Sunday Serenity

Peace Rose

It isn't enough to talk about peace.

One must believe in it. 

And it isn't enough to believe in it. 

One must work at it. 

~Eleanor Roosevelt

xoabb

expect anything!

Sharing the Bounty

When you're organic, sometimes ~sharing the bounty~ means sharing with the creatures of nature. There's still enough to go around! You just have to wash those veggies very very well.

Pickles before...

Can't you just taste that eggplant parmesan?

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

P. S. Those are certainly not my veggies.  From my parents garden. 

And all were delicious!

Free Flight

While eating dinner, we hear and then see this overhead.

Wonderful!

I'm not sure if this is a dance of love...or a dance of 

your-in-my territority-and-get-out-already!

OK...this is looking just a bit serious!

(Last two photos taken several days apart from each other.)

But doesn't it make for excellent Sky Watch Friday photos??

~~~

xoabb

expect anything

P.S.  It' Sky Watch Friday. Do join us!

Fossil, Fountain, Fruit, & Floating

I discovered this rather large rock by the side of the creekbed in the valley below where my parents live. If it had weighed about 40 pounds less, I would certainly have brought it up to the house. It didn't, and so it remains by the side of the creek bed. I'm thinking this is a fossil of a backbone of some sort of creature, but...I'm a fossil idiot...HELP!!! If there's anyone among you who knows what fossil this is - LET ME KNOW!!!

My mither-dearest is a gal with a very deep soul. Mom and dad spent winters in Grand Cayman in a home by the beach for many years and fell in love with the sound of the sea splashing on the beach. I think this is the reason mom designed and had built this fountain that resides just off the edge of their deck in Missouri. In the warmer months, it is constantly running and gurgling...such a peaceful sound...water flowing is the most soothing sound I know...

This is a fruit dessert we devoured one of the nights we were in Missouri. The peaches were local and so sweet they made us cry - ok we didn't cry, but we did say ummmm a lot! Not a better dessert to be devoured!  

And then there's floating. Our parents' most excellent new doggy, Cody, (please don't be bored with her yet - there's more to come!), has determined that whenever any human is in that little john-boat she has to be in it too.  Her navagational skills are most excellent - usually she's standing on that end platform as if she is captain of ~her~ ship. Didn't matter who was the human paddler, Cody was there to lead the way!

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Booche's is....FFFFFFabulous...

I have to admit that though I grew up in Columbia, MO, I had never been to or even heard of Booche's. Where the hell had I been??? Both my sis, Carrie and bro Bill knew it well and had been there many times - was I in a time capsule??? Anywho, this trip to Columbia, bro Bill informed me that it was well and good time that I visited Booche's and drown in its glory. So we did:

Sliders.......possibly the original slider? Courtesy of:

Do NOT try to see my reflected image above - do NOT!

My Brother Bill: "Ann, we must go to Booche's for lunch.

Me: "Why?"

Bill: "Because they have the best damn sliders you'll ever eat!

Me: "Bill, I've eaten sliders from White Castle???"

Bill: "You have no idea! Booche's are the very best ever"

Me: "Whatever!! I've never even heard of Booche's." (really...so embarrassing)

Booche's, (which is in Columbia, MO on S. 9th Street, for those who are interested), has been around since 1884. I lived in Columbia Missouri from the time I was about 4 (about 1959, for all you date-hungry people, ugh!) until the Fall of 1973 when, (much to my parent's delight), I graduated from Hickman High School and went off to KU. I've come back to visit regularly over the ensuing years....but never until this very summer have I even heard of Booche's, let alone visited this esteemed establishment. My God! I am bereft at what I've been missing all those years! (Can you believe this place has been in business for well over 100 years!?!?!?!)

Off to Booche's my hubs GB, brother Bill and I go.

Bill: "They have the coldest beer I've ever had, GB, you'll love it!"

GB: "Whatever..." (GB, unspoken, "Like I care!")

Young, scruffy bearded waiter (YSBW): Hi, uh like, what do you want to eat?"

Bill: "I'll have 2 sliders."

YSBW, very enthusiastically: "Great! Our sides are onions, pickles, mustard and catsup."

Bill: "I'll have the works."

YSBW, looking at GB: "And what will you have?"

GB: "I'll have a cheeseburger with lettuce and mayonnaise.

YSBW: "Uh..we don't have any sides other than onions, pickles, mustard and catsup."

GB, muttering and with a touch, just a wee little touch of sarcasm: "What kind of place is this??! Just give me a cheeseburger and a Michelob - if you're in Missouri you should always have a draft Michelob and you do have Michelob, don't you??"

YSBW: "OK, true about the Michelob in Missouri, and we have it on draft, but the sliders are really small - you really might want two of them."

GB: "OK, whatever!" GB was definitely not a believer at this point...

I order my one burger and then say: "Do you think they have French fries?"

YSBW, overhearing what I said: "MAN, we don't, but wouldn't we have made a ton of money by now if we did???"

Several minutes later our burgers are carried to our table on their little squares of wax paper with a napkin on top - no plates or cutlery, thank you - as you can see above. Bill knew how good they were...GB took his first bite and, well, if I'm honest, (however embarrassing it is to admit), he began to purr. "Damn! This is the best burger I have ever had!" He then promptly ordered a third burger.

See that grill hood on the far left?

That's the entire ~kitchen~, if you can call it that.

And it's where all the great grill goodness comes from.

A pool hall in the back...

And no sniveling!!

They're on Facebook!
Booche's: Burgers, Beer & Billiards

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

First Day is Done

Driving around this CT Northeast area I live in, I came across the above. A sculpture on the grounds of an estate in our ~Gold Coast~ area. The homes here, which are all directly on Long Island Sound, can't even be seen from the road, but in this case, their sculpture can! (UPDATE - mom just informed me that Claes Oldenburg created the above sculpture. You can learn more about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claes_Oldenburg.) How appropriate for my evening sighting after the first day of school! It's really quite impressive. At least 25 feet tall and true to the last detail. If I had that on my front lawn, it would be my front lawn! (BTW, how long has it been since you've actually seen an eraser - normal size - like that? Does this date me to ancient times?? Yes? OK!! I'm OLD!)

~

On another note, a fellow "former native of Missouri" blogger has honored me with the following award. I really appreciate this because she managed to describe what this blog of mine is all about when I haven't really been able to. Louise of the very readable and wonderful blog Potted Frog bestowed this on me and described me as follows:

"Another "expect anything" blog with lots of ~great~ [her word not mine, tho it pleases me immensly] photos. She is from my home state (as is Lisa from above) and that makes her (and Lisa) extra special."

Thank you thank you! I so very much appreciate this, Louise! Louise's blog is much the same as she described mine - never know quite what will be there, but it's always entertaining (I hope) and, in her case, simply wonderful. (Lisa's is so very good too.)

I can easily pass this on to Mary, Helen, Michele, Kate, Daryl and Lyn, and, oh yes and my brother Bill, among others...let's not forget Klaus, and, of course that mental friend of mine...well, just sometimes.

O alright already! I obviously could go on and on! There are many places I visit that have outstanding photos and words - these just happen to be a few of my very favorites. Hope you can visit a few of them, too.

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

P. S. Don't even ask me how Weight Watchers went this week!

Summer Done

Back to school!  Summer

seemed to be so very short. 

Calm days are over...

Cody misses us,

But here's a boy for her to love

Isn't that just grand?

