Orange you glad?

Finally, a post not titled "Macro Monday..." and not about jewelry. Shocker. I know. I really don't have anything to say these days. Yes, I always say that and then end up writing a novel... but for reals, yo. Most of my time on the computer is spent building and growing our business. It's a full time job, just with no "perks" (yet). I guess that's not entirely true. It has paid for some pretty cool toys. Toys are definitely perks.

Today I spent all afternoon working on taxes. The sad part is, I'm not to the actual tax part yet. It took me all afternoon to enter my end of year inventory into my spreadsheet and add up the totals. People, I have too much stuff. Really, does a girl need so many gemstones?

Well, yes. Yes, she does. A girl just doesn't want to be bothered with counting them every year for uncle Sam. Uncle Sam is not the nicest of uncles. All he does is take our hard earned money and spend it on crap. He's not very fiscally responsible. And yet I have to be accountable to him. That's all kinds of crazy.

Speaking of all kinds of crazy... it's been all kinds of crazy windy here. I mean, knock you over windy. Well, knock you over if you're tiny like me. Ok, I have not actually been knocked over, but "knock you over windy" just sounds so much more ominous than plain old "windy". Shoot, everywhere has plain old "windy". How boring is "windy"? But we don't get plain old "windy" here. We get 50 MPH winds on a weekend for no good reason. That's all kinds of crazy.

Bloggy buds, please take a short break while I drag the recycling bin to the curb. At 1am. Several hours after my husband reminded me to do it (he is out of town, by the way... not a jerk).

And we're back.

It will be all kinds of miraculous if I awaken to the lack of recyclables strewn all across the neighborhood and threatening stares from our neighbors.

Speaking of all kinds of miraculous... the fact that the following photos came out even halfway decent in this all kinds of crazy knock you down wind must indeed be a sign from the heavens. A sign of what, I am not sure.




These are, as I'm sure you guessed, little baby oranges on my little baby mandarin orange tree.

*Pauses to relish in the collective aaaawww*

Not so awww? The fact that I picked and threw away probably twenty little baby oranges. It was so sad. So very, very sad. I did it only because apparently it's recommended the first few years, so the little baby fruits don't take so much energy from the growing tree.

If only I knew this fact when we planted the dang thing two years ago. No wonder it hasn't grown. But it is prolific!

Did you know that little baby mandarin oranges, even when teeny tiny pea sized and still green, smell just like edible full sized mandarin oranges? Oh, so sad having to pick 'n toss them.

Did you also know that I can throw little baby mandarin oranges all teeny tiny pea sized and still green over the fence really really far? I probably made some birdies really happy. Well, if they didn't get hit over the head that is.

Now orange you glad I blogged?

Macro Monday #15

Okay, okay, okay... so last week was a little too easy. I think everyone guessed correctly!

Red onion, indeed. I was making a big pot of black beans the night I photographed the pepper and onion. I bought a red onion specifically with Macro Monday in mind. Maybe I should have stuck with yellow! *wink*





I'm afraid that this week is going to be a little too easy too, as I was in a bit of a hurry and didn't get quite close enough. But I guess we shall see!




Well there you go... can you outsmart my macro?

My Newest Obsession...

... little bitty glass flowers. Every-freaking-where.

What can I say? I guess I'm ready for spring.

Tiny Terrace Collection - Pocket Full of Pansies in Blue

Tiny Terrace Collection - Little Poppy Pendant in Copper and White

Tiny Terrace Collection - Little Poppy Pendant in Silver and White

I am the Vine... - Sterling Silver Necklace

I am the Vine... - Sterling Silver Earrings

Maybe I like them cause I can't kill them.

Oh wait. I guess that's not true. I did kill a few... apparently glass flowers do not like the 1400+ degree heat of a torch. They sort of explode. I don't recommend trying that.

I do recommend wearing them, however, as they are just darling. Dontcha think?

Macro Monday #14

A few of you got kiiiinda sorta close, but not really.

Sorry, peeps. No alien skin. How about another macro of the item? I took two and had to choose:




Does that help?

Here is the rest of the original photo:




Got it yet?




