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!

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Some of my favorite things from the week:

- Fresh onion bagels

- New addition to the neighborhood

- Sunflowers in my favorite hand-thrown jug

- Pretty pink kalanchoe in the atrium

- Toad singing by the pond

It really is all about the Little Things.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

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Looking out my window this morning,

it is cloudy and the wind is blowing.

A cold front is on the way.

At least, what qualifies as a cold front for us! 
We might even get some much needed rain.

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This week I took a dear friend to lunch to celebrate her birthday.

We went to one of Houston's top restaurants,

Helen Greek Food and Wine.

It gives an upscale name to "hole in the wall".

Walking down the street, if you blink at the wrong time,

you will miss it! 

 

A warm, intimate setting with it's narrow brick clad rooms.

An award winning all Greek Wine selection.

Lets get to the food!
 We shared the citrus and fennel salad (their winter salad).
Fennel, orange, grapefruit, blood orange, red onions, calamata olives, feta.
Delicious!





And, the Green 'n Cheese pie.
Phyllo, four different greens and three different Greek cheeses.
 YUM!




Helen Greek Food and Wine is an easy walk from my house.
I'll be going back ... soon!
There is nothing else like it in town. 

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For me, the holiday season begins when the Houston Zoo 
has the members opening for Zoo Lights.

The weather was perfect.
The kettle korn and gingerbread cookies were pretty wonderful, too!  

 

A brief look at the magic forest.

Wishing You well and much joy!



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This and That

Outside my window the sun is shining and it's going to be another hot day.
Fall made a very quick fly by and summer has returned.
Record heat by this weekend.

ARGHH.

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I'm still trying to fool myself into feeling cooler by knitting!

I finished one shawl in cotton.

I liked the pattern.
Over the Sea to Skye pattern and cotton from Craftsy.

It wasn't difficult.
I do have to think about what I'm doing ... no multitasking while knitting!

So I started another one in this pretty blue wool.
Asymetrical shawls seem to be the in thing. 

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I added a scarecrow to the entry way.
I found him at Michael's and could't resist bringing him home.






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With the outdoor Halloween decorating done,
I've moved inside.
A few Halloween goodies have made their way beside the fabric pumpkins.




This is a painting by Ryan Conners - Kilkennycat Art.
She has an Etsy shop.
I'm not sure my Siamese, Cassie, 
would be willing to deliver pumpkins by broom!

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Mr. Bones (I found him at Ross) has joined the sunflowers.




He makes me laugh. 

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Just in case you need some Pumpkin decor help.
Design Love Fest has some great ideas for pumpkin lanterns.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

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This and That

1. Hard to believe.
I'm already getting emails featuring Halloween!
Maybe it will make me feel cooler.
We are well into the feels like temps over 100.
Heat Advisory Time.

Pier One Email

2. Every year on Flag Day (June 14) I look for my Uncle Sam flag for the balcony
and my Uncle Sam Welcome sign for the front door.








It's also not a bad time to start looking for the patriotic decor for July 4th!

3. I love carnations.
They are a cheap flower and last such a long time.
Getting ready for red, white and blue time!

4.. The Summer Solstice is just around the corner.
You might want to celebrate by making Honey Herby Cookies.
You can find the recipe here.

Source

5. Just about the same time each year,
I look out into the garden and see the little Inca Doves.
Magic!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

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Home Sweet Home

This and That

1. I celebrated my birthday this week.

A good friend took me to Cafe Caspian to celebrate.

I had Chenjeh (chunks) of chicken breast, marinated, skewered and charbroiled, served with Albalu Polow (Cherry Rice) white basmati rice topped with flavorful sweet and sour cherries, almonds, and pistachios.

Peach iced tea.

Delicious!


2. I have more celebration lunches planned with members of my tribe, 
but it has to stop raining.
Yes, it is still raining.

3. ICAD 2016 is underway.

Fly High is my card for June 1.

Only 60 more to go! 

4. One year older means it's time for my annual with my Doc.

All the tests are done.

Meeting with him in two weeks.

The trials and tribulations of getting older!

5. I need to visit the farmers market this weekend.
I need more peaches!
I feel so bad for the farmers.
The rains haven't been kind.
Hope it isn't raining Saturday morning.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!



Willy Nilly Friday

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This and That

1. Last Saturday the Houston Zoo opened early for its annual family Spring fling.
It's always more fun if you go with little kids. 
Face painting, slides, jump ropes, hula hoops, a DJ and zoo animals.

2. Then there are the animal ambassadors.
This is Winston and he is a Juliana Pig.
He's a big favorite with the kids and adults.

 The Dingos have only been at the Houston Zoo for about 8 months.
The wild dog of Australia.
Did you know the Dingo is a separate taxonomy from the dog?







This is Charlie the Chuckwalla.
The Chuckwalla is one of the largest of the  native American reptiles. 
Charlie is very handsome!

3. Because it was so early, before the zoo opened to the public,
we had the African Forest and the gorillas to ourselves.

The bachelor group was outside and entertaining us.
They can sure move fast!






4. This is a pretty time of year at the zoo.
Before it gets too hot and humid and the flowers are blooming.

5. I finished crocheting a baby blanket.
It's one of my favorite patterns - quick, easy- and looks fancy!
You can find the free pattern here.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

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I'm Feeling a Bit Moldy

1. Im feeling a bit moldy after rain all week. 

April showers bring May flowers. 

In my case, April showers bring more May showers. 

Lots of tropical downpours meaning I'm taking water OUT of the pond. 

I don't want the water going over and the fish going over, too. 

2. I just finished Journey to Munich: A Maisie Dobb's Novel by Jacqueline Winspear. 

I've read each and every one of the Maisie novels. 

I'm happy to report that Maisie is back. 

She is dealing with the deaths of her husband and child. 

In Journey to Munich Maisie is sent undercover to Berlin to bring back a British citizen who has been imprisoned in Dachau. 

3. The regular home season for the Rice University baseball season is over. 

I'm going to miss my little buddy Sofie. 

Sofie is six months old and is in training to be a service dog. 

Her people are parents of a Rice baseball player . 

Sofie is a great baseball fan and I'm going to miss her (and her people).

4. I finished another knitted shawl. 

I'm calling it a shawl/scarf as it is smaller in size than the shawl I finished earlier.

 The pattern is free and can be found here. 

5. I've been gathering my index cards. The 2016 version of ICAD (Index Card A Day) will start on June 1. This will be my fourth year and it is always fun. A little bit of art every day is good for everyone!  

Meow 2013 ICAD

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

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Your Dreams, Your Dreams

1. It's that time again at the Farmers Market.
Fresh Peaches
YUM

I've also been getting fresh picked strawberries.
Amazing how different they taste from the store bought berries.

I'm on the look out for tomatoes, blueberries and blackberries, too.

I also came home with Blue Heron Farms new flavored chèvre
cinnamon roll.
Just the thought makes my mouth water!

2. It's also the time for an iced chai from Starbucks. 

3. I love my morning walks.
I love listening to the birds.
The doves are always in the background cooing to each other.
This morning, I heard a something I hadn't noticed before.
It was as if the bird was saying "Your Dreams, Your Dreams".
Imagination is a great thing.

4. This weekend is the last home stand for the Rice U. Baseball team .. the Owls.
And, summer temps will be here ... hot and humid to end the regular season.

5. Empty Bowls Houston is this weekend.
A great way to support the local food bank.
The bowls make great gifts, too.

Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort by artists and craftspeople in cities and towns across the country to feed the hungry in their communities. Empty Bowls Houston is presented by Whole Food Market and implemented locally by Houston-area ceramists and artists working in various media, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and Houston Food Bank.

For a minimum $25 donation, attendees have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted bowls donated by Houston area ceramists and craft artists, then receive a simple lunch of soup donated by Whole Foods Market and freshly prepared by Houston Food Bank Community Kitchen. Pottery and woodturning demonstrations and live music will be featured.

The empty bowls serve as a reminder of all the empty bowls in our community and around the world.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

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