Hot Dog!!!!

First things first. I have been extra busy for the last few days, so I haven't been blogging much. BooMama and Brenda even commented that I had been conspicuously absent. Hmmmm........Which means either, 1. I should be touched that people miss me when they notice I'm missing in action for a couple of days, OR, 2. I am on here blogging so much that even a short absence is cause for concern that I MUST be sick or having some sort of crisis, because after all, what else could possibly keep me from blogging?! I'll just take the position that you're concerned and miss me when I'm not committing regular bloggery, LOL. And I am touched that you care enough to ask about me, truly I am. Thanks for your concern, everyone.

I have noticed a lot of those flowers like that one up there blooming lately. For you that don't have the privilege of seeing (and smelling!) Southern Magnolias in bloom, you are missing out on a feast of the senses. The flowers are a creamy white, and they have the loveliest scent. Sort of like a citrusy lily scent, but really they have a delicious scent all their own. When it hasn't been pouring down rain, it has been nice enough out to drive with the windows down, and the smell of the magnolias drifts through the open windows. Mmmmmmmm................That's mostly in town.

Now out in the country, along the gravel roads, I often see and smell my very favorite wildflower: wild honeysuckle. Mercy, I could roll in the stuff and sleep in it. If I could ever find a perfume or candles and air freshener that smelled like the real thing, that would be the only thing I'd use. There's a picture of it there to the right. It may not look like much, but a small bouquet of that stuff will fill a big room with it's heavenly aroma. Did I mention I love the stuff?

Now, some good news for me. A few weeks ago, I learned about a writing contest online, sponsord by Heather at Mom2Mom Connections. The theme was A Mother's Love, and on a whim, never really expecting to win anything, I entered my Letter To Mama, my blog tribute to her on the first anniversary of her death. (UPDATE: Okay, I got the link fixed, but you have to scroll up to the top for some reason.....Blogger, I do not understand thee.....!!) Well, look HERE!! (This one is fixed, too.) Lo and behold, I won 5th Place, and also the Mother's Legacy Award!! Now 5th place might not be very exciting to anyone but me, but I am thrilled! Not that there's a trip to Ooga Booga or a gold-plated anything that goes with the award, but still, this is big stuff to somebody who's never won anything in her life. Thanks to Heather and all the judges for recognizing me. If you click on the link, scroll down to see the list of winners and honorable mentions, etc.

And, I want to post a few pics of Jessica. The first one is from her boyfriend's prom. Her prom is coming up this Friday night, and she plans to wear the same dress again. She is going to have a full weekend. After prom on Friday night, her Senior class leaves at 5 am Saturday morning going to Hot Springs, Arkansas for their senior trip. They will be going to Magic Springs, a theme park, for the day and evening, and leave again coming back to Bay at about 1 am Sunday morning. That will have them getting home around 4 am, then she is supposed to go to church with me that Sunday morning for Mother's Day. Okay, look over that itenerary and look for time for sleeping in there. I don't see much time at all for sleep, plus she has been designated to stay awake on the way home and keep the bus driver awake, so she will get less sleep than probably any of them. Youth will only cover so much lost sleep, I tried to tell her. I predict one cranky, exhausted teenager on Mother's Day......Happy Mother's Day to me.......... ;-)

And, I wanted to post a pic from Monday night. She received an Arkansas Scholars Award, which is awarded to only the top 5% of all Arkansas high school seniors. To receive this award, she had to maintain a "B" average or higher from 9th grade through graduation, could not exceed the state mandated limits for absences, and have no discipline referrals in that time. There are more requirements, but it's late and I can't remember them at the moment. There are no real money benefits, but the award goes on their high school and college transcripts, and all businesses and employers who are members of Chambers of Commerce give preferential consideration to Arkansas scholars when they are hiring for jobs and positions, so it may benefit her in the long run, if not immediately. There were three others of her classmates from Bay who also got the award.

Well, as previously mentioned, it's late, or early, according to your perspective, so I am going to wrap this up and post it. Wishing everybody a wonderful Tuesday!!