A to Z Challenge -Z

 

Can you believe that it’s been a full month?  This month has just seemed to fly by. It seems almost sad to post these last few photos. But then again, it wouldn’t be complete if I don’t so let’s go.

Z- Zipper

 

Such an amazing invention. I’m thankful to whomever it was that invented the zipper. Just imagine jeans without zippers. OH yeah, Levis 501 button fly – they fit amazingly well, but was a pain in the butt to undo when you  need urgent bathroom relief. I know I’m not the only one that experienced that.

 

 

Z- Zoo

Always a favorite with the girls, a trip to the zoo.  For anyone that visits the St. Louis area, the St. Louis zoo is one of the best in the nation and it’s free.  Don’t forget a frozen coke before you leave!

 

There were a few other Z words that I came up with but couldn’t figure out how to photograph:

• Zithromax-   an antibiotic that  my kids took on more than one occasion.
• Zombie – yeah, how am I going to capture that?
• Zillow –  yeah, Got lost on there a few hours yesterday.
• Zucchini –  Well, I had planned to but when I got out the zucchini that I bought,  it was rather on the  putrid side so I tossed it. Really, it was slimy on one end. Yuck!
• Zumba – yeah, I don’t want  pictures of me shaking all of this for y’all to laugh at.
• Zzzzzzzzz – the all elusive z’s. Some nights are better than others, but last night I didn’t get many. Between leg cramps, coughing, sneezing, sweating, and the howling wind outside sleep didn’t happen.

Anyway, that concludes my month of photographs from A through Z. Did you see anything that caught your eye? Did you have a favorite photo? Did one give you an idea? Share  what inspired you!

I have no idea what I will do for May –  I have a day to think on it.  Til then –

Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie

 

 

 

 

A to Z Challenge -Y

 

Y -yellow

Sunflowers

 

 

 

I know I used them before but they are yellow so I’m using them again. They are just so vibrant and sun-shiny!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at these beauties!  I have a couple of people asking me for bulbs once the flowers fade.

Until then, I am enjoying the show!

 

 

 

Yellow lines on the road. A sight that I see on most of these winding country back roads.

Y- Yarn.

Yarn – and look, one of them is even yellow! The three skeins in

<—this photo are for a Frank Lloyd Wright architect scarf for an auction event. —> This is what I do with leftover yarn, make cup cozies! Well, that and some other things. I’ve been cleaning  my basement, *shudders* and discovered that I am on the verge of being a hoarder with yarn. I’ve found 7 skeins of yarn that I forgot I had, 12 partial skeins leftover from other projects, and numerous scraps of partial skeins.  I didn’t count them, but  they filled a kitchen trash bag 3/4 full. Holy cow I’ve got a lot of yarn! Cup cozies for everyone!

I told you all before, I suffer from stuffitis! Apparently bordering on hoarding of yarn and craft stuff.  I could open a craft boutique in my basement if it was in order!  Is there such a thing as a  yarn addict support group? Because I may have a problem here. Maybe.

Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie

 

 

 

 

A to Z Challenge -X

X-

I’ve got nothing.

I thought about a clever X’s and O’s with a kiss but it’s hard to take  a picture of kissing while you’re kissing. I thought about taking a picture of an exit sign, but I didn’t go anywhere on the highway today.

I thought about xylitol, but I use stevia. I even considered raiding my sister’s Xanax to take a picture of one, but I thought better of that also.

So you’ve got a whole lot of nothing, yet there is something. Rather an existential post, wouldn’t you say?

 

 

Ellie

A to Z Challenge – W

 

 

W- Wisteria

This is larger than it looks in this image. The span from one side of the wisteria to the other is roughly twelve feet. It’s hanging down over this  cliff, from the top. Fifteen years ago there was a lovely white house above this bluff, that didn’t used to be a bluff.  When the house was sold, it was demolished and they cut into the side of the hill to create this bluff on the side of a parking lot next to the grocery store.  Apparently, the bulldozer missed the tree and the  wisteria.

W- Wine

For medicinal purposes. Seriously. No really, per the doctor’s orders.

