Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Roaming Through the Hodgepodge

My sole poppy blossom.
June of 2014
It was a little weird, but I loved the color.



To join Joyce and the crew
for Wednesday Hodgepodge,
click on the button below.


1. The month of July was named for Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. He's quoted as saying, 'Experience is the teacher of all things." So what has experience taught you lately?

Experience has taught me that one cannot expect quick fixes for problems that were years in the making. Experience has also taught me that diligence may be my strong suit, but patience is not.


 Bridge over the Trout stream


2. Where did you last 'roam'?

I last roamed Travelocity.com.  I'm always roaming Travelocity.com.

My roaming sometime this week will be in the fabric department, looking for just the right flannel baby/kid print and satin edging to make a blankie for our newest grandson who is due to arrive on the outside, mid August.


3. Speaking of 'Rome'...pizza, pasta, gelato...you can only pick one, which would you choose?


 In Stillwater, MN


Gelato, for sure. A few years ago, I bought an ice cream maker and tried several recipes of homemade ice cream and gelato. By September I had gained at least 5 pounds. It's delicious, but not worth watching the numbers on the scale creep up surge upward. My ice cream maker is in storage. But I'll admit, I've been thinking about it a lot lately...

Pizza is a close second, as long as it's my own gluten-free pizza made with Food for Life tortillas as the crust and topped with tomato paste, cooked chicken breast, oregano, fresh parsley, fresh tomatoes, black pepper, jalapenos, Carmen peppers, onions, mushrooms, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese.


The one with black olives and sundried tomatoes
Before going into the oven (460 degrees) for the first 9 minutes.
After I put the cheese on, then it goes in for another 8 minutes.


4. 'Rome wasn't built in a day', 'All roads lead to Rome', 'When in Rome...' which 'Roman' idiom have you most recently encountered? Explain.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Bodies do not heal in a day.


5. What's a movie you've seen or a book you've read, that makes you want to book a trip to Italy?


Vernazza by Moonlight


Our daughter's photos of Italy, watched as a slideshow on our TV, are the closest I've been to a movie set in Italy. If I ever go to Italy, it will be with our Italian-speaking daughter accompanying as translator. The photos she has sent us of her/their trips to Italy are so alluring. But I haven't seen all the cathedrals of England yet, and since I'm not making too much progress in that area, it will be a while until a trip to Italy is booked. Rigid and inflexible.


6.  Walt's original Disneyland opened almost sixty years ago, on July 17, 1955  Have you ever been to the California park? How about any of the other Disney parks around the world? What's your favorite amusement park ride or attraction?

Amusement parks don't interest me. I have visited both Disneyland and Disney World. Hype.

Tower of London

Long lines are always the greatest deterrent, and this is the closest I'll get to an amusement park.
I was not one of the people in line. I hate lines.

7. It's that time of year...when were you last bitten or stung?

I was bitten by the travel bug and stung by the rising price of airfare. In my own backyard, I've suffered neither mosquito bite nor wasp sting this year. I'd like to keep it that way, although we have a hoard of industrious paper wasps determined to build a nest on the wall of our porch. Last time, I nipped it in the bud, so to speak, by beating their nest with the telescoping handle of my cobweb buster covered in a rag soaked in Raid when their nest was only the size of a shooter marble. I've seen a 14 inch paper wasp nest in our tree out back. That's not happening in my porch.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Why is it that any kind of weather storm, which has been occurring for millennia, is always the top story on the morning or nightly TV news. Our local TV station even has a section called, 'SkyWARN 13.'  Really. You'd think that weather is a big surprise, and that every change in the weather is dangerous. An overpaid sports 'celebrity' doing anything is usually the second story. It is just incredible that we call ourselves an informed electorate, but if we're informed, it certainly isn't the fault of the mainstream media, who are doing everything possible to make sure we continue to be anesthetized with bread and circuses while remaining ignorant of what's happening in our nation and the world. 


 My Vintage Globe


***

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37 comments:

  1. I wish I were as mosquito free as you - I have been bitten by them constantly lately here in KY :) and I would have to choose pizza!

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  2. Pizza is my favorite food, never heard of gelato so now i have learned something new and that if i eat it will gain weight.
    the weather and news makes me crazy, and i don't watch it. i get my news as in breaking on the computer and look at the radar to see what is out there.
    love the bridge shot

    I hate lines and crowds of people..

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  3. This is an interesting read this morning … that globe looks familiar, not vintage to me! And the Tower of London scaffolding--seems like so many historic spots we've visited have scaffolding involved… things do need repair, seemingly all at once.
    Your pizza looks good. Have you ever made one with a cauliflower crust?

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  4. We had a lot of poppies in our back garden in the UK-enormous blooms and so pretty, but they are very short lived.

    As you know I love all things England, but Italy is right up there too. Intoxicating!

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  5. I always thought that the Optimistic Existentialist had his hair tied in a knot on his head, but I see this morning that it is a tree. I really need to wear my glasses more often.

    I identify with a number of your responses, but it was the weather reporting that got me. Last night John tuned in to our local news (I'd never bother) and for forty-five solid minutes we got up to the minute details (there weren't any) of a flooded Main Street in Madison. Sigh. And this is what passes for reporting these days. The national alphabets report the most ridiculous of things suitable for social media, but having nothing whatsoever to do with the state of the economy or the country or the fact that four plane loads of illegal immigrants just landed two hours south of us. Sigh.

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  6. These were great to read. I was just bitten not 5 minutes ago ... by my rabbit on my boob!! I hate that rabbit. He quickly went back into his cage :[ I've been to Italy and can't wait to go again. I've never had such fun or been so amazed (and I've been to England too, but Italy was so exotic in comparison). Every stop we made included gelato (which I never want to eat in North America in case it ruins my memories of the delicious gelato there). The churches were incredible ... and marble sidewalks in Rome blew me away ... MARBLE SIDEWALKS!! I was thrilled to visit Pompeii which has always intrigued me. If I could go with a personal guide, that would be wonderful. Take advantage of that! Wendy x

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  7. Now I want some of your pizza, it looks/sounds delicious! I'm afraid I'd have to choose pasta for the Great Scot's sake though!

    Bread and circuses; just one reason we haven't had a television for 10 years.

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  8. That gelato sounds yummy! =) I love to roam the fabric department...sounds fun.
    Blessings, Valerie

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  9. I agree with you about Disneyworld/land...too many people, too many lines!

    If you ever do go to Italy, you'll have the perfect guide :)

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  10. Your daughter's photo is wonderful. The pizza looks so delicious. The ingredients you listed are all of John's favorites. I enjoyed seeing your vintage globe.

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  11. Ooh, your pizza looks and sounds amazing!!!

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  12. I too have been bitten by the travel bug however our budget and working on the house got in the way. It stings a little.

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  13. laughed at your bitten and stung. :)

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  14. I've learned that quick fixes are not solutions for problems but live with someone who is quite content to apply quick fixes and then complain when those fixes fail. What? LOL I took a little tumble on Monday and am quickly discovering that the healing is going to take longer than the healing of my youth. Ah, youth. How I miss it. And then. other times, I'm grateful for my age now. Pizza is my summer downfall this year. And ice cream. What else is one to do while having to sit? LOL

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  15. Good answers!
    I didn't think about roaming like that, it reminded me that I like to roam on Pinterest!

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  16. Well written random thought!!

    NO mosquito bites. How on earth have you accomplished that? :-)

    Your pizza looks great. I will be over for pizza and the Popsicle when I get back from Montana.

    xx oo
    Carla

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  17. Bitten by the travel bug - stung with the prices is absolutely brilliant LMHO !!! I haven't had gelato in years and I really wish you hadn't mentioned it - good grief I'll be looking for that all over now. How can you not have been bit by a mosquito yet? Although I don't think John has either - I'm bitten alive nightly - can't go out the door without my " OFF " in my hand.
    These posts are so fun Judy !
    XOXO

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  18. What a beautiful photo of Vernazza by moonlight. Gorgeous!

    Your pizza looks really good.

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  19. Beautiful pictures, love the moonlight, Blessings Francine.

