THE BURDEN

What if....what if you were able to view your work, your relationships, your life....like this?

What if you were able to say things like

"this is great exercise"

or

"I am so free"

or

"Man these flowers smell heavenly in the breeze I am creating"

or

"I cannot wait to see the smile on her face when she gets these roses"

burdens 

always always always 

come with the ability to see them as blessings

it's a choice we can make 

every. single.day

TARRAGON

As Norah Jones sings

....the long day is over....

some think we are close to the coast

actually I can drive 17 hours south from my house and still not be at the bottom of Texas

and just about 90 miles north and be in the middle of Kansas

yesterday we hit a whopping record breaking low of 22 degrees

I have a few ways that I tell if it's time to plant in our unpredictable weather in the 

Texas Panhandle

if the mesquite is blooming

(this wood also makes a delicious flavor in BBQ)

If the chives are blooming

I have no chives...they froze!

when the barn swallows arrive

this usually happens the 3rd weekend in April

nature is an incredible teller of all things

the birds are not here yet, but one day very soon

I trust 

I will look up and see them sitting on a wire

and then and only then will I begin to plant

We are so excited this year to actually have a place in which to plant

herbs

veggies

flowers

grass

trees

our heavy destruction and construction is another long thing that's pretty much 

over

my new favorite herb that I cannot wait to 

plant

grow

pinch

smell

taste

French Tarragon

oh how I love it

oh yes...Norah...I am with ya girl

the looooong day is over...

mesquite grilled chicken with fresh greens and tarragon

oh how I love it

HUMBLE ADORATION

HEALING

ONE FOR THE INDIANS

National Cowboy Museum Hall of Fame to Induct Wes Studi

Wes Studi is a native Oklahoman, Vietnam veteran, sculptor, musician, author,activist 

and full-blood Cherokee. 

He is best known for his roles in “Dances With Wolves,” “The Last of the Mohicans,”  and James Cameron’s “Avatar.”

Studi was born in Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma in 1946 as the eldest son of a ranch hand. He spoke only Cherokee until he was five years old, when he was sent to Chilocco Indian School in Northern Oklahoma, where he remained until high school graduation

so...why you ask...

"do I care?"

well, if you don't mind a bit of a brag, I'll continue....

we will be attending this wonderful event that will also include

our very own newest member of our clan

Rex

who will have the honor of

introducing Mr. Studi

Even though Rex was born and raised right here, he also has ties to the great state of Oklahoma where he continued his education after leaving here.  His family is very involved with the museum and so he will have this great honor...as will we...as his tag-alongs!

For the first time in quite a long time

I'm kind of caring about my outfit!

(which will include vintage cowboy boots for darn tootin' sure!)

blue?

or green?

It makes me so proud to be part of a tribe

~*~

 we are the

 Turtle Clan

we are

Choctaw

and Oklahoma is Okay!

SUCH IS LIFE

tragedy

and pleasure

all mixed in

unpredictably 

randomly

unexpectedly 

good

evil

sad

happy

horrific

and just when I report the news on 

www.highplainsobserver.com

concerning a town we drove through every time we went to visit college kiddo

(to get a home-made kolache...)

that our area is all working together to send needed items after this tragic event 

we have a sad sad report that a local baby has been killed

I can barely speak of it...a police report like we never ever ever have

comes in at the same time I get the great news that our golf team has made it to the regional playoffs

and that our little league field has new turf

so many prayers needed this day

and yet still appropriate to count many a blessing

...and the sun shone like a red wafer in the sky...

I want to add my blessing here...so simple and such a long story but trust me...it is an abundant answer to a specific prayer:  I just walked the few blocks down our street in the warm breeze to return the wheelbarrow my oldest daughter and I share...it's her turn...I'm resting.  It had to be one of the nerdiest things I have ever done...but I did it with such a sense of gratitude.

GIVE ME SOME SKIN

Long years ago when I was young, my mom and her friends 

owned

SACK'S 3rd AVENUE

(it was a cute little boutique on 3rd Street decorated with plain brown sacks)

there was an up and coming

controversial

TREND

*Silver Jewelry*

the jewelers said

"IT WILL NEVER LAST"

and later another of those trends in both home and fashion

surfaced

SKIN!  

