Index Card A Day Finale

Today marks the end of the Index Card A Day Challenge.

This was the third year that I participated and the second year that I completed all 61 cards.

I found that I've become a better creator ... not ready to use the term artist!

When I compare this year's cards with the cards from last year, well, I've come a long way baby.

Here are a few of the 61 cards.

There were botanicals.

Cats

Birds

Fun

Finally, the last card of the challenge.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

Friday means a few Random Things ...

a little This and That.

Thank you Nancy for hosting.

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I just finished reading BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel.

BRING UP THE BODIES follows Mantel's Booker Prize winning novel, WOLF HALL and continues the story of Henry VIII seen through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell. Katherine, Henry's first wife has died and Anne becomes the center of attention. Henry wonders that he has spent the best part of his life with Anne and only has one child and that child, a daughter. No one likes Anne. She is the focus of gossip and malice. Henry wants her brought down and he has already chosen her successor.

Perhaps I am now used to Mantel's writing style as I found BRING UP THE BODIES much easier to read. Seeing the story unfold from Cromwell's side is very different from the usual novel of the period. Mantel suggests that several of the men executed as lovers of Anne may have been selected as victims because of their part in the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey. Who knows? Being an advisor to Henry definitely takes a man of great skill and courage.

I'm looking forward to part 3 of the tale of Thomas Cromwell.


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This is Alice Owl.

Isn't she cute?!

Love her eyelashes.

Meme Rose is having a CAL (Crochet-A-Long)

I've gone through my stash and picked out my yarn.

I'll report next week on how my Alice is coming along.

***

The plumeria are starting to bloom in the garden.
When they were first planted I had three different colors.
Then came a couple of bad freezes and Hurricane Ike.
I've pampered and babied them and thankfully, they don't mind the drought.

These are the first hints of what is to come.

YeeHaw!

****

I've been going to the gym with a good friend at 5 in the morning for our morning stroll

on the treadmill.

It is just too blooming hot to walk outside. 

UGH

But it is good for me/us. 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

August Break

Back in August 2010, the lovely Susannah Conway decided to give herself a break from writing blog posts and instead shared a photo or two each day without the pressure of finding words. She blogged about it (of course), invited everyone to join her and that is how The August Break was born. This year she is doing things a little bit different and supplying suggested prompts for the day. This is especially handy for folks like me who live where August becomes UGHust because of the heat and our brains turn to mush! The point is to give yourself a break. Take a photo and share it -- with or without words. I participated last year and I'm going to try it again this year. Tally Ho on August 1!
Care to join us? Check out all the information here.

Wishing you well and much joy.

Tuesday Muse

I've been busy with Index Card a Day.

It's too hot to do any walking or adventuring outside for photo taking.

I'm letting tea be my muse today and sharing my new-to-me teacup.

(Thank you Nancy for hosting.)

My sista suggested I bring this little beauty home with me.

She had drawer full of teacups and this one and its mate called to me.

I don't have any like this Royal Stafford teacup.

Now I have two!

I love the birds.

I spent quite a bit of time online yesterday trying to find the pattern name.

No luck.

Perhaps one of my tea friends can help?!

A little faded daguerrotype processing.

 Faded daguerrotype and Nancy's Deanna texture.

Thank you to our tea party hosts:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Tuesday Cup'a Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a lovely cup of tea!

This and That

It is a day full of sunshine after several days of light rain.

We are still in drought conditions.

I'll take the rain.

Time for a little This and That.

A big thank you to Nancy for hosting. 

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I cleaned out bird baths and fountains this morning.

After several days of light rain they really needed it. 

Fed the birds and noted that I need more bird food.

Have to keep the morning buffet going!

**

I spent some time with my BGD (beautiful god-daughter)

and her Knight in Shining Armor at my sista's new home.

It was lovely.

Precious time with people I love.

Sitting by the pool and watching the golfers go by.

***

The big neighborhood news this last week was the Grand Opening of

The Fresh Market.

They bill themselves as a selection of European type markets under one roof.

The atmosphere was lovely, classical music in the background, soft lighting.

The first thing that struck me was the amazing produce.

(I came home with heirloom tomatoes and Texas peaches.)

There is an Old World Butcher Shop, European Deli, Fresh Seafood, Imported Cheeses,

Gourmet Coffee (also a nice selection of Tea).

The Bakery -- Oh My! I came home with pineapple-coconut bread -- YUM.

Beer and Wine. 

If you need kitty litter or cleaning supplies this is not the place for you. 

You can order online and pick-up at the store or have your items delivered. 

My treat (besides the pineapple-coconut bread) was

tuna seaweed salad!

I love seaweed and only eat it when I go for dim sum every 4 or 5 years!

I bought the smallest amount I could just to see if I liked it 

and I thought it was delicious.

The next time I see it available, I'll get more. 

****

I'm still busy with the Index Card A Day challenge.

