Merry Christmas!

I'm spending Christmas in Florida and will return January 2, 2008.

I hope you all have a holiday season filled with peace, love and joy.

Merry Christmas, Baby!

These pictures captured the boys personalities to a "T". Elvis copped an attitude and a smug look. Presley layed down and pouted. Yes, they are spoiled, as their hats say!

A Wedding Story

Last night I went to the wedding of my friend, Lacey and her fiance Christopher. It was perfectly beautiful and elegant. Lacey looked like a doll...literally. A petite 23 year old blonde, she was a vision of perfection in her strapless fitted gown as her father escorted her to the alter, where her groom awaited. He was attired in a black tuxedo, black shirt and red tie. With a soft glow of candlelight flickering in the background, they joined hands and the ceremony began.

This night was the culmination of a year long courtship and a seven month engagement. Christopher and Lacey met through a mutual acquaintance and began dating. There had been other beaus in Lacey's life, but this one was special. I remember when she told me, 'He's the one' . Her eyes lit up at the mention of his name. The feeling was mutual, because he just shined when he looked at her. They both had stars in their eyes!

Lacey and Christopher chose to do things the old fashioned way. They each remained in their own homes while they were dating. Soon after their courtship began he asked her father for her hand in marriage. Lacey was filled with anticipation as she and Christopher looked for the perfect engagement ring. One evening, after a romantic dinner, Christopher presented Lacey with an exquisite diamond solitaire.

The wedding plans began! What fun it was to hear all the details! Deciding on a date and location for the ceremony was the first of many steps in the planning of the 'wedding of the year'. At last, we were all gathered to witness as they exchanged their vows.

After a romantic honeymoon in Jamaica, the happy couple will begin their life together in their brand new home.

As I sat there in the chapel and witnessed this storybook affair, a tear came to my eye. It was truly the stuff that dreams are made of. This fairytale wedding that every girl dreams of had become a reality for Lacey. Young love is so full of hope and expectation. I wondered, as I watched them dance their first dance as husband and wife... is there any such thing as happily ever after? When do the stars in our eyes become dim? When does the fairytale wedding give way to everyday reality? Surely, this will never happen to Lacey and Christopher!

I know, I sound jaded and a bit cynical...but I haven't given up hope! We just keep chasing that elusive butterfly called love, don't we?

More Kermie

Kermie didn't freeze! I couldn't wait to get home last night and check on my little guy. Around 7:30 I caught him sneaking into his house. It was a warm, sunshiny day so he must have been out doing his froggy thing.

Kermit the Hermit

Is this cute or what? Meet Kermit the hermit. I first noticed this cute little guy hanging out the window of one of my birdhouses during the summer. He is some sort of tiny tree frog. He and his friends hang around the back porch light and eat insects. Most of his compadres have gone wherever frogs go when it gets cold but he seems to have taken up permanent residence. Look at him sunning himself on the ledge! A cold front blew in last night and tonight there will be a light freeze. Hope Kermie survives!

The red birdhouse has been home to a family of eastern bluebirds since last spring. Kermie moved in to his cottage this summer. A few days ago, I saw a tiny house wren checking out the large birdhouse that sits on an old chair. My little back porch neighborhood seems to be growing!

I knew the weather was going to change soon...the pine siskins and American goldfinches arrived last week. They have been happily dining on the Niger thistle seeds I've added to the bird feeders but also like to forage for weed and grass seeds. The doves don't seem to mind the intrusion. They quietly nibble at the wild bird mix I've thrown on the ground.

I love my creatures, ya'll!

Hello Winter

Baby, it's cold outside! Well, to me it is, anyway. The last three days have been cloudy, cold and rainy here in H-town . I decided to stay inside today so I thought I'd catch up on my blogging.

Thanksgiving was rather low key this year. I spent the day with my sister and her family. Sis and I love to cook and be in the kitchen together. Her new son in law is a gourmet cook so we 'allowed' him into our domain, where he made his version of giblet gravy. I made deviled eggs, pimento cheese stuffed celery and cranberry sauce Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the week I tried two recipes I found in Taste of the South's special Christmas issue. I made Turtle bites and Vanilla-Espresso Snowballs. Check out the website: www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com. I found this beautiful magazine at Publix in Winter Haven, Fl. It's more about deep south cooking than South Texas cooking. I love it!

Anyway, back to dinner, sis prepared Turkey, cornbread dressing and all the trimmings. We all ate ourselves into oblivion...end of story! Yum! I grabbed a turkey leg, a wing and some white meat, along with some dressing, came home and crashed. Me and the boys settled in on the couch and watched 'The Birds'. What a great old Alfred Hitchcock classic. I love the way Tippi Hedren ran all over the place in her taupe high heels, never letting go of the matching handbag, either! And that green shift dress and matching jacket held up well until the dummy went upstairs and let the birds nearly rip her to shreds!

I took Friday off, just in case I wanted to go shopping....would you believe I did? I woke up at the crack of dawn, as always! It was cloudy and cold, but not raining. I thought I may as well join the rest of the world and get out of the house. I got myself ready and was at Dillard's door at 8:00 am! I think most people were at Best Buy and Circuit City snapping up all the electronics they could grab, because it wasn't busy at all. I was looking for a black skirt to complete my ensemble for Lacey's wedding. I headed upstairs to the formal wear department. I found a skirt...BUT I also found a gorgeous black, stretchy velvet top to go with it. I tried it and several other tops on with the skirt, just to get an idea of how it would look with the top I already have. Yep, I bought the top, too! That soft velvet felt so...warm and cozy, not to mention that it'll look downright *hot* with white pearls and a few rhinestones. My mission was accomplished, so I left the mall around 11:00 and headed home to warm up my leftovers.

