This month I went back to using my full-sized iPod (as opposed to the iPod on my phone) for roulette. I'm not sure this is a very good cross-section of those 3752 songs.
No commentary from me on these - I'll leave that to you. Anything here ring a bell or spark a memory for you?
1. In a Lifetime (Clannad, feat. Bono)
2. Get Off My Cloud (The Rolling Stones)
3. Kiss You All Over (Exile)
4. Bach: French Suite #2 in C Minor, BWV 813 - Allemande (Glenn Gould)
5. I Got You - I Feel Good (James Brown)
6. Shoot the Loop (Acoustic Alchemy)
7. Sally Simpson - Tommy (The Who)
8. Hope You're Feeling Better (Santana)
9. Poetry Man (Phoebe Snow)
10. All the World (Point of Grace)
11. Shambala (Three Dog Night)
12. Blinded by the Light (Manfred Mann's Earth Band)
13. More Than It Seems (Kutless)
14. Ravel: La Valse (London Symphony Orchestra)
15. Redeemer (Nicole C. Mullen)
- Kelly
- Making my way through the ups and downs of life, holding fast to my favorite Bible verse: "For we walk by faith, not by sight." ~2 Corinthians 5:7. I began blogging in earnest at Yahoo360 on October 24, 2005. (briefly using LiveJournal and blog-city prior to that) In June 2008 I moved to Blogger. I'm now at WordPress where I hope to remain.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Baked Frittata
I pulled some leftover ham out of my freezer the other day and the first thing that came to mind was "frittata". I decided to go with a baked version and this is what I came up with:
1-1/2 cups fully cooked ham, diced
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1-1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
6 eggs
garlic salt,
pepper
dried chives
Whisk eggs then add remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 8x8-inch cooking dish and bake at 375F for approximately 20-30 minutes. Quite tasty!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What Am I ? (#8)
2. Some of us develop mutually beneficial relationships with other organisms.
3. I reproduce asexually, splitting into two identical daughter cells. This gradually damages my DNA, so periodically I dock with others of my kind to exchange small capsules that hold DNA, and within six hours feel reinvigorated with fresh genetic material.
4. I consist of one cell, two orifices, and thousands of hairy feet (cilia) that project from my surface like beard stubble.
Have you figured out what I am from my clues? * Scroll down for the answer.
I'm a paramecium!
* Facts provided by the May 2011 issue of Discover Magazine
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Cobwebs at the pond
Start with a loop from one dead tree to the next.
Cobwebs are at the top of the dead tree, not between Suzy's ears!
This is my favorite.
Spiders at the pond stay busy!
Monday, May 23, 2011
U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
When an author sets out to write a series of books based on each letter of the English alphabet, it's a major undertaking. Trying to keep any series fresh and interesting is a challenge, even more so when there's a commitment for 26 books! I'll admit I got bored with the series along about the middle of the alphabet, but the last few installments have been as good as, of not better than the first few. U is for Undertow is the 21st Kinsey Millhone novel. Sue Grafton began the series in 1982 and by the letter "U" we have only progressed to 1988.
Kinsey's latest client, Michael Sutton, has a memory of something that happened in 1967, when he was just a child. He believes it might be relevant in the unresolved disappearance of a young girl that same year. With this new lead Kinsey is able to piece together additional information in the case. Things take a turn when Kinsey finds out Michael has experienced "false memory syndrome" in the past and his current memory doesn't provide the anticipated results. Instead, more questions are raised and, against better judgement, Kinsey pushes on to find out the truth.
I really like the way this story is structured. Interspersed throughout are flashbacks told from the perspective of various characters in the story, allowing the reader insight into how and why the original crime took place. I hope Grafton will be able to keep up this momentum with the final five books in the series.
This is my sixth book for the Cozy Mystery Challenge.
Kinsey's latest client, Michael Sutton, has a memory of something that happened in 1967, when he was just a child. He believes it might be relevant in the unresolved disappearance of a young girl that same year. With this new lead Kinsey is able to piece together additional information in the case. Things take a turn when Kinsey finds out Michael has experienced "false memory syndrome" in the past and his current memory doesn't provide the anticipated results. Instead, more questions are raised and, against better judgement, Kinsey pushes on to find out the truth.
I really like the way this story is structured. Interspersed throughout are flashbacks told from the perspective of various characters in the story, allowing the reader insight into how and why the original crime took place. I hope Grafton will be able to keep up this momentum with the final five books in the series.
