Our Littlest Cowboy Among the Bluebonnets

Bluebonnets, The Texas State Flower

“Bluebonnets have inspired the poet’s pen, the artist’s brush, the cowboy’s dream, and the legislator’s eloquence throughout the broad spaces of Texas. Their royal beauty and enchanting fragrance have a particular message which speaks to the emotions with compelling directness.”

–Mary Daggett Lake, 1926

The Clan gets bigger . . .

Little Nora Jane joined our family March 16, 2012. She almost missed seeing her Auntie Ticky, but came just in time before I had to head back. She's so beautiful. A lot like Elsa Rose was. I don't understand how those girls are so pretty right away. Looking forward to getting to know this little girl better.

My Lovely Average Kitchen

I've been thinking about the cooking shows that have become a favorite American pastime. I even enjoy seeing the impossibly well- equipped kitchens. I usually jot down a quick list of ingredients if the meal interests me, but rarely do I try to reproduce what I see. I forget and life goes on. But, I do remember the kitchens! Oh the lovely kitchens! I see myself floating through them while my family waits expectantly for dinner. I envision the clean-up crew it takes to come behind the cooks while they splatter grease and drip syrup from one end to the other. I dream of the professional appliances sparkling, inviting. Then the show ends. I walk into my kitchen. Not the same thing at all. Kitchen envy strikes! The clean up crew is me with a little help along the way from the kids or my overworked husband. My ice maker gives me headaches. My oven doesn't cook evenly. My glasses have water spots. The disposal doesn't work at all, just makes a grinding ugly sound. The cupboards are in need of a serious scrubbing because of greasy kid fingers opening and shutting them. I could talk myself into a serious discontent here. But the truth is what matters isn't it? I love my kitchen and I love to cook! I doubt if a Viking stove would make anything taste better. Fact: the kitchen does not a cook make. My family truly enjoys eating what I make in my not so perfect kitchen. I'll admit a time or two my pizza was not cooked on the bottom because of that darn oven, but overall it works well. The precious faces that circle my table at the end of a day and eat the food that I prepared don't take into consideration the not so state of the art appliances or the less than sparkling milk glass. They do appreciate the investment of a healthy hearty meal served by a wife and mother not exhausted by working for someone else to buy and maintain a professional kitchen. I have a hunch that many times those beautiful professional kitchens are only used to heat up frozen pizza or Marie Calendar pies. What a pity.