This & That

{september – monday – morning}

√  Saturday afternoon we spent driving around the city, going grocery store to grocery store, looking for one particular ingredient.  We both had a hankering for Thai curried chicken & vegetables– which, logically enough, requires Thai green curry paste.  It’s such a basic ingredient for Thai cooking, yet it turned out to be almost impossible to get.

Eventually we found it in grocery store #6.  You’d think that we would have been annoyed by this whim turned bona fide expotition, but the day was so pretty outside that wandering around the city together was interesting.  I forget how large this area is– and that what seems normal to one person is something unique & fascinating to another person.

Sometimes searching for the treasure is all that I need to be happy.

√  Over the weekend we planted some flowers in colors that we’ve not used before.  Out front by the sidewalk leading up to the front door we planted true blue pansies.  And by the side of the house where we’ll see them when we drive up to the garage we planted some coral-colored roses.

Once upon a time our garden had a tightly controlled color scheme, but those days are long gone.  Now we have a confetti garden;  that is, flowers of various colors growing wherever they will grow.  It’s not what I initially envisioned, but that’s okay.  I like to see flowers around the outside the house and if multi-color is what works, it works.

Go Team Eclectic.

√  We were outside doing yard work yesterday morning.  The weather was cool & clear so the sky was blue.  We heard the plane before we saw it–  and when we saw it we both stopped doing what we were doing.  Overhead, flying at a low altitude, was a B-17.  Just moseying along in a straight line going somewhere.  Over our subdivision on a Sunday morning.  In 2012.

Kind of cool to see it.  Definitely unexpected.

√  Zen-Den went camping [cabining?] by a lake in Canada over Labor Day weekend with some friends.  He does this every few years & always comes back with tales to tell.  This year, besides his stories of middle-aged boys’ antics, he brought back a new radio station for us to listen to: CBC Radio2 [Eastern].  It’s good.

I won’t try to explain it to you because playlists & music appreciation are topics that I leave to those who care deeply about being surrounded by music.  Me?  I just like to hear something that doesn’t set my teeth on edge in the background.  And this new-to-us station pleases me– enough so that it’s giving Radio Paradise a bit of competition.

‘Tis music that doth soothe the suburban beast.  😉

 

The “Ray Of Sunshine” Meme

Last week Polly of caughtwriting tagged me with a lighthearted award known as The Sunshine Award.  It’s a fun little award/meme that lets me tell you, my gentle readers, a bit more about myself.

The rules are as follows: 1.  Thank the person who gave me this award;  2.  Answer the questions below – its all about favourite things;  3.  Pass on the award to other sunshine-y bloggers and tell them about it.

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1.  The Thank You.

Thank you Polly for thinking of me.  It’s always fun to find out what other bloggers have to say about the same topics.  I think that’s why I like memes so much.  They are a pleasant little peek into someone else’s life.

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2.  The Questions.

Favourite colour

Today it is aqua + cyan + teal.  Turquoise jewelry.  Ocean waves.  Soothing and relaxing colors that seem to call to me as the heat of summer is upon us.

Favourite animal

Cats.  First of all I think that cats are very handsome animals.  Then, of course, I  like how a cat with one disparaging glance can put anyone or anything in its place.  Good looks + attitude.  What’s not to admire?

Favourite number

Eight.  What I think is really cool about eight is that if you write it numerically, then lay it on its side, you will have the symbol for infinity.  Such versatility charms me.

Favourite drink

Vodka.  Preferably Grey Goose on the rocks with a twist of lemon.  It’s a simple and straightforward drink– easy to make, nice to sip, pretty to look when served in a cut crystal tumbler.

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter, definitely.   I find it more informative than FB.  I like how Twitter’s 140 character limit forces everyone to get to the point.  And it just seems more fun to me.  In the moment.  A little wacky.