This is my sixth book for the Cozy Mystery Challenge.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Brief update of fish, no fish and cicadas
A quick update on a post from earlier in the month...
My lone angelfish is thriving (so far!). In fact, it spends more time out on display now than it does hiding. I should know from past experience that angels like to be solitary creatures.
We've taken a couple of spins on the pond this week. The fish aren't biting that well, but I did manage to catch a few (including a big one!). At least I remembered my camera and got some photos this time. The first will appear in my SSS entry this weekend.
The cicadas are STILL singing at full blast. They sound like they've changed location a bit, but they're still at it. I've seen several clinging to the window screen when I've opened my bedroom blinds in the mornings. I've also seen a number of carcasses littering the yard. I even had one bean me right between the eyes when I was out scooping poop in the backyard last week!
My lone angelfish is thriving (so far!). In fact, it spends more time out on display now than it does hiding. I should know from past experience that angels like to be solitary creatures.
We've taken a couple of spins on the pond this week. The fish aren't biting that well, but I did manage to catch a few (including a big one!). At least I remembered my camera and got some photos this time. The first will appear in my SSS entry this weekend.
The cicadas are STILL singing at full blast. They sound like they've changed location a bit, but they're still at it. I've seen several clinging to the window screen when I've opened my bedroom blinds in the mornings. I've also seen a number of carcasses littering the yard. I even had one bean me right between the eyes when I was out scooping poop in the backyard last week!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs
The “Tea Shop Mystery” series by Laura Childs holds all I want and expect in a “cozy” mystery. The cast includes a strong, likable amateur sleuth, a couple of interesting sidekicks, and several quirky characters who may or may not get on your nerves. The location is wonderful (Charleston, SC) and Childs does a great job of making the region come alive. She always provides enough potential suspects to keep you guessing (or me, at least) until near the end. As a bonus, there are fun recipes and tea time tips at the back of each novel. In The Teaberry Strangler, the eleventh book in the series, Theodosia Browning steps into the alley behind the Indigo Tea Shop and witnesses the murder of a neighboring shop owner. Although it was at a distance and she couldn’t make out the killer, the local newspaper implies otherwise. This and the fact that Theodosia has quite a reputation for piecing together mysteries and solving crimes puts her and those around her at risk, including her lovable “dalbrador” (dog), Earl Grey!
I always enjoy these light, easy to read mysteries, and look forward to the paperback release of each to add to my collection. Thanks to Marion for starting me on them in the first place! This served as my fifth selection for the Cozy Mystery Challenge.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Double Puzzle
I thought this puzzle of Thomas Kinkade's Deer Creek Cottage would be difficult.
I was wrong, but it was a lot of fun to work.
I was wrong, but it was a lot of fun to work.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Guest Post: When the Vicar's Wife Writes Crime Fiction
One of the best parts of blogging was discovering there were lots of wonderful book blogs out there. Historical Fiction and Mysteries are my two favorite genres, so I was thrilled when I found DJ's Krimiblog which focuses on Crime Fiction and Mysteries. Dorte's excellent book reviews have introduced me to a number of new authors and joining her Global Reading Challenge this year greatly expanded my focus.
In addition to book reviews, Dorte has a weekly feature entitled “Thy’s Day” that features photos of the beautiful area surrounding the vicarage in which she lives.
Not only does Dorte read and review crime fiction, she writes it – and very well, I might add. It’s in honor of the launch of Liquorice Twists, her latest collection of Flash Fiction, that I’ve asked Dorte to be my guest here. As much as I enjoyed her first collection, Candied Crime, I think this one is even better! (My favorite story in her new collection was “Catastrophe”)
When I first started following Dorte’s blog I sometimes wondered what attracted her to the genre she so loves. In the following post she shares a little insight into this. So without further ado, please help me welcome Dorte Hummelshøj Jakobsen!
When the Vicar's Wife Writes Crime Fiction
First, thank you very much to Kelly for inviting me to visit her blog during my launch of "Liquorice Twists" (twenty flash fiction stories).
As some of my friends don´t understand that I even want to read crime fiction, I am sure they must find it even stranger that I´d want to write the stuff.
I think their aversion may come from misconceptions about how broad the genre of crime fiction is. They may think it is all about violence and gore, and of course these are elements of crime fiction, especially hard-boiled thrillers, but not at all what I am looking for when I select books to read. I prefer the more traditional police procedurals or private detectives and sometimes a cosy mystery.
