Golf out West

My Tom is an avid golfer. For years we belonged to a Golf Club in Houston. We dropped our membership when we started living in Colorado almost half of the year. Most  golf clubs do not offer a part time membership. He has discovered though , that a lot of the public courses are just as nice as the private ones.

I am happy to report that he has found a golf buddy (in our new town of Ft. Worth), and on Sunday, they played a public course  in Weatherford, which is due west of Ft Worth (about 30 miles).... Ft Worth has had the motto for a long time: Fort Worth..Where The West Begins....and I agree, west of here looks a lot like the Texas everyone pictures. We drove back out to the course yesterday, to retrieve a forgotten item...and I started noticing a very common  west Texas tree.

 

There are parts of Texas, where this is about the only tree that will grow. It is called a Mesquite Tree. A native of the Sonora Desert...it takes very little water. You will find many pastures filled with just cactus and these trees. Many Spanish Missions were constructed of this wood, along with Colonial Haciendas. The tree produces and edible bean...eaten mostly today by wild life.  Indians used all parts of the tree to make tribal medicines. Despite their usefulness, most ranchers hate this tree that spreads easily, and is virtually  impossible to get rid of. They also have a large thorn. I can remember vividly pulling one out of my four year olds foot! Mention Mesquite trees to a Texan, and some will immediately  think of barbecue. We say there is nothing better than meat roasted on a fire made with Mesquite wood.

My Morning Walk

Tom and I have been walking together in the mornings, and I am happy to report that it finally feels like Fall . I wanted to show you some of the houses that we pass.

 

No, we do not live in a house this large. We are on the outer fringes of the neighborhood...but is makes for a great place to walk. I don't know a lot about architecture, but I would call this place Mission Style . What do you think? 

 

Maybe a close up would help. If you are thinking I walked across the lawn to get closer, you'd be wrong, these places have security cameras every where. I just zoomed...Now that I look closer, I think the setting is what makes it look so grand.

The Consignment Shop

I don't know if you have ever been to a furniture consignment shop? I enjoy going on a regular basis. It is a shop where people sell their furnishing they no longer want. The shop takes 50% of the sale. I find it is a great place to pick up vintage pieces of furniture. Tom and I have been in the market for a consul table to go in our master bedroom, under the television.

 

We found this one at such a shop today....and thought it was not only perfect but a great price.

 

It is really rather simple, but has some nice craved wood design on the front.

What really sold me was the top. Our house is French in style and the top of this table reminded me of the parquet floors that so many of the flats we have rented, in Paris had.

 

The color of the wood is very similar to the wood pieces we have in the bedroom

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and the top of the table also compliments the inlaid flower design on the bedside tables.

Now I have to figure out what to put on top. A silk flower arrangement, a vase,  books, maybe a small lamp....or I could cover it with framed family photos. Stay tuned.

I Did It!

I don't think I need to explain what a bucket list is; so I won't. On my bucket list I have: Take a college course just for fun. Well, last night I signed up. (actually I signed Tom up too). Texas Christian University (TCU), has an extended education program for seniors. For a very nominal fee ($117), you can sign up for three four week classes, and five one time lectures, three of those being luncheons. You can also use their library, and they  throw in a (much needed), parking pass. I think that is a pretty good deal!

 

My official book bag!

 

Oh,  their mascot was in attendance at registration last night. TCU's mascot is a Horned Frog. I can remember, as a child in Texas, seeing Horned Frogs all over the place. We  called them Horny Toads. They are about the size of a frog, and they have horns on their backs. In reality though , they are not frogs at all. They are in the Lizard family. All of these activities (classes and lectures) start in the Spring. I will post again and you can help me decide which classes to sign up for, and no, they do not offer Spelling, Grammar and Sentence structure!

Back In The Land of Good Tex-Mex

A friend took Tom and I to lunch yesterday at her favorite Mexican restaurant (Uncle Julio's), and we loved it.

 

I especially liked this turquoise bench at the entrance 

 

and this large mural of a Mexican Village  that was painted on the side of the building.

 

It reminded me of a picture that I took in southern Arizona of the Santa Rita Mountains, near the village of Tubac, a couple of years ago ( almost at sunset).

The local saying there: "When the Ritas get pink...it's time to drink"

It's Pumpkin Time Y'all

I don't know about other countries, but the U.S. is pumpkin crazy this time of year. Starbucks customers line up for pumpkin spiced latte; while some beer companies are actually selling pumpkin beer..and of course groceries stores are heavily laden with the fruit it's self.

 

A display out in front of one of favorite specialty stores, Trader Joe's

I saw pumpkin pancake mix inside, and these tempting looking bars beside the cash register.

I really got a kick out of this display outside of a garden shop (also a place you can buy a pumpkin).

It's the y'all that made me chuckle. You see, in the south (Texas all the way over to the east coast), we say y'all for the plural of you. Other parts of the country say you all, or you guys (which might be: ye over the pond)..... and there are those that say you doesn't have a plural. I am not sure where I am going with this?

How about.... how many of  y'all like pumpkin? 

Found It !

I hate when I lose things! My camera was in a drawer...and I know I wasn't the one to put it there. (Don't tell anyone, but I am married to a neatnik). Found it just in time...I flew to North Carolina for a baby shower for my daughter #4 over the weekend.

 

The front of the baby shower invitation. My daughter and her husband do not want to know the sex of the baby before it is born....and the suspense is killing me!

 

It was a beautiful Fall day...and we were welcomed by this sign

The food was done by daughter #2, who drove up from Atlanta, and it was all delicious!

 

The lemonade with fresh mint and shaved ginger was a huge hit

 

The cake had lemon butter cream icing was very similar to the invitation ..... delicious!

 

The guests showered the Mother To Be with beautiful gifts

 

and I was just thrilled to have four of my five daughters in attendance 

There were even little favors to take with you. Chocolate truffles in boxes adorned with birds..

A wonderful trip that was just way too short. 

I hope to get out and take some pictures...now that I have a camera.