Long Hollow

Where seeds of thought have room to grow

recent posts

about

Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Category: Odd Jobs

  • A Blog Stroll on a Rainy Night

    I'm sitting here at my computer, relishing the sound of rain just outside my window, and even the occasional growl of thunder and flash of lightning. Rain is a welcome guest when you've been in a drought as long as we have…when you begin to doubt if your pond was ever full, or if you…

  • Sometimes it’s a God Thing

      I first met Rosa over the phone several weeks ago when I was working phone duty. She called inquiring about a house for lease. The next day I met her and her daughter, a law student, at the house. "I like it," her daughter said. But I could tell Rosa wasn't quite sold on…

  • April 27 – a very good day for Saints and Lovebirds

        Somewhere in Seattle tonight, one of my favorite couples in the whole wide world are sipping champagne, gazing into each other's eyes, and thinking back to that magical evening exactly one year ago when they said "I do" under the limbs of the big oak tree at Barr Mansion. It's hard for me…

  • Easter Sweet

      We shared Easter dinner with all of our kids today, no small feat once your kids get married and other families expect to see them on the holidays, too.  It's been a busy week. Besides Mama's hospital adventure, I started an intense 7-week real estate training course, which includes journaling and other homework, like…

  • My Bluebonnet Fix (and other sweets of the week)

          This is one of my favorite times of the year, when bluebonnets appear almost overnight, splashing the roadsides as if the sky leaked blue. I spend a lot of time driving those roads and I've been aching to stop and say hello to our brief visitors. They'll be gone in just a…

  • Sweet Reflection

    I have a confession: I often forget to write down my sweet!s right when I notice them. …if I even notice them to begin with.  That's when composing this weekly post of mine becomes a real challenge, but even more important to accomplish. It forces me to stop and reflect on the seven days just passed ……

  • Hills, Trees, and Lake Views (Property Tour Tuesday!)

    I spent the morning exploring the north shore of Lake Travis with friends, visiting beautiful homes. It was Property Tour Tuesday! Many of the homes we visited today were on the lake, or at least had a lake view. It was a gorgeous, springlike day, perfect for driving through the hill country. To top it off,…

  • Canyon Wrens, Laptops, Irish Beer, and other Sweet!s

      I sat on the front porch for a few hours this afternoon. The sunshine and blue sky were so crisp I couldn't stand to be inside any longer. I grabbed my laptop and planted myself in a rocking chair to listen to training webinars while watching a cardinal and tufted titmouse take turns at…

  • Life in the Underground (and other sweet!s)

    Austin is a wild place right now, caught up in South by Southwest fever. I wish I had the time to just hang out downtown all day and night, catching interesting seminars and random stars performing. Maybe next year… But I moved a little closer this year by attending a kickoff party downtown for Austin…

  • On the Northshore of Lake Travis…

      …you'll find homes in just about every size, style, and price you can imagine, from simple vacation cottages to million dollar homes in gated communities. There are homes lining golf courses, homes perched on the edge of the lake, homes in perfect suburban neighborhoods, and homes on acreage down winding dirt roads (like mine.)…