H A P S - Y Day

On Sunday, January 18, 2015, while family in Ohio and along the East Coast hunkered down under record snowfall, I celebrated this painfully beautiful Texas day as a spectator at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. Bright blue skies and 50-something degrees were a perfect backdrop for my sister-in-law Iris, my brother Doug, and me to stand at the 8-mile mark of this 13.1 mile course and track my son Steve's endeavor. Hopefully we would connect with him, and cheer as my Momma's heart swelled with love for my first-born. (Y'all know--this still happens, even after more than 3 decades!)

Our spot for marathon watching on this beautiful January day--
the middle of Main Street at Binz
with the Houston Museum of Fine Arts in the background. 

 

Organized runs these days attract participants who "Run for a Cause," and raise awareness along with funds for various worthy organizations. Steve Jr. had been training for months leading up to the run; then in November, 2014, his Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Steve Jr. contacted the Houston Area Parkinson's Society, joined their team, and began to ask for donations through a Facebook link. He and his generous friends raised over $2,000. And he got some cool race goods.



This is Steve Sr.'s t-shirt.

Here's the website for Houston Area Parkinson's Society:
www.hapsonline.org



How about a hero's cape?!

Doug, Iris, and I were all about the cape.

We claimed our standing room right next to the barrier flags, and began the wait for our man to show.

This part of the course took half-marathoners around the Houston Museum of Fine Arts,
passing the Mecom Fountain (center left, background) on the way.
We knew the approximate time Steve would be at this mark and
this is where we agreed to meet our guy for his pat on the back.

Doug used a tracking app on his phone to check our hero's location via a GPS chip implanted in Steve's race badge. We waited. He checked. We waited. He checked.

Time for a selfie, since we were waiting.

More runners made their way by while we waited for Steve Jr.

Iris, purple pom-pom in hand, crossed the course for a better view.

 

While waiting, I decided to film a little video lead with narration. "Here we are at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon . . . January, 2015 . . . at the corner of Main Street and Binz . . . a beautiful morning . . . waiting for Steve Jr. to come down the street . . .." You know, a little intro to the fabulous footage to come with our guy running by in slow-mo, all Chariots of Fire.

 

In the actual film audio, one can hear Iris repeating above the cheering crowd from across Main Street, "SANDY! I SAW HIM! HE'S ALREADY PASSED." Then a tiny disappointed voice, "Doug, did she say he's already passed by? Did we miss him?" And Doug's reply, "That's what she said."

 

Well, since I captured Iris' revelation, maybe I caught Steve Jr. too. I raced back through the clips on my preview screen with a little prayer on my lips. If we didn't actually see him to cheer him on and get a brief sweaty hug, please! Could I actually have accidentally captured him on film? Please?!

 

Sure 'nuff--as we say in Texas. Translated, that means yes! By absolute randomness, I had filmed Steve coming up the street and around the corner right in front of me. These are still photos I extracted from the video, so apologies are in order for the very poor quality.

 

White baseball cap, yellow T-shirt
(left center)




Steve ran next to his buddy Trey
(white T-shirt, right of
Steve)
 

The tall guy in the white baseball cap
--that's my hero!



Steve and Trey (behind)
in the zone.

My consolation was that Iris spotted her nephew and ran with him for a half block! So glad he knew we were all there.

 

After watching more half-marathoners striving for their personal bests, we noticed a guy with a sign that quite a few runners were swerving to touch.

 

What does that pink sign say?



Touch Here For Power

Also in the sign man's repertoire--
a runner's joke.

We wore our capes in front so the runners could see them.

While we visited with the sign man, one woman caught our attention. With coiffed hair, makeup, and hot pink lips in perfect order, she was decked out in running shorts, pink running shoes, and a black bustier. She slowed down long enough to stare at us over her Armani shades and declare, "If my thighs are still touching when I finish this race, I'm gonna' be pissed!" Off she ran, leaving me to wonder if I, too, should be more concerned about my thigh gaps--or lack thereof. I got over that before her Chanel #5 evaporated in the cool breeze.

 

At that point, we left for Iris and Doug's house, where we were meeting both Steves Sr. and Jr. for a celebration lunch. Since both Iris and Doug had marathons scratched off their bucket lists, they knew what every runner needs, and had our lunch table decorated with all manner of useful items; bananas, Bag Balm, citrus, sports drinks, Icy Hot analgesic, bottled water, band-aids, Advil--you name it. Cute!

Table Decorations



Everything a runner needs

 

There was also a sign. (BTW--I debated briefly about including this next picture, because it has a back story that's a source of embarrassment to Steve Jr. But, I'll tell all.) Back in the '90's, when Steve walked the stage at his Lamar High School graduation, the name announced was

"Stephanie Michelle Bingham."

What?? Imagine an 18 year-old male standing on stage in front of 2-3,000 fellow students and onlookers, wishing a trap door would mercifully open and swallow him up. Alas! All these years later, that moniker pops up occasionally like a fresh shoot of nut grass in the well-manicured garden of his life. Someone--ususally his younger brother or his Uncle Tom--delights in 'sharing the memory.' This time it was Aunt Iris and Uncle Doug.