W- Wings

I know it doesn’t look like it now, but those are wings. Trust me,  you’ll see when it is completed. Oh, and they glow in the dark!

W- Water

 

Beauty and grace can be a deceptive thing. Beneath the serene surface, danger lurks. Never the less, the ocean draws me, relaxes me and excites me.  No, not in any weird sort of way. I don’t really put much stock in horoscopes but I am a water sign.

Or maybe it’s the landlocked syndrome of being a midwesterner.  Either way, I can’t wait to  smell the salt air again soon. I’m relating more and more to snow birds. I think I may become one.

Write on my friends, write on.

Ellie

A to Z Challenge – U,V

U – USB

A familiar thing that we can’t seem to function without!  To connect my phone to the computer to download my pictures, then be able to upload them onto here. Only one problem with that, yesterday and most of today I have not had any internet access.  Isn’t it amazing how fast we become dependent on technology? Ten years ago I was quite happily oblivious to computer usage except that which I used for work.  For the past couple of days, when I have internet access, it’s like having dial up again. Talk about wanting to bang your head on the wall. The other U word I came up with was undies and I’m not posting a pic of those. Yeah, there are  some things that  the world does not need to see.

Moving on!

V – Virginia

 

My mother – Virginia. She passed away April 11, 2009.  She  had many good qualities, would help anyone that needed it, would give you the shirt off of her back, and greatly enjoyed giving to others. She was hard on her  children, because she wanted us to excel in our lives.  She doted on her grandkids, every single one of them.

V- Vegetables

So colorful and healthy! (Can you tell I just went grocery shopping?)  Quality food begins with fresh produce! Well, that’s all the time I have for today since the internet has been wonky. Write on my friends, and  take

Write on my friends, Write on!

Ellie

A to Z Challenge – T

 

 

T- Tulips

tulips in a planter

I absolutely love the pop of color that these tulips provide inside the concrete planter alongside this building where the owners have painted the brick black.

Funny story – it used to be  just the old bricks. Then this guy drove his car through the side of the building. Poor guy had a heart attack.  Anyway,  after that, they put up a big banner of the Koolaid Pitcher – OH YEAH!

Once they repaired the brickwork, the new bricks didn’t match so the owner painted it black as well as most of the rest of the building.  Inside they need double the lighting that they currently have.

Anyway,  the tulips are pretty!

Write on my friends, and  take time to smell the erm . . . tulips.

Ellie

A to Z Challenge -S

 

What are you guys thinking about my photography challenge? I’m having a blast with this!

I’m wondering if maybe I should invest in a real camera.

Sunflowers

S – Sunflowers

We grew sunflowers one year. They were taller than me! OK, so that doesn’t take much since I am only 5 foot 5 inches.  The heads on them were over twelve inches across! I have a picture somewhere of me standing next to them with flaming red hair! By October I had gone back to my natural brown.

Quotidiandose does not own rights to this image. All rights reserved to the artist.

S- Sailboat

Someday I am going to learn to sail. It seems like it would be perfect! Serenity, solitude, and speed when the wind catches the sail! Sign me up!

 

Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie

 

 

 

 

A to Z Challenge – R

 

R – Red Wine & Roses

 

You had to know I would  use this as one of my R words, right?

My very first published book! This is contemporary romance, and a bit steamy! According to one of the reviews, too steamy.

Most of my manuscripts are paranormal fantasy. This one is a stand alone. I loved writing it,  but I already know some things I will do differently in my next romance.

Red Wine & Roses – get your copy and leave me a review!

 

 

 

R – Reviews

The all important reviews for a book.  I don’t know how many readers actually read the review before purchasing, but to an author, it’s vitally important to receive reviews.

Wonderful Romance, extra Spicy

Couldn’t Put This Book Down

I Loved The Characters

 

R – Rice

 

 

Rice is the mainstay of most of the world’s diet.  It is versatile, so it’s used in a variety of  cooking styles. For instance Spanish Rice next to the Chimichanga and refried beans, Fried rice with the sweet and sour shrimp,  steamed rice with chicken ala king, or my favorite . . RISOTTO.

