Sunday Stealing

I'm joining Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . host of Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we answer all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere.  Bev works hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves joining the fun!

Swap Bot asked people to post questions they would like to answer.  I copied and edited them all and put together this brief selection.

1) What do you enjoy about summer?

Water sports on the Lake and the Toccoa River. The water is just the right temperature to be refreshing on a hot Georgia day. It is also a step closer to Fall my favorite season. 

2) Do you like snow? Why?

I like watching the snow fall, but I am not a fan of driving the mountain roads after a fresh covering of snow.  We only get snow once or twice a year so it is more of a joy than a issue.

3) What do you think about dogs?

I LOVE dogs, and dogs generally love me! I'm a bit of a dog whisperer, even shy dogs are drawn to me. We have a Goldendoodle puppy named Sophie. She is smart and wants to please, a good combination in any dog.   

4) Have you ever gotten lost?

I have a good sense of direction and very rarely get lost. I traveled for many years during my career to new cities. I had to navigate to job sites without the help of GPS to get me there. The only city that gave me a serious run for my money was Boston, I was lost as soon as I got out of the tunnel exiting the airport. It was an adventure!

5) What are your favorite type of socks?

Fluffy extra soft socks are my favorite. We have hardwood floors that stay cold three seasons out of the year.

6) What is your favorite style of shoes?

Birkenstocks.  I have a very high arch and Birks are comfortable all day. I'm always looking for brightly colored pairs that are a little more feminine than the standard two strap (boring) original design.

7) What would you name your boat if you had one?

The "Luck Lady" after a movie starring Liza M.

8) What common misconception do you hate to hear repeated as fact?

Gays can be "cured."

9) What was the last shop you went into and what did you buy?

The last shop I went into was the gift shop at "Polly Claire's Tea Room" in Chattanooga, TN. I bought loose tea called "Pina Colada".  I joined my best friends for High Tea and I bought the mix that I had in the Tea Room...yummy!

10) What's your favorite thing to do to pass the time?

Camping in the many state and national parks within about 3 - 4 hours drive. It's were I recharge and craft without distraction.

11) Travel or home body?

I love to travel, but lately have become a home body; except for weekend camping trips.

12) Have you ever gone to a Bingo hall?

Yes, when I was young I would go with my maternal Grandmother. It was hosted by the church we belonged to.

13) What is the longest plane trip you have taken?

Atlanta to Hawaii, it was about 10 hours.

14) Do you text more or call more? Why?

Text.  I can get a response more quickly from most people. 

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Link Party - Wednesday Medley - 08/14/19

I am linking up with Terri @ Your Friend From Florida for her Wednesday Medley.

NATIONAL V-J DAY (Victory over Japan Day)National V-J Day on August 14th commemorates the day in 1945 when news broke around the world the Imperial Government of Japan would surrender ending a long a grueling world war. In Europe, the date was August 15 due to the time zone, but regardless, the celebrations that broke out were no less zealous

1.  I'm sure many kids today have no idea what V-J Day is all about.  Did you have a loved one who fought in WWII? No, I did not have any relatives in WWII, but my husband's Father was in the war stationed in Germany. I never met him, he passed before I met my sweetie. 

2.  The iconic sculpture from the famous photograph of  "The Unconditional Surrender" has been defaced recently because of the #metoo movement. I know we can get very political about this subject, but just keeping it in the spirit for which it was created, what are your thoughts? I think it was just a moment of excitement between two kids at the end of the war. Nothing more or nothing less....

3.  Terri's grandson, Tristan, loved playing a game called "Axis & Allies".  It was quite complicated, took up the entire dining room table, and was not something Terri wanted to play (Grandpa understood it and played though).  Can you name three Axis countries and five of the many Allies (okay to look it up!)? Never heard of this game; looked it up: Axis:  Germany, Italy, Japan.  Allies:  United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Denmark.

