Aloha Friday - New Background

I finally think I found a background for my blog which I like for winter.  Snow didn't seem to fit, though I kept that background for a few days after we actually had some snow here just for fun.  But after all the talk I've done here about them, grackles on a on the white background seem perfect.

So, here's my Aloha Friday question this week for any other bloggers out here...

• Do you change your background/blog design with the seasons? 

If you have the time, answer with a comment!  Thanks!  And, if you're a blogger you can join us with your own question over at Aloha Friday.

Dallas Blogger's Meetup

This isn't something I'm going to...but thought I'd pass the word on about the Dallas Bloggers Meet-up to any other bloggers who might be interested....

More Post Cards From Texas

Post Cards from Texas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/ CC BY 2.0

I said earlier that I was going to send out a couple more postcards...hand picked from the people who left comments on my OWOH post.  Well, I've choosen the next too...but this will not be all.  While I'm not going to try to write all the people who commented, 3 postcards just seems like too little.  So, I'll be sending postcards out to a few more after this, but as it may be a bit before I get to a store to buy them, I'll save on announcing until I actually have the cards to send.  Otherwise I'm likely to just loose track of who I was going to write.

Anyways, my next two people I choose because they offered to send me one back!  Tess from Kansus offered in her comment to return the favor.  I discovered on her blog, The Heart of Words, that she loves poetry...so I plan to send a little poem with her card too. The other person didn't offer on in her comment, but when I visited her blog, coincidentally named Postcards from Miss Igorota, I noticed she was offering free post cards from New Jersey there...which made me want to return the generosity (though I wish I had a postcard from California to send her since she's already visited Texas).

NOTE: The post card image is from a picture I found on Flicr and doctored up (with permission - love Creative Commons!).

Giveaways in Austin

Free Fun in Austin is giving away all sorts of tickets and gift certificates for Austin events, museums, and restaurants. Check them out here.  Or, visit the main page of their blog for lots of other Austin freebies and discounts.

One World One Heart Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who made such nice comments on my OWOH post!  The winner of my modest prize of a Texas postcard was...

Gale Varland!

Not only does she share my name, but she spells it the same way as I do, which is rare.   Not only that but our parents were both thinking of the word's meaning, storm on the sea, when they named us.  My parents named me Gale because we lived on a boat then and they wanted to name me something nautical.  Gale Varland's parents named her that after a huge storm hit the town she was born in.   If you like, visit  her blog - she makes super cute cards which she posts pictures of there.  

Now, I bought a couple extra cards so I could hand pick a couple other people to send cards to...and now I wish I had bought more!  Might have to jsut  go out and get some.  But, anyways, since I only promised one for the giveaway I don't have to announce the hand picked ones today.  It's late...so I'll let you all know who else I chose soon in the next few days.

Oh, by the way...the post card is not the one at top left, just a regular Texas postcard...although it will have wildflowers on it.  The one at left is by David G. Paul, a fellow artist at Zazzle.  I just thought it fit the occasion.  :-)

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentines Day card by EventsandHolidays

Hope you enjoy this sweet and cheesy holiday!

Coolafornia....

Click for Comic

(Cause I care about copyrights)

Sky Watch Friday

More snow pictures!  No, we didn't get more snow...this is all from last week.  And I've already shared some of these in the collage I posted a couple days ago...but these deserved to be seen up close, and plus, they really show off the beautiful blue sky and fluffy cotton ball clouds that day!

 

Sky Watch Friday

Mosaic of a Snow Day

There's my kiddos playing in the snow!   (Yes, we had snow...in TEXAS...that was nice enough to build a snowman with.  Amazing!  That's like two years in a row!)

So, when I stumbled on a coupon code for a free Snapfish photo collage poster at Dallas Mommy I decided to send some snow pics to my dad.  Came out pretty cool!  (Though actually this is a slightly different version than I sent him.)

Joining in at...

