January 2007

Crush, Texas–A Town for One Day

January 31, 2007

There is no evidence to suggest that a famous publicity stunt took place in the bucolic field south of the town of West, Texas, except a lonely historical marker. There are no other signs of the town of Crush, Texas. But, in 1896, the town of Crush was headline news. That year, an employee of [...]

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Good Luck or Good People?

January 30, 2007

I’m headed to Beaumont, Texas this week to tell some stories in the schools. I was supposed to go there earlier this month, but our mini-blizzard came through and postponed it; once a hurricane did so, too. Usually it just rains when I go there. My husband said “usually” means “always.” My mother thought it [...]

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Zany Hotel in San Francisco

January 28, 2007

I realize that using the words “zany” and “San Francisco” in the same sentence may seem as if I am being redundant and repeating myself, also, too, as well. The City is a rather crazy place, which makes it my kind of town. We often book our airline flights and hotels on Travelocity. Last summer [...]

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“Mirror, Mirror On The Wall”

January 26, 2007

Out flew the web and floated wide- The mirror crack’d from side to side; “The curse is come upon me,” cried The Lady of Shalott. “The Lady of Shalott” Alfred, Lord Tennyson Whew! I tripped on the enormous oval mirror that stands in our bedroom. Fortunately, I caught it just before it crashed. As big [...]

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Collage: Art on the Cutting Edge

January 24, 2007

I entered the now defunct restaurant/gift shop in Turkey, Texas. In a small town like Turkey, I wasn’t expecting much out of the place. I found the proprietor/waitress/chef meticulously snipping and clipping pictures from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine. I asked what she was doing, and she smiled a Cheshire cat grin. “Oh,” she [...]

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A “Shade” Different

January 21, 2007

My new apartment had no overhead lighting, and I didn’t get custody of many of the lamps I had owned. My Momma said, “Honey, I have some lamps in the garage.” I went over to scavenge what I could. All of the lamps seemed unbearably ugly to me, but beggars can’t be choosers. I chose [...]

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Travel to Turkey Without a Passport

January 19, 2007

My travels as a storyteller have taken me far and wide. I’ve been to Paris, Dublin, Italy, Palestine, Turkey, Athens and Rhome. That is the correct spelling for Rhome. They are all in Texas. I have traveled outside of the Lone Star State. But, amazingly, some of the small towns right here in Texas afford [...]

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An Ode to the “Nectar of the Gods”

January 18, 2007

There are some days that I enjoy cooking. I savor the smells and the textures of the food. I love the aroma of onion as I chop it, even though I am not fond of the tears. A whiff of fresh garlic makes my mouth water. I can never chop bell pepper or potatoes without [...]

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Saving Bucks on an Elk Skin Jacket

January 17, 2007

A few posts back, I talked about the vintage clothing store in Denton, Texas called Circa 77. We always find something without which we cannot live (That sentence seems stilted, but I had a high school English teacher who got furious if I put a preposition at the end of the sentence. It was something [...]

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Lemon Cookies & Muffins from a Biscuit Mix

January 16, 2007

It’s amazing what you can find when you start trying to get the house straightened for company. I was moving a few books on the shelf, and one of my old recipe cards fell out. I’ve been looking for that recipe for years! It’s been a bookmark in Organizing from the Inside Out, by Julie [...]

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Counting Blessings

January 15, 2007

May it be Beautiful before me. May it be Beautiful behind me. May it be Beautiful above me. May it be Beautiful below me. May I walk in Beauty. Navajo prayer If you are reading this, it is time to count your blessings. You have electricity. Chances are that you are warm, safe, and dry [...]

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221 B Baker Street

January 14, 2007

My recent post about Denton as a Destination made me have a sudden urge to go to Rose Costume shop. I love to wander there and marvel at the imagination of the decorators. It’s like a vision through the Looking Glass. Around every corner is a new wonder. There is even a White Rabbit (or [...]

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How’ll We Cope With Coyotes

January 13, 2007

I glanced up from the newspaper I was reading as I sat on my back porch, and there he was: Coyote! He was strutting across the field of grass at the back of my yard without a care in the world. I jumped up and yelled, “Hey, You! Git!” Coyote looked at me insolently, as [...]

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Until Lincoln Turns Blue

January 12, 2007

I’m looking at the fragile remains of a ration book and ration stamps that my great-grandmother Dolpha Rhea Robertson Armour had during the WWII. I’m pondering about why a group called “The Compactors” have made such a stir in the news. Have you heard about them? A group of people in San Francisco got together [...]

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Denton as a Destination??

January 11, 2007

It occurred to me that, if you decide to drop off in Denton, Texas, you might want to do more than just go to a vintage clothing store (see

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Vintage Values

January 10, 2007

I’ve heard people complain about small town life. I don’t mind it much anymore, but I confess that when I first moved to Denton, Texas I wasn’t crazy about it. I missed living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex where I could shop and eat. It’s been a slow process of discovery, but I’m finding that [...]

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Old Jigsaw Puzzlers Never Die…They Just Go To Pieces

January 9, 2007

There is that “blonde joke” about the gal who said, “I bought a puzzle that said ’2-4 years.’ I don’t know why they think it’s that hard…I finished it in 6 months.” That was funny until my husband and I sat down to work a jigsaw puzzle, produced by The Puzzle House, called “Starry Night.” [...]

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“Rule of 10″

January 8, 2007

Some people think I’m silly to do this. Others have stolen the idea because they liked it so well. I don’t care. I know it works for me. Because I am self-employed, and often work at home, I sometimes have difficulty staying on task and finishing a job. It’s so easy to step away from [...]

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Not your “just desserts”

January 7, 2007

Several years ago, a friend shared this dessert recipe with me. Actually, I think I had to beg her for it after she served it at her home. She isn’t looking, so I’ll pass it on. I have no idea of the calorie count or nutrition information. When you eat this heavenly dessert, it won’t [...]

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Haunted Eureka

January 5, 2007

Yesterday I wrote that my husband and I chose to stay at The Crescent Hotel when we went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a visit. I said that we wanted local flavor and didn’t want the intimacy of a bed and breakfast. I lied. We stayed at The Crescent, because it’s haunted. I confess that [...]

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