SOUNDS OF SUMMER

When my children were little, we would begin the first day of summer getting ready for the summer.

I remember the Hale Bop summer the best I suppose because it was so spectacular in comparison to others...but they were all spectacular.

School is out. The days are mild. The nights are mild. The days are full of excitement of things to come.

Everyone grabs a blanket and a pillow and we head to the trampoline. We all get comfortable and then....

"no one say a word"..I say...listen....listen...let's listen to the sounds of summer...

all the little voices are still and they listen...and then they describe what they hear....

a cricket

a mosquito buzzing by my ear

laughter down the street

traffic from the nearby highway

the wind blowing through the locust tree above us

trampoline springs squeaking

a dog barking in the distance

a neighbor's windchimes

and we lay there together as the dusk turns into night and as

"the stars pop out" one by one...

and so we begin our summer...listening...to the simple simple simple sounds that I will never forget.

SUSPICIOUS MINDS

I have long suspected that fertilizer companies place just a few..just a few..itty bitty dandelion seeds within the fertilzer.

I'm pretty sure that with today's technology we could eradicate all weeds if we wanted to..and then where would that leave the fertilzer company?

Without a job or reason for working.

So Dear Fertilzer Maker,

Aren't you so glad there are peeps like me who happen to find great beauty in things such as this? If I were you, I'd put just a few itty bitty seeds in my fertilzer too...just to keep things interesting.

Thanks for being so smart in the game of gardening.

AND WHILE YOU'RE NOT BEING A WUSS...

....add this to your list of wussy things to get on over!

Unless you're afraid your putt might go south in the breeze.

That's quite understandable.

NO SCARDY CAT WEENIES ALLOWED

If you want to golf in the Texas Panhandle......you might have to share your cart and/or bring an extra pair of big girl panties!

BIG SHOES TO FILL

Remembering the first week of summer vacation at Granny Bea’s gives me comfort to this day.

I wonder if she was as excited to have me and I was to go.

For me it meant:

Homemade peach ice cream using a handle that I turned myself…rock salt and ice
Sheets and pillowcases that were starched and ironed and smelled like the sun

Her always no matter what wearing a pretty dress and a pretty apron and putting "cold cream" on her face
Fried potatoes and ham
Using her plentiful rose petals placed gently between my lips to mimic lipstick
The sound of the traffic through her open window as I drifted off to sleep
Her rubbing my growing legs
Rice with butter and sugar for breakfast
Listening as she did her daily bible study and most of all beginning with

My most gracious heavenly father…thank you….

Man I love that precious woman…and I think about her every day and hope that someday..my little Betty and those that come after her will feel this way about me.

GOLF = BEER = GOLF

Today begins couple's scrambles. Officially...golf begins, but due to our sometimes mild climate, golf began before today. And if I'm not careful with the golf and beer and beer and golf...I might find myself doing Lane Bryant commercials.

Actually..I'm flattering myself because this chick is H.O.T. and I'm just rockin' a beer gut.

THANKS JULES!

Page 106..."One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if there are a few."

I am a possessor by nature. Empty? Lonely? Covetress? Lover of beauty? Perhaps all and more.

In my late spring cleaning I removed from my bed alone...

• 2 mink pillows created from Babboo's stole
• 1 wine colored Euro beaded silk pillow
• 2 bumble bee motif down pillows
• 1 set of brown French bumble bee sheets
• 3 raw silk fringed pillows--3 shades of red
• 1 curry suede duvet cover with yellow down comforter within
• 1 flowered duvet cover folded at the end of the bed
• 1 tiny but significant fringe AND beaded square pillow

and replaced with...

• 1 plain white fitted sheet
• 1 plain white goose down comforter
• 2 plain white feather pillows
• 2 Ralph Lauren (very old and faded but soft) yellow flower pillowcases on down pillows

that's all...now that's all...good gosh! Am I King Henry the 8th?

No...I am Anne Murrow Lindbergh learning to embrace simplicity...

at least for the summer!

Thanks Jules! The book is excellent!

WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY

The mouse will

store away the cozy winter blankets and fussy accessories

bring in the summer clean white and flowery bedding

dust the shoe closets and art with vaccum attachments

throw open the sash to expose the late night thunderstorm and early am sunrise

eat only homemade pizza with absolutely zero toppings and I mean ZERO

leave all four tvs on all the time

drink a full bottle of Mulderbosch and 2 beers (or was it 3?)

watch Nancy Grace all night long

Bring on the damn cat!

HOLY MAJOLI! I CAN DO THIS!

I’m not about all that in the tech department, but I try to keep up.

When my youngest peep started out with her cell phone I knew there would be something that would come along that would be different for her… different than talking and different than email…so I asked her.

"What do you think is on the horizon?"

She not only already knew the answer..she was already quite engaged in it…it was called "texting."

She ended our conversation with.."don’t do it mom."

And I didn’t for a long time. And then everyone was doing it. And then I refused to do it. And then I changed my mind and decided to do it. And tried to change my phone plan to do it. And it wouldn’t do it. And so I decided that if there was a cool thing after email..then there would be a cool thing after texting and THAT’S the thing I’d DO!

Then one day…someone said they had received a voice text. This, I understand is where you say what you want to say and send it in a text format.

Holy Majoli…it seems a lot like…uh…talking? Is actual talking the new thing that’s just around the corner?

Yep...I think I can do that!

I AM GLAD OF TWO THINGS

AMARILLO, TEXAS -- An Amarillo woman is recovering after being trampled by a bull Thursday morning. Around 10 A.M., Potter County Sheriff's deputies and the Potter County Fire Department responded to the call on Willowgrove in Rolling Hills.
A bull on private property allegedly broke out of his pen and charged a woman, knocking her to the ground. The Potter County Sheriff's Department deputies were able to get the bull off of the woman and back into his pen. The woman was sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Below are the comments left concerning this story.

spelling
Posted by matt daffern, amarillo - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 3:13 p.m.
actually, pen is the correct word for this situation...
Correct spelling
Posted by Janette Zamora, Amarillo , TX - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 11:15 a.m.
pen2 /p?n/ Show Spelled [pen] Show IPA noun, verb,penned or pent, pen·ning. –noun 1.a small enclosure for domestic animals.
bull
Posted by l k, usa - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 11:08 p.m.
gosh, news worthy stuff.so sorry your dad died.
Kathy Jacops, Amarillo...
Posted by Packrat Packrat, Texas - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 10:59 a.m.
Check your dictionary...
self
Posted by Kathy Jacops, Amarillo - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 12:38 p.m.
PLEASE learn the difference between "pin" and "pen". Not once, but twice, is the error made in this article.
Woman attacked by bull
Posted by Shelley Haller, Perryton - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 10:13 p.m.
You do a feature story about a woman that is attacked by a bull but you failed to report about a Perryton man who was my father that was killed and mauled by a bull 3 weeks ago. If you die from a bull that must not be news worthy. But you get attacked and live that is headline news.

I am so glad as the editor of an online newspaper(s) that

A: If my mental and/or physical spell checker misses a word...it's not in print and I can go back in and fix it...thus leaving the spell check police seem like they have nothing better to do than criticize and be ugly.

2. I actually posted the sad story front page on 2 of my online papers concerning the man that was killed by the bull in addition to Facebook and Twitter. It was news to us!

Sometimes when I am tempted to get in on all the fun...I remember the wise words of my dad...

"Fool's names and fool's faces are always seen in foolish places."

LIFE IS GOOD

They say a mother is only as happy as her saddest child. Very true. Today...in spite of all the ups and downs in life...this is a happy happy time.

Charles: 26
Field Consultant for Amarillo Natural Gas
Home owner
Garden grower
Handsome with a heart of gold

Mattie: 20
2 years at Texas A&M University officially became a Senior with a 4.0
Smart, dedicated
Beautiful smile and home in 3 days

Grace: 29
Just landed a fantastic job as a land man for Zephyr Wind Energy
Wife of Justin and mother of precious Betty (2)
Knock out!

Mom and B?

P.R.O.U.D.

THIS IS YOUR NEW PILLOW FOR YOUR COUCH

Ok...I am sitting here blogging and working and the background noise finally registers.

Hubby is in the other room and for the past ???? has been watching a documentary about breast and other surgery.

Since I am a cougar who has gone from a 36C to a 32 Long, I'm getting just about annoyed enough to go make a scene and turn the channel to Big Time Wrestling and ooh over those shiny muscles.

I googled this photo of his perfect new pillow he might be needing...like tonight?

Bad form on Mother's Day!

SHAME ON YOU!

To Whom It May Concern,I'm writing because I'm giving my English Bulldog Puppies away,amgiving them away because am too busy at work so i don't have enoughtime to take good care of them again so i will like to put this inyour newspaper for both online and onprint edition.MY AD SAYS: FREE ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPIES IF YOU ARE INTERESTEDCONTACT chris_evans2010@hotmail.comKindly Get Back To Me with the rate for my ad and i will send you mycredit card detail for payment.ThanksChris Evans.

Hi Chris...FYI...I was born at night, but not last night. And if I were born last night it wouldn't take me long to get you and peeps like you figured out. You see...I have 3 newspapers in 3 towns and that makes..yes you guessed it...3 emails...that I get this type of request all the time.

So you see..Mr. veterinaryconsult@gmail.com...

your requests sort of stick out like a big fat sore thumb.

My standard reply to peeps like you goes like this....

Dear Chris...we don't scam our readers and perhaps you should consider getting a real job. You have been reported to the proper authorities. Shame on you.

Now..if the emailer uses Reverend in front of his name...he gets a shame shame shame on you.

You are giving yourself some bad Karma. And I am the Bad Karma police for my area. Watch out!

GOOD GOSH WOMEN OF AMERICA

LET'S.WEAR. HATS!!

