Monday, February 28, 2005

This fella seems to be displaying a bit of attitude.
More Parrot Pictures? I know...Ho Hum But when they are just across the street and the light is so good I simply can't resist. These two were taken last evening.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Every now and then I get a surprise. I thought I had posted this picture of Chet as well as sending it to some Magnolia Park folk in an email. But Low and Behold when I went to look it was among the missing. Great pic, if I do say so myself!
Butch's brother Don...yes, there is another one...sent this game and I can see that it could keep you occupied and off the streets for quite some time! http://www.ripleys.com/games/iq.html

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Smile! In Newfoundland... I think they may have to wait till Spring to go anywhere!
In Newfoundland
All the Photos taken at Bentsen-RGV State Park may be viewed at http://community.webshots.com/user/barbie1943
Yesterday the Magnolia Bikers went to the Bentsen-RGV State Park. Here are some of the bikers during a break...Bill Moritz, Bob Hendry and Lloyd Reed
Green Jays at the Bentsen-RGV State Park- You can find out all about the park at the website http://www.worldbirdingcenter.org/sites/mission/
Collared Peccary (Javelina) the only wild, native, piglike animal found in the United States.

Monday, February 21, 2005

The parrots have landed in the park the past three nights. Tonight the light was slightly better...so this is the best photo so far.
Real men enjoy crafts...and lunch!
Message from Sandi :
We just got back from our cruise. And it was great. However, we probably
prefer the Carribean for cruising. But it's all cool. We even had room
service in the middle of the night just once (only because we could). And
enjoyed our tomato & bacon sandwiches.
Thank heavens I didn't gain all the weight I've been working on while I was
there. I think I lost more before we went on the cruise...but the end
result was I lost another 1/2 pound my second month of dieting. So that is
a total of 14 pounds. Goodness knows I needed it & more. Should anyone want to
do a joint cruise then we can probably get them a discount. Let them know.
Yes, we miss your warm weather in the winter!

Sandi & Randy
Randy and Sandy Greer also went on a cruise this winter and she sent this picture taken on one of the fancy nights.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

At the South Padre Kite Competition
Wayne and Bert doing a little beach dancing.
Beautiful Monarch Kite
Colorful Kite
South Padre Kite Competition
This is team SPI and they are among the top 10 kite teams in the world. They do some fantastic manuevering with their kites.
Crab kite

South Padre Kite Competition This gull and goose look quite realistic fluttering in the wind.
The parrots finally landed in the park and in the tree right next to us. They are plentiful and colorful but the little twerps always visit when it is too dark or cloudy or both making a really good photo a tough thing to do.
Parrots
Getting seeds from a mesquite tree

Friday, February 18, 2005

Love this one and when the kids give ya guff about what we are doing down here show them this one... WHEN I'M AN OLD LADY

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness ... just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

I'll write on the walls with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture . wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
But they'll never get me to listen instead,
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry... I'll run ... if I'm able!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud until the end of the day!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"

God Bless All Moms and Grandmas Everywhere!!!


Once a month there is a steak fry in the park. It is as much about the fellowship as the food. Much hard work goes into the effort. These fellows keep the steaks warm after they have been lovingly grilled.
The grillers of the steaks
Happy salad makers
It takes a heap of sour cream for all those baked potatoes.
Dishing up the sour cream
Karl Kapke getting them ready for the grill

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

From one of the best cooks I know...Connie Jones

Italian Meatball and Potato Bake

1 (24 oz) pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz. finely shredded cheddar cheese ( I use shredded velveeta)
1 cup sour cream with chives and onions
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. peppered seasoned salt
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of celery soup
12 frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 with pam. In medium bowl combine potatoes, 1 1/2 c. cheese, sour cream, Itatian seasoning, peppered salt, and soup; mix well. Spread into pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and arrange meatballs in rows over potatoes, pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Italian Meatballs
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with foil; spray with pam. In large bowl beat egg, stir in remaining ingredients. In pan shape beef mixture into a 8 inch square. Cut into 36 squares; do not separate. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. With sharp knife, cup meatballs apart. Freeze any leftovers for later use.

* I tried these this fall and worked great in other recipes. And my guys loved them.
This unknown to me flowering plant is growing on a palm tree stump behind the Joe and Lucy Urias residence.
Happy Hour at the Shipleys
Rose Hendry's helmet didn't "summer" very well. The heat crumbled the plastic.
Wayne Shipley was flying his kite.
Jo Brookers yellow rose bush is bustin out all over.
We had a bit of a breakdown on the bikeride this morning. Dorothy's chain broke but it was soon repaired and we were once again riding like the wind!! Well, maybe riding like a slow southern breeze...
I saw this fancy white whirligig at the Chet and Irma Johnson residence.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

If you wonder what this ol' gal looks like well here I am...livin' large and laughin' easy!
At crafts (Mondays at 1:00 PM) we learned how to make button necklaces this week and this one is mine.
These guys...uh,uh gals are just the sweetest things, don't you think?
At the Riverside Club Don M. is having a jig of a good time....with popcorn!!!
It seems that some of our people from the park visited the Riverside Club on German Day and were caught having a REAL GOOD TIME!
No names this time either!Smile!
What is going on here is a German tradition at the Riverside club. People of different heights are all trying to drink from 'little' glasses placed in holes of this long board at the same time.
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the
1930's 40's, 50's,and 60's !!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no
99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms (only with some tomato sauce for me) and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live in us forever.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!


Monday, February 14, 2005

A message in my email: oh lala Papa Bramer nice belly :)
i dont think i have ever seen such a beautiful round tummy before..hehe

love your kids in Baldwin Mi


My apologys to the Brandts for missing their picture. I was very surprised to learn their picture was missing from this site. Don and Donna celebrate 50 years of marriage at the 7th Annual Valentine Anniversary Party

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Dee Walker organizes the 7th Annual Valentine Anniversary Party