Nice picture in AANR's May Bulletin

Nice write up, Louise.

This makes three months in a row with pictures and text about our lives at Sandpipers and particularly the Funs-A-Poppin Talent Show.

Ladies, you are beautiful!

The Return!

When Tony & Helen, visiting from Mexico, heard we had gone to

Pepe's last week they were crushed that they had missed it.

Despite the hardship, and the reluctance to drink more beer, dance and eat more quesadillas...we managed to scrape up a few people to once again endure a few hours at our favorite Sunday afternoon spot on the river.Many dressed in the traditional garb of the urban cowboy.or cowgirl....

Margo and Stan have the prettiest white Stetsons...and boots, too.

Famed singing sensation Charlie Daniels stopped by our table for a quick drink.

While we were there John & Sue got the news they were again proud grandparents of a new baby, this time a girl. So it gave us excuse to order more beer and toast the birth.

The new grandparents...flushed with happiness! And beer.

Always a bright spot on the blog...the food!

Try the nachos with beef! Ummmmmmm.....!I missed the joke, but it looks like a doozy!By-by for now.

Wave by-by, Gary.Good boy.

Fabulous Volunteers!

If you have driven or walked by the birthing of the butterfly garden

you may have noticed a new ornament in place.

It is not a bird house.

It is a butterfly house!

Donated and placed by Patsy & Garland to honor their daughter Paige.

This butterfly house was a present from my daughter, Paige, over 15 years ago.

It never housed any butterflies but was a decorative garden object.

The elements took their toll but Garland restored it,

and I thought it would look appropriate in our Butterfly Garden.

I hope all enjoy it.
Patsy 108

Thanks so much P & G. It does add a lot to the character of the garden.

In the near future benches, a trellis full of climbing, flowering plants, a walkway of butterfly themed stepping stones, perhaps a water feature, too, will be added.

Several people, anonymously, with no thought of recognition, have been dropping off bags of chunky bark mulch. I can't tell you how much that is appreciated! The plants are really beginning to benefit from all that mulch, and the garden looks so much better.

If you can, if you remember (that's the biggie), why don't you pick up a bag or two next time you are at Lowe's or H.D. Just drop it off near the garden and someone will spread it. And grass clippings, too, are terrific. They not only smother out the pesky grass and weeds, but improve the soil.

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It's the volunteers and donors who make Sandpipers a unique and special place. From the gardens to the library to the entertainment...we all benefit. So what if it takes time. What else do we have in abundance? I have never been so busy, nor my house so dirty, as I have been these past months.

I recently read this quote, originally in response to people who read the Reader's Digest Condensed Books, and thought it appropriate to our lifestyle.

"Beware of people who have overly clean homes and keep their cars in the garage. They are psychologically disturbed and keep themselves busy cleaning. They couldn't bear to read a whole book and I promise you, if you sit next to one of these people at a dinner party you will wish you were dead."

And no, Sue P, it's not about you, although your Spring cleaning actually terrifies me!

I'll sit next to you anytime!

Nudity in Advertising.

From AANR's Linda Berry:

Nudity (and Humor) in Advertising
This week we learned about several advertising campaigns featuring nudists or a nude recreation theme. The first promotes a new running shoe developed by Nike. The second occurred in London , England , when French carmaker Peugeot arranged for 302 “nudists” (okay, they were adorned with body scarves and body stockings) to appear publicly to promote the company’s new 302 Cabriolet convertible. Finally, we have had several calls about a television advertisement for Marshall ’s shoes in which the well-known store chain claims to have an overstock of shoes available at great prices due to another shoe store owner’s failure after calling her store a clothing-optional boutique.

We feel such campaigns are deserving of mention in our weekly report although we wince at times when we see nudism depicted as a joke or associated with tongue-in-cheek humor.

On one hand, it is arguable that some of this advertising only serves to further stereotypes about our favorite form of recreation. For example, AANR advocates for nudity within appropriate settings rather than downtown London as Peugeot would have it appear. And we know that, thanks to the strong demographics among AANR members, a store would be likely to succeed by catering to them.

However, it is also true that nudity within these advertisements is depicted as something fun, rather than sexual. And, as you’ll see from the Nike promotion, advertisers are becoming more and more comfortable showing nude bodies, including bare breasts and buttocks. If companies are confident that they can use nudity to promote products without damaging their valuable brands, it means that they believe the general public is becoming more and more okay with it.

We’ll let you view the following and decide for yourself.

You can see the Nike ad by clicking here:
http://www.youtube.com/insidenikerunning

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Also...in the March and April AANR Bulletin's, Sandpiper's Resort had several photos and descriptions highlighting our talent shows. It may be too small to actually read here, but come see me if you want to read my copies...or ask around. Several peeps subscribe.Enjoy this picture...you'll never again see this act!

Buy your DVD now...the sharks and dolphins have retired.And the pigs?

Let's just say the costumes are available

for the next generation to become pretty porcine perfection.

We All Have New Addresses!

We all got notices in the past few days, in our mailboxes, that our addresses have changed.

I shall try to impart the new address without actually writing it...security ya know!

After all, this blog is being read by millions...errr...thousands.

You have the same lot number, of course, and the same city, same zip code. Just the number of the road. No more 9504. Now it's 9800.

You have a year to change your addresses with all your contacts.

USPS will continue to deliver to the old address for at least that long.

Pain in the buttinski, but it is what it is.

Urban Bike Ride

Tuesday we biked down the McAllen Bike Trail, a delightful little jaunt passing beautiful flowering shrubs and gorgeous homes.

This is our little group.

Lanny is promising no alligators, no butterflies, no snakes...no promises means I will not besmirch his reputation. We'll see.

John P. joined us for his first bike ride...ever. Well, with us anyway.

We parked in the lot at the corner of Col. Rowe and Trenton, where I spied one of my favorite butterfly attracting trees. Lime prickly ash, known in Mexico as Colima.

Correction from those who know!

It is Retama, or Palo Verde!

Look at the flowers! What butterfly could resist?

Then we pedaled down the undulating sidewalk, greeting dog walkers, joggers and other cyclists.

This ride was very different from the previous ones we've been on.

It was very urban, but interesting nonetheless.

After about 3 miles we had a pit stop.

Remember Lanny and his promises. He never said there would be mud.

Mud. Thick, stick to your tires, mud!

Here is Janet running her bike thru the grass, trying to wipe off the mud.I used a stick.

I think we were the only two that rode through the goo.

Everybody else apparently looked where they are going.

Novel concept.

After a short rest we turned around and pedaled back to our cars...Crossing a few streets......with few mishaps. Look out for that truck!

The ride back was just as lovely with flowering hedges and professional landscaping on all sides.THEN we got to have lunch!

Koko's is a find!

Terrific, really, really good, Mexican food.

Beautifully decorated restaurant.

It's on 10th street, north of Hillbillies, in a small strip mall.

YOU MUST GO!Look at that plate, will ya!

Les had a Sombrero. Rice, beans, and a stuffed-with-roasted-beef feast.This is Jim's Deluxe Mexican Plate, with John eyeing it hungrily.

What did I have? (And Janet, too)

Ceviche de camarones.

Excellent!Did I like it?Ahem!

More Fun in the Garden....

Did you enjoy starting the Butterfly Garden?

Wasn't it a productive and enriching experience?

Wanna do it again?

How about you bring some digging tools, maybe a rake, to the Butterfly Garden this Thursday and we'll add some more plants, rake up the dirt clods and pulled grass, and make the area as attractive as we can in it's infant stage.

I know, it's gonna be hot. It's work...yes, it is.

But we need you. All you wonderful volunteers.

We'll start early, 8:30am, and finish quickly.

And you'll be much appreciated.

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If you are interested in a butterfly themed outing you might check out "The Flutter of Butterflies" exhibit at South Texas College's Technology

Campus on Wed, April 22.

The free exhibit features a collection of enhanced digital photographs by the Drafting & Design students showcasing butterflies from NABA International Butterfly Park in Mission.

In conjunction with the art exhibit reception, the day's activities put a spotlight on the Technology Campus Library Open House from 10 am-2 pm.

3700 W. Military Hwy ...address sounds iffy?

call for info:872-3488

Portaits from Pepe's

Guess what we did yesterday!?

We gathered a gang and went to Pepe's!

It was full but not overcrowded so we were able to all sit

together at tall tables near the front entrance.

Lovely cooling breezes, and it wasn't so loud that we couldn't

carry on conversations...but we still enjoyed the music.

The live band was quite good, as were the singers.

Lot's of people dancing.
I was there for the beer.

That's my pitcher. Mine.

We all had a really good time.

You can tell by the smiles.There was a never ending supply of beer.

Beer on the tables.

Beer in the pitchers.

Beer on the shirt!

We got all cuddly when the camera came around.

Sweet!

Sweeter!

Sweetest!Yee-haw!

Feeling no pain.

Butterflies and Butts.

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