Autumn All Around Me - LOVE The Season!

 It's October and I love this month so much.  This year, I am having fun pulling down the fall decorations.  I have a bit of time at home, so will enjoy them as much as I can.

Crazy Storm

 It is the 28th of May and we have been woken by tornado sirens and the power out.  As I walk to the front door and check outside, I find the neighbors tree in our yard.  Wow, we were sleeping sound and I cannot believe it didn't hit our house.   I WAS supposed to take the car in this morning and leave in half an hour so obviously that isn't going to work.  A quick call later and it'll be tomorrow morning and today will be an attempt to clean up this mess.

Within 15 minutes a couple of men from our neighborhood arrive with chainsaws and begin the challenge of finding my driveway.  This is just so sweet of them.

They make pretty quick work of it and within an hour have the driveway fairly cleared and piles of branches everywhere.

Right around this point, we lose cell service and all internet as well.  Perfect.  I did manage to get one post out that we were okay, but that's it.  Power company says that the power will be out perhaps until Saturday.  Oh goodness - this is Tuesday and we are supposed to leave Saturday morning.  Mister heads out to find internet for a bit so he can get some work done and discovers that south of us is doing better.  Around 4 in the afternoon, the neighbor has someone there to get the remaining branches out of their tree as they were hanging precariously over our driveway.  They also load up some of the branches and haul them away.

We don't want to open the refrigerator, so off to Lakewood Growler for internet and food.  Mister gets more work done and I use the time to check online and send some messages/make some calls as well.

29th - Still no power but first thing this morning I take the car in maintenance, leaving Mister to work at the coffee shop he found yesterday.  

I returned home after the car maintenance to find that the power is gloriously on and nothing melted in the freezer - that's always a good sign.  In fact, the ice cubes were still loose.  However, still no internet and cell is VERY sketchy.  I can get a weak signal if I stand near the front window.  This lets me make short calls and that is it.

A Day in the Life of Mister and Lady - Beauty and Destruction

 Life is so interesting sometimes.  Our day started out like many weekend ones do.  An early morning walk around the Arboretum.  Time together just appreciating the beauty around us.  I am so thankful to have this incredible garden to just roam whenever we wish.  Sooooooo glad we don't have to reserve to attend anymore.  Spur of the moment is just fine.  At any rate, off we go.

An Un-Christmas House - Peek Into Normal Life

 I've un-decorated the house today (rather unwillingly, I might add) and thought I'd share some pics of "normal life."  I've left some red around the house for Valentines, but other than that, it's pretty "normal".  I don't have the guest room finished yet, so no pics and I have a project all over the dining room, so it's not done yet either.  Other than that, here ya go:

Entryway - 

Icemageddon 2023

 It's the last day of January and we are in the beginning stages of an ice storm.  When we arrived back from Montana on the 28th, it was 71 degrees out.  Not anymore.  This is the sound I woke up to this morning.

Leaves, Leaves, and More Leaves

 Autumn!  I love it AND dread the mess it makes.  I hosted a Christmas party on the 3rd and this is how the yard looked after my sweetie finished cleaning it up.

Winter Day in Dallas

 Soooo - the weather guessers were right.  It's dang cold out and at least we don't have any desire to go out as we are still quarantining with COVID.  We'll just watch through the windows.  It's warmer that way.  This is my morning view.

Christmas All Through Our Home

 I've finally had a chance to photograph the whole house without anyone around.  It's clean and ready for fun.  Share with me in the beauty of the season.  Starting with the front room.

More Yard Work --- It Never Ends

 You know how there are certain things that just make one cringe.  Pulling the tubs down from the attic is one of ours.  Ugh.  However, by 11:30 we have accomplished it.  Let the season begin.

I have created a mess all through the house.  Yes, I love this time of year, but it is also a very challenging time.  I have company coming on the 1st so will be doing a "clean a room - decorate a room" thing.  It's gonna take a few days, but the house will be ready for company AND a party by the time I'm done.

The big questions is:  Where do I start?

It Started Out as Raking Leaves

 I've noticed that my rose bush in the back yard (just a mini that came in a pot as a gift from Jen several years ago) is starting to bloom again.  This is a for sure indicator of how nice our weather has been.

