Tag: family

Published – Mama Blue Loves Cassie Sue

On By DGThomaIn Family, WritingLeave a comment

The profound connection between Cassie Sue and her grandmother Mama Blue is tested when the physical distance between them makes it difficult to find comfort and smiles. The story demonstrates a delightful tale of family bonds, joy and inspiration.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL1C96N – link to book on Amazon

Pick up a copy of the eBook or paperback and leave a review! Check back here to follow new tales of Mama Blue and Cassie. Be the first to know when the Blue Family adventures continue in the next book.

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Mama Blue Loves Cassie Sue

On By DGThomaIn News and Reviews, Writing1 Comment

I trust you are all doing well. Covid is no longer rampant. Although it is still lingering in the shadows, it isn’t in the daily news and for the most part everyone is starting to breathe a sigh of relief. But this post is about celebrating wins, both big and small. You may not know, I have finished a children’s book: “Mama Blue Loves Cassie Sue” and it will be published this summer. This is exciting and I would love for everyone to join me in a huge celebration. I would be thrilled if you could take a minute to review the book, honestly on Amazon and Goodreads. Stay tuned here for an update very soon.

If you are interested in receiving updates, please send an email to apdgt@nanasapronstrings.com or just subscribe to the blog and you will be added to the notification list as we get closer to publishing. I will notify you when the book is available on Amazon, and other fun facts regarding future projects currently in the works! Also, when you can begin your reading and reviewing journey! This book is an early reader/picture book, so it should be a quick read for adults. If you have friends you think might be interested, please pass on the information. Let me know if you want more info as the launch date is available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A Saturday of Surprises

On By DGThomaIn News and Reviews, Writing1 Comment

I was scheduled to work Saturday a few weeks ago.  Well I scheduled myself, but there were a lot of things I needed to get done.   I planned to sleep in a bit, maybe even until 7:30 AM.  Weekdays, the alarm goes off at 5:00 AM.  I also planned to drop by the Farmer’s Market on my way out of town.  From our suburb outside Austin, TX to my office is normally a 60-90 minute commute.  On Saturdays, if we leave early enough we can make it 45 minutes.  A stop by the market would still get me to work relatively early.

I did sleep until 7:30 AM and was in the kitchen by 8:00 AM, trying to decide what I wanted for breakfast.  My phone beeped to alert me, I had a text.  One of my co-workers, already at the office informed me the water was off and everyone was going home.  I resisted the temptation to text “Woo hoo!” and simply replied “Thanks!”

With unexpected free time, I stirred up a vegetable frittata, steamed new potatoes from my garden and had a delicious breakfast.  After breakfast, I managed to talk both my husband and son into going with me to the Farmer’s Market downtown.

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Elgin Farmers’ Market

It’s not a large venue.  There were about 15 vendor stalls, live local musicians, and a decent number of people milling about.  Saturday morning, the crowd,  smaller than normal due in part to an early morning rain shower, still provided quite a few shoppers.  We arrived around 10:45 AM, just in time for a drawing.  A vendor approached us and insisted we drop our names in the bucket.  I appointed my husband our representative.  He often wins these things but I rarely do.

I continued to shop while he signed up for the raffle.  He surprised me by entering all three of our names.  A little late, but not too long after 11:00 AM someone announced the drawing was about to begin.  No matter what the prize, the anticipation of waiting for your name to be called is exhilarating.  The “grand prize” was a gift certificate for handmade goat milk soaps and lotions from Sweet Life.  Everyone had an eye on that one.  First name called?  My son. Several people nearby whispered, “Maybe he isn’t here,” but he hurried to the grandstand, calling “Here I am!”   Screenshot 2016-06-15 15.04.44

Now everyone was interested in the drawing.  We all moved closer and circled the grandstand.  Several more prizes were awarded, before they announced the next prize was an olive tree.  “That’s what I want,” I told my husband.  I don’t know why, but it seemed really cool.  Winner?  My husband; still exciting because I suspected I would be the actual recipient.

More names were drawn and prizes awarded.  The next prize? Two glitter tattoos.  Immediately, I whispered, “that’s what I’m going to win.”   Yes, absolutely they called my name.  I looked around for a little girl I could donate to, but alas they all already sported a glittery tattoo.

