on the road less traveled

it's springtime in Texas. from brown brittle fields life springs anew. the ground is covered with an unending carpet of petite flowers. bluebonnets reach to the sky. white anemones poke their spikey smiling faces through unmown green grass. tiny butterflies flutter among matching yellow primrose. birds sing happily. bees buzz hungrily. and the sun illuminates the brilliant blue sky.

today I spent the day outdoors. witness to the generousity of Mother Nature. and the glory of God.

'now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire.'

inspiration

as anticipated, my weekend trip was wonderful. gratifying.
peaceful. uplifting. invigorating. well, you get the idea. but most
of all inspiring. when folks of a like mind, common interest and shared passion come together the air becomes charged. excitement buzzes all around. when gardeners gather ideas grow.

table after table of plants greeted upon arrival. one more inviting than the next. round one of shopping. check. the curator at Festival Hill, appropriately named Henry Flowers, gave a welcome talk and introduced us to a few of his friends. almond verbena. frill
leaf lavender. civil war daisy. chocolate vine. notes madly taken.
shopping round two. check. we ventured into the charming town of Round Top. keep in mind that twice a year this tiny town, population 77, becomes a mecca of antique shoppers. fields fill up with white tents full of treasures. this weekend is a bit early, but treasure to be found none-the-less. shopping round three. check.

and lunch. at Royer's. shrimp blt. and the pie sampler (take a look
at what's left of our cherry, strawberry rhubarb, chess and
buttermilk delight extravaganza). eating. check.

the weekend had a little glitch. the designated driver (ie me)
locked her keys in the car. as a friend recently quoted Scooby
Do 'rot ro'. but as this damsel in distress called for help, a
wonderful knight in shining armor came to her rescue and unlocked the car. the girls voted my galant guy husband of the year.

lucky blessed me.

anticipation

there is a special place in Round Top, Texas called Festival Hill. an outstanding music venue for education, research and performance. but one weekend each year it becomes a gardeners paradise as they host an annual Herbal Forum.

Festival Hill is set amid 200 scenic acres. a jeweled combination of buildings and landscape. beautiful architecture seen in antique houses moved and restored on site. stone grottos spilling over with flowers and history. gardens scattered throughout the grounds shining with herbs of every description and origin. (just imagine over 100 varities of rosemary!). a feast for mind and senses.

the Herbal Forum is two days of talks, workshops and common interests. my first Forum was in 2009 when a small gaggle of gals from my Master Gardener group attended. what fun we had! we leave early on Friday and spend the day shopping and eating in charming Round Top (pie at Royer's can't be missed!). that evening features a potluck picnic (each taking a dish and a bottle of wine to share). and up bright and early for the lecture series that begins on Saturday. and the shopping. a delightful array of plants and books. (excuse me while I drool). we pack lightly to make room for the bounty to be had.

but the best part is two days with my gardening friends. filled with laughter, learning and love.

patience is a virture.

spring ahead

today I woke up late. very late indeed. there are not many days when I say I slept in til 8 o'clock, but this morning was one of them. in my mental time zone it was only 7 am. so not too bad for a Sunday morning. and the good news is I can blame it on daylight savings time.

I guess the reasoning some 90 years ago when congress passed the edict was so farmers could get out into the fields earlier. couldn't they just set their alarms for 5 am rather than do this crazy time change twice a year? the morning news tells me that within three days of the time change there is a higher rate of heart attack and the economy (ie wall street) takes a nose dive (no new news there - just another convenient excuse). so in my logical train of thought ... why oh why change.

but the good news about springing ahead is this ... it's spring! on my street the redbud trees and bradford pears herald in a new season in radiant fashion. truly mother nature at her finest. and I don't even mind the weeds popping up - for in Texas they shine in all their little wildflower glory. yellows and purples and whites. all lay a colorful carpet to enjoy. and the redbud flowers make for pretty sidewalk confetti.

so I'll endure losing an hour this morning, knowing what blessings lie ahead of me today.

'the day God created hope was probably the day
He created Spring.'

hang on little tomato

yesterday I was in a bit of a funk. thankfully, I am usually a happy person (at times just downright annoyingly perky). but there are those days where you just feel low for no good reason. I am blessed to have friends and family that give me a hug, have a kind word or simply say (to quote Mary Engelbreit) 'snap out of it'.

but if all else fails, I turn to music. I love the big band sounds. orchestra's swinging. crooners cooing. and one of my favorite groups is Pink Martini. an eclectic mix of jazz, soul, swing and salsa. what a kick.

I recently shared the lyrics of one of their songs (hang on little tomato) with a friend. it always perks me up. this is how it goes ...

'the sun has left and forgotten me. it's dark, I cannot see.
why does this rain pour down. I'm gonna drown in a sea of deep confusion.
somebody told me, I don't know who, whenever you are sad and blue and your feelin' all alone and left behind just take a look inside and you will find you gotta hold on.
hold on through the night.
hang on, things will be all right.
even when it's dark and not a bit of sparkling sing-song sunshine from above is spreading rays of sunny love.
just hang on. hang onto the vine. stay on. soon you'll be divine. if you start to cry, look up to the sky. something's coming up ahead to turn your tears to dew instead.
and so I hold onto his advice. when change is hard and not so nice, you listen to your heart the whole night through and your sunny someday will come one day soon to you.'

let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy.

move over imelda

I have a little problem with shoes. not just any shoes (okay okay. most shoes). flip-flops. now here in the great state of Texas flip-flops are considered year 'round attire. so you can understand that I have pairs in a multitude of colors and styles. a variety of materials. flats and with heels. oh so appropriate for every occasion.

today was my first flip-flop day of 2010. a glorious day when temperatures reached the upper 70's. my newly pedicured toes were delighted.

so put away the loafers. the inhibiting closed toe shoes. the opaque tights. the ugg boots (well, maybe those can stay out a little longer).

bring on the flip-flop tan line.

circleville store

last night a friend took pity on my spouse-lessness and invited me to tag along to dinner. the destination was as enticing as the company. a little country store that, at one time, was the hub of a bustling small community. today it sits a little decrepit but proud along a quiet stretch of highway.

a treasure to be discovered. a virtual shopping mecca featuring gifts, yard art, plumbing supplies, groceries and pest control. and the ultimate in fine dining.

two seating areas (one lovingly referred to as 'the dungeon') that feature formica tables covered in peeling contact paper. smack dab in the middle of the grocery.

if the ambiance doesn't get you. the food will (and if truth be told, the food is good!). typical menu selections include burgers and steak - this particular Friday night featured catfish. beer is served nestled in a variety of advertising-laden koozies. and your choice of wine - clear and colored.

and the crowds pour in. for the food. the camaraderie. it's a place where everyone knows each other. where men wear camouflage. women don flip-flops. and children are very well behaved.

everyone is happy. smiling. laughing. simply content to be together. and a good time is had by all. it is the best of small town living.

hope to see you there soon.