 

Well, we were proud of him. Yes, him.

It was a great day, all around. Steve Jr. poured his depleted self into a chair and told us stories about his experience between mouthfuls of food and gigantic amounts of fluids. And, yes, my Momma's heart did indeed swell with love and pride for my first-born.

A couple more pix from the day:

Aunt Iris is ready for fun.

Uncle Doug shares a laugh
with Steve Jr.

Steve and Steve
(two of my heroes!)



Congratulations, Steve Jr.!

Living with Parkinson's takes heroic resolve.

 

Annalee's Quilt

What a joy it is to celebrate the birth of a baby girl! She's the first daughter of the daughter of a dear friend that I've known for over 20 years. Two brothers and five boy cousins lined up to meet her!

I wanted to make a rag quilt for Baby Girl, and I knew that lace and rosebuds were not in the genetic make-up of this child. As gentle and feminine as my friend is, she can also cock a shotgun to run off pecan poachers, rebuild an engine, wire a new home under construction, and castrate a bull. She does it all in well-worn boots, with a pink baseball cap covering her strawberry blonde head. Now, don't get me wrong, she looks like a lady on a Sunday morning. Cleans up real good, as they say. And she has the gift of mercy so deep that every child in the county lovingly calls her Mimi; and every stray animal and person for miles knows that her home and heart are safe and warm. She's just never been afraid to get her knuckles skinned up.

And, you know what they say about the apple . . . daughter didn't fall far from the tree. I'm so grateful that my path crossed that of this freckle-faced, fun-loving adventuress. I call her my friend as well. She was in elementary school when we moved into the community; we share lots of life history. She has grown, graduated, married her high school sweetheart, taught school, adopted a son, given birth to a second son, and now . . . this little bundle!

Brief back story aside, I wanted to find just the right fabric for Baby Girl's rag quilt. It was so much fun to collect the fabric story for Annalee's special gift. My inspiration was Michael Miller's retro Lil' Cowgirl fabric from Hobby Lobby. Here it is:

Chickens, pigtails, boots, and denim

Stick horse, John Deere print

Bandana-like print, green polka dots,
brown straw, and, yes, a few roses

Puppies, trikes, wagons, and John Deere

It was a delight to put this quilt together. Here's what it looks like all finished:

Annalee's Quilt

The Lil' Cowgirl fabric was cut in wider strips
to show all the cuteness.
6 other companion fabrics complement.

Here's the back--all lime-green bandana print
with a top and bottom strip of Lil' Cowgirls.

God Bless you, Baby Girl! Keep those two big brothers and boy cousins in line, okay?


BTW--if you want a rag quilt tutorial, check mine out here.

Dad's Plaids

My Dad died 7 days after his 96th birthday, 5 days before Thanksgiving, and a month before Christmas, 2014. One way I was able to begin to work through my loss was by using some of Dad's clothes to create small gifts for family members. I called the gifts Dad's Plaids.

This was a very truncated form of traditional Victorian Mourning Quilts, which were memorials for loved ones with elaborate embroidery or delicate piecing. Seems that women have been using their hands and resources at hand to express that certain mix of love and sadness that leaves one feeling both extremely empty and incredibly heavy all at the same time. Weighed down and empty.

I received permission from my stepmother Alma to take some of Dad's clothes. No explanation asked or given; she gave me full access to a closet-full of khaki slacks, plaid shirts, lounge pants, solid pajamas, and ties. At home, I set the ties aside; then I washed and dried all the clothes. Next step was what I call 'cannibalizing' the clothes--deconstructing each item to maximize the amount of fabric that I'll have on hand. Pockets, collars, belt loops, cuffs, shirt backs and fronts, pants legs--all cut apart and laid flat to be used for various simple projects. Trouser and shirt buttons were clipped and saved too.

Dad's Plaids Birds

Here are some little fabric birds for girl gifts.

Each is made from three layers of fabric, the tip of a tie, and a button.
The bird is outline-stitched by machine.
Then edges are snipped for a ragged finish.
Finally a wing is hand-sewn in place with a button.
A gift card is looped over the wing with a thin strip of yet another plaid.

So many pretty blue birds!
In hindsight, I should have attached a loop of ribbon
so that the bird could be hung on a Christmas tree or door knob.

 

Dad's Plaids Pillow

 

Twelve of Dad's ties became a pillow. The pillow back is khaki pant fabric.
I gave this pillow to my brother and sister-in-law.
After all, Dad taught Doug how to tie and tie.
 

 Dad's Plaids Key Fobs

With the addition of a metal key ring,
these strips of layered plaids and khaki
were sewn by machine into sturdy key fobs for the guys.
I'll show you the gift cards close-up in a minute.

Dad's Plaids Snake!

This fun idea came from several Pinterest posts.
One scaley looking tie is filled with a combo
of batting and plastic beads (used in doll-making).
It makes him moldable right down to his rattling tail.
Lots of hand stitching secures the beads inside.
Buttons and a length of gold ric-rac make just the right expression.

His tail:
knot + large jingle bell + knot + jingle bell + knot
Our 3 year-old grandson loves his snake
from "Puppy Ball" aka PawPaw Bill.

Dad's Plaids Gift Tags

Publisher helped me make these small gift tags from cardstock.
Each was personalized with a name and attached with a thin strip of plaid fabric.

Dad's Plaids Picture Frames
How could I not get pictures of these?!?! They were gifts for some of Dad and Alma's married grandchildren and great grandchildren. I cut foam core 'frames' and then wrapped strips of plaid fabrics around to cover completely. Guess you'll have to trust me--they're cute!


Dad's Plaids Tote

This tote is made from two shades of khakis, a pretty blue plaid dress shirt, and ties.
I gave it to Alma to replace the paper gift bag she used to carry important papers
to doctors' appointments. It's big enough to accommodate a couple of folders,
and has handles long enough to throw on the shoulder. 

When I gave it to her, Alma looked and said, "That's nice."
I asked if she knew what it was, and she said, "It's a tote bag."
I paused. She stared at it. Then realized,
"Oh! It's made out of Bill's clothes!!"
She hugged it to her chest and smiled.

Now everyone closest to my Dad--Alma, all the kids, grandkids, great-grands, spouses of kids and grands--everyone has a little reminder of him and his love. Dad's Plaids.

99 Reasons to Love Gardening

Here's a combination of two of my favorite things--photography + gardening.
Welcome Spring!

African or Butterfly Iris



Texas State Flower
Bluebonnet

Bluebonnets with Pincushion Flowers and Salvia

Springtime Blues

Bottlebrush Tree

Crazy Bloomer this year!

:~D  Trying to grow a bottle tree . . .

Feathery Bronze Fennel in the Herb Bed

Calendula

In the front yard--Snapdragons, Dusty Miller, African Iris

Citronella in Bloom

My neighbor's Jasmine peeps over the fence
and fills the air with its fragrance.

Fern Leaf Dill from last fall has gone to seed.

Dill Seed Heads

Lovely

One of Three Birdbaths



Red Blooms -Pineapple Sage

Black Swallowtail Butterflies love dill,
these plants will be gone before the butterflies arrive.



Ladybugs keep company with my dill.

Here's a showstopper! Duranta

Duranta

aka Brazilian Star Flower



Waxy yellow berries are hold-overs from last fall.

Two years after freezing back to the ground, Duranta is back
in all its glory.

And I am thrilled!

Bluebonnets go to seed while Duranta is covered in bright purple.

 

Hibiscus

A Peachy Sculpture

When I eat breakfast in the garden,
I see a squatter in the house.
Chameleon has laid claim
to bask in the sun on this little porch!

Loquat Tree

The first year we've had fruit!

The view from our Breakfast Room

Mockingbirds love Loquats.
I like them too!

My dream spot for a small fountain.
In the meantime, pots of kalanchoes brighten the space.

This Spring, a crew came to weed, mulch, and fertilize.
Microlife (chicken poop) is magic.

Can you see 2 of the 4 utility boxes we have in our back yard?!
Reworking this corner after taking out 2 small trees and 5 sage.
The neighbor's star jasmine is a treat.

Looking South

Looking North



New Pergola adds a lot to the space.

Looking West

Add caption

From the gate on the East side

Mandevilla

Pretty in Pink

Mexican or False Heather

Milkweed is the host plant for Monarch Butterflies.

Onion Chives in the Herb Bed

Drifts of Cool Blues

Bright lime Sedum and striped Variegated Yucca
contrast with Pincushion flowers and Salvia.

Possum Haw Holly couldn't wait
to pop leaves and blooms.

Purslane explodes as soon as the sun shines.



A Knock-Out Rose

Bloomer

Perfect single blooms

Neon Bright

My Knock-Out Rose
Tree!

A Giant's Bouquet

My Favorite Salvia--Hot Lips



Hummingbirds Love It

It's happy in the sun.

Another Salvia whose name I don't know.
But I like the purple spikes.

Spring Time

Here's still another--Summer Salvia

It seeds very freely.

With absolutely no help,
Summer Salvia finds its way all over the garden.

Sedum in Bloom

Snapdragons with Ornamental Kale (gone wild)

Mexican Heather bookends Snapdragons

My first attempt at Strawberries
was well-received by the birds.

Purple Homestead Verbena
Gotta' love it!

A very thick mat of blooms

Cascades

over the edging



Another Bird Bath enjoys the company of
Marigolds



Red Yucca blooms attract lots of  honeybees.

This bee's legs are so loaded with pollen,
I'm not sure how it kept flying.

The Red Yucca's coral-colored bloom spikes
last for several months.

A Sculpture for the Xeriscape Garden

While the plant is a spikey 2-3 feet tall,
Red Yucca blooms reach 5-6 feet.

Hope you enjoyed this tour of my gardens for Spring 2015. Come back again, okay?