Walking Across America!!!

On Friday night I got a phone call from Andrew who had stopped by our local coffee house Mobius to get a coffee. He said that he noticed a young woman typing on her laptop and next to her was a backpack that had a large sign that read Walking Across America. He noticed her but kept walking and made his way out to the parking lot and into the car but he just couldn't resist the temptation to go and ask her what her story was. So after a brief discussion and seeing if she needs a place to crash for the night he is asking me what I think about that. I must admit that I was a little unsure at first, but remembering that I don't live what you would call a "normal" life I'm pretty used to odd things happening to me.
I have started a tradition on Friday nights and that is Taco Friday. We have tacos and homemade salsa and guacamole every Friday. So I'm preparing Taco Friday in the kitchen and in walks Andrew and Shay. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't Shay. She is so personable and polite and nice, not at all what I have been used to dealing with in my past experiences of taking in strangers. She was a breath of fresh air really. We had a wonderful evening just talking and getting to know Shay and listening about her journey of how she left California in February and has walked all the way to here, and how she is planning on ending her walk in Florida. WOW!!!
After having a very lazy Saturday morning sipping on Mimosas, eating breakfast tacos and just chillin enjoying the good convo Shay caught a ride into Brenham to explore. She didn't mind leaving our house as late as she did because she so astutely noticed that Brenham is a very small town and she knew that it wouldn't take long to look around. Cheryl was giving a sheet music concert Saturday night at our local Brenham Music Academy and Shay decided to stick around for that. She ended up staying Saturday night with us and she was going to hit it early Sunday to head for Chappell Hill. Well, we kept her up until 2:oo am chatting about her adventures, so needless to say she did not leave for Chappell Hill on Sunday morning. In fact she is planning on staying one more night with us and we will have to let her get to bed early so she can head out early on Monday morning. I have so enjoyed having Shay stay with our family and hearing about her life experiences and many adventures and I will be sad to see her leave in the morning but I know that she must finish what she has set out to accomplish. Shay is a very intelligent young woman who I believe has a lot to offer, and it has been a privilege to have met her and to have spent the time that I did with her. I wish her the best on the rest of her adventure and I will definitely be checking in on her by way of her blog and seeing just what The Adventure Hobo has been up to.

Partnering With Nails Creek State Park

We went to our local Nails Creek State Park on October 9th for their Family Festival day. What a great day we all had. The state park is trying to raise support for the park, not just financially but environmentally as well. They provided all kinds of activities for families to do together like paddle boats, geocaching, nature walks, bird watching, archery, and fishing. They had free food and water provided for the families. The Family Festival day was a success. Here are a few pics of us enjoying the gorgeous day!!!

B enjoying his free food

I'm perfecting my Robin Hood skills

Daddy and B petting Hercules with Neil

Mr. B Hollywood

Me and B

B rock climbing

Me and B holding butterfly wings

If you are interested in becoming a partner with Nails Creek State Park then click on the link below.
www.partnersatnailscreek.com

Twelve Years and Going Strong!!!

Well I just celebrated my anniversary of twelve years with my man on Sept. 20. I can't believe that it has been that long. Out of all the anniversaries that we have celebrated this one by far was my favorite. We started the morning off with homemade cinnamon rolls from Sugardaddy's in Brenham brought home to us by a very dear friend. Then I just took my time getting ready to go. I didn't do any housework or anything. We left the house all dressed up and headed for
Houston.

I had wanted to see the exhibit Secrets of the Silk Road at the HMNS.




Since we are members the price was right and it was so worth it. I just love all that history and I have always been enthralled with mummies.




This mummy above was actually beautiful, if you can say that about a mummy. You can tell that she was a beautiful woman. She had red tresses. She was so petite. Just breathtaking. I actually wanted to be an archaeologist when I was in the 5th grade until I realized that I wasn't going to be the next Indiana Jones. Love those movies. Anyways, the exhibit was just breath taking with how well preserved everything was. I really couldn't believe that I was looking at cloths and food from thousands of years ago. We had a great time there. Then after we left the museum we went to Damian's Italian restaurant. Let me just say that it is the next best thing to eating authentic Italian food. Well, I actually have never been to Italy to have tasted real authentic food but if I had then the food would taste like that. It was amazing. My palate is still singing its praises. If you live in Houston or in the vicinity then it is a must that you dine there.


As you can see in this picture I am so super happy!!! I just had a wonderful evening with an amazing man!!! Here's to 12 more!!!


HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HB!!!!!!

German Grub!!!

Last night I had the most amazing meal. Friends and Family gave there helping hands in the preparation of an amazing home cooked German meal. The evening started off with homemade giant stuffed mushrooms.





Ginny was the master chef on the mushroom duty. Toasting fresh bread for the breadcrumbs, followed by mincing a ton of fresh garlic, then putting all the magic in a mixing bowl and making some yummy goodness.





Since I don't care much for the fungi family, I just ate the yummy stuffing. Elizabeth was carefully slicing ever so finely fresh cucumbers for cucumber salad which was tossed with a roasted hazelnut olive oil.









Lisa was mixing a batch of flour goo for our homemade Spaetzle. We acquired a vintage Spaetzle maker from an old friend who so graciously gave it to us. It was her mother's, so you know that it has seen some serious German cooking throughout its lifetime.




















I don't know if you have ever heard of Wickles or tried them but I tried them for the first time last night and here is the result.

So now you have seen the cause and effect of these little wicked pickles.









For the main course we had what we call Steak Birds. This consist of a round steak browned, wrapped around a pickle and cooked in a mustard sauce. YUMMY!!!The recipe typically calls for a homemade mustard sauce but we love the Central Markets Mustard Remoulade. It is a bit spicy but super super tasty.



This wonderful meal was followed by some fresh plums and apricots with warm Brie!!!!
What a way to end a wonderful Saturday Night!!!

Fall is in the air

Welcome Fall!!! I am so excited that you are here. I love the changing weather. Everyday it gets one degree cooler. When you live in Southern Texas you notice and look forward to those one degree cooler days. We still have at least 80% humidity with an actual humidity of 90%, but at least I know that cooler weather is coming and it makes it bearable.
I love love love fall!!! I love the smell of the changing air, the ways the trees are breathing a sigh of relief from the August heat and how there just seems to be a change of attitude out and about.
My last blog I was talking about how I was on a journey to becoming Ann and just trying to find myself and figure out what this life is about. Well I have been doing some more thinking and I have come to the conclusion that I just need to live. I just need to experience life for what it is and enjoy the moments both happy and sad as they come to me. I don't want to waste a minute of this precious life journey that I am on.
I am enjoying this lazy Saturday in my wonderful home filled with music and laughter and kids playing and yelling and just sheer chaos and I am loving it. We started the morning off just being lazy in bed and sleeping until I just couldn't sleep anymore. I was awakened by my sweet boys little voice. What a blessing to hear the first thing in the morning!!! I took a long bath while sipping Mimosas with my wonderful significant other. We had a wonderful brunch which featured eggs benedict, fresh berries, organic grapes and of course more mimosas!!! So, needless to say I am still on a journey, but instead of being so inward focus on finding out who Ann is I am just going to enjoy my journey and post when I can of all the wonderful blessings in my life to come. Grab a mimosa and say cheers to life and all the blessings that it has to offer!!!

Spring is here!!!

Well so far on my journey to "Becoming Ann" what I have found out to be true of myself is that I really do like working out in my yard. I love it!! I love to mow, I love to pull weeds, I love to pick up sticks and tear down brush. I love all of it. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love to look back at the end of the day with a glass of wine and just look at how the yard looks and how much my hard work paid off. Something else I have found to be true of myself is that I really do like to garden. I like to get in the dirt and pull the weeds from around the plants. I like to check in on their progress and I get excited when I see the flowers on my plants because I know that soon I will have fruit!!! I love to take my son out in the garden and he loves to pick the fruit right off the plant and eat it. I harvested our peas for the first time and he was coming along right behind me eating the hull and all right out of the basket and loving it!!!! So what I do know now of myself is that I truly love being outside working with my hands in my yard and garden!!! Welcome Spring!!!

Who is Ann?

I'm starting my journey off on the right foot and asking myself the question "Who is Ann?" I'm HOPEfully optimistic that this journey will answer my question. My journey has started me off sitting in my front porch rocking chair on this gorgeous April afternoon. The birds are singing their approval and their song brings a smile to my soul. As I rock back and forth I start reflecting on my life. I realize that I cannot answer the question of "Who is Ann?" I have made a decision to basically keep a diary of my journey with no agenda or time table. I am starting with a feeling of nothing to offer, but I have high HOPE that at the end of this journey I will be able to introduce you to Ann who has everything to offer.