Just for Fun

My Infatuation with Hollyhock Dolls At that moment when first seeing the Hollyhock plant with it's thick stalk and regal tower of gorgeous blooms, I was smitten! Since then, I have searched high and low for all varieties and colors, often harvesting them on the roadsides and at our favorite golf course, where they grow abundantly. Hollyhocks have become part of Nerdin Gardens, returning, year after year, dotting the landscape with their colorful presence. Here, they are all nurtured with TLC, along with the rest of the many flowers, bushes and trees.  A friend reminisced about a childhood memory of her grandmother making whimsical Hollyhocks dolls she crafted by hand. Several stories resulted, as I excitedly created them in Nerdin Gardens, excited to show them off to anyone that might b... 05/31/2023

This post was inspired by Debe Maxwell, CRS challenge to bloggers to post about May flowers. You can review the challenge here:  Shower Power: Flaunt Your Fabulous Blooms Brought to Life by April Showers!North Dakota, especially as far North as I am in Minot North Dakota, has a very short growing season compared to the rest of the country. There is no part of May that we are assured it might not freeze. I have seen snow more than once on my birthday in mid May. July is the only month that North Dakota has not seen a freezing temperature.With that knowledge you may note that it is really unusual to see anything in bloom in May in Minot unless it came from a greenhouse (with the exception of dandelions, and a few blooming trees).On Memorial day we did see a lot of flowers as we walked thr... 05/30/2023

 The Elkins Home Selling Team with Elite Realty Group provides services with Morristown TN Real Estate For Sale and Morristown TN Homes For Sale to home buyers and home sellers in Morristown Tennessee, Whitesburg, Talbott, Russellville, Sevierville, Bean Station, Dandridge, Pigeon Forge and surrounding communities.We specialize in working with Home Sellers in getting their homes listed and sold. We utilize the latest and most up to date marketing materials in assuring the job gets done quickly and with the least amount of hassle. Our homes are listed on over 32 different Real Estate web sites including realtor.com, yahoo.com, trulia.com and many others. Each office independently owned and operated.Elite Realty Group is a full service real estate company serving Morristown TN Real Estate... 05/30/2023

Trivia question answers for Monday May 29, 20231. What is the pure spirit distilled from wine? Brandy2. What is the chemical symbol for Sodium? Na3. In what sport are banderillas used? Bullfighting4. What vegetable's name in French translates to "earth apple"? PotatoTrivia questions for Tuesday May 30, 20231. Who was the first person to win two Nobel prizes?2. Who coined the phrase "junk food"?3. Maxwell House coffee got its name after what?4. What was the name of the first computer search engine?Enjoy your day. 05/30/2023

May 30th - National Water A Flower Day:I have created a new word search puzzle for you to enjoy.Directions: Click on the link below.  Your puzzle will open in a new window.To locate a word, please hold down the left side of your mouse while dragging your cursor over the letters of that word. Release your hold when all of the letters of the word have been selected. If your response is correct, the word will change color on the word list.Please check back for future daily puzzles.Enjoy and have a great day!Click Here To PlayIf you are looking to purchase a property or home on Long Island, New York, I hope you think of me, Linda Blumenthal.  05/30/2023

May 29th - National Paperclip Day:I have created a new word search puzzle for you to enjoy.Directions: Click on the link below.  Your puzzle will open in a new window.To locate a word, please hold down the left side of your mouse while dragging your cursor over the letters of that word. Release your hold when all of the letters of the word have been selected. If your response is correct, the word will change color on the word list.Please check back for future daily puzzles.Enjoy and have a great day!Click Here To PlayIf you are looking to purchase a property or home on Long Island, New York, I hope you think of me, Linda Blumenthal. 05/30/2023

  Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, Fathom Realty WA LLC Kitsap, Pierce If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitudeMason county, Washington's preferred real estate Agent & Broker If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude! Attributed to Maya Angelou (1928 - 2014)May 30th Birthdays Wynonna Judd, Stephen Malkmus, Kim Weston, Gale Sayers, Benny Goodman Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog post! This post was researched, authored, and photo by Paul Henderson, REALTOR®, ©2008-2023, all rights reserved. All information is deemed reliable; however it should be independently verified by the reader. Any reproduction of this blog post is prohibited without the prior written permission of the author... 05/30/2023

There are many different varieties of daisies that grow well in Flower Mound, Texas (Zone 8). What I like about them the most is that they are perennials that I can count on year after year. Often defined as purity, innocence, new beginnings, joy and cheerfulness, they are my dependable plants that begin to bloom mid May through mid summer or longer. This plant in my feature photo started in 2014. It continues to grow stronger year after year. The butterflies it attracts are always a nice surprise that widens the eyes to observe closer. Did you know there are 12 Birth Month Flowers? Daisies are an April flower. Hawthorne is for May and Honeysuckle for the month of June.  I have a new variety of Shasta Daisies that look a lot different. I planted it in early spring,and it started bloomin... 05/29/2023

Tuesdays Treasures…A Boy’s Gotta Do… Sunday we had some of the family over for a belated birthday party for my niece. Her sister chose an 80s theme so there were balloons and lots of pink. Take a look at Raffe in this photo!  Remember when we’d have group pictures and someone had to put horns over your head?  He decided to add his own horns.  And, where do you suppose he picked this up???  Little boys love their grandfathers and his (my brother) loves to kid the grandchildren by putting horns over their heads in pictures. Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men. Kin Hubbard Grandfathers are just antique little boys. Anonymous  05/30/2023

