Happy * Birthday

Well, I'm back to blogging!  Our Summer break is officially here and today just happens to be MY birthday, so I thought it would be fitting to post some birthday thoughts and fun pics.  So far I've had a really wonderful day!  God sent me my first birthday gift this morning with a tremendous thunderstorm complete with loud bangs of thunder, bright streaks of lightening and loads of rain! (I LOVE thunderstorms!!!)  The morning was spent relaxing and getting phone calls from family and friends.  Since we are on summer break, my son is home with me, which is another gift since before moving to Kentucky, he was still in school.  I love having him home!  My husband cooked me the most amazing meal last night, all on the grill.  Ribeye steaks, jumbo shrimp, asparagus and a sweet Vidalia grilled onion.  I had apple crumb pie for dessert from the Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen.  It was all heaven on a plate!!

My Favorite Birthday Cake: was chocolate with white icing.  Now, it would be the apple crumb pie!
Favorite Birthday Memory: Birthdays were special at my house growing up.  It was a day that we got to do whatever we wanted or didn't want to do.  So, if I wanted to have 8 pieces of my birthday cake, I could.  :)
Most Unpleasant Birthday Memory: When a guy I had been dating for only ONE month got me, not one, but TWO really mushy type birthday cards. I had a "chat" with him after that, but it didn't help much. He just didn't seem to "get the hint".
Favorite Birthday Gift: I honestly do not remember the "gifts" as much as the events.  I remember my parents taking me to a fun ice cream place called, "Farrells Ice Cream Parlour" in Columbus, OH.  It was always a blast and also it is now a special memory since it closed many years ago!  My most recent favorite birthday gift would be my Canon camera that my hubby got me 2 years ago.
A Special Birthday:  The most special birthday I ever had was the when I turned 34.  It was my first birthday as a "Mom".
Other Fun Birthday Memories:  New York City for my 22nd birthday and dinner at "Tavern on the Green".  Hocking Hills for my 30th birthday.  My sister making me my cakes and decorating them with real flowers from her garden.  The birthday ceramic angel doll figurines my Mom always got me from age 12-16.  A special dinner with my parents when I turned 21 at the Kahiki restaurant in Columbus, OH which closed back in 2000.

I hope when YOUR special day arrives, you might think about all those favorites in your life too.

Birthday Quotes: 

"Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that people who have the most, live the longest."

"The heyday of a woman's life is on the shady side of fifty."
(and I AM on the shady side of 50.)


My Birthday Thought:   Age is just a number.  Growing old is truly a beautiful gift. The older I get, the more I realize just how blessed I am to have been given another year to enjoy those I love.  Not everyone gets to see their next birthday...so when I get to celebrate another one, I am sincerely thankful.  ~Tammy :)

Member Spotlight on Webshots

This is a "Goldalia Scarlet" Dahlia.  I love the colors of this gorgeous flower.
I planted it in my flower boxes this past weekend
and wow, does it add just the right splash of color!

photo by Tammy Ransdell

Member Spotlight on Webshots

So, much to my pleasant surprise, I discovered that I have been featured on the homepage of Webshots in the "Member Spotlight" section!  My albums will be featured for an entire week!  I have had albums featured a few times, and some of my photos have made "Photo of the Day", but I have never made it to the "Member Spotlight" before now.  There is one professional photographer featured along with two webshot members.  Needless to say, I am humbled and honored.

Here is the link to the page if you would like to take a moment to check it out.  If you have a smartphone, it might be possible to view it from your phone through the mobile internet.  

http://www.webshots.com  

Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and you should see a photo of me as well as my name; Tamara565.  The top viewed album is my "Autumn Season" album.  

Here is the link to go directly to my albums:  

http://community.webshots.com/user/tamara565?vhost=community


Thank you for your undying support and encouragement that so many of you always give me!  YOU ROCK!


~Tammy

A Dream-like affect for the Goldalia Scarlet Dahlia

photo by Tammy Ransdell

Friday Funnies/Break

Hey ya'll!  
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!  

This will be my last entry for awhile as I am taking a break from 

technology for an extended length of time...at least that's the plan.  

No particular reason really, just that I feel I need a break.  

BUT, here is one final run of Friday Funnies until I return. I've included A LOT this time, so get your coffee  (or whatever you enjoy drinking),
sit down and get ready to laugh!

I'm sexy and I know it.

If You're Happy and You Know It...

Smile!  Laugh!  Enjoy Life!

 

I'm Walter. "Shut the hell up!"

That ^ is Walter.  

He travels with Jeff Dunham who is a stand up comedian.  

