I had a fantastic day yesterday, thanks to MB, Michelle, MB's hubby and Emily, the girl next door, literally LOL!

On the way to MB's

It's not a meteor ... it's bird poop!

Waiting for the M/S Mt. Washington

We were first in line! (MB on the left, and Michelle)

Lovely sailboat on Lake Winnipesaukee

Michelle being attacked by vicious dackels

MB and I enjoyed the view from the porch with a nice warm cuppa!

Emily, hard at work

Thanks to MB, Hubby, Michelle and Emily for a fantastic end to my birthday month!!!

Finally weeded the garden today, wow, were there a lot of weeds!!! Replanted the basil into the garden after I made some room via the weeding and the culling of the mint, which is taking OVER LOL! The poor basil wasn't growing well in the window box, not enough room to spread out roots (I know the feeling!). The tomato plants are flowering, no 'maters yet, tho! The strawberry plants had one lovely flower, but I couldn't get a clear shot of it.

Took the dogs for a nice long walk in the woods, came back and read for a couple hours. I know...a beautiful day and I'm reading...what can I say! It's a GOOD book, Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill, and no it's NOT a romance novel, but a VERY SCARY book, he's Stephen King's son and that apple didn't fall far from the tree!

I wanted to take some shots of some jewelry I'd gotten for my birthday, so set everything up on the picnic table. Noticed a bird fly out of the bush behind the table and thought...oooh, I bet there's a nest, and I was right!

I'll try for a better photo in coming days, but I hope I don't upset her too much! I just tried for a shot from in the house, and I thought I was being quiet, but she flew away!

If you'd like to play, click here!

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Partner :: in crime
2. News :: is good
3. Foam :: mattress
4. Paycheck :: take this job and shove it
5. Me :: 50
6. Eight :: is enough
7. Dairy :: cows
8. Exciting :: news
9. Hockey :: sticks
10. Socialite :: lollipop heads

Did you see the Strawberry Moon Saturday night? Michelle and I saw it...and as we drove around a bend in the highway, white fireworks (from Canobie Lake) exploded just under the moon! At first, I thought the moon was sending out a shower of sparks. It was fantastic! A magical end to a great day.

And I also forgot to mention what I had for dinner Saturday night at Canoe: lobster macaroni and cheese! OMG was it GOOD! I shared it with Emily, who enjoyed it just as much as I did, but left me the big lobster bits :-) We started off with mussels steamed in wine and onions, SO good! We also had some sweet & spicy fried calamari. MB shared her iceberg lettuce wedge with me, and Michelle shared her ahi tuna. For dessert, the waitress brought out a molten chocolate cake (I'd post a picture of Emily practically licking the plate, but I promised not to!) with a lit candle, and everyone sang Happy Birthday. As much as I hate to be the center of attention, it was nice, and I enjoyed it!

By the way, this was the SECOND time I was surprised for my birthday...my brother did the same thing last Thursday up at Michael's in Salisbury! I had no CLUE! Getting old, I must be.

On the way home from breakfast at the Owl on Sunday!

During my recent trip to Vegas, Michelle Colleen's book kept mysteriously cropping up:

On the way to Vegas

Look at the statue on the left...he looks like he's craning his neck to try to read the book!

Have book, will be fanned by statues!

She was trying to COVER, not POINT TO!

EEK! Must be the part where...

Too engrossed to gamble!

Waiting for the plane, it was!

Faith wrote an entry that hit a nerve. As hard as it might be to believe, I grew up going to church and singing in the choir, but I always felt like an outsider and stopped going at the age of 13, much to the dismay of my parents. I think church provides a sense of community in addition to faith for people...I kind of miss it. But I have yet to find a church where I feel accepted and comfortable. The last minister at the church I grew up attending was the most uncaring, selfish person; why he EVER went into the ministry is beyond me. Far, far beyond me.

Something else Faith said made me stop and think: "We're taught at church and in the scriptures that if someone offends us, we're to go to that person and talk to them. And that's how I've tried to live my life. But despite those teachings, we've been told that people instead of coming to us have been going to each other. And the rumor mill goes on." I need to start living my life like that from this day forth. And further, I'm taking this opportunity to say if I've offended you, please talk to me about it.

