"I Love Your Blog!!"

    Hello! I'm having a little get together, so to speak, in the backyard today. I want you to sit down, relax, and grab a cool drink to sip on. Don't worry about reading material. I want to share some great reading material with you today. Some cool blogs that I've been reading lately!

   I never knew when I started blogging that I would love it so much! I suppose that's because I wasn't in touch with exactly how much I like to read and write. I know, that sounds ridiculous considering how much I chatter on about everything. But when I was in high school I didn't explore writing or journaling or anything like that. I got into the medical field!...Go figure! I did that because of wanting to stay in the classes my friends were in though, not because I loved it so much!

   Looking back I have great memories of book reports and research I had to do in English class though. Exploring the meaning behind The Beatles' song "Elleanor Rigby" and learning poems by Edgar Allen Poe by heart. Hmmmm....should have been a clue to me that maybe I should have been exploring a different career, but when you're a teenager, or at least when I was a teenager, my future wasn't the first thing on my mind!

   Blogging is filling up a place long empty for me, and I am not alone! I LOVE these blogs that I'm about to share with you!!! They are loving, witty, creative, and in my humble opinion, GREAT writers and photographers!...First is the blog that has really captured my attention lately... "A Yankee's Southern Exposure" http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/

   The very first post of his that hooked me was one back in June entitled "Green Acres-Redux" http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/06/green-acres-redux.html Get out of the direct sun before you lean back to read it...You'll be sunburned after you get through because that one will lead you to the next post, and the next post, and the next post! That's what it did to me...No sunburn though. I have a natural built-in one already! LOL Oh Yeah, make sure you read "Northern Vs. Southern Sports Fanatics"! http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/06/northern-vs-southern-sports-fanatics.html It is hilarious!

   If you love art, and artists, like I do, you'll love this blog--> "Metamorphosis-A Creative Life Unfolding" http://silkepowers.blogspot.com/ The first thing that caught my eye was her inviting avatar!

   She looks like someone you'd want to giggle with over a cup of coffee in the morning, doesn't she?! Her and her hubby just celebrated their 20 year anniversary! And she tells you all about it, with photos, here--> http://silkepowers.blogspot.com/2010/07/twenty-years-ago-today.html She's a great writer. She's also a great artist! She paints! Her piece I really love is called "Serene" http://www.flickr.com/photos/silkepowers/4588676633/in/set-72157623930987100/

    But you can click on any of her art and see them up close here--> http://www.flickr.com/photos/silkepowers/sets/72157623930987100/  Don't just look...buy a piece too! :-)

   The next blog that I love is "CinLynn Boutique-Creative Handmade Jewelry" http://cinlynnboutique.blogspot.com/ She has some wonderful jewelry, obviously, shown all over her blog...but oh! the photos of the channel leading out to the "Big Lake", Lake Michigan, that were taken recently when her son and daughter-in-law were home visiting from Mexico, are gorgeous!!! Here's one -->

See the lighthouse and the fisherman's pier?! I could look at her pictures all day!...The photos on her post about her "Rhodys in Bloom!" are something you should see too though. http://cinlynnboutique.blogspot.com/2010/05/rhodys-in-bloom.html This is one.

    Speaking of photographs...If you love photographs, especially nature and wildlife photographs, you have to visit this blog! http://littlefoxphotos.blogspot.com/

   Her recent post about the fox den near her home entitled "The Fox Family" http://littlefoxphotos.blogspot.com/2010/06/fox-family.html is full of photos of the foxes!!...But she has all kinds of beautiful photography there. In fact, every month she puts up a FREE down-loadable desktop calendar for her readers! The one for July is of a beautiful poppy field! Be sure and get yours!

   Now, if you like to listen to good music and read, you'll love "Diane's Mixed Art" blog! http://www.dianesmixedart.blogspot.com/ I could sit there with her page open just singing along...and that's what I do sometimes. But what caught my attention was her stories about her rescue kittens, Cosmo and Cooper. Since her husband's death these bundles of love have brought her a great deal of joy...and they will you too, when you see all of their personality! This is Cosmo...

...and this is Cooper...

   He was sleeping with his tongue sticking out. :-)) I think I do that too, Cooper!...More pictures and the rest of the story is here--> http://dianesmixedart.blogspot.com/2010/07/greet-cosmos-brother-cooper.html

   Now where do I go from there?! I know...FOOD! But actually my next blog is waaaay more than just food! The blog is "Framed-My life, one picture at a time" http://framed-mylifeonepictureatatime.blogspot.com/

She's a self-taught cook, a self-taught photographer, and a self-taught dog owner! And all of that shows up on her blog! And just looking at her header photo makes you want to find out what kind of fun things she's doing!!...But what really caught my eye, I have to be honest, are these...

   They're "Banana Bites!" The story and the recipe, with pictures, for how to make them is here--> http://framed-mylifeonepictureatatime.blogspot.com/2010/05/banana-bites.html  And this is only one photo...and only one recipe! You have to check out all of the yummy goodness in this blog!

  I saved one of my real favorites for last! It's "forrestina vintage" http://forrestinavintage.blogspot.com/

   This blog has EVERYTHING I love! Retro items, great photography, and a retro super playlist of music so that I can sit there and bounce my toes up and down to the music while I slowly look at all of those great photos!! I mean, doesn't this photo say it all?!

   The whole story is here--> http://forrestinavintage.blogspot.com/2010/07/forrestian-vintage-sale-25-75-off.html and it's worded beautifully! :-) ...So these are some of the blogs I LOVE! There's a few more... Frankly, I could be here all day telling you about what I love to read! Instead, tell me what blogs you're loving now. I'm gonna sit here and listen to some music!...After your poem, of course.

Lip-Control

You can't  just say 'anything',

because it feels good from your lips;

Just because it is the truth

won't  make the hearer turn some flips.

Sometimes the thoughts are random.

Other times, they're  just plain rude.

Who would think a 'well-meant'  thought

could come out  so down right crude?

Don't  break the spirit of a friend

with a comment 'meant'  to help,

by forgetting to be kind,

and thinking too much of yourself.

Sometimes you'll  need to listen,

not just say whats in your gut.

And sometimes you need to zip it,

and just keep your big mouth shut!

Just because you're  close to someone,

their respect you should not toss.

It's a well known fact of life

that there are boundaries 'not'  to cross.