Category Archives: postaday

March 17, 2014

Irish Blessings and Toasts (St. Patrick’s Day 2014)

By ritalovestowrite

Last year I did a profile of the man himself on St. Patrick’s Day. (Click here for that bio-blog)  Today I thought I’d share some Irish Blessings and Toast I’ve been collecting.  Thanks to Laurie, MaryPat, Bernie, Shannon, Kelly and Jane for contributing to this post.

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

May you never forget what is worth remembering,
or remember what is best forgotten.

May your troubles be less
And your blessing be more
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.

May those that love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
may God turn their hearts.
And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,
may he turn their ankles,
so we may know them by their limping!

May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven
half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.

May the roof above you never fall in,
And those gathered beneath it never fall out.

May the roof over your heads be as well thatched
As those inside are well matched.

May you be rich in blessings,
poor in misfortune,
slow to make enemies,
quick to make friends.
But rich poor, slow or quick,
may you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward

May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door,
and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas.

Health and long life to you,
land without rent to you,
a child every year to you,
and death in Old Ireland.

May I see you grey and
combing your grandchildren’s hair.

We drink to your coffin.
May it be built from the wood of a hundred year old oak tree
that I shall plant tomorrow.

Ach! Its snowing in Maryland so it is. So I thought I’d add some weather specific toast as well.

Here’s to health, peace and prosperity.
May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment,
nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door.

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

————————

Alas non of the photos were taken by me. Please follow the links to real photographer’s sites and pay them homage. They did a fine, fine job.

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5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Ireland, Irish Blessings and Toasts, postaday, St. Patrick, Thought of the Day

February 26, 2014

Pierre-Auguste Renoir 2.25 Thought of the Day

By ritalovestowrite

 

Self-portrait, (1875)

Self-portrait, (1875) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

“I’ve been forty years discovering that the queen of all colors is black.” — Pierre-Auguste Renoir

 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on this day in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France in 1841. Today is the 173rd anniversary of his birth.

 

He was the sixth child born into a working class family. His father was a tailor and his mother a seamstress.  When he was four the family moved to Paris, there Auguste attended primary school. By the time he was  a teen he was working at the Lévy Frères factory, a porcelain factory. He already had an interest in art and he brought some of his drawings to work. He was …

 

chosen to paint designs on fine china. He also painted hangings for overseas missionaries and decorations on fans before he enrolled in art school. During those early years, he often visited the Louvre to study the French master painters. [Pierre Auguste Renoir.org]

 

His family lived near the Louvre and he often went there in his free time with his sketch book. “His favorite painting was The Bathers by FrançoisBoucher, a Rococo piece, which would later inspire some of his artwork.” [TotallyHistory.com]

 

At 21 he began to study art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he met Frédéric Bazille, Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne.

 

He  was invited to exhibit at the 1864 Paris Salon, but he continued to struggle financially, sometimes he didn’t even have enough money to buy paint.

 

While his Salon works helped raise his profile in the art world, Renoir had to struggle to make a living. He sought out commissions for portraits and often depended on the kindness of his friends, mentors, and patrons. [Biography.com]

 

He served briefly in the French Army during the Franco-Prussian War, then returned to Paris at the end of the war. There he joined forces with his Impressionist friends to hold their own salon. The 1874 exhibit was a huge  success. Renoir’s six pieces in the show brought him to the attention of wealthy art patrons, such as the Georges and Marguérite Charpentier. “His 1878 painting, ‘Madame Charpentier and her Children,’ was featured in the official Salon of the following year and brought him much critical admiration.” [Ibid],”

 

English: Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) - Madame G...

English: Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) – Madame Georges Charpentier (Marguerite-Louise Lemonnier, 1848-1904) and her children, Georgette-Berthe (1872–1945) and Paul-Émile-Charles (1875–1895), 1878. Metropolitan Museum of Art Français : Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) – Madame Georges Charpentier (Marguerite-Louise Lemonnier, 1848-1904) et ses enfants, Georgette-Berthe (1872–1945) et Paul-Émile-Charles (1875–1895), 1878. Metropolitan Museum of Art (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

His success allowed him to travel internationally. Renoir went to Algeria, Madrid, and Italy. He met opera composer Richard Wagner in Palemrmo, Sicily and rather famously painted his portrait in 35 minutes. In 1883 he went to Guernsey for the summer.

 

Girl with a Watering Can

Girl with a Watering Can (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The Swing (La Balançoire), 1876, oil on canvas...

The Swing (La Balançoire), 1876, oil on canvas, Musée d’Orsay, Paris (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir 104

Pierre-Auguste Renoir 104 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

Femme Nue dans un Paysage, by Pierre-Auguste R...

Femme Nue dans un Paysage, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, from C2RMF cropped (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

In 1890 he married his longtime lover and muse Aline Charigot. They moved to a farm at Cagnes-sur-Mer near the Mediterranean to help alleviate the effects of Renoir’s rheumatoid arthritis. The condition left him wheelhair-bound, his joints were so swollen he couldn’t hold a brush and his limbs were misshapen. “In the advanced stages of his arthritis, he painted by having a brush strapped to his paralyzed fingers.” [Pierre Auguste Renoir.org]  He died at the age of 78 on December 3, 1919.

 

Self-portrait, (1910)

Self-portrait, (1910) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Art, postaday, Thought of the Day, Today's Birthday

February 24, 2014

Secondary Character Sunday: Disney Side Kicks

By ritalovestowrite

Timon-KH

Continuing the theme I’ve got going this February on Disney… this time it’s all about the SIDE KICKS! (Thanks to Maggie and Jenny who helped me come up with list.)

Disney Side Kicks come in three general categories…

  • The ones we love deep in our hearts. Those Side Kicks who help our protagonist and share knowledge along the way. They’ll likely risk their life to save the hero or heroine. It’s all part of the job.
  • Side Kick genre number two is the Bad Side Kick. Not quite the villain in the film, but not the good guy either. They always seem to cause trouble. And sometimes revel in getting our heroine in deep do-do (Lucifer, I’m looking at YOU.)
  • The last category of Disney Side Kick is the Comic Relief Side Kick. You know who I mean… the wise crackers, they don’t do much to advance the plot but they sure bring the funny for the kids. These Side Kicks are generally the most annoying, but you still gotta love ’em.

Here’s our top lists. Please write in and let me know who we forgot.

BEST  GOOD DISNEY SIDE KICKS EVER…

  • Meeko (Pocahontas)
  • ZaZu (The Lion King)
  • Cogsworth & Lumeire (Beauty and the Beast)
  • Gus & Jaq (Cinderella)
  • Baloo (Jungle Book)
  • Sebastian (Little Mermaid)
  • Pascal (Tangled)

And drum roll please… Maggie’s best  of the best Good Disney Side Kick’s is… Meeko; Mine is  ZaZu.

Zazu,_The_Lion_King_(2) copy

BEST BAD SIDE KICKS EVER…

  • Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, The Hyenas (the Lion King)
  • Percy, the Pug (Pocahontas)
  • Iago (Aladdin)
  • Hiss, the snake  (Jungle Book)
  • Floatsom and Jetsam (Little Mermaid)
  • Lucifer (Cinderella)

Maggie’s pick is Iago; Mine is also Iago.

Iago (Aladdin)

BEST COMIC RELIEF SIDE KICKS…

  • Abu (Aladdin)
  • Scuttle (Little Mermaid)
  • Muschu (Mulan)
  • Genie (Aladdin)
  • Terk (Tarzan)
  • Dory (Finding Nemo)
  • Olaf (Frozen)

Maggie’s pick … Olaf; Mine is Dori (OMG I couldn’t love Dori more! She’s the best, so just keep swimming every body!)

Finding Nemo (video game)

 

Bonus category: BEST DISNEY EQUINE Side Kicks:

  • Samson ,Prince Phillip’s Horse (Sleeping Beauty)
  • Maximus (Tangled)
  • Sven (Frozen)
  • Major (Cinderella)
  • Angus (Brave)
Maggie’s pick is Sven; Mine is Samson.
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Secondary Character: Disney Villlains Click Here!

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1 Comment | posted in Disney, postaday, Secondary Character

February 13, 2014

Special Snow Day Muffins– Nutella Zucchini Muffins

By ritalovestowrite
A little Nutella surprise is hidden in side these zucchini muffins. The perfect way to warm up on a snowy day.

A little Nutella surprise is hidden in side these zucchini muffins. The perfect way to warm up on a snowy day.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cup Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1 stick softened Butter
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup grated  Zucchini
  • 1/3-1/2 cup Nutella

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prep 12 muffin cups by spraying with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine the Flour, Salt and Baking Powder.
3. In a smaller bowl cream the Butter and Sugar together.  Add the Eggs, Vanilla and Milk and mix until well blended.
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a spoon.
5. Fold in the Zucchini.

