WA #316: National Poetry Month

I love poetry. I always have. I don't know that I have a particular favorite, but I must say, I enjoy the simplicity of a Haiku. I have written some from time to time, mostly as the spirit moved me. At times, something will happen, either in my life, or the world in general, and I will try to put my feelings about it, together with one of my photographs, in a coherent way. The essence of an Haiku is about linking nature to human nature, and that's what I have gone for here. I don't know, I think I am much more of a visual person, than a competent writer of poetry or prose, but sometimes one has to stretch out the creativity muscle. What do you think?

Reform
By Carly Gordon

Reform is the new word
Looking to make life better
NO is the new reform

Have you joined us yet at the Weekend Assignment blog? If not, this might just be the assignment for you! You have until next Wednesday to share your appreciation for the art of poetry!

-Carly

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE YOUR LINKS IN THE COMMENT THREAD HERE, YOU MUST LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENT THREAD AT THE WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT BLOG! JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW!

Weekend Assignment #316: National Poetry Month

A Thursday Pondering...

;)

-Carly

By The Light Of A Nearly Full Moon

How like a queen comes forth the lonely Moon
From the slow opening curtains of the clouds
Walking in beauty to her midnight throne!

-George Croly, Diana

It's rather easy to let the mind wander on nights like this. As I looked out the window, just to the right of my desk, I saw the moon, nearly full, with wisps of clouds dancing a ghostly ballet for the Man-In The Moon's pleasure. He smiled and turned away, as he kept to his schedule. I always half expect on nights like this, to see a ghost look back at me, as I raise my camera to capture the moment.

Do ghosts wander on nights like this? When the moon is nearly full, and the last chilly rain of the year covers the earth in tears?

Tell me what you think!

-Carly

The Connoisseur Of Sticks

"Cats are the connoisseurs of comfort."

-James Herriot

Hendrix is such a fun cat. I sat in the yard Sunday, just watching him explore and sample the sticks. LOL. I swear he is more dog, than cat! I love him so much! He's mighty nifty with his new Peace sign, isn't he?

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #87: Lamps

"Be a lamp unto yourself. Work out your liberation with diligence."

-Buddha












EMPS #87: Lamps.
Desk LAMPS. Table LAMPS. Book LAMPS. LAMPS. Street LAMPS. All LAMPS. All good! Show me some LAMPS.

Extra Credit: Show me your favorite LAMP. Tell me why you like it so much!

**PLEASE READ**
This assignment closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. Please submit your entry by that time, by getting your photo, uploading it to your blog, journal, or website, and then comeback here with a direct link back to it. Please remember, the link you leave must go back to an entry which is specific to this week's assignment. NO HYPERLINKS. If you don't leave me your link, I cannot add you to the Linking List which is posted with next week's assignment. Also, please include a link to the assignment, so other folks can find the assignment and play along.

Linking List for EMPS #86: Stairs 04/19/10

Now Closed!

1. Spiderdama

2. Jama

3. Suzanne

4. Carolyn

5. Sandy

6. Duane

7. Karen

8. Mike

Thank you for playing along with us this week. See you next Monday!

-Carly

RRC: Anything In Threes

"I take photographs with love, so I try to make them art objects. But I make them for myself first and foremost... that is important."

-Jacques Henri Lartigue

RRC: Anything In Threes
Suggested by Marie, of the blog, Photograph & Memories

Above you see a photograph I took way back in 2005. It is one of my favorites, because I was aiming to do a Monet themed photograph. I think it came out well. When I read what this challenge was all about, I knew I could go to the archives and come up with some special photographs that I didn't have a chance to do much with. So up first...

3 Water Lilies


My second favorite subject is the Golden Gate Bridge.



3 Bridge Views


And finally... Jelly Fish!




This was so much fun, and it brought back some wonderful memories! Trips to my favorite bridge, and the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, and lastly, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Beautiful.

Now that you have seen my photographs, be sure to visit everyone else. We have some magnificent photographers among us!

Linking List, as of midnight Saturday, April 24th, 2010
**Welcome New Members!

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Linda... Mommy's Treasures
Posted!

