The Fair and Butterflies

We spent a lot of time walking around the Texas Discovery Gardens at the Texas State Fair this weekend.  I particularly spent more time in the butterfly house.

The only downside to the butterfly house is that I don't think many of these butterflies would naturally show up in my back yard.  They live in very tropical climates.

But they sure are pretty.

I couldn't match this one up with their photos to identify it.

Pitcher Plants

Don't have a clue what these are

Tiger Longwing

Now this one was what I spent most of my time running around trying to get it to open its wings.



Because on the inside he looked like this.  He is the Common Blue Morpho

Sarah's Longwing

Green Banded Swallowtail - he blended right in with the mossy bench he perched himself on.

I think these are pineapple lilies

Here's another Common Blue Morpho

These two went unidentified

Scenes from the Holidays

The Twelfth Day of Christmas is rapidly approaching which means the ornaments will soon be taken off the tree, carefully wrapped and packed away for another year.
 

 I'm an ornament person and I can sit and stare at them on the tree for hours

I'll miss the sparkle and the sweetness of them

I'll miss these too

 The Kitchen Witch

 the kitchen carolers

the Kindels Bakerkins.  This little fellow's name is Batter

 and the house lights.  I wouldn't mind keeping lights up all year but my neighbors would label me as the weirdo in the neighborhood (although there is a house that's had a giant Christmas gingerbread house in their front garden for over a year now).

Here are some things from the Christmas season that I enjoyed.

My Jesse Tree - Out of the stump of David's Family will grow a shoot - Isaiah 1:1

Instead of an Advent Wreath this year I had a Jesse Tree


 A Jesse Tree is similar to an Advent wreath in that you are celebrating the coming of Jesus.  For the 25 days prior to Christmas you will discover and celebrate Jesus' lineage as well as Jesus himself

There's all sorts of ways to make your Jesse Tree.  I cut down a little scrub juniper in my woods.

I put it in a small vase and set that inside a larger vase with lights around it







I decorated it with some ornaments I made when I was in Junior High School


Each day there was an ornament to add as I had my quiet time.  These beautiful ornaments came as a gift with a very special devotional book.



"The Greatest Gift" by Ann Voskamp was a beautiful book that lead me on a daily journey during the Advent season, the coming of Christ.

 

 

 

 Jim and Amy sent us this sweet wreath

 It's a Partridge Berry Wreath.  It's the prettiest little thing and I have never seen one before.  You set it in a little water and every few days spritz the leaves with cold water.  Mine has lasted since before Thanksgiving and it still looks great.

It would be perfect to set a red candle in the middle of it but I thought it looked cute all by itself on this old cake stand.


Office Christmas Decorations

Hunt Oil always does a knock-out job on decorating our building during the holiday

 

 giant toy soldiers welcome us at the door

 

 

 
the wreath on the parking garage

 the wreath in the lobby

 flower arrangements in the Commons (where we eat)

 

and these icicle balls, bursts, what ever you choose to call them are all over the building; and they are ginormous

The first week in December brought us an ice storm

looks like a pretty snow but it was solid ice

 our driveway was an ice rink

 we were iced in for four days

I loved every minute of it.

 

 

 

 

Ice Cream Cone House - Memorial Day

The "Mom" Banner has been replaced with a "Remember" banner that reads, 'All gave some ~ Some gave all'.  A weapon, like an M76 with a soldier's helmet on it was also added.

All topped off with an American flag kite.

Happy Memorial Day

When I was a youngster, the last Monday in May was always the day that hailed the beginning of summer break.  Memorial Day conjures up memories of the opening of public swimming pools, picnics, parades and going to the cemetery to put flowers and American flags on graves of the brave men and women who lost their lives fighting for our country's freedom.

That is the real meaning of Memorial Day.  It's the day we give tribute to the fallen.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die.

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.




 

The Ice Cream Cone House

There's a house in Corpus that my friend Karen and I call the Ice Cream Cone House.

This is  why...

This was the first sighting.  My guess is it's decorated for an anniversary or maybe just announcing to the world that Jessica and Clay are a hot item.  It looks as if the cone is made out of fiberglass or wood.  Who knows...

Here are other sightings with the cone decorated for different seasons and occasions.  It's very interestink (said in my best imitation of Wolfgang the German soldier from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In).  Am curious to know what their neighbors think of this.

Celebrating Halloween as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West

It's a little hard to see but there is a bunny painted in the middle for Easter and around the base of the "soft serve" are Shamrocks, for St. Patrick's Day

Cinco de Mayo.  This cracks me up




Mother's Day


Should be a new one right around the corner, possibly with a patriotic theme??