~~~

xoabb

P. S.  As you read this, I'm back to work - first day!  (pooh!). 

It's been a wonderful - and short - summer!  

Here's to a good year for all of us involved in school systems!  

Sunday Serenity

Age-worn, or perhaps battle-worn, but still beautiful. 

The entire time I was in Missouri, I was hoping to take a photo of a monarch butterfly. No matter how long I waited for one to "pose" for me, it just wasn't happening. On the last day we were there, this beauty posed for me for a good 10 minutes! 

Thank You, Most Majestic Monarch!

~~~

xoabb

Southern Comfort

Claysville General Store.

The. Best. Southern. Fried. Chicken. Dinner.

EVER!

Outside of Columbia, MO, (and you'd never find it without a detailed map), Claysville General Store is open Friday and Saturday night and Sunday for brunch.  It is a must do if you're in the area.  All the food is fresh and homemade - and delicious!

~~~

xoabb

Upside Right Side Upside Down Side...

Uhhh...what are we doin' here???

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Sky Watch Friday

A different perspective...

~~~

xoabb

Do join us!

So Long & Farewell

Ten days of wonder

Everywhere we thought to go.

We're comin' back soon!

But Fall's in the air,

Leaves are turning 'round the pond -

Time to wing back home.

~~~

xoabb

Eggspecting, etc.

ABC Wednesday - It's an E!

Eggs...

Eggs a cracking! Eagerly expecting the arrival of brothers and sisters.

Erosion...

Nature's erosion.  Look at how high the water reached,

and the amount of earth that it removed.

Must have been one heck of a storm!

Extraterrestrial

Eeee. Teee. phonnnne hommmme!

~~~

xoabb

Uh Oh....

One boy, dripping wet...

One dog, perplexed and thinking...

"Uh...is this approved human boy-child behavior???"

("Oh, and by the way? If it isn't, I had nothin' to do with it!")

That Cody - such a smart dog!

Dodgie and Cody were running around the pond

shortly after Dodgie and Bill arrived in MO. 

Of course, Dodgie "happened" to fall in. 

Hmm....Cody and I both wonder if perhaps it was intentional...

Obviously Cody wanted to be sure her humans knew she had 

nothing to do with Dodgie's pond immersion, 

and only with Dodgie's  excellent doggy supervision.

