tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62524129889129880432024-03-13T23:11:40.612-07:00Olive * WritesOlivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-14773410306069215242016-04-20T15:13:00.000-07:002016-04-20T15:13:08.735-07:00Olive Has Moved!Hello Devoted Readers!<br />
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Its been awhile since you've heard from me. That's because I've been busy dusting, painting, and buying new furniture for my new home! No, I don't mean I've finally bought my beloved cottage by the sea. What I have done is create a fresh virtual home! You can now find me sailing on <i><a href="http://anolivesea.com/">An Olive Sea</a> </i>(www.anolivesea.com).<br />
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All my old posts are archived there, and new ones are already up! I've also integrated my other blog, <i>Olive Reads</i>, onto this site.<br />
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Before I take down this blog, would you be so kind as to <a href="http://anolivesea.com/subscribe/" target="_blank">subscribe </a>to my new site? No spam, I promise! Only good reads, sweet outfits, and cups of tea.<br />
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I look forward to giving you the grand tour of my new house! Should we start in the library, or the closet?<br />
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<i>Olive</i>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-37327421625754503252014-08-08T14:15:00.000-07:002014-08-08T14:15:40.181-07:00Recipes That Work: Easy-Peasy Strawberries and Sour Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/vintage%20cooking/violetsunsets/Vintage%20Ladies/Vintage/woman-cooking.jpg?o=11"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJq8BB641rdhERd-qR7FGh2YG3UPmDXnc884ArFLg_npJ9VtOs3Bo94ah3SsAZwDlXjBX1slpJ2ewYtB6RDJH9WTZqru3bjtxVAkcDzzQ7TUQRUaVQah5fH9eqfSHSZXqgXULqv4KQYas/s400/woman-cooking.jpg" height="400" width="351" /></a></div>
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Does Olive like to cook? What an interesting question. Let's see how to answer that... Olive likes to cook dishes that are easy, reliable, and require little experimentation. Experimentation in the kitchen scares Olive; she has endured one too many burns and cuts to be overly enthusiastic in the land of stove and knife.<br />
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But this! This is a recipe I can go in for, says Olive. Three ingredients. No heat. No pesky measurements. No imagination necessary! Just the enjoyment of...<br />
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<u>Easy-Peasy Strawberries and Sour Cream.... That Tastes Like Cheesecake!</u><br />
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1. Wash some strawberries....<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/20829216996667840/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQh6A8AispdSVQBEWfxbn4oyfHW-Z_8tK6VJGLc3ZFzs_bqLty43mAJ4nUi1L0EGZfZFQ3lflQge4EYcYop_DLJlCiBA_vJSn1ujJNa7dHWbDmUKVWcVPvFUkUW6aqFikw4LRtKR2The32/s640/20829216996667840_Dfb3rdGB_c.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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2. Dip said strawberries in sour cream (full fat, please).....<br />
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<a href="http://fizzbathshop.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sour-cream.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6AcZSdMQuPQ8xQ-HVN_wNgl_IQtrD375LzRXbwNm_Ig1W4HaJs-tYDUHMYPnQ-pzth_8LOJyA_XxYJLK7RJmluGu4I-VPH0njPP-PDYWMkqSTZoj5LXZEdmJ6BM2qqy2Jam7Iv1Ekesl/s400/sour-cream.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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3. Roll concoction in brown sugar....<br />
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<a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/14/tip-of-the-day-light-vs-dark-brown-sugar/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6q7Q1005wYLl5kbjH49KDGThbfWOV2C-0Bgeiy4eXKSMMxkKofEcj6JhBXKGOmQzHq1TKYCiKxnrLqnnTOv59yafz44JLB6CnCx8nOkS0hjzj19JCdWkqw8OSf1j9ciGBz_FjUMkACIIY/s400/515888700_7a38c1e9fa_b-1260819155.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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4. Eat with one hand -- with the other hold a book that transports you as much as these gorgeous darlings will!<br />
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<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-18523379310572667582012-05-20T15:55:00.000-07:002012-05-20T16:20:21.763-07:00Moving for Art's Sake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdePfLMgxaDvQ32qz_tOJCVGInNTxTmTeqHSfSoxrpngjYqbTIDXD7IFIgBVsrrWPai6y7vaqbdXUSa7RFhPk7hzuOMNhv21eY6PY2fWgGzyxFHCMmBt6bqN_ldEdwnwJnt_ytwBYbw8W/s1600/207338844273.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdePfLMgxaDvQ32qz_tOJCVGInNTxTmTeqHSfSoxrpngjYqbTIDXD7IFIgBVsrrWPai6y7vaqbdXUSa7RFhPk7hzuOMNhv21eY6PY2fWgGzyxFHCMmBt6bqN_ldEdwnwJnt_ytwBYbw8W/s320/207338844273.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Moving. What can one say about the disorder of boxes, Sharpies, packing tape, and broken glass? Not too much, Olive says rather grumpily. Yet, in the interests of positive thinking - it is the May long weekend, after all, and how can one complain when the pond outside is rippling deliciously, and the birch tree waving with such languidness - Olive has decided to turn the upset of a change of address into an inducement for a fresh decorating spree!<br />
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The first order of business must be art on the walls. I'm so sorry, says Olive, but I can't go in for the mass-produced Ikea variety, as snobbish as that sounds. No, I'm not aiming for a Renoir, but some real paint, or at least a limited edition print would be most welcome. <br />
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With that in mind, I was enchanted by British wildlife artist Eileen Turner, featured in the March issue of <a href="http://www.allaboutyou.com/countryliving/">British Country Living.</a> If Olive had been born a lady of the manor (is it too late?), she would have been of the kind that had ever animal on her estate lovingly painted, and Turner would have been just the sort Olive would have hired. Luckily, she sells prints of some of her most popular work in an online shop, so there is no need to despair that one has been born without a title.<br />
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Don't you love "Listening Ears?"(Those two boxers above are "March Hares.")<br />
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What hangs on your walls, dear readers, to seduce you as the light changes?<br />
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Explore more of Eileen Turner <a href="http://eileenturner.org.uk/">here</a>.<br />
<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-63582287558799009762012-05-01T14:04:00.002-07:002012-05-01T14:04:59.249-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU7iRwiXCO2MTFjPcJhgxyz2bU3ml1Xl1gPImTIRsn7bHCBdPzos49NhBmJ1iz0vu3aELZFnRm-8kL1m2e6eS2Pj6OcmYUgrKhy7FyUM5pOBuSMjMgF8oaBHeVCuDMm5CSScTK0hIL1v-/s1600/459541_10150848466770519_500830518_12210216_1272665036_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU7iRwiXCO2MTFjPcJhgxyz2bU3ml1Xl1gPImTIRsn7bHCBdPzos49NhBmJ1iz0vu3aELZFnRm-8kL1m2e6eS2Pj6OcmYUgrKhy7FyUM5pOBuSMjMgF8oaBHeVCuDMm5CSScTK0hIL1v-/s640/459541_10150848466770519_500830518_12210216_1272665036_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"The world's
favorite season is the spring.<br />
All things seem possible in May."<br />
</i></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">- Edwin Way Teale</span></div>
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<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-48695259530049048012012-04-19T19:37:00.000-07:002012-04-19T19:37:49.328-07:00Read With Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/26907681"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1ipS16iL5kJqEEH6e_U3uAsEyQB-aS33WcAFewlZpXUyG7exv6D03wolzVgMgtaCKRmGxSUqtkk1o3HSGa38PNaiU6pPzljLfsyiFpkFrM-DpQLhvzY59DJwilWJAFTTw5ckvWxQZCFJ/s640/1334629850587497_large.jpg" width="544" /></a></div>
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You must all know by now that Olive is, first and foremost and forever, a reader. Raised on a diet of Nancy Drew and Anne Shirley, tremulously stepping into adulthood with the help of Jane Eyre and Bertie Wooster (disparate, she knows), and flowering (hopefully) under the watchful eye of dear Hemingway, Chandler, and Fitzgerald (where to stop?), there is a good reason Olive owns seven pairs of glasses.<br />
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Thus, it was probably inevitable that the Olive tree should spring a new branch. Indeed, it is with great pleasure, and not a little bit of parental pride, that Olive is pleased to present...<a href="http://olivesbooks.blogspot.ca/"> Olive Reads</a>! Here she shall continue those "genial voyages of imagination and elegance," but with a more literary bent. Please do pop over for a visit! There is a special place reserved for original visitors to the Olive universe, those fellow travelers just like yourself.<br />
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With a nose soon to pop back in her book,<br />
<i>Olive</i><br />
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<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-40318461971160157062012-04-13T12:39:00.001-07:002012-04-13T12:39:29.823-07:00Pin Me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've always been a bit flummoxed over what to do with the plethora of images I find online everyday. It's all well and good to keep a file on your desktop of glorious editorial photos, vintage images, and shopping inspiration, but rather pointless if you can't readily see them.<br />
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So Olive say "hurrah" to the chaps at Pinterest! At last someplace to organize, share, and discover even <i>more </i>pictures to set the heart racing. See if my images do the same for you <a href="http://pinterest.com/olivewrites/">here</a>, and then share your pinterest board with me!<br />
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PS. Well Friday already? It's always a funny week when Monday is a holiday. What special plans do you have for the weekend? Speaking of inspirational images, I am finishing up this wonderful hardcover <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Between-Wars-1919-1939-Culture/dp/086565252X">book</a> on art in Paris between the wars. Highly recommended, and sure to get you twitching for a paintbrush, or maybe even a trip to the art gallery.<br />
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<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-34950336540078567262011-09-24T10:51:00.000-07:002011-09-24T10:51:23.493-07:00This is What You Shall Do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRd24aBEn4cbhZ6RGdWzyEAYsqOQJR5fa_L3nf9p6uTN8vUlFLakwmSnQyBqzn3aWE0RFVVwGyK0qmzBUcnBp8aaUmtjsyj5RMIUKzyU5SXQzDb4daRnFZRHFI7Gwh3jRCy1BSGUa7mDZ/s1600/1860_LeavesOfGrass_Thayer_Eldridge_NYPL.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRd24aBEn4cbhZ6RGdWzyEAYsqOQJR5fa_L3nf9p6uTN8vUlFLakwmSnQyBqzn3aWE0RFVVwGyK0qmzBUcnBp8aaUmtjsyj5RMIUKzyU5SXQzDb4daRnFZRHFI7Gwh3jRCy1BSGUa7mDZ/s640/1860_LeavesOfGrass_Thayer_Eldridge_NYPL.jpeg" width="458" /></a></div>
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This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals,
despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the
stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants,
argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the
people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or
number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the
young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open
air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have
been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults
your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the
richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its
lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion
and joint of your body.<br />
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- Walt Whitman, <i>Leaves of Grass</i><br />
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<i>An Olive Aside: Have you read </i>Leaves of Grass<i>? I am just delving into its rich celebration of life</i><i>. (Perhaps too much of a celebration for its nineteenth-century readers, who balked at its language of the body and sexual love). It's <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1322">readily available </a>online, so you have no excuse not to at least take a glance.</i><br />
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<i>Happy weekending!</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Images found <a href="http://www.divinecaroline.com/49804/114111-titles-titillated-eight-books-banned#5">here</a><i>.</i></div>
Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-68166063049884685642011-09-22T14:34:00.000-07:002011-09-22T14:34:33.790-07:00An Autumn Return<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Ones,<br />
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Some people choose spring as the season of rebirth and rejuvenation; Olive prefers autumn. To grow again under the soft, protective foliage of new fallen leaves after the harsh exposure of summer is a temptation Olive cannot, and won't, resist.<br />
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How can it be nearly a year since I have posted! Olive has never been very keen on odd-numbered years, and 2011 was not keen on her. Like stomping out the year, crunching the leaves beneath my feet is going to be a satisfying activity this fall, a healing one at that. New things grow from this sort of composting, don't they? That is a heart-warming, and inspiring thought!<br />
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All this sounds melancholy, and just a little fierce for someone so diminutive. It's not meant to be. Life has taken on a wonderfully coloured hue of late, and it's time to share the creative whispers that scuttle around Olive's head at night, begging to be set free.<br />
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I hope you have not forgotten me, for I have most definitely not forgotten you! Quietness does not equal absence: I have been lurking around all your blogs, even if the comment button has become rusty.<br />
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The rain has just stopped, and there is brightness to the south. It's time to go outside for a moment, if only to invite you all back in. Will you join me this September for lots of adventures on <i>Olive Writes</i>? Where shall we go, and what shall we do? Do tell!<br />
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The tea is always on,<br />
<i>Olive</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Image found<a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/14822729"> here</a>.</span><i><br /></i><br />
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<br />Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-28200672599767239502010-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:002010-10-17T16:49:07.105-07:00A Garden Mystery<div style="text-align: left;">The sun was high and bright today, the crisp air a needed tonic from weekend chores when I decided to pop outside for a spot of gardening. I thought I might push 'round some fallen leaves, scrape the trowel over some weeds, and feel generally invigorated by outdoor work. With the boots on and hair piled out of the way, I was mighty surprised to step outside and find my little plot overgrown with these pesky weeds:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KQMfp0a7_CcECadqLohjokKIP6Drzcd6-_Z8Blkn20o2tAiOR8Y4f9G-QQgcsuVwL_AZhSduzGWVML6kXuRgph0HFdUHSvyXtJ-kaRXAuymp-SO6UoA0sx3HOHwTyX9vQKWfIXHAaiX2/s1600/183.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KQMfp0a7_CcECadqLohjokKIP6Drzcd6-_Z8Blkn20o2tAiOR8Y4f9G-QQgcsuVwL_AZhSduzGWVML6kXuRgph0HFdUHSvyXtJ-kaRXAuymp-SO6UoA0sx3HOHwTyX9vQKWfIXHAaiX2/s400/183.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156657622010354" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_re1KCnrNqMnVZexHNP6ZyfrSqnbxim1Lp70-vYMggxXKjpYIJbne9dUbQ720Hyn449sZ2CCM6-NxO2rbYrZLcZJ2QMvLJ-s8qSz8icne4Skl-2X59fQ_B4t0e9G3Cp8P89DPARjSQwny/s1600/182.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_re1KCnrNqMnVZexHNP6ZyfrSqnbxim1Lp70-vYMggxXKjpYIJbne9dUbQ720Hyn449sZ2CCM6-NxO2rbYrZLcZJ2QMvLJ-s8qSz8icne4Skl-2X59fQ_B4t0e9G3Cp8P89DPARjSQwny/s400/182.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156656819435730" border="0" /></a><br />Piggiwiggia Pyramidalis Phattfacia Stupenda</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-0SY65I7a4eN0Q9oceSmiYewPlqjN5RyCAKzSvF4TGcxs-7QGj36ahr8V-oXXdO8lXtxgvNhAdhzcOX26mHuoAsZd805LefpzWvVjiB_IMTaulGQ8R9hW0Nqb5foB9OrsrzQ5mnbFAs5/s1600/178.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-0SY65I7a4eN0Q9oceSmiYewPlqjN5RyCAKzSvF4TGcxs-7QGj36ahr8V-oXXdO8lXtxgvNhAdhzcOX26mHuoAsZd805LefpzWvVjiB_IMTaulGQ8R9hW0Nqb5foB9OrsrzQ5mnbFAs5/s400/178.