A Big Milestone!

One of my goals on the list in the right side bar has been realized! Yesterday The Modest Peacock pageview counter hit over 10,000!  Wow!  I hadn't reached even the 1,000 mark until February of this year, so the fact that there have been over 9,000 hits in the last 5 months alone is just astounding!

I'm an unabashed attention hog when it comes to my blog, and each visit has made me feel loved and valued.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I hope I continue to live up to your expectations and bring you good posts about wonderful things. :)

Don't forget that you still have time to enter my giveaway!  Leave a comment on this post to enter and I will be letting Miss Em draw the winner Monday at noon!

Frank Tours I-75 South

This week, Frank rode shotgun with me as I traveled down I-75 South to the Florida state line to pick up Jeremy and Jennifer from their summer vacation hosts.  Since I was driving and it's unsafe to drive and photograph, I was only able to get these 3 photos when we were stopped.  But Frank seemed to enjoy himself the whole trip (at least, he never once complained- which was good of him, as my back was killing me!)

Here is the route we took:



View Larger Map

We left the house around 8 a.m.-

And we drove through Atlanta, Eastpoint, Morrow, Stockbridge, Riverdale, McDonough, Locust Grove, Griffin, Forsyth, Bolingbroke, Macon, Skipperton, Byron, Centerville, Warner Robins, Perry, Unadilla, Ashburn, Tifton, Adel and Valdosta.

When we got to the Florida Welcome Center, Frank wanted his picture taken under the Fl. sign:

After picking up Jeremy and Jennifer around 2 pm, we headed home and arrived around 7:30 pm.  A long and tiring day, but otherwise fun! :)

...YEP, Pretty Much!

Today's Go Here Thursday is sure to put a smile on your face!

Check out this favorite clip of mine:

And then GO HERE to Tim Hawkins' website for more hilarious clips and goodies!  This is the same guy who did the Chick Fil A song from the Music Monday a couple of weeks ago.

You can get comedy DVDs, check out the event calendar, and more! Have fun!

Poetry Wednesday: Love

Source

Next Sunday, August 7th, will be our 7th wedding anniversary.  This was read at the ceremony.  Throughout my marriage, there have been many times when I have clung to these promises as though my life depended on it.  Because really... it does.  The Bible is our instruction book, our road map and our promises from God Himself that He will give us the very best of everything, if only we trust Him and follow His example.

Have you loved someone or experienced love from someone like this?  These words are special to me because of my wedding day, but it applies to other aspects of our lives too- friends and family, especially, but how you treat the grocery clerk or your boss, a co-worker, or even someone you don't seem to get along with sometimes.  It puts all of our relationships into perspective, if we let it.  Take a few moments to let the words sink into your heart.  This is what real love is and does.  And it will change you forever.

1 Corinthians 13 (New International Version)

¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, 

but do not have love, 

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

² If I have the gift of prophecy 

and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, 

and if I have a faith that can move mountains, 

but do not have love, I am nothing. 

³If I give all I possess to the poor 

and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, 

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴ Love is patient, 

love is kind. 

It does not envy, 

it does not boast, 

it is not proud. 

⁵ It does not dishonor others, 

it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

⁶ Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth. 

⁷ It always protects, 

always trusts, 

always hopes, 

always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. 

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; 

where there are tongues, they will be stilled; 

where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

¹⁰ but when completeness comes, 

what is in part disappears. 

¹¹ When I was a child, 

I talked like a child, 

I thought like a child, 

I reasoned like a child. 

When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 

¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; 

then we shall see face to face. 

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, 

even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: 

faith, 

hope 

and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.

Aug. 7, 2004

Happy Feet and a Happy Birthday

Happy Music Monday!

Source

Today is the 60th birthday of legendary bassist Verdine White, who has played with the American R&B band "Earth, Wind & Fire" since 1970.  While the initial popularity of EWF was way before my time, I do remember playing some of their music in band, and my Dad used to tell me stories of doing the same when he was in college and they were the 'in' thing on the radio. :)  (He was born a year before Verdine White, and attended Shorter college from around 1974 - 1977 or 78 (ish).)

