Every year MWD chops the head off an innocent bunny with a cleaver. And he can get away with it, because it’s a tradition.  For the sake of full disclosure, it is always on Easter day and I’m pretty sure the bunny was eating up Farmer McGregor’s vegetables.
In the Devers household we have dozens if not hundreds of traditions ranging from the standard issue (opening presents on Christmas morning) to the less common (playing hooky on Opening Day) and even a few bizarre (shaking a cleaver over a limp chocolate …

I’m a little late with my 10 on 10 this month. I’ve had computer issues and editing photos seems to make my computer freeze up, so I am two short – I made it up. I am hoping that I can get a fancy Macbook sometime next year. Until then I will keep on trying. Don’t worry – I’m still taking the pictures. Even if I can’t edit them yet.
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The explanation: I learned about 10 on 10 from Alysha Gray  (in January via Twitter, see my other 10 on 10’s) and believe …

“Of course George Strait wrote ‘Desperately!’”

This is what happens when you talk music outside of the bubble, as I did recently while visiting family who don’t really look beyond Top 40 country radio for their daily musical fix.

I think of it as more of a blister than a bubble actually, because after spending the last decade working within this genre, I notice there is thick skin that separates us from the outside world. The community within the Texas/Americana music scene understands the importance of the songwriter to the whole equation in a way that makes us feel connected. And maybe it makes me feel a little superior; I know a “secret,” and even if I share

“You definitely missed your turnoff by about 10 miles … just head on back and take 12 through Wimberley. You’ll be here in no time.”

That missed turn was the prettiest detour I’ve ever taken. I was heading to the Zone recording studio by invitation of Walt Wilkins to watch as he and John Greenberg work on the new Mystiqueros album. During the drive I recalled the first time I heard about the Zone, in the summer of 2007, when both Wilkins and Lloyd Maines (separately) bragged about the treasure they had found. Maines was producing the Mystiqueros’ first record (Diamonds In The Sun) and Wilkins convinced him to try a new place; they were both smitten with the studio. From that moment on, it seems that word of the Zone spread through the Texas music terrain

Little scraps of paper hold me together. Each piece soaked in a homemade solution of effort mixed with anxiety and then layered one strip at a time over the clutter, chaos, and disarray; Clair salmagundi. These pieces of paper are lists. Ordinary registers of tasks or goals scrawled on every kind of paper that followed me through the stages of my life; from Holly Hobby notebooks to my standard yellow notepad. . If I were to crawl inside each memory and poke around a little, I would find at least …

People tell me the strangest things. My husband is frequently amazed by the stories I recount from random people I cross paths with throughout my day; everyone from crossing guards to grocery clerks tell me stories that should be saved up for professional counseling or maybe even the cops. For most of my life I assumed I had a sort of weirdness magnet and in a way I do, but mostly what I do is listen and ask. Every person has a crazy story and even boring people have an …

I almost forgot my March  10 on 10.  It was my sweetheart’s birthday and the kids and I had lots of fun things planned. Glad Alysha reminded me!
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The explanation: I learned about 10 on 10 from Alysha Gray  (in January via Twitter – view my January 10 on 10) and believe it was started by Rebekah.  As Rebekah says “take a photo once an hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. document a snapshot of your life and find beauty among the ordinary things of your day.”
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Happy Birthday, MWD!

My advice for anyone with a camera . . .
Eliminate the background noise
 
You can solve the problem of photography background noise in two easy steps:
#1 – Pay Attention To Detail.
#2 – Move Yourself.
I’m a voyeur. Looking at pictures is one of my favorite things to do and I don’t even have to know the people in them. Sometimes I spend hours hopping from site to site looking at photos that catch my eye. Most of the photos I’m intrigued by are ordinary snapshots from everyday life. But, I also have …

The world is being converted to ones and zeros. There hasn’t been a day in years that I went without touching a computer and for the most part I can roll with it, but it dawned on me the other night while watching my husband by the fireplace reading a book on his iPhone; some things don’t translate.
In this instant gratification world everything is digital or heading that direction. I don’t have to go rent a movie – I can download it. Instead of waiting until I have time to …

I have always loved dogs. When MWD and I were dating, I told him I would always have a dog; he took it like a man. There are benefits to having a dog that go beyond security and companionship. It’s hard to explain, but I love dogs. However, I don’t have a dog, I have a puppy and that’s a whole ‘nother show.
When my sweet Sadie died after sticking by me for twelve years, I told MWD we could have a dog break. We would wait until there were no …