10 books!

 Don't take too long to think about it. Picke 10 books that have influenced you and that will always stick with you. Pick 5 Non-fiction Books and 5 Fiction Books.  List the first ten you can recall in no more than ten minutes. Tag at least fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what authors my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your ten picks, and tag people in the note.)

Non_Fiction

Ghost , Apparitions, and Poltergeists: An Exploration of the Supernatural through History - Brian Righi
Everyday Magic - Dorothy Morrison
Animal Speak - Ted Andrews
Forbidden Religion: Suppressed Heresies of the West - J. Douglas Kenyon
How to Photograph Absolutely Anything - Tom Ang


Fiction

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
Snowflower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See
The Princess Bride: S. Morganstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure - William Goldman
The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman


Winter

It's here already! Wasn't it just yesterday that it was August? This year has flown by so quickly! The year was filled with so many things. New additions, second jobs, adventures, and self discovery to name a few things this year. Not all the changes have been good, however, and I want to get back into the swing of things.

My photography has been left behind. I don't know why something that gives me such joy has suddenly taken the back burner.I'm sadly taking other priorities. Though I do need to take some time for myself and do what I love to do. The plan now is to read more, drink more coffee (and tea!), and take time to take some photos. even if its just snapshots of the family. I have so few pictures of the twins! Good gravy!

I've also been feeling like I need a big change. I've recently found a few friends I haven't seen in years on facebook and they're all over the place! Dakota moved to Arizona and then somehow ended up living in Chicago! My friend Jenn (whom I haven't seen since I was 12) moved to Nebraska then down to Arizona! She loves it and we talked about the possibility of a visit. I just feel that maybe I haven't gone far enough yet. There are just so many places to see and things to experience. Where will I find the time? Though the bigger question is: When will I find the courage?

Fifteen Authors

 Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen authors who've influenced you and that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag at least fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what authors my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your fifteen picks, and tag people in the note.)

1. J.R.R. Tolkien



2. Holly Black



3. J.K. Rowling



4. John Steinbeck



5. John Green



6. Holly Black



7. Edgar Allen Poe



8. Scott Cunningham



9. Ted Andrews



10. Dan Brown



11. Lisa See



12. Eoin Colfer



13. Patricia Briggs



14. Elie Wiesel



15. S. Morganstern

Reunions can be so SWEET!

The most spectacular thing happened! I went to check my e-mail last night and (pathetically) checked in my facebook. Much to my surprise I had a friend request, curiosity overcame my sleepiness and I clicked on it. It was my friend Jenn! I haven't seen her in about10 years!She's still just as amazing as I remember her!

It was a strange case of what to say. So much has happened, but it just seems that despite the long years without contact we still run on similar wavelengths. She said she felt terrible for not keeping in touch, but there wasn't a day that went by she didn't think of me or talk about me. It was like a revelation. I am the EXACT same way. She was my first real friend and it was simply magickal the way the love never faded or how neither of us had forgotten it. She now lives in Arizona and we talked about visiting. I hope we can keep in touch this time!

I just live for moments like these. It creates this feeling that I can't put into words and I start to remember stupid little things. I remember how she used to make me eat snowballs, or how she loved scars, and how her and I would tell ghost stories all night long.  I simply cannot wait to see her again!

Banksy Makes Time's Top 100!

Banksy makes TIME's Top 100 People!

Banksy's work embodies everything I like about art. It's accessible, public, not locked away. He makes social and political statements with a sense of humor. His latest exploit is Exit Through the Gift Shop, a film about a filmmaker who left off making a film about Banksy to become an art star himself. It sums up the art world perfectly — the authentic intertwined with the absurd.

The Birthday Weekend

Beef Stir-fry with Plum Sauce.

Anyone who knows me well knows that Don and I share the same birthday. Which happens to be today- Don hitting his big 5-0 and myself hitting a lowly 23. I had every intention of documenting this weekend from start to finish! Truth is, I was far too busy having the time of my life with the love of my life! From Ellicottville all the way to Pollywogg Holler there were just so many new and renewed experiences to share I simply don't know where to begin!

Immediately after work I left for Don's. It was a lovely 2 hour drive on a beautiful autumn day. When I arrived we went for dinner where I had the best damned stir-fry in the world at The Clubhouse Restaurant. Don had what he says is the best Parmesan Chicken in the world. They were both served to us on pans still sizzling from the stove. When we were full and very satisfied we went home and watched classic films with Christopher Lee on TCM.

