Southern Flowers

Magnolia - Nikon D40 with 55mm lens

How I would love to have dahlias and peonies growing in my yard. Alas, Florida is not a friendly place for such blooms. But since Mother Nature is quite fair, she lets me have magnolias and gardenias, instead.

Gardenia - Nikon D40 with 55mm lens

Weekly Challenge - I've Got The Blues

Blue Water - Nikon D40 with 55mm lens

Blue is my favorite color. That's saying a lot, considering my all-consuming love for colors of every shade. For blue to make it to the top is pretty impressive. And there is no blue I love more than the color of the Gulf of Mexico. It's actually a range of shades, from turquoise to cerulean.

I could stare at it forever. Often times, I do.

Go on over to Inspiration Avenue and check out the other amazing submissions.

My Guru

One of My Favorites - Sony Cybershot

Since my current location is at sea-level, I am unable to shout my new discovery from the mountaintops. I actually can't even see any mountaintops from here. So the internet is going to have to be my mountaintop as I shout to the world that I have found my guru. I have found someone amazing and brilliant that I think everyone should know about.

Ashley Ambirge from The Middle Finger Project is not just writing about a fearless, original life, she's living it. And she makes us all believe we can do it, too. Her posts are funny, wise, realistic and heart-felt. Ashley really wants us to find our own potential. She knows the secret: that when people are happy and productive, the world is a better place.

When I first started reading her blog a week or two ago I just kept thinking, over and over, "Yes! She gets it!" She has this incredible ability to make her readers feel as though she's talking directly to them.

I could go on and on, but I wouldn't do it justice. Just head over to her site and start reading. I'm tellin' you, it'll change your life. It's changed mine.

Weekly Challenge - Melange

Melange - Nikon D40 with 55mm lens

I love this challenge because it takes me out of my comfort zone. I prefer not jumble things up, but that's exactly what was called for. At first, I didn't like this flower combination. But the longer I sit with it, the more I come around.

Click over to Inspiration Avenue and check out the other submissions.

Lists: Music Lyrics

Purple Hydrangea - Nikon D40 with 55 mm lens

I love music. I could spend days explaining why and how much I love music. To list all my favorite lyrics would probably break the internet, so I'll just put up a few here. And they are not in any particular order.

Guinevere by Eli Young Band: written by Mike Eli, James Young and Scooter Caruso

For as much as she's stumbled, she's runnin'

For as much as she runs she's still here

Always hoping to find something quicker than heaven

To make the damage of her days disappear

It's In The Way That You Use It by Eric Clapton: written by Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson

Nobody's right until somebody's wrong

Nobody's weak until somebody's strong

No one gets lucky till luck comes along

Nobody's lonely till somebody's gone

Half My Mistakes by Gary Allan: written by Radney Foster and Bobby Houck

Half my mistakes I made because I was moving too quickly

Half them were made because my heart was moving too slow

Nobody can tell you a damn thing if you ain't listening

Oh and half my mistakes I've made cause I couldn't let go

The Old Days Are Gone by Gary Jules: written by Gary Jules

In the old days we had it all figured out

The old days are gone, hallelujah . . .

In the old days your somewheres were chosen for you

The old days are gone, hallelujah

I Believe In Something by Mark Aaron Canty written by Mark Aaron Canty

I believe in something

But I don't know what it is

Never much on miracles

But I've never needed one like this

The only life I'll ever live

Has been more take than it's been give

Weekly Challenge - Architecture

Ringling Museum Courtyard - Nikon D40 with 55 mm lens

One of my most very favorite buildings in the world. I first saw it when I was seventeen years old. And now, seventeen years later, I still visit it once a year. And I am still in awe.

Head on over to Inspiration Avenue and check out all the fantastic submissions.

Where Have I Been? Alas, Nowhere Special. . .

Gulf of Mexico, May 15, 2010 - Sony Cybershot

Did you all know SilverBluePearl is my third blog? The first two didn't turn out so hot and, when I couldn't post consistently, I just deleted them. The classic "if I can't do it perfectly why bother at all" attitude. Well, I finally learned my lesson. No more deleting blogs just because I can't post to them. Life gets crazy and some times we can't get to our blogs. That's okay. I always come back eventually. Sometimes with pretty pictures.

Sorry I've been gone so long, friends. I'll try to pop in more frequently from now on.

**Note: I took the photo above about twenty minutes ago. Where I am is far from the oil spill, but our beautiful Gulf is hurting. Click this link to see how you can help: http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/ (Link via my friend Toni)

It's A Blog Party!

Pink 'n White - Nikon D40 with 55 mm lens

We're having a party over at Inspiration Avenue! Tutorials is our theme, and the only thing I can write that makes any sense is recipes. I'm more of a hands-on, right-there-with-you kind of teacher. But recipes, now those I can write. So here is one of my absolute favorites: Tuesday Pasta.

Invariably, I always end up making this pasta on Tuesday nights, though I never actually plan it that way. It is easy, delicious and even good for you. How's that for a yummy weeknight dinner?

Tuesday Night Pasta

Ingredients

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed and dried

1 tub of fresh mozzarella balls (small size)- (I like Bel Gioioso Ciliegine) at room temperature

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb small pasta (farfalle, rotini, penne, etc.)

handful fresh basil, torn or chopped

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Start the sauce when you add the pasta to the boiling water.

2. Pour oil into large saucepan over medium heat.

3. Chop garlic and add to pan. Keep an eye on oil so it sizzles nicely but does not smoke and garlic does not burn. Cook for two minutes.

4. Add whole tomatoes, basil and salt and pepper to pan. Cook just until the tomato skins start to split.

5. Toss sauce, pasta and mozzarella in serving dish. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 generously.

Notes:

- Don't use fridge-cold mozzarella: it won't melt into the sauce if it is too cold.

- All measurements are approximate. Some prefer less garlic or more cheese (me! me!). Adjust to your taste.

- I like the pasta to be roughly the same size as the tomatoes and mozzarella, but this is also delicious with spaghetti or angel hair.

- If you can't find fresh mozzarella balls you can use a large hunk, just chop it into pieces roughly the size of the tomatoes.

I hope you try this recipe; I think you'll love it! If you have any questions I'll answer them in the comments! Now come on over to the party!