Show and Tell Friday - Chinese Pewter Teapot

Pewter Teapot from China

My husband's relatives were missionaries in China in the early 1930's. When war broke out there they were forced to leave and return home. They brought this teapot with them.

I feel fortunate that my husband inherited it.

I invision the work his relatives were doing and how they must have felt having to leave.

I wish I knew more about that period of time there

so if anyone has input, please comment.

I'm early with Show and Tell Friday

at My Romantic Home,

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

but my schedule is a little crazy these days.

The Garten Verein - Galveston, Texas

My husband and I attended a lovely wedding this past Saturday in Galveston, Texas.

The ceremony and reception were held at

the Garten Verein. What a wonderful building that

has lived on in spite of three major hurricanes, including the

1900 Galveston Hurricane which I wrote about in a previous posting. This is what the we know about it...

The flamboyant octagonal Garten Verein (Garden Club) was the center of 19th-century refined social life in Galveston. Lit at night like a fairy lantern, dancing couples would swirl within as German waitresses served beer steins and sandwiches.

Built by Galveston's prosperous German community — but open to anyone who could afford the modest membership — the whimsically designed Victorian pavilion flew the flags of all nations, and sported a bowling green, exotically landscaped park, croquet grounds, an ornate fountain, and even a genteel zoo.


Galveston businessman Stanley Kempner bought the site in 1923 and donated it to the city as a public park dedicated to his parents.


In 1998, the Kempner Fund provided a $1 million restoration grant for the fanciful pavilion.


Galveston is still struggling a bit to recover from Hurricane Ike, but they are well on their way. It may have been a stroke of luck, but the beaches and water were outstanding. We stayed at the historic Hotel Galvez and thoroughly enjoyed the it all.

                              I'm late to enter Mosaic Monday on Little Red House but here goes...

Visit this wonderful blog for some fabulous mosaics!

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

NyQuil Test

"Cough, cough"... I'm taking a break to

test the benefits of NyQuil. Yes.. I have a  cough and cold.

My sons tease me when I claim that something is

"going around"... but that's how I caught this darn cold.

It's going around!!

I'll be back in a few days.

We are headed to Galveston for a wedding soon

so I need to make a miraculous recovery.

Back to bed for me.

Three or More Tuesday - Girl Scout Camp - ca. 1959

Camp Brownwood in Texas

It was the first time I had left home on my own and

without visiting grandparents. It was a week full of fun

and meeting new friends. I am pictured in the middle.

The girls on each side of me were so much fun and I was sure we would be in touch for a lifetime.

Swimming lessons were daily and it was my least

favorite thing to do. What I did enjoy were crafts

and games.

This is where we slept. One night a possum climbed

inside and did we ever scream!

We sang the "Johnny Appleseed" song for

the blessing before each meal.

And we learned manners. No one was allowed

to have their "fairies", or elbows .. on the table.

It was so much fun to go to Girl Scout camp.

I do remember though that when my parents

came to pick me up, I was really glad to see them!

Anyone else a Girl Scout or attend summer camp?

Visit The Gypsy's Corner

for a real cool picture

and enjoy other entries in

Three or More Tuesday

http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/

Mosaic Monday - "Ma and Pa Kettle"

Growing up in a small college town made for some great childhood memories. I never realized until I was a married woman and moved several times that our lifestyle was just so downright good. I really enjoy reflecting on enjoyable times that sadly there are no pictures of to share what my sister and I were up to... especially in the summertime. Most likely the pictures though in my mind make up for this.

There was a city park not terribly far from our neighborhood. There was a bridge that went across a ravine at the park. We never knew the real name of the park, but we called it "Billy Goat's Gruff". On a summer day when all parents were at work, an older neighbor girl would organize a day at the park. We were probably nine and ten years of age. The older friend was a "mature" thirteen. She would pack a picnic lunch of sandwiches, Dixie cup ice creams, glass jars of water and paper goods. We loaded it all into a red wagon and in single-file "marched" to the park for a day of fun. There was a group of trees and if you walked within these trees you would find a small clearing. Right away we would set to work, sweeping and dividing the area into "rooms", outlining the rooms with small rocks. We were a blend of The Boxcar Children and Ma and Pa Kettle. All day long we played, taking turns being "Ma" and "Pa" or the children which we named: Archibad, Gertrude, Myrtle... and other down to earth names I cannot recall. Somehow in the game of make-believe we would act out a cute boy friend coming to ask Ma and Pa for their daugther's hand in marriage. I guess we were on the verge of finding out what romance was all about... or so we thought!
I was usually "Ma" and cooked food like porridge... whatever that was... I just knew in old books people ate porridge. I made sure that there was plenty of greens and cornbread. I also made sure that the "kids" drank all of the their milk. Funny how we picture through the eyes of a children how family life should be.
These were good times... 

I'm linking to Little Red House

for Mosaic Monday

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday - Fall/Halloween Decor

Fall - Halloween is coming!

Well, let's say I hope it is. In deep South Texas, we really do not have the Fall season as others know it.

If you haven't seen Julie's pictures of the horseback ride

she and her husband took, please check out her blog.

http://circlecliffviews.blogspot.com/

Fall is beautiful where she lives!!

My Halloween decoration for my breakfast nook.

I know Halloween can be sort of a controversial event

but I do love old Halloween decorations.

That shade of orange, the grays and blacks and the off-white really does it for me.

... so Trick or Treat!!

I'm almost embarrassed for anyone to see my bald walls.

We had our walls stripped of its wallpaper and painted last November.

I STILL cannot bring myself to poke a hole in that fresh paint

for the sake of a picture. I recently bought some upholstery

needles and will attempt to use them in place of nails.

I know... it's probably a phobia or something like that.

I'm getting a jump on the week

and will link to Show & Tell Friday

at My Romantic Home!

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2009/09/announcement.html