Starting to Make Things Happen

There are a bunch of motivational cliches that go with this saying. "Stop waiting for things to happen go out and make them happen." "Things don't just happen; you make them happen." "Things do not happen. They are made to happen." "Just Do It."

And there are several websites dedicated to helping you turn your life around and make things happen.
FlyLady will help you get your house uncluttered and clean.
Making Things Happen is "An Intensive Designed To Fire You Up"
Makings Things Happen (this version) is apparently last years version of the above site.

There are books: Making Things Happen by Scott Berkun. See his website here for a preview.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

My personal favorite is the 101 things in 1001 days movement on the internet. Check these out:
Day Zero Project
Scarlet Words (Tips on starting your own 101 things in 1001 days project)
And really, just google search for 101 things in 1001 days for tons of peoples lists and follow their progress in accomplishing the things on their lists.
If you can find it, mine is on livejournal. There have been a couple incarnations of it now.

Please share any other websites that you might know of and your own 101 Things in 1001 Days list. I look forward to hearing/reading your lists! I've learned so much from reading other peoples lists so far.

Moderation

Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes.

We frequently hear "all things in moderation." Usually regarding food. After just watching an episode of "Not My Mama's Meals" I am completely understanding the saying. Holy cow the fat content of some of Paula Deen's food.

I'm not condemning her. Don't get me wrong. I grew up in Georgia. I know what southern food is like. But who ever thought of using doughnuts to make bread pudding! I think I'll take my grandmothers any day of the week.

I guess I'm lucky. I've somehow managed to lose a lot of my sweet tooth. I think chocolate cream pie is too sweet. I prefer scones and muffins to sweet breads and doughnuts. I mean, I'll occasionally eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut. I AM from the south after all. But wowzers, some of her stuff is just TOO sweet.

All things in moderation.

A Small Music Box That Plays The Blue Danube and a Tune from La Traviata

When I think of music boxes, I instantly think of one like this that I had as a child. My grandmother was a prima ballerina in her prime and she had the same dream for me. Sadly, I'm sure, her granddaughter had weak ankles, and was never nick-named Grace, not even ironically.

One identical to this belonged to my grandmother. It was passed down to my mother and was sadly broken when my parents moved cross-country and in with us. This is a flickr site so I can't copy the picture. But it's broken pieces still sit in my house waiting for me to fix it. Which, in reality, will probably never happen. :(

Early music boxes were reportedly made by watchmakers and used clock parts and clockworks. The first popular ones were made by the Swiss because of the popularity of their watches.

Metal disks like this one were used to make the music back in the old days.

Now, the makers have switched to using cylinders like this one.

Some of my favorite music boxes are below.

The pretty butterfly one would be perfect for my mother.

This one is perfect for me.

Shadows Cast By Shutters Against Shiny White Walls

Shutters have apparently been around since the ancient Greeks who made louvered shutters made of MARBLE! Yes, you read that right, marble. Can't even imagine the effort it would have taken to open and close those things. But talk about providing security. But security wasn't the only issue. Being as they are in the Mediterranean, they were also vulnerable to some pretty severe thunderstorms (think tropical storms) so marble shutters would also have helped keep out the rain and wind.

Nowadays, we tend to use wood and metal and polymer shutters. And please, make architects everywhere happy, if you are going to put shutters or faux shutters on your house, please, get the appropriate sized shutters. Bob Borson wrote a blog about it here, and I have to agree with him. It drives me a little nuts to have itty bitty shutters on big windows. Also, I think it's hilarious that he calls inappropriately sized shutters, "shudders." Have a read. He's a funny guy.

This is an appropriately sized shutter for it's window.

Now for the shadows. I think the shadows created by shutters are interesting. Not real sure if these are from shutters or from blinds, but from the larger shadow in the middle I'm going to count it as shutters.

This one is fascinating for the shadow of shutters across the shutters. So many lines going in so many directions!

The shadows on the wall combined with the ornate and pretty yet functional banister on the stairs is amazing.

I threw this one in because I had never seen shutters like this before. I've seen several other pictures similar to this now, but this was the first. 

This flickr site has a LONG history of shutters if anyone is interested.

And this website has a lot of pictures of shutters. The ones for windows as well as the ones for cameras.

So anyway, sorry I didn't get more up today. I've got a gig tomorrow so I don't know how much I'll get up tomorrow either. But I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

The Position of Your Head as You Bite Into a Taco

Have you ever tried to eat tacos without turning your head to one side? And I don't mean like my daughter and disassemble the darned thing and eat it with a fork either. Did you succeed?

From a taco eating competition

To tacos from a food truck

To just random girls

And random guys

Even celebrities can't avoid the head tip

Not even the first lady herself. Although I do think she looks more elegant eating one than I do.

But you gotta love that head tip. Not to mention all the yummy goodness inside!

A Lake Catching the Last Flecks of Sunlight Coming in Over the Pines

Not living near a lake with pine trees any more or a lake at all for that matter, I have resorted to stea....borrowing... other people's picture of a lake at sunset. Do me a favor and go buy and visit them for me.

#1) http://peevishpen.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html It's about a third of the way down the page.

#2)http://www.skinnymoose.com/outdoorsmorgasbord/2008/08/ This one is about a third of the way down as well.

#3 & 4) http://www.upoverland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=646 This guy took a trip up the Overland Pass. He has some incredible pictures as well as some unique camping equipment that I had never seen before. Fascinating and well worth spending a few minutes looking at his pictures.

#5) http://www.thelensflare.com/imgs/lilly-lake-sunset-3_636.html Lilly Lake, Utah. This was apparently where a lost Boy Scout was found safe and sound after getting lost about 5 miles away.

#6) http://www.treknature.com/gallery/photo24877.htm Lake Mindemoya, Ontario, Canada

#7) http://www.skimountaineer.com/Trips/CraterLake99/CraterLakeSunsetColor.html Crater Lake, Oregon. Not sure if it is a sunrise or a sunset and neither apparently is the photographer. But it's still pretty :-)

#8)http://www.campsitephotos.com/campground/Little-Crater-Lake/photos/Timothy;Lake;Sunset Timothy Lake, Oregon. This is within a National Forest Campground. And apparently they allow RV's. If I had an RV, I'd be planning a road trip.

The "Snuggle Right In" Feeling

When the day looks like this:

Or This:

Then I want to wear something like this:

And this:

Curl up with one of these:

Or maybe a movie:

Or maybe even my favorite craft:

But who am I kidding? Knowing me, I'll probably have all three on/in the bed with me. And a carafe of coffee, too. 

Sweet Fresh Corn and Tender Baby Green Lima Beans Drenched With Cream

I can't find any recipes of of corn and lima beans together except for succotash. So here are two recipes that have lima beans with cream and creamed corn.

Stewed Lima Beans
Put the beans into boiling water, and cook until tender, but not till they fall to pieces. Fresh beans should cook an hour or more, and dry ones require from two to three hours, unless previously soaked. They are much better to simmer slowly than to boil hard. They should be cooked nearly dry. Season with salt, and a cup of thin cream or rich milk to each pint of beans. Simmer for a few minutes after the cream is turned in. Should it happen that the beans become tender before the water is sufficiently evaporated, do not drain off the water, but thicken with a little flour. A little flour stirred in with the cream, even when the water is nearly evaporated, may be preferred by some, or the cream may be omitted entirely.

~Every-day Dishes and Every-day Work by Ella Ervilla Kellogg, copyright 1897

Creamed Corn

Husk and clean silk from the corn. To cream 6 large ears of corn, which is 6 to 8 servings, you will need the following ingredients:

3 tbsp of butter or margarine 1/4 cup minced onion 1 tsp. sugar Half and half or cream Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the kernels off the cob into a deep sided bowl. This will help catch some of the corn as it splatters when trimming it off.

Stand the cob on end, holding on to the stem end. Using a sharp knife, slice down the side of the cob, cutting the kernels off.

Rotate the cob after each slice and make another cut down the side of the cob. Repeat this procedure until all the kernels are cut off the cob.

Then scrape down the sides of the cob with the back of the knife to remove any remaining pulp and milk from the cob. When all the ears are cleaned, set the bowl of corn aside.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium high heat and then add the onions. Sauté the onions in the butter until they are soft and translucent.

Add the corn and sugar. Stir to combine evenly. Cook over medium heat until hot and then allow the corn to cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the corn often as it is cooking.

After the corn has cooked for 3 to 5 minutes, turn the heat to low and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of half and half to the corn. If the corn is still too dry, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of half and half but be careful not to add too much. You do not want the corn to get soupy.

Add salt and pepper to desired taste and then bring the corn back to a simmer, cover, and allow it to cook another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir once or twice during this time. The corn should be tender when done.

Serve immediately while hot or cover and turn the heat down to very low to keep it warm until ready to serve.

~All About Sweet Corn (Check these guys out. Every way to cook corn imaginable! I can't wait to try some of them. Especially the grilled corn... next summer)

Also, I discovered on Polyvore.com that someone is doing essentially what I'm doing here, but she's doing it with clothes! So I'm going to add her posting for Sweet Fresh Corn and Tender Baby Green Lima Beans, Drenched in Cream here! And if you are interested, then you can look at her other clothing ideas across the top of the Polyvore page.

