Smile 100/100 Thunder And Lightening

This is my lucky shot from a storm we had. I was standing on our front balcony and the storm was so perfectly located that I could stand there forever just taking pictures hoping to get the lightening in one.

When I took this one, it looked like just a flash on the camera but then when I transferred it to the computer, that is when the details were shown.

I love that this is my last picture for this project too because I have always been a huge storm fan! In another life, I am sure I was a storm chaser...LOL

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Eight Years on In My Words...Technical Difficulties

Smile 99/100 Park Friends

This is my cousin and his friend heading over to the water park section of one of our local parks.

We try to hit this park each time we go to the Grower's Market so he can have some play time after being so good doing what the "grownups" want to do first.

He is going to be three this winter and he is already such a little man! Seeing them head off for their little adventure made me smile.

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 in normal sunlight with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Nine Years Ago on In My Words...Green Anole

Smile 98/100 Veggie Snack

These were the veggie snack during the cleanse. I could eat as much of this throughout the day that I wanted.

It was a combo of cucumber, green beans, celery and radishes in a lemon, oil and pepper mix of dressing. It was super yummy and crunchy.

The only down side is that the radishes lost their coloring in the liquid and made the whole thing a little less appetizing in looks, but it still tasted great.

I took this picture in our kitchen with my Fuji Finepix f50, with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Making A Cup Of Coffee

Smile 97/100 Pool

Nice sight on a hot day...still have a lot of work to do up here around the deck but one day at a time, is the only way to tackle it, otherwise it becomes overwhelming.

I think this shot is actually from last summer because I have cut the plants along the fence way back so they are not dropping fruit and leaves into the pool.

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border to it.
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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Productive Day

Smile 96/100 Cleanse Breakfast

This quinoa breakfast was a great starter during the cleanse weekend. It had prunes, and some seeds in it and it was very filling. Didn't feel deprived at all.

I made the quinoa in a saucepan on the stove instead of in the rice cooker since the amount being made was below the minimum for the rice cooker. It was pretty easy to make on the stovetop and definitely makes me feel like the options for having quinoa more frequently now are there.

I buy it from Trader Joe's and think it has a great flavor. I took this picture in our kitchen with my Fuji Finepix f50, with no flash but the macro turned on. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Yummy In My Tummy

Smile 95/100 Detox Juice

This is an awesome combination. It is pineapple juice, pomegranate juice, one lemon squeezed and then water. It is a natural detoxifier. It helps to flush your body while still providing you essential vitamins and liquids.

It was part of the 48 detox I did on my days off this week to just give my body a nice cleanse. I was able to drink as much of this during the day as I wanted and I found it to be very refreshing.

The "ice cubes" are the reusable ones that you can freeze and add to drinks to keep them cold without watering them down.

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 in our living room with the flash off but the macro enabled. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 to balance color and light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Toenail Woes

Smile 94/100 Fireworks

Was out of town for the 4th of July but that was okay. My MIL and I went to a park nearby and watched the city's fireworks display.

It was a long well done display. The main launch area was behind an airfield and there were parts of the display that shot off from different areas of the airfield in a diagonal across the main display area. It was pretty cool to see the different display options.

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 using the continuous shutter option with the natural light setting. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Last Year on In My Words...Driving Some Balls

Smile 93/100 Shitake Stew

This yummy shitake and cabbage soup was part of the cleanse I did. I was able to eat as much of this as I wanted and it was super tasty.

I think that after the cleanse is over it would be really good with shrimp added to it as well.

It ended up being a lot more than one person can eat in 48 hours but that is okay, I am good with leftovers.

I took this picture in our kitchen with no flash on my Fuji Finepix f50 and then edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and then to add the fuzzy border.
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My Favorite Soup....Thai/Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Smile 92/100 Clean Bed

Cleaned up this bed the other afternoon so I could get some other things planted in here. It has been a messy little spot for a while now. The border of the bed disappeared sometime while we had the place rented and it has just gone down hill.

I have new border for it, and I am changing the shape of it so that I can mow around the rocks. I want to put in some extra dirt we have around the place to fill it out a bit.

I took this picture in the afternoon in our front yard with my Fuji Finepix f50 and then edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light. I then added the fuzzy border.
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Last Year on In My Words...Virtual 5K And Overall Catch-up

Smile 91/100 New Filter

This is the new sand filter and valve for our pool that we had to replace this year. It is amazing how much better it works than the older one.

This pic is before the pump house was put back on. We had to remove it so that they could do the work. We unbolted it and then tipped it up and off the space and set it up on the deck to the side.

I took this picture in the morning before we put the pumphouse back over the pump, filter and valve. I took it with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no artificial light. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Our Home Blog for DIY....The Bamboo Lagoon

Smile 90/100 Borrowed

So I made a little trip to see family this week and because of the cost of checking bags, I have taken to only bringing a carryon when I can swing it. A short trip like this, is a perfect example.

My carry-on that I normally use, is apparently one inch too wide to be a carry-on anymore, so I borrowed this bag from my SIL because it fits under all the requirements and I knew I wouldn't have to worry. I am going to buy one eventually, but for this last minute trip, this was a perfect fit.

