Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Differences Between the Neapolitan and American Card Deck

Did you know that in Naples, Italy people play cards with a completely different deck than we do in the USA? Unlike the American 52 card deck, southern Italians use a 40 card deck.

Also, Neapolitan cards are not numbered, so you need to count how many of that particular suit are on the card. The two of swords, for instance, has two swords drawn on it, but no numbers. This type of card goes up to seven. After that, for the eight, nine and ten, there are face cards. The entire deck is slightly smaller than the American deck, and I like how they fit into my hand.

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

The four suits in a Neapolitan card deck are:

- bastoni, meaning, “clubs,” and as you can see in the little drawings, they look a lot more like clubs than the clovers we have in our card decks.

- spade, meaning, “swords,” which look much more like swords than the spades in our deck. (But now the word “spade” makes more sense, doesn’t it?)

- denari, meaning, “money,” and as you can see it is represented by coins.

- coppe, meaning, “cups.”

I’ve been told that denari corresponds to the American suit of diamonds, which makes sense, but I’m not sure how or why cups became hearts. If anyone out there knows, leave a comment. One thing I do know, however, is that the suits of the Neapolitan card deck are the same as the suits of the Tarot deck.

I think it’s interesting that of these four suits, two are weapons and another one is money, which – when you really think about it – can be a weapon in its own right!

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

The three face cards in a Neapolitan card deck are:

- fante, meaning “knave.” This card is worth eight points.

- cavallo, meaning, “knight.” This card is worth nine points.

- re, meaning, “king.” Which, as you probably guessed by now, is worth ten points.

The Neapolitan card deck’s face cards, called veste, which means, “dressed,” and do not include a Queen. So for some reason there are no women in the Neapolitan card deck!

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Scopa and Briscola

Scopa and Briscola are the most popular card games played in Naples. These two games are played throughout Italy, but rules vary according to the region. There is even a 1972 movie named after a particular version of scopa called Lo scopone scientifico.

“Lo scopone scientifico” is a dark comedy starring Bette Davis and Joseph Cotten, in which Davis plays a cold-hearted be-yotch who pops over to Rome every year to play scopa for money with a poor couple. Even though she’s got cash coming out the gills, she gleefully wipes out their meagre savings. There’s a twist at the end, however, and Davis’ character “gets hers.” (Sadly, I couldn’t find this movie on Netflix, so I don’t know when I’ll get to see it.)

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Everyone Plays Cards in Naples

Everyone plays cards in Naples, Italy – or so it seems. When I lived there, I would often see shopkeepers playing cards when I entered their stores. The butcher down the street was nearly always in the middle of a lively game. I think there must have been some money changing hands, because he and his buddies were really into their games.

I never minded when the butcher would tell me to, “Aspetta un’attimo,” meaning that I should wait a moment, because I got a kick out of watching the heated rivalry between he and his pals. I could always tell if he’d won that round, too, because of the smile on his face and how he would be humming a tune as he helped me. When he lost, he’d scowl and mutter choice words under his breath instead.

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Why you should buy a Neapolitan card deck

If you ever visit Naples, I highly suggest that you buy a Neapolitan card deck. You can find them in most Tabacchi shops for less than five dollars. It’s a great way to meet locals, because later, when you’re kicking back at an outdoor cafe, sipping limoncello or eating gelato, you can pull that deck out and start looking through the cards. Someone is bound to notice, and before you know it, a friendly local will be at your table teaching you to play scopa or briscola.

Bass Hall angel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

What is Instagram, anyway?

Instagr.am is a free iPhone application that lets you easily post and share photos with other people right from your phone. This simple-to-use app includes a variety of filters which can make your photos more expressive. Check out Using iPhone and Instagram to Create Unique Travel Photos to see how different filters look on the same snapshot.

Instagr.am (IG for short) also makes it easy to simultaneously share photos with friends on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.

And yes, it’s possible to share your IG photos with non-iPhone folks. Here’s a link to my Instagr.am photo stream thanks to Statigr.am.

My Journey from Instagr.am apathy to Instagr.am fanatic

Until recently, I turned up my nose at cell phone photography. Sure, I used my phone for things besides phone calls: GPS, weather, checking email, texting, etc. All that made sense, but taking pictures?

Forget it!

For one thing, as a travel writer, I want my photos to be good enough to include in my articles. Shooting pictures with a cell phone struck me as awkward, low quality, and a general waste of time.

Along came Instagr.am…

Fast forward to May, when my step-daughter showed me some beautiful photos she and her friends had shared with Instagr.am. Although I still didn’t see how Instagr.am could fit into my life, I signed up for it, anyway. I then sat on my account for nearly two months, doing absolutely nothing with it…

My how things have changed!

I now believe that travel and Instagr.am go hand-in-hand, and here’s why:

1. Positive Environment

It can be scary to share your photos with a bunch of strangers online. Maybe that’s why I waited so long to take the plunge. Now, some 200+ IG photos later, my experience is that Instagr.am is a delightfully snark-free zone, where shutterbugs come together to encourage each other’s creativity rather than belittle or criticize.

Crossing the street in Sundance Square, downtown Fort Worth, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

2. Instagram is Quick and Easy to Use

How quick and easy? The above shot was taken and uploaded while waiting to cross the street in the Sundance Square section of downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

Kimbell Art Museum courtyard. (photo by Tui Snider)

3. Get Recommendations While Traveling

Not only is it encouraging to receive “likes” on your snapshots (often within seconds of posting them) but folks on Instagr.am can also make helpful recommendations for you to act on while you are out exploring.

This process can be helped along by using hashtags for the place you are visiting. Hashtags are simply key words with a number sign tacked at the beginning.  To let people know you are in Fort Worth, Texas,  simply label your photo: #fortworth #texas.

Then, when IG-ers notice you posting photos from a place such as the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, your photos may, for example, get a comment from an IG user, or a pal on Twitter or Facebook suggesting that you try lunch there. (I certainly recommend lunch at the Kimbell Art Museum; it’s both yummy and a good deal.)

4. Instagr.am Takes Readers with You

I posted several IG shots while on a road trip to Paris, Texas. Not only did I get suggestions for things to see and do there, but since the pictures also appeared on my Twitter and Facebook account, it helped generate advance interest in my article, Paris Texas – Come See the Other Eiffel Tower.

Conversely, when I’m stuck behind a desk, scrolling through Instagr.am lets me enjoy vicarious travel, and gives me ideas for places I would like to visit on my days off.

Antler chandelier at Dinosaur Valley Inn & Suites in Glen Rose, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

5. Visual Note-taking

Although I still carry a camera in my purse at all times, it’s so quick to snap a photo with the iPhone.  I might very well have forgotten about the antler chandelier hanging in the Best Western Dinosaur Valley Inn & Suites in Glen Rose, Texas, if I hadn’t taken time to snap this quick photo before we checked out.

FWMSH Star Party in Fort Worth, Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

6. Instagr.am Offers Instant Creative Gratification

As a writer, I sometimes need a break from reading, writing and words, in general. Sharing photos on Instagr.am helps me shift gears and relax after a busy day, while giving me the thrill of a quick creative fix.

For instance, I could hardly wait to post this photo of the moon which I took at one of the Star Parties hosted at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Instagr.am also provides an outlet for photos that are too abstract and/or artsy to include in a travel article, but which I know will be appreciated by certain folks on IG.

Longhorn skull for sale at Antique Alley Texas (photo by Tui Snider)

7. Making Friends

For me, the biggest surprise with Instagr.am has been all the interesting people I find there! In fact, there are people on Instagr.am I would love to meet in person. I may just have to arrange some sort of north Texas Instagr.am-Arama where we can run around snapping photos en masse. I think that would be a lot of fun!

How to use Instagr.am for your Travel Photos

These days, I can’t imagine taking a trip without sharing photos along the way via Instagr.am. I absolutely love how simple and immediate it makes the whole process.

Have you tried Instagr.am yet?

Have you been bitten by the Instagr.am bug yet? Do you have any tips for using it? If so, please leave a comment below.

Landshark sighting in the NYC subway. (photo by Tui Cameron)

Flamenco dresses in Malaga, Spain (photo by Tui Cameron)

Traveler’s Show & Tell – 18th Edition

Welcome to this week’s Traveler’s Show & Tell blog carnival. As usual, I have contributed a photo to accompany the best travel-related blog posts I received this week. If you enjoy what you read, please leave a comment on their blog to let the authors know.

This Week’s Photo

Colorful laundry fluttering from balconies is a common sight in Spain. Even so, I found these pretty little flamenco dresses especially delightful while strolling along the streets of Malaga.

1. Loy Kratong: Thailand’s Festival of Floating Lights

Thailand Breeze presents Loy Kratong Festival posted at Thailand Breeze.

