My favorite is that she crawls up on my chest and snuggles.  It’s kind of ridiculous how much I love it… but she’s a sweet, sweet girl!

She loves to play!  Pom Poms are her favorite!

I was taking some photos earlier today of tomatoes for my posting of a recipe I want to try for a tomato goat cheese salad and she jumped up on the island to keep me company.  I think she was waiting for her close up… she is growing into her fluffy ears! It makes me a little sad, lol… soon, “Baby Kitty” will fade and she’ll get called “Emma.”

“A cooked tomato is like a cooked oyster: ruined.” – Andre Simon, The Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy

It’s be a lazy blogger week, which means I’m going to delight you with other people’s stuff from the interwebs. That’s probably not a good sign being three weeks into my new blog.  Lol, next will be worse while I’m in Erie for a business trip… at least the photo is mine

Here’s a recipe I found on 24/7 Low Carb Diner for Warm Tomato Basil Goat Cheese Salad.  My mouth is watering, just by typing this!  I prefer my tomatoes cold — but it still sounds yummy.

#futurerecipeideas

Gotta run… we’re off to meet Eric at the Ale House…

Life is hard.  Then you nap. — Unknown

Sweet, Ranger Danger…

The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn’t, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there.

~Monica Baldwin

I have to be honest.  The above quote is a little overly optimistic for the small amount of coffee I have had this morning.  But, I liked its sentiment.

*Gets up, makes another K-Cup.  Adds Milk.  *Adds Splenda.  *Drinks.

Yay!  It’s Friday.  Somehow it sneaked up on me… which is actually just fine.  I would rather Friday come quickly than drag on!

Photo Details: The photograph was taken in Black Mountain, NC at the State Veteran’s Cemetery where my grandfather is buried.  The picture gives me a sense of peace… that his final resting place is so beautiful.  There’s also something hopeful when I look at it.  I think of the love I felt, the things I learned and how I have amazing opportunities ahead of me to live life and continue to grow…

Booked my business trip to good old Erie today.  I will be in town starting Monday, May 6th through that early Saturday morning.  There’s a chance I could stay longer… but it is slim.  I’m excited about the timing because it’s Cindy’s birthday!  I also hope to see many friends, as time allows!

It snowed last week though… better be nice and 60-something for when I arrive

The photo above is one of the lighthouses in Erie located at Presque Isle.  You can see the ice chunks in the vast Lake Erie.  Brrrr…. !  I love our “winters” in Jacksonville!

I would have to disagree that “nobody counts Munchkin as a favorite.”  He’s my boo

From Flicker’s “Popular” photos from my own feed…

Even Kelsey thinks it’s a bold-face lie…

Thank you,

Jenson

Every artists was first an amateur.  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I feel inspired by this quote this morning.  No one usually starts as the best and the brightest.  It happens over time with experience.

A few details on the photograph in this post.  This was taking one Saturday morning at the Old City Farmer’s Market which occurs each Saturday at the Saint Augustine Amphitheater.   The Farmer’s Market has a totally different feel than Riverside Arts Market (RAM) in Jacksonville’s Riverside area so if you haven’t been, it is worth a trip one Saturday morning.

My favorite thing about the Old City Farmer’s market is the weekly hootenanny!  For those who may have heard the word, but don’t know what it means, is “an informal gathering with folk music and sometimes dancing.”  Each time I’ve been there were probably at least 20 musicians assembled playing and singing beautiful folk music.    It inspires me because these are people who just LOVE music.  Looks that that man’s hand… you can almost see his soul…

Here are a few other photos -  taken using instagram

It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
Lewis Grizzard

So, I am a total nerd. But these days, who isn’t. I think any hipster with glasses, an iPhone and a girl crush on Zooey Dechannel calls themselves a nerd.

I am at lunch, sitting at the Bahama Breeze bar with my diet pepsi and iPad waiting for my avocado crab stack. I got a new toy yesterday… a Logitech wireless bluetooth keyboard for my iPad that I’m trying out. I probably look funny sitting here alone with my soda, iPad and keyboard. But whateves. That’s me.

Anyway, not sure I’m in love with this keyboard. I’m an expert typist but struggle a little bit with the awkward placement of the keys. Let’s see if practice makes perfect and I get used to this.

Any have a favorite bluetooth keyboard for their iPad?

Let me bring peace into moments of chaos. — Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Just some food for thought as life seems crazy, stressful, or nearly unmanageable.  Introduce opportunities of peace to make it more tolerable…

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.  Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.”

