Most Amazing Life

Update- I am just such a happy camper right now. Not much time for writing- some here and there. Guitar Lessons and exploring other open mic venues to change it up a bit. Last night Dennis did a slide guitar with my Texas Skies poem, and Alan Bradford came out to Grovers Mill as well. He is a singer/songwriter who co-wrote with such people as Harry Chapin. He is from New Jersey, but lives down south now, and contacted me via my website on meetup to ask if I could find him some open mics to play.

Did I say he was Amazing? Wow- you can tell the seasoned players from the living room folks, but hey we all have to start somewhere!

Karl Dentino has the coolest guitar- he plays old rag time music and said he is enjoying his popularity, and is playing a whole lot around the area now. He was my FIRST open mic musician and has been faithful since- Thanks Karl (a preview of his cool guitar below).

I will be playing an open mic tomorrow, forgot the name, down south with Flora Newberry, my guitar teacher and her boyfriend Mike Riley, an awesome duo. Will take some footage of both nights and upload it onto my youtube!

Take care, and hope you all are doing fantastic!

Open Mic Thursday

I am not sure why this video from my new camera is not high quality? My friend who ran my camera is a film producer, but seems others have trouble with it...but here I am at open mic Tuesday night at Grovers Mill Coffee House in West Windsor reading Jessie Carty's Mixed Drinks from her new book Paper House. I also read my newly published poem, Check Please from ReferentialMagazine.com! Enjoy...

Meet Brian

He has a lot of work ahead of him, and so far he has done a great job- I lost an inch after three weeks, and one of them I was down with a staph infection!

I am committed to getting the inner m'E healthy and more like I was thirteen years ago when I was working out on a regular basis, and active with hubby!

See my charm and sexiness are working already! LOL

I had a great pre-birthday party last night, and thanks to all my friends out there who have sent me well wishes- turning 50 next year is going to be great! I know, 'What the heck am I doing'? Being silly like I am...

Oh Farmlady How You Tempt Me

I found an orange friend at the market I can live with! At least it fits my eating low fat...

Only 60 calories, and Mandarin Orange, as you know orange is my favorite color and flavor!

Wandering through the store wanting something to subside my nausea (long story, but I had a bought with my kidney, and staph infection) and hunger for something sweet, a thought hit me..."I wonder if they have some small container of intense orange sherbet or sorbet"? Well as I explained to hubby, I quit buying the larger and rather cheap plastic containers of orange sherbet years ago. Why? I would eat a few bowls, small ones at that, and then it would sit forgotten in the freezer.

See I am a picky sweet eater. I only want a taste of something now and then, I even have a flourless chocolate cake sitting in the fridge hubby bought for my birthday this week. After one small piece I was done with it. Yes, I need someone to package, what I like, into small containers. So I can enjoy a bite now and then, and not worry about it going bad. Once sherbet has been opened and sits, with the freezer door opening and closing, after time gets ice crystals and it affects the flavor. I do not like regular ice cream. Nope only eat it once in a blue moon (been a year since my bacon ice cream).

See I told you I was picky!

I found something- oh Julie, how you have made me so happy!

A box with four small bars of Mandarin delights- Julie's Organic Sorbet Bars. I ate one today after my quinoa and zucchini lunch when we returned from the gym (my trainer kicked my butt again).

Julie's Organics, where have you been all my life?

Oh and to explain the title- Farmlady has been experimenting with goat's milk ice cream and made chocolate. She claims it was not that great, but the photo said otherwise!

Farmlady you temptress with your chocolate photo!

I cannot show you the sorbet bar, because I ate it already, but trust me, if you have not had them before...go now, they are worth the price tag!

I know I am the one who should be creating these things, but I am not really the one with the passion to make such things- 

BTW, I am doing fine, just missed the trainer this week to stay in bed, on strong antibiotics...so, feeling much better. Let's just say I remember now why I am not suppose to drink caffeine- Evil drug that gives you false energy, and is addictive. Twenty years had passed since I had it so much in one week. I was trying to keep up with working out everyday, and my work.

If you can go without drinking it, you must try...

Friday Share

Well since I was ordered to bed rest after my emergency room visit earlier this week I have gotten to rework a few poems in my archives. I like where this one is going, but the ending is stumping me-

Cut From The Same Cloth

Remember our first fight, as you felt the cold, hard wall slam against your back, announcing you were leaving, never to return, but instead other well laid plans were in place- excuses to get high; the only way you could deal with death, love, and change, as I sat listening to After The Gold Rush wondering if you or Neil found your vein of riches- have you shared them with another or is it all still buried deep underground, waiting for mountains to weep, “flying mother nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun”- reality raw and exposed

Before the Death of my Nikon Coolpix

My camera brought me a joy I had never know with any other camera- well I never owned one before...

I expressed beauty through an art to which...I called my own...endless forms for which I am now addicted...

