Long Hollow

Where seeds of thought have room to grow

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Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Category: Friendship

  • Happy 15th Birthday, Belle!

      Belle turned 15 in January. So of course we threw her a party with a cake that she and her two nieces shared.  We've never had a dog this long. And as of right now, judging by how she'll still chase after the neighbor's truck if we let go of her collar too soon,…

  • 2023 Part 1 – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

      "…it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." ~ Charles Dickens If ever there was a year of ups and downs, it was 2023. We lost too many loved ones, and yet also experienced amazing new adventures and…

  • 2023 – A Year for Gratitude

      Gratitude. That's my word for 2023. While I've faithfully written in my gratitude journal every morning for a few years, and have gotten better at noticing my blessings and telling God thank you, I realize I've become neglectful in telling the people around me thank you and showing my appreciation when they help me,…

  • Even in the madness…

      Every morning Belle and I take a walk on our caliche road. We have a set path of about 1.5 miles. First we head in one direction where the road twists and turns and dips, then we backtrack past our house and up a short hill before turning around and returning home.  Belle sets…

  • I couldn’t help myself!

    Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do. ~Author unknown   In the old days, before masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing became customary, I would get an achy feeling in my heart if it had been more than two weeks since I saw my grandson…

  • Sweets in the Time of COVID-19

        Hi, how are you?  I hope you are doing well and staying healthy.  What a strange time we're living in, right? But to be honest…. my life hasn't changed much over the past couple of months, despite the shelter-in-place orders, toilet paper shortages, and face masks. Realtors are considered "essential workers" because people…

  • On Hearts

      Man has made many machines, complex and cunning, but which of them indeed rivals the workings of his heart? ~Pablo Casals   I had just stepped into the last house on a property tour when it happened: my heart seemed to turn a somersault, I nearly passed out, and the pounding started …as in,…

  • On Peace, and a decade of surprises

      "There will be peace in the valley…"   Almost every morning I run up a small hill near our home to take in this view of the Texas Hill Country. The last couple of days of 2019, I was greeted with this image of golden light, crisp blue skies, and mist forming over Lake…

  • On Joy … plus a smattering of sweet!s

        “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2).   A few months ago, in a process I can't really describe, Joy stepped up to be my word for 2019.  When pulling out my Christmas decorations, seeing it written on so many ornaments, I realized it had…

  • Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a bunch of sweet!s

        The sky put on a grand finale sunset outside my window as I started reflecting on this past year.  However, it doesn't take a lot of reflection to know that 2018 will go down in history as one of my favorite years. It's the year I became a grandmother!    Watching Little C…