Long Hollow

Exploring Austin (Homes) Again!

December 18, 2013

Ready to visit some homes with me? Buckle up and let's go…

Last week's property tour started in a townhome in this quiet neighborhood.

I'm not sure if this stained glass goes with the property, but I love the idea and the effect.

But then, I have a weak spot for stained glass.

The next house was an older home that had been beautifully updated. I didn't get any good photos of the inside, but it had a lot of great details while retaining that vintage feel.

I loved the location of the next house more than anything…an older, upscale neighborhood in West Austin not too far from Mount Bonnell. The home had been given an extensive update, but I didn't get many photos…

The next home was my favorite of the tour. It was an older ranch-style on the northwest side of Austin, with a huge front yard and gorgeous backyard.

What I loved most about it, though, were these custom touches…the glass block shower…

…and all of these storage cabinets in the long hallway. I love cubbies and closets and cabinets.

But the room below, which adjoined a large open kitchen, was my favorite part of the house.

When I was little, I spent hours sketching floorplans just for fun. More often than not, I included a sunken livingroom.

With this wall of books, fireplace, and low railing, this room made me feel I had stepped into one of my own designs!

These next homes weren't on the property tour. They just caught my eye while driving through Hyde Park one day.

I hope you enjoyed the tour! Be sure to join me next week!
Firewood and other sweet!s

December 16, 2013

My socks may not match, but my feet are always warm.

~Maureen McCullough

The drought took its toll on many of the oak trees in the Hollow. But Tom found the good in that this past weekend by cutting up the dead ones into woodburning stove sized pieces.

Our woodpile had dwindled so much that we'd actually resorted to turning on the heat for these cold, cold nights, but thanks to Tom, his new chainsaw blades, and Daniel for helping to carry and stack, we have a beautiful, replinished stack just outside the back door.

Now that's a sweet! sight!

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week…

Tuesday: a holiday office open house; making it to all four of the houses on your property tour; getting a quick haircut even though you were way late for your appointment because you couldn't find the new salon location; finally getting a new doctor for your mom; a potential client from phone duty; James Taylor and Carole King

Wednesday: indoor plumbing and hot water heaters, especially on cold mornings; a reuben sandwich and cup of corn chowder from the Avenue B Grocery; holiday open houses full of familiar faces; doctors who reply to emails; a surprise gift from your husband to make planting For Sale signs easier

Thursday: working from home; an Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, followed by a dinner of homemade tamales and pan dulce

Friday: Friday the 13ths, period; your Christmas cards finally ready to mail; finding Christmas cards from others in your mailbox

Saturday: trading old books for hard cash…and resisting the temptation to spend it on more old books; dancing to live music, catching up with good friends, and watching a sky light drift into the stars

Sunday: Giving Trees; a partially clean house dotted and dripping with shiny Christmas memories; smoked turkey for dinner, thanks to your husband

Monday: a frost-covered morning; eating Chick-fil-A in a parking lot with your daughter, watching people pass on the street; a dear friend stopping to check on your mom for you; warm gingerbread, fresh from the oven

Wishing you plenty of warmth and sweetness in the week ahead!

"And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread."

– William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost
Property Tour Tuesday (wherein I get to explore some Austin homes)

December 10, 2013

The sun was victorious today in this recent game between it and the gray skies.

That in itself was enough to make me happy, but I was especially grateful to see it today because there were four houses on our property tour! One a little east and north of our office, one close to downtown, and a couple out in the hills to the west, although not close to each other.

But since I missed posting last week's tour, today I'm going to show you one of those homes, because I took lots of photos!

It was on the west side of town, in the hills, near Emma Long Metropolitan Park. We passed dozens of decorated juniper trees like these along the way…

The front was pretty nice…

…but this is the first thing that caught my eye.

Now I want to make one!

But this drew me out to the back before I even explored the inside of the house.

There's a one-bedroom cabana next to it.

Take a look at this back porch.

And when you're tired of the pool and socializing on the porch…

Every bit of the outside areas was put to good use.

Isn't this a cute little game court?

Such a great gathering spot in the kitchen…big enough for snacks for touring realtors!

Spotted this sign on a wall inside. Amen!

Isn't this an awesome ceiling?

This wine closet was tucked under the stairs.

(Great use of space, in my opinion!)

The view of the neighborhood from an upstairs balcony…

I loved these little round chalkboards painted on the wall.

You can see downstairs from a small landing on the stairs.

For a large house, it felt very cozy and connected.

I would love to represent a buyer for this gorgeous place. (Maybe they'll invite me over to swim in the summer!)

So feel free to share and let me know if you, or someone you know, might be interested!
Dancing, Sunshine, and other sweets

December 9, 2013

After several days of gray skies and temperatures below freezing, the sun finally made an appearance yesterday afternoon. And the clouds even stayed away long enough for me to say hello to a half moon and a sky full of stars that dripped all the way to the tree tops.

Hallelujah! My spirit soars under a clear sky, and even though this morning I woke to another gray sky and cold drizzle, I feel recharged.

Here are some other sweet!s from my past week…

Monday: finding a lucky penny, reminding you "In God We Trust" just when you're feeling overwhelmed; getting a lease client while on phone duty; your first real estate paycheck; finally finishing the weeding of your library

Tuesday: remembering the day you became a mother, and wishing your oldest a happy birthday; touring a million dollar home set in the hills near Austin; juniper trees lining the roadsides decorated for Christmas; a long-overdue re-blonding

Wednesday: guidance for your 2014 business plan; God's art in the sky, made of wind and clouds

Thursday: a bus ride with colleagues to Fredericksburg, Texas; the Christmas light displays in Johnson City

Friday: dry roads so you can attend your company party and enjoy dancing, photo booth sessions, making new friends, and chocolate fountains

Saturday: your sister home safe after a cruise; not having to leave your house except to walk your puppies

Sunday: your husband walking in with an armload of firewood on a cold morning, and assurance that his car is loaded down with more; a telephone visit with your sister-in-law, even if it isn't all great news; your son learning how to make Terry Boer's Chicken and Rice casserole; an evening of visiting with friends; couples in their 80's who are still tearing up the dance floor

Monday: attending a class that supports your belief that a Realtor is more public servant than salesperson; getting a new customer while your watch gets a new battery in the mall; nurses who put their patients above job security

How's the weather where you are?

If it's cold and gray, I hope you find a way to recharge, too! (Try dancing!)

There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.

~ Edwin Denby
Friday Night Lights (A Winter Day in the Texas Hill Country)

December 7, 2013

Well, these were actually taken last night, Thursday. I traveled with a bunch of Keller Williams colleagues via bus to Fredericksburg for a day of shopping, a wine-tasting, and then a stop in Johnson City on the way home to ooh-and-aah over the lights.

With temperatures below freezing and a wind chill pushing it into the teens, it really felt like Christmas all day. The shops and restaurants were warm, the company was awesome, and it was a fantastic day. And hallelujah, there was no ice on the road.

Sure, there were tons of other things I probably should have been doing yesterday, instead of roaming through shops taking photos, but it's good, especially during Advent and the Christmas season, to just slow down and do something purely for fun, don't you think?

I'll post more of the photos tomorrow on Confessions. Meanwhile, tonight most of us met again for a company Christmas party.

I know it's hard to believe, but I didn't take one single photo at the party! I did jump in a photo booth with friends twice. Photos to be posted later. Maybe.

I danced, though. That was at the top of my priority list…and way overdue.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I'm grateful it's supposed to be cold and icy/rainy here in Austin. Time to get Christmas cards ready to mail and a tree, glistening with memories, standing in my livingroom.

How will you spend your weekend?
Twenty-Eight, and Wishes Come True

December 4, 2013

"May your coming year overflow with love and blessings and wishes come true!"

Last year I wrote that in my oldest child's birthday post, in honor of his 27th birthday. A few months later he married the love of his life, honeymooned in Italy, and bought a home in a city he loves. My wish for him came true.

Now I've blinked and he's somehow a year older, as of yesterday, around noon. He celebrated first thing in the morning by running 10 miles from his home to the state capitol building and back, stopping at the State Library long enough to say hi to his little brother, who works there.

Considering his struggle with asthma when he was younger – all those hours I spent giving him nebulizer treatments, waiting in doctors' offices, keeping up with medications – his ability to run long distances (his second marathon is coming up) is definitely a wish come true for me.

I'm not sure how he's going to top the highs of the past year, but my wish for him is the same, for overflowing love and blessings and wishes come true, because he deserves them.

I would say that even if he wasn't my son. His thoughtfulness and compassion for friends and family – especially my parents over the past year – inspire me to be a better person. What more could a mother ask for?

I didn't get to see him yesterday, but that's okay. I saw him on Thanksgiving and on the weekend when we both visited my mom and I know I'll see him again soon, because for the first time in ten years, he lives in my city.

Just another one of my wishes come true, although it doesn't top the one that came true the day he was born, making me a mother, the toughest and best job I've ever had.

So, Tommy, sweet son, may your coming year overflow with love and blessings and wishes come true!

Love,

Mom
Chicken and Rice Casserole, a la Terry Boer and Campbell!

December 3, 2013

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The index card is yellow and splotched, the ink faded, but considering all of the action it's seen over the past twenty years, it's amazing it's still around at all, much less legible.

When not in use, I keep it tucked in a small recipe box with other favorites, mostly one-pan wonders where you toss all of the ingredients into a casserole dish or a pot and walk away for a few hours. When my kids were little, that was top priority…right under taste, of course.

Terry Boer is the dad of five kids. When I worked shifts with him at the chemical plant years ago, those kids were all really young. He knew a thing or two about pleasing a pack of picky palates on a budget and generously shared his expertise with me, a new mom stretched on time and money.

His Chicken Casserole has been a favorite in our house ever since. I especially love it because, well, it's delicious! But also because it has so few ingredients – chicken, rice, dried onion soup, and Cambell's Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup. I've always kept cans of both on hand. I added them to almost everything when my kids were growing up, so that they'd eat.

My kids are now young adults, adventurous eaters who even like vegetables, but they still request Terry Boer's Chicken Casserole.

Something good is always better when it's shared, so I'm sharing Terry's recipe with all of you, just as he did with me so many years ago…

Terry's Chicken Casserole

Ingedients:

2 teaspoons of butter
2 cups of water
1 cup of uncooked rice
1 whole chicken, cut up
1 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup
1 packet of dried onion soup

Pour melted butter into a 9 x 13 pan. Add the water, then the cup of rice evenly. Place chicken skin up. Pour soup over the chicken. Sprinkle the onion soup over it all. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Take off the foil and bake another 15 minutes.

I hope your family loves it as much as ours has!

For more recipes your kids will love, be sure to check out Campbell's "The Wisest Kid in the Whole World™" page.

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Mom hugs, singing frogs, and other sweet!s of the week

December 1, 2013

We couldn't have asked for better weather in Austin, Texas on Thanksgiving Day. Clear blue skies, a touch of autumn in the breeze…perfect for throwing open the doors to cool off a small kitchen full of cooks trying to get dinner on the table.

I'm so grateful we were able to stay here and celebrate in my son and his wife's home, along with her family, christening it with love and gratitude and wishes for many happy Thanksgivings in the years to come.

I'm also grateful my sister, niece, and nephew made sure my mom had a wonderful Thanksgiving in her home, and that I was able to hop in the car the next morning with my kids and drive to Houston to spend time with her myself.

We didn't repeat Thanksgiving dinner. Instead we ate Mexican food and kolaches on our old kitchen table, drank lots of coffee, and spent hours reminiscing, laughing, watching the squirrels in the back yard, and looking at photos.

I missed Daddy's smile and hug, of course, but I felt him with us, and all things considered, our visit was a sweet memory to tuck into my heart.

I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was full of sweet memories for you to tuck away and savor.

Here are a few other sweet!s from my past week. Share yours in the comments!

Tuesday: exploring houses with friends; sunshine after days of rain; your first transaction approved for payment; finding your first holiday card in the mailbox

Wednesday: making your mom's cornbread dressing; your son volunteering to chop all of the onions and celery for the dressing; leftover pumpkin pie filling baked by itself in a small casserole and enjoyed warm from the oven

Thursday: helping your son and daughter-in-law celebrate their first married Thanksgiving in their home; teaming up with your son in a game of beanbag toss (otherwise known as 'corn hole'?); your grown kids still loving to color with markers and pencils

Friday: a road trip with your kids; your mom's hugs and kisses; staying up late with your daughter watching ConAir and Tombstone; Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday

Saturday: kolaches for breakfast; fixing your mom's hair; a surprise visit from your mom's old neighbors; home again, safe and sound

Sunday: frogs singing to you on your morning walk; leftover ham and cornbread dressing and pumpkin pie; an afternoon free to finish sorting, cleaning, and (fingers-crossed) decorate for Christmas

Thou hast given so much to me, give one thing more – a grateful heart; not thankful when it pleaseth me, as if Thy blessings had spare days, but such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.

~ George Herbert

P.S. The mother of some of my dear friends was in a bad car accident yesterday. She's in serious condition. Please say a prayer for her!
A Thanksgiving Shift

November 28, 2013

I'm up late, waiting for pumpkin pies to cool enough to go into the fridge until tomorrow. Fresh, clean, asparagus spears and cornbread dressing (my mother's recipe) are already in the fridge, waiting to be popped in the oven first thing in the morning.

It's not the first time I won't spend Thanksgiving in my childhood home, but I can count them on one hand.

But as much as I hated not being with my mother on this first Thanksgiving without my dad, it's also my son and daughter-in-law's first Thanksgiving as a married couple, and they're hosting in their new home. How could I miss that?

Among a zillion other things, I'm grateful for my sister, niece, and nephew who live near Mama, and will do whatever it takes to let her have one more Thanksgiving around that old kitchen table.

Wishing all of you a happy Thanksgiving, no matter where you live, because each and every day we can find at least one thing to be thankful for, can't we?

…a breath, a raindrop, the sound of a friend's voice or even a smile from a stranger when we're feeling lost and alone in this big world.

Remember, you're never alone.

God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.

~Izaak Walton
Property Tour Tuesday!

November 26, 2013

Just about every Tuesday, a bunch of us grab a map, pile in someone's car, and ask Siri to navigate us along the route to the one, two, and sometimes three houses or condos selected for that week's tour, scattered in various neighborhoods in Austin and the surrounding communities.

Road trip! A really short one, of course, but there's constant chattering while we get to know one another better, share advice and tips, and just explore Austin. We take turns driving and mix up the groups a little each week.

The purpose of the tour is similar to a writing critique – we pick out two things we like and two things we think need improvement to help the listing agent get a "sold" sign in the yard and money in their client's pocket.

But for me it's just fun spending time with the other agents and getting to see all of the different types of houses Austin offers.

Today I had the great idea to let y'all ride along with us! Each week I'll snap a photo or two of the properties with my phone and share a little of what we see (and what I think!)

Today I rode with Sherilyn and Dawn. (They are awesome!)

Probably because of the holidays, there was only one house on the tour. My favorite thing about it? Curb appeal.

Nice, huh?

It was very spacious – we counted six bedrooms, all good size, too, and lots of storage space, which is something that scores big points with me.

I missed last week's tour, but the week before we visited a cute older house that had been flipped. I love that about Austin, that the older neighborhoods are coming alive again, instead of just crumbling.

I loved the leaded glass in the front door…

..and the whole house had a crisp, vintage-but-modern feel to it. (Great job staging!)

It wasn't a big house, but the unique touches, even in the bathrooms, made it stand out for me.

So what do you think about them? What's your style?

Stay tuned for the next Property Tour Tuesday!

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