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  20. I am with you on the gelato! I have had it several times, but the best was in San Antonio on the river walk, coconut almond I believe was the flavor. Love how the use nuts. The Rome question also made me think of gelato. The scene in Roman Holiday where she buys it from a street vendor.
    As for bites, the mosquitoes have been pretty terrible here. So far I have only gotten a handful, but they seem to last forever and swell up.

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  21. That pizza looks amazing!
    I am over amusement parks too, its more fun as a kid and these days get way too expensive. Not really a happy place for your wallet! ;0)
    We stayed in Vernazza in Italy, such a beautiful place!

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  22. Very clever turn on the bitten and stung answer! Chuckled at that. Your pizza looks scrumptious, and Im a sucker for globes.

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  23. Great read for me today, I agree with your thoughts about the mainstream media.
    I have visited Disney World, and it is now off my bucket list.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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  24. Your vintage globe is lovely. Actually, a globe purchase just last year will be out of date today....would that make it 'vintage' also?

    I need to look up your gluten-free tortillas. I'm doing no/low carb right now, so having something to wrap around some meat (or hold pizza goodies) would be nice.

    Great Hodgepodge!!

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  25. Your sole red poppy stole the show!!! It IS lovely!!
    BTW- How lucky to be mosquito free! Ours are terrible this summer!

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  26. Gelato definitely can be dangerous!

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  27. I'm so not a fan of lines, too, but in Dublin two weeks ago I waited in line to see the Book of Kells, and so worth it. Love gelato and had a great chocolate hazelnut recently.

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  28. Oh my goodness, if it wasn't so hot I would be out there heating up the BBQ and making pizza, that looks so good.

    Jen

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  29. Wow...it would be awesome to tour Italy with your daughter as your guide. I hope that happens for you one day.

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  30. Oh, you're having a new grandson?! So am I! Ours will be "outside" (love the way you said that!) in November. So exciting!!

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  31. Congrats on having a new grandson. I enjoyed your post. I am just starting up a new blog and would like to invite folks to follow if they choose. Beautiful photos here. Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods. Love the name of your blog.

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  32. #8: I've wondered the exact same thing. If it rains, or snow, or blows, it's like it's the first time it's ever done that and nobody know what to do. Not Breaking News for me.

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  33. Your pizza looks and sounds yummy. The travel bug...I love that! Like your random and that is why I never watch the news. I hate seeing the weather people waiting for the big storm that never comes!

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  34. I could not agree more with you on standing in lines whether it's at Disney Land or some other over priced amusement park. Also I say an enthusiastic "AMEN" to your random thought. Nice looking blog.

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  35. Hi Judy, it was nice to meet you on Hodgepodge :-) You'r blog looks enticing but I have laundry to do... so I'll be back! Thanks for the comment on my blog.

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  36. Gelato - YUM! Pizza - YUM again!

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  37. Wow, this is a pure genius post that "Romes" around a bit :-)
    1) July experience ... many. but one is to look after myself better on the mountain ... bought some walking poles.
    2) Roam ... everywhere ! Flickr takes up more time than I thought it would.
    3) Split between Pasta and Gelato, I'll just leave you with the thought that I've not had many pastas in July ...lol !!
    4)"When in Rome" something I use haha
    5) - Anything by Francesco Da Mosta.
    - Lundi Matin (Monday Morning 2002),
    - In memoir di me (In Memory of me 2007).
    6) Amusement parks aren't my thing but if I had to be pushed for an answer, log flume would be my first choice, now that's going back years !!
    Funnily enough the last longest line I was in for a queue was in Rome closely followed by Barcelona Gaudi Cathedral and then Louvre Paris. Normally been to London out of season or first thing in the morning for any other major attraction.
    7) Bitten and Stung ... yeah, sorry about your issues.
    It was difficult to know whether I was bitten by a Scottish midge last week but they are irritating as they crawl over you if you stand still for a while. Haven't had any major bite before.
    8) Beautiful day today NYMR to Pickering for a few hours, stopped at Roseberry Topping and Great Ayton on the way back. Tomorrow the weather forecast is awful with torrential rain warnings ... it'll save watering the garden. Somehow peoples lives and mood seem to be affected by the weather, it seems to upset the little planet that they are on. Major news stories can seem a bit surreal coming into the living room, it's as if it comes from another world where a few are opinionated and the majority don't want to argue with them.

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