*****

The kitties continue to enjoy their nap on the new kitchen chairs.

Here's Cassie.

She is sitting on a receiving blanket.

When she was a kitten, I bought a set of receiving blankets and would wrap her up,

 sit her on my shoulder, and carry her around as she napped!

Little wonder that she's a Mummy's girl. 

She still finds comfort with her blankets and many days I'll find her

carrying one around the house with her.

I'm off to watch the Tour de France.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Good Morning!

While de-cluttering, I came across this poem by Charles Simic.

It was in an Eating Well magazine.

I liked everything about it -- the words, the image, the invitation.

So, I decided to share it with you.

We are going to serve a late lunch

For a few close friends in the garden.

We'll start with a cold squid salad,

A pot of black and green olives,

And a loaf of homemade bread to wipe

The garlic and the oil off our plates

Between the sips of the yellow wine.

And if some bird graciously assents

To sing for us after the grilled lamb,

The cheeses and the wild blueberries,

We'll raise our glasses and toast

The golden light between the leaves,

The shadows on the lawn, lengthening,

And keep them raised till the song is over.

~Charles Simic

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Another Week of Index Cards

It's time for another week of Index Cards.

Index Cards numbers 41 - 47.

You can read more about Index Card A Day by visiting Daisy Yellow.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Ivy

This is Ivy, the black leopard living at the Houston Zoo.

Ivy is a beautiful lady.

Like many older women, she has bad joints.

She recently had stem cell therapy to treat her joint disease.

Thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters.

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a fun filled weekend.

Another Week of ICADs

I'm still working on ICADs.

Not quite as fast as at the beginning. 

Today is day 40 of the 61 day challenge.

You can read more about Index Card A Day by visiting Daisy Yellow.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Tea Tag Wisdom

Tuesday is usually tea day around Twisty Lane.

I was unplugged for a few days and I don't have any teacups for you.

But.

I do have some wisdom from a Yogi tea tag and one of my index cards.

ICAD # 39 for July 9, 2013




Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

It's Friday!

It's Friday and that means it's time for some

Random Things.

Thank you Nancy!

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My kitchen chairs are back.

You may remember I sent them out to be reupholstered.

They look great and the kitties are so happy to have them back home.

We can now all sit at the kitchen table in the morning.

They nap while I have my tea and toast and check email. 

**

When July rolls around that means it time for the

Tour De France.

I love watching these amazing bicyclists and really enjoy

seeing the beautiful countryside.

Arm chair traveling at its best!

***

I saw this on Face Book and it made me think of my Granny.

She always made a macaroni and pea salad for the 4th of July.

She added a little onion and some sweet pickle relish, I think.

The recipe for this one, Macaroni and pea salad with chives,

can be found at Smart Balance.

****

I recently finished reading A Cup of Light  by Nicole Mones.

I really enjoyed it.

Lia Frank is a specialist in Chinese porcelains and is sent to China by her auction house to evaluate a privately owned collection that is for sale. Lia is amazed by the quality and quantity of the porcelains she must evaluate ... are they real or fake. There is great beauty in imperfection -- something Lia knows all about. Lia is extraordinary and she is flawed. She is a mnemonist -- she can remember every porcelain, every catalog, all the history of each piece she has ever seen ... and she must call upon that ability to fill in the missing information on the pieces she sees. She is also deaf without her hearing aids ... something she turns into an ability rather than a liability. This was my kind of book. I have enjoyed everything I've read authored by Nicole Mones. She knows China. Wonderful history on Chinese porcelains and the emperors kilns in Jingdezhen -- something I really enjoyed that others may find a little boring -- too much information, but with my interest in Asian ceramics -- I was in heaven! Fascinating look at the ah chans and the illegal sale and distribution of art works. Lastly, a very quick and sad look at lead poisoning in young Chinese children -- something that may be fairly common because of all the pollution in China. Throw in a little unexpected romance and Mones has another winner.

But this is not my favorite Mones book.

That honor belongs to The Last Chinese Chef!

*****

It is peach season and I'm enjoying peach smoothies.

The best of summer time!

I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

KaBoom!

Happy 4th of July!

ICAD #34 made with junk mail 

Celebrate!

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Another Week of ICADs

Here they are.

Another week of playing on Index Cards.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

A Little Tea Enchantment

Important things first:

To all my Canadian Friends -- Happy Canada Day!

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There is no reason I can't enjoy the heat with a little

Enchanted Tea.

Enchanted Lands

Iced tea in a pretty green glass mug

A mini carnation

and I can forget about the heat for awhile!

I used one of Nancy's textures at 50%.

I erased the texture over the carnation.

A little fun editing on a hot day -- iced tea at hand!

Thank you Nancy!

Thank you to our tea party hosts:

Tea Time Tuesday

A Return To Loveliness
Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Tuesday Cup'a Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!