tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34278698367250264942011-10-17T07:51:12.222-04:00lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.comBlogger1501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-75332455601368222832011-07-03T13:13:00.000-04:002011-07-03T13:13:00.399-04:00

I stayed at the Azalea Inn while in Savannah a few weekends ago, and they had the most amazing organic garden I've ever seen. It was raining most of my time there and the mosquitoes were hungry, but I really could have stayed in that garden all weekend!My next house will have an amazing garden like this one. Definitely.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-5071808084624941622011-07-03T11:01:00.009-04:002011-07-03T11:10:15.583-04:00

While it took way longer between coats than we would have liked and there is still some trim work to be done, the kitchen is finally painted. And it is bright.Results have been mixed amongst friends and family. We weren't so sure ourselves, but it's grown on us tremendously. The color is most beautiful in morning with sunshine streaming in from the kitchen window.On to the Florida room. Yay!

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-19940199128288598542011-05-20T10:11:00.000-04:002011-05-20T10:11:00.476-04:00

I visited a great store in Jacksonville's Riverside neighborhood this week. Southern Crossing Antique Mall is one of those rare finds these days, a place whose prices are affordable and appropriate. I was in a bit of a rush so I didn't get to explore the way I wanted to, but I did score a gorgeous mother-of-pearl disk necklace for $5!I was so excited by my find that I pulled it out of the bag

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-7878255091961580342011-05-19T22:57:00.014-04:002011-05-23T10:54:35.765-04:00

My entire point for stopping into Bead Here Now in Jax's 5 Points was to try to find some beads to match this carnelian bracelet I adore.I've been wanting a necklace to wear with it forever, and finally found the right-shaped beads to make it work. It strung up quickly and is now the perfect match!The only thing I didn't like about the necklace is its shape -- the wire cord the shopkeeper

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-75514996699362874642011-03-29T11:41:00.001-04:002011-03-29T11:41:10.301-04:00

That is my fantasy baseball draft list of best possible players (bats on the left, arms on the right). Of the 312 total players drafted Sunday night (there were 26 positions to fill for each of 12 teams), I managed to draft all but *one* from my 180 best players list, which was based on league specifications, last year's stats, and plenty of Baseball Prospectus input. Yay, stats!

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-55244702174930110602011-03-28T16:17:00.007-04:002011-03-28T16:54:50.570-04:00

The veggie garden is finished. It currently has yellow peppers and two types of tomatoes, but that will change soon.While I wanted to build it in the backyard near the kitchen, there just wasn't enough sun. So I took a cue from many of our neighbors and built it in the front yard next to the driveway. tw wasn't too thrilled with this, but you can't argue with a neighborhood full of old-growth

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-43783425135516357582011-03-17T09:19:00.003-04:002011-03-17T09:53:38.724-04:00

Even though the African grant I was working on was submitted early last week, I've still been MIA. I apologize. I've moved from relief efforts to disaster planning.I've been expanding my company lately, no longer just editing writers' works but now formatting them too. I have to say I am *loving* what is essentially the organization of the written word. There is something about the beauty of

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-58048294746710542392011-01-13T18:11:00.005-05:002011-01-13T18:23:15.518-05:00

Look what I got in the mail today -- business cards!I can't believe I waited so long just to get *something* made. I agonized over what my branding would be until I realized I just need something out there. So here they are. I am currently working on my branding label for business cards, letterhead, website, etc., but for now I am totally thrilled. I can finally hand people a card when they ask!

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-73008991329015982602011-01-10T13:43:00.008-05:002011-01-10T14:44:43.089-05:00

This is the latest acquisition for the house. I have to say it's adorable (but unbelievably heavy!) I didn't really love it when it was first introduced, but it's growing on me. I love the avocado green color with gold glitter flecks and especially the lines, but am not so fond of the plastic nature of the chair (this is not one of the cozy, curl-up chairs I favor for working from home.)For the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-24994432366314905762010-10-31T21:56:00.007-04:002010-10-31T22:56:38.886-04:00

For the first time in a long time, I didn't watch the Gator game. I couldn't bear to sit there and feel frustrated for a fourth week in a row. So I took to my sewing machine to work on a few projects Saturday afternoon instead. This is what I created:It's my newest bag in a long time. And I LOVE it! I usually make my own patterns based on old bags and the things I want a bag to hold. But this

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-5335567315539417982010-08-29T11:38:00.006-04:002010-08-29T11:57:39.271-04:00

It's been raining for days, and I was starting to go stir crazy. So I dug through my sewing stash and got an idea. It started like this:And ended up like this:Yup, a pillowcase dress. I thought it would be pretty simple to do, but it turns out a pillowcase is pretty sack-like unless you add some curves. So I pinned and I sewed, pinned again and sewed again. It took four pins and sews to get it

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-51105417022361315102010-08-16T14:31:00.002-04:002010-08-16T14:38:00.234-04:00

Wow. The Sunday LA Times article on teacher effectiveness using a value-added analysis (consisting of LAUSD 3rd-5th grade teachers' math and language arts standardized test scores over the last seven years) has caused a gigantic ruckus among education policy folks. My ed policy twitter feed has been in flames over this since Sunday morning. Anything about teacher evaluation is guaranteed to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-74964394933214154202010-08-15T00:03:00.003-04:002010-08-15T01:08:18.785-04:00