Which requires a RECIPE

If you can’t get any morels,  then you can substitute another type such as Portobello. Morels are best, but they are hard to find/get.

 

 

Risotto with Morels

Ingredients:
1/2 pound  morel mushrooms, chopped into small pieces – rinsed and soaked in salt water then drain on a paper towel
4 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces bacon, cooked drained and chopped
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
freshly chopped parsley

Directions:

In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
In a  Dutch oven, melt the butter and the morels, and bacon, saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed,  10 minutes. Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not  dry. Remove from  heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve  with extra cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.

R- Rash

While poking around in the garage working on furniture  restoration, I’ve gotten into something that has irritated my skin. The sad thing is I have no clue as to what it was, so I’m likely to repeat this.

 

And technically, I did not take this picture. My daughter took it of me.

Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie

 

A to Z Challenge – Q

 Q -quinoa

An amazing super food! There are so many ways to incorporate this into your diet. Here are a few suggestions:

1.  use instead of rice, or combined with rice
2. use in place of bread crumbs in meatloaf
3. use as you would oatmeal in the morning – add your favorite toppings. Mine are peaches, cream, and a little honey.
4. Make quinoa cookies – pretty much like you would make oatmeal cookies.
5. Add it to a basic bread recipe!
6. Add some to your salad before drizzling your favorite dressing over it.

Q – Queen

 

Queen -of hearts,  of diamonds, spades, but what about clubs? Are there no songs to commemorate the queen of clubs?

Many of you may not know this,  but a friend of mine has immortalized me as the evil queen (mwahaha haha- cackles with evil laughter) in  not one but two of her books.  OK, so the second is a sequel to the first but never the less I am immortalized as evil queen Ellie!  Apparently Queen Ellie has a thing for shrimp, not the kind you eat but rather a character that is a shrimp. Interesting.

I considered snapping a few pics for queen-sized, but naaaaaaaahhhh!

 

Q – Quackers

Baby ducks –  ok so it’s a stretch. But come on –  are these not the cutest things? Spring time is flourishing with flora and fauna!

These precious babies bring a smile to my face when then my legs are nearly shaking on the last lap around the pond.

 

Q – Quilt

OK,  I don’t know what the deal is but we saw numerous of these, all different on the ends of barns as we drove through northern Missouri and Iowa. Is this an Amish thing? Mennonite? Is there some symbolic meaning behind it?  I don’t know but  it got us talking.

 

If anyone wants to fill me in on why  so many people have a quilt block design on their barns, I’d love to know.  Have a fabulous day!

 Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie

 

A to Z Challenge – P

piano

P – Piano

I spent countless hours sitting at the piano during lessons. It provided me  a means to earn some income during college. Years later I inherited my mother’s parlor grand piano which I was unable to keep.  It is now the focal point for a new project of healing.

P – Palm

*SIGH* Longing for the sandy beaches and fluttering palm branches of a tropical location.

I can hardly wait until we can take a vacation! Sand, sea, palms, and of course a drink in hand a book in the other and a chaise lounge in the sun. Which brings me to another P word – Panama City Beach. It’s not the Bahamas, but we found a  fantastic hotel right on the beach down there.  I think we should plan a trip for this summer!

P – Pasta

Who doesn’t love some pasta on their menu? Whether it’s spaghetti Bolognese,  fettuccine alfredo, macaroni and cheese, or penne con pesche,  pasta is a filling and satisfying meal. Having cut down on carbohydrates, we don’t have it nearly as often as we used to but every once in a while, nothing hits the spot like a pasta dish.

What P words wet your appetite? Spark your imagination? Have you dreamed for a getaway?

Maybe if I sell a few more of my repurposed items  it will fund our vacation to Panama City Beach.  Or sell a few more books! Y’all like to read, right?

I’m seriously going to push for that! Which means I need to roll up my sleeves and  get busy at the workbench and my writer’s desk.

Write on my friends, write on!

Ellie