Weekend Assignment #213: Book Boosters

"A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy."

-Edward P. Morgan

Weekend Assignment #213: While it may be difficult to choose your favorite book of all time, there's probably a certain genre or category of books you prefer over other kinds. Do you love a mystery, or would you rather read about dragons? Are you thirsty for a good vampire take, or is science fiction more your style? Do you mostly stick with the classics, or look for the latest spy novel? Are you a biography buff? Do you like to read about real-world politics, science, history or sports, or would you rather escape the real world with a good romance? Tell us! And while you're at it, tell us your second favorite category of books.

Extra Credit: Do you ever loan out books to friends or family?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

I love to read, always have. I have so many books that I can read over and over. A few of those titles, I keep on my desk at all times, so if I need a quick getaway I can just take it down, open their well worn covers and dance off into another existence. I have wondered over the years, what would I have done, if I had never fallen in love with reading?

John Scalzi, had touched on the subject of reading, and what our favorite books are, many, many times, but I never tire of it because I am always finding a good read, and it is fun to share. I don't know why I don't write about my love of books more often on Ellipsis, I guess I am too busy complaining about Bush, or fascinated by the current political landscape, or distracted by whatever has chosen to flutter past my camera. My friend Suzanne sent me an invitation to join Shelfari a while back, and I did, but have done little about it since then. I don't know why. Just haven't. So, how about I give you a proper look into my favorite reads...

Silent Snow By Steve Thayer

I can't say enough about this book! I discovered it in the autumn of 2000. Probably my worst year ever! I was completely inside myself, and alone, except for my lovely books. Alan saw it at Barnes and Noble and bought it for me as a gift. It had me at the first sentence. "It always rains when a child dies." Now don't let that sentence put you off. This is not a sad book, it's a masterfully written book that blends the true life history of the Lindbergh kidnapping case, with a modern day story full of suspense and vivid storytelling.

You will find yourself actually feeling cold, while reading a particular description of a trek through the snow to catch the bad guy. You will feel like you are right there with the protagonist, as he races against time. It's one of the best edge-of-your-seat stories I have read to date. I cannot believe it hasn't been made into a movie! Of course, that might be a good thing, books don't always translate well to the big screen. Take my advice, if you are looking for a great read, I promise you will enjoy this book!

Here is a glimpse of what you will find on the book shelf in my office. I highly recommend all of these books!

Humor meets biography with Steven Colbert's
"I am America And So Can You"

My first diabetic cookbook. Delicious and Yummy.

A vivid story of love and fantasy, which will appeal to the witch in all of us!

I LOVE the Idiot's guides. I own 10 or 15, ranging in subjects from living with Fibromyalgia to the guide to Windows' Vista!

I pocket guide to Impressionist art. I take it quite often along with me when I go out with my camera.

Ok, ok, but what can I say? Cats Rule! Right Steven?

As it says on my sidebar, "I can sit in the autumn sun, and read Neil Simon plays all day long!"

My favorite novel

I love humor in storytelling.

This is a MUST have. Whether you are a diabetic watching your blood glucose numbers, or someone just wanting a healthier lifestyle, you should be informed about the decisions you make regarding the foods you choose to fuel you body with! Educate yourselves... live a good life!

Extra Credit: I don't think I break up my reading choices in terms of favorite genres, so to pick my second favorite would be impossible. I think for the purpose of the assignment however, I will say that Horror is would most likely fit into the category of second choice, as I seem to have less of that type of book then all my others. An excellent book from the Horror category would have to be, "Horror Show" by Greg Kihn. That's right, the rocker and Bay Area Disc Jockey can write too! LOL. I loved that book, and I also enjoyed "Big Rock Beat" also by Kihn. Impressive reading, that blends good genuine humor, with scary, scary stuff! Read it!

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."

-P.J. O'Rourke

-OndineMonet

New Monday Photo Shoot #17: Fur Sure

"Life is an endless struggle, full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like."

-Unknown

New Monday Photo Shoot #17: Photograph something furry or fuzzy, whether it's a textured fabric, an animal (real or otherwise), a beard, a piece of fruit, or something else. All I ask is that the photograph concentrate on whatever it is that's furry or fuzzy, and ignore other features (such as eyes and noses) as much as possible.

-Karen Funk Blocker, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Is it hair? Is it fuzz? Is it fur? Whatever it is on the butterfly, it's very soft when it brushes past you, and I found out quite by accident, that butterflies don't mind very much if you very gently touch their mane, if you do so with the utmost respect. :) Have you ever combed the long, well managed hair of a beautiful woman? Was she a Painted Lady? Could she be described as a Cosmopolitan woman? Was she as sweet and beautiful as this Vanessa?

;) WINK!

Note: Please click on the photo to see it in a larger version.

-OndineMonet
Vanessa cardui (American Painted Lady Butterfly)
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
April 23, 2008
Afternoon

Living In The Moments

"Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it's beauty."

-Albert Einstein

First of all... thank you. Your emails and comments about Elvis have been a tremendous comfort to Alan and I.

We have an wonderful young man, goofy and smart, silly and kind, determined and stubborn, handsome and charismatic. Besides Alan and I, his great loves are food, slightly slutty women, hats and stuffed animals. His favorite animal is the opossum, and his favorite color is green. He likes long naps, especially if I put on some classical music, and he growls when he sees George Bush on TV! LOL. I have seen this guy do things that are nothing short of astounding. Like the time he sat in the yard watching birds fly in and out of the lemon tree, and after a little while, I saw that he had climbed into the tree, settled down on a particular branch, where he sat with his mouth wide open... apparently reasoning to himself, that if he sat there long enough, a bird would fly into his mouth! LOL. True story.

That is just one of the times we are smiling about, as we get ready to say goodbye. If he were writing this blog, I know he would say to everyone... "don't be sad. Please." Elvis wasn't a sad cat, he loved pulling pranks to make us laugh. Do you remember the time when he convinced Alan that there was some dire need to be let outdoors? Well, Alan and I had just sat down to eat lunch of corned beef sandwiches, when Elvis began to whine, and scratch and claw at the door. Alan took one bit of his lunch and then got up to let him out. Elvis waited for him to get the door open, then bolted under Alan's feet making a b-line to Alan's chair, and up to the table. And I swear... he was laughing! LOL. He got to Alan's sandwich, never took any, but he made his point. He is smarter then us, and many, many times, he has proven it!

Everyone who loves a pet, believes they have the best little friend on earth. The smartest kitty, or the most intelligent dog, and they are probably right, but Elvis is my hero. He has been nothing but sheer joy, making us laugh every single day we have had him. I believe he was made of pure love. To me, it's like he doesn't just know what love is HE IS LOVE!

Alan and I are pet people. I know we will have another friend one day. We will need a little time to heal from losing Elvis, and we have a time frame that seems about right. In truth, we both know that it will never heal completely, but we will be ready for a new friend at some point. I can see a lot of light in that fact alone. For now, there is a lot of life in our house, and we are doing our best to do our normal routines. I will continue to post here, you know me, I have an opinion about everything! LOL. So please keep coming back! Elvis is having a birthday this coming week, and I have already chosen the theme, so, I will be posting a lot of photos of the fun. His life is to be celebrated. So stay tuned! There's much more to come!

-OndineMonet
"Elvis As Art"
Berkeley, California
April 24, 2008
Afternoon

Heart And Soul, I Fell In Love With You Heart And Soul

"If you should die before me, ask if you could bring a friend."

-Unknown

The worst possible news came to visit us the other day. Elvis has cancer. Feline Lymphoma. There are no good options. Even with treatment his doctor believes that Elvis would only survive about a year. With treatments we can hold things off, and shrink the tumors in his nostrils, but it would not do a lot more then give us a little more time with our boy. He would be comfortable, and then the drugs would stop working and we would be right back here, watching him fight for his life. I have read that some kitties live as long as two years, but there is really no guarantee.

Alan and I want to put his dignity first. That means letting go in a few weeks. Right now he is in the back yard, chasing butterflies. He is in a good mood, he is still cleaning himself, and loving on us, and I look at him, and I think to myself, this can't be right. But at the same time, he has lost weight because he wouldn't eat, and even now we are giving him medicine to stimulate his appetite, without the medicine he wouldn't be eating.

Alan and I are in pieces, after spending a couple days in shock. He and I are going to go back to see the Elvis's doctor tomorrow, and ask some questions again, just so we are sure about what to do. Right now we still have a happy boy. He is such a happy little boy, and we are indulging him like crazy. That's where things are at the moment. I was telling a friend that I think Elvis knows what's going on, on some level. Last night Alan and I were sitting together crying, and Elvis came into the room and sat down between us. He put one paw on Alan and one paw on me, as if to comfort us. That's what he does. He takes care of us.

-OndineMonet
Elvis
April 21, 2008
Afternoon

When Beans Find Their Way Up Your Nose!

"With their qualities of cleanliness, discretion, affection, patience, dignity, and courage, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?"

