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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/1/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Holidays, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 1, 2011| 4 Comments »

It all started with burning the cookies – then the day proceeded to deteriorate rapidly. Somehow the parchment paper on the cookie sheet caught on fire, which set off the smoke alarm. In an effort to get relief from the loud, high-pitched shrieks coming from the alarm, my freaked-out dog tore out of the house, ripping through the family room screen door in the process! To make matters worse, once outside he spied a squirrel sitting on the bird feeder and decided to give it chase. I had no choice but to leave my smokey house and chase after my four-legged friend. Breathless and without shoes, I found my dog a block away and hauled him back home – just in time to see a fire truck pulling away! As I climbed up my driveway I saw a note taped to my front door which was curiously wide open. The note read: April Fools! None of the incidents you just read about actually occurred (thank goodness!) as they were just a product of my over active April Fool’s Day imagination! Happy April Fool’s Day!

#1 – Extraordinary Things
This is not a matter of imagination. People who believe in miracles see them all the time. Others are blind to the many special or extraordinary moments that fill their everyday lives. Reading 40 Extraordinary Things Happening Right Now reminds the reader that everyday occurrences are really small miracles, that these moments need to be appreciated, and suggests that the potential of mankind is in the small things we do everyday.

#2 – Tennis, Anyone?
I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t play tennis. Well, that’s not completely true – lately I’ve been practicing my tennis skills at my desk! Sometimes when I need a short breather from the computer, I play a quick game of tennis. Beating the computer is my goal, so I practice keeping my eye on the ball and calculating the angles of the bounce! With the crowd cheering me on, how could I lose? Tennis, anyone?

#3 – Reuse It!
The next time you go out for a scoop of gelato, don’t throw away the colorful plastic cup it was served in – reuse it! I find these small cups make perfect scoops for dog food, bird seed, flour, rice, and so on. Not only are they a good size to use for scoops, they are also durable and cute!

#4 – Salt Warning
After eating a sodium-heavy meal, I can usually see the effects on my body the next day: the scale reports a 1-2 pound gain; the pants won’t button; the wedding ring won’t come off. But what I can’t see is even more disturbing. From the latest issue of Nutrition Action Newsletter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, come these scary tidbits of information:

“A high-salt meal can stiffen your arteries within 30 minutes. Arteries that lose their ability to expand when they need to can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and cognitive decline.”

In the same issue, but in a different article, the nutritional breakdown for a Wendy’s Baconator Double and a Burger King’s Triple Whopper with Cheese is mentioned. With 1,590 mg and 1,550 mg of sodium, respectively, these burgers provide a full day’s supply of sodium in just one sandwich. Like I always tell my kids, “Choose wisely!”

#5 – Two on Strength
“Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.”
Unknown

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Enjoy the sunshine and your weekend!!

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Excuse My Dust!

Posted in About me, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 29, 2011| 1 Comment »

Cleaning and scrubbing

can wait till tomorrow . . .

for babies grow up

we’ve learned to

our sorrow . . .

So quiet down cobwebs . . .

dust go to sleep . . .

I’m rocking my baby

and

Babies don’t keep!!

Over thirty years ago, when my eyesight was keener and my fingers more nimble, I meticulously stitched those words into a wall hanging for my sister who was awaiting the birth of her first child. A few years passed and I had children of my own. And even though I didn’t have a little wall hanging to remind me of the sentiment, I never forgot the message behind those few simple words.

As each of my children entered the world and grew up in what seems like a nanosecond, I experienced first hand how “babies don’t keep.” Being mindful of the words I once stitched, I set my priorities early on and quit my job to care for my children. My goal was to raise bright, responsible, and caring individuals in the relatively short amount of time I had them at home. Moments, like watching their first wobbly steps, saying goodbye to them at the kindergarten gate, feigning calm during their frightening driving lessons, and dropping them off at college, etc., were bittersweet ones. Recognizing fully that each milestone reached was just another step towards my goal, I also acknowledged that it was another step towards their independence. I knew we would never pass this way again and nothing was more important to me than them.