4.  Terri was surprised to learn that most historians agree that WWII began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Others say it started when Japan invaded Manchuria on September 18, 1931. And some scholars suggest WWII is actually a continuation of WWI, with a break in between.  Have you ever visited Pearl Harbor in Hawaii or any other WWII memorials around the world? I have visited Pearl Harbor in the late 70's, but no other large memorials. We do have a small memorial in our city park with names of local veterans.

5.  Calvin Graham was only 12 years old during WWII when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He won a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart before the Navy found out how old he was.  (God bless him.) Terri doesn't know any 12-year olds today who could qualify or get away with something like that.  Times are so very different now but (in the US) we do have ROTC in high schools.  Do you know anyone who started in ROTC and went on to enlist in one of the services? Yes, I had an acquaintance who was in ROTC, went on to the Naval Academy, finished his six years of active duty, and then went to prison...probably not the best ending for a military man.... 

6.  Please tell us something about your week so far. This weekend my family (on my Mother's side) traveled to our place in Blue Ridge, GA for a family reunion. My Mother is still alive and was able to join the event. We had a great time reconnecting after so many years. Below are some photos of the weekend...

Black Family Reunion 2019

Tubing Trip Down the Tocooa River

The Cousins - Janet, Lori, Jennifer, Linda

Core Family Members - The bloodline continues!

Chillin' on the porch.

View from the porch...Blue Ridge Mountains.

Cheers!  Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Afternoon Tea Week August 12 -18....

History of Afternoon Tea Week...

Afternoon Tea Week was established to help preserve a tradition that has graced British afternoons since the 1840’s. In those days, dinner often wasn’t served until 8 pm, and lunch wasn’t actually a thing. So what did Victorian lady's who wanted to lunch do? They created a new mini-meal in the middle of the day. Traditionally this meal includes tiny finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and sweet dainties like cakes and pastries to help lift the spirits, bolster energy, and see you through the rest of the day.

This simple afternoon meal grew into a social event, especially for those who spent their lives in the upper echelons of the day’s society. This became even more prominent once Queen Victoria herself took part in this tradition. At that point the concept of the ‘tea reception’ was born, lavish and fancy afternoon events that could host anywhere from a close collection of friends to a couple hundred of society’s most important people.

As the name suggests, tea was a central part of this meal, a tradition started by Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford. She often found herself feeling weary or worn down in the middle of the day, and a pot of tea with a snack just seemed to be the best way to take care of it. She soon invited friends to join her for walks in the field, and the affair that would become Afternoon Tea began.

How to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week

Celebrating Afternoon Tea Week is simple, for the length of a week take a break for Afternoon Tea as part of your day. Warm tea, a few sweets, and a small refreshment will help lift your spirits and drive you through the rest of your day. If you really want to go all out you can organize a tea party, and even go so far as to wear Victorian Costume to honor the history of this holiday. Even if you just have a cup of tea each day. 

Rumor has it that High Tea is coming to Blue Ridge, GA soon...I'll keep you posted! Remember Afternoon Tea Week and take a few breaths to Keep Calm, and Carry On.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Link Party - Wednesday Medley - 08/07/19

Michigan City Lighthouse, Indiana

I am linking up with Terri @ Your Friend From Florida for her Wednesday Medley.

NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY

Observed annually on August 7, National Lighthouse Day honors the beacon of light that for hundreds of years symbolized safety and security for ships and boats at sea.  At one time, the beacon of light could be found across almost all of America’s shorelines.

Kilauea Point Lighthouse, Kauai, Hawaii

1.  Let's start with a number! How many lighthouses have you visited? So many that I can't even count! I grew up on the southern tip of Lake Michigan and traveled to many lighthouses on both the east and west shores. I've also visited lighthouses on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and  on many islands. My all time favorite... Kilauea Point Lighthouse, Kauai, Hawaii. My home turf lighthouse is in Michigan City, Indiana.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

2.  Have you been inside a lighthouse and did you walk to the top? The only one that I've been to the top of is the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse near Daytona Beach Florida.