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156648107893346" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnWRrQJAk4YZGij3baXzTYIXyuFBt_MARtmOn8qaKUMKbz1ls3b0HswYUPaxT5GPDidC9R8_1mEbqBCHahV0AM3EeUDUWxugj7CtRcqpMHyjnZlXcRZuJJGQd3dFmm-VqrSAihpiSa9Wg/s1600/177.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnWRrQJAk4YZGij3baXzTYIXyuFBt_MARtmOn8qaKUMKbz1ls3b0HswYUPaxT5GPDidC9R8_1mEbqBCHahV0AM3EeUDUWxugj7CtRcqpMHyjnZlXcRZuJJGQd3dFmm-VqrSAihpiSa9Wg/s400/177.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156649206457826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Cockatooca Superba Bottlephorkia Spoonifolia<br /><br />An invasive species, wouldn't you say! A bit of research has turned up their Latin roots, but I wonder if their literal stocks will be harder to yank out? And I wonder if any of you have experienced a blight of <span style="font-style: italic;">Cockatooca Superba</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Bottlephorkia Spoonifoli</span>a? Shall we make it into a little game? Yes, we shall. The first reader to correctly identify the origins of this bit of verdure gets a well-deserved mention!Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-20409567362379609302010-10-15T19:03:00.000-07:002010-10-15T19:35:10.152-07:00Bit of a Ramble...Got into a spot of trouble at the post office yesterday... As I have, perhaps foolhardily, resubscribed to a number of lapsed magazine subscriptions (and added a number more, too) my wee little box was crammed full with October/November issues when I excitedly wrenched it open yesterday evening. So full was it that, at the risk of losing a nail, I had to get down on my knees and actually yank my<span style="font-style: italic;"> Vogue</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">W,</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Town & Country </span>out from their metal prison. Unfortunately, there was a casualty: <span style="font-style: italic;">Marth</span>a fell back into the abyss of the post office sorting area! I was saved by my friendly postman who cheerily trotted back to get her.<br /><br />Anyway, this story leads me in a round about way to today's post: "What I Gleaned From the September Issue of Vogue (so far)." Having all these new magazines has led me to frantically finish September's (or I will be reading about Christmas trees in February).<br /><br />What I <span style="font-style: italic;">have</span> discovered is the<a href="http://www.condenaststore.com/browse/832?ex=co_wizr-locayta&collate=ivtype&collate=cat&collate=pdxtlayout&collate=pdxtstyle&collate=pdxtmagazine&collate=pdxtdecade&collate=pdxtpublicationdate&collate=pdxtartist&collate=pdxtedition&collate=pdxtpublished&collate=pdxtperson&collate=pdxtdesigner&collate=pdxtauthor&collate=pdxtlocation&collate=pdxtcity&collate=pdxtstate&collate=pdxtcountry&fieldrtype=type&termtextrtype=invt&typertype=exact&fieldpcatid=pcatid&typepcatid=exact&termorder=rtype%3Apcatid&template=wz_locayta&pagenum=2&perpage=20&threshold=0&spellcorrect=1&datasource=condenaststoreae&setpagenum=1&perpage=20&bklist=icat,4,shop,12,832"> Conde Nast Store</a>, a very extensive resource of art prints from the magazine conglomerate that can be bought online (and framed, to boot). For example, they offer:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitg_gKsJ_8Qk9JSs1BzlQo4k9hDbcfCkt27kosW6zEWUXUHUeX_W3oMNAyJsqir6FgxOxFQRz96_0C45JGXWmDGuk-Vasx3_jOedA8C1XahO0rNiTMV-aIqB06NpFoW2o17ybCq7cA5KDR/s1600/103190_s.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitg_gKsJ_8Qk9JSs1BzlQo4k9hDbcfCkt27kosW6zEWUXUHUeX_W3oMNAyJsqir6FgxOxFQRz96_0C45JGXWmDGuk-Vasx3_jOedA8C1XahO0rNiTMV-aIqB06NpFoW2o17ybCq7cA5KDR/s200/103190_s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528463936500926514" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNaHr16grA46yez03ChWBATYzibYouwJkLusL7XffoxPdSMyi2HnUUVml4vjFmhur9IarvUUPkw0AA03j1TweNLj8C5RIZ6NX3wVH63J6vjyMZxff3ODRTyei9LXPfHeyQqhLar2jkSQQ/s1600/104178_s.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 96px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNaHr16grA46yez03ChWBATYzibYouwJkLusL7XffoxPdSMyi2HnUUVml4vjFmhur9IarvUUPkw0AA03j1TweNLj8C5RIZ6NX3wVH63J6vjyMZxff3ODRTyei9LXPfHeyQqhLar2jkSQQ/s200/104178_s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528464432761219138" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YcniP1mhKGouRaV33kEVCSzj-YtBgNJipP6kxYIFiM-F_5wddoFJG0akqfk4NeJnTM9_iGTfdfQ8kOCOEFaxrB8XnnUCtbIP7BcZ01dZazb5ICYI9rFcWup47Q_ByX5yVUniVrETyQbb/s1600/103890_s.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YcniP1mhKGouRaV33kEVCSzj-YtBgNJipP6kxYIFiM-F_5wddoFJG0akqfk4NeJnTM9_iGTfdfQ8kOCOEFaxrB8XnnUCtbIP7BcZ01dZazb5ICYI9rFcWup47Q_ByX5yVUniVrETyQbb/s200/103890_s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528464692006914962" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0AHxTnT0LS1ZLL64HeKbqnzCDaHcb5CmwhKrQE0qUjMPFrfgcePrEQXeDyCzPpjbSf6KmBLrgN8_H2Jnz3KPdqzvL0gZLClyMsQlYQD28E9yNK-5VE0IFnUvw1B2yy4qfVyHn9cTE1-G/s1600/101652_s.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0AHxTnT0LS1ZLL64HeKbqnzCDaHcb5CmwhKrQE0qUjMPFrfgcePrEQXeDyCzPpjbSf6KmBLrgN8_H2Jnz3KPdqzvL0gZLClyMsQlYQD28E9yNK-5VE0IFnUvw1B2yy4qfVyHn9cTE1-G/s200/101652_s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528466139299697170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pretty darn stylish, I must say. They also have a<a href="http://blog.condenaststore.com/"> blog </a>that offers "an insider's view into the wealth of images" held in the collection.Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-4528505900871260842010-10-07T20:01:00.000-07:002010-10-09T17:14:45.720-07:00Look What I Won!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOIm1luAK5zoVnzuK_eaFPBP2nDShbjZenaUsqmN42ImIdcBgF_ji0i4cdNrvkYw7bQqYzNW0q1ziQb08tss59CFWSGztAvM1kVwilwHIR4GaaVEDdH2azoSf7qw9sx5zJIL4AhFSgZuN/s1600/il_430xN.179330026.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOIm1luAK5zoVnzuK_eaFPBP2nDShbjZenaUsqmN42ImIdcBgF_ji0i4cdNrvkYw7bQqYzNW0q1ziQb08tss59CFWSGztAvM1kVwilwHIR4GaaVEDdH2azoSf7qw9sx5zJIL4AhFSgZuN/s320/il_430xN.179330026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525505327658323378" border="0" /></a>Winning a contest was a super way to start Olive's week! This "Poppy Leaves" coffee cup cozy from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/57777593/cutecozy-coffee-cup-cozy-poppy-leaves?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=cutecozy&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[0]=tags&includes[1]=title">CuteCozy</a> will keep her Pumpkin Spice Lattes extra toasty. And now she won't have to use the one she bought for her sister last Christmas. Karmic, don't you think?Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-39411763667492074312010-09-21T18:38:00.001-07:002010-09-22T12:29:18.787-07:00Olive Tweets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Aw8zswJqnh3EhKvqqBveczmNV4TWnPo1DZ1Qygjm3JXqFTa1dvT5Vz3Cmy6UaQ0ZX8W-gofxy2txvf2O9Vo-yQUXRVS2L8XFYKbvBPBUqlRPlGA4EqMkWpsNDSob12gRyqLcN4MXKee/s1600/birds_life_coloured_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Aw8zswJqnh3EhKvqqBveczmNV4TWnPo1DZ1Qygjm3JXqFTa1dvT5Vz3Cmy6UaQ0ZX8W-gofxy2txvf2O9Vo-yQUXRVS2L8XFYKbvBPBUqlRPlGA4EqMkWpsNDSob12gRyqLcN4MXKee/s320/birds_life_coloured_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519546281546384354" border="0" /></a><br />Olive did not know she could chirp, warble, squawk or peep so easily! Twitter has drawn me in with its bird imagery and succinct notes. I rather like to imagine a world of nests, filled with little birds merrily tweeting to each other as they flutter about their day. Hop into my <a href="http://twitter.com/OliveWrites">nest</a> for a little visit and please send me the address of yours! I promise to drop by with a juicy worm.<br /><br />Oh and if you are curious about my image, it is from "The Child's World," a free <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15170/15170-h/15170-h.htm">ebook</a> available on Project Gutenberg. Look for more from it soon...Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-44055871823389625312010-09-06T16:59:00.000-07:002010-09-20T11:08:39.819-07:00Eau de Olive<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOml78MRdsm2_TIcH1UHgJnGkUZAblG1cz6v2iRl7qMoZWNQA0KdfBf9e0volEvOJp9wz1ugUw6xiahzWA_c667XhtAFHeCEynxmOitOxMZQMU7bSPqkCoFI_r63NFZz-M0VV1wk3R4y5O/s1600/IMGP4998.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOml78MRdsm2_TIcH1UHgJnGkUZAblG1cz6v2iRl7qMoZWNQA0KdfBf9e0volEvOJp9wz1ugUw6xiahzWA_c667XhtAFHeCEynxmOitOxMZQMU7bSPqkCoFI_r63NFZz-M0VV1wk3R4y5O/s320/IMGP4998.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519058660783586178" border="0" /></a><br />Lately, Olive has been pondering her fall wardrobe (sans the September issue of <span style="font-style: italic;">Vogue</span>, which has yet to arrive). Boots are a must, as are some new jeans (oh the dread that accompanies a trip to find a new pair). Blazers, yes, and maybe one of those new field jackets to take me on those long walks across damp fields and misty woods. Yet, I think I am most interested in a more ephemeral accessory: perfume.<br /><br />I've come to realize that a properly done outfit is not finished without a hint of jasmine, a dash of rose or a punch of citrus. Walking past someone perfumed in a pleasing <span style="font-style: italic;">eau de toilette</span> leaves a lingering hint of personality or mood, as well as the obvious odoriferous pleasure (or displeasure, as your taste decrees).<br /><br />As of right now, however, my perfume collection stands at one quickly emptying bottle of Vera Wang's <span style="font-style: italic;">Princess</span>. Lovingly squirted on neck and wrists and entrenched in nearly all my clothes, it will be used up with regret. Of course, this means it's time for a new bottle!<br /><br />And so, what do you suggest? Nothing too heavy, but not too young, either. Feminine, but not cloying. Sweet, but not sickly so.<br /><br />I await your help.Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-46928152049926993582010-09-06T16:44:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:15:24.933-07:00Back at LastSo shall Olive begin with hellos or explanations? How about the 'hello'! Spring and summer whipped away in that swirling existence called life: studying and working, vacations and days in the sun...and one very broken computer. But those are excuses! Olive (me!) is happy to be back with her favourite folk at <span style="font-style: italic;">Olive Writes</span>. Will you come back and join me? I hope so! I have some really splendid ideas for the coming months that I won't share with you now if only to tempt you back little by little. Send me notes of <span style="font-style: italic;">your</span> best summer moments, as well as what is enticing you forward into fall.<br /><br />Always,<br />OliveOlivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-88494637993253101332010-02-08T17:56:00.000-08:002010-02-08T18:08:55.142-08:00Stop Press!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://jepoy.info/2009/01/top-5-gifts-for-valentines-day-valentine-flowers-and-its-meaning/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVeZ2R5_TPQaFfuVr3ZgrcDy0zjUuuj_MuLF14YSKAOkU196R5tzFXM_jYOQ5p5VlB7gNvnUnQNwkQe6Z8ZNpEj8RElxw2jEFLPT_-wldq2Ax3fkgaDrup_81MiMQs-33EPg8zMFikbUT/s320/olympic-flame1-102209jpg-1e8fb81928d812ce.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436057027623976354" border="0" /></a>We shall return to sensory delights soon, but Olive had to share her day's activities with you!