Help?

I have internet at home again... yay! I was wondering if someone could help me with a few things on my blog? I want to know how you get the city photo blog logo to show up on the links to other blogs thing. And also, how do you get a photo in your banner at the top? Any help would be highly appreciated. Here is a link to my e-mail.

Madison Public Works

I had to stop by the Madison Public Works building the other day to pick up my new recycling bin. Believe it or not, but most communities in the Jackson metro area do not participate in curbside recycling. And there are no recycling facilities that I know of, if you want to recycle yourself. I find that really unthinkable, especially since trash is buried in landfills here in Jackson.

At least Madison does recycle the basics, newspaper, glass, cans and some plastic. I think it's important that we do what we can to save something for the future generations.

Mailbox

Our new house is really almost new. Apparently the couple before only lived there for a few months before it was foreclosed. That's mainly good news for us, but bad news when it comes to things like mailboxes.

I'm not sure how they managed without for the few months they were here, but we seem to be the only house in the whole neighborhood lacking one. And of course with all of the restricted covenants and bylaws of these new neighborhoods, you have to buy a certain model. I'm not really against this mailbox, it is nice looking. But the price tag is pretty hefty - $322.07.

I am wondering what things are like in other neighborhoods, do you have mailbox guidelines?

Dewey Donation

This doesn't really have much to do with Jackson, but my friends over at Glarkware are attempting to raise money to buy books for schools. I have previously donated to this program and I know that much of the funds go to schools in New Orleans whose libraries were devastated by Katrina.

Helping out is easy! Right now Glarkware is donating 100% of the proceeds of the sale of this cute t-shirt to the Dewey Donation System. I've already got mine on order. If you'd still like to help, check out the Dewey website. You can send in a donation in any amount or buy books from a wishlist.

Moving Day!

Last Saturday was our big moving day. We hired two men and a truck to help us out. Unfortunately, it was a little wet that day, but it was sort of a constant drizzle and not a hard, soaking rain. The movers were really efficient and professional. Luckily we had almost everything packed by the time they arrived and all they had to do was load it in their truck. It took four hours in total, which I think is pretty good.

Later on we used the services of one woman and a bug. :-D I may not have been as efficient, but everything is now in the house and that's what counts.

Boxes

Last week I was packing them, this week I'm unpacking them. I am glad to be in the unpacking phase though, it's much less stressful.

We won't have an internet connection at home until next week, but I'll try to post at work. Sometimes that's difficult though since I am paid to work and not blog!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It seems that Valentine's Day is getting more and more commercial. I think flowers, cards and candy are just fine, but stuffed octopuses may be going too far!

Some of my colleagues at work brought in pastries and cupcakes today. My best buddy even brought me some strawberries because he knows I don't like junk food. I thought that was really nice. Valentine's Day doesn't really mean that much to me, but it is nice to be remembered.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, I hope you have someone special to share it with!

Rainy Days

We had a bout of severe weather this afternoon. Of course, you can't see much from this picture, but there were high winds, rain and plenty of thunder and lightning. The power went out in our office and we had to use the generator. We also heard that a Wendy's sign fell down just a few miles down the road. Although I don't like being at work, I was glad to be inside and out of danger.

ETA: Here's a look at some of the damage that happened nearby. Luckily it skipped over us.

Frosty Morning

We've had some chilly mornings recently. Temperatures have gone down to freezing at night, leaving a light layer of frost on the ground and my car!

If you look closely, you'll see some pretty red cardinals in the tree. I guess they were trying to warm up too!

House Innards

This is what the inside of my house looks like. A friend of mine is convinced he's going to come live in my attic. I'm hoping this photo will show him that it's just impossible. When the inspector came, he was not pleased by the loose insulation and wiring flying around. I'm not going to touch anything though!

Tex Mex Pie

I invited a few friends over tonight to watch Mame and help me with some packing. Unfortunately, we didn't get very far with the packing, but we had a good time watching Mame and chatting.

I made my guests what I call Tex Mex pie. It is a vegetarian dish (I have been a veggie for more than half my life now), but it always gets rave reviews from my meat eating friends. The pie is made up of beans, bell pepper, yellow squash, salsa and a sprinkling of cheese. There is one piece left which I will probably eat for breakfast tomorrow. I'm dreaming of it already.

El Ranchito

My husband and I like to have lunch here once a week. Funnily enough, there is a Taco Bell right next door! I much prefer El Ranchito though. The food is tasty, the service is efficient and friendly and the prices are quite reasonable. My husband usually orders the lunch fajitas for 6.99, not much more than a combo meal at TB. My bean burrito costs 2.80, but it's bigger and tastes a lot better than next door. So I think it's worth it.

White Heron

I caught this beauty at the pond outside my apartment yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any closer. This pond is probably the only thing I'll miss about apartment life. There's always something going on out there with the turtles or the ducks. But I hope to see other critters in our new backyard!

Home Sweet Home

This is the place my husband and I will now call home! We just signed the papers on it today, although we won't officially be moving in until February 16th. I can't wait to have a big kitchen and more space, I am sick of apartment life!

Superbowl Sunday

I am not really a big fan of football, but my husband and I decided to check out Buffalo Wild Wings. They have a ton of big screens, plus trivia games! Unfortunately, we got there a little late and there were no tables left.

So we came back home and he watched the game here while I reminisced about where we were last Sunday. Tune in tomorrow for your regularly scheduled photos.

Theme Day: When People Think of Jackson

I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, it stopped raining today and the sun was out. Perfect weather for picture-taking. The bad news is, I was unable to find the subject I originally intended for this photo.

