Just going to leave this right here. ❤️

Nothing like walking through your neighborhood to vote. ❤️👊🏼❤️ VOTE!

Nuestro padre Refugio con su única hermana Vita, Laredo, Texas, c. 1945. ❤️ Remember those who came before you. Tell often that you love them. Hold your people close.

“Ito Romo's vampires step across centuries with dignity, but with desperation, too—you don't want to get close to them, but you can't look away.” -Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. As always, gracias, @sgj.bsky.social. Pre-order now wherever you buy your books. ❤️👊🏼❤️

First of the autumn blooms (hoya carnosa compacta). Hope you’re having a great week. ❤️ Remember to look at the beauty around you.

Lovely conversation with Simon Pruitt yesterday in Dallas. Thanks to Talking Animals Books and the amazing folks at Deep Vellum Publishing for the invite. Looking forward to coming back when *Filth Eaters* is out. ¡Gracias, Simon!

“The burdens of generations of poverty and powerlessness lie heavy in the fields of America.”—Cesar Chavez from Martin Luther King, Jr.: He Showed Us the Way, Maryknoll, 1978, 52-55.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Olympic Games, October 16, 1968, Mexico City. Remember those who struggled before you. ❤️👊🏼❤️ Here’s to the heroes. Protest peacefully.

Our aunt Vita Romo Greiner (3rd row, 4th), our dad Refugio's only sibling, entrance to the old 💙 St. Augustine High School 💛 downtown Laredo, 1950s. Hope you have a great week!

This Wednesday, I am joining my dear friend (and genius) Hayan Charara at a reading to celebrate his new novel, *Hush Little Children* 10/15, 5:30pm - 7:00pm, at the @thetwigbookshop.bsky.social at the Historic Pearl. Come visit with us.

Quick visit, but super happy to see him @poetrichardblanco.bsky.social Hold your people close. ❤️ Perfect cocktails and beautiful fried chicken livers at still our favorite restaurant Cured at Pearl.

A quick FYI: They have *just* relaunched the online NPR shop with bunches of new stuff, plus some throwbacks and, of course, the Tiny Desk hoodie. So if you are that kind of public media person, there’s some stuff to check out! shopnpr.org

Solidarity! ❤️👊🏼❤️

Our grandmother's twin sister Dalila & our grandmother Carlota (row2, 2&3), Central School, Laredo, TX, ca. 1910. In Laredo, public school education began in 1783 (by order of the Spanish Crown). Remember those who came before you, and remember to thank a teacher for all they do. ❤️👊🏼❤️ Happy Friday!

Happy birthday to my brother Ricky, (far right), a beautiful kid then and a beautiful human being now. Love you, manito! ❤️🎂❤️ Photo is a tiny self-developing snapshot (no date stamp) so must’ve been from one of the earlier Polaroid Land Cameras. Laredo, TX, c. ‘65-‘68. Btw—that’s me on the left.

❤️👊🏼❤️

Big doings in Austin this coming weekend! I’m excited to be leading the “Bursts of Firsts” picture book workshop for the @scbwiatx.bsky.social Mini MFA Conference. #atxscbwiconf25

Because we all need some beauty in our lives (away from the craziness that is our country), I can't begin to tell you how lovely it was to finally return to Bustamante, N.L., México. Looking forward to spending time there again! ❤️ Here's to a great week.

Canceled HULU. I’ll miss more than 1/2 of S5 OMITB. Oh well, I’ll resubscribe if they come to their senses—that and, well, uh, free speech. They tempt you before last cancel click: $2.99 for 6 mths—don’t fall for it—they’ll offer it again! (Oh, they’ll save your lists, so do not fret). Join me? ❤️👊🏼❤️

Power to the people!

On the brighter side: Hoy Ximena Romo cumple 10 años! Constant, loving companion. ¡Viva México! 🇲🇽 ¡Viva Ximena Romo! Dogs are perfect.

