I Love Summer
Tue, Jul 20 2010 08:27
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I really do. I love the haze over the horizon in the morning and even the hot sun beating down. The sky of late has been filling up with tall cumulus clouds that morph and grow as the afternoon waxes , and then dissipate as the sun goes down. Everything has greened up again thanks to a recent bout of storms. I have not changed since I was a young girl in that I feel a certain freedom and sense of adventure when summer rolls around. Except now that adventure is constantly interrupted by work!
We sit outside on many nights watching the sky and listening to the echoes of the Chuck Will's Widow birds talking back and forth. We found out that was their name from a neighbor who was over not too long ago. We are finally getting drainage in the front yard. Then we can get some more plants out front. It has been a year since I moved in! I certainly didn't think things would take this long, but there is so much left to do.
I did finally get a desk for my work space, and in fact am typing from that desk right now. I have heard not to put work in the bedroom, but it was here or in the art studio, and I sure didn't want work in there! Ha!
I also bought shelving for the garage- the accumulation of stuff was making me crazy. I still have a lot of stuff to go through and organize. Truth be told, most of it could be given away. When you aren't really sure what is in a box, chances are you don't need it!
I've have a friend's grandson Jake, here working for a few weeks. He is a hard worker, and it is some kind of hot outside! It has been a real help having him here, with Tracy's knee injury and the wedding coming up. Between the three of us, we are getting the "yard" in shape for the wedding of the half century.
I hope we have weather like there was for the house warming last year. It could not have been more perfect, right down to the mackerel sky sunset. A repeat performance would be oh so welcomed.
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Seven Sister Summer Solstice 2010
Tue, Jun 15 2010 05:56
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What a time we had! Terri started the parade o'sisters, coming in on Thursday to have a jewelery showing. That was a great evening with my friends. We spent a good part of the evening on the back deck, listening to the birds and cicadas and watching the stars.
The rest of the sisters came in on Friday. We were still missing Susie this year, but hope to have her rejoin us in 2011.
Friday night Terri and I prepared a 5-course dinner and then took a walk on CR 2012. Karen scare the HECK out of us by coming in while we were walking and hiding along the roadside and making panther sounds. We were huddling together and making ourselves LOUD and BIG and wondering what to do next, when "it" jumped out of the bushes and lunged toward us. We might have scared some actual panthers if any were in a 10-mile radius. We ended the night in the hot tub, relaxing and catching up.
Saturday we started with a home cooked breakfast, care of Linda and Margaret, and then went for an adventure walk in the woods. We also practiced our water ballet before having yet another meal, this one prepared by Rebecca and Mary. Then we settled in for a 30-minute nap, which ended up being over an hour! When we woke up sufficiently, we donned our swim suits and walked over to the Noells, where Paula was our lovely host and photographer for a lively water ballet.
Afterwards, we took showers and "citified" ourselves for a trip into Glen Rose. We ate delicious cheeseburgers at The Big Cup Eatery and took turns singing Karaoke. Mary won the best presentation for her prop-filled rendition of Leather and Lace, and Linda definitely had the most exciting, table knocking down performance of the night, singing Rollin' on the River. Terri brought down the house, Margaret nearly made us cry with her sweet dedication to Tracy and me, and Rebecca had the workers stopping to listen. It was good times.
Once home we grabbed pillows and headed to the back deck to watch falling stars. Even Mary saw one!
Sunday morning we had another breakfast prepared by Linda and then exchanged our gifts. A last, nice surprise was a card from everyone to congratulate Tracy and me on our engagement, with a toast of champagne.
And then they all left, and I cleaned house for 3 1/2 hours. The End.
Ha! I can't wait to have them again. The weekend went way too fast.
Sisters rock.
Where Have I Been?
Fri, Jun 4 2010 05:18
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Here and there and everywhere and without a reason for dropping this ball.
There has been a lot going on since my last entry. The main thing is that Tracy asked me to marry him, and I of course said yes. The reactions have been anywhere from whoops of joy to what-took-him-so-long. It DID seem to take a long time, but it is good to hope and hope for something and finally have it happen in the best possible way. How often does that happen?
