BACKYARD GARDEN TOUR OF GALVESTON 2009

Many Thanks to all the folks who opened their homes

and Gardens to us. Thanks for all your hard work

and getting the Island beautiful again.

Many Thanks to Paw Paw

for being the designated driver,

Navigator, and Parallel parker.Paw Paw got more compliments

on his Lizard shirt than I could count.

Don't go getting all big headed now!

2867 Dominique

A great place for entertaining

and cocktails by the pool

2909 Dominique

A wonderful flight on fancy.

Definitely an artistic carefree spirit.

Lovely!

4721 Sherman

Whimsical I loved all the Crabs.

Well established, a happy Place.

4328 Ave O

A well established garden

with fantastic antiquities

mixed into the landscape.

Adorable and Classy

4115 AVE O

I like the idea of using copper

endcaps tothe flower bed rails.

Definitely a cozy hideaway to relax in

My eye always catches unique little tidbits

Wonderful collection of taverna

Great old Wrought Iron set, No doubt was covered by

Hurricane Ikes waters, yet stood her ground

3202 Ave P1/2

This is my favorite garden.

I love that they have Chickens and sell yard eggs.

Its a beautiful tranquil place with magnificent statuary.

1814 Ave K

1728 AVE M

This was by far the best house on the tour. It was fantastic that the owners opened up their beautiful home as well as their garden. The house was absolutely gorgeous. The family own The Original Barking Frog in Galveston. http://www.barkingfrog.com/ . I can not wait to go to their shop after seeing the many wonderfully unique items displayed in their home. Truly magnificant. Charming family as well.

MY RED BUCKET- PROSE

My Red Bucket

My favorite color is red.
I found a plastic red bucket
at the store one day
and made it mine.

I didn't realize at the time.
How that bucket would become such
a functional part of my daily life.

I use it to pick figs and wild berries,
to wash, to carry water for my fountains
and plants. I take it to summer concerts
filled with ice and drinks.

I take it fishing and seashell scavenging.
Its a carry all when I need it

Its the bucket of my childhood
I never had.

My little red bucket
makes me happy,
makes me glad.

Kathy

June 6,2009

BICYCLE CHIC

Cycle chic

Cycle chic or bicycle chic is the culture of cycling in fashionable clothes. It is now associated with the utility cycling practised in cities such as Amsterdam, Basel, Berlin, Berne, Copenhagen, among others, where citizens practice a high level of bicycle usage. In many European cities, as well as cities in China and Japan, cycling is an everyday transport choice and many cyclists choose to wear their regular clothes, as opposed to outfits generally associated with cycle sport, such as bicycle shorts, gloves and shoes.

Cycle chic is a growing trend in cities that are now investing in bicycle friendly infrastructure and facilities. With the growing popularity of community bicycle programs such as Velib in Paris and Bicing in Barcelona, citizens are discovering the ease with which they can ride around their city or town, including riding in their normal clothes instead of sports cycling gear. As fashionable celebrities such as Agyness Deyn are shown cycling in this way by the media, this induces others to follow their example.

The phrase "cycle chic" in relation to bicycle fashion was coined by the filmmaker and photographer Mikael Colville-Andersen in Copenhagen in 2006. Called "The Sartorialist on two wheels" by The Guardian newspaper, Colville-Andersen advocates normalising urban cycling and increasing the number of trips made by bicycle in urban

If ‘cycle chic’ is something that you have been trying to master - that is, looking totally fabulous on a bike while dressing functionally and with panache, look no further than those clever, design-savvy Londoners. We love the idea of melding sustainable style with green transportation, and Cycle Chic is a great online guide featuring ways to cycle safely while sporting some rather fashion-forward ideas. Any opportunity to wear tartan plaid with a biking helmet always gets me rolling, and I am happy to see that girls everywhere are being totally adventurous while sending the message that style needn’t be sacrificed when one opts to pedal to their next destination.

Women Embracing Cycle Chic
For lots of people, bicycle riding is more than a mode of transportation, it’s a full blown lifestyle, complete with its own fashion code. But till now, that’s usually meant either triathletes wearing spandex, or bike messengers wearing 90’s-inspired grunge.

Not to leave the gentlemen out, because we’re sure there are lots of dapper lads out there zipping down the bike lane, but suddenly there’s a new crop of treehugging females who have taken it upon themselves to give bicycle riding a much-needed aesthetic makeover.

