Here and There

Just the other day, as I was in the vicinity, I drove through the peacock neighborhood off Lake Margaret. Oh yeah, now I remember why I was around there. Of course only I will remember the two trips I've made to the clock repair guy at "The Swiss House" on Edgewater Drive in College Park. Long story short, the other two fixes, as in battery issues, did not cut it, so I finally decided to go for broke, and get it working for the long haul. I love that clock, and have so missed having it work. More than ten years ago I purchased it from a gallery in Ft. Lauderdale that represents the artist. Checking online, I discovered that they had moved the shop to Curry Ford Road across the street from my favorite produce market, Clemons! Hurray! He fixed it while we were chatting about the move, and once again, it is both keeping time, AND the pendulum is swinging. Happy days are here again!

What a crazy long lead-in to this photo...

What was so weird about my visit to the neighborhood is that I probably saw maybe ten peacocks and peahens? Wonder where they were hiding? My last visit I saw at the very least, 50! It is most wise to drive carefully on those streets, as generally there are many peacock crossings. Well, because I was driving so slowly, I happened to see this....

Oh my gosh!! On the one hand you have to feel kind of bad for the frog, however, on the other hand, it is the cycle of life which we all know can be cruel.

Just when you thought I'd photographed anything and everything, right?

Prior to all this activity, I finally used my winnings from the Parkinson's fundraiser that I wrote about here. Originally I thought I was bidding on a facial, but as it turns out, it was more, as in a pedicure/facial/massage package. In desperate need of a pedicure, I made the appointment for that service. It was nothing like I'd experienced before, because not once in all my pedicure ways have I been seated in a zero gravity chair!

Yup, I've got my head inches from the ground! The Beauty Spot is what might be called very eclectic, if you know what I mean.

According to their website, it is a place where "beauty has a soul." Stay tuned for the next appointment in a few weeks!

It is that time of year again...the night blooming cactuses are budding out all over town.

Another tree, nearby is stunning this time of the year..I've learned it is called a Golden Chain tree, and you can see why! This is a close up of some of the branches taken about two weeks ago.

It now looks like this!!

Pretty spectacular, don't you agree?

Well, I thought it was going to be a once in a lifetime shot, but I was wrong. Not nearly what the other photo was, but as I was talking to a neighbor, while scanning the trees for "my owls", I finally saw one across the street from where we were standing. Lo and behold, before our very eyes, it flew to another tree and...

Not a great photo, but I thought you'd like to know.

Finally, I made some fried okra the other day and here's what my frying station looked like.

The ones in the middle, obviously waiting their turn, are developing their breading. What I mean by that is, if you let them sit awhile after coating, the crunchy part is crunchier, or that's what I learned from a fried chicken recipe, and I believe it holds true for okra. A good soak in ice water, followed by a turn in a cornmeal/flour/spice mixture is what you do. Let the frying begin!! Oh yeah, and eating too.

my last post in May 2015,

Gail

p.s. prompting me to wonder what five years ago I had to say. Oh my! A great title on that one for sure.