It's the inside of a bell pepper! Oh, the nastiness! I really, really hate bell peppers. I always have. They have always made me want to gag. Their flavor is quite offensive to my palate for some reason or other. I feel the same way about celery. All other veggies, I'm fine with.

Up this week:




Let's see how you do this time. Can you outsmart my macro? Good luck!

Random Fact of the Day #8

Signs that you are a chocolate addict:

You are walking out the door, on your way to Lowe's, Circuit City, and any other store your husband decides to drag you to... but before you get out the door, you find yourself running back to the kitchen and stuffing a bag of Hershey kisses into your purse.

You find yourself holding it up, proudly, and declaring it your "snack".

Cause heaven forbid you go a few hours without chocolate bliss.

That is all.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Random Fact of the Day #7

To my fellow inhabitants of planet earth, and beyond:

I love babies and I used to love the idea of carrying and birthing one. That ship has long sailed. I no longer desire to be pregnant. Whether that disappearing desire is my own doing or God's, I don't know, but the fact remains that it is gone and I am glad.

I want a baby, not a pregnancy.

I need lots of support and encouragement as we seek to get that baby through adoption.

I've moved on... why can't you?

That is all.

Macro Monday #13

Sorry it's so late this week!

Several of you were right last week. The photo was of a rubber texture sheet used for metal clay. Pretty much a stamp, just large and without a wooden backing. Or any backing, really. This particular one leaves a bamboo texture. It's really cool... I should use it sometime.





This week's photo is a little tricky. A little noisy too. Sorry.




Can you outsmart my macro? Go on, give it your best shot!

Random Fact of the Day #6

I'm a firm believer in forgiveness and grace. You know this already. I don't like to hold a grudge, nor do I like one held against me.

So what happens when someone offends you deeply (a rare occurrence) and you just cannot let it go? You try. You ask God for help. But you can't. The bitter roots run deep.

What does that mean?

Try as I may, the very sight of certain people turns my stomach and makes my blood run cold. Even after pleading with God to change my heart about it. This bothers me almost as deeply as the bitter roots go... but obviously not quite there yet. I hate this about me.

That is all.

The Dreamer - A Front Pager!

I happened to catch Mama Belle's gorgeous copper heart earrings on the front page of Etsy a few minutes ago.

Go Belles... go Belles... go! Go! Go Belles!



*giggle* Sorry, we're like a couple little school girls sometimes.

*grin*

Random Fact of the Day #5

Deciding to try new things, we recently bought a jar of sunflower seed butter. What do you know, sunflower seed butter tastes frighteningly similar to sunflower seeds. What's even more frightening is the fact that this somewhat took me by surprise.

I hear "______ butter" and expect to taste peanut butter. I don't know. Don't ask.

Almond butter? Tastes surprisingly like almonds. It's my favorite.

Chocolate licorice, however, tastes nothing like chocolate or licorice. What kind of world do we live in anyway?

That is all.

Random Fact of the Day #4

Yesterday, I was out of hand soap. I thought I was not out, but when I went to refill the pump in my bathroom, I could not find the refill bottle. I'm not entirely convinced that it isn't hiding from me, in hopes to spare what little soapy life it has left.

So I swiped the bottle from hubby's bathroom and later on went to the dollar store down the way. You must understand that I can't go to the dollar store and buy only one thing, so I found a little door rug and a few other needed items.

What I can't figure out is why the cashier gave me a funny look when I handed her a couple crunchy hippie all natural laundry products... and a can of Pringles.

Surely she gets hungry after doing the laundry.

That is all.

Random Fact of the Day #3

I keep trying to figure out why, if some soda crackers are sold with unsalted tops, they are still called Saltines.

Shouldn't they instead be just Ines?

That is all.

Macro Monday #12

Well, well, well... Erin & Mrs. Smith were right with #11. The photo was indeed part of a picture frame. Seeeee?




I thought that one was kinda fun!

This week's photo is fun too. I was trying to figure out what to photograph and saw something that reminded me of this, so I pulled it out and gave it a go.




What do you think? Can you figure it out?

Good luck!