I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, MR. DEMILLE.

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

 

Sunset Boulevard...Norma Desmond...Joe Gillis

Cecile B. DeMille

I'm ready for my close-up...and close-up we got.

Oh my goodness, it was 40 degrees at 7:30 in the morning.  Daughter Emilie had decided that V and D needed professional photographs of them, me, and grandkids.  And guess what, they just happened to know a professional photographer, Erica Nix.  Erica is also V and D's trainer while they are in Austin.  They met Erica the first time they came with me to Austin way back in 2012.  She has remained a great friend, so she was the one.

 

We were not the easiest group to capture.  Vincent and Maddie had spent the night in me and were up at 5:00, so 7:30 was no problem.  The 40 degrees was a tiny bit chilly.  Our goose bumps were popping out all over.  Erica says that 7:30 has the best lighting...so naturally we wanted the best lighting...so us old folks didn't complain.  Now, it was another story with Vincent and Maddie.  They were just plain cold and could not understand why we were parading around outside.

 

Enjoy the photo-shoot...I am always amazed.

I am just so darn photogenic.

Not a wrinkle or a sag.

Those Airstream genes are the best.!!!!

The rest of the group looked pretty good, too.

Eric was a miracle worker.  Those kids did not always want to cooperate,

but we just kept moving forward.

 

V and D cleaned up real nice.  They had bought some new duds

and were feeling sassy.

 

 

Emilie decided to pop over...so glad she did.

Priceless

I love this one.  V and D are poising so pretty.

Vincent is trying to get Maddie to cooperate.

Is this a hoot, or what?

Somebody has a mind of her own.!

Just had to put this one in. 

Emilie is definitely saying some choice words under her breathe.

Vannie is scratching her head, wondering what to do.

Vincent is COLD.  Maddie is counting rocks.

T-Pop and I are trying to stay in character.

Peep-Eye

Get a Room, please.!

Get that hand up, Vannie.

Is this an audition for "Dancing With the Stars?"

The infamous, Erica Nix.

Love this Girl.!

Thanks, Erica...You are the best.

 

Message Vannie if you are in the Austin area for Erica's information.

You'll be happy you did.

 

 

 

 



...AND THE WINNER IS...

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

 

 

MADELYN MARAGOS

 

Yes, my friend and former boss, Madelyn Maragos,

is the winner of the all expense paid trip to

Home Deport...and a bonus packet of sunflower seeds.

 

This lovely gift card and seed packet will be

on its way today via US postal service

to Lafayette, LA. in a matter of minutes.

 

Congratulations, Madelyn.

 

Now, I will reveal the names of the flowers

 

 

1.  iris

2.  periwinkle (vinca)

3.  dandelion

4.  lantana

5.  crabapple

6.  yucca

7.  iris

8.  iris

9.  bluebonnets

10. primrose

11.  red pansies

12. poppy

13.  verbena

14. Carolina jasmine

15. ????...Vannie has not been able to find out the correct name for this plant.

                  Madelyn said "drake oak", but it is not a tree.  It was more like a ground cover.

                  The jury is still out on this.

16. Texas Mountain Laurel...Madelyn said "wisteria"....which is in the same family. 

      The Mountain Laurel is more like a tree, rather than a tree/vine, like the wisteria.

17. LA iris

18. nandina

19. Stalked bulbine

 

There you go...Read 'em and weep.

Madelyn scored 17/19.   Vannie said she couldn't count #15 wrong,

because she didn't know the name of it either...

Vannie, also,  had to search long and hard for #19.

In fact, she knocked on people's doors in the neighborhood to discover this one.

 

If you missed out on this contest,

look for more in the future.

 

I, for one, have learned a bunch of stuff,

and feel considerably more enlightened about springtime flowers.

 

Happy Sunshine

 



 

 

 



 

 

FIRST DAY OF SPRING 2015

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

First Day of Spring
Google it...
and you will see Google's new Spring artwork.

We made it through a pretty rough winter.
All of us have been patiencely waiting for Spring to come.
Well, I don't think those people from Boston have been too patient.
Way too much snow for my blood.

Vannie went on a walk this morning and came back with these great pictures.
Just had to share them with you.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG.!!!

Let's make a game out of this.
How many can you actually name?

1 

2

3

4

Oh, little snail...how sweet you are?

A friend nearby...can you spot it?  Great camouflage!!  

5

Just pretty glass landscaping material

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

OK..there are 19 flowers/plants to be identified.

Time to get up off the soda and do something productive.

This first person to do it, will win an all expense paid vacation 

to your nearest Home Depot Plant center. 

Calling all amateur horticulturists, backyard gardeners, plant lovers.

Vannie said she was going to be working on it, too.

Remember...I am in Austin, Texas.

Some of these plants might not grow in your area.

Don't pick them...just identify them.!



CANCUN?......NOT.!!

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

 

Cancun...

Did Vannie and Dave get to go?  NOT.!!!

But...alas...Emilie and Roy (V and D's daughter and son-in-law)

did get to go...and did they want the kids to go...NOT.!!!

So................

The rest of us were stuck in Austin

playing with

playdoh,

cars,

paints,

playgrounds,

Legos,

4 wheelers

Cabela's

picnics

etc,

etc,

etc.

 

OK...so we didn't go to Cancun...but we did get to have a whole bunch of FUN.

 

This babysitting gig was for four days in a row,

 so V and D decided it was best to stay at Emilie's and Roy's house.

They did come by and check on me. 

Of course, I am always fine. 

Love my spot at the Lone Star RV Resort.

New Friends come in and out every day.  Never a dull moment.

 

Future Van Gogh

A girl can't have too many stickers...

 

...or playdoh.

 

Thank the Lord...Maddie took a nap, so Vincent got to ride on his 4-wheeler.

A concert by The Salvagio Kids...priceless. 

 

Don't know if this video is going to work...

Just thought I would give it a try.

Checkout T-Pop's hairdo.  Says it all.!!!

Best outfit a kid could EVER wear.

Fearless

A friend's birthday party.

Emilie said, "Take them to the party, if you want to."

Vannie said, "Sure...always time for a party."

Checking on Me. 

Vincent had fallen asleep early, so Maddie had the whole tub to herself.

She was feelin' the love.

 

...and the race goes on...and on...and on.

Dave says these should be called "Expletive in a Box",

because when you step on one with bare feet,

there will be some choice words. 

Maudie's (Austin Restaurant) after church.

Yummy

Cabela's

Great place to kill a little time...oops, I meant take kids.

Maddie..."1,2,3,4,5,...."

Did I mention "fearless" before?

Oh, No...a Lunchable for the Picnic...YUCK.!

...and this was bought by a lady that eats kale for breakfast.

Unbelievable...

 

 

 

Maddie and Vincent tend to get up a little early...

a little too early for T-pop.

I can tell he is dreaming about Cancun,

while sitting by the stove warming up those old bones.

I'm not sure if he is dreaming about being in Cancun, or 

just about the parents coming home that day.

 

 

Roy and Emilie did make it home...

all safe and sound and relaxed.

 

It was a good 4 days for everyone...

Roy and Emilie,

Vincent and Maddie,

and

yes, Vannie and Dave.