Arbor Day

Here is another of Ashley's paintings of Houston to celebrate Arbor Day. This past Saturday 2,000 volunteers from around the city were to help plant 20,000 trees on Will Clayton Parkway. "From bare ground to forest in four hours!" What an idea! I love that Houston always thinks BIG!

You want to know what really annoys me about Houston, though? Come back tomorrow to find out!

Change of Pace

I am breaking all sorts of rules today...but I think you will enjoy it and I think it is well worth it. My friend, Ashley - The Painting Journalist, contacted me recently and has asked me to share her paintings with you. She travels all over the world painting "philanthropic issues." Recently, she came to Houston and has painted several paintings dealing with our great city! I would like to share these with you here.

The painting for today is about our air pollution. You can read about it here.

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

More Graffiti

What is the world coming to?

I Spy Our Flags

The past few days have been beautiful. I took this picture at the park yesterday. I looked up from studying and the sun shining on our National and State flags caught my eye.

Today I washed both cars and took Paisley to the park. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the rest of this week will be as nice as today. I wonder what you did today...

Gazebo Graffiti

Today, Lu and I went to the local park to study in the gazebo. I couldn't help but notice all of the grafitti on the ceiling. It's too bad the neighborhood kids can't think of anything better to do than to write on the ceiling of a gazebo...

*Sorry for not keeping up with postings the last few days. These last pics were for Thursday, Friday, and today. It has been a rough couple days...I will do my best to get back into the swing of things.*

Dobie Donuts

This morning I ran into the newest little donut shop in town for an early breakfast. Dobie Donuts just opened last week, however, the "NOW OPEN" sign didn't arrive until a few days ago so more people are trying it today than last week. In fact, they ran out of glazed donuts!

Lupe Tortilla's

My friend, Rebecca, and I went to Lupe Tortilla's for dinner on Friday night after painting at The Painted Potter. We had a nice time! I painted a coffee cup and a cross, and Becca painted a vase. We're pretty sure our pieces will closely resemble Kindergarten crafts, but we had a lot of fun!

I hope you had a fantastic Friday!

ScHoOl DaYz

I got off work early today to get to class, and right as I was about to turn down my street I got stuck behind the local elementary school bus dropping of the little kiddos. It rained pretty much the whole day...notice all the raincoats. They say tomorrow the weather should be better.

Hope you had a great day!

State of the Union

So, what does the President of the United States and the Houston Rockets have in common?

They both love Dikembe Mutombo!

Tonight, President Bush delivered the State of the Union Address. I got out of class early so I got to see the last 45 minutes of it...and I was stunned to see one of my favorite Houston Rockets players not only in attendance but also being recognized for greatness. Mutombo has helped fund and build a $27 Million hospital in Kinshasa, Africa. He works as a NBA Ambassador for Africa. Tonight I'd also like to recognize Mutombo for his greatness on and off the court.

(To read more about Dikembe go here and here.)

My Creative Space

Over the holidays when the office was extremely quiet, I made this collage out of scrappings and pictures I found on the Internet. I thought it looked nice on my desk, and I had my camera.

Here you can also see my "lunch." Sometime soon I hope to show you Robeks...my smoothie place. On this particular day I remember getting a Passionfruit Cove for lunch...it is my favorite! Have any of you been to Robeks before?

Sheryl Swoopes

Yesterday the Gulf Coast Blue Chips played the Runnin' Rebels in the tournament...and one of the little boys who played for the Runnin' Rebels is Sheryl Swoopes' son. Here in the white hoodie is Sheryl Swoopes getting ready for her son's game.

Mini Basketball Players

We went to see our cousin play basketball at a tournament in Katy Saturday afternoon. Britt, our cousin, plays for the Gulf Coast Blue Chips, which are ranked 3rd in Texas. Also, because they won their tournament this weekend they are now ranked in the nation. Way to go, guys!

The picture above is not of the Gulf Coast Blue Chips...but of some other team...with a mini basketball player. He was so cute...and such an awesome player...I couldn't help but to take his picture.

