It's only mid-January, and I've reached winter's crying time. After the recent ice storm, I feel almost as frozen as this holly. We'll both thaw out in time. You think I'm being overly dramatic? I'm not. Usually, I reach this stage mid-February right after Valentine's Day, but crying time came early this year. Ice storms are beautiful, but hard on plants and people. I don't mind snow as much. In one week, Oklahoma had a snowstorm, an ice storm and copious rain. Don't panic. I'm not really crying. I am a bit lethargic and misty-eyed in winter's aftermath. So, this morning, I took myself in hand, sat down with a cup of tea and a breakfast bar, and considered ways to smile through winter. More of Mother Nature's icy grip. After 54 years of circling the sun, I know myself pretty well. First, I thought about why I'm in such a...

Bill and I were standing in the living room at the back window gazing outside as our son walked by. "What on Earth are you two doing?" he asked. "Watching birds," we said, in unison. Bill and I then turned and grinned at each other. I added, "It's what old people do." We then laughed. Our son just shook his head like we'd lost our minds and walked on into the kitchen where he promptly ignored us. How he thinks we'll lose our minds simultaneously is beyond me. Male Cardinals don't mind each other in winter when they need to be at the feeder. However, when temperatures and sunlight both increase in spring, watch out! They are fiercely territorial. See the female Cardinal on the right of the feeder? She blends in. Nature's protective camouflage for nesting birds. The truth is Bill and I have always been into birds. You can't...

I like Texas a lot. In fact, second only to Oklahoma, it's probably my favorite state. Maybe because as I cross the Red River, our southern border, it still feels like home. A couple of weeks before Christmas, Bill and I took Claire to visit the University of Dallas in Irving Texas, and on our way back, we had to visit Waco. You know what's in Waco, right? MAGNOLIA MARKET!!! Yes, after Megan urged me for months to watch Fixer Upper, I finally did and fell under Chip and Joanna's spell. I blame it on shiplap, being primed for binge watching due to a horrid cold, and memories of our own fixer-upper--which only took us six years to complete, log-by-log. For years afterward, our expansion and remodel was a nightmare, but enough time passed I now have fond memories of standing on a huge ladder in our future bedroom hanging...

It's been awhile since I've written, but I've been deep in thought this Advent. Many changes are coming to our family. Over the last nine years, you've watched as our children grew from tots and teens to adulthood. In May, Megan is marrying Robert. Brennan will graduate from college the same month, and Claire will graduate from high school. Our oldest daughter, Ashley, is working hard, but she doesn't have any life changes to spring on me in May.--at least, I hope not. The whole family at Thanksgiving! Sorry we cut off part of Bill's head. The whole family, including my mother and sister, were together for Thanksgiving, and I hope for a repeat Christmas Eve. I know. It's hard for me to believe too. With so many changes comes reflection, and I'll be honest, I'm having a bit of a tough time. I've called my mother twice and cried....