An award for my little blog!

What a surprise today to receive an award! *sniff*  I'm so touched and honored.  It was given to me by the lovely Corina over at Through the Photographs.  She's out and about exploring life through her point and shoot camera.  You ought to pay her a visit! 

So, here's the award:

*Steps up to the microphone* I'd like to thank my hairstylist and my personal trainer and, of course, my lovely family, without whom this honor would not be...oh?  No speach necessary?  *Steps away from the podium in a fluster*

To accept it, I have to answer these questions using one word.  Yoikes!  Maybe I should just continue with the speech...

Anyhoo, here you have it:
1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen
2. Your hair? Shortish
3. Your mother? Africa-ish
4. Your father?  Interesting...
5. Your favorite food? Indian
6. Your dream last night? Forgotten
7. Your favorite drink? Water
8. Your dream/goal? Security
9. What room are you in? Living
10. Your hobby? Photography
11. Your fear? Fire
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  Settled
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something that you aren't?  Kitschy
15. Muffins? Bran
16. Wish list item? Lens
17. Where did you grow up? Canada
18. Last thing you did? Homework
19. What are you wearing? Glasses
20. Your TV? Off
21. Your pets? Cats
22. Friends? Yes!
23. Your life? Oy.
24. Your mood? Contented
25. Missing someone? Yes
26. Vehicle? Minivan
27. Something you're not wearing? Frown
28. Your favorite store? Clearance!
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? Yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Friday
32. Your best friend? Terrific
33. One place that I go to over and over? Computer.  ;o)
34. One person who emails me regularly? Facebook!
35. Favorite place to eat? Friend's

And now I'm to pass it on to three deserving blogs.  So hard to choose, but here goes:

Photographing the Days:  The first blog that I found on here that wasn't somebody I already knew from the non-cyber world.  Lee is a high school student with a great way with words and images that touches me every time I visit.  Pay him a call--you'll be glad you did.  Give yourself time, though, because I can personally attest that you'll get pulled in and the next thing you know it will be 3 am and you'll have gone through his whole archives. 

My friend Laurie, who blogs at A Canadian in King Parakramabahu's Court and Chilli and Chocolate.  We've known each other for years, always tending to end up in the same town--until she met a Sri Lankan fellow and moved overseas a few years ago.  A lovable, intelligent, eccentric with a unique take on life, you will love reading about her adventures with Sri Lankan culture and food.  Neat photos, too--monkeys and birdies and lizards, oh my!

Argh! It's so hard to pick only three.  But I'm going to make my third choice Kathryn at  From the Inside...Out.  Not only is she an awesome writer that I simply have to check out every day to make sure I get my smile on, she has been generous and supportive in making a brand new blogger feel welcomed in the community.  Thanks, Kathryn!

And thanks again, Corina.  :o)  This was fun!

Day 57 Corner View: Contrast

I cannot think of anything to photograph to do with contrast today, although I've taken a lot of photos and posted this month with contrast:  brownie (hot) ice cream (cold), piano keys (black and white), thumbs (short and long).  So here's one that I took this week that I didn't really think of as a contrast photo until I switched it to black and white--and now it definitely works.  The sun was just right for capturing the shadows.  Not great for portraits, but for this it did the trick. 

And now I'm going to head over to Dana's place to check out other corner views.  She has been our kind and gracious temporary hostess while Jane has been away.  Why not come along, and we'll take a look-see together.  Yes?  Good!  Meet you there!

Day 56 Mismatched

It is a very slow photo day, obviously!  I have pretty nice hands, I guess, thanks to good genes.  Long, pianist (or pickpocket!) fingers.  Luckily, I went the piano route, but that's another story.  OK.  On first glance the hands look fine, but check this out:

Yup.  The one on the right is normal, but the one on the left is short and stubby.  How weird is that? This picture doesn't even do the strangeness justice, since I have the left one a little higher, but imagine if you put the two joints side by side.  See how short it would is then?  The thumbnail grows out really strange, too. Kind of splayed out like a fan.  No acrylic nails for me!  I didn't suck my thumb as a child, either.  I'm just a freak.