Cycle Chic, based in London, is one organization determined to bring back the old-world, romantic quality bicycling used to have. The website provides tips & advice for biking safety and a bike buying guide, coupled with fashion pointers such as the one about “swishy skirts” (see above) being not only a big trend for 2008 but also “comfortable and cooling to cycle in, perfect for the spring and summer.”

In a similar vein, Cool Hunting recently published a round up of the best (and cutest) bike baskets around — so you can express your cycle chic aesthetic not only in your clothes and the type of bike you choose to ride, but in your accessories, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ekjXyxpBhU

Great video on youtube.com by Charleston Cycle Chic
So what is Charleston Cycle Chic?Its a movement to move, an expression of style, and a show of grace. Its a celebration of life and the wind in your hair. Its about getting out of your car and taking back the bike. (And looking fabulous while doing it.)www.charlestoncyclechic.com

KATHY'S NEW BICYCLE-RETRO CHIC

This is my new bike. I love the color Seafoam Green. Its a Schwinn Comfort Model.

I did replace the original seat with one that seems to have alot more cushion. I do want a better kick stand, the one that came with it is way to flimsy.

It rides well and I love it. Here it is in the beginning process of being decorated for a bike parade my husband and I will be in for the Fourth of July.

I can hardly wait for my Carrie basket and big bike bell to come in.

THE CARRIE BICYCLE BASKET

Marie-Louise made her first prototype for the bicycle basket out of crochet tablecloths in her studio for an exhibition called "Tokyo Style" in Stockholm in 2004. The theme was "fika" (Swedish word for coffee break) meets Japanese "tea time". For Marie-Louise the best kind for fika is a picnic in the countryside. Since she prefers to travel by bicycle, it was natural for her to find a way to carry her fika on her bike. She chose an ornate material because it reminds her of her grandmother, who always baked seven different types of cookies for fika and served them on her finest crochet tablecloths. The basket is therefore both functional and emotional and if you turn the basket upside down you get a table that looks like it is covered with a sweet crochet tablecloth. Educated at the Royal College of Art in London, Marie-Louise has a MA Degree in product design.

****I saw this basket in a magazine a few months ago and thought it was beautiful. So when I decided to replace the bicycle that I had and absolutely loved which was destroyed by hurricane Ike and looters. I ordered this basket for the new Seafoam Green Schwinn Comfort bike I bought. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival.

I love that it is feminine. The crochet lace pattern immediately struck me and I had visions of french bread, wine and cheese artistically placed in it, riding to a romantic picnic.

I believe that adding beauty and functionality add little vignettes of visual subliminal happiness to everyday life.

*****I put in an order for this basket with Scandinavian Grace.com , When it didn't arrive I began calling and emailing them daily as I would only get an answering machine to which I left messages with no return phone call and emails that were never answered. Finally I got a hold of a live person who said he would check into it and call me right back. I still have never rec'd a return phone call. I did finally get an email saying they were out of stock and wouldn't be getting any more in for perhaps a month or longer. I therefore advised them to cancel my order and in future it would be advisable to let the customer know if the item is out of stock, as I had needed it for a special event which is now passed. Had I known they didn't have it, I could have made arrangements with another purveyor.

*** I have now ordered the basket from Fjorn.com, hopefully my basket will arrive this week. Or they will have the professionalism to let me know one way or the other. Please be advised everything went perfectly with his order. If you want to order the Carrie Bicyce Basket I would only recommend ordering from Fjorn.Com.

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

None of that 'Sis'-sy Stuff
Are you tired of those
sissy 'friendship' poems
that always sound good,
but never actually come close
to reality?
Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of
True Friendship.
You WON'T see
cutesy little smiley faces
on this card-
Just the stone cold truth
of our great friendship.
1. When you are sad,
I will jump on the person
who made you sad
like a spider monkey
jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!

2. When you are blue,
I will try to dislodge
whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile,
I will know you are
plotting something
that I must be involved in.

4. When you're scared,
we will high tail it out of here.

5. When you are worried,
I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse
it could be until you
quit whining, ya big baby!!!!

6. When you are confused,
I will use little words.

7. When you are sick,
Stay away from me
until you are well again.
I don't want whatever you have...

8. When you fall,
I'll pick you up
and dust you off--
After I laugh my rear off!!

9. This is my oath...
I pledge it to the end.
'Why?' you may ask;
-- because you are my FRIEND!
*********************** Friendship is like peeing your pants,
everyone can see it,
but only YOU
can feel the
true warmth.
**********************