That's it!

Here's last Wednesday's picture:

And this is what it was cropped from:

The absolutely funniest comment was from Lisa: "I'd like to say it's a display of pickle-shaped vibrators at a sex shop you visited in Vegas, but that would be vulgar, right? ;-)Oh, what the hell-- I'm saying it! She was also the first to get it right: "But of course, it's a nasty pickle. I hates me some pickles, but I know you love them."

As always, thanks for playing! By the way, all photos used in What Is It Wednesday are marked as "private" in my flickr account...that's so no one can view the picture at a bigger size to get a better look!

So this week...

What is it?

This shot was taken at my cousin, MB's house last Saturday...and I think it's perfect for the 4th of July!

Thirteen Things I love that begin with the letter R

1. Radiant: I love this word...I love things that glow.

2. Reading: What I plan to do alot of during the next couple four days

3. Recipe: One of my favorite things to collect.

4. Reef: Snorkeling in a coral reef is awesome!

5. Raconteurs: Jack White's side band, like 'em alot :-)

6. Roisterer: Never been like this...ever ;-)

7. Rubicund: My face has a tendency to this after #6!

8. Repartee: Especially when it's witty ;-)

9. Rain: It's raining right now, I LOVE the sound!

10. Relish: Love it on a hotdog!

11. Riddikulus: One of my favorite spells from the Harry Potter books; love the scene when Neville turns a boggart into Snape wearing his grandmother's clothing.

12. Rum: Yummy yummy rum, why is the rum always gone?

13. Ramble On: One of my favorite Zep songs:

Leaves are falling all around,
Its time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged
For such a pleasant stay.

But now it's time for me to go,
The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain,
And with it pain,
And it's headed my way.
Ah, sometimes I grow so tired,
But I know I've got one thing I got to do,

Ramble on

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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If you play, please link back to me and leave me a comment letting me know you played, so I can come visit!

All questions thanks to MB!

1. On a hot summer's day _____ is my favorite thing!
2. When I think of summertime fun, I think of _____.
3. _____ is my favorite flavor of ice cream.
4. My new favorite drink is _____.
5. One of my happiest summertime memories is _____.
6. The best place to watch fireworks (or submarine races) is _____!
7. What are you doing this weekend? Tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Don't forget...have fun!

1. On a hot summer's day a nice cool dip in the ocean is my favorite thing!
2. When I think of summertime fun, I think of frozen milkyways.
3. Coffee chip is my favorite flavor of ice cream.
4. My new favorite drink is gin & tonic.
5. One of my happiest summertime memories is swimming at Surfdrive Beach in Falmouth with my cousins.
6. The best place to watch fireworks (or submarine races) is I'm not tellin'!
7. What are you doing this weekend? Tonight I'm looking forward to Fireworks, tomorrow my plans include sitting outside on the chaise lounge reading Order of the Phoenix (in preparation for the movie next week!) and Sunday, I want to not leave my cousin's house!

I just love this picture!!!

Flower getting a poppet kiss :)

I tried to log in last night to post a picture I took up in Portsmouth NH earlier in the day, and all I got was a big, blank nothing! My hosting company solved the problem, and I'm BACK! Well...I wasn't really gone, but I did have slight withdrawal symptoms :-)

Firstly, here's the pic:

teeheehee

Secondly, Megan's cousin won tickets this morning to the sneak preview of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the local IMAX theater tomorrow night...and she VERY nicely gave me one! WOOHOO! I am JUST a bit excited *understatement*

Thirdly, I had the BEST time up at my cousin's house these last few days! She invited me up for the 4th, and to stay a few days after that, which I happily did! She and her husband graciously let me laze about, rereading OOTP and feeding me from time to time. We hiked one day, had a HOUSEFUL of dackels another and generally just had a wonderful time. Thanks, MB!!! Love ya!

PS! If you're having a hard time commenting, don't give up after one try...we're working the bugs out! If you CAN'T comment at all, please email me at fondofsnape AT gmail DOT com and let me know exactly what happens. Thanks!