When I was working on my undergraduate degree oh so long ago (the mid-'90s seem like yesterday, don't they?), my parents encouraged me to travel for a semester. They were thinking overseas. But since I'd never really left my hometown (at that point I'd barely left the neighborhood -- my first apartment was in the Student Ghetto a mere four blocks from my parents' house), I really wanted to go to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-67123868809912757012010-08-01T18:40:00.004-04:002010-08-01T19:03:40.296-04:00

As many of you know, I've condensed my personal space considerably in the past two months. Instead of a large craft/office space, I'm down to two pieces of furniture to fit everything! I inherited both sets of grandparents' bedroom furniture, and I'm using my paternal grandparents' set as a craft/office space due to its large size (my maternal grandparents' set is smaller and fussier, so I use it

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-53787345529575799602010-05-20T15:38:00.015-04:002010-05-21T11:41:59.676-04:00

First of all, if you are reading this chances are you've given a shoulder/ear in the last 2+ months. For that I am eternally grateful. I have received numerous heartfelt condolences, invitations, and pep talks, not to mention awesome advice (it's good to have so many tech-savvy & lawyer types in my circle of friends). Obviously, the OMG rocked my world and made me question many things. I was

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-43958174561596160062010-04-24T14:59:00.007-04:002010-04-24T15:19:15.741-04:00

My latest thrift find finally made its way home today. I saw this table while we were down in Tampa Bay for Rays' Opening Day. It was at an adorable furniture store we happened upon accidentally.It's honestly not my style, with its frilly legs (which are quite wobbly) and extra shelf. I like more classic lines in my furniture. I may very well change the legs out someday. What made me fall in love

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-24377681142640456172010-03-25T18:05:00.004-04:002010-03-25T18:13:48.835-04:00

I just sent this email to Larry Cretul, who has been asking interested parties for House companion to SB6 (kill public education bill) to send their thoughts to him via email or phone:I oppose this teacher tenure bill for several reasons. As an elementary school teacher for eight years in a high-poverty school (77+% free/reduced lunch), I really wish that I could be the most important person

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-28300772737438627102010-01-31T15:11:00.004-05:002010-01-31T16:34:10.698-05:00

While reading up on everything there is to know about Race To The Top (and you know there's a ton we don't know about RTTT), I feel there is something very important missing. I would call it the core problem with most major national legislation: actual input from real, in-the-classroom-right-this-moment teachers.This is my first year dealing with serious,

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-91680442549131094422010-01-18T11:17:00.003-05:002010-01-18T12:12:57.376-05:00

I'm sure many of you have at least heard of Obama's new Race To the Top (RTTT) initiative to help the nation's public schools improve. It's been in state news a lot due to last week's deadline for districts (and teacher's unions) to sign on for a chance at some big $$$. Only five districts' unions signed on.Why? Well mainly because RTTT is still an idea, not a completed framework. School boards

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-19491702899313991812009-08-31T22:21:00.007-04:002009-08-31T22:56:46.765-04:00

A brave friend of mine encouraged me to write a bit more about what I've been thinking lately. Many of you know I lost a student in a head-on collision in the spring (which is mainly why I stopped blogging so much -- I had to internalize her death and who can really understand the death of a nine year old?) I grieved with my class, went to the viewing but not the funeral (note: never go to the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-56596370924847147162009-07-12T08:07:00.000-04:002009-07-12T08:07:00.730-04:00

Because a teacher at my school is leaving, I got a Smartboard! It's big and bulky, and I have no idea where I am going to put it. But it's mine and I am so excited to finally be able to have interactive web access in my class. I don't know if I'll use it as much for lessons to begin with. But there are SO many websites I've wanted to show my class. I emailed my intern who was just as excited.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-81842240382940319932009-07-08T13:09:00.000-04:002009-07-08T13:09:00.751-04:00

Those are the reason teachers teach, right? Well, here's a sampling of how I spent June, all at home since my classroom floor is being tiled:These are the binders I've reorganized so I can find math and reading ideas and assignments by topic. When I taught third grade, I just had them grouped by how we taught them. After moving grades again (now I've done 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) I decided to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-33325300054374174242009-07-07T16:53:00.002-04:002009-07-07T16:53:00.568-04:00

This is all from the garden (well, the red onions were from the blueberry farmer.) There were 50 ripe tomatoes the last time we harvested, and more on the vines ready to go. We made 2 types of salsa for the party last week and are planning pizza sauce for tonight. I am also kicking around the idea of tomato jam. Tim says it sounds unappetizing, but I think it could be yummy -- for use on

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-68452855986614791882009-07-07T10:46:00.005-04:002009-07-07T11:12:15.994-04:00

I bought this amazing fabric on a trip to San Francisco in the summer of 2003 from the famed four-story Britex Fabric Store in the middle of Union Square. I only got 3 yards (and kicked myself a thousand times over for not getting more) so I knew that I had to be sure how I was going to use it. I loved this fabric so much that I based my house's main color scheme around it.When Tim saw it as we

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-80435169878789481072009-06-28T17:21:00.007-04:002009-06-28T17:31:00.827-04:00

Some of the hibiscus flowers currently in bloom in our yard.You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you we currently have a fourth round of blossoms starting on the Meyer lemon tree, but it's true! The baby lemons are currently starring in the banner of this blog and will be our first citrus harvest at this house.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-52742532277779914152009-06-24T11:26:00.005-04:002009-06-24T11:26:01.313-04:00

I finally got tired of the Rockefeller Center tree pics being up year round but was unsure about what art to use to replace them. Around the same time, Tim found some old Cuban magazines from the 1930s while we were thrifting in Tampa.Since the covers were all baseball themed, we knew they would be perfect in our living room. We scanned the images into the computer, cleaned them up, printed them

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-65102038602375102632009-06-23T13:24:00.001-04:002009-06-23T13:58:05.855-04:00

I haven't been here in a while. Well, that's not true. I visit occasionally; usually close to 11pm on a school night exhausted and feeling guilty about not writing. Hmm... let's not think about that since now it's summer and I have plenty of time to do, well, whatever.While I haven't been busy here, Tim and I have found time for lots of home improvement projects. We've been hard at work on the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-74596931064221869802009-01-25T20:21:00.004-05:002009-01-25T20:32:22.928-05:00

Our latest stash from Ward's: Navels, blood red oranges, honey tangelos, honey tangerines, and -- of course -- grapefruit. We have been spending our time holed up in our cold house drinking lots of fresh orange juice. This is one of the few things I can say that was good about the cold weather. Maybe our trees will be big enough to produce some fruit of their own next year.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-51809142304952335812009-01-17T12:12:00.004-05:002009-01-17T12:19:53.482-05:00

This is how I feel after spending two days curled up on the couch with piles of blankets and warm clothes because it's too cold to do anything else. Is this really how people up north spend their winters?

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-4214410914701632922009-01-16T12:39:00.004-05:002009-01-16T13:24:12.014-05:00

It's supposed to be a cold next several days, so I thought I'd spend some time curled up under blankets catching up on my reading. I've had the same book on my nightstand for over 2 years -- The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. I read it until find myself getting very, very angry (I made it through Chapter 6 today!), then I put it down and try again several months later once I've calmed

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-42012201610378088962009-01-10T21:26:00.001-05:002009-01-10T21:28:11.073-05:00

to be a Florida Gator!!

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-71567731825409581352009-01-06T15:17:00.001-05:002009-01-06T15:17:01.880-05:00

The message popped up on the marque of the church near our house last week. I'm not really sure what it means, but it seems a little too consumer driven for a church, no?

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-17549932679213620692009-01-05T22:57:00.004-05:002009-01-05T23:17:28.639-05:00

Even though I spent a good part of my Winter Break sleeping and relaxing, I was somewhat productive. I finished knitting the scarf I started on our summer trip to Ohio while watching the DVR-ed final season of The Shield. The scarf is bright and warm, but I have to say I'm glad I don't have to wear it just yet (this warm weather is so awesome!!)Tim and I are slowly working our way through The

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-61629503610849698012009-01-01T14:04:00.003-05:002009-01-01T14:41:08.647-05:00

I have been feeling guilty about this space for a while. I always have ideas about things to write, or I see an unusual image and think about taking a quick picture to add to this space. I love having a place to share thoughts and ideas -- this blog has made me stop and think about so many things I wouldn't have otherwise. When I look back on posts I realize that this has become my scrapbook of

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-78512219818480941762008-11-09T22:24:00.005-05:002008-11-11T13:02:26.754-05:00

The nation spent last week focused on changing the direction of American politics. What a historic and exhilarating election day -- definitely the best day of my voting life. It's the end of a Washington era I'm glad to see come to a close.Alachua County voters also approved a levy that will fund many of the education programs cut or facing the chopping block in our public schools. I spent many

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-75785424326614029102008-10-19T23:01:00.004-04:002008-10-19T23:06:14.464-04:00

Summer is leaving. The sun is setting earlier. The pine needles are starting to fall. And I finally had to close the windows tonight and pull the jacket out for school tomorrow. This is always a bittersweet time of year. I know I'll still wear shorts for several more weeks, but it's no longer a given. I will have to check the weather forecast first. *sigh* Goodbye summer. I'll miss you.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-85313687014807133872008-10-07T19:47:00.006-04:002008-10-07T20:09:34.795-04:00

Saw this on an endcap at Publix last weekend. Printed fun Pop-Tarts sound cool, but I'm not sure college mascots are really playing to your target market. Unless the Pop-Tart target market is college kids. Hmm... Well I guess maybe that does work.In other news, Tim scored us tickets to the Rays' first-ever ALCS game. They'll play the BoSox Friday night at the Trop. Our tickets are perfect: in

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-62423245555970803552008-09-29T21:30:00.003-04:002008-09-29T22:05:36.635-04:00

And students.We have no air conditioning. Late September doesn't seem like a bad time for that, but we live in Florida where cold doesn't come home to roost until late November at the earliest. Making it worse is the fact that we have a very cold classroom normally so we all come dressed pretty warm (I had on long sleeves and a sweater.) Have you ever tried to teach a group of 20 sweaty children

