Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium

Tampa,Florida................

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Butterfly Wrangling ??

W--e--l--l.........we planted a couple of parsley plants,thinking SwallowTail butterlies like 'em.Okie-doke.We'll get some parsley plants and then we can attract Swallowtails.....................

How little did we know,just how much they like 'em..........................

Soooo,now we figure we're into butterfly wrangling.................

Hope we don't have to rope and ride these bad boys.....................

Actually,we're looking forward to their Chrysallis stage.

And the dawning of a new generation.................

and that's our Vanilla World,these days.

for more of That's My World Tuesday,click here.....................

IT'S HOT!!!!!!

It's HOT!

here in Florida.........

It's the kinda

HOT

where the minute you walk outside,the sweat runs under your bra.

if you're a woman.

If you're a man,

it runs under your you-know-what.........

It's the kinda hot,where it's

"What's the point of going in the swimming pool,'cause the pool water is over ninety degrees."

That's how hot it is.

So,I figured,

"Let's look at something cold."

How 'bout these?

Winter in Western New York!

Ya'll wanna go shovel some snow?

Father's Day @ Our House

You know it's not gonna be a good day when your father calls you and says,
"I'm not coming over.It doesn't feel like a good day."

"Whattya mean?" I ask stupidly.

"I get confused easily.I couldn't find my way back to my room after breakfast.And it's hot outside."

"Dad,we have A/C in the car and A/C running in the house.Plus we have a pool."

"Nope,I'm gonna stay here and watch NASCAR,after I take a nap."

So,after I got over having my feelings hurt,I realized it is his day and he can do whatever he damn well feels like.When you are 90years old,a father,a grandfather,and a great grandfather, you can do whatever you damn well feel like doing on Father's Day.If he wants to take a nap and watch NASCAR without me bothering him,so be it.

So,we grilled steaks.Made margaritas,swam in the pool.Just hung out.

Erich,the Younger,came over.I think it was mainly to vegetate in the pool.

Or get in touch with his inner self.....

or.whatever......

And JonJ got out the guitar!!!

This time it was Neil Young...... Gawd!!!I hate Neil Young!

"Old man....."

But JonJ loves Neil Young,so Neil Young it was.

(but dontcha love a man serenading you with Neil Young and wearing reading glasses?)

All I have to say is,

"Thank God for merlot."

Even though,it was close to 100* it was still a good day.......

Life is good!!

Father's Day

The greatest gift I ever had

Came from God;

I call him Dad!

~Author Unknown

It Came From Outta The Sky........

Yesterday,after finishing watering the new sod we put in,I heard thunder off in the distance.I looked up and saw this..............When,out of nowhere,came this.............
Which led to this.............................
Which upon close-up,looked like this............

(yep-some nut was out in the middle of a horrendous Florida summertime rainstorm/hailstorm taking pictures....)

Florida in the summer time.Ya gotta love it!!!!

For more of SkyWatch Friday,click here..........................

I Get A Peaceful Easy Feeling

When JonJ plays the guitar.................

Late yesterday afternoon,out of no where,and

way too many years to mention,

he decided to get out his guitar,and play a bit.

So,we sat by the pool,drank some fine wine,and he played

.....................................

Leonard Skynyrd ?!

My own personal Guitar Hero!!!

The man can still rock my world!!!

Side note: I so kick his ass at Guitar Hero!!!!

A Lunch Time Stroll

When you work at Tampa General Hospital,you are lucky enough to be able to take your lunch outside,and walk along the linear park that was built as part of their expansion project.And this is part of the view:

The pseudo-ship that is owned by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.I say pseudo,because it doesn't have an engine.The only time it leaves the dock is when it is towed out for the annual Gasparilla Invasion.But that is for another blog........

Soooo,let's get on with why we're here,shall we?

Sometimes,you're lucky enough to have someone to share your lunch with...... And the view of the skyline of downtown Tampa is amazing!Too bad the people who work downtown don't have this view!
For more of That's My World Tuesday,click here.................

