Long Hollow

Where seeds of thought have room to grow

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Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Category: Inspiration and Heroes

  • Who can resist purr-ty faces like these?

      A blogger friend of mine named Joan can't, and when she offered these cards for sale to support the work she does with strays in Greece, I couldn't resist them, either. The purr-ty faces you see are just a few of the cats whose lives she has made better in some way. Read about…

  • When You Know They’re All Grown Up

      You are the bows from which your childrenas living arrows are sent forth.The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. ~Kahlil Gibran   Several weeks ago I was nearing the end of my rope…more frustrated, worried, hurt, and…

  • Sweet Relief

    I almost didn't publish this post. Late this afternoon my sister called me at work to let me know Daddy was heading to the hospital via ambulance again. Another suspected stroke. Even if I had the time to post my collected sweet!s of the week, it just didn't seem right when I had such a heavy…

  • Taking a quick break to share this with you…

    I'm writing. For the second day in a row! Actually making a little progress, too, once I managed to ignore the voices inside my head who kept telling me to give it up, just quit, that it wasn't any good. After staring at the screen and out the window and at the screen again, I…

  • Transitions

    My Uncle Bobby passed away this week. Daddy's younger brother. Like Daddy and the other men in his family, Uncle Bobby had suffered from heart and vascular problems for years, but it was a slow battle with cancer that took him away. He was a sweet man. In my heart I will always see him…

  • Lesson #81 (Thank You, and Happy Birthday, Mama!)

    Today is Mama's 81st birthday. I get to spend the whole day with her, and for that I am very, very grateful. A few years ago, in honor of her 77th birthday, I started compiling a list of things she has taught me. Each year since then, on her birthday, I've added to it.  I wish…

  • An Inadequate – but Sincere – Thank You to Veterans

    "Lord, if your people need me, I will not refuse the work. Your will be done." ~St. Martin of Tours     My big brother Buster was headed to Viet Nam, saying his goodbyes, when I stood beside him in this photograph and smiled. I had no idea what was ahead of him. This was…

  • What would I do…?

      As she has for more than ten years, my sister joined me and my girlfriends at the beach this past weekend. From my earliest memory, Brenda has been my closest friend, and, along with my mother, my role model and inspiration.  Despite the eight years between us and my bratty personality, when I was…

  • Reunion, Part 1 (and back to reality with a thud)

      "Are you someone's grandmother?" he asked as soon as I walked into the classroom. I had to have him repeat it before I understood. My hearing isn't so great anymore plus he was missing his two front teeth! "No, I'm your substitute teacher." I could feel the air fizzling out of my bubble…the 1977…

  • 1977

    Tom and I are off to immerse ourselves in 1977. In other words, we're going to my 35th high school reunion. (That number just slips through my brain without even registering – I can't be old enough to be out of school that long!) Tonight I'll go on a tour of my old high school…