Freda... Day One
Posted!

Sandy... From The Heart Of Texas
Posted!

Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pics
Posted!

Carolyn... Ford Family Photos
Posted!

Monica... Shutterly Happy
Posted!

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati


Suzanne R... SuzyQ421's Photo Blog
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

Ruth... Scrabble Queen
Posted!

**Dawn Elliot... Dawn Elliot Photography
Posted!

Kat... In My Dreams I Can Fly
Posted! (Welcome Back!)

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Manang Kim... My Life's Journey In Focus
Posted!

**Janice... Jabblog
Posted!

-Carly

WA #315: The Thief Of Time

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back."

-Harvey MacKay

Weekend Assignment #315: It seems that we're all too busy these days to get around to everything we'd like to do, even if we had the money and means to do them. Is there a particular activity that takes up far too much of your time, and thus prevents you from getting around to other things?

Extra Credit: What is the #1 activity you wish you had more time for?

-Karen

I almost didn't do this week's assignment, because it doesn't really apply to me personally. I am okay with how I time manage things, and for the most part I manage to do all I would like to do, but there is an exception... time with Alan.

If you go back a few years, everything was flowing relatively smoothly, then came the forced furloughs by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The money we have lost has created a time loss as well. First of all, Alan doesn't get a day off without pay as other state workers do... that would create more time for us...because of his job, he still works the same amount of time, the state simply pays him less. Sigh. That creates the need for him to accept all the overtime he can find, and because of the of the original pay differential, it doesn't even make up for what we have lost. The fact is, we spend a lot less time together because of the forced furlough situations.

We make up for it the best we can, but it has been a long time since we could just get up and go on photo jaunts like we used to. We haven't been over to San Francisco since late December. There was a time, just a few years ago, when we went there every week and walked along the Marina Green, or biked in Golden Gate Park, or just window shopped in Union Square. We love San Francisco, it's beautiful, and there is always something to see or photograph. Hopefully, we will be getting over there soon, now that summer is soon approaching. I hope so. I miss it so. We also enjoy going to comedy clubs in different parts of the Bay Area, because lets face it, who doesn't enjoy laughing? Anyway, you see, it's not my time that's being stolen, it's Alan's, but then again, when you are married, what affects one, affects the other. That's just marriage.

:)

Extra Credit: As I said, we love to laugh. I wish we had more time to go to the comedy clubs. We have a good friend who is a performer and he gets us tickets, it's just difficult to find the time.

-Carly

PS... We had a wonderful turnout last week, I want to personally thank everybody who made our first week on the new blog a success! I hope you will continue to join us. It's easy, just click on the link above to be redirected to the Weekend Assignment blog!

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #86: Stairs

"Never look backwards, or you'll fall down the stairs."

-Rudyard Kipling









EMPS #86: Stairs. NOW CLOSED!
Going up? Coming down? Either direction is fine. This week, I simply want to see some stairs! Archived photos are fine, but as always, new photos are encouraged. If you do decide to go with an archived photo, please try to make it one we haven't seen before, or at least in the last 6 months. :)

Extra Credit: Show me some stairs of historical or cultural interest.

**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot assignment closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. Please submit your entry by that time, by leaving the full link to it in the comment thread for this Monday Photo Shoot assignment. The link you leave, must go back to an entry which is specific to this week's assignment. Also, please include a link back here, so other folks can find the assignment and participate along with us. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED!

Linking List for EMPS #85: Strange or Unusual Sights 04/12/10

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama

2. Carolyn

3. Sherrie

4. Freda

5. Sandy

6. Karen (via email)

7. Duane (via email)

Ok, that's all there is to it. I will see you next Monday with an all new assignment!

-Carly

WA #314: Summer Reading

"You know you have read a good book, when you turn to the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend."

-Paul Sweeney

Weekend Assignment #314: Summer Reading.