In the very best crime fiction I´d expect an intriguing plot which makes me curious. Not stories that dwell on death, rape or abuse, but an intelligent mystery with clues scattered over the pages, preferably a story you have to read properly in order to guess parts of what is going on.
Furthermore, I will return to series which offer me credible characters who are neither black nor white. People who are so convincing and ´real´ that I can relate to them and who come to mean so much to me that I begin to care about them, biting my nails if they are in danger and wanting to shout at them when they put themselves at risk. Characters who make me long for the next instalment as soon as I have put the book down.
I also enjoy stories which have a strong sense of place, preferably in the country or a smallish town. In the very best fiction the writer pulls me into a world which is new to me, yet so vivid that it makes me forget my own living-room and feel I am there together with the characters.
Last, but not least, I expect a good solution. ´We´ nailed the perpetrator, and we are left with a feeling that order has been restored. So just like romantic fiction, crime fiction offers a fairly happy ending, but crime fiction is even better as it makes you feel justice prevails.
So when I write crime fiction, my first priority is not to shock or offend anyone. I am also a Christian when I write which means my characters tend to swear very little, and though they do end up in a bed together occasionally, it is not those scenes I dwell on. What I want is to give you an entertaining story, and if I can frighten you a little bit along the route, all the better. Not by throwing sawn-off limbs in your face, but by making you care about what happens to the characters my twisted brain came up with.
In addition to book reviews, Dorte has a weekly feature entitled “Thy’s Day” that features photos of the beautiful area surrounding the vicarage in which she lives.
Not only does Dorte read and review crime fiction, she writes it – and very well, I might add. It’s in honor of the launch of Liquorice Twists, her latest collection of Flash Fiction, that I’ve asked Dorte to be my guest here. As much as I enjoyed her first collection, Candied Crime, I think this one is even better! (My favorite story in her new collection was “Catastrophe”)
When I first started following Dorte’s blog I sometimes wondered what attracted her to the genre she so loves. In the following post she shares a little insight into this. So without further ado, please help me welcome Dorte Hummelshøj Jakobsen!
When the Vicar's Wife Writes Crime Fiction
First, thank you very much to Kelly for inviting me to visit her blog during my launch of "Liquorice Twists" (twenty flash fiction stories).
As some of my friends don´t understand that I even want to read crime fiction, I am sure they must find it even stranger that I´d want to write the stuff.
I think their aversion may come from misconceptions about how broad the genre of crime fiction is. They may think it is all about violence and gore, and of course these are elements of crime fiction, especially hard-boiled thrillers, but not at all what I am looking for when I select books to read. I prefer the more traditional police procedurals or private detectives and sometimes a cosy mystery.
In the very best crime fiction I´d expect an intriguing plot which makes me curious. Not stories that dwell on death, rape or abuse, but an intelligent mystery with clues scattered over the pages, preferably a story you have to read properly in order to guess parts of what is going on.
Furthermore, I will return to series which offer me credible characters who are neither black nor white. People who are so convincing and ´real´ that I can relate to them and who come to mean so much to me that I begin to care about them, biting my nails if they are in danger and wanting to shout at them when they put themselves at risk. Characters who make me long for the next instalment as soon as I have put the book down.
I also enjoy stories which have a strong sense of place, preferably in the country or a smallish town. In the very best fiction the writer pulls me into a world which is new to me, yet so vivid that it makes me forget my own living-room and feel I am there together with the characters.
Last, but not least, I expect a good solution. ´We´ nailed the perpetrator, and we are left with a feeling that order has been restored. So just like romantic fiction, crime fiction offers a fairly happy ending, but crime fiction is even better as it makes you feel justice prevails.
So when I write crime fiction, my first priority is not to shock or offend anyone. I am also a Christian when I write which means my characters tend to swear very little, and though they do end up in a bed together occasionally, it is not those scenes I dwell on. What I want is to give you an entertaining story, and if I can frighten you a little bit along the route, all the better. Not by throwing sawn-off limbs in your face, but by making you care about what happens to the characters my twisted brain came up with.
Thanks so much, Dorte, for visiting my blog today! Dorte has written some other guest posts during that past week on subjects such as e-publishing and writing tips.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
I originally began the Charlaine Harris "Sookie Stackhouse" vampire books because they take place in my part of the world and often mention places with which I'm quite familiar. I met Harris at a book signing in her hometown and she spoke at an event I attended in my own community.
