"You cannot compromise your core beliefs..."

I like almost all of the Republican candidates, and they ALL would make better presidents than what we have now by a long shot, but I LOVE Rick Perry. He's a straight-shooter and I trust him. Having lived in Texas the entire time he has been governor (and actually my entire life except for the one year I lived in Denver) Rick Perry has been almost perfect. The big snafu that he's being roasted on is when he wanted all girls to get an immunization for cervical cancer, and I DID disagree about that. But he has pulled away from those comments when he saw how Texan women reacted, and blamed it on his passion. But it's his passion that I love. I want a candidate who isn't just in it for the popularity, but actually loves this country and wants to "conserve" the constitution. I want a candidate with a strong faith and morals from which to make the big decisions. I prefer a candidate who has served in the military although it's not a deal breaker if they haven't. I want a candidate that has class and manners; someone who was raised right. I want a candidate who believes in capitalism, American exceptionalism and small government. I want a candidate that is fair and loves justice. I want a candidate who is a tough man but is compassionate.

You see conservatives have "seen the light," yet we are compassionate towards those who have not. That's the difference. Liberals generally have one issue that they will not negotiate such as same-sex marriage or pro-abortion or legalizing marijuana and it drives them to vote on that one thing only. Conservatives are driven by their strong moral beliefs which also cannot be compromised. And all conservatives are Republicans but not all Republicans are conservatives. There are the country club Republicans who do not have strong moral beliefs, but skew closer to Republicans on fiscal issues so they can keep more of their money. Talking about religion embarresses them and they are not passionate people. (Well, maybe passionate about hanging on to their money?)

Anyway.

Rick Perry has all of my 'wants' in a candidate and more.

Perry is the man for this time...

"Pretty Woman, walking down the street..."

For this Toddlers and Tiaras pageant, this THREE-year-old's mother dressed her up as a prostitute (think "Pretty Woman".)

And we wonder why this country is heading in the wrong direction...

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock..."

Occasionally I like to post really cool photos - this one was taken on top of the volcanic Cirque of Mafate peak, a remote and inaccessible volcanic crater that hikers love due to it's unspoiled nature, on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. It was taken by an amateur french photographer named Luc Perrot who climbed the mountain to record a time-lapse video of the movement of the clouds on July 10th and was stunned at what he saw. The figure bears an uncanny resemblance to Jesus with arms outstretched, and floats on a cloud, with a crescent of light acting as a halo. Perrot said, "It took me by surprise. When I looked back at the footage, it gave me the feeling of a divine appartion." He went on to say that it was probably a weather phenomenon and could be explained scientifically.

Um hmmm....

"Where there's smoke, there's fire..."

Right now as I write here in Central Texas, there are fires all around Austin... 14,000 acres burned in Bastrop and it's not contained yet. A mandatory evacuation has been issued. There are fires in Pfugerville, Steiner Ranch and south Austin. Major brushfire in bordering Hays County to the south. The entire state is just a big pile of kindling and is just a match away from disaster.

In the Utopia movie (which was filmed last summer) there is a scene of a thunderstorm here and the entire audience gasped when they saw it, as it's been that long since we've had rain. Trees are dying, bushes and hedges are almost gone, and yards are like tundra (my favorite word from 4th grade.) Ranchers are finding dead deer all over their places and nocturnal animals are coming out in the daytime for food. Even the bats are leaving their caves earlier to fly farther for food. And the bordering county south of mine, has had bear sightings (and now shootings) for the first time in 100 years, since they are coming north out of Mexico for food.

It's serious readers, very serious....

"7 Days in Utopia"

Tonight I saw the movie, "7 Days in Utopia," and it did not disappoint. Last summer in my little town in the Texas hill country, we heard they were filming a movie on a new book, "Golf's Sacred Journey, Seven Days at the Links in Utopia." It was written by a friend of DD's father, Dr. David Cook, who is a psychologist to super athletes, and evidently they come from miles around to have an appointment with him. David's daughter was in DD's dance class, so I got to meet him and his wife, and they are some of the nicest people I've ever met.

Anyway.

They had an all-call for anyone that wanted to be an extra in the movie, so it was great fun to see familiar faces in the crowd, not to mention all the familiar places around here! The movie truly captures our way of life here in the Texas hill country, and being a 5th generation Texan, it made me proud.

Of course after "Lonesome Dove," Texans call Robert Duvall one of our own. He SO reminds me of my mother's father with that cute twinkle in his eye... When I started reading the book, I knew that he was MEANT for that part. It is men like him that made me move to this town - those types are the salt of the earth and make this world a better place. The river scene looks like this entire area (except that it hasn't rained since they filmed last summer, so the rivers are drying up.) My family's ranch that my great grandfather bought, is right down the street from Utopia, so many childhood memories in these parts. The porch scene is actually a Bed & Breakfast in our town, (DD's 7th grade cheer photos were taken on the bridge on the property and we took family Christmas photos there a few years ago) and the gorgeous new golf course is at the edge of town. It's a movie with A List actors, gorgeous scenery and a meaningful script with no gratuitous sex or cussing that shows the wonderful metaphor of golf and life's successes. Go see it - you'll be glad you did.

It will make you want a new pair of boots...

"Cheers"

"Sticking it to the man..."