Monthly Archives: June 2013

Photographing the Alphabet ~ S

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S ~ Shelves

Shelves overflowing with Bric-à-brac

Shelves overflowing with Bric-à-brac

I wonder how many items above you owned or used? The ceiling light shades bring back memories from my childhood and we had one of those old glass washboards, it came from my paternal grandmother’s home in County Clare.

Glass Cabinet, sometimes called a China Cabinet

Glass Cabinet, sometimes called a China Cabinet

I remember visiting homes where bric-à-brac had a place of honour on mantelpieces, cluttered tables, and shelves, or was displayed in cabinets with glass doors to display the items within while protecting them from dust.

Shelves filled with oddments of willow pattern crockery

Shelves filled with oddments of willow pattern crockery

Willow pattern tea sets with large breakfast cups were in everyday use in my other granny’s kitchen.

“Bric-à-brac” nowadays refers to a selection of items of modest value, often sold in street markets or shops like the one above.

Puppy love

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Puppy Love, was a popular song written by Paul Anka in 1960 for Annette Funicello, whom he was dating at the time. Twelve years later it was revived by Donny Osmond.

Puppy Love is often described as a young love infatuation similar to a crush. It is often one sided and not reciprocated. I was never a slushy crushy person. For a relationship to work in my book, it has to a 50/50 total respect.

I am reminded of a Robert Brault quote:

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.

My real puppy love is this little scallywag:

Buffy!

The topic this week  for our LBC members (you will find their links in the sidebar) was dreamed up by Ramana  I look forward to discovering the angle on Puppy Love that they each write about.

Thursday Special ~ Cold Caller

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There was a knock on the door this past Saturday morning. Sheamus O’ Shaunessy opened it to find a young, well-dressed man standing there who said:

“Hello sir, I’m a Jehovah’s Witness.”

Sheamus said “Come in and sit down.”

After  offered his visitor a fresh cup of coffee and asked “What do you want to talk about?”

The Jehovah’s Witness said, “Beats me. Nobody ever let me in before.

♠ 

♠

Frank, is this what you do with all cold callers?

Now do you believe me?

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I did meet a Toyboy this afternoon.

Phil @'Camera & Grannymar

Phil O’Camera & Grannymar

Phil O’Camera & Grannymar

There is a place called Howth

Photos of Howth

The weirdness of my phone.

My Contact list is alphabetical

There are five that begin with the letter ‘A’ *. The gremlin chose #4
The seven ‘B’s were skipped.
Of the six ‘C’s, the fifth was selected.
5 ‘D’s & 6 ‘E‘s were passed, but the first of two ‘F‘s was chosen.
The second entry under ‘H‘ and the first under ‘L‘ also got the text.

* I thought that I was being clever. The very first entry in my contacts is Abc without any number. I entered it that way on purpose, to prevent me calling the first person on the list by accident.

Toyboys!

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I knew that one day they would get me in trouble!!!!!

I’m hiding.

Nobody will be able to find me ever, Ever, EVER again. E V E R.

Well, not at least until…. Friday. Maybe by then I might be forgiven. It is not really my fault, you know.

I had a date with a Toyboy for one of the clock today, so I bounced out of the bed before 6 am, and into the shower. Then began the polyfilla programme  it is a long slow process, but worth it for the results.

The product promises:

  • Flexible, crack-free filling between two surfaces where movement can occur.
  • Easily controlled application for long linear gaps.
  • For indoor and outdoor use.

All I needed to do was:

Remove cap and carefully cut top from nozzle with a sharp knife to the size of hole I required.
Squeeze the tube to force out the filler and move along the repair wrinkle.
The filler was smoothed with a wet rounded spatula or dowel. I use my finger. Then wipe off excess before it dries. It can be over painted when dry. Read: You can use makeup on top of it!
For best results the area to be filled should be no more than 20mm wide by 12mm deep. I’m well within that limit, my wrinkles are not that deep, I think!

