tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88938602012-01-31T07:19:06.508-06:00Gradually dazzling my reader since 2004.Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.comBlogger41001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-31001740948593790052012-01-24T22:28:00.001-06:002012-01-24T22:28:19.146-06:00

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you may be aware that my beloved daddy is gravely ill. A few years ago he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which is a type of cancer affecting the bone marrow. He received lots of big-time treatment for this, including a bone marrow transplant from his brother... which meant that he had to take immunosuppressant drugs. His myeloma went into

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-81572865143931658752012-01-18T20:38:00.000-06:002012-01-18T20:38:09.347-06:00

Recently I completed a painting of a moonflower, and I took photos of the process. First I laid down a layer of light green: This also established the outlines of the white flower. Since the flower was white, I wanted to leave bright white highlights available for the flower's petals, and the only real way to do that with watercolor is to leave highlight areas unpainted. Next, I needed to

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-49143626256766917002012-01-14T22:37:00.002-06:002012-01-14T22:37:44.743-06:00

A Fence Carl Sandburg Now the stone house on the lake front is finished and the workmen are beginning the fence. The palings are made of iron bars with steel points that can stab the life out of any man who falls on them. As a fence, it is a masterpiece, and will shut off the rabble and all vagabonds and hungry men and all wandering children looking for a place to play. Passing through the

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-27105498753538820932012-01-01T16:32:00.002-06:002012-01-01T16:33:22.365-06:00

Standing in the parking lot of First Baptist Church, Valley View, TX, looking westward. January 1, 2012 Happy 2012 to all! May there be glimmers of green sprouting up in YOUR world, too.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-1193375365157776792011-12-31T20:31:00.002-06:002011-12-31T20:31:24.159-06:00

It's New Year's Eve and I'm home with my three babies safe and sound. 2012 looms ominous on the horizon, but I will persevere. The "next thing" is always out there to do, and I plan to do it. Whatever it is.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-71510812707546942002011-12-10T07:22:00.001-06:002011-12-10T07:39:47.721-06:00

I know, it’s been months since I posted. I really am going to get back to it. I have some ideas that will hopefully get me back in the habit; it is therapeutic for me and I need it. I just have been pretty closed-off to it for a while. Part of that is Facebook’s fault – FB gives me the immediacy and spontaneity that comes so easily to me anyway. But I need a slightly more anonymous outlet where

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-53235450190956740262011-08-12T23:16:00.002-05:002011-08-12T23:38:35.993-05:00

Last weekend I wrote about not wanting to go to church. Well, I did anyway, because it's not about me... I'm a mom with kids who need it and love it... so I have to hitch up my big-girl-panties and deal. Church services at the New Place are actually a respite. I don't feel pressured or "on display" or even obligated. I didn't lead worship. Didn't want to. I just enjoyed it quietly. After we

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-42835782001695596292011-08-11T21:27:00.002-05:002011-08-11T22:30:31.479-05:00

Yesterday was spent on Interstate 35 traveling down to the San Marcos Treatment Center, where Martha is an inmate. We have to have weekly family therapy sessions, but since we obviously will be unable to travel the zillion miles down to SMTC once a week, we will be able to meet via teleconference. I was discouraged pretty hard after yesterday's meeting with the therapist. He told us that it was

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-67850295808576864262011-08-08T17:56:00.003-05:002011-08-08T19:03:21.417-05:00

It's been about three years since I've had a professional manicure, but last week I had some time to kill while I was in Fort Worth for an education workshop, and my fingernails were actually sorta grown-out and healthy, and I'm in-between piano gigs, so what the heck... I had heard that the new manicure rage is "shellac", and that it's super-durable, so I thought I'd try it. I don't want long,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-58996495459901347972011-08-07T07:51:00.003-05:002011-08-07T08:32:12.727-05:00

Whenever someone asks, "When does school start?", I clap my hands to my ears immediately and begin chanting "LALALALALALALALA" to drown out the thought.This is not to say that I do not enjoy my job. I do. I love it, in fact. But sudden jolt changes are hard, even when they're good. Slamming headlong into the inflexible routine of the public school year is inexorable, like the jab of the flu shot,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-74737899634085101622011-08-03T22:53:00.003-05:002011-08-03T23:15:23.597-05:00

Yep, the first blood draw was compromised. The nurse called me back today to let me know that I did NOT have hyperkalemia, as they had first feared. AND... even better... my iron levels are normal. NORMAL! Woohoo!So the weird light-headedness I've been feeling? In all likelihood it's a side effect of not using the hormone patches anymore.And you may be wondering why in the world I would stop

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-60263300410198781322011-08-02T13:08:00.004-05:002011-08-02T13:11:14.136-05:00

A couple of hours ago, the hospital called and said that they are looking at putting Martha in residential treatment in a facility in San Marcos. The irony isn't lost on us... San Marcos is where her adoption was finalized seventeen years ago this November.Duration of treatment, etc., we don't know yet.This is very promising news.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-11009176239121196702011-08-01T22:07:00.006-05:002011-08-01T23:39:12.554-05:00

Martha is back in the lockup, after becoming physically aggressive toward Alice.In our first family therapy meeting on Sunday afternoon, she was primarily angry because the session had been scheduled during a time when she had hoped to be able to go to the gymnasium. After complaining bitterly about the whole arrangement being "fucked up," she decided that the clothing she had chosen to bring was

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-38871751637652759702011-07-07T21:10:00.007-05:002011-07-07T21:37:38.521-05:00

So we've been trying here to salvage a difficult summer and find hilarity in simple things. So Isaac and I have been Planking.First, our front porch:His technique is still developing. Stiffness isn't ideal, and toes aren't pointed.This one wasn't too bad... some cinderblocks in our backyard.A decorative fence on our town square.City Hall.And then our roof. Well, the accessible part of our roof.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-32089701253357185612011-06-06T07:39:00.003-05:002011-06-06T08:07:57.859-05:00

Okay, so I still have school work to do. The yearbook has about two pages left to wrap up. But the students are out. So it will be a quiet morning in my classroom as I finish it all up and tuck the last bits of artist-y fun into the supply closets so the floor cleaners can work their magic underfoot. I actually kinda like the spattery freakshow that is my floor, though, so I will be a little

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-78521924029497185442011-05-04T22:34:00.004-05:002011-05-04T23:19:37.649-05:00

I know I haven't posted much in recent months. Sometimes there just aren't any words I can adequately employ to describe the gradual but inexorable descent into the vortex. Martha will be seventeen in another week. We have managed to keep her here at home -- although it isn't because we wanted to. It's just because it is nigh impossible to negotiate the process of committing one's child to

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-43197673183086461622011-04-28T22:25:00.003-05:002011-04-28T22:41:43.620-05:00

As Rick and I watched our new kitteh skittering crazily across the floor, Rick noted that, when he runs, he looks exactly like a possum... and that his unusual fur only heightens the effect. Once spoken, words can never be unsaid, and once a visual idea takes hold, no amount of well-meant naming can withstand. Sometimes the first name we pick out just doesn't hold a candle to the name they give

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-20094777010714068482011-04-23T22:09:00.001-05:002011-04-23T22:09:47.732-05:00

Ash, originally uploaded by gradualdazzle.Ash, our new kitteh-boy, is a typical Siamese-type in that he is VERY vocal and VERY loud. He is also very snuggly and wants to be in my lap pretty much all the time.Martha brought him home; one of her friends was giving away a batch of kittens and this is the one she thought I'd be the least likely to refuse. hehI'm not entirely sure he's wholly weaned,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-17902882691269711162011-03-20T21:35:00.001-05:002011-03-20T21:37:37.627-05:00

Found this little quiz over at At Altitude and just *had* to give it a go. :)Take the Quiz here!

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-32380427543372999772011-03-18T20:43:00.002-05:002011-03-18T21:00:07.221-05:00

First up, we have the little volunteer species tulips that spring up around my mulberry tree.And the redbud, which gloriously blossomed...The bees have been hard at work on the peach blossoms...As well as the little grape hyacinths that people always mistake for bluebonnets... No, people, the much-heralded Lupinus texensis won't come along for another couple of weeks or so.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-2778946903178522792011-03-18T18:46:00.002-05:002011-03-18T20:21:21.507-05:00

There's one attacking people in Vermont as we speak, y'all.BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont neighborhood is being stalked by a renegade gray squirrel. Several people in Bennington say they’ve been attacked by a squirrel over the last few weeks. Kevin McDonald tells the Bennington Banner he was shoveling snow when the squirrel jumped onto him. He says he threw the animal off, but it twice

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-79197265180344626162011-03-03T20:33:00.003-06:002011-03-03T20:43:54.392-06:00

More signs of spring in my yard:The peach tree, which just this weekend didn't even appear to be considering blooming anytime soon, has adorned herself in a lovely new pink frock!Down the street in the yard on the corner:Forsythia!And across the street, juuuuust beginning to break buds:Redbud tree!Yay! It's like the end of Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, when the Forest Spirit re-inhabits the brown

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-13076761977398471522011-03-03T17:00:00.002-06:002011-03-03T17:12:59.785-06:00

I've been scanning the highlights from the Fall 2011 fashion weeks in NYC, London, Milan, and (this week) Paris. I have only seen a few items that really gave me kerwallops of the heart, and this little number from the Prada Fall 2011 Collection just sends me over the moon.Okay, first, the obvious references to Piet Mondrian... done in desaturated colors rather than the in-your-face primaries

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-31875199539334778792011-02-21T19:25:00.002-06:002011-02-21T19:31:19.641-06:00

These bright little faces greeted me when I came home from school this afternoon. I needed them, too. Winter is always very hard on me, physically and mentally, and I'm never sad to see it go. Yeah, I've heard people say stuff like, "You can always put more clothes ON, but if you're too hot, there's only so much you can take OFF." But it just doesn't fly with me. I'd rather be hot. I can always

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-2776206392465910272011-02-13T00:37:00.005-06:002011-02-13T00:53:12.076-06:00

I love weird science stuff, so when I encounter funky weird stories like this one, I can't resist reading them.First of all, I thought I'd heard of most critters. See, I used to read encyclopedias for fun. ALL THE TIME. My grandmother owned several big collections of encyclopedias, and whenever we spent time there (which was often) and I was the only kid (also, quite often), I parked myself in

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-21901594564541481312011-02-12T12:09:00.003-06:002011-02-12T12:28:06.537-06:00

I really do try. I read, I listen. But I don't often say much, because people who say words tend to reveal their lack of understanding, and I don't want to tip my hand.But something has been bothering me for a while, and I just wanted to say it.I was reading this morning that the Pakistanis are now accusing Pervez Musharraf of masterminding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Whether that's true

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-91296362297016995772011-02-11T19:24:00.005-06:002011-02-13T00:20:36.261-06:00

I remember spending hours listening to Duran Duran as an angsty teenage girl. But when I heard a new cover of their hit "Ordinary World" the other day, I nearly flipped my lid. I might even like this better than the original. It's by a group called Red, and it's rich, expansive and goosebumpy:Holy cow, I could listen to that for hours. Wait, did I just say that? Yikes.BEAUTIFUL.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-62712424045660146902011-02-10T21:23:00.004-06:002011-02-10T21:34:01.912-06:00

I am about three-quarters finished with one of the most riveting books I've ever read -- and that's saying something, because I've read A LOT.This one, I heard spoken of on my favorite FOX News Channel... it's by Laura Hillenbrand (the author of Seabiscuit), and it's called Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. It's about Louis Zamperini, who was an Olympic runner

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-8978621346617276202011-02-10T21:09:00.002-06:002011-02-10T21:20:20.801-06:00

I share with you some of the lush, poignant pain that is Ms. McLachlan's musical poetry. Even if you don't entirely identify with the source of her emotion, can't you at least feel the icy warmth as you're submerged in the sound of it?I have a smileStretched from ear to earTo see you walking down the roadWe meet at the lightsI stare for a whileThe world around us disappearsAnd it's just you and

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-52237884213593238902011-01-30T19:48:00.003-06:002011-01-30T20:01:16.516-06:00

"Para Hacer Cortinas"(transl. "To Make Curtains")Ando-Mirando (the artist's Flickr username)I love this painting!!! It's very satisfying to me.I was trying to explain to someone the other day why Jackson Pollock's art is, well, ART. I explained that even in the midst of his chaos, there is a rhythm and an order that delves deeper than the surface visual perception. I "get" Pollock, but it stems

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-52401629866575651642011-01-30T19:27:00.003-06:002011-01-30T19:39:24.988-06:00

This one's by Juicy Couture. I'm not into the *color* so much as I like the *shape*. I think that, in general, I tend toward Boho in my personal style. I would wear this with a dark turtleneck and nubbly leggings and knee-high low-heeled boots.Found this one on Etsy. Just wow. The color is fantastic and, again, the shape is one I'm fond of. I still wouldn't wear it without some sort of undershirt

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-85099742505347443442011-01-29T09:30:00.000-06:002011-01-29T09:31:20.201-06:00

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-39019725142385140802011-01-24T20:52:00.003-06:002011-01-24T21:18:56.621-06:00

Actually, this one really is kinda good. If surgery can be good. The powers-that-be have suggested that I consider a hysterectomy, since I am having such dire problems with anemia. My gyno (aptly named Doctor Finger -- no kidding -- I do not kid when referring to gynos) (thank God she's a chick) is a rock-star, but she just didn't feel comfortable messing around amidst my reconfigured innards,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-1496341385147429732011-01-12T06:49:00.004-06:002011-01-12T07:00:10.294-06:00

I really have a ton of respect for this woman. Presidential? I dunno... maybe, maybe not. I'm waiting to see how all the dust shakes out in that regard. But she says it very well here.If you're a hater, don't bother commenting. You're welcome to disagree with her politics, but she isn't trying to silence YOU.Here's her statement:Like millions of Americans I learned of the tragic events in Arizona

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-64845437533472672632010-12-31T23:03:00.002-06:002010-12-31T23:09:19.751-06:00

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-20648148708088628512010-12-27T20:20:00.003-06:002010-12-27T20:38:22.045-06:00

I was folding clothes this morning and watching the Cooking Channel (actually, Alice was watching the Cooking Channel, which is her favorite sort of television to watch, and I was just tagging along while I was doing domestic duty), and it was an old episode of Giada deLaurentis' Everyday Italian show. To be perfectly honest, I'm not hugely into Italian food. But one of the recipes she threw

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-64231059482055570572010-12-21T19:15:00.002-06:002010-12-21T19:19:09.308-06:00

I miss Karen Carpenter. Her voice is one of my earliest and strongest vocal influences... one of my earliest senses of what was lovely and real and beautiful.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-19208054832300460842010-12-15T22:10:00.002-06:002010-12-15T22:50:58.403-06:00

I've started a second one to go along with this one, but I have several major projects hanging over my head that absolutely have to get done first, so it may be a while before I get that other one done. Or I may continue procrastinating on those other things. You just never know. I gotta go with the inspiration when I get it. At least that's what I tell myself.I found out a few days ago that a

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-69954854772897229942010-12-14T16:41:00.003-06:002010-12-14T16:47:01.532-06:00

I swear, I think this guy has a video camera and watched my kitty-boy Dude when we put up the tree. There are always about six ornaments down on the floor that we have to go pick up and replace on the tree.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-55062998611180417532010-12-12T19:44:00.003-06:002010-12-12T19:55:36.480-06:00

My feet are freezing. I don't expect they'll thaw again til, oh, sometime next June. And that's living in Texas. I don't know if my feet ever thawed when I lived in Iowa. I first became re-acquainted with my bare feet back in 2006 when we moved back to Texas.Any-hoo, I know it's late in the evening for such activities, but Sundays being what they are, I figure nobody really cares overmuch.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-41128841181333382932010-12-12T19:09:00.002-06:002010-12-12T19:16:11.246-06:00

Current project, based loosely on the photos I took on Thanksgiving day. It's still in progress; I have been working while my students are also working on their own projects. They really like it when I sit down with them and work, because they get ideas and inspiration and learn techniques that it's hard to teach in a lecture-style setting. I don't always get to do it, but I love to when I get

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-30688682048498571862010-12-11T13:03:00.002-06:002010-12-11T13:04:48.347-06:00

Since I'm wishing for warmth, here's what I chose today, as seen on Luciferous Logolepsy:vesuvian :relating to the volcano Vesuvius :an old-fashioned kind of match; fusee vesuviate :to erupt; burst with heatOkay, so maybe it isn't the kind of heat I was looking for, but warm feet would be nice nonetheless.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-17669530704160083852010-12-09T23:20:00.000-06:002010-12-09T23:20:22.007-06:00

DourIs anyone sensing a hint of negativity? I promise, it's purely subconscious... not at all on purpose. Probably it's the general sense of dread I always get at the beginning of the really cold weather. It's as if my whole body is bracing itself and ducking for the onslaught.I was told not long ago that my pronunciation of this word was incorrect. I was saying "DOWr" and my friend

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-41259395344601626632010-12-09T06:59:00.003-06:002010-12-09T07:12:19.330-06:00

AnomieI was reading my copy of National Review (love that magazine... love it... it always gives me at least one or two new vocabulary words to use) and the word "anomie" was used. I had absolutely no idea what it meant; the context gave me some notion, but I still wanted to find the precise meaning of it. Here's what Merriam-Webster says:anomie : social instability resulting from a breakdown of

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-78960689736126257002010-12-08T19:54:00.003-06:002010-12-08T19:58:19.745-06:00

I freely confess. I did say a word after I accidentally kicked the corner of the TV stand last night. And it wasn't "Ouch," although it did have four letters as well. Sorry if this disappoints anyone.One friend asked if I planned to call an ambulance or a toe truck... and my Aunty Ada exclaimed, "Krakatoe-a!" Aren't puns just awesome? I love them.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-41318348358044124372010-12-05T01:03:00.003-06:002010-12-05T01:09:27.486-06:00

from Isaiah, chapter 9, in the New Living Translation:1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-5714822010645075872010-12-02T22:00:00.003-06:002010-12-02T22:04:13.583-06:00

Actually, this wasn't so much "tossing" as just "rapid waggling."The Nikon captures color so much more effectively than the little point-and-shoot, understandably. One of my serious photographer students, Lauren, said that she had done the camera-tossing experiment but had just made rapid circular motions with the DSLR camera instead of actually tossing it. I decided to give that method a try and

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-77840493781530107172010-12-02T19:10:00.003-06:002010-12-02T19:17:27.878-06:00

The GI doc today took a look at my iron numbers and said (without any suggestion from me), "You might want to talk to your gynecologist about a hysterectomy; your iron numbers are terribly low and you just can't afford to lose so much every month."Hmmm... my thoughts exactly. Ablation procedures wouldn't do a thing to improve my ovarian cyst situation, so I would think I might be a good candidate

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-17516291402631120702010-12-01T20:47:00.003-06:002010-12-01T21:16:36.868-06:00

Got a call from my hematologist this week, who looked over my labs from last week. My iron is at 22 (she wants it to be above 40) and my ferritin is at 5 (she wants it to be at least 10). So I have to have four more rounds of IV iron, starting this Friday. Each infusion takes about an hour or so, which means I get to take my Nook e-reader and enjoy a quiet hour in a recliner hooked up to what

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-41878313206276853912010-12-01T20:45:00.001-06:002010-12-01T20:45:56.220-06:00

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-14499377143329295362010-11-26T21:37:00.003-06:002010-11-26T21:41:03.937-06:00

Now that we have the Christmas tree up, I wanted to do some more camera tossing in front of the tree to see what I could end up capturing.Cool, huh?Don't forget to turn off the flash before you do it, though. Turning off the flash forces your auto-shutter to stay open longer to let in more light, which makes for a lot more motion blur effects.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-70354672239188552152010-11-25T20:50:00.004-06:002010-11-25T20:58:38.603-06:00

It is still FALL around here:Saw lots and lots of blazing Bradford Pear trees today, most with all three colors (brilliant green, brilliant yellow and brilliant red) on the same tree at the same time.Today was spent at the Baptist Retirement Village near Madill, Oklahoma, sharing a Thanksgiving meal with most of the members of my dad's family, the Young clan. The food, as usual, was beyond

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-24977595141157598372010-11-25T20:44:00.002-06:002010-11-25T20:49:29.490-06:00

The first thing I do after finishing Thanksgiving dinner is listen to George Winston's album December. It's been around more than 20 years now, and I think I've probably listened to it every year since it came out.The next thing I do? I find a way to listen to the B. C. Clark jingle:This little ditty has been around longer than I have, and it hasn't changed one teensy bit. Because my growing-up

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-79738225666868380292010-11-25T05:26:00.003-06:002010-11-25T05:38:32.791-06:00

Thankful for:My awesome kids: Martha, Alice & IsaacMy awesome family: Too many to nameMy awesome friends: Y'all know who you areMy awesome job: Art & Journalism Teacher, Ballyhoo High SchoolMy awesome town: Ballyhoo!My awesome state: TEXAS!My awesome country: USA! USA! USA!

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-63142947951388823972010-11-24T20:09:00.001-06:002010-11-25T08:17:42.289-06:00

It's getting to be about time for another round of Camera Tossing, usually made more interesting by the presence of Christmas lights. I don't have my Christmas lights up just yet, but I did some preliminary tosses in front of the television as an experiment. Got some stuff I liked the look of... several involving television images, and a few capturing the overhead light instead thanks to rogue

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-49959752803802415192010-11-24T18:58:00.001-06:002010-11-24T19:00:51.921-06:00

The big crape myrtle in the southeast corner of the yard has decked itself in brilliant fall plumage.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-58350342014549572922010-11-22T20:26:00.002-06:002010-11-22T20:29:16.499-06:00

Hero cat saves Peacehaven woman from apartment fire A hero cat saved a woman from a flat blaze after pawing her face and saying get miaow-t. The 17-year-old puss, Tizzy, swiped sleeping Michelle Prince on the nose after curtains in her Peacehaven home caught fire. Shop worker Michelle, 41, who said she owed her life to the marvellous mog, said: “She is a hero because she really did

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-53357838864806962372010-11-19T22:46:00.003-06:002010-11-19T22:51:06.134-06:00

I have been obsessing with this image of a tree that just will not leave my mind. I am trying to capture it. Many of the images I have been creating have nibbled around the edges of The Tree As I Have Been Seeing It In My Mind, but none of them have quite gotten the full essence of it. This tree is one I have been working on this week. It's a watercolor base with metallic gel pens and polyester

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-2609823684602748822010-11-17T22:25:00.003-06:002010-11-18T00:09:36.572-06:00

Ain't they cute? This is my sister Beth, her husband Brian, and their daughter Ava. I took this pic in my parents' backyard on my birthday.My birthday supper was phenomenal. Of course, we had my traditional carrot cake (which was exceptionally moist and tasty this year, and I have no idea where my mom bought it, but I've been meaning to ask her because it might just have been the best-tasting

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-1207018735339997672010-11-14T01:00:00.001-06:002010-11-14T01:02:30.636-06:00

It's my birthday too, yeah!

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-90892520091838229222010-11-08T18:49:00.004-06:002010-11-08T19:07:58.961-06:00

Martha Elizabeth Wood, age sixteen. She cuts her own hair and wants to be a cosmetologist when she finishes high school.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-36695701877394321872010-10-24T22:52:00.003-05:002010-10-24T22:57:21.080-05:00

I think today was the last gasp of warmth before the cool, crisp stuff settles in for realz. I saw some longhorn cattle looking pretty happy and well-cared-for:

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-25010682340504398252010-10-19T21:12:00.002-05:002010-10-19T21:16:02.947-05:00

My lil' buddy-boy. He's eleven, loves reading the jokes in Reader's Digest, loves sci-fi and British comedy and PB&J sandwiches.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-17245981593909343392010-10-12T21:10:00.003-05:002010-10-12T21:36:24.712-05:00

On my iGoogle homepage, one of the apps I have installed is a "Quote of the Day" feature... today's quote is from the western novelist Louis L'amour:Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content.I beg to differ, at least in one aspect. I believe that being content is actually the ONLY way to get anywhere. Perhaps not content to remain in one spot or one mindset... but content in

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-8830156997123441962010-10-02T16:52:00.003-05:002010-10-02T16:59:54.582-05:00

And cookies!Well, actually, one really BIG cookie. And very tasty cookie, too.Today we're all at my mom's house watching the Big Game (college football is KING around here anyway, and OU vs. Texas is the king of college football games) and we always make a giant OU cookie to celebrate it.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-76245368036705502442010-09-30T16:31:00.000-05:002010-09-30T16:31:34.240-05:00

Not that I think any of these clowns are listening... nonetheless, I'm going to post this and declare that I am paying attention... and I will NOT be silent.November is coming.Soon.And I don't care what "party" you affiliate yourself with... if you're trashing my country's Constitution, you'd better get the h*** out of my way, because I'm not going to tolerate you being in power, and neither are

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-6011870446008416152010-09-29T21:39:00.005-05:002010-09-29T21:57:41.910-05:00

Apparently we had some sort of power surge that affected BOTH our computers -- my creakingly aged laptop and our fairly new desktop -- and fried both of them beyond repair. [sigh] I am grateful that most of the things I needed to keep were being stored on my 1TB external drive, which apparently managed to survive intact. Still, I miss my old familiar friend. I had grown accustomed to him over the

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-36581027270545951382010-09-25T17:09:00.003-05:002010-09-25T17:14:56.975-05:00

I don't normally find canned foods to be terribly appetizing, but I bought a couple of cans of Jyoti brand dishes at The Cupboard in Denton (organic greenie tree-hugger grocery store) and I have to say that this stuff was GOOOOOD!In particular, I found the Dal Makhani to be quite tasty. It reminded me a little of Mexican refried beans, only with a serious Indian twist. I did a distinctly

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-24344926082814187722010-09-24T20:25:00.002-05:002010-09-24T20:36:12.933-05:00

The MRI this morning at Mayhill Diagnostic (Denton Regional Medical Center) went without a hitch. I showed up quite a bit early for my appointment, and it was a good thing I did, because they went ahead and put me through -- and even at that, I got out just in time to head back to school. There would definitely not have been any time to spare if I'd waited until my appointment time to show up.I

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-22178938462314896382010-09-15T20:39:00.003-05:002010-09-15T21:04:50.248-05:00

Went to see Dr. Jolanta Cichon today. I first saw her in the hospital; I must've gotten a little wide-eyed when she came into my hospital room because she was wearing a white lab coat emblazoned with a "Texas Oncology" logo... and she immediately said, "I specialize in hematology as well as oncology, and you've been referred to me for the hematology -- NOT the oncology."She checked me over and

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-34544681016399161662010-09-14T23:24:00.002-05:002010-09-14T23:39:56.660-05:00

There was a tarantula in my classroom this morning when I got to school.WTF?!?I regularly kill brown recluse spiders in my classroom. That, I can understand. They like the indoors and they like hidey-hole spots like crevices between skeins of yarn in my art supply closet.But a TARANTULA!???!??!? They like being OUTSIDE. They're more like animals than bugs... they live outside and do their, well,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-2118989978238374732010-09-12T21:01:00.003-05:002010-09-12T21:36:35.390-05:00

Sometimes things just get... wonky... and the past month has definitely qualified for that category.The school year began at about the time of my last post, and I literally had to hit the ground at a dead run just to catch up every day. I did have some time online in the evenings, but I was just able to keep up with the Facebook posts. I just didn't seem to have any oomph to come up with a decent

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-10497852306153125832010-08-14T19:22:00.002-05:002010-08-14T19:33:46.905-05:00

Handsome fellow on a hot-hot-hot Texas Caturday.I have been suffering unspeakable misery today. I say "unspeakable" because I'm just not going to go into the details. It's not life-threatening, so I feel guilty for feeling so irritable and crabby, but pain that you can't get away from is just not something I deal well with. I need for this to subside NOW.It's just fargin' hot, even for

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-47900328290760174902010-08-12T19:01:00.002-05:002010-08-12T19:06:49.504-05:00

Technically it never really ended, I suppose... when you're the cheer sponsor and the yearbook coordinator, your summers don't REALLY belong to you fully and completely. Any-hoo, I am apologizing for the lack of posting... but I am not going to blame the lack of posting on working too much. No, I wasn't posting because it was too hot in the room where my laptop lived.I have moved my laptop into

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-68586909180325884982010-07-31T12:28:00.001-05:002010-07-31T12:29:58.436-05:00

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-85940564020263436612010-07-29T22:50:00.003-05:002010-07-29T23:13:53.319-05:00

After my weekend jaunt with my girlfriends last Friday, I decided that it was ridiculous that we lived so close to Fort Worth and that my kids hadn't been down to the Stockyards or hadn't seen the daily cattle drive that happens on the streets of old downtown. So today my mom and I loaded up my charges and we headed down to Exchange Street to see some longhorn cattle.THE WHITEST MOM U KNOWI think

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-12618843870252064842010-07-29T17:39:00.002-05:002010-07-29T17:41:29.015-05:00

Squirrel AssassinsNasty, vile skwerls. Hat tip to my uber-awesome cousin Matt, homeschooling father of six of the finest younguns to ever grace the planet.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-39360622790337953802010-07-27T18:51:00.003-05:002010-07-27T18:58:38.518-05:00

If anyone out there has old skeins of yarn (or partial skeins), any color or grade... or stacks of old magazines or catalogs with color photography in them... I need them for Art class this year. If you live within an hour or two of me, I will be glad to come pick these items up. Or if you wouldn't mind bundling them up and mailing them, I'll provide my address (privately, of course).Your help is

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-56912150719923535672010-07-16T14:03:00.003-05:002010-07-16T14:12:36.395-05:00

Sutton's Redlove Erared-fleshed applesZOMG I can't wait for these to hit the markets over here. They're in the UK presently, and apparently they don't get all brown when you cut them up. AND... they stay red after cooking, which means PINK APPLE PIES. From SlashFood:The Redlove, developed by Suttons of Britain, has yet to make it into supermarkets, but those who've tasted it are giving it raves.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-78454139748124529272010-07-16T07:46:00.004-05:002010-07-16T08:10:56.411-05:00

Not too long ago, a friend presented me with a dilemma: would I rather have minions or henchmen?So let's define both first, to make sure we're all on the same page here.Minion --a servile dependent, follower, or underling, dependent, hanger-on, sycophant, yes man, toady, hireling, flunky, flattererHenchman --a loyal and trusted follower or subordinate, someone who assists in a plot, someone who

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-65814856169515983172010-07-15T21:05:00.002-05:002010-07-15T21:07:56.756-05:00

I have always, always, ALWAYS loved this woman's voice. Loved her in "White Christmas"... loved her even in 1983 when she was more matronly, because it didn't matter. Simply beautiful.Enjoy.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-75184772896762927692010-07-14T14:23:00.002-05:002010-07-14T14:26:18.258-05:00

Shelf fungus and toadstools seen here at the Ballyhoo Headquarters this morning...

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-38707336249514892162010-07-14T14:21:00.003-05:002010-07-14T14:23:15.353-05:00

We haz dem.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-50540700511875368142010-07-13T20:39:00.002-05:002010-07-13T20:49:45.675-05:00

It's like a sauna or somethin', y'all. I love Texas. No shivering or chillbumps for ME this time of year. I'm in heaven.But the icemaker in the freezer can't keep up with me. I supplement it with six ice trays, and I still run out of ice. Hey, I can't complain. At least I get ice, right? Ice is a GOOD THING. As is iced green tea.It's prolly a good thing there's not internet access in the bedroom,

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-85548809932513260222010-07-11T15:15:00.003-05:002010-07-11T15:20:02.276-05:00

Little Min just left with his new mommy and daddy, MaggieKatzen and RTO. They'll get him checked out by a vet tomorrow, just to be certain he's in good shape (although he seems in fine fettle to me). Poor Martha was in agony over saying goodbye, but it really is for the best. He's going to an air-conditioned house and everything, I told her! I look forward to finding out what his REAL name is...