Remember in the movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban, this type of flower froze when the dementors passed by? They're so pretty! The flowers, not the dementors!

Here's last Wednesday's picture:

And this is what it was cropped from:

And here's a side view:

burntofferings got it right: "I have a 'hunch' that it is used for juicing. Hold the other bulbous end in you palm, half a citrus in the other, and push and rotate...

As always, thanks for playing! By the way, all photos used in What Is It Wednesday are marked as "private" in my flickr account...that's so no one can view the picture at a bigger size to get a better look!

Also, it seems my blog has been having some commenting problems lately...my designer is working on it and we'll get it fixed! Sorry for the inconvenience!

So this week...

What is it?

Thirteen Things I love that begin with the letter S

1. Severus Snape: One of my favorite characters ever, more so in the movie, because of the brilliant Alan Rickman, than in the books. I still think he'll be redeemed in the last book (just 10 more days!!!)

2. Shadows: In the heat of the summertime, is there anything better than a cool shadow to take refuge in?

3. Skeletons: I have a fixation with skeletons...they're creepy but I'm drawn to them.

4. Seaside: Where I wish I was now!

5. Sparkly: I think I was a magpie in a previous life; I LOVE all things sparkly!

6. Shooting Star: I love to sit around a campfire staring at the sky, waiting to see one.

7. Shrimp: Peel and eat with an ice cold beer!!! Delish! Also: Bubba, from Forest Gump: Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it.

8. Silence: Oh, how I crave it! I'm this close to hopping in my car Friday night at midnight, getting the new Potter book and driving up to the beach to read.

9. Salisbury: One of my favorite beaches on the off season to walk the dogs...and I have MANY fond memories from a club I frequented called The Frolics, which is no longer there.

10. Salt: Oh, what a yummy mineral and it's pretty, too!

11. Silence of the Lambs: One of my favorite movies...Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a villain you love to watch!

12. Silver: There's something about silver that's very eye catching for me. Must be the sparkly magpie thing LOL!

13. Sleeping: "To sleep, perchance to dream-ay, there's the rub." - Shakespeare, from Hamlet (III, i, 65-68)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Holly, the Getting to Know You hostess this week, says: Children today don't get a chance to explore nature as in the past. The thought made me shudder and terrified me that children aren't encouraged to explore the world around them. My questions to you today are:

1) What are some of your memories about the "great outdoors?" (games played outside, camping, hiking, bike riding, running in the rain)

Many of my best memories involve spending time down the cape with my cousin. We'd ride our bikes, go to the beach, swim, lay in the sun! I also went camping a few times as a kid, once to Bar Harbor, ME, another time to a campground in PA, where I fell in love with a beautiful palomino horse. At home, in the summertime, I'd play games with the neighborhood kids: 1-2-3 Red Light, hide & seek, dodge ball, Mother, may I?, and always, always riding my bike!

2) Do you spend a lot of time in the outdoors, or have you lost touch with nature? If you've lost touch with it, how could you incorporate more of the outdoors in your every day life or would you want to?

I take my dogs for long walks in the woods on the weekends in the spring and summer, and to the beach in the fall and winter. It's a good 45 minute walk thru the trails at the woods, and I love it! My camera often comes along as well, so I can snap pictures of whatever catches my eye. I also have a garden, and actually enjoy mowing the lawn :-)

3) What small thing can you do (or are you doing) to ensure that the earth and all it's bounty will be here for future generations?

Recycle!

4) Can you share one or two links that showcase the great outdoors or some way to help heal the earth?

MA State Parks - There are some great places to hike, bike & camp in MA!

An Inconvenient Truth - One of the best movies I've ever seen!

5) Feel free to share a picture of you in your environment, enjoying the outdoors and just plain having fun.

Here's four shots of New England in all her glory:

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Ok, I've seen it again and can talk about it better. When I first saw it...I really didn't like it at all. I thought it was disjointed and put together as a series of videos, not as a smoothly told story...but I was looking at it thru the eyes of someone who knows the book well. At the second showing, I just sat back and watched...and thoroughly enjoyed!

Here there be spoilers:

My thoughts:

First of all…I LOVED Luna! She was perfect, just great and a ray of sunshine in a very dark movie, I liked her more in the movie than the book (kinda like Snape LOL).

The Thestrals were well done, and I especially loved the baby!

LOVEDLOVEDLOVED seeing Snape as a teen; I liked the Occlumency lessons too. Harry's Dad was a bit of a prat in that one scene...

If you at all like Lucius (or as I like to call him, Lucious) Malfoy, make sure you see this movie at an IMAX theater...he is yummilicious at the end, altho as horrible as ever.

LOVED that the twins had a LOT more screen time!

LOVED how “soft” Sirius is in the movie. His death was waaaay too fast, no build up at all.

LOVED Tonks! Didn’t love that she hardly got any screen time.

LOVED Neville! He's grown into his own.

Seeing Voldemort in a gorgeous suit was a bit disconcerting!

Kreacher was a trip, I’m glad they included him, I was disappointed we didn't get to see Sirius's Mom, altho we did get to hear her muttering a bit...no screaming, tho.

This was the first time I really dug Gambon as Dumbledore. He was dynamic in two specific scenes, just amazing!

I liked how Ginny kept looking at Harry :-)

Did you notice they used the levicorpus spell in the DA scene and towards the end? I don’t think that particular spell shows up til Half Blood Prince, it was one of the spells the teen Snape invented.

HATED how they had Petunia dressed, and how she was sprawled with her legs apart. Tacky.

HATED Umbridge! The actress did a great job (could've been a bit clearer on the "hem, hem"s). I still don't like (as I didn't in the book) the part where Harry has to write with her special quill and it carves what he's writing into his hand. Reminded me too much of high school.

HATED Grawp; he looked like Alfred E. Neuman.

HATED Mr. Weasley’s new hair do! Also HATED Mrs. Weasley calling him "Daddy". UGH.

Did NOT like Bellatrix's cackling; it felt too over the top. She did LOOK good, tho, too bad she’s Lucious’s SIL; they’d make quite a couple!

Seemed like many of the older cast members had aged SIGNIFICANTLY since the last movie. Not complaining, just saying.

Here's a couple of other reviews:

I agree with her about Lenny Henry!!!

NY Times:

"...a collection of interesting moments rather than a fully integrated dramatic experience..."

and

"...Evanna Lynch, a pale, wide-eyed 15-year-old nonprofessional from Ireland who, having read the book, decided that no one else could play Luna Lovegood, the weirdest witch at Hogwarts. It seems Ms. Lynch was right. She’s spellbinding."

She was!!!

If you play, please link back to me and leave me a comment letting me know you played, so I can come visit!

1. _____ is the book I'm most looking forward to reading this summer
2. Dogs _____.
3. _____ is a town I'd like to explore.
4. Silly people _____.
5. I'm longing to _____.
6. _____ so scary!
7. What are you doing this weekend? Tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Don't forget...have fun!

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the book I'm most looking forward to reading this summer (doh)
2. Dogs make life so much more fun.
3. Portsmouth NH is a town I'd like to explore.
4. Silly people crack me up.
5. I'm longing to go to the ocean, walk on the beach, smell the salt air.
6. Spiders are so scary!
7. What are you doing this weekend? Tonight I'm looking forward to going to the beach?, tomorrow my plans include going to the beach? and Sunday, I want to go to the beach! (any takers???)

Altho my header says "fond of the beach", I am still, and will always be fondofsnape!

Carry on.

From The Leaky Cauldron:

"UK publisher Bloomsbury has announced that the reading of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by author J. K. Rowling taking place at the Natural History Museum will be streamed LIVE online via the Bloomsbury website at midnight on July 21st."

WOW!!!

Three people nominated me for Rockin' Girl Blogger...and it really made me feel good!

Nancy is a relatively new read to me, but I enjoy her blog very much! She also complimented my photography...that just makes me smile. She posted the most amazing quote on her blog this week, which I'll share with you:

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."
- Max Dupree

Thanks, Nancy!

