Thursday, July 22, 2010

I have a hankering for this... YUMMY!

Grilled Bread with Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

This makes my mouth water...

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 20mTotal Time: 20m

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2-inch-thick slices country bread
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 small zucchini (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 cup fresh basil, leaves torn
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • kosher salt
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta

Directions

  1. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush the bread with 1 tablespoon of the oil and grill until golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates.
  2. Grill the zucchini until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Toss in a large bowl with the basil, red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining tablespoon of oil.
  3. Top the bread with the zucchini and ricotta.

I want to snuggle this kitty!!!

How stinking cute????








Monday, July 19, 2010

I think it's time for a change....

So I have changed my blog title.. I am no longer the butterfly and garden freak... ahhh.. what a sad moment in history wouldn't you say? hee hee... anyways... it will take some getting used to that is for sure... so.. when you see my new posts coming through.. don't think you arrived at the wrong blog.. Have a WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

A great post I came across... AN ODE TO CRAPPY WEATHER by LEAPING GREENLY...

CLICK HERE - an ODE to crappy weather... this was posted by LEAPING GREENLY... I love this blogger and follow her regularly... great pics... great posts... all around great blog!!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

4 Buddies... one of them is my daddy-o...

This woman... Betsy Jo... is a photographer and somehow came across my dad and his buddies playing their guitars in a barn around our way like they have for 30 years... she talked about it on her blog.. CLICK HERE!!! My dad is all the way to the left in most of the pictures... looking cute like always!!! xo

And I quote....

"FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2010

PLACES.

This little photography venture over the past 2 years has taught me a lot, and taken me to lots of places that I didn’t know even existed, right in the area where I’ve grown up. Such is the case with this shoot. A friend of these 4 men wanted to give them a gift, to remember their music-making together. For over 30 years, every Saturday night, all year-long, these 4 people have gotten together and played old-time songs in a family barn. Songs I haven’t heard since I was little. And they are very skilled at what they do. We had the privilege of listening to them play, and documenting their work together. I got to take Paul along with me, and we had lots of smiles as we listened and photographed this crew. An honor to listen, and a privilege to be asked to document the evening. (Plus, they gifted us with a CD which we have been enjoying.)

Thanks to all four of you for putting up with me photographing while you played and sang. It was a pleasure meeting you all."

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES... Come on.. click it.. do it.. do it... !!!!!


Friday, July 09, 2010

Baby Cole....

I am going to be seeing one of my oldest and dearest friends Stacey aka Weez on Saturday so I went out and picked up a little sumthin for her baby that is due in a few weeks... His name is going to be Cole... I saw this outfit and had to get it...

Wicked cute gift bag...




Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Oooooh... a few more goodies from LoveFrankie.....

I thought these "trays" were cool... mostly cause they are of SEA LIFE....

Then they have these cool "trays" that have pretty birds... I love this top one....


I am in love....

I came across this site while looking for something to buy for my girl Stacey's baby boy that is arriving in the next few months... somehow.. I came across this site... and my heart skipped a beat.. or 10... THESE DRESSES made me insane with the crazies... I want ALL OF THEM for my baby girl that is not on the way any time soon... ha ha ... but I can dream right? I found this site... CLICK HERE.. it is called LoveFrankie and it's THE BOMB!!!!















This one here is my favorite... I love owls... always have... and think I should start up a collection of them... maybe starting with this??? Even though I am childless?? ha ha Kidding!



I also came across these GORGEOUS lamp shades that would REALLY do my room some justice... LOVE EM...



There are other badass lamps that you can get too... check them out HERE... Have fun!

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Hummingbird Moth....

This Hummingbird Moth was hovering in the flowers here at my work... I think it's A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E!!!! Don't you?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this sea glass....

So I have been reading this blog since Mama D sent the link to me... well, a bunch of us.. and love it.. the newest post had some wicked cool sea glass... check it out...

Pretty sweet right? Especially since it was posted for the 4th of July for us Americans but this sea glass was actually found in Europe... go figure... click this link to read more....

This made me chuckle!!!

Click to grow..... and Kodi the cutie!!

Can you see the box right under my blog title? Click it and see what flower you get... you can try this several times... I thought it was pretty cool... Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend... I know I did!

I got to snuggle and hold this little baby on Monday... His name was Kodi... super cute right? Oh boy.. he will only get to be 5 lbs... I wanted to steal him!

Friday, July 02, 2010

I don't know if I believe this..... ???? Do you?

"Latte Lather"


By Dr. Susan Lark

The secret to subduing your cellulite might lie no farther than your kitchen pantry. Renowned clinician, author, lecturer and innovative product developer Dr. Susan Lark is one of the foremost authorities in the fields of clinical nutrition and preventive medicine. Her free, bi-weekly health updates contain all kinds of useful information, plus fun beauty recipes, like the natural ingredients coffee scrub reprinted below.

As Dr. Lark explains: "One of the best remedies I've seen for using massage to treat cellulite involves coffee grounds. The grounds not only work themselves into the dimples and pockets commonly associated with cellulite, but the caffeine helps to tighten your skin and tissues by constricting your superficial blood vessels."