That’s not to say, though, that I never lost perspective. There were times that I turned into an occasional, PMS-possessed, crazed mom! When the weariness of refereeing between bickering kids and when the endless washing, cleaning, cooking and driving devoured my life, I was hard-pressed to remember the words of the poem. But somehow these words would gradually float back into my consciousness and help me adjust my perspective.

The kids are all out of the house now and, thankfully, they still call to chat and ask for recipes. They’re off doing their own things, but I still think about the “Babies Don’t Keep” poem. I’ve taken that poem and transformed it into a message that applies to something broader – life. Life is all about choices and priorities, right? For me, my family and friends are high priorities, but my house, not so much. I’ll never be a tidy housekeeper like my mom or some of my friends, because having a clean house just isn’t important to me. My house isn’t filthy, by any means, but there’s huge room for improvement! But because I’ve learned that kids grow up fast and, more importantly, I’ve learned that life passes by much too quickly, I do the things I want to do and not have to do!

So beware, be prepared, and take caution when you enter my home! But most of all remember these words:

Cleaning and scrubbing

can wait till tomorrow . . .

for dreams disappear

I’ve learned to

my sorrow . . .

so let there be cobwebs . . .

dust bunnies mate . . .

I’m living life fully

’cause

life doesn’t wait!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/25/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »


He: What’s this in the freezer?
Me: Oh, it’s a container of hailstones.
He: Hailstones?
Me: Yeah, I saved some for you.
He: Why?
Me: Because I didn’t want you to miss out.
He: Miss out on what?
Me: Miss out on seeing the hail! We had two huge hailstorms pass through and I wanted you to see what you missed!
He: Why?
Me: Because I love you and like to share things with you! Why else?!
He: Can we throw it away now?

It’s obvious from this conversation that I was the only one in my family excited by the powerful weather that passed over us this week. In the midst of thunder cracking and hail flying, I crazily grabbed my camera and ran outside to see if I could capture the event. Photos don’t do the forces of nature justice. Only white streaks can be seen in the photos as the hails stones were hurled to the ground and frankly, without the sound effects of the roaring thunder and the pounding hail, it’s just not the same! That is how I rationalize saving the hailstones for my husband – he had to see them with his own eyes!

#1 – F.Y.I.
Have you ever wondered how hail stones are formed? According to Wikipedia: Unlike ice pellets, hail stones are layered and can be irregular and clumped together. Hail is composed of transparent ice or alternating layers of transparent and translucent ice at least 1 millimetre (0.039 in) thick, which are deposited upon the hail stone as it cycles through the cloud multiple times, suspended aloft by air with strong upward motion until its weight overcomes the updraft and falls to the ground. Now you know!

#2 – Earth From Above
Earth From Above is a collection of incredible photographs taken across six continents by aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

#3 – Two Wolves – A Cherokee Parable
I found this parable on Global One TV and thought it worthy of sharing:

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life…

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.”

“One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.”

“The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

“This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
“Which wolf will win?”

The old chief simply replied,
“The one you feed.”

Author Unknown

#4 – Fitness Tips
I often read articles from the Men’s Health Magazine and found this one full of helpful suggestions. After reading The 100 Best Fitness Tips, I am more motivated than ever to work out! And that’s saying a lot!

#5 – Who Holds You Back?
It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
-Anonymous

Have a great weekend!

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Chinese-Style Beef Jerky

Posted in About me, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

One piece! One tiny little piece of homemade Chinese-style beef jerky remained in the bowl. In the quick ten minutes it took me to wash the dishes, the entire contents (minus one piece, of course) had been devoured by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named! Noting the digestive-inhalation that just occurred, I considered my first foray into making beef jerky a success!

Beef Jerky
Adapted from a recipe by Rhoda Yee

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
2 tsp salt
4 tsp sherry
8 tsp honey
6 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp each of: ketchup, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce

Directions:
1. Rinse meat and blot dry. Place completely flat in zip-type plastic bag and freeze for about 45 minutes.

2. Make the marinade with the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

3. Remove meat from the freezer and take out of bag. On a cutting board slice the meat into wide strips across the grain and put into a large bowl. The pieces should be no thicker than 1/8th-inch thick.

4. Pour the marinade into the meat bowl. With your hands, carefully mix the two, making sure that all sides of the meat slices are evenly coated with the marinade. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one day.

5. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

6. Cover baking pans with foil. Place either broiling racks or cooling racks into the baking pans. This allows air to flow around the meat. Spray racks with a vegetable spray and place slices of meat in a single layer on the racks. The slices can touch, but should not overlap.

7. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

8. Store in an airtight container.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Chinese-style beef jerky is a little sweeter and stickier than conventional western beef jerky.

2. The best prices for flank steak were at Sam’s Club, Winco, and Costco – in that order.

3. These are optional procedures – Halfway through the baking time I removed the baking sheets from the oven and poured off the meat juices that had collected in the bottom. I wanted the meat to bake and not steam. At this point I also turned the slices of meat over.

3. Because I like my beef jerky peppery, I sprinkled some freshly ground black pepper over the raw meat slices prior to baking and again at the halfway point after flipping them over.

4. How to tell when meat is done: The slices will shrink by about 50%. The color should be dark brown and should be evenly colored, but not burnt! You’ll know when you see them.

5. After reviewing many other beef jerky recipes, I found this one to be relatively easy. So easy, in fact, that I made three batches in over two days!

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/18/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Get out the umbrellas again! Another weekend of rain is approaching! As I sat at my desk this morning thinking about the rain, my thoughts turned to umbrellas. And while thinking about umbrellas, I happily remembered some umbrellas I photographed while in Italy. The thought of them instantly transported me to a beautiful summer day in Cinque Terre where I snapped photo after photo of these colorful, sun-loving umbrellas from the window of my hotel room. Reliving that moment made me smile and forget about the dismal weather outside. But despite my whining about wet and soggy days, I am ever appreciative of having a roof over my head and a loving family around me. All is put into perspective, when considering the misfortune and struggles of others.

#1 – Before and After
Before and after satellite photos of the areas most hard hit by the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in Japan tell a horrible story of devastation that words inadequately try to describe. To view the before and after photographs from this New York Times interactive presentation, slide the center bar to the right or left to see entire photographs.

#2 – Donations
As I watched the videos coming out of Japan, I knew I had to help in some way. There are so many legitimate organizations poised to help the Japanese people, but there are many fraudulent ones as well. To make sure my donation reached those in need, I sought out two reputable organizations. Please consider making a donation to assist with the Japanese relief effort. To make it easier for you, here are the links:

The Salvation Army

American Red Cross

After selling lemonade for three and a half hours, a group of nine-year-old children in Northern California raised over $300 dollars to help the Japanese. And out of the mouth of babes, one of them very wisely said, “You can do anything from any place you are.”  Life’s teachers and life’s lessons come in many different forms and sizes.

#3 – Knoword Game
Want to play a fun and challenging game that will expand your vocabulary? Here’s how to play Knoword: When you begin, you will be given one randomly generated dictionary definition along with the first letter of its corresponding word. You must fill in the rest of the word to experience a gain in points and an added time bonus. You will start off with one minute before the game ends, and every word is an opportunity to extend your time. If you’re ever stuck on a word, just hit the skip button and a new puzzle will present itself. If you’re able to string together correct answers, you will notice your Word streak counter increasing. You can accumulate badges and additional points by achieving certain amounts of consecutively correct words… How far can you get?

Even though I’m not very good at this game, I find it addictive!

#4 – Foods That Aid Productivity
Looking for ways to become more productive? Perhaps you have to look no farther than your own diet. This article provides an easy-to-read chart which lists 100 foods and the ways they affect our bodies and ultimately assist our production. Wow, I never knew that pound cake improves digestion and sleep!

#5 – What I Can Do
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~Edward Everett Hale

Stay dry and safe this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/11/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On a day when the sun failed to shine, Mourning Doves gathered on tangled branches of a weeping cherry. With feathers fluffed and appendages pulled in tight, they longed for the warmth of each other, but found the distance between them too great. As I read over these sentences, I’m thinking about how to improve them. They need to be more descriptive, yet tighter. Here’s my challenge to you – send me your best, brief description of or story about (three sentences or less) the photo above and I’ll share some of them in an upcoming post! Give it a try . . . it’ll be fun!

#1 – One Sentence Stories
Don’t underestimate the impact of a single sentence. Can a story be told in one sentence? As a matter of fact, yes. With just six words Hemingway wrote this story: “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”

Here are some great examples of Hemingway-style, six word stories by other well-known writers:

“It cost too much, staying human.”
– Bruce Sterling

“From torched skyscrapers, men grew wings.”
– Gregory Maguire

“The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly.”
– Orson Scott Card

“Wasted day. Wasted life. Dessert, please.”
– Steven Meretzky

“Streets full of water. Please advise.”
– Robert Benchley

“Starlet sex scandal. Giant squid involved.”
– Margaret Atwood

Feeling inspired now? Go to One Sentence and challenge yourself to submit a sentence or just enjoy reading others’ efforts.

#2 – Save Trees
You probably already save trees by carrying your own grocery bags into the market. Another way to save trees is to decline printed catalogs. It seems every time I pick up my mail, it’s loaded with catalogs that just end up in my recycled paper bin.

According to an article in Earth 911, Nineteen billion catalogs are mailed out to American homes each year. The production of these catalogs requires 53 million trees, 53 billion gallons of water and emits 5.2 million tons of carbon dioxide. While some send catalogs to the trash instead of their recycling bins, all municipal recycling programs accept catalogs.

One morning after unsubscribing to a bunch of email solicitations on my computer, I took a few minutes to make calls to companies that send me catalogs. I informed them that I shop online and requested that my name be removed from their catalog list. Get the word out!

#3 – On the Tip of Your Tongue?
Ever have moments when you’re talking to someone and there’s a word on the very tip of your tongue? Try as you may, your brain cannot conjure it up? Tip of My Tongue is a site that can help you during those frustrating moments. Type into the text boxes what aspects of the word you know and it provides a list of possible words for you!

#4 – A Breathe Deep Moment
Photographs do not need words; they inspire them. Here’s a photo you can escape into when you need a “breathe deep” moment.

#5 – Rich or Poor?
“If someone were to pay you 10 cents for every kind word you ever spoke and collect from you 5 cents for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”
Unknown source

Enjoy your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/4/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 4, 2011| 1 Comment »

Sometimes life calls for us to be resourceful and to improvise with what we’ve got. The squirrels in my yard do all that and more. Last week when the sky unzipped and let out a torrential downpour, I spied something unusual as I walked across my family room towards the French doors. Moving very slowly across my deck was a squirrel’s tail with seemingly no body attached! “How could just the tail walk?” I murmured to myself as I leaned in for a closer look. Peering through the glass panes, I could make out the rest of the squirrel’s body. While nibbling on sunflower seeds, that had blown down from a feeder during the storm, this clever rodent had flipped his tail over the top of his body to shield himself from the deluge! Despite the fact that I’ve had minor struggles with squirrels in my attic and in my yard, I laughed and gave this guy a thumb’s up!

#1 – Make Lists to Lift Your Spirits
Whenever you need a pick-me-up consider making a list. Demanding Joy is a lovely site where I found an article entitled, “50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits.” The author provides 50 thought-provoking topics which you can personalize. For example, make a list of the things you’re good at or list the ways you have grown since your early 20’s. The author says of these lists, “They’re sort of an inventory of your life and all the good things in it.”