Several of my family members read the series, so we pre-ordered it from Amazon and it arrived last week, right on schedule. I took a break from my challenge reading and jumped right in. Dead Reckoning is the eleventh book in the series and I'm afraid it's getting a little stale. In addition, there seem to be several continuity problems with earlier books. Don't get me wrong...it's still fun, entertaining, mindless reading, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I plan to keep on with the series because Harris promised she would wrap it up within a set number of books, but I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one to come out.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ponderings #6
Tell me your choices. Mine are in bold green type.
1. Coffee or tea ? (I drank coffee daily for years, but much prefer hot tea now.)
2. Coca Cola or Pepsi ? (I rarely drink sodas, but always liked Coke best. If it has to be diet, make it a Dr. Pepper.)
3. Digital or Analog clocks and watches ? (If I see a time in digital format, I have to picture a regular clock face in my mind.)
4. Morning person or Night Owl ? (This really depends on what's going on in my life. I can be either.)
5. Fir trees (evergreens) or Deciduous trees ? (I love the colors of autumn.)
1. Coffee or tea ? (I drank coffee daily for years, but much prefer hot tea now.)
2. Coca Cola or Pepsi ? (I rarely drink sodas, but always liked Coke best. If it has to be diet, make it a Dr. Pepper.)
3. Digital or Analog clocks and watches ? (If I see a time in digital format, I have to picture a regular clock face in my mind.)
4. Morning person or Night Owl ? (This really depends on what's going on in my life. I can be either.)
5. Fir trees (evergreens) or Deciduous trees ? (I love the colors of autumn.)
Monday, May 9, 2011
A quick rant
I try to refrain from ranting on here too often, but this is one of those times I just can't help myself.
I've posted twice about something that really, really bothers me - improper use of ATVs. You can click here and here to see those rants. This week I experienced yet another irritating (and dangerous) ATV scenario. As I was driving down our county road I met a 4-wheeler going top speed with two young girls aboard. In addition to the usual offenses (underage, riding double, driving on a public road) the driver had one hand off the controls, obviously looking at something on her cellphone!! Arrrrghhhh!!!!
I have a feeling it's going to be a long summer. *sigh*
I've posted twice about something that really, really bothers me - improper use of ATVs. You can click here and here to see those rants. This week I experienced yet another irritating (and dangerous) ATV scenario. As I was driving down our county road I met a 4-wheeler going top speed with two young girls aboard. In addition to the usual offenses (underage, riding double, driving on a public road) the driver had one hand off the controls, obviously looking at something on her cellphone!! Arrrrghhhh!!!!
I have a feeling it's going to be a long summer. *sigh*
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Fish, No Fish, and Cicadas
I currently have two tropical fish tanks, a 23-gallon hex-front flat-back in the kitchen and a 55-gallon rectangular tank in the living room. The kitchen tank houses a gourami and a tiger barb. The larger tank has two glowlight tetras and three large silverdollar fish. I recently saw the cutest little angelfish at WalMart and decided to buy some for both tanks. In addition, I got a plecostomus for each tank to cut down on the need for algae scraping. *sigh* My fish obviously didn't roll out the welcome-wagon for the newcomers. Both the plecostomus and the angel I put in the small tank are dead. I found the bones of the former this morning and all traces of the latter were gone within the first 24 hours! Of the three angels and one plecostomus I put in the larger tank, only one lone angel remains. I've noticed it hides all the time. Good luck little angel!
We've had so much wind and bad weather lately we haven't been able to do any fishing. We finally gave it a go yesterday evening. Temperatures have been fairly chilly during the past week and there is a lot of new water in the pond, so I wasn't sure how well we would do. It was really slow at first, but my husband ended up catching three - one of them fairly large. Me? Nothing. Nada. Zip. The sad thing is I forgot to carry my camera with me and I missed some nice photo opportunities. Cows, Cormorants, Canada Geese....all sorts of nice "naturey" things. Oh, well. Maybe next time.
I should have waited a week to post about the Cicadas. The volume of their "singing" has doubled and there's no doubt now what is making it. It's truly amazing!!
We've had so much wind and bad weather lately we haven't been able to do any fishing. We finally gave it a go yesterday evening. Temperatures have been fairly chilly during the past week and there is a lot of new water in the pond, so I wasn't sure how well we would do. It was really slow at first, but my husband ended up catching three - one of them fairly large. Me? Nothing. Nada. Zip. The sad thing is I forgot to carry my camera with me and I missed some nice photo opportunities. Cows, Cormorants, Canada Geese....all sorts of nice "naturey" things. Oh, well. Maybe next time.
