I had no idea it had been so long since I last posted. Life just gets busy and hectic and flies by.
Before you know it, it's been 6 months or more. To get back in the swing of things, let's start of with the
lazy bloggers meme...
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (I was only 1 but it still counts)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa (Egypt is in Africa)
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person (from a plane window)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Now it's your turn. Please post your link in the comments!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Scent of Memories
I was walking at my favorite park today at lunch. It's a lovely, quiet place with few people, lots of trees and a walking trail and it's very close to work. There was a scent that kept entering my nostrils and stirring something far away in my memories. It took until the 4th lap to figure out what it was. Cottonwood trees.
I know most people hate these trees for their allergy-inducing fluffs on the wind this time of year, but I have a fond place in my heart for that scent. Growing up, we spent a lot of time at my grandparents house. Their yard was filled with 2 huge Elm trees and across the street were 3 very large Cottonwood trees. I remember the rustling sound of the leaves in the wind, the springtime "snow" and the cool spiky seed balls that we'd gather and mix with the Creeping Charlie that grew rampant under the trees, its minty scent making it seems all the more like a real salad. The wheelbarrow and the stack of extra bricks kept by the house were our outdoor kitchen. That was a happy place in a sometimes confusing and painful world. My Grandma Alice loved us unconditionally and was always our silent, tiny prayer warrior.
So when I looked up into the trees today I felt my Grandma Alice looking down on me with love, smiling at the woman I've become. That makes me happy. The scent of Cottonwood trees will always be a trigger for happy memories.
I know most people hate these trees for their allergy-inducing fluffs on the wind this time of year, but I have a fond place in my heart for that scent. Growing up, we spent a lot of time at my grandparents house. Their yard was filled with 2 huge Elm trees and across the street were 3 very large Cottonwood trees. I remember the rustling sound of the leaves in the wind, the springtime "snow" and the cool spiky seed balls that we'd gather and mix with the Creeping Charlie that grew rampant under the trees, its minty scent making it seems all the more like a real salad. The wheelbarrow and the stack of extra bricks kept by the house were our outdoor kitchen. That was a happy place in a sometimes confusing and painful world. My Grandma Alice loved us unconditionally and was always our silent, tiny prayer warrior.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Multitudes on Mondays: 1-25
One of my favorite writers of book and blog, is Ann Voskamp. For several years she has inspired me to go deeper spiritually. This year the focus is on gratitude. Off and on over the years, I have dabbled into gratitude journaling but have never had a goal. Ann's new book, One Thousand Gifts, has spawned a community of wonderful women who are seeking to find the thankfulness in their hearts by focusing on the good gifts God has given us. Won't you join us?
1. God's grace
2. Working in the yard on a beautiful Saturday
3. Accomplishing projects we've been putting off
4. Beautiful weather
5. Rain all day after planting new grass seed
6. Muscles sore from work
7. Time to nap and sleep and recover
8. Pugs to nap with
9. Church service available online for those Sundays when I just need to stay home
10. Hearing the birds sing
11. Worship that reaches the deep parts of my heart
12. A job to go to
13. Working for people who care
14. Journals
15. Pretty free printables with a purpose
16. Enough food in the fridge and pantry to skip a trip to the grocery store.
17. Spiritual mentors
18. Bible study tonight with women at church
19. Knowing the Grace of God is unending
20. Finding my way
21. Loving me, finally
22. Feeling truly at peace for the first time ever
23. Royal weddings to watch
24. Connecting with people halfway round the world
25. Time for reading
1. God's grace
2. Working in the yard on a beautiful Saturday
3. Accomplishing projects we've been putting off
4. Beautiful weather
5. Rain all day after planting new grass seed
6. Muscles sore from work
7. Time to nap and sleep and recover
8. Pugs to nap with
9. Church service available online for those Sundays when I just need to stay home
10. Hearing the birds sing
11. Worship that reaches the deep parts of my heart
12. A job to go to
13. Working for people who care
14. Journals
15. Pretty free printables with a purpose
16. Enough food in the fridge and pantry to skip a trip to the grocery store.
17. Spiritual mentors
18. Bible study tonight with women at church
19. Knowing the Grace of God is unending
20. Finding my way
21. Loving me, finally
22. Feeling truly at peace for the first time ever
23. Royal weddings to watch
24. Connecting with people halfway round the world
25. Time for reading
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The perfect cover for my Kindle
I have a Kindle and I LOVE IT!!! I stalled for a long time to jump on the e-reader bandwagon because I just wasn't sure I'd like not having pages to turn. I love the smell of books, the feel of books, the weight in my hands. I'm a true bibliophile. Books are not inanimate objects - they are friends. And so to have a Kindle felt like abandoning my relationship with my friends. But then I talked to a colleague who got one for Christmas last year. Like me, he didn't buy one because of the same bookish reasons. When I heard he liked his, I was convinced I "needed" one. It's a gadget after all and what a dreamy one at that. It combines two of my favorite things: gadgets and books. What could be better than that?