One of their hit songs has come back to have even my kids singing along, though.  Here is their 1979 hit "Boogie Wonderland", as covered by a groovy, rocking out flock of celebrity penguins.  :)  Enjoy!

Have You Entered My Giveaway Yet??

Hi!  I have 3 posts from last week that I got behind on, because of craziness going on here.  Don't worry, I'm getting caught up quickly and should be posting on time by 7/27's Poetry Wednesday.

But the real reason of this post is because I wanted to be sure and remind everyone that there is only one week left until I draw a name for my giveaway, and mail this Peacock Blue Butterfly Purse

to the lucky winner!  Go to This Giveaway Post and comment to be entered!  Best of luck!!!

Frank Gets Artsy Craftsy

It's been a little slow around here, "Adventure-wise", for Frank.  We're recovering from the summer in general and the kids are getting ready to head back to school soon.  Here's a quick peek at Frank as he accompanied my friends Jason and Taylor (and myself) to the local Hobby Lobby for some sewing supplies to finish those dresses that I made for Taylor. :)

In the van and headed to Hobby Lobby!

Ah, Crafty Goodness all under one roof! :)

"F" is for Frank! :)

Dinner AND A Show!

Husband is going to have to be working out of town on our 7th anniversary.  It's on a Sunday.  The job is around 2 hours away, just over the state line.  But they won't let him come home.  This sucks.  So last week, we celebrated early by taking an hour after the kids were in bed and going on a dinner date.

If you are ever in my area, GO HERE!


View Larger Map


As it was a date, and as there was also a chef making big flourishes and setting a lot of things on fire, I didn't get any photos.  But I ordered the shrimp and steak, DH got the steak and scallops and it was all FANTASTIC!  Together, our date ran us about $50, which is pretty steep for us.  Since it was an anniversary date, however, I think it was a very well spent $50.  :)

Source

Here is their website.  Please plan a night out if you can!

And You Thought We Were Off Bowling...

Jake heard this on our local public radio station, on Garrison Keillor's "Writer's Almanac" and shared it with me, and we both thought it was hilarious (because we all know people like this, whether we'd admit it or not.)

We Who Are Your Closest Friends

by Phillip Lopate

we who are
your closest friends
feel the time
has come to tell you
that every Thursday
we have been meeting
as a group
to devise ways
to keep you
in perpetual uncertainty
frustration
discontent and
torture
by neither loving you
as much as you want
nor cutting you adrift

your analyst is
in on it
plus your boyfriend
and your ex-husband
and we have pledged
to disappoint you
as long as you need us

in announcing our
association
we realize we have
placed in your hands
a possible antidote
against uncertainty
indeed against ourselves
but since our Thursday nights
have brought us
to a community of purpose
rare in itself
with you as
the natural center
we feel hopeful you
will continue to make
unreasonable
demands for affection
if not as a consequence
of your
disastrous personality

then for the good of the collective

"Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be..."

Source

For today's Poetry Wednesday, I thought I would deviate from rhyming/metered verse and give you a treat from Mr. Shakespeare.  Here is an excerpt of my favorite scene from within my favorite Shakespearean work, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".  There is a specific reason of personal circumstance that made me think to choose this section, but that's for another time, perhaps.  Grab you a bench seat and a flagon of ale (if you are temperance like me, it can be ginger ale!) and enjoy. ;)

