Monday, May 28, 2007

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

These are a few shots I took on Rt. 95 south of Baltimore this week.
Nice to know that someone honored Memorial Day with this tribute.

Love is but a song we sing
fears’ the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
and you may not know why
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
and try to love one another right now


Some may come and some may go
He will surely pass
When the one that left us here
returns for us at last
We are but a moment’s sunlight
fading in the grass
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now


If you hear the song I sing
you will understand…listen
You hold the key to love and fear
all in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
Its there at your command
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now
I said…..
*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now
right now
right now

Youngbloods

And finally one more shot from the kite festival mentioned in the previous post.


Happy Memorial Day everybody.

Friday, May 25, 2007

COLORFUL



Today's photohunters theme is COLORFUL- thanks to TNCHICK.

This is a shot that I took this past April at the kite festival in Washington D.C.

It was the opening day of the Cherry Blossom festival. A more colorful day I have not experienced in quite a while

But whenever the roof came white
The head in the dark below
Was a shade less the color of night,
A shade more the color of snow.
Robert Frost



Color


Love's a color, mine is blue.
Choose a color, how about you?
When the paler shades go down
then you know I'll come around.

When the colors mix into,
a swell of rainbows, less the blue,
There you'll find me,
pull me through...

Love's a color,
and now yellow.
Bright and bold,
never mellow.
Happy going in between,
yellow spilling in every seam.

Love's a color, and now red.
Feeling's deeper, nothing's said.
When the red is burning through,
pull me out and into you.
Passion holding tighter still,
warmer tones in overkill.
How my colors all fulfill...

2005

Kim GGG

Thursday, May 24, 2007

UNINSPIRED AND UNCREATIVE

I was told by a fellow blogger that my posts these days are uninspired...compared to several months ago.

I agree....And they are definitely uncreative,in my opinion.

Maybe it's time to stop for a while-at least until my life becomes more inspiring.

After all, how many photos of my garden can one person take? And all this after I took some new ones to post, at that.

I was also told that I seem to have a morbid core. This, I'm afraid, is probably also true. I first noticed that when I was about 12. Geez, in 35 years you think I would have figured out how to take care of that. It may take me paying someone $150.00 an hour to figure that out for me. A therapist is going to cost me more than $150.00 an hour - isn't she? I may have to rethink that one.

Thanks for reading everyone. We'll see what happens next.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

TAGGED

For the first time ever- I have been tagged by
  • Not So Little Woman


  • 4 jobs I've had
    Travel agent
    Sales associate at Victoria's Secret
    Aerobics Instructor
    Floral designer

    4 movies I can watch over and over
    Braveheart
    Dances with Wolves
    Out of Africa
    Fried Green Tomatoes

    4 places I've lived - This is the boring answer
    Washington D.C.
    Silver Spring, Md.
    Beltsville, Md.
    Columbia, Md.
    That's it- nowhere exciting.

    4 categories of TV programming I enjoy
    Cooking Channel
    Travel programs
    Design programs
    "Real Sex" - no judgements please, I am just fascinated by people's quirks.

    4 places I've been on holiday
    Italy
    Spain
    Ireland
    Scotland

    4 of my favorite dishes
    Rack of lamb
    Dilled Blanquet de Veau
    French fries- with lots of salt and vinegar
    Bouillabaise or other fish stew like cioppino

    4 web-sites I visit daily
    Bullet holes in the mailbox
    Velvet Factor.blogspot.com
    comcast.net
    Written Inc.

    4 places I would rather be right now
    Costa Rica
    Hawaii
    Sailing around the Greek Isles
    Texas

    I know, I sound more boring than ever! I think I need to move out of this state.

    So now I guess I have to tag somebody: Sorry y'all but I'll tag Steve, Akelamalu,
    Barbara, and anyone else who wants to play!

    Saturday, May 19, 2007

    MY GOOSE IS COOKED ( in this case my pig)



    This week's photohunters theme is COOKED/COOKING- Thanks to TNCHICK.

    Many, many years ago my husband and I participated in a gourmet club (well, 2 actually). This gave us the opportunity to gather a bunch of our crazy friends and cook up a storm....revolving around a chosen theme.

    Here, we have a pig roast that I decided to attempt. My husband absolutely refused to drain the lily pond so that I could roast the pig the proper way- by being buried and covered in banana leaves... I really thought the pond would have been perfect.

    My second option was to roast the sucker (or suckling, shall I say) in the oven. He weighed about 40 pounds and was just a tad too long for the oven. Consequently I had to cut him in half to roast him. That is why he has a lovely belt made of starfruit.


    All in all he was magnificent! We ended up just placing him in the center of the table and ripping the flesh right off of him with our bare hands- he was THAT good.

    This next photo is a shot of most of us in our "traditional" hawaiian garb. I even dressed my son up...much to his dismay.

    I apologize for the quality of the photo. The photographer seems to have had one too many mai tai's. Ah well, he was more fun that way.


    Never eat more than you can lift.
    Miss Piggy

    Thursday, May 17, 2007

    GEWEL'S SECRET GARDEN

    Let us now take a stroll to see what is blooming in my Secret Garden today.

    All of this accompanied by words from Depeche Mode.



    My secret garden's not so secret anymore
    Run from the house holding my head in my hands
    Feeling dejected, feeling like a child might feel
    It all seems so absurd
    That this should have occurred
    My very only secret
    And I had to go and leak it!
    My secret garden's not so secret anymore!


    No, my secret garden's not so secret anymore!
    Run through the fields, down to the edge of the water
    Can't stay long, here comes the reason why -
    She'll catch me if she can,
    Take me by the hand
    I'll have to keep on running
    And I just can't see the fun in
    My secret garden not being secret anymore!

    It used to be so easy
    On days such as these she'd
    Search and search for hours
    In among the flowers
    I loved it! - I loved her!
    Play the fool, act so cruel - I loved it!
    Read her book, take a look - I loved her

    It all seems so absurd
    That this should have occurred
    My very only secret
    And I had to go and leak it!
    My secret garden's not so secret anymore!



    And finally, a shot of a corner of my herb garden.

    Tuesday, May 15, 2007

    AL FRESCO

    This past Mother's Day weekend was spent cooking- And EATING!

    It started with a small gathering here with a few friends. The weather was absolutely perfect so I was able to have my first dinner of the season outside. Something about dining outside makes the food taste that much better. I don't know what it is.

    This was when I made my chicken with forty cloves of garlic (thank you Barefoot Contessa). I paired that with a simple salad and a side dish of bowtie pasta with swiss chard, spinach and scallion sauce. That dish did cause a fire in the kitchen. But, we were able to get it out before the fire department had to be called. I really must pay closer attention to my cooking!

    This is how the table looked. What you can't see is my fabulous chandelier full of candles hanging above the table. It gives off amazing light.

    We ended with this fabulous berry souffle dessert. A mix of raspberries and blackberries swirled into a souffle. YUM! Thank you Food and Wine magazine.

    Sunday was spent entertaining my family- my parents, two sisters and their families, my kids and their girlfriends. Again, the weather was gorgeous..my Father made a point of saying that whenever we needed rain I needed to plan a gathering- since it ALWAYS rains on my parties...maybe the pattern has finally been broken.

    Next we have a photo of myself with my kids and dogs.

    My boys.

    My dad and brother-in-law digging into the buffet- A fabulous Beef brisket with my friend Travis's barbecue sauce (he hails from Texas so it was the REAL thing). my mother's amazingly huge baked penne pasta (where Mom goes so does pasta),grilled salmon, green beans, skewered grilled veggies, and caesar salad.

    And to end the day 3, yes count them-3 desserts. I made the lemon cake in the center-with a layer of lemon curd between the layers in addition to the lemon buttercream icing. On the right is a raspberry/white chocolate semi-freddo with raspberry compote to top it. It was supposed to be bittersweet chocolate, but what the heck. And my sister's contribution of a coconut cake.


    So this week started with doing a much longer walk and tae-bo after all of that feasting. Now for the leftovers.

    Sunday, May 13, 2007

    STEVE"S BIRTHDAY


    We're having a party. It's Steve's birthday and we're agonna celebrate. So run on over to
  • Bullet Holes In The Mailbox
  • and wish him a good one!!!

    We're now entertaining him- since he entertains us on a daily basis.

    The world -famous Tyrolian Oompah band playing just for you.

    St. Pauli girl stopping by with your gifts!

    And Here's Zippy- creating balloon animals for all the kids (especially you)!

    And our very special guest- Marilyn Monroe. Here to sing you her breathy version of "Happy Birthday"

    And, finally, a birthday cake made just for you- by ME!!


    Have a great day, Steve!!! We all love you

    Saturday, May 12, 2007

    FIVE



    Today's theme is FIVE- thanks to tnchick.

    This photo was taken at my stepson's wedding in North Carolina. Here he is with my two boys, his bride and her sister. Now let's just see if they have 5 kids!

    A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
    Groucho Marx (1890 - 1977)

    Tuesday, May 08, 2007

    WAIT FOR ME

    I had a fun day today. I got to spend it with one of my favorite people in my life.
    Chuck and I spent the day at the nearby Loch Raven Reservoir doing a bit of a photo shoot.

    He hosts a big Memorial Day party every year. He always has great local bands, lots of food, family and friends. One reason to host such a party is so that we don't forget the real reason we celebrate Memorial Day. He is putting together a film presentation which will feature some beautiful images that he has taken.

