Another Brilliant Day #SoCS

 I’m glad I made it in time for Linda Hill’s #SoCSprompt. This week her prompt is page. But, before that I just wanted to share a bit of my day with all of you that are still dealing with Winter’s fickle hormones.

Breakfast seems the best place to start..

And a morning visitor..

My new daisies shining! 

A walk down the mountain..

Bambuda Castle

She let me get a few pics..

Garden center by the river

Lots of our favorites there. 

Night blooming Cereus is my favorite. And Devil’s Walking stick, more daisies..

Last but not least I tried a new recipe since we have miles of bananas! 

Chocolate Banana Bread. OMG! 😱😱😱

Oh yeah…the prompt. How about my favorite Seger song? 👏🏻👏🏻

All Good Things #9 Good Things

.. Must come to an end. Isn’t that what the saying is? If so, then it is the worst saying ever. I believe good things are endless; and although I have let the finish of my month of gratitude fizzle out, it has nothing to do with a lack of good things.

Sometimes it means I am exhausted from all the good things in a day. Sometimes I have no adequate words to express my gratitude and sometimes there are so many words they just get jumbled up in my happy brain. 

Yet here we are on the last day of my #9 Good Things prompt for myself for the month of November. As usual, I have to choose between many magical moments to end up with nine and that is the great news. 

My prayer and hope is that this holiday season brings everyone more good moments than they have the words to express, that their joy is beyond measure and that we all push the pause button on frantic shopping and worry for the world’s condition long enough to embrace these moments. Only when good things are acknowledged do they make a difference. 

A perfectly gorgeous day to hike, breathe the air and be one with Nature

A very special treat. 😱

Spending an afternoon with friends for tea

Meeting their newest addition

(Who happens to love sitting in the Christmas tree. 🤭)

Getting an oven that bakes my favorite pizza recipe! 

Uh huh..

Having a surprise video chat with my little bug and his Dad

Add a video call with Number 2 son and his twins that turned 8 today! 🤗

Helping the tiniest moth find its way outside. 

So I wave goodbye to November’s good things and turn to December with high hopes and great expectation. I just know good things await us all. 

. 

This is Thanksgiving #1LinerWednesday #9GoodThings

 In spite of all the hype, the unquestionable historical inaccuracies and blatant commercialism, I have found true celebration in honest Thanksgiving. 

In a morning hike

The air, the view, the invigoration of an uphill climb

Then rest and cool breezes are Nature’s gentle reward for a job well done

A friend to share it with

An unexpected rainbow hiding in the shadows..

No matter how often I see it, this view takes my breath away

A celebratory Pina Colada after my cornbread for tomorrow is baked

(I even toasted coconut for garnish 🤭)

Yeah, fresh pineapple and coconut milk too. 😋

A sweet phone chat with my youngest about making dressing. We used to cook together a lot! 

Always looking down I find so much art in Nature. 

May all your days be celebrations of thanksgiving. 

This post is part of Linda Hill’s 1LinerWednesday prompt along with #9GoodThings for my gratitude month. Visit her blog to meet other bloggers and check out the rules for this prompt. 

Poe and Wine #SoCS

 

Hint. Hint….

(Sorry for the poor quality of my photo)

Hello there! 

This post is brought to you as part of Linda Hill’s SoCS while teaming up with my own November prompt of 9 Good Things, my personal gratitude tribute. 

Linda made our task a bit tricky this week. Her prompt was ‘point and write’, having us pick up the nearest written work, whatever that may be, close our eyes and point. Whatever the finger lands on is to be the theme of the post. 

Since we travelled light on this move, I did not bring heavy books. I have so many in my tablet apps and, although I prefer holding a book in hand, I am determined to get through those I have purchased. I went to my book apps screen, closed my eyes and pointed. Kindle. I opened the library and pointed. 🤦‍♀️

Let me just say that after studying his work at great length in high school Humanities, I am convinced that Edgar Allen Poe was a psychological serial killer. OR, he had serious suppressed anger issues. 

The Raven, The Telltale Heart, Annabelle Lee. Geeeeze. But close my eyes and point I did, landing on The Cask of Amontillado. My heart sank. Without reading the summary I already recalled the gist of the plot: Someone was wronged, wanting revenge and instead of going to the local authorities, decided to take matters into his own hands. Devilishly, slowly and masochistically-with shameful glee. 

Yep. That’s Poe. And he loves walling people up alive. Or chopping them up and burying them under the floorboards. Either way it was quite morbid required reading at the at of fifteen. Yet, I felt the need to have a book of his complete works in my library. Do I read it? 

Quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore!’

