Long Hollow

Where seeds of thought have room to grow

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Realtor, writer, blogger in Austin, TX

Category: Worth Quoting

  • 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 ……

  • 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…

  • Irish Blessings on St. Patrick’s Day

        Bridget Shallue was just 52, younger than I am now and already a widow, when she said goodbye to Ireland in 1852 with her grown children…chased away by the potato famine, I'm sure. If she ever returned, it isn't mentioned in the family lore. Accompanied by two daughters and two sons, Bridget first…

  • 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…

  • A Lenten Rambling

      The simplicity of winter has a deep moral. The return of Nature, after such a career of splendor and prodigality, to habits so simple and austere, is not lost either upon the head or the heart. It is the philosopher coming back from the banquet and the wine to a cup of water and…

  • A Saturday Morning at Austin’s Franklin Barbecue

    On the surface, getting up extra early on a Saturday morning to wait in line four hours for lunch doesn't sound very appealing, especially when the weather is kind of chilly and drippy. But I did it this past Saturday anyway, just to experience Franklin Barbecue for myself. I'm on a continual quest to discover…

  • Signs of Spring…and other sweet!s

    Cedar Waxwings have returned to the Hollow! A huge flock of them graced the tall leafless willows near the pond most of the morning, just kind of hanging out. I ventured as near as I dared and snapped about a thousand photos with my zoom.  I'm not sure if any of the pics will do…

  • Number 1: Laughing Hard Times into Wine

            1. This is my new favorite quote: “The woman had laughed the hard times into wine.” -Ann Voskamp  I'm not sure if it's possible to laugh hard times into wine, except theoretically, of course… but I love the imagery of it. Thanks to Jennifer at Ripplespeak for posting it. (And for…

  • Not the Sweetest Valentine’s Day…

      I received my Valentine's Day surprise early Friday morning – a stomach bug. It knocked me out all day and left me feeling like a ragdoll all weekend.  Thank goodness my son Daniel was able to deliver the fancy box of Millionaire candy I bought for Mama, so she still had something special, and…

  • Reaching for the Stars, Dancing in the Gutters

          Looks like the sun found its way out of That dark cloud that keeps following me around At least for today I've got a ray of hope   I've opened doors and I've burned some bridges I'm still looking for my fairy tale ending There’s a lot of time left before the…