The Prestige

Since I have selfishly and unexpectedly taken the weekend off, I have decided to post 3 pictures today hopefully for your enjoyment.

Friday night at UHCL the Film & History Club showed The Prestige and had a magician perform live onstage. They also had a little reception with cheese and coffee. It was such a great evening...Here is the reception.

Praying for a Great Semester

I have officially finished the first week of school for the Spring 2007 Semester! What a week it has been...I'm exhausted. Between Martin Luther King Day and the Ice Day we had yesterday it has been eventful. I actually took this picture on campus last semester and I really like it for some odd reason. This lady was talking on her cell phone and then all of a sudden bent down on her knees in front of this marble sculpture. It looks like she is praying...but I think she is reading the plaque with the title on it. Either way I know I'm praying for a great semester!

Paddleboat Birdhouse

It seems like I have shown you this before, but I just love this little birdhouse. It is in the shape of a paddleboat. I also like the way the red plants and the red in the birdhouse compliment each other.

It's Freezing!

We have had such peculiar weather the last few days! Sunday I was wearing capris and a t-shirt and the last two days we have been wearing layers upon layers of clothing. If you don't know about Houston weather, there is a perfect saying to describe it, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change."

For the last couple of days local weathermen have forecasted snow/sleet/freezing rain/very, very cold. Yesterday, many school districts cancelled school for today. People have been shopping for batteries and bottled water, and the idea that we might lose power has been mentioned more than once. Well, we woke up this morning and the two fronts we were worried about totally missed us. Tonight, however, it is pretty chilly outside...even the cars think so..."Ice Possible Drive With Care."

Dinner

Here was our dinner table the other night. We went and had Italian.

Chevron Houston Marathon

Good morning, everyone! Right now, as we speak, more than 20,000 runners are running the streets of Houston. Today is the 35th Annual Chevron Houston Marathon. I took this picture from my tv about 10 minutes ago. As you can see they were on Mile 2, however, I just checked and the men have crossed the 5 mile mark and the first woman has passed the 3 mile mark in the marathon. There are atleast 5 countries represented today: Canada, France, Germany, UK, and US.

Enjoy your day!

Deno's

Recently Lu and I went and had Greek food at Deno's for dinner. I just love Deno's! I got a Greek Salad and a cup of Ya Ya Chicken Soup. Yum! We got Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) for an appetizer and Lu got a Chicken Gyro. It was so good! I just had to show you the best Greek food in town!

Happy Friday...For MOST Of Us

I looked out my office window today to see this poor man get pulled over by a police officer. Here you see the police officer actually writing the ticket. I felt so bad for this guy...especially because it is a Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!

"Bright" Lights

You can find these "bright" lights at Pho 21.

Lovely Day for a Walk

As I was sitting in traffic yesterday, I couldn't help but notice a couple holding hands walking their dog. It was so sweet. They are actually walking on an overpass on the Southwest Freeway. Yesterday and today were so beautiful...I really am enjoying this nice weather!

(I'm glad we are halfway through the week!)

"Workin' at the Carwash..."

Today was such a beautiful day! I decided to wash my car at lunch, because it really needed it. Here is a picture I took from inside the car as it is getting nice and shiny!

Happy Tuesday!

Inside Pho 21

Inside Pho 21 you can watch a movie...or breaking news...or the Rockets. The owner really likes basketball!

Alright the Rockets are playing...I'm going to cheer them on...here you can too. I hope you had a great day!

The Best Little Noodle House in Houston!

This Pho 21 restaurant I think is the best little noodle house in Houston! I have eaten here so many times I've lost count. This Pho 21 is located on Bay Area Blvd. close to UHCL. If you're in the mood for Pho, this is definitely worth a visit.

Go here to read more about Pho.
Have a great Sunday!

We Haven't Forgotten...

Back in October we posted a picture of the Library next to The Black Labrador, and Kostas asked for an interior shot. We just went to The Black Labrador for dinner recently so I got the best shot I could. I believe it was closed for the Holidays...so this is the interior of the library from the window. This is a sorry excuse for a picture...I know and I do apologize.