Going, Going, Gone to the Peach Tree

 In the fall of 2008, I was a mess and my sweet Mister was helping me with a transition in life.  He knew of my love for peaches and planted a peach tree in his yard just for me.  It was such a sweet gesture and one that endeared him even more to me.  I don't have a picture from that absolutely beginning, but the following spring, I did snap this picture of Mister working in the yard and you can see my baby growing in the background.

Backyard Visitors - A Sign of a Weather Change Coming

 We had a sure sign of an weather change coming this morning.  As I looked out into the yard, birds were EVERYWHERE.  Upon closer look, they were robins and cedar waxwings,  They were after the red berries on our Lantana bushes.  I know, I know -- there is ONE story about how the berries are bad for birds but they come here every year and decimate the bushes about the time their other food sources have stopped.  I didn't get very good pictures, but a few are cool.  With brown leaves, ya gotta look close.

A Merry Christmas House

 Whew!!!!  It's done once again and I'm loving my house.  This time of year just makes me want to curl up in a chair with hot cocoa and either a book or some hand work.  I'm so thankful for a sweetheart that lets me go crazy once a year and clutter up the house.  Come along and see how this year is working out.  Let's start outside --- not with the lights as they haven't changed this year, but with the porch.  The bench is receiving a cover for the pad and pillows --- in red!!!  (Truth be told, the fabric is just laying there right now, but it will happen this month.)  We have had such beautiful weather --- it's hard to image a snowman with all the green around, but it is what it is.  Ooooh, look at the aloe vera plant --- blooming again this year.  That is just too fun.

In we go ---- the entryway has snowmen too ---- so many memories with these --- made by a daughter (Jen) years ago.  They had stood the test of time well and this year --- I even bought small tapers for them.

Autumn in the House/Porch

 Each year as September comes to a close, my heart starts being lifted up.  I absolutely love October and the signal that Autumn is here.  I always have.  Perhaps it's because I'm a redhead and they are "my colors" -- who knows.  At any rate, it means the scarecrows came down and the house took on a new look.  Want to see?  I love the warmth it provide and the happiness I feel as I walk through.  It will stay this way, with perhaps some Halloween added in and then removed, right up until the house turns red and white for Christmas -- I love that too.  Such a happy place to be.

Strange Weather & A Backyard Visitor

It was 70 degrees out yesterday and today, well, we have snow this morning and the temperatures are dropping quick.  So strange how quickly it can change.

I heard tiny pelts hitting the window earlier and it was some frozen rain, but now we have flakes of snow.  If you look on the table you will see the entire accumulation.  Hahahahahaha

Yep, batten down the hatches.  It's a doosy.

3rd Annual Ornament & Cookie Exchange

Another year is almost gone and that means my Annual Ornament and Cookie Exchange is coming up quick.  So many decisions to make and lots to prepare.  So . . . . first up, I need to make a prototype of the ornament.

Taking an online tutorial (I'm typing this in November) more than once --- Mister says he could make the dang thing since he's listened to it so many times -- prepares me and I'm soon cutting fabrics for the sample.  Precious moments are spent in front of the computer, listening once again as I go and after a bit -- I have a sample.  I'ts not perfect, but I think I can teach it.  (The online tutorial was free in exchange for an email address so I'm not violating any copyright laws.)

Killer Storm

What a great morning!!!  I rearranged furniture in the house to bring in the family heirloom that we picked up yesterday.  It now has a new home in my room.  Mister mowed the yard and we just feel so good about it all.

Shopping for Herbs and Some Tree Trimming

Out the back door --- more roses today.  We have no internet and so all the plans I had are gone.

Spring and The First Peach Blossoms

SPRING is here.  I love this time of year, even if my nose doesn't.  Oh it loves the smells alright, but since moving to Texas, I have discovered a few allergies never before stricken with.  It's the price I pay to reside here, but I have no intention of leaving.

Morning Visitor

As I walked into the den this morning, I just happened to peek out the back door.  We have a visitor and I know these aren't the best pictures but by the time I got closer, he/she saw me and took off for another roost.