Can you answer these questions correctly?

1)   The petals of which flower cover Mena Suvari in 1999’s “American Beauty”?

2)   What was Mary Stuart Masterson’s favourite flower in the movie, “Bed of Roses”?

3)   In “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1945), what flower shields Mary (Donna Reed) when her bathrobe comes loose?

4)   What flower-themed song does Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) sing about?

5)   What was Princess Diana’s favorite flower to receive?

6)  What was Kathleen Kelly’s (Meg Ryan) favorite flower in the movie, “You’ve Got Mail”?

Answers:  1-Rose, 2-A Sterling Rose, 3-Hydrangea, 4-My Wild Irish Rose, 5-Long-stemmed Yellow Roses, 6-Daisy

It’s May and many of us are thinking flowers.  Also, many are planting flowers or planted them earlier.  For me, this year, I’ve been planting wave petunias in baskets.  There are purple and lavender in a couple of baskets, and one basket of white and pink.  I have Knockout Roses, azaleas, a rhododendron bush, a snowball bush, yellow belles, hydrangea, gardenias and an African lily.  All of these make spring a divine time to roam around the yard while outside.  I do like planting flowers, but I admit, pushing a wheel borrow around in the hot sun, is not my favorite thing to do.  I do the hanging baskets and flower pots, but if it’s in the yard, hubby wants to do it—and I graciously allow this.

Oh, yes, I nearly forgot.  My favorite?  It’s very hard to say.  I do love hydrangeas, but I would also say my favorite is an iris, but sometimes it just depends on what I walk by.  Flowers are truly a wonder of God that I think are just beautiful.

Still having trouble deciding on your favorite?  What does your favorite flower say about your personality and style?

Daisy: Refreshing and unpretentious, this type is often sunny and optimistic, loving to spend lots of time in nature, and preferring clothes that don’t mind getting a little rumpled. Choose fresh, natural colors and crisp fabrics. Image: A casual picnic on a patchwork quilt spread out in a sunny field of wildflowers.

Gardenia: Exotic and a bit sultry, this type often favors saturated colors and sensuous textures, an air of mystery and an Asian flair. You may want to explore brightly-colored brocades and embroidered fabrics, or pieces sewn with tiny mirrors. Image: Moonlight shines through incense smoke onto the silken draperies of an exotic boudoir.

Iris: Meditative and with a deep sense of spirituality, this type often prefers simple, cool-colored clothes that move well, and that impart a sense of ease and serenity. Image: A still pool reflects the misty dawn light; a heron stands quietly nearby.

Poppy: Vibrant and creative, this type is unconventional and even a bit quirky, always ready to explore new things. Choose unusual color combinations, vintage pieces, and clothes inspired by works of art or the cinema. Image: A jazz band plays against the background of a vivid, expressive mural.

Rose: Warm, and with an old-fashioned sense of femininity, this type is often a deep-dyed romantic with a timeless sense of style that never goes out of fashion. Choose classic pieces in warm colors that enhance your womanly curves. Image: A cozy table set for two with candles casting a warm glow on the vase of full-blown roses.

Violet: Sensitive, private, and complex, this type may take a little time to get to know, but she is definitely worth it! Her style tends to be understated but tastefully and quietly elegant. Choose subtle colors and soft fabrics that feel good against your skin. Image: A secret garden at sunset; at the foot of the mossy brick wall, small flowers bloom.

(http://www.care2.com/greenliving/favorite-flower-personality-type.html)

by Maxine Davis

I want to talk to you about candy.  Sweet, melt-in-your-mouth candy, sticky, pull-a-tooth-out candy, sour, rolls-your-tongue candy, creamy, crunchy, crispy, brittle, chewy, syrupy, sugary, rich, smooth…candy.  Bet there’s at least one of those that’s your favorite.  

Then, I want to talk about salty snacks.  So salty they could have been dipped in brine, salted so that it burns that cut on your lip like a blow torch.  Oh well, let’s don’t go through all that again.  I bet you have a favorite in this group too.

