Memories

I've been scanning photos and thought I'd share some from Paris in 1995.

The magnificent Eiffel Tower was built to impress visitors to the Universal Exhibition of 1889.

It was meant to be a temporary addition to the Paris skyline.

Paris is dotted with many areas of parkland, intimate gardens, and attractive tree lined squares.

Each is a reminder of the French capital's past.

The flat Jardins des Invalides and the landscaped Champ-de-Mars were the grounds of the 

Hotel des Invalides and the Ecole Militaire. They were the site of the Paris Universal Exhibition, whose reminder is the Eiffel Tower. 

It seems as if you can see forever from the top of the Eiffel tower.

On a clear day you can see some 45 miles.

This was not a clear day.

The Palais de Chaillot with its huge, curved colonnaded wings each culminating in an immense pavilion, houses four museums, a theater and the Cinematheque. Designed in Neoclassical style for the 1937 Paris Exhibition, it is adorned with sculptures and bas-reliefs. 

The shady Jardins du Trocadero sloping down to the river from the Palais de Chaillot were planted after the 1937 Universal Exhibition. Here is the largest fountain in Paris and fine views of the river and the Eiffel Tower.

There is no better way to see Paris than to walk along the River Seine.

Thank you for sharing this short trip down memory lane.

A big THANK YOU to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday.

Wishing you well and a JOY filled week.

Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. This year the Great Backyard Bird Count was held over four days February 18 - 21. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It's free, fun, and easy and it helps the birds. 

No, I didn't participate this year, but I can tell you the birds I would see in my backyard:

- a pair of Asian Banded Doves

- oodles of Mourning Doves

- oodles of sparrows

- a Blue Jay

- a Robin

- and Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal

all of these birds visit daily for the morning buffet.

I also hear a woodpecker ... never see him, but hear him pecking away.

I thought that today's postcard would be in honor of the Backyard Bird Count.

This is a postcard from The Audubon Postcard Folio

a collection of 30 full-color photographs from John James Audubon's

magnificent The Birds of America.

The back of the postcard reads:

Cardinal Grosbeak, Fringilla Cardinalis, Bonap, M. 1, F. 2. Wild Almond. 

Plate 159 from The Birds of America by John James Audubon, 1833. 

National Gallery of Art, Washington

Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James.

A big THANK YOU to Beth for being our hostess for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wishing you well, a JOY filled weekend and happy birding!

Good Morning!

Tea and Flowers

Do you Rue La La?

I do a lot of window shopping there.

Every now and then I find something I really La-La over!

DD (dear daughter) spoiled me during her father's illness.

After his passing, she made sure I had flowers for Valentine's Day.

She knows how much I like Tracy Porter.

I love Porter's color combinations and wild and crazy designs.

DD found this tea set: teapot, sugar and creamer on Rue La La.
Each piece is a little sculpture.

And, now it lives with me!

It is from the Vivre Collection.

Beautiful tea and flowers ... good for the soul.

Big THANK YOUS to our hostesses:

Mary at Mosaic Monday

Martha and Teri who host Teacup Tuesday

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday: Wanda Lee and Pam

Sandi at Teatime Tuesday

Party On!

Wishing you well.

***
Edit: My back has gone on the fritz and I can't sit for very long.
My apologies to all of you for not visiting and I'll try to catch up another day.
Wishing you well and good backs!!!

It's That Time of Year!

It's college baseball season.

It's time to hear the wondrous sound of the bat hitting the ball.

The Rice University Owls take the field this evening 

against the Stanford Cardinal

and I'm ready!

In honor of the start of the season,

I'm sharing a postcard from the Pomegranate Book of Postcards:

America Plays Ball: Historical Baseball Photographs from the Library of Congress.

The back of the postcard reads:

Hitting the ball in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C., July, 1942

Photograph by John Ferrell

There's nothing like baseball! It gets you out-of-doors,

fills you with oxygen (all that yelling).

It is a pastime that is enjoyed by young and old, male and female,

East and West, North and South.

Play Ball!

A big THANK YOU to Beth for being hostess for
Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

Many thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments and emails

of condolence on Mr. Dragon's passing to the stars.

His spirit will be with me this weekend as the baseball season starts.

He loved college baseball and the Rice Owls. 

Wishing you well.

Good Morning!

If The Night Sky Seems Brighter ...

Mr. Dragon completed his journey back to the stars

Saturday evening.

He left this world very quietly with style, dignity and grace.

He was my Knight in Shining Armor,

my best friend,

my everything.

But, life goes on and with luck

I will celebrate life. 

Wishing you well.

Peace

Tara

Image from Dharma Crafts

White Tara

White Tara is associated with practices intended to lengthen one's life and to overcome life-threatening obstacles. Her special attributes are her seven eyes - the 'third eye' located on her forehead and the other four on the palms of her hands and soles of her feet - which allow her to look upon all beings with unobscured wisdom and heartfelt compassion.

Green Tara Singing Bowl

Tara also embodies many of the qualities of feminine principle. She is known as the Mother of Mercy and Compassion. She is the source, the female aspect of the universe, which gives birth to warmth, compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation, and has sympathy for all beings as a mother does for her children. As Green Tara she offers succor and protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can encounter within the samsaric world. As White Tara she expresses maternal compassion and offers healing to beings who are hurt or wounded, either physically or psychically.


***

We have had a healing touch practitioner work with Mr. Dragon to give him some comfort.
We are nearing the end of the journey to the stars and I am preparing to talk
Mr. Dragon on his way.

Right now, we are both enjoying a visit with his sister and DD.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

Wishing you well.

Hearts and Flowers

Valentine's Day is right around the corner 

and so many in the Land of Blog are featuring wonderful hand made hearts.

I'd love to show you some hearts I've been working on, but, alas,

my fingers have been busy turning pages of the books I've been reading

and crocheting squares for a baby blanket while I sit with Mr. Dragon.
DD (dear daughter) is back with us and Mr. Dragon's sister is visiting.

So, here are some Valentine postcards for you to enjoy.

Hearts and flowers and all things sweet and good.

Wishing you well and a JOY and LOVE filled week.

A big THANK YOU to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday.

Snow Day!

The city of Houston was expecting a snow day.

Instead, they got an ice day.

Ugh.

In the spirit of snow day, I found a postcard to share with you made by the

Detroit Publishing Company.

The postcard reads:

"Every pine and fir and hemlock wore ermine too dear for an earl,

And the poorest twig on the elm-tree was ridged inch deep with pearl."

Lowell

The Detroit Publishing Company was one of the largest American publishers of postcards and photographic views during the early decades of the 20th century. The images are a rich source of documentation for the study of North American landscape and cityscape, and include views of well-known streets, buildings, historic-monuments, natural scenery, industry, transportation and daily life.

Unfortunately, the location of this landscape is not on the postcard.

A big THANK YOU to Beth for being our hostess for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wishing you well, a JOY filled weekend and a fun Snow Day!

Good Morning!

Good Morning!

Image from Maxine Facebook Page!




I'm sure glad I joined Maxine and added an extra layer of fat.
Believe it or not, it's going to snow in Houston!
WOW!

We've been having rolling power outages across Texas because of the cold.
Plays havoc with Mr. Dragon's oxygen generator and I'm doing a lot of running between the
generator and the tanks.
It's an adventure and all is well.


Just in case you missed it.....

it is the Chinese New Year.

Happy Year of the Rabbit ... a more peaceful and calm year.

Wishing all you well and a JOY filled day.

Stay warm!