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-49606263848666989162008-09-23T23:46:00.000-04:002008-09-23T23:46:00.707-04:00

When I got home from Clearwater last night I found a package waiting for me by my back door. One of my friends left me this:I have no idea how he knew my kids have been studying these words on our word wall or how he knew they had struggled so much I kept them up for an unprecedented second week. Of course I wore it to school today.I love when the world comes together in a quick burst of

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-46029893308623965352008-09-22T22:17:00.004-04:002008-09-22T22:44:09.807-04:00

Tim's 30th birthday was last week. We planned on catching a couple of Rays/Red Sox series games to celebrate. Instead, while at a game during the Yankees series the week before, Tim won tickets to the last game of the season. And not just any tickets, mind you. Tickets for the exclusive Whitney Bank Club, which include a brunch and lunch buffet throughout the game along with beer and wine. The

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-62032441620874187682008-09-19T10:05:00.000-04:002008-09-19T10:05:00.983-04:00

I try to keep politics off this blog as much as possible, but this is something that really frightens me. While the rest of the country is consumed by the economy and the Obama/Palin dramas, W is attempting to quietly pass a few last pieces of legislation to solidify his legacy as the worst president for women that this country has seen in decades.His latest attempt to push women out of the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-37451571550829569452008-09-18T22:05:00.005-04:002008-09-18T22:28:23.306-04:00

These are the remains of our final rock experiment. The gumdrops were part of our sedimentary rock experiment from yesterday (complete with SweetTart fossils.) The chocolate chips in the corner are left over from the melted-chocolate igneous rock experiment earlier today. Obviously, this is the metamorphic rock experiment, which combines both igneous and sedimentary rocks (chocolate chips and

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-87168442469370509092008-09-07T23:23:00.003-04:002008-09-07T23:44:06.597-04:00

Today is the first day in six weeks that I haven't done anything related to children. Even when I went out of town, I took kid work with me (boxes of it -- literally.)I spent this glorious free day catching up on books and magazines, working in the yard, and watching my fantasy players tackle the first week of the NFL season (note to self: Atlanta's Michael Turner should be in my line-up every

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-70298034080555899102008-09-05T05:58:00.002-04:002008-09-05T05:58:00.630-04:00

I opened the mailbox yesterday and saw this. I thought it was a joke or maybe a letter trying to get me to convert my vote because of McCain's VP pick. It turns out that, unbeknownst to me, I am a valued member of the Republican Party whose help is needed to thwart a Democratic takeover. Wow. If they're wasting postage on me, they must really be desperate.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-87444621539586989492008-08-25T17:00:00.003-04:002008-08-25T17:49:45.510-04:00

I was a little sad when I read this story today. After SEC and MLB baseball (of course!) I have a huge passion for SEC football. I grew up in this small college town only 8 blocks from Ben Hill Griffin -- so close you could hear the crowd roar through an open window and watch tailGators enjoy the pre- and post-game festivities on the street outside. I learned all about football in high school

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-8560000368333556602008-08-21T11:32:00.003-04:002008-08-21T11:44:42.714-04:00

It's not a real storm until the Asplundh truck convoys start to roll through town.We were only in school for three days before TS Fay decided to swing our way. The school board's automatic notification system reached me at 10:47 p.m., well after I had gone to sleep. Grrr. I wonder how they reached the kids whose phones don't work (ie. quite a few of mine)?It's 11:30 and we've barely had more than

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-21483014925094547192008-08-17T09:24:00.021-04:002008-08-17T12:45:20.639-04:00

I've decided that moving classrooms before school starts is like moving into a new house and having to host a fancy party two weeks later. Only in my case it was moving into a house that was still full of someone else's stuff (it took me two days, 8 garbage bags, and a freebie day for other teachers just to clear it out!) You can't just toss boxes out of sight to unpack later because the contents

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-16657628177754648622008-08-16T22:46:00.005-04:002008-08-16T23:16:48.470-04:00

This was as close as Madeleine would get to Mouse (and she was interested in getting to know Mad!) A dog afraid of a cat -- isn't that sad?Sorry for being a non-posting person. I decided to take a break to deal with real life for a while. Honestly, the last month and a half have been filled with so many changes. It started with a change in grade level for me. I'm going from teaching primary to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-42837231030614144912008-07-03T11:28:00.005-04:002008-07-03T11:47:53.519-04:00

We went to two of the Rays/Sox series games for my birthday. Let me tell you, major league baseball with first-place implications is not for the faint of heart. It certainly rivaled any UT or FSU game I've ever seen in Ben Hill Griffin in terms of excitement.And when Rays fans drowned out Red Sox fans' cheers with "Let's Go Rays," well, that was the best part of the evening. I hope the fans keep

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-51780160851667807442008-06-30T12:46:00.005-04:002008-06-30T13:00:53.385-04:00

The Countryside Publix in Clearwater's definition of a storm basic. You can tell they've been through a few hurricanes.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-55174766340274033582008-06-25T16:51:00.012-04:002008-06-26T15:18:59.685-04:00

