Well, I’m not quite sure that we conquered, but we did do a lot of searching. We stayed downtown in New Orleans and drove out to the two areas where we concentrated our search for our daughter’s future apartment/home. She’ll only be in the area for a year, so we want to find a place where she can focus on enjoying the city rather than having to worry about safety. (Actually, being a young adult, I rather doubt she worries about her safety as much as my husband and I do.)
I have mentioned a few times that San Antonio is in a rather constant state of drought. As we headed east on the interstate, we enjoyed the lush springtime green that we have missed seeing for quite a while now. We were treated to magnificent Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes (orange), with a sprinkling of pink Primroses (I think that’s what they are called), all of which were constant reminders of Lady Bird Johnson’s Texas beautification project. Thank you, Lady Bird, for a job well done! The flowers are truly sights to be enjoyed by ALL.
We also were happy to see tall, tall, green trees. Out in San Antonio, there are not very many areas where we can enjoy tall, green trees. Our area has many gnarly, short, sort of dark green-leaf oak trees, which is why my husband and I immediately planted six Monterrey Oaks on our lot when we moved here.
As we passed through Houston I thought (very fondly) of when we met my daughter’s college roommate. She was a sweet teenager, ready to take on the world. She is now a married woman living in this bustling city, with her PhD in Petroleum Engineering, working for a large oil company. Brava to her! She just got married, and she looked absolutely radiant in her wedding dress. Where has the time gone?
Oh, I almost forgot, as we drove through Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I was surprised to see a Dalrymple Drive sign. Yes, even spelled the same way as Carola Dunn’s Daisy’s surname. A neat reminder of my very favorite mystery genre.
reginav says
Hi Danna,Your descriptions of the Texas countryside sound lyrical. Spring must have arrived in your neck of the woods, but it has not quite landed in New England yet. I tried to add a book to the MARCH READING LIST BUT I was too late as I had read it on 3/31. The book was Mary Daheim’s “The Alpine Yeoman”. It was excellent. Her characters progress in age and lifestyle naturally. Some authors “freeze” their stories and characters but not Daheim. I think I prefer this series to her B&B one. I also finished Susan Albert’s newest book. Her characters also move along in time. Regretfully Howard Cosell, the Basset Hound”, has gone to the Happy Hunting Ground. My son has a basset hound named Bo and he is aging. I worry how my son will react when Bo leaves us as my son has never married and Bo is like a child to him. Bassets are cute and soothing but amusing looking dogs. I am now in Christmas time England in Rebecca Tope’s newest. Brrrr
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Regina, I don’t close the monthly recommendations anymore because if I do, the updated version of the program I use deletes all of the comments. And since the comments are the part of the recommendations that people like to read, I don’t close the entries like I used to (after the +/- third of the next month).
As for the weather, it is spring down here, no question about it. Unfortunately, that means we’ll be getting the high 90s very soon.
Regina, after Sprite left us, I found myself pulling into parking lots so that I could cry. I never would have imagined I had become so attached to her following me around for the 16 1/2 years she was with us. Well, actually I knew I was terribly attached, but I didn’t think it would take me so long to get over the emptiness I felt.
I can imagine that you would worry about your son. I’m sure he will feel an enormous loss when Bo goes to join Sprite.
Linda says
I am so excited to have found your blog. I live in San Antonio, love cozy mysteries, and have just written a cozy mystery of my own. It is far from being published, but I’ve loved writing it. Right now it is being edited (very nervous making!).
Your blog is going to be a big help.
The wild flowers are spectacular this year, aren’t they? Our neighbors’ lawns are covered in Blue Bonnets. We’re new to this neighborhood, so I’ve made a note to scatter seeds this coming fall.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the Cozy Mystery site, Linda! Let us know how your Cozy Mystery is coming along.
I am sitting in my kitchen whilst tremendous thunder clouds are booming, yet not sending a whole lot of rain our way. Hopefully they will finally give us what they are grumbling about!
Nancy says
Ha! I used to live in Baton Rouge, and my church was on Dalrymple Drive. I don’t know which was harder to spell as a child, that or presbyterian 🙂
I love your site, thanks so much for all the information and the current updates!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Nancy, I was very surprised to see Dalrymple on that sign. I just looked it up and found that it is apparently a name found in many places: Tasmania, Scotland, England, Australia, Antarctica, and Baton Rouge. (I know Tasmania is Australian, but I like the sound of it.)
Tessa~ says
“Petroleum Engineering”
Our oldest granddaughter will graduate next month… She is an Electrical Engineer. Has a job already. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tessa, it’s great that your granddaughter already has a job lined up. I’m sure you are very proud of her.
Tessa~ says
Sorry, that was OT. But it came to mind.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tessa, you will probably find that we go off topic a lot around here!
Ritter A. says
Love everyone’s descriptions of spring. Winter has seemed so long in coming this year that I think it makes the new season even more spectacular to our eyes. Thanks so much for taking us along on your “conquering” journey 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ritter, I hope your spring is more fabulous than ever!
denise says
I know Dalrymple Drive in BR–relatives live near there
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, I was so surprised to see that sign. (I’m sure my husband could have done without my long description of all the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries I have read!)