~~~

xoabb

P. S. - I am having GREAT difficulty downloading/uploading my photos via this Columbia connection, so I stole my brother's photo (the first one, second one is mine, 'tho he stole it from me - turnaround is fair play I suppose...) - when I return home to the land of the good wifi, I hope to have pond and other photos to share with y'all... 

Please, contain yourselves! I know I know, you can hardly wait!

A small taste of the fun to come: 

(below are the only photos of mine I've been able to download)

WHEEEEEEEEE!

Top of the World!

Well, at least in our little part of Missouri. 

Continuing our (Saturday) hike, we circled around the valley via the creek bed and then went home by going up the hill and cliffs at the opposite end of our parents' property. On this end of the valley, the cliffs are more compact, if you will, but just as tall. The one you see here is a good 60 to 75 feet from its top to the forest floor beneath it. (At the bottom of the visible rock you can see on the right, it just drops off).  Unfortunately this cliff is also in the way of the connector the MO State Highway Dept. thinks is absolutely necessary to build between Highway 63 Interstate 70. It will be the second interchage. Very very necessary don't you think? Enjoy the photo. In the near future this cliff will be no more as it's slated to be blown to smithereens. Isn't imminent domain just wonderful? On to happier things...

After I'd quickly come down from the top*,

Dodgie decided he, too, needed to see the world from the cliff top,

So up he climbed.

(*I lasted up there for about 6 seconds...

Heights and me?  Not so much. 

And it's getting worse the older I get!)

Dodgie on top of our MO world.

(And though it is a good 65 or so feet 

down from up there, there is that large ledge

(you can see it in the first photo, above) 

just in front of Dodgie, so he was never in any 

danger...though it does look rather precarious.) 

While the woods, valleys, cliffs, stream and hill top plateau with pond that comprises this paradise my parents call home are beautiful any year (and any time of year), this summer of '08 has simply been over the top - just breathtakingly and incredibly gorgeous. Columbia (and most of Missouri I suspect) has had so much rain this year and so few days of blistering heat, everything is green, green, green! The landscape, whether wild or manicured looks like it's still the middle of spring, not the middle of August. It's been one of the most stunning summers Missouri's seen in a long time! (When I can finally upload photos onto Flickr, I'll share some of that beauty with you.  Brother Bill has had a bit more luck with the internet and has managed to upload some of his - if you'd like a taste of this paradise, please head on over to his Missouri '08 pics! (Oh, and if you want to read about Cody, the very best pound puppy ever, visit this post of his. You won't regret it! I promise! ;-)

~~~

xoabb

 

Sunday Serenity

"Just living is not enough." said the butterfly, 

"One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  

~ Hans Christian Anderson

~~~

xoabb

Old Man Tree One Year Later

Yesterday my brother, seester, Dodgie and I hiked down to the creek bottom on my parents land. Mom and dad live in the middle of 50 acres within the city limits of Columbia, MO. Their house is on top of the hill with fields surrounding it and a pond about 30 feet from the deck. To get to the valley we followed the old covered wagon trail down.

Dodgie standing underneath the same tree you see above.

It was wonderful to come around the bend in the creek

and see that tree still standing in all his glory.

I see a face in the trunk - actually I see Darth Vadar - and though a little more of his face is missing, he's surprisingly intact, considering his precarious position on the side of the creek. Just down a bit to Darth's right there's another sycamore that's fallen down because of storm currents undermining it's root system.

Undeterred, that tree has branches growing out of it's top side.

My brother's photos from yesterday are here!

~~~

xoabb

Can't Post Pictures...Can't Visit Blogs...

Can't post pictures....can't visit blogs...why I could post this much is beyond me when I can't get anywhere else. Here in the "outback" of Mizzourah (HA!) the internet connect is random at best...right now it is randomly bad.  Been trying to upload pics and just visit blogs to leave a comment or two...not happening!  Phone company (only internet connection available where my parents live)?? Better improve your customer satisfaction cuz we are not happy here!  

I'll be trying again tomorrow morning...do hope my luck is better. We're all having a blast and there really are some fun things to share!  

Until whenever, I guess I'll be pictureless...so disturbing! 

~~~

xoabb

Cruising Altitude: 16,000 Feet

The views at only 16,000 feet cruising altitude 

are simply incredible.  Especially during a stormy/sunny day.

My seat was just behind the wing and I 

was continually turning around to snap the sky view. 

The guy behind me must have thought I was nuts!

Who in their right mind takes a bajillion photos on a plane ride???

Well...ME!!

We were delayed for nearly two hours at take-off. And then all 

the way down to Dulles we wove in and out of thunderheads. 

 Several times, we flew through the more tame ones...much to 

my stomach's lurching...me a good flyer - not so much!

But, OH, the skies were spectacular!

Sky Watch Friday.  Do join us!

~~~

xoabb