    Some of his favorite subjects, located in our nation's capital, include the national monuments dedicated to the Vietnam War and World War II- As well as Arlington National Cemetary.
    He also has very moving images taken at Ground Zero in N.Y. just days after the collapse of the Twin Towers. And touching shots taken at funerals honoring the fire and police men and women who lost their lives during this horrific time.

    You can see his work at www.cwhateyeseeimages.com

    Some of the shots that I took of him today will be included in his presentation accompanied by this Bob Seger song. I am looking forward to remembering all of those who have been lost in every battle fought for this country.

    Thank you Chuck for helping us to remember. You are a true American.




    Artist: Bob Seger
    Wait For Me


    I will answer the wind
    I will leave with the tide
    I'll be out on the road
    Every chance I can ride

    No matter how far
    No matter how free
    I'll be alone
    If you'll wait for me

    There'll be times when I'll rise
    There'll be times when I'll fall
    There'll be times when its best to say nothing at all

    Knowing you're right
    Letting it be
    I'll be around
    If you'll wait for me
    If you'll wait for me

    And I'll fight for the right to go over the hill
    If it'll only mean something to me
    I will not be persuaded
    I wont be still
    I'll find a way to be free

    In the cool of the night
    In the heat of the day
    If you're ever in doubt
    I'll be on my way
    Straight to your side
    I guarantee
    I'll be around
    If you'll wait for me
    If you'll wait for me

    WARRIOR WOMAN

    Warrior Soul

    *Damn! *There's a whole world at war with you;
    You're outnumbered like crazy.
    Sun's beating down, armor's rusty.
    It's like the end before it's even started.

    *Man! *You know everyone's safe in the village
    Praying, wishing, calling for you
    To 'get er done' and get on home,
    And you want to just get up and leave the battle.

    *Whoa! *Suddenly, you're surrounded
    By great legions of your worst enemies
    And some of them even resemble
    Your friends, your faith...your own heart.

    *AAAA! ! *You're scared out of your mind
    And shaking out of your clothes
    Struggling to think straight
    As your foes advance, but...

    *Yaaa! *You still draw your sword
    Kick your heels into your stallion
    And fight that damn good fight
    Even when odds and gods are against you.

    *Phew! *You've conquered your minions,
    Slayed your dragons well.
    But hell, you're still fighting-
    (That's right, still fighting)

    And that is why we adore you.
    ~Warrior Soul~

    Ebone' Ingram

    (I found the poem above on Poemhunter.com) More perfect words do not exist for this battle.


    Soubriquet suggested that I post some shoes for our own Warrior Woman!!
    Here we have some FIERCE ones with weapons for heels.


    If she's feeling particularly firey today these are in order.

    Monday, May 07, 2007

    CHILDREN NO MORE

    While posting photos of my children's childhood the other day I got to thinking about the wonderful men that they have become.

    How lucky am I to have two such fabulous boys.

    Here's a photo from 2 years ago taken at my stepson's wedding in North Carolina.

    My Two Sons

    My two sons are my vision of heaven and earth
    Two young men of intense and immeasurable worth....

    I would hope their experiences similar to mine
    That they have their heaven on earth as I had my time.

    04-07-06 Aho Speaks

    Sunday, May 06, 2007

    GEWEL'S GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS

    Here's what is blooming today in Gewel's garden of earthly delights.




    Lay me down-
    on a carpet of fragrance
    petal-soft pink caresses-
    twisting and twirling drifting down beyond blue
    fluttering on a breeze to be swept aside-
    pulled by invisible threads
    showers of velvet sift, hover, barely float
    encompassing all, buried beneath flora
    Lay me down-
    gewels


    The above poem is in response to Chuck's criticism that I must include my words in these posts (and not the words of others).
    Others say it so much more eloquently than I, however.

    Saturday, May 05, 2007

    World Naked Gardening Day

    Today is officially the 3rd annual World Naked Gardening Day. No-seriously!

    It is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, India, New Zealand and Australia. So put on some sunscreen and get out there and celebrate.

    I'm going to plant my herb garden now.
    I will be staying away from the rose bushes however.

    OH THOSE BEAUTIFUL CHILDHOOD DAYS


    Today's theme is CHILDHOOD

    So, here, I have chosen to shamelessly post photos of my children's childhood. We had the best time when they were little. All we did, me included, is play-day and night. They both had amazing imaginations. And me, being the doting Italian mother, indulged their every whim.

    I can proudly say that they are still very goofy and make me laugh every day.



    And, finally, a shot of me as a child. Here I am with my mother and younger sister on one of our annual summer trips to Italy. Don't I look like I'm having fun? I'm the one on the right, by the way.

    I must take issue with the term 'a mere child,' for it has been my invariable experience that the company of a mere child is infinitely preferable to that of a mere adult.
    Fran Lebowitz (1950 - )

    P.S. don't know what is up with my photos posting so small- I am not happy about that. Maybe if I change the template?