Years ago I worked in a photography studio in a mall.  Right next door was, of all things, a shop that..um..told fortunes, did palm readings, that kind of thing.  OK--the shop didn't do the telling.  The lady who rented the space did.  But I digress.  I'm certainly not into that whole palmistry thing, but because of the layout of this particular section of the mall, everyone there got to know each other.  Story short:  She took a glance at my thumbs one day while we were sitting on the bench together at lunch, and she said they were "criminal" thumbs, and that in a past life I probably spent a good portion of my time behind bars!  *Insert eye roll here*

Anyway, I was visiting with my Grandma Hap one day a couple of months later, and she said, "I see you have my thumbs."  And yes, hers were the same!  Now instead of thinking how ugly they are, I can have a little reminder of Grandma with me wherever I go.  And I DO have bragging rights as the person with the strangest thumbs around!

Day 55: Stuffed Pumpkin

Every Autumn, we stuff a pumpkin. I can't remember when I first had one of these--mom used to do them, and I continued after moving away.  There's not really much to one, except that they look kind of neat on the table. 

Today, Julia went out and gathered a bunch of leaves to put around it.

Just as we were getting ready to sit down and eat, we hear a knocking at the door.  Argh--who could it be visiting at dinner time, for goodness sake?  "Hello--we're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."  Us:  "Have you eaten yet?"  "No, we're just out tracting."  "Well come on in!"  So they did.  And just as Elder #1 was dishing up, he says, "Are there tomatoes in this?"  "Yes."  "Elder #2 is allergic to tomatoes."  Awkward.  "Hang on!"  So downstairs I go, grab some sausage, potatoes, vegies.  To the microwave and the stove and whew.  I can feed the guy.  Meanwhile, though, A is getting crazy (time change=grumpy earlier), so I head upstairs with him, leaving dinner on the table.

Finally, after everyone was in bed, I came downstairs, dished up, and reheated it.  And it was the perfct ending to the day.  I wouldn't say it's fancy food.  It's pretty basic and comfy comfy. 

And easy to make.  Here's how:

Give a lobotomy to a medium sized pumpkin and scoop out the innerds.

Salt the inside.

Place upside down in a good sized pan with about an inch of water in the bottom.  Lid, too.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

In the meatime, cook 1-1/2 cups of rice the usual way (I used beef broth, though).  While that's doing it's thing, brown a pound of hamburger or sausage with an onion. Add a can of diced tomotoes.  Season to taste.  Throw in some vegetables.  Mix the cooked rice with the meat mixture. 

Take out the pumpkin, dump out the water, and turn the pumpkin right side up.  Stuff the rice in the pumpkin.  Stick it back in the oven and bake for another half hour until the pumpkin is tender.  When you serve it, be sure and scoop out the cooked pumpkin, too.  Butter and salt and yum!

Last year I think I did something different, but I can't remember anything really except there was some curry in it, I think.  Really, you can make whatever slumgullion deal you want for the inside.

Enjoy!

Day 54

Wasn't sure what to post today.  Forgot to bring my camera when we left this morning, so just took a quick snap of this for the photohunt challenge when I got home (I've posted the photohunt on a separate photohunt blog, since there are so many.  If you really want to see the rest, many of which have already been posted here already, they're at http://photohuntingbylynn.blogspot.com/2009/11/photo-hunt-4.html). 

It was a beautiful day today, and since it was so cold yesterday that the kids had to bundle up under their costumes, we were going to all dress up and take a picture to post for Mom today.  But then A fell asleep and didn't wake up until it was dark, thanks to the time change, so we'll have to do that another day.  In the meantime, this silly photo of nothing in particular will have to do for today.

And since I was up pretty much all night, I'm going to BED!  Night all--see you tomorrow.

Day 53: Brenda's Challenge. Halloween

Argh.  Not the best photo, but this is all I've got today.  The kids (including me!) each get a pumpkin.  They draw on it, and I carve it out.  Kind of interesting designs when kids are still at the scribble stage, as is the one on the bottome left.  The hubby was off getting KFC.  Carving and KFC, our night before Halloween tradition.  There's nothing to see here...move along now...there you go!  Better luck tomorrow, I hope!

Day 52: Yummer!

J is such a ham.  I haven't had a candied apple in years, and she has never had one.  I've had a hankering for them lately--must be the time of the year.  I would have loved to make some, but cheated and grabbed a couple from the supermarket.  Took tons of photos of J tearing into the apple.  This was the funniest, so I had to post for today's photo.

My apple is still in the fridge.  Two of them, actually.  I can't decide whether to go for the red candied one or the caramel one first.  What do you think?