Exciting Times....

The college acceptances are rolling in, someone is turning 18 on Halloween and someone is trying out the Hermione costume.

My Volleyball Baby

Fall Gardens

My birthday was in late September and I celebrated by making the family take me to get plants.  I had considered some grandiose schemes to build raised beds using cinder blocks, but cinder blocks were too expensive so I am back to gardening in pots and kiddie pools, along with a couple of stacks of used tires.

I planted one kiddie pool with zucchini, mustard greens, marigolds and kale.  I planted the other with a salad garden of lettuces and nasturtium, marigolds and salad burnet. I have a ghost pepper plant and a chile pequin in pots, along with pots of basil, dill, chives and parsley.  I have a big tomato plant in one pile of tires and a big citronella geranium in another.  I have marigolds and Mothers of Thousands scattered about liberally and I planted sweet peas in just about every pot that had space.  I have a pencil cactus.  The baby fruit trees and the aloe and the gardenias always remain.  There is chocolate mint and begonias (for love) in the hanging garden.

I'm pretty happy with it all.

National Genocide Day

Lone Star Pa and I had school today, but the girls' schools were closed.  On Sunday, the Lone Star Baby said, "Tomorrow is Columbus Day, the day we stay inside our houses in shame."

I may not be able to do much about my ancestors, but I think I am raising the next generation right.

Dengue Fever Found in Houston

According to reports from the Associated Press, a study conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine has found that 47 of the people tested for West Nile Virus in Houston between 2003 and 2005 actually had Dengue Fever, not West Nile Virus.  More recent data is not available but it is posited that the virus is still in Houston.  Dengue fever can be very, very serious - even deadly -  so Texans need to be on the lookout.

 I think Lone Star Ma Magazine needs a tropical diseases correspondent.  Who wants the job?  There's no pay, but it is an important role.

I also think I need an effective mosquito repellent alternative to DEET, as DEET has been making me feel itchy-swollen in recent years. Please do not tell me about your latest herbal remedy - I mean effective.

Pumpkin Patch

Wendy!!!!

There was a Battleground Texas training in Corpus Christi on Saturday attended by a very special guest, and guess what Girl was all up in it, taking photos and helping out?

 

Yup!  The Lone Star Girl!



















And guess who the very special guest was?  That's right - the next Governor of the great state of Texas!

!

Voter Girl

We tried to go to a watch party for Wendy Davis' announcement on October third, but by the time we could get off of work, collect the kids and arrive, it was all over already.  Fortunately, Battleground was still there and guess who will be 18 before November and needed to get registered in time to vote in that election?

 Yesterday, her card arrived in the mail.  We just could not be more proud of this young citizen.

 

Seasons Gone

Our fall decorations are mostly up and feel very nice.  We have the autumn wreath on the door, and garden flags and big wooden pumpkin cut-outs in the front yard, recently joined by pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.  Inside, we have the nature table all full of autumn decorations and the Lone Star Baby set out all of the fall-themed decorations that she and her sister have made over the years after I dug them out of the "fall box" in the garage.  It's cozy and full of family, and I love it.

This fall is also the beginning of the lasts, though.  Last things with my Lone Star Girl at home with us.

We had the last first day of school with the last plaid dress.  Although she will always be welcome, this may well be the very last autumn that the Lone Star Girl lives under my roof.  I turned 42 in late September and was aware that it might be the last birthday of mine she would spend with me, and we are coming up on Halloween, which may be the last of her birthdays that she is home for a long while at least.  

Thursday evening, we made a late run to the pumpkin patch.  I gave the girls a budget and sent them off to decide what to get.  I watched them conferring, showing each other different pumpkins, moving through the sea of orange together like so many times before...but maybe the last time that I will see them do that together.

I love that Girl so much.  I am excited about her future and all the things she will do...she has been accepted by two colleges already and gets more information in the mail each day on all the scholarships and applications she is daily working on....I am so proud of the woman she is becoming.  I still don't want this to end, though, having her here.  I do, really, for her...but I will miss her so much.

MotoMan

I really love Lone Star Pa.  He does not see unsupervised children everywhere like I do, or feel the need to share with panhandlers until he has no cash left like the Girl and I do, but he has his own special, inner philanthropic self.  Stranded motorists are one of the situations which brings this out in him.  He is every stranded motorist's superhero and when other guys see him pushing a dead car off the road or a stuck car out of the sand, they seem compelled to join in and help.   It's really special.

International Day of The Girl: What Will You Do?

Today is the International Day of The Girl!  This year's theme is Innovating For Girls' Education.

One of the important ways we can attend to education for girls is not just about educating girls, but also about educating boys.  We can integrate into our school curricula positive messages about gender norms that include information about reproductive health and male and female roles in the family and society and that combat violence against women.

What are other ways that we can innovate for girls' education?  Please include your ideas in the comment section .... and get started on them!

Worried About WIC

I know the government shutdown sucks all around, but it seems like different things jump out at everyone. Apart from the public health functions of the CDC and the environmental protection functions of the EPA, the loss that worries me the most is WIC.  I know people are okay so far - my understanding is that they already have this monthly cycle safe and then they have a bit of reserve, but if things go on for more than a month or so, lots of babies and little kids and pregnant women could go hungry.  I hope it doesn't go that far.

Cell Phone Driving Ban in Corpus Christi

I think it's a good thing.  I know that talking on the phone is not really more distracting than many other things people do while driving that are harder to regulate, but it is something and it at least makes a statement about distracted driving.

Biology Girl

Culturing her deadly bacteria friends ... be very afraid.

Homecoming Girl

Trouble

Somebody at school taught the Lone Star Baby to play poker, although we have expressly forbidden her to learn that game due to her disturbing gift for card games and our concerns.

We are in soooo much trouble....

Everyone Knows It's Wendy!

Yes!  Wendy Davis is going to be the best Governor ever!  Y'all get registered and start spreading the word, you hear, Mamas?  Sure as mastitis on a busy vacation, she is going to need our help, but we are going to give it and then we are going to get a real Mama for Governor - it has been a long dry spell since that happened!  Just imagine what we can do with Mama Leadership!

Summer Poetry

Summer is past, but my summer poem is published here on Vox Poetica.  Please read it!