§ SNOW in South Texas!

rainfall the day before

It all started with near flooding rains...then, Yes! A little after midnight on Friday Morning [December 8, 2017] the white stuff began falling from the sky just as the weatherman predicted! It was wet and heavy. But after a few days of mild temps prior to the storm, the ground was still warm enough for the snow to not stick around at the beginning....but it soon dropped to near freezing and the snow began to accumulate. In all total most parts of the area - from the coast to several miles inland, it was tallied anywhere from 3 to 4 1/2 inches!!! The streets were okay, but I made sure before I went out driving that it was ABOVE FREEZING to get some photos of this historic event.

The last time it snowed in Corpus Christi was the year 2004.

the bougainvillea  and lantana covered in snowfall - the patio


back yard pelican statue and yellow snow capped hibiscus


this is our home...

I was up out of bed, dressed in my layers of clothing, at 1 a.m.....traipsing outdoors taking photos with my cell phone!!  For most of the early morning hours, it continued to snow.  I left around 8 in the morning to drive to the nearest city park to take more photos...

I admit it was pretty....growing up in Colorado where the snow stayed on the ground from September to April in the foothills of the Rockies, I was enjoying it all.  Then, by the time I reached home again from the photo shoot...I had enough.  I wanted the sun to come out and warm up again!!!  By 4 in the afternoon, it was clearing out, most of it melted away.  I can wait another 13 years for more...not all that excited about it any more.

I TOOK DOZENS OF HISTORIC PHOTOS and made a special blog for them.  If you'd like to see more of the neighborhood at 1 a.m. and again later, click here.  If you'd like to see the snow on the pond in the park....click here.

NOTE:  the two blog posts linked above are heavy with photos!!!

§ 'Twas a Cold Week in South Texas

The past week, not much sunshine and very frigid temperatures. One morning the chill factor was 38 degrees. At times the air was so damp, it became uncomfortable. I stayed home a lot and read a book...


Another Glenn Beck book I finished! The Snow Angel.

Irene, my daughter is the house manager for abused women/children, and this book [tho fiction] gave me a better incite of other people's lives, and a bit of background on what Irene faces daily in her job. The book's theme is about a very dysfunctional family life at best. The main two characters are Rachel [the abused daughter of an alcoholic mother], and Mitch, her father suffering from Alzheimer's. Rachel went from her youth and abusive mother into a marriage with an abusive husband. Her daughter, her childhood next door neighbors, and a pastor's wife are 'sub-characters' that play pivotal parts in the story. It was like sitting at the table over a hot chocolate, late at night, with story telling/confessing and revelations. Poignant, sad, cute, funny [Rachel's young daughter is strong willed and wise for her pre-teen age], tearful and cheerful. I found myself laughing, near tears, and hoping for the best outcome, and could empathize with Rachel and her fear of what lies ahead.  The 'what if'.. The title of the book is another aspect that is so very vital to the story!! The memories of youth, the times of family quarreling, all mingle to a life story that could be anyone's!   The ending was just okay; in my estimation the author left us a bit short by concluding too quickly. 

- - -

Pollywog Ponds on a Wintry Day

...Some days I bundled  up in layers, and went walking... in the woods just outside the city limits one day...at Pollywog Ponds.  Another day I walked the bluff area at Bazemore Park where I spotted a beautiful mama white tailed deer and her yearling.  I took photos of them and will share those in my next post.  Of course I drove to the islands another morning. While on the islands, it was too cold for much bird activity. Not even a trace of a mockingbird in the open fields of Charlie's Pasture Salt Flats! [And they're everywhere most times, year 'round!]  Still, on the island I stopped at Leonabelle's Refuge and saw a beautiful Cooper's Hawk in the tree.  You can see by the drab gray sky and blowing feathers the weather pattern...cold, dreary and windy!  Just minutes later, while walking around Paradise Pond, I spotted another Cooper's Hawk that was trying to hide from me and as soon as the camera came up to focus on it, it flew deep into the tree canopy...



_ _ _


...and with the colder temps, in the woods, we finally have some color change on some of the trees, but still a nice mixture among the always green foliage...






_ _ _


...tho we have no snow on the ground [by the way Corpus Christi did have snowfall on Christmas Eve 2004 see this snow covered palm tree on the beach], it still looks a lot like Christmas here and there in a few corners of our home.  As of this posting date, only 13 more days 'til Santa arrives...

§ Let It Snow? Nah!!!

HOLIDAY DIY PROJECTS

Some of these are really kinda cool!! 60 Christmas DIY ideas Most of them look really simple and easy to make. Most are from scraps found around the house - or can be made inexpensively from shopping at the Dollar Store!! I liked several of the items and ideas, but the one that I would like to do someday is the rubber ball and tin bucket decoration as seen in the site's photo on the very top [see the image with the yellow, orange, green and red ball ornaments]!! The possibilities for that particular craft could be endless. I also liked the snowmen made from scrap beveled wood pieces. Great find!!

- - -

LET IT SNOW - ELSEWHERE

After my early morning walk in the cold air with overcast sky, before the rain came that was a threat all along the pathways.   I scouted out an area and spotted a couple of 'newly arrived' winter bird families near the North Bay.  Arriving back home, waiting for a load of laundry to get done in the dryer, I began sketching. I had talked with my sister on the phone and she told me it was 17 degrees where she lived and that that cold front had left a skiff of snow. Which, made me think of building a snowman.  By then, it was pouring rain here, the wind was gusting, and the chill factor was downright COLD!!  In South Texas where the grass is green and the mowing continues almost year 'round, this is as close as I could get to creating a carrot-nosed yard adornment..

