Portrait of Contempt

she might have ice in her veins

Having more fun with Photoshop. I believe the photo is from Google News.
I saved it months ago because I was fascinated with her expression. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that look.

Wish I could get a job doing this all day long.

Self Portrait in Yellow

I photoshopped myself last night using some filters and some painting.

Snail Mail

I believe everyone likes the thrill of opening their mailboxes and
finding something other than bills or junk mail. I know I do. Email is great for quick communication and I wouldn't want to go back to not having it, but there is nothing like receiving a letter, a birthday or greeting card or a postcard by mail.

Postcrossing is an online site you can join to send and receive postcards from all over the world. After signing up, you are given up to 5 names and addresses to mail your first cards to. When those cards are received and registered on the site, your address will be given to a random Postcrosser who will then mail you a card. It's as easy as send a card/receive a card.

International postage is .98 and the postcard rate in the USA is .27. Postcards can be bought at a variety of places....local tourist spots, museums, bookstores, even in Wal-Mart.

postcards I've sent

postcards I've received

I've you are interested in receiving interesting snail mail on a regular basis please check out Postcrossing.


ps....I'm using a web-site one of my sons is developing to make my collages. As soon as he works out all the bugs I will post the address. His goal is to make the site super easy to use.

No Go

As Robert Burns said...."the best laid schemes of mice and men oft go awry."

Yesterday after driving all the way over there, we discovered that the Splash Pad is closed on Mondays for maintenance. So we all trekked back to Aunt Rachel's for a go in her backyard water park and homemade slip and slide. I think everyone had a good time despite our foiled plans.

Snow on the Roof?

For those of you of a certain age (as I am)....how do you manage your gray hair?

I have never dyed my hair and I'm reluctant to start now...okay, I'm too lazy to start now. The upkeep is what I'm trying to avoid. But lately, I've been seeing more and more silver glinting back at me when I stand in front of the mirror. And now that I'm looking for another job, I don't want to give any perspective employers the idea that I'm old (heaven forbid that!).

So what is a lazy unemployed girl to do? Break out the Sun-In. If your hair is
dirty blonde to brown like mine, try my trick. So far, applying Sun-In 2 or 3 times a year lightens my hair enough to fool the eye. You're not sure if you see super blonde hairs or gray.

At least that's what I tell myself!

For the record, my 56th birthday is tomorrow. Happy Flag Day!

Wildflower Review

On my way to do some errands yesterday, I stopped to take photos of wildflowers that have sprung up in an ugly dirt field nearby. I find it amazing that wildflowers will grow in the most inhospitable spots, but almost never in your own tended garden.

Daucus carota - Queen Anne's Lace It was a surprise to me to discover that this common wildflower is a part of the carrot family.

Can you see the surrounding bare dirt spots? That black line is builder's plastic that was put down to keep dirt from washing onto the road when it rains.

When they are beginning to open, these delicate flowers look like snowflakes to me.

I love the rolled-up bird's nest look as they have right before they begin to unfold.

Hippocrates prescribed a teaspoon of the crushed seeds of this wildflower as a contraceptive. Research has shown that wild carrot impedes the implantation process and offers some confirmation of the plant's effectiveness as a birth control. But, I wouldn't run out and test that on myself because the plant closely resembles hemlock, which is highly poisonous.


Passiflora incarnata - Purple passionflower This is the Tennessee state wildflower. Legend is that the Cherokee Indians called this flower Ocoee, which is where the Ocoee River got it's name.

Close by, growing in the same barren soil, was this pretty passionflower. One of the websites I used to identify this flower said that it likes clay soil and tolerates full sun and heat...which is just what it found in this spot.



Coreopsis tinctoria - common name, golden tickseed The fact that it's part of the aster family is about all the info I could find on this little beauty.

Notice that this flower is growing out of the pavement next to the edge of the road. Why, oh why don't they pop up in my garden like this?

It Smells Like Rain

You know the smell...it always reminds me of fresh dirt. That pleasant earthy smell is caused by the bacteria, Actinomycetes, which is found forest liter or compost. It grows as a filamentous white thread in soil. The bacteria produces spores in dry soil, which rain drops splash upward upon contact. These spores become airborne carrying the scent with them. This bacteria is found in soil all over the world which is why this is a universal phenomenon. The bacteria thrives in moist soil, but the spores are released when the soil dries out, which accounts for the fact that that "rain" smell is strongest after a dry spell.

Scientists have discovered that getting your hands in soil may help lift your mood. The bacterium Mycobaterium vaccae found in dirt may have antidepressant properties which activate serotonin in the brain.

Is a little dirt good for us? Is our general good health and well-being boosted by germs found in everyday dirt? Yes, is the resounding answer from scientists.

In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorder, allergies and asthma.

As you might imagine, children who grow up on farms are frequently exposed to worms and other organisms from farm animals. But did you know that these children are much less likely to develop allergies and autoimmune diseases than children raise on a steady diet of hand sanitizers and ultra cleanliness?

Dirt cakes and cupcakes decorated with sprinkles...mmmm.
Remember the fun of dirt cooking?

I think it might be time for me to get outside and get my hands in the dirt. What can it hurt? I might feel better and my flowers will appreciate the care.

Magpie 17

Open mouths

garbled words
layered orations, his and mine
monologues of love and hate
rants and raves
silly and sad
coupled in wedlock
connectionless contact
divorced, invectiveness released
wordless peace
separate soliloquies of accord

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After 13 Hours in the Car...I'm Home Again!

sweet home Alabama

I have to say that from the four states I drove through to return home yesterday, Alabama is the prettiest. We have hills and mountains. We have plains and valleys and fields of cotton and corn and soybeans. We have tall trees and short ones and bushes and flowers and everything in between. We have beaches too. If we could just get rid of the humidity!

Texas is a flat state

...oh yeah, they might have their hill country...I'd call it lumps on the landscape...they call it hills. The girls and I made up a song as we drove...

Texas is a flat state.
Texas is a pancake.
Texas is a hotcake
In the summer!

Sung with a Texas twang!

It was 97 when we got there!

under an oleander bush at the Texas Welcome Station...only 5 more hours to go!

I sure will miss these silly faces!

Now, on to my next task....finding a job!

More of Our Week

A trip to the Splash Park.

Whoever is the inventor of Splash Parks is a genius! The place was full of mom's and kids. From the smallest to the largest, everyone was having the best time.

A trip to great grandmother's and great granddaddy's house.

My Daddy refurbished this seesaw. The girls loved it. Elijah did too.

A trip to the skate rink.

The girls other grandparents treated us to a night at the local roller rink. Their cousin makes skating look like a piece of cake. Elizabeth was determined to master it and she did by the end of the night. Madeline did a good job too. Sorry for the blurry picture. My camera wasn't made for low light.

Tomorrow, a trip to Texas.

I'll be back soon.