tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-296595422024-03-07T03:08:33.163-06:00The Adventures of ElizabethElizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-79892080195981676732015-03-23T15:56:00.000-05:002015-03-23T16:21:42.611-05:00New Season of Life...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello Friends!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Please visit me at my new website:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.elizabethshumblehouse.com/">www.elizabethshumblehouse.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This blog is no longer active but will remain up for you to visit whenever you feel up to some reading and pretty pictures!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>From my humble house to yours,</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Elizabeth</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-64808042576454207372015-03-09T17:21:00.001-05:002015-03-10T09:58:26.439-05:00Riding Into New Sites...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhhA8iri61IBMmjRSzVSLS6my0ffk2BT72mPAqxXxJuVzFvIsG0wzMxK0dQ9aOeum8ooHTm2detNfw5d5b4DGatN-t3OZSj2IodFdqJm5T-z3VZjobjsE0iLREsSWGsEkaQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhhA8iri61IBMmjRSzVSLS6my0ffk2BT72mPAqxXxJuVzFvIsG0wzMxK0dQ9aOeum8ooHTm2detNfw5d5b4DGatN-t3OZSj2IodFdqJm5T-z3VZjobjsE0iLREsSWGsEkaQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="254" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest Park - The Basin - slowly thawing out after a long, cold winter.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello My Lovely Friends</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, it has been a long, long winter...and even a longer season of life for me that has finally ended. I am both excited and very nostalgic as I author my last post on blogspot. <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Please pardon the pics, as they are all from my old iPhone and just really learning how to take pics with my phone, believe it or not!)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><i>Yes, this is my last post here</i></b> - The Adventures of Elizabeth is moving on to a new site. Will reveal more later in this post. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, my last post is a long one...go figure :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What started out to be a post about my new bicycle and recovering from a long and painful knee mishap, this post actually has come full circle, purely by the grace of God, and very (but happily) unexpected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Three years ago last month, I hurt my knee in such a way that limited my abilities and I had no idea (and I mean no idea) of the pains, struggles, limitations, and losses that I was going to experience for the next three long years. One of many losses I experienced was my severe limitation in physical movement and the amount of pain I was in when I actually did move. As a result, I could no longer exercise at all. I missed being outside, missed being on my bike, missed being so active.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After a horrible mishap of my first knee surgery, and several ER visits later, and after 100's of hours of rehab, I had to eventually get my knee replaced completely last Feb 2014. This past year has been so painful, very limiting, and depressing. Only my barber husband knew the amount of constant real pain I was in. I had just recently come to the point of accepting what is, is, and began moving on with my new normal, which I blogged about <a href="http://elizabethhousestlouis.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-new-normal.html"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></b></a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My training shoes...grown to love them now...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It has been a year since my total knee replacement (TKR) and I was ready to just accept my limitations and find a way to get on with my life again. So...I bought a bike only a month ago and decided I was going to make it "pretty" since I could no longer go fast, or race, like I did years ago in mini triathlons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, I set out and ordered my bike and all the fixins that I could find to "pimp it out" and make it vintage, pretty, but practical. I ordered a new English saddle, vintage French panniers, trendy helmet, and of course, the bike itself....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My bike finally came in and Mike, at <a href="http://www.maplewoodbicycle.com/">Maplewood Bicycle</a>, customized the fit for me. I was so excited to take it out for a spin. He fit me on it, and that day, I happened to be in my construction boots (see above) and it turns out that my boots were the best thing for me to wear to help keep my foot on the pedal for now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, about three weeks ago, I was so excited to get up on a Saturday and ride to one of my favorite cafes for a little lunch and ride all around town. (I was so in denial about my limited abilities...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, it didn't go well at all for most of the ride. I think I had the proverbial bar set way, way too high on my expectations. My knee was so stiff that my left foot pointed inward, like pigeon-toe ....what is that all about? Never had that issue before, and don't sit/stand pigeon toed, so why is my foot so far in that it is hitting the front fender? I even dented my new fender with my boot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was shaky, unsteady, and felt very unstable. This ride was going downhill very fast. I felt myself getting emotional as I struggled to ride. I felt myself tear up, thinking, <i>Can't I do anything like I used to???</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I used to ride/race road bikes - bikes so light I could literally lift it up with only a couple of fingers. My old bike was sleek, fast, and my bike shoes clipped into the pedals as I whizzed along the road. Now, I am wearing clunky boots with a heel (to help hold my left foot onto the pedal because my knee won't bend well), and am riding on the sidewalk because I am too unsure of myself to trust myself in traffic. I am huffing and puffing at the slightest hill, never mind that I haven't exercised in three years, my mind is being mean to me and I am chastising am myself for being so out of shape. The lowest point was when I had to call my husband to come pick me up at the park because I was too tired and in too much pain to ride home again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I felt so defeated, so depressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, my beloved arrives in his pickup truck, as I sit on the park bench feeling defeated. I put on a brave smile, and shrug my shoulders trying to pass off my ride as no big deal. We ride home silently...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Have you ever had that moment where you are trying so hard to convince yourself that everything is okay, and are trying to pretend that what happened was no big deal? Well, I wasn't fooling anyone...we get into the house, and before I could protest, my beloved grabs me and hugs/holds me tightly and says it will be better next time. That's it...the dam burst. I start to cry on his shoulder and tell him I am so SICK and TIRED of being SICK and TIRED!! I tell him that I "lost it" and will never again be the same - or even close to it. Biking was something I could do with my eyes shut (or so I thought).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He insisted that the very next day, we were going to the park and I will ride as slowly as I want while he walks. I wasn't excited about that idea, but agreed to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I rode slowly, as he walked quickly. The ride was much better this time, mainly, I think, because my expectations were so much lower than the day before. My beloved barber husband walked behind me and agreed that he could definitely see my foot turn inward and that my stride was really off. He decided that we need to go back to the bike shop and get it all customized again for my new "normal" limitations. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my little vintage bell - it even as an "E" engraved on top of it!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The next day, was a Monday, and I decided to ride it one more time. It was a cold day (only three weeks ago) and snow on the ground. I struggled some, but not as much, and after about an hour, my knee had loosened up just a bit, which was a total surprise. I actually was enjoying my ride! I went to a little coffee shop in the park, locked my bike up and sat inside to rest and read my new Instagram account (please join me on IG - I finally got on and love it! On the side bar of my blog you can find me).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While inside resting, having a little lunch and reading my IG, a very cute, trendy young couple came over to me and told me how much they loved my bike and thought how cute I looked riding it. Well, that made this fat, middle-aged, physically-challenged lady brighten right up. Here I was in my own world, my own thoughts, and I get a little tap on my shoulder from these people who just made my day.(Don't you love those totally unexpected day-brightners?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, they made me feel so good, I took my first selfie for my new IG account and posted it three weeks ago. This is me sitting on my bike, on that cold Monday:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, like I said in the beginning of this post, this whole experience came full circle for me these past few days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The other part of my complete circle is my trying to get up my new website. I have been working on this website for over two years, off and on. Pain, rehab and setbacks have keep the site from going up as I wanted to so very long ago. I had my computer crash completely, then would get an assignment that took all my energy, or had zero energy after yet another procedure or rehab therapy session to even think straight. Well, my new site was supposed to go up two months ago and I came across yet another issue that delayed it yet again.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my vintage French enamel vineyard sign for my basket!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then something short of a miracle happened only a week ago. I took my bike in to get a chain guard installed and adjusted once again to help me ride with my physical challenges. I got new pedals, and an extender on my left pedal to help my foot stay on straight. After all my adjustments, the winter storms then hit and my beautiful bike sat inside, begging to be ridden, but the weather was too wet, too cold, and too snowy to take it for a spin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So I waited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While I waited out the weather, (two weeks ago) I also had an appointment with my knee surgeon to check on my progress. He wasn't happy with it (nor I) as it was bending only 95 degrees, the scar still looking pretty red. I learned that in order to get up out of a chair without a struggle, a knee needs to bend at least 110 degrees and most knees bend normally 120 degrees. So, no wonder I found daily life so challenging! The surgeon decided I needed yet another procedure - a manipulation - where they put me under in the OR, and bend my leg all the way back and move it all around. The risks are that my thigh bone could break or muscles could tear. Most of those that I spoke to said they would never go and do it because of all that I went through, but I am determined to give it one more try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love my 1963 vintage French pannier. I found them on Etsy and they just shipped in from France - just the perfect size. :-)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRsBF2-tvJVtJaIsDnfAuvkbwSn5_izDl6jWleOujpnpzura7HW3BIs8NVOGxGjyeb0HSlwcaDg96J2_Qtedmh0f2XB0xqwTt713c4y6LdT5NPR4-vi0jFAS957NI1veNzQ/s1600/IMG_6173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRsBF2-tvJVtJaIsDnfAuvkbwSn5_izDl6jWleOujpnpzura7HW3BIs8NVOGxGjyeb0HSlwcaDg96J2_Qtedmh0f2XB0xqwTt713c4y6LdT5NPR4-vi0jFAS957NI1veNzQ/s1600/IMG_6173.JPG" height="400" width="348" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, last Thursday, (a few days ago), I went into the OR again, praying that I leave walking, and not admitted for surgery. Well, I was in pain/sick just for that day and Friday, but the very next day, I went for a long bike ride and haven't felt this good in literally three years! I was an emotional mess for two days - but in a good way. I couldn't believe I could cross my leg to put on my shoe - haven't done that in three years! I was shocked that I didn't need to grab my pant leg to lift my leg out of the car anymore! I was shocked that I could lie in bed, on my back and then roll onto my side without searing pain in my knee - a sharp pain that woke me up several times every single night for three years. I teared up when I sat down and suddenly I could get up without grunting, in pain, or with help from my beloved. I had no idea how much I had adjusted my life, lived with pain, and avoided activities these past few years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, I had to go ride my bike!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, as I rode in Forest Park this past Saturday, I thought about these past three years, my website, and a season in my life that is finally coming to an end. It was the first beautiful spring day we have had this year and still chilly. But I had the park to myself and my thoughts. And the most ironic thing about it all? All along, I wanted to be "the same as before" but I am so different now - and would not have it any other way. The changes that are now a part of me are changes that I am grateful for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I want to share with you my ride, my iPhone pics, and my thoughts as I close out my final post...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznW1EG-eeJPH5zjtnA3lHwNCNmWn9fZK_8xy4PBNPD_wpuhJMgzXTGoE71WTIal_Lh3UnIHXeMjlI0po1iA6BPDPOMCTPDmyl1WBEIgQIbEAFKH91dCgRiNY0FB4jo4Hcrw/s1600/IMG_5941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznW1EG-eeJPH5zjtnA3lHwNCNmWn9fZK_8xy4PBNPD_wpuhJMgzXTGoE71WTIal_Lh3UnIHXeMjlI0po1iA6BPDPOMCTPDmyl1WBEIgQIbEAFKH91dCgRiNY0FB4jo4Hcrw/s1600/IMG_5941.jpg" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I rode up to the famous Jewel Box art deco building. It was a big hill, but so worth the climb. I huffed greatly, heart pounding, but I had the entire place to myself for a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">These past three years changed me in ways, I believe, that God needed me to change. Because I slowed way down (against my will), I discovered so many things that I may not have ever found.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I traveled many paths these past 36 months. Some paths were very lonely and depressing. I learned who my real friends were and who I could count on - and not. I learned my true value as a child of God, and not to value so much what I create, but rather The Creator. I learned that if I were not to ever create a thing again, I am just as lovable as before in the eyes of Jesus. I also learned that I enjoy my solitude, and that while community is important, there is also a lot of peace in knowing that I am accepted for who I am, where I am, no matter what, in the eyes of God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also learned how tired I am of "modern culture." I am definitely not anti-social, but rather anti-culture. I enjoy the quiet, the basic way of living. I discovered gardening again, growing our own food, and taking in the small things that I so easily overlooked when I was fully functioning and whizzing about from one thing to the next. I rediscovered cooking again and realize how much I missed it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I discovered that feeling good is way better than looking good! Ha-ha. I discovered while wheeling around in my wheelchair, or walking so slowly for months with my walker, the world is faster than I enjoy it. There is a fine line with "keeping in touch" and "keeping up" with others. It is so easy to read/see other blogs or social media accounts and think how I am falling short, or falling behind, or have nothing of real importance to share...and how wrong I would be to believe those modern cultural struggles. I struggled greatly with my new website and how I wanted it to be - something that pleases God and if others like it, then that is great too. If not, then I (shrugging shoulders here) can't help that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But it wasn't until yesterday, Sunday, when my barber husband and I spent the entire day in the park, riding our bikes slowly together, stopping, resting, laughing, him playing his harmonica for me...did I really feel the full circle come to a tight close...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We started the day at our favorite coffee shop, Blueprint coffee, on Delmar Loop and we had couple of people compliment us on our bikes - everyone was in a good mood because of the beautiful weather. We sat, enjoyed ourselves, and excited about starting a new day together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had a great night's sleep and was feeling no pain - a day to celebrate. I posted to IG how happy I was that morning. We rode up to the Art Museum and looked at the a beautiful metal/silver tree sculpture and that is where I pondered my thoughts even more.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTcjlo5TfFGN8YbyRDeH5ZVmiT03mbXRIgAKaL1cxDV3xGn3FLv79627jH5v1Eb5y0iCJGYSxzDncv1C8yHWiwL9h8IefzzZrjJ-bM6wOq7ogYIp_gEMoQq9qT7I7fS9ruw/s1600/IMG_6159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTcjlo5TfFGN8YbyRDeH5ZVmiT03mbXRIgAKaL1cxDV3xGn3FLv79627jH5v1Eb5y0iCJGYSxzDncv1C8yHWiwL9h8IefzzZrjJ-bM6wOq7ogYIp_gEMoQq9qT7I7fS9ruw/s1600/IMG_6159.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I decided just how apropos this metal sculpture was for me at this juncture in my life. On this most beautiful day, the closing of winter, this steel structure stands strong and shiny, among the dried winter grass. For so long, I felt like the dead winter grass, and now I relate to the steel tree. After years of slowing down, asking for help when I needed it, accepting help when offered, I am ready to walk out of this season and into a new season of life. Three weeks ago, I had no idea I would be having another knee procedure, nor did I have any idea I would ever be pain free again. The timing is just incredible to me that I am about to embark on new adventures just at the moment I am finally "healed." The timing was not mine at all - it was His - the most perfect timekeeper anyone could ever hope to have.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpMsqD6Mo_UF1vrojO1_94bFh5PNj9-EGJVGgmb_1O8UFNmWaCWvgJrW8qC3BW81PLfCd0qAdMiKxM_QnZDs3AuTCkNEqztZGRJRHYRi1s9tX4d0d6dzm7QlGzX0EgXzbpQ/s1600/IMG_6153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpMsqD6Mo_UF1vrojO1_94bFh5PNj9-EGJVGgmb_1O8UFNmWaCWvgJrW8qC3BW81PLfCd0qAdMiKxM_QnZDs3AuTCkNEqztZGRJRHYRi1s9tX4d0d6dzm7QlGzX0EgXzbpQ/s1600/IMG_6153.jpg" height="400" width="293" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amongst the winter grass and leaves, standing behind me is the steel tree - such a strong symbol for me at this time.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG3jOLv7_sLTck0sFl-N2lHz7ssr7J4o954pMBN8xJhSqkx08HaE59dJsxFCFVmTRSLiDxWtXYKCDdvRf0_2-SYAQ4jiO9ukOCrzu_7wwh52zzkRZPj_lvzHKw1p3ZFp3mQ/s1600/IMG_6157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG3jOLv7_sLTck0sFl-N2lHz7ssr7J4o954pMBN8xJhSqkx08HaE59dJsxFCFVmTRSLiDxWtXYKCDdvRf0_2-SYAQ4jiO9ukOCrzu_7wwh52zzkRZPj_lvzHKw1p3ZFp3mQ/s1600/IMG_6157.jpg" height="410" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am so ready to close this book and begin a new book in my life. I give all credit to Jesus, who knew my pains (both physically and emotionally), who knew my fears, my worries, and my heart. It is through Him that I give all credit for my healing. I hope I learned what He had hoped to teach me these past three years....I am not my old self - I am better than ever before!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...And so, the next post I post here will be a link to my new site. It still has issues, and things to work out, a work in progress....much like my life. It is a very humble site, not "new" or "shiny" or the latest and greatest of anything. Some pages are not even linked yet, as they are not ready to be linked but I figure, why not put up the site and my readers can grow with my new site? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuymyKezSb-jvbPXmmO0rYCBxKam24nKFmObJMa4VguDRz9EDYfGtf0-33jE_S6ozLjEaI2bf0QFZ0MUtOaN4VhqrPf2dBmCQUSby1ZFwd1UB9PQQfITb5mfe81sx6LF8MA/s1600/Market+header+with+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuymyKezSb-jvbPXmmO0rYCBxKam24nKFmObJMa4VguDRz9EDYfGtf0-33jE_S6ozLjEaI2bf0QFZ0MUtOaN4VhqrPf2dBmCQUSby1ZFwd1UB9PQQfITb5mfe81sx6LF8MA/s1600/Market+header+with+logo.jpg" height="303" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will have a SMALL online shop - mainly like a yard sale - cleaning out my house. I either no longer need, want, or can use items and decided to sell what I have, when I have time between photo gigs. It will be a place where I will explore and share my new interests, as well as revisit some old passions as well. I adore design, but it isn't the center of my life. I am fascinated with many topics that I will explore on my new site, and hopefully I will encourage or inspire others to explore their personal passions more fully as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will very soon announce on Instagram my new website and put a final link on this site for you to find me. I will keep this blog open for those who are new, or for those who would like to revisit my old pics and stories. I honestly believe that the website wasn't due to go up until this moment in time. All the delays, frustrations, and so on...and now, I am feeling just about 100% again - how wonderful to begin something like this feeling so good!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you dear readers for being there for me during so many events these past years. I began this blog in 2006, right after my divorce. You saw me through my very first book that I photographed, the death of my mother, the discovery of new love, my new marriage, a bad car wreck, health issues, and many fun activities, travels, and creative projects. I have met the greatest readers, befriended many, and am in awe of your sharing. I can't even begin to tell you how much you mean to me and I look forward to sharing, encouraging, and inspiring others who seek a lifestyle that is more authentic to who we really are meant to be, rather than what others feel we should be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">May God bless you always,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Elizabeth</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-60065740526203594332015-02-26T16:03:00.001-06:002015-02-26T16:03:17.908-06:00Tickled Pink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Welcome to a world of fun...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrMrDT3MpOuI5voJuLE2JFNCaQ5mG4GL_xPFuJU-nRDRUwPj9IEaZ5keSxNOzEceDTkFNl1SPlHTgKoDHKkA0F4TDIOPnw2OX0irhbUzxdHCF-rT29oDrnA6W2ouK__XIew/s1600/_MG_9137-74.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrMrDT3MpOuI5voJuLE2JFNCaQ5mG4GL_xPFuJU-nRDRUwPj9IEaZ5keSxNOzEceDTkFNl1SPlHTgKoDHKkA0F4TDIOPnw2OX0irhbUzxdHCF-rT29oDrnA6W2ouK__XIew/s1600/_MG_9137-74.jpg" height="640" width="348" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">...with Tula Pink!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my lovely friends!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope this cold winter day (or maybe not so cold for some of you around the world) is treating you well. Right now, a few flurries are slowly falling through the cloudy skies - makes me want to curl up in a beautiful quilt. How about you?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, I cannot think of, hunt down, or even begin to create any quilt that equals <b><a href="http://www.tulapink.com/">Tula Pink's</a></b> talent and unique style. If you don't know this lady because you are thinking, "well I don't quilt," let me tell you that you are cheating yourself out of a tons of inspiration for whatever passion, craft, or hobby you may currently be engaged in. She is a fabric designer that creates fabrics like no other. I had the great privilege to photograph her for the current issue of Artists and Makers (Spring 2015 issue).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjq-ziBX-wgslO9pzQAnN-hx0qFyzCEj3nv0TZrHY2HqdFz8q5yMh7su3mUDU2_5fAXJh_lziWzdCgrWbsYZNj4AtsghCF1Ew2JNL-zJ6EpF5ouxIr-RSR702c4uNqBnIHQ/s1600/SU1502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjq-ziBX-wgslO9pzQAnN-hx0qFyzCEj3nv0TZrHY2HqdFz8q5yMh7su3mUDU2_5fAXJh_lziWzdCgrWbsYZNj4AtsghCF1Ew2JNL-zJ6EpF5ouxIr-RSR702c4uNqBnIHQ/s1600/SU1502.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is a great magazine that highlights artists and not just their craft, but as a whole person. Tula Pink has a fabulous feature with lots of info and of course, lots of pics that I shot for the feature. I thought you might enjoy a few pics and seeing her FABULOUS studio/home. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If I didn't love Tula so much, I would be green with envy, but instead...I am just tickled pink! (I know, that was bad, wasn't it?)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Vbxzy83JZ0kByUs6oQ7P338bTRo4HBeymHvBYgncpulF8GOwOwvF5XiAE7iwkHHh1EA23gfN4tnWpXDQLjvKTJkTqEdiwKwm9vWkCcmNrQ2cbhcK_MFVQm5CGKAONma81w/s1600/_MG_8891-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Vbxzy83JZ0kByUs6oQ7P338bTRo4HBeymHvBYgncpulF8GOwOwvF5XiAE7iwkHHh1EA23gfN4tnWpXDQLjvKTJkTqEdiwKwm9vWkCcmNrQ2cbhcK_MFVQm5CGKAONma81w/s1600/_MG_8891-4.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Is this a great space or what? I flipped when I first saw it. She lives in a very old renovated dairy barn!! How cool is that?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I love this chandelier and it came with the barn! Now, that is once fancy-schmancy barn, if you ask me...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Tula hand-painted this table as a reminder that while creating a new creation, we can be like tender fruit when others render their opinions - especially when they weren't sought. We artists don't really want to hear what you think when we are in the middle of creating, and especially when we haven't even formed our own opinion of our own unfinished work yet - yup - totally get that - thank you!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Okay, I really love Tula, but in her spare time she loves to sew by hand and sit in her favorite area to do it. I love working with photography, and yes, in some of my spare time, I will just shoot for fun...but Tula is fanatical about her sewing - which makes her such an expert at what she does. Me, after a shooting gig, I will garden, cook, or whatever, but won't shoot for a bit to refresh. Sewing IS Tula's downtime/refresh time. I was just amazed at that. Would love to poke around in that head of hers to see how her wires are stitched together...could learn a lot from her, I am sure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Love her fireplace with the deer head and her Tula Pink boat - which of course, she made herself. If I didn't love her, I would be sick by now - hahaha. But seriously, her talents still amaze me after knowing her since her first book.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I know, I know, I am dying too!! Can you believe her patio???? I swear, it looks like something right out of a little town in Europe. Those are the original barn doors- L O V E! Okay, that's it, I'm finding me a darn barn next week, can't stand it...ready to pack up and live with the livestock! :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my photo shoot with Tula Pink. If you want to see more and read her story, pick up an issue of Artists and Makers - lots of great info and stories in this issue. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Also, on another note, I am soooo waiting for warmer weather - I got my bike and all its fixins'!! I can't wait to ride it and of course, take pics of it and share with you my first riding experience n almost three years. Also, thank you so much for visiting my new Instagram site - I have had several friends over the years ask when I was EVER going to get on any social media? Well, a little over two weeks ago I decided to jump in and I received such a warm, warm welcome from other Instagrammers (I think that is a word?) and I so appreciate the reception!