Do you remember Country Roads, by John  Denver?      Source Well, I had the opportunity to explore  very similar roads to those with our  daughter Rebecca and our granddaughter  Molly.    They do not live in  West Virginia, but they do live   country... Acres upon acres of cornfields which meet   seemingly endless horizons.  Sweet earthy smells of fertile soil. Creeks filled with abundant water. Livestock grazing in gentle pastures. I left the confines of the city far behind. Blinking lights, horns blaring, engines  idling, not here, not now.  Bull Frogs croaking, crickets singing,   mooing, neighing, comforting sounds of  nature. Soothing, calming, quiet, restful.   Precious time spent with precious family. Have you traveled down any Country Roads  this Summer? Please Join Me At These Parties: Viewing Nature With Eileen A Rural Journal

A cool blue door, a blue chevron bow on a  wreath, two blue  antique jars, a shimmering blue pool.   What could all of  these items  have in  common - Blue -  and when you live in a  State as hot  as Texas, anything that looks cool, will make you  feel cool, and  that has to be a good thing. Our daughter recently re-painted her front door. I love the color she chose-cool turquoise. When she asked for a welcoming  wreath, I made my way to Hobby Lobby and grabbed the last roll of blue chevron ribbon.  As I was adding the last twig of ivy.. And adjusting the bow, I  put her wreath on our antique  armoire.   A mazingly enough just  that touch of blue seemed to make our  bedroom feel cooler and  breezy. This is when I began to think about adding more blue to our own home.   I found these darling Blue vintage mason jars at a little antique  store in  Oklahoma,  while visiting our youngest daughter.  The  owner of  the  booth  shared with me some  information  on  choosing  vintage  jars.  Th

While I garden and water I find myself daydreaming.  Sometimes  my daydreaming is of wonderful and mysterious places.  Other  times it is wondering what I could do with various left over parts of  gardening equipment. Seems as though I should be able to do  something creative with some of it. I had been dealing with a leaking hose for some time and was tired of wasting water.  I really didn't want to buy a new hose so I  decided I could repair it with couplings.  Repair work went well, all leaks taken care of.  As I was gathering up these leftover  couplings, I couldn't help but notice how cute they were...  I thought the turquoise was especially trendy and fun.  And the silver screws add just the right amount of glitz. We were having a little get together the following weekend, my mix of paper plates, silver chargers, and roosters were the perfect blend to add my napkin rings to. My marigolds are thriving and have such nice sturdy stems for cutting. A little mix of garden fres

Mama Chris, is my very special mother-in-law who has embraced  me  as her own daughter for 11 years plus.   Mama Chris has some  beautiful, collectible Tea and Chocolate Pot Sets.   While we were on our Southern  journey we spent several  days with  she and Papa.   Mama Chris and Papa will be celebrating their 80th Birthdays, this August.  Although many things in their lives have changed-many  have not and that is their love and warmth.  Their lovely gracious Southern home reflects their entire lives.  A vase here, a photograph there.  A screened in porch, draperies  carefully chosen, a certain color for a particular wall and the tea  sets. Oh, the many tea sets carefully displayed and cherished.   I love the charming colors on this particular tea set-and the detail  of each flower, petal and scroll. These cherished and fragile Tea sets are much like Mama Chris and Papa.   They have seen the changing tides of time, lived  through many seasons.  Some days are better than others,  less

Now that I have become a fan of adding a pop of pink to my  decorating,  I see adorable accent pieces everywhere I go! You might be surprised to find out where I found these three cute vases and the price I paid for them... I found them in Destin Florida, in a little antique shop that had just the most wonderful goodies ever!  These three little  vases were regularly priced for 11 dollars  each.  Reduced  price for a quick sale-drum roll... please. 3 dollars each!!  Now, is that a bargain, or is that a bargain? We were Blessed with lots of family time, white sugary sand  beaches and colorful skies. A few months back I dried some beautiful red roses and  shared a post with you-  Drying Roses .  These are those same roses clipped shorter. My dried roses and rose vases, seem like a perfect match. Please Join Me At These Parties: Rose Chintz Cottage Elizabeth & Co. The Dedicated House No Minimalist Here

We had wonderful food on our trip down South and when we came  home  I felt as though we had to gradually wean ourselves off of all  those  rich  and flavorful foods.  My solution was Banana Pudding! You do know, that banana pudding is best served 2 or 3 days old.   All of  these sweet little vanilla wafers absorb the pudding and whip  cream  filling to turn into a mouthful of heavenly bliss.    Don't you just love the way the pudding layers itself around each of the wafers-Southern Banana Pudding is not only incredibly delicious it is a beautiful dessert to serve. I am happy to report we are back on track with our usual healthy  diet! Please Join Me At These Parties: No Minimalist Here This Gal Cooks Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs. Olson

Our trip came,  it went, and it was  delightfully memorable.  It could have been  the music that set the  tone for our  travels.  Or it could have been  that we went  with open souls and hearts. Our first stop New Orleans. These musicians were actually  good, we  stopped and listened to  several of  their  tunes.  The man with the washboard  played  very well!  Every  corner and turn beckons to the  traveler, with a different selection of   sumptuous  desserts, coffee, beignets and  seafood  galore - Whatever  your palate desires  you  will not  leave this city hungry. Did I mention that I have a sweet tooth? Yes, Aunt Sally does make the best Praline! Verified and stamped with approval by yours  truly.  Don't you love the method of drying these marvelous confections- Everything is tattered, rusted, bent,  sagging and molded and I love it!  I love  the rich History, the Folklore, the Tales, my imagination runs wild with images of the past.  We walked and walked and walked until I h

The husby and I are going on a little road trip. We are leaving  the Texas Sun- We are leaving the Windmills behind... Our journey will take us to New Orleans, Florida and  Mississippi.  I hope - fingers crossed- that I will find not only relaxation, laughter and fun. But some wonderful inspiration to share with all of you. I will be snapping pictures of antique shops, marvelous food, flowers, rivers, and the sea- Please join us on our trip on Instagram. When I get back I hope I will see you here! Have a very, very safe and happy 4th of July- Please Join Me At These Parties: A Rural Journal

I really did not see it coming but I have  fallen head over heels in love... With pink! I think it was the pink vintage  lamps which created this spark. Oh, I have found the perfect place for them as well, but that is for a future post. If I  had not found those lamps I would have never considered pink for an accent color other  than a bedroom. And yet, this pink is adding such grace, style, beauty and vibrancy to  our home. I do believe that I have been too rigid in  my  choice of accent colors.  I am just really  ready for a change! I have incorporated vintage vases, chubby  little porcelain vases, vintage crystal and sea shells.  I adore this double decker vintage Tea Cart- Do you know it was a very drab brown rattan  up until a couple of years ago. I painted it this wonderful gold and now  just about everything looks wonderful on it. Of course... wink, wink- PINK! And then, I looked outside and naturally there was  pink in the garden, so in came the little roses, periwinkles and