Add the Zucchini to the batter.

Add the Zucchini to the batter.

6. Split the batter between the two bowls. Divide half the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. (They will be about halfway filled.)
7. Using a small scoop or teaspoon put a dollop of Nutella onto the top / center of each half filled muffin.

To put a bit of Nutella in each muffin I used my small melon baller. (I could have used a teaspoon -- probably would have licked the spoon then too! What was I thinking! OK -- You should totally use a teaspoon!)

To put a bit of Nutella in each muffin I used my small melon baller. (I could have used a teaspoon — probably would have licked the spoon then too! What was I thinking! OK — You should totally use a teaspoon!)

8. Divide the remaining batter to cover the rest of the muffins.

Action shot of me covering the muffins with the rest of the batter.

Action shot of me covering the muffins with the rest of the batter. I’m employing my larger melon baller here.

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the tops. You can try the toothpick test but you’ll likely hit the center of Nutella. (Of course you could then lick off that Nutella before discarding the toothpick. So… maybe.)

 

baked

These would be delightful as just zucchini muffins. The addition of Nutella puts them in a whole new category of wonderfulness. Why haven’t I made these before?

6 Comments | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

February 12, 2014

Judy Blume 2.12.14 Thought of the Day

By ritalovestowrite

“My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully and yell for help if you need it.”– Judy Blume

Judyblumepor

Judy Blume was born on this day in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1938. Today is her 76 birthday.

She was always an avid reader and remembers making up stories in her head as a child, but didn’t really start writing until her own kids were in preschool.  Her first book was The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo.

Bored with suburban life, she developed a creative outlet in writing and illustrating children’s stories. She published Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (1970), Blubber (1974), Tiger Eyes (1981), and several other novels for teenagers that dealt frankly with sensitive issues. [Biography.com]

She found a new audience in 1978 when she began to publish for adults. Blume hit the New York Times Best-Seller list with Wifey in (1978) and Smart Women (1983). She continues to score big. Her latest novel, Summer Sisters, sold over 3 million copies and  5 months on the NYTimes Best-Seller list.

More than 82 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-two languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her. [Judy Blume.com]

 

Judy Blume at NPR (Image Courtesy NPR.)

Judy Blume at NPR (Image Courtesy NPR.)

1 Comment | posted in postaday, Thought of the Day, Today's Birthday, Writing

February 12, 2014

Muffin Tuesday: Pineapple Citrus Fig

By ritalovestowrite

out of the oven 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup softened Butter

1/2 cup Stevia (Sugar substitute)

1 Eggs

1 tablespoon Orange Peel

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

8 oz crushed Pineapple (plus 2 slices of Pineapple divided into eighths — 16 pieces)

1 cup chopped Figs

Dicing the figs

Dice the figs with a small knife.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare 6 large muffin cups with cooking spray.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.

3. In a medium bowl coming the butter, sugar, egg, orange peel, and lemon juice.

4. In the bowl of a blender put the Pineapple and blend until crushed. Add the other liquid ingredients and pulse.

5. Add the liquid to the dry and stir until well mixed.

6. Divide evenly into 6 super-sized muffin cups.

7. Top with the segmented Pineapple.

8. Bake for 30 minutes until muffin are golden brown and they pass the toothpick test.

out of the oven

9. Let the muffins cool 5 minutes before enjoying.

These are nice and fluffy and super tasty.

beauty sliced

Leave a comment | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

February 12, 2014

Secondary Character Saturday: Flynn Rider (Tangled)

By ritalovestowrite

Tangled-flynn-rider-photo3

WHO: Flynn Rider (Eugene Fitzherbert)

FROM: Tangled

BY: Dan Fogelman (Story), Alan Menken (Music), Glenn Sather (Lyric)

PRODUCED: 2010

250px-Tangled_rapunzel_poster_20

PROS: Although you don’t see all of Flynn’s good characteristics at first, he’s funny, down to earth, master of the “smolder”, charming, romantic, good-hearted, compassionate, chivalrous, sensitive, kind — and of course he has “superhuman good looks” .

CONS: When we first meet him he’s a conniving thief who is only out to save his own skin … and steal a valuable  crown.