As in ANIMAL SKIN

so I set about my house (because it's too cold to play outside)

to see how much skin I'm showing around 822

and I must admit

I was surprised

(I think the rule is...just a little bit of print goes a long way but you need a little...right?)

RULE BREAKER!

I actually purchased this fabric for my piano bench but changed my mind

and went for a more natural blue zebra

if you can mix fabrics

then I think you can mix animal prints

this is actually just feet away at the table in the

"music room"

I bought this cowhide in Canton Texas

I just HAD TO HAVE IT

and really don't have a place for it now since we installed carpet

so it is currently in the wine cellar to be

When it's not too cold to play outside

these pillows from Wal-Mart* will be on my patio furniture

..but I doubt I ever put away that cozy throw...even in the summer it feels good to wrap up in that thing!

we've already seen the mink pillows

but don't you love this brown tone zebra fabric?

 I just couldn't decide which floral pillow I liked best

so I'm still thinking about that

one thing I might like better than animal print?

wooden santos!

my little cheetah chair in my little tiny prayer room

has been covered in this fabric for many years

so I liked it a long time ago!

what about this cozy little spot with a throw right there just in case?

this is where Betty and I sit and watch the birds in the yard

the 8x10 rug in the art loft

this has been in 3 of our houses

and one in Lubbock

bored yet?

well....you get my point I'm sure

the only thing I think could be better than silver and/or animal skin

is the two of them together!!!!

so, let's just say that you wanted to

go all in

(as they say in the casinos)

I kind of like the thought that someone wouldn't just 

jack around with a few pillows here and there

Welcome to the Jungle via Haute Indoor Couture

don't you?

BOSTON LOVE

A SUMMER BED

I suppose this "changing of the beds" came about for me

as the owner of a 

Bed & Breakfast for a few years

In that scenario...

THE BED

is the most important thing

next to 

the breakfast!

summer or winter...I always begin with a linen spray

and this one is my favorite

it smells like the salty air of the ocean

the next best thing to hanging your sheets out on the line

and filling each thread with sun and breeze

take away the heavy fabric pillow

but 

by all means

do NOT take away the pillows

they are needed to prop up to read, watch tv, eat, and surround yourself

like you are in a safe comfy cocoon!

I love the old vintage cases

I don't even care if the monogram is right

but this happens to be 

"B"

for

baby

beatrice

brian

betty

bring me a blueberry

white is so pretty all the year long 

but especially in the summer

so light and airy

in our master

I like the summer look to be

tossed on

like you look back and say

"I'm off to a picnic...no time to make the bed!"

wrinkles and krinkles

ACCEPTABLE!

mostly white, but with a hint of that mist

lots of pattern

and an extra down quilt nearby for the nights that get kind of cool!

do you like to fluff your beds?

ANOTHER WINTER BED

and speaking of winter beds...

I find it a bit difficult to marry an ocean theme

to a winter theme..do you?

but I am so enchanted with water and all that implies

I love shells and beach wood and the endless beauty and mystery of an ocean

and I especially love the calming color of a distant mist

so I knew this room would be perfect for just that sort of thing!

do you remember us water staining these boards one by one?

boy howdy I sure do!

let me take you back

oh no...this is not the beginning...this is the tidied up version of the beginning

do you see over there just where there's a bit of a step up?

when we were taking this old apartment apart...well...we found a 

petrified cat

I think about it from time to time

and wish I would have kept it to go with our petrified squirrel we found in the walls

this is the view from the bathroom into the bedroom

after quite a bit of headway

do you remember the issue that our sconces were not measured for a bed?

only a mattress? so we had to get a queen?  that really has not been an issue at all, glad to say!

I had these vintage linens for nearly ever

carrying them around with me all over

tarnation

(this means the entire nation in Texas slang)

so I could match stuff with them

this is the duvet cover for our fluffy down comforter

which is something I insist on for every bed!

(overstock is the best!  $2.95 shipping every day!)

these velvet pillows actually go to my sofa..glad I had the sense to keep them 

I got my couch long before this bedroom was done!

so back to the winter ocean bedroom

I suppose all oceans also have winter, right?

so in the winter...this is what the bed looks like

but today?

ah yes...today...that will change...as the velvets and scruffy stuff will be put away

the sun is out, the air is warming

and the whites and lazy daisy blues

lightweight and summery

are about to make it onto that

wonderful queen size bed

for the season of summer!