Because good news will do us all some good, Ximena, Lalo, and I are super happy to hold *Hush Little Children* Hayan Charara's brilliant debut novel. Get it now! ❤️👊🏼❤️

Catch THE EL for #FridayReads! Available everywhere. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...

Finally a full inflorescence of my Shooting Star Hoya (hoya multiflora)! ❤️ Different, beautiful—like all of us. Here’s to a lovely weekend.

Hold your people close. ❤ Demand responsible firearm ownership now!

I’ve had this ‘orchid cactus’ for almost 6 years now, and last night it bloomed for the very first time ❤️ Remember: "As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden," Chauncey Gardiner, *Being There* by Jerzy Kosiński

Amig@s, follow my other account: ‪Fun American Fact-I mean the continent‬

Lalo Romo turns 15 today. He'll get a big, juicy steak (and because he's the bestest boy ever, I'm sure he'll share with Ximena). Can't tell you how lucky I am to have him take care of me all these years, so fortunate. Dogs are perfect.

During the hard freeze of ‘21 I lost my night blooming cereus. Thankfully, I had shared a cutting with friend whose plant now thrived. He shared cuttings from the plant I’d shared with him, and last night, after several years, it bloomed. Here’s to new beginnings. ❤️ Hope you have a great week.

Here’s to the promise of a new day. Hoya carnosa (compacta). ❤️ Hope you’ve had a good week so far.

This is beyond stupid. Armored vehicles in Laredo, Texas. When will this nightmare e over?

Nuestra tía abuela Minerva González Fisher, nuestra abuela Sofía González Villarreal, y nuestras tías abuelas Conchita González Martínez, Estela González Orfila, y Alicia González Karg. Remember those who came before you. ❤️ Hold your people close.

Blooming today (morning to afternoon), Lucky-heart Hoya (hoya obovata var. kerrii). I try to focus on that which is beautiful. ❤️

Ramen lunch with Robert. Hope you have a great week, brah!!!!!! jajajaja ❤️

@sgriest.bsky.social telling stories from the bottom of her heart—lucky to have been there. Get her new book: *Art Above Everything* ❤️ @thetwigbookshop.bsky.social

All the Killer/Babysitter tire stops:

“The burdens of generations of poverty and powerlessness lie heavy in the fields of America.”—Cesar Chavez from Martin Luther King, Jr.: He Showed Us the Way, Maryknoll, 1978, 52-55.

❣️☮️❣️

Happy birthday to my sister Carlota! I love you, manita! ❤️🎂❤️ Laredo, Texas, early 1960s. Hold your sisters close.

For much needed levity, look at the amazing flower on my Hoya Multiflora that had never before bloomed! It’s a small inflorescence (usually lots of flowers on each peduncle), but will post if/when I get a full bloom! Here’s to a great week! ❤️

Vincent Valdés, artista: "Llevo toda mi vida pintando sobre el sistema que permite que figuras como Trump generen caos sin rendir cuentas. Nuestra situación actual no ha ocurrido de la noche a la mañana" social.elpais.com/4ll7j5

Con mi padre, Refugio, San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, México, 1965. ❤️ Hold your people close. Tell them often that you love them.

US Senator Alex Padilla (CA) forcibly removed, made to kneel, then handcuffed for questioning HSS Noem in LA. Been online-silent about politics lately, but if they can do this to a US senator . . . Call your Reps and Senators. Do/say something, @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social @repcuellar.govpeeps.us

On a lighter note: My Passion Fruit vine has never produced any fruit—maybe this year! First blooms of the season this evening. Fingers crossed. Almost Friday! ❤️

As the kids say, RIP king.

Nothing like walking through your neighborhood to vote for our next mayor Gina Ortiz Jones! Polls open until 7pm. GO VOTE!

Looking for a deal? @AppleBooks picked MEXICAN GOTHIC as the audiobook of the week! Get it for $4.99, this week only: apple.co/weeklyaudiobook