Grab your masks

Hang some balloons, toss confetti all over the room and listen to some samba or jazz (is that what they play in New Orleans for Mardi Gras?) over this weekend, it is Mardi Gras! Or Carnival as we call it. I am not a fan of Carnival, but since it is such a big event in Brazil I did not want to let it go unnoticed.

How sweet

Penguins in love... Taken at the Aquarium in Ubatuba during Summer vacation. This scene totally made my heart melt... Happy Valentine's Day!

Eight is great!

Two big events at our house this week... The first one is that our second boy turns eight today! He is smart, funny, sensitive, and loves to draw. He fills our hearts with great joy!

The second event is that our kids are back to school! Summer vacation is officially over now. I love having my kids around in the Summer, but they started to get bored last week.

Morning dew and gentle rain

Early morning glistening dewdrops, always so soft... always a good reason to get out of bed early and take a few shots. Then it comes the rain... Love the gentle rain that makes flowers grow, filling the air with smell of hot ground after a dry spell. When I was a kid it seemed that it rained for days in a row and the humidity was high, I don't miss that but I haven't seen long raining days lately...

"Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants."
Deuteronomy 32:2

Please visit Today's Flowers to see more flowers from all over the world.

Mountain and sea

Live together in harmony... rainforest... calm waters... just 3 hours away in Ubatuba. Good to visit during Summer time, we had a great time there.

Houses by the sea level

Paraty... I love this charming colonial town and its cobblestone streets constructed by the Portuguese settlers over 300 years ago. That is where we spent our honeymoon almost 15 years ago.

The full moon floods happen when the seawater invades the streets. It was pure luck that we were able to be there on vacation last week during full moon and high tides! I can't take any credit for that.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

A Happy New Year!

Wishing you a wonderful New Year! May your hopes be in Him alone and his mercies begin afresh each day throughout this year giving us guidance and direction!

Pink Violets and how I grow them

Many people like to have african violets sitting on their kitchen windowsill, maybe because of indirect sunrays and because they are easy to grow indoors. They can make any corner brighter, and I have my violets on a small table in my balcony. I have created many new pots over the years just by leaf cuttings and I have never propagated them by seed! Each leaf I cut and plant in damp soil grows into a new violet after a few weeks. My mom used to cut many leaves and later transplant them into new pots then she would give away the new plants. After they grow, they do not like to be over watered... so I water them only when they are really dry. Also, I keep water away from their feet and leaves. Last time I posted about African violets I received many comments and I promised to post more violets, and here they are!

To view more flowers, please visit Today's Flowers!

Spring has sprung

He loves me... he loves me not (in Portuguese: bem me quer, mal me quer). A little girl plucking the petals of a daisy... can you relate to that? I can! I wonder if this is a common rhyme in all countries, well, it is here in Brazil. Daisies are here... and it means Spring is here too!

This is my contribution to Today's Flowers hosted by Santilli.

A thank you note

My friend Connie who has a private blog had a giveaway and I won! I love coffee and the gift was just perfect! I enjoyed the delicious chocolate filled wafer cookies with a cup of coffee in a quiet afternoon... And as for the book... it is filled with facts and anedoctes about coffee, I can't stop reading it! Thank you Connie for being so kind and generous!

Dutch shoes do grow on trees!

A pittoresque Dutch town nearby and their traditional shoes on trees... A nice place to visit if you are looking for that Dutch accent, with beautiful flower shops, nice Dutch food restaurants and an European look and feel.

My amaryllis

My amaryllis... special delivery with a special meaning... delivered 3 1/2 years ago at the time our third child was born...a gift from my husband... Last week new flowers came out... and here is the sequence of photos I was able to capture...

This is my contribution to Today's Flowers hosted by Santilli.

Moss rose or portulacas

Moss rose (portulaca grandiflora) a morning bloomer... the blooms will go away in the afternoon to show their beauty again the next day. This plant reminds me of my childhood, many houses had moss rose (11 horas in Portuguese) in the garden, they are easy to grow and there are many colors available.
This is my contribution to Today's Flowers hosted by Santilli.

Show me... something that relaxes you

This is what really soothes me: a view of green pastures, farm life, hills and mountains. I grew up on a flat farm but married a man from the mountains! I took this picture on the way to my in-laws' farm. We had to stop along the way because of some unexpected road construction... I was about to complain when I thought to myself... There is got to be something good out of this situation, we had been traveling for almost 3 hours, the kids were tired of being in the car and we were very close to the farm... as I got off the car I was presented with the most relaxing view!

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul...
Psalm 23:2-3

Today's Show me project at Thought's of a father calls for something that relaxes you.

And this song came to mind mind: If you want me to (click to listen) performed by Ginny Owens.

Show me... a view!

A view from our balcony. I can see miles and miles away... We have gray skies today which is not unusual this time of the year and Spring is just around the corner! The trees are blooming all over. I can see mango trees, tabebuias of many different colors and sky rises surrounding the city...

This picture is part of project Show me that Robert is hosting this week, if you would like to see more wonderful pictures and stories or join in, please visit his blog.

Another view, to the right of the balcony, I zoomed in so I could show you a church that is across town, it takes me about 15 minutes to get there by car...