The Feel of a Rug Under Bare Feet

Sorry, I tried to link the website so you could order these, but apparently they have been hacked. 

This rug is cool. It even comes with those 3 wooden cars pictured for kids to play. You can order them from this design firm.

Now for my nerdy side!

You can order them through this Etsy page. They also have Zelda Tri-force rugs. And PS3 controller rugs.

 For more nerdy:

You can find her instructions here!

A funny rug:

Bear Rugs!

Making your own rugs. My grandma used to do this. It's called latch-hook.

And finally, just a cute puppy on a rug!

Seeing the Moon Rise

I remember the very first time I watched the moon rise. I was 14 years old and a Counselor in Training (C.I.T.) at Girl Scout Camp Okitayakani outside of Cuthbert, Georgia. I went down to the dock on the lake one night just to sit there and watch it.

I can't remember watching the moon rise since then, but I do notice the moon almost every night. I don't think most people even realize that the moon does in fact rise, just like the sun. Regardless, here are 2 time lapse photos showing the moon rising, one from the northern hemisphere and one from the southern hemisphere.

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Masterton, New Zealand

Kind of cool. I never thought about it but it does make sense that the moon would appear to rise differently in either hemisphere.

Reed Fringed Lagoons

Langebaan Lagoon, Cape West Coast, South Africa great picture by Colin-Paterson James but copyrighted so go look at it on his web page.

La Janda, Spain Golden Plover Field. La Janda is a comarca (similar to a county) in the Cádiz province of southern Spain. This was once Spain's largest lake. It was at one point a haven for millions of birds, both resident and migratory. Sadly, the lagoon and its fresh-water wetlands were destroyed. Their water was diverted to support local rice growing efforts and the area almost completely dried up. The lake basin floods in the winter still however and many hope that it will one day be returned to its original status. It is now a part of the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. But that did not come soon enough to save Spain's last reproductive population of the Eurasian Crane.

Blue Lagoon, Queensland, Australia (Yes, it's real boys and girls!) This lagoon is the home of the world's southern most coral reef and was listed as a World Heritage site in 1982. There is surprisingly little on this lagoon to be found online. I suggest this travel site.

Bool Lagoon, Australia This lagoon is situated in southern Australia as well in the Limestone Coast region. It is officially a game reserve. Up to 150 species of birds can be found here. UNESCO also designated it as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The lagoon is not usually open for hunting but when it is, only steel pellets may be used as the lead pellets used in the past are another ecological issue.

Cuyutlan Lagoon reed workers. The Cuyutlan Lagoon is the largest in Mexico stretching over 31 miles. Its waters are a mix of fresh and salt waters. Its flora and fauna are protected but the reeds are still used today to weave hats and mats for floors. The mangrove trees nearby are the heart of the thriving eco-system and are the home to Canadian geese, eagles, hawks, cormorants, egrets, herons, pelicans, and others.

Oasis De Maspalomas, Spain While this is a tourist destination town in the Canary Islands, there are actually a lagoon and dunes here. The dunes are known as the Natural Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas. It was declared a Natural Protected Area of National Interest in 1987 and a Special Natural Reserve in 1994.

El Blanquito Lagoon, Venezuela. This small reed-fringed lagoon is in the Yacambu National Park which is on the southern slope of the Portuguesa Range. Yacambu has a lot of rainforest (and that is putting it mildly).The lagoon supports a variety of birds (like most of these lagoons) including the Rusty-flanked Crake, the Least Grebe, the Caribbean Coot, the Striated Heron, and the Green-backed Heron.

San Elijo, California Lagoon Ecological Reserve protects nearly 1,000 acres of habitat and 700 species of flora and fauna, including, you guessed it, lots and lots of birds. Snowy Egrets, the Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Anna's Hummingbird, and Cliff Swallows all are found in this beautiful lagoon in San Diego county. There are multiple trails and there are guided walks also offered.

Camargue, France Nature Reserve Lagoon is located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhone River delta. Camargue was also named a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 1986 (see links under Bool Lagoon up above). Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds including the Greater Flamingo. Also, apparently the mosquitos there are ridiculous so if you decide to visit, buy bug spray. There's also a roadside museum that provides history info as well as flora and fauna info.

Kwara Camp, Nigeria is on a lagoon in the open flood plains of the Okavango Delta.It is part of the private Kwara Concession and shares a boundary with the Moremi Game Reserve. Kwara Camp is owned and operated by Kwando Safaris. They appear to be a part of the Wilderness Wildlife Trust and the African Wildlife Foundation. 

I know there are a LOT of mentions of birds in these various locations around the world but that's kind of the way it goes. They are precious wetlands that provide a safe place for endangered species. And Birders are really good at making webpages saying where certain birds can be found. :-)