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Annie in Austin
Welcome! As "Annie in Austin" I blog about gardening in Austin, TX with occasional looks back at our former gardens in Illinois. My husband Philo & I also make videos - some use garden images as background for my original songs, some capture Austin events & sometimes we share videos of birds in our garden. Come talk about gardens, movies, music, genealogy and Austin at the Transplantable Rose and listen to my original songs on YouTube. For an overview read Three Gardens, Twenty Years. Unless noted, these words and photos are my copyrighted work.
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Monday, July 09, 2007

Meme-me, Meme-me, Meme


Memes float around the internet ocean, sometimes traveling in on the same wave, and three have recently washed ashore here. I've participated in several memes already, so that when MaryC tagged me for Eight Random Things a few days ago, my reply was that I didn't have eight interesting things to tell. Dawn then tagged me for Seven Random Things. I decided to give it a try, but if this post bores you - blame Mary and Dawn!
A different kind of meme surfed in when Beth tagged me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger - not strictly true, but just having my name in the same sentence with 'girl' was a kick.

Random Thing One
The post title reveals that I cannot resist a pun, no matter how bad.

Random Thing Two
When other teenage girls were reading fashion magazines, I was curled up with westerns by Zane Grey or Ernest Haycox and loved historical fiction set in places like Ye Olde London. This could explain why much of my wardrobe is denim and suitable for working outside and the rest of it once provoked my youngest sister to declare, "you have a closet full of costumes, not clothes!"

Random Thing Three
I own a couple of Feng Shui books and like them - some of it seems goofy but a lot of it makes sense to me.

Random Thing Four
As mentioned in a previous meme, I think genealogy is fun. My sisters and cousins and I scan any family photos we can get, then pass the photo files around. I printed small versions of them and Philo helped me make this family history photo wall. To keep it from becoming static, some of the frames have blank spaces for future additions. One frame contains more than a century's worth of weddings-in-miniature. This grouping may not have the impact of a large piece of art, but is meaningful to us.
Random Thing Five
Recent stuff rewatched on DVD included The 40-Year Old Virgin [2005], Moonstruck [1987], and The Quiet Man [1952]. How wonderful it is to be able to see movies from every era! And I love the commentary tracks.

Random Thing Six
What's essential in my kitchen: Red Peppers, olive oil, heads of garlic, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, Marjoram, basil, Romano cheese, pasta, Ajvar spread on Wasa Rye, Philo's homemade salsa, pimiento cheese, green pepper tabasco sauce, thin corn tortillas, Kashi cereal, blueberries, dark chocolate and lots of French Roast coffee.

Random Thing Seven
I can keep a home-improvement or garden project in the planning stage for ages... refusing to start implementing it until I've worried the concept to pieces. At this pace our house will never appear in Cottage Living.

Random Thing Eight for Mary C, a new friend who is a birder.
I dearly love blogs that feature both plants and birds, and envy those of you who can photograph the feathered ones in mid-air. Many of us get lucky once in awhile, but Dawn catches them repeatedly . While Mary in NC is taking a break, wander through her archives and be amazed - she's put herself in jeopardy to get the perfect shot. James at Coyote Mercury records the birds well here in Austin. On behalf of near-sighted bird lovers everywhere, thank you all very much!
The rules state that I should now tag 7 [or 8] other people with this meme - if you're interested, please consider yourself tagged... memes can be a pleasant way to get to know each other.

As to tagging Rockin' Girl Bloggers - many of you fit the description, but I'm nominating just one. She has no regular internet access at the moment and may not know about this tag for weeks.

Did any of you see the start of the Blue Planet run around the world? You can read about it
here at the Blue Planet Website. I don't know whether the run will change the lives of those who need safe drinking water, but I admire people who try to make a difference - and this team is extraordinary.
One of the team members is Mary Chervenak, a wonderful young woman who is giving up her summer for this cause. I held Mary in my arms when she was a baby - and am now thrilled to see what a strong, beautiful, articulate woman she has become. Mary occasionally has the chance to post to her blog page on the Blue Planet Website, and she gets my rockin' girl blogger nomination.
Go Mary!

28 comments:

  1. Annie... It sounds like you prepare some very good food in your kitchen. Get some green tea in place of the coffee and I'll be right over (with some fresh zucchini). And I know what you mean about plans taking a while to gel. I'll have a plan in mind for the longest time and then "bam!" I'm implementing it.

    Thanks for sharing a little more about "Annie in Austin" with us.

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  2. Annie, this is just great. Can I come to your house for supper, please? with ingredients like that, you're my kinda cook.
    Incidentally, I never have read a fashion magazine in my life, let alone when I was a teenager. Maybe that's why one friend called my clothing sense ruthlessly eclectic. But then, I was a tomboy and guess I still am.
    Glad you did this, and your friend definitely sounds like a rockin' girl to me. Thanks for sharing about her, too.

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  3. I love your genealogy wall! I wish I could get organized enough to do something like that ;-)

    Denim is good for everything - jeans, shirts, overalls, skirts. If they don't make it in denim, I don't need it.

    And I'd like to come over for dinner too, if that's OK?

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  4. Thanks for sharing! I'm with you when it comes to coffee, and I love to grind the beans fresh, too (the taste is so much better)...as for clothes, we absolutely have similar taste! And projects, heh, I can stay in the "R&D phase" for years at a time...it's kind of where my "weight-loss program" is! ;-)

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  5. Being an old grouch, I mentioned on a comment to Kate smudges... that memes are like those "what's your favorite..." books girls used to pass around in grade school a long time ago.

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  6. Westerns,huh? That does seem different for a teenage girl.

    You know, you are really getting to have a pretty good list of garden blogs in the sidebar.

    - bill

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  7. Hi Annie!

    It's good to know you better. I laughed at you, though, because you remind me of me! I'll agonize over beginning a project until it does. HA!

    Your genealogy wall is wonderful! Our hallway is plastered with photos of our daughter and I have often thought of adding the rest of the family, but, that's another project...tee hee!

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  8. I meant, "I'll agonize over beginning a project until it DIES"... Geeesh.

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  9. Carol, if you came I'd go buy gourmet green tea! There would be skyrockets!

    Jodi, that "ruthlessly ecclectic" is a great line... it sounds like a pretty cool way to dress, actually!

    Entangled... just remember, that wall was made before I started this blogging thing!
    Do you want tea, too - or is coffee okay?

    Lisa, we wore out two earlier machines, and now use a bur grinder. "R & D phase"... another line I might steal.

    Ki, actually, I've described them as "very 6th grade" myself - but memes can function as community-building tools.

    You keep such a low profile that if you joined in on a meme, Ki, we'd pass out in shock!

    Bill, there were also more westerns on TV back then, so cowboys were everyone's heroes. I was in love with Maverick.

    It must be a good list - you've been in the sidebar forever ;-]

    Mary, I also kill some of those projects off by analyzing them to death!
    We'd had photo walls in previous houses, but we couldn't have made one with so many people until we all got the photo-scanning and sharing technology.

    Thank you,

    Annie

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  10. We have a few things in common.
    I love genealogy and plan to steal your 100 years of weddings idea! I love to watch videos old and new. Once we no longer had to wear dresses to school I wore nothing but jeans for years. I think you'd be very disappointed in my kitchen. I know what most of the stuff on your list is but I'm sure I've never heard of a couple. lol

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  11. I loved reading this. It was not boring. It is fun to find out more about you.
    Your kitchen sounds so healthy. Mine consists mainly of different types of peanut butter, mac and cheese and discount coupons to kid friendly restaurants.

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  12. Ah you got me with the French Roast coffee ... the only kind I drink (unless I'm somewhere being polite).

    I love your family wall - it reminds me of my parent's wall ... photos everywhere of many generations. When my son, nieces and nephews are about, we always have a great time discussing the various relatives we knew. Many are no longer among the living.

    And aren't DVDs wonderful? Watching favourite old movies on a whim ...

    My head also wasn't in fashion mags, but instead mysteries ... I don't think I read a Western till I was an adult!!

    Cool about the blueberries too - I just finished off a big bowl with yogurt and sliced almonds. I love them!

    And kudos to Mary Chervenak for her initiative! Same too for our Mary in NC - who does take phenomenal birding shots!

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  13. From one overanalyzer to another, rock on! I do the same thing with projects until my husband says "Come on, already!"

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  14. Annie, your kitchen is stocked with almost the same things as mine. Things I can't do without. And I always have some old, old, old, white cheddar cheese on hand as well. And, of course, dark chocolate.

    I love the photo of the birds. What are they?

    Cheers,
    Josie

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  15. Apple, it would be cool if you made a version of the wedding compilation.
    In college we still had to wear skirts - guess I never got out of the habit and some of my denim is skirts and shorts.
    Well, the Ajvar is kind of odd - it's a garlic-red pepper spread from central Europe.

    Chigiy, when our four kids were around, the list would have been different! And back then my husband didn't read labels.

    Your mug will be waiting for you, Kate.
    The earliest photo was taken around 1870, and a few are copies of ones brought from Europe.
    I have the names of most of the people entered in a family tree program on my computer -it's nice to have some faces to go with the names.