For my birthday in February, Brad let me buy one for myself. I did a lot of research between the Kindle and the Nook Color. I really loved the idea of a color e-reader but the Kindle got much better reviews for being readable in any kind of light. I spend a lot of time reading outdoors so I was very interested in this factor. I was so torn because I was intrigued by the idea of having color magazine subscriptions on the Nook Color. But the other factor that switched me to the Kindle was the price. It was at least $100 less in cost than the Nook. The only disadvantage I discovered, after the fact, is that my local library has an e-reader book borrowing program and the only e-reader not supported is the Kindle. I can live with that because there are enough free e-books out there to last me a lifetime. And I can read them at my own pace without worrying how quickly they will be unreadable. So far, in the two months I've had the Kindle, I've only purchased one book and it was one I knew I'd read over and over and over again.
When I bought my Kindle, I got a standard cloth cover for it and that worked fine. What I didn't think about is the Pug-hair factor. You see, we have 3 Pugs and a Lhasa Apso. If you've never been around Pugs, their fur is like little tiny needle-like fibers that can weave their way through just about any surface, it seems. It is shed at an abundant, never-ending rate. Why I didn't consider that my cloth cover would soon be covered with Pug hair, I don't know. But it was.
Those of you that know me, know that I'm a HUGE Nancy Drew fan. I have the entire collection of regular books minus about 8. I collect them here and there when I see one. I usually don't pay more than $5 for a book. I started wondering about the possibility of turning an old book into a Kindle cover. Surely it could be done. After all, the Nancy Drew books are almost the exact same size as a Kindle. So I started searching. I came across tutorials that showed you how to do it. But I didn't want to invest the time or the resources. Plus, I didn't think I could cut a book apart. That would be like wounding a friend right down the spine. I just couldn't do it. So I kept searching. I came across a cute option that prints on leather as a faux book cover. But they weren't made to fit the Kindle 3, which is what I have. And then I thought of Etsy. I can't cut up a book myself but I can pay someone else to cut one up for me. I know that's weird logic, but it works in my head.
Etsy is craft heaven. And there I found it - THE cover. Randy Belyk transforms old books into e-reader covers. And I bought one. And it's fabulous. The only thing I don't like is the black bookbinding tape on the spine. But that is necessary to keep the book cover stable. Other than that, I absolutely adore it. It's perfect for me. I chose the The Mystery of the Ivory Charm because it's lucky # 13 in the series and it has all three sleuths on it: Nancy, George and Bess. Take a look:
Randy has many different covers from many different genres of books. All are vintage. All are real books. Randy will even inform you of when a specific book cover is found if you are looking for something particular. There are different fastening options to keep your E-reader in place - I chose Velcro. There are also different closure options for the cover. You can have no closure, a snap, or elastic, which is what I chose. Check out Randy's Esty shop if you're looking for a really unique cover for your E-Reader. You won't regret it.
For my birthday in February, Brad let me buy one for myself. I did a lot of research between the Kindle and the Nook Color. I really loved the idea of a color e-reader but the Kindle got much better reviews for being readable in any kind of light. I spend a lot of time reading outdoors so I was very interested in this factor. I was so torn because I was intrigued by the idea of having color magazine subscriptions on the Nook Color. But the other factor that switched me to the Kindle was the price. It was at least $100 less in cost than the Nook. The only disadvantage I discovered, after the fact, is that my local library has an e-reader book borrowing program and the only e-reader not supported is the Kindle. I can live with that because there are enough free e-books out there to last me a lifetime. And I can read them at my own pace without worrying how quickly they will be unreadable. So far, in the two months I've had the Kindle, I've only purchased one book and it was one I knew I'd read over and over and over again.
When I bought my Kindle, I got a standard cloth cover for it and that worked fine. What I didn't think about is the Pug-hair factor. You see, we have 3 Pugs and a Lhasa Apso. If you've never been around Pugs, their fur is like little tiny needle-like fibers that can weave their way through just about any surface, it seems. It is shed at an abundant, never-ending rate. Why I didn't consider that my cloth cover would soon be covered with Pug hair, I don't know. But it was.
Those of you that know me, know that I'm a HUGE Nancy Drew fan. I have the entire collection of regular books minus about 8. I collect them here and there when I see one. I usually don't pay more than $5 for a book. I started wondering about the possibility of turning an old book into a Kindle cover. Surely it could be done. After all, the Nancy Drew books are almost the exact same size as a Kindle. So I started searching. I came across tutorials that showed you how to do it. But I didn't want to invest the time or the resources. Plus, I didn't think I could cut a book apart. That would be like wounding a friend right down the spine. I just couldn't do it. So I kept searching. I came across a cute option that prints on leather as a faux book cover. But they weren't made to fit the Kindle 3, which is what I have. And then I thought of Etsy. I can't cut up a book myself but I can pay someone else to cut one up for me. I know that's weird logic, but it works in my head.
Etsy is craft heaven. And there I found it - THE cover. Randy Belyk transforms old books into e-reader covers. And I bought one. And it's fabulous. The only thing I don't like is the black bookbinding tape on the spine. But that is necessary to keep the book cover stable. Other than that, I absolutely adore it. It's perfect for me. I chose the The Mystery of the Ivory Charm because it's lucky # 13 in the series and it has all three sleuths on it: Nancy, George and Bess. Take a look:
Randy has many different covers from many different genres of books. All are vintage. All are real books. Randy will even inform you of when a specific book cover is found if you are looking for something particular. There are different fastening options to keep your E-reader in place - I chose Velcro. There are also different closure options for the cover. You can have no closure, a snap, or elastic, which is what I chose. Check out Randy's Esty shop if you're looking for a really unique cover for your E-Reader. You won't regret it.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A Karla kind of giveaway!
Because of the unique spelling of my name, I am drawn to other Karlas with a K. I was friends with a girl in my school who spelled her name with a K too. We were buddies drawn together by a fabulous letter. Another Karla I came across a few years ago is Karla Dornacher. She's a wonderful artist and Christian author who has really used her God-given talents to bless others. She recently moved to a new house and now that she's got everything in order, she's having a Grand Re-Opening Giveaway. How very nice! Make sure you take part in the giveaway and get your name entered. She's giving away $75 worth of her wonderful books. There are several ways to enter. Take a look at her post here.
Monday, March 21, 2011
A New Car! Da na na, da da da (Price is Right theme playing in your head)
I got a "new" car!!!
So excited. We got a great deal on this very clean, well-taken care of vehicle and I'm thrilled.
It's exactly what I wanted (I can live without the sun roof as a compromise) and WAY cheaper than new. It's a 2007 Saturn Vue. Gets really great reviews and drives really nicely.
We purchased it from a friend who bought a new vehicle just because he wanted one.
It's a one-owner with all maintenance performed at the dealership.
After a minor purchase at the Apple Store of an auxiliary cord, I can also
listen to my music and talk on the phone through my speakers with my iPhone. Awesome!
Thought you'd like to see...
So excited. We got a great deal on this very clean, well-taken care of vehicle and I'm thrilled.
It's exactly what I wanted (I can live without the sun roof as a compromise) and WAY cheaper than new. It's a 2007 Saturn Vue. Gets really great reviews and drives really nicely.
We purchased it from a friend who bought a new vehicle just because he wanted one.
It's a one-owner with all maintenance performed at the dealership.
After a minor purchase at the Apple Store of an auxiliary cord, I can also
listen to my music and talk on the phone through my speakers with my iPhone. Awesome!
Thought you'd like to see...
Nice huh?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Beautiful Spring Lunch
Yesterday I went to a local park near where I work. Will Rogers Park is located in the heart of Oklahoma City and is named after one of Oklahoma's most famous citizens.
Will Rogers park has a beautiful horticulture garden which includes a conservatory, an arboretum, a rose garden and an exhibition center that holds classes and workshops. The gardens include a small pond that is fed by a creek with lots of trees surrounding it and bridges and benches tucked in all sorts of wonderful spots. After eating my lunch on a bench (no picnics allowed in the gardens so I ate right outside the gardens), I spent a lovely half-hour strolling the gardens thinking, what a cool place to take pictures. And then I remembered my iPhone has a camera!!! So I spent some time taking a few photos. I'm not even a good amateur but I was pretty proud of the pictures I did take. I thought you might enjoy seeing them too.
I can already tell I'll be spending many lunch hours at this beautiful spot this spring and summer.
Will Rogers park has a beautiful horticulture garden which includes a conservatory, an arboretum, a rose garden and an exhibition center that holds classes and workshops. The gardens include a small pond that is fed by a creek with lots of trees surrounding it and bridges and benches tucked in all sorts of wonderful spots. After eating my lunch on a bench (no picnics allowed in the gardens so I ate right outside the gardens), I spent a lovely half-hour strolling the gardens thinking, what a cool place to take pictures. And then I remembered my iPhone has a camera!!! So I spent some time taking a few photos. I'm not even a good amateur but I was pretty proud of the pictures I did take. I thought you might enjoy seeing them too.
I can already tell I'll be spending many lunch hours at this beautiful spot this spring and summer.
I thought this was such a sweet sight. This couple was sitting quietly on one of the benches in the middle of the garden. The lady had a shawl around her shoulders and they were both reading in silence.
A beautiful look through the trees toward one of the bridges that spans the pond.
The arbor, a picture of light and shadows. There was once also a fountain along one of the walls here but it's been covered up and is no longer functional.
A fountain, empty for winter, features a statue of lovers in play.
I took several angles of this one. I love the patina of old copper framed against the bright blue sky!
As I was leaving the park to return to work, there was a small wedding party going toward one of the bridges. What a lovely day it was for an early spring wedding in the park. The bride wore a spring dress of white and yellow flowers and carried a nosegay of white and yellow daisies. They were accompanied by a few friends and what looked to be parents and grandparents as well as a photographer. I hope their marriage is as beautiful as the day they married.
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