Our Cats & Friends: The Bat Tunnel & State Park

Our Cats & Friends: The Bat Tunnel & State Park:
Not far from Fredericksburg, in the Texas Hill Country (off the old San Antonio Road) there is an old tunnel. It used to be part of the Frederickburg and Northern Railway Co. (1913 to 1941). These days it is famous for about three million Mexican free-tailed bats and three thousand myotis bats, which live there and which emerge from the tunnel every evening... - click on the link above to read more.

In The Kitchen With Tobo: Soups On Our Menu: Ground Beef & Beans Soup

In The Kitchen With Tobo: Soups On Our Menu: Ground Beef & Beans Soup: I found this recipe on Leanna's pages here . When I first read it, I thought I would make the soup for us. The day came yesterday - I was ready to cook... - click on the link above to read more.

Cellular Performance Extra Intensive Face Care by Sensai

Disclaimer: I received the products described in this post for free. I have not been compensated for writing this post. All the opinions expressed in the text are my own and they are based on my own, personal experiences.


I was introduced to SENSAI brand when I was seeking advice on my wedding day make up. The make up artist whom I consulted then, suggested using cosmetics by SENSAI. That was the moment when I discovered the world of wondrous Japanese silk and its benefits, considering the face and general appearance as well. I fell in love immediately with those SENSAI make up items which were presented to me - they were quite sensational indeed and the make up felt so good and light on my face too! It all happened quite a few years ago but I have used the SENSAI Cellular Performance Foundation,  their smoothing make up base and eyelid base ever since.
I wrote more about them here.

When I came to the USA, I also found out that, unfortunately, products by SENSAI are not available in the local stores. I missed the time when (in Europe) I was able to watch and try 'live' at least some items of the SENSAI cosmetics collection. Luckily, I still could get them in certain Internet stores.
Not long ago, I was quite happy to see the Twitter account of @SensaiBeauty as I thought it would let me follow the company news and updates. I was amazed and so delighted when I received SENSAI Cellular Performance Extra Intensive Series Introduction Kit sent by @SENSAIBEAUTY.

I knew that SENSAI cosmetics contain Koishimaru Silk - a unique and exclusive fibre which, in the past, used to be available to Japanese royal family only. This extraordinary ingredient and excellent moisturiser, stimulates the production of the hyaluronic acid and makes the skin beautifully saturated, silky soft and wonderful. I had never had used any SENSAI face care treats though, so I was more than ready to try the gift on my face!

What is so special about the SENSAI Cellular Performance products? They also contain SENSAI's ENE-ACTIVE Complex and exceptional, activating, anti-aging ADVANCED CPX VITAL Extract, which make the face skin look and feel fabulously refreshed.

 

The Cellular Performance Extra Intensive Series Introduction Kit consists of:

 

SENSAI Prime Sollution

Face care morning and evening primer - has a special ingredient Sanzashi (hawthorn) Extract which softens the skin and, boosting its cellular activity, makes your face more than ready for the next stage (eg. your favorite face cream treatment). The pump at the top of the bottle allows, very conveniently, dosing the right amount of the lotion. Depending on how strongly you press the pump - you can get a tiny drop of it or a bigger dose - enough to apply over the entire face.

It did make my skin smoother and firmer!

 

Extra Intensive Essence 

Thanks to its Deep & Quick Penetration Formula, it moistens the skin stupendously and visibly effectively as well.

The Extra Intensive Essence with the Extra Intensive Cream make a perfect team which smooths the skin and fine lines immediately. And it makes you feel gorgeous!

 Extra Intensive Cream

Stunning moisturizer for tired (and not only!) skin which contains the Immediate Firming Formula, and HA/COL Booster (part of anti-aging ADVANCED CPX VITAL Extract). To be applied on the face after using the Extra Intensive Essence.
I would say it is magic in an elegant jar - why? Read my notes at the bottom of the post.

