Category Archives: Texas

The ARK: My hillside ecosystem

Posted on May 8, 2020 by

ARK = Acts of Restorative Kindness. I am relatively certain many might look at this photograph and wonder “Why did she post a picture of a bunch of weeds?”  Truth be told, as a child of relatively pragmatic folks growing … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts of Restorative Kindness, Mississippi, Texas | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Rakkasan Nam Viet Earl Grey

Posted on April 25, 2020 by

Nam Viêt Earl Grey is our own take on the world famous and always popular Earl Grey tea.  The wild black tea and bergamot combination offers an amazing experience where the character of the tea is enhanced by an orange, … Continue reading →

Posted in Mississippi, Tea, Texas, Vintage Mid-century dishes | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Harmony House “Vintage” and No. 10 Jing Mai Shou Ripe Pu-Erh from 2017

Posted on March 29, 2020 by

Several days ago, I mentioned doing the pu-erh tasting, and this morning felt like a perfect day for it.  I went outside to see sunshine, blue clear skies, and things that are green and not yellow as the rain last … Continue reading →

Posted in Tea, Texas, Vintage Mid-century dishes | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Himalayan Black Dragon Oolong in Golden Wheat

Posted on March 25, 2020 by

Today, I’m pouring Rakkasan Tea Company’s Himalayan Black Dragon Oolong, served in Homer Laughlin’s Golden Wheat pattern with 22K gold trim.  The flat cup and saucer set sell for $5.99 at replacements.com china.  I bought a set of two cups … Continue reading →

Posted in Tea, Texas | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

2020: The Year of Clearer Vision

Posted on January 1, 2020 by

Here is that fresh new year ahead of us, just waiting for us to write the stories, the pictures, the music, the learning, the relationships, the fun, the sadness, the opportunities that each moment brings for us to become a … Continue reading →

Posted in Mississippi, Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Randy Bakes “Fancy Party Cookies”

Posted on December 10, 2018 by

Last year at work, Rand participated in the Christmas Cookie Exchange.  I baked his cookies for him, and scanned my mother’s well-worn and well-loved sugar cookie recipe.  In their exchange, they gift 2 cookies per person of all the cookies … Continue reading →

Posted in Country Philosophy, Food and Wine, Mississippi, Texas, University of Mississippi | 2 Comments

Perkins-Timberlake on the Decatur Square

Posted on December 1, 2018 by

Back in 1897, J. J. Perkins opened his first dry goods store on the Decatur, Texas square.  Known as The Red Store, Perkins ‘Shouted the glad tidings’ in the Decatur Wise County Messenger: The reign of High Prices is over. … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Downtowns, Texas | Tagged ,

New Deal in Texas: Bunger PWA School House

Posted on September 23, 2018 by

The Bunger school house is in Young County, just a few miles down the road from Graham, my home town.  It was completed in 1936 as PWA project W1255 and is rock veneer.  Miss Fannie Ragland was the county superintendent … Continue reading →

Posted in New Deal Administration, Public Works Administration, school houses, Texas, Young County | Tagged | 2 Comments

Take me back to dry west Texas

Posted on September 3, 2018 by

Labor Day weekend and the epiphany: There is a reason for ecosystems.  Not that the realization was the epiphany, but that being raised in the ecosystem of dry west Texas leaves one ill-prepared for moving to Mississippi and the ever-present … Continue reading →

Posted in Mississippi, Texas | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Tonk Valley Cemetery

Posted on August 19, 2018 by

While I was in Texas May-July, my cousins on mother’s side of the family came up for a week.  We went out to the family cemeteries for Sis and me to show them the family gravesites.  I have found cemeteries … Continue reading →

Posted in Texas, Young County | Tagged , | 4 Comments