I began with the outlining - then using my # 5 sketch pencil, I started shading in...

...after three more loads of laundry and that job done, I also completed my snowman! The afternoon sky cleared and the sun came out. No more wintry weather here. For now. In a couple of days, the predicted high temps will be back in the mid-70s. Just like I like it!!

- - -

HUMOROUS and SCARY at the SAME TIME

Erik sent me this video link that scared the heck outta me! Yet, I really had to laugh!! We Americans actually HAVE these kind of thinkers representing us?!! Oh my lord!! He's been serving [a state representative] since 2007 from the state of Georgia.  And he remains in office; that's the scary part.   With a statement like in the video - in so many words, he thinks with the over-population of the island of Guam it will eventually make the island capsize?!!!!  Unreal.  Listen to the video...it'll boggle your mind.

Then, a few days later, Erik sends me this  -  I had to laugh even harder!!! I don't have any clue as to where this image was found, but it's not mine and I take no credit; no copyright infringement intended.  Perhaps it'll make you giggle ...or cry!!.

Guam - Capsizing...LOL

- - -


AM I THE ONLY ONE?

Most times I like buying from the local stores, but sometimes I DO go online and order. I bought a new Christmas Shirt [it's wet right now 'cause it's been hand washed from the shipment processing and handling, so no photo]. Anyway, I'm wondering, am I the only one that does this first when it's in my possession? I tend to itch like crazy on the back of the neck if the manufacturing tag/label remains! Yep, first thing I do is get a needle and a pair of scissors and I'll take as long as it takes to break the thread and slowly cut the thread and pull...getting the tag completely OFF!! The Old Navy t-shirts and Fruit of the Loom had an ingenious idea to STAMP the info on the back of the shirts. YES!! No scratchy-itchy all day long. Every company should follow suit. In the meantime, I pull and cut, pull and cut!!

- - -


MY PRETTY KITTY
age in human years: 19 years

§ The Week that Was...

Summer quickly approaches, and that means SWEAT, right? One Kentucky business is starting a new policy: No sweaty money accepted. "Some of them [customers] like to bring me some soggy money," Cindy C said. "They dig deep into their not so-called pockets to bring me some nasty money that we don't want to accept anymore." Management recently placed a sign on the door that says cashiers will no longer be accepting Boob or sock money. ...."from now on the ones who don't [get money from a purse or wallet] will be turned away".

Anni says:

I don't think this 'seasonal' way of paying for items has anything to do with the unacceptable moneys...Seems to me this little town wants to abolish prostitution and their johns without pointing fingers!! No sweat. Legalize the street walkers, tax 'em like any other working citizen, and voilá...the ladies and johns will proudly carry a satchel...even tho it's still "boob money"!

article online


By the way, this was done all for the humor of it all...my futile attempt at being a stand-up comedian....didn't work well, I guess.


- - -



With Easter being so early this year, my lilies bloomed 'late' in the season. I couldn't resist cutting the blossoms and bringing them indoors.

My favorite 'character droid' in the most recent Star Wars saga is BB8. It reminds me of a soccer ball, but oh so cute. And what a personality! Truly, it lights up my day; but I don't use the alarm. Remember, I'm retired. No need for a wake up call. When I saw this at the store, looking for a BB8 action figure which I didn't find, I had to bring it home to add to my movie themed bedroom!

My outdoor amaryllis are blooming!!

South Texas version of 'snow fall'!!! The Mexican Olive blossoms falling everywhere. [Bud is in the background searching for any bird activity in the park]. And I photographed this area [in the 2nd photo] earlier in the year, with barren trees...now it's raining MOSQUITOES in there!!  The city parks and rec have made a canopy/archway on this particular area's pathway.

"My Yoga Classes are Paying Off"!!!
[female golden fronted woodpecker - male black necked stilt]

Walking around Packery Channel Park and I saw this retaining fencing behind the triplet Palm Trees...and in the center, a little bird bath statue.

And lastly, Tule Lake is a spot I rarely frequent 'cause it's by all the oil refineries. But I stopped the other day on the way back home from Polywog Ponds and tho not much bird activity the refineries were operating full 'blast'.  I pushed the recorder button and....it's all High in the SKYwatch...
A couple of still photos here



and if you'd like to view a short video of the exhaust along with the sounds of the area, watch HERE

§ Ruby Reds & Contrasts

Ruby Tuesday this week is something I've been wanting to 'show off' for some time. I've mentioned before in a previous post several days ago that I found the most adorable soft sculpture snowlady and couldn't resist bringing her home with me. I believe it was either Marshall's or T J Max where I found her. She stands about 10 inches and is free standing. The body is white of course, and she's draped in a woolen red 'floor length' coat. Black mittens. Black pom pom buttons, a tie down hat of the same red wool and a black, rhinestone adorned, velvet, bow, and red/black feather boa scarf. Along with all this, her matching purse is of a snowman face - all identical to her outfit only with a man's top hat on its head....





...then, for Tina's Picstory, her challenge this week is 'contrasts'. For me, contrasts can be a whole slew of things of oppositional values such as smooth/rough - dark/light -the color wheel contrasting colors such as red/green - black and white etc. etc. etc. And it being the holiday season, here are some little whimsical items sittin' 'round our home this time of year [with mouseover captions].

next week´s topic is *relaxation*!