Mosaic Monday
Mosaic Tuesday 

California and Texas OWOH Giveaways

I've been having fun browsing the all the blogs participating in One World One Heart.  Its a fun even where bloggers tell a little big about themselves and give out door prizes.  If you're a blogger and want to join in, you have until Feb 12th to add your site.  If you're not a blogger, some of the sites (like mine) allow non-bloggers to enter the giveaways (which all end Feb 17th) and some are open to active bloggers only. 

There were a few giveaways I've stumbled on I thought Texans and Californians might enjoy.  The Creators Palette is giving away, among other things, a set of cards including one with California Poppies on it.

The Artist Supply Company is giving away a lotion bar in the shape of Texas, among other things.  

For those of you homesick for the ocean, Summerland Cottage is giving away a beautiful painting of the ocean at Laguna Beach, California.  And Jullie Miller Glass is giving away a Sea glass pendant.

Book Smith Studio has turned a path in Bryan, Texas into it's own planet, and is giving away a print.

And Barbara Cagle is giving away another copy of her book 16 x Mom, a true story about a woman who raised 16 children in the heart of San Jose, California, chronicling over 100 years of California history.

The blogger at Two Tumbleweeds spends half the year in Texas, and half the year in Holland...but she's not telling what the watercolor painting she's giving away will be of. 

And while A Little Blue Sky's giveaway isn't particularly "Californian" but I enjoyed hearing from someone from the Inland Empire, and she has some great California photos on her post (and a link to a funny story about the travails of putting on wet-suits).

Those are just a few California and Texas ones.  But  One World, One Heart has bloggers from all around the world.  So fun to explore!

Dallas Florist Giveaway

Need flowers?  Live in Dallas?  There's a giveaway at Melissa's Stuff for a $30 Gift Card to The Flower Cart (a Dallas Florist) and only 18 people have entered!   Ends February 10th.

Click Here to Enter

Snow Day!

We had snow today!   For some of you that's no big deal, but in Texas, a nice blanket of snow like this is a rare occassion!   My children got to stay home from school and had fun making snowmen and having snowball fights.  It was looking patchy by late afternoon, but there might even still be enough left for a few more snowballs to throw tomorrow.

In my hometown of Twin Peaks, California we'd have just about gotten sick of snow about now.  Come February we were about ready for Spring.     Speaking of the Mountains, during last sky watch I stumbled on a neat blog from California that has a bunch of pictures of Big Bear, which is right down the road from me.   I gather the snowstorm we got hasn't hit them so much.  If you visit make sure to scroll down to see these gorgous pictures of Big Bear Lake.

This Post is Particpating in

Sky Watch Friday

Aloha Friday/2 Question Thursday

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday and Two Question Thursday! Happy New Year if you are celebrating Chinese New Year! Every Friday (well, ok, almost every Friday) I ask a simple question--nothing that requires a lengthy response. 

Today the ground is covered in snow...here in central Texas! I mean, good, snowman making snow ball fighting snow...not just a dusting (I'd have pictures but I can't find my camera cord).

1. So, do you have snow where you are right now? (Oh, and where is that?)
2. Do you celebrate Chinese New Year?  If so, tell me a little bit about what you like best about it, or how you are/were celebrating it this year?

Please leave your answer in a comment below.  And, if you have a blog and would like to post your own question you can leave your link at An Island Life.

An Idea...Traveling the World by Blog

Hello all! Happy New Year if you're visiting from Asia! I've been enjoying participating in One World One Heart the last few days, and am sad to learn that this will be the last year that Lisa Swifka will be holding this event. This is my second year to participate, and I've enjoyed it so much. (You can click here to see my One World post for this year.)

I thought this might be a good time to share an idea that's been germinating since last years event. I thought it would be cool to try something similar, maybe in summer, that focused on the places we live and love. A blogging event where we share about where we live, or where we used to live, or someplace else we've been...and offer a small souvenir from there (wouldn't have to be something big...something like a postcard would do).

I would like some help though. Of course, I'll need people to participate and people to help me get the word out. If you think you might be interested, please leave your e-mail or blog url below so I can be in contact with you, or e-mail me at ecarian at yahoo dot com

Also, My dad is not in good health, and I know I could be called back to California at any time if something happens with his situation. So, I would like to partner with someone else who could possibly take over if need be.