BEST SHINING MOMENT: Toss up: Taking Rapunzel to see the festival of lights, and cutting off her hair to free her from her “mother.”

LEAST SHINING MOMENT: He’s pretty much a rough through the first half of the movie.

Here’s Flynn trying to get out of a sticky situation by giving Rapunzel the “smoulder”…

Flynn-Riders-Smolder-GIF

WHY I CHOSE HIM: Well… when I did my Disney Princes profile last week I had several people tell me I simply HAD to see Tangled because they just loved Flynn. So I did, and I do. He’s a charmer, I admit.

Flynn-Rider-flynn-rider-33691405-500-600

Flynn/Eugene and Rapunzel get married at the end. She’s been restored to her place as Princess, so technically he becomes a Prince. The cute couple even make a cameo in the latest Disney blockbuster, Frozen.

——————————————————————————

All images on this post are courtesy: Disney.

Leave a comment | posted in Disney, Flynn Rider, postaday, Secondary Character, Tangled

February 5, 2014

Iced Me

By ritalovestowrite

Like most residents of the Mid Atlantic region I woke to a world covered in ice. There was a good 1/4″ of the stuff on the trees… the cars… the streets.

Image 1

This is Winter’s job… to make us feel cold, yes, but brittle too. Winter puts us in our place and lets us know that we are one good wind away from breaking, snapping clean,  and being brought down to the ground.

Winter bleaches the color out of the landscape and blows at us until us until we can only see in the simplest, meanest terms of black and white.

trees 2

Winter throws everything it has at us and dares us to be optimistic enough to think that anything will change. “LIFE IS HARD!” It laughs in its cold, harsh, bellowing voice. And it defies us to find anything beautiful or hopeful in the long cold day.

Image 2

But it has forgotten that we can see beauty in all things… all we have to do is  slow down and look. We know, despite what a cute little ground hog may or may not have said a few days ago in Pennsylvania that Spring and Easter are on the way…
And damn if we aren’t resilient enough to hold on for a few more snow storms.

Image 4

Hope you’ll have a safe, uneventful drive home (where ever home is).

Here’s a Robert Frost poem to celebrate the crack of branches and common things.

An Old Man’s Winter Night

All out of doors looked darkly in at him
Through the thin frost, almost in separate stars,
That gathers on the pane in empty rooms.
What kept his eyes from giving back the gaze
Was the lamp tilted near them in his hand.
What kept him from remembering what it was
That brought him to that creaking room was age.
He stood with barrels round him — at a loss.
And having scared the cellar under him
In clomping there, he scared it once again
In clomping off; — and scared the outer night,
Which has its sounds, familiar, like the roar
Of trees and crack of branches, common things,
But nothing so like beating on a box.
A light he was to no one but himself
Where now he sat, concerned with he knew what,
A quiet light, and then not even that.
He consigned to the moon, such as she was,
So late-arising, to the broken moon
As better than the sun in any case
For such a charge, his snow upon the roof,
His icicles along the wall to keep;
And slept. The log that shifted with a jolt
Once in the stove, disturbed him and he shifted,
And eased his heavy breathing, but still slept.
One aged man — one man — can’t keep a house,
A farm, a countryside, or if he can,
It’s thus he does it of a winter night.

Robert Frost

4 Comments | posted in postaday, Thought of the Day, Winter, Writing

February 4, 2014

Muffin Tuesday: Blueberry, Carrot, Oatmeal

By ritalovestowrite

single

Blueberry, Carrot, Oatmeal Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/4 cups Oatmeal
  • 1 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Skim Milk
  • 1 Egg White
  • 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 3/4 cup Blue Berries
  • 1/2 cup grated Carrots

Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep 12 muffin cups by spraying with baking spray.

2. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients; Oatmeal, Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Milk.

3. In a medium bowl stir together the Milk, Egg White, and Yogurt..

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

5. Fold in the Blueberries and Carrots.

IMG_6977

6. Divide evenly into the muffin cups.

7. In a small bowl stir the Sugar and Cinnamon together. Sprinkle on top the muffins.

with topping

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Muffins are done when the tops turn golden brown and they pass the toothpick test.

9. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.

baked

These are nice and moist. They are sweet from the Blueberries and the sugar, but hearty from the carrots and the oatmeal. Its a nice combination.

2 muffins

Leave a comment | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday