Hammock Sleeping

We enjoyed falling asleep in a double hammock under the cabana last night. We were sun wearied and finally in dry clothes and tummies full. We just layed there together and fell asleep watching the stars. No bugs and no noise except lapping water. Isn't that just perfect? I guess if we did that all the time, we would never get anything done. Thank goodness for vacations.

Florida Here We Are

Clear Water Beach is crowded on 4th July weekend, but still beautiful when you get further away from the parking area. So maybe it is one of the most beautiful beaches during the off season.

We are staying at the Key Lime Sailing Club in Key Largo for 5 nights in the Sailfish Cottage (for honeymooners). Jeff is in heaven with our sailing lessons and taking the O'day out later that evening. I snorkeled around the dock and saw a sting ray, jelly fish, sponges, and colorful fish. The water is clear but greenish blue, not as good as Roatan where we have snorkeled before, but a good substitute for now. I can post pictures later when I get my underwater camera developed. The water is emerald color mostly.

Today I took a sunfish out and freaked! I could not control it and ended up hitting the dock and shearing off the boom... The sensible person in me knew I wasn't ready, but I felt a little peer pressure to take a chance. My fears came true.. Oh well. I was adventurous. I think it is fairly adventurous just to snorkel around. WISH ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WERE HERE! Miss you!

Florida Here We Come

We decided about 2 weeks ago to take a well-deserved empty nester 10-day vacation. Jeff likes sailing, I like snorkeling and the sun. We both want to explore the Florida keys. So with some concern for leaving behind our grown son (who is working) and our pets, we broke away for a once in a lifetime trip.

I try to make my blogs positive and upbeat and so I will not mention the I10 traffic, except to say "we left on Thursday, it can't be just July 4th traffic!" I would also like to say it is a long drive and there is a time change where we lost an hour, but no big deal.

We had a wonderful and overdue visit to my sister-in-law's in Louisiana. They had recently celebrated "Christmas in July" with their young grown sons and their friends. They decorate the house and dress like it is Christmas. I wonder if they turn the AC down low. One year the boys and their friends made homemade gingerbread houses. I think this will catch on and be like Halloween for all the kids and maybe even become commercialized. I could tell we should stay more connected and hope to in the future. Jeff and I have wonderful families. She fed us farm fresh eggs, bacon, and coffee and we left her 2 bags of red ripe tomatoes from the garden.

The rest of the drive was uneventful. We stopped at the Florida Tourist Bureau for information. There were more brochures for Florida than I have ever seen in my life. Very busy place, too. A replica of an Air Force Blue Angel jet was supported in the air for all to see.

Now, we are in our swim suits and sunscreen and headed for what promises to be one of the top ten beaches in the world according to the residents of Ocala and the Discovery Channel. I'll let you know.

Blueberry Celebration

I mentioned in an earlier post that we picked blueberries at our home in Orange. You can also visit a nearby blueberry farm if you want to pick blueberries or you can attend the Annual Nacogdoches Blueberry Festival! This year visitors were able to buy 5 lbs. for $10. It is best to get an early start and get in line for the blueberry pancake breakfast. While we walked down the old-time bricked streets of downtown Nacogdoches enjoying the many booths of goods for sale we stopped and bought a refreshing glass of blueberry iced tea. We also enjoyed an antique car show, petting zoo, and guitar and fiddle player. We enjoyed free samples of food including blueberry popcorn and blueberry salsa for which I think I have the recipe memorized. One of the cutest sites was the pet parade. I turned around after talking to a blueberry farmer at his booth and someone walked by with a sign saying "pet parade" and behind her owners paraded their pets in shorts, shirts, bows, or signs. One sign said "please take me home". What a cute way to find a home for a pet. I also was amazed at the great big blue Great Dane. It belonged to the owner of a pet grooming and kennel place. We watched the kids enjoy the Blueberry Bouncing Park that had blowup slides of all sorts. Firefighters were raising money with a dunking booth which looked really refreshing. Jeff and Caleb enjoyed the beautiful cars at the antique car show. Nacogdoches is about 45 minutes from San Augustine up Hwy 21 and many residents including us go there to enjoy shopping and special events. The weather is getting warmer now that it is June and we departed to the air-conditioned space of Walmart and Bealls before going home.

Unfathomable Love

We still have a house to fix up and sell in Orange. Everytime I think about having to travel back to Orange to take care of business, I get an uneasy feeling. I wish that part of our lives was finished and we could just carry on ahead. Going back reminds me of what use to be and brings me just within reach of that time again... only it can never be the same. I contemplate whether to call or plan something with an old friend, maybe drive by my old job site, or work dispairingly on our house. The contractor should begin rebuilding our home this week which means maybe within 4-6 weeks we can put it up for sale. This weekend we planned to go to Orange, meet with a septic installer, make a garbage dump run, trim and landscape our yard, and pick blueberries from our bushes.

While trimming and cutting vines out of our azaelas and gardenias, I had plenty of time to think. I thought about where we were and how far we have come since Hurricane Ike and even back to Hurricane Rita. The support of our family, church family, friends (old and new), government assistance and public servants, and anonymous help was all a God thing as my Bible study group would say. God's hand was in it all and he never let us dispair. I thought of how so many lifted us up in little ways and big ways that helped us through. I continued thinking while trimming and remembered that Jesus said that he "came to give life and give it more abundantly". "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." I also thought about I Corinthians 13 where Paul said love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." and that "love never fails". I realized that through all God was having us experience his love, his blessings, his forgiveness, and his faith. I knew of all of this before, but now I have lived it and felt his overflowing, enduring and unfailing care .

I thought this trip to Orange was going to be sad and upsetting, but it was peaceful and bright. I remembered who I belong to..... I also was joyful about working at the house, eating the sweet blueberries, and reminiscing about good times that my family and I shared in this house and in the Orange area. I did spend time with old friends and it was glorious.

Enchanting Bugs

When I was little I remember being able to catch lightning bugs in a jar and watch them glow off and on for hours. For the last 10 years (living in Orangefield), I have not seen any and wondered where they had gone. For weeks now, when I come home here in San Augustine after dark I see the random twinkle of these little guys, also called fireflies. I did a little research if you care to know. The light is the result of a chemical reaction and 100% is light and no heat compared to a light bulb that only emits 10% light and 90% heat. Also, they give off the light in a pattern that attracts a mate, so right now there is a lot of uh um...excitement going on in our yards. Also, they can use their light to be somewhat cannibalistic with other species. All I really think about though is how enchanting their little twinkles are.

It's a Cat's Life

I have to tell you about this amazing cat I have. Her name is Heidi and she is half Persian. We adopted her after Hurricane Rita to replace our other kitty that disappeared. We like at least one cat to keep snakes and mice away, but also to entertain us. We do not really own Heidi, she lets us keep her if you know what I mean. We did not take Heidi with us when we evacuated for Hurricane Ike. I was worried about her because the area was covered in water and our home had almost 3 feet of it. When the water subsided, we returned and low and behold Heidi came out of the woods to greet us. We can only surmise she climbed a tree or got on the roof of the storage building to survive.

Heidi was the last thing I put in the truck when we left our home for good. She got car sick before we drove out of the subdivision and that was after I gave her a little herbal cocktail to calm her nerves. We kept her in our apartment for 2 weeks before she snuck out. She loved San Augustine as much as we did. She visited the Dodge dealership on occasion and taunted the many birds and squirrels in our yard. She has the run of our yard and house. We never know if she is in or out. She either sleeps at the foot of our bed, in a window seal, or on top of the window air condition unit outside. She lunges in play at Maggie or chases her around the yard or in circles in the house. When I am listening to music on the computer, she gets right in my face with her purring... I think she loves music. She wallows on the driveway when we come home and follows me around when I work in the yard. Heidi has brought plenty of joy to our lives.

Printer Mania

After 3 attempts and with 2 different ones still sitting completely apart.... maintenance kits for Laser Jet 6Ls.... don't do it!

School Fun Day

School was never so fun as it was today for the kids at West Sabine Elementary School. The kids are getting ready for their summer vacation and have lots of extra energy and excitement to contain. Well, today they could let that energy take over as they enjoyed a special field day. Blow up slides and jumping gyms were placed around the school in stations and all the classes took turns at each. They climbed to the top sometimes with a little help and enjoyed the sliding and the water as it trickled down and made their slide a little slicker. A few kids made it away from the line and found the resulting mud puddles and got a little carried away with mud sliding and mud ball fights (until they got caught). The kids were wearing their well deserved "Reading Counts!" t-shirts and you could smell the coconut sunscreen as they lined up outside to start their fun. The kids worked so hard this year and this celebration was a wonderful way to reward the kids and to show them that school and learning can be fun. For me, I enjoyed all the smiles and excitement. It is wonderful to hear someone laugh and see them smile, especially a child.

Rodeo Time

You have not lived until you have experienced the San Augustine County PRCA Rodeo! I was amazed at the skill, nonstop action, timing, music, and the animals. I watched the hand signals between the workers and was in awe of the rider and the horse that seemed to move as one. The horses and bulls would buck and ride close to the gate and you could see how beautiful, fast, and strong they were. It was a real Texas cowboy affair and a serious one, too. However, there were plenty of laughs, audience participation, and fun. We clapped to the beat of the music, cheered the riders as they come out of the gate, laughed at the professional rodeo clown, and watched the nonstop action. I especially enjoyed the opening ceremonies with flag carrying riders and tribute to the soldiers and America, and the prayer to God and singing the Star Spangled Banner.... an evening shared by the community with proceeds benefiting a cure for breast cancer and most everyone being "tough enough to wear pink". I could tell that a lot of work and preparation went into providing this rodeo by sponsoring businesses and volunteers of the community. They did it to preserve San Augustine's history and give back to the community and the youth through scholarships, donations and community projects.

I am now a rodeo fan! and especially a San Augustine rodeo fan!

Learning to Garden

I hate to see anything die, but I have become hard-hearted and figure that if a plant does not have any heartiness, I cannot help that. However, I do enjoy being successful at growing a beautiful hearty plant and enjoying the beauty and wonder of God's creation. Given the fact that I was unemployed and that Jeff's dad was too weak to do a vegetable garden this year, I volunteered my services. I thought I could do all the manual labor and he could tell me how to be a successful vegetable gardener. We would share the bounty. This is what I learned so far.

1. Jeff's dad had a bigger garden in mind than I did.


2. Always go by the Farmer's Almanac. It is always the best source for planting time.


3. When it rains too much your shoes will get stuck by the suction of the mud while planting "by the Farmer's Almanac". Put wooden planks between the rows to step on.


4. Use an old toothbrush to clean out from under your sculptured nails when you are done.


5. Working in the garden takes precedence over reading, paying bills, watching TV, going to the gym or hairdresser, sleep and even shopping!


6. Hoeing, building rows, planting, and weeding is hard and messy work, and makes you sore all over.


7. Each type of seed has a personality of its own and likes specific soil composition and coverage, it's own space, it's own timing, and it's own growth patterns.


8. It will take more than one garden for me to remember what to do, ..... and I'm not sure that is going to happen.


9. The immense knowledge, experience, and memories of a lifetime will fade away if we do not learn from our parents and elders and pass them on.

In all seriousness, I am enjoying learning to garden and spending time with Jeff's parents. I am looking forward to harvest time, canning, and eating fresh vegetables. I know they are tastier than store bought and are most excellent for your health.

El Camino Trade Days

Wouldn't it be a grand idea to have a city-wide garage sale all in one day? Just think of all the shopping fun, good deals, and stuff you could get rid of. It would also bring people from all over to shop and have a fun day with you. That is just what happened this weekend... a string of garage sales, flea markets, trading activities, and eats from Natchotiches to Nacogdoches on Hwy 21 also known as part of the El Camino Trail.

We started out in San Augustine and walked around the square. After buying a bite to eat and a few items, we walked to the old Nelson's Furniture Store. The owner was there and ended up showing us the old building and telling us of it's history. It is said that Sam Houston attended dances up above the store. There was an old telephone company and small hospital upstairs. Some wall paneling came from other buildings and preserved as part of the furniture store. Heavy metal thresholds were made into benches that still sit out in front of the buiding. There was history before the Nelson's bought it and they made history in it. Now it belongs to a lawyer, who will soon remodel a portion and make his history there. We daydreamed about turning some of the upstairs into a loft apartment overlooking the business district of San Augustine and being submersed in all that history with the heavy doors, thick walls, wooden floors, and smells of the past.

We stopped in Milam, where dozens of booths were set up selling everything from homemade items to food. We bought some delicious smoked ribs and a beautiful light-scribed scripture mounted on a pecan and birch frame by Mr. Nobles. We also watched a machine that makes ground corn, picking up the makings for blue cornbread. Also along the way we had stopped and bought canned jellies (sassafras, blackberry, and jalapeno). This was a wonderful outing for Jeff and I to share and I look forward to next year's El Camino Trade Days.

San Augustine Storms

I am use to storms and unexpected rain in Orange and along the Gulf Coast. You could see and hear lightening miles away and in a way it was refreshing. The roads would get cleansed and the azaelas seemed to perk up after a good storm. San Augustine has some rain that refreshes. However, storms here can be different. They can travel across the area unexpectedly in vertical bands. There are more tornado watches. This is the Piney Woods with lots of trees and they can fall across major roads and interrupt power regularly and can cause loss of life if you are in their path. Also, trees are like a magnet for lightening. Some residents have invested in built-in generators so that power continues when the city power is down. The wind can be almost hurricane force in some areas. The lightening can be deafening because it is so close.

We had such a storm this weekend. I woke up early and watched as the sun started lighting up the sky. An hour later, while making breakfast, I noticed that the sky was as black as night. I was very concerned and woke my husband up so we could make preparations for what might happen. The lights blinked, but thankfully stayed on. However, I heard later that some communities near Nacogdoches still did not have power by Monday and on my way to work down Hwy 96, there were several trees down. Many had been cleared out of the lanes for traffic. Large old trees were down in parks and in front of homes. In a way, San Augustine storms are an awesome experience, if you are inside and safe and dry.

DQ Impromptu

I was feeling empty and lonely. Sure I had plenty to do because we had just moved into our rent house. I was saved by the bell, or rather the voicemail from a good friend, Johnnie Dale. She said that she and 2 other couples were meeting at the San Augustine Dairy Queen and they wanted me to come too. She and Dennis were driving from Nacogdoches, Brad and Melanie were coming through Louisiana, and JW and Rachel were coming from Orange by way of Bronson where they were camping. We met and talked and ate for a good long time. We have known each other for 10 years and we all have gone separate ways recently due to family illness and Hurricane Ike. We miss each other and how things use to be, but for those couple of hours we shared old times, love, and care in my little town of San Augustine.

The Passage

Did I mention there is an old movie theater in San Augustine? It is not used as a theater except on special occasions. Right now it is used for court house business (since the court house is under renovation) and for church services on Sundays. Tonight was one of those special occasions. The Chamber of Commerce along with Colonial Pines Health Center and El Camino House/Twin Lakes sponsored a showing of "The Passage" as a fund raiser. The theater was packed with town folks, many of them we knew and we also introduced ourselves to others. There was lots of friendly conversation, handshaking and catching up. Before the movie started, the master of ceremonies thanked the sponsors and those who provided the refreshments and volunteered to work the sound. Then there was a heartfelt public prayer to the one and only God, complete with thees and thous and a resounding "Amen!" from everyone. The movie starred Brian Keith and had a wholesome family-oriented story line that kept you right in the middle of what was happening in their lives. The audience felt a special connection to this movie, because it was filmed at different places in San Augustine. This was an awesome community event for everyone, but especially for me because I enjoyed being a part of the unity, history and culture of this town on this night.