Later, I met a friend at Starbuck's. Good coffee and good conversation...the perfect way to end the day.

What a nice Thanksgiving I had, ya'll

Oh Baby!

Introducing:

Jackson Benjamin Smith

Born: October 13, 2007

He weighed a mere 2 lbs 12 oz when he was born by C section, approximately two months before his due date. He weighed 4 lbs when he was released from the hospital on November 9.

While we rejoice and thank God for the miracle of this precious little soul, we are saddened by the passing yesterday of a sweet little girl named Tayler. She is the 11 year old daughter of one of my daughter's friends. She has suffered from Cystic Fibrosis all her life. Rest in peace, sweet child. You are now free to run in Heaven's playground...no oxygen tank needed!

We should all have the strength and determination of Jackson and Taylor.

I'm Gone

To Florida, that is...to meet baby Jackson! He is now tipping the scales at 3.09. The latest report is that he has begun to nurse from a bottle. He'll hit 4 lbs in no time. Sounds like he'll be going home sooner than later.

My girls and I are going to have so much fun getting the nursery ready for his arrival. His baby shower is on Nov. 4th...hopefully he will get to attend.

So, I won't be blogging for a while, folks. I'm going to be too busy having fun with my girls...and my baby boy!

I'm flying out in the morning, so pray for the pilot!

Back in a few weeks, ya'll!

It's Done

Today was The Day. The divorce became final. I got up at 5:00 a.m. made coffee and took the pups outside. It was a dark, crisp , cool morning. As I looked to the west, there, shining through the trees was a big , beautiful moon, just minutes from slipping into the horizon. Stars were twinkling in the sky..the Big Dipper floated above my head. A bright planet shared the eastern sky with more stars. I thanked God for the beautiful, perfect weather. I had to drive into the city in rush hour traffic and I was thankful that it wasn't raining.

I left early and headed for the toll road. In spite of the heavy traffic I made it to The Family Law Center in plenty of time. I was to meet my attorney in the coffee shop and since I was 30 minutes early, I had another cup of coffee. I needed this time to wind down from the commute. I am so glad I don't have to drive that route every day!

To make a long story short, It took longer to get downtown and park than it did to stand in front of the judge! How quick and efficient, I thought. This appearance before a judge who looked to be my son's age was a mere formality. It's been over for a long time. A certain sadness lingered in the back of my mind, along with a sense of relief. I was home by 9:45...no traffic, everyone was at work!

The weather was warm and sunny. I opened the roof on my car and 'soaked up the sun', as Sheryl Crow would say. Had the oil changed, the tires checked....topped off the gas tank. Bought a new pair of shoes and a new sweater. Had lunch with my bff Lisa. Came home and took a nap with 'the boys'.
Made a big dish of angel hair pasta with Italian sausage, mushrooms and fresh basil to take to the salon tomorrow. The gals will love it! Went to dinner with another friend...had sushi and hot sake. Opened the roof on the way home and enjoyed the full moon and cool breeze.

What an eclectic, interesting day I had!

Life goes on, ya'll

Shopping for Jackson

Baby Jackson is one week old today. He is such a cutie, so tiny and sweet. I can't wait to meet him. He will be in the NICU for a while because he was so premature but he is healthy and thriving.

I met my sister and niece at the mall this afternoon. We wanted to look for preemie clothes for Jackson. My niece is expecting a baby in December so she was looking for a few new things. The three of us had such fun! I love baby clothes! I bought Jackson two soft cotton sleepers and a tiny blue plush puppy with a rattle inside. Ah, the first of many outfits for my newest grand baby!

Now, I feel the need to rant, so here goes. Does this drive you nuts or is it just me? You go to pay for your purchase with cash (which I frequently do), the salesperson piles the change on top of a receipt that is at least a foot long and shoves it into your hand. Of course, there are always people behind you, waiting to check out. Now comes the dilemma. Do you take the time to put the receipt in the bag or neatly fold it before putting it in a safe place inside your purse or wallet....then put the loose change in it's designated place before sliding the paper bills into their cubbyhole. Do you lay the receipt on the counter, put your money away, then pick up the receipt and put it in the bag or your purse? OR do you hurriedly wad up and stuff the whole mess into your wallet or pocket, while being 'nudged' out of the way by fellow shoppers. Heaven help you if the receipt gets caught in the zipper of your change purse or the change escapes the wadded mess, scattering onto the counter or worse yet, the floor! About this time the sales person is looking at you like you're a total spaz and the waiting customers are growing a tad impatient. Try quickly picking up coins with fake nails! I just go for the quarters and forget about the lesser change. I'm so exasperated by this time I could care less about stray coinage! It would take much less time if the sales person would simply ask if I wanted the receipt in the bag as she/he is checking me out. As it is, they barely make eye contact during the transaction, much less provide any extra customer service..... that's another rant! By the way, the same thing happens at fast food joints. Who cares if you get a receipt for a hamburger and fries? Like your gonna return it the next day or something! Just toss the receipt and give me my food already! I'm trying to get out of the way of the hungry mob lined up behind me!

Other than that, I had a lovely afternoon with my gals, ya'll

He's Here!

When my phone rang at 5:30 am this morning, I immediately knew it was my daughter. I had been awake since 4:45, unable to sleep. I was lying there in the dark praying when the call came. She sounded groggy but I heard her sweet voice say, "Mom, you have a new grandson". He was born around 2:00 am by C section. He weighs 2 lbs 12 oz. He's tiny but strong!

Our prayers have been answered!

Once again, we have been blessed, ya'll!

Time Flies!

Hi ya'll, I'm still here! My daughter has been in the hospital for two months due to complications with her pregnancy. She is now almost 32 weeks along. The doctors want her to go at least to 33 or 34 weeks. Things continue to be fairly stable but an emergency C section could take place at any time if necessary. Between work and flying back and forth to Florida to check on her, there has been no time for blogging. I will be flying back on October 27 for baby Jackson's arrival. He will be pre-mature and will have to stay in the NICU for a while. This has been quite a harrowing experience for our family but we are thankful for this new addition and continue to trust God for His divine intervention and care.

Elvis, Presley and I now have a room mate. My 'little' brother is staying with me for a while. It's nice to have another human in the house. It kind of brings back memories of when he used to stay at my house when my kids were young. Even now, he and my son are like brothers. They are hunting and fishing buddies and worse yet, die hard sports fans. They talk on the phone constantly, discussing the latest stats on their favorite teams or planning their next hunting trip. Sometimes they sound like two old women gossiping! Just listening to their conversations, laced with their own special 'dialects' makes me laugh.

Yes, time does fly, indeed...my two 'babies' are all grown up, with families of their own. Life is full of ups and downs. We have weathered our share of storms but we have been blessed in many ways. We all look forward to the arrival of our newest family member. As we have witnessed the struggle he and his mommy have endured, we are reminded of how fragile life is. We know the One who gives life and we trust Him in all circumstances.

"Every life is a fairy tale, written by God's fingers" by Hans Christian Andersen

It's a New Day

I was sitting at my kitchen table this morning, as I do every morning, putting on 'MY FACE' while enjoying my chocolate laced coffee. The light is good and I can watch the hummingbirds right outside the window. The woodpeckers, doves and cardinals were at the feeder on the back fence, having their breakfast. Elvis and Presley had just finished their breakfast and were hanging out under and around my chair. I was taking my time, since I'm off on Wednesdays...just thinking about going to Target and Petco. Suddenly, they both crawled under the buffet and began barking at something. I finally decided to check and see what they had found under there...probably a dead bug, I thought. As I leaned down to have a look, I accidentally pulled on the cord to my make up mirror which knocked my coffee mug to the floor! Luckily, it was almost empty, but there was enough cafe mocha left to make a nice splash. Of course, the mug shattered into several large pieces. It startled the boys, who by the way were barking at one of their tennis balls that had been under the buffet for who knows how long. Drat, I thought, that was one of my favorite mugs! A special friend gave it to me for Christmas several years ago. Anyway, the pups started licking up the coffee while I ran for some paper towels. I was afraid they were going to cut themselves on the broken glass, so I hurried to wipe up the mess while shooing them out of the way. Guess who got cut?.....me! An otherwise leisurely morning had now become chaotic....

Ah, such is life! So, the moral of the story is: Life can be rocking along fairly smoothly, but make just one move in the wrong direction and things can come crashing down. In an instant you can find yourself in a mess, or a pit! Like shattered mugs, the pieces can be picked up, but things will never be the same. The mess can be cleaned up, but the memory of losing something cherished, will always be in the back of ones mind. Alas, time heals all wounds, whether it is a cut finger or a hurting heart. You just have to make up your mind, have faith and trust God to put your feet upon a rock. He promises to put a new song in your mouth!

By the way, I finished Beth Moore's book, "Get out of That Pit". I'm happy to say that I'm no longer a "pit dweller"!

"You know the plans you have for me, O God. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me. Plans to give me hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Things in the past are dead and gone. Leave them behind and just move on. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is God's gift to me, to make it all that it can be." author unknown

Life does go on, ya'll

No more crying over spilled milk ( or coffee)!

Comin' Through!

This story is so cute! I could hardly wait to get home and share it with everyone. I was on my way to work this morning around 9:00 am. Traffic was light on this cloudy Saturday morning, unlike a weekday when everyone is in a rush to get to work. I had just accelerated after stopping at a red light when I noticed a few cars on the opposite side of the road had pulled over. I was in the right lane and another car was right beside me in the left lane. A pickup pulling a boat was coming up behind me. I braked a little, glancing to the left, trying to see what was happening. As I glanced back into my traffic lane I saw what the commotion was! A pair of adult ducks were smack in the middle of the lane! Following directly behind them were about 8 or 10 ducklings! They all seemed to be oblivious to the fact that they were literally stopping four lanes traffic! I hit the brake just short of slamming into them. They casually waddled onto the grassy side of the road, into the ditch. As soon as I hit the brake, I looked into my rear view mirror to see how close the pick up was. Thankfully, he saw what was happening and slowed down too. I'm sure we all had a smile on our face as we continued on our way.

I immediately called my son to give him a blow by blow report. He's a nature lover like his Mom, so I knew he would get a kick out hearing about it. He's also a four wheeler riding, cammo wearing bubba, a hunter and a fisherman. He loves to hunt all manner of critter and fowl... Even has a professionally trained, champion bloodline chocolate lab bird dog named 'Rip'.
Know what he said? "Wow, that would have been a mess if you had plowed into all them birds, Mom. Feathers flying all over the place, all in your grill and sh**." Then he laughed!

I love that boy!

We've had an extremely rainy summer here in Houston. We're all about to become web footed and grow algae! I guess that's one explanation for this random duck crossing. Our feathered friends are loving all the water, so they're just doing what ducks do. Trekking from pond to pond, even if it means stopping traffic on a four lane road! At least they didn't cause a major pile up or get squished to pieces. I fear the outcome would have been tragic had this event taken place on a busy weekday morning. God was surely looking out for all His creatures....He's cool like that.


Those little baby duckies were so cute, ya'll!

Here We Go Again!

Jason over at cigarsdonutsandcoffee is right on once again! Check out his comments on this ridiculous story in the Houston Chronicle

I try not to get too political in this blog, but sometimes I just can't help it.

As I was pondering this debacle, I came up with a good idea: Why don't these nutcases families call Quanell X first ! Let's see how fast he rushes to the scene. Let him try talk to the crazy idiot pointing a gun or swinging a fence post with a concrete ball on the end of it. Yeah right, when hell freezes over! Ain't no way he's going to confront a mad man like that. His custom made sharkskin suit and crisp white shirt just may get dirty and ripped. He might get his shiny black Hummer bashed or worse, get bopped in the head. On second thought, that might not be a bad idea. Maybe it would knock some sense into him! Besides, who would he call if he found himself in a threatening situation? Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson? Talk about Three Stooges!

I'd just like to know where this guy gets his financing.....perhaps from the *Revs.* ( I use the term loosely) Al or Jesse? It's a crying shame the way these vultures prey on and exploit their own race!

Why don't these guys put THEIR money where their mouth is instead of using poor, uneducated people, who for some reason, think they actually give a rip about them. They just want to get their ugly mugs in front of a camera so they can push their warped agenda!

Advocates my foot, ya'll!

And by the way, I have a close family member who has been afflicted with schizophrenia for years, so I know how hard it is to deal with them. He chose to distance himself from the family years ago. We don't know if he is dead or alive. He was abusive and addicted to drugs and we did all we possibly could to get him to seek professional help....to no avail. It was my personal choice to cut all ties with him after he threatened me and my family. May God have mercy on his tortured soul, wherever he is.

Happy Independence Day!

Elvis and Presley are such good boys! They sat still for about 5 seconds while I took their picture. Elvis doesn't mind the Harley cap but Presley wants no part of it.

The sound of exploding fireworks have been filling the air for several days. Poor Elvis is about to have a nervous meltdown. Presley, on the other hand just barks a little and looks at Elvis like he's lost his everlovin' mind. It got especially intense last night so I gave them both a dose of Benadryl to relax them. It must have had the reverse effect on Elvis...he cried like a little girl doggie...for hours!

Both of them piled on the couch with me, cowering on my lap. Everytime a boom pierced the air, their heads popped up and the crying and barking began. About 10:30 I started nodding off in between the outbursts and decided it was time to go to bed.

I put their crates inside the shiny new fence enclosure in the middle of the kitchen floor. They recently learned how to body slam the 'baby' gate and escape from the kitchen so this fence was just the ticket! I offered each of them their Milk Bone treat, like I do every night. Presley enthusiastically devoured his. With sad, panicked eyes looking up at me, Elvis sniffed his and refused it. Presley quickly scarfed it up.

I turned out the lights, told them 'night night' and retired to my room. Almost immediately the howling started again. I heard the boom of fireworks in the distance....Elvis did too, apparently. They were coming from the sub division on the other side of the woods behind the house, for crying out loud....as E was doing, I might add. The little guy made sounds I've never heard before! It must have freaked Presley out to witness such carrying on because he didn't make a peep. I couldn't get to sleep because of all the commotion. I finally got up and told The King to keep it down. After another 30 minutes of wailing, he must have been exhausted and about to lose his voice. He finally shut up and passed out. Thankfully, the far away neighbors were running out of ammo and the racket slowly died down.

It is now the morning after and as I write this, they are both in the kitchen, sleeping like babies on their blankies. I love my boys!

I guess the Benadryl finally kicked in, ya'll!

Waiting Patiently

Wow, this month seemed to fly by. It was a busy one for me. Between work and my kids visiting, I barely had any spare time. Of course, a few personal issues continued to lurk in the background. The hustle and bustle of everyone coming and going in a flurry of activity provided a temporary break from hassling with them. Elvis, Presley and I are just now getting settled back into our daily routine.

Thankfully, I continue to stay very busy in the world of hair. In fact, I've done nothing but work, come home and collapse lately. By the time I feed the dogs and myself, it's time to crash. I'm certainly not complaining though. I feel extremely blessed to have such a great business.

I recently started reading Beth Moore's new book. The title really caught my eye, so I immediately ordered it. It's called " Get Out of That Pit". I'm on chapter three and all I can say is WOW! I highly recommend it to any current, or even former *pit dweller*. We've all ' been there, done that' at one time or another. Ms Moore has written an inspirational how to manual, explaining how to extricate oneself from the miry muck of life that we all sometimes find ourselves stuck in.

This amazing woman of God does have a way with words. Everything she says is biblically grounded. She just has a gift for making it relevant and real.... so 'right now'. Additionally, as a native Texan-Houstonian, the girl talks like me, ya'll. She speaks perfect Texanese! The book is based on the following scripture:

I waited patiently for the Lord: he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1-3

Amen to that, ya'll!

In fact, chapter three is calling me, so I'm gonna go read now.

G' night!

Random Stuff

Blogger is being difficult again....won't allow me to comment. Ya think it could be this ancient computer I'm using?

Whatever, Miss Litzi, the bluebirds keep coming to the old nest. The birdhouse doesn't have a trap door so I can't clean it out. We'll just have to wait and see if they lay some more eggs. I love watching them!

So, Jason, TXgoodies, Q-Girl and Dad to 3, I'm still lurking your blogs...

All this rain is really making the grass grow! My lawn guy is in Colorado having all kinds of fun I hear. Hope he's ready to sweat when he gets home.

I like this quote by Dolly Parton:

" If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with a little rain."

Later, Ya'll

Hello World!

I bought these daylillies not knowing what type they were. I was pleasantly surprised to see these beautiful, unusual blooms one morning as I was leaving for work.

About two weeks ago I was watching the bluebird parents make their early morning food run. They were taking turns bringing one juicy bug after another. I thought that baby must be getting huge from all the protein! Suddenly I saw movement from inside the house. The little guy had managed to peek out of the door. I ran to get my camera...I just had to get a picture. It sat there and peered out, ready to get out and explore the world.

He must have flown away while I was at work. The parents didn't come to the house late in the afternoon or the next morning. Then, a few days later, the entire family came back to the porch. The fledgling bird lit on a perch near the window, flapping its wings, waiting to be fed. The parents were nearby. One of them flew to the ground. The baby followed and watched as its Mom attacked a mole cricket and devoured it. I could just imagine her saying " Here's the kitchen, help yourself!"

They still come to the house every morning. It looks like the female is re-feathering the nest, preparing to lay more eggs. The fledgling continues to grow and will help raise the next generation.

The kids and grand kids have all gone home. We had a wonderful, fun visit. I'm still washing towels and sheets! Guess I'll have to eat the chicken nuggets and Popsicles left in the freezer. Those chocolate chip Eggo's sure were yummy!

Life goes on, ya'll!

Whine, whine, whine!

I am so bummed! My throat started feeling scratchy on the way home from San Antonio. By last night it was really sore and my nose was stopped up. When I woke up this morning I had that 'sick' feeling. At least I was off today, but still had things to do.

I hate to miss choir rehearsal tonight because I've been out a lot lately. Oh well, Elvis and Presley will be glad. We can all pile up on the sofa and watch The Food network. Now that American Idol is over, there's nothing on TV.

I have a long day in the World of Hair tomorrow. I should drag myself to CVS and get some DayQuil.......and dark chocolate M&M's...and some Blue Bell!
I hear thunder. The weather guy just predicted a storm in the area. Guess I'll stay in and suffer!


I hate being sick, ya'll!

Flowers From my Garden

My Bromeliad is blooming!

The arrangement has one orange rose surrounded by purple hollyhock's, a white gardenia and assorted herbs. I don't know the names of the two varieties of red flowers. I'm sure I can find them in one of my 'flower books'.

I love flowers, ya'll!

Bread and Memories

My Rosemary and Oregano inspired me to try my hand at bread baking again. I browsed through my cook books and found a recipe for Herbed Focaccia bread. I ran to the store and picked up some dry yeast, whole wheat flour and sun dried tomatoes, which the recipe called for. Focaccia is a rustic bread found all over Italy. Now it's popular all over America. Dipped in olive oil and herbs, it is out of this world! First, I snipped bunches of fresh Rosemary and Oregano from the garden. I loved smelling the fragrant aroma as I finely chopped each herb. After mixing the ingredients into a beautiful dough, I turned it out on my floured counter and kneaded it until it was smooth and elastic. I sat the dough aside to rise, then baked it. The house smelled divine!

While the focaccia baked, I looked through the cook book and found a recipe for Lemon Balm Banana Bread. What an intriguing combination, I thought. I always have a collection of frozen bananas in the freezer, waiting to be made into bread. So, out I went, to snip some sprigs of Lemon Balm! I doubled the recipe and made two loaves.

The large antique mixing bowl was Aunt Era's. I remember seeing it at her house through the years. I was a little apprehensive about using it, for fear I would drop it and break it, but I could almost hear Aunt Era saying, 'Go ahead, use it!'. As I blended the ingredients together, I imagined all the things she might have mixed in this wonderful old bowl. She was a fantastic cook. Anytime we walked in the door, she immediately went to the kitchen and started warming things up. We never left her house hungry, that's for sure!

I'll take both the Focaccia and Banana Bread to my friends, the Louvins this weekend. I'm meeting them at Lake Medina near San Antonio for Memorial Day.

I may even go tubing!

Have a fun weekend, ya'll!

Technical Difficulties

Ever since I upgraded to Beta I haven't been able to post comments to anyone's blog. I'm trying to figure out how to fix the problem. Help!!

Just wanted my bunch to know that I do check in and read your blogs. I just have to keep my comments to myself for the time being!

After a dry spell, I'm finally getting back into writing and do appreciate your comments, though.

Keep on bloggin', ya'll!

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

The boys woke me up at 6:00 am this morning! Once I stepped outside with them and felt the cool morning air, I didn't mind. To the east was the most amazing sunrise. In the distance I could heard the bluebirds and cardinals singing their morning song. The bluebirds were perched on the fence, waiting to check on their nest in the birdhouse on the porch. There must be babies inside because yesterday afternoon I saw one of them taking in a mole cricket.

I can't be outside for long without starting to putter with my plants. I love the smell of the herbs! Just running my hand across the leaves releases the most wonderful aromas. The pretty orange rose bush is putting out new blooms and the little peach tree is loaded with fruit. I need to re pot the bromeliads I brought back from Florida last Christmas. I dug them up from my daughters garden and put them in my carry on bag! I still need to get the Passion Flower vine in the ground but it seems to thriving is its plastic bucket. It will take over the entire fence before long. Gulf Fritillary butterflies like to lay their eggs on this prolific vine. The caterpillars are bright orange, just like the butterfly.

The backyard is so big I call it a meadow. Except for a few sprigs of San Augustine grass close to the house, it is still in its natural state. Lots of bright yellow coreopsis, dandelions, wild morning glories and other assorted weeds and grasses have taken over. The birds like it because of all the seeds and bugs, so I don't mind, except that it gets so high that Elvis and Presley 'get lost'. In some areas all I can see are their tails. It really needed to be mowed so I had a teenager from my church take care of it yesterday. It looks better, but I miss the flowers. At least I can find the dogs now!

The cedar tree limbs placed along the edge of the beds are from my aunt and uncle's old home place. The old tree needed to be pruned and reshaped. Sis and her hubby saved all the branches. When they offered me some of the wood, I immediately visualized them as a border along my herb garden. One of the limbs is perfectly curved to fit the shape of the bed! As children, my brother, sister and I would climb the tree, knowing that if Aunt Era caught us in it we would surely be in trouble. The sticky sap is almost impossible to remove from skin and clothing, but we could have cared less. We just wanted to be up high in that old tree! Now, some 30 plus years later, as I tend my garden and touch this old wood, I am reminded of happy, carefree childhood times long ago.

Well, the morning is about gone.....it's time to get moving. I'm meeting Sis and Cousin at the old house later to go through the closets again. Today is the first opportunity the three of us have had to get together in a while. We need to get it done before the weather gets too hot....no A/C in this 1930's bungalow. I'm sure we will uncover many more mementos and share stories of long ago as we clean.

Where does the time go, ya'll?

Wedding Pictures

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was extra special for me for several reasons. First of all, I was in Florida with my girls. That in itself was cool, but now that my daughter is expecting baby number three it was even more wonderful. Her youngest will be nine years old in a few weeks so this was definitely a surprise to everyone.

Anyway, we all got up early and went to church. Pastor son in law had to stay for the late service so we girls decided to have an early lunch at Woody's Bar B Que. After all the seafood at the wedding, I was ready for some juicy baby back ribs. Daughter was craving some fried onion rings. Her father in law and sister in law had the same idea and came in right as we were being seated, so they joined us at our table. This place is also known for their delicious homemade pies, cakes and banana pudding........well, it was Mother's Day and we had already blown the diet at the wedding. What would one more piece of pie hurt?
The girls shared a piece of French Silk pie, Father in law and I shared the Coconut Cream pie and daughter went for the banana pudding. Oh wow, was it ever good! We didn't forget pastor S-i-L....we took him a sliced beef sandwich, french fries and saved a few bites of pie and pudding.

Now, for the real story. After we had kicked back for a short siesta, we hooked up the boat and went to the lake to do a little tubing. CB, the oldest granddaughter hopped on for the first round. She's a regular hot dog and really loves to ride the waves. What fun, I thought. I had been tubing once before and felt up to the challenge again. I put on my life jacket and gingerly hopped on the big blue tube. They forgot to tell me to slide toward the back before take off and before I knew what was happening the thing flipped forward and landed me face first in the water. There was no way I could pull myself back up on the thing from the water, so I had to get back in the boat and climb on it from there. I managed to get on the ladder but was unable to pull myself up into the boat.
S-I-L had to give me a hand! Eventually, I got back on the tube and away I went. It was a nice ride and I managed to stay on the entire time. Getting back in the boat proved to be a challenge once again, but I made it in. CB took another spin, then the youngest granddaughter wanted me to ride with her. No problem, I survived the first ride, so the two of us climbed on and took off. I guess A felt safe with me because she wanted to go faster and 'get some wave'. I gave S-I-L the thumbs up to go faster and make some waves. Next thing I knew, we were hitting the waves, bouncing up and down on the tube. I was holding on for dear life and A was screaming like the little girl she is! All of a sudden, we went over the edge of the wake and I lost my grip. I went flying into the water and came up gasping for air. Every muscle in my body was jerking....I was exhausted! How was I going to get back in the boat, I thought. Somehow I was able to get onto the ladder but there was no way I could pull myself up. I must have looked like a drowned rat because they were asking me if I was OK...while laughing their heads off, I might add! S-I-L held out his hand but I was afraid to let go of the ladder. I knew I had to either get in the boat or they would have to idle back to shore, dragging me in the water. Long story short, I finally grabbed his hand. He literally had to flop my body over the side of the boat. I felt like a fish that had just been reeled in. My muscles were quivering and I felt like I weighed a ton! Those brats were still laughing as we headed for the dock. What a blast....so invigorating! Can't wait to go again!!

When we got home, father in law had gone to the store and bought a huge ice cream cake. He's such a nice man! Oh mercy....more dessert, but I couldn't resist. Besides, it would be rude to refuse.....and I needed to replace the calories I burned during my wild ride around the lake!

So, how was that for a fun Mother's Day, ya'll?

