A River Runs Through It...

About 100 yards west of our house, our little country road runs through a dry creek bed. It's usually dry... but as you'll see here... when it rains, a river runs though it...

Ricky took these photos after a 6-inch rain on Saturday...
We've been in a drought for the past 2-years... In the past 2-weeks, we've had about 10-inches of rain... So tonight, at Mass, instead of praying for rain... we said a prayer of thanksgiving for all the rain we've received... Rain, welcome in south Texas... especially down here in French Lique...

When I Think of You...

It rained all weekend while we were in Dallas. The sunshine didn't peek through, not even once. It reminded me of when I first moved to Dallas in 1983. It was late July... it was hot... it never rained. I had moved from the southeast, where it seemed to rain every week, year round. To move to a place where it never rained caused me to fall into a deep depression. I was a young mother then, with two young daughters and a husband that worked too many hours. I was alone in a city where I knew no one... and no one knew me; a city that never rained...

Then late September came, and with it... the rain. It began to rain the last week of September 1983 and didn't stop until mid-October. It rained buckets and buckets of rain. I finally came to understand why there were so many parks in "flood plains"... when it rains in Dallas, those flood plains become creeks and rivers. Everyone that I had come to know in the previous few weeks, became moody and depressed... too much rain. Me... I was happy! I felt joy! Ahhhhh... Rain!

Mark Graham for The New York Times

This weekend, it began to rain in Dallas. It came down in buckets. The roads flooded, lawns flooded... flood plains became creeks and rivers. The rain flooded me with memories of being a 20-something mom, with two little girls at home and a husband that worked too many hours... The girls are all grown up, and now the 2 are 3... the husband is married to someone else but still works too many hours, or so they say... and me... the Rain still makes me smile... and feel joy and happiness...

so Dallas, when I think of you, I think of Rain...

and yes... the Rain has even come to us... Down here in French Lique...

Random Thoughts...

Today is 9-11. Eight years ago today, most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news of the twin towers... first that an aircraft had stuck one of the towers... then, a little later, another plane. I remember that I was in my office listening to my radio and working when the news broke in. I thought "a second plane, that couldn't have been an accident"... Then the news that the U.S. was under terrorist attack... My first thought was of my own family; if they'd heard the news; if they were okay. I will never forget that day, and where I was, what I thought, how I felt. Remembering is a good thing...

and now... the random chatter...

Since the end of my summer bloggy break... I've really not had much to talk about. My work schedule has become quite hectic thanks to some stock market improvement and positive economic news... so days previously spent lolly-gagging (is that a word?) at home, are now spent in the company of clients and potential clients. My enthusiasm for my work has returned, and I've been very, very busy.

Things at my booth at Blue Hills are going well too. Last month I made almost enough in sales to pay my rent... not bad for a first month. This month, not only will I be able to pay rent, but I'll even have some extra take home money... now that's what I call S-U-C-C-E-S-S... (I'm channeling my inner cheerleader...).

My middle daughter and her hubby purchased their first home last month, and this weekend Ricky and I will travel to Dallas for the "Blessing of the Home" and an open house party. While neither Ricky nor I like Dallas that much, it should be a quick and fun trip. I can hardly wait to see the new house, and of course my daughters and grandchildren...

Rain.... yes... we're getting some significant rain in south Texas right now.... The weatherman said that we were behind 40-inches for the past two years. This week we were blessed with about 3-inches... only 37 more to go! The rain makes the temperatures drop... today's high was 82... but next week we'll be back to the low 90's... and all those temps better than the 60+days of 100-degrees or more this past summer... Ahhhhhh.... Autumn.

I can't leave without sharing a photo can I? Here are a couple of Teacup Chandys for sale in my booth. (thanks for the inspiration Sally.)

Vintage Rose Teacup Chandelier

Vintage Franciscan Desert Rose Teacup Chandelier

So now you'll all caught up with what going on, down here in French Lique...

Faded Magnolia and other photos of Monday...

My beautiful creamy white Magnoila blossom has faded to brown... I still love the color... parchment brown...

I thought I'd take some vegetable garden photos this afternoon... I got home early, but...this is the best I could do... a garden photo from way up on the back porch... I zoomed in as much as possible... Mother Nature would have no close-up garden photos today..

She sent us a wonderful inch of rain... Thank you Mother Nature... I went to the front porch where my basket of posies, bought at the church celebration in March, are enjoying the rain mist they're receiving...and the French Lavender I bought Sunday still waits to be planted in the garden... it rained on Saturday and Sunday too...My spoon chimes were doing their duty and blowing in the wind... and rain...So I pulled up a chair... to smell and hear the sound of the rain...
Thankful for the blessing of rain...

down here in French Lique...

Rain...

It's raining in south Texas...

We've been waiting a long time for a day like today...

Gentle rain that washes everything clean... Rain that makes everything seem so green and bright... You can almost hear the earth say.... Aaahhhhhh... The blessing of rain down here in French Lique.

The blessing of rain... in French Lique...

The windows were open this morning when I woke up to the pitter-patter of rain outside. I love the sound and the smell of rain. Ricky came into the bedroom and I told him "it's raining, you might want to park that motorcycle this morning and take the truck to work"... to which he replied.... "Naw"....

Ricky left for work, on the motorcycle of course, and I sat down at the front porch table to enjoy the rain with a nice hot cup of coffee and the morning newspaper. About 5 minutes later, he was back... and soaking wet. It was just drizzling at our house... but a couple of miles down the road, it was pouring... So he came back, gave me another kiss good-bye, and took the truck to work.

One of these days that man is going to listen to the wisdom of his wife... just biding my time down here in French Lique...