I have one friend who says she really does not care for sweets although I’ve seen her skinny-self scarf down an after-dinner dessert of bread pudding, Tiramisu, or chocolate lava cake all by herself.  However, when there’s a group at her house, she really does stick to chips, pretzels, nuts, Cheetos, and Gold Fish saying she just doesn’t care for sweets.  Go figure.

When a group of us goes to the movie theater, some always pick the sweet treat and some always pick the salty variety.  The rest of the group say they don’t want to eat at the “most expensive place in town.”  But I say, what would a movie be without popcorn and a diet cola?  By the way, don’t expect change from that ten-dollar bill.

There was a time, long, long ago when you could go to the store and take a nickel for a regular candy bar or dime for a large candy.  Of course, the choices were not that many.  You probably found less than six feet of one shelf with the choices on it.  The most popular were:  Jawbreakers, Now & Laters, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies, Nik-L-Nips (wax bottles), Atomic Fireballs, Bazooka Bubble Gum, Bit-O-Honey, Candy Cigarettes, Bubble Gum Cigars, Orange Slices, Chickets gum, Circus Peanuts, Candy Corn, Mary Janes, Necco Wafers, candy straws (powder-filled) and a few candy bars.  You may think that sounds like a lot, but have you seen the candy aisle lately?  Yes, it graduated from half of a shelf to all the shelves from top to bottom and all of those half-way down the aisle—unless it’s a holiday, then it’s on both sides!  And don’t even pull out a nickel or a dime and expect to get anything.

Salty treats have not been lazing away on one shelf, either.  There is at least one entire row of shelves dedicated to these.  At one time, it was popcorn, pretzels or potato chips.  Now there’s a dozen or more kinds of popcorn and many more than that of chips and salty snacks.  By the way, have you tried the salt and lime popcorn?  Delicious.

So, is your mouth watering yet?  Have you already got up and went to get that “little snack” before finishing reading this?  Tell me your choice of a delectable favorite….

]]> http://www.petitfoursandhottamales.com/2012/04/13/something-salty-something-sweet/feed/ 2 http://www.petitfoursandhottamales.com/2012/03/15/are-your-parents-ready-for-assisted-living/ http://www.petitfoursandhottamales.com/2012/03/15/are-your-parents-ready-for-assisted-living/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:05:51 +0000 Maxine Davis http://petitfoursandhottamales.com/?p=11652 IF you are looking for the Recipe for Success Write-Off Contest, go here:  http://tinyurl.com/6suwtba          

  This is not an easy blog to write.  I have “been there; done that.”   

            We’ve all heard it.  People are living longer.  The quantity of years is increasing, but not always the quality of life.  As we age, our body, and sadly, at times, our mind, fails us.  I think we all say, “Oh, sure.  I’ll know when it’s time to go to assisted living or a nursing home, and if I’m in that bad of shape, I want to go.”  Keep that thought. 

            However, I do know a couple of people that have already put themselves on a waiting list at an assisted living facility.  The good thing is, you do not have to go when your names reaches the top of the list.  You can ask to be moved further down the list, but do know, some places have a limit on the number of times you can say “no” and remain on the list.  With these two “girls,” each was an only child, neither has living parents, and neither is married.  This is a smart move on their part.  Hopefully, it will work out for them.

            We tend to keep seeing our parents as the caretakers of us, their home, and their life.  This is not always the case.  Step back and really look at the situation. 

1. Do they say they are eating “just fine,” but are losing weight?  Is food wasting in the refrigerator?  Is there food in the refrigerator?  Check the garbage.
2. Do they take their medicine?  Check the bottles, count the pills, go back in a week and recount.
3. Are they and their clothes as clean as they used to be?
4. Do they sit in the same chair all day, every day?  Pay attention to their movements.  Can they walk around the house or outside?
5. Do they show evidence of falling? (bruises, band aids)

            You get the idea.

            Just know that at first, most parents are not willing to give up their home and their independence and move to a very small apartment and eat in the facility’s dining room, not even if it is beautiful, has great food, and many amenities.  The good part is, sometimes, parents eventually accept that they need help.

            Check out some places before mentioning the move.  No need to take them to a place that you know is something you would not live in if someone paid you.  And speaking of paying, it does cost a lot, although the prices can vary greatly.  If either parent was in the armed services, there may be financial help available.

            Let’s say, it is time for them to go to a facility.  Talk to them.  Expect resistance.  When they are willing to “look around,” go visit a few places.  Make arrangements to have lunch there.  Ask what recreation do they offer?  Do they have transportation if needed?  And go ahead and fill out the paper work.  It can be a daunting task.

            Luckily, my situation was not as bad as some I have seen, even though it was heart wrenching.  The day we moved Mom in, I went by the bank on business.  I did not let mother see me cry, but I sat in the bank lobby with tears falling below my sunglasses.  A manager brought me a tissue and asked if I was okay.  I said, “Yes, we’ve just moved my mom into assisted living, and she’s taking it much better than me.”  He smiled, sort of, fidgeted and acted like he’d give me free run of the vault if I’d quit crying.  He quickly left and told a woman teller to see what I needed.  I bet his mama still washes his clothes!

            It’s not a popular subject, but as each of us get older, it’s something that we may need to consider—for ourselves or a loved one.

          My new camellia bush is absolutely loaded with buds.  I know.  That does not sound like an un-green thumb, but it is February, for goodness sakes!  My camellia is the spring-blooming variety.  It is blooming weeks early—beautiful pink double blossoms, touched everywhere with brown frostbite.  Not the prettiest bouquets I’ve seen.  The “winter weather” these last few weeks has seen days with high temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s.  I hear some of you:  “Who’s complaining?”  “I love this weather!”   Me: “Yeah, yeah, but it is supposed to be cold in February.”

          Last summer we paid a man to do some yard work (because of my un-green thumb), including planting my beautiful double pink camellia meant to bloom in the spring. This year, I am going to add the sasanqua variety that blooms in the fall and is supposed to be especially pretty at Christmas.  I just don’t know very much about these beautiful flowers – yet.   Oh, I’ll read about them, but you can’t beat the convenience, though.  The man plants the bush, it sits there in the dirt, and for a few weeks out of the year it’s beautiful.   No thumbs of mine necessary. 

          After walking around outside, I noticed one of my apple trees had some blossoms on it.   I do know, from past experience, that if the tree gets buds on them and then a hard freeze comes, well, I am short some apples.  But not all is lost to the frost. The pansies I put out this year droop a bit when it’s really warm, but those hearty little flowers just love the cold!   My kind of flower!   “Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin.”

          Why my sudden interest in flowers, blooms and buds?  My sister is one of the reasons for this.  Whenever you walk into her house, you will see tiny vases sitting here and there with a beautiful blossom or two in them.  In the spring and summer, there are vases filled with camellias, hydrangeas, gardenias, roses or Gerbera daisies.  The other reason for my sudden interest is our visit last year to Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley, Ga., home of The American Camellia Society.  If you want to see some absolutely beautiful flowers, visit this 100+ acre botanical garden in middle Georgia!

          While I am not what you would call “an outdoors-type girl,” I am finding that I do enjoy having more flowers in the yard.  This does not mean you will find me spending days on end this spring, on my knees with gardening tools hanging from my belt, but I don’t mind a little watering in the afternoon so that I can have some flowers inside and out.

          What about you?  Are you just as happy with some lovely “real-looking” flowers inside your home, or do you have a green thumb?  Are you like me—like to see the flowers, but don’t necessarily want to dig in the dirt for hours on end?  Maybe you are someone who couldn’t care less about what’s blooming—you just like a bouquet once in a while.  Well, that is easy enough to fix—call the florist, drop by the grocery store, tell a special someone or …call a lawn service, no green thumbs necessary.

We are at the beginning of a new year.  Many of us have our lists, at least mental lists, of things we need to do. . . .

What if you were to die tomorrow? or your house burned?  No, this is not a “Will you go to heaven or hell” post.   This is simply a question about whether your family or friends could go into your house on your behalf during an emergency and find what they needed – your will, bank account info, insurance, and things of that sort.     Or if in the future you find yourself needing certain documents, will you have immediate access to the records you need?  It makes a difference.  If each of us lives long enough, we will have to take care of these things for a parent, family member, or friend.  And someone will have to do it for us.

