Dinosaurs

It finally got cool enough for Mr. Dragon and yours truly to make a quick trip to the zoo to see the dinosaurs.

"Dinosaurs?", you say?!!!

Yep. 

It was a great idea. 

Bring the dinosaurs to the zoo during the summer when folks are looking for something to do with the kids.

Hopefully, there will be a few visitors who haven't been to the zoo before,

will enjoy the dinosaurs and find out that the Houston Zoo is a great place to visit.

It was such a good idea, that the dinosaurs were held over through Halloween.

Stegosaurus

I loved the setting.

Lots of foliage, trees, flowers

for the dinosaurs to play in.

It was all well thought out.

Dimetrodon, Euoplocephalus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops

We had a great time watching the kids.

They were running and loud and then they entered the dinosaur exhibit

and suddenly, when they come on the first dinosaur ... quiet!

BIG critters and they make LOUD noise. 

At the  every end there was a cemetery.

A cemetery for just a few of the animals that once roamed the earth

on land and in the seas. 

We really don't have a very good record being stewards of the earth and its creatures.

It was a lovely, cool (mid 70's instead of low 90's) way to spend the afternoon.

Mosaic Monday is hosted by the lovely Mary.

Each mosaic is different. Each has its own story to tell.

Enjoy! 

We Said Goodbye Today

We said the final goodbye today to little Miss Riley.

She had enough.

She had the most beautiful green eyes.
In true Riley fashion, she had the last say in the matter ...she stuck her tongue out at us during her last moments!
She left us laughing, once more, at her antics!

She quit eating and taking her medication.

Our wonderful vet assured us we had gone above and beyond.

That everyone was surprised her heart had lasted this long.

With sadness we say Goodbye to the little Impress.

She and her brother Rocky are playing together once again.

I'd like to leave you with one of our favorite kitty poems.

The Singing Cat

It was a little captive cat

Upon a crowded train

His mistress takes him from his box

To ease his fretful pain.

She hold him tight upon her knee

The graceful animal

And all the people look at him

He is so beautiful.

But oh he pricks and oh he prods

And turns upon her knee

Then lifteth up his innocent voice

In plaintive melody.

He lifteth up his innocent voice

He lifteth up, he singeth

And to each human countenance

A smile of grace he bringeth.

He lifeth up his innocent paw

Upon her breast he clingeth

And everybody cries, Behold

The cat, the cat that singeth.

He lifteth up his innocent voice

He lifteth up, he singeth

And all the people warm themselves

In the love his beauty bringeth.

~Stevie Smith 

Peace

Postcard Friendship Friday

One more Halloween postcard from the New York Public Library digital collection.

Let's see what she sees in the mirror this time!

"The maiden fair had a most romantic soul,

And wished her future husband to behold.

She gazed in the mirror and one glance took-

And beheld her brother kissing the cook.

Hallow'een Greeting."

Don't forget to visit the lovely Beth, who hosts Postcard Friendship Friday.

You'll see a variety of postcards there.

Wishing you well, a JOY filled weekend, and a spooky, treat filled HALLOWEEN!

Good Morning!

Old Cheesehead-- Folk lore proposed that the moon was a chunk of swiss cheese presumably because of the craters that resembled the aged dairy food.

Tea Tuesday

I'm sitting here with my tea and Halloween decorations

listening to Mannheim Steamroller's HALLOWEEN.

I love Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller and had no idea he had a Halloween CD.

Where have I been?! What fun!

I've been thinking about Spiced Tea.

It's just about time, don't you think?

I know, it's still 90 degrees here, but sooner or later it will cool down

and spiced tea sounds good to me.

Do you have a recipe for spice tea?

I was looking for mine (with Tang ... do they still make Tang?!) and couldn't find it.

So, I googled on Spice Tea and the first recipe that came up was from the Hillbilly Housewife!

Really! Here's her recipe:

• 2 to 3 cups of sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)
• 2 packets orange kool-aid mix
• 1 or 2 packets lemon kool-aid mix (depending on your sour tooth)
• 1/2 cup instant tea
• 1 or 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Get out a large dry bowl. Measure the sugar into the bowl. Open up the kool-aid packets and add them to the sugar. Stir well with a wire whisk or a clean dry fork. Add the instant tea, cinnamon and cloves. Stir again to mix well. This makes about 4 3/4 cups of mix. Store it in a well sealed container.

To Prepare: Combine a tablespoon of Spiced Tea Mix with hot water in a cup or mug. Stir to dissolve. Serve hot.

Be sure to use the small fruit flavored soft drink (kool-aid) packets, the ones without any sugar added. I buy an off brand at 10 for a dollar. The name brand ones are about a quarter each. Regular recipes for Russian, or Spiced tea usually call for lemonade mix and Tang. I developed this recipe using the same flavors, but without the higher priced, sugar added, mixes. Use your own sugar, and save a bundle. This mix may be packaged in small plastic bags and given out as a gift at Christmas. Be sure to include instructions on how to prepare it.

Note: I prepare this recipe with 4 cups of sugar and 2 packets of lemonade mix which makes it very sweet. When I make a cup of it for myself I add a large dash of bottled lemon juice for flavor and tang. The rest of my family prefers the tea plain and sweet. I note this for reasons other lemon lovers will understand, especially if they have been subjected to over sweetened lemon concoctions as often as I. The extra dash of lemon juice gives this beverage just the right amount of “pucker”. It tastes especially good on a sore throat.

Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller HALLOWEEN

I found another recipe that looks what I remember mine to be:

Spiced Tea Mix 1 1/2 cups instant tea powder 2 cups orange flavored instant breakfast powder 1 (3-ounce) package lemonade mix 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger Combine all ingredients until well blended. Store mix in an airtight container. To make 1 cup of spiced tea: Place 2 teaspoons tea mix in a cup, add boiling water, stir and enjoy! Makes 64 servings or 3 1/2 cups mix. I'd love to know if you have a recipe for spice tea! There are so many tea parties on Tuesday and not enough time! Teacup Tuesday is hosted by Martha and Terri. There are four major tea types - black, oolong, green and white. Black tea undergoes the longest process of oxidation. Wishing you well, a JOY filled day, and a wonderful cup of tea!

Spiced Tea Mix

1 1/2 cups instant tea powder

2 cups orange flavored instant breakfast powder

1 (3-ounce) package lemonade mix

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Combine all ingredients until well blended. Store mix in an airtight container.
2. To make 1 cup of spiced tea: Place 2 teaspoons tea mix in a cup, add boiling water, stir and enjoy!

Makes 64 servings or 3 1/2 cups mix.

I'd love to know if you have a recipe for spice tea! There are so many tea parties on Tuesday and not enough time! Teacup Tuesday is hosted by Martha and Terri.

There are four major tea types - black, oolong, green and white.

Black tea undergoes the longest process of oxidation.

Wishing you well, a JOY filled day, and a wonderful cup of tea!