Get Ready for Fall Home Tours

I know it's Friday, and y'all are getting ready for the weekend, but I want

to tell you about two great Fall Home Tours coming up next week. 

Lots of great bloggers will be sharing their fabulous fall creations and

you don't want to miss any of the fun.  Bentley and I are very proud to be

a part of these tours too and we have been decorating, and taking photos

and editing and we are just bursting at the seams with excitement!

Bentley and I are now naturalized Texans and are so happy to be

a part of the Fall In Love With Texas blog tour.  It will be hosted

by our friend Katie over at Let's Add Sprinkles and it begins on

Monday, October 3rd.  Bentley and I are having our tour for this

party on Wednesday October 6th.  We'll give you a hint ~ our

theme this year is A Texas Fall Potting Shed.  Don't you know

we had fun getting ready and we are itching to show it off to you!

We are also pleased to be included in the Bloggers Seasonal

Harvest Tour hosted by Brenda over at Cozy Little House.

Twenty-five bloggers y'all know and love will be inviting 

you into their homes!

And to give y'all a hint about our theme for this party, it's all about 

decorating the front and back porches.  

Enjoy the weekend everyone!  I will be having photos from the

Round Top Antique Week next week too.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Potting Shed Tablescape

We are having some cooler weather and it sure makes me want to be

outside again.  I have been walking around the yard deciding what area

needs some loving first.  I love being outdoors and can hardly wait to start

wearing my garden clogs and getting busy once again.  I also love to 

decorate in a garden theme.  So here is an ancient and chippy wicker table

in my potting shed and it was just waiting for me to decorate it.

My dear friend Sharon sent me these adorable little cups, saucers and spoons

with a bee theme.  So sweet, I just love them to pieces!

The bee skep in the foreground is something I purchased up at 

Round Top last spring.  I am heading up there again and I am so 

excited about going.  It never gets old for me.  I will be taking lots

of photos, so I will be creating a travel log for those of you who

are not lucky enough to get there.  

Tablescape Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Bentley is King of the Cottage

I just knew it was only a matter of time before Bentley claimed the

granny square blanket for his own ;-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My First Completed Granny Square Blanket

I am feeling really proud of myself.  I wanted to learn to make granny squares

for the longest time and I finally completed my first granny square blanket.

It's just perfect for curling up with a cup of tea and a book.

It was so much fun to make, and it's convenient also because you can

just make squares over time and save them up and stitch them together.

Of course, I won't be at all surprised if Bentley decides to claim it

for his own ;-)

Thoughts of Home Thursday

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My Annual Fall Cold

For as long as I can remember,  I have managed to catch a cold sometime

during the last week of September.  I don't know why.  It isn't the cold 

and or flu season, but for me it seems to be.  It's as though the calendar 

dictates my health.  The weather has not changed here.  It's still hot and

humid, but here I am feeling achy and tired and wanting to stay in bed.

I had the the tell tale signs of this cold yesterday.  It started with a 

back ache.  Nothing severe, just annoying.

Then this morning the back ache went away and the headache and 

scratchy throat started.  This is very disappointing.  There are lots of

other things I want to be doing other than being curled up with a 

quilt and a cup of tea.  

I wonder if I went down to Australia at this time of the year if I 

would still get sick?  It's spring there.  Maybe I could trick my 

internal calendar ;-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

My Blast from the Past Fall Decorating Ideas

An advantage of blogging is that one can browse through seasonal

decorating ideas from the past.  I have albums full of pics from past

posts, some of which I have forgotten all about.  Since I am now in 

full fledged fall decorating mode, maybe you would like to browse 

through some of these old photos with me.

I hope this gives y'all some inspiration!  Have a wonderful first 

Fall weekend and go forth a decorate.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

First Day of Fall ~ But It's Still Hot Here

The calendar says it's fall, the temps here do not.  It's still hot

and sticky.  I'm trying to remember what fall was like up north,

because I am still wearing shorts and flip flops and spraying up

with bug repellent.  

I have been looking through my closet, going through my

fall wardrobe.  Lingering over the sweaters and the tartans and

my boots.  The fall clothing catalogs have been arriving.  If

I crank up the A/C and brew a pot of hot tea, I can just

imagine me wearing the cute sweaters and jackets I see.  

I changed my nail polish from the pinks and corals I wear

all summer, to a rich deep red, and switched my flip flops

from my white and pink ones, to a rich saddle leather style.

They are still flip flops, but the tanned leather has a rich warm

look about it.  

I have been longing to start cooking the comfort foods

of fall.  I can enjoy soup even in the summer, but hubby

only wants it when it's cool outside.  When the temps 

drop just 10 more degrees, I am getting out the slow

cooker and let the soups and stews begin!  Of course it will

still be hot outside, but I'll make it work :-)

I have been looking at the flannel pajamas too.  I love the Lanz brand that

Vermont Country Store carries.  Such a nice heavy weight, yet very soft

flannel.  So snuggly too.  Do you love PJ's as much as I do?

I must remember to pick up some more cinnamon spice candles this

weekend when I go shopping.  I long for that fragrance in our house.

So, happy first day of fall everyone.  I am celebrating despite the 

high temps.  At least now there is the knowledge that cooler days

will eventually be on their way!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

It's Hard to be a Childless Couple

Being a childless couple is not easy because most couples have

children.  As many of you already know, being childless was never

a choice for us, it has just been a heartache.  I never imagined

not having children after I married, but it's a reality I have had

to learn to accept.

But the fact is, the heartache of being childless never really leaves.

When we meet new couples, it's one of the first questions we are

asked.  When you tell them you do not have children, many look

at you as if you are some kind of a freak.

Sometimes people ask why, and that is awkward too.  I cannot

begin to count the number of times when I have said that we

were just not able to have any.  Most often people will let it go

at that, but there are some who will keep pressing to know all

the details.

One evening a woman who asked me why we didn't have children and

when I told her it wasn't our choice, but we were unable, she just kept

asking why we could not and why didn't we adopt and every time I 

thought I had sufficiently responded to her question, she just refused to

let the conversation drop.  I was so uncomfortable at that point I was

near tears and wanted so badly to leave so that I would not embarrass

myself.

I think it's harder for a woman to be childless than it is for a man.
When couples gather, the men will often discuss politics or golf
or their jobs.  The women talk about the kids.  I understand that.
If we had children, I would discuss them too, but when I am with
a group of women who are discussing their kids, I have nothing to
contribute and I lose interest in being with them.

The situation never changes because even after the kids have grown up
and marry, the parents then begin to discuss the grand kids.

We know one couple in town who are closest to our situation.  The
husband had a previous marriage and a child from that marriage,
but he and his current wife have none.  Whenever we are at a party
and this couple is present,  I tend to gravitate to them.  It's just easier.

Every once in a while I meet a childless couple who have made
the conscious choice to not have any kids.  We knew one such
couple back in Idaho and it was so much easier to do things with
them and the wife and I always had so much conversation to share.

I am not telling you this in hopes that you will feel sorry for me.
It is just my intention to say that if you meet or know a childless
couple, please be easy on them.  Try to understand that women
like me have spent many hours in private in tears and sorrow.
Our nests will be forever empty, but we still desire to have
friends.

Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

Back Home Again

We are back home after a long weekend having fun in both Austin

and Houston.  We spent a couple of days at Barton Creek Resort,

our favorite place in Austin.  We stay at Omni Hotels so often that

we get upgraded rooms now and this time we enjoyed a really

beautiful and grand suite overlooking the hills of Austin.  Bentley

loved it too because there was lots of room for him to run around,

 toss his favorite little stuffed elephant, and chase after it.

We had some great meals too.  Austin is such a foodie town and

we are chipping away at our list of spots to try.  On Saturday night, we

went to Matt's Famous El Rancho.  This place was referred to us by

one of David's golf partners who lives in New Orleans, but visits 

Austin often.  We had great Margaritas from fresh lime juice (not

from a mix) and the best chicken mole I have ever eaten.  The restaurant

has been operating since 1952.  You can read about it's history HERE.

After our fun stay in Austin, we packed up the Yukon and headed to

Houston.  David was playing in a golf tournament there.  It's always fun

for us to visit Houston because that is where we met and have lots of

happy memories.  We had a suite at the Omni there too and I felt

pampered once again.  

Every time we go to Houston, I start to think that we should get

a little condo West University.  I get so nostalgic.  What I really wish

is that my old apartment complex on Memorial Drive would go condo.

I had the most adorable apartment there in this New Orleans styled

complex in this lush treed spot on Memorial Drive.  My apartment had

long Southern Colonial windows like my current house does and a 

charming front porch too.  HERE is a picture from their website.

My apartment was on the first floor in the building on the left.

My next door neighbor Connie and I used to take long walks on

Memorial Drive with our dogs after dinner each night.  Ah, great

memories!  I moved from there to Virgina when David and I got

married.  

So here we are, back home once again.  I am finishing up a pile

of laundry from our trip.  It's back to daily workouts and a healthy

diet after all the excess of vacation.  It's fun to get away, but also

feels good to get back into the routine at home.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

When the Guernsey Met the Spoon Rest

You are probably thinking to yourself ~ what on earth does this

blog post title mean???

Well, it all started out like this ....  years ago, my Mom gave me this little

spoon rest and said to me, whenever you use this, think of me.

Mom died a couple of years ago, as you know, so this little spoon rest

is especially important to me.  Somehow it seemed a bit lonely in the

kitchen since it really didn't match anything, so I decided to find a 

friend for my spoon rest.   

So, I started hunting around and in my hunt, I went to visit 

Nancy's Daily Dish and then followed the link to her transferware

shop.  It was there that I found this Guernsey butter dish.  There were

some other butter tubs that I considered, but I fell in love with this

cute little Guernsey and knew she had to come live with us.

I think they look just perfect together.  Don't you?

PS:  Nancy is just a doll and she wrapped this butter dish up so

securely and mailed it so quickly.  She is a pleasure to work with

and she has so many pretty things in her shop!  Oh, and I 

decided to name the cow "Maisie".  I think it is the perfect

name for her.  I hope she is content in her new home.

Home Sweet Home

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

I Am Running Away to Paris

I am having "one of those days".  It's the type of day when I am frustrated

by things that are beyond my control.  Things I am powerless to change.

My solution ~ run away to Paris. 

Why Paris?  Because it is beautiful and it's a good spot for an artsy,

fashionista, foodie and free spirit like me.  And I can bring Bentley!

I don't have a reservation on Air France for today, so I can pretend in my kitchen

for a bit.  Nothing like some French tunes playing in the background while 

pretending I am Julia Child in the kitchen.

Ah ~ c'est bon!  I feel better already.

Thoughts of Home

Tablescape Thursday

Feathering Your Nest

Bentley ~ of course you can come with mama.  I never go

anywhere without you.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Apples, Plaid and Pinecones

Apples, plaid and pinecones.  Three things that always bring back

fond fall memories.  I have picked apples in Wisconsin, at the base of

the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and in Idaho too.  Baskets full

of reds and greens that become pies and crumbles or served sliced

with some cheddar cheese.  

Pinecones collected on hikes in the northern Rockies.  The sound of

falling leaves crunching beneath our feet.  

Plaid scarves and plaid flannel shirts protecting from the falling

temps.  Squirrels running everywhere busily burying their finds. 

It's a lovely time of the year.  The days are getting shorter, the

nights a bit cooler.  The beauty of the season is everywhere.

I love it!

I am joining the gals from Thoughts of Home for their

Tiered Tray Extravaganza

Be sure to stop by for some excellent fall decor ideas!

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley