Potpourri

Easter is just around the corner.
This is reproduction vintage postcard that the Lillian Vernon Corporation offered many years ago. I love the embossing. I happened on this cute card while cleaning out a closet. Wonder what else I might find!? A big thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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It gets quiet around Twisty Lane during college baseball season.

I try to keep up with posting, but I'm not always successful.

I've been watching ....

COSMOS and I'm loving it.

I remember watching the original Cosmos with Carl Sagan ... 

"billions and billions of stars".
Cosmos' "ship of the imagination" -- 
a vehicle to take viewers through wonders large and small -- 
now has a new captain, astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson.
I could listen to Tyson for days on end. 


I'm reading ...
JOY FOR BEGINNERS by Erica Bauermeister.
Kate has won her battle with a life threatening illness and has invited her six close friends to dinner to celebrate. At the dinner, her friends challenge Kate to go white water rafting down the Grand Canyon. Kate is reluctant and decides she will do it if her friends will do one thing in the next year that scares them. Since Kate didn't get to choose her challenge, she wants to choose theirs. It's agreed and the adventure to experience true joy begins. 
I enjoyed Bauermeister's THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS and hope I feel the same way about JOY FOR BEGINNERS. So far so good!


If you've been following the daffodil saga, I'm happy to announce
that I now have a house full of daffodils.
Trader Joe's came through again.
YeeHaw!
Spring can now officially begin.

I was determined I would not miss the azaleas this year.

They were late blooming with all the cold weather so I had no excuse.

Here's some of what I found at the zoo this week:

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

A big thank you to Nancy for hosting.

Potpourri

This vintage looking postcard was printed in China for the Lillian Vernon Corporation.

I think dancing sounds like a good way to welcome St. Patrick's Day!

A big thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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Sometimes ....
it's just nice to kick back and nap!
I was up early as usual, had breakfast, sat down on the couch with the kitties and fell asleep! After I hit publish for this post, I think I'll go back and try a nap again.


I'm celebrating....
the sun!
The sun is shining.
It's not too cold or too hot.
It's work in the garden time!

I love ....

Daffodils!

Every March I watch the advertisements waiting for daffodils to appear in the ads at the supermarket.

I was so excited when I saw them appear this week.

I went over and, talk about disappointment, no daffodils.

They hadn't arrived yet.

I almost cried! 

I'll try again next week.

Easter 2013

I'm sharing ...

Poppytalk.

I think I've shared the link to Poppytalk before,

but I want to share again.

I was visiting over the weekend and was reminded of all the 

beautiful colors and wonderful features.

Founded in 2005, Poppytalk is a lifestyle blog dedicated to supporting the beautiful, the decayed and the handmade. More about Poppytalk here.

Away ....
The Rice Owl Baseball team is away this weekend for three games in Florida.
Good luck Owls!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thank you to Nancy for hosting.

Potpourri

St. Patrick's Day is coming, along with corned beef and cabbage.

This is a vintage reproduction postcard.

No artist or date was listed.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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I am creating...
Granny Squares!
The month of March is National Crochet Month.
YeeHaw!
Pictures coming when I have all the squares made. 

I am excited about...
being asked to taste test some teas from Tea Vivre.
I love Chinese teas and tea ware.
It will be fun to research and taste!

YiXing Tea Pot

I am hoping...
to win some handmade soap!
Nancy at a Rural Journal is having a give-a-way.
Get over there and sign up!

A favorite quote for today...
It's from the Walt Whitman poem  O ME! O LIFE!
"...The question, O me! so sad, recurring - What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here - that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse."
It may sound familiar especially if you have seen the Apple commercials. 

One of my favorite things...

This is a Miltonia Orchid, sometimes called a pansy orchid.
When I brought her home from Trader Joe's she had one flower spike opened.
She now has two more spikes open and 2 more coming.
She is quite impressive and fragrant!

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

A big thank you to Nancy for hosting.

Potpourri

On this last day in February
 I decided to go to my box of kisses to pick out a vintage postcard.

 

I laugh every time I see this postcard.

No artist or publishing date listed.

It is from a collection of postcards called 

A Box of Kisses published by Chronicle Books:

Charming vintage postcard reproductions of all sorts of smooches.

Mwah!

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday. 

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Outside my window...
It is cloudy today.
The last week has seen summer, winter and spring.
I'm not fond of guessing which season will appear each day
and would really like to enjoy a little spring before the dog days of summer arrive!

I am thankful...
for the nice soaking rain we got this week.
We need the rain. It's so easy to drop back into drought.

I am creating for...
Another postcard swap at June's.

The card on the left is from June and the one on the right is the one I made.
If you like swaps, check out June's blog, A Creative Dream.
She has a swap schedule for the year! 