Chush Falls is Snow Free and Ready for HikersWe have hiked Chush Falls several times, usually during the fall or winter with snow and ice. However, this Memorial Day weekend we elected to take the hike in the Three Sisters National Wilderness snow free. Unlike earlier hikes, many of the recently downed trees from the 2017 Milli Fire had been cut which enabled us to more easily hike the first two miles. However, the last quarter to half mile to the viewpoint had yet to receive this attention and scrambling over and under downed trees can always create challenges. The viewpoint overlooking Chush Falls is fairly obstructed by trees, so we typically take the very steep path down to the base of the falls, a path which should only be taken by people who are fit enough to make it both down and... 05/29/2023

Some of my favorite Maui flowers - so many choices! I'm having a hard time deciding which flowers to highlight for the May 2023 Challenge, we have so many lovely ones to consider.  I think it comes down to the plumeria flower because of the fragrance, which always reminds me of the islands.  From the first moment when I stepped off that plane (back in the days when you actually descended onto the tarmac) and was greeted by the sweet scent of flowers, I always associate the plumeria smell with Hawai'i. These soft 5-petal flowers come in such a variety of colors, from pure white to bright yellow and pink, and combinations of all three.  They say the ones with the yellow centers have the best smell and that might be true. We don't have a lot of these trees on our Haiku farm, because they ... 06/03/2023

The IRS has announced it’s intent to send 5 to 8 Million CP14 notices to taxpayers that filed returns with taxes owed.  The CP14 notice is the first in a series of notices that the taxpayer will receive. Each of these notices provides you with information including where you are at in the collection process, the risks you face, as well as the opportunities available with some of the notices.  These notices are typically sent out sequentially (though not all are required) 5 to 8 weeks after the prior notice was sent.    Unfortunately, many taxpayers who owe the IRS don’t understand the notices or even read bother to open the letters.   Many taxpayers that come to me with IRS problems, drop unopened IRS correspondence on my desk.  Most who do this simply are afraid to open the notices and... 05/29/2023

Day three of our 'crazy office photos' posts (here is day one, and here is day two). Is your office (home or away) as crazy as this?           To see more 'Just For Fun' posts, click here.  05/29/2023

 50 Memorial Day Quotes That Are So PatrioticGetty ImagesWho's ready for a long weekend of grilling, pool parties, and refreshing drinks?! 🙌 For many, Memorial Day is a three-day weekend that allows us to enjoy these holiday activities, but it's also a time to reflect on what it means to be American. And we have our fallen soldiers—who have sacrificed it all—to thank for that. So, before we get ready to enjoy those tasty Memorial Day recipes, let's take some time to remember the real meaning of the holiday by reading some of these beautiful Memorial Day quotes.Memorial Day is, first and foremost, a sacred day focused on remembering the millions of brave heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. And these Memorial Day quotes help us dive in to that commemoration. Like a pa... 05/29/2023

On this Memorial Day weekend, it is important to reflect on the sacrifices made by these courageous individuals and the impact they have had on our lives. It is through their dedication and selflessness that we are able to enjoy the freedoms and liberties we have today.May we remember and honor their memory, and may we continue to support and uplift our servicemen and servicewomen and their families.THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE ON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE. NUMBERS 6:24-26  05/29/2023

Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the last Monday in May, is dedicated to honoring the brave souls who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the country's armed forces. This solemn day is a testament to the valor, fortitude, and dedication of these men and women, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the price of freedom. The nationwide observance of Memorial Day was officially recognized in 1868 by General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans. General Logan chose May 30th as the date because it wasn't the anniversary of a specific battle, making it a fitting time to remember all fallen soldiers. Over time, and particularly after World War I, the day was expanded to honor all U.S. military personnel who had died in all wars, not just ... 05/29/2023

Trivia question answers for Sunday May 28, 20231. What is the Larynx often referred to. as? Voice Box2. From what language did English borrow the word "stroll"? German3. What is the point at which two lines meet to form an angle? Vertex4. What two countries share the world's longest land border? Canada and the U.S.Trivia questions for Monday May 29, 20231. What is the pure spirit distilled from wine?2. What is the chemical symbol for Sodium?3. In what sport are banderillas used?4. What vegetable's name in French translates to "earth apple"?Enjoy your day. 05/29/2023

Speechless Sunday: Repurposing is important. Having grown up with parents who have been up and down the economic ladder, I learned that repurposing is important.Perfect example is this fantastic Jar great to get the benefit of what is inside and then all you have to do is clean it out and is perfect for other benefits as well.Just ask anyone who read my post you can even use it as a stemless wine glass:)) Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle and sell the most difficult properties that no one else c... 05/28/2023

Speechless Sundays - Sibling BFFsWe adopted these two together because the foster mom who brought Jack for a home visit, also had his sister with her and we fell in love with both! Thinking that we may want a little girl kitty, she thankfully brought Gracie with her. This was January of 2020 when we met these precious kittens - they were positively adorable...and inseparable. The cutest duo in our house may just be these BFF siblings. Oh, the joy they bring us!Happy Sunday everyone!© Debe Maxwell, CRS | The Maxwell House Group | Savvy + Company | Speechless Sundays - Sibling BFFs SavvyBroker@me.com   05/28/2023

ActiveRain Spring Flowers Challenge: TulipsCharlotte, North Carolina blogger Debe Maxwell, CRS has issued the May Challenge for ActiveRain blogger members.Simply post your favorite photo of a flower (or more than one in one blog post) that you are especially fond of. Include the name of the flower and any additional information about where the photo was taken and why it's your favorite.By sharing our love for these beautiful flowers, we can bring a little bit of joy and positivity to the world. Let's embrace the challenge and celebrate the wonders of springtime together!Since flower photography is a hobby for me, It is a challenge to select favorites among my photographs. So, I decided to select one kind of flower and use photographs taken on one day in the spring. My selection of locat... 05/31/2023