Brenda Cannon Henley's archive

Seagull, pelican partnership: The continued saga

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about an interesting spectacle I witnessed while fishing with my husband in our boat on Galveston Bay. I love watching all of God’s creatures do their thing, and I have learned so much while on the water. It is thrilling to get a bit of understanding as to how creation and creatures all work together for the common good. This education is so much more fun when one is seeing in reality what actually takes place on and in the water that literally surrounds us here on the Bolivar Peninsula.

Grandma’s hands

While riding down the highway the other day, I made an interesting discovery. Looking down into my lap, I noticed that my hands looked old. I was startled. I don’t feel old. My kids don’t think I act old. My friends think I dress fashionably enough … well, for playing on the beach, anyway.

Smiling and waving as we go

On a recent trip to Georgia to visit my relatives and to take care of some pressing business, I learned a valuable lesson from my longtime sister in law, Teresa Fowler Stancil. We have been in the same family for more than 40 years and have shared much humor, some illness, hundreds of Scrabble games, lots of other good times, a few sad ones, child rearing secrets, and years of life experiences. She is quite the teacher and I have found myself gleaning tidbits from her vast table of knowledge.

Building partnerships that work

No one puts on a show like Mother Nature. Yesterday afternoon on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, Ted and I were treated to a more than three-hour performance by the best she had to offer. We were fishing and happily catching lots of different “things” from the Gulf. I’ve always said the best part of fishing the Gulf is not knowing what might be on the end of that line when you feel a strong tug, work the catch, and finally see it break water. It could be a beautiful silver fish, some with bright colors glowing in the sun.

God, please save me from the need to win

I’m as much of a competitor as anyone I know. I love to play the game and win if at all possible, but I don’t always come out the victor. There are times when I play against someone that is simply more intelligent than I am or happens to get the better hand or draw. That’s what makes playing games, cards, contests, or quizzes so much fun for most people. If one is going to win every time, then really what’s the use of playing?