For Your Halloween Fix....

You Must Visit:

Stolloween

(Photo from Stolloween)

Be sure to scroll down the page.
You won't believe your eyes.
Get out the papier mache!

Camera Critters

It's Saturday so it must be Camera Critters time!

It's back to the Houston Zoo and Photography morning.

These are photos of the zoo's newest Masai Giraffe,
Hasante
(Handsome).

The Houston Zoos Masai giraffe herd has grown to 7 with the addition of a bouncing baby boy. The calf was born to mom Tyra shortly after 8 a.m. on Monday, August 10. Tyra went into labor around 6 in the morning and the calf was standing and nursing by 9 a.m. Tyra always delivers big babies but this big boy stands a bit over 6 feet tall. Tyra is 11 years old. Kiva, the father is 13 years old.


While Masai giraffes are not threatened or endangered in their native habitat, there are only 88 of them in North American zoos. Giraffe breeding at the Houston Zoo follows guidelines established by the American Zoo and Aquarium Associations Population Management Plan (PMP) program. PMPs have been developed for selected groups of animals to manage breeding of captive populations in order to maintain healthy, self-sustaining populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.



Giraffes are the tallest living terrestrial animal. When full grown, this little guy will be about 17 feet tall and can weigh in at 3,000 pounds, while an average female is over 14 feet tall. Cute little fella! He posed for us for a very long time.

I've included the You Tube video of this little gentleman's birth. If you are squeamish, don't watch!

Postcard Friendship Friday

Postcard Friendship Friday is brought to us by our wonderful Postmistress, Marie.

We have friends who traveled to France this last September.
They sent us this beautiful postcard.

Notre Dame Cathedral is certainly impressive.
But it was the message on the back that got a few smiles from us.

The back reads:
"Paris is amazing -- the fresh bread, the cheese, the
... wait, who am I kidding ... the wine!
Maybe I can convince the bosses, Bentley and Mathilda,
to let Bulldog Postal have a Bordeaux Happy Hour!"
David, Lisa and Benjy

(Their business is Bulldog Postal and Bentley and Mathilda
are their bulldogs -- who welcome all the customers.)

Here's to wine and mail call!

Be sure to visit Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wordless Wednesday

My World

Be sure to visit My World to see more of our world or to participate yourself.

I love this time of year in Houston.
There's so much to do -- too much!

Last week I went to the International Quilt Festival with
my Sista and god-daughter.
We girls always have a good time together.
We were wowed by what we saw.

It was a hard decision just deciding where to start!
So much to see!

(On the Wings of A Dream by Caryl Bryer Fallert)

This quilt is called On The Wings of A Dream
and was the grand-prize winner.
Caryl Bryer Fallert from Paducah, Kentucky is the artist.
Caryl describes the quilt this way:
"After a major life event, a new life chapter begins, and
there is freedom to make new choices and try new things.
The dancer and the transparent white bird merg
together to represent this freedom. The eagle represents
the past, which must be left behind in order to move forward."
Hand dyed and painted, machine pieced, embroidered, quilted

(Beyond the Horizon by Mary Ann Hildebrand)

I promised Kim over at Calamity Kim's that I would post
this quilt called Beyond the Horizon today.
It is based on one of Kim's favorite woodcuts.
The artist of this quilt called Beyond The Horizon is
Mary Ann Hildebrand of Comfort, Texas.
Mary Ann says " This quilt was made in response to a local
art center's call for quilts based on other art forms and my
husband's challenge to do the design.
It is based on an early woodcut."

(Touque - a neat word for a hat, eh? by Victoria Gray)

There was a whole section of quilts made by Canadian artists.
This quilt by Victoria Gray from Heffley Creek, British Columbia, Canada
is called "Touque (tuk) n. a neat word for a hat, eh?"
It made me smile. Fun, isn't it?!!!
I would think a knitted hat would be indispensable in Canada!
Techniques: Hand appliqued, embroidered, braided and distressed,
painted, stuffed, trapunto, machine quilted

This is just a glimpse. There are more for another day!

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday.

Joy!