I wonder what your Library looks like? Enjoy your Saturday!

Dixie's 2

Here is a little bit more from Dixie's Diner. I just love the sparkly red booths!
Happy Friday, everybody!

Dixie's

There have been a few Dixie's Diners showing up around town lately. I've only eaten here once, but I had to meet someone here recently so Lu and I got some food to go. (They have the good old timey stuff...shakes, malts, BLTs, Chili Cheese Fries, homemade burgers, etc.) While we were sitting and waiting for our food, I couldn't help but take a few pictures. This one of the classic checkered floor and the welcome mat turned out to be my favorite.

See you tomorrow!

Rainy and Gross

I took this picture of the Southwest Freeway from my office window on Friday. It was foggy and drizzly. David Paul says it will be like this again today...

Megan, Me & Me-Ma

On Sunday afternoon, we went and visited Me-Ma. We had such a great time with her! We ate ice cream and visited and laughed.

Let me tell you a little about our Me-Ma. First of all, she is the perfect grandmother! She was a music teacher in Fort Worth for several years and then finished her teaching career with 8th grade Reading/English. She taught for a total of 38 years and loved every minute of it. Megan and I were thinking about a story she had told us about one of her students a long time ago. There was this boy in her 8th grade reading class who couldn't read for anything, but he loved to draw. She struggled to teach him, but she couldn't hold the class back because he was so far behind. Instead she would tell him to go draw the inside of his locker and she graded him on his drawing. Whether it was the right thing to do or not, we respect her and appreciate her sensitivity for all of her students. She was such a great teacher!

Before that, Me-Ma and Pe-Pa (our grandpa) were magicians when they were younger. Me-Ma has been sawed in half, she has been crammed into boxes, and she has even disappeared. They also owned a pet shop before Mom was born. Me-Ma has led a really cool life.

For the last four or five years, however, she has been battling Alzheimer's. It is a blessing though that she still recognizes and knows us. Everyone at her place loves her, and she still is as bubbly and fun as she ever was. Her roommate is kindof funny, but she used to be a shoe model when she was younger so I like her!

Anyway, we had a great time with Me-Ma this weekend.
Hope you had a great Tuesday!

What a Year!

Today is January 1st...I just can't believe it! It has been an amazing year. I hope you have a had a great year as well. I definitely look forward to what 2007 has to offer!

In case you don't know, the 1st of every month is Theme Day for the Daily Photo Family. The theme for today is, "My Best Photograph From Last Year." This is definitely one of my favorites. I just love sunsets, and this one left me speechless. It only lasted for a few seconds, and I'm glad I had my camera with me that day.

This month, 52 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st January theme. Please use the links below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

Porto (Portugal) -Albuquerque, NM (USA) -St. Paul, (USA) Kate -Greenville,SC (USA) -Stayton, OR (USA) -Szentes (Hungary) -Hyde (UK) -London (UK) -Dubai (UAE) -Buenos Aires (Argentina) -Shanghai (China) -Nelson (New Zealand) -Twin Cities, MN (USA) -Joplin MO (USA) -Stavanger (Norway) -Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) -Not Strictly Seattle, WA (USA) -Jakarta (Indonesia) -Auckland (New Zealand) -Sharon, CT (USA) -Evry (France) -(Aust) John -Newcastle upon Tyne (England) -Paris (France) -Bandung (Indonesia) -Brussels (Belgium) -Minneapolis MN (USA) -Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) -Seattle, WA (USA) -Budapest (Hungary) -Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) -Tenerife (Spain) -Santa Clara, CA (USA) -Houston, TX (USA) -Sydney by Nathalie (Aust) -San Diego, CA (USA) -Vancouver, BC (Canada) -Singapore by KeropokMan (Singapore) -East Lansing, MI (USA) -Sydney by Sally (Australia) -Tucson, AZ (USA) -Nottingham (UK) -Sequim, by Norma -Hong Kong -Vantaa, Finland -Kyoto (Japan) -Tokyo (Japan) -Chattanooga -Santiago (Chile) -erlin (Germany) -Trondheim (Norway) -Delta, CO (USA) -