PENSIEVE

Under normal conditions, tiramisu and water bottles have nothing in common

{PPL participants, please be sure and read my note
at the bottom of this post, right above Mr. Linky.}

It's the one time of the month world's collide, at least in the Universe of Pensieve:

Poetic License and Friday's 40-or-less Photo Challenge

Rather than repeating what has already been explained, I encourage you to click the above links if you have no idea what I'm talking about:). 

I have to interject, though, THANK YOU for legitimizing the "pensieve"; when I crafted the poetic form, I had reason to shake in my shoes--the few who posted early have jazzed my poetic soul!  Y'all amaze me :).

For your convenience (and mine), I'm including both entries in one post, and for goodness sakes, while you're busy clicking your co-conspirator's links, be sure to let me know what you think of mine--good, bad or ugly!  If you've ever hosted a Mr. Linky, you already know it's not uncommon for readers to "forget" the host :).  Be sure to identify your permalinks with "PPL" or "F40" or "Both" depending on your posting.

My offering for Poetic License ~ A pensieve complete with a photo for my muse this morning:

Tiramisu
Mountains of whipped cream and chocolate and cake
Celestial layers silently awaiting their fate
Slight hint of coffee, aromatic surprise
Squishy delight on my tongue, it just smiled!
Meal's punctuation--a taste of perfection.

Friday's 40-or-less Photo Challege:

Pure and clear,
Quenches and satisfies,
Refreshing and life-giving--
No wonder Jesus compared Himself to it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A note of sympathy ~ I have no idea what "blog protocol" is on things like this, but I thought participants of Pensieve's Poetic License would want to know that Inheritor's wife suffered a fatal heart attack week before last (he wrote to let me know because a post of his is scheduled for publication on Blog Nosh Magazine, and he asked for that to be postponed).  Inheritor has been a regular contributer to PPL since its beginning, and my heart and prayers go out to him and his family.  I was touched by the poetic tribute he pays to his wife this month, a pensieve that will surely reach you as well.

Finding appeal in the oddest of vignettes...Friday's 40-or-less Photo Challenge

My husband, friends, and, I suppose, readers of the ol' Pensieve often don't understand my choices of subject for photographs.  Neither do I, really...but it's impossible to calculate how often I see something and have to photograph it.  HAVE TO. The strangest thing that comes to mind at the moment is the rotten tomato I saw on an exit off I-285 in Atlanta...a bright red icky blop on an otherwise forgettable stretch of asphalt, completely unexpected and out of place.  In a race to capture the scene before the light turned green, in a single movement I uncapped lens cover, turned and snapped, and ended up with a less-than-spectacular photograph. 

It could've been a cool picture had I been better at my craft.

For this week's Friday's 40 PC, I offer one of "those". 

One morning last week, my daughter and I were sitting on our front porch swing talking.  She had placed her water bottle on the front rail when she noticed steam swirling from condensation (evaporation?  one of those "-ations...).  I tried to capture the misty swirls, but I guess ghosts don't translate well in digital. 

Regardless, I l i k e d the resultant image...pink on white on forested green, our pup--center-porch--guarding our yard, the clouds of ice floating in their own little concealed sea. 

Join us in a round of Friday's 40?  Click here for complete details, but basically you have 40 words (or less) to respond to the weekly image--a caption or title, poem, word association, abstract, concrete--however it hits you.   Write a post, then be sure to come back here on Friday morning to link your permalink, and after, visit the other participants to see their varied perspectives on the same image.

They're FRESH, not fried or French, but very Oooo la la!

More often than I'd like to admit to myself or to you, when my kids were young, I often relied on the "kid's meal" for an easy, inexpensive lunch option.  I don't know if they THRILLED to these happy meals because they tasted good or because a prize awaited them when they were done, but they always managed to eat every bite.  In my convoluted way of thinking, I'd order a kid's meal, too, and because the portions were smaller and I'd get a Diet Coke or Pepsi, it was "diet food" for me. 

Talk about self-delusion.

Either way, with over 200,000 restaurants and a $120 billion industry, fast food IS a way of life for many...but rarely is it healthy.

In steps Burger King to try to change all that.

Last week, my kids and I received samples of Burger King's new apple fries.  Apple fries?  I knew in advance this was supposed to be a healthy alternative to French fries in their kids meals, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how FRIED FRUIT was healthy.

Duh...THEY'RE NOT FRIED!  The apples are sliced to look like fries.

We were skeptical--how could packaged apples taste fresh?

Remarkably, they were DELICIOUS.  They were accompanied by low-fat caramel dipping sauce, but all of us preferred them sans sauce.  The slices were firm, sweet...and exceeded our collective expectation. 

If my kids were pre-schoolers again, this is a choice I'd make FOR them when ordering--they wouldn't have the option of French fries.  Mama could have her fried potato fix, and they'd be none the wiser 'cause they resemble each other.  If I was having an intellectual debate on this, I might argue this Great Deception, but for the sake of a simple product review?  They're good...the apple fries are a better choice when you need to get kids' meals on the run. 

If you'd like to win a $10 Burger King gift card so you can sample them on your own?  Subscribe to or bookmark PENSIEVE, then visit next week during Bloggy Giveaways and you might just be able to try them for free (I already awarded one giftcard during last week's BlogHop '08)!

A little crabby...and a little buggy

Kiawah Island, S.C., July 2008

My back yard, July 2008.  Cicada shell, hanging around the rabbit hutch.

Wordless Wednesday
& more pics at 5M4M

Making literary history, literallyJuly's Pensieve's Poetic License: a PENSIEVE?!

Rarely am I one to point a finger of accusation at anyone else--I'm well aware three fingers are pointing back at me in return.  This time, however, I'm more than happy to assign blame. 

For months now, Brandon (Words of Redemption) has suggested I'm making up poetic forms for Pensieve's Poetic License (documented here and here).  Hmph!  My goal for PPL has always been to encourage non-poets (un-poets?  poet-impaireds?) to step out of their writing-comfort zone and try their hand at something new.  Along the way, I've stumbled across poetry forms I've never even heard of, so this is a stretch for me as well.

I love exercising my creative gene...and it's no exaggeration to say it's a THRILL when "you" join me!  I KNOW many PPL participants have never written poetry before, they shake in their shoes when they click "publish", and they feel naked and exposed to share their attempts with the interwebs.  Every month--every submission--touches and inspires me in some way...but mostly leaves me feeling like a proud mama, realizing that my babies courageously stepped onto the ice and found solid footing beneath.

Which brings us to this month's poetic form:  a Pensieve

Yes, Brandon, I'm f i n a l l y making one up...and it's all.your.fault!

Thank you.

While we were on vacation, Brandon's friendly teasing prompted a "why not?" in my mind and a poetic form began to take shape .  Poetry at its best invites the reader into the author's thoughts; you feel what they felt when writing it even if you don't completely understand it or know the back-story.  Words brushstroke masterpieces; not with paint on canvas, but with imagery that speaks to and evolves from our need to create. 

Our need to create.   (Hmmm, because we're created in the image of God whose creativity knows no bounds, it's small wonder this is inherent "need" in our lives...whoa, Nellie, now THAT is seed for later thought...Heather & Erin--why am I thinking of y'all right now, lol?)

What is a Pensieve?  A titled, five-line poem; each line correlates to one of the five senses--sight, sound, scent, taste, touch--and describes the subject (title).  The goal is for the reader to take on the poem as his own, being able to "experience" your subject through your words, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling what you described.  (If you're looking for an alternate definition of "pensieve" and found this post via a search engine, please click here.)

The style is reflective and should leave the reader with lingering thoughts. The name for this poetic form is somewhat of a play on words:  the subject is word-drawn from a memory (from the writer's "pensieve" :) ) and reflected upon by both writer and reader, pensively.