Walk This Way.........

Why am I hearing the Aerosmith song,in my head,when I look at this picture? Or is it "Walk Like An Egyptian" ? ........................

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Sunrise Over Lutz,Florida

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Bonita Springs

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Because You Asked For It----------

Here's our recipe for Oven Baked Fries.......

What you'll need.....
EVOO(Extra Virgin Olive Oil-----for Gayle)
potatoes-I use red potatoes(skins left on),but use whatever you want.See note at end.
Garlic powder(or garlic salt)
Paprika
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt-I use sea salt(if you use garlic salt,omit this)
Mandolin-to me,this is the most important thing.I LOVE this tool!Everyone should have one!
Salted ice water(very important that it be salted)
Slice the potatoes(about 1/4" thick).The mandolin makes this a breeze.Did I say that I love this tool? And everyone should have one ?!It is well worth the money,trust me.

Soak the potatoes in the salted ice water for approximately 20 minutes,or so.This takes the starch out of them,and that's what's gonna make them crispy.

Line a cookie sheet with foil(this makes clean-up easier,and I'm all about easy--no,I'm not easy.I just like things to be easy.).Drizzle some EVOO on it;sprinkle with some paprika,black pepper(don't forget-freshly ground),garlic powder.

Layer the potatoes.I prefer to do only a layer at a time.I've found,that in the long run,it's just easier.

Drizzle more EVOO,paprika,freshly ground black pepper,garlic salt or powder,over the potatoes.If you use garlic powder(which I do),omit the garlic salt and just use the sea salt.

All of the seasonings are to taste.

Bake at 425*.After about 10-15 minutes,check on them.You'll probably have to turn them.That is why I do them in single layers,and in batches.Be prepared to do them in many batches,cuz these are gonna be a hit!I pinky-swear!

Tonite,I served them with boiled shrimp,clam stuffed shells(both JonJ's contribution),and Caesar Salad.

Side note-----

-You can do these with Sweet Potatoes,which are even better.Just lower the oven temperature to 375* and watch them really close.These are the best!Sa-weet!!!!

-You,also,can slice up an onion,and cook the onion with the potatoes.Yummy,too.Just add the onion,after you turn the potatoes.

-It's much cheaper and healthier to cook fries this way.

-They're a little bit of work,but well worth it.

Frustration----Thy Name Is Squirrel

"Hey,you! Get away from that bird feeder!" "Huh? Are you talkin' to me?"

"Darn right I'm talking to you! Now get the heck outta there!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about.I just happened to be scampering by,and you started yelling at me."

"I saw you eating the bird seed.I have evidence.I took your picture."

"See? Now,get outta here!"

"Well,if you're going to be that nasty about it,I'll just go."


"Heh-heh.I'll show her......"

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We Have A Question .........

First off ,people,we want you to read this........

what the Hell is going on?

and you must remember this didn't happen just once,but four times!

So,these four precious little monsters are now going to be treated as adults.As well they should be,if they committed such a violent and dehumanizing crime.

A lot of press,here in Tampa,has been given to:
"Where was the coach?"
"Didn't the teachers see what was going on?"
"Why didn't the school board do something?"
"The school board,the school,the teacher all need to be sued."

Excuse me? Are we missing something here?
But where the Hell were their parents?

My grandmother always said,"Kids don't suck behavior outta their thumb. They gotta learn it somewhere."

Sooooo......
A nice man,who happens to be a teacher to snot nosed middle schoolers(can there be any worse age?)and a coach,may lose the thing he loves to do most(which is teach our snot-nosed middle schoolers),because four sets of parents didn't do their job?
Being a parent is the hardest job in the world.We know-having raised two,who have somehow managed to make it to adulthood relatively unscathed(and one is even a teacher).But we didn't expect their teachers to raise them.Trust us,they got their collective behinds swatted if they stepped out of line.They have made it to adulthood,and they have since said,"You were a bitch,but you were cool."

