Category Archives: Fun

I Was Tagged! (Thank Goodness it’s not Graffiti!)

 Angie at Bloggin daz has tagged me for a meme with these questions that she has come up with…

1. Are you rooting for the Patriots or Giants?

a. Go Giants!
b. Go Patriots!
c. No strong feelings either way, but should be a good game
d. The what?

I’m torn, I’m amazed that the Patriot’s have had a perfect season and that it would make history for them to win but then the real fan (my daughter) is rooting for the Giants so heck, I guess I’ll say Giants…
 

2. Seven choices of vacation. Pick one:

a. Beach house, white sand, great waves
b. Condo in the mountains; view of snowy peaks
c. Nice hotel in New York City with tickets to the latest Broadway show
d. Tour of historic sites and museums in Greece and Italy
e. Bed and breakfast with time for antiquing
f. Home–sleeping in, hanging out, and doing stuff you don’t usually have time to do
g. I prefer not to take vacations.

I’m going to say (d) the tour of historic sites and museums in Greece and Italy. I am more comfortable visiting countries where English is spoken but Italy and Greece have so much history that I’m sure I would enjoy them...

3. Coffee drinker? If no, why? If yes, sugar, cream, or neither?

Yes, at least 12 oz. of coffee every morning before 8 am black!

4. What’s the last book you read (or are you in the middle of reading)?

I have finished Hood by Stephen Lawhead and I’m currently reading Pilgrim’s Inn by Elizabeth Goudge. Goudge is one of my new favorite authors.

5. You’re at the grocery store, waiting in the check-out line with a cart full of stuff. You glance over your shoulder for a moment, wondering whether you should have picked up an extra package of waffles. When you turn around, you notice that a lady has cut in line in front of you. Your eyes meet. She glowers and starts to put her items on the belt. You:

a. Grumble to yourself but don’t say anything out loud. You dislike scenes.
b. Say, “Excuse me, ma’am, but I was next in line.” That’s about as far as you’d take it, though.
c. March over to the belt, push her items onto the floor, and tell her that she and her cream of mushroom soup can go get in line like everybody else.
d. Grab your cell phone and snap a picture of the lady, thinking “Yes! I’ve got something good to blog about!”

Oh absolutely (d) since I’ve been bloggin for almost a year now this would be a great post. Also when I’m walking in the Spirit these little inconveniences don’t bother me as much as they used to…

6. Please share two or three links of things that made you laugh. Out loud. A blog post, a cartoon, a YouTube clip–whatever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFLS_RexrWA

I’m a real dweeb with linky kind of things but this one I’ve shared is very funny in my opinion.

thanks Angie!

TT #19 ~ Hope for Spring Walk

If you are here for Wildflowers in Winter the literary edition please scroll on down to the next post…
For my Thursday Thirteen this week I’m sharing 13 images from my walk in anticipation of Spring. I looked for signs of Hope for this wonderful season we’ll experience soon…

These were all taken from yards and common areas in my neighborhood. For those of you living in regions that actually experience 4 seasons remember my walk was in sunny Southern California.

My thirteenth image is of my shadow which I hope will become smaller by Spring!

For more TT click here.

Fun Monday ~ Bedside Table?

 Make sure you scroll on down to the next post for my Bloggy Giveaway which is going on all week…

Our hosts for Fun Monday this week are the Lurchers. Here’s their assignment…

So continuing in the spirit of “being interested in people”, I would like to know, or see, what’s on, in or under your bedside table! So open those draws and bare your soul to us! Is there anything special there that has a story or a memory that you can tell us about? Books that you keep there to delve into from time to time? Trinkets that you don’t know where else to put? Let’s see!

My condo here in Southern California is nice and small. I had to find a very little bedside table that would fit next to my bed and still let us open the doors to the armoire. So not much room for clutter but let’s see if there are any surprises in the drawer of the night table…

 

On top the current reads.

On the bottom shelf a basket filled with additional books I want to get to soon. If I was in my home in Washington for this Fun Monday I’d have a lot more fun stuff to reveal like notes from my kids when they were little. Costume Jewelery from my mother-in-law’s stash. Old goodies that have never gotten cleaned out…

We’ve been in our condo for a little over a year. I haven’t had enough time here to find surprises. My tabletop has my current reads; Pilgrim’s Inn by Elizabeth Goudge, My ESV Bible, Taste & See a devotional by John Piper, Ancient Christian Devotional (A year of Weekly Readings),  A notebook to write down anything noteworthy. The last thing on my table top is a coaster that we got in Ventura at Anacapa Brewing Co. for my coffee cup when my Dear brings me coffee in bed on Saturday mornings. In my drawer there are a couple pens, lip gloss, hand lotion, and sermon notes that end up in my Bible that I clean out and put in the drawer.

Here’s a photo showing how close the armoire door comes to the table.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my little corner of the condo. Head over to the Lurcher’s for more Fun Monday. You’ll find the participants in the sidebar…

 

Walking for Donuts? Is that what Lovella had in mind?

Dear and I decided to walk along the main road outside our neighborhood today so we could check out Calleguas Creek after the rains we’ve had all week. The sun was shining and the skies were clear.

This creek is generally pretty dry with maybe a trickle once in a while. The rain storms we’ve been having have made the creek flow strong and constant. (This photo was taken after the last rain storm, not today, but the creek looked just like this today with bluer skies)

We continued up the road.

The grade you see in the distance is what Dear has to travel everyday to get to work.

Oh no, look what I see, a donut shop. But here we are on a healthy walk…

On the way back to the Condo I got a shot of the Creek on the opposite side of the road.

Now where did that come from and how did it make it all the way to my condo?

I’m hopeless people!  Not only were my walking numbers way down this week (6108 avg.) I rewarded myself for my dismal efforts with a donut! Not a little donut either.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend…

Love and Hate Meme ~

Maryt tagged me for a love and hate meme. She had ten.  I prefer not to use the word hate too much, especially about people so here’s what I came up with…

1. I love peace in relationships and I hate to not be forgiven.

2. I love to watch Soccer and I hate to watch wrestling.

3. I love to eat with joyful people and I hate to eat with pouty people.

4. I love to watch clean action packed movies and I hate to watch dirty sleasy movies. (so I don’t)

5. I love a clear smooth flowing freeway and I hate gridlock, bumper to bumper inching along freeways.

6. I love to be full and satisfied and I hate to be hungry, craving everything in sight.

7. I love fresh air and I hate cigarette smoke saturated air.

8. I love the texture of tender meat and I hate the texture of liver.

9. I love honesty and I hate deception.

10. I love what Jesus brought to our world and I hate what Satan brought to our world.

If you choose to play this meme let me know and I’ll come by and read your answers…

Oh Happy Day!

My extended family is overjoyed today because of the arrival of a new baby. Our new little niece was born this morning to my Brother and his Wife. It has been 22 years since the last niece was born and 16 years since the last nephew was born so this is monumental! So what’s an Auntie to do? Why go to the mall and shop at the adorable Janie and Jack to find a little something to stick in the mail today for our sweet little niece to wear. Since my brother and his wife are way to busy to check my blog I’m posting a picture of what I bought and am shipping off…

If you have never shopped at this store beware! My gift is more on the practical side but they have wardrobes to WOW at this store. So many adorable things…

Recipe Round Up ~ Snackalicious Super Dishes

Just in time for this year’s Super Bowl on February 3rd, Pensieve is hosting Snackalicious Super Dishes and Rebecca Writes’ January’s Recipe Round Up in one lip-smacking, crowd-pleasing carnival and YOU’RE invited!

Here’s my contribution. A wonderful Chili from one of my favorite cookbooks!

 

Mount Rainier Chili (serves twelve to fourteen)

Ingredients:

1 pound Great Northern white beans, rinsed and picked over
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups onion, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 – 4 ounce cans chopped mild green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1- 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 cups chicken stock
1  12oz. can beer
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided

sour cream
salsa
fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Soaking time overnight. Place bean in a large, heavy pot. Add enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches. Cover and soak overnight.

Place chicken in a large, heavy saucepan. Add cold water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Remove skin and cut chicken into cubes.

Drain beans into large colander. Heat oil in same pot. Add onions and saute over medium-low heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves and cayenne. Saute 2 minutes. Add beans and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 hours. Add additional water if necessary. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and bring to a simmer before continuing.) Add chicken, beer and 1 cup of cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro leaves to sprinkle on top.

This is a wonderful white chili from one of my favorite cookbooks from the Junior League of Seattle, Simply Classic. I recommend this cookbook highly because every recipe I have made from the book has been wonderful.

To see more recipes head over to Pensieve’s here.

Know & Tell Friday

Question 1
What is your favorite fairy tale?

I think my favorite fairy tale is Snow White. It might have been the first one I saw when I was little and it made an impression on me. I also like the 7 Dwarfs.

Question 2
If you could be guaranteed a spot on the reality show “Survivor”, would you go?

No, I really would not want to expose myself to the elements in that way. I’m past my physical prime and I wouldn’t want to be without my hormone pills. 🙂 I also wouldn’t want to be at the whim of the producers manipulating and exposing me in a bad light.

Question 3
Meanest thing you ever did to a sibling??? I know…. what kind of question is this 🙂

This one is easy for me. I would hide in the closet or under the bed and when my older sisters would come home from dates I’d grab at their legs from under the bed or I’d grab their hand when they reached in the closet for their nightgown! Made them scream bloody murder every time.

Question 4
Best Fashion Era… 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s or now…

I think the 60’s were great. I loved the classic Jackie Kennedy look.

 

Question 5
Have you ever skipped to the end of a book before you finished reading the book?

Maybe once. It is not a habit of mine to do that. If the book drags on at the end I might skim through to get to the end.

Bonus Questions (I found these questions through a website, and boy are these challenging…)  ~

Question 6
What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year? ~

To be able to move back to Seattle. ~

Question 7
What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God? ~

Talk to Him like He’s real and my best friend.  ~

For more Know and Tell click over to To Know Him.

Happy Birthday Little Brother! 50 Years Young Today!

Happy Birthday Dear Brother Tim! These first photos are from your very first Birthday Party in January of 1959 at 4635 Oak Street, Pico Rivera, California. This area was known as Montebello Gardens at the time or Jardines as our Hispanic friends called it…

Talk about a blast from the past. Look at the cousins around this table. The Loscutoff’s, The Bogdanoff’s, The Shvetzov’s and the hosts of the event the Bagdanov’s.  I wish the photo clearly showed Dedushka at the end of the table sitting next to Pop. Look at you so pleased with your cake!

Here you are in a classic 50’s highchair enjoying your cake with Mom watching.

Time for presents with cake still on your face and your older cousins Alex, Bill, brother Fred, Walter, and Jim surrounding you. Vera on the right…

Spring forward to the present! It was fun celebrating with you and Letty at the California Grill in Camarillo on Saturday night.

Dear and Ellen b
Happy 50th Birthday Tim
You are a wonderful brother, always ready to help us and any of your siblings and friends. Thank you for your compassion and kindness. We appreciate you! And did I mention that I can remember the day you were born and how happy I was when Pop told us we had a new baby brother! Enjoy your day…