How I am using them

So called 'Saho Skincare' is, in other words, double moisturizing skincare approach recommended by SENSAI. Following the Japanese beauty techniques, first of all, our clean skin needs to be saturated to make it ready for the enriching ingredients of a face cream.
That is why, after washing my face, I have applied the SENSAI Prime Solution to half of my face. Then I used my regular face moisturizer (not included in the set). To observe the properties of the Prime Solution lotion and simply see how it works on my skin, I also used it on its own. I am amazed with the results! It does saturate the skin instantly and noticeably smooths the lines. What is more, it also makes the complexion silky soft and nice.

I am using the Extra Intensive Duo - the Essence and the Cream - on the other half of my face. It may seem strange but the reason of it are some nasty fine lines, which have appeared there, caused also by the fact that I tend to sleep on the same side (and cheek) every night. When I received the Kit by SENSAI, I thought that maybe the Intensive team could do something for me and my wrinkles.
Anyway, I put a drop of the Extra Intensive Essence on my face, tapped it with my finger tips and next, I did the same with the Extra Intensive Cream. Next day, when I looked in the mirror to see how the things were - Ah! Magic! The fine lines on my cheek were smoother and much less visible.
After a week time (morning and evening application), the lines are almost gone - at least they are not noticeable. I am really delighted!

In addition to this, I need to mention, that the scent of these SENSAI products is really light and delicate. I have also applied it close to the under-eye area, to check whether my eyes like the cosmetics or not.
I am happy to say, the lotions and cream, despite their anti-aging and active ingredients, are really gentle, easily absorbed by the skin, do not irritate my eyes and do not trigger my allergic reactions either. And you need to know, due to my picky face skin, I usually have big problems with finding a cream/under-eye cream which does not cause painful allergies and/or irritation. Most often, the more anti-aging active a product is, the more stingy my face and eyes find it. But not the SENSAI products! They are truly wonderful. Since they do not leave any greasy film on the skin, they can be used also as make up routine complexion preparation.

All in all, I have been quite overjoyed with the beauty kit from @SENSAIBEAUTY.
The products are not only top quality but also work for me really well! And they make me look and feel good! Which is all what I wish for when I get new cosmetics for myself.

Visit SENSAI website and learn more above the brand and its products.

Disclaimer: I received the products described in this post for free. I have not been compensated for writing this post. All the opinions expressed in the text are my own and they are based on my own, personal experiences.

World & Stamps - Twins Drawer Collection: Ralph Ellison

World & Stamps - Twins Drawer Collection: Ralph Ellison: Theme: people/ writer Series: 'Literary Arts'   Country: USA Stamp Artwork: K. Nelson Design: E. Kessler   Year: 2014 Ral...

For quite a long time I was thinking about writing posts on some stuff which we had collected - and here they are.. - click on the link above to read more.

My Pocket Calendars: Three Page Calendar by AMUN

My Pocket Calendars: Three Page Calendar by AMUN: Year: 2013 Country: Poland Issued by: AMUN AMUN (Poland) is part of the global association (AMFPA) of artists who paint wonderful pictures... - click on the link above to read more.

Luckenbach Pets

Here are the pets which we met during our last visit in Luckenbach, Texas.

Cats 
They are so much used to visitors that they do not really care for their presence.

Inside the store

 

Dog - inside the pub - he enjoyed listening to a concert by a local country artist: singer and guitar player.

Cocks 

As usual,  cocks rule in Luckenbach. However, that day, due to small number of guests visiting the place, the cocks did not jump on the tree branches. They just walked freely here and there, shouting loud to let everybody know who the master is.

There were also other creatures..

... a guest from Australia

and

a local Texas guy

Movies Monthly - January

Last year in December, I came across a blog post in which the author stated that they had read 25 books in 2015. I thought to myself: 'It is easy to count books, but how should I know how many movies we watched during the year?' I asked my husband what would an approximate number of  the films would be in his opinion, and he said: ' About a thousand'.

