PINK, etc.

It seems that everywhere I go, more and more people are wearing and talking pink. This is just my opinion, but it is what I think.




In living rooms,

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and in kitchens,

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from appliances

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to mittens,

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from light colored tresses

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to long glamorous dresses,

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from glimmering rocks

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to cute fuzzy socks,

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from a pretty purse

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to a uniformed nurse,

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from a carriage

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and a horse

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to Mother Nature, of course,

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with Funny Face,

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Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire,

that's all folks. I've made my case.



THINK PINK




















photo credits:
1. www.marthastewart.com/article/thinking-pink
2. www.yourpinkkitchen.com
3. www.thisnext.com/item/A830535E/743866AD/SMEG-Pink-Refrigerator
4. www.cuisinart.com/products/coffee_bar/dcc-1100pk.html
5. www.debenhams.com
6. www.l3liss.blogspot.com
7. www.simplydresses.com/shop/viewitem-PD496316
8. www.fancydiamonds.net
9. copyright - permission granted. Socks available at:
http://www.keyboardbiologist.net//knitblog/2009/04/fuzzy-pink-baby-socks.html
10. authenticbagsforless.com/CHANEL/Chanel-Pale-Pink-Jumbo-Lambskin-Classic-Flap-Bag/prod_208.html
11. www.thefind.com
12. tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/toddler-bedroom-decorating-ideas7.htm
Mark Wilkinson, designer
13. www.kimmerston.com/film_tv.htm
14. by pyrachick http://photobucket.com/images/pink%20mantis
15. wikipedia
16. fireworks http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/6/26/74313/3690/travel/Celebrating+the+Phourth+of+July

A Sure Sign of Weakness

When it comes to television shows, I think the Brits do it best. Of the few shows that I would call my personal favorites, it seems they are mostly British made. One in particular is Lark Rise to Candleford set in the hamlet of Lark Rise and the more prosperous, neighboring market town of Candleford, at the end of the 1800's. This series is an adaptation of Flora Thompson's childhood memoirs of Oxfordshire, England.




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One of the endearing characters in this series is Dorcas Lane, the Post Mistress of Candleford, played by Julia Sawalha. In most every episode she makes the comment "_______ is my only weakness," and everytime she utters those words she mentions another "only" weakness.



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Do you have an only weakness, or many only weaknesses? Well, I do, and this week I will tell you one of them. da da... My only weakness is chocolate. There, I said it, and I am not ashamed. I simply allow myself to indulge a little more frequently that I should.




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Look at all that luscious chocolate, sitting there so beguiling, tempting you to take just one piece. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, with or without nuts; you can have the white chocolate - I want the serious stuff.

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Dark chocolate macarons. Catch them if you can.





This decadent, chocolate delight is absolutely sinful, but go ahead and look if you must.


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Chocolate Souffle with Nougat Whipped Cream, ah, it fills the senses just to say its name.





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Fresh strawberries dressed up in their finest and ready to step out on the town, or better yet, to be devoured anywhere.



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I wonder how long the ice cream sundae has been around. Growing up I thought that this was the ultimate in desserts. Well, it is still a favorite of mine. One spoon please.





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I was in my early teens before I had a chocolate eclair. My mother was a proponent of tough love.





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Chocolate pie with meringue topping. Oh, I see you have your's already. Well I guess that makes the rest mine, wah la.





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The basic ice cream cone. Delicious yes, and probably the start of an obsession for many of us. As young as three I was probably hooked.






On the Family Feud tv show, they would ask a hundred people a question, and then the contestants would try to guess the top answers. If they had asked, "What is your favorite chocolate dessert," do you think this might have been the top answer?





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After all of that food, I need to wash it down with something. Perhaps a




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tall, thick, cold chocolate milk shake or maybe






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a cup of frothy hot chocolate.






Alas, for the time being I must rid my thoughts of these compulsions; therefore, I will go to the spa.





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photo credits:
1. amazon.com
2. google images
3. wikipedia
4. www.valrhona-chocolate.com.com
5. www.chiccoles.com
6. simplyrecipes.com
7. icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com
8. frenchfood.about.com
9. www.examiner.com
10. photobucket.com
11. yokelengho.spaces.live.com
12. swtmilkteaa.tumbler.com
13. swtmilkteaa.tumbler.com
14. dinnerandmurder.com

Orange is the Theme - August ATC Swap

The theme for the August ATC swap is Orange. This month I swapped with Mollye and look at this wonderful card I received.




















You might have guessed orange even if I had not told you.
Molly stamped the face and Chinese lettering onto the background that was a paper napkin. She added a crown, a caption, she melted some crayon on it (which I first thought was a flower petal), the little fish and even a small tag with the number 8 on it (August, 8th month). It arrived in it's own striped envelope.

