Category: Indulgence

  • Tom and I have gotten into the habit of an afternoon walk down to our pond and along our little creek. The blue skies, golden light and exploding colors are irresistible. First, Max wades into the pond up to his neck, letting the water penetrate his thick fur and cool him down. Belle ventures to…

  •   I played my drums today. That makes two days in a row after several weeks of merely dusting them. A friend shared with me some basic beats he learned in his drum class and I've been wanting to practice them for days, but just had too many important things I needed to do.  Playing…

  • I spent this glorious spring day with Tom and dear friends Shari and Robert driving through the hill country… ooh-ing and ah-ing at fields of bluebonnets, hiking up Enchanted Rock, and eating in Fredericksburg. I'm sunburned and dog-tired, but happily so. (Pictures to follow… you can probably imagine how many I took!) I have to…

  • Friday night, Tom and I joined 38 other sets of ears in our friends' living room to listen to Celeste Krenz, an singer/songwriter we'd never heard of before, even though her amazing voice has been singing for audiences for a couple of decades. Her songs are unique, yet familiar somehow… her voice lyrical, soothing, and…

  • This afternoon I sat on a sun-warmed rock beside our pond, watching tadpoles scurry about just under the surface. A finger of wind traced ripples, sending drops of sparkling sunshine scattering like shooting stars in front of me. Butterflies flirted with flowers. Dragonflies flirted with each other.  Max and Belle waded, drank, relished the cold…

  • Bonfire sparks drifted up to the sky where clouds parted like curtains and stars crowded the stage, accompanied by the singing creek beside us. No moon softened the darkness – the pitch wall of night rose just beyond the reach of the firelight.  There was a time not too long ago when I would have…

  • Valentine's Day Eve… Tom made the cookie dough. I peeled the wrappers off the milk chocolate hearts. He formed the balls, rolled them in sugar and placed them on the cookie sheets I lined with foil. He kept an eye on their baking, but together we topped each cookie with a heart and popped them…

  •   This tiny naked baby, arms opened wide for a hug, sits on my kitchen window sill, a sweet reminder that just two weeks ago my kitchen was overflowing in love and friendship and hugs from women who have known me almost forever.       The baby came hidden in an authentic King Cake,…

  • "The privilege of a lifetime is to be yourself."  ~ Joseph Campbell   A big pot of chicken soup is simmering on the stove. From where I sit across the room I can hear the little bubbles playing on the surface and the aroma is making my stomach growl. I made it for myself, because…

  • It seemed like a good idea at the time, volunteering to host a weekend gathering of Deer Park Divas. My friends Patti and Rae started it, saying something about needing to come to Austin. We had so much fun the last time we gathered here to celebrate a friend's birthday and I've been wanting to…