Tuesday, April 30, 2013

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

Thursday, April 25, 2013

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


Saturday, April 20, 2013

ONE FOR THE INDIANS



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!











Friday, April 19, 2013

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 

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.







Wednesday, April 17, 2013

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



don't you?


Monday, April 15, 2013

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?

Friday, April 12, 2013

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!