Alphabe-Thursday - Anything Autumn

THIS IS A MOST UNUSUAL ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST - again this week in honor of autumn. 

Jenny is calling it, "Anything Autumn!"  So if you want to join along or just want to view a bit more of autumn's magic please go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/10/alphabe-thursdays-fall-break-and_26.html

Just so you know as a special treat for all who enter, Jenny is offering another give away!
...and it's a very special box filled with Autumn!

Have a MoNstRouSlY HaPpY HaLLoWeeN!

Why has Halloween fallen through a crack in the darkness of most people’s minds? These days, a shadow lurking in a corner is simply that; merely a shadow and nothing more.


Gone are bobbing for apples at grannies house.
or, little boys and girls dressing like cats or a mouse.
No more laughing and scurrying from house to house.
They wouldn’t dream of being a giant pumpkin man
Or pair up two boys dressed like a van.

 I dressed like a cat for several years.  But sadly this is the only picture of me dressed for Trick or Treating.....hard to believe! 

No more goblins dancing about, haven’t you heard?
Today if they dress up at all they’re Darth Vader or an Angry Bird.
No more telling scary ghost stories over bonfires
Or feasting on caramel apples and nuts, or other tasty harvest fruits-
Oh no! Haven’t you heard!


It’s “lights out” all across most neighborhoods on Halloween night!
Nobody opening doors to offer yummy delights,
Gone are the little goblins that went bump in the night
or dressed in ways, to almost frighten anyone, all through the night.
The pure magic of ghouls and black cats is out of sight.

I still enjoy seeing all the decorations and the warm lights hovering about each house !



Once we could be mad as hatters for one night-
Or wear our hair in a frazzle and cause others to beware
Of us all, as we played tricks with all our might
Oh how we loved playing truth or dare
Especially on Halloween night…


So, will you be out this Halloween Night?
Still partaking in that old childhood delight?
Perhaps you’ll bake a tasty soul cake just for the night.
And hold scared the tribute of the light
Knowing it brings abundant harvest to all
And pumpkin lanterns will lighten the darkness for all,
guiding us past cornstalks and ghouls on Halloween night.
Well for those of us who still dare to go out Halloween night!

May your autumn be merry and bright and all your days filled with delight!


What do you think is the most reasonable of all Halloween explanations?

                                "What kind of face does your pumpkin have?"

Whimsical Wednesday 26 October 2011

WELCOME TO WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAY WONDERS......it's wonderful you could stop by!

If you spend all your time slaying dragons, you’ll never see the sunshine.

        Sunshine is knowing that just around the corner
there is hope and answers to everything except maybe, how to dribble a football........But I ask you does that really matter?

May sunshine and happiness follow you everywhere you go...and if you want to post your own bit of whimsy or view more go here

http://dthaase-lines.blogspot.com/p/whimsical-wednesday.html

Thematic Photographic # 168 Metallica

THIS IS A THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC POST

           Carmi, from Written Inc. blog has molded "metallica" as our theme this week!  All things of metal, metallic or metallography of nature....... 


So coming from a far away corner of my tool/photo-box - here's something not normally found in our toolbox!

Metal-art or metalize your metal.....

What's left of the lost Alien-Spaceship after falling from the sky and landing inside an art sculpture....imagine that!

a quote on another kind of precious musical metal......
"I just saw metal as another tool for me to use...." - Daisy Berkowitz aka Scott Putesky

Is there a Metal-Doctor in the house?
Oh
these bones are made for walking...
or dancing
and just hanging around

....a wee bit more of metal art.....

The safest kind of motorcycle to keep in your house!

Going through life as a Jack Stand, I've been known to carry a lot of weight, more than you know!

and last...
I know, this is really stretching the metal...but I shot this cutie yesterday and he was just begging to be on my blog!

"I just want to say, this metal chained harness is too tight around my nose!  Does it really have to be so tight?"

If you liked this kind of nuts and bolts for metal and care to add a few of your own
or want to view more
go here please!

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/10/thematic-photographic-168-metallica.html

"The hardest metal yields to sufficient heat. Even so must the hardest heart melt before sufficiency of the heat of non-violence. And there is no limit to the capacity of non-violence to generate heat." - Mohandas Gandhi

Saturday Centus - I planted a little

THIS IS A SATURDAY CENTUS POST

Welcome to another Saturday Centus!  This week Jenny has us back at 100 words plus the 6 words of the prompt, which is "I planted a little story seed...."  and no extra picture!

My inspiration arrived by a motorcyclist with a death wish on his mind.  I've seen crazy driving before, but this was over the top!  He was still on my mind when I read Jenny's prompt, and I knew what I had to do. 

 Here it is...this is just for you motorcycle man!


I planted a little story seed

In my heart the moment you were born
And not just whether I should bottle-feed or breastfeed
But that I’d raise you by the good mother’s creed.


That’s why I disagreed
About you living by the motorcycle creed.


And I’m praying you heed
My words, because I couldn’t bare to mourn
What arrives once metal meets road with flashes of chrome
And loss of life guaranteed.


A biker passed by with too much airspeed
Zigzagging his way home
Did he have a death wish or a desire to bleed?
Thankfully, it wasn't you.

Always remember your mother's love and Godspeed.

If you feel like viewing more of Jenny's Saturday Centus or maybe want to include your own please go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/10/saturday-centus-i-planted-little.html

As a side note just in case you are wondering, my sons don't drive motorcycles, THANKFULLY!.....but we still do own one.......!

Sepia Saturday # 97 : Saturday 22 October 2011

THIS IS A SEPIA SATURDAY POST

Welcome to,
The Ever Changing Life -  Of Going To The Beach

My cousins, Gesine and Jorg at the beach in Denmark
sometime around the end of the 1950's

I like how they dressed for the beach!

But, going to the beach wasn't always this easy.......


There were the days it was hard to achieve a full and complete tan .........

How would you fancy wearing this swimwear from one of the early images of swimwear for coastal life in Georgian Britain in about 1813.

       Recently, I purchased the book, "Glorious Britain, Place of legends," and the subject of "bathing houses" from Brighton, England caught my attention.   After investigating bathing houses, I learned about how wonderful and important they were, besides required!


      So I'm skipping Alan's theme From Sepia Saturday this week (although the group of boys he pictured are covered as well as those found in my post) 

 Ladies Swimwear and the Bathing Houses they used!

   I'm excited sharing this marvel of bathing at the beach just for you.  Surely this is "old business" to many of you, especially those of you across the great blue pond.  But it may be new for some of you here.

Let me present these......        photos below from The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington are here for all of us to enjoy!

At the beach....
   without a care in the world....

This is my most favorite photo from the collection of "bathing houses" at the Library of Congress on file from the Prints & Photographs Division - Washington.
Is the use of umbrellas always catching my attention?  Blankenberghe, Belgium.

I wonder what that one idle man sitting all by himself was thinking?

You see back in the good old days women weren't to be seen in their swimwear by men, and they actually were driven out to the sea in these bath houses and lowered into the water.

One more from Blankenberghe, Belgium...

The beach and the sea....Blankenberghe, Belgium, also between 1890 Ca. and 199 ca. from the Library of Congress collection of Prints & Photographs Division Washington.

Honestly, the bath houses used up a lot of valuable beach....and views.....
In 1861 when Captain Kenny's Brighton Beach Baths opened, bathing during the open daylight hours was strictly prohibited, as was mixed men/women bathing together.  They created separate sections on the beach which designated areas strictly for men and women to swim separately. 

Teignmouth, England ...while at the beach Between 1890 ca. and 1900 ca. ...amazing goings on at the beach back then, wouldn't you agree?

Beach and ladies Between about about 1890 ca. and 1900 ca. at  Margate, England

If you feel the urge to post a Sepia Saturday theme or just an old photo, Sepia or not, or care to see more
go here

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2011/10/sepia-saturday-97-saturday-22-october.html

Six Word Saturday 22 October 2011

THIS IS A SIX WORD SATURDAY POST  -  6WS   -    Welcome!







DISCOVERIES,
      WE MAY NEVER
                HAVE KNOWN


Being absolutely honest with what's really going on in my life right now today

I'm

BURSTING,
         WITH A SENSE
                   OF ADVENTURE.......... and by-chance discoveries

That awaits

I'm filled with jubilant emotions

for a

soul-satisfying experience

2 mothers and 2 daughters

take to the air

in 8 days

everything in life about us now

goes on hold

for 7 beautiful days

can't wait

 

Off the beaten path at times - seeking by-chance discoveries we may never have known.

The sky's the limit right?  ...If you find you want to join in on Cate's  Six  Word Saturday, please go here

http://www.showmyface.com/2011/10/six-word-saturday_22.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+showmyface+%28Show+My+Face%29

Thematic Photographic # 167 Edible

THIS IS A THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC POST

PLEASE!     LET THEM EAT CAKE!

Meet Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" ....the wedding cake!

"One must work and dare if one really wants to live."- Vincent van Gogh

It was oh so tasty....with a rich and delicious red velvet cake ...


oh so good

a most unusual but tasty wedding cake ....
for my most unique daughter....

and from my own special creations last Christmas, I decided hearing about "Figgy Pudding" wasn't enough.  I had to make it and taste it for myself.....

...here for the first time ever I offer....

FIGGY PUDDING
This is the cake before Captain Morgan's Original Spiced Rum turns it into "Figgy Pudding"


Once every ones had enough cake, could you please feed the birds and squirrels......!

please!

If you're a fan of humming birds, grow these on your decks and sit back and have a good look at many visits by Hummingbirds!

I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.  - Joseph Addison

and Carmi is still serving up "Edible" as his TP theme this week and if you feel the hungry urge to spit one or two or more this way please go here

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/10/thematic-photographic-167-edible.html

Alphabe-Thursday - Fall Break - Autumn Colors

     There's something a wee bit different brewing at Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday and it's about autumn!

THIS IS AN ALPHABE-THURSDAY POST

but as an autumn delight, Jenny from "Off on my tangent" has ordered it be a celebration for autumn and here by names it, "Fall Break" and it's theme shall be "Autumn Colors!"

My offering is a little story called, 
     "The Scarecrow, The Witch and The Coffee Shop"

It was supposed to be autumn and all through the neighborhood came an unnaturally loud stillness in the air.  Autumn never came, not yet.   Oh no!

What was that incredibly wonderful fresh smell more powerful than the bold scents lurking in the countryside?  Suddenly, a slight noise came from behind us and what to our surprise did we see standing right before our eyes......

.....was an old lady with the warmest of colors flowing across her well, body.  Who dresses like this we wondered?  She had an awful rough and croaking voice when she welcomed us inside to have a cup of her wonderful coffee.  We accepted and walked inside.

You would have too, if you'd smelled her coffee.

While feeling all cozy and comfortable as we drank her most delicious coffee, we told her about our worries that autumn may never come this year.

The old woman raised her eyebrows and with a most sinister laugh she urged us to listen very carefully.  "Go out the back door and follow the Minnehaha Creek that awaits and never look back.  Once you see a towered mansion spring up from nowhere stop!  The key to your mystery lives there."


As we walked, we wondered, who would live way out here?

We almost fell into Minnehaha Creek the second we walked out the back door.  But we carefully followed along the side of the creek through the thickest of weeds and rough brush, just like she told us.
....and finally right before our eyes springing up from nowhere (like she said it would) was the house with the very special tower belonging to the Minnehaha Witch!  Seriously? We certainly didn't believe that at all.  But the old woman was very stern about this witch holding the key to whether "autumn" will arrive or not.

The old woman warned us that if we didn't place the stake from a delightful looking scarecrow right in the center of her forlorn property, that autumn would never come.  Oh no!
"Where on earth would we find a scarecrow?"  So with all our genius we first gathered up some weathered grasses and found a worthy firm branch and each of us took off something we were wearing and we stuck it firming in the ground and brought a delightful scarecrow to life wouldn't you agree?

Somebody was happy, as we noticed butterflies making spectacles of themselves, dancing merrily and we heard the song of frogs and crickets croaking all the way from the creek.

But looking all around, nothing seemed to change.  Was it truly going to be autumn now?  So on little tip toes we walked up the mighty steps (well they felt mighty as we were plenty nervous) and we knocked on the door belonging to the old Minnehaha Witch ever so lightly.

.....and to our great surprise

and much too insistent to ignore

sat an ecstatically happy Minnehaha Witch!  Her face was shining with pride as she noticed her old friend, Mr. Scarecrow had returned home once again!

....and once again all was right with the world, and autumn finally fell across all of the land, and we were all happy.

Of course that's not all

we all shared hot cider and spider (decorated silly) cookies!

The end.

If you want to share your own visions of "Autumn Colors" or just view an entire group of other posts please do go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/10/alphabe-thursdays-fall-break-and.html

Whimscial Wednesday 19 October 2011

Welcome to another splash of whimsy just for you!

THIS IS A WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAY POST

   When my children were growing up we had a few distant neighbors who did not partake in the autumn bliss of anything Halloween like....In fact they made sure that school parties were called "Fall Harvest Party" or anything that didn't include a hallow or ghostly pumpkin inside..... I still feel a bit sad about that.....

I always decorated our little piece of land that we called "Our Home" ....children loved it.....while a few of those silly more distant neighbors driving by would say..."Oh your the house with all those Halloween decorations!"  ...mind you now nothing really too scary...I mean it would appear much like this below

Kinda not so scary right?

Sometimes, it's just all about having FUN!

                          Capture the moment

                                And plunge
                                    Into
                      The flight of imagination
                                    And
                               Believe its
                          Magnificent vision

I hope you enjoy a bit of whimsy everywhere you go...and if you want to share some of your own please do

http://dthaase-lines.blogspot.com/p/whimsical-wednesday.html



Before The Fall- A Leaf Assignment

                A leaf assignment?  Yes! Carmi from Written Inc. Blog presented last Sunday a new mission for us to complete if, we accept.  When you get a chance, go out and find a leaf, any leaf.... snap a picture of it, and before placing it in a book to save for a later (mission) post your photo on Carmi's "Before The Fall" post....if you choose not to accept, this post will not self-destruct in 30 seconds!

just go here
http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/10/before-fall.html

Last night the weatherman was predicting really low temps so I thought I better do some leaf hunting just to be safe!

Another Hollyhock leaf shot this morning......after near frost......

So if you have accepted this mission, just know Carmi will explain more later!

Thanks for stopping by!

Thematic Photographic # 167 Edible

THIS IS A THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC Post

                       Are you hungry?  Well, you just might be after you view all the- tasty tidbits of all things edible...healthy or not here they come.......... and just to let you know,
                     Carmi said some edible things are just for fun....

 .....and if you want to tempt us with your own incredible tasty-for the-tummy-yummy food just go here

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/10/thematic-photographic-167-edible.html

We saw this Humpty-Dumpty Scarecrow man yesterday!  Can you guess how many eggs this Humpty-designer ate to put Humpty together for the Scarecrow Festival?  A whole lot of edible eggs I'm thinking....

Yes! his head is made up of empty egg shells!
Hopefully you had dinner already.....while I continue serving up "edible"
as our theme this week!  Devour and savour what you can ...

Also from yesterday's Scarecrow-fest another fun and edible thing is this
photo below

Have you ever seen a Blue Hubbard squash?

Of course they are very healthy for you.  Even delicious!  You can use these in so many recipes, soups or even pies!  Or to decorate with!

Maybe you've never heard of Blue Hubbard squash before? 

So many foods we eat today go way back in time...don't they?


Tonight is spaghetti night (it's one of my favorite dishes)
but first I needed to pick up a few things at the grocery store.

 I always play around with my spaghetti sauces....and sometimes not just the sauce....changing the pasta is fun too

Besides having fun with our food.... there are companies who call our food by silly names

A very favorite pasta of mine is labeled, Mother in Law's Tongue, seriously.  It's taking the ordinary out of Pasta with all natural no food coloring added..... It's a handmade delicate pasta!  When in Italy they say
"Buon appetito!!

Will The Real Daddy of Max's Boys Please.....Meow!

Will the real Daddy of Max's boys please Meow!

"Louder, please we can't all hear you....."

Meet Smoke, a brother to Monster, the kitty-cat I've frequently posted, mostly because when you're out in the yard Monster's always at your feet in seconds.....


This post is what I promised Max I would send .....you see Max (if you don't already know) has the cutest little boy brother kitty-cats anyone could ever want.  Maybe you've seen them!  You might even think this was Alan all grown up.  Or not.

We'll let Max be the judge of that....

Did somebody call my name?

Actually if Utah and Minnesota were neighbors and our houses were on the border of each, it's quite possible that Smoke could really be their daddy!  Meow....meow.....after all he's quite the stud muffin-kitty, very adorable and enormously big hearted...really, I kitty you not......!


Just look at him!

Did you say dinner time already?  What?..... just another photo shot?
purr, purr....MEOW!


 Since autumn is slowly slipping away, this lovely afternoon napping spot, will soon be closed up for the brutal winter we get...