I’m taking a moment to enjoy the beautiful day… to count my blessings.  And (trying to) patiently wait for a developing opportunity to finalize…

…I heard a neigh.  Oh, such a brisk and melodious neigh as that was!  My very heart leaped with delight at the sound.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Chimæra,” A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys, 1852 (about Pegasus)

One of the most unique adventures that I have been on since living in Florida, was a visit to Cumberland Island, GA, a sea island.  To get there from Jacksonville, you head north to Saint Mary’s, GA where you catch a ferry. When the ferry makes its journey to Cumberland island, passengers are dropped of and are greeted by wild horses.  The photo taken above captures the golden day, with a gentle breeze on the island.  Nearly 150 feral horses roam the dunes, marches and even the old estate lawns.  Source

The only way to get to Cumberland island is by boat.  There are beautiful, white sand beaches and also dense, salt marshes.  Very few humans live on the island — but it was once home to a beautiful mansion that is now hauntingly beautiful remains called the Dungeness Ruins.  The story behind the ruins:

“Revolutionary War Hero General Nathanael Greene purchased land on Cumberland Island in 1783. Following his death, his widow Catherine Greene, constructed a four-story tabby home that she named Dungeness. Thomas Carnegie and his wife Lucy began building another Dungeness on the original foundation in 1884. The Carnegie’s Dungeness burned in 1959 and today only the ruins remain on the site.”  Source

If you are new to Jacksonville, you need to go to Cumberland Island at least once!  Now is probably the best time to go.  If you go in the Summer, it’s going to be really hot… there will be lots of bugs… and you will be stuck on the island until the ferry comes back.  If you go on the right day, you’ll have great memories (and hopefully great photographs too!)

Here are some other photos from my trip:

Sand Dunes

Rear view of the Ruins – such beautiful light!

Dead tree on the beach

Lots and lots of seagulls…

I had been thinking of returning to blogging for a while and yesterday I bit the bullet. Let’s see if it sticks! I am enjoying the photography aspect of it and if it helps me shoot more consistently, I will be quite pleased!

… Posted from my iPad

However, I do sort of feel “old” today because I’m doing a few things characteristic of being older.

1) I’m drinking (diet) ginger ale.  And you know what, it’s delicious.  I even made it myself with my home soda factory aka Soda Stream.

2) I’m making Brussels Sprouts for dinner!  Have I made the transition to liking b-sprouts?  We’ll see!  I found a recipe that looks and sounds really good.  So here goes nothing… Oh… and who knew it was “Brussels” and not “Brussel?  Not me!

3) I’m about to watch the 6:00pm news. I enjoy watching the news… I hate not being up on current events… and I love me some Diane Sawyer.  But David Muir will have to do

Photography Information: Canon 50D, 50MM, 1.4 Macro Lens

STRAWBERRY BASIL FUSION (Strawberry-infused Prairie Organic Vodka with fresh basil and organic agave nectar). 

As a side note, they also make a tasty STRAWBERRY-COCONUT SKINNY MARTINI, which is Strawberry-infused Prairie Organic Vodka with pineapple-coconut water and organic agave nectar.  Sounds amaaazing, doesn’t it?

For those not familiar with Season’s 52, the menu is fresh.  It changes every week based on the availability of the fresh ingredients.  The restaurant is one of my new Jacksonville favorites… and here’s why (the short version is that the food is healthy, fresh and delicious!):

The Seasons 52 menu is seasonally-inspired with the fresh appeal of the farmer’s market. It represents a unique blend of art and science, with creative offerings designed to excite and surprise the palate. We feature dining choices that are thoughtfully prepared and in appropriate portion sizes. So our guests feel the freedom to indulge in a complete dining experience, including our custom flatbreads and signature mini-indulgence desserts, while still feeling good about themselves and their dining choices.

We use natural cooking techniques such as wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking and caramelizing vegetables to let the natural flavors shine through. And we execute precision with seasoning, and oil with control and care to ensure just the right amount is used to bring out the great flavor profiles. An added benefit to this style is that our menu items are naturally lower in calories. In fact, we make a promise that nothing on our menu is over 475 calories. The result is great tasting, highly satisfying food that just so happens to be good for you!

I would recommend trying Seasons 52 if you have not already tried it!  I strongly recommend making reservations!

But anyway — back to the strawberry basil kick.  Since they were out of the strawberry basil deliciousness, I have been craving the combination.  So much so that I even bought Strawberry Basil foaming hand soap from Bath and Body Works.

And tonight for dinner, I was inspired by this recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Basil and Feta.  I modified the recipe a bit and added my own flare.  View my version of the recipe here!

Do you have a favorite strawberry basil recipe?  Let’s hear about it in the comments!