emogis, bitmojis, etc.

Just curious to know if others out there are familiar with this bitmoji app?  My daughter got me onto it and I have to say that it is kind of fun. You get to create a character that looks *somewhat* like yourself... by choosing the hair style, color, eye color, glasses, skin color, clothes, etc. However, for us old folks, there's no way to add wrinkles or the unwanted turkey neck. But you can add shape... using normal, thin, etc. 

Anyway, I've been playing with this app today and there are a huge number of emotions and actions (good and bad) that apply to all types of situations. You can use these pictures in text, email, etc. and get your point across instead of actually using words. Interesting concept. 

So far in my world my daughter and I are the only ones using these avatars back and forth in our texting. This one on top was the first I've ever used and denotes the way I spend the afternoon if time is available... reading on my bed with my cats.  Only thing missing is a cup of tea and several more cats.

It does make me look much younger than I am, but as I said previously, there was not a way to do otherwise (although perhaps there may be one day?). I went for the short white hair, glasses, and the fact that I mostly live in t-shirts (not mid-drift as pictured - heaven forbid) and blue jeans these days. 

Anyway, I thought I'd mention it here and see if others are aware of this phenomena... if that's what it is. I find it fun to come across these new ideas and although it isn't anything terribly earth-breaking, it is interesting. 

If you'd like to check it out, you can find it by going to the App store on your iPhone and searching for bitmoji. It's a free app and it walks you through the process of creating your avatar.

And if any of you know anything about this app, good or bad, I'd appreciate your comments. My daughter only found it recently and shared it with me this past weekend. 

Memorial Day 2016

Memorial Day 2016

Ham's Peach Orchard...

Today DH and I went to Ham's Peach Orchard in Terrill, TX.

They are open from May 15th to August 15th every year... and have a wonderful selection of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as tons of other jams, jellies, salsas, pies, cakes, and best of all... fresh peach and strawberry ice-cream!











We basically go for the ice-cream, but usually end up taking home fresh peaches and an assortment of other goodies. They also have a very large covered area where they sell wonderful bar-b-cue sandwiches: pulled pork, ribs, etc. We haven't eaten lunch there yet, but do sit out in their white rockers and eat our ice-cream. It's a pretty neat area as there's always a cool breeze blowing and one can look out over the blackberry fields and peach orchards.

That's my post for today, but I did write a more serious one about *the generations* (click here) on my mulberry days blog... if anyone's interested.

the power of words... again

I wrote the following post back in February, 2002 -  and was reminded of it recently when I spent some time in New Orleans with an old friend. It's amazing how the years apart make no difference and one can pick up right where they left off with some people. It's probably not always the case, but in this instance it is. This was my post back then.

The Power of Words

Not too long ago, I began to receive letters from an old friend that I hadn't seen in 15 - 20 years. She wrote me not knowing if her letter would reach me, but hoped that it would. It did. 

We roomed together for a bit at LSU in Baton Rouge and became friends. Somewhere along the road of life we both graduated, married, worked, raised families, and lost touch.

But her letters have brought back memories long forgotten and a time when life was so different and carefree. Even if the times weren't easy, the pace of life was. We were in college in the 60's. It was great fun. 

Well, perhaps not always great fun. There was Vietnam. And even though life on the campus went on, friends were conspicuous by their absence. 

But back to these letters. She's written 3 so far and I've replied -  filling in the gaps between then and now as best we can. She says, "Can you believe we're old?" or something to that effect... and I have to laugh.

She sent me a picture of her "old"... and I did the same. She looks great! Isn't it amazing how you can see an old friend and honestly say, "You've hardly changed!". It can't possibly be true - must be a trick of the eyes. Perhaps when you hold the picture of a person young in your heart, that's all you ever see...??? (certainly must be what happens when old farts like DH and myself look at each other - we see past the old and into the person we've always known...?? Sounds good?)

Anyway, her letters remind me of the awesome power of thoughts and words... to take you back, to keep you here, or to bring you anywhere."


It's now May 2016 - almost another 15 years later and now instead of writing letters - we email. But we continue to keep in touch - and meet in New Orleans when the opportunity arises.  And I'm ever so glad that her original letter in 2002 found me.

The funny thing is that my old friend from college years is so different from my dear old friend from Texas who drove with me to New Orleans this last trip. Yet... we all got along great and enjoyed ourselves very much! My Texas friend says that my old college friend is a bit crazy - and she is! She's wonderfully crazy and keeps me laughing. I adore the difference in our personalities. 

Do you have serious or crazy friends - or perhaps a combination of the above?  It's funny, but I think being a little eccentric makes people much more interesting. (One of my sons once told me that I was eccentric because I love rocks... and I do!)

Uncluttering our space...

Met a dear friend for lunch this past week. We both talked about getting some of our spaces uncluttered. She quilts and has fabric and quilting stuff everywhere. Says that she can't even get to her closets in her quilting room. I have "stuff" all over my computer room. It's my 'catch all'... and even though I clean it up maybe once a year, it always ends up like this picture of my desk.

Well, I started there... and ended here:

Easy to do. Most of the stuff was added to that on the trundle bed...

Now that I've gotten to that...

it leaves me with this...

"thank you, mom!  We needed this space..."

Cats do appreciate clean... clean clothes (especially warm out of the dryer), clean bed linens (love it when we change the sheets), and apparently any space that is cleared so that they can get to it. Yes, if cats ruled the world, it would be clean - as long as they didn't have to do it.

Not a terribly interesting post, but just thought I'd share.

BTW, my grand daughter who is 3 was here yesterday and she was watching one of the outside ferals from the front window. She asked if he could come inside? And when I said no, she asked "Why?" and  I explained that he was not our cat... that he lived in the neighborhood. Again she asked "Why?" I said that there were many many outside cats and we couldn't take all of them inside, but that we (and probably others in the neighborhood) put out food and water for them. This seemed to satisfy her. And it reminded me of a poster that I saw recently on another blog. 

Isn't that a great poster?

Happy Mother's Day 2016!

Mother's Day Brunch at Dodie's on the Harbor

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there! We had a fun morning with breakfast at Dodie's and a walk on the pier...

Wandered into a chocolate shop later and took pics with *bear*:

yes... even me

and DH made me my favorite Cajun meal yesterday... red beans and rice!  How great is that?  

Missed having daughter and her family with us (but we were with them just last weekend) and younger son had to work so we missed him and his family also this morning... but did get to see youngest grand daughter yesterday afternoon and heard that she gave her mama a tea party for mother's day this morning.

so sweet...

yes, the adventure continues...

... and continues

I was up early one morning this week mulling over a retirement issue that is probably common among us retirees. Personally I hadn't thought seriously about it until recently... but it is something to think about. And I can't imagine any retired person who hasn't wondered... just how long will we be able to continue living here.

Anyway, I free-flowed my thoughts on My Mulberry Days if anyone is interested or would like to respond.

the hill country around San Antonio...

View of front yard from daughter's porch

I think this is the most peaceful view. It's taken from a rocker on my daughter's porch in the Hill Country. We went there this weekend for her birthday. And I took lots of pictures which I intend to share here.

Let's start with the chickens. I love chickens... they are cute and funny and the little chicks are adorable.

Chicken yard

Young chicks - 2 Frizzle babies in front

They have about 8 grown hens and 2 roosters running about... but these 5 babies are kept in the chicken yard until they get a little older.

Then there's the vegetable garden on the side and the greenhouse (work in progress) in the back where they have lemon thyme, rosemary, and spearmint as well as kale, tomatoes, onions, melons, etc. 

They also have Century plants on the property that are about to bloom. This is sad as I believe that once they bloom, they die.  Here is a picture of the huge stalk they make before blooming.

Century plant getting ready to blossom

There is another plant that we don't know the name of that is beside one of the ponds...

unknown plant

It's very large... maybe 2-3 feet across and the leave are hairy - kind of like lamb's ear.  Any one know what this is?

Let's see... what else did we do? Saturday night we ate out at a restaurant in New Brunsfel (Huisache) - very good food! Then Sunday we went to the Grist Mill in Gruene for their ribs.  Fantastic ribs! (and I'm not much of a meat eater - but do love these).

We watched our grand daughter train for cross-country at both a place down the road as well as at a ranch nearby. They have some beautiful horses at this ranch as well as chickens and a bunny running about.

horses at ranch

bunny at ranch

Then we visited a friend who has birds (as well as chickens, ducks, etc.)  and took a few pics...

The first is a Quaker parrot, the second an African Grey, and I forget this last one...










Oh, and I took this pic of daughter and grand daughter in her friend's back yard - in front of their chicken yard (chicken coop looks like a jail house - really cute!). They have some strange looking chickens too.

daughter and grand daughter

And that's it! I have tons more pics, but won't bore you. It was a fun weekend and if I can ever get some of the videos from my iPhone to my blog, I may post one or two of those. But for the moment, I can't get that to work (?). 

Have a great 'rest of the week'!