But for now, I'll just take a good long cat nap.....
Oh by the way
Max
just in case you want to see Smoke's paw prints
he left them on my windshield over the weekend
he must have read my mind about his DNA !

Just noticed these today, with the sunshine pouring through my windshield...
So Max what do you think? 

Saturday Centus 15 October 2011 - A Literary Device Challenge

THIS IS A SATURDAY CENTUS POST, 

...and it's brought to you today by:  Ms Jenny from "Off on my tangent" and Jenny is offering us such a sweet and exciting challenge for this week's centus.  No photos of our own, please.  But, by using this photo we shall weave a tale of sensory details.....in what ever tasty manner possible....are you seeing red yet?  No way...this is gonna be fun...fun...and more fun! 

But first, feast your eyes on this theme photo ....

This is Jenny's prompt photo for this Saturday Centus exercise of Sensory Details

         Townsfolk saw Grandpa’s hideaway as a depressing eyesore bursting with dust and disuse. Not me or this wild turkey strutting sheepishly around that gaping hole of rotting wood. They mostly whined about the foul odor from ripe earthworms and moldy straw spawning a bitter tang everywhere.




Yet my nose tickled from cherry tobacco and wood-smoke.


Suddenly, a bone-rattling thump ruffled this turkey’s feathers and he flew off and dropped into a bed of putrid leaves. I stretched my ears once the eerie thumping silenced and thought I heard the pitter-patter of feet romping through the house, just once more.


Jenny offers this Literary Device Challenge to any and all of us who care to share our words (no more than 100) and if you don't know how to get there already...try this

Six Word Saturday - 6WS- 15 October 2011

THIS IS A NEW.....   SIX WORD SATURDAY POST

Eliminating procrastination-

      gives back your life

Composing, my own, personal    procrastination list.

Revising everyday.


Most of us don’t really procrastinate so much, at least not about the really big stuff.
Or do we?
Do you let procrastination linger in the air?


Some people live by lists. I keep lists in my head. Sure we’re mostly organized, but there’s always that one thing, (or possibly many things) that we know we need to do, but we let procrastination be our fall guy.


Procrastination delays ambition and the urgency to postpone our own personal industriousness which puts off our motivation and makes us drag our feet instead of possessing enthusiasm which builds diligence to make us the dynamic person we really are!

FIRST, on My procrastination elimination list

     1. Quit procrastinating


So if you want to hop over to Show My Face blog, and join in on Cate's Six Word Saturday too, or just want to view a few more lively posts go here

http://www.showmyface.com/2011/10/six-word-saturday_15.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+showmyface+%28Show+My+Face%29

Sepia Saturday # 96 Saturday: 15 October 2011

THIS IS A SEPIA SATURDAY POST

            It seems our theme photo arrives by Christine H's remarkable comment last week, and Alan has graciously accepted her challenge and made it his theme photo. So our theme could touch war, cooking, fire, chairs and/or strange outfits.  So Alan says cook up a post and Bon appetit!


I first give you a close second to his theme photo, a bit of cooking, and fire (as in cooking and drinking of fire water-or beer) in this photo

A bit of cooking will soon finish off this 95 pound sturgeon from about 1900. - Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society and these two brave fishermen.

My next entry is of quite possibly a fictional Harry Potter, in somewhat of a "strange outfit" by today's standards, next to a "chair" and the only real source of fact relating to this photo is that it was taken in Vancouver......

He is quite the handsome and well dressed young lad wouldn't you agree?

               ...did you notice the amazing reflection in this photo?

I really don't mean any disrespect, or make fun of this charming young woman, but with all do respect as far as "strange outfits" may go this photo, especially this hat, or whatever it may be called to me, appears quite strange...and takes away from this young woman's character very much.....

I don't mean to offend anyone, if this is a traditional head covering of some sort, (someone here may know and I apologize right now if that is the case.)  But to me it seems rather odd.

My last photo covers fire (for fireworks) and cooking (or eating) at this Fourth of July party in an unknown St. Paul location around 1908.

1908 Fourth of July celebration when people still dressed up for these kinds of goings on and instead throwing a blanket onto the ground they placed a white linen tablecloth on a table and brought their little American flags to wave about their nicely set table.  - Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to play out Alan's theme from Sepia Saturday, and if you feel like posting your own offering, or just wish to view a few other posts, please go here

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2011/10/sepia-saturday-96-saturday-15th-october.html