A Beautiful Wedding

A Limoge box was the inspiration for the wedding cake, designed by the bride. Fresh citrus fruit, tropical flowers and sea grasses adorned the top of a delicious lemon pound cake.

The large vase to the right of the cake is filled with seashells. In the bottom of the vase, the grooms sister placed sand from the beach. Each guest placed a shell in the vase as they exited the beach after the ceremony. I'm sure the bride and groom will enjoy this reminder of their special day for years to come.

I just returned from sunny, or I should say, smoky Florida this afternoon. The smoke from wildfires in Georgia and northern Florida was blown by a subtropical depression, covering the entire state. I flew into Tampa Wednesday afternoon and the skies were fairly clear, as they were most of Thursday in Winter Haven. By Friday, the sky was a little hazy, but we had a wedding to attend.

My daughter, son in law and grand daughters left Friday morning, driving south to Naples/ Fort Myers for my niece's wedding. We arrived at The Bellasera hotel www.sunstream.com around 1:00 pm, entering the lobby through two huge, heavy dark wooden doors. A metal spiral staircase led to the second floor landing. I felt like I was in Italy. Our two bedroom suite was beautifully appointed in a warm Tuscan decor. The complete kitchen had gorgeous granite counter tops and beautiful black appliances. I could live there!

After checking in, we met up with my sister and other family members and went to the pool area. Her two grandsons and my two granddaughters enjoyed a swim while we sat and had a glass of tea. Soon it was time to get ready for the wedding. My daughter and I were 'in charge' of the bride, so I gathered her and all her stuff and we went to our suite to work on hair and make up. The little girls were fascinated by the whole process. Since both were members of the wedding party, I styled their hair too, and helped them get dressed. My sister took charge of the boys, and soon we were all ready for the trek to the beach for the ceremony.

When we arrived at Lowdermilk park beach around 6:30 pm, the wind was blowing and there was a smoky haze covering the entire area. The chairs weren't set up yet, so everyone pitched in a got them set up. Then, to the melody of a Jamaican steel drum, the bride made her way to a bamboo arch, festooned with palm fronds and orange tropical lilies. She wore a beautiful cream gown and held a hand tied nosegay of orange calla lilies and tiny green orchids. Her handsome groom awaited, dressed in a light summer suit, a lime green Cymbidium orchid pinned to his lapel. My two granddaughters stood by the bride while the brides two sons stood by the groom. My son in law officiated the ceremony, and as he pronounced the happy couple husband and wife, my heart swelled with love and appreciation for being blessed with such a wonderful family. At the end of the ceremony, instead of throwing rice, everyone tossed a seashell into the surf while saying a prayer or blessing for the newlyweds. Their names were inscribed on each shell.

After the ceremony, the entire group of about 25 people, went to Truluck's Steak and Stonecrab restaurant. We all enjoyed a beautiful sit down dinner of steak and seafood. Need I say more? Yum!!!

Wait, there's more! Saturday morning, The groom's family hosted a brunch at the couple's new home in Fort Myers. More food......including mimosas, desserts from the night before that we were all too stuffed to eat, PLUS wedding cake!

Finally, it was time to say our goodbyes and get on the road. We decided to stop by Sanibel beach before we left the area. The smoke had cleared and the sun was shining brightly as we walked along the waters edge, picking up sea shells. What a perfect end to such a perfect day!

Guess what I did on Mother's day! More about that later.....

And a good time was had by all, ya'll!

Birdhouses

I found this cute birdhouse at the Bluebonnet festival a few weeks ago. It has a crackled tin roof and I love all the metal work on it. The little green birdhouse and the Boston fern are hanging on a piece of metal scroll work from an old screen door.

One day I noticed a pair of Eastern Bluebirds flying near the porch. One of them lit on the front of the house and went right in while its mate waited, perched nearby on top of a wind chime. They must have liked the location because they immediately began to bring pieces of straw inside and started making their nest.

I can't get close enough to take a picture of the birds. I caught this shot as they were dragging a piece of grass into the house. I love collecting unique, hand crafted birdhouses and have quite a nice collection. This is the first time some of my feathered friends have taken up residence in one.

Snake!

I was in my backyard Saturday afternoon watering plants. As always, Elvis and Presley were 'helping' me. As I aimed the hose toward the fence I notice movement near the plant I was about to water. It was a HUGE snake, about 3 feet long! I jumped back and screamed, which alerted the dogs. Elvis started barking at it and Presley ran for the porch ( he's the smart one). The snake ran(?) toward a flower bed with Elvis in pursuit. I grabbed a shovel and managed to hold it down while whacking it with a piece of landscape timber. At the same time, I'm trying to keep Elvis from attacking the thing as it writhed about. By this time, blood was all over the place.....It looked like a murder scene. Well, those two little hounds were determined to get all in it, so I had to hose them and the surrounding area down before throwing the dead carcass over the back fence. I don't know if it was poisonous but I didn't want to take any chances with it biting one of 'the boys'. I know snakes have their place in the environment, eating rodents and other vermin and I'm sorry I killed the poor thing. I just FREAKED, OK? I wish now I had had the presence of mind to take a picture so I could have identified it, but it would still be dead!

So, after that little detour, I went in the house, had a diet coke, freshened up and went to the mall to do a little shopping. I bought a sun hat to wear to my niece's beach wedding in Florida. Then I notice that Dillard's was having a sale on bed linens. I've been looking for a new comforter for my bed, so I decided to see what they had. I found it! It's called 'Romanoff' by Croscill. It was 33 % off!!Check out the little animal print pillow I found at the Bluebonnet festival in Chappell Hill (TX)...it says "Who Cares".... cute, huh?

It's almost time for Dancing With the Stars...

Bye for now, Ya'll!

New Beginnings

Tomorrow is April 1st...the beginning of a new month. Spring time is all about new beginnings...with the trees budding out and flowers beginning to bloom, everything looks fresh and new. My herb garden is planted with new basil, chives, thyme, sage, parsley and cilantro. Last years cilantro even re-seeded itself and is now exploding with tiny white flowers that will go to seed and become coriander. The White Princess peach tree I planted three weeks ago is thriving and has a dozen or so tiny peaches on it. The birds are singing and building their nests. The tree frogs have suddenly appeared, filling the night with their song. Nature has awakened from its winter's nap, ready to begin a new season.

As for me, I am beginning a new season in my life. The domestic issues I have been dealing with for the last year are finally being resolved. Hope and expectation have finally begun to replace sadness and despair. The winter doldrums have been awakened by the hustle bustle of spring. My life, like my garden is taking on new growth.

Easter is a week away. What better time to celebrate? The resurrection of our Lord and Savior is all about new beginnings!

It's Saturday, and I'm still sick. Wonder what's on TV today? I'll check it out later. Elvis and Presley are really enjoying having their Mom home with them. They seem to sense that I'm sick. They look at me curiously when I blow my nose, which I'm doing a lot. Presley keeps trying to lick the Vick's off me. Euwww. They sure kept me warm Thursday night when I was having chills, though.

The following is a post I wrote yesterday on another blog:

I'm home sick today...the flu finally 'got' me! Been laying on the sofa, on and off all day, watching daytime TV. Elvis and Presley are right there with me, arguing over who gets the prime spot on my lap. I finally put them outside..after all, they're dogs, they need to be out in the sunshine, working on the the holes they've been digging!

TV got a little boring...I dozed off during Montel. It was about spoiled kids/teenagers. I love they way they dance around the fact that these little brats could use a good spanking. It seems the parents feel the need to give their children everything but discipline and boundaries. Just watch Nanny 911...the kids are running the show! The parents are wimps!

So, I thought I'd browse a few profiles, read a few blogs. People are so interesting and I love reading about them, but it amazes me how many adults can't spell. Get a dictionary, for heavens sake, people! I can accept the non-use of punctuation and capitalization. I don't have a problem with 'computer speak spelling', such as 'u r' for 'you are', but 'friend' is not spelled 'freand'!

OK, I've had a sinus headache for 5 days, so thanks for letting me vent. Just in case you're reading this, Mr. Wonderful, I really am a nice person!

I just hate being sick!

Lainey

You Are 85% Feminine, 15% Masculine

You are totally in touch with your feminine side.Chances are, you are a very typical woman.And if you're a guy, then you're just super sensitive.

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

Still Livin Life One Day at a Time

Where have I been? Just working and hanging out with Elvis and Presley. The weather has been too nasty to do much of anything. Today, however, is beautiful! It's 75 degrees and sunny! I took the boys with me to the bank and to do a few errands this morning. Elvis loves to 'go bye bye' but gets so nervous and whiny the entire time we're gone. We stopped by the church to see Uncle Buck and Elvis tinkled on the carpet the minute we walked into the office! Presley, on the other hand is very laid back and quiet. He just wants to be on my shoulder, like a baby, at all times. When we got to Petco I put Elvis in the basket, but Presley wanted me to carry him. They are such a cute pair, getting attention wherever we go. I love 'em to pieces.

The domestic scene has been rather tense lately. The big 'D' is in the works. Things have begun to level off some, but I'm not out of the woods yet.
Stay tuned....

In spite of the trials I am going through, I know that I will survive this storm and be a better person for it. I am so blessed in so many ways...wonderful friends and family, great career, decent health and a church home where I can go to worship and be refreshed. God is my strength and refuge!

Like I have said before, I won't allow this one glitch in my life to define who I am. I can rest assured in the knowledge that I have gone 'above and beyond' to make my marriage work. I do, however, know when to jump off a sinking ship!

That's a fact, ya'll!

Happy New Year

It's 2007! Wow, time flies.... Seems like only yesterday that we were all waiting for 2000, the millennium to happen. I was in Florida with my daughter, just in case disaster struck. We were all at a friends house, gathered around a fire in their back yard. As midnight got closer and closer, we all speculated on what might happen and what we would do. We even had the TV on, watching the clock strike 12:00 midnight in other parts of the world. People were in the streets as fireworks exploded at the dreaded hour....hmmm...Nothing out of the ordinary happened! The partying continued and life went on. So, we went back outside, threw a few more logs on the fire, refilled the chips and dip and continued our wait. Sure enough, the clock struck 12:00... And nothing weird happened. All the suspense, hype and drama of 1999 was finally over. We gathered the babies and our empty dishes, went home and crashed.

Flash forward 6 years. Once again, I was in Florida with my daughter. This time though, there was no party. Just she and I on the sofa, in our jammies watching, of all things, 'Cars'. Her husband had left early that morning for Atlanta to attend a conference and girls were at a sleep over. The DVD was over about 11:00...by 11:20 we were both out like a light! Even after drinking a pot of coffee and eating chocolate, we couldn't keep our eyes open. Oh well, at least we were together. And the movie was cute....I love Tow Mater!

I just know that 2007 is going to be a great year, Ya'll!