<br /><br />As she resides just outside of Vancouver, Olive is awash in all things Olympics these days. As such, when the Olympic flame passed by her house today, she gleefully put on a pair of the famous red<a href="http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/about-vanoc/own-the-podium/red-mittens/"> mittens</a> (no matter that it was quite warm and her daffodils were popping up) and cheered on the torchbearers! She was rather awed by the thought of the flame, lit in Greece in October and having travelled all the way across Canada.<br /><br />And so today's fun little question... Which of these is your favourite Olympic <a href="http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot/en/profile_mm.php">mascot</a>? Olive loves Mukmuk, the round little marmot.Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-51028971486003043652010-02-06T13:42:00.000-08:002010-02-08T17:55:39.026-08:00Sensory Delights: Yours!In honour of her much-appreciated readers, some of your favourite sensory delights! Olive is in full agreement with them both.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxttwO_vFb5tlnNDEseTQsgdeRe92Cbumicma1eNhGz9yoOqebHSkgVFbivNApjvPtIQQrYwpzqsoTFJ1IjWxxlH91wPyrkVyH-rtprafgVYab0Fcoxf-INNJcSRmAFPvUYvS1CaMxkaWc/s1600-h/986vanilla_beans.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxttwO_vFb5tlnNDEseTQsgdeRe92Cbumicma1eNhGz9yoOqebHSkgVFbivNApjvPtIQQrYwpzqsoTFJ1IjWxxlH91wPyrkVyH-rtprafgVYab0Fcoxf-INNJcSRmAFPvUYvS1CaMxkaWc/s320/986vanilla_beans.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436045689967156242" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Vanilla</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">After a long day, Olive often enjoys warm milk flavoured with aromatic vanilla. Let milk gently simmer (no boiling), then add vanilla extract or the seeds themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7LahT1SsEbKvj2Yicqv-j7XvCUrcMBNZVmZTTBYFxnMk2GtWtul_ZURYgzKQ1zMdieOdVHb6PYrvP0LKZ8RtrNNNRQvd_cW1EDFoG3TyyYXCeYBgOZOc2lVWJgQzZs-19PeBSiHlA5lC/s1600-h/gardenia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7LahT1SsEbKvj2Yicqv-j7XvCUrcMBNZVmZTTBYFxnMk2GtWtul_ZURYgzKQ1zMdieOdVHb6PYrvP0LKZ8RtrNNNRQvd_cW1EDFoG3TyyYXCeYBgOZOc2lVWJgQzZs-19PeBSiHlA5lC/s320/gardenia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436050515130536658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Gardenia</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Its strong, sweet scent hides the fact that gardenia are actually part of the coffee family. Most appropriately for this time of year, gardenia symbolizes <span style="font-style: italic;">secret </span>love. As an aside, pop over <a href="http://jepoy.info/2009/01/top-5-gifts-for-valentines-day-valentine-flowers-and-its-meaning/">here</a> to read what other kinds of love different flowers symbolize. Olive wouldn't mind a bunch of blue bells...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Click images for sources.<br />Vanilla information: wikipedia.<br />Gardenia: <a href="http://jepoy.info/2009/01/top-5-gifts-for-valentines-day-valentine-flowers-and-its-meaning/">here</a></span><br /></div></div></div>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-9736293094616461382010-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:002010-02-05T01:00:00.272-08:00Sensory Delights: Sound<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.rodneysmith.com/image_popup.php?opener=search&image_id=2139"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrZZ78EB4FTBotJIWdqFHH2pvh-JfGnJpJ-p88jnTr1lwzf-NKXIM2fMNfEEOlDBUdY0mcXDY9MkR8ZpEihJyph4WaGpCUHsXKz1B__c3EpRdbuTbYeMLfolHFcZOm8PI3acFabvrDlHL/s320/MBR050408015.jpeg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434526893820587842" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The moan of doves in immemorial elms,<br />And murmuring of innumerable bees.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-<span style="font-size:85%;"> from "Come Down, O Maid" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The languid onomatopoeia of these lines of poetry have never ceased to fill me with the most glorious feeling of ease and warmth. One can imagine the delight of a summer's afternoon, still early enough that time stretches before you, unhindered by worldly concerns. The distant drone of bees slips you into a luscious slumber...<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: <a href="http://www.rodneysmith.com/image_popup.php?opener=search&image_id=2139">Rodney Smith</a></span><br /></div></div>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-80524708568110058602010-02-04T14:25:00.000-08:002010-02-04T15:28:44.275-08:00Sensory Delights<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://weheartit.com/entry/1394634"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGPKYswg47r3TAUkXMzQb5iKQV64XaMORK7d6MHUKMhWTo5fRic3cUUWWuCPeYmK3x4dVYQhNJI7mPz9ERISpzvIHLJ8d3ut5VSCEUv-JshcMvhhF5YgJcHBJeY1aadMxeoruYsec8q0L/s320/uFBlOtxZKowgja0iYZlW3qwRo1_500_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434533982079575842" border="0" /></a><br />That little gem of a phrase "a few scattered pleasures" from Monday's post has stuck with Olive all week. Yes, yes, we were being told to seek <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> than ephemeral joy, but it's rather tricky to find complete life happiness! While she waits for an epiphany, Olive is enjoying gathering together a collection of sensory joys which, when added together, perhaps <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> what will make life happy to the "whole amount."<br /><br />From bits of poetry to subtle scents, Olive shall share with you the sensory delights of her life. She does require something in return, however: the sensory joys that thrill you! Do share, please.