Long Hollow

Where seeds of thought have room to grow

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Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Category: Remember when…

  • Why I Love “The Hobbit”

        He was five, snuggled up close beside me on the loveseat for our ritual bedtime story, sucking his thumb. "Are you sure?" I asked him. "There aren't any pictures in this book. Just a lot of words." He nodded, so I opened the worn paperback and began reading… "In a hole in the…

  • A Feliz Navidad to Remember

    When my kids were young, I liked spending Christmas at home. I liked Santa coming down my chimney and leaving gifts under my tree. I liked my children having memories of waking up surrounded by Christmas magic in their own beds. But one year we made an exception. My husband's youngest brother (he has eight) was getting…

  • Mastering the Fine Art of Procrastination

    If we are ever in doubt about what to do, it is a good rule to ask ourselves what we shall wish on the morrow that we had done. ~ John Lubbock It's all John Lubbock's fault that my Christmas decorations still languish in boxes piled in the middle of the living room. Instead of…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Babies and other sweet things

    My plan for today: To clean this filthy house and, while I have 2/3 of my kids here to help, get all of the boxes of Christmas decorations upstairs and ready to unpack. Instead: I slept in, watched an episode of Rick Steves where he and his family travel to Europe at Christmastime, went for…

  • 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…

  • Good (Halloween) Morning

    I might see some trick-or-treaters this evening. I'm excited about that. When you live a mile down a dirt road in a Hollow of few houses and no small children, Halloween is like any other night. Quiet. No one ever comes to your door. Even when my kids were actively hustling for candy, I had…