I only claimed one of my tattoos, I didn’t want to be greedy after all.  I left with a pretty Celtic knot plastered on my calf.  I thanked my benefactor and had to smile as I walked away.  She shouted to me, “Sometimes, they will last up to two weeks.”

Two weeks later, I can still see the outline.   Wonderful day of surprises!

 

A Calm Mind is a Precious Gift

On By DGThomaIn 2016, Exercise, Family, News and Reviews, WritingLeave a comment

The Bastrop State Park is a quick 20-minute drive from my home.  I love to visit the park, picnicking, cooking on the grill or hiking and running the trails.  My memories are peppered with hours spent in the park.

In September 2011 a roaring fire swept through Bastrop County in Central Texas.  The fiery inferno didn’t spare the state park. The resulting devastation affected ninety-six percent of the park as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze.   Ultimately, it charred 32,000 acres.

The recovery has been amazing and the many volunteers who work tirelessly to revitalize it are inspiring.

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Last Sunday, we arrived at the park for our first visit of the new year. As I tightened my laces, my spirit stirred.  The sandy trail, flowed beneath my sneakers, grabbing  for traction, keeping me sure-footed as  I navigated the rocky trail.

The rustle of the dry leaves falling from the trees whispered, reminiscent of a Texas rattlesnake.

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Fallen trees lay tangled, a jigsaw of trunks etched on the ground by spring flooding.  We passed a young hiker garbed in a pink dress and knee high cowboy boots.  She grasped her father’s hand wide eyed as her brother warned us “to watch out for those ants up ahead”.  He punctuated his words with his walking stick, the stick twice his size.

Regal pine trees crooned a melody, their branches, the wind’s violin.  Small white flowers sprinkled across our path an embryo that would soon be plump juicy berries, ripe and tart.20160228_115141

Trudging up slopes I flew down the other side, shedding inhibitions.  I felt free to stumble, laugh, fall and get back up to do it again.  Leaping mud puddles in a single bound, I conquered makeshift bridges and eluded poisonous tendrils of vines alongside the trail.

Fire damage and destruction faded.  Sparks of green climbed over and under fallen and damaged trees.

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Seven miles of fun later, wonderfully spent but also energized, I sat.  Warmed by the sun, I enjoyed the song of a bird, the notes carried on the breeze.  Marveling at the unexpected joy of a soul unburdened, my soul and body were restored.  What a precious gift!

Winding down the Old and Quietly Ushering in the New

On By DGThomaIn Family, News and Reviews, Travel, Writing2 Comments

My anniversary is the first week in January and instead of exchanging gifts, my husband and I often take a weekend trip.  We are usually in need of a bit of recuperation.  Although fun, holiday travel can take a toll.   Our hectic schedule begins with Thanksgiving and culminates with our anniversary weekend.

I love to travel but am always grateful to return home.  This year our holiday plans included multiple trips, and I wanted to avoid piling on more miles when planning our anniversary.

I debated planning a special meal instead of a weekend trip, but decided to search online for day trips.  A few familiar options popped up, but, there was one I had not heard of , the 9E Ranch.  Intrigued, I read the following blurb:

“On a 320-acre ranch, this rustic cabin resort lies 13.4 miles from both downtown Bastrop and Smithville.

The 4 antiques-filled cabins are individually decorated and come with full kitchens and country views. Some add sleeper lofts, claw-foot tubs, air-conditioning, decks or wood-burning stoves.

Paths and hiking trails crisscross the property. Breakfast muffins and coffee are complimentary.”

The description sounded perfect for a quiet restful weekend!  I checked the website for a vacancy and found The Eagles’ Nest Log Cabin was available.  I booked the cabin and on Friday afternoon, we headed for the 9E Ranch.

We arrived at the ranch half an hour after we left home.  The entrance was easy enough to find but I recommend using GPS.  It is well marked but in the dusk it wasn’t as obvious as I expected.  As we drove through the gate, we shook, rattled and rolled down the hard-packed dirt road.

9E

It was a typical ranch road as expected on a working ranch. When we pulled up to the cabin, a smile spread across my face.  The scene was idyllic.  Thankfully, we had packed light, bringing few bags.  The air was chilly and damp, so minimal luggage made unloading easy. DSC00388

Inside, I was instantly charmed.  The view was lovely.  The stately pine trees meandered across the grassy slope tossing pine needles in their wake.  Huddled at the bottom of the hill a small herd of longhorn cattle strolled.

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We stowed our bags and settled on the sofa as the evening dusk faded to cast delightful light show across the horizon.  Later, we sat at the little wooden table and ate a light meal.  Tuna and fruit on a bed of greens and a tray of cheese with crackers on the side made a light and tasty meal!  The rest of the evening we sat quietly reading, talking and just looking at  the skyline.

On Saturday we drove to Smithville to visit a few antique stores and enjoy a fun lunch at Pocket’s Grille.  At Pockets, the burger bar is the trunk of a 1961 Ford Galaxy.  I ordered fish tacos and it was a delicious choice.  Ron opted for a burger. We both cleaned our plates.  After lunch, we headed back to our cabin.  With the drizzle now a rain, we stayed inside the rest of the day.  We had planned to take long walks on the trails and view the animals that roam the ranch.

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Instead we stayed indoors, wrapped in a quilt while we played Trivial Pursuit and watched the night sky come to life.  We left the Eagles’ Nest cabin around noon on Sunday, refreshed and rested.  It was the perfect getaway and I can hardly wait to return.

The Quiet After the Tempests

On By DGThomaIn Animal Stories, Family, Musings, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

Last year I persistently clacked the keyboard, determined to put some small entertainment on the blank page.   If not entertainment, then perhaps grammatically correct sentences.  Doggedly producing words, I waited for a gem to flow through my fingers.

Then I faltered.  I’ve been away from the page for a while, pulled by distractions and obligations.

It began with Thanksgiving, the gentle nudge away from writing.  The busy work and family obligations wooed me.  I allowed myself to let writing slide for a while, missing a blog post, then two and three.  My novel (s) in waiting went unopened for weeks.  New ideas blossomed in my head and faded; notepads empty and computers idle.

Today I attempted to regain focus.  Christmas has passed and Christmas future is far away.  I took a deep breath, mentally rather than physically and opened a beautifully blank page.

Behind the computer screen, through the windowpane, two red cardinals play in the leaves.  I smile and watch them foraging when suddenly the leaves around the bright spots of red became alive with movement.  Bobbing in and out of the fallen oak leaves are numerous female cardinals.  Their slight movement camouflaged, their coloring matching the dried leaves.  Enjoying the activity, I see a squirrel has entered the scene.  He too is easy to miss as he darts among the reds and browns of the winter landscape.

Past the tall barren oaks and through splashes of green from the fir trees, my neighbors walk their large white dog down our country lane; his full coat and bushy tail appear at odd intervals through the kaleidoscope of nature.

I recall the many cities I visited in the last few weeks and the family stories I intend to share, later.  Now, I’m going to relax and enjoy nature.  I’ll be back to catch up on travel and family a little later.

 

 

You’ve Got Mail and oh so much more……

On By DGThomaIn Family, Friends, Writing2 Comments

An article landed in my inbox this week.  A man was reminiscing about an old lamp  that sat in the living room of his childhood home.  He held a finial, the decorative top piece that keeps the shade in place, in his hand. A smile bloomed on my face, immediately understanding how he felt.  I’ve stood in antique shops and thrift stores cradling an object in my hand, lost in a cherished memory.

I enjoy my treasures.  As I walk thru my front door I am greeted by an abundance of artifacts.  Artifacts from my husband’s childhood in Yugoslavia rest companionably near my grandfather’s carpenter square.  20151108_111821A picture painted by  Yugoslavian artist, Jovan Obican hangs adjacent to a hand drawn painting of a rooster my sister created for me. 20151108_111805 An antique hand held mixer rests on the kitchen window sill.

These things and many others fill my home with memories.  They make my house a home and ground me in the roots of my heredity.