Loy means to float and kratong means lantern or little vessel made in resemblance of a lotus flower. Loy kratong is the [Thai] festival where people float candle-lit lanterns in the water – mainly in rivers, canals, ponds and the sea on the full moon night of the 12th lunar month.

2. Austin,Texas | CiskoPicks

Cisko presents Austin,Texas | CiskoPicks posted at CiskoPicks.

To me Austin is a city with distinct personality, where people are encouraged to be themselves – hence the slogan: “Keep Austin weird”, that you’ll see pretty much everywhere. The people are unbelievably friendly, the outdoors are awesome and there is always something going on when it comes to entertainment.

3. Italian Birth Announcements

Rose presents Italian Birth Announcements Are An Creative Splendor posted at Fine Craft Guild.com. a post that’s travel, cultural, and a bit of a how-to all in one.

In a little village in Italy, everyone knows you’re having a baby. It’s still a communal affair with lots of gifts from neighbors. Check out these pictures. It’s fun to see how new life is publicly announced.

4.Westende – The Town from The Strangers Outside

Vanessa Morgan presents Westende – The Town from The Strangers Outside posted at Vanessa Morgan.

Westende is a quiet little town on the Belgian seaside, situated close to well-known cities such as Ostend and Bruges. It is also the town where my novella The Strangers Outside takes place. For those of you who are fan of the book, I thought I’d share a few pictures of this charming little town as well as of the holiday cabin that I describe in the story.

5. Not For The Faint Hearted: Kungsleden Trail, Lapland

Quiet Wanderings presents Not For The Faint Hearted: Kungsleden Trail, Lapland posted at Quiet Wanderings.

When I think Lapland, I think reindeer and northern lights. But there is so much more than that to be had in this wild and untouched landscape.

6. Danger in the Desert

Pamela presents a tongue-in-cheek account of family camping in Danger in the Desert posted at Blah, Blah, Blog.

Not to sound too much like the title of a Hardy Boys novel, but there’s no denying there is “Danger in the Desert.”

That’s it for this week’s blog carnival, Traveler’s Show & Tell. As always, if you enjoyed it, let us know in the comments section. Also, please let the author know you liked their piece by leaving a comment at their blog. See you next week! :)

Technorati tags:

traveler’s show and tell, blog carnival.

Tear streaked Florida skies. (photo by Tui Cameron)

My week: an unexpected trip

A death on my husband’s side of the family caused me to spend this past week in Florida. I never met the woman who passed away, and yet, by the time the funeral and other ceremonies were over, she no longer felt like a stranger to me.

Spending time with her mourning relatives, who were eager to share their memories, transmitted so much of her essence, that I felt as if we had met. (It was such a strong sensation that I actually had to remind myself that we had not.) It was beautiful to see how she remains such a vivid aspect in her family’s life, and it left me missing her, too, as odd as that may sound.

“I think people should have funerals while they are still alive,” one of her sons later told me, his reason being that the living should have a chance to feel the full force of the love that surrounds them while they are here.  I think he has a good point. What do you think?

I wish I had remembered to tell him about the time my friend Pete, a fantastic jazz musician, threw a lively wake for himself in conjunction with his CD release party.  Somewhere I have photos of a bunch of us ladies gathered around his coffin as he posed inside it. (I will have to find it – it was a good photo of all of us, even the “deceased.”)

As Maya Angelou wrote, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Judging from the ceremony and other gatherings we had over the past several days, the woman who passed away made everyone she met feel wonderful during her lifetime. What a tremendous legacy. More than anything tangible on my bucket list, that is something I would like to achieve in my life, as well.

At the funeral, tears were shed, yet the overall feeling was simply love. As her husband remarked, “I never would have expected such a sad day to also be a day of so much joy.” I was moved to tears several times, and not always out of sadness. Sometimes, the beauty and rawness of everyone’s love is what choked me up.  Witnessing her husband tell her how beautiful she was and how much he would miss her as he viewed her body was especially moving.

It was the first time I ever attended a Jewish funeral. Neither my husband nor I are Jewish, but he wore a yarmulkeh out of respect, and we all participated in sprinkling dirt from the Mount of Olives onto her casket as it was interred. Another ritual I liked involved the closest relatives tearing a piece of cloth to indicate that they were mourning, and that they required special care as they moved through their grief, the torn cloth symbolizing the irrevocable tear in their hearts created by the loss of their loved one.