(Middle of) Act 3, Scene 2



  OBERON
102         Flower of this purple dye,
103         Hit with Cupid's archery,
104         Sink in apple of his eye.
105         When his love he doth espy,
106         Let her shine as gloriously
107         As the Venus of the sky.
108         When thou wakest, if she be by,
109         Beg of her for remedy.
           Enter PUCK.
      PUCK
110         Captain of our fairy band,
111         Helena is here at hand;
112         And the youth, mistook by me,
113         Pleading for a lover's fee.
114         Shall we their fond pageant see?
115         Lord, what fools these mortals be!
      OBERON
116         Stand aside: the noise they make
117         Will cause Demetrius to awake.
      PUCK
118         Then will two at once woo one;
119         That must needs be sport alone;
120         And those things do best please me
121         That befall prepost'rously.
           Enter LYSANDER and HELENA.
      LYSANDER
122   Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
123   Scorn and derision never come in tears:
124   Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,
125   In their nativity all truth appears.
126   How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
127   Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?
      HELENA
128   You do advance your cunning more and more.
129   When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
130   These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
131   Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
132   Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,
133   Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.
      LYSANDER
134   I had no judgment when to her I swore.
      HELENA
135   Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.
      LYSANDER
136   Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.
      DEMETRIUS  [Awaking.]
137   O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!
138   To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
139   Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show
140   Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!
141   That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow,
142   Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
143   When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss
144   This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!
      HELENA
145   O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
146   To set against me for your merriment:
147   If you we re civil and knew courtesy,
148   You would not do me thus much injury.
149   Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
150   But you must join in souls to mock me too?
151   If you were men, as men you are in show,
152   You would not use a gentle lady so;
153   To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
154   When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
155   You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
156   And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
157   A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
158   To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
159   With your derision! none of noble sort
160   Would so offend a virgin, and extort
161   A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.
      LYSANDER
162   You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;
163   For you love Hermia; this you know I know:
164   And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
165   In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;
166   And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
167   Whom I do love and will do till my death.
      HELENA
168   Never did mockers waste more idle breath.
      DEMETRIUS
169   Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none:
170   If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.
171   My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd,
172   And now to Helen is it home return'd,
173   There to remain.
      LYSANDER
173                          Helen, it is not so.
      DEMETRIUS
174   Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
175   Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.
176   Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.
           Enter HERMIA.
      HERMIA
177   Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,
178   The ear more quick of apprehension makes;
179   Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
180   It pays the hearing double recompense.
181   Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found;
182   Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound
183   But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?
      LYSANDER
184   Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?
      HERMIA
185   What love could press Lysander from my side?
      LYSANDER
186   Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,
187   Fair Helena, who more engilds the night
188   Than all you fiery oes and eyes of light.
189   Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
190   The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?
      HERMIA
191   You speak not as you think: it cannot be.
      HELENA
192   Lo, she is one of this confederacy!
193   Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
194   To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.
195   Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
196   Have you conspired, have you with these contriv'd
197   To bait me with this foul derision?
198   Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
199   The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
200   When we have chid the hasty-footed time
201   For parting us,—O, is it all forgot?
202   All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
203   We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
204   Have with our needles created both one flower,
205   Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
206   Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
207   As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,
208   Had been incorporate. So we grow together,
209   Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
210   But yet an union in partition;
211   Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;
212   So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
213   Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
214   Due but to one and crowned with one crest.
215   And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
216   To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
217   It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
218   Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
219   Though I alone do feel the injury.
      HERMIA
220   I am amazed at your passionate words.
221   I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.
      HELENA
222   Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
223   To follow me and praise my eyes and face?
224   And made your other love, Demetrius,
225   Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,
226   To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
227   Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
228   To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
229   Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
