Little Things

It's The Little Things like this:

That make things like this ... bearable!

It really hasn't been too bad.
They don't work on the weekend.
Closing off one lane of traffic has made crossing the street easier.
(Always look on the bright side.)
Rebuilding the street will take awhile. 

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I have my pond cleaned once a year.
I try to schedule the cleaning before it gets too hot and humid.
Cody does a fine job.

This year, in addition to my six gold fish,
Cody found eight crawfish.
We have no idea where they came from.
We blame everything "abnormal" on the waters of Hurricane Harvey.

The waterlily isn't the only bloom in the garden.

I save the amaryllis I get at Christmas and put them in the garden.
With a little luck,
a year later,
they bloom again.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Little Things Thursday
Willy Nilly Friday
Mosaic Monday
Keep in Touch

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

I Heard A Bird Sing

I love this little poem.
The words are just as true in January as December.

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

A magical thing

And sweet to remember.

"We are nearer to Spring

Than we were in September,"

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

–Oliver Herford (1863–1935)

The robins, cardinals, jays, doves and sparrows have been busy singing.
Thanking me for putting extra food out for them on these cold days.

I thought the cold winter days could use a little cheer.
Cassie helping me with this little still life,
Yellow is such a happy color!

Meanwhile, my tree is still up.
It's hard to take it down.
It's so pretty and twinkly -- everyone needs more twinkly!

The snowmen will have a place of honor throughout the month of January.
It is winter -- even on the Gulf Coast.

Wishing YOU well and much joy in this new year!

Make It Pretty Monday

Keep In Touch

Share Your Cup Thursday

Willy Nilly Friday

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Their Version Of Powdered Sugar

It's not winter yet,

but we got a surprise.

Once every eight years

(or after a particularly bad hurricane)

we get this:

Yes, that is snow!

It didn't last very long,
but it was pretty while it lasted.

I'd like to thank the fairies for dusting us with their version of powdered sugar!

Now it  "feels" like the holidays!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!


Mosaic Monday

If We Would Enjoy Ourselves

From the Farmer's Almanac

"If we would enjoy ourselves, we must take the world as it is; 
mix it up and a thousand spots of sunshine, a cloud here and there,
 a bright sky, a storm today, calm tomorrow, the chill-piercing winds of autumn, and the bland, reviving air of summer.
–The 1854 Old Farmer's Almanac"

I love the Old Farmer's Almanac, their daily emails and words of wisdom.



The Sun is Shining.
Our brief glimpse of Autumn has ended.
Heat and humidity are back.



Musashi's Garden has been busy.
This little Painted Lady made a visit.
After remodeling the garden a couple of years ago,
one of the best things I did was put in lantanas.
It takes awhile, but the butterflies and bees find the lovely blooms.

I love peaches.
Peach season comes to an early end here.
I rarely buy peaches this late in the summer.
The grocery peaches are hard and have no taste.
But, I was craving a peach smoothie.
So, I bought California peaches from Trader Joes.
I've been patient, letting them ripen slowly.
This morning I had smoothie number one!
Looking forward to smoothie number two!

The hat is a must now that summer is back.

The new Michael's ad had Caron Cakes on sale.
They were calling my name.
I love the fall colors and there is a nice shawl pattern on the label.
It will be my next project.
Getting into the fall spirit!



Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Home Sweet Home

Mosaic Monday

         

Thinking of Granny

Every now and then I get an email that makes me laugh out loud.
In fact, I almost didn't open the one with the subject:
Getting Enough Fiber?

I opened it and it was about fiber, but not the digestible kind.

It was about yarn.

I need more yarn like I need a hole in the head! 

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Early morning over the Texas Medical Center

I walk early every morning before it gets too hot and humid.
I try to walk for 45 minutes.
My favorite day to walk is Sunday.
It is so quiet.
No cars on the street so there is no background motor noise.
It's just me, the birds, an occasional sprinkler raining on a lawn.
Last Sunday I listened to the doves cooing, 
the blue jays and the mockingbirds trying to out mock each other.
I even heard one of the local screech owls.
No cats or dogs or people.
And then, there they were -- crossing the street.
A family of seven opossums!
Led by Mom (I assume) they went two by two.


Definitely something I don't see every day.
Just one of those reminders 
that it is the little things that can make a day extra special.


Did you know a group of opossums is called a passel?
I came straight home and looked it up.
Male opossums are called jacks and females are called jills.
The young are joeys -- just like their Australian cousins.

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I love cherry anything!
Mighty Leaf makes a wonderful cherry lemon green tea.
It tastes especially fine in my hand-thrown kitty mug with the moon and stars.
The tea bags are handcrafted silken pouches.
Delicious hot and great iced for this hot weather.

Mighty Leaf began in 1996 as Tea & Company, 
a boutique tea house in San Francisco.
They support artisan communities and 
sustainable farming practices around the globe.

Every time I see a zinnia I think of my Granny.
She always had zinnias in her garden.
All shapes and sizes.

This year, I have zinnias in my garden.
I had an empty space, had the seeds 
and decided to throw them in the space and see what happens.
Wow!
I think every seed came up.
Marvelous mix of all types of zinnia and the color.
Double wow!

I thought I'd share some of them with you.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five On Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

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I Squealed With Delight!

I subscribe to two boxes.

The kitties receive the Kit Nip Box every month

and I receive the My Texas Market box. 

This month the My Texas Market box featured Bourbon and BBQ --
a kick off for the summer season. 

From No4. St. James came Chocolate Chip Bourbon Bombs.
I opened the package 
and memories took me directly to my Granny's kitchen during the holiday.
I think she put Bourbon in everything! 
(Kidding)
She did put bourbon in the sweet potatoes.
No wonder they were so good and so are (were) the Bourbon Bombs!

There was a lot more in the box 
and I squealed with delight when I saw caramels 
from the Dallas Caramel Company -- Bacon and Texas Drunken Nut.
I've had their caramels before and they are melt in the mouth delicious.

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A dear friend of mine -- also with a May birthday -- went to lunch with me at
McHugh Tea to celebrate our birthdays -- better late than never!

We both had the sampler plate and it was delicious.
Peach iced tea.

Cream cheese and date scones for dessert.
YUM

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The Passion Flower Vine is flowering in the garden.

I thought I should get the camera out before the squirrels eat the flower!
They really do think the very middle is a tasty treat.

This is the closest I've gotten to an image of the small dragonflies 
that visit the water garden.
They are usually moving too quickly.
I was thrilled (I might have squealed with delight)
when this little guy decided to take a time out on the water lily!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five on Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

The Second Most Wonderful Time of Year

The second most wonderful time of year
is when peaches make their appearance at the Farmer's Market!
I was afraid there would be no peaches this year.
The best peaches in this area are grown in the hill country.
They need cold weather and they didn't get much last winter.

I've been having peach smoothies for breakfast.

I also came home with tomatoes.

It's bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich time.

With half of the tomatoes gone and only a few peaches left,

a trip to the market next Tuesday is definitely in order!

In Musashi's garden,

the day lilies I ordered from Oakes Lilies are starting to bloom.

Little Grapette was the first to bloom.

2″ bloom, 12-18″ tall, Early Season, Semi-Evergreen. 

Deep grape colored blooms with a deeper purple band around a small chartreuse throat. 

This is Mini Pearl. 

3″ bloom, 16″ tall, Early-Mid Season + rebloom, 

Masses of blush apricot pink blooms are held low on short scapes.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five on Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday