The Weekend in Black and White

These few photos were taken today at Minter Gardens.

Fresh snow on the mountains from yesterday's snowfall.

A knarly looking tree and a water fountain.

This actually is just a front for a church. It looks real but its not.

An old Wagon and a couple of flower pots.

To see more photos of The Weekend in Black and White, please go and visit http://blackandwhiteweekend.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

We have had Spring for the past few weeks. All the signs of Spring are everywhere. Daffodils and Tulips are all blooming. Cherry trees are all blossoming. Azaleas are blooming. The temperatures have been warm enough to wear shirt sleeves outside. We did not get the horrible winter that was predicted. So imagine the surprise when we looked out the windows this morning to a blizzard! Winter came for one last show!

It lasted about two hours and when it finished falling there were a couple inches on the ground that promptly started the job of melting.

Here are a few pictures of Snow and Cherry Blossoms and Recovering Skies!

These are the Cherry Blossom Trees at Thunderbird Square outside City Hall.

Full in bloom Azaleas on the other side of fence.

It was super grey and dark when the snow was falling, and after it cleared up for a bit. The clouds did come back after and the rain started.

Some snowy extra blooms for you to see!

To see other photos of Skywatch Friday, pleasse go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Watery Wednesday with some Midweek Blues too!

I have been trying to teach myself how to make collages with Photoshop and this is the first collage as a result of it. It only took me a couple of hours to figure this out so far. I guess that is how you learn, just keep plugging away at it until it amounts to a reasonable facimile of what you were trying to do in the first place!!

The pictures weren't hard to take, it was a sunny beautiful day at the beach. I don't get many chances or rather enough chances to get down to the beach and enjoy the wonderful scenes!

It was just the collage that was challenging!

I am also going to hook up with Midweek Blues.

To see more photos of Midweek Blues please go and visit http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com/

To see more photos of Watery Wednesday, please go and visit http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

Macro Monday

My hubby and I took a Photography Seminar a couple of weekends ago. One of the Seminars was on Painting with Light. The instructor talked about the process, showed us his photos, and then demonstrated the technique for Painting with Light. He let a couple of the students also try it and I was lucky enough to try the process. I learn better by trying, or doing so it was great to get the opportunity

I immediately went home, and took over the spare bedroom and set it up so I could Paint with light in my house. This photo is the first photo I tryed this on. I think for the first shot at it, its okay!

I have so many other things around this house that is going to get painted!!

To see other photos of Macro Monday, please go and visit http://lisaschaos.com/

Pizza Dip

PIZZA DIP

I am continuing my search for all things good on a plate that would also taste awesome on a chip. Who does not like pizza and here it tastes awesome on a chip, or a piece of Bagette or crackers! It all tastes great!! Here is how to make it!!

I started by roasting a pan of typical vegetables you would find on a pizza, such as onions, cherry tomatoes, peppers, jalepenos. I really think roasting vegetables enhances their flavors.  The sky is the limit I think. Whatever vegetables you enjoy, throw them in a pan, drizzle with Olive Oil  and sprinkle 1 TBSP. Italian Seasonings over top. Roast in a 400 degree oven until cooked to perfection! Set aside to cool while you prepare the next layers.

The next layer would be the "crust" layer of the dip.

8 oz Cream Cheese

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup Mayonaise

1 cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese

1 good handful of fresh Basil, chopped.

1 tsp. Fresh Pepper

Mix all ingredients together and spread in the bottom of your baking dish.

This would fit nicely in a 9x13 or so pan. I split mine up into two pans.

Spread a good layer of Pizza Sauce over the cheese layer. I liked the extra spicy garlic and basil pizza dip I found at the local grocery store.

Next comes the meat!!! I used a combination of Pepperoni and spicy Salami. Here again in this layer the sky is the limit for the meat. What you like on a pizza would be good here.

On top of the meat layer, it is now time to add your roasted vegetables and olives and fruit.

I start with the roasted vegetables, and then add a small can of drained Pineapple tidbits and a small can of drained Black Olives.

I like the sweet taste of the pineapple and the salty taste of the olives against the creamy cheese layer and the spicy meat.

A nice thick layer of more Cheese on the top and its ready for the oven!

Bake in the middle rack of your oven at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly.

This dip is so good, I am looking forward to trying different combinations of "pizza toppings" to make it different next time. I served this with slices of Bagette bread and with Multigrain tortilla chips.

Try your own combinations and make it yourself!

Skywatch Friday

The Sports park directly behind our home is a brand new park, only open since September of last year.

The Baseball Diamond has never been used until today, this is the first game of the season and the first game of the park.

A few puffy clouds in the sky, a nice warm evening for a baseball game.

Another view of the baseball diamond taken from the outside of the basketball court.

The park has a circular track, about a quarter mile walking path all around the field. This was taken from the opposite side of the field.

A more zoomed in view of the action.

Rain is predicted for the rest of the week and into the weekend so it was a very nice evening, a few clouds across a blue sky. We live for days like that!

To see more photos of Skywatch Friday, please go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Ruby Tuesday and some Midweek Blues

The Red Barn Antique store in Surrey is closing its doors forever and having some huge sales. We went there this weekend to see what we could find. I took a lot of photos there and here are some of them!

I remember these phone booths from way back, I'll bet its the same one Superman used when he changed his clothes for his Superhero outfit before saving the world yet again!

Old signs on the wall, old ashtrays like my Dad and Aunt used next to the recliner in the living room, old desks and tables and goose neck lamps, old kettles and buckets. Lots of things to see!

Old Tin Cans. I remember the pure lard container.

My hubby thinks this thing is a Sausage maker.Its quite big anyways.

To see other photos of Ruby Tuesday, please go and visit http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

More photos.......

Lots of blues and shades of in the Antique mall as well.

Biscuit Boxes. Don't think I would want any biscuits stored in these now!

Blue enamel Coffee percolators. And the cups to drink it out of. No camping trip was complete without them!

Carousel Horses at the Fair. I went on a few carousels in my day.

To see other photos of Midweek Blues, please go and visit http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com/