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

*


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

*



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

*

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!






*

Blooming! 

Amaryllis Blooming

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

Keep In Touch

Stay Cozy

"Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside the fire.

It is the time for home."

~ Edith Sitwell


I was greeted by this poem when I opened my January
Texas Market Box. 
Even the Gulf Coast of Texas is having winter this year.
I've given up trying to save the tropicals.
There will be a lot of planting in the spring!

Back to the Texas Market Box!

I've been subscribing to the Texas Market box for several years now.
I've never been disappointed with the contents.
Always something I've not seen before and fun! 

Here's how the Texas Market folks describe their service:

"My Texas Market is a subscription-based delivery service that sends  carefully curated packages filled with small-batch, artisan items from  farmers’ markets and local Texas businesses to customers each month.   Our purpose is to expose consumers to great new products and companies,  offer vendors a new market, encourage the support of local artisan  businesses, and simply share our love for the Texas farmers' market with  people who might not be able to enjoy it in person."   
     

Stay Cozy Coffee Mug (or in my case a tea mug)
From Mugg + Co in Dallas, TX

Handcrafted Coaster by Gaston Made in Dallas, Tx.
"Enjoy a modern, handcrafted coaster made from scratch in a wood shop by local business owners Alex and Emily. They've been featured in West Elm. Their handmade home goods can be found at Gaston Made."

Hot chocolate for the Cozy mug!
Hot Chocolate Cocoa from CocoAndre Chocolatier in Dallas.
"warm up with a cup of hot cocoa made with a blend of dark and milk Belgian dark chocolate this winter. Andrea Pedraza and daughter Cindy create pure chocolate confections that serve to make sweet memories."
Visit their shop at Cocaandre.

I didn't remove the Royal Vanilla Moisturizing Cream and Lip Balm
from it's packaging. I wanted to give you an idea of how things are shipped.

From Hooga Organic Skincare in McKinney, TX
"Hooga is a family of skincare products that are specially formulated in a very natural and organic way. These products were born from the idea of healthier, simpler and essential way of life.

The Hooga Royal Vanilla Moisturizing Cream is ideal for a deep, powerful or overnight moisturizing session. This new formula combines avocado and olive oil with the lovely aromas of vanilla and a hint of tangerine.

The Hooga Lip Balm will protect and moisturize your lips." 

Their products can be found at Hooga Skin Care. 

That's it! 
My January Texas Market Box for January.
It will definitely help keep me cozy this winter!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!
Stay warm and cozy on this MLK day.

Amaze Me Monday
Keep In Touch
Make It Pretty Monday
Mosaic Monday
Share Your Cup Thursday








I received no compensation for this post.
I just really enjoy My Texas Market!

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

SaveSave
SaveSave

Celebrating the Pansy

I love Miltonia orchids.
For me, they are charming and irresistible.
They bloom profusely.
Miltonias are often called Pansy Orchids because of their flat-faced,
open flowers that resemble pansies in shape and markings.
Richly colored, fragrant flowers.
From the time that the flower bud on the stems open,
they remain in bloom for 4 to 6 weeks.

**

I thought sharing the Miltonia orchid was the perfect time to share

another new to me teacup.

It was sent to me for my birthday from another of my sisters-by-choice.

This sister is my Saurian sister -- we both love dragons!

And, we both love pansies. 

This is Spring Melody by Queen Anne.

Queen Anne is a fine quality china produced by Shore and Coggins,

Staffordshire potteries in England from 1911 to 1966.

This is beautiful fine bone china that is very translucent when held to the light.

The background is pure white, and the design is a bouquet of pansies

in colors of purple, pink, blue and yellow.

The teacups are footed and there is gold trim on all the edges and handle.

She also sent me Persian Nectar tea from Serendipi Tea.

Persian Nectar is organic Indian black tea with

organic peach flavoring.

YUM!

A little treat with my tea today.

Key Lime Pie cookies from Oreo.

Oh, my! 

***

Thank you to the hosts of:

Mosaic Monday

Teatime Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

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

When the world is all at odds

And the mind is all at sea,

Then cease the useless tedium

And brew a cup of tea.

