Owl Always Love You!

This is the time of year, just before the seams bust through and spring begins.  When at any moment you think you aren't going to make and then suddenly the clouds leave and the sun comes out and everything starts to look alive again.  We have had a very weird winter, very mild, lots of wind, little rain and basically no snow. economy tanked, gas prices rising by the second.  Just when all hope is lost, you see the green pop through the ground, to remind us to not give up hope, Spring is coming!!  I notice this especially with my potential bride and grooms at the Mansion,  despite all the bad in life they seem to have the hope of love.  Love conquers all, it sustains us when we don't have the strength, love is patient, love is kind.......All we need is love!! <3

Toxic Thoughts...

The slower times of the year my mind begins to take a journey to places and dreams of which direction to go with the Mansion, my other endeavors, not to mention my life.  Its a suspended look in the mirror to catch a glimpse of what the future may hold and where do I want my life to end up.  Thousands of ideas roll through my head, most of which never make it out of my mind and into action, some do and I run it by the inner circle and then they seem to hit a wall, become disposed, and never transpire.  Should we do this or try that, how much money could it make, will it be more trouble than its worth?  Everyone always seems to have these grand ideas for the Mansion, no one has every wanted to put the blood, sweat, and tears in to making those ideas materialize.  What are you going to plant out front, will it grow this year or burn up like last year, should you invest in a sprinkler system finally, or just water everything by hand again and waste hours of my life holding a water hose.  Where should I invest my advertising, should I raise or lower my rates.  Do I repaint the porch again this spring, or let it slide?  My brain begins to ache all the thoughts running through the head, and then I join Pinterest..........

I am now an addict and need to be on medication to control my Pinterest addictions.....

It's like creativity on steriods, a magazine with thousands of ideas that never ends.  It almost gives too many ideas and suggestions that my brain hurts worse, but it also becomes an oasis where my brain finds rest and suclusion from the day to day. I have kept thousands of magazines over the years just because they had recipes or decorating ideas in them, this week I threw them all away.  It filled up an entire two trash bins, Freedom!!  Such a weight lifted, I now do not hoard creativity through magazines, I just pin it to  my virtual board!!! Why didn't I think of this idea, I probably did but it never made it out of my mind!!!!
After a weekend with my RockStar Boyfriend, I realize that I need to just stop being restless and take this world a day at a time.  God only knows the future, and so far he has definitley blessed me beyond measure.  He provides the filter for my crazy thoughts, and my Rockstar Boyfriend stops me from acting them out into motion:D  God, RockStar, and Pinterest, they keep me grounded, give peace, and rest my toxic thoughts. 

Here is a pic of a wedding with pink lighting, the bride's shoes were even sparkle pink, Enjoy!

A Few Christmas Memories

Every Year, while tearing down the Christmas Decor, I realize I forgot to take pictures of all the Decor and Trees in the Mansion, then I proceed to run around the house in my pajamas plugging the tree lights on every tree taking photos and then turning them off again and tearing them down. (repeat times 20)  It's so sad to take down all those trees every year, the house seems to mourn their absence it takes usually until late March before the Mansion seems to come alive with the spring of life again.  What is sad is this is the time of year that I do the most showings for potential brides for weddings.  It makes it hard to help them visualize the green grass outside (when its brown) and the potential of their event in a Historic Mansion after the glitter of the Christmas Season has passed and is packed away.  Don't get me wrong I will be sweeping up glitter on the hard wood floors till May, but the flashy effect will be gone, but no problems so far the dates are booking up and spring will be here soon!  Here are a few highlights of the Decor, Enjoy;-)

Christmas At The Mansion

Since literally the day after, the day after Thanksgiving it has been all about Christmas at the Mansion.  We had to create Christmas in three days, when in years past we had 5-7 days.  Mission accomplished!! We did it and the house looks the best it has ever looked.  I, in my slow dayz of November decided to host a craft event, do five nights of historic holiday tours, offer a super low-priced Christmas Party event package, run two other businesses and bake Christmas presents for all my friends and family through out the month of December,  Mission Accomplished, well not really but wanted to give the positive impression:D  The real impression is that I am stressed beyond the max of normal humans, but could not be more happy.  I have come to enjoy the crazy busy days of December, nothing better than having your friends and family close, the great food you consume, and the giving of gifts.  Don't get me wrong, I have almost booked several different cruise options on Travelosity to go on in January.  I love to be busy but also love a good vacation to regain my creativity and sanity.  I also need to live it up if the world ends next December:D  Happy Christmas, My loves!!!:-)xxoo

Perch Attack

Among my weekend fishing trip at Lake Tenkiller, a few comical occurrences irrupted, one of which involved my Rock Star boyfriend.  I don't call myself a professional fisherwomen, but RS is an All-Star Pro-Fessional Fisherman.  He is one with the water and the fish, he is so patient and can fish me under the table.  Sunday was a very hot august day 106 degrees in the shade to be exact, we had fished all afternoon, no luck, no bites, no success.  I turn away and hear a cannon ball sized splash in the water, RS had jumped right in the lake!  Weather he had given up on the fish, or almost had a heat stroke, he was in the water swimming around enjoying himself despite the heat.  While enjoying his swim, the perch started to attack him from behind like ants on a picnic.  They probably thought they had landed the mother ship of a minnow, RS started to yell at the perch then proceeded to noodle and catch them with his bare hands.  This eventually lead him to start fishing in the water with his rod, where oddly enough the bass started biting at his lure and two casts in he hooked a small mouth bass.  The fish were now biting at everything, RS was a very happy camper,  and I just sat there and watched the whole scene......

Just Being

Here at the Mansion, I have a very, very long water hose.  It's the longest hose I have ever seen.  I can almost reach any area in my yard without changing spickets.  If you have seen my yard, you would be able to vizualize the monstrocity and great status this hose can acheive here at the mansion.  I have had it from day one, its been my good ole standby, always steady, dependable never having any inconsistency in performance.  This is until today............ The perfect hose sprung a leak:/

I noticed the water pressure go down and went to investigate.....

When I discovered the leak, I suddenly realized, my life too feels as tho it has sprung a leak.  I have lately felt like my water pressure is low, and I can't seem to do anything due to not running full throttle on all engines..........I was Burned Out!!!!

Luckily, just in time, the duct tape appeared out of nowhere, by duct tape--I mean three days away at the lake to recharge my battery and plug my metephorical leak in the hose of my so called busy life.  After the week I had, the first three hours at the lake involved just sitting there staring into the water just being..........

Nature has a funny way of providing comfort and surrounding you with rest and relaxation, without asking for anything in return.  Silence.......

It took me several hours before I could even speak in complete sentences again.  I was fortunate to have my Rock Star boyfriend there, he is patient, he just let me be, he fished, I just just there being, observing clearing my head, he fished, I digressed till the sun went down.  Needless to say after three days of repeat digression in virtually the same exact rock, I did not want to leave.  The effect that nature has on my soul is amazing but yet necessary.  Weather it's nature's beauty or the fact I can feel God all around me, I found such comfort just being there with out anything pressing or electronic devices ringing, dinging, or vibrating my sanity away.  having my God, my Rock Star, the sunset, the lake, the rocks, the white beaver sticks I maticulously collected for something?, the small mouth bass, the Fresca, the homeade brownies I managed to cook for the trip, and the cute little bunnies jumping around the woods, not having any demands or the pulling of me in fifteen different directions all at once.  They all just wanted to just BE with me on that rock at the lake...............I enjoyed every single minute:)

Breaking Records

Today will mark the absolute hottest day Oklahoma has every had in its entire documented history, so far its 11 am and already hovering around 100 degrees.  I refuse to be negative, and this week has been a challenge.  I keep quoting to myself the reassurance that everyday we have on this earth is a blessing, which is true but the heat makes me crave my life beyond this Earth.  I always strive to see the beauty in nature, God is all around it's evident, His handy work is in everything from the tiniest to the largest creations.  Lately, it has been hard to locate such beauty, the Earth seems to be screaming for relief and attention. 
One place I did find beauty in the heat was at the lake, the Rockstar, Peekaboo, and I went out for an evening run  in the boat last week, and we floated......

until we saw the sun set behind the horizon.  It was gorgeous, and I was able to enjoy it because the water was cool and refreshing, I was even sad to go back and dock the boat.

As I floated......I thought to myself how the sun had been so hot and brutal that day, but in its last moments before it set for the day, there was such beauty all around it.

As I floated.......I escaped to my happy place of relaxation and mental relief of my day to day chaos, and relief from these insane temperatures.

As I floated.......my attitude changed and I once again I was thankful for my life on this Earth and for all the great family and friends that surround me. 

Sometimes its the little things that mean so much in the overall reality of life, I have so much to be thankful for.......even the sun !!  but especially for the lake;)