Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Unexpected Beauty





This early evening we went out to get some fast food (yuck) and I was reminded again of the beauty behind this Hampton Inn in Ruston, Louisiana.  The sun was sinking right behind the house and I could not get a good picture of what I am going to call an antebellum home.  In past years when we traveled here, Clint and I used to walk down this quiet little road in the middle of all these businesses. One would not expect to see such beauty in the middle of these surroundings.

Sorry I have not been commenting or visiting blogs, as soon as we got in here today we were exhausted.  We are leaving here in the morning at 5 AM for Atlanta to visit Clint's mom for a few days before leaving for our new home.

Just thought I would share these few pictures I just made during the last hour.


P.S. For lunch we did have a delicious cobb salad.





Closing Day!




This scene was on Monday ... more about that later.  I just have a nanosecond, we are getting ready to leave the hotel and be at the house signing at 8:30.  This process has been in the works as far back as 2009.  Our next stop is Rustin, Louisiana ... driving separately. 

Looking forward to being able to properly blog again ... and it looks like I am going to have some exciting news to share in a few days ... well, exciting to me.  :-)

Again, thanks for your visits!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

An Unusual Easter Morning


My grandson Canyon, more than a year ago, I had him pose
for this picture.  He calls me Texas Mamaw.
He had some people laughing in a Cracker Barrel
gift shop when he called out, "TEXAS MAMAW"!

(This name of Texas Mamaw could be a name for 
a rough woman.  Maybe I am sometimes.  :~)



Another early morning at McDonald's getting online since we don't have internet service at home because of our move.  Now Clint has computer trouble, he is going to have to use mine in a minute.  He is sitting here drinking his "black hot water" disquised as coffee.  He coined this term of "black hot water" because we both like the actual taste of coffee.  Coffee with some flavor.  Strong coffee!

Once again, this is a mini post.  Last night I was up packing until after 1:00 AM, I would not have been able to sleep with the violent winds outside.  Up at 6:00 AM ... I am too old for this.

Well, Clint is waiting for his turn on this computer.  Maybe tomorrow my blog picture will be a Mayflower truck parked in front of our house. It truly is an unusual Easter morning for us but one we will remember.

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Quick Note

Just couldn't post a note without a photo. This is an
old picture I ran across that I had not used before on my blog.


I could not make up all the things that have happened to us recently.   Today was the end of our Verizon service so I am writing this from McDonald's.  We move out on Monday and from that night on will be in a hotel.  It is going to be emotional when I see that big Mayflower truck outside our house Monday morning!

We will be back on online regularly as soon as we move into a hotel Monday evening.  Thanks to everyone who reads this blog ♥

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Thank You, Wayne and Suzan!





Our neighbors and friends, Wayne and Suzan gave us a
Going-Away-Party last Saturday night.  What a night it was, we
had so much fun and I can't remember when I've laughed so hard.
As Clint said, it was magical.  Yesterday our friend and neighbor, Sandy,
said she wished it would have never ended.




They always have such delicious food!
Such great cooks, too!





Suzan and her "pet" monkey,  I see he survived another winter
in the green house!





Wayne, listening intently as Clint tells another tall tale!
Don't believe a word of it, Wayne! ;-D
 
Ray and Sandy ... Ray, those flowers are so becoming on you,
even Frankie can't resist you!


Okay, you two ... break it up!


Sandy and Ray, thank you, these baked cheese tartlets
were very good!


Suzan and Wayne have everything so festive and decorated.
Their house is beautiful!


Our artist friends, Ginny and Dan.  Ginny gave me one of
her original zentangle style pen and ink drawings ... done
especially for me.  She added some designs that I had told her I liked.  I love it and will always treasure it.
Ginny, I'm sorry I did not get a picture to post of it,
it got packed Sunday with some other art.


Thank you so much for such a special gift.




Ray and Sandy, our neighbors and friends.


To top off the evening, Wayne was burning pinon wood,  I have loved
the smell of burning pinon wood since I've been in Texas.
(I even bought some pinon wood perfume in Albuquerque)




We had a very special party balloon, can you believe
this hot air balloon passed right over their house during
the party?

We were yelling "hellos" up at it,
Wayne said they could probaby hear us.





We couldn't stop laughing!





Thank you, Sandy and Ray, for the Mexican
ingredients and glassware for a dinner at our new house!

A great idea!



As I just said, we couldn't stop laughing.



Thank you, Wayne and Suzan, for having this party
in our honor.  It was a night we will always remember and treasure.
We look forward to you both coming to Tennessee
to visit us.  We also look forward to seeing Dan, Ginny,
Ray and Sandy in Tennessee.  Remember ... y'all promised
 you'd come!


Sunday, April 17, 2011

The Extraordinary Letter


Hoskins' Drug Store, 1968

Our after-school meeting place. What fun we had!

Me with my slip showing, is that not
an archaic term?


Several months ago, actually on December 5, 2010, on a gray Sunday afternoon I received the following Facebook private message from a "stranger".  I can't begin to describe the emotions when I read this letter.  I was looking in my
AOL "old mail" yesterday looking for this letter and ran across the forwarded email of the letter to  my daughter.  I was reading that I told her I cried and cried when I read this. I think another reason for being so emotional was 1974 was one of my hardest years. 



Subject Line: Hi


I hope it’s okay to share this story with you, Cindy. Years ago I went to Clinton High School. It was my freshman year and I was only there for a short time. (Moved from Kentucky) I remember seeing you … a tall girl with long blonde hair that looked like an angel to me. I can remember to this day, asking someone, “Who’s that girl?” Anyway, if I remember correctly, you were with a guy named Lee? To make a long story short … which is difficult for me) Haha! I saw another girl the same day with long blonde hair and I thought to myself, those two girls look like angels to me. The other girl was Marcia … do you remember her? Well, shortly after seeing the “two angels”, I moved back to Kentucky. I never forgot you or Marcia. Although I never talked to you all in person, I always remembered your names.

So back in Kentucky, while sitting in study hall with my best friend, we decided to pick out our children’s names. I told her about you and Marcia (the angel girls). I said, “I don’t know which name to pick, it will be either Cindy or Marcia so we decided to draw names. I wrote the names Cindy and Marcia on a piece of paper, folded the paper into small pieces, closed my eyes and picked Marcia. I was probably 14 years old at the time.

 
Later in life, at the age of 22 years old (1974), I gave birth to a baby girl. I named her Marcia. I thought you might enjoy this story.


I never saw you or Marcia after my freshman year but never forgot the two angel girls … the two most beautiful girls in the world to me!

 
I hope this was a fun story for you and to think I found you on Facebook!  Wow! 


Patricia :-)


Patricia and I have been writing each other and are now friends.  Before too long I hope we can meet in person. 

Soon after I received this letter, I began to think of  to whom I would write such an extraordinary letter.  It didn't take me long to know.   My letter would go to a retired school principal who helped me and my daughter twenty-eight years ago when we were in need. Yesterday afternoon the postman picked up my letter and it's on its way to him.

It's uncanny the things that Patricia and I have in common. I love you Patricia and thank you for giving me one of the most unexpected gifts! 

Who would be the recipient of your extraordinary letter?



Saturday, April 16, 2011

Saturday Morning







This rose was such a deep red, I was trying to get contrast in
the picture but there are no highlights... just that beautiful deep crimson red.
This was made yesterday.  I suppose I can say I did take a few seconds to
smell the roses yesterday but unfortunately there is no scent in this one.


Today I'm posting some totally random photos, some things I ran across recently.




A few days ago I was looking through one of my favorite magazines,
Traditional Home, and saw some blue shades for walls
that I liked.  I was reminded that I had bought a couple of years ago
some "oops" Benjamin Moore paint in the shade here called
"Serenity".  Sounds good to me for the walls of my studio.


Benjamin Moore paints are a little more pricey but I do really like
their colors and coverage.  The man at the store said the wrong color was mixed
for a customer.