After breakfast, I headed for the hairdressers –Looking like an overgrown weed garden was not the look for me. Not when I was meeting a Toyboy!

I was about to climb into my car minding my brand new haircut, when my pocket began to buzz. A text message from the Toyboy…

Could we delay the meet-up, just a little, something had occurred that needed attention.

Now being the obliging sort and the day being my own, it was no problem, so I decided to wait until I was home before replying.

I was negotiating a tricky roundabout/rotary when my pocket began pinging. One message after another, anyone would think the car was on fire.

When I arrived home and looked at the phone, I blushed.

BLUSHED like a prize tomato!

My phone had taken a dizzy fit and decided to issue invitations to all and sundry from here to California (sorry Conrad!) to an address in Howth, Dublin. What I want to know is how it managed to pull phone numbers for names that were not consecutive in my list and send an address from a business card stored in my phone?

There will be no Party in Howth, at least not one I know about.  Especially since I am 125 miles away.

Time to go, I don’t want to be late, I have had enough disasters already today.

Play among yourselves, I’ll catch you later. 😉

Drugs, food and science

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Brighid sent me a link to a very interesting post by Anne, last night, I thought many of you might like to read it.

Drugs, food and science.

I suggest you read the article first before  my thoughts below.

I am no scientist, but the part about the medications, particularly statins, I certainly agree with. I was prescribed statins a number of years ago, and ended up almost bedridden, unable to stand upright and in constant pain. I could not remember what I was supposed to be doing half the time, though I put that down to my being in pain.

Statins are cheap and that is why they are so widely prescribed. Two of my brothers, one in Australia and another in Dublin, had the same trouble as I had with meds. Each spoke to me at different times without knowing the other had done so. The common denominator for the three of us was a problem with Statins. I gave them the name of my replacement drug and told them to go back and talk to their doctors. Thankfully they listened and life has improved for all of us.

There are people out there who are on prescribed medications , and without consultation buy over the counter rubbish because Joe Soap swears by it. They forget it can react in a bad way to the prescribed items they are swallowing.

Now, the story about Mr Green Smoothie, pleading for donations to make a video, scares me. We are told he says:

He has everything he needs to make it (except money). He is an experienced film maker, has the necessary equipment, has doctors lined up to do blood work, has amazing athletes to cooperate — presumably to consume green smoothies. All he needs to prove his hypothesis — that green smoothies enhance athletic performance — is money.

If the evidence is so strong, how come some professionals are not ready to back him?

The GMO argument is another mine field and alas, I do not know enough to make any claims one way or the other. I do know that every second person I meet these days seems to suffer from some allergy.

I wonder if it is the age of the internet and the speed of how news, both good and bad travels the globe. You know how it is: A first hand story, becomes unrecognizable by the time it is fourth hand. This article is a case in point:

Could new polypill save thousands of lives?

The National Health Service (NHS) is our UK government provided health care. It shows how stories can spread like wildfire.

In my grandparents day, they did not have modern medications and antibiotics, so depended on the local ‘healer’ for remedies. We had a book at home years ago of these ancient remedies and they would scare the life out of you.

Enough from me, I need to make my breakfast.

Food Monday ~ Juicy Salsa

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On chicken, fish or indeed anything,
I’ll have mine with warm rustic bread,
For a very quick & tasty lunch,
Yum, yum, yum.

 

Grape And Caper Salsa

325g red seedless grapes, halved
45g capers, drained and rinsed
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Stir together grapes, capers, shallot, parsley and olive oil in a bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

+_======_+

Fennel Cucumber & Avocado Salsa

1 large fennel bulb, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 bunch coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the fennel, cucumber, avocado, red onion, coriander, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Allow mixture to sit 20 minutes before serving.

Little Acorns

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- Little Acorns Sculpture ~ Alan Cargo -

– Little Acorns Sculpture ~ Alan Cargo –

Little Acorns ~ Powder Coated Steel and Stainless Steel
Sculptor ~ Alan Cargo

Back in 2011, Antrim Borough Council encouraged local residents to take part in an exciting, new project: A sculpture representing a mighty oak tree, to be erected at the roundabout at Greystone Road, Antrim. I found it during construction, but was unable to discover the back story until now.

