Blog-o-sphere Think Tank ~ Your favourite summer food / meal?

Corn on the Cob

This month’s topic for the Blog-o-sphere Think Tank is “What is your Favorite summer food / meal?”  Well, growing up in northern Illinois, the land of corn in my mind (along with some other midwestern states), I have to say corn on the cob is one of my favorite summer foods.

My parents had a garden and it produced many tasty treats.  There was nothing better than fresh picked sweet corn, straight from their garden.  Sweet, tender, juicy.  I loved it.  Oh yes, and please do not hold the butter….the more the better with sweet corn!

I don’t have it that often any more, but given the opportunity, I will snag one with my summer meals.

Fresh Tomatoes!

A close second is tomatoes from that same garden.  They were extra flavorful; not like the hot house varieties the stores sell.  At one point, my folks would put sugar on them.  Then they switched to salt and occasionally pepper.  I’m afraid I didn’t stick with any of those condiments  and I just find having them plain is the best treat of all.

Please check out my other blog-o-sphere compadres and see what their favorites are too!

Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Brad Severtson:  http://hammeringoutaliving.blogspot.com/
Barbara Donovan: http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
Shannon Koochin: http://thebassplayersdaughter.blogspot.com/
stephanie clark: http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com
Laura FLavin : http://modernbirdjewelry.blogspot.com
WATTO: http://www.wattoonline.com/news

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

“favourite quote(s)?” (and why? if you want to share..)

This month’s Blog-O-Sphere Think Tank question is: ” favourite quote(s)?”  (and why? if you want to share..)

I definitely have one….actually I have several, so here is my short list aka my Top Five.

1. “Well behaved women seldom make history” ~~ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I stumbled across this quote a few years ago.  It struck a chord deep in my soul.  I could and probably should write a book about finding oneself and coming into your own.  Let’s leave it at, the Genie has left her bottle and she ain’t ever going back in there.  So when I found this quote, I thought, YES!  Well  behaved women seldom make history.  Joan of Arc, Kate Hepburn, and others come to mind.  If you are going to leave your mark on this world, I’m not so sure being a well-behaved woman/person is going to achieve that.  So it has become one of my signature tag lines for my email and something I live by.

2. “I am not afraid…I was born to do this.” ~~ Joan of Arc

The determination that echos in this quote from Joan of Arc helps reinforce the understanding I have that fear is the worst thing any of us can feel as we approach a daunting task, make a decision, or anything else for that matter.  Do not give fear the power to hold you back.  Know that each of us is born to do something special.  Joan of Arc inspires me with her courage, strength and faith.

3. “Destiny is made known silently” ~~ Agnes De Mille

Thanks to the Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, I was introduced to this quote early this year.  When I am experiencing self-doubts, I find this quote lifts my spirits and my understanding that my destiny is right there, right in front of me, no matter how quiet it may seem at the time.  I believe in letting my work speak about who I am as an artist, a person.  Yes, I believe destiny is made know silently.  Meditate on that one.

4. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” ~~ Albert Einstein

Mr Einstein was a genius; still is in my book.  This quote just makes me smile and feel child like.  Exhilarated, filled with anticipation.  How true is it that we are only limited by our imagination? I agree that our imagination gives us a preview of life’s coming attractions!  It’s one of my alternative email signature tags.

5. “Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person” ~~ Kathleen Krucoff  🙂

Yes, it’s my quote and what I like to use at the end of my blog posts.  I like how positive this sounds and I want to encourage others to Aspire, yes, Aspire to be more as an artist….and also as a person.  Strive to achieve what you aspire to be.  I hope you find it encouraging.

These are my top 5 favorite quotes.  What are some of yours?

Please see what my fellow blog-o-sphere think tank compadres have shared as their favorite quotes:

Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com/
Brad Severtson:     http://hammeringoutaliving.blogspot.com/
Wendy Kelly: http://www.wendykianakelly.com/
Mary Spencer:http://www.wattoonline.com/news
Stephanie Clark: http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com/
Barbara Donovan: http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
Laura Flavin: http://www.modernbirdjewelry.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/
Thomasin Durgin: http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Shaun Young: http://shaunyoung.ca/
Kathryn Cole: http://www.kathryncolejewelry.blogspot.com/
Natsuko Hanks: http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/

Andrea Bell:  http://feathersfreesiasandfishingtackle.blogspot.com/

And yes, I leave you with: Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.  🙂  I truly mean it.

Best Childhood Memory

Another question from the Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank.  What is one of your best childhood memories?  Pretty intriguing, isn’t it?  I’m curious about how all of you would respond to this one.  I am torn between a couple of answers, like my first BIG sled on Christmas, my Dad being ever so quick to pull out a bee stinger and slap mud on the sting area, my Mom taking me to Chicago to see the Ice Capades, the day I got my first puppy, but I think one of my best childhood memories was the day my Dad taught me how to ride my first bicycle.

It seemed like my parents didn’t believe in training wheels and I am grateful for that because it really was easy to ride my first ‘two wheeler’ thanks to my Dad.

My first bicycle was used, but she sure was a beauty to me because she was mine.  This bike was one that must have been a hand me down for many kids.  I called her Big Blue.  She had been spray painted many times and when she became mine, she was this sort of rich dark royal blue.  She had super wide tires that lent themselves to a very comfortable ride.  I felt pure joy.

With much anticipation, I looked forward to learning how to balance on Big Blue and all the adventures we would share.  The anticipation of what our future rides would be was thrilling.

Dad & I were in front of our house and he explained how this learning how to ride a bicycle would work.  He got me up on the saddle.  He firmly gripped the handle bars and the back of the seat.  I knew I was safe.  We were on the sidewalk in front of our driveway.  Dad explained he would run along side of me, holding on, so I could gather some speed.  All I had to do was peddle, well I already knew how to peddle and I really didn’t have any fear.  We took off, made it past our property and then he let go and I was riding.  I was giddy.  I turned around to look and see where he was and he was smiling, that big broad smile of his, with all the warmth, love, and pride he had in his little girl.  She was riding her first bicycle and on her first try!  I fondly remember that day.  It was one of the best feelings from my childhood.

Please visit the rest of my compadres with March’s Blog-O-Sphere posts and see what their best childhood memories are.  The participants are:

Andes Cruz: www.andescruz.wordpress.com

Laura Flavin: http://modernbirdjewelry.blogspot.com/

Wendy Kelly: http://www.wendykianakelly.com/

Stephanie Nocito Clark http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com/

Brad Severtson: http://hammeringoutaliving.blogspot.com/

Andrea Bell: http://feathersfreesiasandfishingtackle.blogspot.com/

Natsuko Hanks: http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/

Shaun Young http://shaunyoung.ca/

Pal Gooz http://pmgart.blogspot.com/

Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.