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: <a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/1394634">We Heart It</a></span>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-26542068766574715642010-02-01T17:33:00.000-08:002010-02-01T18:46:57.342-08:00Monday's Thought<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/f63981823e34aa9c25c3b099bfb228ef/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnhDD66ej0RjJNuqPOJ1XN9xLN4fZoU1By5XYszqYrV1D8b1HfurUm4TatrEe1aIkL-KT0VozaZbwW8gzFUsP5YWhpePi59m_4rIOuwqbiUh0dzw6-SgXYdUY3sr0v88wdnWBs8BrM4mR/s320/blossom,blue,flower,flowers,happiness,bright-f63981823e34aa9c25c3b099bfb228ef_h.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433471855784157410" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"The important question is not, what will yield to man a few scattered pleasures, but what will render his life happy on the whole amount."<br /><br />-- Joseph Addison<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Olive has been considering happiness lately, its unexpectedness, elusiveness and sheer mystery. Many, many things give her "a few scattered pleasure." (Lately? The smell of matches just lit). Yet, she wonders. What will offer the most lifelong and satisfactory happiness? Perhaps her readers could share <span style="font-style: italic;">their</span> thoughts!<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />This quote arrived one happy day in Olive's inbox via the appropriately named blog (and book) <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/">The Happiness Project</a>.</span> Thoughtfully and intelligently written, it's well worth a close look.<br /><br />Image: <a href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/f63981823e34aa9c25c3b099bfb228ef/">Vi.sualize</a><br /></span></div></div>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-48799741758173211952010-01-26T10:29:00.000-08:002010-01-27T14:17:32.867-08:00What She's Eating<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/64673786/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JnqNNkkVvYVCWcI-fDuidp0hPxfek083zPq0upoBlHsynNJGiRFHkag_OKCIOwlJ7sJDB7l5Fmv43h8gcn8gNcMDfwQ5hdHglMmY6MpbozyzmykWYsKTJRAThzA3qydE94gIfdaevJVO/s320/64673786_139f093fca.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431545839022010450" border="0" /></a><br />Olive had too, too much fun making you all guess what bears love to eat! At last, all shall be revealed. Olive was thinking more Winnie than Grizzly, and thus the answer is... honey!<br /><br />A golden thread of ancient goodness, Olive adores honey! She could wax enthusiastic about the different kinds (alfalfa to manuka) and uses (in tea, drizzled on yogurt), but she shall restrain herself to introducing you to a new take on an old favourite: what was once basic honey on toast is reinvented as Japanese Honey Butter Toast! A scrumptious treat topped with a round of ice cream, Olive think Winnie (and Tigger, too) would happily lap it up all afternoon.<br /><br />Japanese Honey Toast:<br /><br /><p>4 thick slices square-shaped white bread, crusts removed</p><p>Softened butter</p><p>Honey</p><p>1 scoop vanilla ice cream</p><p>Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Stack the bread up squarely and spread butter over each of the 4 sides. Unstick and spread each slice of bread with as much or as little of the butter as you prefer. With a cookie cutter (round, square, star-shaped, etc.) cut into the middle of each slice of bread, but do not remove the part that has been cut. Leave it in the bread. Stack the slices on top of each other at right angles to form a three-dimensional 4-point star shape. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes until the bread is golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with the honey, again using as much or as little as you prefer. Top with a scoop of ice cream and serve immediately. Eat with a knife and fork.</p><p>Makes 1 serving.</p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Recipe: <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Comfort+foods+personal+people+them/2460921/story.html">The Vancouver Sun</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/64673786/">Flikr</a></span><br /></p>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-79744653897161539312010-01-25T14:04:00.001-08:002010-01-26T10:26:12.013-08:00What She's Celebrating<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://weheartit.com/entry/806960"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdO_M1hMCvsnazEGyaJTm_fLMA3Go7eBxRNB8Kjw3bLFmif9XpRF7PQMSe8QcZeUe9hzjlj1HFKLGFNCJIYVWlzEprL6uVwAB2wJYq9BDxvEZOkMMu6uJ2l6xcbukqebMjG2kpc1whdLKx/s320/kilt1111_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430804541306481378" border="0" /></a><br />My goodness, you didn't forget, did you? It's Robbie Burns Day! Olive will be laying out her best plaid napkins, warming up the haggis (yum! truly) and reading a selection of Mr. Burns poetry in her best Scottish brogue. Even if you don't share Olive's deep Scottish roots, liven up this Monday evening with <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/scones.html">warm scones</a> with clotted cream and jam.<br /><br />Don't you be looking up any kilts, now!Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-81138773398242429332010-01-21T16:41:00.000-08:002010-01-21T16:55:22.646-08:00What's She Admiring<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSAHeYGkRj_r2i8h2QEc4KgyCO9-5g9hhjSG16200410XRSJ_5bDrFPyEmx2viFZbTEleDmyOPpn4iIaLJ9JFHid6bL5T5SkLEUaAJRv9hM3Zg7TbrTte0poEufjUNuIbfpmqv_HZRQR-/s1600-h/Bear_Cocoa_by_Luce_in_the_sky.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSAHeYGkRj_r2i8h2QEc4KgyCO9-5g9hhjSG16200410XRSJ_5bDrFPyEmx2viFZbTEleDmyOPpn4iIaLJ9JFHid6bL5T5SkLEUaAJRv9hM3Zg7TbrTte0poEufjUNuIbfpmqv_HZRQR-/s320/Bear_Cocoa_by_Luce_in_the_sky.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429357929957428834" border="0" /></a><br />Olive so loved this image she wanted to share it for almost no reason at all! It does, however, relate to Olive's next missive... Clue: what do bears love to eat (aside from a warm beverage, in this case)?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image:<a href="http://luce-in-the-sky.deviantart.com/art/Bear-Cocoa-72392917"> deviantArt</a></span>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-46375605364821239742010-01-20T14:27:00.000-08:002010-01-21T10:43:25.212-08:00What She's Drinking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.chocolate.com/products/molinillo--chocolate-frother/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxuzNB4ZEXDnlJ4fNrDxcHG2tnswdTyPJtgj3opooD752pTgGIpRjJ8lOfuprt_SkzBzGtTWkZgP0GJu8y4SNc0q4BMUZhqdwjiZSr0pwioFRQRndO6uSwItyJ7pA_f6oKupCpuz-mUZf/s320/5283-molinillo--chocolate-frother-1_290x290.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428965619464428562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Olive doesn't like to engage in needless hyperbole, but when she sat in the doctor's office and was sternly told "no dairy or soy" her first panicked thought was of hot chocolate! How does one make said fortifying drink without the help of a decent cow or at least a soybean?<br /><br />Well, a few months passed, cocoa-less and far less enjoyable on the palate, until one day Olive <a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/vancouver/Drinks/real-drinking-chocolate.htm">discovered</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">true</span> "drinking chocolate." The grandchild of the potent brew consumed by Aztecs, today's South American mixture is an aromatic mix of quality chocolate, "spices, chilies, honey, vanilla, or even cornmeal." Traditionally stirred with a <a href="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Unique-Cooking-Tools-641/molinillo.aspx"><span style="font-style: italic;">molinillo</span></a> - a grooved stick - Olive's latte whipper also did the trick. Although it can be made with milk, Olive found using water just fine (so there, Doctor). Follow <a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/vancouver/Drinks/real-drinking-chocolate.htm">this</a> recipe and tell Olive if the humble cow cannot be put out to pasture!<br /><br />Pssst... A little extra fun: According to the Texas State Library and archives commission, children in Mexico sing <a href="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Unique-Cooking-Tools-641/molinillo.aspx">this</a> (scroll down) song while stirring their morning chocolate with the <span style="font-style: italic;">molinillo.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Information: <a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/vancouver/Drinks/real-drinking-chocolate.htm">edible Vancouver</a><br />Image: <a href="http://www.chocolate.com/products/molinillo--chocolate-frother/">chocolate.com</a></span>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-68742286353577471042010-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:002010-01-18T00:00:01.338-08:00What She's Pondering<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=22952675"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85Dks9PQQH7HxRttOxn7-8b_qC8fY8tMwKyIz17UvIppT5eTNnuXuW9WpQlXkkZ6n9Vx64Kxneo6U7TyfeV_XDbvA7E1hZxHxQK_KaHGEXSKnYEdE48Ytd2sfkUF495JUxdOoYQQ8zyq5/s320/il_430xN.90445613.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427878822934794946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >Today is the tomorrow</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >we worried about yesterday</span><br /><br />- author unknown<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On a somewhat worrisome day of Olive's, a week or two ago, a late Christmas gift arrived in the mail for her. It was this bicycle charm, sweet in itself, but all the more appreciated because of the timely quote that accompanied it. As a new week begins, Olive hopes you, like her, won't worry too much about tomorrow!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Bicycle charm: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=22952675">Copperbleu</a></span><br /></div><br /><br /></div>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6252412988912988043.post-53235275998162023212010-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:00:02.007-08:00What She Learnt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://vi.sualize.us/view/5cfd294f19699d033d92bb3db1201d60/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCP51LLY7TCPp7VYrjhK7wR3JG0AgMdZv9CIRjzBhRgziCFWRFtKUTe7scox8VYYL5sv4swHci8fJU0YMBP21W79ysZdMga0c2H_d8hqeT-0uMZpVHY0kHTQDVUogEA-sbAGNuo5Ur3co/s320/paper,arts,silly,snail,mail-5cfd294f19699d033d92bb3db1201d60_h.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426033976028026978" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Factrice" is the French word for postmistress.<br /><br />Now wouldn't it be intriguing to be the postmistress of a little French village, if only for a day, sorting and snooping through other people's mail? Exotic postmarks, intriguing handwriting, gloriously suspicious lumps and bumps...<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">This fact was found at <a href="http://www.cpaphilblog.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The French Factrice</span></a>, a blog devoted to antique postcards. If you're like Olive and have a soft spot for this sort of mail, <span style="font-style: italic;">The French Factrice</span> is for you.</span><br /></div></div>Olivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07803215688042048566noreply@blogger.com3