There is magic in its fragrance,

There is solace in its taste;

And the laden moments vanish

Somehow into space.

And the world becomes a lovely thing!

There's beauty as you'll see;

All because you briefly stopped

To brew a cup of tea.

~William Gladstone

(Thank you to Marilyn at Delights of the Heart for the poem.)

June Is Iced Tea Month

June is Iced Tea Month.

Perfect timing because it's hot (90s) and humid (75 dew point) here.

Time for lots of iced tea.

Especially if served in pretty green glass.

The year was 1904, and the event was the St. Louis World's Fair.

A merchant of Indian tea tried unsuccessfully to sell hot tea to the

sweltering crowds, and finally, in desperation, poured the hot brew over ice.

He created an instant success with this refreshing new beverage, and

iced tea has been an American favorite ever since.

At least that's the story you will hear on a tour of St. Louis!

*

I'm a lucky girl.
All my sisters-by-choice know my love for tea
and when my birthday comes around .. the tea and tea things arrive!
This is what arrived, hand carried from Japan:

If you look carefully you might be able to see the geisha face in the bottom of the tea cup. 
Love the blue and white fish pattern.
A whisk for the matcha.
She also brought matcha candy, but I've eaten it all! 

Isn't this fun?!
I made it at Fotor.
Truth, too!
Love Life
(and have a cup of tea).

**

My buddy Steph, at Steph's Cup of Tea posted this on her blog.

I thought since I was celebrating Tea Day,

I should post it here.

Thanks, Steph!

The Tea Party

~Jessica Nelson North

"I had a little tea party

This afternoon at three.

'Twas very small-

Three guests in all-

Just I, myself and me.

Myself ate all the sandwiches,

While I drank up the tea;

'Twas also I who ate the pie

And passed the cake to me."

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

A big thank you to the hosts of:
Mosaic Monday

Teatime Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

At The Tea Garden

I've been collecting Portmeirion for years.
I pick up a piece here and there -- always on sale.
I have bowls from the botanical and from the garden bird series.
I use them for everything: soup, cereal, fruit, yogurt, pasta.

On my last trip to Tuesday Morning,
 I found these lovely mugs and two bread and butter plates. 

I'm going to brew a large pot of Assam making it extra strong.
I'm going to ice it later.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Iced Assam.
It is summer after all!

Maybe I'll have a slice of blueberry bread, too.
*

Garrison Keillor shared poetry by Margaret Hasse in his Writer's Almanac.

I bought EARTH'S APPETITE, a small collection of her poems and they are wonderful.

Here's an example.

AT THE TEA GARDEN

by Margaret Hasse

My friend and I mull over the teas
displayed in square jars
with beveled glass labeled by type.
Each name seems part of a haiku:
"After the Snow Sprouting." "Moon Palace."
"Mist Over the Gorges."
I'm drawn to green teas
with unoxidized leaves that don't wither,
hold their grassy fragrance
like willow under snow in winter.

The proprietor offers real china for the Chinese tea.
Animal bones, fine ground, give whiteness,
translucency and strength
to the porcelain that appears delicate,
resists chipping.
The rim of the cup is warm and thin.

My friend's lips are plush: her lovely
mouth opens to give advice I ask for.
We talk about memory of threshold events,
like a first kiss or a poem published.
She can't remember...

I tell her about my brother-in-law's
chemotherapy—his third bout of cancer.
He wants his family to put a pinch
of his ashes in things he liked:
his banjo, the top drawer of his desk, the garden.

I wouldn't mind becoming part
of a set of bone china that serves tea
in a cozy teahouse smelling of incense,
cinnamon, musk, and carved teak.
I'd like to be brought to a small table,
sit between friends' quiet words,
held in hands so close that breath
on the surface of warm drink
makes mist rise over their faces.

"At the Tea Garden" by Margaret Hasse, from Earth's Appetite. © Nodin Press, 2013. 

Tea Party with Lois by Wilson Henry Irvine, 1920

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

I'm joining the following tea parties.

Thank you to the hosts of:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

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!