This and That

Mardi Gras is going on - despite the nasty weather.

Let the good times roll!
Friday, February 2-Wednesday, February 13.
Galveston, the third-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, is spread over 12 days and includes parades, music, food, family-friendly activities, 5K fun run, and galas including the Tremont House Mardi Gras Ball and the San Luis Salute.

Photo From Galveston Mardi Gras Ad

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King Cake for Mardi Gras
Strawberry filling - YUM!
Only one piece left!

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Poor robin redbreast,
Look where he comes;
Let him in to feel your fire,
And toss him of your crumbs.
–Christina G. Rossetti (1830–94)

Robin in Musashi's Garden

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I walked to the drug store to pickup Teddy's heart meds.
(He's doing fine.)
I found these Valentine socks.
They are the non-slip kind with the little plastic dots on the bottom.
Perfect for someone who doesn't like shoes!!!
Score!
And, they are cute!






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Blooming! 

Amaryllis Blooming

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

Keep In Touch

Opening Night

It's Opening Night at home for the Rice University Owl baseball team.
Astros spring training is also going on.

And, Sofie is back!
She is now a year old and doing well in her service dog training.
Here she is with her Mom.
Sofie's boy is on the baseball team.

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It's Mardi Gras time.
That means King Cake!

This one has a Strawberry Creme filling.
Yum.

Here on the Gulf Coast the King Cake is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival.

In the southern United States, the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain.

The King Cake comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough topped with icing or sugar, usually colored purple, green and gold (traditional Mardi Gras colors) with food coloring. King cakes may also be filled with additional foodstuffs - the most common being cream cheese, praline, cinnamon or strawberry.

Finding the baby in the cake is said to bring good luck and you must supply the King Cake for the next years party.

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I've started adding the green to the flowers for the afghan.

Almost finished  The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala by Laura DiSilverio.

I enjoy the readholics series.
 Book club members that always seems to get caught up in murder
and the book they are reading offers clues!
This time they are reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five On Friday

Monday Social

Mosaic Monday

It Makes Decision Making Hard

There is a lot going on in February.

College Basketball will be ending and College Baseball will begin.

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It's the Chinese New Year.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

(Mandarin for Happy New Year)

It is the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.

The date changes every year as determined by the Lunar Chinese calendar.

This year is the year of the Red Monkey.

Found on Elephant Journal and Pinterest

The monkey is intelligent, smart, wise, curious, energetic, impulsive, inventive, hyperactive, cheeky, strong minded and vigilant. Red monkeys are problem solvers and work well within group environments, while retaining their individuality.

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I love this time of year.

Tulips are abundant at the grocery stores.

Daffodils appear at TJs.

It makes decision making hard.

Should I buy tulips or daffodils?

I decided to get both.

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Mardi Gras is coming to an end.

Fat Tuesday is around the corner...

the last big party of the year before lent.

To celebrate I bought a small king cake and it is delicious.

Instead of the usual cinnamon interior, I got cream cheese.

YUM!

A King Cake is a type of cake associated in a number of countries with the festival of Epiphany at the end of the Christmas Season.

Here on the Gulf Coast it is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival.

In the southern United States, the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain. 

The King Cake comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough topped with icing or sugar, usually colored purple, green and gold (traditional Mardi Gras colors) with food coloring. King cakes may also be filled with additional foodstuffs - the most common being cream cheese, praline, cinnamon or strawberry.

Finding the baby in the cake is said to bring good luck and you must supply the King Cake for the next years party.

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At the Kitchen Table

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

I'm joining:
No Place Like Home
Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Party

Mardi Gras

The big Rex Mardi Gras Parade in New Orleans is March 8.

I went looking for Mardi Gras postcards and found these on the digital collection

at the New York Public Library.

They are both from 1907 and made by the Detroit Publishing Company.

"Rex passing up Camp Street"

"The Royal Chariot with Rex"

"'We is come' ~ Hope to see you soon."  The "B's"

The Mardi Gras Rex parade in New Orleans held on Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday referrs to the practice of the last night of eating fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which starts on Ash Wednesday.

Since the founding of the Rex Organization in 1872 its traditions have helped define Mardi Gras. Rex's Proclamation invites his subjects to the grand celebration of Carnival. His royal colors of purple, green and gold are to this day the colors of Mardi Gras, and the song played in the first Rex parade, "If Ever I Cease to Love," has become Carnival's anthem. Rex and his Queen preside over the Rex Ball, Carnival's glittering conclusion.

You can read more about the Rex Organization in New Orleans here.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

I'm also joining Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper!

Wishing you well and a JOY filled weekend.

(Mine will be filled with college baseball!)