There has been a lot going on since my last entry. The main thing is that Tracy asked me to marry him, and I of course said yes. The reactions have been anywhere from whoops of joy to what-took-him-so-long. It DID seem to take a long time, but it is good to hope and hope for something and finally have it happen in the best possible way. How often does that happen?
He asked me in one of my favorite places- Sanibel Island, FL. We were there for our annual pilgrimage with Mom and Dad. Now it has even more special significance.
Gotta go- I have a wedding to plan!
Guest Log
Wed, May 5 2010 11:34
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My friend Devra is always full of good ideas, but this one has become a centerpiece of Big Hill. She suggested it even before the walls were up. The first time anyone visits they sign a rock and write or draw something on it if they want, as a sort of guest log sign in. I have also added sea glass and shells to the mixture, which now serves as both memorabilia and art.Our “guest log” bowl is filling up with rocks, filled with about a hundred rocks. That’s a good start.
We switched Internet providers to Skybeam yesterday. They came out and installed the day after we called them! So far, so good. We can now stream videos, which we couldn’t with our last provider. I don’t do a lot of that, but it is an indication that their service is faster and stronger.
Also, the Windstream folks are half way up the hill with their phone line. Now they are getting to solid rock. I know their hearts probably sank when they first saw the task awaiting them. They are making good progress, though. Hopefully soon I will have a land line.
All in all it’s getting to be real gentrified-like ‘round here. Well, except for the spiders and bugs that have sprung up with the spring flowers. Good news is that has brought out lots of birds to partake in the feast. In fact, I just got bombarded by a hummingbird as I was sitting on the master deck writing this. And watched out usual buzzards soaring across the valley.
Tracy and I also just saw a high flying, swirling group of very streamlined birds, flying in circles, but generally headed north. There were about 30 of them, and we have no idea what type of birds they were. I could draw you a picture…And, oh the butterflies! I sat outside on a conference call today and saw probably a dozen different kinds of them, all taking advantage of the plethora of flowers. I read in the local paper that is should be a great year for wild hogs, too, whatever a “great year” for hogs means…..
So, if you’re not afraid of a little wild life, come on out and sit a spell on the back deck and let’s visit! While you’re here, please sign your name on a rock and add it to the artful bowl. Oh, and look out for wild hogs.
Rhythm
Tue, Apr 27 2010 05:18
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Not too many nights ago I was in my very grown up kitchen preparing dinner. I have been working my way through a very thick cookbook, one recipe a day. At a certain point I noticed my movements were smooth and flowing. I didn't have to stop and wonder where a certain spice or dish or ingredient was. It was almost like a dance. Then it hit me that I have fallen into the rhythm of the place.
And of course that got me to thinking about all the ways the rhythm of life shows itself to us.
On Big Hill, Saturdays are for vacuuming and mopping and dusting. Wednesdays are trash pick up. Sundays are for church and relaxation.
I follow along on my iPhone app to catch the full moon rising every 29 and a third days.
And now, having lived here almost a year, I am seeing the rhythm of full circle of nature outside every window. I see the deer cross county road 2010 every morning, headed to the north side of the street, and then back again every evening. I wonder where they go?
The spring flowers are starting to be overcome with the growth of blue stem and Chinese tassel top grasses- and a hundred other growing things.
The days are getting longer and warmer. I know where and when the sun will hit in every window and how it changes as the seasons change.
I think I feel the seasonal changes more intensely here, with nature being so close and so big. But I also find joy in noticing the little things, like how cooking in my own kitchen has become so second nature or how Sweet Pea, my fluffy white cat, has finally done most of her spring shedding.
The rhythm of life is in steady beat around here. Endless entertainment for a consummate daydreamer.
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Spring Has Sprung
Wed, Apr 14 2010 10:30
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What a year for bluebonnets! They are thick and tall and plentiful! And they put off a very sweet scent. All that winter rain paid off. The leaves on the trees even seem thicker and greener. It is really beautiful right now, and I find myself stopping from my work often to pause and look out the window- or even venture outside to get a better view. I haven't changed my day dreaming ways since way back in Catholic grade school, when I was constantly in trouble for gazing out the windows with a wistful gaze. And I am STILL stuck inside!
Well, the animals are certainly making most of the spring. We first heard and then saw two owls flirt and then meet on the ground under a dead tree across the valley, and fought for weeks to keep a mud swallow couple from parasitic homesteading over our front door, and this week the tom turkeys are making their maleness known to everyone in earshot- and they are loud. I also saw some young bucks "practicing" the deer mating dance. I will say no more about that- let's just say that love is in the air!!
Looks like we may be getting a land line. I was more excited about it before a townie told me that country land lines around here aren't historically reliable. For now, I choose to be hopeful. I have dropped a few business calls and luckily been able to get right back on, but it is frustrating!
Also, we have someone lined up to help us with drainage in the front yard. No more rivers running through it. Then, when funds allow, I will feel better about adding more xeroscaping.
Tracy is covered head to toe with poison ivy and sumac rash. He is one miserable gardener. He weed-eated the back slope for a few hours 11 days ago. He was wearing shorts and a cut off tee shirt. He didn't bathe for several hours after he finished. He thought the small reddish plants coming up were brush oak. Some were. Most were poison ivy and poison sumac. Oh, he is so miserable. We have tried several creams, lotions and potions, and they all work for a while. On a bright note, the back slope looks terrific!
My phone is charged now, so I am back to work, making calls and hopefully dropping none of them! Will write next week. Until then, peace from the hill!
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We Are Better Together
Tue, Mar 23 2010 05:04
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This weekend I had a houseful of guests. Margaret and her three beautiful girls were here from Friday through Sunday. Rebecca and her growing family spent Friday night with us, and Linda Karen, John and his Karen came out Saturday afternoon. Tracy and Ashley were here for the duration. We had great weather Saturday, but it was very cold and even a tiny bit snowy on Sunday. We managed to have a great time anyway.
What a happy mess the house was. Clothes, computers, dishes and shoes in every nook and cranny. The girls' bikinis were strung over the guest tub to dry after they enjoyed the hot tub Friday night. The dogs and cats found little corners to stay in and avoid the hoopla. Leftovers were out on the counter, and then eaten, and then replaced by a new round of the same. Cars lined the driveway.
Saturday night we had a girls' trip to Big Cup Eatery to wolf down some burgers and then sing a little Karaoke. Margaret's girls sang "My Favorite Things" with an English accent; Ashley, Kristie and I sang songs true to our country music tastes. We practically had the room to ourselves, which may be what inspired Margaret to get up and do something I have never seen before: sing a highly entertaining and actually pretty good rendition of "Way Over Yonder". But I think it was something more that inspired her.
I think we are better together. We feel safer. We feel encouraged. We are offered a comforting haven to return to after we venture out alone. We can be exponentially betterwith our efforts joined as one. We learn more. We share more. We laugh more easily.
I realize the opposite is also true- that we can be worse in groups. We can fudge on decisions, be persuaded to laziness, be pulled into dark places. But, when you care about the people around you, what a difference good company makes.
I have been seeing this over and over lately. I see it in the easy, sisterly affection that Margaret's girls show for each other and the eagerly shared information at my art league meetings. I hear it in the combined voices of my little church choir, and in the reassuring voice Tracy has for Ashley. I actually tasted it this weekend in the soft gooiness of Linda's homemade cinnamon rolls, shared with all of us. This weekend I felt it strongly and knew I was part of something special, surrounded by so many people I love.
I look forward to many more such happy messes on the hill, filled with lots of togetherness.
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There. Feel That?
Sat, Mar 6 2010 10:55
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Right there. In the exuberant flight of the robins. In the chirp of the finch sitting atop the highest branch of a red oak. In the upward push of the masses of bluebonnets. In the softening of the horizon and the movement of the stars. Spring is coming. I took a "trash walk" down 2012 with Tracy yesterday evening. We carried grocery bags and filled them up with refuse we found along the sides of the road. Mostly beer cans, which is in stark contrast to the fun-filled commercials that filled the Superbowl ad spaces. I bent down to pick up yet another beer can and saw one tiny yellow flower, growing from the rocky roadside. A springtime harbinger.
The cold air is finally relenting to warmer breezes. After such a fiercely wintry winter- four "real" snows, ones that stuck- and more cold rain than I can remember, it is salve to my soul to feel warm sunlight on my face, to see a greening of the fields and buds of new growth on the trees.
This morning I ran outside to shoo away a mud swallow that has decided to make its nest in my front entryway. I scraped away (for the 20th time) the mud and moss it was using to make its nest and was sweeping away the fruits of my labors, when Tracy came out and told me to look to my left. There in the pasture were two deer. One was an albino. I had heard about it from several of the workers here, but in five years had never laid eyes on it. And I almost didn't this time, too busy in my chores. It was a sight to see, a wonder of nature, right there in my front yard.
I'll take that as a good lesson for spring.
Dear Molly: Slow down. Sit back. Look around and take it all in. It's a beautiful world.
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100th Post from Big Hill!
Sun, Feb 7 2010 10:36
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Wow! 100 post, representing 100 weeks.
That really puts things into perspective. Some days I feel almost overwhelmed by how much there is left to do, both with the house and with the land. But if I look back at the 100 weeks- and even beyond - I can see that, like the tortoise running with the hare, even at what seems like a slow pace, with time and continued effort, I can accomplish my goals.
Another milestone today: the New Orleans Saints won the Superbowl! What a delightful and heartwarming surprise, as they were not favored to win. There is one heck of a party going on in New Orleans eight now, even though the game was played in Miami.
This was another cold, wet week. I am ready to sit outside and SWEAT.The Phase 1 front yard is in a good bit of disarray from all the rain. We have so much rain that it rained into the chimney. We caught several inches in a bucket. And there is one of the 100 things that needs to be completed in the house: a chimney cover. And a drainage system in the front yard. Make that 101 things.
Something funny happened this week. Tracy and I were watching the Eukenuba National Dog Show, and Sweet Pea, fluffly white cat, sat and watched it with us. Well, actually she sat on the coffee table and watched. I mean really watched. She followed the dogs as they did their out and back walk. You could watch her little head go back and forth. It was hilarious.
We cleared a little bit more on the back slope. I also removed as much cactus back there as I could find. I'll have to keep looking for it and dig it up as it grows- before it gets to be such a sticky problem. Tracy thinks that once we get the brush cut and the stones picked up and the stumps cut down or burned, he can keep the slope growth under control with his DR brush cutter. We are slowly making enough progress to test that theory. Running like a tortoise.
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January Slumber
Tue, Jan 26 2010 05:27
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Who says July and August are the lazy days? I can be just as lazy in January. I slow down with the cold, dry air and I cuddle up in sweaters and scarves with the cold, wet air.
The landscape is barren, the sunsets are deep amber, the days are short and the nights are long. Perfect for a wood burning fireplace and catching up on TV, or maybe a little art or music.
Tracy and I continue to clear the back terrace. We have about two thirds of it cleared now, and I can begin to see what it might look like one day as a somewhat tamed slope. I hope we didn't stomp the bluebonnets too much. I just can't tell you how happy I am when I am burning brush. If it paid I could do it for a living.
The clouds are rolling in, and it looks like we are in for another winter storm this week. Hopefully it won't interfere with our planned trip to Louisiana on Friday for Margaret and Larrie's birthdays- 48 and 50 years old, respectively.
I have been keeping a daily blog since my 49th birthday on December 29th. I am doing a 365-day count down to a half century parTAY and am trying to mark my days with some sense of the passage of time. Speaking of which, I STILL have a bit of nail polish on my big toes from sister weekend. I am doing an experiment to see how long it will take to grow all of it off from last June. The answer seems to be A LONG TIME. After seven months of experimentation, I am determined to stick it out until last year's summer color of lovely coral is all grown out. And then I will get a pedicure. I promise.
