Expanding my repertoire

So, I’ve realized that I take a lot of pictures of plants and though they are beautiful, I think I focus on them too much.  I think it’s because I love macro photography so much.

This past weekend I was at a Memorial Day BBQ aka the Opening of Pool Club (the name we have lovingly given our summer gathering spot) and I decided to get my camera out and take some snaps. 

Here are some of the faces of Pool Club.

I could use some improvement, but I’m happy with learning. 

Authentic Sangria Recipe

So the other day when I was dreaming of vacation and listening to the type of music played in every low-key bar in Key West, I decided to make Sangria to enjoy after work.  I sent the Hubs a text to give him a heads up about the Sangria and like every good, trusting husband, he immediately checked with his Puerto Rican co-worker on how to make it so he could test me on my Sangria-making skills. 

I was given a recipe in a college Spanish class from my Cuban professor.  Her's went a little something like this:

-One bottle of any cheap red wine
-One bottle of Lemon Lime Soda
-Oranges, Limes, and whatever other fruit you would like to add to it

That's it.  Simple, easy, and delicious.

Hubs decided that I didn't know what the hell I was talking about so he asked his co-worker, who immediately called her mom, in Puerto Rico, to get her recipe.  Then, she gave him her own recipe and said her mom's was too much work.

- Burgundy Wine
- Orange Juice (I used Lite Orange Juice.  You may also use concentrate.)
- Lemon Lime Soda (I use Sprite Zero as I would rather waste my calories on the wine.)
- Splenda (optional)
- Cut limes or limon verde if you can get them and oranges (as much as you like)

It goes a little something like this:

- Pour in any amount of wine you like into a pitcher

- Add the orange juice until the drink gets that Sangria color

- Add a little Splenda for sweetening, if you wish ( I didn't add any.)

- Add the lemon lime soda for a little fizz and some taste

- Squeeze the cut limes and oranges a bit and then add them to the pitcher

- Stir

- If you're serving it right away I would add ice to the pitcher or to the glass.  

-Enjoy

Thanks to the Hubs for making this while I snapped the photos.  He obviously gets the first taste.

The weather is beautiful today.  I'm going to go enjoy some Sangria now!
Happy Memorial Day!  Thank you to all who served and are serving our country!

We booked it! Hurray!

So, after talking about it for what seemed like months, hubs and I booked our summer vacation for this year. 

Guess where we’re going?  Come on, you can probably guess.

Why yes, it is Key West.  I love that place.  Hubs and I went last year after not traveling down to the Keys for a few years.  We fell in love with it back then and fell in love with it all over again last year.

We had a great time.  It was so relaxing.  (Except when I was throwing myself on the ground)  It was so much fun that we decided to go back again this year.

With all of the stress of fertility crap, losing weight so that I may go back to the Endo, never really having any time when we’re truly alone, we decided to take a Last Hurrah kind of vacation.  With any luck, this will be our last kid-free vacation for a while.  Hell, maybe until we retire. 

I’ve got a little over a month and a half to wait.  It’s going to be hard. 

More fun with my new lens

I went to the Philadelphia Zoo for my birthday, last Friday.  I love animals, but I have to admit that I really wanted to go to practice what I learned at the Nikon School class and play with my new lens.  Not all of the photos are edited yet, but here are three of them.  I'm editing on a verrrrrry sloooooow computer so it is taking me a while.  Compared to editing on an 10.5 inch screen, it's not that bad, but a new computer is on the horizon.

Victoria Crested Pigeon - right before she started sunning herself

Flamingo "herd" - we caught them right in the middle of their afternoon nap

Orangutan with his/her blankie - I still say we all have days like these.

New Lens, New View

I’m happy to report that there has been a new addition to the Sarcasm household.  For my birthday, I bought myself a new lens for my camera.  It is chock-full of Macro goodness, 70mm-300mm Macro AF to be exact.  It can be used as a regular lens or a macro lens.  I . Am. Beyond. Excited.

Above, is one of the first photos I took.  Below is another.

Not that my “old” lens wasn’t any good, I just like to have options.  Below is one of the photos from our latest Virginia trip. 

Well, that’s all for today, folks.  I’m off to play with my new addition.

The Sound of Music

No, it's not what you think.  I'm not going to write about the musical.  I'm writing about the profound effect that music has on your memory. 

Have you ever heard a song from way back or even a couple years ago that brought you right back to a specific place in time?  I had one of those experiences a few days ago.  I had even thought about writing a series of posts about songs and the memories that are associated with them.  Then, I happened upon RemembeRED.  The prompt this week is about a smell or sound that provokes a memory.

Here is mine: Names changed to protect the guilty.

**************************************************************************************

All six of us were sitting in Tara and Jane's room, yet again, avoiding class on a Thursday afternoon, smoking cigarettes and acting generally cooler than thou.  Silverchair is on the stereo, blasting through the cold silence.

Tara is moping.

She is waiting for her moment.

Scott made a rude comment about her.  Maybe it's about her weight.  Maybe it's about her crazy pink and black hair.  Maybe it's about her self-absorbed attitude.  It's anyone's guess, but she's pissed.

Tara rarely holds back.  Tara doesn't play fair.  Tara hits below the belt.  That's the beauty of Tara.  That's also what's ugly about Tara.  She's your best friend and your worst enemy.  Cross her and be damned.

The tension is palpable.  Something is going to break. 

The song changes.  Israel's Son begins.  The tension in the room grows.  Tara goes off.

I can't quite remember all the things that were said, but I know they were harsh.  They're not important.  All I remember were her last words to Scott. 

As Scott closed the door, Tara sang, "I hate you and your apathy and I want you to know that I want you dead."

Scott died a few days later in an auto accident.  That was the last time that any of us saw Scott.  Tara has never forgiven herself. 

I will never forget it.

Here Comes the Sun

I am so ecstatic that the seasons are changing and we are experiencing warmer weather.
Last week we had snow. Today it was 78.  It's enough to make your moods go dipsy doodle, but I'll take the sun and mild weather any day.

It is great to come home and hear the neighborhood kids outside playing soccer.  My neighbors are hanging out and enjoying their beer of the day like they always do in warmer weather.

Me?  I'm hanging out on the deck with a glass of wine.   I had all good intentions of going to the gym when I got home, but Monday's stink, trying to get back into the work groove.  I just want to chill and sit on the deck.

That is one of my favorite places to be especially on summer nights.  Hanging with hubs, having a glass of wine, and enjoying each others company.

What do you like to do when the weather gets warmer?