Will you join me for this month's Poetic License?  Will you help launch this new poetic form?  Will I be the only one tip-toeing on the ice this time around?  Even if you've never tried PPL before...I would love the company.  Inventing poetic forms is kind of scary, and it sure would be nice to do so among friends.

Here's one to get you started; if you'd like to write a Pensieve, post it, then check back here on Friday to link your submission (leave a comment here to let me know your plans, and I'll send you a reminder email when the link is active).

Beach Perpetual motion, waves of blue blanket carpets of white.
Never-ending curtain-call of thunderous applause,
insisting "the show must go on".
Tightly closed lips and defiant clenched teeth--
no match for the salty drink she imposes
Briny scent inhabits each breath,
aroma familiar and certain and welcome
Feet burrow in sugared grains,
skin tingles as sun dries, then bakes, to golden.

Jill of all trades, blogger of NOTHING!

What a way to follow up the wonderfully and surprisingly well-attended BlogHop '08--by not posting anything new!  Sure, I snuck in a Project Black, but by the looks of my blog, you'd never know I'm in the middle of writing THREE new posts; between Rockband on one end of the house, and a TV blaring on another, I can't think.  Can I bribe you to subscribe to Pensieve so you won't forget to read when they're finished?? :)

And imagine this--a few things need attention around the house!  If anyone would like to lend me the cleaning fairies, I'll be happy to cook your dinner for the next month.

Expect a posting binge...and I'll be visiting party revelers and Bloglinees all week long.  It's been a delight to meet some new friends and reconnect with some long-time blogmates.

Oooo, and even though I didn't make it to BlogHer, my weekend was full of bloggity goodness:

BIG OL' HONKIN' THANKS TO - - -

-- Shannon at ThreeSeven.ca whose giveaway for a copy of Corel Paint Shop Pro I won during Kelby's party (can you say "Wow!!!"??);

-- & to Mindy (and Jenny-in-abstentia) for featuring my Un-Superhero-ish Wonder Woman post on Good Mom/Bad Mom's BlogShare Sunday.

-- & to Karen (Simply...A Musing Blog) for all her help with BlogHop AND for creating a monster when she let me co-host a party chat on Blog Radio (using her "Behind the Blog"  access...which, by the way, y'all will need to tune into TOMORROW for it's regularly scheduled show, 12 CST).

Congratulations to - - -

-- #48, Jenni @ One Thing, winner of the Burger King gift card!

Splashes of black

When I began looking for spots of black in our home suited to Anna's photo challenge, I had no idea how many objects I'd find.  If you didn't know better, you'd think my house was something straight out of Gotham City!

Topping off The panels that accompany this topper were featured in Project Green; the curtains hang both in our kitchen and in the sitting room opposite it.

Blacktop

One of the most daring, dramatic and, thankfully, satisfying home improvements undertaken the past year was painting not one, but two, of our ceilings BLACK (our entrance foyer and downstairs bathroom).  Please forgive the dizzifying angle here; it was the best way to give you a peek at the ceilings in context of the room (plus, the walls feature more black themselves!).

My precious I'm addicted, not proud.  Until I sip my morning ritual,
you may not want to run into me.



Night-time sleep aid, may be habit forming Originally bought to use at the beach when late-night revelers threatened my dreams, we liked it so much it's come as constant of a companion as Aussie; whose mid-night barking, incidentally, is drowned out, too.


Big Time

No matter where you sit in our kitchen, you'll always have plenty of time :).

Light shadows

I walked past our dining room one morning and thought the lights were on; I guess they were in a manner of speaking--the sun was peeking in, casting shadows of everything in its path.  This is one of a pair of lamps in the room, black with pineapple gold accents.

 

While I've been partying at BlogHop '08, I've missed a few days of writing and finding subjects for my favorite photographic projects.  I'll be back to normal this week (no snark allowed) and I'm please to announce Pensieve's Poetic License will return.  In the meantime, please visit Anna Carson for more Project Black participants or to post your own.

