Baby Jack...

I'm sitting here at my computer typing & looking out the window in my office.  It's January and the temperature today will be in the high 40's.  There is no snow on the lawn, the quail dance their way up the grass by 4's, then another group, to feast on the bird seed that drops down from a feeder by the patio.

I see my garden, all bare and naked waiting for something to be planted into the earth. I'm thinking what am I going to plant this year.  Without any snow out there, it's easy to visualize the bounty of vegetables coming out of the garden.

Pumpkins are always a given for my little garden.  Pumpkin plants were late arriving at the nursery last year.  When they did arrive, each plant container had 2 to 3 plants growing from it.  When they were all planted, tucked in for the summer in the garden bed, I had 12 pumpkin plants.  Too many?  At the time of planting I didn't think so.

I watered, fertilized them, nurtured and carried on lovely conversations with them.   "Oh, you're growing so fast" or "don't crowd, there's room for everyone to have space of their own".........

I swear overnight the magic happened......I had a baby pumpkin growing that I know was not on the vine the day before.   I welcomed to our garden of delight.......Baby Jack.............Baby Jack O'Lantern...

Baby Jack grew and soon he had a sibling growing right beside him.  The garden welcomed Baby Bro......not too long after that, Baby Sis came along.  The pumpkin patch came alive with pumpkin after pumpkin growing and fighting for their little space of dirt.  All in all, a nice family of 26 O'Lanterns came from those plants.   I gave most away, but kept  Baby Jack and his sibs, several Aunts and Uncles, too.

Now I sit here and let my brain ponder on what to plant in the garden.  More tomato plants this year?  I'm just about out of salsa. That's a big Y.E.S........ Less pumpkin plants....maybe 3 instead of 12.  A cucumber plant again.  For some reason this plant does not want to grow nice in my garden.  Might try my hand at onions.  Never done them before.   Jalapenos, green peppers, red and yellow ones, too.  It's time to do some research........Let's go Google.......show me what to plant for my area..............

Twitter@CotySimon
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Twenty Fifteen

January 1, 2015......another year has gone by with a blink of an eye.  It's the top page of a new calendar, the first day of a brand new month, the first day of a new year........

No resolutions, no broken promises........that's how I roll. I don't like disappointment, but unfortunately it's a fact of life.  Can't get around it or through it without being in it.......

A room with a view.  Perfect for capturing
the sun as it said Good Night, San Antonio.

I traded in the white fluff of Christmas Day that blanketed Utah and headed to Texas for a day and a half of 60 degree weather before it bottomed out and turned windy, cold, and rainy for the next few days after that...... I didn't care......I witnessed beautiful sunsets, woke up to fog thicker than pea soup, felt the drizzle of freezing rain on my face, and warmed my belly with Irish Coffee........wandered the old missions of San Antonio and couldn't help but envision the people, the children, nuns, priests, and Indians walking around.  I felt as if I was one of them wandering down the worn pathways, through the wooden doors, kneeling at the alter............Drove to Austin, Texas....saw my favorite blues player....Stevie Ray Vaughn...actually just his statue....I play his music often......loud, very loud......I've wondered what it would have been like to have SRV, Eric Clapton, BB King......all together in one room jamming away on their guitars.  Pretty sure it would have been amazing.........

I couldn't leave without visiting the Alamo.......I've read about it, watched old movies about the battle at the Alamo.  I have an appreciation for that part of the history books now after visiting there.  It sits nestled in the surroundings of modern day hotels, refurbished olds buildings....it looks out of place...until you walk through the iron gates and you are transported back in time and imagine the war going on both inside and out of this small, yet mighty fortress that still stands after all these years exposed to the elements of weather, time, and people passing on by.  It's strange to walk the sidewalks and have cars roll on when it should be open range full of grasses waving in the wind, dust storms kicking up grit in the eyes, or the hot sun beating down upon your brow.............

It's all in the details.  Who puts detail like this in
their buildings anymore?  No one.  It's a lost art.  Hand carved pictures.  Beautifully
carved out of stone and wood.  Still intact after all the years of weather pounding
on it.  They were not a throw away society as we are today.  Tear down the old, build new.....at some
point it needs to stop.  Buildings can be recycled......

I walked more in 5 days than I have in a long time.  People are accommodating to a mad women on crutches!!!  I managed to not trip anyone and not fall again myself.  I'm looking forward to going back sometime to visit the baby boy.  There's more to be seen and do.  Plenty of pubs to sample, both in good food and drinks, more missions to see, more of the wide open ranges, towns and cities of Texas to visit.

I made it through another year.......I listened, watched, and felt the pain of many who had sorrow and heartache. I listened, watched and felt the joy from those who had blessed events happen.  It was another year for the mental history cells to grab a hold and remember in the brain.  Time is not standing still for me or for anyone.

I'm taking one day at a time.....not worrying about what I am going to do tomorrow.  I can only think about what today is bringing me, if anything.  The day will be either good or bad............


Twitter@CotySimon
Instagram.com/Howunique310