And then……

Another article popped up in my inbox today.  It proclaimed our houses are filled with things that should be immediately thrown out.  The article touted the danger of  the germs swimming around us. Immediately I envisioned microorganisms crawling through my cabinets, over my floors and on all my possessions.  The article mentioned treasured mementos and things you keep out of guilt.  Their advice?  Toss them!  And extra buttons?  Get rid of them.  You will never use them anyway.

Feeling guilty for enjoying my treasures and more than a little grossed out, I thought about divesting myself of everything except basic essentials.  It really would make it much easier to clean and dust.  And that button box does have tons of one of a kind antique buttons I will never use.    20151109_201039

But I would also give up the comfort of snuggling into my antique wingback chair, 20151109_202553   my grandmother’s handmade quilt across my lap, reading a book discovered in my last thrift store perusal.  No thank you.   I think I’m okay with things just as they are germs, dust and all.

Listening for your song…..

On By DGThomaIn Family, Writing1 Comment

Can you hear your song, Jilly Girl?  Listen carefully!  Your song is deep inside, but if you listen you can hear it.  It is a conglomeration of thousands of melodies from everyone who helped make you.  Your great-grandmother, Granny Greenway, Nana Thoma, Mama and great-aunts each contributed.  There are lots more that I don’t even remember.”

I recently found this message I had written to my granddaughter 15 or 16 years ago.  She had asked me to snuggle with her in our oversized recliner and watch a video.  Yes, we were still playing video tapes on a VCR back then.

We watched as an inventor named Doc and his dog Sprocket wandered through Fraggle Rock. Fraggle Rock is a Muppet type show created by Jim Henson.  It debuted in 1983.  Jillian was born in 1996 and has always loved retro things.  Betty Boop was her favorite animation and the theme from Top Gun was her favorite music.   The Fraggles spent the episode searching for their songs.  I heard Jillian humming, and realized she still had to find her inner songs.

I whispered to her, “Start looking now, before your life is cluttered with everyone else’s songs.”

Jillian is 19 years old now.  We don’t fit in that old recliner any more.  I’m sure neither of us have a copy of Fraggle Rock any longer.  We still enjoying snuggling occasionally.  She has a lovely song and it’s “cluttered” by many other songs.  I was wrong in one respect.  Her song is unique, but it’s definitely peppered with melodies and notes from everyone that has passed through her life and that’s the way it should be.

I haven’t shared this with Jillian and I don’t believe she will remember any advice I freely offered to her at 5 years young.  I hope she will always remember those special memories we created and continues to enjoy creating more of them.

But mostly, I hope she knows, how beautiful her song has become.

The Phone Rings…..

On By DGThomaIn Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, WritingLeave a comment

How often does that happen anymore?  It is rare for me to receive a call.  I keep a house phone simply for the convenience of the answering machine.  I give out my home number when I am asked for one by a business or individual I’m not familiar with.    20150722_200818

Every month, on my cell phone invoice the minutes used are minimal.  Everyone I know texts.  My daughter and one of my sisters are both great at calling.  And my dad, one of my aunt’s, my granddaughter…..  Ok, maybe it’s a few more people than I first thought.

When my cell phone rings, it’s like getting a call in the middle of the night.  I immediately picture chaos and mayhem.

Tonight, as I was leaving work my cell phone rang.  Halfway down the stairs, I began to shift my lunch bag so I could dig through the suitcase I call a purse in search of the vibration tingling my hip.  Just as I pulled it free from the tangle of phone chargers, lipstick etc., it stopped ringing.

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I smiled when I saw it was my sister. I immediately returned the call.  She answered and said, “Hey, I haven’t talked to you in a while and wanted to see how you are doing.”  Then she waited for an answer and actually listened for a response.

It was an amazing thing!  A real conversation, listening, talking and listening some more.  How lovely is that!

With a smile on my face and well caught up on the family news, I said goodbye to my sister and tossed the phone back into my purse.  Immediately, I felt it vibrate once again.

This time it was my daughter.  After a too brief conversation, I hung up smiling even more broadly and declared it to be “The Night of Phone Calls!”

A lovely surprise which I highly recommend!  Maybe I should try it myself occasionally!