The next morning we went out for breakfast. (If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for photographing food.) We stopped for a cup of Tim Hortons and then headed over to Perkins. After a huge breakfast we left for Ellicottville, NY. We walked the shops for a while before heading over to Bruce's Candles. Bruce's candles is a magnificent display of skill, scent, and art. This is the only place that Don could find Frangipani scented, well, anything. He bought the only 3 candles Bruce had in stock. After another cup of coffee we went on our way to Pumpkinville! Pumpkinville is located a few miles outside of Ellicottville. So far Don and I have gone for the last 2 years. Last year was far wetter and colder. However this year was buzzing with people, pumpkins, and apple cider!

Behind the Pilot.

The first place we ventured to was the far end of the farm to watch a helicopter take off. Never imagined we could actually go for a ride! $35 a person and a 20 minute wait, but we went up in the air and it was breath taking! (Literally, Don doesn't do well with heights.) I had never flown before and it wasn't anywhere near what I expected. It was smooth, much smoother than riding in a car. It felt as if I wasn't in the air at all in the first place. Absolutely amazing. I cannot wait to do it again!

And to think, that was only Saturday! Sunday we made a returned trip to Pollywogg Holler for lunch. More on that next post! If you'd like to see more pictures, place feel free to check out my Flickr.

Good Lord!

Its been quite sometime since I last posted something. Ah well,I guess that's what they call Blogging without Obligation, eh?

A great deal has happened that I'd like to talk about in the last few months. OH! So many pictures to share! I'd like to just ease back into writing a little with a meme tonight though. I could use a little fun!

1. WHO WERE YOU NAMED AFTER?
My Great-Grandmother. My mother promised her at the age of about...6(?) that she'd name her first daughter after her. It just so happened that I was born a year to the day she was buried.

.2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Oh man, I'm not sure. My hormones haven't been so friendly lately.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
It's readable. I mix my cursive and print quite a bit.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Ham, Thinly sliced.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Sure. I'm not perfect, but I am lovable and loyal.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Its one of many services I offer. Gratis.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Nope.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Probably not.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
Honey Nut Cheerios.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Never.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
When it matters and that's all that matters.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?
Mint Chocolate Chip. Hands Down.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Mouth. That's where I tend to gravitate. I watch people speak to me.

15. RED OR PINK?
Red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOU?
I'm indecisive. Drives me Bat-shit and if it bothers me that much think about my poor loved ones!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Grandpa, Pam, and my Jack-Jack.

18. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Denim shorts and no shoes at all. I'm barefoot 9 times out of 10.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Raviolis.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
My computer's humming....but now I want tunes!

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE?
Inch Worm Green. Who else but Crayola could come up with such perfect names for colors?


22. FAVOURITE SMELLS
Autumn- frosty mornings, cinnamon, and cloves, and leaves (Which Don tells me is the smell of "decay".) I never get tired of the seductive smell of Don's Cologne. (It makes me rather stupid.)
Campfire smoke.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Don, of course!

24. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
None. It bores me.

25. HAIR COLOUR?
Auburn with a ruby undertone. That's what the box says!

26. EYE COLOUR?
Brown?

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I much prefer my glasses. I tried the contact thing and found it more irritating than helpful. My glasses make me feel more intelligent and give me a certain look contacts just don't.

28. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
I'm a sap for happy endings. I hate admitting it, but I'm a hopeless romantic. 27 Dresses, Ever After, Princess Bride....

29. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Miss Congeniality.

30. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Black.

31. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer.

32. HUGS OR KISSES?
Both! How can you choose something like that? I suppose it depends on WHO is giving me said kisses or hugs.

33. FAVOURITE DESSERT?
I love sweets. Its hard to pick just one.

34. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts.

35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Chinese Character for "Love".

36. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
A British sitcom.

37. FAVOURITE SOUND?
The sound of Popcorn popping...and the sizzle of firewood.

38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles. When I found out the it was The Stones who sang that "Angie" song adults tortured me with as a child I've had it out for them ever since!

39. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Niagara Falls....two whole states away. I haven't gotten far just yet.

40. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Does being stubborn, sarcastic, and pumped up on caffeine count as talent? Then, no, probably not.


41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
DuBois, PA.

I found this Meme HERE! Stop by and give her a visit!

Adventure Time!

Its that time of year again! Its time to get dirty exploring places in nature that I ought to leave alone! The weather is improving, the Geese are coming home, and birds are chirping they signal to get back out and learn something new!

Earlier this week I had taken Maggie (Since I no longer have Jack to keep my company) for a walk. This walk turned into a muddy hike! We went to the Greece Canal County Park while the sun was shinning. There are several paths to walk and I absentmindedly picked one for us to try. It never occurred to me just how wet everything would be with the recent snow melt and rain we'd gotten. The truth be told it didn't really matter. If I had thought about it, we'd have never gone and had such a wonderful time.

After Several futile attempts to keep Maggie out of the mud I simply gave up. She wasn't going to avoid it and she was having far too much fun splashing in every water hole she could get her paws in. She ran in circles with her excitement, how could i keep trying to punish her for being a dog? If she wasn't circling me she was running through the trees ahead of me. She'd stop, look at me and run back to me as if too say,"You're too slow! Let's move faster!C'mon run with me!"