    Bonnie, even my incredibly patient husband sometimes can't stand my indecision.

    You're right, Josie, it has to be dark chocolate!

    The birds are vultures - this was at a Texas State Park in February so the trees had no leaves.

    Thank you,
    Annie

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  16. Annie: It is nice to know a bit more about the garden author!! Love that you wear 'costumes' and I have a family picture wall also! When are you making dinner for all of us? Better yet, make it pot luck!

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  17. Dear Annie,

    You are far from boring! You've made a terrific list. Thanks for deciding to share it with everyone. I totally relate to your comments about yourself as a young girl. When I was a child I read 'boy books' about adventure, King Arthur and even my grandmother's old science fiction paperbacks. I was decidedly not a girlie-girl.
    Your family history photo wall rocks! What a great idea to leave some spots blank for future additions. And your kitchen ingredients sound so very yummy. I'll be right over! *wink*

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  18. I suspect that you could come up with a good response to a 5000 Interest Things query.

    The 40 year old virgin rocks. So does Moonstruck.

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  19. Hi Annie,

    I keep seeing your name and have checked you out a couple of times now. I feel like I know you better know with this goofy 8 random things meme. (I've been tagged once or twice in some fashion, myself.)

    I love the image of a closet full of costumes rather than clothes. Oh, if I could just get away with that...

    See ya soon.

    Robin (Bumblebee)

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  20. Annie, I love that wall of family you have... makes me a bit rueful that all of my pictures are sitting in a box in my attic instead of being put out somewhere for others to enjoy.

    Your friend Mary does sound like a rockin' chick. I'll have to go find out more about that Blue Planet thing.

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  21. Mmm, the Quiet Man. I'm going to put that in my queue.

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  22. Annie: Feng Shui books LOL-I must confess that years ago when I just wasn't going where I felt I should, career wise, and feng shui was all the craze, I bought the books on networking and careers, did the clearing of clutter, windchime, crystal fish on the desk etc. things,and I have to say-things took off a couple months after that and never stopped!
    Your kitchen necessities closely resemble mine! I also keep curry and indian spices, ginger and coconut milk (and lemongrasss in the garden),as I do Asian or Indian dishes once a week.
    Great photo with the bird on tree and sky.

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  23. Loved learning more about you, Annie. The post was not boring at all!

    I can tell you are a good cook just by the staples you keep on hand.

    Have a great afternoon.

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  24. I love your kitchen essentials. Esp. a certain cheese. And I too agonize over project until I am paralyzed. I have two hydrangeas right now still in pots that I bought back in early May. I just can't decide where to put them.

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  25. Annie... it was fun knowing more about you. I think we share similar kitchen tastes. I see you already have a prospective guest list lined up for dinner so I won't burden you by adding myself to it.
    BTW I have listed you as a 'blogger for positive change'. I can understand you being already flooded with memes but here I had to list you as an obvious choice.

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  26. What a cool post, not boring at all! It's interesting how much you can learn about someone with just eight random thoughts. The genology wall is pretty cool. I wish I knew what to do with your kitchen esentials. I have said I should take a cooking class for years! I really should! Thanks for sharing a bit more about yourself.

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  27. Hi Annie and thanks for sharing the random thoughts about yourself. We already knew what a wonderful writer you are, so nothing new there.

    I loved Thing One that says you cannot resist a pun, no matter how bad. My kinda person.

    Feng Shui books-you don't need them, you've got too much common sense for that. " Wabi Sabi " or " if it ain't broke don't fix it " is the new trend and one that fits into our busy lifestyles.

    Genealogy is not only fun, but a very meaningful history of your family. I think it's great that you do this.

    Your kitchen essentials sound SO healthy and delicious !

    I must say I'm surprised at number seven -worrying the concept to death. That would drive me crazy.

    Love your number 8. How terrific !

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  28. Annie, how fun to find out more about you starting with your great pun! And Zane Grey in your teenage years? I would have never thought! I didn't start on Louis L'Amour and Dale Van Every till I was at least in my 20's. As you know, they don't write them like that anymore!

    I kind of like Feng Shui too, at least parts of it. I had no trouble hanging up a crystal in the northwest corner of my house to improve my wealth. I did get a raise a year or so later.

    Genealogy is a part-time hobby for me. I ignore it for a year and then work feverishly on it for a month or so and then abandon it again. So much info, so little time to tap into it all! I love your family photo wall.

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A comment from you is like chocolate - maybe I could live without it, but life is more fun with it. I'll try to answer. If someone else's comment piques your interest, please feel free to talk among yourselves.