Summer Plans

By Caro Jackson –

“Laughter is the beginning of prayer,” states a quote I read yesterday on my wonderful calendar. I think it might be better than a bumper sticker, and I hope that you will find something to laugh about today.

We are traveling on the road, escaping the heat, and have settled into cooler climes. We have some friends here, who make it all the more delightful. The weather is awesome with cool mornings and warm afternoons and a touch of rain thrown in. My husband has already found some streams to fish, and I have been able to go on my own to paint, yea! I have already read three books, which may be a record—ought to be caught up for various book clubs.

We left our home base with the idea that this would be good time to try to drop those extra pounds that seem to follow us around. South Beach seemed to be a good way to start so we vowed to begin after our weekend in the Texas mountains with friends. Thank goodness, because I would have missed the desserts that we shared with good friends. So off we went toward Colorado, studying the method to become mere shadows of our former selves. Right!

When I began telling the driver, who shall remain nameless, what was NOT on the list, the light went out of his eyes and he began to feel weakness in his knees. After several meals, he said he felt like he was going to die. You do feel a little devoid of energy. Could be the fact that you are getting no sugar.

When we arrived here, we were met by friends we had met last year who came to greet us. Of course, they immediately invited us for a cocktail which is a no-no. Not good. Three days and we were back to the beginning. No longer able to blame the lack of energy on the altitude, we began a modified version which will probably not modify us enough, but it is a start.

We were invited to dinner the second night at the home of good friends who have a knockout house on a hill with a view to kill, and we were presented with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn from a special restaurant here. Wanting to be the perfect guests, we dug in and vowed to start dieting another day.

Breakfast is about the only thing under my control and we have altered it as well. I am convinced that the only way for us to actually get through the first two weeks is to lock the two of us up at home and throw away the key. So I have renamed ours the “trailer trash” diet and we are moving on doing the best that we can with a tiny fridge and three pans.

We are off to the mountains today with friends so perhaps we will add a little more exercise to the mix although the dogs make me take a long walk each day. I guess the bottom line is just to enjoy where we are, do what we can, and remember to laugh. Have a great week!

Colorful Jewels

By Caro Jackson –

Traveling along the roads of Texas this spring and early summer has proven to be a feast for the eyes, especially those known as the backroads. Having recently rebounded from terrible drought conditions, which had occurred throughout the state for the past several years, the roadsides have come alive with color and texture which often take my breath away. Read more

Why I Go to Church

By Caroline Jackson –

We often wake up on Sunday and think that God won’t mind if we miss a morning in church because He knows our hearts anyway. I discovered recently why this doesn’t work for me and why I try to faithfully attend. Read more

Road News

Caroline T. Jackson –

We are on the road again…heading out to a remote part of Texas with vistas so wide and diverse that you might think that you were viewing more than the landscape of one state. This morning the air was crisp and fresh with the frosty due covering the hood of the truck and coating the shell of our Airstream, making it shine like a sparkling diamond. We spent yesterday bringing the “silver twinkie” out of hibernation and loading up with food, clothing, and enough books to last a season even though we only have about 10 days to take in the wide open spaces.
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Spring Planting

By Caro Jackson

It is spring and of course for those of us who find our “passion” often lies in the in the physical action of digging in the dirt…our time has come.  We gather our hoes and rakes and shovels with the single intent of putting a fresh face on our outer bounds.  Following the cool refreshing rain of a couple of weeks ago, little bits of green have begun to shine through the dingy color laid down by winter. We march forth with the eagerness of suffragettes on a mission.
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