Number of days gone: 13Number of beds slept in: 12Number of miles driven: 2460Number of miles driven by me: about 500Number of miles walked in new heels to meet friends for dinner in downtown Cincinnati: 1 1/2Number of blisters gained from said walk: 6Number of times we walked/ran across the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge going back and forth from Cincinnati to Covington, Kentucky: 7Number

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-53024255575575347542008-06-21T09:13:00.006-04:002008-06-21T09:26:07.967-04:00

The downtown Cincinnati skyline as seen from our friends' terrace. I know I make fun of Ohio, but this city's skyline is gorgeous. We stayed across the river in Kentucky a couple of nights ago and had similarly breathtaking views that included both the Bengals and Reds stadiums.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-56754714970111156942008-06-17T09:10:00.003-04:002008-06-21T09:33:37.446-04:00

We've had a busy several days filled with family and friends. And lots and lots of driving. Through it all, I have been proud of myself for maintaining the discipline to run every other morning. But this morning presented a true test. I woke up, threw on running clothes, and stepped out into a 50-degree northwest Ohio morning. Yikes! I decided I was tough enough to handle it. By the time I got

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-20479782004483407652008-06-12T01:06:00.004-04:002008-06-12T01:20:12.447-04:00

Well there it is, my new summer bag. I like the green corduroy, but not nearly as much as I love, love, love the pink chicken fabric.Hmm -- funky lighting in this picture. Anyway, the bag is deeper and wider than the last bag I made. I customized the pockets again to fit my cell phone, camera, and various other things.*yawn* It is almost 1:30 in the morning. I think I'm finally ready for Ohio.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-24116355947475779332008-06-11T15:18:00.006-04:002008-06-11T15:39:51.165-04:00

I am supposed to be getting ready for our trip to Ohio. I should be doing laundry, cleaning the house, packing...Instead, I stayed up until 2 this morning working on my latest great idea -- coordinated travel shoe bags, lingerie bags, and laundry bags. There are 5 bags total -- 4 shoe/lingerie bags and one laundry bag -- all with drawstring ties. I've been using a Winnie the Pooh pillowcase as a

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-67310371973893898032008-06-06T11:45:00.000-04:002008-06-06T11:45:14.842-04:00

Making your own jam seems like an antiquated thing your grandmother did. After all, jam is easily found at the grocery or at the farmer's market -- there it's even sure to be homemade (albeit by someone else.) But it's a fun activity to do with all the extra berries you have left over after a trip out to a you-pick farm. Blueberries are easy to preserve since they freeze well. But I've never had

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-24771952422798411462008-06-04T10:23:00.001-04:002008-06-06T11:53:02.180-04:00

I decided to go out to Santa Fe Berry Farm last Saturday to pick blackberries and blueberries. It's located in tiny Earlton off SR26 right on Lake Santa Fe -- check out the view from their house (they welcome visitors to check out the lake):I chose to go there instead of my usual organic haunt because I've always wanted to pick blackberries but end up going too late in the season to have any luck

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-23167198816445415852008-06-03T19:40:00.003-04:002008-06-03T20:07:50.936-04:00

They're back. I got a migraine at a baseball game a few weeks ago -- one of those really, really bad ones that require total silence and darkness to feel even remotely okay. The next day it still wasn't completely gone, which is unusual. Since then my head has been at war with the rest of my body, and I've been battling several headaches a week. It's like living in a constant fog.Peace has

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-33383885685633153852008-05-23T10:54:00.002-04:002008-05-23T10:54:01.373-04:00

I apologize for being MIA lately, but I've been working like crazy -- even at home -- and then Tim was in town for a week and, well, we were so busy I don't think we even really had a chance to relax. We saw UF's amazing series sweep of perennial SEC-dominating Vanderbilt (oh, and UF's win against Tim's eventual PhD alma mater USF), traveled down the Ichetucknee River with friends, celebrated my

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-38479257760670831952008-05-22T18:16:00.008-04:002008-05-22T18:30:04.576-04:00

The gas light in my car turned on as I was driving home from work today. I turned into my neighborhood gas station when I saw something that shocked me:I said something that as a school board employee I shouldn't repeat on my public blog, so use your imagination.Wow. Just wow. *sigh* And my bike broke Tuesday as I rode it to the library. Guess I'll have to really jump on getting that fixed.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-48274219554605033602008-05-08T12:53:00.003-04:002008-05-08T12:55:48.192-04:00

A quick look at some of the material for my latest project. What could I be making this time?

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-32997775080784741582008-05-05T12:37:00.000-04:002008-05-05T12:37:00.732-04:00

We have green beans!! Madeleine is one happy beagle. I'm sort of concerned she'll figure out they're within easy reach, but I honestly don't know if she's that aware.I planted one Big Boy tomato plant along with the plum tomatoes, and it already has small fruit growing.Outside the vegetable garden, the flowers are blooming rapidly.My gardenia bush has exploded with blooms. They smell so wonderful

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-12621055404400505482008-05-04T16:07:00.003-04:002008-05-04T16:38:12.189-04:00

Blueberries. In the first week of May. Wow!These fresh, organic, giant berries were delivered to my doorstep courtesy of my parents, who went picking at South Moon Farm in Cross Creek Saturday morning. These berries are so big and still super tart. Really, I cannot get over the size of these things. I am eating them like candy. We've been going to South Moon for over a decade and they've never

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-26315364242868218502008-05-04T00:11:00.008-04:002008-05-04T01:00:20.963-04:00

I found this amazing graph today which analyzes MLB teams' performance relative to the money they spend on salaries. I love visual representations, and this graph charts day-to-day performance so you can see the rise and fall of teams throughout the season. The website also has data for the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons.Both Florida teams are doing quite well this season according to this analysis

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-24984266795252259042008-04-29T15:37:00.003-04:002008-04-29T15:45:04.275-04:00

I was at Big Lots this afternoon looking for some storage containers for a client when I came across a giant collection of yarn. Every skien for only $1 each. It was such a good deal I couldn't resist buying some unusual yarn to play around with. Just a little FYI for all the knitters in the audience.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-51753942794608864502008-04-27T17:13:00.005-04:002008-04-27T17:49:24.234-04:00

I've been going to Gator baseball games for years, and the same person records Florida pitchers' strike outs at every game. It has always bothered me that this person does not differentiate between swung and called strikes. Well, today I noticed he/she has apparently learned the difference -- either that or the job has been passed to someone with more baseball knowledge or who is just as picky as

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-19703877707111583682008-04-23T22:45:00.009-04:002008-04-23T23:29:22.288-04:00

The veggies were planted about a month ago and have settled in their new home rather comfortably. I expanded the width of the garden somewhat but got lazy on the lengthwise expansion, so the plants are probably closer together than they ought to be. Usually that's not a problem since a few of them tend to die at some point in the season. I've decided to try a new fertilization method this year,

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-13463617137189864282008-04-22T09:27:00.006-04:002008-04-22T22:47:12.152-04:00

There are many divisive flavorings in the world of food. The one that comes to my mind the quickest is vinegar -- Balsamic vinegar to be exact. I love the tangy taste Balsamic vinegar brings to a meal. Usually it's used for just a hint of flavoring so it doesn't overwhelm a dish.But one of my favorite recipes uses it as an integral ingredient. I was craving something tangy today that included

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-16987075615688326532008-04-16T08:56:00.008-04:002008-04-16T09:55:46.627-04:00

Ever since I finally finished organizing the craft room (pics to come soon), I've been unable to stay out of there in the evenings. I think a lot of that has to do with the soothing sounds of baseball analyst chatter emanating from the small TV in the corner. I've had a blast following the players on my fantasy team this year -- no doubt because I have stayed solidly in the top three spots in our

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-78030619911101289432008-04-13T11:28:00.005-04:002008-04-13T12:19:40.693-04:00

This is what I did with my Saturday.When I bought my house, the only thing that separated my yard from the busy street I live next to was a line of ligustrum bushes. I hate ligustrum because it smells bad and constantly needs to be pruned, but it does provide a nice buffer from the street noise. My father would come over faithfully twice a year to help trim back the bushes. Then we put up a fence

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-17465364350891364902008-04-12T16:30:00.010-04:002008-04-12T17:45:30.799-04:00

I went to see the Tampa Bay Rays home opener against the Seattle Mariners Tuesday. I'd never been to a MLB season opening game before, and it was quite an event. Tim scored amazing tickets only four rows up from the Mariners' dugout, which enabled us to take great pictures. There was a sell-out crowd of over 36,000 at Tropicana Field, arguably one of the strangest places to watch a baseball game.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-39053759515322869192008-04-10T13:37:00.007-04:002008-04-13T10:48:22.379-04:00

For our last spring training game, Tim and I went to see the Indians play the Astros in Kissimmee. After the game we stopped at the local Salvation Army. I wandered around the linens section looking for a pillowcase to turn into a drawstring laundry bag. During my search I happened upon about 4 yards of canvas-weight mum fabric in shades of pink with a cream background -- all for $1.99. Then I

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-62743785937330974052008-03-22T10:05:00.003-04:002008-03-22T10:27:54.695-04:00

The Washington Post hosts a diorama contest involving the loved/reviled Easter Peeps. Check out last year's winners here. This year's selection just came out today. There are some cute ones this year, but last year's "Say Anything" diorama remains my favorite. Who doesn't love Lloyd Dobler in Peep form? Thanks to poppytalk for the cute link. The photos actually made me crave Peeps, which I

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-76632396313492525352008-03-21T22:03:00.005-04:002008-03-21T22:29:13.085-04:00

Yup, it's embroidered marching fruit! Soon to be the front of a new purse project. I got the pattern for these colorful characters from a collection of embroidery transfer patterns I found while antiquing (in Williston of all places!)A close-up of the fruit on parade. I think the grape cluster is my favorite.Nope, scratch that. I love this adorable cherry that I embroidered on the back of the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-43852572705311209112008-03-21T11:09:00.002-04:002008-03-21T11:34:21.205-04:00