REVISED! Poodle skirts & bobbie socks, but only in my mind

A few notes: 

• BlogHop '08 continues through the weekend and you can link posts & continue visiting party-goers into next week.
• A $10 Burger King gift card will be awarded to one of the commenters to this post (drawing on Monday).
• Check out Kelby's party--she's giving away some fabulous prizes!

I cannot think of anything cooler than having a few dozen bloggers over to my home for a comfy meet and greet, complete with yummy eats & drinks as you arrive, and surcies as you say good-bye.  Thank you for making time for our little bloggity soirée, especially when I have Martha Stewart rolling in her premature grave from such short notice (gasp!) compounded by me asking you to "bring" something (a party post--oh the horrors!). 

She'll have to get over it if she ever finds out. 

Since I s u g g e s t e d you might wanna keep your posts short and sweet to allow more time for visiting, I'll do the same.  But, before I hop off to read your party posts, enjoy some treats--most of this spread was made from recipes from Snackalicious, a Super Bowl recipe extravaganza back in January.  The one recipe I've gotta share is for Bacon Tomato Cups--though they're a bit labor intensive on the front end, they're more than worth the effort (click the name link for photos and step-by-step preparation).

The quickest way for you to get to know me is to read my sidebar's "100 Things".  Obviously it doesn't paint a complete picture, but it'll help you determine whether or not you want to subscribe to PENSIEVE or add it to your reader ;) (and, you KNOW I hope you do! :) ).

That's all I've got for now...I've GOT to finish this post and get ready for our chat.  Please read this post for instructions on how to join us--it really is EASY.  THANKS TO THOSE OF Y'ALL WHO WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT!  I'll be revising this post in the morning with links to some other chats and parties, so be sure to check back in!

And last, I've gotta share the love:  A HUMONGOUS SHOUT OUT to Karen, Simply...A Musing Blog and Simply Amusing Designs for her help with the stinkin' adorable BlogHop badge and for hosting our chat at Behind the Blog!   Thanks, too, for those of you who helped get the word out on such short notice (let me know if I missed your announce post in this listing, and I'll add it as soon as possible):  Fried Okra, Bunny Trails, Musings of a Housewife, World's Greatest Mommy, 123Pizza's Weblog, Kirtsy, and my co-lovah of fried chicken, BooMama.  Y'all have my heart (not San Francisco!!)!   

Link away, girlieQs!  Mix, mingle and HOP TIL YOU DROP!!

BlogHop '08...& YOU'RE INVITED!

When you think about it, in comparison to the millions of blogs in existence, only a few bloggers are able to attend BlogHer; those who are going just have bigger mouths large readerships good reason to write about it:

THEY'RE BLOGGERS, PEOPLE!  We ALL write about the minutia of our lives, and in a blogger's life?  Meeting the people you read IN REAL LIFE is tantamount to a middle-aged hacker golfing in a foursome with Tiger and Phil and Vijay, or a highschool basketball standout playing with Michael Jordan, or ME COOKING DINNER WITH PAULA DEEN!!! 

So, for the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of the rest of us, we'll continue blogging as usual without the concern of plane crashes or falling into an earthquake crevice or being run over by a wayward railcar or having to eat beans and rice for a month to make up for travel expense.  See?  All good things.

Oh, and one more thing...YOU'RE INVITED to a special cyber-party for those NOT attending BlogHer!  Simply write a party post and link it back tonight beginning at 10 p.m. EST (9:00 Central).

It's your choice what to include, but I'd love to find some wonderful party recipes you might have; hopefully, you'll be meeting some new bloggers, so a quick intro post might be good including a FEW links to your favorite archived posts; or maybe you'd like to offer "party favors" (aka a giveaway). 

A word of advice--the briefer your post, the better, 'cause that will allow you to visit a few more bloggy friends (note to self:  read, then re-read previous sentence!).

Karen at Simply...A Musing Blog and co-host of Behind the Blog radio show has set up a chat for us beginning at 10 p.m. EST (9:00 p.m. Central).  Just follow these easy directions:

1. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com and sign up for a free "listener account" by clicking on "Register" on the top blue navigation bar and join in the conversation.