I must admit that I was taken off guard to catch a whiff of rotting flesh at the mausoleum. I later learned that Jewish people do not embalm their dead. I debated mentioning that in this blog post, because I do not want to seem disrespectful or morbid, but strange as it may sound,  I was actually grateful for this smell which, while unpleasant, did serve to remind me that humans are just as much a part of this planet’s cycle of life as any other creatures. Our modern culture is sanitized on many levels, and we are so removed from death in our daily lives. (Example: I eat meat, but I do not slaughter that which I consume. I could go on, but this is fodder for a separate blog post.)

Not surprisingly, the whole experience has left me feeling rather pensive and mortal. This year so far has been full of major life transitions. In the past six weeks, I’ve experienced a wedding, a honeymoon, and a funeral.

I wonder what’s next? But, enough about my week of unexpected travel. It’s time for:

Traveler’s Show & Tell – 17th Edition

This week’s edition takes us to Singapore, Hawaii, Africa, Jordan and Cuba. As for this week’s photo,  I snapped it from a car window last week  near Miami, Florida. Don’t let the rain fool you; it was 95 degrees out and humid as blazes.

First up, Skyler Reep presents 60 Hours in Singapore posted at Skyler Reep’s Blog. Singapore sounds fascinating, but don’t just take my word for it. As Skyler explains:

My interpretation of Singaporean culture is a conglomeration of the most agreeable parts of any number of international societies: Asian foods seasoned with French techniques, pop music from Europe and the US – remixed into something purely local, architecture that blends pagodas with skyscrapers. In the central Orchard District, it seems like the shopping centers have an inexhaustible supply of resources. Their wide-open doors flood the streets with deep synth or techno beats and icy, perfumed air.

Next,  Jennifer Miner presents Hanalei Colony Resort: Kauai Authenticity posted at The Vacation Gals – Family travel, girlfriend getaways, romantic getaways, destinations, things to do, travel tips. According to her:

A stay at the Hanalei Colony Resort in Kauai is like going back in time: No televisions, no radio, no phones or even air conditioning. It’s a wonderful way to experience Hawaii as it’s meant to be.

Jessie Costin presents Cape Town: Even the Dogs Have Street Smarts posted at What?, in which she remarks:

I suppressed tears watching the way people were living in some parts – rough corrugated housing, rubbish dumped on the side of the road, right next to a sign that says “No Dumping”, and this is not even in the townships. But I wasn’t moved by feelings of pity, but just at watching children playing on the side of the road, women gossiping over their back fences. They weren’t pitiful. They were living their lives they way they know them. And I was saddened by the fact that nobody knows about them. I don’t think most people outside of South Africa, or even outside of the Western Cape, know what Cape Town is like beyond the tourist destinations. I definitely didn’t.

Shannon ODonnell presents A Little Vignette…Finding the Cultural Norms in Jordan and the Middle East posted at A Little Adrift: Round the World Travel, which she describes as:

Lessons learned adjusting to a new cultural and new cultural norms while traveling as a solo female in Jordan and the Middle East.

Photo Editor presents 77 Award Winning Pictures of Cuba posted at Cool Pictures & Beautiful Pictures. “Photo Editor” didn’t send along a description to go with the photos, but they are each worth a 1,000 words, right? Seriously, though, these photos of Cuba have a story to tell. I find myself curious about the people in them. Meanwhile, the black and white film gives these images a timeless feel.  I hope you enjoy them, too.

That’s it for this week’s blog carnival, Traveler’s Show & Tell. As always, if you enjoyed it, let us know in the comments section. Also, please let the author know you liked their piece by leaving a comment at their blog. See you next week! :)

Technorati tags:

traveler’s show and tell, blog carnival.

The Texan Connection
As a recent transplant to the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex (via Naples, Italy and the Pacific Northwest) I must agree with the state slogan of, “Texas, it’s like a whole other country.” It’s not only because the state is huge, or the fact that it has its own power grid. There is just something about Texas that sets it apart from other states. Every time I land in Dallas, for instance, I feel like I should get my passport stamped.

So how does all this fit in with the Gita Italiana? Well, I’ve discovered that the bel paese and the Lone Star State have a surprising amount of things in common. Don’t believe me? Read on!

Dallas skyscraper.

Iconic Shapes
If you pulled a tortilla chip out of a bag and it were shaped like either Texas or Italy, you might notice. You might even get a few bids if you placed that chip on eBay. At the very least, your friends would probably nod in agreement as you dipped it in salsa and took a bite. Try the same with a chip resembling Colorado or Belgium, however, and people will think you’re nuts. Those shapes are not nearly as striking or recognizable.

Texas and Italy, on the other hand, are like the geographical equivalents of Beyonce or Christine Hendricks; they are not afraid to flaunt their shape. While living in Naples, I even had people use my lower leg as a makeshift map from time to time. I confess that I am so bad at geography that this was the only way to get their point across, but hey, it worked. And while I still think there is a market for tights imprinted with a map of Italy, there is definitely a market for anything Texas-shaped. You name it, if there’s a way to produce a Texas-shaped version of a product, someone will do it, and Texans will buy it. I’ve seen Texas-shaped belt buckles, tattoos, muffins, swimming pools, crewcuts – there’s even a Flickr pool of Texas-shaped things.

I'm not sure how to pair wine with Chicken Fried Stuff.

Love of Wine
We all know that Italy produces some of the finest wines in the world, however Texas makes its share of vino, too. The state has over 200 family-owned vineyards, and a whole bunch of wineries. The city of Grapevine is named after the indigenous mustang grape (Vitis Mustangensis) and hosts the largest wine festival in the southwest. Meanwhile, DFW International Airport has an on-site winery, which offers the aptly named “Aero Port.”

I honestly can’t say yet how Texan wines compare to Italian ones (ask me again after Texas Wine Month this October) but I can tell you that the European wine industry will be forever grateful to a Texan named Thomas Munson. Munson developed a vine hearty enough to resist phylloxera, an aphid-like critter which wreaked havoc on grape harvests in the 19th century, so propose a toast to him the next time you open a tasty bottle of Italian red.

A sign at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Texas.

Unique Dialects
While living in Naples, I enjoyed learning phrases in Neapolitan dialect, as well as songs in dialect such as “O Sole Mio,” and “Funiculi, Funicula.” I was surprised, however, to learn that Texas has its own dialect. I am not just talking about the contagious Texan twang. Texas actually  has its own unique version of German, thanks to generations of immigrants. The German word for “skunk” is stinktier, for example, while the Tex-German variation is stinkkatze.

Wacky Men in Charge
It would take a lot to rival the buffoonery of Italy’s prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, but from what I’ve seen here in Texas, Governor Rick Perry has his moments. Not only has Perry been dubbed “Governor Good Hair” due to his immaculate coiffure, but he’s been known to impulsively smooth the unruly locks of strangers in the audience during public appearances. Also, back in April of this year, Perry shot and killed a coyote … while out jogging! He claims the coyote was menacing his pooch, but I have my doubts. I’ve lived near coyotes before, and they are very skittish. In any case, who packs heat on their morning jog?

Confusing restroom sign in Dallas.

Freakishly Large Insects
If you’ve ever spent time in the Italian countryside, chances are you’ve seen those huge, black bumblees known as Calabrone. While your average bee buzzes like a Vespa (pun intended!) a Calabrone rumbles like a Harley Davidson, and just like a “hog”, you can hear them coming a mile away. Fortunately, Calabrone rarely sting humans.

Turns out that Texas has its share of big bees, too. Lately I’ve spied Cicada Killer Wasps in our yard. As the name suggests, this creature kills cicadas (which, I might add, is another hefty-sized bug.) Cicada Killers are an impressive 2″ long and thankfully, like the Calabrone, they have better things to do than sting you. I still tend to shriek and run the other way, though, whenever I see one.

Texans leads the USA in wind power.

Regional Pride
More than anything else, both Texas and Italy share a deeply rooted sense of pride, and locals are eager to share their traditions with you.  Nor is Texas afraid to take on what it finds cool about Italy and put a Lone Star spin on it. There are plenty of Texan towns named after Italian cities: Italy, Florence and Naples, to name a few. Dallas has a mozzarella company, as well as one of the few Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certified restaurants in the USA, while the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth is home to the only Michelangelo painting in the Americas. I still get a kick out the Maccaroni Grill, an Italian restaurant where the ladies room is labelled, “Uomini.” (Pretty confusing, since that means “men” in Italian.)

The Texan love of Italy runs deep, but doesn’t veer into wannabe behavior.  One incident in particular summed this up for me, it was when the waiter at an Italian place in Dallas exclaimed, “Mangia, y’all!” after setting our entree on the table. At that moment I realized that no matter how passionate this guy was about Italian cuisine, he was still Texan through and through.

So there you have it, a brief sojourn off the boot and over to the land of cowboy boots, where there is more in common than you might expect!

p.s. I want to thank Michelle for inviting me on her Gita Italiana. She was the first expat I connected with online while living in Italy. From Bleeding Espresso, I quickly found Cherrye Moore, another expat who just so happens to hail from the great state of Texas. Although we’ve never met in person, those two are a continuing source of inspiration to me. :)

Balcony view in Naples, Italy (photo by Tui Cameron)

Welcome to this week’s Saturday Show & Tell!