The Mississippi Museum of Art recently relocated to this brand new building just next to the Davis Planetarium. Apparently there used to be a giant statue of Andrew Jackson here. Since he is my city's namesake, I thought it would make a perfect picture for today's theme. I hope you'll enjoy the newly erected art museum in his place. And I'm sure Jackson is not gone forever, he's probably just moved and hopefully I'll find him another day!

Please visit the other blogs around the world taking part in today's theme. There are some very creative responses!

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA

Modernity in Mississippi

I previously posted a picture from the inside of the Mississippi Craft Center. Now here's a look at the building from the outside. It's very modern, especially for traditional Jackson. I sort of like it though. It kind of grows on you. It's a nice place to visit every few months as the craft displays change. I've seen some really lovely quilts there as well as handmade wood furniture. There are lots of neat things for sale and they're all made by Mississippi artisans!

I'm really excited about tomorrow's theme day. I just hope I'll be able to get out and take my photo tomorrow, I already have something in mind. It's been so rainy around here that I haven't been snapping much. The sky is just too gray and I don't like to get wet!

Mardi Gras

In preparation for the big weekend, American Airlines has decorated their check-in counter. New Orleans has the biggest carnaval celebration here in the states, although some other cities also celebrate. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Buffalo Wild Wings Reprise

This Buffalo Wild Wings is actually in Orlando. I did stop by for a couple of rounds of interactive trivia. It is surprisingly similar to the BWW here in Jackson, although my location is quite a bit bigger.

Nemo?

I just got back in from my weekend in Florida. Although it was not much warmer there, at least it was sunny. In my absence the temperature in Jackson has improved slightly, but it's still gray.

On my way back through the Jackson Airport, this little guy caught my eye. He was handcrafted by a local artisan. It sort of reminded me of my weekend at Disney, although I guess he's not as colorful as Nemo. Still an impressive piece of work though!

Rain in Rennes

Okay, I know this is cheating sort of, but I must admit I don't have any pictures on hand for today. In lieu of a picture of Jackson, I'm posting this photo of the Saturday outdoor market in Rennes. This picture was taken in December 2006, it was the last time I've been in Bretagne. Rennes has one of the nicest markets I've ever been to. You can find almost anything there - fresh produce, flowers, meats, cheeses, even hand-knit socks!

The weather that day reminds me of how it's been lately here in Jackson, cold and wet. We did see a little sun today, but it was still cold. I'll be in Florida this weekend and I hope to see some sun there at least!

Buffalo Wild Wings

Tonight I met some friends at Buffalo Wild Wings. It's a local outlet of a national chain of sports bars. The walls are packed with TVs and you can see almost any kind of sporting event here - from basketball to sumo wrestling! But I guess the main draw is the wings. Apparently the first restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio when two Buffalo, NY natives got tired of searching for their favorite hometown fare. They have all kinds of different sauces to use on them, from sweet to really spicy.

Wings are not my thing, but I do like the interactive trivia. I did pretty good tonight. I was always in the top five, but I admit I got some help on the sports questions. We're going to try to meet up next Tuesday for Pub Quiz at Hal and Mals. You can win money there and I think our combined knowledge will lead us pretty far.

Carousel

My husband and I went furniture shopping this weekend. As we've already browsed some of the local stores, we knew ahead of time what to expect - not much of what we like and lots of really traditional pieces. However, we didn't expect a carousel!

This carousel is located inside Miskelly, the city's largest furniture store. Don't get your hopes up, it's not for sale. Kids (and adults) pay one dollar for a spin and all the money goes to children's charities like Make-A-Wish or the Children's Cancer Fund.

Dear Deer

I was driving around on Sunday afternoon and spotted these deer. There were three of them on this side of the road and one on the other. Deer spottings are actually quite frequent in and around the Natchez Trace. Although these are the first live creatures I've seen since moving here. What beauties!

You Make My Day

I received this award on Friday from Clarice at Saint Malo DP.

The award rules say: "Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times."

In return, here are some of my favorite photo blogs, in no particular order. Some of these I have chosen for nostalgic reasons - places I've lived or know well. Others are just places I hope to visit one day. But all of them have great photos by (as far as I can tell) great people. Thanks for sharing your time and talents. Cheers!

Selma, Alabama by Rambling Round
Hyde, England by Hyde DP
Brookvile, Ohio by Abraham Lincoln
Portland, OR by Lynette
Terrel, TX by Brian
Sydney, Australia by Sally
Wichita, KS by Wendy
Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl
Minneapolis, MN by the Mitchster
Evry, France by Olivier

Snow!

This morning I awoke to a light shower of snow outside my window. It was really beautiful, although I am under the impression that this is a rare occurrence. It didn't stick around for long. The sun came out in the afternoon and melted the few flakes away. It was nice to wake up to a winter landscape in any case.

Boots

Although Mississippi is not traditionally a state of cowboys, some people around here apparently like western wear. I pass this shop every day when I go out to lunch. I must admit something about the sign draws me to it. Maybe someday I'll go in for a look around. I bet I'm not the only one interested in what might await me in a big red boot with a spur boutique. That's a pretty clever marketing tool!

Another Landscape

I hope you're not getting tired of these. I think they're part of what makes Mississippi (and golf courses) beautiful.

Jackson Country Club

Now that I have been informed on the real use of water towers, I find them a rather ingenious and energy-saving way to optimize water pressure in a community.

This picture was snapped at the Jackson Country Club. Something about the ultra-kitsch golf ball design attracted me. Look for more water towers to come!

Mr. Earthworm

Go, Mr. Worm, go!