-Ferdinand Mery, Her Majesty The Cat

My boy hasn't been feeling well. There is something wrong with the right side of his nose. Last week he stopped eating, and drinking water. I tried everything. I even bought him his very favorite baby food, and gave him a little cut up chicken, something he has never turned down, but he would have none of it. He was interested in the food, but because he couldn't smell it, he wouldn't eat it. That's the thing about cats. You can put food in their mouths and force them, but it will be going against their natural instinct. I know better then to try and force him to eat, all that would accomplish would be stressing him out, which in turn would complicate his diabetes. Sigh.

So, with all else failing, we took him to see Dr. B. Elvis was dehydrated, and his nose was swollen, so tests were done. A chest ex-ray first, then a cardiogram. His heart wasn't sounding right to Dr. B. It was a long wait in the waiting room. When the doctor called us into his office, I didn't see my boy. "We have mostly good news," said the doctor. His heart looked ok, no evidence of heart failure, and all his other vitals were good, but he was quite dehydrated and needed fluids. He was too grumpy for the doctor to do a blood test, so he got a little dose of kitty Valium, and an IV with fluids, and he was all set to spend the night, with tests scheduled for the next day.

My boy was in the hospital from Thursday, until Saturday afternoon. My goodness I missed my friend. I missed his morning kiss and pat on my face, and his goofy little routines, such as his rearrangements of his stuffed animals, and his knocking on the back door when he wants to check on the garden. One of our very favorite routines is the way he asks for dinner, every night at 5:30 when Charlie Gibson appears on ABC World News Tonight. Apparently Elvis likes to stay informed while dining. LOL. On the other hand it might be that Charlie Gibson and Alan sound a little alike. I am not sure which. ;) Last night, he asked for dinner, and he ate a little, which made us very happy, but it wasn't during the news. It's a start.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, he has a follow up appointment, and we will have all the test results by then. Too many scary words are coming up. Cancer is the scariest one. According to the doctor there was significant damage on the inside of his nostril, but a lot of things could have caused that. Sigh. I don't know. Maybe he inhaled a bean or a seed. His little nose is so small... I can't imagine how he could have, but then this is probably the only cat in America who actually has a personal choice in who delivers the news! LOL. It's just one more thing that makes me love him.

Please keep your fingers and paws crossed for my boy!

-OndineMonet
Elvis
Berkeley, California
April 20th, 2008
Afternoon

Karen's Weekend Assignment #212: Celebrate Poetry Month

"Poetry is when an emotion has found the thought and the thought has found words."

-Robert Frost

Weekend Assignment #212: It's National Poetry Month in the United States, but poetry itself is a worldwide phenomenon, existing in many styles. Lets celebrate the form. How? By writing a poem of course! It can be silly or serious, haiku, limerick, rhymed verse, blank verse, free verse, two lines long, or fifty, or anything in between. All I ask is that it be a new, original poem, not something you wrote in high school and trot out occasionally.

Extra Credit: Do you have a favorite poet?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

I looked through my archives to find some photographs to go with my poems. I like using the two together when at all possible. I think I like what I came up with. :)

New Hope (Haiku)



Alone With The Sea
The Day Slips Into A Dream
A Night Light Brings Hope

Seaside Flowers (Haiku)

Golden Flowers Bloom
As Painted Watercolors
On My Mind's Canvas

Spice Drops (Haiku)

Leaves Of Autumn Spice
Sweetly Brushes The Cool Earth
Cinnamon And Clove

Four Seasons (Haiku)

She Moves Through Seasons
Winter Spring Summer and Autumn
Now Showing Her Age

Pop! (Haiku)

Big Bubblegum Walls
Different Colors And Tastes
It's Art For Art's Sake


Extra Credit: I really love poetry, but I don't know if I have an absolute favorite. If I had to choose, I suppose I would go with John Keats, but I also enjoy Dr. Maya Angelou and Emily Dickinson.

-OndineMonet
Pigeon Point Lighthouse
Pescadero, California
October, 2007
Late Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: Variety Show

"Variety is the spice of life, that which gives it all it's flavor."

-William Cowper

Our latest Round Robin Challenge is all about variety, and comes to us by Nancy, who authors the journal, "Nancy Luvs Pics." I liked doing this challenge a lot. The neat thing about the challenges is that I am always learning something new with them. With this challenge, I began to think in terms of photographing things going together as opposed to trying to keep my pictures simple, as with one main subject. I came up with little "ingredients" in my photos, kind of like trying different flavors to make the perfect recipe. I gave myself the assignment to come up some natural variety, as well as a still life.

I think I like the end result...

Have you ever seen a butterfly feeder?
L-R Julia, Swallowtail and Great Southern White

A Variety of Tulips

Are you inspired to join the challenge? You are certainly invited to do so. All you need is a camera, and a blog or journal to post your entry. The Round Robin Challenges are open to everyone. The more the merrier. :) You can find out all the information you need to know to play this challenge by clicking here. This challenge will be open for one week, but our next challenge will be announced this Sunday, April 20th. Be sure to visit all the Robins and leave them your support. Just click the links below.

Linking List
** Welcome New Member :)

Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pics
POSTED!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

Carly... Ellipsis
POSTED!

Sandy... Myanderings


Sarah... Charish
POSTED!

Jill... Letting Crazy Take A Spin
POSTED!

Chrissie... Chrisseas-Corner


Kiva... Eclectic Granny
POSTED!

Kat... In My Dreams I Can Fly


T J... TJ's Photo Expressions
POSTED!

Jennifer Robin... Robin's Woods
POSTED!

Whammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
POSTED!

Lisa Marie... Lisa's Chaos
POSTED!

Monica... Family Affair Photography
POSTED!

Marie... Photographs and Memories
POSTED!

Annie... Pictures of Craziness


Suzanne R... Living... Suzanne R's Life
POSTED!

Robinella... Robinella's
POSTED!

**Angela... Chocolate Syrup For The Soul
POSTED!

Janet... Fond of Photography
POSTED!

Jan... The Prytz Family
POSTED!

Martha... Perception
POSTED!

Jama Hameed... Sweet Memories
POSTED!

Momma... Sandcastle Momma
POSTED!

Swampy... Anectdotes, Antidotes & Anodes
POSTED!

Sahvvy... The Instantaneous Existence Of Me


Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

Kim... Nekked Lizard Lady
POSTED!

Vicki... Visions By Vicki


Teena... It's all about me!
POSTED!

Vicki... Maraca
POSTED!




-OndineMonet
"Variety Is The Spice Of JellyBeans"
Berkeley, California
April 18th, 2008
Afternoon

Looking For Peacefulness In Richardson Bay

"I believe there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright."

-Henry David Thoreau

Last Wednesday was a very good day. We began by visiting the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, and finished by doing a couple of short hikes in Marin County. First up at the Marin Headlands, then along the shore in Richardson Bay. The sun was perfect, the air was perfect and all was right with the world. But there was a moment... when not everything was so perfect.

Yes, Alan and I fuss once in a while. It is usually about the same thing. His driving, and my backseat driving. LOL. Sometimes he scares me, and sometimes I overreact and before you know it... GRRRR meets GRRRR. We usually end up laughing about it later, like we did last Wednesday. "Carly, did we take a wrong turn at the last stop sign?" To which I reply, "Yes, YOU were completely and utterly wrong!" LOL. Followed by a mischievous little grin. "Later, when I accidentally (on purpose) forget to make your dinner... it will be my turn." LOL. "That won't work my dear, I know how to cook!" ROFLMAO... and he's right, he does know how to cook. Tee Hee. It's difficult to be spiteful to a man who knows how to find his own food. LOL. It's much nicer to cuddle up and laugh the Grrr away.

Our little spat had happened early, and we had completely brushed it off by the time we had got to Richardson Bay, but had we still be grumpy, I am sure the minute we passed into the sanctuary it would have melted away due to the absolute beauty of the surroundings. The nature trail, the view of the bay and San Francisco, the wildflowers, and of course, the birds. We saw Canadian Geese, some Mockingbirds, the usual shore birds, and some gorgeous little Quail. Sigh. I want to visit here more often, and I am planning on doing some sunset photos next autumn, when the light dims early. Autumn and winter is my favorite time to do sunset photos, the colors seem a little more intense to me. Just a little more beauty to look forward to.

:)

Lyford House

The Shoreline

Quail

-OndineMonet
Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
Richardson Bay
Tiberon, California
April 16, 2008
Afternoon

Martha's A-Z Photo Challenge: "C" Is For Cecropia Moth

"Between our birth and death, we may touch understanding, as a moth brushes a window with it's wing."

-Christopher Fry

Martha's A-Z Photo Challenge continues! We are now on the the letter "C." Yesterday, I visited the Conservatory of Flowers Butterfly Zone, and to my delight I was treated to yet another new challenge, the Cecropia Moth. Isn't she beautiful?! To my delight, not only did I get to photograph this beautiful creature, but the little round balls you see next to her along the walls are her eggs! :) That was the first time I have been able to photograph butterfly or moth eggs.

The Cecropia moth is one of the largest moths in North America, with a wingspan of 6 inches. I was hoping she would open her wings just once, but no luck, she is a moth after all, and therefore most active at night. Maybe next month when the conservatory begins offering the night time safaris I will be able to capture one with it's wings open. It's a sure bet I will try. :)

I am lovin' this challenge. You should play along too! Thanks Martha! :)

-OndineMonet
Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
April 17th, 2008
Afternoon

Let's Talk About Sex Baby

"Maybe the best we can do is not quit, play the hand we've been given, and accessorize the outfit we've got."

-Carrie Bradshaw, (Sarah Jessica Parker) Sex And The City

I am a Miranda... how about you? Well, at least that is the character from Sex and the City that I am most like, according to the cute little quiz I found at iVillage. Somehow I am surprised that I am a Miranda, most days I feel more like Charlotte, although don't think that there aren't plenty of days when I would swear my name is Carrie. That's what I found neat about the show... there was a little of all of these women in most women. Of course, that was the point I think. We were somehow supposed to identify with these ladies, and just because we were married didn't mean we were left out.

Ok, yeah I know, it was supposed to be all about the angst of post 30 dating, but as I watched the series, I could see my past a little clearer somehow. Just because you marry the right man, doesn't mean you don't still love your past loves just a little... or even a lot. That's just one of the little secrets about marriage no one tells you, until one day you find out for yourself. Well, at least in my case that's true. I am an overly sentimental person. I hold on to things until the brutal, bitter end. I guess it is a weird kind of collection that I still have in my heart. Mr. November, was my Mr. Big. Sigh. I got over most of them. Life does go on. Perfectly. Happily. And yet... sigh. That man completely broke my heart.

LOL. Anyway, Sex and the City turned out to be a better show then I thought it would be. We have all dated stupid men, and fell for the wrong guy, and fell for the right guy and found happiness, and lost happiness, and dealt with the absurdities of life in general. One of my favorite moments was when Carrie was modeling in a fashion show for a fabulous designer, of course, and right as she began her sexy walk down the catwalk, she falls right off her shoes... landing right on the floor. Yikes! She was fashion roadkill. But she got back up, and finished her walk down that catwalk... head held high! She ended her strut with a high five to super model Heidi Klum. It was perfect. If you have ever fallen on your face, either literally or metaphorically, you understood her triumph. :) By the way, that was Episode #50 "The Real Me."

That's why I liked the show. It usually left you feeling a little less alone. You know what I mean don't you ladies? If you are a female, you probably have those days, once in a while, when you are just out of step, no matter how confident you usually feel. No matter how fabulous you think you are, or even how fabulous your friends think you are, there are days when you just feel like giving up. If you aren't fashion roadkill, then you are emotional roadkill or relationship roadkill. Right? Well, like Carrie, all we can do on those days is pick ourselves up, and get on with that day's strut down the catwalk and hold our heads high. Thanks Carrie, you did good! High Five!

So tell me, are you planning to see the new movie "Sex And The City?" Will you go see it when it hits the theaters on May 30th, or will you wait until it makes it to cable or DVD? Which character do you identify with most? Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha? Who was your favorite male character? Do you have a great love you have never quite gotten over? Is there a Mr. Big in your past? If you could see them again... would you want to? Come on... share. You know you want to! WINK.

"Can you get to your future, if your past is present?"

-Carrie Bradshaw

"I am good at crossword puzzles, I am not so good at people puzzles."

-Carrie Bradshaw

Trivia Question... What was Mr. Big's first name?

-OndineMonet

Twenty-Twenty-Twenty Four Hours To Go

"Without music, life would be a mistake."

-Friedrich Nietzsche

You should have seen me. There I was, stereo up about as high as I could get it to go, and me in my bright pink sports bra and jeans, dancing around my kitchen to the soothing sounds of the Ramone's song, "I Wanna Be Sedated." I bet I was the only 45 year old woman on my block doing that, at that particular moment, which is probably why my neighbor over the back fence was watching me so intently, big grin on his face and all. Sheesh. He was fresh! LOL. Don't you just love hot days in April?

Sing it with me...

Twenty, twenty, twenty four hours to go, I wanna be sedated
Nothin to do and nowhere to go-oh-oh, I wanna be sedated
Just get me to an airport, put me on a plane
Hurry, hurry, hurry before I go insane
I can't control my fingers, I can't control my brain
Oh no, no, no, no, no...



-OndineMonet

My Ellipsis Lifestyle... My Favorite Products #1 Eating Right Multigrain Spaghetti

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."

-La Rochefoucauld

As I said in a previous entry, eating as a diabetic takes a bit of creativity. That's a good thing. Putting a little extra thought into what I eat has made me feel better about living with diabetes. The days that I struggle most, have nothing to do with my Type 2 diabetes and more to do with my Fibromyalgia. There isn't much that can be done with that, but try to eat right and get as much exercise as I can when I am feeling up to it. Fortunately, I have more good days then bad ones. When I do have a bad day, it is a comfort to be able to make a decision about my nutrition that I know will be good for me, and not complicate my diabetes. I am a happy girl, and I am somewhat of an adventurer. So, meal planning for me is kind of fun, like a big experiment. What will taste really good, make me feel satisfied, and still leave me with some healthy post meal blood glucose numbers? To my amazement, I have found a ton of products that do just that.

One of my favorite new finds is Safeway's Eating Right Multigrain Spaghetti. I have tried other products in the Eating Right line, but this is the first time I have tried one of their pastas. It was a big success in our house. At first I shied away, thinking it would have that wood taste that a lot of multigrain products do, but then I thought about how much I liked their other foods and I went for it. It was really good. Not just tasty, but it also cooks up really nice. Firm yet tender. I added the dry pasta to a pot of rapidly boiling water, no oil, and it didn't stick together the way other pastas do. I only needed to do a little bit of stirring with a folk a couple times. Now of course it does have a slight multigrain taste, but it is flavorful, not dry and woody.

I served 3 oz. of the cooked spaghetti, with sauce made with 1/4 lb. hamburger (97% fat free) and 1 cup of Ragu Original flavored with meat pasta sauce, and 1 tbs. Kraft Parmesan cheese. On the side was 1 1/2 cups mixed salad with 2 tbs Kraft Fat Free Catalina dressing. My blood glucose reading before my meal was 111 mg/dl and 2 hours later my reading was 126 mg/dl. I was thrilled! Now that's more like it. I ate all I wanted, I knew exactly what I was eating, and my blood glucose numbers were great. Now I have to try some of the other pasta in this line, I think I am hooked! This stuff is good for everybody. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. :) Diets don't work, but eating creatively does. Make eating an art.

-OndineMonet
Eating Right Multigrain Spaghetti
Berkeley, California
April 13, 2008
Afternoon

How Do You Make A Diabetic Girl Smile?

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."

-Harriet van Horne

The answer to the title of this entry is... Give her 4 straight days of amazingly warm, beautiful weather, put some of her favorite music on her stereo, and bring home all the ingredients for making a diabetic friendly pie. Sugar-Free Strawberry/Peach pie to be exact. :) Alan is a very smart man sometimes, he knows how much I love to... ahem... bake. ;)

-OndineMonet
"Fixin's"
Berkeley, California
April 12, 2008
Afternoon

Karen's Weekend Assignment #211: What Color Is Your Thumb?

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plants point of view."

-H. Fred Ale

Weekend Assignment #211: How are your gardening skills? Do you plant flowers and trees and even shrubberies, or do you settle for weeds or concrete? Do houseplants die or do they grow and prosper?

Extra Credit: Is there someone you know who is better at gardening stuff than you are?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Welcome To My Garden...


"Norwich Sweetheart"

Since I recently showed a wide angle shot of my garden, I thought it would be nice to show you the flowers using the portrait and macro settings. I am scaling things down from last year. I was very ambitious with my flowers a year ago, but I am feeling my limitations this year, so, I am concentrating primarily on my mini-roses, with a few pots of Nemesia and Stock thrown in for color and scent.

"Green Ice"

Both the Stock and Nemesia did so well last year, that I didn't have the heart to just pull them out of the containers, and I am actually quite happy to have something a little nice to put next to my roses. The scent of the stock is almost intoxicating... imagine a flower that has a strong scent of cinnamon and clove. It makes me crave Pumpkin Pie sometimes. LOL. All of the mini roses I have chosen for the garden, have a spicy scent, but it is much more subdued compared to the Stock. The Nemesia doesn't have much of a scent, but it's unusual color combination of orange and purple, looks really great next to the roses and stock.

Nemesia

Purple Stock

I am a happy gardener right now. And with the ladybug's help, the roses that had been infested with Ahpids, are beginning to perk up. I will be giving the roses their first dose of rose food at the beginning of June, and then again at the beginning of September, which should give me one more big burst of color in early December. I love roses in December. :) It's a lot of fun to make my own centerpieces for the autumn holidays, and maybe even have some fresh roses for Christmas morning.

"Sweet Diana"

Extra Credit: I don't actually think it's either, helpful or healthy, compare myself to others, especially when it comes to hobbies like gardening. I have all the information I need at my fingertips with the Internet, so I just do my research and then proceed accordingly. If I have a little bit of luck on my side, well, that never hurts either. I don't compare myself to others... I am just me.

"It is good to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy prescences may haunt you and possess yo in a reverie of suspended thought."

-James Douglas

-OndineMonet
"With A Little Luck From A Ladybug"
Berkeley, California
April 8, 2008
Afternoon

The Behavior Of Gossamers

"Taking joy in living is a woman's best cosmetic."

