Tomorrow

I am heading to Tennessee tomorrow after work to start the new year with my family.  I wish all of you a VERY happy 2012!

Here's a couple of photos from my visit last year.  There's little chance of a snowy repeat this year as it's too warm there at the moment.  (Although, it is much colder than Orlando where I live.)

And some of the inside - warming up after the snowy walks.

I Spy - Y

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye - yarn.

Corner View - Seasonal

Corner View is a weekly appointment - each Wednesday - created by Jane and currently curated by Francesca, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments at www.fuoriborgo.com, and be sure to visit other participants, too.

Tuesday night, I got home, put on my nightgown and started on my to-do list.  Item 5 was take photos for Corner View... so, I must confess, I grabbed my car keys and drove around my neighborhood in my nightie taking photos.  Looking at the photos, I probably should have taken my good camera... of course, if we're playing that game, I probably should have gotten dressed first, too!

So, here are my neighbors' houses dressed in their seasonal garb.  (And there's a bonus in the last photo, my neighbor Carlos.)

Happy Holidays!

I Spy X

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye - an Xmas tree.  (Okay, so I'm cheating, but X is a hard one!)

I am a confirmed nerd.

I was having brunch with the Hip Chicks this weekend.  (We are the only ones who call ourselves that - in reality we are a bunch of Old Broads, but it was a joke name that stuck.  And, let's face it, wouldn't you rather be known as a Hip Chick than an Old Broad?) I was telling them about my recent trip to Africa.  One of my friends asked me what I bought.  When I explained that it was not that type of a trip, she asked, "But surely you brought yourself some of the wonderful beaded jewelry that Africa is famous for, right?"  I had to admit that, nerd that I am, I bought books - fiction and non-fiction about Kenya.  (See photo below.  I actually bought another book, but my travelling companion has it at the moment.)  This is my obsession.  I can't visit a place without buying books about it.  To me, it extends the vacation and brings back memories when I read about places I visit after the fact.    Do any of you do the same thing or am I a lone nerd?

p.s.  If you like the painting above my crooked lamp, visit the etsy shop of the lovely Irish artist Aisling Kiernan -  http://www.etsy.com/people/AislingKiernan.

I Spy - W

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye - Will, my little "jungle" kitten playing in the yard.

Cornerview - Today you are you.

Corner View is a weekly appointment - each Wednesday - created by Jane and currently curated by Francesca, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments at www.fuoriborgo.com, and be sure to visit other participants, too.

So, who am I?  I guess I am like my favorite demitasse.  I'm loud, colorful, shiny, perhaps a little gaudy and a tad damaged :-)

I spy - V

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye, vervet monkeys.

These little guys were visiting the tent next to ours.  (When we checked in, the manager told us to lock the tent because the monkeys can unzip the tents.)

For Francesca

I couldn't resist!  Hope you are having a wonderful vacation yourself!

Back from safari in Africa

I had a wonderful time in Kenya.  I highly recommend going on safari there - wonderful country!  I won't bore you with a play by play, but here's the trip in a nutshell: saw every animal on my list and more, got kissed by a giraffe, slept with monkeys and hippos, irritated a cheetah, got stuck in mud (more than once), ate some stuff did not recognize, almost arrested for taking pictures of political stuff, tribal serenades, machine guns & uzies, saw a Grevy Zebra (<2000 left on earth!), got totally spoiled at the camps.

Here are a few of the 1400 photos I took...

CV - Home Sweet Home

Corner View is a weekly appointment - each Wednesday - created by Jane and currently curated by Francesca, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments at www.fuoriborgo.com, and be sure to visit other participants, too.

As much as I love to travel, I must agree with Dorothy, "There's no place like home."  Below is a photo of one of my favorite areas of my home. I call it my reading nook.  The dated, but very comfortable, chair and ottoman were thrift store finds - $15 for the pair.  The little chest, which is the perfect height for a cup of tea while in the chair, was free.  (I picked it out of my neighbor's trash and re-did it.) 

Now, I need to go sit in it and read - book club meeting is this Friday and I still have 200 pages to go.  Oops!

I am going on vacation and will miss the next two Corner Views.  I'd like to wish the American-corner-viewers a happy Thanksgiving and everyone else a happy November 24th!

I spy - R, S, T and U

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye reading material, a suitcase, a (plane) ticket and umpteen medicines needed for a trip to a far off place.

I am doing several this week as I am going on vacation and won't be able to "I spy" for the next few weeks.  I am going on safari in Kenya.  I've been planning this trip for a year and a half.  Can't believe it's almost here!

CV - Dreams

Corner View is a weekly appointment - each Wednesday - created by Jane and currently curated by Francesca, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments at www.fuoriborgo.com, and be sure to visit other participants, too.

My dream is to see as much of the below as possible:

Happy Wednesday to all!

I spy - Q

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye a quinoa dish.

This was at a party I attended Saturday night and it was delicious.  The main ingredients were quinoa, seminole pumpkin and corn - yummy!

Rain, rain, go away!

Will and Katie want to play!

CV - Exotic

Corner View is a weekly appointment - each Wednesday - created by Jane and currently curated by Francesca, where bloggers from all corners of the world share their view on a pre-arranged theme. If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your Corner View post in the comments at www.fuoriborgo.com, and be sure to visit other participants, too.

The following are photographs of my Japanese Silk Trees.  I had not heard of them before I bought my current house.  The lady I bought the house from told me what they were, so I hope that's correct as she also told me that my orange tree was a lemon tree - boy did I think I was clever growing oranges on my lemon tree.  (The seller had led quite a fascinating life.  She was in her early-80s, had been married half a dozen times and had a number of careers - including jazz singer.  As a singer, she toured all over Europe in the 60s and 70s singing at clubs.  I didn't even mind when the inspectors and contractors were late to appointments during the purchase as I got to listen to her stories.)  Anyhow, back to the trees... not only is the bark visually interesting (and a little scary), it blooms and produces the most beautiful hot pink flowers that are very similar to orchids. Sadly, the trees are not currently in bloom.

I Spy - P

“I Spy” is a weekly appointment - each Monday - created by Lete.  If you'd like to join in, please leave a link to your “I Spy” post in the comments at http://www.okiemmym.pl/.

I spy with my little eye a Pug.

And, yes - I paid the $1 and got the kisses!  This was at Central Florida Veg Fest, which was this past Saturday. 

Here are a few more photos from the event:

My friend, Elayne, buying some organic, vegan soaps:

No Veg Fest would be complete without a Hare Krishna drum circle:

I noticed this walking to the event from the parking garage. I like how they painted the support to blend in with the palm trees: 

Happy Monday - have a GREAT week!