Friday, May 21, 2010
Go Green with Diversity!
There were costumes and large papier mache sun faces to celebrate the big day.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Bleary
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
More flora
These are a couple of the roses that are now blooming in SWMBO's front patio garden.
Prescott Flora
They begin with a pinkish color but change to dark red which can look nearly black from a distance.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Magpie Tales 14 - Blue Willow
I usually write a story based on the prompt but this week I did some research on the photo. When I learned the legend behind the plate, I thought for awhile about what I could write. I finally decided the legend was better than anything my imagination could come up with. So . . here it is:
Long ago in China lived a Mandarin and his daughter, Koong-shee. Koong-shee fell in love with a commoner, a man named Chang, and their love grew as they met beneath a willow tree in the palace garden. When the Mandarin discovered their secret, he banished Chang and imprisoned Koong-shee by encircling the palace with a zigzag fence.
Soon the Mandarin promised Koong-shee to another, and the marriage date was set. A great feast was held to celebrate, but afterward, when everyone had fallen asleep, Chang crept into the palace and fled with Koong-shee.
The Mandarin awoke and pursued the couple across a little bridge that spans the river. The lovers escaped, but soon the Mandarin discovered where they were hiding and sent his men to kill the couple. The men came upon Chang as he was working his fields and killed him. Koong-shee, who witnessed the entire scene from afar, rushed into the pavilion and set it afire. She was determined to be with Chang in death as she had been in life.
The gods, looking down on the tragedy, took pity on the lovers and transformed their souls into a pair of immortal lovebirds to forever live in the pagoda.
We can still see Chang and Koong-shee flying over the willow tree where they first pledged their love. Their story lives forever on the Blue Willow pattern.
With apologies for my plagiarization, I gathered the legend from The Blue Willow Restaurant in Tucson, Arizona
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Ladies Days!
Just my opinion.
Monday, May 10, 2010
R.E.D. for Granny J
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Spring on the Square
Lots of vendors under their tented roofs displaying their art. You can see the courthouse through the trees.
And can you guess what this fellow is marketing? Take a good look at his hat.
That's a replica of a humongous head of garlic clove and he was selling all kinds of garlic products.
Nice day.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Highland Games
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Magpie Tales -13
Cholly was a good time guy. He always was solid for a drink and the dollies loved him. He wasn’t bad looking neither. He dressed a little too Italian for me but, y’know, some people go for those open necked shirts, gold chains and hairy chests. He always had a tan, no matter what time of year, and his teeth were sparkling white and perfect. All in all, Cholly was just about great for the front of the house.
By house, I’m talkin’ about my restaurant – Danny’s Steakhouse. We’ve been top of the heap in Delphi City for more years than I can remember. We got a great meat market in town and they give us top grade steaks, and our kitchen knows how to cook ‘em.
The bar runs great, the bartenders know what they’re doin’, we got a pretty great wine list and the drinks come out fast. The prices are moderate and everybody seems happy.
So what is my problem?
Well, it’s Cholly. Y’see he had an accident when he was a kid and he lost his left eye. One of those kid things, y’know, nothin’ to talk about really. But he ended up with a glass eye. It’s a really good one and hardly anybody ever notices it. But, y’know Cholly, he takes a drink or two through the night and sometimes more than that. Sometimes he just can’t help himself. His mouth gets the better of him, y’know.
Well, this big restaurant reviewer was in tonight and we all recognized him right away. ‘Course we didn’t let on we knew who he was but he got the best of the best from the kitchen. Appetizers, salad, entrée, side stuff, dessert, a couple of glasses of the old vino, I mean this guy was treated first class. We thought we had it in the bag, a great review and an upsurge in customers.
But then Cholly screwed the pooch. We knew the guy from the paper had noticed something different about Cholly. He had stopped by the guy’s table half a dozen times during the evening, checkin’ on his food and his wine and everything. And he’d done great. Until the guy paid his bill and got up to leave. He smiled at Cholly and said "a great evening, I’ll be back again."
And Cholly, with maybe one too many drinks under his belt, grinned and said "Great! I’ll keep an eye out for you!"
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You can read more from, I hope, much more talented writers at Magpie Tales.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
5 de mayo
When I realized the date, I hied myself to a restaurant currently called "Puerto Vallarta" for a Mexican lunch and a bottle of Dos Equis Amber. The BRD and SWMBO, by the way, were lunching at a Thai restaurant. No respect, I say.
Viva Mexico!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
At last
Monday, May 3, 2010
Calendar cat
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Magpie 12 - Death
Arrrrrgggghhhhh!!!/p>
I was swimming in the clear blue water off the Turks and Caicos islands, in the Caribbean. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining golden in the sky. The water was turquoise blue. The fish gliding by me were radiant in their color . . red, orange, green, gold, purple . . blazing in the light. It was amazing.
I swam through the water as through oil, just oozing through the sea, through the light, through the schools of fish. I was happy, ecstatic even.
And then.
Something grabbed my ankle. I tried kicking it free but the grip intensified. I looked down and saw the tentacles wrapping around my lower leg. I panicked. I kicked and thrashed in the water. As I did, my breathing intensified. My head moved violently in the water and as it did, my mask came off. As I fought the grasp on my leg, I gasped and water flowed into my mouth and my throat and my lungs. I tried to cough and this only made it worse as my mouth opened and the salty sea water entered my body.
And then.
I slowly began to feel relief as my mind scattered and I became calm.
My hands clutched at the light in the sky.
And it was over.