3.  Do you seek them out when you are traveling the coastlines or are you not that big a fan? I don't travel specifically to see lighthouses, but if there is one close by I will make an effort to visit.

4.  Do you have a favorite scripture or another reference to share with us concerning a guiding light in your life? We have a daughter that chooses darkness no matter how much others provide light and love. 

5.  If you don't collect lighthouses when you travel, is there something tangible that you tend to collect as a souvenir when you are on vacation or a road trip? I collect small tasteful shot glasses (some can be very tacky...you know what I'm talking about) when I travel; they are easy to pack in even the smallest bag and they are a great reminder of all the lovely places I've traveled.

6.  Please share something with us about your week. This week has been full of projects, we are replacing the front porch and wrap around deck (big project), we've cleaned top to bottom for a upcoming family reunion here in Blue Ridge, we've shopped for provisions for our guests, and worked on our travel plan for our vacation to Florida (Disney) in October. Busy week!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Sunday Stealing...

I'm joining Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . host of Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we answer all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Bev works hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves joining the fun!

1. Have you read anything by C.S. Lewis? The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

2. What is your favorite movie with Jack Nicholson? Somethings Got to Give.

3. What rhymes with 'orange'? Nothing rhymes with orange- nada, nil, zero....

4. Have you ever swallowed an object by accident?  All I can think of is a bug. Yuck!

5. Is your eyesight 20/20? No, I wear glasses.

6. Have you ever had insomnia? Never, when my head hits the pillow I'm out.

7. Does it bother you when people touch you? No, but I'm not a very touchy person. I need personal space to feel comfortable. 

8. Is it better to get too much or too little sleep? Too much...sleep is important for good health.

9. What gets your adrenaline pumping? A brisk walk in nature, I love the outdoors.

10. Do you ever talk about yourself in the third person? Never.

11. What's your favorite radio station? What kind of music do they play? Watercolors - Smooth Jazz

12. Do you believe there is anyplace still undiscovered in all the world? Yes, I do think there are places that have not been discovered. Places that are hard to explore...deep jungles, swamp lands, ocean abysses, etc....

13. Ever caught a fish? Yes, but not recently.

14. Were you ever in the first row of a concert? No not a concert, but I was front row at a Las Vegas show.

15. Do you have any autographs? None, it's not my thing, very few people impress me enough to seek an autograph.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Creating an Adjustable Slide Knot...

I've been making necklaces with an adjustable slide knot. This gives the wearer a lot of options for length and style of the piece. You can go from 16" choker to 32" necklace by sliding the knots to get the look that's right for you. Below you will find an example of the necklaces I'm making, and a tutorial on how to make the sliding knots.

Step 1

• You need two ends of cord. I’ve used one brown and one blue for the purposes of illustrating this technique. You can use any colors you’d like. Normally, I would use two of the same color.

Step 2

• Cross the brown cord over the blue and wrap 2 times.

Step 3

• Take the end of the brown cord, go back over the 2 loops you made and poke it through the loops.

Step 4

• Pull tight on either side of the knot, but be careful not to pull too tight, you need to be able to slide the knot along the blue cord.

Step 5

• Repeat steps 2-3-4 using the blue cord on the brown.

Step 6

• Now you have a loop you can adjust by sliding the knots away or toward each other.

Have fun crafting!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

It's Puppy Friday!

A friend in Blue Ridge, GA (where I live) has started a reoccurring blog post called puppy Friday. Today I'm joining the fun with a photo of my dog Sophie.  She is a one year old Goldendoole, very smart, and such a good girl. She loves to camp with us in our travel trailer. Here are a couple of photos of Sophie....

4 months old 'helping' rake the leaves....she has a mouth full.

8 months old posing for her photo shoot...

You have cookie...I like cookie...Give me cookie! Pleasssse...... 

Recent photo with her summer hair cut, she looks more like a poodle.

Happy Puppy Friday!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA