A Study in Rectangles

Carmi at Written Inc has asked for Geometric shapes as the current Thematic Photographic challenge. Since we had part of our chimney repointed this morning, rectangles were on my mind.

First a couple of looks at the chimney "after":




Then a look at some brick on the front of a building downtown (across from the Farmer's Market):



And another with a bonus - check out the small squares (a specialized rectangle, after all) in the tile entry.



I had fun with this. Check out what other folks found with their cameras.

Echoes

Photo is from AuntieP at Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/auntiep/, used under a Creative Commons License

Echoes

I walked to my car in the dark smelling
wet grass and corn silks and lighter fluid.
One white plastic knife on the dark path
proved it wasn't my imagination.

Friday Fill-In 177

Check out the way other folks answered this week's Friday Fill-Ins.

1. Having clean sheets on the bed never fails to make me smile.
2. I'm looking forward to the arrival of some personal business cards I ordered.
3. The echos of an empty office building is what I'm listening to right now.
4. Potato salad must have something people like in it but since I don't eat it I don't know what that is!
5. A tuna salad sandwich was the best thing I ate today. (so far)
6. Today was the end of a very long work week.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to trying to recreate a dessert I remember from my childhood (without a recipe), tomorrow my plans include performing in two concerts, and Sunday, I want to R-E-L-A-X (and maybe create some clean laundry)!

Black

Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect set forth a colorful challenge for this week's Monday Poetry Stretch. And while I know she had nature-inspired poems in mind, my brain took a different turn. It does that sometimes.

Dressing in Black

The long skirt is black
and the soft velvet top
and two heels that I pack
with a lint brush I drop
in the bag for the night.

I eat a light snack
then I dress for the show
checking both front and back
in a mirror just so
to ensure everything's right.

In long skirts of black
next to black suits and ties,
queued in line not a pack
we breathe deep with soft sighs
for an entrance sans fright.

With a smile and a crack
of a joke to calm doubts
I move forward, not back,
with sweet songs and grand shouts
for each listener's delight.

Oatmeal Pecan Waffles

I no longer remember where I got the core of this recipe, but I have tinkered with it myself so much that it is now all mine. Not only is this perfect for this week's Sunday Scribblings prompt (recipe) but is also something I wanted to send to Molly at Orangette. And I have to say it is making me hungry just thinking about this.

Oatmeal Pecan Waffles

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt
4 T vegetable oil
2 T honey
1 cup skim milk


1 - Chop the oats in a food processor until they are a fine powder. Put oats in a large mixing bowl.
2 - Roughly chop the nuts and add to oats.
3 - To the oat mixture add the flours, baking powder and salt and mix with a whisk to combine well.
4 - In a small bowl, lightly beat two eggs, then add yogurt, oil, honey, and milk. Mix well.
5 - Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until combined (too much will make them tough).
6 - Cook in waffle iron, and serve with real maple syrup.


Some notes:
+ My dad taught me to measure oil first, then honey, because the honey will just slip out of a spoon (or cup) that was first coated with oil.
+ I use nonfat yogurt and skim milk because that's what I have around. If the dairy has some fat, you can reduce the oil a little.
+ I cook some of the waffles a little on the "light" side and then freeze them. Then when I want waffles, I put them directly into the toaster (or toaster oven) to thaw and crisp up without overcooking.