When we reached the end of the trail we met other walkers on the safe concrete roads. Everyone thought she was adorable Mud and all! One said, "You're sheep dog looks like a mud dog!" and another gentleman on a bicycle said,"Awww! Not in MY car!"

The car! I hadn't thought of that either! I had no towels and no way to clean her off. So I tried to get her to the water pump to clean her off a bit, but the manual pumping made it impossible and the noise scared her. All I could do was sigh, snap a few pictures and cover the car seat with the blanket I kept on my backseat.

When I got her home I tried to wash her off a little with the hose, but that didn't work out so well either. The water was cold and she struggled with me a bit. My Step-Mom opened the kitchen window and laughed,"What did you do with my dog!?" So I told her. She thought it was funny and was glad we had so much fun. I took her to show my father and he exclaimed the same thing, but was a little more irritant. However, after I explained the whole thing he was more amused than angry. I mean, after all, I'm the one who had to bath her. Twice.

Yellow Line || Gul Midtstripe

I've come to realize that I've fallen in love with photographs of roads. Yes, roads I say! (Which isn't surprising, I've been falling in love with a great deal of things lately. Criminal Minds, Matthew Gray Gubler, Tim Burton, and Pop Tarts...to name a few.)

There's just something so amazing about where we've been and nothing more enticing than where we might be going!

This lovely photograph was taken by a gentleman who's user name is Tilman Paulin. please check out his flickr account for more lovely things.

A New Year for BOOKS!

When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Click here to pre-order.


I cannot wait for this book! I've been waiting for a year after reading Bone Crossed in a single day. Its terrible how I manage to do this to myself, but fortunately I have a wealth of books lined up to read to keep me busy in the mean time.

Right now I'm reading Peony in Love by Lisa See. See wrote Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I'd read that some months ago and I enjoyed it immensely. This is a more recent novel of hers and it is gut wrenching to say the least. Its along the same lines as The Lovely Bones, but set in China like her previous novels. So far its been nothing but a page turner. I have to strain to keep my eyes open because I simply do not want to put it down.

Next on my list is The True Story of Hanzel and Gretel: a Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy.I'm not entirely sure what made me pick this one up. I have a rather predictable habit of stopping in the book section at any grocery store I happen to be shopping in. This time Wegmans had the spotlight. Armed with a shopping basket full of soda for dinner and Oreos for dessert I walked around the book shelf stopping periodically to read a synopsis or two. Wegmans suprises me with the small but wide variety of books they have. Almost every time I stop I spot a book I want to buy. This time the temptation was just too great.

In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed "Hansel" and "Gretel." They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called "witch" by the nearby villagers. Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children.

Combining classic themes of fairy tales and war literature, this haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children, and tells a resonant, riveting story.

Click here to order this book.

2010

Its a new year and it doesn't feel much different than it did yesterday. Its still snowing, the economy is still in bad shape, and things just aren't looking to bright for the upcoming year. Where's the optimist? I'm afraid she's been buried under some poor choices as of late.

However that can't stop me, not entirely in any case. I've picked up my camera again and despite the odd ups and downs of Upstate New York weather I've gone out and gotten a few photos I'm rather proud of. However, the feeling is simply gone. I had always taken short "road trips" with at least one friend in tow. Having lost my main photographing partner in a motorcycle crash in April of this past year I simply don't feel the joy and the magic that I had before. The memories I create now are my own and they're lonely ones. I'm going to have to take my photography in an entirely new direction. I'm going to have to revamp it and look at it another way. My photography had always reflected someting I've felt...and i can see the loneliness in the photos I've taken recently. Even the happy snapshots of the family are proof enough. I'm hanging in the background watching and capturing their happy moments, but never truely getting in on the festivities.

I'd stopped reading for a few months...I had tried going out and having some adventures...but knowing few people and having no sense of direction I quickly got lost. I think I need to take it a step at a time and go back to reading a bit more and looking to fill some voids a little less. So I've picked up a few new books from my now favorite place: Barnes & Noble. I've gotten a new Photography book, a biography of a Wiccan laywer, and a tragic love story too keep my mind where I want it-in a world full of education, fact, and fiction. A remedy that can soothe the aches and pains of a troubled heart and mind. (To quote Don, "Take two 'a these and call me in the morning!")

That was a lot of ramble to get on to my point. That is my mind set as of right now...and I've decided that I want to dedicate this year to findning and creating myself. I want to transform and mold myself into who I want to be. This is most and formost something I wish to do for me, however, I also think the people around me will beniefit just as much.

So Blessed be to everyone who stumbles upon this meager blog and have a blessed new year.