When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

And then turn it into an award to share with fabulous Invisible Friends!

My dear friend Marie gave me this fabulous award last week, and I can’t help passing it on. Marie is a fabulous artist and cook. If I ever get enough saved up to go to England, I’m going to go visit her. She’ll have to extract me from her cottage with the jaws of death, because I’ll probably eat myself stupid on her good food and forget all about running and kickboxing.

The rules state:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE &/or GRATITUDE!
3. Be sure to link your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love & link to this post & to the person from who you received your award.

And the winners are:

1) Blue Violet

2) Jiggety Jigg

3) Kristina

4) Francesca

5) Molly

6) Kristen

7) Pam

8) Cakelaw

9) Lorraine

10) Katherine

In addition, Bee and Rose, Shalee and Debra all saw fit to give me the Honest Scrap award. It was so kind of you girls to think of me! If ya’ll haven’t had the pleasure of meeting these fine ladies, click on their blogs right away and check them out. They’re fabulous.

The rules state:

1) List ten honest things about yourself, and make it interesting!

2) Pass the award on to seven bloggers you feel embody the spirit of the honest scrap.

Honestly, I can’t imagine what else you would want to know about me after my confessions Friday.

But for my Invisible Friends, I’ll do anything. I’ll give you seven new tidbits about me, one for each award winner.

1) I really don’t like weddings. I saw so many girls get married for the wrong reasons in college that the idea of going to a big white wedding makes me want to pluck my eyes out. But I always wind up there anyway.

2) I dance in public places. Wal-Mart, a parking lot, fancy restaurant…you can’t take me anywhere.

3) I talk to everyone. And everything.

4) Amusement parks and loud, crowded places make me really nervous. Usually I have to leave because I have trouble breathing.

5) One day, Ben and I want to start a rescue center for stray dogs.

6) I’m very curious.

7) And just for you, another wedding picture.

And the winners are:

1) Theresa

2) Maki

3) The Rambler

4) Lucy

5) Natalia

6) Dee

7) Esi

In addition, the darling Bee and Rose also tagged me with a photo tag.

The rules are:

1. Go to the 4th folder in your photo files on your computer.

2. Find the 4th photo in that folder.

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 people to do the same.

This was taken when I was in college. My friend Val (center) from high school was getting married and I was her maid of honor. This was a test shot so she could choose the dress I was to wear. Ben and I had been living in the Pond for about a month, so I missed the official fitting.

I ended up wearing the one I’m wearing.

I tag:

1) Marie

2) Linda

3) Abby

4) Illegally Blond

And now, for Candy Animals…For the previous edition, go here.

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“What is it?” Bubbles cried. He and Sasperilla leaped on to the end of Callie’s spoon and hurried over to join George Hambleton Leafton the Third at the bottom of the hutch. Squatting down, Callie held the spoon over the drawer so they could peer into it.

“I don’t see a thing,” Sasperilla complained, peering into the drawer. “All I see is dust.”

“And dead bugs,” Bubbles pointed out, bubbles streaming out of his nose in disapproval.

George Hambleton Leafton the Third stretched his long caramel neck out and shook his head in disapproval. He tugged the drawer open wider, revealing delicate porcelain cups. Peeking around the corner of the cups was a bird. The other animals stepped back in shock.

“What is it?” Bubbles cried, bubbles filling the air.

“It’s a bird!” Callie cried.

“It’s moving!” Sasperilla shouted. “It’s alive.”

“It’s an enchanted napkin ring,” George Hambleton Leafton the Third snapped. He leaned his head down towards the bird. Peering closer, Callie saw the cranky caramel giraffe was correct. A long silver bird with blackened feathers etched into his back blinked up at her. It’s wings tapered down into a steep curl that nearly connected with it’s long feet. With it’s wings plastered to its sides, it could merely blink and cock its head up at them.

“Why, it can’t fly!” Sasperilla cried. “How terrible! We must help him!”

“How?” Bubbles asked, hiccuping as a bubble caught in his throat.

“Are you the only one?” George Hambleton Leafton the Third asked the bird gently. The bird nodded, tucking it’s beak under it’s wing in shame. It motioned to the other dishes, all which were chipped slightly, the edges yellowed with years of washing and poor care.

“Poor little thing was separated from it’s set,” George Hambleton Leafton the Third muttered, his face creased in concern.

“How can we make him fly?” Bubbles asked.

George Hambleton Leafton the Third shrugged. “The only way to make him fly is to make him happy enough to fly. And after living in a drawer in the dark for so long, I’m not quite sure what would make him happy.” The animals all hung their heads. The bird shuffled in the drawer, ashamed at being an object of pity.

“A tea party,” Callie exclaimed suddenly, her head snapping up. “We shall have a tea party! He can be the guest of honor! Would you like that?” she asked the bird. The bird’s silver head bobbed up and down, and his beak popped open in delight.

“Then a tea party it is!” George Hambleton Leafton the Third declared.

The animals sprung into action. Sasperilla made her famous seaweed tea while Callie whipped up some tasty cakes and mini pies. Bubbles entertained the bird by making bubblegum animals while George Hambleton Leafton the Third set the table and wiped off the dishes. They spent the morning dining on chocolate and caramel cakes with rich butter cream frosting, and apple pies with crumbly toppings. The table was full of laughter and vivacious chatter, with plenty of teasing and kind jokes.

The smile on the bird’s face grew greater and greater. A shot rang out through the air. Without warning, he shot into the sky, his wings creaking as they flapped back and forth in the air.

“He’s flying!” Bubbles cried as pink bubbles surrounded the bird.

