Flashback Friday

Seven years ago this month I married the man. My friend Kimberly over at Petroville had me thinking about it this week when she asked "where did you go on your honeymoon, and how much did you spend on the wedding?". After digging through some old files I found the wedding budget spreadsheet, and some snapshots from what seems like a lifetime ago. We spent $2,620, and that included EVERYTHING. Even the wonderful honeymoon to Cozumel. Thrifty me!

The kids were our wedding party. Brannon the best man, and April the maid of honor. They're all grown up and out of the nest now. Seems like just yesterday we were talking about drivers licenses and curfews.


*wonders...is that piece of frozen cake still in Mother's freezer?*



Who is the skinny girl? WHO? And with the bare feet. Some things never change. The curled toes give away the giddiness over all the presents. I love presents!

Cake, presents, unconditional love. What more could a girl ask for? It was perfect.

wonderful distractions part 2

Right on the heels of wonderful distraction number 1, I left on a business trip to Tampa. It was a lonely boring business trip, and I was pretty blue, but I had at least two things to look forward to. Dinner with my cousin Lindsey...who I adore, and almost never get to see...and special plans with my bloggy friend Vicki.

I had some free time one afternoon, so Vicki picked me up at the hotel and graciously spent her whole afternoon showing me the best of St. Petersburg. It was great to meet another bloggy friend face to face, and I felt like I'd known her forever. To quote Vicki, "you meet the neatest people here in the neighborhood". Ditto Vicki!

I got the behind the scenes tour of the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve where Vicki is a volunteer. Lucky me to have an up close and personal introduction to Stretch and Wheezer, the resident Eastern Screech Owls at Boyd. Stretch was the only one to grant me a REALLY up close hello. Wheezer was busy protecting the last owlet in rehab as all good mothers would. They made great foster parents I hear.


Another new friend made was Spirit, a magnificent Bald Eagle. I'm pretty sure I will never get this close to another Bald Eagle without a fence between the two of us. I really was that close, almost no zoom used for these photos.
It was really sweet the way Spirit recognized Vicki as we approached. They had quite the conversation. She volunteers regularly with the raptors, but had been out for a few weeks with Mohs surgery on her nose. I think Spirit really missed her.


Here's a shot of Vicki at Boyd Hill showing me a Red Rat Snake, who had just shed his skin and was unbelievably soft.

We also took in a quick tour of the fabulous Salvador Dali museum in St. Pete, and dinner at the 4th Street Shrimp Store...which was satisfied my craving for some good ole Florida seafood...with Vicki's daughter Abby and her husband. A rather enjoyable dinner, really.

On my last night in town, Lindsey and I had dinner at my now favorite place to eat in Tampa, Datz Deli. I had an egg salad and smoked salmon sandwich for which there are not words. And the wine? Oh man the wines. I chose an incredible French Rose (it was sweltering after all). Also no words.

So thank you Vicki and Lindsey, for the wonderful distractions from my blues regarding a sickly doglet. Vicki, I am better for knowing you. And Lindsey, I am proud to call you family.

wonderful distractions part 1...a gratuitous photo essay

Last weekend we had our 2nd annual family bash at Lake Grapevine. It was the first of several wonderful distractions from what's been ailin' me. In my family we keep each other close. They mean the world to me.







The Muscovy Duck. Ugly duck, or rare beauty?

7 years

Seven years ago tonight I married my one true love. Tonight we sat hand in hand to watch the sun set on one of our favorite places. A place we visit often to sit and enjoy each other.

Christopher, I love you.

humming a new tune

The humming birds are keeping me company since the owl family departure.

Now that I'm not glued to the owl watching chair in the back yard, I can get back to the business of..well..everything else that isn't owl watching. I've been a terribly neglectful Godmother. I missed Madeleine's 3rd birthday, which is borderline criminal since they are living in Turkey where there IS NO shopping mall. Gifts in the mail from Aunt Val are important. I failed. So, I dutifully went shopping today and loaded up on goodies for Madeleine and her brother Lanegan.

In addition to the usual haul of DVDs, tiaras, and clothes, Madeleine is getting ridiculous pink and purple rubber shoes that she will undoubtedly love, and my dearest friend Pamela, her mother, will despise. Muaaahhahhaa. Evil me.

Speaking of tiaras, I have doglet stories. The doglet stories have been on hiatus way too long. She's ready for a come back.

over the river and through the woods....

to Grandmothers house...where someday I hope to call this my backyard...


where cousins make memories....



and the wild roses bloom....


where the land gently rolls...


and dusk walks to the creek have random beauty.

Cactus Tales

Apparently the talent for cultivating a blooming cactus runs in the family. My brother who lives in San Antonio dug this one up at a friends ranch in South Texas and planted it in his yard. Where we might have lilies and tulips in the flower beds further North, they often have cactus beds. They are so beautiful, and xeriscape landscaping is so smart. Smart runs in the family too.

Guadalupe River Part 2

I've been a no good terrible lazy Aunt Val for not posting on my trip to the Guadalupe with my niece Ryan. I was down to visit earlier this month and got the chance to take my nephew Harris on a Sunday, and then to go back with her later in the week. We spent 5 hours that Wednesday just floating and relaxing. We decided to play hooky. Ryan called it a mental health day. Really? At 10, a mental health day? Sweetie, glad you are getting in the habit early. Take them on a regular basis and you will do just fine in life. So here are some pictures on how to take a mental health day. Take note:

Step 1: find a cool tree stump to stash your stuff at the river.

Step 2: Get your feet wet.


Step 3: Find fish eggs and mark them with a stick (technically this should have qualified us for a field trip, I'm just sayin')


Step 4: Catch a dragonfly....and so on. You get the idea.


We had a perfect day at the river. Because of that we both pouted all the way home. Leaving a perfect day at the river is torture.

Doglet's Day

Angel Doglet, loved Doglet, Doglet spoiled by Grandma, busy Doglet, and finally done Doglet. A rough life she has.

Guadalupe River on a Sunday

While my brother and nephew fished, I enjoyed poking aroud the flowers.

Lovin' this Weather

This evening we took a long walk with our nephews Seth and Chase.


We have a great park in our neighborhood that has a pond with a dock for fishing, and ducks to watch. It's pretty wooded in places too. I'm betting that's what helps our owl and hawk population flourish like it does. The boys were excited to go through the "forest" while Mavis and I stuck to the path.

The Bluebonnets are out too. Having been a life long Texan they always make me smile.

Mavis was also in attendance. She's in between hair styles and feeling very awkward. No pictures to see this time. Nothing to see here. Move along.