Monday Mull

Mull: verb. Mull over, ponder, pore over, consider, reflect on, deliberate, think about for a while, give thought to, study, meditate, weigh, ruminate.

Here are my Monday Mullings for July 27, 2009.

First, I’d like to thank David McMahon for shouting out my last Tuesday’s MY World post as one of his POTD (post of the day). That was a wonderful surprise. Welcome to those of you visiting from David’s blog. Thanks again, David. What a nice thing to do!

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From Versus.com

Mr. Dragon and I are wondering what we will watch on television now that the Tour de France is over. I guess it’s back to the news, weather and baseball. We’ve been watching the Tour for about ten years now and think, finally, we are really getting all the ins and outs of bicycle road racing. It is very much a team sport and teams from all over the world compete. The Tour de France is 3 weeks long -- 21 days on a bicycle over roads, cobble stone streets and mountain passes, through fields of sunflowers and mown hay. In fact, one reason we watch the tour is to see the countryside, the Pyrenees and the Alps. This year the tour started in Monaco, traveled through Spain, Italy, Switzerland and France to finish on the Champ Elysees. There is an individual winner, a sprint winner, a king of the hill, the best young rider (under 25) and a team winner. There is a team time trial and two individual time trials. A little something for everyone. I think I’ll take the list we made this year of places to see and add it to the 9 other lists we’ve made of places to visit. It doesn’t hurt to dream.

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From Space Weather.com

I mentioned the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing last Monday. Seems I just can’t get away from astronomy in one form or another! Last week it was the solar eclipse and the discovery by many amateur astronomy lovers that something hit Jupiter leaving a very large spot. Several days after the Jupiter discovery was made, many of the television channels had it on the news. Sorry guys, you are a few days late. We already knew thanks to Space Weather!

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It is still hot (so what's new). We did get some rain last week, but could use more. Drought conditions are no fun. It’s bad for my farmers market. My favorite egg guy says the girls don’t like this weather and we have to get on a waiting list for eggs.

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The pigs are on their way to California and I miss them! I started a Christmas project. Now, I don’t know about you, but the idea of starting something for Christmas is a little frightening. Time is passing too quickly. At any rate, I like making a few things that I can use for hostess gifts or little surprises for the holidays. Mr. Dragon says this looks very festive and it does, but I don’t like the yarn. The silver metallic thread running through the yarn has a mind of its own and the thread itself is a little thin. Live and learn. I have another round to put on and then it is finished. I have enough yarn to make two. The first one I make is always for me. It has all the mistakes, the trial and error phase.

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We aren’t movie goers. Thought I could talk Mr. Dragon into seeing Star Trek, but we never went. I’ve seen some of the trailers for Julie and Julia. I went over to the Sony site, and after watching what they had there have decided I must see this movie. Meryl Streep as Julia Child is something I don’t want to miss! I read the Julie book that was based on her blog. Speaking of blogs, the sony site is posting a foodie blog a day. I figure I owe you a few blogs of the week so here are some of the blogs they’ve mentioned:

• Whisk: A Food Blog
• Best Food Blog Ever
• Simply Recipes
• Cooking With Amy
• One For The Table
• The Scent of Water
• Dine and Dish
• Mia Cucina Su Cucina
• Elle's New England Kitchen
• Coconut 'N Lime
• Food Blogger

These are just a few, but enough to get you started!

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There is nothing on the calendar for the week. Good thing, Mr. Dragon has a cold.

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I’ll leave you with this picture thought. I thought it fit well with the food theme!

I am thankful for another day on beautiful Mother Earth.

Joy to You!

Today's Flowers

Go visit Today's Flowers to visit a virtual flower garden from around the world.

Written information on this post is from Gardens Ablaze.

Pictures were taken in our backyard - Musashi's Garden.

All our zinnias were planted by seed and in pots.

I remember my grandmother seeding zinnias and how lovely they were.
I'm so glad this old-fashioned flower is back in style!

If you didn't grow any Zinnias this year, put them on the top of the spring wish list for next year, and you will thank yourself over and over all season. This is a plant that is started incredibly easily from seed, flowers very quickly, has a wide range of flower types and colors, withstands full sun and heat, makes an excellent cut flower, attracts bees and butterflies, and can make the difference between so-so garden bed and a spectacular garden showcase. Whether a beginner or a seasoned gardener, there is a Zinnia out there for every taste, budget, and style. Creating a Zinnia garden is the perfect way to teach children about gardening, and they will delight in the big, bright, bold colors.



Zinnias are another member of the large Aster family of plants and originate in Mexico and the Southwest United States. They come in a form suitable for every garden situation, including single, double, cactus, dahlia, ruffles, and pompon. Colors include every shade except blue, and many are multicolored. Most are prolific bloomers that add beautiful color to the landscape, and many have growth habits that make wonderful additions to container plantings. The uses for Zinnias in the home garden are almost endless. Use them as border plants, fillers for bare spots in perennial gardens, or massed in a garden all their own.



Zinnias are quite easy to start from seed, grow quickly, and adapt well to many gardening situations. Seed can be started indoors and seedlings can be transplanted easily outside for earlier bloom, or the seeds can be started in the garden after the last frost date when the soil has warmed. Germination is not as good in cold soil.




In a Habitat type situation, Zinnias are veritable beneficial insect magnets, and they will thrive in less-than-perfect soil conditions as long as their minimum sun (at least 6 hours a day) and water requirements are met (though they do come from the hotter zones, they do still need an adequate water supply).




Zinnias are not a poisonous plant and are safe for gardens frequented by children and pets. However, they are not a culinary flower, and are not used as food garnishes, etc., though cut flowers do make a colorful and elegant centerpiece for the table.

Where flowers bloom, so does hope. - Lady Bird Johnson

Have a beautiful day!

Camera Critters 68

Today is a special day. It is the kitlets birthday.
Rocky and Riley are three years old.
Hard to believe that they have been with us that long.
Time flies when you are having fun!

I wanted to take new birthday photos of the siblings.
Rocky saw the camera coming and took off.
We tried and tried and caught him the kitchen waiting for a treat.
That's as good a shot as we got.
So, I decided to have some Funky Fun and Funked one of his other photos.

Here's Rocky a la Andy Warhol!

We did get a lovely shot of Miss Riley (the Impress).

Have fun today, you two!
Love,
Mom, Dad, and Theodorable

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

(You can read more about the kitlets and Teddy by clicking on their
pictures on the sidebar.)

Feast or Famine

Isn't that the way it always is? It's either Feast or Famine.
It's no rain or too much rain (at one time).
I am happy to report that, without having to do a rain dance,
we have had rain twice this week.

Each time Mrs. Dragon ...

and Mr. Dragon sat on their balcony and watched the storm.

There is nothing like a good storm
with lightning and thunder
to enliven the soul.

The rain fell

and the street filled with water
(Lake Dragon).

Today
May I Sit
And Listen To the
Sounds of Nature

The perfect journal page for a wonderful rainy Thursday!

(Affirmation inspired by Kind Over Matter)

Joy To You!

My World

Go visit the My World site to see more of our world or to participate yourself!

The museum district in Houston is on the northern edge of Hermann Park.
This is the original building of the Museum of Fine, Arts.
It opened in 1924.

This was the original entrance.
This entrance is no longer used.
If we could go in this door, we would enter the new Arts of India Gallery.

As you walk around the building to the *new* front door
you see this lovely surprise.

Looks like a horse made of driftwood.
It is actually bronze.
The artist (Butterfield) is a horse lover.

Keep walking and you'll reach the entrance to the Law Building.
(The backside of the original building that has had many additions over the years.)
The photo was taken from across the street, outside of the sculpture garden.
This is the part of the museum designed by Mies VanderRohe.

The sculptures outside the building were from the Red Hot exhibition
that featured modern art from China.

We like reflections!

The dinosaur was also part of the Red Hot exhibition.
It's cage is the same size as one of the containers you see on container ships.

Enjoy your day and I hope you visit My World for a trip around the world.