WHO NEEDS A RAZOR?

Q: WHAT KIND OF INSECTS LIVE IN CLOCKS??

T - I - C - K - S

Cute riddle, huh?

I spent 30 minutes watching this fellow, so I just HAD to share my favorite insect riddle.
 

BUT, this picture is not a TICK! Oh no... look again.

Halloween conjures up images of SPIDERS. Yesterday afternoon, I watched this SPIDER spinning its web next to the hummingbird feeder... such intricate web designs...

SOME SPIDER FACTS:

The decoration in the web of some orb-weaving SPIDERS serves a variety of purposes: it can be a warning so birds don't fly into the web; an attractant so insect-prey fly in on purpose; or an "um-brella" to shade the SPIDER from the hot sun.

Studies have shown that you're never more than TEN feet away from a SPIDER, and one estimate puts you as close as THREE feet. 

To be "SPIDER-free" you'd have to go into space in a fumigated capsule.

I'll leave you with a SPIDER quote by Alexander Pope ~ the third most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson.

"The SPIDER'S touch, how exquisitely fine!
Feels at each thread, 
and lives along the line."
~Alexander Pope

I found several bites along the back of my neck. Darn... Why didn't those pesky mosquitoes get caught in the SPIDER'S web?

Tomorrow is List-Mania at AIMEE'S blog.

AND - DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!

NEW! WEEKWORD = ABUNDANCE

ABUNDANCE = WEEKWORD

Katy at Creating Misericordia asked me to select the word for this week.

I had an ABUNDANCE of apples, so I made a Dutch Apple Pie for dessert tonight. Our Thanksgiving includes both Pumpkin Pie & Dutch Apple pie...  I'm ready to welcome NOVEMBER & getting my holiday planning started...

DUTCH APPLE PIE

6-8 tart green apples

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves & nutmeg

9" unbaked pie crust

Peel & cut apples into thick slices. 
Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown.

Measure & sprinkle sugar & spices 
(cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg) over the sliced apples. 

Arrange apples slices in unbaked pie crust.

CRUMB TOPPING

3/4 c flour

1/2 c sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 c butter
 

Mix crumb topping ingredients until mixture 
resembles coarse crumbs. Spread evenly over apple slices. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or thin slices of EDAM cheese! 
Yummy to the tummy!

For those of you new to WEEKWORD, you leave me a note in the COMMENT section below, letting me know you will be posting your interpretation of the word ABUNDANCE on your blog (by Friday, November 5th). 

Then, check this blog on Thursday night, and I will post a list of the blog participants for this week. You can hop around the blogs, leaving a comment that you have visited... It's an easy way to make new blog friends!!

Anyone can participate. Please consider posting a link to this blog to let others know about this week's word.

Do you have an ABUNDANCE of family, books, recipes, craft supplies, dreams, or ???? 

You can see examples of other WEEKWORD selections HERE or HERE.

Have a safe HALLOWEEN!

WEEKWORD = ELDRITCH

Dia de los Muertos = Day of the Dead

Katy at Creating Misericordia selected 

"ELDRITCH" as the WEEKWORD. 

I have to say I'd not heard of this word... but it's a Middle English adjective (descriptive word) meaning unearthly, alien, supernatural, weird, spooky, eerie.

While not spooky or weird, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), could qualify (in some people's minds) as a supernatural celebration. 

My dad was Hispanic, Mexican, and Mission Indian descent, so it seems natural that I would be interested in this celebration. To my knowledge, this was not a tradition my dad's grandparents participated in, but they did have Ofrendas (altars) in their modest home. Although not as elaborate as the altars found on this link, I marveled over my great, great grandmother Lucinda's personal altar.

Basically, this beautiful ritual, Day of the Dead, is an annual event for the living family members to remember their departed relatives. In addition to our tradition of taking flowers to the cemetery, families also took fruits, Pan de Muerto bread & spend some time eating, reminiscing, praying and decorating their loved ones burial plot with Cempasuchil (yellow, gold marigold flowers) and Calavera's (sugar skulls). 

So what do you think? eerie, scary, weird? supernatural experience... I plan to experience Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in my lifetime! How about you!!!

 

Sounds interesting enough to add Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México to your travel list?

Don't forget to stop by Katy's BLOG to get additional "ELDRITCH" interpretations.

I've been asked to host WEEKWORD... I'll be posting the word tomorrow! Check back on Sunday.

AYE! EYES!

pic taken 10.23.10 ~ Whittier Historic Home Tour

"One day at a time - this is enough.

Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it

will be worth remembering."

~ Ida Scott Taylor

Talked to SLE, ACE & Mom in the last 24 hours. Feel like a "mother hen" checking on my chicks! (YES ~ I enjoy "mothering" my MOM now! she gets a laugh out of ME telling HER what to do).

SLE is so happy living in Washington DC! Still unpacking boxes, organizing the kitchen, and cooking.  Lots of girlfriends! her "guy" is there too! & "seasons" (she was standing in the glassed atrium, watching the downpour as we chatted)! she's loving it all! 

ACE was putting the finishing touches on her Halloween costume ~ all five "kinder" teachers are dressing as "tooth fairies"... gauzy skirts, jeweled sweaters, glittery crowns, sparkly wands, & purses with "teeth" (chiclets gum) & plastic coins... her 5 year olds will love it! 

MOM chatted about the "samples" she tried at Trader Joe's ~ her TJ's gets new items a couple of weeks before ours does. On the "watch-for-list" ~ mini-meat loaves (expensive, but worth it)...

JPE is on his way home from Oakland ~ gave a presentation today! We're having a "houseguest" for the weekend... can't wait for Marcus to arrive.

Emergency eye appointment ~ all is okay, but "floaty things" are bothersome! Trying to appreciate TODAY! Hoping a good night's sleep will chase the anxiety away!

 

WHOA! WEDNESDAY??

image found at http://www.whittierhistoric.org/index.html

Can't believe it! Already Wednesday???

Thank goodness for strong legs! 

Last Saturday's Whittier Historic Home Tour was spread over 7 blocks!  The weather cooperated - comfortable enough for a 3/4 length sleeved top, jeans & tennies. Last year, I "melted" wearing flipflops, cropped pants & short sleeve shirt (& if I remember correctly, we all got sunburned - the sunscreen dripped from our bodies)...

Don't you love peeking into people's lives? we stepped into the five homes shown on the Whittier Historic Neighborhood Tour. 

My FAV = 1909 Craftman... the picture of the exterior doesn't reveal the magnificent restoration found on the inside. Luckily, the owner was our guide! she had "lovingly" painted the living room frieze (decorative border around the parameter of the room) with trees, birds & mountains... She spent over 100 hours painting the guestroom frieze (an ornate floral blossom typical of the Craftsman era). Talk about "detail" - the owners have spent 9 years sanding layers of paint off the doors, window sashes & baseboards. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed inside the homes!! but I did capture this photo of my mom & aunt...

Suited UP! & Waiting!!

Similar to quilt shows, people are asked to cover their shoes to protect the wood & carpeted floors...

*FYI ~ quilt monitors wear "white gloves" 

which protect the fabric from getting dirty 

when showing both sides of the quilt.

NO PICS ALLOWED! 
I didn't see that printed in the program 
until I had taken photos in the first house. 
Will share what I was able to capture... 

We started our tour with the 1938 Minimal Traditional style home ~ simple design = no shutters or porch on the exterior; the kitchen had scalloped molding (trimmed w/red paint) which resembled "Early American" design; also had a  red plaid cover on the kitchen's drop-down ironing board!! This home is in tremendous shape & has had only three owners since it was built!

Red & white kitchen ~ are you ready to listen to a soap opera & have a cup of tea?

This house featured a walk-in closet with a built-in vanity! love the glitzy mirror... 

WEEKWORD = JOY

 

Roses after RAIN! 

Sally at SOW & SEW selected the word of the week...

 "Savor the moment.

Search for a little JOY, and

you will find a grat deal of it

in unexpected places."

~ Allen Folstein 

I love to putter... primarily because the "simplest pleasures" slow me down so I can experience more JOY in life...

After work, I'm leaving for a long weekend visit with my mom. JPE is preparing for a class he'll be teaching (starting next Tuesday) ~ so he can't get away.

Tomorrow = Whittier Historical District Home Tour! peeking into Craftsman houses that have been lovingly restored, stamped with the owner's personality ~ what could be a better way to spend a Saturday with my mom, aunt, and sis-in-law... 

Sunday = reading the newspaper, looking at my mom's magazine (her subscriptions are different than mine), visit to a book store, dropping by my niece's house, and maybe a movie...

Mom doesn't have internet, so unless I get over to Panera's (free internet), you won't see me until Monday.

Check out the other WEEKWORD participants...  SALLY'S also listed the WEEKWORD host for next week.

While you are here... tell me what brings you JOY??