230   And tender me, forsooth, affection,
231   But by your setting on, by your consent?
232   What though I be not so in grace as you,
233   So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
234   But miserable most, to love unloved?
235   This you should pity rather than despise.
      HERMIA
236   I understand not what you mean by this.
      HELENA
237   Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,
238   Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
239   Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:
240   This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
241   If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
242   You would not make me such an argument.
243   But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault;
244   Which death or absence soon shall remedy.
      LYSANDER
245   Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse:
246   My love, my life my soul, fair Helena!
      HELENA
247   O excellent!
      HERMIA
247                          Sweet, do not scorn her so.
      DEMETRIUS
248   If she cannot entreat, I can compel.
      LYSANDER
249   Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:
250   Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.
251   Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do:
252   I swear by that which I will lose for thee,
253   To prove him false that says I love thee not.
      DEMETRIUS
254   I say I love thee more than he can do.
      LYSANDER
255   If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
      DEMETRIUS
256   Quick, come!
      HERMIA
256                          Lysander, whereto tends all this?
      LYSANDER
257   Away, you Ethiope!
      DEMETRIUS
257                                 No, no; he'll
258   Seem to break loose; take on as you would follow,
259   But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!
      LYSANDER
260   Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,
261   Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!
      HERMIA
262   Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?
263   Sweet love?
      LYSANDER
263                      Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!
264   Out, loathed med'cine! hated potion, hence!
      HERMIA
265   Do you not jest?
      HELENA
265                              Yes, sooth; and so do you.
      LYSANDER
266   Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.
      DEMETRIUS
267   I would I had your bond, for I perceive
268   A weak bond holds you: I'll not trust your word.
      LYSANDER
269   What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?
270   Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.
      HERMIA
271   What, can you do me greater harm than hate?
272   Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love!
273   Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander?
274   I am as fair now as I was erewhile.
275   Since night you loved me; yet since night you left me:
276   Why, then you left me—O, the gods forbid!—
277   In earnest, shall I say?
      LYSANDER
277                                      Ay, by my life;
278   And never did desire to see thee more.
279   Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;
280   Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest
281   That I do hate thee and love Helena.
      HERMIA
282   O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!
283   You thief of love! what, have you come by night
284   And stolen my love's heart from him?
      HELENA
284                                                               Fine, i'faith!
285   Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,
286   No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
287   Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
288   Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!
      HERMIA
289   Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.
290   Now I perceive that she hath made compare
291   Between our statures; she hath urged her height;
292   And with her personage, her tall personage,
293   Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
294   And are you grown so high in his esteem;
295   Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
296   How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;
297   How low am I? I am not yet so low
298   But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
      HELENA
299   I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,
300   Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;
301   I have no gift at all in shrewishness;
302   I am a right maid for my cowardice:
303   Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,
304   Because she is something lower than myself,
305   That I can match her.
      HERMIA
305                                     "Lower"? hark, again.
      HELENA
306   Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
307   I evermore did love you, Hermia,
308   Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;
309   Save that, in love unto Demetrius,
310   I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
311   He follow'd you; for love I follow'd him;
312   But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me
313   To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:
314   And now, so you will let me quiet go,
315   To Athens will I bear my folly back
316   And follow you no further: let me go:
317   You see how simple and how fond I am.
      HERMIA
318   Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?
      HELENA
319   A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.
      HERMIA
320   What, with Lysander?
      HELENA
320                                 With Demetrius.
      LYSANDER
321   Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena.
      DEMETRIUS
322   No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.
      HELENA
323   O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!
324   She was a vixen when she went to school;
325   And though she be but little, she is fierce.
      HERMIA
326   "Little" again! nothing but "low" and "little"!
327   Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
328   Let me come to her.
      LYSANDER
328                                 Get you gone, you dwarf;
329   You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made;
330   You bead, you acorn.
      DEMETRIUS
330                                  You are too officious
331   In her behalf that scorns your services.
332   Let her alone: speak not of Helena;
333   Take not her part; for, if thou dost intend
334   Never so little show of love to her,
335   Thou shalt aby it.
      LYSANDER
335                              Now she holds me not;
336   Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,
337   Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.
      DEMETRIUS
338   Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl.
           [Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS.]
      HERMIA
339   You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you:
340   Nay, go not back.
      HELENA
340                               I will not trust you, I,
341   Nor longer stay in your curst company.
342   Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,
343   My legs are longer though, to run away.
           [Exit.]
      HERMIA
344   I am amazed, and know not what to say.
           Exit.