Did I love that Humanities class? Yes, my teacher was amazing and we studied so many wonderful writers, everyone from Pearl S Buck to F. scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, the Frosts, Dickinson, Sam Clemens, Whitman, Thoreau…..it was a very good year. Except for Poe. I think that’s why I cannot sit through a serial killer movie. So there you have it. Adieu Mr Poe. 

And without further ado, my daily parade of good things, submitted for your enjoyment.  I am happy to report my week was less eventful than my friend Dan over at No Facilities. Take a look at his post and give him a thumbs up for persevering his plumbing trials. 

9 Good Things

1) A day without rain, at least not until late afternoon

2) New plants to tend. That dying one is a struggling oregano. I have high hopes. 

The garlic chives have me very excited! 

3) Bread cubes for the feathered friends.

 “Hey, what happened to the fruit bar?”

4) This gorgeous beauty is called Chalice Vine (Solandra Longiflora) . Looks like the chalice has a bee in its bottom. 🤭

This plant is in the nightshade family, fitting for Mr Poe eh? 

5) We took a nice hike in the opposite direction today, but all ways lead to magnificent views.

6) I have to go the hills alone. Hubby’s knees have forsaken him at this point. Too many years crawling around under freezers, ovens, fryers and coolers for his job. Not to mention the endless home projects. 

7) We love the murals painted on all the outside walls of the apartments

8) And speaking of painting… 

9) The perfect end to the day with Italian Chicken in fresh Tomato and Garlic Cream Sauce over Corkscrew Pasta with Fried Eggplant. 

It was a most wonderful day. I hope yours had a lot of sweet surprises too! 

In honor of Mr Poe…

Lost Time/#Thursdaydoors

 

Hello friends and our dedicated host Dan Antion of No Facilities ! I have been in and out of the blogosphere lately due to personal matters but I have, indeed, been taking photos. It is like breathing for me, my attempt to preserve special moments, beautiful life and keep memories alive. So, today I will present a series of doors, door-ish entryways and perhaps the gratuitous wild or beautiful thing, just to give you a smile. Most of these doors have been ‘collected’ since we arrived in Lincoln, either on excursions or long contemplative walks. I hope you enjoy them. Please visit Dan’s blog at the above link to see more great doors, meet some awesome fellow bloggers and join the doorscursion fun! 

This is the Nebraska state capitol building. It is playfully (sarcastically) known around here as ‘The penis of the plains’, and, obviously, the phrase needs no explanation. It is visible from everywhere in and around the city. But the inside....oh my. Marble, motifs, stained glass, sculpture, architecture and the spirit of those who settled the plains is unabashedly present. 

The domed ceilings are lined with mosaics that depict images of the settlers and indigenous peoples of the area

This is perhaps my favorite long hallway, and it stretches as far in the other direction. It feels very ‘studious’. The windows look down on the courtyard gardens below and the walls are lined with bronze busts of the influential political figures and tribal chiefs that shaped the growth of Nebraska. 

This is the view from one of several balcony areas throughout the Capitol. Exploring is easy and informative, but for me it is about the history and art. See all those doors?😉

Two of my favorite people admiring the doors of these antique phone booths.

The courtyard

One of our favorite ‘little libraries’ with it’s little door to treasures.

Not sure what the party was for but they did the ‘possum freeze’ until I walked past. Friends of yours, Dan? 😉

A momentous message, although the sun was behind a few clouds. Oh, yes, there are doors on all those houses! 

HeeeeeHaaaaawww...🤭 Where’s the door to the barn? 

That door gave me some space and time to actually work on my book! 

This really cool door was one of two in the building although I’m not sure where they lead. Ande?

Hey, don’t bug me! Doors ahead...

I saw this sign after I got turned around on a hike and was a bit lost, but eventually I was headed in the right direction. 

I loved the presentation on this house with the angel wings in the window

This door entryway looks so welcoming!

The magical door to ‘side, side’, his favorite place.

I suppose it was the only thing anyone was willing to donate?🤦‍♀️🥴 That was back in my day and it was a dud car even new.  

This is the world’s largest time capsule, or so they claim. Due to be opened back up in 2025. Gentleman, start your engine! 😂😂

Now that’s a big covered wagon. With a door. Uh huh...

Now, I knew about Roomba. But lawn mowing Roomba? Whaaaa....? Yep, garage doors in that lucky household. Double! 

The entrance past the bridge to one of the many trails in and around the city. I hiked six miles that day! 

I just love this yellow door because...yellow! 

The door to adventure and the first day of preschool. ❤️❤️

I can’t be certain but this ravine turned into a dwelling on a bridge that I’m fairly certain has a door! 

Well, that’s it for now friends. Not sure when I will have time to post another round. I will be reposting a short story I wrote a few years back and I hope you have a moment to take look and give me some input. Meanwhile, I wish all of you the very best of Thursdays and every days. 

And, remember, don’t let the idiots get you down. 🤗💕

Cheryl