2. Once you’ve done that, you can find our chat tonight by typing in www.blogtalkradio.com/simplyamusingdesigns and then once we're live and on the air, you can click on the button that says, "listen" and a new page will open up and you’ll see the chat room!

3. If you'd like to chat in the chat room, once you've clicked on the listen button, you should see another button that says "chat live" and if you click it, a new window will pop up and you'll be in our chat room and ready to chat.

Last but not least, please help spread the word!  Pick up the button and link the image back to my main page--write a post, Tweet it, Plurk It, Stumble it and Kirtsy it...with a party, I'm all about the more the merrier!  Mr. Linky will be up by 10 EST, earlier if I'm able :).

Have I left anything out?  Email or leave a comment, and I'll get back to you when I'm able. 

Make friends.  Mix and mingle.  The party may start at 10:00 EST tonight, but I suspect it'll last all weekend long ;) :). 

AdorationFriday's 40 PC, #11

Sometimes I can't help myself...I have to write until I'm "done".  And that means breaking rules, even self-imposed ones. 

I'm drawn to this photo and the ideal it represents; once I began writing a poem, I needed to complete my thought.  It took more than 40 words, so hopefully this once, you'll forgive me :). 

Or, if you wanna stop at 40 words?  The cut-off is "Never" ;).

Can't wait to read YOUR response--have I mentioned how much I love this photo?

Grand
His heart beats on in youthful face
In her, affections pour
She looks at him with star-filled eyes
This man, she does adore.

He sees her full potential
Her beauty in and out
His faith, his love, his wisdom
Never does she doubt.

A legacy of life well lived

Hugs, so reassuring
He passes on important thingsIntangible, enduring.

The good thing is we won't be able to sing "I left my heart in San Francisco"

Do you remember ever feeling one-dimensional?  I do.   When I was engaged and when I was pregnant. 

"That" became "who" I was for a season; every conversation centered around those subjects.  By the time I got married, then later, by the time I gave birth, I was SO SICK of the narcissism, I would have gladly watched eight hours of slides from your family vacation to the Sahara.  Grains of sand would've been more interesting to me.

Don't get me wrong--I loved being engaged...I loved being pregnant.  I was just d.o.n.e. with talking about them.

Enter BlogHer.  If you have no idea what BlogHer is, just google it.  You'll find plenty of information about it, so I won't take time to explain it now other then (out of courtesy to newish bloggers) to let you know there's a GARGANTUAN blogging convention going on right now in San Francisco.  Those of us who've been blogging a while (but aren't going) feel like we're missing something.  Gargantuan.

The bloggers who ARE there have been writing about it for weeks now, and their upcoming posts will be all about dropping names and photo ops with bloggers you're probably already reading.  Which, I'm telling you, from experience, is fun.  For those of us who aren't there?  Well, it reminds me of when I was pregnant and engage...the conversation simply became...tired. 

I'm thrilled for my friends who're having the blogging time of their lives--but I'm ready to have a little fun blog-style.  Are you ready to join me?

Guys, I'm watching the clock, it's 9:57, I've been gone most of the day, but I promised a post tonight, so I'm trying to git 'er done...but we aren't quite there (and my wi-fi is being a BEAR!).

What I do know?  Cyber-party tomorrow, beginning at 9 p.m. EST and YOU'RE INVITED! 

What do you need to bring?   A party post.  

What the heck is a party post?  That's entirely up to you :).  My first thought?  FOOD!  We need food for a party, and since this is very last minute, do you really expect me to prepare it all?  I'm not ashamed to ask for help.  A party post might include a recipe (photos are bonus) of your favorite party foods. 

A party post might include an introduction--we'll be meeting new friends.  I think linking to one or two of your favorite, representative posts might be a good thing.

Wanna host a giveaway?  Now THAT gets attention like nothing else!  Tell peeps you've got prizes, they'll flock in droves.

