On Monday I flew to Houston, TX from Tampa, FL
to go and visit Joel & Molly in The Woodlands, TX.
Leaving Tampa on Southwest . . .
Oil tankers near Houston . . .
Houston - just above the wing to the left . . . in the far distance . . .
I guess we are in oil country!
We drove to The Woodlands, and saw all the new construction there.
There is no recession here! Or at least not a visible one.
After a catch-up and a delicious lunch, that Molly cooked, it was late afternoon.
Molly and I went to her yoga class at MD Anderson.
This class is for cancer survivors . . . and well attended.
We took a restorative yoga class . . . very relaxing.
Molly had made a new legible sign for the classes ~ see below!
Molly is ready for yoga!
Everyone packing up after a good class.
The classes are held in the conference room at the hospital,
where Molly have her chemo treatments.
On Tuesday morning, we had a good breakfast before heading off to another yoga class. Joel came too, at a yoga studio in The Woodlands. It was a good class.
After going to lunch and the Apple Store to talk to a "genius" . . .
we went to Home Depot and Lowes to get some pots and plants
for the "zen" garden behind their house.
Joel had just put up the Japanese style fence by the hot tub.
He is making an arched bridge to lead off to the left under the arch . . .
thanks to Heidi's suggestion!
Molly chose a wonderful earthen toned pot, and we planted some iris in it,
and hung a Japanese lantern near it. It looks like a scroll from their bedroom.
Molly also chose 2 large cobalt blue pots which can be seen from many vantage points.
Here is a blue one that can been seen from their living room,
under the arch with the fern.
The gardener busy at work, watering the juniper.
This large blue pot will be filled with black river stones, the rug juniper
and a sculpted stone from Cheney, WA.
Below you can see the geranium from inside the living room.
Joel is busy putting up a new fence along the back property line,
building a Japanese-style bridge, and putting in new decking along the floor!
The birds were flying into the picture window, so Heidi & Molly purchased some wind chimes to hang off the trellis to try to prevent them from getting injured.
Here is a blue pot with iris that blow in the breeze, and some geraniums and hanging annuals, that can be seen from the living room.
Everything needs H2O!
You can see the barrel that Molly & Sandy filled with flowers!
What a beautiful "zen" garden . . . even from the hot tub!
Sheperd of the Woods Congregational Church in The Woodlands, is no longer.
But the Comfort Quilt that the ladies made still circulates to members in need.
Molly received the quilt, along with the book that travels with it,
to use for as long as she needs it. It is beautifully done with all sorts of patchwork
and embroidery and appliqué patches.
Note new plant and pot outside sliding glass door!
Looks perfect with their beautiful Chinese bedroom furniture!
A journal travels with the quilt . . .
. . . for entries from the various members who have received the Comfort Quilt.
After working in the garden, Laura called and had a long "cancer" chat with Molly.
Joel had a nap . . . and Molly and I headed off to a jazz concert at the local community college, that one of her recorder playing contemporaries was in.
After the concert we headed to a specialty food store,
that had everything you could want!
And got some gelato for dinner!
We walked along the river walk in the star light before heading home.
Molly was FULL OF ENERGY . . . and Joel was wondering where we were!?!?!?
Here are some photos of their home in The Woodlands . . .
the greenhouse . . . very relaxing . . .
Looking out the living room . . .
Molly having a cup of coffee Wednesday a.m. in the living room.
Dining room . . .
Joel & Molly by the new Japanese fence and 'zen' planter . . .
It was a wonderful visit . . . and they both were great!
Only saw Texas cowboys on a poster at the Houston Airport!
I left Wednesday morning, and flew back to Tampa . . .
I was sitting in seat A1 and could see everything! What fun . . .
Leaving Houston . . . on the horizon in the photo below . . .
Bridges over Tampa Bay . . . the left one is the one we take to St. Pete Beach
Arriving in Tampa . . . white sandy beaches below . . .
Bridge to St. Pete . . . and Pinellas County . . .
The cousins picked me up at Tampa right on time,
and we headed north to Plant City, FL to the Strawberry Festival.
Lots of carnival rides and food, but the festival was rather short on STRAWBERRIES!
So Janet came home and made some delicious shortcake for the strawberries we bought.
Tired of traveling, I opted out of a day trip south for shelling.
Instead, I took another walk around the loop of St. Pete Beach . .
Love this heron on the lamp post!
Sand painting . . . by Mother Nature.
St. Pete dog beach ~ more beach and sand and dogs than 5 years ago!
St. Pete colors . . .
Shells along the road . . .
Love these cottages . . . some day . . . hmmmm . . .
Walked down to St. Pete Beach on Friday a.m. . . .
needed exercise and a latte . . . not sure in which order!
This is 8th Avenue again . . .
And Evander Preston's shop and studio.
He is a sculptor and jewelry and who knows what else. He has Great Danes and motorcycles and an amazing collection of art.
Check out his website: evanderpreston.com/
On the side of the building are these huge sculptures!
I went down the alley to his studio entrance . . .
and peeked through the brick wall into his yard.
Joyce and I had toured here years ago . . . and it is wonderful!
We sipped white sangria and he sold his jewelry to bejeweled customers . . .
Joyce and I watched and sipped!
Eighth Avenue . . .
Pelicans waiting for bait . . .
How can you get tired of watching them watching . . .
Jim took us all out on their boat, as the wind had died down
and the weather was a bit warmer and the sun had come out! Yippee!
Pelican!
Intracoastal waterway . . . and mangrove with nesting birds.
Bridge to Vina Del Mar . . . over the intracoastal waterway . . .
"My house" . . . on the intracoastal . . .
Heading to John's Pass . . .
End of Passe A Grille . . .
Someone out for a sail . . .
Cousins Jim Johnson and Bill Raider . . .
Janet, Kay and Jim . . .
Janet . . .
Stopped in John's Pass for lunch . . . and moored the boat at the restaurant's dock . . .
Jim and Janet waiting for lunch!
The boat with others . . .
Jet skiers with dolphin swimming in the middle!
New bridge over intracoastal going into St. Pete Beach . . .
Getting back to St. Peter Beach . . .
Walked over to the beach on the Gulf to watch the sunset & collect shells . . .
Sun getting lower & lower . . .
Jim, Bill and Kay with Memphis ~ waiting for the sun to set . . .
And the bell to ring for "sun set . . ."
Kay & Memphis . . .
On Saturday March 9, I headed into St. Petersburg.
First I hit up the farmers' market ~
Then I went to the Chihuly Exhibit ~
Looks like Istanbul at the Divan!
And done no better than RDA's!
Dale Chihuly was in town and giving a lecture,
so I walked over to the hotel to wait in line to hear him speak . . .
Here's the man . . .
The hotel had various Chihuly's around the lobby . . .
The man next to me in line told me that there was a Chihuly chandelier in the ballroom in the hotel, and even though they were setting up for a wedding,
I snuck in to take some look sees . . .
Amazingly elegant! Probably 700 pieces!
I could live in St. Petersburg . . .
On Sunday there was a beautiful sunrise over the pool in the backyard . . .
I headed home via Fort DeSoto State Park . . .
Zelda LOVE Fort DeSoto!
and dog beach . . . NEXT TIME SKYE!
and Apple!
And then I headed across the state,
back to Delray Beach by late afternoon . . .
