I have an obsession going on......

Wow!! The last couple of days I have spent checking out other blogs and I am in awe! There are so many wonderful blogs that I can't seem to stay off the computer. I am up early sitting at the computer and I am up late sitting at the computer......reading....reading.....reading!! I took a simple test on some one's blog just to see how 'blog crazy' I have become.....the results: 73% !! Okay, that is a bit too much intensity with this blog thing.....nothing is getting done around here and I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel either!! But....hey......it is all good and I am enjoying myself. I love the graphics and the layouts I have seen as I 'surf' the blogs.....my vision for my blog is changing, but I really want to keep it simple as I created my blog for family and friends.

There is a blog for everything and everyone. I started on Summer's blog and 'traveled' to the far corners of the United States.....visiting Nebraska, Washington, California, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida....and the list goes on and on!! I marked several as favorites and will return to 'get into them later'. Many were hosting blogs about being a grandparent, crafts, shabby chic, recipes....musings of so many areas I like to read about. I have this obsession going......it's like reading a favorite magazine and not being able to put it down! The fun part about it....many women had a blog, but also were online selling the things they created.....so, like a good shopper I visited those sites as well. My daughter in law, Beth, sells her homemade cards on Etsy.com and when I visited her site........well, another entire afternoon whizzed by me! Jewelry....art work....decorated painted pieces......every thing imaginable is offered for sale online!!

It's been so enlightening, but I have to stop this computer playing and get my house ready for my California visitor who comes out on November 6th. Sandi has been a friend since the late '70s and she and I are getting together at my home for a few days. It will be so much fun. The first place I am going to take her is to the Fort Worth Stockyards.......one of my favorite places here in Texas. There are great cities out here to visit as well......Austin....San Antonio.....Dallas.......and more!! Sandi will only be out here for a few days so, whatever we do will be crammed into a short period of time......she might need a vacation when she goes back to California from her vacation she took in Texas!! She works for Mattel and is planning to go over to the Fort Worth division of the company to visit with some friends.......I am looking forward to going over there too. I love toys!!

Today is going to be a beautiful day outside. Later in the afternoon you will find me doing some yard work......you can definitely see a difference in my yard. Things in the backyard are dying back and what was once beautiful is now a bit......ugly!! At least things in the front yard still look good. I am all about 'curb appeal'!!! I have decorated the front porch for fall and it looks so pretty. I still need a few more things to sit out........I want to be done by the end of the week.

I will post a picture soon so all of you can see........xoxoxoxo

What a birthday weekend.....

I had a great birthday weekend. Saturday was spent drooling over garden plants.....shopping at a resale shop.....a BBQ lunch.....and getting ready for a Sunday ATV riding excursion. Busy day, but fun...fun...fun! Sunday I went to Muenster Texas and spent the entire day riding on wonderful trails and enjoying myself sooo very much. The weather was perfect for a day outdoor with friends who share my love of riding. Everyone brings food and we BBQ more food than we can eat. Texans love their BBQ. At the end of the day I was asked if I wanted to join the 'guys' on the last run of the day. They told me it was 'rough' and at any time I wanted to stop I could. Ok, the challenge was on and I quickly grabbed a helmet and jumped on my little red ATV. The ride was fast and bumpy to say the least, but I kept up with all six of those guys. I was riding with adrenalin flowing rapidily through my veins and I was letting nothing stop me to stay up with the 'pack'. That is until I hit a rut and WHAM.......I fell. Don't exactly know what made me fall, but I would think it was the speed that took me out......more than the rut!! As I laid on the ground wrenching in pain.....I was mad at myself for wiping out. Humiliated that I allowed such a small rut knock me off my bike. I was struggling to get up and one of the guys came over and asked me if I was okay. "I think so." He asked me if I thought anything was broken.....with that a resounding "Gosh, I hope not!!!" All I was picturing was a helicopter ride back to town and all the costs that would surround me if I had broken something. With that picture in my mind, I grabbed his hand and allowed him to stand me up. I hurt!! My pride more than the pain in my hip. Truthfully I was praising myself for wearing a helmet.....something I don't normally wear when I ride. I got back on the ATV and continued the ride. The rest of the ride was more scary than my fall. Up and down hills that were clearly over my abilities, but I gave it my usually....I can do this!! Finally I said uncle and we returned back to camp. I am glad I took the challenge and rode with those guys, but my days of trying to go on trails that should be left to the younger guys is definitely over!! I will continue to stay on the trails and river beds that suit me just fine!!

I remember my birthday when Tony was two. He and I were on an ATV and wiped out. My head hurt.......my body hurt......but all I was thinking was.....have I hurt my son?? I remember scooping him up out of the dirt and checked him over for anything broken. He just looked at me and was laughing. The kid had no idea how close we came to being hurt. He talked about that incident for a long time.....all these years have come and gone and I still remember it as if it were yesterday.

All in all it was a great birthday weekend. Today my hip hurts....it is turning black and blue, but I am proud of myself that I rode hard and fast and was able to stay up with a bunch of teenagers and men. But mostly......I have a desire to wear a helmet now......it is the only thing that saved that hard head of mine from cracking open!! Helmets give you 'helmet hair', but they do so much more than that.......saves your life!!! I am sure Summer and my Dad will be saying.......finally she has gotten smart and is listening to me!!

Brrrrrrrr.......it's cold !!

Thank goodness for that kitchen and it's oven!!

The past two mornings the temperature has dipped down to the forties and it is cold in the house. Now I know it will get colder than forty one degrees in a month or so, but after all the beautiful weather we have had out here in Texas........41 is too cold for me! The last two winters I have been freezing in this little house of mine because of leaky windows, no weather stripping and no attic insulation. Turning on the heat doesn't work for me as the electric bills run high.....my first winter my electric bill was $300 for one month. Needless to say I stopped turning on the heat trying to bring down the bill. Only when it was really cold ....30 degrees....did I ever put the heat on to warm myself up. And when I had the heat on....all I could think about was not that I was warm, but my electrical bill was going to be high....warmth or broke??!!

This year I discovered if I close the doors to my bedroom and the doors leading to the front part of the house........AND turn on the oven......my house warms up comfortably!! I know I can't sleep with the oven going at night........but while I am awake I will be warm! YAY! Best of all...gas is way cheaper than electricity!!

The temperature outside will get warmer today so, the oven will only run to take the chill off the house...........when winter finally sets in I will continue to use the oven to stay warm, but I am looking into installing a space heater of some sort in my capped off fireplace. I do not like being cold......thank goodness Texas winters are truly not that harsh!

I have small floor heaters AND an electric blanket........it's really not that bad (I will change those words as soon as the true coldness hits!). Once upon a time the house had little gas wall heaters, but when the house was redone the contractor put in a central heating system......wish I had one or two of those little gas heaters today.

I need to get busy and work on leaky windows and doors before winter hits Texas!!

I am a lover of glass...EVERYONE knows that....

Drenda's Garden was

created for Donna's

girlfriend. She can

personalize anything

you want...... For the Sunflower lovers....

Donna personalized this
rock for one of her
daughters.... Cute frame......with mirror...
This garden lady is sold, but
Donna has others.....




My girlfriend Donna from California is a very talented artist. She does stain glass....wind chimes and right now her passion these days.....mosaics. These are a few of her designs.....aren't they beautiful? They are for sale and she can do custom orders for you as well. I just wanted all of you to see her work...........

Music......music.......music

I added music to my blog after going through a "green eye" moment......did not have any idea how to do it, but figured if "they" could do it so could I...!! The bug really got me when I visited one of my favorite on-line stores....she had music and the panel was pink. Well, that's all it took!! A button pushed here...and a button pushed there.....PRESTO.....music. I chuckled loudly when I added Elvis' version of "Yellow Rose of Texas"...and his "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You". Just had to add those song to my Texas based blog. I am sure all of you burst out into laughter as I did when the song came up on the panel. Silly me. If you haven't listened to the music.....press the button it is worth the chuckle!!

Carters Chord is a musical group out of Nashville. They just finished touring with one of my favorites....Toby Keith....and they are really good! They are three sisters who once attended the church I went to in California.....all grown up and simply beautiful.....check out their web site for more about them. Carterschord.com

Enjoy listening to some of "my favorites" while you browse through my entries.

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!

Lindsay and Breezi


Lindsay has been a 'regular member' of our family since junior high school. She has shared our life and we have shared hers! Love you lots and best wishes for a great birthday!!

I am getting old......

This past weekend I went out on my ATV......had a blast! Today I am sooo sore! My muscles are aching and I have come to realize I am not 20 any longer and I need to pull back a bit when I ride. To top matters off.......I tried to put the ATV on the trailer and I ended up having a motorcycle fall against my right hand pinning it down. It hurt to say the least. I didn't break anything, but at the time I thought I did!! All I kept thinking....I have no insurance and it was going to hurt worse to come up with the money than my hand being injured. My wrist and pinkie took the blunt of the injury, but they will feel better faster than my leg muscles! I know from now on......I will not be loading my ATV...someone else is going to have to do that for me!!