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-19840736038190371262010-07-05T18:43:00.002-05:002010-07-05T18:59:50.258-05:00

So there I was, drawing silhouettes of Jennifer Aniston, when it suddenly occurred to me that I was engaging in Rachel profiling.[ba dum CHING]

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-33891801643281253512010-07-01T18:30:00.002-05:002010-07-01T18:33:49.839-05:00

"As coroner, I must averI thoroughly examined herAnd she's not only MEREly deadShe's really most sinCEREly dead!"Last Sunday was Isaac's last Wizard of Oz performance at NCTC. He is already looking forward to trying out for another play. They're doing Alice in Wonderland this fall; there aren't a TON of kid parts, but I think there might be a few, and he might have a chance of landing a role.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-44522812184742141572010-07-01T18:25:00.003-05:002010-07-01T18:28:45.341-05:00

Here's the front of the Ballyhoo cheer t-shirts this year. The girls all wanted me to design them myself, so that they'd be completely unique. I also designed the back, but I'm not going to display it here because it has all their names on it. You're welcome to check out my Flickr page if you really want to see it, I just don't want to blog it. The purple background is for the varsity squad, and

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-28709566188450183302010-07-01T18:18:00.002-05:002010-07-01T18:24:36.971-05:00

All dressed up in black and ready to head to the movie theater to see Eclipse... a little mom/teenage-daughter bonding time. Nevermind that I'm on Team Edward and she's on Team Jacob. We can have our differences and still live in the same house. Heck, we've been doing that for sixteen years now, dontcha know.Actually, I continue to find Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Bella to be wooden and rather

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-71524330744246767352010-06-26T23:14:00.001-05:002010-06-26T23:16:13.723-05:00

They're celebrating sixty-five years together!Martins celebrate 65 years of marriage

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-17923222718937587842010-06-23T08:24:00.003-05:002010-06-23T08:29:49.002-05:00

Min appears to have taken up residence under our house. "Min" is short for "diMINutive MINstrel" because he sings CONSTANTLY. I have been able to coax him into being my friend and he's a sweet little thing. Anybody need a kitten?

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-68677180091566266532010-06-23T07:54:00.003-05:002010-06-23T08:24:44.301-05:00

My kitty-boy brought us a trophy last night. Apparently the trophy wasn't *quite* expired when he brought it in, but he eventually did dispatch it. The living room looks like a pillow fight happened, and in the midst of the flurry of feathers is a dove carcass.Good kitteh.[heading off to get the vacuum]

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-75492030502284836262010-06-20T21:36:00.002-05:002010-06-20T21:59:51.361-05:00

There's a little creamery in Brenham, Texas, where they make the best ice cream in the whole world. It behooves every Texan to, at some point in their lives, make a pilgrimage to this hallowed spot.Last Saturday was the day we set aside every summer to get up long before dawn and set out on a southerly trek to pick up Miss Alice at Camp Spike 'n Wave, located at the Camp For All grounds in Burton

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-90579624758862084992010-06-15T16:29:00.002-05:002010-06-15T16:32:22.773-05:00

[slurp] Oh, hey... didn't see you there... [wiping chin]... just, hehe, enjoying some of these tasty treats growing in my backyard here...

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-72210005272959961212010-06-14T13:46:00.000-05:002010-06-14T13:47:14.585-05:00

Best. Commercial. EVAR.Heh.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-30502046486593474322010-06-13T08:02:00.002-05:002010-06-13T08:15:43.502-05:00

Miss Alice left for Camp Spike 'n Wave (camp for kids with epilepsy -- get it?) this morning. She has been worked-up about it all week, counting down the days, checking to be sure I packed her toothpaste, etc... she always has a rollicking good time down there in Aggieland and I am grateful to whoever sponsors her (I suspect it's her own neurologist, but we will never know) because there is

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-77711379010003709282010-06-12T20:32:00.003-05:002010-06-12T20:46:39.238-05:00

Isaac ran his first 5K race this morning: the I Like Ike 5K in Denison, Texas (birthplace of President Eisenhower). All summer he's been running with the cross-country team, even though he's not old enough to formally compete in school stuff. The cross-country coach told him he could run with the team anyway. I have been SO PROUD of him; he gets up on his own every morning and walks down to the

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-29405628287541193582010-06-11T19:48:00.001-05:002010-06-11T19:50:42.259-05:00

This wild rose is about as wild as I get on a Friday night these days...

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-25450550919701247272010-06-09T07:10:00.003-05:002010-06-09T07:13:07.551-05:00

[happy dancing]I have my regularly-scheduled hair session with the awesomest hair artist EVAR this morning at nine a-m. I used to live in the same town with her, but she moved one direction and I moved the other... but you know, once I find someone who GETS ME and GETS MY HAIR (plus is just plain fabulous and hilarious) and who is a real artist, I don't want to make a switch. So I drive an hour

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8893860.post-19729637461596436042010-06-08T21:43:00.002-05:002010-06-08T21:46:40.755-05:00

Around here we call it the Purple Vitex Tree. Some folks call it a Chaste Tree. It's in full bloom right now here in north TX, and it's quite lovely.

Gradual Dazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16590077183728861237noreply@blogger.com0