Speechless

I do not even know how to begin. Too many emotions raging right now so I likely shouldn't even be writing here. So forgive me if I just keep this short and sweet.


DO NOT EVER fall for a phone call, letter, or email informing you of winning a massive prize payout!!!!!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY when they tell you the prize delivery requires you to wire or provide them with money to collect. Yes, my Prince has fallen for this scam. Several thousand dollars later, here we are while he is contacting authorities, cancelling his highjacked cards, speaking to authorities, etc, etc, etc. My repeated warnings to him, proof printed from the internet, NOTHING got thru to him except their promises of a large payout. I'm trying to be a kind supportive wife, but right now I am in too much shock to do anything. My mother always said if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Well, I'm just speechless.

Help! I've "fallen" and can't get up!

I finally managed to snag a few moments to tread the dreaded stairs to the attic to retrieve some seasonal decor. Mostly because I was shamed into doing it by viewing all of your lovely blogs while I sat here procrastinating. Am I the only one or does it kind of feel like Christmas when you open the boxes to find your old friends nestled inside? Then, I usually try and snag a few pieces each year on clearance, that I toss in before sealing away for next year. Of course, by the time I reopen the box, I have no idea where "that" came from!

Where shall we begin? OK, most sane people start at the front door, so for that reason I'll start there. Well, sort of. See, if I showed you what my front porch REALLY looks like right now, you'd run and never return. So instead, I'll show you the front door, after you are safely in my entryway. Well, not really an entryway, more like a slice of linoleum about 3 foot square overflowing with coats and tools and hats.... ANYWAY

Welcome to my humble abode! No need to take off your shoes, wouldn't want you to get hurt if you step on a broken dog bone or cat toy. See, easy to know if I'm home or not isn't it?

Just a step ahead will lead you to the door from the house to the garage. See that hook? I put it up 13 years ago for my Christmas wreath as the space between our solid and screen doors on the front will not accommodate a wreath there, so I go for this spot instead. Well, Prince promptly claimed it as his hat rack so that baby stays there 24/7/365. Yeah, we have a 6 hook hat rack less than 6 inches from this door, and a massive coat rack about two steps left. Never marry a cowboy, I'm just saying, the hat is usually the deal breaker. If you don't have a proper hook, he WILL use your lampshade whether you want him to or not.

I saw this wreath in some magazine several years ago with directions to create yourself. Looked easy, materials are cheap, so of course I had to do it. Now, it is easy, but VERY time consuming, messy, and generally annoying to do. Basically it is a straw pre-made wreath that you cover with soaked corn husks. Fold em over and attach at the base with a floral pin. MILLIONS of husks later, you got a darn cool wreath. Once I got in the groove, I seriously made 10 for family/friends/enemies etc. Excuse the pathetic bow. I was trying to do a new one as the old one was beyond repair after many years of packing away, but my little TLC chose yesterday to decide HE WAS HELPING, aka, would not leave it alone. Had to cut my losses and go with messy. Besides, after Prince smashes it with his hat a few more times, all will be good. Yes, he still uses the hook, I mean hat rack with the wreath attached.

This little cutey pie sits on the tiny table I found to go under my alleged coat/hat rack directly next to the front door. I love my feathered friends, but for indoors, artificial is much less messy. Notice the pliers peaking under the chair? Yeah, and the coffee stain on the table? Keeping it real here people. As the staying goes, If you are coming to see my house make and appointment. If you are coming to see me, come anytime at all! And actually, even if you make an appointment, the house is going to be dirty or messy or both, so there you go!

Now, take about 2 steps past the garage door and you are in front of my little table which is usually filled with cowboy statues and such. Since I dread the ladder to the attic, and I'm lazy, when I decorate fall, you get a Halloween fix too. I went sedate this year, aren't you glad?

FYI, that table was completely hand made by my brother Wayne who passed away about 6 years ago. All the furniture in my home is light oak, but his home was all dark wood tones. He so lovingly hand finished this I don't have the heart to change it. If Prince ever fixes his Mom's old fold down table, I'll give this one to one of the kids.


Here is a closer, although blurry look at the bottles. They were all uncovered in the dirt on our ranch in Utah. I love the odd sizes and shapes of these. Most often I use them for floral vases for little blossoms etc.

Here is a close up of the cloche. Say hello to Max the mouse. Caught him trying to steal my pomegranate. Teach him to mess up my display. Wanna know a secret? See that dried pomegranate under there? Well, it was one I bought several years ago when I made large batches of pomegranate jelly for Christmas gifts. That one was extra and I was going to use for garnish in some drinks. Then Prince bought some apples etc, and this baby got buried in the glass fruit bowl I have out. By the time we reached him, well OK, when I noticed the blue fuzz on the apples and went to pitch them, I discovered this little gem, petrified and glorious! See, neglected food items=home decor! This gem has to be at least 6 years old now, hard as a rock, and going strong!

Next, I'll show you the bathroom. Isn't that where most people head the minute they walk in the door? No, well, too bad we're going there anyway. Way back when I told you I had custom switch plates made for my guest bath. I wanted a western theme here, but it still isn't finished. Getting there, but not quite as the "wedding" got in the way this year.

On the vanity I have used one of my Mom's baskets she always used and filled it with some various glittery pumpkins. Please ignore the ugly counter, I do.

In case you need to use the "facilities", I wanted to pretty up my basic wire shelving unit for you. I LOVE this vase that Prince bought for me several years ago. It is real cowboy rope that is wrapped and secured to a glass vase inside. So it really will hold flowers if I so chose. Right now, silk works for me. A touch of rye grass, 2 floral stems, done. Someday I'll show you what that sign says.....

Now, for the men in my life, I've added a touch to the back of the toilet tank for viewing pleasure. Again, forgive the blur as I had 4 cats insisting they wanted to help and were banging themselves on my elbows. 12 shots later, this is as good as it gets. Sorry.

I got this cute little (maybe 4 inches long) wagon at a craft show and filled it this time with some little pumpkins. Unfortunately, one has already gone for a "swim" when TLC decided they were cat toys. Hmmm.

OK, back down the hall and into the living room. I'd show you around, but its a mess. Here's a peak at my giant brandy snifter on my mantle. IF I ever put away all the boxes in front of the fireplace, I'll show you the whole deal with my way cool fiber optic tree.

It holds a mix of the same pumpkins in the bathroom, plus some glitter ones and some other gourds.

OK, move on over to the table. I have several Jim Shore pieces and I adore them. If you aren't familiar with his work you must google him and check it out. Major detail, weighty pieces, delightful. A few years ago I saw him on QVC and was lucky enough to get in on one of the special values, that gave me a auto delivery of a piece for each season. This is the fall bounty basket. Each one of those pieces inside is a carved piece of vegetable or fruit. they are about 1-2 inches and SOLID. If you have kids and they like to throw things like this, don't get one. You will be replacing windows or headed to the ER for a concussion I promise you. I mean they are solid, heavy, well made pieces. This basket has a squash, a red apple, and ear of corn, a pumpkin, and a pear. Many of his pieces are limited editions, numbered etc. See all the lines? Those are hand carved details. You could look at it for hours and never tire of the details really.

Here is a closer look at the side of the basket for your viewing pleasure.



Again, every line, every fence piece, every hay piece, the birds, the pumpkins, the apples are all carved for 3D effects. The man is an artist in every sense of the word. He has a variety of pieces, angels, Christmas, Disney, you name it. QVC has quite a selection, and their prices for his pieces are very reasonable. Yes, I am a QVC junkie, but I have seen some of these in galleries, and they beat the prices hands down.

OK, there is much more, but I'm glad you took the time to drop in and visit. Let's have a drink now shall we? All this decorating made me thirsty!

Watermelon Lemonade with a shot of

Happy Fall y'all!

The Plane! The Plane!

September in my city is packed every weekend with a wide variety of activities for all interests. The past weekend happened to be tailor made for race and airplane enthusiasts. Normally, a plane flying overhead commands only the briefest glance up. This weekend however, whether you like them or not, the world comes to a stop for several hours during the air races. Mostly because we live DIRECTLY in the flight path to a small airfield just down the road. So the roaring thunder of all sizes and shapes of planes makes my windows rattle and has caused some involuntary ducking by more than one family member as they whiz by and I swear you can feel the air disturbances.

Each year one of the large military teams is featured, and this year was the Blue Angels. Airshow viewing requires some strategic seating, especially those of us who are too cheap to by tickets for the show.




Welcome to our theater, may I support your ladder for you mam? Please remain seated during the show, we are not responsible for any falls that may occur due to stupidity! Notice the son-in-law perched rooftop? Yes Virginia, we are rednecks and proud of it! And yes, that is Bud Light in his hand!


The Blue Angels are a magnificent precision team, executing jaw dropping maneuvers, most of which make me nauseated just to watch. Right side up, upside down, sideways, they do it all at top speeds!

Notice in the one above, the smoke trail in the circle? Well look directly to the top of the circle on the left and you see a straight line? Yeah, the large group makes the circle, while one pilot heads straight up, then falls straight back down. Yikes! If you also look REALLY close you see two little heads on the roof next to us. See, redneck neighbors too!

This group flies so close you swear they will collide, pure beauty in the sky. Talent, skill, nerves of steel!

Now, most of you will think I zoomed the camera for this. NO I DID NOT!!! Pinky swear and everything. THIS IS HOW CLOSE THEY FLY OVER MY HOUSE!! You can read the writing on the plane, see the pilot in the cockpit, the whole nine yards. This my friends is why you all wish I would buy as real camera so you wouldn't be stuck looking at blurry, bad lighting photos I am sure. Oh well, good as it gets. The hard part about watching these shows is by the time you hear them coming, it is too darn late. Then the sound blast hits you full force and they are off to the next task. There were 4 in formation here, but as you see my shutter speed can't compete with a military jet for speed that's for sure!

See, now they have gone completely around and come back again!

This is one of my favorite ones, they fly formation straight up, then drop out at a perfect spacing and head away from the field, which means they head straight for us.

All this went on for over an hour, plus many other incredible sights from other talented people. Great weather, fun with family, and all for free. My kind of fun indeed! But seriously, if the Blue Angels come to a city near you, head out and support our troops and take part in this demonstration of talent that protects our great nation. Even if you aren't a redneck, buy a ticket, and give it a try. They won't disappoint you I promise!