Rinda's Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt

This is the second summer that Rinda over at Gallo Organico has hosted a photo scavenger hunt. Last summer I had the best of intentions, but the worst of executions! I managed a few photos from the list, but never got around to sharing them or even coming close to finding most of the items on the list.

This summer, I am trying again, and although I am off to a slow start, I am going to share what I've found so far.  All of these photos were taken on my iPhone (so please excuse the quality!) while visiting friends in Plymouth, Massachusetts over the 4th of July holiday.

1. A pier
2. A clothesline
3. A border
4. A roadside stand selling something

Fried dough stand, after the 4th of July parade

5. A train
6. A historical landmark

Plymouth Rock

7. A person playing a musical instrument

House party, post fireworks!

8. A person dressed as an angel or a statue of an angel

9. A fountain

Pilgrim Maiden

10. A horse

11. A shadow

12. A maze, labyrinth, or trail.

13. A library

14. A person playing with a ball.

The girls have worn the dogs out!

15. Someone dancing.

My friend's daughter and husband showing off their moves from a recent father-daughter dance recital.

16. A bride.

17. A church, chapel, cathedral, mosque or temple.

18. A movie poster

19. An outdoor stairway

20. A swing hanging from a tree (or a hammock)
21.  A picture of you standing with something that symbolizes your nation.
Substitute Item (new this year):  If you find any of the above too hard, you may substitute a photograph of either a heart-shaped stone or a four leaf clover for one item; however, you may not substitute this item for #21.


Six down, fifteen to go! 

Coming out of hibernation!

March 24th? Really, March 24th? I haven't blogged since March 24th??? Sigh.

I suppose I've been busy, but not so busy I couldn't compose a short post! Just haven't been feeling motivated I guess.

So, what have I been up to for the past 4 months?

I celebrated Easter in Washington, DC with some long lost relatives of my husband's. It was like the blind date of family visits, but we had a wonderful time!

I finished the spring semester...had some really challenging first year students that I was happy to say goodbye to! Had some wonderful upper-class women that I was sad to see graduate!

I coordinated and attended my 20th college reunion. The highlight, of course, was seeing my friends and meeting new women that I didn't know in college, but a close second was getting to hear Jane Lynch (of Glee fame) deliver the Commencement address.

Our view of Jane Lynch's speech, from the comfort of one of the residence hall living rooms!

I attended the funeral of a dear friend's mom who died unexpectedly, way too young. I am glad I got to visit with her the month before.

I reconnected with my best friend from high school, and met her two sweet kiddos.

I took a road trip to Pittsburgh to attend a professional meeting while my husband reconnected with his uncle.

I scrapbooked, but rarely from home! I went to several crops at my LSS and spent a weekend at the Scrapbook Expo in New Jersey with a couple of friends. My nieces remain my favorite scrapbooking topic!

I celebrated the 4th of July with a good friend in Plymouth, Mass (and found a few pictures for Rinda's scavenger hunt, but I am going to wait to share those until her link up party on August 4th!)

I spent a few days at the beach on Block Island, RI

I spent a weekend at my parents while my brother and his family were visiting from California. Happy fun times with my nieces, and the entire extended family.

I planned a two week camping trip to the National Parks out West...we plan to visit Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Yellowstone and several places in between! Wish us luck...it's been over 10 years since I've been tent camping! Can't wait...we leave soon!

Trial run of the new tent!

If I can figure out how to blog from the road, I'll try and post about our trip. Be sure to check back on Saturday for my contribution to Rinda's scavenger hunt!

Deb's "Virtual Housewarming Pot Luck" Blog Hop!

Hello from Connecticut, where we have been experiencing some lovely, unseasonably warm weather! If you made your way here from Margaret's blog as part of Deb's Housewarming Potluck Blog Hop, welcome! If you are one of my regular readers, you can begin the hop over at Deb's blog.

I told Deb I would bring dessert. And not just any dessert, but my blue-ribbon winning chocolate cupcakes! Okay, they're really Martha Stewart's chocolate cupcakes, but I did win a blue ribbon for them in my town fair a few years ago, and since then they have become a go-to recipe when I need a cake or cupcakes for a party. Want to try one? Here you go!

If you'd like to make them yourself, I use the recipe from her Baking Handbook. Here's a similar one from her website:


One bowl chocolate cupcakes with fluffy vanilla frosting. I love that all the ingredients get mixed together in one bowl...the fewer dishes to wash the better in my opinion!

Martha has never steered me wrong with her baking recipes, and believe me, I have tried a lot of them! I even stood in line once to have her sign her Cupcakes book. 

If you make these yourself, here are a few tips:

• the batter will be awfully thin and runny...that's okay!
• don't overfill the baking tins...these rise quite a bit and will stick to the the pan if they overflow! Giving the pan a spray of cooking oil is probably a good idea.
• Martha says these make 2 dozen...I usually can get 2 1/2 - 3 dozen.
• don't want to eat all 2 1/2 dozen? Go ahead and freeze the unfrosted cupcakes. They'll be good for at least a month. 
• don't worry if they don't look perfect when they come out of the pan...you're going to smother them in frosting anyway, and frosting hides all flaws!

Hopefully you're not too full from all the other great food that people brought to the housewarming...you still have three more desserts still to try! Next up is Rhona...can't wait to see what she made!

Thanks to Deb for organizing this blog-hop...it was just what I needed to get out of my blog slump! 


Thanks for stopping by!

In case you're interested, here is the complete list of blog hop participants:

Drinks/Appetizers

Deb @ PaperTurtle – http://paperturtle.blogspot.com

Rinda @ Gallo Organico – http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/

Beverly @ BE glorious - http://beglorious.blogspot.com/

Soups/Salads

Alison @ Life in the Slow Lane – http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.com/

Fiona @ Staring at the Sea – http://fiona-staringatthesea.blogspot.com/

Amy @ Over at our Place - http://overatourplace.blogspot.com/

Side/Main Dishes

The “Not So” Small One @ From High in the Sky – http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.com/

Jacky @ Scrappy Jacky - http://scrappyjackylive.blogspot.com/

Deb @ Deb’s World – http://debs14.blogspot.com/

Ginger @ Ginger’s Life of Spice - http://gingerslifeofspice.blogspot.com/

Karen @ Tales from the Scrapheap - http://talesfromthescrapheap.blogspot.com/

Karen @ Random Reflections - http://kbwalker.blogs.com/random_relfections/

Ruth @ Everyday Life of a Suburban SAHM - http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com/

Desserts

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita - http://dreamingladolcevita.blogspot.com/

Ruth @ Chatty Crafty Arty Pig - http://chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com/

Margaret @ Finnegan Begin Again – http://margaretfinnegan.blogspot.com/

YOU ARE HERE-->Becca @ La Jolie Fleur Rouge - http://lajoliefleurrouge.blogspot.com/

Rhona @ Life in General - http://rhonacs-lifeingeneral.blogspot.com/

Cheri @ Scrap Dreams - http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com/

Carrie @ Rosalind Revival – http://www.rosalindrevival.com/