I thought it would be fun to show you what I am planning for my summer reading, by showing you my spring reading! A couple months ago, a big brown truck pulled up in my driveway, inside of it were dozens of boxes containing all kinds of things. I imagine there were vacuums, and toys, and probably music, all wonderful things, but my box contained books! I LOVE reading, but haven't indulged in it for a while. Because of the forced furloughs, some luxuries and hobbies had to be eliminated. Purchasing new books was one of them. Fortunately, we received a decent tax return this year, and we will be okay again until at least the end of the fiscal year. That might bring it's own bag of horrors, but I will have a nice diversion by way of my new books.

Above you see my two spring choices. "Heat Wave" by Richard Castle, and "The Witches of Eastwick,' by John Updike.

I am currently about 1/3 of the way through Witches of Eastwick, and half way through Heat Wave. I am enjoying both books a lot. So much so that I am anticipating the sequel to Heat Wave with great anticipation. It's a fast paced, fun read. Not unlike the television series that inspired it, ABC's Castle. Unsurprisingly, it flows along as one long episode of the show, which is nice, because I enjoy that kind of light-drama very much. There is a second book by, "Richard Castle" due out in late September, and I already have that one my list for my fall reading.

The Witches of Eastwick is much different read. Dark. Intense, but not without it's humor. It's a lot different than the movie it inspired, but I love that, because stories stand nicely on their own. I am enjoying it a lot, and I want to know what comes next, which leads me to what I will be reading this summer...

The Widows Of Eastwick, by John Updike (Sequel to The Witches of Eastwick)

The Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin

Did I mention I like reading horror novels? Especially in the summer?

:)

How about you? What will you be reading this summer? There is still time to play, this assignment doesn't close until next Wednesday, at 9:00 PM ET. Come and join the fun! Just click the link below to be redirected!

The Weekend Assignment blog

-Carly

Shamelss Self Promotion... But In A Good Way!

"Easy reading, is damn hard writing."

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

Guess what? The magnificent meme, Weekend Assignment, that I co-host with my pal Karen, has a brand new home! If you have always wanted to participant in a fun little meme of writing, come on down! If you just want done something different, or maybe meet new folks, or just shake things up a bit, boy do I have a meme for you!

The Weekend Assignment has been around for years, since 2004 to be exact! Started by John Scalzi, and passed onto Karen after the implosion of AOL Journals, the meme has lived to see another day. It is the same old meme, in a brand new place. Come on, flex your writing skills and hop on board. A brand new assignment will be posted tomorrow (Thursday) and you are invited to come and participate!

Everyone is welcome!

Grab a pen, or grab your keyboard, and come on down!

The Weekend Assignment (blog)

-Carly

Doing Breakfast

"Sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

-Lewis Carroll

Do you do breakfast? There was a tine when I didn't, I just wasn't a breakfast person. I try to eat healthy, eat the right portions, be good about my intake of salt and, of course, cholesterol, so it seemed to me that breakfast might be a killer. A few years ago, eggs were a no-no, now it's back to 1 egg a day is ok! LOL. The last couple years, I have learned to enjoy breakfast. I make simple souffles, or sometimes a light version of Biscuits & Gravy like you see above, and I always include fruit. I am not really sure what changed for me, maybe it's because I am toddling toward old-lady-hood, but I really kinda enjoy breakfast at this stage of my life. How about you?

Do you do breakfast?

If so, what is your favorite breakfast?

Do you do light versions of traditional breakfast fair?

1 1/2 biscuits = 270
1/8 cup Country Gravy =25
1 cup Fresh Strawberries =50
=340 calories

My after breakfast blood glucose reading was 110. Not too bad. :)

So tell me, whats your favorite breakfast? Ham & Eggs, Quiche, Fresh Fruit and Coffee?

Tell me everything!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #85: Strange or Unusual Sights

"Strange is our situation, here on earth."

-Albert Einstein












EMPS #85: Strange or Unusual Sights. NOW CLOSED!
I spotted this balloon one day, and it inspired me for this week's assignment. This week, I want you to show me the STRANGE or UNUSUAL! Let your imagination out to play and WOW me with your photography! Archived photos are acceptable for this assignment, but you know how much I enjoy seeing new photos. :)

Extra Credit: Give us some information about where your photo was taken.