One of my favorite things...
Is Terri Windling's beautiful blog.
Her name may be familiar to those of you who read fantasy.
Terri is a writer, artist, and book editor interested in myth, folklore, fairy tales, and the ways they are used in contemporary arts.
Myth and Moor is a daily journal for musings about art, myth, books, village life, and the world-wide community of folks who create and love Mythic Arts.
Full of beautiful words, beautiful art -- I could spend days there.

A peek into my day...

I'm missing my tulips.

A trip to Trader Joe's for flowers is in order!

Thank you Nancy for hosting!

Thanks for visiting.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your Valentine's Day is full of hearts and flowers.

Another reproduction vintage Valentine.

No artist listed, but this one had a suggested publishing date of 1910.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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Outside my window...
The sun is shining -- finally!
Highs in the 70s ... what to do, what to do!!! 
Celebrate!

In the kitchen...
Have you visited Estelle's? 
You must go visit. The blog is named after her grandmother and there is always something delicious cooking. Too bad we don't have smell-a-blog! Then again, it's a good thing we don't. I'd gain five pounds with every visit! 

I am reading...
I've just started THOSE ANGRY DAYS by Lynne Olson: Roosevelt, Lindberg, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941. I read Bill Bryson's One Summer: America, 1927 and decided I wanted to learn more about Charles Lindberg. I found The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin, a lovely historical novel that gave me more of an insight into Anne Lindberg. I heard Lynne Olson on NPR and decided I needed to read THOSE ANGRY DAYS. Isn't it fun how one book can lead to another. 

I looked forward to...
 The Westminster Dog Show.
I watch every year. I do love the dogs. I have three cats now, but when I was growing up we had dogs. The first dog I remember was named Brownie -- yep, a little brown dog. I was about 4 years old and I thought Brownie was huge -- she could stand on her hind legs and put her front feet on my shoulders. She wasn't huge, I was small. She also had a litter of puppies in my sandbox! I loved that the mutts appeared at the Westminster this year in the agility championships. 

A peek into my day...
The first camellia of 2014.

Thank you, Nancy!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

I finished one postcard swap and can now show you the cards.

This is the one I sent:

and this is the postcard I received in return:

Isn't it fun?!!

I love the little feet.

It makes me smile.

Thank you, Deb!

You can meet Deb at Learning To Just Breathe.

**

Talking about postcards:

It's February and time for Valentine postcards.

A reproduction vintage Victorian Valentine postcard.

No artist or publishing date was given.

Cupid is in attendance with his box of hearts.

Take care, Cupid!

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

I watched the first half of the Super Bowl and then switched to Downton Abbey.

In case you were wondering if the kitties and I had a favorite team

 -- this should answer that question.

My BSD (beautiful step daughter), her knight in shining armor and my amazing grandson live in the Seattle area. 

But I've been a Seahawks fan for a long time. 

I love the colors and the mascot! 

****

Not everything is baseball or football around here.

I attended part of the women's tennis match at Rice and came home with a new T-shirt.

A girl can never have too many Rice University T-shirts.

This one says Rice - Women's Tennis. 

The match was between the Rice Owls and the Stanford Cardinal.

Stanford is ranked #1 and the Owls #22.

Stanford won, but it was fun to watch the Owls give the Cardinal a good match.

*****

Still cold and damp and cloudy here.

A little sleet yesterday morning. 

I'm still doing some odds and ends around the house.

I was in bed, looking at the ceiling and the smoke detector and thought

"Yikes -- something else to do -- change out the batteries in the smoke detector!"

Do you do that, too -- have your best thoughts and ideas when you are almost asleep?!

It's always fun to visit with Nancy and the Random 5 bunch.

Thanks, Nancy!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

First things first.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Welcome to the Year of the Horse.

I made several of these for a postcard swap.

**

I've spent most of the icy days catching up on the television shows I've missed.

I'm now caught up with CASTLE.

***

Speaking of icy - how about another Snowman?!

This little angel may be as tired of winter as the rest of us are.

I think she's helping them melt!

No artist listed but there was a suggested 1939 publishing date.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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Do you have a favorite flower?

I love roses and daisies are such a happy flower.

But there is something about the iris.

It calls to me.

What is it about irises

in the garden

whether blue flag or yellow,

deep purple, white with red

why do they catch the attention, the imagination

more than lesser blooms?

A certain allure

that Georgia O'Keefe didn't taint

a beauty that draws you in to ponder and marvel on

a delicacy that is real

but a perennial that wears well

the seasons in New England too

bitter cold and short summers

whether in bog or flower bed.

~Raymond A Foss

*****

It's time for "Spring" baseball practice.

Even the umpires have to get their practice before the season starts.

The Owls will start the season in California against the Stanford Cardinal.

Go OWLS!

Thanks, Nancy!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

It's been busy and noisy around here.
The kitties have been hiding on the bed under the covers or under my feet.

I have a new roof -- just in time for the winter storm warnings.

New covers for the outdoor faucets.

A new toilet (the old one was leaning).

Some other minor *stuff* that was bugging me. 

I thought as long as the guys were here -- I'd put them to work.

