Long Hollow

There's water in the ponds!

 

Despite my gratitude for rain while we're in this drought, it's really tough for me to embrace day after day after day of the constant cold, wet stuff like we had earlier this week.  I was so happy when sunshine finally returned Friday afternoon.

But now I'm ready for more rain. Those four days of rain actually made a difference - our ponds have water again! However, the big one is still about twenty feet low, and the waterfalls aren't falling, so come back soon, Rainy Days! I will welcome you with open arms!

 

 

Belle's happy about it, too.

Here are a few more sweet!s from the past week...

 

Friday: dancing with friends to 80's music, courtesy of LC Rocks

Saturday: finishing the last module in your luxury marketing class; watching and listening to your puppy as she dreams of a hunt 

Sunday: showing property on a warm, sunny day; passing your final exam and becoming a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing

Monday: no bugs on your morning walks; making progress in organizing your cluttered office

Tuesday: catching up with friends and colleagues at office meetings; sponsored lunches; real estate networking events; red Ferraris (and blue ones, and gray ones....)

 

 

Wednesday: a favorite aide returning to your mom's home; a buyer lead from a new friend

Thursday: waking to the sound of a steady rainfall; joining other agents for a luncheon in a fabulous house; Beef Burgundy and built-in espresso machines

 

Friday: the rain clearing in time to show property; a friend thinking of you when a friend of his needs to sell her home

Saturday: a morning walk when the world is still frozen; getting trained in CPR so you're prepared to save a life, if necessary; "Silver Linings Playbook" (again) and Bradley Cooper's eyes

Sunday: discovering your ponds have water in them again; a husband who will fix your car's flats and change its oil; sharing Girl Scout cookies with your mom; yellow flowers still blooming in January

 

 

Now it's your turn. What were some of the sweet! moments of your past week? Share them in the comments!

I hope sweets fall like raindrops on you in this coming week!

 

Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger.

~Saint Basil

Embrace

 

em·brace

əmˈbrās/

verb

 

 

1.hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection.

 

2. accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically

 

 

Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course. 

~William Shakespeare

 

"Embrace" is more than my word for the year. It's my call-to-action, a one word reminder to welcome each day as a new opportunity to correct mistakes, to challenge myself, to keep an eye open for blessings ... to be a blessing to someone else ... no matter what the day brings.

 

"Persevere" was in the lead for 2015, until "Embrace" popped out at me from a song or somewhere,  and I pictured the card below that a friend gave me. It has echoed in my head ever since. 

 

"Persevere" seems negative. Gray. It trudges alone through the problems of the day, sweating and straining just to get to the end.

 

But "Embrace" is golden, full of light and warmth. It reaches out to accept not only blue skies, but stormy ones as well, knowing there is a type of beauty and purpose in each, and that when it's all over, everything will be okay.

 

 

 

 

So each morning, when I first start grumbling about having to get up so early or feel overwhelmed and stretched thin when I remember all of my urgent to-do's, I'm learning to turn those thoughts into gratitude for the new day by dropping to my knees beside my bed and asking God to guide me, give me strength, and help me embrace whatever the day has in store ... the pains, the joys, the successes, the failures. 

 

Life is too short to do otherwise.

 

Love... it surrounds every being and extends slowly to embrace all that shall be.

~ Khalil Gibran

 

 

Austin Winters and other sweet!s

I just heard on the news that the first 15 days of January here in Austin set a record: so far it's officially the 10th coldest winter since 1897. 

People who live up north, who have to live with snow from November through March, will probably laugh at that. I'm sure they think what we experience here in Austin could hardly be called "wintry weather".

But it does get cold here - icy, even. In fact, we heat our entire house with our woodburning stove, and we've almost used up all of our wood already!

The good news is our "wintry weather" comes and goes. The first 15 days might have set a "cold" record, but tomorrow it will warm from the low 30's to 70 by afternoon, with plenty of sunshine. As much as I whine about not getting any snow, I'd rather have the warm January afternoons. 

Yes, Texas winters are mighty sweet!

 

 

Here are a few other sweet!s from the past week plus some...