I came upon this headline over and over this morning on my morning run. (The Gainesville Guardian is a free semi-weekly newspaper targeted at the residents of the east side of town and delivered to homes on Fridays.) So naturally I spent most of my run thinking about the recent Associated Press news revealing trace levels of potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals in some of the nation's largest

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-67761677201316666312008-03-20T15:59:00.005-04:002008-03-21T22:31:20.515-04:00

It's officially spring -- hurray! To celebrate I went on a little shopping trip to Lowe's (to replace some dead plants) and the feed & seed store where I got veggies for the garden. Tip: the feed & seed store had better prices, larger quantity, and more variety than either Lowe's or Ward's when it came to veggies and herbs.New crops for this year's garden include cucumbers, broccoli, yellow

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-38568838825061560342008-03-18T11:01:00.003-04:002008-03-18T11:11:44.360-04:00

There it is then. I'm going back to the classroom this fall. Memories of exhaustion and frustration nervously collide with the thrill of kids "getting it" and my love of the challenge of on-the-spot teaching. Overall, I'm excited to go back to what will be my life's work. Wish me luck.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-18368427799243782232008-03-13T14:42:00.008-04:002008-03-13T15:02:46.255-04:00

I spent most of this week in the garden before heading out of town. I raked the whole backyard and had enough leaves to create plant beds to edge the entire yard. I've got the blisters to prove it!Spring's first dogwood blossoms.On Sunday Lowe's had an exceptionally good selection in their half-dead plant department. I got enough flowers to fill up the containers along the back fence -- all for

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-54722919140105734992008-03-06T11:35:00.009-05:002008-03-06T12:27:55.174-05:00

My friend Stephanie loves to blog about ads for unusual things. When I spotted these two modern interpretations of classic Easter items at the grocery store recently, I thought of her.We found these kits prominently displayed at the entrance to a Publix in West Chase, a well-to-do Tampa suburb. I puzzled over the kit (Army eggs?) until coming to the realization that this would be a neat way to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-33512224207705582852008-03-05T16:30:00.007-05:002008-04-13T19:58:05.184-04:00

One of the best things about taking this year off of teaching has been the ability to travel whenever I feel like it. This weekend I spent time in Tampa Bay, which I enjoy more and more as I get to know the area better. Coincidentally it was also the start of one of my favorite times of the year, MLB Spring Training. The Grapefruit League consists of 18 major league teams that set up camp in

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-15319117549122364592008-02-28T12:34:00.011-05:002008-02-28T22:01:52.019-05:00

I am late for everything. Not just late to appointments or meetings -- but late to new technology, fashion trends, you name it. That's where this story starts. I finally bought an iPod about a year ago and got around to actually putting music on it a few months later (thanks Josh!) Frequent trips to Clearwater and Jacksonville (not to mention the demise of "The Dan Patrick Show" on ESPN Radio)

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-54974964202140132032008-02-25T19:16:00.005-05:002008-02-25T19:48:23.184-05:00

Every morning I run through my neighborhood. I used to like the track at the nearby middle school but I find that I like checking out my neighbors' yards more than counting laps. This morning my nosey-ness paid off. Halfway down the first street on my normal route I saw some small, wavy elephant ears peeking out of a yard waste bag. Being a gardener with no shame, I opened the bag and pulled out

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-1156186614045604002008-02-24T21:16:00.011-05:002008-02-24T23:30:58.020-05:00

I caught the last two games in UF's opening series against New York's Siena College this weekend. I was happy to see last year's core line-up mostly intact. New coach Kevin O'Sullivan has made a few changes -- some good, some strange. My thoughts:It took me a couple of at-bats, but I quickly realized O'Sullivan instituted walk-up music (music that's played just before a batter goes up to the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-8132566802283610872008-02-23T17:48:00.008-05:002008-02-23T18:00:37.389-05:00

New season thoughts and observations coming up after opening series' completion tomorrow.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-47747726108607300942008-02-21T10:32:00.003-05:002008-02-21T11:01:47.198-05:00

One of my friends and I have joked for years about traveling the country helping people organize their retail stores -- mostly after leaving particularly haphazard thrifts. I decided to take that idea and actually help people organize their lives. I took on my first client this week, a university professor who does a lot of consulting work. In addition to helping her organize her office space, I

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-59149191306780873672008-02-18T11:46:00.005-05:002008-04-13T19:59:01.494-04:00

I posted a while back about the hard freezes that killed a large part of the plants in my yard. I say killed, but most plants will just need a trim this spring. I'm finally beginning to see growth on many of those plants, and my pruning shears are eager to get to work. I've vowed to leave everything until March though, since we always seem to get one last freeze that undoes all the work I put

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-75303708805914722822008-02-15T17:38:00.003-05:002008-02-15T17:44:49.960-05:00

Yesterday's best valentine: First date injured players, pitchers and catchers may report to Spring Training. *swoon* Also picked this up at the grocery store yesterday. Happy Valentine's Day to me!

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-55865271075669540662008-02-15T13:57:00.007-05:002008-02-15T14:47:35.282-05:00

When I drove up to my house for the first time three years ago, there was one thing I hated about it right away. The house announced itself with small brass numbers nailed to the roof line above the front door. They were difficult to find even in the day time and nearly impossible to see at night. It's the first thing I vowed to change. It's an easy enough fix that I never got around to due to

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-14415434470561486792008-02-14T17:24:00.005-05:002008-02-14T18:11:16.051-05:00

I made a quick trip to the grocery today and couldn't believe all the craziness! Maybe I've avoided big stores on Valentine's Day in the past (after an exhausting day in a classroom full of sugared-up eight year olds, shopping is not usually in the picture), but today seemed worse than Thanksgiving or Christmas prep. Flowers and chocolates were everywhere -- including a giant flower display next

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-39718865731231693432008-02-13T18:05:00.009-05:002008-02-14T10:31:02.312-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! This has always been one of my favorite holidays. I am always at my most creative when designing something for a significant other (aren't we all?) Most of those creations are for personal encouragement, milestones, or private jokes. I love that this holiday inspires me to bring the creative part of that significant-other energy to all my friends and family.These are the

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-13706074029683975502008-02-05T23:07:00.000-05:002008-02-06T00:20:07.529-05:00

My community is lucky enough to have a wonderful family-owned grocery. Like most local stores, it serves different niche markets. Ward's is the best place in town to go for fresh, locally grown veggies and plants. Their meat department is amazing -- they cut thick steaks fresh every day and have yummy homemade sausage you can buy by the pound. It's also the best natural foods store in town with

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-65909744195186791352008-02-04T11:31:00.000-05:002008-02-04T12:07:27.687-05:00

By nature, I am an organized person (check out all 200 skeins of embroidery floss!) I love being able to find things quickly and knowing whether or not I have what I need to complete a project before I start it. I hate stopping mid-stream to go pick up a 59-cent item across town. It disrupts my creative flow.I knew when I started to avoid the craft room after the holiday season that something was

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-48511218486233494662008-01-29T15:09:00.001-05:002008-01-29T15:19:39.519-05:00

I just voted. How about you? Florida has closed primaries, meaning you can only vote for candidates within your registered party. I used to be an Independent, but since I couldn't vote in primaries, I switched affiliation to Democrat in 2000. Even if you are a Florida Independent voter, today's election is important to determine the fate of Constitutional Amendment 1, which would decrease home

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-49697811235021463052008-01-27T21:46:00.000-05:002008-01-27T22:53:52.196-05:00

Friday's Vanilla Coke taste test had three contestants and one clear winner.Contestant #1: Coca-Cola Vanilla. It had a strong vanilla flavor, but it tasted more like vanilla extract. Add to that the tinny taste often found with canned Cokes and it was just okay.Contestant #2: Regular Coke with vanilla flavoring added. We added one tablespoon vanilla flavoring to an entire can of Coke. The

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-31794591066085463202008-01-25T11:19:00.001-05:002008-01-25T11:34:57.964-05:00

Here are some current projects I'm working on, some already started and some that will be soon -- like today.Also, I've added new songs to my current music obsessions in the sidebar that have either been on heavy rotation on my iPod or have been pleasant old-school surprises dug up by shuffle. I love a good surprise.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-10664098944483161652008-01-24T14:08:00.000-05:002008-01-24T15:10:36.882-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was talking to one of my friends about the demise of my favorite Coke product, Vanilla Coke. Once Coca-Cola announced they wouldn't make it any more, they introduced Black Cherry Vanilla Coke. I liked that combination so I didn't complain too loudly. Then that version disappeared too, leaving me with only Cherry Coke. I'm not a huge Cherry Coke fan but the taste of canned Coke

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-47965898347598729592008-01-23T15:33:00.000-05:002008-01-23T16:04:15.452-05:00

The scarf I've been knitting forever is finally done (yay!) In my defense, it was my first full-length knitting project unless you count the birthday card I made a few months ago. It took me about halfway through the scarf to really become comfortable with knitting. I wanted to knit a matching hat, but I'm not sure if this yarn is that good for that (and I can't find this color anywhere. Every

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-39262250939610160552008-01-21T17:30:00.001-05:002008-01-21T17:53:29.281-05:00

Well I figured out a way to organize all that embroidery floss I found on my antique trip a couple of weeks ago. Seven packs of 28-count floss bobbins later (that's 196 bobbins, thank you) and hours upon hours of wrist work and untangling random threads, I'm almost done winding my new-found stash. When I did the math, even including the floss bobbins, each skein cost less than 10 cents!It's a

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-32052227808825222862008-01-20T23:27:00.000-05:002008-01-20T23:44:16.047-05:00

Just picked these from the garden today. They look tasty, albeit tiny. There's another on the way as well. I'd say fall/winter tomato planting worked out okay this year -- I've just had to lug the pot in every time it gets below 50 degrees.

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427869836725026494.post-68345877556109294512008-01-17T08:25:00.000-05:002008-01-17T22:20:31.479-05:00

After the last post I realized I haven't shared a recipe lately. I thought I'd share what I made last night which of course was highlighted by my latest food crush, citrus. Looking at the font, I think I clipped this recipe from Real Simple. Of course I changed up a bunch of things. I was afraid it would be too lemony, but roasting the lemons left them with a milder flavor that's positively

lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161408309969900515noreply@blogger.com0