Glitch

When I posted earlier about no comments on my blog, it was brought to my attention by a friend that she was commenting but I was not getting them, couldn't see them and couldn't find them.  As I looked around, I learned that the problem seemed to be with Google+.  I have since done away with Google+ and now have a comment.  So glad to be able to see comments again although the previous ones have been lost forever.  The last comment I received was in late November.  So, we shall see how it goes -- I certainly don't want to go back to Wordpress -- too difficult.

Re-thinking the Blog

I have been at this blogging business for quite sometime.  I never had a "theme", it was more eclectic -- whatever was going on in my head.  I have noticed that I am not gaining readers which is fine, it is mostly just for my fun anyway, but people are stopping by to visit but not leaving any comments.

If you stop by to visit I would like to know you have been here so if you could just leave a short comment it would be greatly appreciated.

I have been thinking about whether the blog should have a theme, like reading or needlework but I don't think that would work for me particularly.  I have a wide range of interests and don't really care to have multiple blogs.   I have also considered whether it should go on at all.  It is a consideration.

At any rate, if you stop by, please leave a comment so I know you have been here.  That is primarily how I found blogs to read for myself!

Happy Monday!

It is a glorious Monday here at Maison Brinkley.  It is spring-like outside -- lots of sun and warmth.  More importantly -- less pollen.  That is a good thing.

It was a busy weekend.  I have been working on a project for my eldest granddaughter.  She has to dress up as Betsy Ross for school this week and needed a costume.  I have an "angel" costume that I use for virtually anything -- angel, witch, pirate or....Betsy.  So, here is the finished product -- well, except for the hem.  That remains to be done.  Oh yes, meet Ruby, my little red vacuum cleaner.

I gathered up all the books on my current TBR list and took a photo.  Here there are.

And yesterday, we did this.

 

It was a very busy weekend.  I got a little tired.  I also got sunburned and while the pollen count is lower I have still been bothered.  Blah.

So, now I am off to make my homemade laundry detergent.  Then I can tackle the mound of laundry that has piled up while I have been having other fun!

Refusing to Spread the Nastiness

This past political season was horrendous.  Politics are bad at best and this past go was especially dirty and mean-spirited.

What?  No, I am not talking about the candidates.  I am talking about people on social media.  You know, the ones who will say anything on that venue but wouldn't say it to your face.  I have blocked people, unfriended people and I even had an argument with a "friend" the other day.

I don't like any of it.

So, I decided to change up my social media feed and post things that I do like, the most unpolitical things I can find.  So far I have posted photos of garden gates, historical facts, and llamas.  I am trying to be careful because I don't want to break any copyright laws but there is so much out there, it is hard to tell what to do.

Anyway, I thought I would share a few of the photos I have shared there.  So, for your unpolitical viewing pleasure--

There are so many cute llama photos out there that I chose this one

but actually, all the politics have left me feeling more like this

So, with that I am going to go look at more happy garden gate photos -- and llamas -- and anything other than politics.

The Artist

Our granddaughter, Bean, takes art lessons from a small art school in Keller, Texas.  We have never had the opportunity to take her to her classes or see the inside of the place until yesterday when Mom had a Girl Scout "thing" to attend to at the same time as art.  So, Gramps and I had the privilege of taking Bean to her class.

As with a lot of businesses in the Fort Worth area, it is housed in an old house.  It is colorful and very inviting.

Colorful flamingos

Giant crayons

The sign

I wasn't able to take photos inside but rest assured, each and every wall was covered in student art and it was stupendous!  So colorful, such talent -- what a warm and wonderful place for children to explore the world of art.

Inaugration Day

Today we celebrate the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America.

Regardless of your political viewpoint, it is a great day to see the democratic process in action.

We are so fortunate, in this day and age, to have the technology that allows all Americans and the rest of the world to view this event.  It is all very patriotic and festive.

I am feeling patriotic today and am so glad to be an American.  God Bless America.

Ok, Maybe I Do Have Something to Say

I don't like grocery shopping under the best of circumstances.  I certainly don't like it when I am sick with allergies and the pollen count is really high.  I don't want to leave the house.  So, I have been exploring grocery delivery services this morning.

I really needed to grocery shop this morning.  The Mr. and I talked about it last night.  He accompanies me everywhere I go because.....well, he is retired and has nothing better to do.  I said we needed to go early to get it done as I really feel like rubbish.

It is 11 a.m. and we haven't move -- an inch.  No groceries bought.  Waiting for a phone call that may or may not ever come.

I am annoyed.  So, I started exploring delivery options.

I found Instacart which delivers from all but one of the stores I shop at.  They will deliver in just a couple of hours.  It isn't an outrageous delivery fee if you buy over $35 worth of products.  Who doesn't spend that every time they walk into the store.  Seems like a non-issue to me. 

I told my husband I was going to have the groceries delivered.  He laughed at me and said we would go tonight.  I don't want to go tonight.  I don't feel well, I want to go to bed.  I guess I could make him a list and let him go but since that hasn't happened in years I am pretty sure that isn't even on his radar.

I wonder if he is going to find it so hysterical when there is no dinner.

Yes, I know, I should have just taken myself to the store and ignored him.  I have done it before!

My question is -- thoughts on grocery delivery?

Me With Nothing to Say!!!!

It seems I have nothing to say today.  I am still sick -- have been this way for a week.  Not happy and I can't taste anything.  So, I thought I would share a couple of photos I took a few days ago.  Probably shouldn't have been outside in the cedar pollen to take them but here they are.

A gorgeous Texas sunset --

It was really pink and orange -- you can't really see the intensity here but it was beautiful.

What it Means to be Texan

I am a Texan.  I have lived here my entire life.  People are correct when they say it is like a different world.  Texas has it's own culture, sort of it's own language, it's own style.  Texas has lots of things. I have always been proud to be Texan, felt I lived a different life than most Americans (I didn't but that is how it felt), I love it, would never leave it except under duress but I have to say that sometimes it is hard to be a Texan. Why? Read on.

From the Texas State Handbook online we learn this:

TEXAS, ORIGIN OF NAME. The word texas (tejas, tayshas, texias, thecas?, techan, teysas, techas?) had wide usage among the Indians of East Texas even before the coming of the Spanish, whose various transcriptions and interpretations gave rise to many theories about the meaning. The usual meaning was "friends," although the Hasinais applied the word to many groups-including Caddoan-to mean "allies."

This is true, we are a friendly bunch.  We wave a lot, bless peoples hearts a lot, if you go out to the country the farmers still wave at you as you drive down the highway and in the little towns, people still stop, pull over and take off their hats for a funeral procession.  Sometimes, though, it is just hard to feel that "perky" all the time!


We have a style from Texas Tacky decor to big hair  to giant homecoming mums (I really don't get that one).

these are very commonly found on houses or patios

Any small town gift shop or antique store will have these

Big Texas Hair -- my daughter does it SO well

Big Texas Mum

(All of these photos were taken from a google search.  I hope I haven't made anybody mad.) It is hard to be a Texas gal when you can't get your hair big! Bad hair and humidity make it almost impossible for me to achieve this iconic look.  My daughter, however, has it nailed but then she has enough hair for three or four people

And, we have a language all our own -- such as -- 'Aw, the poor little thing tumped over his bowl of grits -- bless his little heart.  Y'all we'll  just give him a coca-cola to cheer him up'. Yep, that is pure Tex-ese and while it sounds like it should come out of somebody from the country it is "big city" too.  I never lived in the country, I hailed from the big city and this is how I talk.  I just love the word "tump".  The hard part about it?  Well, if we are talking in our own circles it is fine -- we don't even notice but let somebody from, say, Pennsylvania listen to us and they laugh at us.  Yes, laugh.  I had a cousin ask me who taught me to talk because I didn't pronounce "ambulance" the "right"" way. Hmmmmp.


So, living here is like a down home, friendly, country all around sort or existence-- there is so much to love. But there are some negatives as well.

We have lots of poisonous snakes -- like rattlesnakes.

 We have coons, possum, fox, coyotes, alligators, rabbits -- ok,  the rabbits are ok --  and mockingbirds -- the state bird -- they make lots of noise.

We have really weird weather -- floods, twisters, well, that is mostly it except for the fact that it is spring right now in January.  But, that is ok, it IS Texas -- like that explains/excuses everything.

Flooding at Ft. Hood

This one was right here in Ft. Worth

So, with all this good, bad, and terrifying stuff about Texas there is one thing that is just the most miserable, deplorable thing EVER!

It is Mountain Cedar coming out of the Hill Country and blowing up here to make us all miserable.

pollen blowing off a cedar tree in the Texas Hill country

A pollen explosion outside of Austin, TX

this visual just terrifies me

innocent looking isn't it? ha! don't be fooled

So, if there was anything I would change about Texas this would be it.  I wouldn't do away with our corny, countrified ways or our unique style but I would obliterate these dang nasty bushes from the entire planet.

I was always sick as a child with "colds" -- stopped up ears to the point of complete deafness, general malaise, just miserable like I have been since last Thursday.  We had one of these monster trees right outside my bedroom window.  We slept with the windows open.  I am suprised I am not dead.

So, if  you are thinking about coming to visit Texas there is a lot to consider.  If you want to go to the coast to see the Gulf of Mexico and the beaches, or maybe out west to the Davis Mountains and Marfa to see the Marfa lights go right ahead.  Or maybe up here to Dallas to see  the giant metropolis that is Dallas with all it has to offer -- a veritable "little New York" or San Antonio with it's rich German history and it's warm Mexican heritage -- not to mention the wonderful, warm Mexican food!  Go ahead, plan away -- you can find almost anything here but whatever you do --

Don't come between December and March -- the cedar will get you and not let you go -- it will forever ruin what could be a beautiful memory.  So...just sayin -- October and November are real nice.

Teaser Tuesday

It is Teaser Tuesday time again.  The point is to take a couple of lines from a random page in your current read -- as a teaser-- no spoilers please!

I am really not reading anything right now because I am too busy dealing with allergies which means I am sneezing and blowing my nose.  Not good for reading.  But, these lines are from a book that I have in my queue which may be my next read as soon as I can adequately see again.

"Fireflies blinked, illuminating the stepping-stones to Los Land Lake.  "You see that, Lolly?" my mom laughed in the twilight.  "Mother Nature is giving us a preview to the fireworks."

This is from page 3 of "The Charm Bracelet" by Viola Shipman.

Sorry this is such a short post but I feel really awful and just need to lay down.  More tomorrow.

Our World Tuesday

Our World Tuesday is a meme to give a snapshot of our daily life. I don't know if I should be participating because that is sort of the normal theme of my blog but I will give it a go.

Our World, January 16, 2016

The weather has been very strange this winter on the whole but yesterday we had some dangerously severe thunderstorms.  It wasn't cold and it felt more like spring.  Today was beautiful and the pollen count was very low which was wonderful but I am already sick with "cedar fever" which is what we call how you feel when you get attacked by the cedar/juniper pollen that thrives in Texas.

The weather was so nice today that my husband decided to change the oil in the car. Of course, once a tinkerer, always a tinkerer so he pulled some wires, put them back and voila! the car wouldn't start.

We now have a new car battery.  We noticed that it was slow to start on one of our colder days.  Glad he got that done before we got stuck someplace. 

And me?  I have sneezed all day.  All. Day.  A low fever -- very low.  Aching face/teeth. Scratchy sore throat and ..... sneezing.

That is what is going on in our little world today, 16 January 2016.