I just wanna bang on the drums all day

It's time for Carmi's Thematic Photographic #47 over at written inc. This week's theme is musical...

Here's a photo (just a little preview) of my husband's love - er, after me of course!

Do you have the music in you?

Combo

I'm not sure I'm allowed to do this or not, but I'm all about resourcefulness these days. Today I'm posting one entry for three photo memes - Macro Monday, Today's Flowers, and Bloomin' Tuesday!

The first shot is my macro (well, my close up anyway) of the center of a very unusual Hibiscus flower...


And the whole flower...

These were taken at Selby Gardens in Sarasota Florida. I've lived in Florida my entire life, but don't think I've ever seen a Hibiscus like this one!

Round and round and round

It's time for Carmi's Thematic Photographic 46 - the theme this week is Round. I'm playing along a bit late, but better nate than lever right? ;-)
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Carmi posts a new theme every Wednesday at 7pm. Hope to see you over there!

Choochie

For this week's Camera Critters I'm introducing you to Choochie. Choochie's full name is Pinky Chewbacca Extra Long Psycho Cat.

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Her name started out as Pinky because she's so pink - these photos don't really show off her bright pink ears and nose. Trust me, they are pink pink! Then we started calling her Chewbacca because she has the strangest little meow that sounds just like Chewbacca! Chewbacca was shortened to Chewy and somehow turned into Choochie.

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Extra Long Psycho Cat came in when we noticed how much longer she is than the other kittens, and she has a super long tail too that curls up to look exactly like a question mark! The psycho part came in because she is so crazy!

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After some research it turns out I'm pretty sure she has some Siamese in her. Want to see some strange looking cats? Click this link to Google images of a white siamese - I never knew such a thing existed! I can only hope my pretty little Choochie doesn't grow up to look like some of them! Go see!

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As you can see Choochie and I have many of the same interests ;-)

I hope to see you over at Camera Critters too!

Shadow Shot #49

I've been wanting to play along on Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sundays for a while now. Unfortunately, life just hasn't allowed time to get out to shoot over the past few months. I thought I'd play along this week and bring back an old favorite shadow shot from the archives...

Go over to Shadow Shot Sunday to play along too :-)

Nuggsie wuggsie

This is little Nugget - another one of my adorable new babies!

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Nuggsie is a wanna be dog - he loves dog food, loves to chew on big rawhide dog bones, chooses to hang out with dogs instead of the other kitties when he has the chance, and usually sleeps curled up at my feet. Next I'm going to try to teach him how to bark ;-)

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When Nuggs is awake he always has a surprised look on his face, like in the top photo. When he's asleep he's almost always in some kind of odd upside-down position. He is the cutest little thing and has so much personality!

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Come back next week to meet Choochie :-)

Unconscious Mutterings - week 325

I say ... and you think ... ?

Lease :: Own
Dead :: Alive
Removed :: Twice
Broke :: Why yes, yes I am
Lips :: Kiss
Flight :: All night
Three hours :: Later
Give :: Get
Technical :: Trouble
Hurry :: Up and play along on this week's Unconscious Mutterings! :-)

Meet the Queen

I thought this week's Camera Critters would be a great place to start introducing you to my babies. Queen Bella is a beautiful little kitty and she knows it! We almost named her Bunny because she hops just like a little bunny rabbit - she's too fat to run like a normal kitty. Queenie was the next name on the list for her because she acts like she's the Queen around here. Bella was added because it means beautiful - Queen Bella it is :-)

Hurry, it's getting late!

Ladies get your gowns and guys go get your tux! It's time for another awards ceremony!

Lori from Dusty Pages gave me this great award...

Thanks Lori! :-)

The formal ceremony includes a list of seven things I love, followed by me presenting the award to seven other bloggers. If you don't like these kind of fun little things please feel free to click the X at the top. Ready to get started this time around?

::Insert drum roll here::

My list of things I love...