-Rosalind Russell

I love butterflies. All butterflies. That's just a fact of my life. The afternoons I spend photographing them, at the Conservatory of Flowers, are usually some of my favorite moments out of my week. They are so beautiful and so graceful that I cannot help but feel completely at peace as they flutter about the room and when one happens to land on my shoulder to hitch a ride, I am especially at peace inside. This week's visit was especially enjoyable. There was a wonderful variety of butterflies. Zebra Longwing, Julia's, Monarchs, Queens, Red Admiral, Great Southern White, which is the one featured in large photo above, and a new one to me, an Orange Sulphur.

As I was walking into the exhibit, I saw the tiny butterfly resting up against the glass window at the front of the building. I was just thrilled. Yes! A new challenge. The first thing I learned from visiting the exhibit in 2005 was that not all butterflies behave the same. Some are very shy, some are constantly moving, almost as if they suffer from ADD, while others are more then happy to come over and almost strike up a conversation with you. The Orange Sulphur butterfly, is tiny, very active butterfly. It is a difficult butterfly to catch with it's wings open. Some butterflies spread their wings as they drink from a flower, not so much with the gossamers, which is the class they come from.

My photography goal for this year is to capture a photograph of the Mission Blue butterfly in the wild. The Mission Blue has been on the endangered species list for a number of years, but fortunately their numbers are coming back, thanks to some dedication an effort to help them repopulate here in the Bay Area. I am thankful to be able to get some insight to their behavior by getting in a little practice with the gossamers in this exhibit. The weather is warming up around the bay, beginning tomorrow, and we have been promised, by the weatherman and weatherwoman, to be in the lower to mid 80's by the weekend. With the warm weather come the butterflies, so, next week I am heading for either Mt. San Bruno, or the Marin Headlands, with my camera, to hopefully find my goal, the Mission Blue.

On my way, I will of course stop in for a little time with my favorite friends, and with a little luck, there might even be yet another type of butterfly I haven't photographed yet. Crossing fingers. I had a wonderfully relaxing time getting to know the Orange Sulphur. As I approached her for the first time, she was sitting in a window, looking outside, and moving her limps across her face as if she were applying her make-up for the day. She turned my way, smiled, tilted her glasses, I swear she looks like she wears glasses, and just that quickly I was smitten. It was difficult to leave at the end of the day. But I will be back... I promise.

-OndineMonet
"Great Southern White"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
April 8th, 2008
Afternoon

On My Mind... The Olympic Torch Relay

"Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it."

-Albert Einstein

Last Monday, Students For A Free Tibet, held a nonviolent protest on the Golden Gate Bridge. The three young people, climbed 150 feet and unfurled a banner which simply read, "One World, One Dream Free Tibet 08." By the time the news showed the demonstrators, there was no time to get out to the bridge to photograph their amazing feat. I wish I could have been there. Not only do I admire their dedication to their beliefs, but I am forever grateful that they made more then one statement that day. Homeland security, at least in my neck of the woods, is pretty much nonexistent.

The question on every ones mind kept being asked by the local media. "How could these students, climb the side of the bridge with such ease? Wasn't anyone watching? In post 9/11 shouldn't there have been more security cameras? I wanted to know how this could happen as well. Sadly, I already knew the answer. I have written about it before. San Francisco, and the Bay Area received $34 million in funding from the DHS, up 25% the year before. It sounds like a lot of money, but it really isn't enough. Not in the world we are asked to live in. Here in the Bay Area we have the Silicon Valley to think of, we have the 4 Bay Area bridges, and of course the many roads and highways which connects everything together. We have the Caldicott tunnel, and the major airports in S.F., Oakland, and San Jose, and the list goes on.

Ok, the argument can be made that San Francisco dropped the ball, and it would be true. After all, where were the city police, and the Highway Patrol? Given the problems with the torch relay which have already taken place on it's world wide journey, couldn't they have maybe had extra security on the bridge? Yes. I would have thought they would have done that but there is another point. Are individual cities doing their part to cover themselves every day? Well, depending on how each city might be struggling, it may not be an easy question to answer. Things are difficult throughout the country. Federal funding needs a second or a third or a fourth look. I think we can all agree that America needs to get it's priorities straight.

Now, when it comes to the issue of the torch relay, I don't know exactly how to feel. On the one hand the Olympics is about celebrating the finest athletes around the world. On the other hand the demonstrations are valid to bring awareness to the very sad, very oppressive conditions forced on the people of Tibet, and China. Sigh. I think if I were living in those conditions, I would want someone to stand up and help me. I would want someone to not just get my message out to the world, but to take a stand. Sadly, when the Olympics are over, who will continue the message? Oh you will see the occasional "Free Tibet" bumper sticker, but nothing much will have changed. So why protest? Because peaceful, civil disobedience is a beautiful option. And once in a great while it leads to a better world. Where would we be today, without the brave actions of Rosa Parks?

By the way, did you know that in the ancient games, only free men who spoke Greek could participate? Did you know that not only were women not allowed to participate, but married women were barred from the games under penalty of death! Single women were allowed to attend. Interesting how times have changed.

Opinions, opinions. Tell me what you think. Have you ever participated in a protest? What would make you join one? How do you feel about the Olympics being held in China, given their attitudes regarding human rights? Will you watch the Olympics? Sound off. Sing out. Tell me what's on your mind.

The Real Story Of The Ancient Olympic Games

-OndineMonet
Golden Gate Bridge
January, 2005
Afternoon

New Monday Photo Shoot: Tower Power

"I'll pull you from your tower, take away your pain. Show you all the beauty you possess, if you only let yourself believe."

-Sarah McLachlan

New Monday Photo Shoot #15: Photograph a tower, lightning struck or otherwise. It can be a skyscraper, a silo, a turret, an observation platform, or even a CD rack. Whatever it is, if it's a tower, let's see it!

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Once again, I am at a loss for some fresh photos. I am planning to head over to San Francisco to some of my favorite haunts, but until then, it's into the archive for me. I hope it's ok to use previously posted photos, it's been at least a couple years since I first showed you these. The main photo in this entry is of the Ferry Building, along the San Francisco Embarcadero. It was all lit up with special lighting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

Here are a couple more Bay Area Towers...

Coit Tower, and the Golden Gate Bridge. I took this photo one day, while driving into San Francisco by way of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Bridge.

The Tribune Building, Oakland, California

-OndineMonet
"San Francisco Ferry Building"
April, 2006
Early Evening

Weekend Assignment#210: Speechifying

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which differences disappear and obstacles vanish."

-John Quincy Adams

Weekend Assignment #210: It's been 40 years since the Mountaintop speech, and even longer since the great speeches of John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and others. Are the days of great oratory behind us, or have you drawn inspiration from some recent public speaker? If so, what was the speech? Do you remember any actual quotes from it?

Extra Credit: Have you ever given a speech, other than in a classroom?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin


Chelsea Clinton was campaigning for her mother Sen. Hillary Clinton on a college campus, just one of many she has spoken at, when a student journalist asked her opinion about how and if her mother's credibility had been damaged by her father's affair with Monica Lewinsky. I didn't hear all of her speech that day, indeed the only thing the media seemed to play was the response she gave to that insulting question. A simple. "None of your business." I admire her strength and ability to keep herself in check.

I don't know if someone had asked me an equally insulting question, if I could contain myself. I can spit fire at times, with the proper provocation. This question came at the end of a long Q&A session, and was the last question asked. She could have left the stage at this point, but she stayed, and took one additional question. This girl has grown into a wonderful young woman, and true testament to what the Clinton's have done right as parents. That says volumes to me. They have my respect for many reasons. Chelsea has my respect for her grace in such difficult situations as this moment was. Sometimes little moments stay longer with me, then long speeches do.

Extra Credit: Nope, I am not much of a public speaker, but I might give it a try under the right circumstances, such as the entire audience clothed only in their underwear. LOL.

-OndineMonet

Ladies In Red Dresses

"She sat down in a weed patch, her elbows on her knees, and kept her eyes on the small mysterious world of the ground. In the shade and sun of grass and forests, small living things had their metropolis."

-Nancy Price

The Pretty Girl

This past week I invited 1,500 ladies in red dresses into my garden to handle a matter most serious. You see, my lovely roses have Aphids! YIKES. Because I like to take care of such things by organic means as often as possible, I am trying the ladybug method first. I found them at Home Depot for a reasonable price. $4.95! One package to start, but I think I will more then likely be adding more as the month moves on. It was actually kind of fascinating to open the package and sprinkle them about the roses. They went to work immediately, happily chomping away, while others went about, well, procreating. So I guess, in no time at all, we will have baby ladybugs about as well. Cool. I like them. They are a pretty insect, and very helpful. It was pleasant to sit by my favorite flowers, with a nice glass of green tea in hand, and watch as my new girlfriends lend me a hand.

Ladybug Porn ;)

"Or perhaps you notice a congregation of ladybugs on a rose stalk.
Don't invoke the old nursery saying and ask them to fly away home.
Their house is not on fire. Your roses are, with Aphids, which the ladybugs
are feeding on ... and you can bless yourself that they have come to your rescue."

-Eleanor Perenyl

-OndineMonet
"Red Is For Ladybug, Green Is For Aphids"
Berkeley, California
April 3, 2008
Afternoon