EVIDENTLY I HAVE BECOME SOMEWHAT OF A VOYEUR

Don’t be scared…I’m half-blind and spend most of my time in front of my computer or looking out my window at my puny marigolds.

Please bear with me as we stand one more story about the Kentucky Derby?

Actually, this story doesn’t have much to do with the Derby…it was merely the setting that gave me the opportunity to once again post about the subject of inspiring others.

Did I mention…it was the wettest Derby in 136 years? We were lucky in that the first day we sat in the sunny infield and on the rainy day had nice toasty warm seats under the stadium. Many were not so fortunate.

It was like…well nothing I’ve ever seen. Like…Easter only fancier and more old fashioned.

Seersucker suits, pastel shirts, bow ties, huge hats with ostrich feathers, little hats with bitsy birds, and a few picnic baskets.

I would imagine that the biggest majority of those in attendance were living a dream like I was…just once in their lifetime the chance to attend the Kentucky Derby. This group of gentlemen sat just in front of me. They were rowdy and full of fun and vigor. And they entertained me.

So…if your dream comes true during a record downpour what is one to do?

I suggest…do as these young gents did.

They went on with it. And while they were going on with it....I was sitting just behind them…in awe…as I watched them sit for hours in the rain, soaking their navy blazers to the last thread, and drinking mint juleps even though my bet would be they had purchased their IDs rather than earned them with birthday candles.

And they laughed. And they back patted. And they got rained on…but they never, not ever left their seats.

I went to meet them and the one with red hair told me his suit belonged to his father who had worn it to the derby in 1953. The one with the dark hair introduced me to his fiancée. They gave me their email, but it got soaked and when I got home, I could no longer read it.

So let’s just hope for a little miracle shall we? Maybe you know them and you can pass this on to them.

Maybe you just wish you did. Or wish your son could amuse someone like this from a distance. Or maybe you wish you could be more like them…I know I wish that.

Again the question….what kind of dance are you dancing when you think no one is watching? Who do you inspire while you’re just living your life?

This is a challenge. Your actions do inspire others. Take that seriously because you might actually make someone laugh, or think, or wonder, or just plain go deeper. Some small little gesture may be a thing remembered years later.

YOU…could be the unforgettable person…and I think that would be quite grand!

THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME IN A LIFETIME OF CHANCE

After being so inspired by attending the 136th Kentucky Derby, I remembered this song from my old high school days. As I listened to the words and watched the horses, I can't help but remember that back then I had no idea really about the Derby or horses and thought that these words were about living life.

Even though this video is about these beautiful horses and this amazing race, the words still ring true about life. Listen...and hear.

WHO DO YOU INSPIRE?

Once I went to a college basketball game and like most college football games, entertained myself with the band rather than the sports action.

But because of one person, this band stood out and 12 years later I still remember this young man.

He played the tuba.

Ok..I know what you’re thinking. Dork, nerd, hide behind the biggest instrument you can and rumba bumba unnoticed.

Nope.

He was in his own world, still adding to the group, dancing to his own music, and I might add, dancing quite unforgettably.

I felt like I was spying on him, but I literally could not stop watching him.

Why?

Because he was cool. He was happy. He was filled with enthusiasm for his huge tuba. He was having fun. He was making soulful music. He was overflowing with joy and he made me happy to watch him. And he made me watch him instead of what I came to watch. His animation was far more interesting than anything in that gym.

He inspired me.

He inspired me to be more like him.

Who is watching you do what you do? What do you do when you think no one is watching?

Do you inspire people with who you are and how you dance to life?

Your music is your choice…don’t be forlorn…you never know who you may be inspiring…or not.

ONE GOOD REASON

You should always in the very least consider attending your summer family reunions....you may have a famous chef in the woodpile




So you might get to sit here instead of say....

Here.....

during the "Wettest Kentucky Derby in 136 Years"...I'm just saying.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2010/04/the-kentucky-derby-menu-a-qa-with-chef-joseph-jojo-doyle-.html

SEA OF SEERSUCKER

I have successfully highlighted in yellow another number on my lifelist...I do believe it is #86...Go to the Kentucky Derby.

At the moment, my head is still trying to wrap around it all.

I could be having some difficulty due to attending the wettest Kentucky Derby in history, or wading in the waters of the only major flood Nashville has ever experienced (yes that's where we flew into and out of), or maybe the fact that we drove to Indiana just for a martini after enjoying at least one Mint Julep at the race.

This photo includes someone I have never seen before nor will ever see again. He obviously was a sharp dressed man on the other side of the Indiana state line and somehow made his way into the vicinity of me and my camera.

I am currently downloading 465 such photos of which I promised to be very careful to share, or rather not to share.

My head and heart are full of all the things I saw, heard and did that are truly unforgettable. But until I can catalog it all I will leave you with my favorite quote of the trip from my precious husband....

"If it were not for the Kentucky Derby, no seersucker would be sold."