#Caneyhead Sunset

In the large scope of life, I am, overall, a positive person.

When things are bad, I tend to think they will get better.

When things are good, I drink it in and savor the flavor.

In general, I think people are going to do the right thing, and when they don't, I go looking for "why". Thinking of myself and what could of possibly made me do that if I were them.

I am not a grudge holder.  I eventually make peace with things, get over it, even if no one ever apologizes.

When I am lazy, I am very, very lazy and when I am busy I stay at it, sometimes doggedly.

I have been in the throws of depression before, but my basic make-up is one of resilience;  knock me down and I get back up... may lay there a while, but I get back up.

My heart wants to be exquisitely generous, but my wallet has seldom allowed me to be.

Some days are diamonds and some days are coal, yet they are all a gift.

When I feel worn and threadbare, these are the things that warm my heart and mend my soul:

Music that shares what I feel.  The smile of a child.  A warm hug.  A good movie to get lost in.  Time with an animal.  A good cry.  One simple act of kindness towards me.  I think God for these gifts, these simple blessings.  And I thank Him so much for where I live!  For the beauty and quiet I can always find here.  It is something that never fails to peel away the stress, let me escape the world and recharge, revive.  Be it the greens of the trees, the wildflowers, the shade, the birds, the song of frogs and crickets, the call of an owl, the stars at night or simply the stillness.  Or a sunset like this:

What is you most basic make-up?  How do you escape?  What soothes your soul or lifts your spirits?

Barbara

#Caneyhead: High School Graduation

I've been overcome with activity lately from our Hannah Bug graduating from high school.  It didn't seem overly busy when I graduated.  When Bubba did ten years ago, things didn't seem to be in a flurry.  But WOW, this one was a continuous stream of activity!  So, without any further ado, here is my gorgeous, bright, funny, caring daughter:

She graduated last Friday evening as a 2017  Texas Foundation Distinguished High Honor Graduate and a member of the National Honor Society.  She loves to read, likes to succeed, respects history, adores little old men, gets along with children, and has a quick wit. She loves the Lord, has a way with animals, likes to deer hunt and can clean what she kills.  She is the epitome of a millennial Texas woman.

After her graduation, her Bubba took her out to eat with his little family.   Then he brought her back to school to be locked in for the night for operation graduation.  My nephew was a chaperone for the event, and said he'd bring her home when it was over at 5:00am. Pete's back was killing him from the bleachers, so we came straight home.

Once home, Pete was in a foul mood.  I have recently been unemployed, and Pete is on a fixed income.  I think his pain and the fact he had no grand gift for his baby girl was eating at him.  Around midnight, his mood suddenly changed and he told me, "I'm going out to see if I can find something, and if I can, you are going to help me with something."  Cryptic.  And I'm exhausted.  Yet, there was a gleam in his eyes that reminded me of Pete twenty years ago.  So, I simply said, okay. He soon came back with a roll of industrial grade reflective tape.  He then told me of his plan.  We were going to make letters out of the tape and stick them to the glass panes on the front of our porch so that when Hannah came home, and the headlights hit it down our long drive, she'd see the message as if in lights.  I loved it!  And loved him for it.  And knew she would, too.

So we commenced to cutting, and would take one or two words worth out at a time.  I'd start peeling the back off, then hand to Pete to place on the glass pane.  We finished right at five in the morning. Too excited to be exhausted, we got in the car and went down the road so we could come back around the curve and see what it was going to look like.  As we started to enter the curve, Pete said there were headlights behind us and to gas it...so I did and pulled into the yard to one side and turned off our lights.  Soon, Clay pulled in and this is what Hannah saw:

It reads "Daddy is proud!  Hannah Hazee, AKA "JR." In the middle is a cross and 2017 and "Thank you Clay." 

It literally looked like part of the Vegas Strip!  Hannah was overjoyed!  She knows how her daddy feels about the old glass pane doors he turned sideways in the front of the porch.  We may never get the tape off.  But then, who cares?  An unforgettable memory was made and that is all that matters.

Did you have any special graduates this year?  What is your favorite graduation memory?

Barbara