Only $5 a gallon instead of $40+ a gallon.  Just had to share this.  ;-)



My dearest Eileen, may I have this dance?


Clint's mom with a dolfin in 2005.  Can you believe as I type this, today
at the age of 88 she leaves Florida for a cruise.




Tired of dancing, it was time for Picasso and Eileen to go
for a swim.  I like what she wrote under the picture:


Picasso went for a swim, I held on to his flippers.






♥      ♥       ♥        ♥      ♥


The rhythm of the weekend, with its birth, its planned gaieties, and its announced end, followed the rhythm of life and was a substitute for it. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald




 May everyone have a wonderful weekend.  Take some time to relax.  Thank you for reading this blog.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Ithaca






 
 Ithaca



When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,

pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:

You will never find such as these on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine

emotion touches your spirit and your body.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,

if you do not carry them within your soul,

if your soul does not set them up before you.



Pray that the road is long.

That the summer mornings are many, when,

with such pleasure, with such joy

you will enter ports seen for the first time;

stop at Phoenician markets,

and purchase fine merchandise,

mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, and ebony,

and sensual perfumes of all kinds,

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

visit many Egyptian cities,

to learn and learn from scholars.



Always keep Ithaca on your mind.

To arrive there is your ultimate goal.

But do not hurry the voyage at all.

It is better to let it last for many years;

and to anchor at the island when you are old,

rich with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.



Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.

Without her you would have never set out on the road.

She has nothing more to give you.



And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.

Wise as you have become, with so much experience,

you must already have understood what these Ithacas mean.



              ~Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)





This favorite poem of mine has recently been on my mind.  I love this poem!  There were several things I wanted to write about concerning this allegory about life.  I have wondered how it reads in its original Greek language. 

I have been short on time getting ready for our move.  I do have to add this closing note that fits the theme of this poem:

... if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard.  Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.

                                ~ Dorothy

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Drive Me to Drinkin'





Patience is a virtue of mine or so I have been told.  Dealing with all the phone calls related to stopping services for our move has been so time comsuming. I am sure you all know the drill, you put in all your numbers and push the right buttons.  By the time you reach a human, they should already have all the information in front of them and then you are asked to provide it all over again. I am still kind to the human beings on the other end of the line, I know they are just trying to make a living.

My most trying times have been with Dish Network. For the company to remove the dish, their equipment, it costs $95. And then there is this receiver business, we had to buy a new one a few years ago to replace their faulty one and mail back their faulty one.  They are mailing me a box to mail back their current one to the company, I have to take the receiver to TN and mail it from there because we won't be at this address to receive the box, once again to return their equipment! Whew! 

Sorry, dear friends ... now to a much happier topic. 

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog post, I met my artist friend Ginny for lunch.  She brought along some of her latest Zentangle drawings to share.

 


What fantastic and elaborate designs!  I can see all kind of things in these!


Ginny drew these in the car last week on their thousand mile journey!



Ginny, thank you for sharing your art with me yesterday. I had a great time and I look forward to seeing you and Dan this Saturday evening. ♥

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I am changing the subject again, I will soon be saying good bye to my little mural I painted in one of our bathrooms over the tub.


The shower curtains are green, they have a strange color in this photo.

 

My inspiration piece for the mural.  I would love to find another bottle
of this Asquith & Somerset Tuscan Olive Room Fragrance.
It smells so good and fresh.


Maybe a glass of wine would do me good tonight ...
                                                              

Monday, April 11, 2011

A Break Today




It still amazes me how we can grow roses here in Texas but not tomatoes.  This morning I made this arrangement in my old fan vase.  I was experimenting a little with the lighting. 

The pressure is on, we are moving in eleven days.  I took out some time today for a break, I met my artist friend Ginny for lunch and we had a good time.  I met her after her Apple computer class.  After lunch we went to Barnes and Noble and looked at art magazines.  She showed me pictures of their recent trip to Wyoming.  Ginny also brought some new art work to show me, I have photographs to show but will have to show them tomorrow. It was pleasant sitting outdoors in front of Whole Foods---sunny, warm and breezy.