“Hooray!” Sasperilla cried.

Even George Hambleton Leafton the Third seemed pleased. He leaned over to Callie and nodded his caramel head. “Thank you for making our new flying friend better, Callie,” he replied. “It was a fabulous tea party. It’s a shame you start school soon.”

The bird in the air trembled, and all the animals lost their smiles. Callie beamed. “Don’t worry,” she replied. “There’s plenty of time on the weekends for tea parties.”

And that was a perfect reason for more cake.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a new edition of the Gift, followed by a week of whimsical fun! We have a new recipe, a statement from Bear, a date with the Fuzzy Duck and Rubber Chicken and of course, a new Twirl! Stay tuned!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

Candy Animals 2 and Awards for All

Before we read about the candy animals’ newest adventure, I have an award to share!

Ashley at Domestic Fashionista was kind enough to give me the fabulous Friends award.

The award states:

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Since I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many lovely new friends lately, I decided to honor both the old and new Invisible Friends.

1) Jen at Tater Tots and Jello, for her never ending support

2) Diana, a fellow blond and fabulous fellow food-lover.

3) Prudy. I love Prudy.

4) Spring Fricks, because we writers got to stick together.

5) Molly at Less of a Marilyn, More of a Jackie. She’s just too cute.

6) My good buddy Kristen.

7) Silvia at Magnolia Wedding Planner, who always seems so thrilled to stop by the Pond. It just tickles my toes.

And last but not least, Leslie at Stethoscopes and Stilettos. She makes fashion and nursing look good.

Thanks so much Ashley!

And now, for an adventure.

To read the previous edition of Candy Animals, go here. And here.

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It was early morning when Callie crept into her grandmother’s dining room. The sun was barely peeking through the shades, and her grandparents were fast asleep. Tomorrow would be the end of winter break, and Callie would be back in her own house. Instead of spending days frolicking in the yard she would be carting books around and listening to teachers who didn’t want to be there either drone on and on.

But for this morning, she had her kitchen.

Callie ran her hands over the tiny wooden stove and play refrigerator her grandmother had made for her. Biting her tongue, she wrapped her hands around the play oven door. It had been awhile, she thought to herself. But maybe…just maybe…they would be there. Excitement buzzed in her chest as she cracked the door open, peeking into the dark cavern.

There was nothing. The animals weren’t there. Callie let out a sigh. She stared into the darkness for another moment, then closed the oven door.

Callie bit her lip and slid on her play apron. “It’s ok,” she said softly to herself. “I’m sure they’re busy. I’ll just make some cookies until Grandma gets up.” She opened the play refrigerator and pulled some old tupperware her grandmother had given her to play with.

“I’ll make glitter sprinkle cookies,” she said to herself, cracking open the play freezer. “I need ice cream and honey and sugar to roll it all in….” Reaching in the freezer, her hand touched something soft. She gasped and took a step back. Pink bubbles streamed from the freezer door.

The animals were all beaming at her.

“Hello!” Bubbles the baby blue candy elephant beamed as pink bubbles billowed from his trunk in a steady flow. “We wondered when you would let us out!”

“It’s been ages,” whined a caramel giraffe known as George Hambleton Leafton the Third.

“Oh stop,” Sasperilla, the pink hippo with an attitude scolded. “You’re just a big baby. The freezer animals were quite kind to us. We had a wonderful Fall Freezer Party.”

“We stayed until winter!” George Hambleton Leafton the Third bellowed. “We have overstayed by three months!”

“We went to the Thanksgiving party and the Christmas party and the Post Christmas party and the New Year’s party and the New Year’s Day party and the Post New Year’s Party and the Winter Party,” Bubbles informed Callie. “You missed quite a lot!”

“It sounds like it,” Callie replied. “So what will you all do now?”

The animals looked at each other and shrugged. They looked at Callie. “What are you doing?” Bubbles asked.

“I’m going to make glitter sprinkle cookies,” Callie replied. “I’ll give them to my grandmother for breakfast.”

“What’s in them?” Sasperilla asked.

“Glitter and sparkles and peanut butter and ice cream and chocolate chips and icing,” Callie replied. “I’ve got everything here,” she said, gesturing to the empty play refrigerator. “Want to help?”

“I’d prefer to eat them,” Bubbles giggled. A pink bubble floated into the air, landing on Callie’s nose.

“With cookies as lovely as those, we must set the table,” George Hambleton Leafton the Third informed Callie, peering up at her with his long caramel neck. “Where does your grandmother keep her most elegant dishes?”

“In that drawer,” Callie said, pointing to a old oak hutch against the dining room wall. “The bottom one. You can set the table while I make the cookies.”

“I’ll help make cookies,” Bubble said with a gleam in his eye. He licked his lips. Another bubble popped from his trunk.

“I’ll watch,” Sasperilla decided, daintily perching on the edge of the kitchen counter.

As Callie pulled out the old blackened baking pans her mother had given her and a bottle of glitter, the caramel giraffe scurried over to the drawer. Looping his long neck through the handle, he grunted as it slid open with out a sound. Hoisting himself up on the wooden edge, he peered into the drawer.

“You wouldn’t believe what’s in here!” he cried. “Come see!”

Part two to be continued next week.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! We have a special edition of the Gift tomorrow and a new week of whimsical fun. Also, we have a special Blond Duck confessions post coming up. Anything you want to know about me? Whether you want to know what I do for a living or what my deepest secret is, I’ll confess all next week! Leave your questions below! And stay tuned!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

The Candy Animals and the Mysterious Drawer