Your passion…

Interior design.  Over the years I’ve gotten more interested in knowing about design principles & color combos & furniture styles.  Then using what I’ve learned I’ve been slowly redecorating our home so the it is more inviting + cheerful + livable.  When I’m not stressed out about all the expensive choices I’m making, I rather enjoy being an active amateur interior designer.

Giving or receiving presents?

I find the idea of giving or receiving presents problematic.  I don’t enjoy shopping for anything, ever– nor do I feel like anyone needs to give me a present for anything, ever.  All of which means that I’m uncomfortable with both the giving and receiving of presents.  Truthfully, I’d rather spend time with the people who I love than spend time messing around with presents for them.            

Favourite day

Tuesday.  Don’t know why.  I just like it.

Favourite flower

Lately I’ve been on a daisy and zinnia kick.  The former because they seem to grow anywhere– and the latter because I’m determined to get them to grow somewhere.

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3.  The Award Ceremony.

As for passing the award along to other sunshine-y bloggers, here’s what I’m going to do.

If you are a self-described ray of sunshine [or you’re looking for something to do on your blog], then by all means do this meme.  It’s fun.  It’s light.  It’s a perfect sort of meme that puts all other memes to shame.  YES, gentle readers, this is the meme for you.

And with that, I have fulfilled my obligation regarding Rule #3.  See you later, meme-a-gators.  It’s beautiful outside today– and this little ray of sunshine wants to be out in the garden.

Bourbon, Bourbon, Who’s Got The Bourbon?

{A Weekend Getaway – Part 2 of 2.  Part 1 here.}  

[I know, I know.  I said that I’d post once a week during the summer… but this adventure was two parts.  My blog, my rules to break at will.]

After taking time to enjoy Shaker simplicity, we hit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  Yes, there is such a thing.  You didn’t know that?!!

•  First we went to Woodford Reserve.  It was the only distillery to charge admission.  This might be in part because it was a very commercialized, modern place.  There were tickets & lines & audio headsets & a short bus ride & a long-winded presentation.

Our one small taste of Woodford bourbon was smooth & delicious, but the tour was not what we expected.  The whole experience had a “keep it moving” vibe to it.

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•  Next we went to Four Roses.  This distillery was about as mellow as the product they were selling.  Our tour guide was a young & friendly guy with an amazing knowledge of how the bourbon was made, the buildings in which the bourbon was made– and the charming family history that underscores the brand.

At the end of the tour our complimentary tasting included three different types of bourbon with suggestions of which ones to use in mixed drinks & which one to drink straight.  This tour was more of the experience that we had expected.

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•  Our third and final tour was at Maker’s Mark.  This distillery was by far the most personable and well-organized of the three that we visited.  The tour started in the refurbished home of the company’s founder, walked us through the distillery grounds, showed us the fermenting vats, the oak barrel storage facility & the bottling line where the bottles are hand-dipped in the famous bright red wax.

This tour ended in a laboratory-type setting where we each had four generous tastes of bourbon.  Our tour guide talked us through each glass telling us how the different Bourbons might taste to us– and why.  This was the experience we had hoped for along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

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[Hello FTC!  As you may recall I do not take any money or other compensation for my opinions about any products that I discuss on my sweet little bloggy.  I tell you this again in case you’ve forgotten that fact.  We good, my friend?] 

Five Senses Friday

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Feeling:

 tired

~  this has been an emotionally draining week filled with drama [so not me] + sadness [accept it] + introspection [must understand self better]

Hearing:

birds chirping loudly

~  a noisy cute little brown birdie couple have built a nest exactly where they can annoy me when I sit on the screened-in porch & when I’m in the kitchen

Tasting:

freshly brewed black coffee

~  as I insist on doing this meme in the morning I don’t know that they’ll ever be any other answer to this prompt

Seeing:

new buffalo check drapes hanging in the bay window in the kitchen

~ this is a project in process so no photos yet

Smelling: 

 the aroma of  juiced lemons

~  I’m about to make lemon curd for the first time – wish me luck

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{This wonderful idea is from abby try again.  If you wish, you may play along in the comments below or on your own blog.}