In no particular order, here's a selection of music from television shows that caused me to open up a browser and find out more about them, the lyrics or the artist.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Songs from my shows
Every once in a while, a great song from an opening sequence on television totally grabs me and I have to know more about the song.
In no particular order, here's a selection of music from television shows that caused me to open up a browser and find out more about them, the lyrics or the artist.
In no particular order, here's a selection of music from television shows that caused me to open up a browser and find out more about them, the lyrics or the artist.
Friday, April 25, 2014
On tea and teacups
I have a few rules for hot beverages that I adhere to rather strictly if I am in a position to do so. Here in my kitchen, with my kettle and cups, I'm in a position to set the code. Which applies only to me and not to my husband who may or may not have his own guidelines for enjoying coffee. One of which is .. "put up with hand-me-downs from the "Mo's Favorites" collection, but steal ones you like." As a result of his theivery, the blue and white Chinese cup now sits on a shelf too high for me to reach. The irony is that, when in use, it generally holds coffee.
If cups are for tea, they must be china or porcelain and the interior must be light or white. Why white? I'm not sure, but sipping tea from a dark interior is rather like smoking cigarettes in the dark ... sure you get your fix, but the enjoyment just isn't there.
I know many who like their tea strong, but I can't claim presence in that camp. I'm of the mind that tea should have a passing familiarity with water, enough to engage the nose and tastebuds and to give a light swirl of color. So cups shouldn't be clear because tea always looks too light, if so.
Hot chocolate or coffee can be quaffed from mugs with colored interiors and fat rims.
A cup with a rounded bottom on the inside is essential for the proper preparation of hot chocolate .. without interior corners, powdered cocoa does not get a chance to hide between the 90° angle of the cup and curve of the spoon as you mix in cream before adding hot water. Hidden cocoa becomes floaty lumps, a condition upon which I'm sure we can all agree, is to be avoided at all cost. My 2010 Vancouver Olympic mug on the top left is perfect for hot chocolate. When I get a 10 minute break from my twice-weekly raid night, I head upstairs to make a cup of cocoa. It's a reward if gaming is going well and if we're bogged down trying to progress, hot chocolate is a cheerful consolation.
The brown mug, top right, is a prize Bruce won in an outrigger race. Each member of the team got one of the colored cups .. Bruce took the brown. That's another rule. If he brings it home and I like it more than he cares that I stole it .. it's mine. And that's not the same as his high-shelf-thievery. Not at all.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
More from the garden
It seems to me that you haven't been kept fully in the loop on what's happening in my garden right now, other than a whole bunch of avoiding cleaning last fall's trash. Maybe, if I'm lucky, it will all compost before I have to get in there. A girl can dream, right?
White is in abundance in the spring garden. The bleeding heart bush has, without prompting from me, grown back from the shell-shock it received earlier this spring.
Peiris. Cascading bells make me happy.
I forget what these wee purple flowers are .. they were on sale when I purchased and planted them last year, hoping they'd grow nicely on my rock wall. I had the idea that I'd plant a few more, so perhaps I'd better do a bit of research!
Front Yard
This first shot is a contrast of dark red and bleach white; with its wickedly long thorns, the barberry bush protects our feathery-petaled star azalea.
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| Barberry Bush and Star Azalea |
I forget what these wee purple flowers are .. they were on sale when I purchased and planted them last year, hoping they'd grow nicely on my rock wall. I had the idea that I'd plant a few more, so perhaps I'd better do a bit of research!
My front step .. the first flowers of the season .. white and deep red carnations set against the side panel of my front door. The camera angle makes this look rather like a drunken carpenter was at work here.
Still blooming wildly .. this is what the evergreen jasmine looks like from my neighbor's side of the fence.
Back yard
The coral bark tree reaches skyward vigorously .. I think this is the year to learn how to prune it properly.
Pink heather borders the lower lawn just below my lily garden.
Finally, no spring garden showcase would be complete without muscari. Certainly not mine .. these guys are naturalizing above my lily garden.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Garden friends
Since I've asked him to record the various birds in our garden, Bruce has taken an avid interest in my camera and can make it perform tricks I hope he'll teach me. I generally see my camera perched on the top of a tripod these days and that pleases me greatly.
Note: I've included links for the songs of these birds. They may take a minute or two to load.
He's taken some pretty good shots of our avian visitors. This first is an American Robin. This guy is sitting on top of a rhododendron in the pouring rain, fluffed up to keep warm. Here's how he sounds.
When Bruce told me we had chickadees in our yard, I was skeptical. I hadn't heard the call I learned to mimic as a child on our Alberta farm, nor had I seen anything that looked to me like a 'real' chickadee with polka-dot wings. I still haven't heard them sing, but Bruce captured this guy noshing from the suet feeder.
Here's a link for chickadee bird calls. The one I remember is the second one, our little guy is down the list a bit farther. Both are beautiful songs. Note Bruce's handiwork on providing a perch for the suet feeder. Garden twist ties have so many uses!
The last of today's trio is a white-crowned sparrow who adds this note to the garden orchestra. You might recognize that branch as the favorite place of our hummingbird .. seems to be a good vantage point for all.
Note: I've included links for the songs of these birds. They may take a minute or two to load.
He's taken some pretty good shots of our avian visitors. This first is an American Robin. This guy is sitting on top of a rhododendron in the pouring rain, fluffed up to keep warm. Here's how he sounds.
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| American Robin |
Here's a link for chickadee bird calls. The one I remember is the second one, our little guy is down the list a bit farther. Both are beautiful songs. Note Bruce's handiwork on providing a perch for the suet feeder. Garden twist ties have so many uses!
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| Chestnut-Backed Chickadee |
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| White-Crowned Sparrow |
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