Mollye, this is so pretty and I thank you so much.


If you are interested in swapping ATC's please find out more on the Blissfull ATC Swap blog

Old but Always New

From the short film "Most" an even shorter clip was made entitled "The Bridge." This clip has been around for a few years so there is a good chance that you have already seen it. My sister saw it and she doesn't even spend much time looking at web pages. However, I did not know about it until David posted it on his blog "A Student of Life" in April of this year.

If you have not viewed it, I hope you will take a few minutes to watch. It is a poignant presentation of an old, old story that is always new.








This will be linked to Charlotte and Ginger's blog "Spirtual Sundays."

Eeoow - The Sky is Falling

Late in the summer and the sky darkens, some people gather, hoping to catch glimpses of many shooting stars.

From some of the debris associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet it is theorized that we have the annual Perseids meteor shower, which is usually seen between August 8th through August 14th, with August 11th and 12th being two of the best nights for viewing. The feast day of St. Lawrence is August 10th and the shooting stars are often called the Tears of St. Lawrence.






Lawrence, a church deacon, was ordered to give the treasures of the church to the Roman Emperor Valerian. Lawrence, however, brought him the poor and sick and presented them as the true treasures of the church. Lawrence had already sold many of the items and given the money to the poor.

For his defiance the Emperor, who saw no humor in Lawrence's actions, had Lawrence burned, or grilled, to death on an outdoor stove. His martyrdom occurred in 258 AD.

Lawrence is the patron saint of Rome, chefs, butchers, librarians, libraries, and comedians. Comedians? Yes, comedians. As the legend goes, during his torture Lawrence cried out, "This side's done, turn me over and have a bite."






photo credits:
Perseids - www.thatthebonesyouhavecrushedmaythrill.blogspot.com
St. Lawrence - www.aug.edu

Just the Bare Facts

My sister and I were helping our mother by going through folders containing papers that she had saved over the years. There were some items that we agreed could be thrown away, and naturally there were many items that were keepers. Among the papers was the following article that appeared in The Christian Index, dated September 27, 2007.



Headline: Toilet company turns the other cheek after church complains

The toilet company that burned the backside of a New York City mega church with plans to post a billboard with naked buttocks on a building where the church rents space has replaced the ad with a less cheeky version.

The non-denominational Times Square Church in Manhattan had obtained a restraining order from a New York judge in July, preventing plumbing products maker Toto from displaying the offending ad at 1657 Broadway.

Times Square Church rents the first four floors of the building where the advertisement was to be placed on the firth and sixth floors, according to Lane Paulsen, the church's lawyer.

"I'm authorized to say that the advertiser voluntarily withdrew the original (ad) and that's all," Paulsen said.

In a court affidavit, Pastor Neil Rhodes said the original ad was "indecent for public display and "antithetical to the values of our congregation and church."
...
Paulsen said the church has no comment on the new ad, in which the buttocks are covered with a white band that says, "Our bottom line, Clean is happy. No ifs, ands or..."











Toto spokeswoman Lenora Campos said, "Our thought-provoking "Clean is Happy" billboard is not intended to offend."
[the ad was for their Washlet line of bidets]
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Maybe another sign that could have been added to the billboard is: "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

You can bet your bottom dollar that we saved the article and put it back in the folder.

Do you have any one liners to add?"

An article in the New York Times, discussing the pros and cons of the billboard, and a picture of the original billboard can be seen by clicking on the highlighted NY Times.

My mother, I am sure, had her own opinion about the advertisement, but I am equally certain that she saved the article for sheer humor.



p.s. soon I hope to have another post about the history of the church and building

A Little Dab Will Do Yah

Jessica, a midwesterner now living in South Carolina and writing Growing Southern (appropriately named), had a give away for organic garden products that EcoSmart makes. Surprise, I won.

In the package were:

Garden Fungicide
Weed and Grass Killer
Garden Insect Killer
Insect Repellent (skin spray)




















Look at my roses, pathetic.


















This growth is the second attempt for these poor plants. The first ones looked so promising with many shiny leaves and dotted with little rose buds, but within a couple of days something had nibbled them down to the stem. I tiptoed outside to spy day and night but never saw any caterpillars or any other pesky predator devouring my roses. These products may have come just in time. Perhaps this garden insect killer will be the answer.

Thank you Jessica and EcoSMART.

Little insects, I am sorry it has come to this, but unless someone can tell me about an effective repellent...

p.s. I have written to EcoSMART to check on using products in a safe manner around pollinators.