I have another trip coming up in a few weeks, and I will be borrowing this bag again. Hopefully I can find an economical replacement soon. I took this pic in the airport in Denver between flights, with my Fuji Finepix f50 and edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and then to add a fuzzy border.
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Nine Years Ago on In My Words...In A Pinch

Smile 89/100 Google Gift

I am actually pretty thrilled to have this Chromebook from Google. They gave them to us at the last conference they hosted and I use it much more than I thought I would.

It is super light which makes it comfortable to take along. The battery lasts a long time, so I don't need to have it plugged in all the time or bring the adapter for everywhere.

It is a great little Internet computer and convenient to bring on trips when I don't need to do a lot of offline work. I took this picture at the airport in Denver on my way home from a family trip with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Eight Years Ago on In My Words...Technical Difficulties

Smile 88/100 Volunteer

Work had signups for volunteer days for this amazing event.

I drove over around midday to help hand out awards to some very special athletes. We had to wear our uniforms to represent for work so it was nice that the wind was blowing a bit and that we had some shade tents to hang out in between awards.

I ended up helping with awards for bocce and for softball and it was a great day over all just to see all the smiles and accomplishments.

Each volunteer received one of these tshirts as a thank you. I wear it with pride.

I took this picture in our living room with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash but with the macro turned on. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then added a fuzzy border to it.
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Eight Years Ago on In My Words...Guts and Determination

Smile 87/100 More Rain

This was the view on my way home from work. This is looking south towards the mountains that border our town.

We did get some rain from it, but I think some areas south of us also got some fires from the lightening.

I just love the look of the sky when it is so black and the sun is shining behind...the contrast is just awesome.

I took this picture from our truck with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light balance and then added the fuzzy border.
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Eight Years Ago on In My Words...Storms

Smile 86/100 Ideal Lunch

Made pineapple curry the other day from a fresh pineapple I cut up. One of my favorite things to eat but since I am trying to lose a few pounds, I decided to bring leftovers to work and put it on spring greens rather than rice.

Great way to spice up salad, for sure. While on lunch in the breakroom, I get a few mins to read my Nook. I am working on the Harry Potter series and I have been renting them as ebooks from the local library system. It has been a great adventure.

I took this pic with my Fuji Finepix f50 in our breakroom at work with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and to add the fuzzy border.
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Six Months Ago on In My Words...POTD 23 Bedtime

Smile 85/100 Rain

Supposed to have cooler temps and some rain this week. We need it...drought conditions here for ages and we are already in fire season.

I enjoy a good summer storm, love how clean everything smells and all the charged particles in the air that give you energy.

I took this pic with the Windows Snipping Tool on my laptop. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Nine Years Ago on In My Words...Kiss Ass Lightening

Smile 84/100 Iced Coffee

This is something I do in the summer time. Since we make coffee using a french press, it is a bit more work to pull it off, but nothing major.

I make coffee in the press, like I would normally do, and then let it cool a bit in the press pot. Once it isn't blazing hot anymore but still warm enough to dissolve sugar, I pour it into this container with a small amount of raw sugar (the same amount I would put in my normal cup of coffee in the morning which is one tsp per cup). I shake the container to dissolve the sugar and I set to making a second batch. This container holds two of our french press potfuls. Once I have it filled up, I put it in the fridge and then I have yummy iced coffee for the week or more.

I like to add almond milk to my coffee after I pour it into my glass (and I actually don't drink it with ice), and it is a nice cool summertime wake up.

I took this picture in our kitchen with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash but with the macro turned on. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Making A Cup Of Coffee

Smile 83/100 OSF: Verona

First of the outdoor plays this season for me. Was able to go with two of my SILs and it was a great show. Thanks to my uncle for the great tickets.

We had terrific seats and the play was awesome. They did an all female cast and it was a nice twist. I actually forgot at some point that the actors were all female because I got into the story so much.

At one point in the evening, a pair of owls were feeding their young right near the back of the stage and were a bit distracting but other than that, it was a perfect night. Nice temp, clear skies, great company and fantastic entertainment.

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50, with no flash but the macro enabled. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and to add the fuzzy border.
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Nine Years Ago on In My Words....What Happened To The Classics?

Smile 82/100 Clean Sink

This has always been a weird thing for me. I can't stand to wake up to a sink full of dishes, so I generally make sure that the sink is empty before heading to bed.

Obviously there are times when time constraints prevent this from happening, but I can say that waking up to the empty sink this morning totally brought a smile to my lips.

It is like a fresh start and the options are unlimited because nothing has to be washed to figure out breakfast...LOL

I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and then to add the fuzzy border.
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Last Year on In My Words...Red Skies At Night

Smile 81/100 Sunflower

I really love this shot...might have to make a card from this one, if I haven't already....LOL. Sunflowers are just so cheerful and the variations make them so much fun to photograph.

This one was in the garden near the fundraiser we were attending and it was calling to me to take its picture the entire time I was there.

The sun was low in the sky and added cool shadows and color to the whole scene. I took this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash but with macro enabled. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Eclipse