This should not be an impossible task, and it wasn’t when it came to my parents.  My Dad was super organized.  He had a small filing cabinet with folders and information on everything.  It had what he wanted for a funeral, all insurance policies, his Army service number and records and honorable discharge information.  He listed exact places and dates of employment and the salary.  There was a bank folder with information on everything, even the information of when a certain account was closed or a loan was paid off.  There were deeds, birth certificates, a copy of his will, and where he had paid for his cemetery plot.  He had assembled everything that we needed and at a time when none of us were capable of thinking of everything.  When it was just Mother, she made sure each child was on a CD or a bank account so we would have money available for burial.  I’m still grateful at how thoughtful they were.

I had a grandmother that, of course, lived in another era.  When my grandfather died, I heard her tell my mother that, no, she didn’t know what bills were due, had no idea what was in the bank account, and was not sure if the house was paid for.  I think it was then and there that Dad decided things would be different in his house.

A lot of people have a safe deposit box.  But where is the key and who could get in if there is an emergency?  I like safe deposit boxes, and I have one.  But, I also have a fire safe, (one that is guaranteed to 1700 degrees for at least an hour.)  Two people who do not reside with my husband and me know its location in my house.  It’s small but it holds our lives, so to speak.

I have worked hard, and I want to enjoy what I have, but if I die, I do want certain people to have what is left.  It is up to me to make sure that happens.  I think everyone thinks of this from time to time, but it’s usually followed with, “And I’ve got to get around to that one of these days!”

None of us know what fate or disaster lies in store for us.  Think about your loved ones, and take some of the burden off their shoulders.  They will be glad, and that will be one less thing to feel guilty about not doing.

 Post a comment and one person will be selected to win a $10 Starbucks card.

by Patrick Taylor

http://www.patricktaylor.ca/index.html

Publisher: Forge Books

ISBN: 978-0-7653-6685-6, ISBN10: 0-7653-6685-1,
Genre: General Fiction

From Jacket:

Barry Laverty, MB., is looking forward to his first Christmas in the cozy village of Ballybucklebo, at least until he learns that his sweetheart, Patricia, might not be coming home for the holidays. He has little time to dwell on romantic disappointment. Though Christmas may be drawing nigh, there is little peace to be found on earth for a young doctor working in the glens of rural Ireland, along with his senior partner, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly.

To add to the doctors’ worries competition arrives in the form of a patient-poaching new physician whose quackery threatens the health and well-being of the people of Ballybucklebo. Can one territory support three hungry doctors? Barry has his doubts.  But the wintry days and nights are not without tidings of comfort and joy. Despite their hectic medical practice the two doctors still find time to play Santa Claus to a struggling single mother with a sick child and not enough money in the bank. Snow is rare in Ulster, and so are miracles, but that doesn’t mean they never happen.

~~~

This is the third book of this series I have read, and I love this one, too!  You feel as if you should be in front of the fire place with a cuppa enjoying following the lives of Doctors Barry Laverty and Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly.  I laughed out loud at the pageant and could not put this book down.  The author, Dr. Patrick Taylor, was born in Ireland and lives in Canada and Ireland.  If you enjoy letting his writer’s voice transport you to a small Irish Village of years past, then his books are for you.

~~~

The books we review on this site, unless otherwise noted, are our own personal copies. The Petit Fours and Hot Tamales blog members do not accept payment in exchange for a review or mention.

           Do you have a hobby?  I think everyone should have a hobby.  Someone mistakenly said to me, “Oh, I know what your hobby is.  You write books!”  Well, yes and no.  Yes, I do write, but no, I would not say that is my hobby, exactly.  Writing is something I have to do, but we’ll talk about that another time.

 hobby  hob-ee

Noun  Plural  bies

an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation:  Her hobbies include  stamp-collecting and woodcarving.