**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. You have until that time to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website and comeback here with a link back to it. PLEASE REMEMBER the link you leave in the comment thread must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED! Also, please include a link back here to this entry, so your readers will be able to find the assignment and play along.

Linking List for EMPS# 84: In The Forefront 03/05/10

NOW CLOSED!

1. Carolyn

2. Jama

3. Sherrie

4. Suzanne

5. Freda

6. Karen

7. Duane

8. Sandy

Thanks everybody. You did great! See you in 1 week with a new assignment.

-Carly

Goodbye To The The Fantastic Dixie Carter

"Every afternoon I listened to the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts and when I was four, I told my mother and father that is was my destiny to sing there, that I was going to sing at Metropolitan Opera of New York City."

-Dixie Carter

Dixie Carter passed away yesterday, Saturday, April 10th. I enjoyed her talent so much. The first time I saw her wonderful talent was when she played the part of Brandy Henderson on The Edge of Night, then several years when she played the fantastic Julia Sugarbaker, on CBS's Designing Women. Here is my favorite memory of that show, Dixie Carter singing "How Great Thou Art."



No one sang that song better then she did!

The episode was also titled, How Great Thou Art, and it was my favorite episode of the series.

Thank you Dixie Carter, for all the wonderful moments you gave your fans! Rest in peace dear lady.

-Carly
Note: When I wrote this entry last night, I wrote that her character on Edge of Night was Serena Faraday, actually, it was Brandy Henderson. YIKES. Serena Faraday was played by the amazing Louise Shaffer. Sorry, brain is disengaged these days.

RRC: An Almost Photo

"The goal of art was the vital expression of self."

-Alfred Stieglitz

I had fun tip toeing through my archives this week, looking for all the "Almost Photo" I have taken over the years. I titled the one above, "Half A Cow Is Better Then No Cow At All." LOL. I wonder if that is true? Hmmmm?

Here are some of my other favorite, "Almost Photos"...

"Ooooops" Sometimes, in San Francisco, you can be standing perfectly straight, but the world isn't! Thank GOD for tripods!



"The Ghost" I wanted a photo of my new rose, with the new flower buddy I had purchased for it, but instead I got this ghostly image. I liked how it came out, and found some uses for it. It was a photo gone wrong, but not completely wrong.




"The Lonely Carnival" I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture, because I thought it was an interesting picture. I noticed the lack of people in the photo, and it kinda gave me the wiggins. What do you think? Creepy? Boring?



"The Watercolor Flower" Flowers, while beautiful, do not always make for the most cooperative subjects. This lily gave me a ton of problems. Lighting, the wind was blowing it around... it was an experience. Ultimately, I saved the photo because I thought it had a nice watercolor look to it, but as a photo it just doesn't quite make it.



That's it for my Almost Photos, now go and visit the other Round Robin participants! Just follow the links below...

Linking List

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Maryt... Work of the Poet
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Freda... Day One
Posted!

Sandy... From The Heart Of Texas
Posted!

Monica... Shutterly Happy
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff


Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Ruth... Scrabble Queen
Posted!

Duane... Meanwhile...
Posted!

Peggy... Holmespun Memes and Themes
Posted!

By the way, we will be announcing out next Round Robin challenge tomorrow, on the official RR blog, so be sure to check back then! Also, we will have a special announcement, so don't miss out!

-Carly

Hey, I'm Just Sayin...

-Carly

Where'd That Thing Go? A Weekend Assignment Mystery

Hmmm...

Something seems to be missing!!! Where did that thing go??? Ordinarily, Weekend Assignment #314 would be airing in this time slot, or blogspot, or journal place, whatever you want to call it. But lookey there, or here, it's not here or there! Where, oh where, could it be?

Okay, you know this is a tease... right? Weekend Assignment#314 will take place, I have it all picked out and I am preparing to write it up, but you will have to wait just a little longer. In fact, you might have to go on a bit of a hunt for it. Here is what you should do, tune into the Round Robin blog this coming Sunday, for a SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT about not just what Weekend Assignment #314 will be about, but where it can be found!

Yep... big nifty Weekend Assignment doings are coming your way, and we would love for you to join us!