  

Wednesday: spicy chili on a chilly evening; the warmth of a wood-burning stove

Thursday: the crunch, crunch, crunch when you walk on frozen caliche; a tree full of birds breakfasting on juniper berries; a call from your sister after her surgery; haircuts and head massages; clients leaving great reviews for you on your business pages

Friday: an early morning call from your mom; a buyer's long-awaited closing on her new home; sharing a peanut butter cookie with your mom; finally starting the last season of "Breaking Bad"

Saturday: getting to visit your mom when you thought you'd be iced-in all day; your Christmas decorations all boxed up; the smell of a roast in the oven; the sound of rain outside, when you and all of your loved ones are safe and warm inside

 

 

Sunday: Garden of Eatin' inspiration; experiencing new restaurants; helping a friend celebrate her birthday; sharing a creme brulee with friends; watching the end of "Annie Hall" with your mom

 

 

Monday: a walk on a foggy morning; meeting with a CPA in anticipation of making money in 2015

 

 

Tuesday: dinner and the movie "Jersey Boys" with friends, in preparation for seeing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in February

Wednesday: making progress in organizing your office; watching your first hockey game with colleagues and 3/4 of your kids

 

 

Thursday: the return of sunshine after too many cold, wet, gray days; finally getting all of the Christmas boxes out of your living room

 

 

Friday: working out five days in a row for the first time in weeks; having enough money to pay your bills; your sister getting a good report from her doctor following her surgery; gorgeous sunsets; finally posting your sweet!s

 

 

 

When scattered clouds are resting on the bosoms of hills, it seems as if one might climb into the heavenly region, earth being so intermixed with sky, and gradually transformed into it.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

(What were some sweet! moments of your past week? Share them in the comments and make them twice as sweet!)

New years, new phones, birthday wishes, and other overdue sweet!s

 

 

First of all... Happy New Year! I can't believe this is my first post of 2015. I have had so many ideas for posts, but alas, no time to write or publish them.

Have you picked a word for 2015? I have, but I'm going to save it for another post. I hope you don't mind. I just hope I actually publish it before 2016!

Yesterday was my dear friend Darla's birthday. We spent hours on the road together Friday driving to Houston in the rain to be by another friend's side as she said goodbye to her sister. I enjoyed getting to spend time with Darla, and see my other friends Rae and Ann, and Ann's kids face-to-face (for the first time in 20 years!), even if the reason was bittersweet. 

My mom is much better, thank you, and by all reports is progressing in her physical therapy. She still has a long way to go before she can come to our house again, but I'm grateful for a move forward, however small. 

I broke down and ordered a new iPhone, just in the nick of time. My old one had been warning me it was getting sick (rebooting in the middle of a phone call!), but I ignored it as long as possible. Yesterday, it was really acting whacky, moving in slow motion, but just like the cavalry coming to the rescue, the FedEx man drove up with my new, shiny gold one. Whew!

Photography has, by necessity, fallen by the wayside over the past year. I admit I've missed the camaraderie of my photography friends. So I was elated to receive an invitation to join a 365 FlickR group by a friend I first met years ago in my first 365.

The same day another friend tagged me for a 5 day black & white challenge on Facebook. I'm not going to pressure myself to post something on FlickR every day this year, but these challenges are great motivation to pick up my camera and see things in a different way, and to reconnect with my blog and photography friends.  

Putting on my Realtor hat, I have a long-awaited closing coming up Friday for a client who has been waiting months for her new home. Also, I spent a day last week exploring a ranch and learning more about farm & ranch real estate. And I'm almost finished with my luxury real estate online class. 

My Christmas tree and decorations are still glittering throughout my house... however, technically we're still in the Christmas season until this weekend. I put off decorating, so I might as well enjoy it as long as possible!

Anyway... here are some other sweet!s from my past week and a half...

 

Monday: getting back into your daily routine; a walk on a frosty dawn

Tuesday: experiencing a taste from your childhood again... La Colmena Mexican candy from 40 years ago that is being manufactured by the same family again and available online

 

Wednesday: exploring ranches with a client; listening to stories about old Austin; greeting the new year with sparklers and good friends

 

 

Thursday: a visit from your brother-in-law and his family, including your goddaughter; sister-in-laws; a house full of kids and dogs

 

 

Friday: knowing your brother-in-law and his family made it safely through the ice in West Texas on their way home to Arizona; joining with other friends to help another say a final farewell to her sister

Saturday: the sun returning after days and days of wet, cold, and gray; watching "Cat Ballou" with your mom

Sunday: visiting with friends after church; getting to spend time with your oldest and his wife while helping another friend celebrate her 50th birthday

Monday: your new iPhone arriving via FedEx just as your old one is giving up; invitations from photography friends to join in 1) a 5-day black & white photography challenge and 2) a FlickR 365 Photo Group with friends you met via FlickR years ago; making time for photography

 

 

Tuesday: light from the pre-dawn full moon splashing into your house; news that your mom is making progress in physical therapy; a creative handmade greeting card from a friend in your mailbox

Wednesday: watching your puppy hunt for lizards on a crisp morning walk;  finally posting your overdue sweet!s

 

 

Here's to new adventures and overflowing blessings to all of you in 2015!

 

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.

~John Burroughs