Sunday, April 10, 2011

Favorite Movie Dance Scenes





I noticed that all the dancers except one in my three favorite
movie dancing scenes are wearing black and white (my favorite).
A stunning black and white dress.


I will have to start with the dancing scene between Colin Firth and Julianne Moore in
A Single Man.  I could listen to Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs over and over ...






Who could forget Uma Thurman and John Travolta dancing
in Pulp Fiction?





The first two minutes of this video of Johnny and Penny dancing in Dirty Dancing is a favorite one of mine.
I like the way Johnny dances over to the girl (Baby) and dances away from her without missing a beat.


http://youtu.be/6csPGLCLkj0


Two other memorable dance scenes were in Blue Velvet with the woman
dancing on top of the car and the tango scene in The Scent of a Woman.



What movie dance scenes made lasting impressions on you?


Saturday, April 9, 2011

Glass: Handle with Care






Colored glass has always been a passion of mine.  Some of these
are old family pieces.  The blue dish on the lower
left side came from a Goodwill Sale.  The amethyst bowl
on the other side came from a yard sale for 50c.  One of my
old antique mall friends suggested a hefty price for resell.  Now
I'm glad it didn't sell.



We're packing!  I am a happy woman and am going to love to pack because it means we are moving.  Today I was thinking of William P. Young's book, The Shack.  In the book he refers to an event in his life as his "Great Sadness".  My "Great Sadness" for many years was being so far away from my family.  I venture to say we all have have a "Great Sadness" in our lives. 


After two "no shows" for estimates from other movers and me being on the phone for half a day, yesterday we were pleased when Kirk showed up at our door, on time.  We now have a contract with Mayflower for our cross country move.  Kirk did an excellent job, thank you again Kirk if you happen to read this.


This afternoon we went to Home Depot and bought some boxes.  The winds are so strong here we could not get them to the car without them flying out of the carts!  I had to stand by both carts outside the doorway until Clint drove the car and parked in front to pick them up.

Clint's martini glasses.

Recently I saw these vintage glasses in a magazine.
Clint's mom gave them to us.  Like the Moroccan
influence.  They look good with some Lenox Eternal
dishes my mom gave us.


Always fond of old cobalt blue glass, I like these new ones, too,
with the blue swirls


Had them displayed on those old small glass custard cups. 
Whatever works, the cups were hidden from view when
they were displayed in the cabinet.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Early American Poets

We are going to miss our built-in bookcases when we move.
These shelves hold poetry books, mostly old ones.


One of my favorite books when I was young was The Best Loved Poems of the American People.  My aunt had received a copy of this book as one of her Book of the Month Club selections.  I can remember where I was standing when she first read to me, Annabel Lee, by Edgar Allan Poe.  It made such an impression on me.  When Clint first became my pen pal I learned he, too, loved the early American poets.  I had no idea of some of the poetry books in his collection until we got married.

This book is a favorite one of mine, from looking at
and feeling the woodcut images, I can feel the raised
paint and embossing.


American artist, Gustave Baumann (1881-1971), was known as an
 American Master of Color Woodblocks.


This is the woodblock print for the
month of April in the book.

The book is dated 1912.



I just love looking at these books,
what beautiful covers.

Early 1900s.




American poet Eugene Field's copies of the works of James
Whitcomb Riley.  This collection is notarized and
 belonged to Eugene Field, II, the son of
poet Eugene Field.

Eugene Field was mostly known as a children's poet.
One of his most famous works is Wynken,
Blynken and Nod.

I can't imagine putting these books in a moving van,
these will travel with me in the car.  :-)

This book page was hand lettered and handpainted.



Shown above is an original watercolor painting.
This is my all time favorite book of all the poetry books.
It is full of original handpainted watercolor paintings by
American and English artists. This is volume I of XV volumes.




The notary embossed seal can barely be seen
 in this photo.



Someday I would like to do research on
all the artists who contributed to this book.
It is hard to believe these are tiny
original paintings in the book.