[For the entire play, click here.]

Well, Did You Ever?

Every now and again I get nostalgic for 1950s movies/musicals with Hollywood stars like Bing Crosby, Carey Grant, Fred Astaire, Betty Hutton, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Donald O'Conner.

Here's a clip featuring two of that list, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, in the 1956 film "High Society".

Frank Returns to Destin

Back in April, I took Frank to Destin, FL on vacation.  It was actually my very first Frank post, which led to the "Frank Friday" fun that is now a part of my regular (when I think about it and get it in on time) blogging schedule.  You're welcome.

As you probably know (although you can read this post if you didn't) I took another trip to Destin this past week with a friend and our daughters.  So, OF COURSE, Frank got to go with us! :)  You're welcome. (Again.)

Frank says "What are we waiting for?!  Let's go!!"

Wind was kicking up, so we have funky hairdos. :)

Marilyn and Frank

Marilyn offers Frank a sip of her Coke

Frank LOVES the Ocean. :)

I hope I can bring Frank back to the sea side again soon.  I hope one day to bring him to it permanently, as we make our home on a coast somewhere.  Hope, hope, hope!  In the meantime, Frank will keep traveling on Adventures!  :)

Cool Off With A Coke (And Watch How They Are Made!)

(Source unknown)

If you are like me and make your home in the Northern and Western hemispheres, it's HOT.  It's possibly even hotter (and, due to the humidity, stickier) than it was a month ago when I posted a Poetry Wednesday specifically about the high temps.  It's the kind of hot that leaves everything in its grasp wilted and limp.  Nothing gets done, even indoors with the a/c on, because the heat just sucks all the energy out of you and leaves you exhausted.

And then you realize how thirsty you are.  Bad things happen when a body when it gets dehydrated, so it's important to keep taking in lots of fluids.  But you get sick of water all the time, right?*  So what do you reach for?  Here in the south, the answer is obvious and automatic:

AN ICE COLD COKE.

But where does it come from?  How does it get from random ingredients to your hand?  Well, it's a pretty amazing journey, and it begins right here in my hometown.

In the heart of Atlanta, in a little area called Pemberton Place, The World of Coca-Cola sits at the corner of Baker Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive, and opposite the Georgia Aquarium.

Source

Here you can find out all kinds of things about the origins of Coke, how it's made, where in the wide world it gets sent to, and more.
You can see an entire museum of advertising merchandise, from early 1900s ads like this one:

Source

To amazing things made from the aluminum cans themselves, such as this locomotive:

(Source unknown)

And this fantastic Red Baron bi-plane:

(Source unknown)

And in my Google search for Coke can sculptures like the ones in the WOCC museum, I also found this, which made my photographer's heart go pitter pat. :)

(Source unknown)

The World of Coca-Cola is open most days from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and is only closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.  The tour takes around 90 minutes to complete, but be sure to allow plenty of time for the tasting room, where you can sample all kinds of Coca-Cola products that are served around the world!

Finally, here are 3 of my favorite Coke commercials. :)

*Actually, if you still want water, Coca-Cola bottles Dasani water! :)

For Emily at the Seaside

For breakfast, it was Cheerios,
Then sunblock slathered on your nose,
Wear a swimsuit under your clothes,
Feel the sea breeze as it gently blows,
Hot summer sun upon you glows,
Walk the path as it winding goes,
Until the sand is between your toes.

Sit upon the sandy shore,
Dig holes, build castles and forts galore,
Find a shell or five or more,
Shells to collect, share and adore,
Watch the seagulls swoop and soar,
Higher and farther than before,
Listen to the ocean crash and roar.

Splash in the waves and end up wet,
As salty and sandy as you can get,
Play with your pail and shovel set,
With new friends whom you've just met,
Plead that it isn't time to go just yet,
You'll sleep deep and sound, I bet
Tonight after the sun has set.