Pick a Little, Talk a Little…….

A Change of Plans…

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Friends, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Travel, Writing5 Comments

July 4, 2015… Well it actually started July 2nd.

When my Dad called to say he wanted to come for a visit, we decided to rent a cabin for a couple of nights at the lake.  Knowing the cabins would fill quickly over the 4th of July, we made reservations months ago.  My dad loves to fish, which is obvious from his nickname “Fishhook”.  We made sure to get a waterfront cabin so he could fish as much as he wanted.  I’m not a fan of water and I don’t have the heart to go fishing, but Dad loves it!

In anticipation of our time together, we postponed our Father’s Day celebration.  We decided to celebrate Father’s day and my birthday together.  (my birthday falls on the 6th of July).

My daughter, Kat planned to swing by and pick up the boys, (my grandson’s) and my Dad.  They all live about six hours away and although Dad is perfectly capable of driving here himself, at 82 I hate for him to be on the road.

We reserved the cabin for Thursday night and Friday night.  We planned to drive to Corpus to see my older sister Saturday morning.  She and I share a birthday even though we are three years apart.  My Dad wanted to visit both of us on our birthday.  Rarely do she and I have an opportunity to spend time together and it’s been years since Dad was able to join us on our birthday.

As often happens, our plans went awry.  The boys had rehearsals for their community theater production and couldn’t get away.  Dad lost his critter sitter and didn’t want to leave his dogs.  He was also feeling a bit under the weather.

We thought about cancelling the trip and just gathering at home, but decided against it.  The cabin was only 20 minutes or so from our house, but tucked away among the trees and nestled on the bank of the lake made it feel worlds apart.20150703_165613

We left for the cabin on Thursday, picking up my goddaughter, Dez and my son, Rich on the way.  Dez, loves to fish and had eagerly anticipated fishing with my Dad.  Rich on the other hand has never really enjoyed fishing as much as his sister does.  My daughter was bringing her fishing gear and planned to arrive Thursday evening.  She and Dez would be our fisherwomen for the weekend.20150703_120614

The cabin was very basic.  It had five beds, an air conditioner and a trail leading to a shared shower and restroom facility.  It also had a beautiful view of the lake, fresh air, an outdoor grill and a picnic table.

During the weekend we played games, rented a canoe, ate too much food and created unbelievable memories.  My son discovered an enjoyment of fishing (much to his surprise), my daughter discovered a slug in her tennis shoe and a June bug in her swimsuit cover-up and my granddaughter, Jilly discovered a beetle in her nightshirt.

I discovered the delight of sitting in the middle of a canoe, lightly rowing and watching my Kat and Dez cast their lines.  We laughed so hard trying to launch the canoe we almost didn’t get in the water.  Even when the wind picked up and the rain fell, we laughed and fished and rowed.20150703_165844

 

 

Father’s Day was celebrated on Thursday night.  We celebrated my birthday on Friday night, with Kat and Jilly surprised me with a cake and everyone sang happy birthday.

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Saturday morning we were supposed to leave by noon but no one was ready to leave.  Anticipating failure, but deciding to try anyway, my husband went to see if we could stay another night.  Our cabin was already booked but the one next door was available.  Rather than make us move, they switched the other guests next door.  After a wonderful breakfast and lunch, my husband and I went to pick up a fresh bundle of firewood from the front office.  When we arrived, they let us know the family that was originally booked in our cabin was insisting that we move and give them our cabin.

Since our reservation had been impromptu and it seemed to be important to the other family, we willing agreed to move.  I rushed into the cabin to interrupt the current game in process and let everyone know we were moving.  We had 5 beds stripped, suitcases moved, dishes and food transitioned and all our outdoor gear moved in about 15 minutes.  By the time the new guests arrived we were already seated in our chairs next door planning our dinner meal.

I decided that if we ever have to go on the run or leave in a hurry, we definitely have the skills!  Slightly sunburned, a few pounds heavier and a heart full of sunshine, we went our separate ways.  It was a wonderfully fulfilling weekend with many stories left to tell…. Like the raccoon and the hotdogs and the snake in the reeds….  All stories for another day.