M is for Monkey

This was T's lunch for today...reminiscent of our recent trips to the zoo for his birthday.

• two monkey-shaped sandwiches (one made with the crust...and holding a banana-shaped candy)
• green vine (pull-apart Twizzlers)
• "M" and "MONKEY" Scrabble Junior Cheez-It Crackers
• pretzel balls in a paper liner with a monkey design and a monkey pick
• homemade banana pudding — the kind where the custard is made from scratch in a double-boiler  :P
• milk in a cup with a monkey design

T came into the kitchen while I was preparing this lunch.  He pointed to the Cheez-It Crackers and asked, "What say?"  I held up the monkey-shaped cookie cutter and replied, "/m/" as I moved my finger from left to right below the letters.  He exclaimed, "Zoo!"  Okay...so he made a connection, right??  (~Not the one I was hoping for, obviously!)  ;o)

Linked to:
   What's for Lunch Wednesday
   Fun Food Friday

Grenada

T received this postcard today...

from a fellow who lives in Australia.

Grenada is an island country consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea.

Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters.

Other facts about Grenada:

• area:  133 square miles
• capital:  St. George's
• population (2012 estimate):  110,000
• official language:  English
• currency:  East Caribbean dollar
• national bird:  Grenada dove (critically endangered)
• motto:  "Ever conscious of God we aspire, build, and advance as one people"

source:  Wikipedia

Belarus

T received this postcard today...from Belarus.

It is a postcard of a painting called "House Egret" by Podverbnyj Yuri.

The painting is acrylic on canvas, created in 2011.

The artist was born in 1976 in Belarus.

The sender of the postcard wrote that the egret is listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus due to its small population.

Papa's Sunglasses

...just thought I'd
try 'em on for a min.

Switzerland

I received this postcard today...from Switzerland.

According to the sender, it shows a church in the town of Solothurn.

Solothurn is located in northwestern Switzerland on the banks of the Aare and at the foot of the Weissenstein Jura mountains.

As of 2012, Solothurn has a population of 16,460.  As of 2000, 85.7% of the population speaks German, 3.0% of the population speaks Italian, and 1.7% of the population speaks Albanian.  The remaining population speaks French or Romansh.

source:  Wikipedia

Coral Reef

For lunch today, T enjoyed another bento with a coral reef theme.

His lunch consisted of:

• two angelfish-shaped sandwiches (each with a candy eye)
• puffed goldfish crackers
• "CORAL REEF" Scrabble Junior Cheez-It Crackers
• peach yogurt (in a small blue bowl with a waves design)
• Little Debbie coral reef cake
• milk (in a shaky cup with a blue and green fishes design)

There's also a coral-colored shell ring next to the sandwiches.

I was thrilled to discover a tank displaying a coral reef at the Riverbanks Zoo!

This was printed on a sign posted next to the tank:

What is Coral?

Corals look like plants or rocks,
but they are colonies of tiny animals.
Up close, each "polyp" looks like a
sea anemone, with a sac-like body
and mouth ringed with tentacles.
Polyps feed on tiny prey that drifts
into their stinging arms.

There were other signs posted, too.

Hard corals secrete stony skeletons
in many different shapes and sizes.

Soft corals have flexible skeletons.
Sea whips and sea fans bend and wave
with the currents.

Riches of the Reef

Reef communities contain
a dazzling diversity of life.
Every inch of colorful coral
is covered with anemones,
algae, urchins, sponges
and other clinging life.

There are more kinds of fish here
than anywhere else in the sea.
Some are drab and inconspicuous;
others boast gaudy colors
and fantastic shapes.
All are abundant.

This is a close-up of what T is checking out!

Linked to:
   What's for Lunch Wednesday
   Fun Food Friday
   Bento Blog Network

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

T received this postcard yesterday...from North Carolina.

The postcard shows Cape Hatteras National Seashore...a sunrise over the calm Atlantic Ocean with beach grasses and barrier dunes on Hatteras Island.

Riverbanks Zoo

Today is T's birthday!  :)

We visited the Riverbanks Zoo...for the first time ever.  Beforehand, we ate a picnic lunch on the grounds.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the zoo.  There were lots of animals to see.

Coral Reef

For lunch today, T enjoyed this bento with a coral reef theme.

His lunch consisted of:

• two fish-shaped sandwiches (one with a candy eye)
• puffed goldfish crackers
• "CORAL REEF" Scrabble Junior Cheez-It Crackers
• applesauce (in a small blue bowl with a waves design)
• Little Debbie coral reef cake
• milk (in a shaky cup with a blue and green fishes design)

There's also a coral-colored shell ring next to the applesauce container.

I discovered some interesting facts about coral reefs.

• Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals.
• Coral reefs are colonies of tiny animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients.
• Coral reefs grow best in warm, shallow, clear, sunny, and agitated waters.
• Coral reefs are most commonly found at shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water corals also exist.
• Coral reefs occupy less than 0.1% of the world's ocean surface, yet they provide a home for 25% of all marine species.

source and photo credit:  Wikipedia

Linked to:
   Bento Blog Network
   What's for Lunch Wednesday

Portugal

I received this postcard today...from Portugal.

The postcard shows an image of a photograph taken by Emílio Biel, (1838-1915).
He was a businessman, publisher, and photographer.  He was considered one of the pioneers of photography in Portugal.

The subject of the photograph is Torre dos Clérigos, or Tower of Clergy [Church] in Porto, Portugal.

The Clérigos Church is a Baroque church which was built by Nicolau Nasoni, an Italian architect and painter.  Construction of the church began in 1732 and was finished in 1750 (approximately).

The monumental bell tower of the church, Torres dos Clérigos, is located at the back of the building.  It was built between 1754 and 1763 and is 75.6 meters high (approximately 248 feet high), dominating the city.  This great structure is one of the most characteristic symbols of Porto.

Belgium

I received this postcard today...from Belgium.

The image is of Heilig-Hartcollege (Sacred Heart College) in Maasmechelen, Belgium.

The sender didn't write anything (not one word) on the back of the postcard...and although the back of the postcard includes printed information about what is pictured on the front (above), I'm not able to translate....  :(

Come to think of it, I hope the words printed on the front of the postcard are appropriate for posting...since I'm not able to translate....

Germany

T received this postcard yesterday...from Germany...

Dresden, to be exact.

The sender wrote that Dresden is the capital of Saxony in the east of Germany.  He also wrote that this postcard shows the summer residence castle of the Saxon kings, built 300 years ago, and baroque and English gardens.

I received a different postcard from Dresden last October.  You can view it and read more about Dresden here.

Canada

T received this postcard yesterday...from Canada.

Isn't it just the cutest image of a polar bear?!

According to the information printed on the back of the postcard, the polar bear's distinctive thick white coat acts as camouflage in the snow and ice and provides warmth against the extreme elements of the Arctic.

According to the sender of the postcard, there are lots of polar bears in the northern part of her province (Manitoba).  She also wrote that the polar bears are a huge tourist attraction but also a danger for residents.

Russia

T received this postcard yesterday...from Russia.

It shows an image of Atlantes.

According to the dictionary:

• Atlas (capitalized) is a Titan who, for his part in the Titans' revolt against the gods, is forced by Zeus to support the heavens on his shoulders.
• Atlas (capitalized) is one who bears a heavy burden.
• Atlas (plural, Atlantes) is a male figure used like a caryatid as a supporting column or pilaster.

According to the dictionary:

• Caryatid is a draped female figure supporting an entablature.
• Caryatid is a supporting column sculpted in the form of a draped female figure.

The most celebrated example is the caryatid porch of the Erechtheum* (an Ionic temple), with six figures.

The Athens Acropolis is home to four edifices (large, massive, and usually impressive buildings):

• Propylaea
• Parthenon
• Erechtheum*
• Temple of Athena Nike

Caryatids sometimes are called korai ("maidens").  Their male counterpart is the atlas.

I took you on a rabbit trail...but the information was interesting!  ;-)

Gurleyville Gristmill

A woman from Connecticut contacted me recently to request a direct swap.  I received two postcards from her yesterday.

This second postcard shows images of the Gurleyville Gristmill, located in Mansfield, Connecticut.

Shown are:

• stone gristmill
• miller's house
• gristmill interior

The Gurleyville Gristmill is located on the Fenton River.  A gristmill was built on this site in 1750 (approximately).  It was replaced in 1835 (approximately) by the present gristmill (shown above) that operated until 1941.  The gristmill was constructed of stone and is the only stone mill of its kind in Connecticut.

The miller's house was the birthplace of Wilbur L. Cross in 1862.  He served as the governor of Connecticut from 1931-1939.

The gristmill interior shows the 19th century grain hopper and millstone hoist.

source:  Joshua's Trust

Glastonbury

A woman from Connecticut contacted me recently to request a direct swap.  I received two postcards from her yesterday.

This first postcard shows images of Glastonbury in 2002.

About Glastonbury:

• Glastonbury is a town located seven miles southeast of Hartford, Connecticut.
• Glastonbury was founded in 1693.
• The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England.
• The population of Glastonbury is 34,427 (2010 census).

source:  Wikipedia

Iwo Jima Memorial

T received this postcard from Texas.

The postcard shows the Iwo Jima Memorial in Harlingen, Texas.  The sender wrote that, in person, the monument is huge!

This information is printed on the back of the postcard:

Created and donated by sculptor Felix de Weldon to the Marine Military Academy in 1981, this is the original working model prepared by him for the casting of the bronze in Washington, D.C.  This world-famous piece of art stands as a symbol of heroism of all American fighting men and determination of free people the world over.

~A perfectly patriotic postcard for the 4th of July weekend!

5

The second letterbox we searched for was "5."  It was planted in Five Forks...

by a letterboxer who has lived in South Carolina for five years.

watching Mama look for the letterbox

stamping the find

Palmetto Pastime

I cleaned out and straightened up my letterboxing "kit" a couple of weeks ago, which made me want to go letterboxing!  (I didn't realize it had been more than a year since my last find.)

Today being Independence Day, my husband had a holiday from work.  We took the opportunity to go letterboxing!  We looked for two letterboxes and found both of them.  That doesn't always happen!  :P

The first letterbox we searched for was "Palmetto Pastime," planted by a letterboxer who lives in California.  He planted it on a cross-country road trip!

Great Britain

I received this postcard today...from Great Britain.

It shows the Houses of Parliament (south side) in London, England.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the parliament of the United Kingdom.  Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its tenants, the Palace lies on the bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster in central London.

source:  Wikipedia