bounty

Call me Farmer Corrie!

I planted a garden.

Brian helped.  Actually, Brian did everything to get it started.

But I kept it going!  I watered faithfully and harvested the goods.

Something I had NOTHING to do with however was the 7 blackberry bushes at the top of our lot.

I knew there were some berries there, but we had only seen a handful at a time the years previous.

This year was something out of a dream.

We went up one day to see quite a trove of blackberries.

We could go up everyday and fill a large bowl.  And they were so sweet!  

It was awesome.

This was just one day of gathering.

Ohh the cantaloupe was so yummy.  I couldn't believe we actually grew one.  

It was real live cantaloupe!

It was fun.  I think we learned some things for next year.  

Like an irrigation system that isn't me holding a hose every day.  

I got stung by some angry looking red scary wasps.

Man.  That hurt.

Yes sir.

Farmer Corrie.

"You've got dirt on your nose. Did you know? Just there."

Ahhh.  The fancy new tricks a friend can teach you.

Thanks E!  That was a good one!

ruins

This is at the Colosseum which wasn't even called the Colosseum when it was being used for what it was being used for.  It was called...uh...something else.  

Anyway.  I do remember that people started calling it the Colosseum because of the HUGE statue that was moved next to it of Nero? I think.  The statue was called the Collosus.  I think... 

Well...never mind.  No history lesson for you.  

The sun was in my eyes and super bright so it was a kind of "I'm going to look down and hurry take the picture when I look up and open my eyes for the second of time I can possibly keep them open" type picture.  And I'm standing in front of...uh...ruins.  

Crumb.

Palentine Hill?  Hmmm...

Oh Wait!  This was on Palentine hill where all the leaders and rich people lived and that is actually the Colosseum behind us which wasn't called the Colossem at the time it was being used for horrid stuff.  But I already told you that part.

Those trees are super cool though, eh?

Trevi Fountain.  Awesome.

I know something about this fountain that is cool but it just isn't coming to me...

Did you know I am getting pretty old.  I even make moaning noises when I stand up and stuff.  

I think I even need reading glasses.  gasp!

Do you recognize that place below?  Can you remind me what it is?

JUST KIDDING!  

I know this one.  It's at St. Peter's bascillica.  (right?)  

We're at the top of the dome.  It's windy.

Check out his feet.  He just finished putting those bad boys on.  

Zoom Zoom.

THIS BAKERY!  Was right outside our B&B.  It is in a little basement thing and my sister's rooms window opened to a courtyard that their back door opened onto and she smelled baked goods all the time.  YUM!

Our room had a bad toilet problem and smelled of sewer all the time.  But I kept the door closed and sprayed OUST all over and it was tolerable, I suppose.  

SO!

Have I convinced you to visit Rome?  I bet your interest is piqued.  

You'd like to learn all the cool stuff I alluded to, wouldn't you?

Well, that was on purpose.  If I told you all about it then you would have no reason to go.

What a disservice I would have done to you and the Rome tourism market.

You can thank me later.

*

Poof! It's Tomorrow!

Welcome to the second part of our vacation.  Did you forget?  


I know...it's been a month of tomorrows.


I have one word for my excuse.

CAMP!

I'll post pictures.  Tomorrow.

But for now!  ROME!!!

See there.  To the right.  Tortellini.  Mmmmm.  Hello Italy!

However!  There was more to Rome than tortellini.  I'll show you.

See.  I told you!

That Gnocci that Cally had was to DIE for.  It was a gnocci with pears.  THE best one we tried our whole trip.  And we tried a few.  For sure.

One more.  I forgot.  I don't know how, but I did.  For just a moment.

Soooo yummy.  I WISH you could see inside this Gelato shop.  There were counters that wound around the perimiter of the store and it was tearfully amazing to behold the colors and flavors and mayhem of customers trying to procure their treat.  

I just tried to find a picture in my sister Cassy's gallery thingy because her hubby was the trip photographer of sorts, but alas...no weaving counters of creamy goodness.

BUT I did find other goodness in the gallery.  

Back story:

We had just finished our trip to the Vatican.  Amazing.  Awesome.  You should go.

We were heading down this georgous staircase, well, it was a ramp actually, 

when the three sisters (me, Cally, and Cassy: seen in the Gelato picture above.) 

decided to stop and have a gander around.

Well,  Cally and I gandered but Cassy saw Seth with his camera and posed.  Cally and I didn't see him at all!  We were just being normal and natural.  Seriously.  

I think Cally spotted Seth about now.  and who is that long haired man?

I still haven't seen the camera.  So natural.  Ohhh...the long haired man stopped right by us.

He must think we are stunning and natural looking.  Mr. Curious Man.

He's done being snoopy.  And Cally has boot scooted out of there.  I wonder why?

He never even knew I was there.  A HA HA HA.  The fun that is Rome.

I'm glad I'm still alive.  Man.  Risky business being mischevious in a foreign country.

I hope you're not bored yet because I'd like to show you some photos where I am aware of the camers and looking pretty.

Like this one at the top of St. Peter's Bascillica.  

And these two:

And another:

And a quaint little triptic:

(I learned that word from watching a design show.  Triptic.  goruping of three.  I think that's what it means.)

What?!  We were being serious?  They should tell me the feeling to be protrayed in a photo shoot.  My interpretation of the moment was, I see, different, apart, unique.  

Not in this next photo however.  We adjusted our demeanor in unison to portray a more somber and serious tone. 

And another triptic that was result of a little misnderstanding, but turned out well in the end.

It was a lovely trip.  And our husbands were a lot of fun to have along.  Really!  

And Rome is lovely.  More than just food.  

Maybe I will show you the old cool stuff in my next post.

BY THE WAY~~!

Happy 200TH post!

awww.

It seems like only yesterday...

*

Jet Lag

Jet lag is by far NOT the most memorable part of the amazing trip I just took.  It IS however a big reason why it has taken me this long to post any pictures or remembrances.

Kicked My Bootie, it did.

But, I think I am fully recovered.  And other than the deep longing for the constant company of my traveling companions, the fantastic and adventurous food(and the search for it), and the amazing, awesome, history-laden sights...I am completely content.

I didn't take too many pictures.  My brother-in-law had a fantastic camera and was very diligent in capturing practically everything.

Here are some I did take with appropriate captions to inform and entertain.

Our first stop was Paris.  Oui.  Paris.  C'est magnifique.

This was our cute and comfy room at the Hotel Port Dorree.  

We dropped off our luggage and so as to not succumb to the fatigue that accompanies a 7 hour time change (4 am!!) we were ushered out the door for some sight seeing.

Yes, That's right!  La Tour Eiffel.  

Grand.

That is our travel group.  My two sisters, their husbands and Brian.  

Conan is taking a picture of his foot for his podiatrist.  It was a must do.

This was dinner at a place on the Champs Elysees after we checked out L'Arc de Triomphe. 

I can't remember what we ate.  

It was late late late.  But I think Brian has a cute look on his face. 

We saw a lot of cool stuff.  

La Louvre with the Mona Lisa.  Spent like, 4 hours there.  Maybe more.  

Sacre Coeur - a pretty white church on the top of a hill that is in a really neat artsy part of the city and was my sister Cassy's favorite area.

Notre Dame.  I like it there.

Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon's is entombed.  There is a museum called the Armory that is full of...guess...

Suits of Armor.  It was pretty cool.

Of course we couldn't leave Paris without a visit to the Chocolate museum.  

It was rumored we'd get free chocolate.  So off we went!  

We did get some free chocolate.  And some we had to pay for.  

We did find a great authentic french restaurant on kind of accident called

La Poule au Pot.  Chicken in a pot.

It was really neat.  

Cally got a hot breaded cheese wheel thing with raspberry jam that was sooo delicious.  

This is the street it was on.  That is Cassy watching someone eat at a different restaurant.  

Ours was the next one down, just below the round green sign.  

Cassy wore really cute clothes.

Well.  My bread is ready to be rolled into a loaf.  

(Because I'm blogging I try to do things that make me sound really awesome.  Like make bread.  Then you think I do it all the time, see?  You know...it's my life.)

And I've got to get the soup on.  It's cold outside.  60 degrees in Alabama in MAY!  Crazy.

But it will not last for long and I love this soup and will miss it over the summer.  

It's easy.  My effort goes to the bread.  Just kidding.  That's easy too.  

Not just cause I'm amazing and so adept at making bread.  It really is easy and the only bread I ever make.  Thanks to Heidi.  Try it.  Some times It looks like a slug, but it still tastes good.  

I'll fill you in on our second destination soon.  I'd like to say tomorrow, but we all know how that goes.

Au revoir!

*

round and round

Erin loves the Carousel horses.  

And usually that is where she and I end up when we go to Six Flags with the family.  

We're not big fans of roller coasters.  

We rode the carousel three times...in a row!  

The last time she wanted to find the tallest highest horse she could see.  She had been a little disappointed in the first two she chose.  Wimpy trotters, I guess. 

She found a "georgous" black beauty that I had to lift her up pretty high to get on. 

She LOVED it.  

Until it started slowing down and her horse ended up as high as it possibly could be when the ride stopped.  

It didn't help that I sat on the other horse snapping pictures and chuckling.

I told her to hold on while I got down.  When I got off my horse I started checking the pictures on my camera and slowly walking toward the exit.  

Not very nice, I know.  And I debated doing it.  

But I did it and she hollered at me something fierce.  

I was only a few steps away, of course.  Just a couple steps.  

I went back and helped her down.  She just shook her head at me.

She still loves me.  My little companion.

Phew!

step it up!

At our school festival they had a hair painting booth.

I served my 1/2 hour assignment and really shook things up a bit.

Normally you pick a color and get it sprayed on your head.

Super easy and not that exciting, but the kids like it.

I figured that anything worth doing is worth doing well.

I should go the distance.

The extra mile.

So I got creative.

We had stripes, grids and polka dots.

WAAAAAY more fun.

I'm tellin you,

I can paint some hair.

BTW- Brian and Carter are on their way home from the EEG.  The Dr. only kept them one night.  Carter had NO seizures and there was no abnormal brain activity found by the 24 wires attatched to his head.  That means the medicine is working and we just have to check in with the neurologist every 6 months.  After 2 years we will start to take him off the medicine and hope everything worked itself out.  
Good news.