To make the number clear and accurate, I have decided to make notes and count the films we watch this year. You will see my diary entries in monthly posts on the blog.

We enjoy watching various kinds of movies but, as you can see below, one of our most favorite category is detective stories - Columbo is my no.1 detective of all time. Then goes DCI Barnaby (Midsomer Murders), William Murdoch (Murdoch Mysteries), DI Poole (Death in Paradise) and others, including Miss Fisher (and her gorgeous wardrobe!). We like not only detective and crime stories though. There are many more. Some films on our list are brand new and/or are new to us as well. Some of them we watched in the past - a long time ago. Long enough not to recall the entire plot. However, no matter when a film was made, if it is really interesting, it is worth seeing it again. Especially, if they (meaning old movies) had interesting settings and costumes which were all real and non computer made, comparing to most recent productions.

Our movies of the month were:
'The Thin Man' series and the two films directed by Alberto Cavalcanti: 'Went the Day Well?' and 'They Made Me a Fugitive'.

Colors (related to movie genres) which I use in my diary notes:

Action
Comedy
Documentary
Detective/Crime Story
Drama
Fantasy, SF
Family
History
Horror
Musical
Thriller
War 
Western

Some of the films are marked with asterisks (if we really like them/do not care for them much). Most of the titles on the list are not marked at all - we simply generally enjoy watching them because of different reasons.

1. Scary Movie 4 - 2006
2. The Thin Man - with William Powell & Myrna Loy -1934 (detective story, comedy) ****
3. After the Thin Man - 1936 *****
4. Another Thin Man - 1939 ****
5. Shadow of the Thin Man - 1941 ****
6. The Thin Man Goes Home - 1945 ****
7. Song of the Thin Man - 1947 ***

We very much enjoyed watching the series about the Thin Man. The costumes worn by Myrna Loy were gorgeous!

8. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - 2015 (drama) ****
9. Downton Abbey VI.1 - 2015 (drama) ****

It was quite interesting to see two of the main actresses in both movies - different looks, different female characters, the same persons.

10. The Twilight Zone: Number 12 Looks Just Like You - 1964 (SF)

11. The Twilight Zone: Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross - 1964 ( SF)
12. Are You Being Served: The Hand of Fate - 1975 (hilarious comedy series!) ****
13. Columbo: Columbo Goes to College - 1990 (detective story)
14. Gang Wars - with Charles Bronson - 1958 (crime story) - seemed to be a pre 'Death Wish' series movie
15. The Twilight Zone: I Dream of Genie - 1963 ( SF)
16. The Mystery Cruise - 2013 (detective story) **
17. Murder on a Bridle Path - 1936 (detective story) ****
18. The Twilight Zone: The Long Morrow - 1964 ( SF)
19. Brannigan - with John Wayne - 1975 (detective/crime story) ***
20. Independent Lens: Chuck Norris vs Communism - 2016 (documentary) 

21. Shall We Dance - with Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - 1944 (musical)
22. Went the Day Well? - by Alberto Cavalcanti - 1944 (based on a novel by Graham Greene - thriller, war) ****
23. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries III.1 Death Defying Feats (detective story)
24. They Made Me a Fugitive - by Alberto Cavalcanti - 1947 (crime story) ****
25. The Twilight Zone: A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain - 1963 (SF)
26. Out of Reach - 2004 (action) **
27. Downton Abbey VI.2 - 2015 (drama)
28. Diagnosis Murder: 35 Millimeter Murder - 1996 (detective story)
29. The Murdoch Mysteries: Kommando - 2011 (detective story)
30. The Murdoch Mysteries: Buffalo Shuffle - 2011 (detective story)

31. Whitechapel ep.1 - 2009 (detective story)
32. Open All Hours  (watched by mistake/accident instead of Are You Being Served - TV schedule was altered)
33. The Twilight Zone: Ring-A-Ding Girl - 1963 ( SF)
34. Mad Max: Fury Road -2015 (action, SF)* - in our opinion, a 15 minute Twilight Zone episode has more plot than this Mad Max part. We found it very little involving, however a bit more interesting than 'Gravity'.
35. The Twilight Zone: You Drive - 1964 (SF)
36. Face/Off - 1997 (action, SF)****
37. The Twilight Zone: Probe 7, Over and Out - 1963 (SF)
38. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders - 1970 (fantasy) - quite a different movie
39. Death in Paradise 4.1 - 2015 (detective story)
40. 100 Rifles - 1969 (western)

41. Shallow Hall - 2001 (comedy)
42. Nothing Sacred - 1937 (comedy, drama)
43. Death in Paradise 4.2 - 2015 (detective story)
44. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Murder and the Maiden - 2015 (detective story)
45. The Twilight Zone: Uncle Simon  - 1963 (SF)
46. Blue Skies -1946 (musical) - lots of great dance and song numbers including my favorite "Puttin' on the Ritz"
47. Whitechapel ep.2 - 2009 (detective story)
48. The Murdoch Mysteries: Downstairs Upstairs - 2011 (detective story) 
49. Downton Abbey VI.3 - 2015 (drama)
50. The Twilight Zone: Ninety Years Without Slumbering - 1963 (SF)

51. Sherlock Holmes: The Abominable Bride - 2016 (crime story, drama)
52. Are You Being Served?: Up Captain Peacock - 1975 (comedy)
53. Diagnosis Murder: The Murder Trade - 1996 (detective story) 
54. The Twilight Zone: Living Doll - 1963 (horror) 
55. The Twilight Zone: The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms - 1963 (SF)
56. Muppets from Space - 1999 (family)
57. Knocked Up - 2007 (comedy)
58. Midsomer Murders: The Straw Woman Part I - 2004 (detective story)
59. Midsomer Murders: The Straw Woman Part II - 2004 (detective story)
60. The Fly - 1958 (SF) - quite a good plot/movie as for the time when it was made

61. The Thief of Bagdad - 1940 (fantasy, family) - great movie considering the time when it was made -interesting plot, efects and amazing colors by Technicolor
62. The Taking of Pelham 123 - 2009 (crime, thriller)**
63. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Murder and Mozarella - 2015 (detective story)
64. Whitechapel ep.3 - 2009 (detective story)
65. Death in Paradise 4.3 - 2015 (detective story)
66. Downton Abbey VI.4 - 2015 (drama)
67. British Intelligence - 1940 (thriller/war)
68. Are You Being Served?: Cold Store - 1975 (comedy)
69.  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - 1949 (fantasy, family, musical)
70. The Prize - with Paul Newman - 1963 (crime story, drama) 

71. Blood Feuds: Gangs of New York - 2016 (history)
72. Blood Feuds: Yukon Gold Rush - 2016 (history)
73. The Twilight Zone: A Kind of Stopwatch - 1963 (SF)
74. War Peace 1 - 2016 (drama, history)
75. War Peace 2 - 2016 (drama, history)
76. Our man in Havana - 1959 (comedy, drama)*** - based on a novel by Graham Greene
77. Forced Vengeance - with Chuck Norris - 1983 (crime story)**
78. McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force - 1965 (comedy, war)
79. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Blood and Money - 2015 (detective story)
80. Death in Paradise 4.4 - 2015 (detective story)

81. Whitechapel ep.4 - 2010 (detective story)
82. True Story - 2015 (drama)*  
83. Downton Abbey VI.4 - 2015 (drama)
84. The Murdoch Mysteries: Monsieur Murdoch - 2011(detective story) 

In January, we also saw a couple of episodes of TCR (Texas Counrty Reporter). It is not on the list as it is a TV show, not a movie.

With eighty-four movies watched during one month, it seems very likely that, by the end of the year,  we will reach the one thousand, estimated by my husband.

And what kind of movies do you like watching?