Our question is:
-Since when did teachers and schools become responsible for teaching children right from wrong?Isn't that a parent'sresponsibility?
-Isn't the teacher supposed to educate the child?The 3 R's,if you will.How do they teach the child if they are also having to raise them?
-If I want my child to know right from wrong,shouldn't I be the one to teach him or her?Do I want to turn that responsibility over to a stranger?And if I should want that,why am I having children,anyways?Children aren't tokens;to be bragged over.They are precious human beings.To be nurtured and shown the way to adulthood. By their parents-not strangers.If you don't want to do that-don't have them!

Everyone is asking questions,here in Tampa,but is anyone asking those four sets of parents,"Aren't you sorry you plopped their asses in front of the TV when they were growing up?Aren't you sorry you let the TV and videos raise them,instead of yourselves?Exactly what did you teach them regarding right and wrong?"

What kind of society have we become that fourteen and fifteen year olds could even possibly conceive of perpetrating this kind of horrific act on another human being?

Wasn't it Crosby,Stills,and Nash that said,"Parents,teach your children well." ?

What have we taught the generation that will take care of us in our old age?

Remember this, "Kids don't suck their behavior outta their thumb.They gotta learn it somewhere."

Sunset Over Tampa Bay

Taken while crossing the Howard Frankland Bridge,between Tampa and St.Petersburg,Florida.

For more of SkyWatch Friday,click here..........

Sleeping Policeman ???

A road sign in Ocho Rios,Jamaica.It's a much more civilized name for "speed bumps" don't you think?

For more of This Way Thursday,click here..............

Passe-A-Grille Beach

For more of Watery Wednesday participants(You'll like them.You really,really will-we swear!), click here.................

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Refrigerators,Alien Life Forms,and a Recipe!

Let me begin with, I

HATE
cleaning the refrigerator ! It just seems to me to be such a waste of time,when I could be doing other more important things.Like crafting,going to the beach,gardening.


However,when National Geographic,CNN,and ET calls and says they heard we were keeping an alien life form in our refrigerator,I knew it was time to do the dirty deed........

Let's see:


3 bottles of mayo,all opened (huh?)
3 jars of mustard,all opened,but different sizes(and all of the same kind-what's with that?)a bottle of orange juice over a month old (ewww.....)an opened package of bacon,that had taken on a life of it's own
left over Chinese (sure,he was gonna finish it for lunch the next day,but which day?)
lots of beer and wine(those are ok)
at least 5 containers of left-over veggies(so that's where all my storage containers are!)
and lots of other unrecognizable

crap!!!!

So,get out the garbage bags,and let's get to work,shall we?


Out everything comes;
shelves and drawers get washed;
garbage,
garbage,
garbage,
What the Hell is this ?
garbage;
Eww-that stinks!
Until we arrive at this:


Soda cans where they belong,eggs where they belong,beer and wine back in place,all the mayo in one jar,all of the mustard in one jar,likes withe likes.Yep!All shiney,organized,and


EMPTY!





Now,I need to go shopping and fill it up again.And despite my best intentions,it will probably(no,it will)become disorganized and full of alien life forms,again.


It's a never-ending circle...........





Now,for the good part........................


THE RECIPE!!!!


I absolutely love pesto!On just about everything.That's why we grow so much basil,parsley,and oregano,in our garden.

Well,now that the garden is coming to an end for this season,it's time to do something with all that basil,parsley and oregano.We've also had a bumper crop of cucumbers and tomatoes,this year,so can you think of anything more delish than all of those together?


First,I put basil,parsley,oregano,chopped garlic,a drizzle of EVOO,and about a tablespoon of lemon juice in the mini food processor and gave it a quick whirl.

Chop up the tomatoes and cucumbers,season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Toss with the herb/pesto mixture.Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes,or until all the flavors come together. I served it with homemade oven fries(that recipe is for another day),and grilled cheeseburgers(JonJ's contribution).
Now,it's time to craft,go to the beach,.......Just don't say that now I have to clean the laundry room!