Our first post is a photo essay by Nicole Elena Robertson entitled, Decoration in Istanbul posted at her blog, Nicole Elena Robertson.

A tourist’s look at pattern and ornament in Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Nicole didn’t provide too much information about herself, and (full disclosure!) I am putting this blog carnival together in a rush since we leave on our honeymoon tomorrow. I think she is an artist. Nicole, if you are reading this, feel free to toot your horn in the comments section.

Nicole’s photos of those beautiful designs reminded me, somehow, of my post, Riding Shotgun through Sant’Agata de’ Goti, in which friends and I literally drove through a tiny medieval town’s tiny streets in the middle of a rainstorm.

That wraps up this week’s edition of the Saturday Show & Tell blog carnival. Thanks to all who participated this week, either by submitting a post, or by leaving comments below. See you next time!

Speaking of…

Would you like to highlight your blog on an upcoming Saturday Show & Tell? If so, here are 2 ways to submit your post. Either send the link directly to me via tui [at] mentalmosaic [dot] com, or submit it through the Blog Carnival site via this link. If you have any questions, shoot me an email, or ask in a comment below.

As always, if you enjoyed this week’s post, give us a shout out. If you didn’t, well, just remember what your mama told you about doing when you don’t have anything nice to say.

Textures in Cartagena, Spain (photo by Tui Cameron)

Welcome to this week’s Saturday Show & Tell blog carnival. Can you believe it’s the 9th edition already?

Our first contribution comes from Paula Puffer. When her friend’s dog needed to wear one of those awkward cone collars, Paula discovered that A Little Bit of Boredom and Some Magic Markers = Awesome! which is posted over at her blog, Don’t Be a Pickle Bump. As Paula explains, the post is about:

A little silliness for when a dog has to wear a cone for various and sundry reasons

I like how distinguished the pooch looks in his fancifully decorated collar. I bet Paula could market these – Skymall, perhaps?

Next up, Laura Kuhn presents a fictional travel tale entitled Check Their Ring Finger posted at her blog, Window Seats. The tagline on Laura’s blog says “Spy on a single, stuck-at-home mom and her fantasy world travels.” As her about page explains:

I never thought I would be ‘just a mom’. Being a single mother makes it very hard to be anything else. I’m trying to change that.

One way Laura is trying to change that is by using her blog as a creative writing outlet. Can you relate?

Lastly, Katie Sorene brings us 10 Menu Mistakes that will Crack You Up! posted over at the Tripbase blog. There are some hilarious typos on Katie’s list, my fave being a dessert item called, “chocolate puke,” and this surreal wine description:

A mouth hit I am wimpy in a brilliant fragrance to let you yearn for berries, and to be smooth is a characteristic. It is rare red sparkling wine.

That wraps up this week’s edition of the Saturday Show & Tell blog carnival. Thanks to all who participated this week, either by submitting a post, or by leaving comments below. See you next time!

Would you like to highlight your blog on an upcoming Saturday Show & Tell? If so, here are 2 ways to submit your post. Either send the link directly to me via tui [at] mentalmosaic [dot] com, or submit it through the Blog Carnival site via this link. If you have any questions, shoot me an email, or ask in a comment below.

I moved my home office today, but you don’t want to read about that, nor do I want to blog about it. I still can’t find my wireless mouse – argh! Anyway, it’s a great space. From here I can look out and see the backyard. There are oaks, a little pond, and a figurine Tex calls Esperanza. It’s the only garden statue his ex left behind. When I told him that Esperanza means ‘hope’ he laughed and said, ‘That’s about right. My ex took everything but my hope.’ This sparked a talk about the pluses and minuses of leaving versus being left behind, fresh starts, and abandoned ruins.

From this new office space, I can see a little gecko sunning himself on the window sill. I’ve named him Umberto Gecko because he’s erudite and opinionated. His main pet peaves are bad cockney accents, people who ask him for deals on their car insurance, and cats – and not just because they chase him. He finds them shallow, ill-mannered and coarse as a species. See? I told you he was opinionated.

As for today’s shotgun shot, it’s not often that you see a dashboard festooned with ferns, a nursing possum, lizards and pine cones, but such is the nature of Sparky’s vehicle. Makes it real easy for people like me to find his car in a parking lot.