**

Talking about winter storms -- how about another snowman?!

Reproduction vintage postcard - no artist or date listed.

He seems so happy -- his feathered and furry friends too.

I love his sandals! 

(Sandals and gloves sounds like the Gulf Coast.)

Too bad all our winter storms aren't this happy.

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

***

My Christmas decorations are finally put away.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

While it is cold and miserable outside, I think I'll hook some hearts!

One large hot pad heart and a smaller one in the works.

Cotton yarn, doubled...hard on the fingers, but a quick project.

I'm using stash yarn - Sugar 'N Cream - hot pink and white.

The pattern is from a Leisure Arts leaflet 2741.

Houston is all iced in.

There are still folks who are trying to drive on the icy freeways.

Not me! 

I'm happy to stay at home with the kitties, hot tea, a good book or two, with plenty of yarn.

Thank you to Nancy for hosting Random Five Friday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Potpourri

It's Friday.

Another week has flown by.

My Christmas trees are still up, but the outdoor decorations are put away.

I spent a lot of time making sure outdoor pipes were ready for our hard freeze.

**

Now that the temps are on the rise, the rain is here and a drip has arrived, too.
This one is in the fireplace.
I have a call in to the roofer.

***
I LOVE mail-call.

Information for the Liberate Your Art Swap for 2014 is up.
I participated last year and I'm going to do so again this year.
Last year I handmade my postcards.
They were all different images.
In theory we should hear from those who receive our cards.
I only heard from two.
So, this year I made my postcards at Moo -- they did a wonderful job.
And, only one image.
I'm ready to go as soon as the postcard rates change and the stamps are available.

****

Another reproduction vintage postcard featuring a snowman.
I'm getting the idea that the postcard theme for the month is Snowmen! 

The artist is unknown as is the publishing date.

I really like this one.

You think the little girl and the birds are looking forward to spring?

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

*****

For all you purple lovers.

Did you know the Pantone color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid?

Thanks to Nancy for hosting.

Wishing you well and much joy!

Potpourri

Happy New Year!

I'm still trying to figure out where 2013 went.

Yes, my Christmas tree(s) is still up and will be until at least January 6.


It's so nice to have Nancy back with Random Five.

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One of the things I look forward to over the holidays is lunch.

Lunch, you ask?!!

Yep, I have lunch with my friends --
 folks that this year I will make an effort to see more often.

(Resolution Number One and maybe my only one.)

One never knows what will happen at lunch.

It can become an adventure.

Like firetrucks and ambulances and driving down and around streets

 I had never heard of to get out of the traffic jam.

Pulling into someone's driveway to call my pal
 and say "Guess what -- the restaurant is closed".

We did get our lunch.

***

This was the year that I rediscovered watercolor.
What fun!
Here are a couple of my favorites.

This is Hastings. I made him up. Perhaps I'm looking for him in the real world!

This doesn't have a title. I did frame it for myself.

****

Last year, after discovering a box of crafty goodies that were my Mother's,

I said I was going to "get these things made instead of buying new projects".

The box is still on my list of things to do and I bought new projects.

I'm not good at resolutions.

I read something in an AARP email that made a lot of sense to me.

Rather than resolving to change myself, 

why not embrace myself.

Embrace my age, love my shape, my looks, everything about the way I am now.

The essence of positive aging.

And yes, I'll try to live healthier.

Perhaps I now have a word for the year: Embrace! 

*****

To all my friends who are living with snow and ice (UGH),

here's a vintage reproduction postcard for you.

The original artist is unknown, 

but it is believed the card was published around 1912.

I'd like to believe these young fellows are wishing us a happy start to the young new year.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wishing you well and much joy!

Potpourri

It is warming up around here -- high 70's.

I did learn something during our last cold snap:

When your car tells you it is cold (low outside temperature),

it really is cold.

**

Speaking of frosty air, here is
another reproduction vintage postcard.
The artist was Margaret Evans Price and it was published around 1922.

"I part my casement curtains

And place my candle there

To flash a Christmas Message

Across the frosty air."

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

One of my photos was featured at Focusing On Life.

I've been smiling all week.

How cool is that?!!!

****

On my last visit to the Farmer's Market I came home with

beets, turnips and strawberries.

I can't bring anything home without the kitties checking it out.

In addition, I brought home this lovely bowl.

(No, Mina -- it isn't your new food bowl.)

I got an early Christmas present for myself and made a donation to a good cause.

The bowl was created by a local artist and donated to Empty Bowls Houston,

benefitting the Houston Food Bank. They raised $2,365 at the Farmer's Market.

 This will provide 7,095 meals to the hungry!

*

I've watched White Christmas three times so far.
Scrooge was on last night as was The Christmas Carol.
Looking for The Bishops Wife and then my holiday movie watching will be complete.

*

Last, but not least -- Random Five Friday is back!
YeeHaw!
Thank you, Nancy!

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy!