Biking on the 4th!

The good ol' southern style sweet tea is made, the beans are baked, the potato salad is made and the Honey Bun cake is fresh from the oven. Got fresh tomatoes and crispy banana peppers from the garden as well as loads of roasted garlic for the homemade bread. Just waiting a few friends who will be bringing the meat for the grill. In the meanwhile, I think I'll take a quick ride through the neighborhood and check out the gardens. The weedeaters and mowers were humming bright and early this morning. Gotta have it spiffed up for the 4th.

Home of L.C., my friend and former POW. God bless our servicemen!


Freshly mowed, nice and neat.


Sweet little garden of my friend and neighbor, Hetty.


A nice little elderly couple live here, octogenerians, I think. You'd be hard pressed to find a blade of grass out of place.

Same home, different view.


We're a flag waving bunch around here...and not just on the 4th.


Back to my little cozy, eclectic cottage. Yes, the gardens do indeed need attention.


An old pressed back chair I salvaged from the curbside. Needs a little work...think I'll call my good neighbor L.C. for that task.

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 8

Bubba's bible, with one of my favorites--I John 4:15--circled in red

In his glory days the packed stadium always cheered, "Kill, Bubba, kill!" "Man, I didn't know white girls could cook like this!" Comment by Bubba Smith after the first of many meals he had in my home-- smothered steak & gravy, rice, speckled butter beans, fried okra, sliced tomatoes & cornbread with REAL butter....with sweet tea, of course! Oh, and I forgot to mention the fresh strawberry cake with berries from my garden.

Happiness is reading the notes in the Bible of my friend, Bubba Smith--a real, tried and true Christian. Bubba, former Baltimore Colt and two time Super Bowl star, really knows the word! His mother, Georgia, was my homaking teacher in high school and was truly a mentor for me.

July 4 Colors of My Garden..

Red...
White...
Blue...

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 7

Sweet little heart shaped rock found by my friend, Stephen, while we were vacationing in Livingston, Montana.


Happiness is knowing that for every love there is a heart ready to receive it.

Family Pic's...Priceless

Hard to tell who is the proudest..


Savannah, Justin and, uh...Portus (I didn't name him!) That girl loves her daddy.

Some tired peeps...

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 6

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera

Happiness is ordering a new Visa with your sweetie's picture on it!

More Than One Side To A Mountain

"Little did I know that as I faced a mountain of insurmountable sorrow, and during the days and weeks and months I spent grieving beneath the weight of my monumental grief, God was bringing up joy on the other side." excerpt from Rex Johnson, With A Palm And A Willow

There is more than one side to a mountain. The same side of the mountain that shrouds us in darkness prematurely is also the side that first welcomes the sun. God works as well with darkness as He does with light.

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 5

Happiness is finding relief for the mid-life crisis.

Can you spell power surge?

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 4

Dayle and Gayle

A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

Happiness is reconnecting with friends you haven't seen since high school.

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 3

'...the adversary does everything he can to exxagerate the feeling that things have changed. If we are not careful our closest friends will become strangers to us.'
excerpt from With A Palm And A Willow--authored by my friend, Rex Johnson, regarding the untimely fatal accident of his wife, and my friend, Denise

Happiness is looking at pictures which hold precious memories.

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 2

"Ronni, you have the kind of faith that makes angels weep."
excerpt from letter from John

Happiness is getting a surprise text from a former boyfriend who still addresses you as 'Beautiful'

Real Love

a gorgeous Montana sunset, April 30, '08

...real love is like God, you can depend on it to always be there. You may not always see it or be able to touch it or feel it, but it’s still there, unchanging and unmovable, just like God. Waiting patiently, interceding for His favor, hoping, trusting, believing, loving.
excerpt from an old love letter

Thirty Days of Happiness: Day 1

Elizabeth, my best bud

Happiness is having a trusted friend who will cry with you when it seems that your tears alone just aren't quite enough.

When Life Throws You a Curve...pray, without ceasing, pray.

...if we know that He hears us---whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of Him. I John 4:14

Sunrise....

Sunrise from my Dad's porch

Sunday Morning Glories...

How lovely was the stroll through my garden this morning. And some folk say there is no God? Amazing...

Earth Box Gardening

In my book, nothing beats 'Earth Box' gardening. Nothing. Zero-zip-nada. Because I was going to marvelous Montana around planting time I decided to put my spring/summer garden on hold until I returned. In this area, the summer gardens are usually harvested in mid-June so I could only cross my fingers and hope for the best when I planted in mid-May. I plant my 'Earth Boxes' annually, but this year I opted to use them exclusively rather than plant directly into the soil in my raised beds. Why? Well, take a look at the results! None of these plants were more than 3" tall when planted and now, just 1 month later, they are loaded with blooms and continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Last year I harvested 120 cucumbers off just one plant growing in this wonderful system and, best of all, no hoeing or weeding or prepping the ground is required. From start to finish, these 5 boxes were planted, fertilized and watered in less than thirty minutes. The boxes have an internal watering system and, the best feature of all is they are totally weed free!


Sweet Basil
Burpless Cucumbers
Beefsteak Tomatoes

Fathers Day Addendum

I spent the day with my Dad yesterday at his wonderful home on Lake Sam Rayburn. We had a delicious lunch of fried catfish--freshly caught from the lake--and spent most of the afternoon just sitting on the deck and visiting. It was a very nice day that ended all too soon, according to Savannah, who spent most of the time in the water.

Daddy enjoying my Montana pictures.
Cruisin'...
In his new toy, the 'Rhino'
View of the lake from the house...
and the house from the lake.
Andi, chillin' on the great grandparents sofa.

From Pampers to Pegasus!

Granmommy (me!) & Savannah, February 1997
Savannah's 5th grade graduation, May 2008

Where, oh where does the time go, pray tell? While viewing the pictures from 5th grade graduation it really hit me that 'Granmommy's baby' just isn't a baby any more. How sad! I remember when our trips to the mall involved loading the stroller and diaper bag and shopping for big hair bows and Tele-Tubbies and videos such as Mulan and Aristocats. My, how that has changed! These days it's Books-A-Million and Bath and Body and Macy's and, for heavens sake, please don't dare mention a pretty ribbon or hair barrette unless you're prepared for the eye roll of the century! And if you really, really love an outfit, just act as though she's a little too young for such and, only then, will she surely love it too.

Life being what it is moves swiftly, and with that comes much transition. It seems almost surreal to realize I'm the granmommy of a little lady who will be a teenager in a mere 17 months. But what a proud granmommy I am! Did I mention that Savannah has been an honor student since kindergarten? She sure has! And did I remember to say that she is going into the 6th grade but, because she tested at a much higher level, she has been accepted at an academy and will be starting with 8th grade level work? Yep, Savannah will be in the Pegasus class! My, how I wish I could see what her future holds!

But the greatest joy this precious doll brings me comes from her pure and tender heart and the kindness and sensitivity she has toward others. She faithfully believes God for anything and everything, be it big or small, and she truly loves God and her church. As she enters the next phase of her life it is my prayer that she holds to God's unchanging hand and nevers loses sight of Calvary. I pray that she is always mindful of the fact that the achievements and recognition we gain while on this earth mean absolutely nothing if we lose out with God. She's been taught that since before she was old enough to understand it's meaning and I pray that it is firmly imprinted on the facets of her mind.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Happy Fathers Day!

My Dad and me, 1958

Justin and Savannah, 1998

I was 3 years old when this picture was taken of me with my Dad. Fast track 40 years...Savannah, my wonderful grandbaby was 2 years old in this picture with her Dad, my first son, Justin. Yeah, I know, the math just doesn't quite add up. I was totally devastated when I received the news that Justin would be a father at the ripe young age of 19. Fortunately, God has a phenomenal way of making all the pieces of life's puzzle fit together perfectly, and I fell head over hills in love the day this precious baby arrived. In fact, I feel reasonably certain I was probably the happiest 41 year old grandmother alive! As for Justin, well, you would have thought he had been a Dad forever...in spite of the fact that Savannah was the first baby he had ever held in his life. And talk about genetics, I don't believe a twin could look more like him than his baby girl and fishing buddy, Savannah. A chip off the old block, with a bond much like that I still have with my Dad. Thank heaven for real fathers...they make a difference indeed!

