Mosaic Monday

Hello & Happy Monday! Enjoy today's mosaic, and remember: An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Apple Facts:
(source: Fowler Farms)

* Americans eat approximately 19.6 pounds of fresh apples annually.
* Apples are a member of the rose family.
* Apples are available year-round.
* The most popular variety in the United States is the Red Delicious.
* Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
* 50% of apples grown in the United States are sold fresh
* 50% are made into apple juice, apple sauce or dehydrated apple products.
* There are more than 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world.
* Almost 1/2 of the U.S. apple crop is processed into apple products.

Have a wonderful day!

Mosaic Monday

“No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.”
-Denis Waitley

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.”
-Henry David Thoreau

Have a wonderful day - Be Well!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! I thought water was a perfect theme for a mosaic today in light of the all the water Irene left for us! It is amazing that something so wonderful and needed can cause so much damage. Be Well!

Water Music

The words are a beautiful music.
The words bounce like in water.

Water music,
loud in the clearing

off the boats,
birds, leaves.

They look for a place
to sit and eat--

no meaning,
no point.

-Robert Creeley

Mosaic Monday

The Daisy follows soft the Sun

The Daisy follows soft the Sun,
And when his golden walk is done,
Sits shyly at his feet,
He waking finds the flower there,
Wherefore Marauder art thou here?
Because, Sir, love is sweet!

We are the Flower Thou the Sun!
Forgive us, if as days decline,
We nearer steal to Thee!
Enamored of the parting West,
The peace, the flight, the Amethyst,
Night's possibility!

-Emily Dickinson


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! I hope you are well, I am trying to decompress after a very enjoyable vacation! Technically we are still on vacation, but I thought I would start to get back into the groove today! I have taken over 500 pictures the last couple of weeks - today's mosaic is just a small sample of them! Enjoy!!!



Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”
-Mahatma Gandhi

Hello - I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was full of fun and laughs, you cannot complain about that! I do not know about you, but even at 41 I still love to go to the zoo! Seeing the animals always makes me smile! Today's mosaic is comprised of some wonderful animals, Enjoy!

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”
-Winston Churchill



“Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms”
-George Eliot

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

Hello and Happy Monday!! Have a great week! I hope you enjoy todays mosaic - I personally find the pictures relaxing!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! I hope you had a nice weekend! I had a wonderful few days myself. My husband and I had a wedding to attend out of town and made a mini-vacation out of it! We stayed at a bed and breakfast, ate great food, danced, drank and shopped to our hearts content all without our children. I love my boys, but it was a much need respite! I hope you get a chance to do something similar. We are in the planning stages for our trip (with the kids) to Tuscany - so today I thought I would make a mosaic of the Tuscan countryside - Enjoy!

"Conditions in Tuscany are perfect."
-Olaf Ludwig




10 Interesting Facts about Italy:

1.) The name Italy comes from the word Italia, meaning “calf land,” perhaps because the bull was a symbol of the Southern Italian tribes.
2.) Italy is approximately 116,400 sq. miles, which is slightly larger than Arizona.
3.) Italy is one of the most crowded nations in Europe. Its population was 58,126,212 in 2009. The population of the USA was 307,212,123 by the same time.
4.) Rome (known as the Eternal City) is the capital & is almost 3,000 years old.
5.) The official name of Italy is the Italian Republic.
6.) Italy is said to have more masterpieces per sq. mile than any other country.
7.) Almost 80% of Italy is either mountainous or hilly
8.) In 2007, a dog found a 3.3 Lb. truffle in Tuscany that sold for $333,000.
9.) The Italian wolf is Italy’s unofficial national animal and plays a large role in the legend of the founding of the Rome
10.) The author of “Pinocchio" (pine nut), Carlo Collodi (1826-1890), was Italian

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Memorial Day Mosaic Monday

Happy Memorial Day!

As you go about your day enjoying your family/friends, eating/drinking, and having fun do not forget why you are able to do all those things! Thanks to the sacrifice of many men and women over the years you are able to "eat, drink and be merry!" The center picture of the mosaic was taken in Cape Cod, which is one of my favorite places in the world - thanks to everyone over the years who had made it possible for me to enjoy such a wonderful place!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! Sorry to be away last week - I had surgery last Monday. Granted, not the best way to spend "spring break" but, my hubby was home to care for me and the kids. (he was VERY READY to return to work today). As much as I hate to sit still, it was nice to relax for a bit - but now, back to reality! Since I did not blog on Easter, my mosaic for the day is to commemorate the holiday! Enjoy!




Did you know?
(source: Wikipedia)

* Easter eggs are given to celebrate Easter or springtime.

* The egg is a symbol of the rebirth of the Earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.

* The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with candy.

* The egg is widely used as a symbol of the start of new life, just as new life emerges from an egg when the chick hatches out.

* The ancient Zoroastrians painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration, which falls on the Spring equinox. The Nawrooz tradition has existed for at least 2,500 years. The sculptures on the walls of Persepolis show people carrying eggs for Nowrooz to the king.

* At the Jewish Passover Seder, hard-boiled eggs called Beitzah, are dipped in salt water, and symbolize Hashlamim, the festival peace-offerings sacrificed at the Temple in Jerusalem to be eaten on Erev Pesach.


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

“Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits.”
-Carl Sandburg

Hello & Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I do not know about your neck of the woods, but it is really beginning to feel like spring here in CNY - YEAH! Everyone has different memories and ideas of spring, that is what makes life so interesting. To me, hyacinths are the true harbinger of spring - especially grape hyacinths. Seeing those cute little clusters poking out of the ground is always a welcome site, plus the scent is so delightful. What is your image of spring? Enjoy!



Facts about hyacinths:

* Origin of the Hyacinth, according to Greek legend:

Two of the gods, Apollo and Zephyr, adored a handsome young Greek called Hyakinthos. Apollo was teaching Hyakinthos the art of throwing a discus.

Zephyr, who was the god of the west wind, was overcome with jealousy and he blew the discus back. It struck Hyakinthos on the head and killed him. From his blood grew a flower, which the sun god Apollo named after him.

* The word 'Hyacinth' has also surfaced in an ancient language (called 'Thracopelasgian'), which was spoken 4,000 years ago.

* The wild Hyacinth is a native of Turkey and the Middle East, along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. Hyacinths were grown in Europe in the time of the Greeks and Romans. Both Homer and Virgil noted the sweet fragrance.

* After their initial introduction to Europe, the Hyacinth faded from history, and did not reappear until the 16th century. It was reintroduced into Western Europe from Turkey and Iran. Leonhardt Rauwolf, (a German doctor) collected some Hyacinths when he visited Turkey in 1573.

* Hyacinths have been cultivated commercially since the second half of the 16th century. They became very popular in 18th and early 19th century Europe.

* The bulbs are grown commercially in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

* The normal bloom time for Hyacinths is March to April.

* March 7th is the World Hyacinth Day.

* The Hyacinth flower symbolizes sport or play, and the blue Hyacinth signifies sincerity.


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

"Ireland is where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible."
-Charles Haughey

Hello! I am sorry for the lack of posts this past week, I just needed to take a bit of a "blog breather." However, I am refreshed and ready to get at it again. Today's mosaic is comprised of Irish castles that my family and I plan on visiting in the next few years. We are just waiting for my youngest son to get a bit bigger. Enjoy!

“Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.”
-Irish Blessing



"Face the sun, but turn your back to the storm."
-Irish proverb

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

"A perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one. And it would not be a wasted life."
-The Last Samurai

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was very nice - I actually relaxed somewhat! Today's mosaic is of Cherry Blossoms which are one of my favorite blossoms/trees. Hydrangeas are the only flower that I like better! Enjoy!



Cherry Blossom Facts:

* A cherry blossom is the flower of the cherry trees known as Sakura. In English, "sakura" refers to the Japanese flowering cherry, the fruit cherry comes from another type of tree.

* Japan gave 3,020 cherry blossom trees as a gift to the United States in 1912 to celebrate the friendship between the two nations. Those trees replaced an earlier gift of 2000 trees which had to be destroyed due to disease. The 3,020 trees were planted in Manhattan and on the shore of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.

* Cherry blossoms are thought to be an omen of good fortune and an emblem of love and affection.

* Cherry blossoms represents spring and are a metaphor for the fleeting nature of life, and are depicted as so in many works of art.

* Cherry blossoms are indigenous to many Asian countries including Japan, Korea, and China. Japan has a wide variety of cherry blossoms, over 200 varieties can be found there.


"In the cherry blossom's shade there's no such thing as a stranger."
-Issa

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend- mine was busy! Sorry this post is a bit late - but, better late than never I guess! Enjoy!



Interesting information about purple:

* Purple was the color of the first dye made by man. It was called "Mauveine" and was made out of coal tar. The recipe was discovered by William Henry Perkin in 1856.

* Purple represents the planet Jupiter.

* February is the month associated with the color purple and the birthstone for those born is February is amethyst.

* Purple Stones: Amethyst, Ametrine, Sugilite, Lavender Jade, Sugilite, Selenite, Iolite, Lavender Quartz, Lepidolite

* The Byzantine emperor signed edicts in purple ink.

* Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases ten times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.

Mosaic Monday

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view."
-H. Fred Dale

Hello! Being in the Bahamas & Florida last week left me longing to work outside in my gardens.... However, as I look out my window, the 3 feet of snow is preventing me from doing that! Since I cannot garden I decided to do the next best thing - look at some of my favorite English country gardens online and share them with you, Enjoy!

"Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration."
-Lou Erickson



Thought of the Day:

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden."
-Robert Brault

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

Hello and happy Monday everyone! While you are reading this I will be gently (so I hope) sailing in the Caribbean on board the Disney Dream! This mosaic is of my favorite Disney characters. Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! I have water in my basement and it is -13°F as I type this, so I thought a little beach time was in order! Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.”
-Lao Tzu

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend and if you have today off as well, good for you. Today's mosaic is a simple one celebrating something so simple, but without it life would cease to exist! Enjoy!

“Water is life's mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.”
-Albert Szent-Gyorgyi




Thought of the Day:
“Keep your head above water”
-Proverb

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
-Scott Adams

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend - I was sick, but my wonderful husband took charge of the kids ALL day Saturday and I was able to get some much needed rest! I thanked him and his comment was, "I did not know I had it in me!" I feel the same when I see paintings, I just am not artistic in that manner. Today's mosaic is a compilation of some of my favorite abstract pieces and I think it looks lovely - don't you? Enjoy!

“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.”
-Pablo Picasso



1.) Green Abstract Painting
2.) Scheherazade
3.) Beach and Sea Giclee Print
4.) Panorama I-Original Acrylic Painting
5.) Abstract Original Oil, "O Sing of Summer"
6.) ACEO: Oil Pastel Abstract OOAK


Thought of the Day:

"All art requires courage."
-Anne Tucker


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”
-Pablo Picasso

Hello! I was thinking about color last night and became so thankful that I have my sight. The beauty of the world around us is a site to behold and I would hate to miss any of it! My thoughts about color led me to think about food - it is recommended that we eat a lot of colorful foods because they are good for us. Well, that makes sense - if seeing color makes me happy, then it stand to reason that eating colorful foods would make my body happy! Enjoy!

“There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen”
-Unknown




Thought of the Day:

“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”
-Maya Angelou

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!