Actually I have several hobbies.  I like to swim in a cool pool, walk in the wonders of nature, take photographs, read a good book, watch television (I admit it) and I love to crochet.  Actually, I love to crochet while I watch television.

Now men, if any are reading this, know that I once had a male professor in college that did the most beautiful needlepoint I’ve ever seen – and he was very proud of it, so if you crochet, just tell me your favorite pattern and we’ll swap some time!

Before you picture granny in her apron and favorite rocking chair, let me tell you something.  No, crocheting is not an old-woman hobby.  I’ve been crocheting for many, many years.  I was about twenty years old when I decided I wanted to learn this art.  There were white crocheted doilies around my grandmother’s house, but they were made with thread and took countless hours.  I wanted to see progress a little faster.  Not living close to my grandmother, I thought about another way to learn.  I went to the store and found a “How To” book.  I bought yarn, a crochet hook, and went home determined to learn.  Oh, I would get a few stitches, get lost, pull it all out and start over.  A lot. 

Now, mainly during cooler months, I practically keep a crochet project going in a bag next to the recliner – in front of the television.  I’ve made Christmas stockings, bedroom shoes, shawls, scarves, baby blankets and afghans. 

afghan  af-gan   guh· n

Noun

A soft woolen blanket, crocheted or knitted, usually in a geometric pattern.

I love making afghans!  I don’t have to stop continually and read a pattern.  My afghans are mainly a large “granny square” (connect two small granny squares, crochet around them row after row… and you make an oblong afghan.  Or, sometimes I will make a “ripple” which looks somewhat wavy.

One reason I love to make them in the winter is when they start getting bigger, I can crochet a while, pull it over me and nap a while in front of a crackling fire.

I make one for each niece and nephew when they graduate high school.  This way, I do not have to agonize over what to buy.  One year I made a large afghan for my brother for Christmas.  Christmas morning, I had the light on in the inside of the car at 6am crocheting like mad to finish it and put it in the box.

It’s relaxing, and it is something I can do and not feel totally guilty about sitting down to watch TV.  I can let my mind wander or I can go over a book outline.  I can think about what I need to do and organize my day.  I can feel like I’m accomplishing something.

What about you?  Do you have a hobby that brings you peace of mind? 

Geez, I just finished the leftover Halloween candy corn.  Okay, so I hid it, and now I’m forced to eat it so no one will know I hid it.  Whatever!  And now we are getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  It’s that time of year, my friends, and “stuffing” takes on another meaning, other than just a side dish for turkey.  Food!  What’s a girl to do?

To make matters worse, it is also the time of year when everyone wants to lose a few pounds for that special Christmas Dress or the New Year’s sparkle-and-shine outfit.  Well, my need to be a few pounds thinner came last month.  I attended a wedding—fancy wedding.  It was at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, on a balcony, late afternoon, cool weather and fall colors everywhere.  Simply gorgeous!  And my dress of choice?  Well, I couldn’t decide, so I bought two.  They were almost identical except one was long and the other was street-length.  I tried on both several times.  I loved the long one, and my dh said I looked fantastic in it (yep, that made up my mind.)  However, every time I tried on the long one, I walked gently and breathed very slowly.  If I had taken a deep breath, I was afraid the seams would burst.  The short one had much more of that wonderful invention called spandex, but I had not made up my mind.

With the dress of choice hanging in my closet, I pushed back from the dinner table at every meal.  I was on a mission to squeeze into that long dress.  After all, they were having dinner after the wedding, and the bride is supposed to always be the focus of attention, not the lady sitting there, turning blue from the waist up.

Hard to do?  Oh, yes.  But I kept my eye on the goal – me in the dress of choice.  Did I mention it was a size smaller than I normally buy?  What can I say?  I saw it, loved it, and it was the only one.  And then it was mine, and it was too small.  I had it hemmed, and that meant there was no turning back!  My stomach growled, and my trainer marveled at my willingness to really sweat.

Having a tiny bit of common sense remaining, I took both dresses, just in case.  I knew I had lost weight.  I had a hint when I grew lightheaded around the smell of food.