Karen at Simply Amusing is working on a fun badge and maybe even a party chatroom.  Again, we're throwing this sucker together very last minute, so we need some beauty sleep to dream up the details.  Just plan on blogging your little heart out, helping to spread the word, and forgetting you aren't in San Francisco rubbing elbows with [fill in the blank with your favorite "name"].  I promise, you'll save a boatload of money and you'll have a lot of fun without the companion jet lag.

OOOooo, and if you have ideas, leave 'em in comments and I'll add 'em to this post. 

 

Mr. Linky will be up tomorrow at 9 EST for you to begin linking your party posts. 

A very private post for all those bloggers not going to BlogHer--

REVISED:  I'll post details tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST.  :)  I'll tell ya this much--based on early buzz, y'all already have me jazzed!

People who don't blog?  This will be of no interest to you.

People who DO blog...stayed tuned...I'm coming up with a way for us to play, even if we aren't partying on the San Andreas Fault.

:)

Adoration

The past touches the future in a grandfather's loving touch.  In an ideal world, the influence of grandparents shapes and gives flight to a child's dreams and imaginations in ways never intended for parents themselves.  I suppose I romanticize the notion of grandparents--though I only knew my father's mother, we were close before her death, and when I dream of "home", the house is hers. 

This sculpture, aptly named "Grandfather", is found outside Rembrandt's in the Bluff View Arts District of Chattanooga.  It is one of my all-time favorite pieces of art. 

We had opportunity to visit during our Sunday afternoon stroll.   Be sure to click the photo for an alternate angle. 

Would you like to take part in this week's "Friday's 40-or-less Photo Challenge".  Click the badge or link for details, and should you decide to join in (and I hope this picture will entice you), be sure to check back here Friday to link your entry.

And the winner is........CHATTANOOOGA!

It's the kind of thing that has city and country officials indulgently pumping hands and slapping each other on the back in congratulations, high-fiving like their team just won the Super Bowl...then excusing themselves to the men's room because they just wet their pants from all the excitement:

...a billion dollar investment in the area
...2,000 direct jobs in addition to the ancillary jobs necessary to support it
...national and international media attention

Yesterday Volkswagen announced plans to build an automotive manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, TN, edging out sites in Alabama and Michigan. 

Production of 150,000 mid-sized sedans annually will begin in three years, and to meet that 2011 goal, groundbreaking will have to take place soon.  The earth trembled as thousands of construction workers stampeded to the area minutes after the announcement was made.    

Chamber of Commerce types are already calculating the economic benefit to our area--the effects will be long-term.  Property values increase, unemployment decreases, and the investment in infrastructure is nicely returned.   Just this morning, I heard for every one manufacturing job created at the new Volkswagen facility, seven ancillary jobs will be necessary--14,000 jobs!

Twenty-eight years ago, Chattanooga was struggling--the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare named it as (one of) the most polluted cities in America, and economic recession, social tension and urban decay threatened its viability.  Enter Vision 2000 and with the collaboration of local citizens, the city reversed decline.  Now, Chattanooga is highly regarded, #3 on Relocate-America's Top Places to live.

Volkswagen chose well with their decision to build in Chattanooga; among other goals, both city and company are committed to environmental responsibility.   "As an expression of this shared commitment, the state of Tennessee, Volkswagen and Chattanooga-area organizations are partnering to distribute two saplings for every tree displaced by the project."  Local school kids will be responsible for planting.

Chattanooga and Volkswagen...the start of something beautiful!

Related links:

Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce
Autoblog.com
Vision 2000

Sky lights

To me, the "greatest show on earth" is anything performed by nature ~

Clouds lingered after the rain finally stopped on Sunday; though we saw no rainbows, we were treated to a spectacular show.
A few brilliant rays powered their way through a break in the clouds, illuminating their low hanging cousins below the mountains and just barely out of arm's reach.

Natural light...a perfect inclusion for Carmi's Thematic Photographic this week.  If you hurry, there's still time to post your own "light" pictures before his next theme is revealed.

More Wordless Wednesdays here and here.