Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Loved this movie! Beautiful cinematography...colors...music...story...A Dickensian story set in India...

Poinsettia Dilemma...

The problem, for me, with poinsettias is that their beauty outlives their use as a seasonal decoration...yesterday the afternoon sun struck this plant in a heart-warming way...just what I needed to get away from taking more snow pics...So do I throw it out because I am tired of it and Christmas is over?...



I tried making this collage with Picasa then uploaded it thru Flickr to make a larger image...still learning...

Garage Graffiti and Games...

Taking photos while waiting for car repairs...







...I loved the graffiti. When I got home I wished I had taken more.

It's War...

I'm not sure how this flying squirrel got in the house but here it is..


... cornered by Miss Sally the cat...


... it escaped above the dropped ceiling in the kitchen...


...I have been setting this trap nightly and wake to find a sprung trap with an empty peanut butter tray...I really don't want to use poison but it is getting close!

Twilight/Sunset

This is happening a little later every day now...

...catching that moment between sunset and twilight...

...the colors are cold blue...

..driving home.

In Season...

Juicy...



Sweet..


Clementines....Yum! I eat two at a time...

Happy Birthday Mom...

My mother would have been 80 years old today...This photo was taken in 1948 at her wedding reception in her parents yard when she was 19 years old...If I had to describe her in one word it would be "unfullfilled"....and the second word would be "FUN"!

Perfect Snow for Sledding...

 

 

 

I tried to explain to my 3yr old grandson that snow is either perfect for making snowmen or for sledding - but not usually for both. Today the snow was perfect for sledding...a nice icy crust that had a pleasing crunch when it was broken into... like creme brulee...Today's photos taken by Mr. O. as I was busy sledding!

Banana Nut Bread...

It's always good to have a good recipe for uneaten,over ripe bananas...This recipe is based on one taken from a series of cook booklets by McCall's magazine that were sold in the grocery stores in the early 70's...I've used the bread booklet frequently...

2 1/2 cups flour
3 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1 egg beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 small bananas)
2 Tbsp grated orange peel, or 1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1/2 cup milk
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans


1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
2. Sift four with baking powder and salt: set aside.
3. In medium bowl, beat sugar, butter, and egg until smooth.
4. Add bananas, orange peel, and milk, mixing well. Add four mixture,
beating just until smooth. Stir in nuts.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan; Sprinkle with sparkeling sugar; bake about 1
hour or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 Loaf

Kaleidoscope....

Pictures from within a giant kaleidoscope at the Children's Museum...

The Children's Museum...

IMG_0294, originally uploaded by Oliag0.

We spent a rainy, sleety day at the Children's Museum....guess who had the most fun!?....

..Lots of mirrors..

...Lots of colors...

...Giant Lite-Brites...

...a different perspective..

Ice and Sleet...

 

 

 

The ice and sleet storm finally made it our way...

Photography rule #1...

IMG_0228, originally uploaded by Oliag0.

Remember to bring the camera!...

Mr. O and I went for a long walk on Sunday...


It was warmer...


...and nice to get outdoors..


..it eased a serious case of cabin fever...


...and I experimented with the "snow" settings on my camera..

Monday means kids!

IMG_0259, originally uploaded by Oliag0.

...Full of energy and good spirits today - they keep me energized..

I tried posting from Flickr today to see how it works and to see if I like it..I like the quality and size of the picture but I still have to figure out how to add more than one ...



...Hmmmm...still working on it!...

Little Houses...

We visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and found this lovely little village...


...Rachel Whiteread has been collecting dollhouses for 20 years or so and they are displayed grouped in the dark with lights in the little windows...


...and climbing up hills..


...you feel like a voyeur peeking in the windows...


...but no one was in the houses...it was an enchanting exhibit..


...after taking these pictures a guard told me no photos!

"Village...simultaneously encourages and thwarts voyeurism, inviting viewers to peer into one empty room after another. Eventually it turns the tables: the illuminated windows become hundreds of Lilliputian eyes."
—The New York Times

You can find her at the MFA here.