Fall Nesting

Welcome Fall! Today I'm joining Rhondi @ Rose Colored Glasses to join in the fun of her Fall Party.

No one is more ready to Welcome Fall than I am. This has been our hottest summer on record, and today, the last day of summer, the high was 96. The weather people tell us that a cool front is moving in tonight. We may actually usher in Fall with temps in the 70s. Rain is also in the forecast. Hurray!

If you joined me for Metamorphosis Monday this week, you already know that I've begun to do a little Fall nesting around our home. (Click here to see details on this fall tableau.). I plan to wait till we are into October to add some Halloween decor, but for now I've added a few fall touches here and there over the past few days.

A couple of the white pumpkins and an oversized acorn greet guest in the entry of our home.

I choose not to use the mini orange pumpkins in the setting on the dining room table. So I've scattered them about to give a bit of color elsewhere. These sit on a silver try on the hunt board in our living room.

The vibrant yellows of the sunflowers and yellow bells play off the colors in the painting that hangs above the hunt board.

I preferred using the white pumpkins with the green and gold veining to compliment the shawl on the dining room table, but mixing the orange ones into this group makes for a nice contrast.

I put the remainder of the little mini pumpkins in this brass compote and set it in the bay window.

The painting above the mantel provides a visual salute to fall. I like the simplicity of the wooden boxes and assortment of pear shaped items.

The patina of the wooden boxes and pears adds a bit of warmth below the painting.

The pair of French faience vases on either side are from Desvres.

We have an oak bench that is home to seasonal pillows. The pumpkin is made of felt and the larger one is hooked wool.

This pillow is a favorite with the rooster perched among the pumpkins and sunflowers.

There are a few more fall touches out on the sun porch and in the morning room off our kitchen, but I'll save that for another time. Thanks for stopping in today to help greet the beginning of a new season. Please leave a comment below so I know who was here for the party.

Then click Rhondi's @ The Rose Colored Glasses to see a list of others who are participating in today's Welcome Fall party.

Fall Tableau

With the recent rain and cooler days, there is now a hint of fall in the air. That combined with all the wonderful fall nesting going on around Blogville, I've been inspired to do a bit of fall nesting myself. I do love this time of year, but there is never a real noticeable change in seasons here in central Texas like in so many other areas of our country. So one has to provide their own touch of seasonal change around their home.

I picked up these bags of pumpkins at the grocery store last week and found the faux acorns at Hobby Lobby. I wasn't certain what I'd do with them, but decided I need to start with something to get a little fall going on in our home.

I thought I'd start with something for the dining room table. I often like to arrange a tableau on a tray so it can be easily moved if I need something different for a dinner. I decided to start with a silver tray and this beautiful pashimina that a friend brought back to me from her summer trip to Egypt.

This silver dish was an eBay purchase in a box lot of silver pieces. You can see that it is very dark with little silver left, but I rather like the look. It gives it a shabby chic look,and actually I don't think shiny silver would look as appropriate for the theme. I was charmed by the squirrel detail. This was my favorite piece in the box.

Next I pulled out a silver bride's basket. It too was an eBay find. I decided to give it a good cleaning with some silver polish, but as you can see, this too is a bit shabby chic.

With these basic pieces I now had a theme in mind. The squirrel offered an obvious link to the acorns and the shawl would guide my choice of flowers.

I found these lilies at the grocery on special for the week.

In addition to the price, I also liked that they were still tight. I know from experience that lilies open slowly, unlike many flowers. I'm having some friends over on Tuesday, so they should be perfect by then.


I cut some yellow blooms from my garden. The yellow bells and golden thryallis make wonderful filler for arrangements.



I filled the silver squirrel dish with the faux acorns and started to place some of the pumpkins across the shawl. I only used the white ones. I didn't like the typical orange pumpkin color with the shawl.

I liked that the bag had a nice mix of plain white pumpkins and some with a dark green and gold in the veins. I scattered more acorns across the pumpkins and the shawl and about the large silver tray.

I mixed in a few purple asters to give a little punch of color. I think the color of the lilies compliments the shawl. I love the deep color of the center as it fades to a lighter orange.

The shawl is beautiful handwoven cotton with deep rich colors.

Mr. Squirrel is very happy with his new found bounty. I think he's set for winter!

Perhaps he'll share with all his brothers and sisters who enjoy our backyard.

I love the look of the contrast within the group of pumpkins and the acorns scattered among them.

Found this little squirrel with his own acorn at Hobby Lobby. Decided he would fit right in.

So there you have it....a simple fall tableau for our dining room table.

Hope to see you again on Tuesday for Rhondi's Welcome Fall Gathering and again on Thursday for Tablescape Thursday. By then I hope to have a fall table setting to compliment this fall tableau. In the meantime you should scurry on over to Susan's @ Between Naps on the Porch for a list of others participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Pink Celebration

Sweet Sixteen Surprise

A Haiku by Hyacinth

Waiting to surprise

Precious daughter of sixteen

Flock of pink delight

September 2009

I came upon this flock of pink flamingos settling in along the walkway to a neighbor's home. I stopped and asked if there was a special occasion. He smiled and said, "My daughter is sweet sixteen today. The flamingos will greet her this afternoon when she arrives home from school." Needless to say I had to record the event for Pink Saturday.

Sweet Sixteen Pink Surprise!

Please click on "Comments" below to leave a note to let me know you stopped by today. I so appreciate your thoughts. Thank you!

Then click here for more

Pink Saturday Fun.

Happy Pink Saturday to All!

Hallelujah! We've Had Rain

Not quite sure if Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch will think this is a legitimate Met Monday post, but just had to share this wonderful sight. Of course I don't take credit for this metamorphosis, unless the rain dance I've performed each day for the past year counts. I'm also linking this to Outdoor Wednesday with our hostess Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer.

This is the creek that runs behind our home. With drought conditions approaching two years and a summer of record breaking triple digit temperatures, the creek had basically become "rock dry".

Then the rains came starting Thursday, and by Saturday the creek bed filled with rushing water.

I took a little walk along the trail after the heavy rain had subsided. Some reported that after the heaviest downpour there were "white water" conditions along this creek. The creek didn't fill its banks with this storm, but this part of Texas is sometimes referred to as "flood ally" because creeks and rivers can go from drought to flood in a matter of hours.

Hallelujah! It's wonderful to hear some rushing water once again. No doubt, it will soon be back to a gentle little stream. But for now, I'm rejoicing with the sound of flowing water.

Thanks for stopping by. Please share a comment below before you paddle on over to Susan's @ Between Naps on the Porch for a list of those with their own metamorphosis to share.

Will link this to Outdoor Wednesday as well, so on Wednesday head over to Susan's @ Southern Daydreamer to visit the other outdoor posts.

Cloche Party Pink

Cloche Party Pink

a Haiku

by Hyacinth

Crown of creamy pink

Waits beneath total splender~

Sweet tasty delight.

September 2009

Welcome to Marty's Cloche Party and Beverly's Pink Saturday. This little cupcake stand is the only thing in my home that qualifies as a cloche, so it's the best I could do. But hey, I wanted to join in Marty's fun!

Now you need to hurry on over to Marty's @ A Stroll Through Life. There are some amazing cloches to discover. Then on Saturday, please go on over to Beverly's @ How Sweet the Sound to see more Pink Saturday fun.