Good-bye venti thighs, take those grinds and minimize!

Ingredients
3-4 tablespoons fresh coffee grounds
1 1/2 tablespoons ground almonds
2 teaspoons peppermint oil
4 teaspoons flaxseed oil
1 teaspoon Squalane*
1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder

Combine all ingredients and massage into thighs, buttocks and other problem areas for several minutes. Rinse off.

More Salad..... 67% Less Risk... more useful information....

MORE SALAD, 67% LESS RISK
Greens Offer Protection Against Foodborne Illness




New evidence reinforces the fact that increasing salad intake -- NOT avoiding it -- is key to protecting yourself and your family from foodborne illnesses. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you avoid the produce aisle because of fears about foodborne bacteria, you're actually putting yourself at MORE risk, not LESS. How so? Because the protective bacteria in your gut thrive on fiber; starving them leaves you defenseless against bad bacteria, like salmonella and E. coli.

This was again demonstrated in a recent study published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection. Australian researchers compared dietary data with rates of gastroenteritis, or stomach flu, which is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in diarrhea. Given that infection is often transmitted through water contamination, the study focused on a population that used rainwater as their primary water source. Turns out that eating salads prepared at home conferred significant protection against gastroenteritis -- reducing risk by 67%. By contrast, eating beef increased risk by 174%.

In addition to salads, you can strengthen your intestinal immunity by eating Prebiotic Superfoods like asparagus, onions, artichokes and bananas. In fact, the prebiotic fiber (think Miracle-Gro for good gut bugs) in bananas is likely responsible for reducing dysentery symptoms among children by 60%. Also make sure to practice food safety in the kitchen, washing dishrags and sponges often, thawing frozen food in the fridge, keeping poultry/meat separate from produce in grocery bags, and washing fruit and vegetables with a vinegar-based water solution.

Ten to Eat every Week....

I found this information quite interesting... hope you do too!


TEN TO EAT EVERY WEEK
Most Frequent "Top Sources" of Important Nutrients


There are so many different ways of ranking and categorizing the so-called superfoods, it's no wonder people get confused. We group our Dole Superfoods into various health categories -- heart, immunity, skin, eyes, prostate, etc. Others apply the label to foods with the highest antioxidant score, or foods that are extremely high in one single nutrient.

It's certainly interesting and even useful to know that, for example, 1 oz. of Brazil nuts supply 780% of selenium, or that clams supply 2,800% of vitamin B12 (per 6 oz. serving). But what about the all-around players that most consistently make it into the "top sources" list of the roughly 45+ vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals your body needs?

We set out to come up with a list of "healthiest foods" as defined not by those foods which represent the best source of ONE particular nutrient, but by those foods most frequently pop up as a top source of ALL the nutrients for which data has been gathered. We referred to the Dole Nutrition Handbook, which includes "top sources" boxes for nutrients A-Z. We created a list of all the foods that appear in the boxes, then tallied up how many TIMES they appear in the boxes. The 10 foods* that appear most frequently as a top source are:

#1: Spinach -- a top source of 13 different nutrients, including 540% of vitamin K and 170% of beta-carotene.

#2: Salmon -- a top source of 10 different nutrients, including 0.64 g omega-3 fatty acids and 110% selenium.

#3: Soybeans -- a top source of 9 different nutrients, including choline and 50% iron.

#4: Navy beans -- a top source of 8 different nutrients, including 76% daily fiber and 60% daily folate.

#5: Blueberries -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, plus one of the top antioxidant foods.

#6: Broccoli -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, including 80% vitamin C, plus glucosinolates (detoxifying indirect antioxidants).

#7: Brussels Sprouts -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, including 140% vitamin K and glucosinolates.

#8: Kale -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, including 610% vitamin K and 210% beta-carotene.

#9: Raspberries -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, including 40% manganese and 32% fiber.

#10: Tuna -- a top source of 7 different nutrients, including 100% niacin and 90% vitamin B6.

This list comprises a handy "cheat sheet" of foods that should be in your fridge and pantry on an ongoing basis. What to do with them? We've whipped up a fish stew recipe using most of these ingredients, starring as this issue's Featured Superfood Recipe. Wondering what foods occupy the next 10 slots on the nutrient density list? Hint: They include turkey breast, beet greens and butternut squash. Click here for the entire list! For more detailed information on what health benefits are supplied by each source, visit the Food Facts section on www.dole.com.

*Unfortified sources ranked. Serving sizes for fruit and vegetables are 1 cup raw, 1/2 cup cooked. For beans: 1 cup, cooked. For leafy greens: 3 cups, raw. For fish: 6 oz., cooked. For nuts: 1 oz.

Tiger Cub and Puppy....

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Tia Torres... this woman is an ANGEL!!!

I cannot figure out why this video posts soooooooo far down.... oh well.... posting anyway!!! ENJOY!

The kitty and the tortoise... too precious!

Someone is hitching a ride... can you get over how cute this is??? I can't!!!