:)

Don't forget to check the Round Robin blog this coming Sunday! It has all the details you need to know!

Here are the links for Weekend Assignment #313:Meet A Fictional Character (Posted at Outpost Mavarin)

Julie

Sherrie

Florinda

Mike

Karen (Original Assignment Post)

-Carly

My Date With Mr. Squishy

'The only way to keep your health, is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you would rather not."

-Mark Twain

We met a couple years ago. I don't think I would say it was love at first sight, but he left an impression on me all the same. He was tall and slender and he had me at "Hello." The big galoot said to me, "Baby, no doubt about it, I'm good for you! So I gave in to his power, and we had our rendezvous. Then he didn't call me for almost a week! Sheesh! But when he finally did follow up, he said with a smile, "Kid, you're aces!" What could I do, I knew then and there, I would meet with Mr. Squishy, at least every couple years or so! Funny how fast 2 years comes and goes!

LOL. Ok, I used a little bit of humor to share the fact that I am having my annual mammogram today, at 1:30 to be exact. I am 47 and that's just what you have to do at my age. Sheesh... "my age." What isn't too humorous is the fact that, according to the Centers for Disease Control, excluding certain types of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. In 2009, there were nearly 200,000 new cases of breast cancer and a little over 40,000 deaths occurred because of it. Damn cancer! If you are 40 years or older, you should be screened for breast cancer every 1-2 years. I like the feeling of taking care of myself, so going to this appointment actually makes me feel good about being proactive with my own health.

How about you?

Have you had your mammogram this year?

Are you taking care of your health by making appointments for the necessary screenings you need?

This goes for my guy friends who read my blog, because 440 men died of breast cancer in 2009!

Take care of yourselves.

For your families, for your pets, for your co-workers, for me.

Stay my friend, stay healthy.

:)

-Carly

Kitty Cat Easter Update

"Love puts the fun in together, the sad when apart, and the joy in the heart."

-Unknown



Just had to share. I was excited about putting that Easter Basket together for the boys! I took forever to find just the right stuff. A stuffed cow for Hendrix, some catnip stuffed plastic jelly beans for Dylan, and some assorted packaged cat treats. I also found some ducky bubbles, the boys just love bubbles, and I even tucked a little something in the basket for Alan. I got him a little pocket photo album. He likes having pics of the boys to to show off. We are fur-baby parents, and we love our kids!



Fun.

:)

Oooh... I almost forgot, the Easter Bunny gave me a nifty new windsock! Pictures to come soon!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #84: In The Forefront

"Love is like wildflowers, it's often found in the most unlikely places."

-Unknown








EMPS #84: In The Forefront. NOW CLOSED!
Ok photographers, grab your cameras and show me a photograph of an object specifically in the FOREFRONT. The purpose of this week's assignment is to make us more aware of not just what's in front of us, but the backgrounds of our photos as well. I want to see some photography that captures the imagination. Any subject will do, it's all up to you, but this week... NO ARCHIVES! Get out in the air, and find your subject! Concentrate on both the FOREFRONT and the background, but make the FOREFRONT the star of the show!

Extra Credit: Share a little about what it was like to take your photo. How did you decide on a subject? How did you decide on the background setting? Help out your fellow photographers by sharing your experience with us.

**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot ends next Sunday, at 9:00 PM ET. That means you have until that time to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the direct link back to it. Please remember, the link you leave in the comment thread must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. NO HYPERLINKS. I need your full link left in the comments, so I can add you to the Linking List which is posted next Monday with out next assignment. :) Also, please link back to this assignment, so those who visit your site will be able to join us!

Linking List for EMPS #83: Your Favorite Things 03/29/10

NOW CLOSED!

1. Carolyn

2. Jama

3. Sherrie

4. Freda

5. Suzanne

6. Karen (via email)

7. Greg (Via Email)


Okay, see you next week with an all new assignment. :)

-Carly

Happy Easter

"On Easter day, the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer."

-Douglas Horton

From out house to yours... HAPPY EASTER!

-Carly, Alan, Hendrix and Dylan