1. My family
2. My friends
3. My pets ( that I STILL have to introduce you to!)
4. Beer
5. Time off
6. Blogging
7. Comments! :-)

::insert applause here::

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...
::insert speech here::
The envelope please...

::awkward silence::

Will the following blogger owners please stand to accept your award...

1. Glenn E's Blog

2. Wearin' My Heart on My Sleeve

3. Julia's New journal

4. Ups and Downs with Anastasia

5. City Gal Moves to Oz Land

6. thoughts of a sober white women

7. Far Side of Fifty

::Insert seemingly endless applause::

If you can all settle down for a moment I'd like to present one more special award. This is the hug award going out to seven bloggers who have been going through some tough times lately.


Some have written about what's been happening, some haven't been around for a while, and one can't even get her blog to work to fill you in. So go on over to check in on them all and show them some bloggy love...
1. "My Little Piece of Heaven"
2. Gemini Wilder
3. Walk With Me...
4. Life on a Bison Farm
5. I Do Not Recall Having A Memory Problem
6. Insolent Muffin
7. Ds Designs and Other Things
Open bar to follow ceremony in the Blogger's Ballroom ;-)

Project-ing

We're still busy over here working on the school projects. Hopefully I'll make it back later for a real post, but if not at least I'm making good on my promise to post every day this week :-)

Now where did those kids go?!

Thematic Photographic 44 - Edible

I'm so happy to have time to play along on a photo challenge besides my own! I'm trying to be first for Carmi's weekly thematic challenge.

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I told you all earlier about doing school projects - Monday night we did a part of one that I'd love to share. As much as I hate these school projects I love to make a good impression whenever possible, especially when we can enjoy the fruits of our labor!

JoJo's latest project is for his Italian class - he has to make a poster listing at least 25 different types of pasta and what the translation is in Italian for each specific type of pasta. In addition, photos of 15 types of pasta or pasta dishes (no Internet images allowed ::rolling eyes:) and photos of a minimum of two different pasta dishes made by the student with recipes included.

This is one of our favorite real Italiano meals - Seafood pasta with white wine garlic sauce. There's shrimp, scungilli, scallops, mussels, and calamari - yum!

It's so good and so easy! ...

Saute the seafood with white wine, real butter, and lots of fresh minced garlic. Cover and steam until mussels open. Pour over hot pasta. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Excellente!

Right at this moment

While visiting Amy's blog Meh today I found ~The Simple Woman's Daybook~ Since I've been away from blogging for so long I thought this might be a good place to start - what's happening right at this moment.
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FOR TODAY... April 8

Outside my window... it's a bright, sunny day. It looks perfect for the beach, but it's deceiving, it's cold out there!

I am thinking... that I should be doing something on my to do list, but I'm really enjoying procrastinating today.

I am thankful for... this time I have off from work for spring break.

From the learning rooms... each of the boys were given school projects to complete over spring break. I wasn't happy about it, but we're making the best of it and enjoying it.

From the kitchen... the smell of fresh bread baking.

I am wearing... jean shorts and my Relay for Life tie-dye T shirt.

I am creating... a blog entry, my meal plans for the rest of the week and helping put together the scrapbook for one of the school projects.

I am going... over to my mother's house to do some cleaning for her a little later today.

I am reading... email and blogs, finally have time for some catch up.

I am hoping... for warmer weather tomorrow.

I am hearing... my son playing a video game.

Around the house... pets, pets and more pets everywhere! That reminds me, I have to introduce you to all the new babies!

One of my favorite things... the cold beer I'm looking forward to when Lent ends on Sunday.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Help the boys finish their school projects, finally do my taxes, a little gardening, go out to dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant, go to the botanical gardens since our annual passes expire at the end of this month, and lots of long walks on the beach.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is what a Cocker Spaniel looks like upside down in case you were wondering - kind of looks like the Easter bunny gone wrong doesn't it?