We had so much fun watching people ride the Mine Blower roller coaster at the Fun Spot in Kissimmee, Florida. To get this Twisted picture they let me get as close to the ride as possible without having to actually ride it! That was exciting enough for me!
These challenges have been so much fun to do! Either I find myself looking for opportunities to photograph something or to look through past photos I have taken to see if I can meet the challenge that way.
This time I looked through recent photos that I have taken and came across this rounded bench. For people who know me, or have read past posts know that I have a fondness for a bench. I love that someone considered someone else’s comfort and decided to provide a place to rest, to settle, to take a load off! My daughter and I saw this bench on a recent trip to Virginia. This bench was on the Chatham Manor near Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Manor has a complicated history and is a place worth visiting.
I wonder who has sat on this bench over the years…..
Happy Easter!
I am in my second week of celebrating the March National _____Days and using my March Popular Science Calendar and it is, as they say, keeping me off the streets! I have been posting on Instagram but thought it would be fun to share some behind the scenes pictures here too!
I’ll start with my attempt at Hydroponics. Let’s just say I am still purchasing basil at the grocery store.
The instructions in the Popular Mechanics magazine were very detailed and required a large (20 gallon) plastic tub with lid for the set up. I was thinking this may be pretty big for me so did a little research and found this terrific tutorial to attempt hydroponics on a smaller scale!
Here are my supplies: coffee can, air pump and tubing
I decided to make my own aerated cups (with my husband’s help and fancy dial caliper)
It is always fun to bring out the tools!
This seemed like it was going to work like a charm!
Placing the aerated container filled with rocks and basil plant
So much hope for success!!
The markings show better days….
Maybe I should try container gardening?!
So far so good. I am on Day 8 of The Popular Mechanics “How to get the most out of your life” February Calendar. I am happy to report that using this calendar has been helped me accomplish February-ish things. Here is my report after one week.
Now I have to read it!
One of the resolutions I made this year (along with A Picture a Day) is to celebrate each month specifically. One way I have decided to do that is to follow the recommendations of a monthly publication.
This month I chose Popular Mechanics. I am making up my own rules so I am deciding I don’t have to do everything they suggest- maybe 3 or 4 things. We’ll see.
I can’t wait to get started!
I am most likely to do the Feb 28th suggestion!
When I go to Home Depot or Lowes I usually come home with paint chip colors. I can’t help myself. Now they have cards with color combination suggestions, which has made the problem even worse. I want to do something with them, but I’m just not sure what yet.
So when I came across the Wilton Performance Color System with its color formula chart I bought it. I wasn’t sure when I was going to bake something that required such fine tuning of colors, but if and when I did, I was going to be prepared!
Halloween provided that opportunity.
I found my old recipe for a pumpkin cake (actual size) that I was able to use my formula chart to calibrate orange- dare I say Pumpkin Orange!
You start with 2 Bundt cakes
Weight: 7.43 pounds (plate weight 1 pound)
Smile needs work…
Hope you had a fun Halloween!
I can’t wait to make a Thanksgiving Turkey Cake.
Turns out beta testing is very fun.
Let’s start from the beginning…
Brand Spanking New
“Tequini” from See, Mix, Drink by Brian D. Murphy– Delicious!
“Poolside Bar”
Oops!
Drying out
Check out this slideshow to see the places we beta tested our coasters. Secondary results indicate that all restraurants were terrific! We highly recommend each of them if you visit Northern Michigan!
It was fun to see the reaction of our servers when they brought out our drinks- They universally noticed them and liked them!
In summary, the coasters were up for the thorough testing we gave them. They traveled well, supported our drinks well, got the right kind of attention and even survived a dip in a lake!
I saw these icons on my brother and sister-in-law’s Netflix opening screen. Each person in the household had their own Netflix profile picture that they chose. I thought it would be fun for each person to be represented on a coaster so I made these as a birthday present for my wonderful sister-in-law.
Testers reported that the coasters were being used and holding up to the rigors of heavy drinking…no, I don’t think that is what was said. They work well.
(Also, testing indicates that I tend to order wine and my husband orders beer.)
If you would like to do your own “product testing” check out our Etsy Store!
There was a movement in the late 1990s and early 2000s when communities adopted an animal statue and decorated them. Our town participated in the Miles of Mules project. Big, dramatic mules.
(Notice the bench in the background!)
We were driving in another town that was also participating in the project and saw one of the mules. I enthusiastically proclaimed to my family, “I always notice them!” It struck us as a hilarious statement since they were impossible not to notice!
Since then, this statement has been a family joke whenever you point out something unusual. But the joke also has a truth in it that we sometimes don’t pay attention to things right in front of us, and it does add to our life experience to notice them.
For example, mailboxes.
My husband decided to take a challenge at work to walk 10,000 steps a day. I joined in. We walked in our neighborhood every morning. During these walks I started noticing mailboxes that I never noticed while driving through the neighborhood. It actually started with one particular mailbox. I loved this mailbox at first sight!
This mailbox was the beginning of an obsession!!! Stay tuned…
chillymink.com 