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Have a great, creative evening, even if it is just in your mind, while snuggled under a fab quilt, and staying warm!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-92186805896002117602015-02-09T17:18:00.001-06:002015-02-09T17:56:52.099-06:00The Business of Creating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Greeting to you on this cold February day with warm thoughts (and pictures!) What? Fresh grapes in February? Well, sort of. I want to share with you a few pics from a photo shoot I did for <a href="http://www.wherewomencreatebusiness.com/">Where Women Create Business</a>. A fabulous, and I mean f a b u l o u s magazine by none other than <a href="http://www.wherewomencreate.com/">Jo Packham</a>. It is such an honor to work with Jo and her staff. They truly put out great publications with great care and passion.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had the honor and privilege to shoot Marsha Giambalvo and Melissa Mohr, owners of a very cool business called <a href="http://www.backdoorharvest.com/">Backdoor Harvest</a>, based here in St. Louis. A very cool company that installs, maintains, harvests, runs a CSA (community supported agriculture), and even teaches about urban gardening. I so enjoyed my time with them, and thought I would share a few pics with you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here is Melissa and Marsha harvesting from one of their customers' gardens right downtown St. Louis. That cool building behind them is the alley - I love how they bring organic freshness right to the urban curbs.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How cool is it that they leave a basket of freshly harvested vegetables (either from your own garden or from others via CSA), right on your doorstep...I was tempted to nibble from this basket!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05Eqtkeo39zo9bWclR4HE_9kepJFE2wUVKHnvGjSKXyQ-0CinTDwPMPQiti3PexmFbaybaAUuYav_fbOdzca4e7qDxaKg-1gygyv2i6inJmjacMrqCJPVtK3d53XSRlUE-g/s1600/Elizabeth+MaxsonIMG_5262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05Eqtkeo39zo9bWclR4HE_9kepJFE2wUVKHnvGjSKXyQ-0CinTDwPMPQiti3PexmFbaybaAUuYav_fbOdzca4e7qDxaKg-1gygyv2i6inJmjacMrqCJPVtK3d53XSRlUE-g/s1600/Elizabeth+MaxsonIMG_5262.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While shooting, guess who came to have a looksie? This adorable and really food-challenged caterpillar!(She's a chubby one, isn't she?) I would say she is only days away from flying away off to new adventures and new gardens.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Is this a beautiful eggplant, or what? Okay, the eggplant holder (Melissa)is pretty cute too... :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was shown examples of how she plans out her clients' gardens and how they promote companion gardening. That is where certain plants benefit from being planted near others, be it attracting certain insects, scents, or nutrients that benefit the neighboring plants. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And look at the very small sample of the many vegetables that their clients can choose to plant. There are 100's of choices but think how pretty the gardens must be right before harvest! To read more about <b><a href="http://www.backdoorharvest.com/">Backdoor Harvest</a></b>, their business process and their story, pick up the current issue of <b><a href="http://www.wherewomencreatebusiness.com/">Where Women Create Business</a></b> today. It is such a great issue with many talented women sharing their successes and what they would do differently if they could start again. Such a great resource for those who are contemplating going into business and turning their passions into profits!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoy this pre-spring time inspiration to start your own garden, or if not the gardening type, then join a local CSA and enjoy locally grown produce that is grown organically and by those who take pride in what they do. Who also work hard to provide a healthy food alternative to those vegetables that are either imported from other countries, or contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides. For more information regarding what you are truly putting into your body, take a moment to watch a couple of documentaries that you may or may not agree with, but should at least inspire most to seek out locally grown, organic small farmers:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click here to watch: <a href="http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/seeds-death/">WATCH</a><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm not suggesting these two documentaries as a means to spark debate, or talk politics. No, there are tons of great documentaries (on both sides of the fence) and I leave you to your own conclusions. I have watched probably 20-30 (or more) documentaries speaking out on food, agriculture, ranching, chickens, meat, fast food, chemicals and so on. Food and how it is processed, regulated, and distributed has been a long-time interest of mine that I don't talk about much on my blog. But I feel as time goes on, I need to speak out a little more about not so much the issues and problems (trust me, there are many!) but rather offer some solutions that is accessible to most. And CSA's, growing your own, and farmers' markets are simple solutions to these complex issues.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And before I forget...I am finally on <b>Instagram! </b>I have had such lovely friends tells me for YEARS to get on, and just now finally did it. I am totally addicted now to looking at all the great pics out there! Please stop by for a visit when you can - I have a badge on my right sidebar for you to access it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you find this week to be filled with joy and peace as you create the life you are meant to live.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D29659542%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-W3IE7LHRmX4%252FVNkXLbGhtKI%252FAAAAAAAAJWg%252Fihdw0OvaWuM%252Fs1600%252Fgrapes%25252BWM.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 42px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 18px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D29659542%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-W3IE7LHRmX4%252FVNkXLbGhtKI%252FAAAAAAAAJWg%252Fihdw0OvaWuM%252Fs1600%252Fgrapes%25252BWM.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 42px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 18px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-45675015045881377452015-01-30T18:55:00.000-06:002015-01-30T18:55:29.298-06:00My New Normal<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am hoping this week is closing out well for you and a fun weekend ahead awaits for you. I wanted to spend a moment to share with you a few thoughts on feeling good and feeling pretty. Not my usual images, but I am hoping by opening up what I am going through, maybe someone out there won't feel alone with their struggles. For some of us, needing to feel good or pretty might just be only a new lipstick, or getting our nails done to get that fix. For others it can be a fresh haircut, a good night's sleep, or fitting in an old pair of jeans to feel good or pretty. Others may claim that being around friends and family make them feel good and pretty...but I am talking more on a personal, one-on-one experience with oneself, not with others, and not a "quick fix," but rather more of an authentic and healthy sense of self-acceptance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had my own "aha" moment a few weeks ago when I left the gym. I had gone a few times for two weeks, my first time to the gym in over 27 months after multiple surgeries, hospital stays, 100's of hours of rehab and doctors' appointments due to my knee. I decided that 2015 would be the year of total health and total contentment with "it is what it is" regarding my new self.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I noticed I left every gym visit very depressed, instead of the elated feeling I used to have three years ago. I left unhappy and discouraged and it took me a couple of times to figure out that many of the machines were too demanding on my limited range of motion and I couldn't use several machines that I once loved using, due to my limited knee range. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Feeling depressed after my "workout" was just not acceptable. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then one day, as I went to my car after yet another crappy gym visit, feeling defeated...feeling ugly...and feeling like I would never get my "real" old life back, a bike whizzed past me and pulled me out of my private pity party. As I glared at the rider who nearly missing me (never mind I wasn't paying attention where I was going...you know, it's always <i>their </i>fault...haha), my glare turned to curiosity, then wonderment, then finally excitement. That's it! That is what I what I really miss - being outdoors! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have been an avid bike rider my entire life up till my first surgery in Nov 2012. I even raced bikes in three mini triathlons. I decided right then, what I needed, and actually craved, was to be on the open road again - no matter what. I can't run/jog anymore, but biking - I could try that again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After work, my beloved barber husband scooted down to the most wonderful bike shop in town, <a href="http://www.maplewoodbicycle.com/">Maplewood Bicycle</a>, and scoped out a couple of bikes for me to check out whenever I could "find the time." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was filled with mixed emotions as I entered the store - happy to be doing something I loved, but sad that I am now a different person, with different needs and limitations, which meant (to me) I would now need an "old lady's" bike, not a racing bike like I once rode. I discovered the Trek Verve bike, which looked really cool actually, and sat more upright, which is good for my wrists (another ailment that I just don't feel like talking about right now) and the step-through frame allowed me to mount with my limited knee range. Not too bad, I thought.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It looks really cute, so I gave it a try. Boy, this was not for me...I had a very hard time getting my foot on the pedal (due to my knee) and I was riding like a shaky old lady, or a little kid who just got training wheels! What the ...? This really shook me up as I made my way down the sidewalk and I felt myself getting emotional as I began to think, "Can't I do anything I like I used to???" I rode back, and Mike, the great store guy who gives great personal service, raised the seat for me, and I tried again. Better, but still shaky. I was not liking this experience at all. By the time I got back, Mike had a different bike waiting for me, a Trek Allant, a green retro looking bike that had a different personality. He had seat adjusted just for me and so I tried it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I get on, not sure what to expect from this retro looking bike, and just like that - it was love at first ride. I was very sure, stable, and I felt "normal" again! I didn't want to ride back to the store. The only Allant they had was green, which was cute, but I needed the full gear system to climb hills and such, and the green didn't come with the rack. But, I decided I liked the sleek black better - reminded me of my European days, where black bikes were rode by stylish Europeans on their way to work, market, or out to eat.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I quickly realized that this little adventure of mine went deeper than just "needing to exercise" again, but rather, it was more of a right of passage from the last 27 months of pretty much, well... hell.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Have you ever been forced to go through something, something you would have never chose, be it a job loss, health issue, a move, or whatever, and when it was finally "over" you didn't really feel like celebrating, but rather just wanted things to get back as they once were? And with time, you came to accept that "as it once was" would never be again? That is how I felt while shopping in the bike store...I saw a bike rider come in, all in his bike gear, and looking like he was ready to race, and I knew that would not be me. I glanced over at the wall of the beautiful race bikes and knew that would never be me. I looked at racing gear, and knew that wasn't me - anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But when I glanced over at the little green bike I had a choice to make: either accept my <i>new normal</i>, or just keep grieving for what once was, but isn't. So what does a girl do when having a bad hair day? Wear a fab hat! What does a girl do when invited to a party - get a new dress! So, just like that, I set about to outfit my Allant with all the "pretties" and to make it really my - my new normal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It will take my bike a week to come in, which gives me time to get all my fixin's ordered and put on before I go in for my personal fitting of the bike. Maplewood Bicycle has a computer program that measure your stride, size and so on to get the perfect fit. So, first order up - need some saddlebags! I decided to get a vintage French pannier - found these online and they were just shipped from France today! The price was too good to pass up and if they don't work out, then I will pass them along and find ones that will. But I will admit, I love that they are French with a retro look:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love the retro black accent on them (will highlight the black bike) and I am pretty sure the color will match really close to the English leather saddle I ordered:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1yaso2EUtTL-e9JjwsOAndrjTepEcGjKsnP5UOWXiElTSVBqOKE6SwhZbhqVGiB-MXCC13Mj97VLTi26ONmdoQMQ_OuDszsFL8vNRlMx5qZjXOj6KR1ABmmS5gZ4ipIZiw/s1600/s715834474604564969_p13_i1_w916.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1yaso2EUtTL-e9JjwsOAndrjTepEcGjKsnP5UOWXiElTSVBqOKE6SwhZbhqVGiB-MXCC13Mj97VLTi26ONmdoQMQ_OuDszsFL8vNRlMx5qZjXOj6KR1ABmmS5gZ4ipIZiw/s1600/s715834474604564969_p13_i1_w916.png" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If it doesn't match exactly, that's okay...most won't be able to really see the saddle once I'm on it anyway! Ha-Ha. And I got matching leather ring grips from Brooks England as well:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And of course, a front basket is needed as well. This one has a wooden bottom and leather straps by Nantucket - I think the extra light color will look good with the black bike and will age well:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8207BWRJS1rVKd7beVcQ0g0tiIU9wT_Ud3xZktAUIXe24-ot_a14vwi7l9iuqZ4nzORx3RFFM7NZJ92iJwinOZeA56gSLbLuH076o8rpPd3BvLcZjtnK5c8zW_Xqn3ZvBaQ/s1600/40-5637-NAT-ANGLE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8207BWRJS1rVKd7beVcQ0g0tiIU9wT_Ud3xZktAUIXe24-ot_a14vwi7l9iuqZ4nzORx3RFFM7NZJ92iJwinOZeA56gSLbLuH076o8rpPd3BvLcZjtnK5c8zW_Xqn3ZvBaQ/s1600/40-5637-NAT-ANGLE.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I knew I didn't want a racing helmet like the one I used to wear, this riding experience was more than just exercise by now. It is a little bit of very much needed "just me time." So, when I got home, all excited over my new normal, I decided to embrace it fully and got online to shop around on how to make my riding more about feeling good both outside and INSIDE and I came across the fabulous site: <a href="http://bikepretty.com/">Bike Pretty</a>. This is such a great site!! This woman, Kelly, lives in London and write about all things pretty (vintage and super stylish) related to biking. She has that retro, fashion/hipster look that I took for granted when I lived in Europe. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here are some images from <a href="http://www.bikepretty.com/">Bike Pretty</a> Blog:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Kelly (above) who runs the site.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvhPqbPWjIKJHlxZAc8FdoknPfcRJiLMtiCqUmqaKMxHMeShRot_3UC4UueHRRvHqEVz-UCBWUrg_x2GDE_BsuYuGNEpV72lMse7-oBSeLWe2P2mOvvXxzF8YSjFrPX5xdQ/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-0-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvhPqbPWjIKJHlxZAc8FdoknPfcRJiLMtiCqUmqaKMxHMeShRot_3UC4UueHRRvHqEVz-UCBWUrg_x2GDE_BsuYuGNEpV72lMse7-oBSeLWe2P2mOvvXxzF8YSjFrPX5xdQ/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-0-1.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Okay, must find some very stylish riding gloves. Yes, I have some, but they are racing gloves - time for a stylish leather glove that is made for cycling...love these above! And, will look for a chrome, vintage looking bell - this one is great too. Okay, just need to push this chick off her bike and just mug her.... :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCX8Ht-poRyJ-4JF1GHMFEEi7ViniYK1-eD4KCGD0EksJO0VtGxiFmdLnXK6nUYWDdirdno9cGqBlma5QQBJpMS5lm5cqFrNQqUbEH-mu6kFpGUW-5QnVJKifOx2WahrA6A/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCX8Ht-poRyJ-4JF1GHMFEEi7ViniYK1-eD4KCGD0EksJO0VtGxiFmdLnXK6nUYWDdirdno9cGqBlma5QQBJpMS5lm5cqFrNQqUbEH-mu6kFpGUW-5QnVJKifOx2WahrA6A/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-1-2.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I lived in Europe, it was SO COMMON to see ladies of all ages riding in dresses - I remember thinking how neat that was - and all these years later? I still do.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLuTWuStvYl6mGhZ0FXDRd_lm2oYxoqv4gmrXWVewUAG7u6RwfhzAB2EruBLTk3qX2NB08jFF4VrOeV398vb0PcNtZ_YAwpHOoMC8dU-d3C_3QWeCOFI5ufIQUjxI8j29Dg/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-5-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLuTWuStvYl6mGhZ0FXDRd_lm2oYxoqv4gmrXWVewUAG7u6RwfhzAB2EruBLTk3qX2NB08jFF4VrOeV398vb0PcNtZ_YAwpHOoMC8dU-d3C_3QWeCOFI5ufIQUjxI8j29Dg/s1600/Beret-et-Baguette-Paris-2013-Street-Style-Photos-Kelly-Miller-5-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I loved Kelly's site so much, I am ordering a helmet from her. This is a vented, but a small helmet that I just love, by Bern. There are some really cool "hat" helmets - but it will be warming up in a couple of months, and those hat helmets would be great in cold weather.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I don't know Kelly, owner of <a href="http://bike pretty.com">Bike Pretty</a>, as I just discovered her. But even if you aren't into biking, her site is really eye candy. One event, I would LOVE , LOVE , LOVE to attend is the <a href="http://www.tweedrun.com/">Tweed Run</a> in London:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Look at some of the images from this vintage Tweed Run event, click <a href="https://tweedrun.exposure.co/the-tweed-run-london-2013#view:q3ln4bhw4vkq2eof7z97wn1w5hg9sxuohac4">here</a>. And here are some pics I captured online so you could see how cool this event really is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I don't know if I would be able to ride in this event, as I would want to take pictures - talk about a conundrum! I think there is a Tweed Run in NYC...how cool would that be? But my point is, my new normal with bike riding is no longer about speed and sweating, but rather it's just about <i>me - my new normal</i>. And the Bike Pretty blog has so many great, stylish, articles that inspired me to rethink my new way riding...feeling good and feeling pretty.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I don't get fitted for my new bike until next week. I still have time to find a few more vintage accessories to hunt down to make the bike really <i>mine</i>. But the real me, the new normal me, is discovering that I am more able to accept "it is what it is" when "is" is decked out in chrome, leather, and who knows, maybe even tweed and oxfords someday!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will definitely be blogging about my <i>new normal</i> biking adventure and show you the real deal when it's a done deal. Thank you for listening, and for being there. And even though I may still grieve now and again for things to be "as they once were," feeling good, and feeling pretty, certainly helps to be content with things as they <i><b>are</b></i>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And things <i><b>are</b></i> feeling pretty darn <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(new)</span> normal good right now. I would love it if you shared your "new normal" experience. I learn so much from my dear readers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i>,</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-8027719819128261172015-01-22T20:28:00.000-06:002015-01-22T21:06:26.304-06:00Exploring Top Hat - It's all in the details!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Nothing excites me more than a new adventure....</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my lovely friends,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A belated very happy 2015! I trust the New Year has started off well for you - at least that is my hope and prayer for you. My new year started with many new adventures and I have lots to share. But today, I think I will begin with how I ended 2014 before I dig into 2015. I hope you enjoy my small adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">December 2014, I had a photo shoot to do outside Kansas City, so while in the area, I had to stop and visit my very good and extremely talented friend, Debbie Dusenberry, aka, <a href="http://www.curioussofa.com/"><b>Curious Sofa</b></a>. Debbie and I go way back - in fact, we have known each other almost 12 years already - so hard to believe I have been in the Midwest so long. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Have you ever had a friend, that you really loved and admired, but that friend still amazes you? That friend is Debbie for me. It goes without saying that Debbie is a very talented and gifted person, but she continues to amaze me with her creative talent to this day. But, if she were never to create a thing again in her life, I would still be amazed by her spirit. Because what she (or anyone) produces isn't who they are, but just an expression. And her soul is what I admire the most about her.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Debbie has an <a href="http://www.curioussofa.com/"><b>online store</b></a>, which I encourage everyone to check out, if you haven't. But in addition to her online business, she is also part of a very fabulous event that takes place in KS City - First Fridays Vintage Event. The first friday (entire weekend, actually) of each month, there is a whole industrial part of KS City that opens up to sell their vintage wares and goods.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have been wanting to attend just forever, but the timing was just never right. But, when I pulled over for some gas, I got just a glimpse of what was to come. As the gas pumped gas, I got pumped up at what I saw across the overpass, just waiting for me!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I arrived much later than planned, and was anxious to find my fabulous friend, but as I hunted down her spot, this is the area I encountered...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There were many, many, MANY more old buildings and vendors to see, but I turned around after taking the above pic and BINGO - saw Debbie's new digs:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Her new space is located in <a href="http://tophatmercantile.com/"><b>Top Hat Mercantile</b></a> - isn't that just the coolest red truck ever? You MUST click on their website! It is just a fab site, and if you are in a need of creative inspiration, this site is full of great design. This website was designed by my talented friend, Debbie.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You see, most people who know Debbie, or know of her, are VERY familiar with her distinct taste, creative styling, and knack to select only the best of things to sell. But what most people don't realize is that she is a VERY talented graphic designer. (I know...is there anything this woman can't do? If I didn't love her so, I would hate her...) She designed the entire company identity of the Top Hat Mercantile...the website, the logos, the colors, the signs, everything! And there just isn't a thing about this location that isn't short of pure deliciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://tophatmercantile.com/"><b>Top Hat Mercantile</b></a> is an antique mall like no other. While there are LOTS of great malls and stores in this industrial area to explore, Top Hat Mercantile has a very select group of dealers who "get it." Debbie designed the entry way and had an artist make these FAB rusty tin Top Hat signage (they are huge!). How great are these?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And look at this great light fixture that hangs in the entry way as well. She had someone make this as special. This is one of many things I love about my friend...she is all about the details. Those very details where so many, many shops just miss the opportunity to shine. It is those details that I believe only <i>true artists</i> create, seek, and explore the possibilities. I've been to a lot of shops over the years, and trust me, the shops that shine, are the shops with the creative details. Top Hat Mercantile is Top Choice when it comes to the details in my book.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Right after you enter, Top Hat even has its own gift shop right inside. Vintage displays, great gifts, seasonal items. Remember, I went in Dec, so they were all prepped for Christmas - I can't wait to go back. I have to tell you, I was really impressed with the prices - VERY reasonable, and not even sure how they can sell such great items at such great prices. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I went on the hunt for my friend and loved everything I was seeing - I knew this would be a "three-lap" visit. Meaning, I would need at least three laps around the store to see it all and take it in. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>I just love "three-lap" stores.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh, and those fab lights below? I later discovered this was one of Debbie's spaces.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And TA DA!! I found my beloved friend, working away, as I went around the corner (above) and discovered that the space I love so much (above) is also hers - of course.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And something "ordinary" like a price tag, is anything but when it comes to Debbie's creative mind. Check out these old pics she uses to tag her items.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In addition to her infamous, Curious Sofa space, Debbie has now added a new addition to her business: <i>Tobacco Road</i>. I have to say, this is such a great addition. It is part industrial, part rustic, always vintage, and always well, what can I say...always Debbie. Her select items celebrate textures, worn wearables, and creative comfort lifestyle. Basically, Debbie has a way of selecting and pairing items in such a way that on their own, may seem familiar, but her discerning eye pulls unlikely items together that creates an environment that one just has to be a part of and wants a piece of it to take home. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Trust me, you will want forge your own familiarity with Tobacco Road. It is a road that you will definitely want to travel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I decided to take another "lap" and explore the store...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How cool is the little grotto? The basement in Top Hat is just fabulous! No basement has a right to be this great. GREAT stone walls everywhere, piled with vintage items, displayed creatively. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is a HUGE all glass "chain link" chandelier that greets you when you first enter Top Hat. Mesmerizing. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Like I said, Debbie leaves no stone unturned when it comes to company identity. Not even the loading dock doors go unadorned. Need some light over the stairwell? Well, she hunted down these top hat light fixates - go figure! Nothing is standard with her creative mind...and I just love that. Even the little directional signs all have style, yet purposeful. (Okay, I think I have a girl crush...:-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, by the time I did my "laps" it was way later when I finally got out to explore other areas. I made it only to one other store, but did get some snaps of a few of the buildings (there are MANY more!) Well, this gives me a reason to head back soon to explore again...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I did manage to sneak inside a store before closing, but honestly can't remember the name, but the interior was fun to see as I zipped about quickly...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And of course, no visit with Debbie isn't complete without kisses and running in circles with Pearl, her <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(dog)</span> friend, Pearl. She is a living doll...no leash...her own outfits...never far...and never underfoot either. And, if "missing" one will find her on the most comfy sofa or chair in the area - pretty and smart too!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoyed my adventure at Top Hat Mercantile. If ever in the KS City area on First Friday of the month, this is a MUST stop to shop, get inspired, and grab up some goodies. I can't wait to go again, and next time, I am tempted to bring an empty trailer!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have much to catch you up on, and will be announcing a new venture I am working on. I am so excited about it, and you will be the first to know.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">May your 2015 be filled with adventures that bring you joy, inspiration, and a fun-filled lifestyle that will have you running in circles with the likes of a friend like Pearl.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-2829404499778421572014-11-28T12:37:00.000-06:002014-11-28T12:37:10.676-06:00Cherishing Time From Long Ago<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My cherished clock turns back time for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope all is well in your world. Like most everyone else, I have been super busy and when I got a request to write about a cherished treasure, I thought it was a good time to slow down and share a bit. I was asked to write about a cherished item in my home by <a href="https://www.chairish.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Chairish</span></a>, a very cool site that allows vintage lovers to sell and buy fabulous objects and furniture. I am not getting any compensation, only a request to participate blogging about a cherished item, which of course, is a favorite topic of mine. But do take a moment to check them out - there are some really neat items on their site!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is my cherished 1890's German clock that belonged to my father. I grew up with this special clock in our dining room. The memories of that clock....Oh, how the minutes just dragged by as I would look up to check the time until Charlie Brown Christmas was due on the tube (as we called television back in the day). And yet, how those minutes flew by when my mother would announce that bath time would be in 20 minutes. I was usually busy making intricate spirals with my Spirograph wheels and colored ink pens - and with no intention of stopping for a darn bath. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also learned to count from the clock with its musical chiming throughout the house. Being a night owl, I remember counting to 12 as I laid wide awake in my bed and then being confused that it chimed 12 times then only just one chime on the next hour. By daybreak, I would forget my confusion. But one night, at the stroke of one in the morning, I remember getting up and sliding down to my parents room (in feet pajamas, one can't just walk, but one must "slide" or "skate" down the hallway), tapping my dad on his forehead and telling him something was wrong with the clock. Understandably confused, and he not being the Leave-it-to-Beaver-type of dad that pounced upon teachable moments to explain time to his four year-old daughter at one in the morning; no, he sat up, grunted, "Whaat? Who? What the hell?" And told me it's late, nothing is wrong, and took me back to bed. However, I wasn't convinced that there was nothing was wrong with the clock, because I was pretty sure how to count and for quite a while, I felt that "my" clock was just mixed up a little.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSEEDM3yH6FC1fIvUoWXZQaUe9Sn3X3xWCNDjKUpS5NHYhAuVnQlzvz1hcqiy1qBJVztGEERbJk7FyetWCyUY3kwAuJMdiiQbW7sqV83czFsbvY0YJrVZA069mXdf-DV4-Q/s1600/clock+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSEEDM3yH6FC1fIvUoWXZQaUe9Sn3X3xWCNDjKUpS5NHYhAuVnQlzvz1hcqiy1qBJVztGEERbJk7FyetWCyUY3kwAuJMdiiQbW7sqV83czFsbvY0YJrVZA069mXdf-DV4-Q/s1600/clock+7.png" height="640" width="548" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My favorite memories of my clock have more to do with my father, than the clock itself. The above pic is how I remember my clock as a little girl. It seemed so high up (to keep curious little hands off it, no doubt) and it looked so impressive. This is the viewpoint I had of my clock for years - unless I stood on the stairwell, and suddenly I was tall enough to see it straight on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I remember my father winding the clock every Sunday. I was most definitely a "daddy's girl" and would lean on his leg, looked up, as he opened up the door and took the key out of the "secret" hiding place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was fascinated by that little key - it looked nothing like car keys, or the house key or the little key that locked our tool shed. I often wonder if my love of old keys today stems from this clock key.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But mostly, I loved that key, because when my brothers and sister weren't around, my dad would pick me up and hold me with one arm, as he turned the key with the his other hand. And on rare occasion, he would let me "do a turn" as I would beg. He would show me the secret hiding place for the key, and always remind me that I wasn't to play or touch the clock, which I never once did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My dad would sometimes wipe down the wood, and I would reach out and gently touch the wood myself and felt all the curves and knobs. All the while, pulling on my dad's neck, as he held me, while I leaned in to stroke the polished wood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I often think about cleaning up the old marks, the worn areas, and buffing out the pitted stains - that is what my dad would do. But there is a part of me that likes to believe that those old marks are the last marks from my father's hand. My logical part tells me that it is just aged over years of travel, boxed up, and natural patina. My father never really allowed it to tarnish. But his last two years of life, his health was very poor, and I would be very surprised if he cleaned his clock at all during the last year of his life. I like to tell myself that these marks are left by him, and so, I want to keep them. And a part of me also wants to believe that somewhere, there may be a small fingerprint from my childhood, left from those days that I held tightly onto my father's neck as I left my own mark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When my clock chimes, it warms my heart, brings back memories, and although I am so much older now, the sound of the chimes make me feel young again. I like to think of my clock as my own time machine - stuck in reverse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But reverse is just fine. While the future holds many new adventures, it is nice to relive those memories that hold my father.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">May your <i>own</i> reverse time machine take you to a place of joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-90206123348753881632014-10-04T20:44:00.000-05:002014-10-04T20:44:03.050-05:00A Ball of Fun with Jars and String<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">*String, Jars, and a Tangled Ball of Fun*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my dear friends!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have been out of town with my barber husband for a week and just got back today. We went to a little fishing cabin and enjoyed the beginnings of autumn in nature - a lake - some fishing - campfires - zero cell coverage, and just sitting on the porch discovering more stars than we have seen in ages! On the way home, we stopped and antiqued a bit and as I unpacked my goodies on our back table, the light was hitting my treasures "just so" and so I grabbed my camera and took a few shots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am on a mission to rid of all things plastic. Well, almost all things plastic. And my first project is to rid of all my tons of spice "jars" that I get when I pick up a little spice here and there from the markets. I hate those little plastic containers they come in when I am buying just a tad. Some spices do come in glass, but many (actually most) come in plastic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Why the sudden disdain for plastic? Well, it really isn't sudden, but I am finally getting around to do some changes in my lifestyle that has been on my mind for some time now. Plastic just isn't healthy (for our body and our planet), plain and simple. We have collected some vintage refrigerator jars to hold our water (and we love them!) as well as vintage glass refrigerator food storage containers to replace tupperware. So, I am determined to rid of plastic wherever possible, and replace it with <i>only vintage jars</i> to hold all of my spices and ingredients. I found these little jars and I love the "shot glass" bottom that a few of them have! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I found the cutest little "baby" mason jars (1 pint) that are perfect to hold larger quantities of some ingredients such as my variety of sea salts, pepper corns, whole basil leaves, cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla sugar, corn starch, and so on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And then I found this fab vintage counter jar that is perfect to hold some course cornmeal I bought at a little Amish grocer while on vacation. But even better? For only $18, I get the fab jar filled with spectacular string! Can never have enough string, twine, rope, thread, yarn, or whatever else type there is out there. I just love it all, actually. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, I had to play a bit...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I think even though I am 50, I am still like the kid at Christmas who spends the morning gleefully playing with the boxes and wrapping paper...give me a jar of string and you find me in my own box of joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's "late" and we are still technically on vacation, so we are settling in to watch a movie, eat Amish snacks, and have the kitties on our lap tonight. I hope your Sunday is spent in your own "box of joy"!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-50844971627867111432014-09-26T12:53:00.000-05:002014-09-26T12:53:00.599-05:00Lavender, Linen, and a Little Bit of Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjR83RPuGQtfd-zq6fE34V-ZZBxuifSqccvd94iAH1tEkdHCrhlXK_S9G7dF8NLpR1XjKp7ibYgWCFSwQFgU11KIW-kLyW96zhhdQMEJiJVwdRjwnfwSBM9JX3ER-Y6otQg/s1600/sachet9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjR83RPuGQtfd-zq6fE34V-ZZBxuifSqccvd94iAH1tEkdHCrhlXK_S9G7dF8NLpR1XjKp7ibYgWCFSwQFgU11KIW-kLyW96zhhdQMEJiJVwdRjwnfwSBM9JX3ER-Y6otQg/s1600/sachet9.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Ribbon, lavender, and a little bit of linen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my friends,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope all is well with you on this b..e..a..u..t..i..f..u..l fall day today! I thought I would share a little project that I did a while back, but decided to make a few more today - lavender sachets.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have tons of linen scraps here and there and they (along with vintage ticking, old table cloths, or any natural fiber fabric) and they make the perfect little sachets. I cut the scraps into 3.5" x 3.5" and just fill and sew!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I like the rustic look, so I simply place one piece of fabric onto the other (wrongs sides together). I sew about 1/4" allowance and then fill with buds and carefully sew it shut. Seriously, the entire process takes less than five minutes from cut to shut.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The rough, unfinished edges give a feel of homespun elegance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A little velvet ribbon tied around a bundle of three...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Makes an elegant and simple gift to thee...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfdmFrCGD2ZwUCEHMKGyk0Cn6lliMn9938N08P3uTPDTy7XlcqH8Ud4c_koJUMrm77-zWxK4KIn2RYCo1ipWa9RvDWcqWoHKJOzt1qa8YKffYn7Z9UjVQ71wmVwWIuKhahg/s1600/sachet11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfdmFrCGD2ZwUCEHMKGyk0Cn6lliMn9938N08P3uTPDTy7XlcqH8Ud4c_koJUMrm77-zWxK4KIn2RYCo1ipWa9RvDWcqWoHKJOzt1qa8YKffYn7Z9UjVQ71wmVwWIuKhahg/s1600/sachet11.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just "squish" them periodically to release the wonderful lavender scent. Perfect for under your sleeping pillow during the day and at night, remove, flip pillow over, and rest your head on a lovely, soothing scent.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Wishing "thee" a happy and creative weekend!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-8835349918075996122014-09-19T14:37:00.000-05:002014-09-19T18:25:23.667-05:00Who Needs Hallmark?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Lovers Quarrel', cursive; font-size: x-large;">Hello my friends,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for the comments - blogger is broken over here and I see your comments, but can't publish them at the moment. Please keep commenting, as they will get fixed...I am working on that this very moment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In the meantime, speaking of working. I am sitting here, working on the computer, and reached for my little notebook to look up some notes and as I flip through my little book, I discover the best note of all - a love note.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I snapped the love note with my iPhone and just wanted to share with you. A great way to end the week for me. And a great way for my barber husband to <i>begin</i> his weekend (or as he will find out)! ;-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Not Shakespeare, Hallmark, Robert Browning or even Elizabeth Barrett could have worded it more perfectly - spiral notepaper and all. Small moments such as this, makes my barber husband taller, stronger, and more handsome than any man in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And he is, too.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just wanted to share my moment with you. My wish for you is that someone in your life sees you the way I see my barber husband simply because of the way you make them feel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i>,</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-58104766162911222362014-09-02T15:52:00.001-05:002014-09-02T15:52:17.613-05:00Canning: Fun, Simple, Tasty!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Canning Tomatoes...A Summer Tradition </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my friends,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Before I begin, I would like to say that my comments are not working properly (for several posts now) and once in a while I find them in spam, but for the most part, when they do come in, and I click "publish" Blogger doesn't publish them. I am still trying to figure out the issue, but please feel free to comment, as once this is fixed, they will all be published. Thank you so much for visiting.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now on to canning tomatoes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As stated in my last post, my tomatoes have been coming in very sporadically this year, which makes it a pain. But, then the other day, just like that, about 30 or so pounds came "due" and I really wanted to harvest them fresh, and took the plunge. For those who have never canned, this post is for you. I will give you the basic steps, and a very general salsa recipe to get you started. If you never considered canning, or don't grow tomatoes, then your local farmer's market is a great place to start. It is so very nutrias and tasty in the cold, dark winter to have fresh salsa, tomato sauce, or even whole tomatoes for recipes. The flavor is so superior, that store-bought tomatoes will be a thing of the past for you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There are many great websites that give very detailed information, that are easy to google. Here is my favorite: <a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started"><b>Fresh Preserving</b></a>. I will provide only very basic information, mainly to show how easy this process really is.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here are the basics you will need:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will be canning by water bath. This type of canning is for highly acidic produce and a pressure canner (one I hope to get sometime in the future) is for anything that is not acidic enough for a water bath.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS1pvi5a_LLsmKStxzGL8tc4_NQ0x90jCxqoUzcERimRNRHrGFaFdq-sOP_2oWp4qyFF9YhYelH3efqWiphAq6U9BfsIQd9uWEfuKVOTQRs33Jez8tTwptdQBXSw1MikpLg/s1600/canning5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS1pvi5a_LLsmKStxzGL8tc4_NQ0x90jCxqoUzcERimRNRHrGFaFdq-sOP_2oWp4qyFF9YhYelH3efqWiphAq6U9BfsIQd9uWEfuKVOTQRs33Jez8tTwptdQBXSw1MikpLg/s1600/canning5.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have a tiny kitchen, so I get out my smaller canning pot and fill with hot water and soap and let them soak a bit. I put this on the counter, which frees up my sink for other duties. You may wash them in the dishwasher, and keep the dry heat on until you are ready to use. I prefer a soapy wash, then place the jars into the canning pot with very hot water, and lids in a small pan on low heat.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am making three types of tomatoes today. I am making a seasoned tomatoes sauce, a salsa, and canning quartered tomatoes. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJb0xKM8CeCwdq3DbkMmWg3GVHkY544sjsEHY8lC5zoz8tfLuwDO1jRaiBsEN4xQ72nzrXlUXLh7129FbeLA1E5t59E0rF99yKUl-iU1scTP6KeLq3McaW7WjxVp4uHGC-g/s1600/tom10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJb0xKM8CeCwdq3DbkMmWg3GVHkY544sjsEHY8lC5zoz8tfLuwDO1jRaiBsEN4xQ72nzrXlUXLh7129FbeLA1E5t59E0rF99yKUl-iU1scTP6KeLq3McaW7WjxVp4uHGC-g/s1600/tom10.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, I will show you how I make my seasoned sauce. For the sauce, I used about 20lbs of fresh, washed tomatoes. One med white onion, four garlic cloves, fresh basil, and a little salt. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I diced up the onion, and sauté it in olive oil on med heat until clear. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While my onions are sautéing, I take my chopped garlic cloves and my fresh basil (about a handful - I like basil) and begin to mince it. I grow it fresh, and this purple basis has THE best taste ever. For 20 lbs of tomatoes (more or less), I would use at least 6-10 leaves. I probably used a bit more.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Mincing can be done with a number of kitchen gadgets, but I prefer to use my vintage mortar and pestle. A bit more work, but gives me complete control at the exact consistency I like. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I cut my tomatoes (grew yellow this year, which was so pretty) and ended up with about 16 cups. You will read many recipes about removing the skins, seeds and so on - which I do for other times, but NOT for my sauce. I have an extra step with a new kitchen gadget that saves so much time, that leaving skins and seeds in tact is just fine. I grow mine organic, absolutely no chemicals, so I want all the nutrients that I can get - which the skins have. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Once the onions are fairly clear, I add the basil and garlic mixture to the onions, and then I toss in the quartered tomatoes all into the same pan and cook on med heat for about 20 minutes, stirring it all together and coat everything with the onions, garlic and basil.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I then take take my tomatoes and mixture out of the pan and put it in my new Vitamix blender (love this new machine). I puree it on "10" for severe minutes - and presto! NO seeds or skin to be seen.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Because I want it to be extra sooth, I let it strain down for extra silky sauce. But the left over "pulp" that was left in the sieve was so minimal, this step could actually be skipped. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Note: I pureed my tomatoes in batches - just easier that way. I love the pumpkiny color that came from mixing in the yellow tomatoes. I then put the sauce BACK IN THE PAN and cook on medium heat to reduce it down to almost half. This thickens it a bit, and makes it rich.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After the sauce is reduced, I add one tablespoon of lemon juice, then ladle the sauce into my very hot jars. I then take my plastic chopstick (or thin knife) and insert it and move it around carefully to release any air bubbles. I wipe down the edges with a damp cloth and then place on the lid and tighten the ring with gentle pressure. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I place the jars in the water bath on the rack and lower into the water. (Use your jar holder for this! Don't drop down into the water.) The jars must be completely covered at least an inch to ensure proper sealing. Depending on your location, altitude and size of jar, will depend on how long to process. Just check your jar box, which should have guidelines. I then place processed jars on a dish towel, which is on a thick cutting board. As they cool, you will hear a "pop" from the lid - that means it is now sealed! After 24 hours, you should check all lids by gently pushing down on the center of the lid, and if properly sealed, then it will be firm and not move. If not sealed properly, it will "pop" as it flexes up and down. You may either reprocess, or just stick it in the fridge and eat it first. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now on to my salsa:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For me, salsa is so personal. Meaning, some like it hot, very hot, or very mild and everything between. I hate cilantro and so I don't add it (I know, I am from Texas, and actually hate its staple vegetable.) I make it mild, if I am to give the salsa away as gifts, and then let the receiver add as much spice to it as they wish. I personally add about three Serrano peppers, 4-6 garlic cloves, lime, onion (white, red, or both) and green bell pepper. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also use smokey red pepper spice, chili powder, salt and a little bit of sugar. I don't mean to aggravate you by not giving exact amounts, as I cook so often by look, tastes, and quantity. But to give you an idea, for about 15 pounds of tomatoes, I used 2 med-large onions, juice of two limes, 5 cloves of garlic, about 1.5 tablespoons of salt (or more) and just enough sugar to cut down any bitterness from the flavors. Other spices such as chili powder and smokey red pepper is done to taste. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I coarsely cut up my onion and pulse it in my processor/blender. I then let it drain while I prepare the other ingredients. I add a little bit of salt to help it drain. If you want your salsa really spicy, you can add this "onion juice" to your recipe, but I find it has too much of an onion taste with all that juice. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While the onions are draining, I chop up my tomatoes and toss tomatoes (seeds and skin), garlic, and peppers into the processor and coarsely pulse.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I then, coarsely chop up more tomatoes and add to the mixture.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl5pLgBMUMQWvVz2p2nB6_mU65UkQx7EcqkqgxjmWINSnV9E7LTuT4JF7DBqk1er-H8S_215GKOA_qW6xnK62DHZzr08cFmYAOg6B3CL4jr_30n3H0PY73BVwQruAYoX-AA/s1600/canning24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl5pLgBMUMQWvVz2p2nB6_mU65UkQx7EcqkqgxjmWINSnV9E7LTuT4JF7DBqk1er-H8S_215GKOA_qW6xnK62DHZzr08cFmYAOg6B3CL4jr_30n3H0PY73BVwQruAYoX-AA/s1600/canning24.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So while my tomato sauce was processing (on left) my salsa was cooking on the right. I cooked the salsa on med heat for about 15 minutes. The photo below sorta looks like a crazy woman cooks in there! :-)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWD7SMbnUGrz-2evsy6x3ZctWEyEpX5j2R4x5Appdg8txUjyFQdGtfEdc17Tq0x3X84sR5zidwMZD39IcM4IgX5ZTltKS-A_cFWUH-WOHqD-traR7wJsc4HzNbAJpol_E_Q/s1600/canning25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWD7SMbnUGrz-2evsy6x3ZctWEyEpX5j2R4x5Appdg8txUjyFQdGtfEdc17Tq0x3X84sR5zidwMZD39IcM4IgX5ZTltKS-A_cFWUH-WOHqD-traR7wJsc4HzNbAJpol_E_Q/s1600/canning25.jpg" height="640" width="548" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I add my tablespoon of lemon juice, then ladle in the salsa, remove the air bubbles with my chopstick, wipe down the edges of the rim, then place on the lid and tighten the rim with gentle pressure. I put into the bath and process according to my altitude. Please see your canning box (or look it up online) the exact processing time for your area. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnOT3ubuTBkbKvsPDAQSgl5ffxsquFrr1MqLxE9qqj1yQ78XGI2P_Mn6zStV2V5C3THWaRo63tupCrVggObLlKT8o1LV1hLcz-wZBvLYouyp-0sCrxpMRnncEzuwozObi1Q/s1600/canning+26jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnOT3ubuTBkbKvsPDAQSgl5ffxsquFrr1MqLxE9qqj1yQ78XGI2P_Mn6zStV2V5C3THWaRo63tupCrVggObLlKT8o1LV1hLcz-wZBvLYouyp-0sCrxpMRnncEzuwozObi1Q/s1600/canning+26jpg.jpg" height="604" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, with my left over tomatoes, I just want to can them with no seasonings. I plop the whole tomato into boiling water for a minute or two and then place them in ice water to remove the skins easily. Yes, I remove the skins when canning just plain, everyday tomatoes. It makes my cooking them later in recipes easier. Then skins will crack in the boiling water and you can see how they crack in the image below as they cooled a bit in the ice water.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Once I peel all the tomatoes, then I quarter them and core out the white center. I personally don't bother removing all the seeds. Most fall out on their own and those go down the drain, but some remain behind which is fine with me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4T19-GLnE8KqXJWBV9JRJxZLGxPa30-IQ6iqVmLUKubAkOjcwfa5lIWFq6lM30TMwkbuL1xoKSovXZPidYV-AnTBscDbC8-97KJaUyEFL5DilTLFl6mK4yqK00GM5vf3tBA/s1600/canning30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4T19-GLnE8KqXJWBV9JRJxZLGxPa30-IQ6iqVmLUKubAkOjcwfa5lIWFq6lM30TMwkbuL1xoKSovXZPidYV-AnTBscDbC8-97KJaUyEFL5DilTLFl6mK4yqK00GM5vf3tBA/s1600/canning30.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The procedure is simple: I put in my tablespoon of lemon juice in the jar, put in the tomatoes, pour in any water (or tomato juice) to fill the jar, remove air bubbles, wipe the edges down, add the lid and tighten the rim and process for the amount of time for your altitude. Easy peasy. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here are a few reminders and tips to show you just how easy this is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Wash all tomatoes, remove any dark spots or bruises.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If pureeing, skins and seeds are fine - even nutritious. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lemon juice in every jar - don't forget!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Make sure jars are at least 1" below the water line when processing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And once you have your product ready (be it a sauce, salsa, or plain tomatoes) the steps are all the same:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Like I said, Easy Peasy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BUDBuky9za43PKZG_hyZqrHKdOrAP4OKbIMIT0TBikk8kQt5ADo0oH_arA5TBC26IHSOGcx3ViICZwGXzD3HfyTc9oq_y-VgzqcG1YjjA31L-MUsshV6f93Fptx6wkrXZA/s1600/canning32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BUDBuky9za43PKZG_hyZqrHKdOrAP4OKbIMIT0TBikk8kQt5ADo0oH_arA5TBC26IHSOGcx3ViICZwGXzD3HfyTc9oq_y-VgzqcG1YjjA31L-MUsshV6f93Fptx6wkrXZA/s1600/canning32.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Salsas, sauces, yellow tomatoes, plain tomatoes, and even some apple spice topping and one jar of peach jam are in my cabinet. I am hoping I will process about 30 or 40 more pounds of tomatoes by the end of the month. Everything you see (except for the three apple and peach jars) were processes in one afternoon. It takes only a little practice and actually, the prep time takes more time than the actual processing. But so worth it all when in the dark winter days of February you can pull out zesty sauce and make a big batch of spaghetti and meatballs and let it simmer all afternoon...makes those cold days seems so inviting. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope this helps a little. There are so many website and You Tube videos that explain it all so much better than I do. But I just wanted to show that it really isn't complicated and the rewards are so satisfying. If you can produce or have a great recipe for canning, please feel free to share with me - would love to learn!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-19968616114004684442014-08-26T17:29:00.000-05:002014-08-26T17:29:45.663-05:00You Say Tomato, I Say TomAto....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDIPQ8Bi_X7I0DAlvUgs80F4QcDNf88Uw89VA6mc5z-oA4JyKgbCwRX9skLwX6FH0PbW2CWHCU_NHKNPNleZh-zoKT5Zy4E94KaTYZw46TQ3wEPChTZxFA0yIjk5LtsdgFA/s1600/tom25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDIPQ8Bi_X7I0DAlvUgs80F4QcDNf88Uw89VA6mc5z-oA4JyKgbCwRX9skLwX6FH0PbW2CWHCU_NHKNPNleZh-zoKT5Zy4E94KaTYZw46TQ3wEPChTZxFA0yIjk5LtsdgFA/s1600/tom25.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Modern prep for an old fashion task</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It all started out so innocently...I walked into the TV room and found my barber husband watching the shopping channel. Yes, the shopping channel. A channel, I will say, that I have never even watched once. So now I am wondering if I have closet shopper under my roof? He is watching a infomercial about the Vitamix mixer/chopper/processor. This pricey piece of kitchen equipment is something we both have mentioned that "someday" we would like to have. Well, 20 minutes later, we are pulling out the charge card and counting the days until it arrives. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The real reason I got it at this particular moment? Well, a lady on the infomercial stated that she uses it a lot to prepare her goodies for canning. And bingo! Just the excuse I needed to get it...as our tomatoes are coming in VERY sporadically this summer. It has been way too cool for our tomatoes (but great for us) and after consulting with many gardeners, yes, they too, have more green tomatoes than red. This time last year, I was canning 50lbs of tomatoes at once - fresh off the vine. The photo above is from my last year harvest. And the photo below. This was just one of three bowlfuls I canned in just one day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIPrPLjQq-J1fK6-HgRe7_a-e0qWa1BAVXGPAL7pRsWcJk2lm6N328hJ9iTzEA2eXxYCA-hBNmyYI5ag_DyCXPzh3W7XkjpVzoUN-5NTpc-_3FoJ0XxXMZeXwpkxu_rQ9LQ/s1600/tom24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIPrPLjQq-J1fK6-HgRe7_a-e0qWa1BAVXGPAL7pRsWcJk2lm6N328hJ9iTzEA2eXxYCA-hBNmyYI5ag_DyCXPzh3W7XkjpVzoUN-5NTpc-_3FoJ0XxXMZeXwpkxu_rQ9LQ/s1600/tom24.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This year, I barely harvested 20 pounds and they are not nearly as pretty. See below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_ItcU1BGcnafLYb5gP9rRjSguQHJt1222JT9UuDeJ9u668TWymtgNEmo6sJXSzuYc8LcXbZ-AmcKXAlUP5guEG_kefqRAiExMe8SvoJBcCgJjRPWJYBS8D6u2Jt35O_7kA/s1600/tom11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_ItcU1BGcnafLYb5gP9rRjSguQHJt1222JT9UuDeJ9u668TWymtgNEmo6sJXSzuYc8LcXbZ-AmcKXAlUP5guEG_kefqRAiExMe8SvoJBcCgJjRPWJYBS8D6u2Jt35O_7kA/s1600/tom11.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While not as pretty, they sure do taste great, though. But the biggest problem isn't about beauty, but rather bounty. Not having lots to harvest at the same time, it isn't worth the work and effort to can just two or three cans of tomatoes. So what to do?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAZhidCx6a-FKW4g_iaQ3XFyQu9gebkhEvI-VPnEzqpnh0wq_bbl7H7nsjR_a_bieMeKNtYYVVSU5E-6XWfabt2Me2UAlDtouw7EB-S2YDYPh0iVrp-GJrCYy0qIoL4YnLw/s1600/tomatoes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAZhidCx6a-FKW4g_iaQ3XFyQu9gebkhEvI-VPnEzqpnh0wq_bbl7H7nsjR_a_bieMeKNtYYVVSU5E-6XWfabt2Me2UAlDtouw7EB-S2YDYPh0iVrp-GJrCYy0qIoL4YnLw/s1600/tomatoes1.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I decided to chop up my tomatoes in our new Vitamix, and then freeze the harvest until I have enough frozen to properly can them. What makes it so easy is that I can so quickly prep all my tomatoes - even the cherry tomatoes. This year I grew yellow cherry tomatoes (which taste wonderful) and today, I decided to process them for the freezer and thought I would share.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cjBGiPZhMewfIaZv-W_U5ASyUOlC-c7uxnHFxK2xZkEDv2EWPObn0WKigGS09k9pAtAoGTsM5Yg01HlVMEMICTFEbLJTKhPDLOwI6ll2762W_g-33O6T1yqMlzVTLYOnEg/s1600/tomatoes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cjBGiPZhMewfIaZv-W_U5ASyUOlC-c7uxnHFxK2xZkEDv2EWPObn0WKigGS09k9pAtAoGTsM5Yg01HlVMEMICTFEbLJTKhPDLOwI6ll2762W_g-33O6T1yqMlzVTLYOnEg/s1600/tomatoes3.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After cutting off the ends, and a good scrubbing (although we grow organically and never use a single chemical), I plop them into the Vitamix and chop them up - skins and seeds and all! Depending on what I am going to cook, I can strain the seeds, and crush even more, if needed. Or, keep them coarsely chopped for salsa...mmmm!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After briefly chopping them, I pour my little golden nuggets into a freezer storage bag and plop it in the freezer along with a couple of processed tomatoes to be canned later next month. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My little frozen stacks of tomatoes are adding up and I have about two more bags left to process tomorrow until more are ripe enough to harvest. While I prefer to can the tomatoes the day I pick them, the weather isn't cooperating, and so I must do what I do. With them all prepped, I am now free to either can them as is, or make a sauce or even a soup and process that as well. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is one of the best parts about my new toy. It is super easy to clean up. Just fill it halfway with water, a dash of liquid soap, and then blend on high for 30 seconds, and presto! All clean!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This soapy water looks good enough to drink - like a shake! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Clean up is so quick, I don't have time to clean up my scraps while the blender is cleaning itself. I never toss out good, organic scraps. I save it for my compost. I bag it up...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQ6amYe5tarcOSqN3VegTQgGbHgWKLmKBHFIuc19iGPQnIBUdQlW6IIjnt-cdehih-qPFC8FhRkKoI1V4L9SC4qEz9Ydg0Y6WEk5yuqgaLkBa0e39PVEa9SwruSvh688KNw/s1600/tom17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQ6amYe5tarcOSqN3VegTQgGbHgWKLmKBHFIuc19iGPQnIBUdQlW6IIjnt-cdehih-qPFC8FhRkKoI1V4L9SC4qEz9Ydg0Y6WEk5yuqgaLkBa0e39PVEa9SwruSvh688KNw/s1600/tom17.jpg" height="580" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Drop it in my heavy duty vintage creamer can...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And eventually, the contents go into the compost pile.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After I am done with the tomatoes, my herbs will be nice and dry and ready for processing soon. More on that later. These herbs are drying on my vintage wall dryer in my kitchen - smells so good in here! While my barber husband tells me he loves the way our kitchen smells, he also tells me that he loves the way I smell even more. But, when I stop and think about it, I am pretty sure I just smell like our kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Go figure. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Whatever makes him happy. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">from my house to your house,</span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-90840622148652901582014-08-08T16:25:00.000-05:002014-08-08T16:25:03.133-05:00iPhone Foodies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>iPhone Foodies!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello my lovely readers,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope August is starting out good for you. You know, I think if we were able to peek into someone's iPhone pics, we would see the usual friends' photos, children, grand babies, a few travel pics, and always gatherings. But, then again, I think we would also see another side of the iPhone's owner if all their pics were revealed. Well, that is what happened to me just last night. I got a notice on my phone telling me that my "iCloud" was full and I should delete data or buy more space. Not one to be ordered around by a phone, I decided to take a gander at what was taking up so much room. It seems to be photos...go figure. Yes, I had the usual travel pics, several future possible antique purchases, our kitties, and even a selfie of our seven-year anniversary on the very date we first met in the park (above). We are sitting on the very bench where we first exchanged our flirting, and where I was asked to be the barber's wife. BTW, I am digging the barber's beard...and it is even longer now. I think it is masculine and sexy. I tease him that he is just excited to be able to grow something above his neck after decades of being clean-shaven both on chin and head....hahaha.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As I scrolled through all my iPhone images, I started to see a pattern. A lot of darn food shots. I realize that just about all the food shots were taken in haste, so I could text it to my barber husband while he is at work. You see, I believe we are what I call "iPhone Foodies." My shots were not taken for "beauty" but for "boost." My beloved is a real foodie - and I love that about him. He is on his feet all day long, cutting hair, shaving men, and being an ear to the customer who shares a tale or two. It is just exhausting work, as he comes home and needs to soak in the hot bath to soothe his aching back and feet. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's not a big secret that I truly enjoy cooking - especially from scratch. I never realized how many food images I take, and how many I have deleted in the past (100's!). I discovered that my beloved gets a boost when I quickly text him what I am doing in the kitchen - especially if I am making dinner. His reply text is almost always, "Mmmmm! Looks good!" His text always makes me smile, but I realize that a quick pic also makes him smile, hopefully takes his mind of his feet, and most importantly, will make him a happy husband who can't wait to get home (to me...not just dinner :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So last night, as I was about to delete even more food pics, I thought about you all. I thought it would be fun to show you a side of us - iPhone Foodies - that actually is a big part of who we are. Not so pretty pics (some pretty darn blurry), but lots of love and work behind the-less-than-perfect shots. If quick pics make my beloved smile, then maybe they will bring a smile to you too.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This was a bread making experiment day. I like to take a pic of the steps and text them so my barber husband can feel like a part of it, and like I said, to maybe distract him a bit from all his standing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnadAhlOu-yHfgH5bY81XEotzVpvEJjjAyj6W60nn3CQcx3Rml9DPrBQx5ah4tGqaUNCpGPcZ1aZBrvYUYHxnp0qL4Z7L56XOGDI6riBO9w4nqnRVd4423IolhozDYLvcaQ/s1600/bread+on+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnadAhlOu-yHfgH5bY81XEotzVpvEJjjAyj6W60nn3CQcx3Rml9DPrBQx5ah4tGqaUNCpGPcZ1aZBrvYUYHxnp0qL4Z7L56XOGDI6riBO9w4nqnRVd4423IolhozDYLvcaQ/s1600/bread+on+board.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was making artisan bread with a very "quick and easy" recipe. And actually, it was! The bread turned out to be delicious and just the perfect size for the two of us.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2IFbRrlLERdN3tGMeB1l81SImWNfLUlcBZ3qgUvWUW1eZuGxCr2gnRiFLIN_JXCb1abPYtt-oBUurLKIVpz-WEjcCOU28w7Kf4KA4_Hw84dkB-YOtRhFcAqtWV5PAfTXmQ/s1600/bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2IFbRrlLERdN3tGMeB1l81SImWNfLUlcBZ3qgUvWUW1eZuGxCr2gnRiFLIN_JXCb1abPYtt-oBUurLKIVpz-WEjcCOU28w7Kf4KA4_Hw84dkB-YOtRhFcAqtWV5PAfTXmQ/s1600/bread.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This was my first time to make cabbage rolls. They turned out great and I am happy to say that since then, I no longer need toothpicks to hold them together. I simmer them over sauerkraut and serve them with a red sauce and a dab of sour cream. Another hit according to my beloved. In fact, he was so impressed, he insisted on giving his Polish friend (cabbage roll expert) a bag full. I just recently got a report from said Polish friend, and he said they were wonderful.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUM5p0RX6vBF0Ky1tSGMHkDnVs3OwcWDFGbJEERDxhAeKtOmIOATt4dWNrO22L3EmDDxzbcqoKhNyMqqZ2qzJgespGhAnev8GlMc1Wyei8lwNhLasWnid0kxZNauRLmePoQ/s1600/cabbage+roll+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUM5p0RX6vBF0Ky1tSGMHkDnVs3OwcWDFGbJEERDxhAeKtOmIOATt4dWNrO22L3EmDDxzbcqoKhNyMqqZ2qzJgespGhAnev8GlMc1Wyei8lwNhLasWnid0kxZNauRLmePoQ/s1600/cabbage+roll+1.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It looks like I had to take a bite and then took a pic....actually, I seemed to have several photos of food with bites taken out of them. I get so busy in the kitchen, I almost forget to take a pic before I go on to the next step.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7gQ0T9BUEEFGuXAYEQBi9BEoo1qF_8AwqxdivImnd9YrDEr3PBVYmK0NLYWxGN1I1uqE0pgK9XefkKEx2aob5kQXQuhs8keOOfEY1YuxC6HpSjXkqwfuaj_18T28b4LLJg/s1600/cabbage+roll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7gQ0T9BUEEFGuXAYEQBi9BEoo1qF_8AwqxdivImnd9YrDEr3PBVYmK0NLYWxGN1I1uqE0pgK9XefkKEx2aob5kQXQuhs8keOOfEY1YuxC6HpSjXkqwfuaj_18T28b4LLJg/s1600/cabbage+roll.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sometimes, my foodie pics come straight from the garden. Below are some harvested greens and herbs that I snapped and text to my better half, "Look how much today!"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14AVj1DCo86R6LDnH-ZOriFf3z2WQrxg6V_AS-JBHi6cgcyqZGHujxmC00GqU7SLCHXixXrJ6pT9RHjJ8TVWZlP5gV2R2Bbuwgauokps_JCRaeTv3ujNIeaEBqY71263oZQ/s1600/harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14AVj1DCo86R6LDnH-ZOriFf3z2WQrxg6V_AS-JBHi6cgcyqZGHujxmC00GqU7SLCHXixXrJ6pT9RHjJ8TVWZlP5gV2R2Bbuwgauokps_JCRaeTv3ujNIeaEBqY71263oZQ/s1600/harvest.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip995p7_lasTvI3T-o7-kjIaRFcDViwojWhhxl4MJKRj-v5u01YrtWkXckENq99cALlSXbrAb9s3qPDyw7ocLUWw5UIkffsz3QMiQiv5vhdZ2Q3QB57IqjBLHeghCvumvXXA/s1600/herbs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip995p7_lasTvI3T-o7-kjIaRFcDViwojWhhxl4MJKRj-v5u01YrtWkXckENq99cALlSXbrAb9s3qPDyw7ocLUWw5UIkffsz3QMiQiv5vhdZ2Q3QB57IqjBLHeghCvumvXXA/s1600/herbs1.jpg" height="640" width="458" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After harvesting the above herbs, I dry them, and then store them in vintage jars. The purple basil is by far, our favorite. I use it in my tomato basil soup - very creamy!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk_VZCfA6BoysqDabEjDFerF9NAhjvKf9VNdv1NpgKJs3HWWHQZMKqGwnFRSlEJkGIoOeOQFTllQrsFoG33tMAW2XZaWX4d7KCAlRo_erBiwLTSU0crMvpZHL9vXfH5T9Tg/s1600/herbs+in+jar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk_VZCfA6BoysqDabEjDFerF9NAhjvKf9VNdv1NpgKJs3HWWHQZMKqGwnFRSlEJkGIoOeOQFTllQrsFoG33tMAW2XZaWX4d7KCAlRo_erBiwLTSU0crMvpZHL9vXfH5T9Tg/s1600/herbs+in+jar.jpg" height="640" width="472" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECdcVrjBSSl_XjDYN4dfODeDj_xmwqe8_toZv0zkMjPQyDv5f1LjgfdkP9qZ8zi_ddB2jC4ohCCysrfnPYwruEW9OHIKSu8XdVJ7jEMh44Mdt4cnGEw2pnt-toR9EPHrK3Q/s1600/herbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECdcVrjBSSl_XjDYN4dfODeDj_xmwqe8_toZv0zkMjPQyDv5f1LjgfdkP9qZ8zi_ddB2jC4ohCCysrfnPYwruEW9OHIKSu8XdVJ7jEMh44Mdt4cnGEw2pnt-toR9EPHrK3Q/s1600/herbs.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sometimes, I don't text any pics until it is all done...like this farm-raised hen and lots of vegetables (some from our garden). I think it helps him get through the last hour of work - he knows I set it out to "rest" for quite a while to get the juices going. I have an antique graniteware roaster that has a tight lid and a little, tiny, steam flap that I barely open, letting only a little steam out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-Eeoxim43dENbpjfrQPJ7ajLezfZKqAVLP6UWxGsumsLZHrOaI1-1ab94DDAZxjBEI7l65AaU30Ll611_j3xDMn2I_JASR0kbmRg4xUc-nATNg8cNUWzY36mPrHZXjZ7Fg/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-Eeoxim43dENbpjfrQPJ7ajLezfZKqAVLP6UWxGsumsLZHrOaI1-1ab94DDAZxjBEI7l65AaU30Ll611_j3xDMn2I_JASR0kbmRg4xUc-nATNg8cNUWzY36mPrHZXjZ7Fg/s1600/chicken.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will share a sweet something about my sweetie. He loves a little nightcap. His "nightcap" is a bite of something sweet and some milk. I try to always make him something that is "healthy" and at the very least, not from a box with chemicals. Below is some "healthy" oatmeal cookies with some chocolate chunks. He LOVES them - he doesn't realize that I use a little almond extract to give it a little kick. My reasoning is I am using real eggs, real butter, good oats, and good milk. No chemicals, not a lot of sugar. But when I text him these cookies...I already know if I don't have milk in the fridge, he will stop on the way home to get some.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeTxY-hV8X2L5PwnHfC9D7gUqBUlUZVb_C4fhNElD6sKqHTSo6l81EdoJexqfD8P-cdI_cfrW5fUPbQB6Nzs_PlhbpGLaJ25D_wq1mD0aXTUWKsyayqPbRXAQqDRI0U2qeA/s1600/cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeTxY-hV8X2L5PwnHfC9D7gUqBUlUZVb_C4fhNElD6sKqHTSo6l81EdoJexqfD8P-cdI_cfrW5fUPbQB6Nzs_PlhbpGLaJ25D_wq1mD0aXTUWKsyayqPbRXAQqDRI0U2qeA/s1600/cookies.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And speaking at stopping at the store for milk...I laughed when I came across this pic last night. I am guessing I took it to show him I went grocery shopping as it was most likely over due! How funny that he is such a foodie, that the food can still be in bags, and that makes him happy. How cute.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And another grocery shopping pic...there is story here. About a week prior to taking this pic, my foodie and I were in the grocery store. I was all the way on the other side when I discovered I needed a small can of diced tomatoes. I sent him to go get a SMALL can of diced tomatoes, and I told him I would meet him at the counter. He shows up, and says there aren't any small cans of diced tomatoes only huge ones - and shows me the one he found. Exasperated, as he has a very well-earned reputation of not finding most things, I tell him that I KNOW there are small cans of it, as it is a store staple. He insists there isn't. I shake my head, and tell him again, I KNOW there is, he just didn't find it. He was adamant that I was wrong and betted me $5 that there are none. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So I head for the aisle and tell him I am 100% sure they have diced tomatoes. Well, you can guess how the story ends. There was NO small cans of diced tomatoes...and I stood there dumbfounded and whining, "How in the world can a store not have small cans of diced tomatoes??! That's like not having any loaves of bread!" I look up and his hand is out for payment, and a big grin on his face. Determined not "to lose" I point to rows and rows of small cans of crushed tomatoes and point to them and say, "Well, see here, here are the small cans!" And he is very quick to correct me that the can says "CRUSHED not DICED." And I try to convince him (to no avail) that he should have known that crushed would work as well as diced...sigh...I can only imagine what the customers thought as they walked past our conversation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, the story continues...only days later, I made a quick stop at the same store, and happened to go down the tomato aisle, and well, well, well, what do I see? CASES of diced tomatoes. So I snapped a quick pic (pretty blurry) and quickly texted him, "SEE...I TOLD you they have it...." to which he texted back, "Not the day you said they did though." Darn it. (I think I still owe him $5 - don't tell him.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We had a bumper crop of spinach this year. So I found myself making lots of spinach and cheese quiche. So quick, so easy and so good! LOTS of spinach in it, and it refrigerates and keeps so well.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After a few quiches, I decided that we should probably not be eating so much crust, so I started to make crustless quiche. It was a big hit, and very simple as well. Plus, I think him getting a pic of a different type of quiche added to the excitement...hahaha.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I almost didn't include the pic of mushrooms below, as that is the only pic to the story. However, I thought it would be fun to show you that sometimes I even take a quick pic of just the ingredients to let him guess what I am making. But when he sees a pile of sliced mushrooms, he knows I am going to be making rich mushroom soup (one of his favorites). I had to laugh at myself when I saw this pic...almost as bad as the bags of groceries!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This year we did pretty well with the potatoes. We estimated we got about 40 pounds or so. It was fun (but hard work) digging them up. I think once I get a pressure canner, I will make lots of potato soup and can it. I make the soup with homemade stock, bits of bacon, onion, and lots of potatoes and of course, some cream. It is so hardy and perfect for a snowy day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's hard to believe that such huge potatoes started out like this below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnzxgAGtc6ew1V9qCqm3R3p5JGBgVEsKiy8208okmEIt6s0LdBvcCRAWcq29FrQMsRQF5fJMjUNZ3a36PgVGgSpslyACjvblVTusB_7NKMi1LP8EH4LnBg8A-DRCx-2KNcw/s1600/growing+potatoes+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnzxgAGtc6ew1V9qCqm3R3p5JGBgVEsKiy8208okmEIt6s0LdBvcCRAWcq29FrQMsRQF5fJMjUNZ3a36PgVGgSpslyACjvblVTusB_7NKMi1LP8EH4LnBg8A-DRCx-2KNcw/s1600/growing+potatoes+2.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDww87AsqFFoPSLX2Bz1ni3mIM_wPZAkO7UTwUZx1R2yLAgzmkNpecIMGKkfSqXqVeXlIVr4suj0c80c2vkyOi_jZzSBwEga-0HyjSkPJatJOuUNuiM_eavaIm0oFrisX-yw/s1600/growing+potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDww87AsqFFoPSLX2Bz1ni3mIM_wPZAkO7UTwUZx1R2yLAgzmkNpecIMGKkfSqXqVeXlIVr4suj0c80c2vkyOi_jZzSBwEga-0HyjSkPJatJOuUNuiM_eavaIm0oFrisX-yw/s1600/growing+potatoes.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But until I can get a good pressure canner, I am preserving my potatoes for winter in other ways. I don't have a root cellar, so I am freezing potatoes both in sticks and whole as well. Those little ones below in the bowl, will be frozen whole after I blanch them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just blanched the sticks and now I am "flash freezing" them before I bag them up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">I made twice baked potatoes, as well as roasted potatoes with our own grown herbs. I see my foodie popping them in his mouth as if they were candy. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We didn't get a lot of apples this year - I think the hard winter had a lot to do with it, as local orchards have small crops this year also. So with the few apples we did manage to harvest, I made an apple crumb cake just the other day. It turned out so delicious. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoyed my little iPhone food tour. After looking at these, I realize I need to hold the phone more stable. Or, maybe get out my good camera and use that instead. But, when in the kitchen, and pans, bowls, and ingredients everywhere, I just don't think about getting out the Canon. I think I will try to take a pic here and there of when I serve it...but then again, that may not go well for Mr. Foodie. When my dish is served to my beloved, it is meant to be eaten, and not serve as a model. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm very lucky to have a better half that appreciates and compliments every meal (EVERY meal) and that makes spending time in the kitchen all the more enjoyable. That, and using fresh ingredients, homegrown produce, while supporting the local farms. I hope your meals, be it fast food, homemade, or out of a box, is eaten with gusto - and with a loved one -that is the secret recipe for a <i>really</i> grand dish!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-92177641764907798882014-07-13T18:08:00.000-05:002014-07-13T18:09:10.976-05:00Getting the Moonbeam Glow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eQQTPJpUpqOZdU3aSvj_gDpnEViLHNvQRqaQoA10u3RNSOS1nQMbZ2jvNm0RBvseRo-a1jDbRpDzI70Xr3Le1Tlbs6fcPuGfbv5gtPBcTonJNMin5tBGLdgJ_wBAn7RtTA/s1600/moon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eQQTPJpUpqOZdU3aSvj_gDpnEViLHNvQRqaQoA10u3RNSOS1nQMbZ2jvNm0RBvseRo-a1jDbRpDzI70Xr3Le1Tlbs6fcPuGfbv5gtPBcTonJNMin5tBGLdgJ_wBAn7RtTA/s1600/moon1.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Late, two nights ago, I was sitting on the sofa, after a tiring day and looked up and saw what could be a really beautiful moon. I got up and opened up the front door, stepped out, and was just amazed by it. I called out to my barber husband, </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Come here! You have to see the moon!” </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fTiREJznimRYoV0U8nneqdvfOKs3-2xkPbiqCs-G43HYFjM8Zt7qx-w19pwmX9YxeTUIaQRb5IXnqHXeRAYGTeCdfYgewzWgJI5veu2QG0TGVhOQn5jhuW8nSFlHRoFE_Q/s1600/moon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fTiREJznimRYoV0U8nneqdvfOKs3-2xkPbiqCs-G43HYFjM8Zt7qx-w19pwmX9YxeTUIaQRb5IXnqHXeRAYGTeCdfYgewzWgJI5veu2QG0TGVhOQn5jhuW8nSFlHRoFE_Q/s1600/moon2.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He comes out of the kitchen and onto the front porch and hugs me from behind as we both look up. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Yeah, that sure is pretty isn’t it?” he says with a squeeze. We watch for a minute or two, as the clouds, very quickly covered, and then uncovered, and again recovered the moon. Suddenly, he suggests,</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Why don’t you take pictures of it?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had just spent some time that day shooting, and was pooped. It was so dark outside, I knew I would need a tripod, and I have no lens for that type of shot. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitawq2FPWn-w6v5w-Ov-cD08QgNLPHInnPPOYJ6FdKcIu5L2qE0T2FE8nL3XnqhNJchKnwExQlbPGslt3pa3ibnwsXwyDcTNZsyqUKmbKBFiRG2laUdggoRGlZOZkz4-HJRQ/s1600/moon3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitawq2FPWn-w6v5w-Ov-cD08QgNLPHInnPPOYJ6FdKcIu5L2qE0T2FE8nL3XnqhNJchKnwExQlbPGslt3pa3ibnwsXwyDcTNZsyqUKmbKBFiRG2laUdggoRGlZOZkz4-HJRQ/s1600/moon3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">“Nah,” I said. “Won’t turn out good, it will be gone soon, and I’m tired.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">He asked me again, and prodded me bit, until I agreed but told him don’t expect much. (I </span>apologize<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> for the graininess...had highest iso set and it was handheld...)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My camera was still in the living room and I knew I had no time for the tripod, as the clouds were coming in and very soon, the moon would be covered. I turn on my camera, look up, zoomed in, and began to focus the lens.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And just like that...</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t54xTDWYHZaTrZsRSwseC71C6Qx6pvii7ZAi5qqTvn2GLuprR3DrDDcPNfc1fJdriRa-bJIFdIYSK-16SieBVSOIgrzLTQ-MvineycG3J8f6tO1CceNNhBL5WxwBD1_Hmw/s1600/moon4jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t54xTDWYHZaTrZsRSwseC71C6Qx6pvii7ZAi5qqTvn2GLuprR3DrDDcPNfc1fJdriRa-bJIFdIYSK-16SieBVSOIgrzLTQ-MvineycG3J8f6tO1CceNNhBL5WxwBD1_Hmw/s1600/moon4jpg.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...I am once again one in my own world with my camera. Everything around me disappears, as I work my settings, watch the clouds, refocus, and kept clicking. All these photos were taken in less than one minute, as the clouds seemed to whip by and then before I knew it, the moon disappeared quietly, behind a soft blanket of wispy clouds.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Why am I sharing this? </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, mainly because I like you a lot, and like to share. But also, that tiny exercise in creativity was such a wonderful reminder of how our lives can be filled with creative passion. I define creative passion <i>as an adventure that leaves the creator longing for more time to create.</i> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5n-9nRS2aJBRH9PwZVJGyoHUfms6z84WVmSRSVE8iX9T4PeYP_lcqbWLsRYcZrPuicFDUULcX7S9aa_ZXTLk6FhVSt_xu9GIfFqNg8B1JPKt5HuH9NZDWSgyFB8oTOX7lg/s1600/moon5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5n-9nRS2aJBRH9PwZVJGyoHUfms6z84WVmSRSVE8iX9T4PeYP_lcqbWLsRYcZrPuicFDUULcX7S9aa_ZXTLk6FhVSt_xu9GIfFqNg8B1JPKt5HuH9NZDWSgyFB8oTOX7lg/s1600/moon5.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Isn’t that what passionate, creative souls actually long for? More time? We don’t long to actually crave to create, because we do and always will. But the issue of time is actually paradoxical. While I am passionately creating (be it cooking, designing, shooting, painting, gardening...), I am lost in a timeless euphoria, while at the same time, keenly aware of how confining my creative clock continues to tick loudly. Be it the constant movement of natural light that challenges my creativity, moment by moment. Or be it the time it takes for paint to dry, a cake to rise, or for vegetables to grow in my garden. How incongruous is my creative spirit that gets lost in the passion of weeding, clipping, caring, watering, and eventually, harvesting my vegetables, while at the same time, patiently present of the seasons and the time it takes to produce the products of my passion?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Although it was late, and I was tired, as soon as I held up my camera to my eye, it was as if I was being refreshed. I no longer was tired, and I didn’t even notice that my beloved quietly left me alone on the porch, as he learned long ago, my love affair with my lens is a competition he rather not enter. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What this experience taught me was taking only a moment for our passion is like fresh air to the creative soul. We so often put off our creative projects for so many reasons...it is late...I am tired...need to get the house cleaned...must cook dinner...and on and on. But what is so easy to forget is that even if only for a moment, the more we indulge our creative soul, the more alive we are for our loved ones and are able to perform our daily, mundane chores with more </span>purpose<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> Everything just seems better, feels better, and looks better when our creative soul is momentarily released.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Like I stated earlier, these images took less than one minute to take...but that one minute ignited my creative spirit with a blast of fresh air. When I returned from the porch and joined my barber husband on the sofa, I forgot I was even tired. I happily clicked through my images on the camera screen to show him, and he smiled down at me and said, “Aren’t you glad you took the pictures now?” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I nodded and thought how happy I am to be on our sofa, with my beloved, and with the very slight glow of moonbeam shining in through our window. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And that is what our creative spirit is like...it can brightly glow, or at times, it can only slightly glow...we just need to keep our window open so as to receive the beauty of our passion.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: justify;">May your moonbeam always glow...just keep your window open to receive it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: justify;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-4816074019222236962014-06-26T13:10:00.000-05:002014-06-26T17:44:52.097-05:00My Favorite Things Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Updated 26 June</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>please note that I just discovered many comments that never made it to my email! Please see comments section for my response, and I apologize to all who took time to comment, but never made it to me. Cyber "connections" can be so frustrating! </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope this week is going well for you. I went out of town for a bit, and when I returned, I brought with me a nasty cold (or flu?) and as I make my way through my second box of kleenex, I thought I would finish up my mini series on a few of my favorite things that happen to be vintage, that I use routinely. I have enjoyed the emails I have received, learning about what you like to use as well.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Before I show you a few of my favorite things, I would like to announce the:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">WINNER of GIFT CERTIFICATE TO SHOP <a href="http://www.novica.com/">NOVICA</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">IS</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">SANDI OF A COTTAGE MUSE - CONGRATULATIONS! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click <a href="http://www.novica.com/">HERE</a> to see the site!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In case you have no idea what I am talking about - the last two posts were in honor of NOVICA, an artisan website that is affiliated with National Geographic. I purchased a leather messenger bag - that I just love and - see my last post. NOVICA asked that I review their site, offered me a gift certificate to order something to review (my messenger bag) and offered a gift certificate to a lucky reader. In case you wonder how the winner wins...I write down numbers on little scraps of paper, and put them in a bowl, close my eyes and whichever number I choose, it correlates with a commenter in order that the comments were received. I happened to pick #1, and Sandi was the first one to comment. I numbered all the way through the second post. Congrats Sandi, and I will be emailing you with the details.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now to a favorite silver cup of mine. This belonged to my father, and after he died, my mother gave it to me. It sits in my bathroom all the time (holding Q-tips, or eye drops...whatever). But I found a new use for it recently. After my first knee surgery (and my second), I couldn't stand to shower, so I took lots of baths. I grabbed this one day, and I used it to pour water over my head so I could wash and rinse my hair. During some pretty painful soaks, I did find it comforting to use my dad's cup - sort of like him "petting" my hair/head like he so often did as I grew up. If you were lucky enough to have a loving dad (uncle, grandfather), you know what I am talking about - that heavy, big, warm, gentle hand that finds its way to your head and strokes the top and down to the nape of the neck and then up again to the top of the head with a little finishing pat. I don't remember him leaning down and kissing me on top of my head...I think that must be a mom's job...but dads seem to like to "pet" heads, I think. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Another favorite vintage item have is somewhat "new" to me. I found this wonderful old (and heavy!) handmade pin cushion at an antique fair. I began sewing after 30 years of not touching a machine, and I discovered that having several pin cushions, is way easier than just having one. Seems like no matter where I am at my work table, the pin cushion was always out of reach - now I have two - one at each end! I love how the end of the cushion is hand sewn with what most would call "crude" but I think of it as more "folk-artsy" stitches. I wish I knew what was stuffed inside to make it so hard and heavy, but still can be pierced! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Another tool, that I absolutely love and use a LOT, is my vintage chinois. I just love this and I got it for about $10. A brand new chinois can run up to $140 (but there are many that are less expensive than that)! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My vintage chinois works just as well as a new one - mainly because I do most of the work! That is the key - the chinois doesn't have to be fancy-schmancy, as long as you know how to use it (just patient stirring the pestle). I use it to smash all my homegrown tomatoes and I get more juice this way without the seeds. I always put my chinois in a large flat pan, such as short stock pot (usually the one I am going to use for the soup). Mainly, I use a large pan, because I tend to be messy, and I like room to work. These are used to make things super smooth such as soups, broths, puddings, or sauces. My tomato-basil soup is very creamy and very rich.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My little stand with its little legs have great patina (or some may call it scratched up!), but the mesh part is still in tact and the wooden pestle fits perfectly inside the mesh. In case you are wondering, I can all my garden tomatoes, so the tomatoes I am smashing already have the skins off of them. You don't have to remove the skins, just cut the tomatoes in chunks, and stir the pestle round and round till you get juice. The left over pulp is perfect for the compost pile!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And finally, another little vintage favorite is my vintage aluminum water thermos. I found this at an antique mall, and knew it would be perfect for those hot days while working in the garden. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just fill it with ice and carry it around the garden with me. It insulates wonderfully, and I like feeling the cold metal. I replaced the top with a clean milk glass lined canning lid. No metal taste with the glass, and yet, very sturdy. I tend to knock it over, or kick it out of the way as I weed the garden. I also like the fact that I am "recycling" meaning, instead of going out and getting something brand new, I just use what has been around for some time now. As long as an old item is safe to use, does its job, and is practical, I am all over it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoyed this little mini tour of my found (and usable!) objects. For those who haven't gone to <a href="http://www.novica.com/">NOVICA</a> site to view all the artisans around the world, I invite you to see what fellow artists are creating and selling. By the way, here are some links that NOVICA tells me they are highlighting at the moment and I thought you might like as well:</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2930" style="color: #1155cc;"><u id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2929"><a href="http://jewelry.novica.com/earrings/chandelier/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2928" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://jewelry.novica.com/earrings/chandelier/</a></u></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2927" style="color: #1155cc;"><u id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2926"><a href="http://decor-accessories.novica.com/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2925" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://decor-accessories.novica.com/</a></u></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2923" style="color: #1155cc;"><u id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2922"><a href="http://handbags.novica.com/handle-handbags/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403805709901_2921" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://handbags.novica.com/handle-handbags/</a></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Again, thank you for stopping by to visit, but more importantly, for supporting fellow artisans. I feel very grateful to be considered as a colleague in the creative world. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">from my house to your house,</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-48815995705972384422014-06-16T21:33:00.000-05:002014-06-26T19:14:15.497-05:00My Favorite Things Part 2 - And free gifts for everyone!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Updated 26 June</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>please note that I just discovered many comments that never made it to my email! Please see comments section for my response, and I apologize to all who took time to comment, but never made it to me. Cyber "connections" can be so frustrating! </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hello!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Welcome to part two of My Favorite Things posts. You might be wondering why cows are my favorite things...well, I will explain the cows in a moment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In my last post, I reveal a way for one lucky winner to win a $75 gift certificate from NOVICA - to read about it all, click </span><a href="http://elizabethhousestlouis.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-favorite-things-and-gift-certificate.html" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">here</a><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To learn about how you, and any reader that reads this, can receive a little something from me as a thank you, just scroll down to the end of the post, if you don't have time for a visit. But as always, I hope you can stay and visit with me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBfqlUNFj8ZpJv5q-c6q4L3ZZ3H0YJsLD09B_gVAcBfZ445_9YZ7Iz1Mp-IsTO5DKUiU3NjP2jOlXP4r6688aLaaP02Ad4AJO8N8W8Txmcq3eMdr2IutLfjgx4bhaJFTDBA/s1600/basil+with+lid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBfqlUNFj8ZpJv5q-c6q4L3ZZ3H0YJsLD09B_gVAcBfZ445_9YZ7Iz1Mp-IsTO5DKUiU3NjP2jOlXP4r6688aLaaP02Ad4AJO8N8W8Txmcq3eMdr2IutLfjgx4bhaJFTDBA/s1600/basil+with+lid.jpg" height="438" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My first post in this series, I showed a few vintage items that I use routinely. And one of those items I featured (above) was an old mason jar that I use to hold my dried herbs. Well, I thought you might enjoy seeing my favorite way I dry my home-grown herbs...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Above is my vintage haberdashery factory cart that came from a closed-up hat factory, here in the Midwest. Below is a vintage image of similar type of cart that was used to move hats into the factory. Image source: <a href="https://it-it.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152755743058238&set=a.10152573530183238.1073741836.376779483237&type=1&theater">click here</a>. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(If the owner of this image would like it removed, or have a better credit source, please let me know - thank you!)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love the industrial feel of the slanted wheels, and the warmth of the wood. I love my little cart, and when I saw it, I knew exactly what I would use it for.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The racks are just perfect to space out my herbs and I am so happy that I am already cutting and drying my fresh harvest. Soon, the entire cart will be filled. Fresh herbs, even dried, makes every dish come alive. Can't get enough of basil!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Above is cinnamon basil, and below is purple basil - both have such a wonderful, wonderful scent as well as flavor. I use this type of basil in my tomato basil soup recipe as well as my quiche.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am happy to be able to harvest a little lavender, as most of my lavender plants didn't make it through our very hard winter. But, I am getting budding stems, and they smell wonderful. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Another basil, below, that is perfect for sauces (especially anything Italian). It is super strong when fresh, but when dried, it is perfect for dishes that need only a taste of this herb.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And one last thing I love about my little cart...when not drying herbs, it is perfect to hang my ribbon, lace, and scraps of material when working on a project. I just roll it wherever I am working.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So what is the deal with the cows? Well, what goes best with herbs and vegetables? Meat! Being from Texas, a good steak is the best meal. I know, seems kinda mean, when looking at such cute cows...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But cows aren't really on my list of My Favorite Things...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But good leather is! Now before you feel sorry for these pretty cows...take a gander at your leather boots, leather chair, leather jacket, or your leather purse. Which leads me to a NEW favorite thing that I just received.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My new leather purse that I ordered from <a href="http://www.novica.com/">NOVICA</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The gift certificate they offered me (and to on of my lucky readers), I chose to order a leather messenger bag - and I want to share my review of the product, the service and shipping. But before I get to the bag, of course, I have to show the packaging and marketing...which we all know is almost as important as the item itself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It came wrapped up securely with a touch brown package, and inside, I pulled out a lovely wrapped package (above) and underneath that lovely paper, I find a wonderful muslin, drawstring bag, and find my purchase wrapped neatly with tissue paper and a little logo sticker.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCt6nnPQs1CIXOJLRb62YYCR9eC1aIroCVNFp7wHsgc6CcE7ZVzr5-K3kJP5ruG9_gOmpiVoqFqXygl8bizZW2ryiGmLfa4jBIDF8GhmI2PpR1xnBXAWIJsJI1LBeACmWRg/s1600/NOVICA+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCt6nnPQs1CIXOJLRb62YYCR9eC1aIroCVNFp7wHsgc6CcE7ZVzr5-K3kJP5ruG9_gOmpiVoqFqXygl8bizZW2ryiGmLfa4jBIDF8GhmI2PpR1xnBXAWIJsJI1LBeACmWRg/s1600/NOVICA+bag.jpg" height="640" width="590" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I finally tear off the tissue (but had carefully taken off the wrapping paper) and below is my lovely purchase - fresh from the cow hide, to the artisan's skillful hand and now to me. It is MOOeautiful! haha! It is advertised that is it made for men, and yes, my barber husband snatched it up, once he read that. But, no man comes between a woman and her new leather purse. It really is unisex, but it is MINE. Barber husband can go get his own "bag" as he won't touch my "purse." haha.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I really love the buckle clasps that may be adjusted for those days when I am carrying a lot and need more room. Easy opening and closing with the closure behind the strap. And on the back of the purse is the perfect pocket for my cell phone, or car keys, or sunglasses. It isn't a huge pocket, but all the better for me, as it will help me stay organized by not allowing me to cram everything I own into one darn pocket. There is also an additional zipper pocket inside as well. If you happen to have fallen in love with this bag, here is a direct link to learn the specs from the NOVICA site: Click <b><a href="http://handbags.novica.com/mens-leather-messenger-bag-explorer/220825/">HERE</a>.</b> <i>Please note that I am not receiving any commission, credits, or funds for providing this link. I am doing this just to help you out, should you be interested in learning more about the bag.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And I didn't notice until later, a beautiful postcard was enclosed with a very nice NOVICA statement that explains how easy it is to return my purchase should I not be satisfied - which is NOT an issue with this purchase! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love the postcard, which is the cherry on top of a wonderful buying experience. (Plus, I love that I am supporting an artist.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This has ended, as well as free gifts. However, please feel free to leave a comment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you! (June 26, 2014)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Here is how YOU may enter to win the $75 gift certificate</b> from <a href="http://www.novica.com/">NOVICA</a>. I want to be clear that NOVICA emailed me, and asked if they could give me a gift certificate to be used to purchase from their site and then share what I purchased with my readers. I wouldn't be doing this second post had I not been <i>very</i> pleased.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just leave a comment and your name will be entered (along with those names from my prior post). NOVICA supports artisans around the world with fair trade. They are associated with National Geographic, an organization with reputation like non other. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>If you would like to receive a FREE little gift from me personally </b></span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(something I made, or maybe a little something I am ready to part with), all you need to do is <b>link this article </b>to your social media of choice and leave a comment letting me know the link. Be sure to leave your mailing address so I may mail out your little thank you gift for supporting artisans worldwide. You may email me on the address at the sidebar if you want to keep your address private. Feel free to share this - new readers will receive a gift, if they link as well. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will be doing a final post on My Favorite Things and giving readers a chance to sign up, if they missed this post and the prior. But THIS post is the post in which linking readers will receive a thank you gift from me. I would love to hear if you visited the NOVICA site, and if any particular item caught your eye.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For now, love what you own and own only what you love. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-58950791291952694972014-06-09T22:02:00.000-05:002014-06-26T17:44:00.729-05:00My Favorite Things - and Gift Certificate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2CcAIOJKgt_9Ij2FNZ-382pdE386zRy846jCJfByX5mtM6G7XlSaLRQBbQJ3rcjzpPn0BuuVtTyZL1ZTWA54X84eBI84yBzRhKKyT6v0_i5ieQC52jGA-vZ_DFoUwXG08w/s1600/still+life+collage+BW+with+lable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2CcAIOJKgt_9Ij2FNZ-382pdE386zRy846jCJfByX5mtM6G7XlSaLRQBbQJ3rcjzpPn0BuuVtTyZL1ZTWA54X84eBI84yBzRhKKyT6v0_i5ieQC52jGA-vZ_DFoUwXG08w/s1600/still+life+collage+BW+with+lable.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Updated 26 June</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>please note that I just discovered many comments that never made it to my email! Please see comments section for my response, and I apologize to all who took time to comment, but never made it to me. Cyber "connections" can be so frustrating! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I hope the summer is off to a good start with you. My summer is off with usual summer activities such as gardening, taking rides out to the country, and catching up on projects. While busy about doing my projects, be it just cleaning out my closet, cooking, sewing, or gathering fresh produce from the garden, I have these somewhat "crazy lady" conversations in my head (okay, I confess, sometimes, I do catch myself talking out loud - <i>sometimes</i>) how I wish you friends were here with me to enjoy the day. But for now, cyber visits will have to do - which brings me to today's visit with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">A friend dropped by recently, who hasn't been to my house in some time. We were visiting as I was making a simple dinner of homemade tomato basil soup (my own tomatoes and basil). As she sat with me in our tiny kitchen and watched me cook as we chatted, she pointed out how she was so amazed at the "old-timey" tools I was using and had around in my kitchen. Honestly, I had never given it much thought, as I use my vintage items routinely, never really considered it "old-timey" as my friend found it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Just as I was about to claim that "most" people use these old things, I stopped and realized that actually, these old things are mainly sought out for their beauty, history, and the simple joy of having them in our homes. I would enjoy hearing about any old thing that you actually use for its purpose and not just as decoration. I would love to hear from you. For now, I will share what I actually use routinely, in a little mini series that I am calling "My Favorite Things." If you don't have the time for a visit just now, but want to get to the gift certificate give-away, just scroll down towards the end to find out how to enter a $75 certificate from a very cool website... but I hope you have time for a visit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">There are lots of good reasons to use vintage items, other than they are just simply beautiful. I always liked the idea of using vintage items mainly because I personally get joy out of using something that has the test of time (if it still works when I discover it, then most likely it was built to last, unlike so many brand new items). I also like that I am saving a little bit of the earth by not buying new, and of course, the history of the item and any possible story that goes with it gives it a lot of character that just can't be found off the shelf of a big box store. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Above is my beloved silver sugar shaker that I found years ago and it takes permanent residence upon my countertop. The patina on this little tarnish silver beauty is a personal joy of mine. Patina equals perfect for me! It doesn't just hold sugar, no, I have both sugar and cinnamon in it for my cinnamon toast mornings - any day starts out well with a good piece of cinnamon toast and Danish butter!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And what a better way to spread that great Danish butter, than with my vintage butter knives. I have tons of them - I just love them, use them, and use them for all sorts of things. Spreads, dips, sour cream, jelly, peanut butter, curds, sour cream, condiments,...you name it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">These little butter knives in the creamer are a permanent fixture atop my vintage breadbox - used, literally, every single day. I just realized I didn't take a picture of my bread box - never even thought about till now. I have had the bread box so many years, and use it every day, I don't even think about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">To be honest, I can't even remember when I got this cute and really practical German salt and pepper shaker. I must have been in Germany, or on one of my jaunts at a European flea-market and I am sure I thought it was just the coolest thing (and still think that). This "TischerFreund" (Table Friend) is so neat - just push down the side of the top that holds the spice you want, and the little flap folds up to release and shake out your choice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Such a simple design, with a divided shaker. Simple and sweet...and of course, I smile every time I pick it up and visit with my "friend."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">While we can find lots of uses for glass jars, nothing is better than finding an use for an old canning jar with zinc and milk glass lid.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I grow my own herbs and dry them. I use tons of basil all year long, especially for my homemade tomato and basil cream soup. I actually had two jars and now down to half a jar. Happily, I just cut fresh basil this evening and they are hanging to dry for use this winter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I love the diamond pattern on this old glass. Gives it so much character. And the milk glass lid feels nice when I open it up and hold it in my hand as I pluck a few leaves out for dinner. Sometimes, I think the feelings we get with some objects are just as nice (or nicer) than the purpose of the object itself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">While vintage knives are great to use for their intended purpose, there are other uses as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I have a thing for old hotel silver, butter knives and so on. But, after a while, I realize that unless I really use them, then I can't afford the shelf/drawer space for them...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">...so, I realized the other day, while gardening, that my little wooden markers were breaking...and how my old knives would make great garden markers! A little nail polish remover easily wipes off the words. After I took this photo, it started to rain pretty hard, so I still need to get an image of these in my garden. But for now, you can see how fun they can be, as well as useful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">You know, I think that is the goal in daily living - to have fun with simplicity. Simple doesn't always mean easy...just look at the Amish. The Amish live a "simple" life, but no one would argue that it is sometimes hard. Simple living to me simply means living in the present moment, enjoying the task at hand - no matter how hard (or easy) that task may be. There is an art to that type of living, I think. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And speaking of the art of living...here is a preview of what is to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>SUPPORTING ARTISANS</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I found a new website that I am still reading and shopping about. Like many of you, I believe in supporting small businesses, and especially artisans. I am more than happy to pay extra for something handmade by an artisan. I have to tell you this quick story. Several years ago, while in San Francisco, I was at an outdoor artisan market (sort of like a flea-market). I was amazed at the crafts and I stood there, watching this beautiful, little Asian woman knit baby clothes. Her items were just perfect, and she tells me she has been knitting for over 30 years (I swear she didn't look a day older than 30). I then witness a very sad thing: a well-dressed woman, stopped by and picked up a beautiful sweater that was only $35 (which I was amazed at inexpensive the item was). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Well, I am sure you can guess what happened next. This "lady" proceeds to tell the artisan that this "sweater was too much...can't you do better on the price?" I was so shocked - and saddened. The artisan handled it nicely, but the customer insisted on a lower price and would not pay the asking price. I couldn't help but butt in and said, "You aren't going to find a sweater of this quality for such a great price. I am sure you realize your purchase helps support the arts." She stared at me and mumbled she would be back later. I left feeling sad and frustrated for the artisan, as I owned my store back then and knew how hard it was to find great products at prices that customers would pay - because as I was told on more than one occasion, "I can find this cheaper at Target." Which of course they can't...they can find <i>reproductions</i>, but NOT the real items I had in my store. I never felt awkward pointing out to those customers that then perhaps they should be shopping at Target. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">But I digress...back to the website. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Here is gift certificate info:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">This artisan website that I am impressed with is called <span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.novica.com/"><span style="color: magenta;">N</span>OVICA</a></span>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yeAfp2JoqvAty-ahYHHnL7y6LN3NszAqyRP0I-K2CSS16S5QUrQyIpJIsxJd3XrxF6xQ8n83sxSNLzkmrzOVcR61sqv34gd94_MTmUj2CF6IAJhI5eUTIzg20NB27Ax2Dg/s1600/Bloglogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yeAfp2JoqvAty-ahYHHnL7y6LN3NszAqyRP0I-K2CSS16S5QUrQyIpJIsxJd3XrxF6xQ8n83sxSNLzkmrzOVcR61sqv34gd94_MTmUj2CF6IAJhI5eUTIzg20NB27Ax2Dg/s1600/Bloglogo.jpg" height="160" title="Great Artisan Site!" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I will be upfront and disclose that I was contacted by this company to review their site and was given a certificate so I could order an item for my review, while offering a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>$75 gift certificate</b></span> to one of my readers for them to enjoy a purchase of their own from NOVICA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">All I am asking of you is to look their site and see what they are all about. I was immediately impressed because this is a fair trade site, filled with artisans that are trying to make a living doing what they love to do and have a talent for. This is something I truly believe in. While I love the old and the vintage, my heart is always for the artisans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.novica.com/our-mission/">NOVICA</a></span> is more than just a website for artisans. They work to support them and give us an opportunity to LEND small amounts of funds (only $10 and up) to an artisan of your choice, which they pay back without interest. Once the lender is repaid, the lender has the option of turning the repayment into a store credit with an extra 15% bonus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is a 1 minute video about Eka, who supports her family through her wood making. </span></div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/N9PDyle6ZJ8"><span style="font-size: large;">http://youtu.be/N9PDyle6ZJ8</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To learn more about lending, just click <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://microfinance.novica.com/">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><i>And finally, a 1 min video about NOVICA Certified.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUNCO9UTfRE&list=UUAnbKbdHxLRLtN4wq33Efmw</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>If you would like to be entered into the drawing for the $75 gift certificate</b>, please leave a comment and please make sure I have a way to contact you. I do not use Google plus, so please leave your email if you wish. Or send me your email via the link listed on the image of the typewriter on the right sidebar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">NEXT POST: I will continue with my series of my favorite things and also share with you what I purchased from NOVICA. <b>I will also give away my own handmade craft item to <i>all</i> who links my post to their social media.</b> More details on my next post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Thank you for visiting and for visiting NOVICA. I am still learning myself all that they are about, but so far, what I have read, I am very impressed with. I hope you are too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">(Oh, if you made it down this far, I thought I would share with you that all these images were NOT taken in my home! I thought it would be funny if some readers never went down this far and left my blog thinking, <i>Man! Elizabeth really needs to clean her windows!</i> LOL!!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>From my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-89296431898896994572014-04-23T18:23:00.000-05:002014-04-23T18:23:03.235-05:00Some Pathways Need Passing<br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope this day has been a happy one for you. I rested today and decided to finally start clearing out a lot of images that I always tell myself, <i>I'll get to those later</i>...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I even have an actual file for images named, "Get to later"! Well today is "later" and I came across my Smokey Mountains images that I took two summers ago. I could have sworn that I shared these and the following story, but I searched and searched my blog and I can't find the story I am about to tell. So either it was in draft form and never published, or I just can't find it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, I apologize ahead of time, should this story be a repeat...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Fallen Log Should've Been a Clue...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Have you ever done something so stupid, that when you recall it, you still cringe? I mean so stupid, that when you share it with someone, you are still incredulous that you could have been so clueless??? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, that is what this story is about...being clueless. When I look back on this misadventure, I literally shake my head because just about everything I did in the following story is just not my mode of operation. In fact, I usually pride myself on my attention to detail...but in the case, my attention was on the wrong detail.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Grab your choice of beverage and sit for a spell, as I am finally going to get this story out, with the assurance that my regular readers know me well enough by now to know that I am usually not this clueless. And for the new readers, hopefully you will revisit me again so I can redeem myself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My story begins on a beautiful day in August, 2012. I drove out to NC to visit my beloved Lulu and Monty (my pugs) who lived with their daddy. On the way back, I decided to go through the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee and explore an area that I have driven near, but never stopped to really visit the location. I was on my own, as my barber husband was running his shop, and driving on my own is something I have done since my Germany days to the time I accidentally got lost in then, communist Poland, and had an gun pointed at me...another story, another time. Point is, driving long distances on my own is something I have enjoyed a very long time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I visited all the areas...cabins, parks, and even hiked on the Appalachian trail a bit! I took this pic of a hiker, who told me he had several states to go yet! After walking around a bit, it became very apparent to me why walking sticks are so handy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Note to self...when tree roots are as tall me, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>then big things are in the forest...</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On a beautiful day, I drove very deep into the mountains, and on a whim, I decided that I wanted to see a waterfall that was in the area. The above image shows the boulder path that I was about to trek deep into the Smokey Mountains... (That trail sign is about the same height as me to give you an idea of the size of the rocks and trees).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My trek very quickly began a fairly steep incline. It was so, so beautiful! I have been in many forests in this country and others, and I will say, the Smokey Mountains are just breath taking - almost like a Dr. Seuss story book. It was just me, my Canon, and my camera backpack that held several lenses and other camera equipment. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The August air became very cool and inviting as I hiked deeper and deeper in the forest. After about an hour or so, a couple of hikers were coming down the path and I asked how much further to the waterfall? They said it would be about another hour and half. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The forest gets darker...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The forest was getting darker as the trees became denser. I looked up to see a bit of sunlight, assured that I had plenty of time. No cell coverage this deep in the woods. I was just so amazed by the beauty of the trees and how each were so different. The forest became more dense with trees, fallen logs, and vines. I remember being so happy that I had plenty of camera cards with me, as I was taking tons of images, while navigating over the bigger and bigger boulders on the path as I made my way up.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just love the boulders and roots on the path - it looked almost like a movie set - all just too perfect!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">About an hour or so later, I could really start to hear the waterfall, but could not see it. I look down to my right, and way below the water is rushing, making lots of noise. I zoomed in, but wish I hadn't so you could see how far down the water was on my right.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That is the true color of the moss! I know! Just beautiful, isn't it? I could have taken 100's of images of just tree roots alone.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPSJsncXWVx_1Wl18Zs-hCKRMALJGiboQhpvJY0n9oMtJoerkNEVX7xLHoZImAu5BkIppNtFI-vips-YKjuET265l3OF_cyJnfU_muUZtCDrX7A1okyQLtyB4m9bnoWhlgQ/s1600/IMG_2255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPSJsncXWVx_1Wl18Zs-hCKRMALJGiboQhpvJY0n9oMtJoerkNEVX7xLHoZImAu5BkIppNtFI-vips-YKjuET265l3OF_cyJnfU_muUZtCDrX7A1okyQLtyB4m9bnoWhlgQ/s1600/IMG_2255.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now I am showing the path image below again because it is the last image I took before my very big misadventure. If you look at the end of the pathway, you can see a very slight bend to the left. The pathway actually goes left, around a bend, that you cannot see from this image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jA3nbjL6fM40bauGWKB7AOvev_Zhhz8sznX7Mzuc8YCezYY_rhuRH-gcPsGaNTy7YAgyFYl2WbiYad2MkQoRvQp57W7gAFuAICZ1d__y_QJ397e6biag4zmxppowgJM6OQ/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jA3nbjL6fM40bauGWKB7AOvev_Zhhz8sznX7Mzuc8YCezYY_rhuRH-gcPsGaNTy7YAgyFYl2WbiYad2MkQoRvQp57W7gAFuAICZ1d__y_QJ397e6biag4zmxppowgJM6OQ/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Again, happily listening to the rush of water down the cliff on my right (you can see a drop off on the right of the image to give you an idea). I am about 30 minutes or so from the waterfall, but it is so loud, it sounds like it is only a few feet away! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As I round the bend to the left, the hill on my left suddenly rises sharply, taller than my head, and there is now a "wall" of dirt, tree roots, and rocks to my left. This important to the story.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, again, here is the situation: on a trail filled with boulders, a steep drop to my right, down to rushing water, and a very steep incline to my left, sort of like a cliff then the forest continues beyond the cliff.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I round the bend, and I look up to see where I was going, and as I walked past the "wall of dirt and roots" to my left, as my view became clearer on my left, into the forest, there was a HUGE mamma bear looking right at me! I stopped in my tracks and froze. My heart was beating so loudly, I felt a rush in my ears. I remember reading from some tourist pamphlet, that if you come across a bear, NEVER turn and run, and just wait for the bear to carry on with what it was doing, then "take a different route" without turning around. I waited, and waited for what seemed like two or more minutes, and the bear did not budge, but kept staring at me. She was about 50 feet away from me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVN8NW6QE6nHELISPdMj6mY8m84ST5-JfDmaAtZF15OOzx9baz85D92OBnS9hhi2DVhjQ0WEhPHBDfwCFGxYb5dM8QAQ2IogBPcZ0GjMUkFS_RE3n-CQuLr-NQNhlW-1MEA/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVN8NW6QE6nHELISPdMj6mY8m84ST5-JfDmaAtZF15OOzx9baz85D92OBnS9hhi2DVhjQ0WEhPHBDfwCFGxYb5dM8QAQ2IogBPcZ0GjMUkFS_RE3n-CQuLr-NQNhlW-1MEA/s1600/IMG_2243.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I also remember reading somewhere that should a bear become aggressive, make yourself "big" and throw rocks at it and shout, but never turn your back. That is when panic really set in...I had NO alternative route, as I explained my pathway situation earlier...there were NO rocks!!! Only boulders, but I scanned the pathway frantically, and not a freakin rock to be found that I could pick up!!! And lastly, I could NOT go backwards, because as you can see by the trail, I would trip up big time...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I actually began to shake, and after about a three-minute stare-down between me and the bear (and she continued to stare at me), I slowly walked backwards, until my head was once again below the ravine and once again, a "wall" of dirt and roots were next to me. I had no choice but to turn around so I wouldn't trip and began to walk quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then the most terrify noise I ever heard: Huge, huge branches being broken at a steady pace behind me, up on the ravine! The bear was following me and that was the sound of branches breaking as she followed me. I kept looking over my shoulder and could only see the top of her head bobbing up and down. I slowly pulled my backpack off, and slid it in front of me and wore it backwards thinking if I have to, I can shove it at the bear, God forbid we get that close. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The sound of branches breaking went on well over 20 minutes. I began to tear up, shake, and praying that other hikers would come up the trail. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But nope, just me and the bear.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It was a good 30 minutes that I no longer heard the branches cracking, but NOW, I was so freaked out, I frantically scanned the deep woods, side to side, behind me, in front of me, looking for more bears, for the next hour and half. My camera never came out on the way back to the car. The entire time I hiked back, I was so mad at myself for being so stupid...never even thought of bears!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But that isn't the end of the story...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I could see the parking pad in sight, I actually began to cry, after holding it in for so long. But here is the real shocker...in the parking area (not at the trail head, where it should be) was this sign:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxSyQlt7s-0JFQ17Yo3AaNEQGT9RkvgK-05J5U5ioSuDIv9YxhW3nwk8DSnj5kSGuyYFLsRveJjdl7VRQRiwcv1Tp7J1V-EFVqtV2yY-yOIOpEAOV2XkGnK2zzRvxRWUCEw/s1600/bear+sign1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxSyQlt7s-0JFQ17Yo3AaNEQGT9RkvgK-05J5U5ioSuDIv9YxhW3nwk8DSnj5kSGuyYFLsRveJjdl7VRQRiwcv1Tp7J1V-EFVqtV2yY-yOIOpEAOV2XkGnK2zzRvxRWUCEw/s1600/bear+sign1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Here is a close up of the part that freaked me out:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFq4mNCEMLCIjoV0MUtszLpYeLwcZd5HqBig5jwhNPc2E4uy5cAOOZkk5GGsCrb50vabnDI5Hw0UHnudpbUVCPyNPz7UKkIfSzSDcZka2lfL06Tr25kUNXDF7nQb3BBpstA/s1600/bear+sign+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFq4mNCEMLCIjoV0MUtszLpYeLwcZd5HqBig5jwhNPc2E4uy5cAOOZkk5GGsCrb50vabnDI5Hw0UHnudpbUVCPyNPz7UKkIfSzSDcZka2lfL06Tr25kUNXDF7nQb3BBpstA/s1600/bear+sign+2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Read the last line in the sign above and then look below:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4pzDAyatx1k45kqm8VedAEVKqVHunUihPmturNbp7A_wtjrXSJL8_aqlit9MFWmnVQvXf3dwpZhsrvg-tPONJWS-bG2SkLjUGyiNc4P_4l6_SvLHiMIk8GAg5Ln_eMYnrA/s1600/bear+sign+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4pzDAyatx1k45kqm8VedAEVKqVHunUihPmturNbp7A_wtjrXSJL8_aqlit9MFWmnVQvXf3dwpZhsrvg-tPONJWS-bG2SkLjUGyiNc4P_4l6_SvLHiMIk8GAg5Ln_eMYnrA/s1600/bear+sign+3.jpg" height="468" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">AAACCKKKK! I don't which is more disturbing...the fact that I missed this sign, or the fact that someone was so stupid to purposely let a bear "sniff" him, whom became the bear's prey!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But, that isn't the end of the story either....(I know, I know).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I go to the visitors center/museum and I see a HUGE stuffed bear, and realize that my bear was larger! I find a park ranger and tell him of my experience and he shared this with me:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ranger: "Unfortunately, bears are so used to getting food from humans they expect to be fed. They also recognize backpacks as things that have food in it. For a bear to follow you for so long, she was either waiting for you to turn around and feed it, or it was sizing you as prey. You got very lucky."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And, thank God, I had not just eaten lunch in the car, nor had any food on me, as the park ranger said, the bear would have smelled that and may have been more aggressive. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But story continues:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Later that night, in the hotel room, I was lying in bed, had my camera and was clicking through my images, just amazed at how beautiful the forest was, and how clear and colorful my images were. I laid there looking at the tiny screen on my camera, reviewing the images, and suddenly, I come across an image that is so beautiful, crisp and very clear....EXCEPT...what is that blurry thing way in the back??</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWskT76MQ01GdEtPTn2IHDN5UUGEq0Z5ioFeWxZnUvN5jdPAZ15dXeDJy9oD4WiL_XjoN3vnTJmifh-tMUZEmkJ2BB-914Jl4-UOiqYfWtMOH7DgvJ_vv6rjncWKNLqE3yQ/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWskT76MQ01GdEtPTn2IHDN5UUGEq0Z5ioFeWxZnUvN5jdPAZ15dXeDJy9oD4WiL_XjoN3vnTJmifh-tMUZEmkJ2BB-914Jl4-UOiqYfWtMOH7DgvJ_vv6rjncWKNLqE3yQ/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My heart starts to race, and I sit up immediately, and zoom in as far as I can (my heart is beating faster just at the memory) and...I review the image numbering and order, and I realize that this image was taken right before I rounded the bend! You can now see how high the left side of the forest was rising as I walked up further. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxAGcBbLUvVRENJLAwb2JVvbQImJPZSv-NTTA_HWFctccwOihgrJYgRGHR_zrh548D61PQ0t8PeosSPIVEqpFxumeuZJtan1JXTtyTq4YHgpJji9T8YNezY-BDKSb232w-A/s1600/IMG_2259+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxAGcBbLUvVRENJLAwb2JVvbQImJPZSv-NTTA_HWFctccwOihgrJYgRGHR_zrh548D61PQ0t8PeosSPIVEqpFxumeuZJtan1JXTtyTq4YHgpJji9T8YNezY-BDKSb232w-A/s1600/IMG_2259+cropped.jpg" height="532" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That blurry blob is the freakin bear head, popping her head over the bolder (hence why it is so blurry, I sharpened it the best I can), and I am realizing that I was actually stalked. The damn bear heard me walking up the trail, popped up, then got back down, and "cut me off at the pass" which explains why it was looking directly at me when I took my eyes off the trail and lifted my head as I rounded the bend. She wasn't surprised to see me, but I was surprised as hell! Lying there in the hotel room, realizing the bear was very aware of me, and was <i>waiting</i> for me, just freaked me out. If I blow up the image any larger, it just gets more blurry, I found a picture of a bear in a similar pose, so you can see what I am seeing:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNaeSy9t2He99ZdFc9zS1p4Hp07uPdYqy4IH7hCwP71LpNmHkswJa-jkLDuXCMsxWlIPs4TO0WGNSAbS9ZDUgPz04et2Fj1fhrIs2-BoQhYBXw1QCxjh64rJnlejBztdy8g/s1600/fc144e00482ceeccd24b19f3eef4ebcd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNaeSy9t2He99ZdFc9zS1p4Hp07uPdYqy4IH7hCwP71LpNmHkswJa-jkLDuXCMsxWlIPs4TO0WGNSAbS9ZDUgPz04et2Fj1fhrIs2-BoQhYBXw1QCxjh64rJnlejBztdy8g/s1600/fc144e00482ceeccd24b19f3eef4ebcd.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Only her head popped up, but the light tan in my image is the nose, with the dark dot as the nostrils, and very tiny, two dark dots are the eyes. Here is another image that helps show the face of the bear right above the bolder in my image. (Bear images from Pinterest and could not find the final source. If these are your images, I will be more than happy to source you, or remove them, if you wish.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWWpp7lUxEyqGQ0UwB0Dwc8zxlo6nM01P3D0trYYGh-XI18cZRZa89FLZXsI466ggTAq9nIqatR6sFVjU2TuRrqR-QQvA96jNd-7kl7lJvY4mE-V5ocarFxYwQBHfloaf2A/s1600/bear+-+black2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWWpp7lUxEyqGQ0UwB0Dwc8zxlo6nM01P3D0trYYGh-XI18cZRZa89FLZXsI466ggTAq9nIqatR6sFVjU2TuRrqR-QQvA96jNd-7kl7lJvY4mE-V5ocarFxYwQBHfloaf2A/s1600/bear+-+black2.jpg" height="400" width="377" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Guess what? Not end of the story yet! Crazy, right?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, the next day, I realized that I really wanted to see a waterfall, but was way too shaken up to go on a hike. But a park ranger told me where to go see a waterfall (not nearly as large as the original one), and he assured me the trail is short, and there are always tons of people. So I went, and the parking lot was filled. I was really afraid, but there were tons of people on the path...little kids, families...grandmas...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was a nervous wreck, but after about 30 minutes, I calmed down, and finally took out my camera and started to enjoy my day of shooting. I was happy that I wasn't too scared to try again. And then suddenly, I heard that sound that I will never forget: large cracking sounds of breaking branches. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I froze, my heart beating wildly. I scanned all around me, and kept hearing the crunching noise. I looked up, and no further than 20 feet away from me was a tall tree, with a tiny, baby bear chomping on branches. He/she couldn't care less that I was there....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...but a bear that tiny has a big mamma bear very near by. I froze and could not move! And guess what? Not a single, friggin person in sight!!! Are you serious? Just moment earlier, I had to scoot off the trail to let so many people by me...and now, not even a voice within earshot!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I prayed and slowly put my camera away, and kept scanning the forest, all while being nervous wreck. I finally heard some voices, and walked towards the voices, and I told them that there was a baby bear up the trail, and they both squealed with delight and took off to go find it to "take a picture with it."!!! I had no interest in going back towards the bear, and scanned around and saw a very, barely used trail that looked like it went to the highway. I took it and quickly found myself on the highway, and I hiked a very long way back. But I was so shook up, NOW I kept thinking of all those photos the travel agencies print of people taking pics of bears walking on the highways...needless to say, I was a mess with racing thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But here is the kicker: When I told people of my experience when I got back home, the first reaction? "Oh!! Man!! You got to see TWO bears?!?" And was asked if I got a chance to take any pics of them, and how they go there to vacation all the time and never see bears...and how lucky I was! Again, seriously?? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So that this misadventure doesn't get wasted, I will share with you what I learned from this if visiting the Smokey Mountains:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And never hike with anyone who says at the beginning of the trail:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Oh, I hope we get to see a bear today!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(Unless, of course, you are 100% sure you can outrun her.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope you enjoyed reading my misadventure. I will always be a nature lover at heart, but know that I wouldn't think twice about leaving you in the dust should anything remotely bear-like came into view... :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house</i>,</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-45327995898416084692014-04-18T17:14:00.001-05:002014-04-18T17:14:30.046-05:00The Power of Power Outages<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am healing nicely - PT is going well too. While my physical therapist is a young, smiling woman with long hair, I am still glancing around the back of her neck and on her scalp, as I am sure “666” embossed on her somewhere. How someone who greets you so cheerily and then without a blink, have you in tears only moments later, to then only have me <i>thank her </i>and wish her a good day! LOL. I want to thank you all for contacting me via emails and comments to wish me well. I have been off the computer for some time, as I am finding that my therapy days tend to trigger migraines, which keep me off the computer for a bit. I read all your emails and comments, but must limit my time on the computer these past couple of weeks. But again, I am very glad to be headed in the right direction, and before long, I will be tap dancing up a storm. (Never mind that I never tapped danced in my life...but never too late to learn with a brand new knee, right?).