Bug of the Day

A Sweet Addiction

Though I am now able to pass by the ice cream section without drooling outside the frosted doors, I do give in to temptation on occasion, like yesterday in Bloom when Breyer's was two for the price of one. I like "All Natural" the best and bought some vanilla to top hot brownies or maybe peach cobbler and, for old time's sake, some butter pecan. When I treat myself to Breyer's butter pecan it takes me back to maybe about 1960. Our neighborhood had been selected as a test area for a new ice cream, and we got a few unlabeled half gallons of butter pecan. Its consistency and slight taste of salted pecans was different from anything we'd had before. Though quite frankly we would have preferred anything chocolate, we rated it delicious. After it had been marketed in our part of the South for awhile, we knew the taste test was definitely Breyer's. I have loved just about any and all ice cream. I craved peppermint from Howard Johnson's during my first two pregnancies, and I have strayed into the wonderful flavors of Mayfield, but I have always come home to Breyer's. For too many years I enjoyed ice cream therapy as there is something comforting about the its cool smooth experience. But a few years ago, I was able to kick my fattening habit through a change of perspective. It wasn't so hard. Now I am able to eat it "responsibly."

A Summer Flower

Show and Tell

In the fall of 2007 when Judi suggested that I start a daily blog, I had no idea that I would reach the 500 posts mark, but here I am. Tada! It has been my hobby and my almost daily show and tell. It has supported my enjoyment of picture taking, especially those insects that I first recognized as lovely subjects a few years ago when at dusk I snapped a green grasshopper on a red zinnia. Jacob just asked if I there was a favorite photo of mine and I told him that one - still. "I remember it," he acknowledged. I am learning that it is not all about the camera but how I am able to use what I have. And though I would love to post pictures of all kinds of interesting people, I don't think this is a good venue for it, so I mostly stick with nature. How much I have learned from looking deeper through the macro lens! This blog has also supported my little writings of nonsense or wisdom, mirth or moments of insight. I have openly shared ideas and perspectives, which once was a tough thing for me. I have found that, if I pay attention, the days themselves are filled with enough substance not to have to opine about controversial issues. So here I am, blog post #500, sent to press.

The good, the bad, and the ____

There has been no shortage of news lately. First, Greenville was proud as punch that one of its home grown boys won the US Open. Then we were disappointed that our frugal governor left us hanging for a few days when he left for a pricey trip to see his South American sweetheart. Nationally we have had the three recent deaths in the entertainment world. Our "Luv Gov" can be thankful some of the attention is being diverted from him for the time being as the state leaders mull over his political fate. At least we humans have seen what happens under the spotlight of fame, and we know about death, irresponsibility, and temptation, which are much easier to grasp in a newsworthy sense than missle launchings, the intricacies of other cultures, head-spinning trillions of misdirected dollars, the human impact on weather, or the latest battle on foreign soil.