I found myself on the level of things I had ignored since childhood- like laying in the grass, pretending to be small like the insects, and small creatures who roam before dawn...things began to awaken and touch me...then my camera failed me. Blitzing out, the screen went fuzzy with green, white, and gray, then I decided to replace my Nikon with a new camera.

These are just a few of my last times spent with the retired camera. You will be glad to know hubby has it. We were told it had a few days left for wine bottle label photos, but it could no longer go on the road with me again. Lonely it sits in hubby's office. I fear if it survives his clutter and over crowded space in that 10x10 room just to the right of climbing the stairs. Peace be with you old friend...

Butterflies and Hansons

A few days ago I emailed some of you sharing my photos of the cool moth I had never seen before. However I had a dream of when I was young with my brother and sister. Alton had found one and I remember feeling it's papery and fuzzy body and wings. Dreams came to me, and so did 12 new poems, which I decided to make in its own book altogether- Dream Scape (could change).

Enjoy the different views taken with my phone camera-

Also a new friend from Norway, Jorgen, posted this Hanson Live Feed of the three brothers traveling together, and they are listening to my favorite band of all time, U2- The Joshua Tree. Check it out...

HNet Live Feed A few of us in the blogsphere love them, especially my daughter Anelisa. She would say that Zac who took his photo with her in the DFW Airport, was HOT! for a boy...

A Side View of this male- You can tell by his fuzzy antennas and shoulder markings, a female is thinner black line and less on her antennas- They are endangered so do not try and capture them. Rare to see one during the day, as I believe this one is resting as he is looking for his second mating for the year- they have two mating cycles in Jersey area.

Now A poem I am working on, from Dream Scape Series...

Signs

A Luna was to the side of a big doorway, resting
By the shape of weight it carried, a male looking

for his mate, a moth on the shoulders
of Earth, nature and the north east winds

up and down coastal sands and byways, my way
imagine his enormous lime-green wings

four inches, as big as an adult male was meant
Fluttering back and forth from the light to the dark

each day holding onto the florescent light, reflected
Paper wings filled with colorful strands, like

costumes in a celebration with fuzzy antennas proudly
displayed as it is studied here on the brick

holding up a house, up the door frame
leading into a home full of many generations

stemming from attraction of strength and beauty
Determination to survive, endangered

I have to show off more than a brownie!

This seems more like a 'Blue' themed post once you see it all...

Ahhh, I fought the traffic and I won- The Jersey Shore.

Lunch with my friend Adrienne- tuna salad platter, we shared, and then a walk on the boardwalk! this photo below was quite a challenge taking it without small children hopping from rock to rock on this jetty. I guess the parents could care less if the sudden up whisk of the waves hitting the rocks blew them out to sea! Maybe they had their heads in the sand or a good book. I will refrain from bikini watching jokes, since I have never cared, nor wore one in my life!

Hubby does not like driving in the long traffic lines in the summer that lead to the beaches, but I feel this is worth it. Now I have a friend who loves it too!

The air was filled with sounds of the waves, crowds bottle necked near Pier Village (weddings, shops, restaurant, and hotel crowds), families and screaming kids sardined on the beach, and my own panting from all the walking, but hey I had my new blue hat on that hubby surprised me with in Florida (table in top photo), so no sun burn for me. I returned home sore and tired, but a very happy camper, or is it beach bum?


PS- My new Nikon rocks doesn't it!

Deep Dark Brownie Cake Committment

Not to jinx myself- I am now working with a trainer, Brian, a great guy, and its been two weeks. He and I have a lot in common, and he sees my enthusiasm to get my life as a whole balance. Lots of vegetarian eating, meat on weekend, walking on the Jersey Shore twice, swimming three times a week, water aerobics twice a week, weights, and my bike will be ready Wednesday. Sore is an understatement.

I feel good and have a goal- I turn 50 next year, and there is a Harley and a Cruise with my name on them! No, do not call me crazy, I love to live life! Last year I did complete an eating makeover for our household, but when it came down to it, I was not exercising on a regular basis, eventually I quite any kind of routine.

Having WAMPP- Wine Art Music Poetry Projects booked around New Jersey, freelance writing for local and on-line food and wine publications (on my rear), open mics, now in guitar and music lessons, cooking classes, a trip to Spain (El Bulli) in September, and lots of new friends asking me to get out and about the area- I realized I was extremely out of shape and needed to do something about it. Standing on your feet in one place in a kitchen just never was 'real' exercise.

Staying busy keeps me out of trouble, and out of the sweets. I do not buy them at all, only high cocao (75-95%) bars and break off a piece now and then. No way am I giving up my wine or martini habit, so its exercise do or do, no choice! Foodies like us have to balance things, right?

I made this sugar and gluten free brownie cake above. All of you out there that are going 'YUCK', well when you get your taste buds in check, you would be glad to have a piece of that cake! Chocolate Goodness is what it felt like to me. I did whip up some cream one night (with no sugar), it did fall after a few minutes, but it felt like a decadent indulgence.

Many of you who have met me in person, well you know I am a big girl- NOT FOR LONG!