Every Day People....
Spring is here in Florida! It's time to get out the brightly colored clothing and explore the colors of nature. Florida is always alive with tropical vibes when Spring arrives. A good idea is to drive to the beach and paint or draw everything that moves. The water is warm and rich in color, and people are radiant with sunshine; what more could we ask for in the Sunshine State?
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It's also a great time to come out of the somewhat cold and start working to create that backyard oasis...
Florida in the Spring
The beauty of Florida is that so much of the state is a "postcard" photo. Just hanging out in the back yard. The jasmine is in bloom, and the smell is tantalizing. The photo above is an old picture, but it's how I feel about the arrival of Spring. That's me with George the Pom Pom in my arms and Bella the Golden getting ready to plant new flower beds. Below is the picture Kalista took of Bella; it is beautiful, just like the dog.
Southernahs and their dogs
We lost our beloved Bella on August 22, 2035. We miss her so much. She was always playful and easy going. However, true to her breed, she is exceptionally smart. Bella you are so missed! We love you Sweet Girl!
During Spring and Summer, these are the kind of paintings I get inspired to do. This one is called "Looking for Shells." I will probably take a drive to the Clearwater beach, take some photos and do more painting like these (but paint a shirt that is not so busy).
Looking for Shells...
My Sorority !
I did this sorority painting so long ago, I can't remember when. Nevertheless, its time to create something new and exciting, not just for Sigma Gamma Rhos, but for AKs, Delta's and Zetas as well. But first, I'm pulling out the blue and gold for the practice run. As you can tell, I'm a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. EE-YIP!
God Gives Us Grace for the Little Things...
Afternoon Lunch on the Patio
We spend so much time "watching time," working to meet a deadline, and working to complete a list of "Things To Do." I certainly work that way, often being cognizant of what's due and when. Even in retirement, it's my goal to accomplish certain things by a specific time. Normally that time would be a show due date.
But God is good cause today I had the pleasure of having lunch on my patio. So, let me set the scene. I'm looking through a magazine to get ideas to update the decor of the house. I see a delicious Italian pasta salad..."Wow, I'll make that for lunch." I'm missing a number of ingredients. No problem, I'll substitute various things. Substitute the green onions in place of red. Shrimp rather than salami, and use goat cheese for mozzarella. Then I added a little of this and that. I made sweet tea, like the true Southerner I am and set the table on the patio, real napkins no doubt. The salad was the best pasta salad I had ever made, OMG! It was heavenly sitting there listening to the sprinkler water the lawn and the two dogs, and two cats were sound asleep...it was just me with my magazine and my salad. And I thought 'Lord, thanks...its just the little things that make life rich'!
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Worked on the salad again and finally
completed the recipe with more ingredients:
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Penny's Pepper & Shrimp Pasta Salad
1 cup of cooked Bow Tie pasta
1/8 cup of green bell pepper
1/8 cup of red bell pepper (optional)
1/8 cup of yellow pepper (optional)
1 tomato diced in small pieces
1/8 cup of red onion
Green onion chopped (or Julianne) to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 of cooked shrimp any size
1/4 cup of Olive Garden Italian dressing or Zesty Italian
1 egg boiled and chopped sprinkle on top (optional)
4 to 5 Kalamata olives for an extra kick
Crumbled goat cheese on top (optional but a must have)
Mixed everything together in bowl, except the egg and goat cheese. Add and mix in salad dressing. Top with egg (for more protein) and goat cheese.