#2 – How Well Do You Multitask?
Considering I’m a mom, I thought I’d mastered the art of multitasking. Well, after playing these multitasking games for a while, I’m apparently not as good at it as I thought! A note of warning: if you play these games at work, turn your computer’s volume down, lest the electronic-sounding music give you away!

#3 – Past and Present
By superimposing photos from the past onto scenes of today, this interesting collection of photographs pulls the past into the present.

#4 – Time to Burn Those Calories!
Here’s a calorie burn calculator that does the opposite of what most calorie counters do. Instead of telling how many calories different activities burn, this calculator tells you how long it will take you to burn “X” number of calories at that activity. For example, for me to burn off 2000 calories, I would need to do high impact aerobics for 5 hours, 1 minute and 53 seconds or I could do computer work for 17 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds!

#5 – Apologizing
Apologizing does not always mean that you are wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.
Anonymous

No matter what the weather, have a wonderful weekend!

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Make a Wine Lover’s Chalkboard

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

For a person who likes to collect things, recycle, and drink wine, this was the perfect rainy day project for me! Several years ago I received a small, child-sized chalkboard as part of a gag gift. Being the perfect size for a desk top message board, I decided to hang on to it and figured I’d put it to good use one of these days. Well, that day arrived after I spied a project I liked and could easily make myself, while browsing through Etsy, an internet shopping site for handcrafted goods. After about a half hour’s worth of work – most of which was spent on deciding which corks to use – I have a wine lover’s chalkboard, complete with a little shelf to store the chalk! I made good use of the chalkboard and recycled some of the corks I’ve saved, not to mention, I have a decorative way to display messages! Now, what to do with all the rest of the corks I’ve collected?

Supplies Needed to Make the Wine Lover’s Chalkboard:
1 small chalkboard with frame
Hot glue gun and glue stick
About 2 dozen wine corks, depending on the size of the chalkboard
Scrap paper
Chalk

Directions:
1. Select the wine corks for the project. I looked for corks that had interesting phrases or designs printed on them.

2. Place corks on the wooden frame and rearrange them until you’re satisfied with the layout. By using varying lengths of cork, I was able to avoid cutting any of them.

3. Cover the “slate” portion of the board with a piece of scrap paper to protect the surface from glue.

4. After selecting which part of the corks are to be face up,  glue them down one by one. Start gluing the corks end-to-end on the top border and then work down one side and then the other. Finally, glue the bottom ends of the corks (they should be standing up) to the bottom part of the frame to create a shelf.

6. Break the chalk in half and place the chalk on the shelf.

7. A sawtooth picture hanger or picture wire could easily be added to the back if you want this project too hang on a wall versus lean against a wall.

I’m working on a few other creative ideas for wine cork usage, but if you have any brilliant ideas, pass them on to me. I’d love to hear about them!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/25/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Jewelry, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Outside there’s nothing but rain. But, metaphorically speaking, rain falls inside too – it falls into each of our lives, sometimes in “drizzles” and sometimes in “downpours.” How we weather our storms depends on our outlook. We can choose to simply drown or we can let the waters cleanse our perspective and refresh our purpose.

#1 – Gift of Hope Update
My friend Laura, whose inspirational story I wrote about in Laura’s Gift of Hope, just received the most wonderful and miraculous news – she is in remission! Thanks to all who sent prayers and positive energy her way! But let’s not forget about the others who continue their fight against cancer. For as little as $25.00 you can spread cheer and give hope by donating a Gift of Hope (a bouquet of daffodils) or a Bear of Hope (a Boyds Bear stuffed animal for pediatric cancer patients), both of which are delivered anonymously to someone undergoing cancer treatment during the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days, the week of March 22nd. Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “Be the difference you want to see in the world.” The last day to donate online is Monday, February 28th. To be the difference to someone, click here to donate.

#2 – Words and Images
More photos with food-for-thought quotes – check out the slide show at Pix Placcebo. My favorite slide? It has to be, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Mother Teresa

#3 – Oatmeal at McDonald’s?
Since I eat oatmeal every morning and know that it’s been a factor in lowering my blood cholesterol, I was happy to see that McDonald’s is advertising and selling “healthy” oatmeal for breakfast. Then I read this article, How to Make Oatmeal . . . Wrong and was shocked to learn that “. . . the McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin.”

#4 – Baking Soda Is Not Just for Baking!
One of the major ingredients in my Fizzy Bath Bombs recipe is baking soda. It’s the component that softens the water. There are many, many other uses for baking soda – 57 to be exact, according to an article in Everyday Wisdom. For example, entries 1, 2, and 3:

1. One of the most popular uses for baking soda is to deodorize your refrigerator. Just place an open container inside, stir every couple of weeks, replace it every couple of months.

2. After you have used the baking soda in the refrigerator, don’t throw it away! Put it in the sink drain or garbage disposal. Add a cup of vinegar and let it stand overnight. Run hot water through it in the morning; it will help keep drains clean and smelling fresh.

3. One of the more important uses for baking soda: Keep a box of baking soda near the stove. In case of a grease fire, you can sprinkle baking soda on the fire to extinguish the flames. This will not damage counter tops or the pans. It is safe for use on electrical fires.

#5 – Two Quotes That Make a Difference

The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.
~Leo Rosten

Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Linnell’s Notes on Her Design Concept for Laura’s Layered Necklace
In order of bottom layer to top:

The Swarovski crystal: Pink represents the color of breast cancer awareness.
The base layer: “Hope is an anchor for the soul.” Hebrews 6:19
The oval ring: Faith is constant and frames our hope.
The heart: Love makes us whole.

Make a difference to someone this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/18/11)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Like a million, twinkling, little lights, raindrops decorate the thin bare branches of ornamental trees and raindrops fall creating overlapping, concentric circles in the already rippled water of the pool. Gusting winds turn bird feeders into revolving circus rides for hungry little birds trying to feed. And as the feeders swirl around and around and up and down, the birds hold on for dear life as they peck away at the seed. Even during a storm, my yard is a source of wonder.

#1 – Umbrella Art
I have rain on my brain these days and with thoughts of rain comes thoughts of umbrellas. I never considered umbrellas as an art medium, but after seeing these photos of umbrella art installations, I’ve changed my mind!

#2 – How Much Rain is A Lot of Rain?
Just how much rain is a lot of rain – it’s all relative, right? My curiosity led me to the Big Site of Amazing Facts to find these answers:

The average city in the United States might receive 25 to 45 inches of rain in a year. New York receives about 43 inches, and Dallas about 32 inches.

In Cherrapunji, India, it rained so hard in 1861 that the rainfall totaled more than 1,042 inches, that’s about 87 feet!

Lloro, Colombia, in South America receives the highest average annual precipitation on earth, which makes it the wettest place in the world. An estimated 523.6 inches (1,330 cm) of rain falls every year, according to the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

#3 -Reuse It!
Other than using it to cover your head from the pouring rain, there are many different ways to reuse newspapers. Here’s a cute and clever idea – make gift bags out of them! The blog How About Orange has a tutorial on how to make gift bags from newspapers. Now when I read the morning paper, I’ll be looking for colorful ads to use for the gift bags I’m going to make!

#4 – Droplets of Water
You’ll be impressed by these amazing and creative photos taken by Steve Wall, an amateur photographer. With his macro lens he captures the reflective beauty of water droplets. After seeing his work you’ll appreciate both the work of nature and the work of the artist.

#5 – Gentle Rain
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.
Frank Howard Clark

Whatever the weather, enjoy your weekend!

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