Little Acorns ,showing the sections

Little Acorns ,showing the sections

It involved working with artist, Alan Cargo, to create a large metal tree complete with engraved metal leaves. Each leaf was created by an individual member of the community with a design of their choice along the themes of Round Tower, growth, strength, and connections.

Little Acorns, branches and leaves

Little Acorns, branches and leaves

Unfortunately, because of the 7.5m height, and positioning of the completed sculpture on the roundabout, it was not possible to get up close to see the words and imagery on to the 320 stainless steel leaves and acorns.

The project is part of the Positive Spaces programme, helping communities enhance their neighbourhoods with positive and cross-community public art.

Almost a silhouette, to give an idea of the shape.

Almost a silhouette, to give an idea of the shape.

Alan Cargo has for more than a decade successfully completed 25 large scale public art sculptural projects, and taken part in exhibitions both internationally and locally.

He has lived and worked in England, Ireland and Africa both as a teacher and designer / maker of sculpture, and has traveled extensively in Africa, Asia and Latin America. He is currently a lecturer of 3D Design (Sculpture) in Belfast Metropolitan College.

A wide range of materials and engineering techniques are used to realise his work, and he likes to have a hands-on approach to all the manufacturing stages involved in making the work a process. He has this to say about ‘Little Acorns’:

Commissioner, Antrim Borough Council / European Development Fund.
The four parts of this sculpture line up to make a ‘great oak’ tree at one point of the viewers journey round the roundabout creating a sense of visual anticipation, and reflecting the somewhat fractured nature of the surrounding communities. Direct inclusion of peoples words and imagery sand blasted on to the 320 stainless steel leaves and acorns advances the idea that community is strengthened when everyone can speak, words and imagery from workshops with 5 primary schools and 4 community groups are included.

About four years ago, I wrote about a very different tree not far from this one. It was Brian Connolly’s The Healing Tree.

When I discover how to pull over the approx 2,300 posts from my old blog, you will be able to dander through my sculpture series that began with the story of Dickie, Sam & Billy. If you scroll down the comments, you will find a comment from Brian Alabaster, the sculptor of the piece. I have to confess it is still my favourite.

Photographing the Alphabet ~ R

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R ~ Riverbank, Restoration & Reclamation

Sandy soil at the water edge

Sandy soil at the water edge

This river bank floods during heavy rain. A popular home to a flock of Mallards, being close to a pedestrian bridge, parents with young children can often be found feeding the ducks.

View from the bridge

View from the bridge

The green area to the right of the path fills with ducks as soon as a child appears. Our feathered friends are always hungry.

Reclaiming the river's edge

Reclaiming the river’s edge

Recent attempts to reclaim the river bank. A channel is marked by wooden posts and filled with the pruned branches from local public parks.

Discarded Christmas trees form a base.

Discarded Christmas trees form a base.

Discarded Christmas trees are used to form a base.

My First kiss

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It was gentle as a butterflies fluttering wing,
My heart felt like bursting I wanted to sing.

First on my forehead, then on my nose,
I wished it kept going right down to my toes.

Scattering soft kisses like petals on my face
Warm and gentle, so full of grace.

Slowly and gently your lips brushed with mine
A sensuous treat to make my eyes shine.

Tender and memorable warming my heart
Delicious sweet desire, a wonderful start.

Our travelling romantic Delores, from Life on a Limb, found the perfect way to delve into the secret past lives of LBC members by asking us to write about: My First Kiss. I hope you notice that I have finally managed to list the members over there in the side bar, so if you fancy a few more kisses, skip along with me and see how many we can collect. Maybe with all this excitement it is just as well some are late on the starting blocks – my heart might go into shock otherwise.

Just remember:

A kiss blown is a kiss wasted…the only real kind of kiss is a kiss tasted!