Click It--or--Ticket!

School is out, traffic is a bit heavier and even Andi complies with 'click it or ticket' idea, the Texas Highway Department logo urging the wearing of seat belts!

Savannah was invited to Austin by her best friend (whose mother happens to be her school principal!), so we rose bright and early, packed a bag and as we started toward the door we noticed Andi was right there with us, joyously awaiting a ride in the car.

Granmommy's baby is quite a young lady now.....

Catch is, there was no plan to include her in this venture, however, those beautiful, huge brown eyes will certainly get you everytime! So off we go, with Andi strapped in her most favorite place in the whole world---her car seat---where she sat quite as a mouse, anxious to enjoy the view from her wonderful vantage point. Like always, Granmommy had to take a few pictures and Andi, in the car seat, got in on that action too.

What are we waiting on? Let's go!


My sweet Savannah, just too cool for words....

HaPpY LiSt !

Inspired by my wonderful friend from waaaaay back in time, Dayle @ http://www.xanga.com/MsWrite2, I decided to create my own happy list.
Here goes:

* I have a wonderful job, with the flexibility to do what I want, when I want.

* I'm blessed with two wonderful, successful sons.

* ....and the cutest, sweetest grand daughter I could ever imagine.

* I'm favored with a glorious show of flowers and vegetables in my garden,
my favorite place this side of the mountains.

* I know and enjoy the blessing of real friends...there is quite a difference indeed!

* I know that God is never more than a whisper away... a tried and proven fact.

* ...and He will supply our needs according to His riches...which are more exceedingly abundant than we can begin to imagine

What Your Fridge Says About You

You like to be surrounded by things you love. You aren't exactly greedy, but you can be materialistic at times. You tend to be a fairly thrifty person. You splurge occasionally, but you're mostly a saver. You are a very adventurous person. You love to try new things, and you get bored very easily. You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it. You are likely to be married - and very busy.

What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?

Why I Don't Have a Doggie Door....

It was quite a sad day when, this time last year, the back hoes and bulldozers arrived and began preparing the wonderful, thick forest behind my property for more 'suburban sprawl.' They boasted of a gated community, with all kinds of perks and bells and whistles for the 46 future home owners who will gleefully flock to the concrete sub-division that was once a wonderful and serene little patch of woods.

With the falling of the old, magnificent trees and the clearing of the brush, came the loss of residence for scores of creatures. Some are quite friendly, others are not. I now have a resident cardinal, Lamar, who graces my lawn each morning and bickers with the bird he sees in my breakfast room window. And the blue jays are a beautiful sight to behold too, in spite of their dominance of the bird feeder.

But the creatures who are less than endearing, and just absolutely do not have a rightful place at this little cottage, are the frightening, bigger than life raccoons who raided the trash cans each evening.

Tiring of these unwelcome guests who regularly lurked around the corner of the house, I called animal control and a nice man delivered a trap and taught me how to bait it with 'dollar store sardines.' Much to my surprise, every single morning---for 11 days--- I had to call the nice man to came back and retrieve BIG, vicious, fighting, growling raccoons, as well as a possum or two, and deliver them to their new abode outside the city limits. I'm sure I didn't make a dent in the population, but it seems that word must have gotten out in their circles because since that time, the coons have certainly steered clear of this territory.

So, THAT is why Andi has very little freedom and must notify me each time she wants or needs to go outside. And THAT is why I do not and will not have a doggie door. I fear a doggie door would serve a multiple purpose---as a raccoon/possum/whatever else door. I can't even begin to imagine my reaction to coming home and finding Rocky chilling on the sofa, watching Food Network. I would rather be inconvenienced, thank you.