I know we are all so devastated with the reality that is present in this state of ours… it is heart breaking to see the loss and even begin to imagine how to rebuild. But I will say the Oklahoma spirit is amazing… we are a phenomenal people, and when we need each other, people come out of the woodwork to help. It is truly inspiring… my thoughts and prayers are with each and every soul affected by this devastation.

Here is a link to help should you be moved to do so… RED CROSS

And….. on a brighter note… please follow this link Belle Belle Beauty for the second installment in… THE national Skincare and Beauty Blog!

Please stay safe out there and give extra love to your friends, family and furry loved ones… be thankful for what you have… each day is a gift.

I know it has been forever since you have heard from me. Most of you know how crazed my life has become… it’s all good but it’s a lot!

I wanted to share this exciting event in my career. I have been published in a national beauty blog.

Check out this LINK

I hope to blog more in the near future… love and miss you all… gabe

Thank you Tulsa!

“Why does Winnie always wink at me?” …. “She’s not winking honey, she has a perpetual blink… and don’t mention it.” “Oh” I said. I was little and didn’t understand the rapid flickering of her eye lids….. It was an uncommon thing that turned endearing over the years. She could blink 10-15 times in one sentence!

She was the kind of woman that most southern men loved, attractive, had a great smile and ….. well, everyone always thought she was winking at them…. Who wouldn’t like that? Annnnnnd she was largely….a damn good cook!

My great Aunt Winifred Hedges passed away on Monday. She was visiting the cemetery for Memorial Day when it happened…. She was 94! Winnie, as she was known to us, lived with my grandfather’s brother Kenneth (yes, Kenny and Winnie), in Lamont Oklahoma, since Jesus was a boy. Some of my absolute greatest memories and my only farm memories took place on their land. It was a typical farmhouse with barns and farm animals and fruit trees and plenty of land… it seemed huge to me.

I can smell the window unit air conditioner that cooled the place (not so well) during the summer visits that my grandparents shared with me. The time was spent doing “fun” things like pulling up potatoes and carrots…. and picking cherries from the cherry tree out front. My favorite occurrence and the reason I love Oklahoma weather…. Was when those summer storms would erupt and the rain and sometimes hail would bounce off that tin roof porch while we were out there drinking sun tea. The sound was amazing. I remember that smell too! That is, by and far, the best smell on earth. Fresh rain…

Of course after the rains, it left plenty of mud….perfect for mud pie making! Winnie gave us several tin pie pans and silver spoons and we would go out and dig up the soil and some grass for texture… Them was some good lookin’ mud pies!

Speaking of pies…. Winnie was the absolute best pie baker ever… Her pecan pie was one of my favorites but she was KNOWN for her cherry pie! My grandmother always made a comment about the crust pattern, each time was THE most beautiful one she had ever seen. Before anyone ever heard of Martha Stewart, Winnie did it all local and all by hand… Even those cherries came from her tree. I know, I picked some of them.

She canned anything that would stand still… But everyone’s favorite was Winnie’s pickles… OMG!!! You have never tasted a better pickle! Huge jars…. and every Christmas we all got a jar of pickles and $5… hehehe

It was a special Christmas treat that I will always treasure. And I will always treasure you, Winnie… Anytime I see something canned, I quickly think of you…… or a hand crafted quilt….or smell cherries baking in a crust… And absolutely…every time someone winks at me.

Godspeed my dear, wishing you Peace, Love and Cherry Pie

I hope this finds you all well. We have had a wonderfully relaxing 4 day weekend and it’s drawing to a close. We did a little of this and a little of that… but nothing that warranted much in the form of manual labor… at least the pups and I didn’t.

I have organized my computer and files… but WHY in the world do I procrastinate on my photos? It’s overwhelming!!!!!! I have thousands of them and cannot muster the energy required to sort through them and bring order to a very disorderly folder on my laptop! UGH!!!!!! I wish there were a program to do it for me!

Speaking of photos…. those of you who have a smartphone… should know about Instagram if you don’t already! It is my spring/summer obsession. It’s been out for a while but I’m slow to find it’s charm. Instagram is a photo app that allows you to take and manipulate photos right on your iPhone or other smartphone…. and your photos look amazing! It’s free too!!

Here are a few shots that I have taken with Instagram! Check it out for yourself! You will love it… and “follow” me, search for Gabriel40 and you will find me!

For you iPhone users out there…. My new addiction is Instagram! I’m gonna see if there is a way to post from it to the blog! I will let you all know!

I will leave you will a couple of shots of life lately!

We have been busy helping my mother open her new shoppe in Stillwater! It is fabulous! If you are in that little town… Stop in and say hi! She is located at 119 east 9th Ave and its called 9th Ave Market!

Fun vintage finds, cool jewelry, candles edibles, clothing and such! Yay!

This is the resin cow head we found at Market! She’s a hit!