Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

KEUKENHOF GARDENS

These magnificent gardens are near Lisse, The Netherlands, close to Amsterdam.


An overview



All that the serious artist needs



Oooh! Almost lunch time!



After much consideration, I've decided that this is a butterfly.



The royal elephant!



Hmmm. The white keys seem a little out of tune.



Whooo said I can't fly!



This guy's so flighty, they had to tie him down.



Looks like a jelly roll.


Humor --

If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way Mom told you to.

**
Chocolate comes from cocoa, which comes from a tree. That makes it a plant. Therefore, chocolate counts as salad.

**
A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you are in deep water.     

**
Always keep your words soft and sweet in case you have to eat them.


Monday, October 28, 2013

ODD COLLECTION

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I agree that this a strange collection of pics.







 I should be in politics.  I'm transparent.



I am having nothing to do with what appears to be a 3-headed snake!



Beautiful!



All dressed up.



Well, you needn't get all puffed up!



Another beauty



Big fella. Looks tired.



Probably from outer space.


Humor --

MOTHER GOOSE, REVISITED

Jack and Jill
Jogged up the hill,
Their breath came
Faster and faster.

Before the top
They made a stop,
Narrowly averting
A myocardial disaster.

***
Jack tried to be nimble
He tried to be quick.
He shot hoops with young guys
And ruptured a disc.

***
Oh where, oh where
Has my Estrogen gone?
Oh where, oh where can it be?
I was once young and fair
Now I sprout facial hair
Oh hormones, come back to me.

***
Low-fat cake, no-cal shake
Pritikin man,
I’ve tried every diet
From here to Japan.

I’ve poached it, I’ve steamed it,
I’ve drunk herbal tea.
I think from now on
I’ll just let myself be.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

DECORATIONS

Here are a number of photos of over sized ornamentations that you may like --


Here, have a drink.



 If these are boots, you need really curly toes.



A path not for walking
(Maybe in your bare feet?)



Beautiful bridge



That hat's too big for me.



Have a tall one.



Looks like a helmet to me.



I don't think I can lift that.



Too big for the dining room table.

Humor --

One good turn gets most of the blankets.

***

Because they had no reservations at a busy restaurant, my elderly neighbor and his wife were told there would be a 45-minute wait for a table.  “Young man, we're both 90 years old,” the husband said. “We may not have 45 minutes.”  They were seated immediately.








Friday, October 25, 2013

The BIG day

Hot dawg! I get my colonoscopy today! Not everybody can make that claim.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

NOT WELL, revisited

I’ve not felt well for the past couple of weeks. No appetite, no energy, upset stomach. When I finally got to the doctor, he had me get a blood test. That led to an ultra sound, which led me, yesterday, to a gastroenterologist whom I had seen before many years ago.

After listening to my complaints, he examined me and came to the conclusion that I need a colonoscopy. Arrgh!

That will be tomorrow. Today is the nasty day since I have to take a bottle of laxative, and then have it power wash my insides. You can find me in the bathroom.

As it happens, I like this doctor. He is very reassuring without glossing over the problem. One thing that makes him interesting is that his last name is seven (7) syllables long!

I’ll be back when I’m able.

Fun --

I was in the express lane at the store, quietly fuming.  Completely ignoring the sign, the woman ahead of me had slipped into the check-out line pushing a cart piled high with groceries.  Imagine my delight when the cashier beckoned the woman to come forward, looked into the cart and asked sweetly, “So which six items would you like to buy?”

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Not today

Not feeling well. Back tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

GROCERY AD

This is for real! Honest! I thought this most appropriate following yesterday's blog on Food Rules.

The weekly grocery ads show up on Tuesdays with the morning paper, and I take a look to see what is on sale. As I scanned through this morning, this caught my eye:

Muscle milk? What on earth is that? Milk made from muscles? Or mussels? Note that the ad says that there are select varieties. Is that muscles, or the milk? The CRV tells me it comes in a bottle. I think I'll pass this week. If anyone has any info on this product, I'd appreciate your letting me know.

In another ad, I saw something called Skinny Cow. I don't even want to reflect on that.


Monday, October 21, 2013

FOOD RULES

The other day I was sitting in my doctor’s waiting room, and I picked up a small book entitled Food Rules, by Michael Pollan. The author lists some 64 rules about food that make a great deal of sense. No, I am not going to list 64 food rules; however, I do want to introduce you to this gentlemen, and his notions about food.