</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">During these past few weeks of spring has made my recovery more than a little interesting. A couple of weeks ago, about 5:15 AM, I awoke with the tornado siren blaring outside. I jumped up, and punched my beloved in the ribs (lovingly, of course) and yelled, “Get up! Tornado!” And I “ran” down the hall to the basement and “ran” down the stairs. It wasn’t until sometime later, after the storm passed, did my barber husband ask if I was okay. Thinking he meant my fear of the storm, but he was referring to my knee. He was behind me as I “ran” down the hall, and I barely recall him yelling at me, “Be careful! Be careful” as I made my way down the hall. At the time, I thought he was talking about the storm in general, but no, he just hasn’t seen me move at such a pace in almost two years and I think I freaked him out more than the storm! I am a little frustrated because I have no memory of running, or getting down the stairs quickly, and I so wish I could replay that moment in my head and so I could see myself running once again. But, I do relish in the idea that I DID run, even though at the moment I can’t - but will again. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Amazing how fear can energize a decrepit, sleepy person!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Storms energize me. I feel so energized, in general, during a short-term power outages. In fact, I think our culture’s norm changes for the better during power outages. Now, I am talking about short-term outages, such as a branch disrupting power over a few blocks, or construction knocking out a line for just the afternoon. Not the life-threatening, losing all our food, three-weeks-without-no-air conditioning outages. But during those shorter outages, it is amazing how neighborhoods reenergize when our lives lose their power source. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Suddenly neighbors are out on the porches and in driveways talking to each other, borrowing candles and batteries for flashlights. No blaring televisions, stereos, noisy A/C units as the street grows darker except for small glows of candlelight flicker through open windows. Even in the age of cellphones with Internet service, most people conserve their phone battery until power is restored, so even cell phones are put away for a while. During those power outages, children are also outside playing, reminding me of my own childhood. Suddenly, eating dinner on the porch with a camping lantern is more romantic than just purposeful. As the street darkens, and neighbors gather around eating popsicles and ice-cream (because we all know how they will melt in just <i>moments</i>), it is nice to enjoy the moment, free from electronic obligations. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My barber husband plays guitar (just a little bit) but suddenly, the music he plays is now a live concert, with a “lightening” show in the distance, accompanied by bass (thunder). It’s comical when the wind suddenly turns cold, how the adults in unison say, “Whoa!” and then we all wonder aloud where did <i>that</i> came from, as we look around and up at the sky like experienced meteorologists, as we offer up our predictions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The adults begin sharing their personal horror stories of storms from their past...the adult version of campfire, scary stories - sans flashlight pointed at the storyteller’s face. Suddenly porch steps, the curb, or a car’s bumper all become comfortable couches for neighbors who normally warm up the lazy boy with feet kicked high, behind closed curtains, and stereo surround-sound turned up to drown out any outside noise.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">These short-lived power outages offer us a chance to reconnect not only with others, but to rediscover non-electronic ways to occupy our time: Reading a real book (not Kindle), knitting in silence, listening to the wind and rain, playing cards, taking a walk, draw chalk figures on the sidewalk (yes, really), or just lie back and enjoy the cool breeze blowing through the open windows. It is my observation that it seems as though our culture seeks “permission” to cut ties with our electronics. We pay bills, do banking, communicate, share, respond, research, play games, listen to music, and can even shop groceries via electronics. </span></span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Things we do so naturally now via electronics, were once an opportunity to socialize, get to know the bank teller, meet a friend for a chat and coffee, or just browse the public library. </span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">We seem to feel like we are wasting our day, or feel non-productive should we take a day or two off from the cell phone or computer. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While electronics are an amazing and wonderful part of our culture, they can also be a burden. A burden to upgrade, keep up, learn new programs, expensive, limited in some areas, and as we all know, it can also be unreliable. But mostly, this man-made power just doesn't have the power of real human touch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span>I think the reason I am so drawn to abandoned buildings is because at one time, the building was so full of life and stories. And nothing man-made has enough power to bring that abandoned building back to <i>real</i> life. Only human love is powerful enough to bring life to an empty room...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was on a photo shoot and setting up in another room when I walked into this room to go get my chandeliers that I left in the corner. As beautiful as the old French chandeliers are...it was the bright sunlight that made me stop in awe and wonder. No matter how much I style a shot, even with the most beautiful props, the power of natural light, is by far, so much more powerful than anything I could ever create.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And that is a good reminder for me to realize that what <i>I</i> create, plan, or want, would never be as wonderful or powerful than what <i>He</i> wants for me - Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will always plan and create...but with an open heart and mind that allows Jesus to direct me, change me, and use me to the best of <i>His</i> ability, not mine. Man-made power is so wonderful and beautiful that it is easy to see how it benefits our lives. But the true Power allows us to fully feel His presence - we don't have to see Him to know He is working within us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Happy Easter to you all, and may you always feel the power of Jesus in your beautiful lives.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-59226126987974585492014-03-05T20:25:00.001-06:002014-03-05T21:43:47.891-06:00Rear Window <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I hope all is well in your world. My world, these past two and half weeks have been a time of testing, a time for resting, and a time for "nesting."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now before I share my last two and half weeks, I will share a few images I took at an 1800's log cabin that my barber husband and I visited not long ago. He felt I would really love it, since it would be a while before I could be out and about. (More on that in a moment.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My beloved took me to a very remote cabin on a very cold and windy weekend....weather wasn't an issue, as the cabin had a wood stove. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There wasn't a bathroom, rather an outhouse (below). No real running water (only water fed to the sink by a well) and no electricity. There were a couple of solar panels, but they were not hooked up at the time, but oil lamps are just the touch to make playing checkers romantic). My handsome barber is making a fire for me above, as I am a fire lover...fires are never long enough or big enough for me. :-)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The privy wasn't bad, actually...got to hear the coyotes up close and personal at night. I felt right at home with the little stove...we made great pancakes (or flapjacks, as my father would say) and brewed up some good ole coffee. Sometimes, I really believe I was born in the wrong century. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The kettles on the wood stove (below) were full of water for washing dishes and ourselves. I loved the little bit of humidity it gave off in the cabin.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The sink was literally a little copper pipe, bent, and a turn knob to get the water going. More than once we got splashed, as it takes time for it to come down the hill...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While I was outside in the early morning chill, snapping photos, my beloved barber (and his very worn long johns) was getting breakfast. I love this image because you can see how small the cabin is (sleeping quarters was up in the loft). But to be honest, the little cabin had everything we needed and never felt cramped - only cozy.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This view from our porch was so serene. A little farmhouse below in the valley with a bright red barn...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We drove around to visit the other few cabins (all owned by one person) and got permission to do some target shooting. Most people don't know that I absolutely love to shoot - and I will say that I am a very, very good shot. (I have target sheets to prove it :-)! Below, I am shooting our .22 Ruger long rifle. I was more interested in taking pics of this little red cabin area, but did take a moment to help site in the rifle with my barber/chef/shooter/fire-builder...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And of course, the rifle isn't all that I shot, I brought along some props to shoot! No way am I going to pass up such fab light at a great location. Below is just a sample of my styled shots...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While I could go on and on with my styled shots, I will have to show more of them later. I was just in heaven to have a whole day to just shoot, be outside, and be with my beloved. Couldn't ask for more, really.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But all good things must come to an end, which leads me to the present. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">A "REAR WINDOW" VIEW TO MY CURRENT LIFE:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(For those of you lucky enough to be so young you do not understand the reference to "Rear Window," that is a reference to a famous Alfred Hitchcock movie with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. Jimmy is laid up, and gets to know his neighbors through his rear window, up close and personal...)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, you get to know me up close and personal...maybe even more than you ever wanted or hoped for. But hey, this is reality (via iPhone) and as much I would love the "Pinterest" lifestyle, my life really isn't that "Pinteresting" to be frank.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Briefly to recap the last 15 or so months: Back in Nov 2012, I had "simple" knee surgery that went very wrong. I was in constant pain, couldn't even walk at a fast pace, or without a limp. I gained a ton of weight not being able to move for so long, and I never knew what was going to be a "good day" or a "bad day." I didn't write about it very much in my posts, as it was a depressing topic for me, and besides, I really didn't know how the story would end....</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, on Feb 13th, I got a total knee replacement. Yup, sort of like the bionic woman, but not so bionic...I have been spending these last two and half weeks mainly in our bedroom...with my iPhone. Do you have any idea how crazy I am going without my camera? I decided this would be the best time to get my pro camera professionally cleaned (takes several weeks). When I am not dozing off, or doing physical therapy, then I have my computer and iPhone. However, today is the first day that I am not too tired to actually stay awake longer than 30 minutes....so I give you my "reality" below, all in its vivid glory... :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfRLs07Y1dsiyJuaXd4qCdXgS2IwWZg0fECs8ilzcdOTY-lRJ2zRitFAkuXiqQpvXStUlc7PenB-Wn5YcTVO50iowBBc-3LLbpA0dINzJr0qGXiMb9QSB8f3KUm5g-iECaw/s1600/photo-2hi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfRLs07Y1dsiyJuaXd4qCdXgS2IwWZg0fECs8ilzcdOTY-lRJ2zRitFAkuXiqQpvXStUlc7PenB-Wn5YcTVO50iowBBc-3LLbpA0dINzJr0qGXiMb9QSB8f3KUm5g-iECaw/s1600/photo-2hi.jpg" height="640" width="530" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is where my leg (and the rest of me, come to think of it) are almost 24/7. I must be in this passive movement machine 6-8 hours a day for the first three weeks. And the little controller next to me, allows me to increase the bending. My goal, I am told, is 110. I am happy to report that I did reach that today!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I then started to snap pics of my immediate (and daily)surroundings. I wasn't really thinking anything of it, until I downloaded them and started to play with them; I realized that what has become "normal" really isn't all that normal...really...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I realized as I stare at my bedside table, filled with all sorts of things I need throughout the day...I have a large amount of potions, lotions, balms, and creams...my skin has never been so dry, and my leg, when not wrapped up in its ace wrap, looks like a small blizzard, or snow globe, has taken residence since I am not allowed to have any cream near my incision. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My lovely caretaker/barber has brought me home things he finds at the pharmacy, while waiting for my perception to get filled...I am starting to feel like all these old-time remedies would fit perfectly in that cabin a few weeks ago!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What I find so ironic is that my "corn husker" and "bag balm" right next to my antique tea towel...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">For those of you with eagle eyes (or magnification enhancers), I am sure you spotted the honey and surgical tape. That is for my very burnt (but small burn, thank God) that I got last night. My beloved was making me a fab dinner, and as I hobbled into the kitchen on my cane, he held out a spoon for me to taste, while next to the stove. I had no idea that he had just taken the sauce pan out of 400 degree stove. I grabbed the handle to turn it out of the way, and well...let's just say I didn't think about my knee for the first time in over a year, for a few hours.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To my left, on my honey's side of the bed, I have my "desk," Every morning, my beloved puts my large basket filled with stuff, along with the leg machine, ice, and fresh water. Actually, I have no idea if any of this interests anyone at this point, but hey, this has been the most exciting day in a while. Plus, I personally love knowing the details of those I see online or in magazines. Yes, I am one of those that will take out a magnifying glass and scope out the details of a pic of someone's desk, or kitchen...I know I can't be the only one!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My basket has lots of very unrelated things in it: My therapy pages, a book on French kitchens, image files to be downloaded, glasses, scissors, kleenex, chocolate chips, almonds...the usual.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Then back on my right, on the floor next to my side table, I decided to take a quick snap from my phone. It wasn't until I downloaded it, did I realize that my pic may need some explaining...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Is it me, or does it seem a little strange (I prefer the word, "eccentric")that my side of the bed my Julia Child's <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i>, is leaning next to my Russian, WWII Mosin-Nagant, bolt-action, rifle. And my Mosin-Nagant, is leaning against my antique, linen, monogrammed table cover?? My rifle is very handy, as the arrow below points it out. I have shot it before, (at a shooting range) and I offer no apologies for it...except to my neighboring shooting buddies in the next stall, who said that my gun sounds like a cannon. (I also have a very beautiful Ruger Red Lable, 20 gauge, O/U - over/under that my barber got me). My goal is to own a very nice (old) Smith and Wesson and an old, (decorative) Winchester rifle...I love both those makers. But I digress...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To be honest, I never really thought of neighboring weapon, Julia, and linen, until I took this pic. And the funny thing is, I use all three. Julia is second to none, my Mosin's site is dead on (no pun intended) and my linen table cover has seen many a tables over the years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So whether this side of me endears you, or fears you, (and I wouldn't blame you if it was the latter), I am who I am... :-)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And who am I? Well, for now, I will say that I am someone who is very loved by my barber husband. I must boast that he has made me(from scratch) delicious meals of <i>Boeuf Bourguignon</i> (beef stew in red wine, bacon, onion and mushrooms), <i>Paupiettes Deboeuf</i> (braised stuffed beef rolls), and a very rich <i>Reine Desaba</i> (chocolate and almond cake). (And why is it again, that I have a gained a ton of weight...?)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Well, it is time to do more PT...which I hate and is very painful. But everything is going pretty well and I see the surgeon again on the 14th. I will be up and around before long.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Until then, I will keep resting, nesting, and testing myself with lots of therapy. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I appreciate and am so grateful to all those who have sent me beautiful cards, stopped by to visit, or sent me some of the most wonderful hand-made gifts that brought tears to my eyes. (The good kind of tears, which I welcome any day!) To all my readers, know that I am thinking of you and thank you for just stopping by for a visit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Miss you all.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-81510605255975940142014-02-13T01:56:00.001-06:002014-02-13T01:57:09.645-06:00Snow, Snow, Snow!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">when thinking how I miss you so.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>My computers are up and running finally! However, I'm not at the moment.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">When I'm running again, I will be sure to slow down long enough to visit with you again. Until then, may you have a very heart-warming Valentines!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(And no worries, all is well.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>(And I never claimed to be a poet!)</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;">P.S. If you commented on any post not long ago and don't see it, I did read it, but for some reason, Blogger is not publishing them. Hopefully this will get fixed, but thank you, dear readers, for the lovely comments. I do read them all and feel special that you took time to stop by.</span>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-70630968166380047852014-01-05T17:55:00.001-06:002014-01-05T17:55:51.572-06:00Snowing Outside, Shining Inside<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can't tell you how much I have been wanting to "visit" with you for over a month now! I missed you and long story short...my entire computer system (two of them) are being completely revamped, backed up, updated, and completely wireless and getting all upgraded systems. What should have taken only two days is now going on over a month! I won't bore you with this, but at the moment, my laptop is on "pause" which means I can post something quickly and get it back to whatever the tech guy needs to do. I am a little frustrated, as I had wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I sincerely hope the holiday season has been good to you all.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">While it may look like the North Pole, I'm only in the Midwest under a blanket of snow as I type this out quickly. I can only post Iphone images for now, as my computer...well, never mind, that, too, is frustrating...aacck!...time to maybe get an Ipad?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But I digress; I snapped the above picture with my Iphone right before I began this post. My little holiday lanterns that I love are getting a little coating of snow, it seems.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And out my back window, I snapped this, as you can see the snow falling better. I will admit, it has been a very cozy day over here. A big pot of split pea and ham soup simmering, and candles lit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I usually begin the first of the year, reflecting on the past year, or dreaming about the new year in front of me. But this year, I would like to share with you an article that I clipped out of the newspaper, I think, about 15 years ago! I came across it again recently, and how this article really resinates with me at this time in my life. I thought you might enjoy it as well. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The article is written by Catherine Galasso-Vigorito:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Enthusiasm Kindles Confidence, Energy</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Best-selling author Napoleon Hill wrote, “Enthusiasm, if fueled by inspiration and perseverance, travels with passion, and its destination is excellence.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">A powerful transformation takes place when we are around sincerely enthusiastic people. They motivate us into action, encourage advancement and create the energy we need to ponder innovative ideas, to believe, and the sustaining power needed to achieve. And their ambitious, optimistic approach is positively infectious. Enthusiastic people find each day an adventure and lend enchantment to the ordinary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It’s been said that one of the best gifts we can give our children is enthusiasm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I was impressed with a story I read about wildlife artist John James Audubon (1785-1851). One of the greatest naturalists that America ever has produced; Audubon’s story is one of triumph over adversity. A lover and observer of birds and nature, he was a person of legendary strength and endurance, and he also had a deep appreciation and concern for conservation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Audubon would vanish into the wilderness for months, and when he would return, he would have numerous, precious drawings of birds. Once, after months of being away, he opened his trunk where he had stored his cherished drawings, and found that the rats had gnawed at them, destroying his works of art.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Audubon professed to a friend, “They have destroyed my drawing, but not my enthusiasm.” Thereafter, Audubon produced some of his greatest watercolors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It’s enthusiasm that accomplishes. Moreover, enthusiasm is much more than just a zest for work; it is for all of life and living. Enthusiasm is priceless possession to cherish, for life’s challenges cannot break a person whose spirit is warmed by the sun of enthusiasm. It releases the power to lift us above our obstacles and adds significance to all we do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">And HarryS. Truman, our 33rd president, said, “I studied the lives of great men and famous women, and I found that the men and women who got to the top were those who did the jobs they had in hand, with everything they had of energy and enthusiasm.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Remarkable accomplishments have resulted from the communication of ideas and enthusiasm, for all achievements have their beginning in an idea, and enthusiasm is the sustaining power of great thoughts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Genuine enthusiasm is contagious, and so is the lack of it. We must tune out the pessimist, not letting cynics drag us down. Having an enthusiastic mindset means being continuously on guard against negative forces.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Success and creativity grow and flow only in the a positive, upbeat environment. We are the ones who create that atmosphere, and we must build a strong hold of defense around it. Nothing determines who we will become so much as those things we choose to overlook. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">If someone says or does something hurtful, it says something about the other person, not about you. Some like it when you are down. It makes them feel superior. Toxic individuals are like quicksand and can torpedo any enthusiasm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Have cheerful, honest friends near, those who are heartening and helpful. Keep your mind on the good things of God and off of the things you do not want. By cleaning out the dark corner of your mind, creativity immediately will fill it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Reader Tammy DiCarlo wrote, “After 27 years as a registered nurse, I have recently changed careers and opened up a yarn specialty shop. Yarn artistry is very nurturing and therapeutic. I feel like I left one career of nurturing the body to a career in nurturing the soul. When I give my customers a welcoming and enthusiastic greeting, their response is, ‘We welcome you!’”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Those who are excited with enthusiasm and allow it to take hold and govern their thoughts find that new worlds open for them. As long as enthusiasm is there, so will newfound possibilities. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Cherish your visions and your dreams. And through persistence and prayer, let’s follow our hearts, proceeding enthusiastically with our plans and joyfully living our lives, giving our all.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hello, it's me again. Isn't that a great article? And it is so meaningful at this time of my frustration with my dang computers and not being able to do what I want to do (for a very long time now). But, I will say, I am very excited and very enthusiastic that once all is completed, I will finally be able to produce like I've been wanting to for a very long time now. Like Churchill said, "...It is the courage to <i>continue</i> that counts."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What about you?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Could 2014 be the year that you reenergize your enthusiasm for that special dream you had at one time? You know the one I am talking about...that goal, wish, or dream that still nags you in the back of your very busy mind; the one that you will "get to" one day, just not today? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Your goal may be something simple like finally cleaning out the closet and getting rid of all those clothes you no longer wear. Or maybe,your dream is to have a huge garden next spring. Or perhaps, maybe your goal is something like finally learning how to make homemade bread. Whatever the goal, dream, or hope may be that is still nagging in the back of your mind...take comfort.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That little "nagging" is often mistaken as drudgery, regret, guilt, or just plain work. But it is really...a little voice tapping you back into enthusiasm to get started! And that is why I love my readers so much...your blogs that I visit, the emails I receive, so often, rev me up and keep me going to do/get/create that special "nagging" goal. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We all need each other, and I am so grateful to have you all in my life. You'd be surprised how a simple comment, or a post that I may read on your blogs, kick-start me back into action. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, it seems that my little holiday lanterns are starting to look like snow cones. I went out and snapped another image to see how much snow has fallen in just a very short time. My steps are losing their ability to call themselves "steps," but rather they are quickly turning into a slide!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These little lanterns still have their little flame inside...but the snow drifts are covering up the light. I can either wait for the snow to melt to enjoy the lanterns' light...or, I can go out and brush off the snow around them so not only to enjoy their light, but to remind me that it I am the one "who creates my atmosphere" and I have the ability to let my surroundings shine, if I so choose.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And that is the beauty...we all have the ability to choose when or how we will shine. I take in your brightness every time I "visit" with you, your blog, or read a comment, and for that, please know I am so very grateful for you make my life much brighter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">May 2014 be the year that is brighter and more hopeful than ever before for you and your family.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-19685682678552206222013-11-02T23:53:00.002-05:002013-11-02T23:53:47.843-05:00Fall Back...Spring Forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCsgUpZdPaFPI9B816JIrb9qLULL83pfb1gejsDyWW7WAwXtmf5LK1sh95smeaBpfBWi3gpmTekmBwh-06HA7bA_Bybcx2QX1rJ7npFTbSZEhOIzexBHxWaJ75164GQbG9g/s1600/tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCsgUpZdPaFPI9B816JIrb9qLULL83pfb1gejsDyWW7WAwXtmf5LK1sh95smeaBpfBWi3gpmTekmBwh-06HA7bA_Bybcx2QX1rJ7npFTbSZEhOIzexBHxWaJ75164GQbG9g/s640/tree.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Since we all gain an hour tonight, I thought I would use that extra hour to visit with you all. The air turned very cold this evening and while snuggled on the sofa, I started to go through some old image files and clean them out. I discovered that I never shared with you our visit to Abe Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It has been a few years since that visit, and as I started to look through the images, I discovered something kind of funny. I began to notice how familiar Mr.Lincoln's home began to look to me. While it is wildly decorated (and you will understand the term "wildly" in a moment once you take a gander at the wallpaper), there is a vague sense of familiarity to it as well. I also find it ironic that I made this discovery on the night we all turn our clocks back an hour. It might be only an hour we turn back, but as I look around my room, here, I think my clock has turned waaaay back, so far so, that I am finding quite a few things in my home that are also a part of the Lincoln's home. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I thought you might like to visit Abe's home, and maybe you might find yourself feeling a little familiar with some of the objects you see as well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Here is Abe Lincoln's home. And while it isn't as grand or stately as many brand new homes today, it does have a feeling of purpose...shutters that actually work and close off the windows. Not like the new ones today which are just ornamental. Windows galore, as there wasn't electricity back then. A strong fence to keep IN the kids, rather than to keep out strangers. Two chimneys to house the several wood stoves...the only source of heat. Yes, a very pretty house, with lots of purpose.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Upon entering, there are two main rooms. One on the left and one on the right. This is obviously the room for visitors who came calling. For a man who is always shown wearing black, his house is very colorful. Mary Todd Lincoln, I am sure had something to do with the decor, as she was determined to be fashionable.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This is the other main room, on the other side of the house, where little light was getting. I apologize ahead of time for some of the dark or fuzzy photos. We were on a tour and had to "keep moving" along. But this room is more of the family room as you can see much plainer furniture...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The wallpaper is different in every room. And the rugs all seemed to have some sort of red pattern as well. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The bedroom were very cozy and all had wood stoves...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But as I began to zero in on the items in the room, and not the room as a whole...that is when that feeling of familiarity started to creep in. (Who is that in the mirror? :-)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I zeroed in on the ironstone, of course. And the linens? I have some just like these right next to me almost within arm's reach.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And being married to a barber, yes, we really do have a razor strop hanging in our bathroom (and he uses it), along with a straight razor as well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Of course, I spied the soap and the ironstone soap dish...how many times have we all spied those dishes at antique stores...and while we might like them, it is neat to think that Abe's dish is as common as those we find, collect, and even use.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And I thought how funny to see his old books on the table, and how many of us LOVE old books and stack them on the table for decoration? I really wish I had brought my big purse that day...never can have too many old books...I'm just say'n...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">More old books. I tried to get a better pic of his items in the cubby holes, but the desk was too far away and I'm stuck behind the rope...but I really relate to the cubby holes...as I have cubby hole shelf on my desk, and it is filled with goodies too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Heading towards the kitchen now, I stop in my tracks as I eye the beautiful ironstone and even smile as I realize I have very similar plates and soup tureens as well. Now I REALLY wish I had my giant purse with me...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now the kitchen is where I really felt at home! I cook with cast iron all the time...Have a French towel hanging on my wall just like the one in the back. Jars, jugs, and crocks...yes, those too. And the cutting board, well, I love very old cutting boards.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And the mortar and pestle? Have several and I do use them. I have no doubt that many of you have these items as well. And I even have an oil lamp hung on the wall, over my stove, with mercury glass behind it that I do light in the winter. Suddenly my "stuff" seems a little bit more regal, and not so ordinary.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After my visit with "the Lincolns," and revisiting these old images, it is apparent how much we, as a culture, have changed. And yet, how many of us grasp for a bit of the past? Why? Do we want things simpler, even though harder to do and inconvenient? In my very limited knowledge of history, culture, and anthropology, it is in my humble opinion that while life may be "easier" now than back then, we <i>do</i> more. Period. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">With a quick flick of our finger, we have light. Back then, the lamp must be filled with oil, the wick trimmed, and the flame adjusted periodically, as well as the glass cleaned after it cools down. All for a less-than-perfect light. But the thing is, lighting an oil lamp took time. And while we can just flick a switch in seconds...what exactly do we do with all that time we just saved from not having to light an oil lamp?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">See where I am going with this? Easy to flick a switch and it saves loads of time, but what exactly do we do with all that extra time we just saved? Want a hot bath? Turn on the faucet. Back then? Chop some wood,start the wood stove, heat up water, and fill and refill the tub over and over again. After our quick bath...what do we do with all that extra time we saved? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I think since we get to have an extra hour tomorrow (Sunday), I am going to suggest we all use that time to really think about how exactly do we spend all these extra hours that we have in our day that Abe and Mary just didn't have? (Or rather, their servants, really.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Abe and Mary got 24 hours just like we do. But how those hours were spent in their home were so different than today's homes. Not better. Just different. But if we seem to gravitate towards the past, the antiques, the "old way" of doing some things...then maybe our heartstrings are being plucked for a reason.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Turning the clock back one hour is always a neat treat. But we don't need to turn the clock back to slow down. We can do that at any hour. We just need to decide what we are slowing down <i>for</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">May your extra hour be spent well while you enjoy the gift of time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>From my house to your house</i>,</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-30530451857949667982013-10-31T17:23:00.000-05:002013-10-31T17:25:31.760-05:00Little Lovable Lulu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, I never thought I would be writing this post so soon. And it is very hard...hard to see the damn keyboard, the screen and to see any real sense of it all. She was taken by cancer way before her time. So unfair.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My little Lulu has passed away early Sunday morning. Less than two months after our little Moto passed away as well. I am having a very hard time even looking for old photos of her, or going through digital files to find her because I am still in a little denial. But I know I will find the photos someday and maybe post them then. These past three weeks have been so emotional with her chemo treatments...just kept telling myself she will get through this.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But I was wrong.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lulu was my 40th birthday present, and also one of my store dogs. She was presented to me at my surprise party and instantly stole my heart. She would have been ten years old today. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lulu's daddy, Anthony, took such great care of her (and Monty). I kept her for a long while after Anthony and I went our separate ways, but later, I allowed Monty and Lulu to live with their daddy. He had such a regular schedule (and mine wasn't at all). A very hard decision, but it was best for Lulu and Monty to have routine in their lives. Visiting them both when I could, made me realize just how much I truly missed them. And while it might sound weird, I loved "talking" to her over the phone (daddy would put it on speaker) and then be told she would cock her head side to side as I talked to her several times a week. Her daddy wrote such a nice memorial for her. I am posting it below:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Memorial for Lulu by Lulu's daddy, Anthony. He says it all and more, and I thank him for sharing this with me:</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I can’t always remember little details of my life, i.e., my first birthday party, a first friend, my first crush, but I can remember when I first fell in love with our little Lulu.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">My wife at the time, Elizabeth burst in to the design and retail scene in St. Louis in 2001. She quickly developed a following and we were embraced by many of the local citizens of the small neighborhood in which we lived. Her store was a huge success with visitors coming from near and far to experience her keen eye for design and display. Part of the draw to the store was a furry, friendly little fawn pug named Monty. He was the cutest store greeter Elizabeth’s customers had ever seen. Monty melted many hearts and fit in perfectly with the black and beige signature theme of the store. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Fast forward almost two hears into the story, Elizabeth’s 40</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7.3px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> birthday was fast approaching in December of 2003. Like any good husband, I was searching for just the right gift for a woman who was rich in family, friends, and notoriety. I knew a surprise birthday party would be the center point of the celebration, so I proceeded to schedule the party in the restaurant located next door to the store. I invited many of the friends we had grown to enjoy over the past 2 years and began to count down the days to the party. The only thing missing was the special gift I still needed to locate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I had decided several weeks in advance that the gift would be another puppy to add to our home. I decided the perfect complement to our home and the store would be a black Pug. The “ying” to Monty’s “yang. “ I scoured the internet and ads for a breeder in the St. Louis area with pugs available. I found a local breeder in the area with an 8-week old litter available and set the date to make my clandestine trip to the breeder the day of the surprise party.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I arrived at the breeder’s house and was greeted at the door by the familiar yapping of pug barks. The breeder took me to her small kennel area where I was introduced to a fuzzy brood of black and fawn pugs. It was the cutest site I’d seen since I picked out Monty 5-years earlier. There were two black pugs and four fawn pugs; all of them clambering to greet me all and inflict puppy love on me. They were all so cute, so warm, fuzzy, and so happy! I was overcome by puppy bites and puppy breath all at the same time. I was truly in heaven. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Though all of the pups were absolutely beautiful, my only options were the two black pugs. One male, one female. Both were equally adorable, but since we already had one male pug at home, I chose the black female because she was so beautiful, warm, cuddly and attentive. A bundle of happiness, and puppy kisses given freely sealed the deal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I drove the little girl home, happy with the decision I made. She had huge bulging black eyes, a huge forehead and the cutest, tightest little swirled tail. I knew I made the right decision with this little girl, because she quickly came to rest on my lap as I was driving and began snoozing on the ride home. The little girl was presented on a beautiful red satin pillow at the height of the evening’s surprise party. The room went silent as the wait staff brought her in on the pillow, and the room erupted in oo’s and ah’s at the site of the little beauty. The little girl was placed on the floor and every adult human in the room quickly got on the floor and began playing with her and cooing their best puppy voices. The party and the little black pug puppy was a huge success!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Through the course of events the little girl was named Lulu, after the city of St. Louis. The city and thought of naming her after her birthplace provided us much happiness. The name fit her because of her dainty stature, and because she was in fact, a lulu of a pain! She quickly grew to pester her new found brother, Monty. Monty hated the little girl with a vengeance for weeks, until he had to succumb to the reality that she wasn’t just a bad dream. Unlike her brother, Lulu was not born for retail work. She was taken to the store daily, but had to be placed in her kennel for fear of running out the door, pestering customers, or raising too much Cain. She was a very intelligent girl with lots of energy…sometimes too much energy, but she quickly won my heart and became the consummate “daddy’s girl.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Fast forward again through divorce, a move to another home, a move to Illinois, and then back to St. Louis, two more home changes, a move back to Texas, a new apartment, dating a wonderful woman, moving to Durham to be with the wonderful woman, a marriage, a new kitty brother named Nico and a new home, and countless memories, experiences, challenges, and losses in between, Lulu grew into a beautiful and vibrant pup. When we arrived Durham, Lulu was a mature 7-years old. Still a character and bundle of energy, Lulu grew to be the alpha in the home and still had daddy wrapped around her paw. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Lulu aged gracefully and maintained all of the character I fell in love with when I picked her out of the litter. Her beautiful black eyes, bright with wisdom and adventure; her beautiful black coat shiny and peppered with grey; and her love for her brother, Monty and step-brother Nico evident in her daily interactions with them. Her daily routine included greeting daddy in bed by bursting through the bedroom door to announce it was time to eat breakfast, keeping a keen eye out on mommy as she sliced strawberries for breakfast, leading her now blind and aging brother through the yard to “do their business”, and waiting for daddy to return home from work. All of which Lulu excelled at as she aimed to live her life to the fullest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On September 9, 2013 Monty finally decided to leave us. His 15-year old body had finally had enough and decided it was time to rest. Lulu was by his side when we were saying goodbye to our faithful pup. Lulu knew her brother was no longer with her. She roamed through the house with little enthusiasm and direction. Nico felt the pain as well meowing through the house as to look for the ever present Monty. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A week after Monty left us, we took a planned trip (Monty was going to join us) to the NC coast to enjoy the last of the summer weather. Lulu still seemed to be in a funk, but we made the best of a hard time, and she enjoyed her first trip to the beach. She played in the sand, I carried her into the surf (she didn’t like it), and took a beautiful 3-mile walk on the beach. She walked the entire 3-miles without effort, enjoying the cool sand and water on her paws. We returned home two days later and continued on with our normal routine. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Shortly before Monty left us, Lulu’s eating habits changed. Some vomiting and lack of appetite, and a little lethargy, which we had originally attributed to nerves and after Monty’s passing, depression about his loss. Blood tests showed a slight decrease in albumen protein levels, and her vet and I chose to take a conservative approach and change her diet to rule out food allergies, etc. Over the course of two months we changed her diet twice, with albumen levels increasing and then decreasing at her last blood test. We decided to run an ultrasound of her abdomen to see if protein levels were being lost via bleeding. Unfortunately, the results were more serious and horrific than expected.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Lulu was diagnosed with lymphoma of the colon only a month after Monty’s passing. Lymphoma of the colon is a scourge found in only 17% of all dog cancer cases. Colon lymphoma is a rare and typically fatal form of cancer that is persistent and fast moving. Left untreated, a dog usually succumbs to the cancer 2-weeks to 2-months after diagnosis. Though unsure of the timetable we were dealing with, we immediately set an appointment with the oncologist at the local pet specialty clinic. The oncologist met with Lulu two days later and went through options available to us in battling the cancer. We started chemotherapy on Lulu the same day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Three weeks passed since her first chemo session. It’s been an emotional time with many peaks/valleys. Although, even with the chemo, most days have been good. We pinpointed her typical bad days as Wednesdays and Thursdays. By the weekend Lulu would be happy, energetic, and she would have a voracious appetite. We took these all to be signs of great hope and promise of recovery.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Lulu accompanied me to work on Friday, October 25, 19-days into her chemo. Since chemo, Lulu’s mornings would start off pretty slowly, but then she would bounce back and be closer to normal. This day, she was not bouncing back. She was very lethargic and did not want to move from the spot she usually lays when she’s with me at work. I called the oncologist and they advised me to bring her in for a blood test, since anemia is a concern due to disruption of cell production from bone marrow compromise. As suspected, Lulu’s red blood cell count had dropped from 14% to 8% in the course of one week. Lulu was critically anemic, with the only hope of raising the levels being a red blood cell transfusion. I made the decision to administer sub-cutaneous fluids and an anti-nausea, in order to take Lulu home to be comfortable. She had been through enough already.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When we arrived home, we made the decision to make Lulu as comfortable as possible. We started by feeding her steak; a treat she has never enjoyed in her entire life! We also discussed feeding her liver, kale, and black strap molasses, all of which are high in iron in the attempt to raiser her red blood cell count. Friday evening we watched with great hope as Lulu ate her entire steak dinner. She was alert, walking in the house, though she was visibly weak. Saturday morning, she ate her remaining steak and again was alert and walking in the house. She weakened throughout the day, and we continued to make her comfortable. We wrapped her in our pets’ favorite blanket and loaded her into our pet/garden wagon and took her on a walk of the neighborhood. She laid in the wagon and seemed to enjoy the bright sunshine, breeze, and crisp fall air. We stopped several times to allow her to do her business and also found a nice patch of green grass to lay in and take pictures with our girl. It was a wonderful time to walk her…she truly seemed happy and content.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Saturday evening Lulu was still very weak. She laid in her bed in the kitchen and watched intently as I made dinner. She knew that the kitchen equals goodness and she was bright-eyed and alert as I fed her bits of liver we had cooked for her earlier. She joined us wrapped in her favorite blanket in the living room as we had our dinner. Again, knowing that she should be with us waiting for any morsel to fall on the ground. She happily spent her last evening in our presence, in the home she loved, with the people who loved her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As I laid on the floor with her that night, Lulu weakened to the point where she was struggling for air. Her red blood cells were not providing the necessary oxygen to her lungs and brain to recover. She woke me with a poor cry to tell me she was ready to be relieved from her misery. We called her vet at 4:30 a.m. who came to help Lulu rest comfortably. My wife and I laid on the floor with Lulu as the doctor prepared to administer the medication. As I held Lulu tightly in my arms and the medication was traveling through her frail body, Lulu looked at me and began licking my nose…a final gesture of love and respect for her best friend of ten years. Within seconds, Lulu stopped breathing and her little heart went still. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This is in memoriam of Lulu. A tiny and beautiful little pug who knew her place in the world. She loved everyone who she came in contact with and trusted without question. She was a brave girl who was challenged many times in her life, but always faced her days with vigor and positive attitude. Like all cancer patients, whether human or animal, Lulu did not deserve her fate, but she trusted in us to at least try to make her whole. And then trusted us to take her pain from her. Lulu will always be my special girl. She will be missed every minute of the day and will continue to be my most special and trusted companion. Peace to you our Girl, until we meet again and we can run and play together in the Kingdom of Our Father. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I want to thank all of those who loved my little Lulu over the years. She loved you all right back. Especially want to thank her daddy and her new NC mommy. It made my heart rest easy to know that she was so loved, given the best care, and especially treated well and really loved by her new mommy, Liz, as if she had known Lulu from the first day we got her. That meant so much to me. Lulu was very blessed to have such a doting NC mommy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I miss you a lot my little Lulu. But know you are forever planted deeply in the many hearts you so lovingly touched.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love,</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29659542.post-73831975203600661222013-10-24T12:44:00.001-05:002013-10-24T12:44:30.641-05:00Cool Weather Cooking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The weather is cooler, and for me, that means more time in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking, but in cool weather, I like it even more so.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am very honored to be in the current Where Women Cook, not once, but twice! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I did the <i>Ingredients of the Season</i> feature (my ingredients were apples and pecans) and Where Women Cook also featured my Christmas Stollen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I was extra surprised, as I shot the stollen feature more than a year ago, but I think the publication knew the perfect time to present it. If you aren't familiar with <a href="http://www.wherewomencook.com/"><b>Where Women Cook</b></a>, I sure wish you would take a moment and click on the link and get a little familiar with it. They feature just ordinary cooks like me, famous cooks like Ree Drummand (Pioneer Woman), while offering tons of great tips, recipes, and ideas for entertaining. You can also order back issues for those of you who may be new to the publication. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I thought you might enjoy a few images from the publication as well as some that didn't get published. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This is an apple/carrot soup with apple peel rose as a garnish.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Yz90TSCvJ6s5z2lio41Oql6_S5VcIegv736qeEwNIO6JZXzdK0JomwJqKyj29tI_YoPYOoiavj_g8bIp7yPAbEKXKXZv-gG6NePHA4rYOIclOZ9-coDe_B-KcKCv3WhJdw/s1600/pecans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Yz90TSCvJ6s5z2lio41Oql6_S5VcIegv736qeEwNIO6JZXzdK0JomwJqKyj29tI_YoPYOoiavj_g8bIp7yPAbEKXKXZv-gG6NePHA4rYOIclOZ9-coDe_B-KcKCv3WhJdw/s1600/pecans.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Spicy lime and chipotle pecans. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2_q18UuyVs8Lppft9snm8odCdlkqLkB2VpkBXtsy5KqL6asWav47e5pZRudjP9mfvrrf0veCDnkb00FLCEXT7rWHXSl6auwswd-yebd808T2C3peqeJctboKjJqO7dRhig/s1600/bread+and+butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2_q18UuyVs8Lppft9snm8odCdlkqLkB2VpkBXtsy5KqL6asWav47e5pZRudjP9mfvrrf0veCDnkb00FLCEXT7rWHXSl6auwswd-yebd808T2C3peqeJctboKjJqO7dRhig/s640/bread+and+butter.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Praline Apple bread and pecan honey butter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Baked spicy apple slices and salted caramel dip.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Surprise spice caramel core apple:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And some Christmas Stollen images....old fashion German sweet bread in an old fashion setting: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I love this time of year. It is a season of spectacular, or simplicity. Either way, it is scrumptious. The recipes are in <a href="http://www.wherewomencook.com/">Where Women Cook</a> and as well as many, many more!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would like to thank Jo Packham (editor) for allowing simple cooks, as myself, to grace the pages of her fab magazine. I love to learn from those who are so much more experienced than me, but also knowing that the publication also recognizes those of us who just enjoy the art of cooking, well, inspires me because I can point at the recipe and think, <i>I can do that too!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Until next time, may your ovens be warm, your rolling pin floured-covered, and your hands sticky with something scrumptious.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>from my house to your house,</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethmaxsonphotography/5012318080/" title="Signature by Elizabeth's Point of View, on Flickr"><img alt="Signature" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5012318080_1825420f87_m.jpg" width="149" /></a>Elizabeth Maxsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15301271156213625334noreply@blogger.com9