The Fence

Well, I usually don't forget to link up on Fence Day, but this holiday season I keep forgetting what day it is!
Earlier in the month I featured an old farmhouse that I discovered, just north of my little home town, in north Texas. You can read that entry by clicking on HERE

At that time I didn't post a picture of the barn. I was saving it because I thought the fence was interesting, and wanted to link the fence that Thursday! Notice that they left a larger opening near the top. Perfect for peering into the corral. Linking to: Good Fences

The Festive Elephant

I was driving through a neighborhood near my house yesterday,and saw this.

I actually circled the block to see if I was imagining things. What a strange thing to have in your front flower bed!  I have decided this elephant sculpture is a permanent structure in the flower bed....but it is decorated for the holidays. Then again, I just noticed the wheels. What do you think? I will go back by in a week or so and see if it is still there, and showing off this festive outfit....and let you know.

Missing Berries

I have posted a photo of the wall outside our new "in town" house before. It was rather bleak to look at, especially since we left behind a tropical backyard with a pool.

So, we had a wire espalier installed and planted Pyracantha bushes,which can be trained to trail. Several of you thought it was ivy.

We chose Pyracantha since it blooms with white flowers in the Spring and Summer

and in the Fall and Winter, it has orange or red berries.

Our vines have not filled all the way in yet, but I was pleased to see the berries.

Well....they were only on one side! 

So I wired a few fake berries on the right side. Problem solved. They are slightly off in color...but no one seems to notice. Hopefully, next Fall both sides will have berries. If not I will  just wire in a few more,so that it looks more balanced. :)

Storms

North Texas was hit early last evening by several deadly tornadoes. This type of weather is not expected this time of year. Tornadoes generally strike in Spring and Summer.

This is an actual shot (sent in to the news station),of one of the funnel clouds east of Metropolitan Dallas. The communities of Garland and Rowlett were hit especially hard with a death toll of eleven so far. The devastation apparent with the morning light, is wide spread. My heart goes out to these families who have lost loved ones.

Trash To Treasure

Well, it is the morning after, and quiet around here ...as everyone is still sleeping. Our family (including my four sisters and their kids), all get together for a Christmas night dinner.. Last Christmas it was here, but this time it was at my sister Nancy's

Instead of exchanging gifts ....We had an auction table. Each person was to go to a charity, or resale shop and purchase something under ten dollars. These things were then displayed on table at the party, and  you bid on the item or items you wanted. All of the money collected went to one worthy organization, which we voted on. Our little Christmas party raised $500 for the Alzheimer's Assoc.

These were one of the things we bid on, and won. I lived in The Netherlands...long ago, and from the mark on the bottom, they are authentic Delft.

The Mistletoe Next Door

I was sitting on the morning porch with our youngest, who is here for the holidays, when she looked up at the large tree in our neighbor's yard and said " I can't believe that that tree is sprouting new green leaves". I explained to her that the green sprigs were not leaves... but Mistletoe.

 She became very excited, and wanted to know why it was growing on that tree? I found it hard to believe that I had never pointed out mistletoe to my daughter. It is a parasite and grows on trees all over Texas this time of year. Long story here, but her very tall husband, who hails from Wisconsin (where apparently he had never seen mistletoe growing), was summoned. A ladder appeared and we captured (stole), some mistletoe from next door. All the while my hubby was fussing at us that we couldn't steal mistletoe from the neighbors tree.

The custom of hanging mistletoe in a doorway during the holidays actually came from England. If you want to read more about the customs pertaining to mistletoe go HERE.

The Hiding Place

I have been busy in the kitchen, as I am sure many of you have.

So far, I have made mini cranberry cakes, chocolate fudge, coconut orange balls and of course Christmas cookies. Many of these have been packaged up, and delivered to friends and neighbors. You are looking at what is  left, and these are going into hiding. I have a husband with a sweet tooth....and if he could find them they would all be gone before Christmas.(especially the chocolate).

My mother in law use to hide the sweets from her boys for the same reason. One year she forgot where she put some cookies, and didn't find them until Spring. Oh Dear!

The Reception

The entry before this showed you the elegant rehearsal dinner we attended at the Petroleum Club Dallas.

Well, the reception following last night's wedding was at the Perot Museum also in Dallas

 It was a very formal event on all levels of the museum. Four hundred in attendance, and catered by Wolfgang Puck Catering. (steak and lobster tail).

There of course was a beautiful bride and handsome groom

 an elegant cake

 

and a groom's cake that was a conversation piece.

spectacular fireworks

and last but not least, my Colorado girlfriends who are silly and sooo much fun!

The Night Before

Last night we attended the rehearsal dinner for a wedding that is tonight. The groom's parents have a house in the little town in the Colorado mountains where we spend the summer, and their winter home is also here in Texas.

This was a picture that was displayed, at the dinner, of the bride and groom.

The dinner was on the 40th floor of a building in Dallas. The view was amazing, but my camera didn't do it justice.

My Colorado buddies (the wives) in attendance.

The centerpiece on our table.White hydrangeas, roses and berries.

The reception tonight, after the wedding, is at the Perot Museum. Excited, because I have never been there.

We are housing one of the couples that is in town for the wedding so I need to go cook breakfast!

Have a nice day!

.

Cookies

Remember the cookies that I baked and put in the freezer?

Well, before Brooks and Taylor Beth left on Sunday, I pulled a few out of the freezer and they had fun decorating them. I know a lot of us are buzzing around getting ready for Christmas. I am trying my best not to get frantic. I make a list each morning to try to stay organized. I know my list should be getting shorter, but actually it is getting longer! Are you a list maker?

Let The Show Begin

After visiting many of the cute shops around the square in Granbury, Texas

it was time for the show to begin. The Opera house is on the west side of the square, and was opened in 1886.

Tom and I had purchased tickets earlier in the month, when we went through Granbury, on our way to Austin.

The lobby is small

but Brooks and Taylor Beth scurried up to the balcony, where they announced they were serving free Christmas cookies.

 

You are not allowed to take pictures during the performance, so I put my camera away. We were surprised by the talented actors,and I feel sure that we will drive the hour down to Granbury again to see a play.

Small Shops

We went back  to the little town of Granbury, TX on Saturday to take Tom's great grandchildren to see a play in their old Opera House.

Arriving early, we decided to visit the small shops that are around the city square. I am not real sure exactly what these are...I guess works of art?

I really did like this Indian Headdress

and since there are a lot of cotton fields, here in this part of Texas...is it any wonder that someone had made a wreath out of cotton bolls?

Hard to see through the window, but there was a lady in this shop sculpting a clay figure.

Taylor Beth was fascinated by the artist

The artist, Margaret Drake, told us that she had done the bronze horse and rider, displayed in the window. I told her it reminded me of a Remington. She said he was her inspiration.

She and Taylor Beth became fast friends. I was touched at how she took time to explain to this child the process of how a piece of clay became a sculpture.You can see more of  her work: HERE
If you ever make it to Texas, put Granbury of your list of places to visit. There is so much to do there...and the natives are very friendly!

To the Museum

We sure have had a fun week. One of the things we did was  go to the Gustave Caillebotte exhibit at our favorite museum, the Kimbell

with great friends Linda and Bruce. They live near us in Colorado and Texas.

Gustave Caillibotte (1848-1894), is a painter you may not have heard of, because he was not poor, and didn't need to sell his painting to live. He painted over 50 wonderful works of art, mostly scenes in Paris. A friend and colleague of both Degas and Renoir. One of his painting hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago, One in the Kimbell's permanent collection and one in the Orsay in Paris. The others are privately owned. This show was in Washington D.C., and here in Ft. Worth. The paintings then will be returned to the private owners. I am so thrilled that we got to see it!

The Big Tree

No, I am not still playing on the MacDonald's playground. It is just a super busy time of the year!

Last night we took our visiting family downtown to see the city Christmas Tree in Sundance Square.

It this picture it looks like it has wings, but it doesn't. Those are large shade canopies over and outside 

restaurant behind the tree.

 

Yesterday was warm and sunny and lots of folks headed downtown to see the tree, since there is a cold (and wet), front coming in today,

Of course the main attraction was having your picture taken with Santa Claus. The wait was well over an hour, so we decided not to wait, and headed for the ice cream store instead. I hope you are enjoying the holidays?

The Playground

Yesterday's blog was all about the collectibles at my cousin's house. So, I shouldn't have been surprised at what was behind this fence.

and I don't think I have to explain the logo.

You guessed it...my cousin has collected an entire McDonald's playground!

Shall we drive through and order some fries?  :)

Linking to: Good Fences

Collecting

I mentioned in yesterday's blog that I went to my hometown for a Christmas luncheon with cousins. These cousins are from my Mother's side of the family. My great grandparents came to Sherman, Texas in the 1880's from Mississippi. They had nine children, and then my Grandparents had ten and my parents, five. So if you have been counting...I am related to a lot of people in this small town.

The lunch was at my cousin Tim's house. Tim is a second cousin ...or is it a first cousin once removed?...I have never understood all of that. It is easier for me to say that my grandmother and Tim's grandmother were sisters. Tim and his wife Judy live a a large home outside of town on acreage. .

The inside of the house is cozy, comfortable,

and full of collectibles.. 

There are multiple display cabinets in every room, even the laundry room.

Since most of the things are in glass cabinets...they are not dust collectors

I don't think that there is a collectible that they don't collect.

There were even multiple cabinets full of any and everything related to sewing

I could go on and on, but you get the picture. This place is like a huge museum.

Even the walk in attic was full of display cabinets. This was mind boggling. They had stapled to the attic ceiling every toy character ever related to the movie Star Wars.

I am not exaggerating here!

It was especially a nice day for me, since all four of my sisters were able to attend.Yes, there are five of us girls and I am smack dab in the middle
Will you be able to be with your siblings this holiday season? ...and since I am asking questions...Tell me what you collect?