First of all, Pollan is not a nutritionist nor a scientist; he is a journalist. But he has, he says, thoroughly researched what he writes about. He says, “Eating in our time has gotten complicated; needlessly so, in my opinion.” He goes on to say that many of us rely on experts of one kind or another to tell us how to eat. We don’t always heed the expert advice, but somehow it sticks in our heads in the grocery aisle or at a restaurant.

He divides the book into three chapters:  Part one – What should eat? (Eat food).  Part two - What kind of food should I eat? (Mostly plants)  Part three -  How should I eat? (Not too much).

Pollan is not being facetious when he says to eat food. By that he means there are thousands of products on supermarket shelves that are highly processed concoctions designed by food scientists, consisting mostly of ingredients derived from corn and soy that no normal person keeps in the pantry. Pollan calls these manufactured items edible food like substances.

With each rule, he gives a brief description of the reason for the rule, but I will not get into that. But the rules themselves gives you a pretty good idea of what he has in mind. For example rule number two says, “Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.

Rule number six: “Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients.”

Rule number seven is one of my favorites: “Avoid food products containing ingredients that are third-grader cannot pronounce.”

Another of my favorites is rule number 11: “Avoid foods you see advertised on television.

You get the idea. If this small discussion intrigues you, you may want to find the book at your local library. I do, however, want to give you rule number 64, which I think you will appreciate: “Break the rules once in a while.”

(It occurs to me that you can read that book title two ways. The first is probably the way it is intended, with Food as an adjective, and Rules as a noun. The other is with Food as a noun, and Rules as a verb. Think about it.)

Humor --

Hoo, boy, did I find the right piece of humor to follow Food Rules!

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

The Japanese eat is very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Italians excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausage and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

MORE FEATHERED FRIENDS

And most of these even fly!


'Course I cute! You wait 'til I get feathers!



I'm the Regal Royal (blue)!



 I can keep you cool with my fan top.



Parakeets!



Standing guard



Pretty fancy



In formation



Struttin'


Humor --

TRUCK STOP

A trucker came into a truck stop cafe and placed his order.  He said, “I want three flat tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards.” The brand new waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, went to the kitchen and said to the cook, “This guy out there just ordered three flat tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards.  What does he think this place is, an auto parts store?” 

“No,” the cook said. “Three flat tires mean three pancakes, a pair of headlights is two eggs sunny side up, and running boards are two slices of crisp bacon.”

“Oh, OK!' said the waitress. She thought about it for a moment and then spooned up a bowl of beans and gave it to the customer.

The trucker asked, “What are the beans for?” She replied, “I thought while you were waiting for the flat tires, headlights and running boards, you might as well gas up!”

***
I just had to add this bit in the humor section:
I subscribe to THE WEEK news magazine. This item was on page 4 of the current issue --

A 518 pound British man was forced to pay for two airplane seats to account for his extra heft.
One seat was in row 17, and the other in row 19.






Friday, October 18, 2013

FEATHERED CREATURES

No, this is not about my cockatiel, Pepper.  As you will see, there are many birds of different feathers.


He spotted something!



Aha!



Just wait 'til I grow up.



Fancy feathers, part 1



The headcrest looks frozen



Owl-crabatics



Ms multi color



It takes me all morning to set my feathers.



Whoo you lookin' at?


Humor --

Three friends from the local congregation were asked, ”When you're in your casket, and friends and congregation members are mourning over you, what would you like them to say?”

Artie said: “I would like them to say I was a wonderful husband, a fine spiritual leader, and a great family man.”

Eugene  said: “I would like them to say I was a wonderful teacher and servant of God who made a huge difference in people's lives.”

Al said: “I'd like them to say, “Look, he's moving!”


Thursday, October 17, 2013

BABIES, part 2

Oh, so you liked the first batch!  Ok, here are a few more...


As long as everyone is comfy.



You get the saddle; I be ready!



Everybody has fun!



Mmmm. Delicious.



Wake us for dinner.



What you thinkin'?



Wanna play hide 'n seek?



I found this; I keep it.

Humor --

Working at the post office, I'm used to dealing with a moody public. So, when one irate
customer stormed my desk, I responded in my calmest voice, "What's the trouble?"
"I went out this morning," she began, "and when I came home, I found a card saying the mailman tried to deliver a package, but no one was home. I'll have you know, my husband was in all morning! He never heard a thing!"
After apologizing, I got her parcel.
"Oh good!" she gushed. "We've been waiting for this for ages!"
"What is it?" I asked.
"My husband's new hearing aids."