Then there was the evening of the wedding.  Showered, makeup in place, and smelling lightly of perfume, I slowly pulled the dress over my head, inhaled as deeply as I could, and said in my determined, no-nonsense tone, “Zip me up.”  Zi-i-i-ip.  Not even a tug!  Room to spare.  Yay!

I wish I could say I kept the fourteen pounds off.  I have kept ten off and am now slo-o-wly going back down.  I’ll never be svelte.  I accept that.  But it feels good to accomplish one goal and aim for another.  And now I’m off to eat an apple.  Sure, cookies would taste better, but coming up I have Christmas and New Year’s Eve for sparkling and shining.  After that?  Well, I’ll deal with those pesky resolutions when the time comes.

by Tess Garritsen

http://www.tessgerritsen.com/books/rizzoli-isles-series/

Publisher:  Ballentine Books

ISBN:  978-0-345-45892-6

Genre: Romantic Thriller

Back Jacket:

Not even the icy temperatures of a New England winter can match the bone-chilling scene of carnage at the chapel of Our Lady of Divine Light.  Within the convent lie the two nuns—one dead, one critically injured—victims of an unspeakably savage attacker.  The crime appears to be without motive, but medical examiner Maura Isles’ autopsy of the dead woman yields a shocking surprise…Together, Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli uncover an ancient horror.  As long-buried secrets come to light, Isles finds herself caught up in an investigation that strikes too close to home—and toward a dawning revelation about the killer’s identity too shattering to consider.

Garritsen keeps the action fast-paced and riveting.  Her wonderful writer’s voice puts the reader in the middle of the action.  This book was a suspenseful thriller that you will find hard to put down.

by Maxine Davis

I was going to stop at two posts about the wonders and attractions of Georgia that are available to you on one tank of gas, but because I had some off-line emails asking about a few more, I thought I would give you one more list of some of my favorite places.

Amicalola Falls – Located in Amicalola State Park, these falls plunge 729 feet in seven cascades. Designated as one of the seven wonders of Georgia, Amicalola is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River.

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Atlanta showcases 30 acres of gardens and woodland – featuring the Tropical Rotunda, Desert House, Fuqua Conservatory, wildlife animals, Hydrangea, Dwarf and Rare Conifers, Palms, Lilies, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Water Plants and more.

Kennesaw National Battlefield Park is one of the key battles leading to the capture of Atlanta. The Atlanta Campaign started here. Preserved are historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and monument where over 5,350 soldiers were killed in the battle fought here from 6/19 – 7/2/1864

After visiting the Kennesaw National Battlefield Park, you must take a stroll around the beautiful Marietta Square.  For lunch or dinner you have the choice of several fabulous restaurants.  For something a little different, visit The Vineyard Café and Gift Shop on the Square, WINNER OF THE 2009 TASTE OF MARIETTA’S “Dangerously Delicious Desserts” category for our CoconutCream Bread Pudding w/Butter Rum Sauce.  The Vineyard Cafe serves a complete menu of fresh homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. They also have a separate tea room.  Sit upstairs and enjoy a view of the square.

Wild Adventures, Valdosta, GA.  Rides, hundreds of animals, and lodging.  For Halloween, visit PHOBIA – Fright by Night, Legend of the Blackwater Swamp, Sept. 30-Oct 29, Friday and Saturday evenings, dusk to 11 pm.  CAUTION: Phobia is not recommended for children ages 12 and under. Families with children are invited to Kid-O-Ween, Saturdays and Sundays, October 1-30, 2011.  Find out all about Wild Adventures at http://www.wildadventures.com/

And, of course, my “next-door neighbor,” The Georgia Museum of Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins.  There are all kinds of aircraft inside buildings and outside on the grounds.  Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, WWII exhibits, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Special Exhibits such as the Nose Art and the Tuskegee Airmen.  You can eat, rest and see items you have only read about.  Join us!

Thank you for allowing me to brag one more time about the wonders of Georgia.  There are so many, many more places you will want to visit, but I will leave you to discover these.  Thank you for joining me here and, who knows, we may bump into each other one day visiting and discovering the treasures of Georgia.