Penny's Passion: May 2020

Friday, May 29, 2020

Five on Friday - May 29, 2020

Happy Friday!  Here we are, the last weekend in May.  Hopefully, June won't have quite as many cancellations and postponement as the previous few months have had.  One thing that isn't canceled or postponed is my Five on Friday!  Here it is for this week ~

1.  Sweet Magnolias
Last week I completed the entire series of The Good Wife (loved it!) and was looking for my next binge.  I found it in Netflix's show Sweet Magnolias.  It's based on a book series by Sherryl Woods and it's adorable!  Three South Carolina gals, who have been best friends since high school, maneuver through adulthood as they face juggling families and careers.  If you're looking for a show, check this one out!


If you've already been watching the series and just can't quite get enough, did you know there is a Sweet Magnolias Cookbook?  I'm dying to see what's inside this cookbook!


2.  Meatloaf Pan
We are still doing a lot of comfort food cooking at our house.  Last week meatloaf was on the menu and I had all but forgotten about this slick meatloaf pan we own.  It's the best thing!  The two pans sit inside each other which allows the fat to drain away from the meat.  Your meatloaf isn't sitting in all that gunky grease, which boosts the healthiness.  Bonus - The pan without the drain holes is perfect to use for your favorite bread recipes.  Click HERE to add one to your kitchen.



3.  Commencement  the podcast
Graduations this year looked a lot different than at any other time.  iHeart Radio has a podcast titled Commencement the podcast.  If you have a graduate in your house (or if you are just a sucker like me for great commencement speeches), take a moment to listen to a few of these.  I recently listened to John Legend's segment and it was great!  I'm looking forward to hearing more, especially the ones from Pitbull and Hilary Clinton.   

                           

4.  Feelcare Smart WiFi Digital Picture Frame
In this time of social distancing and sheltering in place, the Feelcare picture frame would make a perfect Father's Day gift or a gift to yourself.  Anyone with the proper security can instantly and securely share photos and videos straight to the frame.  The touch screen allows you to set up the frame and view the photos easily.  Check out all the features HERE.


5.  Do you have a high school reunion this year?


Enjoy the weekend!  We'll be hanging out at home.  I've got some outdoor projects planned and it looks like the weather might actually cooperate with us.  Hope to see you back next week!

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Thursday, May 28, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party - May 29, 2020

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - May 27, 2020

Welcome!

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.
Don't forget to use this hashtag #wwbloghop when sharing our party!
Let's get this party started!!

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Editors Choice with the beginnings of summertime









Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Be sure to grab our Specially Featured button if your post was featured this week to show off on your blog or sidebar!
Featured Button
Please TWEET our party ♥
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

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Friday, May 22, 2020

Five on Friday - May 22, 2020

Hello there!  Welcome to Five on Friday - a time I lay out five things that have captured my attention this week.  Here's my five for today ~

1.  Memorial Day
Monday is Memorial Day.  In normal times, I would be excitedly packing to travel to Kansas City and participate in the annual washers tournament held by my friends.  This year looks much different.  As a matter of fact, I had kind of forgotten this was a holiday weekend.  But this holiday is one that is important and I want to acknowledge it for its' true meaning - to honor and remember all the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  It's also a day to remember all our loved ones who have passed away.  So this year let's all pause and remember those who have gone before us.

MEMORIAL DAY – Last Monday in May

2.  Starbucks New Drink
Have you been hitting up your local Starbucks lately?  Did you notice their new pink drink?  The Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink is available to order and it tastes just like pink Starburst candies.  It's made with guava, passion fruit, pineapple, and ginger with coconut milk and ice.  Perfect to quench your thirst on the upcoming warm summer days!  And isn't the pink color so pretty!


3.  Labor of Love
Just when you thought there couldn't be another kind of reality TV show, Fox springs Labor of Love on us.  This show will probably be so stupid.  But I sat through the entire series of Tiger King, so I'm willing to give it a shot.  Kristy is a 41-year-old divorcee who is looking for someone to be her baby daddy.  Fox serves up 15 men for her to choose from and help from host Kristin Davis (from Sex and the City fame).  This has train wreck written all over it!  But will I check it out?  Probably.  Will you?


4.  American Dirt
Several of my friends have been talking up this book - American Dirt.  I added it to my Audible collection this week and am looking forward to diving in.  Here's the summary from Amazon ~
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
American Dirt will leave readers utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity on every page. It is one of the most important books for our times.
Already being hailed as "a Grapes of Wrath for our times" and "a new American classic," Jeanine Cummins's American Dirt is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.
                         

5.  This is how I feel....

Image may contain: text that says 'I'm not adding this year to my age, I did not use it.'
Enjoy the long weekend!  We are going to putter around the house and try to get a couple small projects done.  The garden is in the ground (thank goodness!) so we finally got that one off the list.  A charity is coming by next Saturday to pick up a donation and my hope is to have a big pile for them!  See you next week!

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Thursday, May 21, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party - May 22, 2020

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!
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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - May 21, 2020

Hey there!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  I'm sharing something special with you today and I'm excited to let you in on it!


This week I learned a work colleague of mine, Dan Gassel, is doing the most interesting thing.  He temporarily relocated to New York to coordinate the housing for all the nurses coming from all over the country to help with the pandemic.  What a wonderful thing to be doing!  I'm so proud to know him!


Dan is an amazing guy, so it's not surprising he doing something wonderful like this.  He's taking his job one step further and is asking for people to send him letters and cards of encouragement that he can distribute to the nurses on the front line.  What to join in?  If you would like to send cards and letters, please mail them to ~

Park Central Hotel New York
Attn Guest: Dan Gassel
870 7th Ave
New York, NY 10019

Pack up those notes of encouragement and thanks and get them in the mail soon.  Dan will probably be leaving New York in a couple weeks.  Let's all make it a goal to do this nice gesture!  The nurses have been giving so much of themselves.  A note of thanks could be just the thing to brighter their day after a long, grueling shift.  

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - May 20, 2020

Welcome!

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.
Let's get this party started!!

Top Viewed


Very Popular









Editors Choice with a touch of spring









Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Be sure to grab our Specially Featured button if your post was featured this week to show off on your blog or sidebar!
Featured Button
Please TWEET our party ♥
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

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Friday, May 15, 2020

Five on Friday - May 15, 2020

Here we are - another Friday!  I'm so glad we have a weekend ahead of us.  Our week has been a good one, filled with Zoom chats and lazy evenings.  But still, I'm glad we have a few days to unwind.

Hope you enjoy my five for today ~

1.  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Remember a few years ago with Hunger Games was the big thing?  Well, it's back!  Like way back - this is a prequel book to The Hunger Games trilogy.  Suzanne Collins's new book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, jumps back to events that occurred 64 years prior to the trilogy.  Here's the summary from Amazon ~
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
The book releases on Tuesday, so get yours preordered today!



2.  #Graduation2020
How many of us can say Oprah Winfrey spoke at our commencement?  The entire class of 2020 can!  Oprah, and several other celebrities, are sharing some love with the Class of 2020 today as she delivers a virtual commencement speech on Facebook.  As an added bonus Miley Cyrus will be singing a live version of her big hit "The Climb".  Tune in today on Facebook Watch starting at 11:00 am PST / 2:00 pm EST to catch all the words of wisdom from Oprah and dozens of her friends.  I'm not graduating from anything this year, but I'm still excited to hear what inspiration she will be sharing.

                        

3.  Magnetic Bookmarks
Are you reading a lot more these days?  Need some new bookmarks?  I absolutely love magnetic bookmarks.  They hold your spot and you don't have to worry about them falling out and losing your place.  Since I've been trying to do a book review every now and then, I've also started using my magnetic bookmarks to mark a page where I want to return to a quote or phrase.  This set of 36 would be great for that!  They would also be great to divide up and send with a note to a friend.  Click HERE to get a set for yourself!
                         friend gifts

4.  The New Corner Office Podcast
When the pandemic hit and many people started working from home, we quickly found out that it wasn't always as glorious as we had thought it would be.  Laura Vanderkam has a podcast that can help you conquer your new working environment!  Give her just a few minutes to listen and she will share strategies for thriving in this new world of work.  A new episode is released every weekday morning and features a quick topic or an answer to a listener's question.  I love it!  Have you heard about it?

working from home

5.  I'm growing....

Image may contain: possible text that says 'It's gardening season. Five weeks ago I planted myself on the sofa and I've grown considerably.'

Have a great weekend!  I'm visiting a wedding venue for an August wedding tomorrow morning.  Can't wait to see it in person!  We've been delayed in planting our flowers because of the weather, so I'm hoping that we'll have everything in the ground by the end of the day on Sunday.  Eric and I are going to have an in-home date night tonight and watch a movie.  Pop in next week to see how things went!

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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party - May 15, 2020

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!
Read more »
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Be Kind

Hello friends!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  Today I'm sharing my current three-tier tray.  The theme is so appropriate for what we're living through right now - Bee Happy!  Followed by being kind.


As we all maneuver through the emotions of the country opening back up, remembering to be kind to others is so important.  Not everyone shares the same views.  We don't always have control over how things are handled, but we do have control over how we respond.  Try being kind.


Seeing these daily reminders help start my day on a positive note.  Sometimes we just need a few visuals to set the tone!








Now it's your turn - what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!  I love hearing from you.



You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter
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