We had a house full of guests this weekend, Shawn, Minna, Pete, Merja, Lani and Roy all came from the Houston area to listen to music, sample food from the various vendors and to enjoy Pecan Jam 2012. So there is no confusion to the puzzle of names I just threw at you, Shawn, my son, is going to marry Minna, and Pete and Merja are her parents. Lani is Harold’s oldest and our only daughter. She was eleven years old when Harold and I got married and I won’t say how old she is now but if you think about Harold and me being married almost forty years, I guess you can kind of figure it out. Lani is married to Roy. Patches isn’t married and says if the Bachelorette is any indication of what dating is like he would rather pull his toenails out one by one and die alone. Okay, now that everyone has been properly introduced and relationships are clear...on to the events of the weekend.There was a time in my life preparing for company would have meant an all out assault on every spec of dirt, preparing huge quantities of food, killing myself for even one day of having people come stay at my house. I would have been so filled with anticipation, expectations, excitement and the result of all of it was and always would be the same...let down, disappointment and two tons of left overs. It took me many years to realize I didn’t have to kill myself cleaning house in order for guests to come enjoy the warmth and love that lives in it or serve an entire buffet of food to fill them when a modest meal is plenty. It wasn’t until I moved here to San Saba and discovered it is all about heart and I have a good one.Patches would take issue with my last statement and say my heart might be a good one but it needs to learn how to be more creative when reading and interpreting human rules. He was more than a little upset about not being allowed to go to Pecan Jam with us. Not only does he consider himself a family member but as a sometimes writer for this paper with photo and his own by line, he fancies himself somewhat of a newshound! I cannot tell you guys how many times he has asked me when I was going to make him a press pass to put on his collar and if they make special sweaters that have News Hound printed across them! I have tried to tell him what we do isn’t that important but he just shoots back at me that maybe what I do isn’t but I should never presume to speak for him! I have to tell you guys, he might be right. I was buying Pecan Jam Tee shirts and running my mouth, as usual, and this lady waiting to buy hers overheard me talking and said...”Oh my gosh, are you Lindy?” I smiled at her and said “Yes.” She flung open her arms and gave me the warmest hug and told me she just loved me, Patches and Harold! She said she gets the biggest kick out of reading the column every week. I purposely did not tell Patches what she said because he would want to borrow my car and drive to Dallas and go to Neiman’s to buy a sweater that says News Hound and besides, I really do not feel like listening to his I told you so, mom!I have no idea what the numbers were for Pecan Jam but it seemed to me there were not as many people as last year. I adored Classie Ballou Family Band so very much, just as I did last year. What a wonderful family and incredible music. Six Market Blvd is one of the most outstanding young bands I have heard and I think they have such a bright future ahead of them. What struck me the most though is what always captures me and that is watching the children. If ever you want to feel carried away by pure, unadulterated, uncensored, unedited self expressive joy...watch a child live life in a moment. You can actually see the upbeats start at their feet and work all the way to the top of their heads! When their little bodies twirl with abandon, it is as if their arms fling the music like fairy dust outward and it becomes the atmosphere of joy they feel inside for the world...it's such a beautiful thing. I look out at the dance floor and I witness love...family love when parents dance with their children, when a couple who have been dancing together for fifty years dance as if they are one person, and when a young couple dance like a nervous giggle...all shy, new and full of what might be. I had a friend from high school and her husband come up and join us. They had an event in Llano and came to Pecan Jam after it was over. She was blown away by the beauty of our town and said repeatedly throughout the evening how absolutely stunning a setting Risien Park was. Barbara and her husband, Joe, kept talking about how perfect, peaceful and beautiful the trees, the river and the area was and how lucky we were to live here. Harold took Joe around to show him some of the improvements done to the park and to show him a little of the Nature Center. For me, that is why Pecan Jam is important...it is a chance to showcase all that is so very special about our wonderful community. I don’t even really look at it as a big old party as much as I see it as a testament to a way of life...a good way of life. I had lots of family with me at Pecan Jam 2012 and for that reason alone, it made it the best ever! I love you all with all my heart. We have something truly wonderful in this town... natural beauty and each other!