Finally it's time to bid goodbye,
To gulls and shells and sea and sky,
All more loved by you than cherry pie,
Heave a quiet, wistful sigh,
As back home we now must fly,
In your own bed once again to lie,
Dreaming of the ocean's lullaby.

Posting 6 hours away from home...

We're in Destin, FL!  Once again, my wonderful friend Marilyn is hosting me and supporting my beach addiction.  This time I have my Emily-bug with me, and my friend Meg and her 2 year old daughter.  It was a long ride down, with 2 stops, but we made it safe and sound and finally crashed in bed super late.

This morning I got up at 7:30 local time and went for a run on the beach!  I've been looking forward to that for a long time.  Su over at Cheekyness has been a huge inspiration to me in my discovery of the fact that I LIKE to run.  I ran from the beach access in front of Marilyn's street down to the sign for the Henderson Beach State Park.  All told, I went about 1.8 miles.

I know I was supposed to post the 3 entries from last week that are overdue, but after that drive I was just too bushed.  Frank is along for this trip, of course, so there will be some great monkey hilarity come next Frank Friday.  Hopefully tonight after Emily is asleep, I can post the one from last week, which is titled "Banana?"  Look for it to show up very soon.  I'm also still formulating last week's Go Here Thursday.  It's harder to think of places and stuff to recommend (without repeating something) than you would think.  So I will be working on that tonight, too (hopefully).  Thanks for hanging in with me, and I hope you will enjoy the results forthcoming. :)

Now I'm about to grab a shower and get ready to tote the preschoolers to the BEACH!  We're going to slather them down in Avon Sunblock, put on their new beach hats (yes, there will be photos!) and start playing in the sand!  Wait... We have to get breakfast first.  They had Cheerios.  But I want.... the glorious thing that is featured in this edition of Music Monday!  By comedian Tim Hawkins, here is the Chick-fil-a song.  Enjoy!

Banana??

Frank, being an ape, recently went on a search to find those lovely things which apes love best:
BANANAS!
We were surprised that there are so many things around that are yellow like bananas, but are not really bananas at all.  Here's his adventure:

BANANA?

No, Frank.  That's a lovely feather boa at Hobby Lobby.  I bet Emily would love to wear that at a tea party!

*****

BANANA?

No, Frank.  That's my bright yellow rain coat!  It's rained a lot this year, and I'm glad we found it.  Perhaps someday soon I'll find one in your size. :)

*****

BANANA?

No, Frank.  Those are Grandmother Cross' lovely day lilies in the front garden.  I wish they'd last.  They are very beautiful.

*****

BANANA??

Hooray, Frank!  You found the bananas!  I hope you will share.  They look delicious!   :)

It's Better to Give!

Dear Readers,

I thought about waiting until I reached 50 followers before hosting a giveaway.  But so many of my other blogging friends are hosting giveaways on their blogs (2 Bags Full and The Feathered Nest, just to name a couple) that I got so inspired and just couldn't wait.  41 is close enough to 50 anyway, right? :)

So here is what I made for you:

In pretty peacock blues and greens, this crocheted purse is approx 8" wide and 7" high (ish).  The strap is approx 2 feet long from purse edge to the top of the "curve", so it hits the average person around waist/upper hip level.  (I'm short, only 5'2", so it hits me mid-hip.)  It features a silver and crystal butterfly embellishment in the lower corner.

The butterfly is courtesy of my Aunt's random jewelry
findings that she gave to me a few months ago.

Yes, I am very short. :)

You may enter by commenting below.  You are allowed up to 3 entries.  I will have Miss Emily-bug help me draw a winning name on AUGUST 1ST.  Best of luck!

Oh, and I have been busy getting things cleaned up and ready for me to go back to Destin Beach for a few days next week, so you haven't missed Poetry Wednesday, Go Here Thursday or Frank Friday this week.  I plan to get those up by tomorrow at the very latest, just as soon as I get this mountain of laundry put away and my beach bag packed!