I should have waited a week to post about the Cicadas. The volume of their "singing" has doubled and there's no doubt now what is making it. It's truly amazing!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
An Incredible Award
How about this... John over at FULL-ON FORWARD gave me an award! I'm honored that he finds inspiration from my thoughts and ramblings. Thank you, John!!
Now, what I'm actually supposed to do is pass this on to ten more bloggers that I find inspiring. I'm always hesitant to single folks out because sometimes people don't like doing this kind of stuff. What I'm going to do instead is offer this award to any of the blogs that I visit. You know if I read your blog and comment that I consider you deserving!
For those of you who have never visited John's blog, click on the link above and check it out. I can guarantee you will be entertained!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
What IS that noise??
About a week ago I stepped outside and heard a curious sound. At first I thought it might be a small leak on the gas pipeline near our house, but no... it wasn't coming from that direction. There's a set of high-voltage power lines in the direction it did seem to come from, but sound can be deceptive. Either notion was mildly disturbing. Occasionally I wouldn't hear it, but other times it was so loud I could hear it in my home with the doors and windows shut!
Turns out "Mother Nature" is to blame. It's nothing more than Brood XIX of the Periodical Cicada!! It led me to do a little research and see what I could learn. I grew up plucking little brown shells (the exoskeletons they leave behind) from trees. We knew they were left by what we called "locusts", but I now know are actually Cicadas. There are annual varieties (which is why I found the shells every year), but there are also Periodical Cicadas which only emerge on a 13 or 17-year schedule. The ones in our area are the 13-year variety and belong to Brood XIX. Come 2015 we may see some again when Brood XXIII emerges. The little critters spent the past 13 years underground and have all emerged simultaneously to "sing" for the next month. It's an amazing sound! My newspaper reported that there was a case a few years back where the sound was so intense near the Memphis Airport that it was louder than the jet engines!
I tried to capture the sound on my cellphone to share here. It's a poor video, but maybe if you turn up your volume you will be able to hear the steady hum of the Cicadas in the background. Oh, and that tree in the clip is the same one pictured here.
Turns out "Mother Nature" is to blame. It's nothing more than Brood XIX of the Periodical Cicada!! It led me to do a little research and see what I could learn. I grew up plucking little brown shells (the exoskeletons they leave behind) from trees. We knew they were left by what we called "locusts", but I now know are actually Cicadas. There are annual varieties (which is why I found the shells every year), but there are also Periodical Cicadas which only emerge on a 13 or 17-year schedule. The ones in our area are the 13-year variety and belong to Brood XIX. Come 2015 we may see some again when Brood XXIII emerges. The little critters spent the past 13 years underground and have all emerged simultaneously to "sing" for the next month. It's an amazing sound! My newspaper reported that there was a case a few years back where the sound was so intense near the Memphis Airport that it was louder than the jet engines!
I tried to capture the sound on my cellphone to share here. It's a poor video, but maybe if you turn up your volume you will be able to hear the steady hum of the Cicadas in the background. Oh, and that tree in the clip is the same one pictured here.
Monday, May 2, 2011
A Vine in the Blood by Leighton Gage
I don't usually like to read books in a series out of order, but when Leighton Gage left a comment on my review of his first Mario Silva book and offered to send me his latest .... well, I couldn't resist! I told him I had already completed my South American requirement for the Global Reading Challenge, but he said that was fine and he'd send me the file for my Kindle anyway.
Football, or soccer as it's known in the US, is big business worldwide, but especially in Brazil. As A Vine in the Blood begins, the mother of Brazil's most famous player, Tico "The Artist" Santos, has been kidnapped and held for ransom on the eve of the next World Cup. Was the motive really money or was it just an attempt to throw the national hero off his game, thereby diminishing Brazil's chances at winning the Cup? Everyone wants to help with the investigation, even the shadier elements of society.
As in Blood of the Wicked, I was quite drawn to Inspector Mario Silva. His likable personality meshes well with his co-workers and is a good counter to those in the novel who are meant to be disliked. (and oh, how I despised The Artist's girlfriend!!) The story was fast-paced and exciting, yet not nearly as violent as Gage's first novel. A winner all around!
Although A Vine in the Blood is the fifth book in the Silva series, it can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone. I still plan to read the books that I've skipped since I enjoy the series so much.
A Vine in the Blood is already available in Australia and will be released in the US at the end of December.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
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