Wednesday, July 31, 2013

iPiccy and Cyberspace Impressionists: What Would Monet Say?


The pink and yellow purslane blooms on my balcony
beam brightly in the early morning sky.
Cuddled by fluffy clouds, they stir gently in the soft breeze.


Just minutes before, there wasn't a cloud in sight,
 nor could 'poppy view' be found in mid-flight!
What's going on?!


Thought I'd be 'Artist' for a day,
so, got my e-easel and started to play!

Enhancing the hilltops, 
illuminating the landscapes,


tweaking the textures, 
as if painting on canvas.


Starting with surfaces smooth


and ending with hard.
Pebbly, grainy,
like a mini hooked rug.


Other times, subtle, soft and slight.
Dabbing with brush strokes
to blur or highlight.


Petals of purslane, patiently posed, 
as the camera clicked 
to produce and compose
e-paintings of photos -
visual prose.


Thanks for visiting!

 xx
Poppy

All images: www.poppyview.blogspot.com

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Monday, July 29, 2013

Muffin Tops: The Edible and the Inevitable




Mmm. Muffins. Love them. The earliest memory I have of these delicious mini cakes was during a sleepover at my sweet Aunt Jane's. I was twelve, and my sweet tooth was aching for a treat! We baked up a batch, (okay, not from scratch), but from a mix, which, a kind faced, culinary Quaker was selling. How convenient!
Fluffy and moist on the inside and crispy on top! Now here's the crunch: since then, these tops have become so popular that manufacturers have produced pans just for them!

Bakeries, factories, and deli/cafes tempt our taste buds with these 'top' sellers, catering to our cravings with their crusty and cuteness appeal!


But, as trendy as its edible namesake may be, the other muffin top, is definitely not! Dreaded, despised and difficult to disguise, it is, unfortunately, inevitable, for some ladies, (like me)!

Wikipedia defines this jelly belly as, ''overhanging fat that spills over the waistline of pants or skirts like the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing''.  Now, this is not to be confused with the English muffin, 'a small, round, flat type of yeast-leavened bread' explains the same source.


Why, oh why, wasn't this type of muffin used as a model for us who are morphing through the madness of  (peri) menopausal stress?
 Why?!!!


Ahem...sorry about that...Someone please get me a muffin, fast! 
I need to calm down.


Thanks!


Much better... Now, where were we? Oh yes...Apparently, the term 'muffin top' originated in Australian slang in 2003. Only three years later, the catchy culprit was making headlines, receiving two coveted prizes, with the Australian Macquarie Dictionary naming it 'word of the year', and to 'top' things off, the American Dialect Society crowned it one of  ''the most creative'' new terms. 


But do all these accolades account for the fact that we should be grateful for this overflowing flab around our midriff? I wonder, should we ditch the distress of the tummy press and rejoice in our Renaissance élégance, instead?


Well, I'm sure of one thing:
if this famous, Botticelli babe
could dance and sing 
so happily and carefree,
 than so can we! 


In addition to  dancing, the following can do wonders for your waistline, as well, according to this source:

1. Exercise regularly. Try getting out for a 30-minute walk at lunchtime.
2. Eat plenty of healthy foods that are low in sugar. This will help keep your chocolate cravings at bay.
3. Drink a glass of   warm water and lemon juice in the mornings. This will help speed-up your metabolism.
4. Avoid white bread and try wholegrain bread.
5. Cut-out soft drinks.
6. Drink plenty of water.
7. Add protein to your diet.
8. Avoid carbohydrates after 7pm.


Ah, that sweet muffin top...
Nibble on the tasty 'edible'
and embrace, (but work on), the 'inevitable'!



 Thanks for visiting!


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Saturday, July 27, 2013

COZY LITTLE HOUSE IS MOVING...STAY TUNED!


BRENDA'S COZY LITTLE HOUSE



Brenda is going back to Blogger due to her continual problems with Wordpress,

 but the process takes a day or so. Her domain is not up for sale, 

which is what it says on her blog.  It is just in transition. 

She will be back up and running possibly within 24 hours on Blogger. 

She asks that you bear with her during this process.


Brenda, keep calm and carry on.

We'll be here, ready to catch up with a cuppa,

at your new home!



Poppy

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Friday, July 26, 2013

A Bug's Eye View


 From a (wingless) bug's eye view,
the geraniums bordering my patio are probably 
perceived as giant bungalows in the sky.


No doubt, the marble columns are colossal;
 most likely an ancient temple to them, 
built to honour their god of shelter, the 'Mighty Marble'.


Further down the deck, logs are stacked for winter warmth;
a cool pit stop of shade for the travelling bug.


And, as attractive as the aerial architecture may be...


thick forests,


leafy, floral wonderlands,


and the trek to tall, tempting trees,


require replenishing the radar,


if a bug is to reach its destination.
Whether it be under a black, bistro chair,
 

or stationed by a stuccoed wall,


respite from the blinding sun,
 in the bright, blue sky,
 is just steps away at the mosaic bay!


Yes, the much praised, bird's eye view, is a pretty perspective,


but, a bug's ain't too bad, either!

Thanks for visiting!

All images:
 www.poppyview.blogspot.com
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Monday, July 22, 2013

Are You a 'New Domestic'?


Do you take pride in your cleaning, dusting, sweeping and mopping?


 Have you developed a 'green thumb', and if so,
 does it, along with the other nine, fine digits 
 sometimes hide under hot, adorable oven mitts


 when you present your perfect, home-baked goodness
to the gals in your knitting circles?


And when you aren't creating that cozy, casual sweater for hubby,
are you by any chance canning those sweet, juicy strawberries you picked?


You, a multi-tasker mommy, are prepared.
Partnering the jelly with peanut butter on soft, white bread,


- (your latest loaf is Martha worthy) - and will save you at snack time.
For, you, are a teacher, too, (little recesses are big perks!):
 quiet time and coffee - a strong, black brew is always due.

But easy on the caffeine, your custom-made alarm clock
crows at 5:30 am - sharp!


Cock-a-doodle-doo! No snooze button for you!
Time to visit the other chatty chicks you hang out with,
not to mention the bloggers you 'meet' for breakfast.
Yes, you even make time to surf!


 Final report:
If you answered 'yes', to most of the above duties, 
then you, my friend, are a 'New Domestic':
a happy homemaker who chooses to stay at home, 
for it is her haven, a place where she creates!


You're trendy, (and tired),
but, the most popular
 girl in the land!
Read all about it!
 You're history in the making -
(that is, when you're not cleaning,
 homeschooling and baking!).


Thanks for visiting!


All images: Google, except the first.

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