Fall… Pumpkin shopping…

I was looking at the pumpkins and came across these. I have to be honest, they look like they have a lot of warts on them. I don’t find them appealing and feel bad for saying this. Everything has it’s own beauty, right. Still, I thought, there must be a reason they grow like this.

Anyone familiar with these types of pumpkins?

Weather – When the storm comes in…

We can all sense a storm coming in. The wind starts to change, the clouds come in and THEN our IPhone’s go off. Flash Flood Warning Alert.

That’s what happened this weekend. I was close to Lake Michigan, stopped by the Lake and saw this incredible view of the dark clouds slowly moving in. I had to be quick to get the photo.

The waves were rather calm for the storm that was coming. Even so, I sensed from the dark clouds looming over head and the way the temperature felt that I had to take cover. A tornado could form in this type of storm. While I was mesmerized by the colors of the Lake and the dark clouds, I had to find shelter.

In the end, the storm came, pounding rain, then after a short period the sun came out. Yes, the bright sun as if a storm had never come through our town…

Interesting find at the CAR WASH!

My car was in desperate need of a car wash. I had parked my car in a nice shady spot. I was so proud of myself for finding such a good parking spot. Well, a few hours later, I was mad and horrified to see these massive bird droppings all over my car. I couldn’t even drive it. I had to clean my windshield off first. So, my great shady spot turned out to be the worst spot ever.

Fast forward to the car wash. My car needed vacuuming. As I got out of my car, I looked down and thought I saw a penny. The car wash is a perfect place to find all sorts of things on the ground. This object was so dark blending in with the pavement that I had to look twice.

Sure enough, it was a penny. Look how interesting though, it had a hole in it. How in the world did that happen? This penny had been through a lot. So old and beat up, I can’t even see the date on it.

My next thought went to, “Find a penny, heads up, you’ll have GOOD LUCK!” I did find a penny, heads up, but it had a hole in it.

Does the hole nix the “Good Luck,” I was supposed to receive? BIG question!

If only pennies could talk! I’d be interested to know what happened to him.

When dark clouds move in…

I haven’t looked at clouds for a long time. Yesterday, I was waiting for someone. Lost in thought, I realized that while the sun was shinning on one side of me, on the other side it was dark. So, I looked up into the sky and saw this dark cloud coming in.

I always think of The Wizard of Oz movie when I see dark clouds like this. Remember Dorothy sitting on her bed, while the tornado spins around her? Great idea to have scenes from “back home in Kansas” viewed through her window. Then her house lands in Oz, she’s not in Kansas anymore. She’s welcomed by Glinda (the good witch) and the Munchkins. Fabulous!

We’ve been having a lot of storms lately in Chicago. High winds, thunder, lightening, etc.

Summer is almost over. However, I remember last year reading that summer was at the end of September. How could that be? Is that true? Our weather now feels like late September.

A tulip… Alone or maybe not?

I was visiting a friend. We were out walking. I saw this tulip all alone. Isn’t it a bit strange?!

It looks so healthy and strong. Was it transplanted? Was it the only bulb that survived? Tulips are always in groups, where are the others? This one does look beautiful.

I have a lot of questions to ask this dear tulip!

Hong Kong: Art Installation – Two Rubber Ducks in Victoria Harbour

Hello Fellow Bloggers, in keeping with our rubber duck theme this week. Look what I found. In Hong Kong right now, an art installation by Florentijn Hofman, a Dutch Artist. It’s been 10 years since his first rubber duck visited Hong Kong. This time, two ducks for “Good Luck!”

Hoffman created this Rubber Duck Series in 2007. His ducks have been touring the world. I do remember years ago seeing in the news, the one rubber duck in Hong Kong, and thinking, “What, a HUGE rubber duck?” Now, there are two.

Visit WION’s (The World is One News) YouTube video to see the ducks zooming around Victoria Harbour. It’s fun!

So, what do you think? Are you smiling?

Travel: Going on a cruise? Bring your rubber ducks.

It’s Wednesday, I thought we could use a funny post. Check this out on Amazon, a special on rubber ducks, tags, rubber bands, etc.

Do you really need that extra swim suit? Why not pack some rubber ducks and leave them around the ship. Yes, people are now leaving rubber ducks with messages on them around the ship for “other” passengers to find.

Have you found a rubber duck on your cruise?

Would you join in the fun?

Improve Mental Health: Watch “Bulletproof Heart” on MHz Choice

Our mental health depends on what we feed into our brains, right. I’ve stopped watching the news. I only do a quick scan online of daily news events to be sure there hasn’t been something “big” that happened. Otherwise, I pass on doom and gloom, never anything positive.

Last night, I was in one of those moods. You know, where your brain could go either way, ie negative / sad or happy / uplifting. Why does this happen? I don’t know, but we have to IMMEDIATELY decide what path we are going on. I had a choice to make. I decided no news! Instead…

ENTER MHz Choice. A lot of their shows are mysteries. What I like is that they have a category for mysteries without violence, for simple folk, like me. Some violence is OK, but I was trying to avoid the news, remember.

Being Italian background, I thought, why not look at the Italian shows. I enjoy hearing the Italian language spoken. I did a quick scan, Bullteproof Heart came up. At first I thought, hum… was it going to be “too slow” or “too boring?” We don’t know unless we look at the Trailer, right.

I was pleasantly surprised. It’s such a cute show. The Italian conversation and expressions, put me in such a warm hearted mood. A news reporter, Bruno Palmieri (Gigi Proietti) is about to retire, then something happens (you have to watch to see) and he continues to work. Can’t give it all a way.

Here’s a good scene from YouTube:

YouTube: Bulletproof Heart on MHz Choice

The English subtitles are nice and clear. Although, they say you improve your Italian better if you listen and read subtitles in Italian at the same time, but sometimes they talk too fast!

ENJOY!

Baseball – What do you think, a vintage Cubs hat?

Baseball season is in full swing. I’m not a huge sports fan, meaning I’m not watching every game or anything like that. However, I do support our team, the Cubs.

I was visiting a friend, walking the neighborhood and stopped in my tracks when I saw this tree. How clever. This art creation of a Cubs fan took effort. It’s so funny, looks like an older man. Profiling here, tall and a bit chubby, holding a beer, maybe with shirt too tight? We have to go older since the hat looks vintage.

Looking at the hat. What is that to the left of the “C?” Is it meant to be a drawing of a player with helmet on, bat in hand?

Maybe that hat is the colors of the Cubs, but it’s not an old Cubs hat. Any Cubs experts out there or OLD ENOUGH to know logo changes, LOL.

What do you think?