We were on the upper NC section of the Blue Ridge Parkway this year, which has more open, rolling pastureland than you see in the “High Country” lower down. The park’s boundaries are narrower in this section — sometimes only a half-mile wide — so in addition to enjoying some grassland “hobbit hikes” along with our mountain-climbing and waterfalls, we also brushed up against more farms, homes, and… well, cows… this year. (We called them wild cows, or cow-bears, in order to feel more daring and adventurous.) (more…)
Tag: beautiful
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French Breakfast Radishes and Haiku
I couldn’t resist these pink and white gems in the grocery.
They’re French Breakfast Radishes, which I hear are easy to grow because they tolerate the heat well and stay sweet and tender even in adverse growing situations. They’re easy to find around here, and so full of flavor and crunch that you’ll find yourself picking up a bunch of them again and again.
These radishes inspired me so I determined to actually eat them for breakfast (sadly I could not eat them in France), sprinkled lightly with salt and white pepper, moist and crunchy. I would have added lemon juice if I’d had any. Some people like them on crostini with cream cheese; I think they are divine all by themselves.
If I were making a summer salad, I might layer them with fresh basil leaves, and drizzle them with some extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Mmm.
They call for a haiku, don’t you agree?
The Man Pulling Radishes
Kobayashi Issa, Early 1800’sThe man pulling radishes
pointed my way
with a radish. -
World Champion Boxer Katie Taylor Steals the Commercial
Once in a while I get an advertising inquiry in my email inbox.
It’s nice, on the one hand, to feel like one’s blog is out there enough to be noticed, but even nicer than that is the fact that this is my personal blog and I get to do whatever I like here.
And here’s the thing: I love women’s boxing. You may have guessed this about me. Katie Taylor (whom I’ve posted about before) rocks my world. I don’t care about the drink advertised at the end of this video (never heard of it before, in fact), and I don’t even know who the musicians are, even if they are blowing down the house in this piece.
But Katie? Katie damn well steals this show. Didn’t you want to play it over again just to catch Katie’s rapid fire knockout straights again? What I wouldn’t have given to be in the warehouse when they were shooting this — don’t you know those guys were slammed over by Taylor?
So yes, nice advertising rep who contacted me: I’ll run this video. But I don’t need the special video player or payment for every view from the UK. I have to say, along with my across-the-pond sister Niamh at Inspiring Sports Women, we run these things because we love the boxers. We love the inspiring women. We’re shouting for you, Katie!
Take it all the way, girlfriend.
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Breakfast at Tiffany’s
I watched Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s again last night and remembered all the things I loved and hated about that fabulous old (1961) film. I loved that her couch is half a bathtub and that her phone is in a sound-muffling suitcase. I loved every single outfit Holly Golightly wore, even the tuxedo nightgown. And the enormous hats! I loved Patricia O’Neal, and even even! Buddy Ebson. George Peppard was okay as a love interest, but he was a bit soft and maybe even too pretty for me; he didn’t come close to matching the passion and energy of Audrey/Holly. If she hadn’t been so screwed up herself, she would never have fallen for him. Oh, and I loved “Moon River.” Especially when Audrey sang it.Naturally, I hated Mickey Rooney’s role. Yikes! I know it was probably the most apologized-for role in cinematic history, but what a cultural disaster, even worse than the incessant smoking and glib treatment of the mafia. But most of all I feel conflicted about Cat. Poor baby, the misery he endured at that party! Not to mention his most miserable and biggest role during the closing scene in the rain. I have to say my pleasure in that final scene is greatly diminished because of his obvious suffering.
Still, isn’t Audrey stunning? Dah-ling, you know she is.