I have included three videos below from "Sparks of Insanity".

There is strong language in some of them, just as a warning.

I love Walter.  I love his grumpiness.  :)

Remember, in order to view the videos, 

you must be online at this actual blog site.  

They are not able to be viewed from a smart phone or email.

Introducing...WALTER

I hope the squirrels in our yard don't get any ideas!

A Mouse Thief

Keep smiling and have an awesome weekend!!

Off To See The Wizard

I'm not sure why, but I've been thinking about this movie a lot lately.  I think I need to watch it again since I haven't seen it in so many years.  I could go off on a rant of all sorts of symbolism and "messages" that I find hidden within this movie...but I won't.  Instead, I'll let you go ahead and enjoy the things I have collected for you...all about The Wizard of Oz.  

Production year:  1939

More on this film

Starring:

Judy Garland as
"Dorothy Gale"

Ray Bolger
as
the "Scarecrow" and Hunk

Jack Haley
as
the "Tinman" and Hickory

Bert Lahr as
the "Cowardly Lion" and Zeke

Margaret Hamilton as
"The Wicked Witch of the West" and Miss Gulch

Billie Burke as
"Glinda, the Good Witch of the North"

Frank Morgan as
"The Wizard of Oz" 

and Terry as
 "TOTO"

"Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore."

********************************************************************************

Dorothy finds the Scarecrow

Dorothy and Scarecrow find Tinman

Dorothy, Scarecrow and Tinman find the Cowardly Lion

and then they are Off to see the Wizard!

Scarecrow gets a brain

Tinman gets his heart

Lion gets courage

and Dorothy and Toto get to go home.

Fun Facts: 

• The word Oz in the title, "The Wizard of Oz," came from Baum looking at a file case with drawers labeled A-N and O-Z.  

• L. Frank Baum named Dorothy in memory of his wife's niece, Dorothy Louise Gage, who was born in 1989 and died at five months old.  

• Shirley Temple was considered to play Dorothy because she close to the actual age of Dorothy and popular at the time.  Her vocal capabilities were thought inadequate for the role.

• One concept that was cut from the final script was a romantic relationship between Dorothy and Hunk-the human counterpart of the Scarecrow as shown by him leaving for agricultural college and asking Dorothy to promise to write to him.  This might explain why, in the scene when Dorothy is saying goodbye to everyone in Oz, she says to the Scarecrow, "I think I'll miss you most of all."

• Most of the Munchkins' voices were dubbed by professional singers because most of them could not speak English or sing well.  Only two used their real voices when they give Dorothy flowers after she climbed into the carriage. 

• The Wicked Witch of the East is actually seen outside of Dorothy's window during the tornado when Miss Gulch transforms into a witch.  Most believe it's the Wicked Witch of the West, but it is not as evidenced by her wearing the Ruby Slippers which can be seen shimmering in some video versions.  This means that Margaret Hamilton pulls double duty as both the Wicked Witch of the East and West. 

• The multi-colored horses in Emerald City were colored with Jell-O crystals and those scenes had to be filmed quickly before the horses licked it off.

• Filming began on October 13, 1938 and finished on March 16, 1939 and cost $2,777,000 ($47,437,500 in today's dollar).  It's initial release brought in $3 million ($44,275,000 in today's dollars).  It did not show a large profit until 1949 re-release earned another $1.5 million ($13,819,327.73 in today's dollars).

• The film rights to L. Frank Baum's book were purchased by MGM for $75,000, a very large sum at the time. 

• When Dorothy comes home and the twister is approaching, she pulls on the screen door, which flies off its hinges.  As the door turns and comes toward the camera, the top half of the door has a square-shaped O and the bottom half has a Z...spelling OZ.  

The Ruby Slippers

Four sets of slippers were used in the film, one pair of which was stolen from a museum in Minnesota in 2005.  They were insured for $1 million. 

They are the most memorable and valuable movie memorabilia.  

In 1989, a pair of real ruby slippers were made to mark the 50th anniversary.  These are valued at $3 million.

Bright red is how we remember the slippers, but Dorothy's famous shoes were originally silver. MGM head Louise B. Mayer had the idea of changing the color of the slippers from silver to ruby in order to take advantage of the new technicolor film process.  

To view this video, you will need to be 

on this actual blog site.  

It is not able to be viewed from 

a cell phone or email.  

Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Judy Garland, "The Wizard of Oz"

This is a bookmark that I think is really cool!  Gotta find me one!

A great Website to visit for Wizard of Oz fans: 

http://www.thejudyroom.com/oz/production.html#top