Colleen: She likes my blog name! She also shares my love of Snape and compliments me on my photography...while she's an amazing writer! I was bound and determined NOT to like her books cause she writes about vampire hunters...and you know how I like those vampires! But once I picked her first vampire book up, I could NOT put it down. She's GREAT and thank you, Colleen for saying such nice things about me :-)

leslie has the most beautiful cat in her header; her blog is gorgeous! She's very artistic, and also shares my love of Harry Potter; she was sorted into Ravenclaw, brilliant girl! Thanks, Leslie!

I'm nominating these rockin' chicks:

Robin: We share a love of collecting cookbooks and she posts yummy recipes on her blog! To me, that rocks!

Melissa: We share a love of BPAL and Snape; she's a brave, smart person who's extremely interesting as well as interested.

Lisa: This chick has a dry sense of humor that I just adore. I owe her a book, damn it! She's an awesome photographer and isn't afraid to get down and dirty to get the picture she wants.

Lea: Lea has two kids, is a single mom and just lost her job...but you know what? I have a feeling something FANTASTIC is going to crop up for her! Oh, and she's a fellow Snape-aholic :-)

Julie: The ULTIMATE rockin' girl; she took up guitar after falling in love with Zep. She misses my Percy background! We share a love of Zep, books and sarcastic humor.

And...everyone else on my google reader! Cause if I didn't think you were all rockin' chicks, you wouldn't be there!

Have a great weekend!

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

I could NOT make up my mind on this one, so you'll have to vote on which of these you like the best!

Took this at work, from the 5th floor.

Shot this one in Nevada recently; I call it Spiky Bunny Shadow!

Max and his shadow, chillin' at the beach

Wolf and HIS shadow, chillin' at the same beach!

Photographer and dog

Went to Fuller Gardens (a beautiful place by the sea) today in North Hampton, NH with Megan and her Mom; I took SO many pictures! They had to drag me outa there kicking and screaming. We had lunch at Michael's Harborside...delish! Perfect day!

Isn't he (or she) gorgeous?

***UPDATED***

No this is not an alien; yes this is a moth!

I saw this on someone's blog...and I'll be damned (not that I won't anyway) if I can remember where I saw it! So if it was on YOUR blog...sorry for not crediting you!

Ingredients:

2.5 cups chicken broth (I used 3.5 cups of mushroom broth)
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I used 3/4 cup and it was brown rice, not white)
2 tsps chili powder (I used a bit more)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used a bit more)
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup julienned green pepper
3/4 cup julienned red or yellow pepper (I just used one whole red pepper and omitted the green one altogether)
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
8 ounces orange roughy or red snapper fillet, cut into 1 inch piece (I couldn't find either, so I used cod)
4 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peel and deveined
3/4 cup orange juice concentrate (I used a whole can of frozen juice)

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil, add rice, chili powder and garlic and return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (for white; for brown rice, simmer for 40-45 minutes) or until rice is tender.

Add tomatoes, pepper(s) and onion, salt & pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium heat until veggies are tender.

Add fish and shrimp, stir well; then add orange juice. Cover and simmer for 2-4 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the shrimp turns pink.

I also made Cucumber Salad with Mint and Feta; I have SO much mint in my garden and a girl can only drink so many mohitos!!!

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I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Situation :: grave
2. Theme song :: Banana Splits
3. Kelly :: Pat's daughter
4. Club :: you over the head
5. Swerve :: Get your swerve on
6. Couch :: potato
7. Bigfoot :: hairy
8. Arbitrary :: library
9. Inventor :: Mark Twain
10. Blazer :: jacket
08:18 AM - Comments (6)

This is my horoscope for today:

You know your own worth, but today it might feel as though no one else does. If you're feeling neglected, overlooked or just taken for granted, take note of the friends who are treating you that way. You're no bargain-basement friend, and if you're being made to feel that way, it's time to move on. Consider a trial separation from the negative people in your life, and find out what life would be like if you didn't have to deal with their self-obsessed melodrama.

Negative, no; a tad self-obsessed, yes but not so much with the melodrama...that's been weeded out of my life; I'm highly allergic to melodrama ;-)

Who knew!

Is it me, or is there something rather horrible about The New England Aquarium's Celebrate Seafood Dinner Series...which includes a complimentary pass to the Aquarium?

I'm sensing a movie here...

I wish I was there right now!

Who's up for it!!!

First of all...did you notice my new header? Snape is back, looking a bit darker and a tad worn, as is fitting for the last book, which will, of course, prove his innocence! Thanks to Megan for a fantastic job on WICKED short notice!!!

Here's last Wednesday's picture:

And this is what it was cropped from:

See! It WAS a submarine...albeit one on land!

My cousin, MB, got it right: "I think it looks like the propeller from a submarine or something. This is because she spent MANY years watching submarine races!

As always, thanks for playing! By the way, all photos used in What Is It Wednesday are marked as "private" in my flickr account...that's so no one can view the picture at a bigger size to get a better look!

The commenting problems are over; my lovely and talented designer fixed it!

So this week...

What is it?

Holly, the Getting to Know You hostess of the month, says: Today we'll be digging in a little deeper and finding out who/what brought us through the rough times in our lives. Maybe it will inspire all of us to reach out and do one small thing to cheer someone else up. Reach out and RAK someone today.

1. When you were going through a rough time in your life, what did someone do to help get you through that period. (you don't have to tell us about the rough time if you don't want, I just want to hear what helped you through it) I was quite depressed in my late teens; my live in boyfriend had been hit by an oil truck while on his motorcycle and broke his pelvis as well as most of the bones in his foot. We had 3 german shepherds and 8 puppies at the time in a 3 room apartment ... and I had to care for them all, plus pay the rent and utilities. While in the hospital, my boyfriend got addicted to the morphine they gave him for the pain which changed him mentally (he became cruel and abusive; he eventually received shock treatments, which, as you can imagine, messed with his memory big time) and I ended up moving out of the apartment with him and in with my friend, Sue. There were days when I just wouldn't get out of bed, and Sue would patiently come in, literally make me get up, and then we'd go on an adventure. We'd drive here or there, she'd make sure I ate and had fun and pretty soon, I was feeling back to myself. I always remember her with much love and fondness for doing this for me.

2. Have you ever been on the receiving end of a RAK? What was it? How did it make you feel? I've been lucky to receive quite a few RAKs through out my life. In recent times, a friend of mine sent me flowers to the office, and that really made me smile! Another friend gives me her magazines when she's done with them, like Real Simple and Martha Stewart, which I TOTALLY love!

3. Have you ever sent out a letter/greeting/bunch of flowers to someone, just to cheer them up? Did you do it anonymously? I have, yes, but never anonymously. I should do it more often, tho!

4. If you were not familiar with Random Acts of Kindness before now, are you more inspired to go out and do something nice now? I was familiar with it...but I also am more inspired. But, damn it, I'm forgetful! If I don't do it RIGHT NOW...well...

5. If you know of another good website that encourages spreading joy and love, please pass it along. I saw this Kind Blog button on Zoot's blog the other day and thought it was an awesome idea!

Yes, I'm THAT paranoid! I do NOT want to know what happens before I read the book, and I'm dead serious about it.

Ooooh, look at what you can do with your Weemee! Go forth, create, and have fun!!!

If you go visit me on Weeworld, you'll see what I'm saying :-) And notice the colors I'm wearing!

To make your own WeeMee, go here; when you're finished, save it, and then invite me as your friend (search for fondofsnape)!

Thirteen Things I love that begin with the letter T

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Both the books and the movies!

2. Tea: Hot, iced, sweetened, not, calming, smoky, flowery...I love it all!

3. Trees: I love listening to the leaves getting all worked up in a heavy window, I love the shade that trees provide, the ones that flower in the spring, the beautiful colors in the fall.

4. Temptation: Something that's always been hard for me to resist!

5. The Half-Blood Prince: My favorite Harry Potter book so far...at least until tomorrow, possibly!

6. Table: I love a nice, clean wooden table. Big, small, doesn't matter.

7. Tea Towels: AKA kitchen towels, I love to collect them and I love to wrap presents in them, tied with a bit of twine. Very green :-)

8. Tapestry: The Unicorn Tapestries are among my favorite; when I visited Scotland, I got to see a bit of it being repaired! Did you notice it hangs in Gryffindor Tower? I did :-)

9. Tattoos: I love tattoos (you might have noticed)! Not tacky ones, but beautiful, meaningful ones. Tattooing is a definite art form.

10. Tarot Cards: Whether you're a believer or not , the designs on some of the decks are just BEAUTIFUL!!!

11. Teasing: I love to tease, but I need to remember that not everyone likes being teased!

12. Tents: I love camping and to me, camping means sleeping under the stars in a tent. Anyone wanna go?

13. The Ocean: One of my favorite places to be AND one of my fav Zeppelin songs!
Singing in the sunshine - laughing in the rain
Hitting on the moonshine - rocking in the grain
Got no time to pack my bag - my foot's outside the door
I got a date - I can't be late for the hills I'm heading for

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Wolf, helping to reinforce my constant vigilance!

I read a seemingly innocent comment from someone I THOUGHT I could trust, which had a bit of a spoiler, so no more reading of comments until I'm done with the book.

Unless, of course, it's from Michelle, Michele (all of them), Megan, Laura, Lisa, Deb, Krista, Colleen, Carl or Zoot, cause I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt I can trust them! Sorry for doubting you today, K!

Random and Odd says she wants to see our "silverware drawer. No cheating and cleaning it out. AS IS. BONUS POINTS FOR THE MESSIEST MOST UNORGANIZED. lol. I dig this game.

HA! I win this one!

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Tiny daisy

Tiny corn

Yes, the lawn needs to be mowed, the garden needs to be weeded...but...I've got my nose in this book, you see...

As you all saw on Saturday, I spent most of that day in the backyard reading & writing notes...but I stopped writing as I got deeper and deeper into the story. Y'all will have to go to Zoot's for the blow-by-blow!

I'm still not ready to talk about it...so I hope this picture will hold you over! It's not REALLY a spoiler, but the picture does contain the name of one of the chapters.

Last Thursday at work, I won 3 tickets to go see the Red Sox on Saturday. I gave two to my brother and father...I WAS going to go with them, but 1) I was reading the last Harry Potter book and 2) I was reading the last Harry Potter book!

I asked around to see if any friends wanted just the one ticket ($165 ticket!) and no one did. I did a mass email at work and gave the ticket to the first person who responded.

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Here's last Wednesday's picture:

And this is what it was cropped from:

Not an alien catepillar or a horribly enlarged bedbug, but a cactus.

Lisa got it right: "Cactus? Demonspawn caterpillar? Right AND funny...I like that! Amy the black's answer was funny...to me and possibly other Harry Potter fans: "Mimbulus Mimbletonia?"

As always, thanks for playing! By the way, all photos used in What Is It Wednesday are marked as "private" in my flickr account...that's so no one can view the picture at a bigger size to get a better look!

So this week...

What is it?

Thirteen Things I love that begin with the letter U

1. Unexpected: I tend to really like unexpected things...GOOD ones, that is, like a visit, a call, a road trip, a perfect photo op!

2. Unique: I enjoy being different!

3. Ultion: I seek ultion on those that harm animals

4. Underhill: Frodo's alias :-)

5. unifarious : I like to take pictures of brightly colored candies that are unifarious ;-) See!


6. Umbrellas: I like brightly colored ones, again, makes a gorgeous picture! Love the shade they provide on the beach, too!

7. Underwater: I love being underwater! Snorkeling is amazing, so quiet, so different that life above the sea!

8. Unicorn: I used to LOVE unicorns when I was little...still have a collection.

9. Uniform: When I worked on an air force base, man, did I love seeing the guys in their uniforms...especially those flight suits! oooh la la!

10. Unknown: "...it is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more" - Albus Dumbledore

11. Urn: Today, I took some ashes out of my mother's urn to give to my brother...he's going on an Alaskan cruise and my mother ALWAYS wanted to go to Alaska, and never got to go. Now she is, and with her son, whom she loved VERY much. It felt VERY strange, though, scooping up her ashes...I'm not really very sure how I feel about that.

12. Utensils: I heart kitchen utensils!

13. Up All Night: By the Boomtown Rats...LOVED this song, used to doodle the title in shorthand all the time at work, back in the 80s...
Up all night
Ooh za za
Ooh staying up all night

African jungle
Big city street
The only real difference is in
The people you meet

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This is Katherine's last task for Photo Thursday; I must apologize to her for not participating in the others, my loss, as they were GREAT prompts! This week, she says:

"...this week's prompt is beauty. What is beautiful to you? What scenes and sights do you cherish? I absolutely love the sight of sailboats on the Puget Sound, interesting patterns in clouds and motion in lights.

I find beauty in the simplest things:

in footprints in the sand,

in this beautiful dog,

in the ocean,

the woods,

and in my own back yard.

Of course, I find beauty in my wonderful friends, too!

Jimbo, Megan, Diane, Maureen, Betsy, Heather in Vegas

My cousins, Mel (on the left), and Maribeth, 3rd from the left

Pat (she won't let me take her picture, so here we have a fine stand-in!

Michelle at the beach

The Scream!

and flowers...who could forget flowers?

I also find beauty in unexpected places:

How about you? Where do you find beauty?

If you play, please link back to me and leave me a comment letting me know you played, so I can come visit!

BTW, all questions are courtesy of Megan today, except for #7, of course :-) She thought 'em up last night when we were standing in line to see a sneak preview of the movie Stardust, which is a movie EVERYONE should go see. Robert DeNiro was GREAT and it was narrated by Ian McKellen. Woohoo!

1. Yesterday I was _____.
2. Today I am _____.
3. Tomorrow I will _____.
4. Someday I'm going to _____.
5. I will never _____.
6. I might _____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Don't forget...have fun!

1. Yesterday I was enthralled by an awesome movie.
2. Today I am working a half day.
3. Tomorrow I will be hanging out with Mo, Di, Bets and 5 little girls.
4. Someday I'm going to lose all this weight.
5. I will never touch a spider willingly.
6. I might fall in love again.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to arriving at Mo's, tomorrow my plans include The "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions and Sunday, I want to see Betsy's camp!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Random and Odd says she wants to see a "rainbow. (in this day and age, it shouldn't be hard to find one...or make one)

I've got two for her :-)

Rainbow over the tracks

Rainbow under the wing

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Harpoon Larry's, one of my favorite hangouts in VA Beach :-)

One of a series of photos I took of the 5 little girls I'll be seeing this weekend that I made into a coloring book for each.

If you'd like to play, click here!

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Traditional :: family
2. Popeye :: spinach
3. Gin :: and tonic
4. Harsh :: words
5. Topless :: dancing
6. The thing :: is...
7. Defiant :: one
8. Huge :: effing noise
9. Food :: yum
10. Lenny :: Henry

Having a great time up in VT, went to a drive in last night! What fun!

What a great long weekend! Drove up to Vermont with Diane & her girls to stay at Mo's. Betsy and her middle daugter, Audrey, joined us Sunday.

- Went to the drive-in to see Ratatouille (and to gaze at the very full moon). When's the last time you went to a drive in? SO much fun!
- Met Mo's bead lady and took a TON of pictures
- Saw a herd of miniature horses (didn't get ONE shot LOL)
- Finished a book that wasn't Harry Potter - Heat, by Bill Buford
- Went to Lake Champlain Chocolates - yum!
- Went to see the Lipizanner Stallions - beautiful animals :-)
- Watched a sunset - sigh
- Played with a puppy - what fun!
- Hung out with friends - the best!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

Monarch in the burdocks

Rumor! Isn't she gorgeous?

Close to my favorite pic of the weekend...shot in color, looks almost black and white

Meri

Can't believe I got this shot LOL!

Love these ... "things" on a rooftop in downtown Burlington, VT.

A gorgeous onion from Betsy's Dad's garden

How was your weekend?