara, but it has a quaint charm all its own.  Falling Creek Falls was also the site of the first settlement in the area.

Quote of the Week

Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly . - W.E.P. French 

From the wine list of Commander's Palace in New Orleans, LA 

Good Friends, Good Wine, Good Times!

Tis the Season

Today

They are all 

Blown away

More will fall

Tomorrow

Quote of the Week

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.  -Rabindranath Tagore 

Sunsets are like snowflakes, no two are alike.  It is amazing to sit and watch the evolution of the sunset.  It is a constantly changing scene in slow motion.  

The clouds that create the spectacular sunsets are like the people and things that move through our lives shaping each day moment by moment. 

The Pool Rules

I am randomly participating in the 30 days of photographs hosted by Ziva and MikeWJ.  Go here for the rest of the rules.

Unlike the pool, vacation has no rules.  Just relax and enjoy!

Quote of the Week

My view this morning

No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man. - Heraclitus 

 Although the river may look the same and the man may look the same, neither really are.  Both are constantly evolving, renewing.  We may not always like change but, like the river, without it we would grow stale.

We are taking a little R&R this week so I may not follow my normal schedule.

Above My Head

I'm jumping in on day 3 of the 30 days of photographs hosted by Ziva and MikeWJ, however my participation in this challenge will be sketchy.  For today I did find this squirrely thing that was definitely "above my head", which is completely different from being "over my head".

Go here for some more upward looking photos.

Quote of the Week

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.  - Aristotle

We continue today with another quote from an ancient philosopher.  Aristotle was a student of Plato, who was taught by Socrates, and together with them, he was one of the most important founding figures of Western philosophy.  

In recent generations we have heard the term "finding ourselves" among the young.  This may be more than just a hollow excuse for poor behavior, but growing individuals struggling to understand themselves and find their way in a world of new experiences and opportunities.  There are choices and decisions to be made.  Wisdom is, therefore, not an age, but an understanding of self.  

***********************************************

And now for the moment you have all been waiting for...Drumroll please!

Hubby drawing the winning name.

And the winner is:

Babs is author of the hilariously funny and truly delightful blog Beetle's Memories & Ramblings.    

Looking Ahead

This is a photograph taken at Reynolda Gardens that inspired the name of this blog.  While you sometimes see them here, the blog isn't about roses or rainbows, but about life and what goes on in my head.  This is expressed through fiction and poetry, through pictures, through the antics of my cats, and thoughts and questions that come up through every day living.

Thank you for joining me in my journey over the last three years, and as we look ahead to what life holds in store.

Reynolda Gardens (How I Named my Blog - Part I)

It's All in the Name (How I Named my Blog - Part II)

Today is the last day of the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.  The winner will be announced tomorrow.

 

The Good Stuff

Click to enlarge

While it's no secret that we enjoy a nice wine, and have traveled many miles to taste the fruit of the vine, we only traveled as far as our local wine shop for this delicious Grüner Veltliner from Austria.

This food-friendly white wine from the Skeleton label is bottled, not in the standard 750ml bottle - but a full liter, and instead of the traditional cork or screw cap, as is becoming more popular, this wine had a pop top like soda bottles used to have.

We really enjoyed this, and as you can see it was quite a hit with Sophie, too.

Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

Mairzy Doats

 

The late afternoon sun perfectly illuminated this ivy leaf.  In thinking about this picture and the story it could tell, I remembered this little ditty from my childhood.

Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey.

A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you? 

And that prompted me to look deeper into this silly song.  It was written back in 1943 by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston, based on this English nursery rhyme.  

Mares eat oats

And does eat oats

And little lambs eat ivy

A kid'll eat ivy, too

Wouldn't you?

It seems that Drake's daughter came home singing "Cowzy tweet and sowzy tweet and liddle sharksy doisters."  Which translates to "cows eat wheat and sows eat wheat and little sharks eat oysters".  This gave Drake the idea to write a silly song.

However, at that time no one wanted to publish a silly song.  Finally he pitched it to his friend Al Trace, who liked it and performed it with his band the Silly Symphonists.  After this, it was a huge hit for Merry Macs in this 1944 recording.

Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

Quote of the Week

Person who chases two rabbits catches neither. - Confucius 

So who is Confucius and what is trying to say here?  Confucius, 551-479 BC, was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician and philosopher.  Apparently he wore a lot of hats.  His life and his teachings are complex, but mostly center around virtue, moral behavior and kindness and respect of others.  He followed the principle "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself", a precursor for the Golden Rule as we know it today.

Now back to the rabbits.  Picture trying to chase after two rabbits with each running back and forth in opposite directions.  First you pursue one and he runs into the briar patch, then you turn back to the other who scurries into his hole.  You go back and forth between the two, and at the end of the day you have caught neither rabbit.  Now apply this thought to several projects.  If you split your focus between the two, neither getting your undivided attention, you may find that at the end of the day both projects remain unfinished.  Being torn between two options is like trying to get both rabbits - it often leads to neither being fruitful.


Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

Welcome to Autumn

From our house to yours - have a great weekend!

Today is the first day of Autumn 2012.  Unlike Septembers of recent years, there is a crispness to the mornings, and the daytime temperatures are more in keeping with the changing seasons.  Many years, September is just an extension of summer in our neck of the woods.  One year I was blowing leaves in 90 degree heat.   In my mind there was something really wrong with that picture.

This year takes me back to my elementary school days, where the start of school meant sweaters in the mornings, and enjoying the warmth of the sun rather than longing for shade. With luck we'll have a long Autumn before the arrival of old man winter.

What are some of your favorite Fall activities?

Remember, leave a comment and you are automatically entered in the Roses to Rainbows Third Anniversary Giveaway.

Celebrating 3 Years of Blogging with a Giveaway!

Another year has rolled around.  Can you believe how fast time flies when you're blogging?  For some of you it was a long, hot summer (wasn't there a movie by that name?) and some of you barely saw the sun, let alone beach-worthy temperatures.

Either way, Fall is just around the corner and so wraps up another year for me in the blogosphere.  No year of blogging is "just another year".  There are things to be learned, people to be met and new experiences to be had.  One of the highlights of this year was participating in a month-long writing marathon hosted by  Nicky and Mike of We Work for Cheese.  These innovative individuals decided it would be fun to come up with 30 topics and see how many people would or could post for 30 consecutive days.  I entered this challenge with doubts, only promising that I would give it a shot since I normally post 3 days a week. 

It was fun and most definitely a learning experience.  I learned that I could take 30 random, off-the-wall topics and write a post for each one.  Granted some were not the most spectacular pieces of literature ever to grace the internet, but I was pleased enough with each to post it for all to see.

After the high of writing for 30 straight days and/or nights, the summer slump hit hard, and it seemed as if much of the blogging world went on sabbatical.  I'd like to end summer on a positive note, so to celebrate my third year of blogging and say "Thank You" to my readers,  I am giving away a $25 Amazon gift card.  One lucky reader will be chosen from a random drawing to be held on Monday, October 1.  This is my first giveaway, so the rules are very simple.  All you have to do is leave a comment on any post, starting with this one, through 11:59 p.m. September 30.  Each comment will count as a separate entry.  

The winner will be announced on October 1, following the Quote of the Week.   Good luck and thanks for visiting Roses to Rainbows over the past three years.