Camera Critters

If you love critters of all kinds, then you must visit Camera Critters.

Our hostess each Saturday for this event is the lovely Misty.

Back to the Houston Zoo and the Asante Dinner with the small cats.

You can see the male leopard really *got into* his meat treat.

His lady friend, the black leopard (not really black ... up close you could see her spots)

would have enjoyed a little treat herself, but he wouldn't give up! You could hear him growling at her when she got too close.

Interesting about this particular leopard and how his habitat was set up. Like some of the animals at the Houston Zoo, the male was adopted. He had been declawed (horrors) and his habitat was built with that in mind. Leopards love to climb and he does -- with help from the habitat designers.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Stay cool!

Joy to You!

Postcard Friendship Friday

Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted every week by the lovely Beth.
Be sure to visit to see all the wonderful postcards.

I have three more linen postcards to share with you.

One at a time! Two more weeks worth!

ELEVATOR BUILDING AT THE CARLSBAD CAVERN NATIONAL PARK, NEW MEXICO

ELEVATOR BUILDING AT CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK NEW MEXICO
In this building, the Government has provided two high speed passenger elevators between the surface and 750 foot level. Many Visitors make the caverns trip down on foot and then return to surface by the elevator.

I googled on the elevator building and things really haven't changed much over the years. From the Visitor's Center, you can choose to take an elevator directly to the "Big Room" (the easy way), or walk into the caverns, by way of the Natural Entrance (the hard way!). If you choose the Natural Entrance, you can still see the "Big Room"... but if you choose the elevator, you'll miss out on the leg-straining mile-long, 750 foot descent.

Some fun facts about the elevators:
- The elevators make the 754 foot trip in 57 seconds
- The two passenger elevators make 49,000 round trips a year, totaling 14,000 miles
- If one elevator fails, visitors can be transferred into the other elevator

Happy PFF!

Good Morning!

Teacup Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday is hosted each week by Martha and Teri.

Be sure to visit to see the other teacups on parade!!!!

I've had a love affair with hand-made for what seems like my whole life.

Mr. Dragon and I lived in New Mexico for many years.

The Land of Enchantment.

Hand-made heaven!

One of my favorite tea pot and tea cup sets was made by a potter by the name of Jenny Lind who lives (in 1977) in LaCienega, New Mexico.

It is a porcelain set with eight cups.

Please excuse the reflection, but I wanted to show you the base of the tea pot.

It is has a beautiful magnolia motif circling the base.

I don't know if Jenny is still in LaCienega.

I can only say that her tea pot makes a fine pot of tea. The tea cups are perfect for holding in the palms of your hands, feeling the texture and thinness of the cups, the heat of the tea, the ceremony of drinking tea.

Happy Tuesday!

Joy to You!

Mosaic Monday: 4th of July

Mary is the hostess for Mosaic Monday. Be sure you visit to see all the lovely blogs that participate.

All of us at Twisty Lane would like to wish all of you a very happy holiday weekend.

Our new kitty Ms. Cassie celebrated the 4th of July with a little red, white and blue sparkle!

She is a perpetual motion machine!

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Last week I had a recipe that featured *blue*. This week, here's one of my favorite recipes featuring *red*. Add the ice cream and you have the white!

I love cherries and when fresh cherries aren't available, this hits the spot and it's easy.

An old recipe, probably from my mother. The paper is yellowing, but not falling apart yet!

Cherry Crunch

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

1 can (16 1/2 ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries, drained

3/4 cup Bisquick baking mix

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup firm margarine or butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pie filling and cherries in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches; spread evenly. Mix baking mix, nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until crumbly; sprinkle over cherry mixture. Bake until brown, about 35 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. 6 to 8 servings.

Apple Crunch

Substitute 4 cups sliced pared apples (about 4 medium) for both cans of cherries. Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg with the baking mix. Increase cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.