Lights Up at the Garden House!

My first child home from college on Wednesday for Christmas break said, "I was sure glad to see the lights up, Mom!"  I had just put them up the day before, and I had delayed, entertaining the thought that maybe I would skip the roof lights this year.  Well, I did want to make a bright "welcome home for Christmas" impression.  And now I'm glad that I didn't get lazy!

During 2008 I started a big project to repair, replace, scrape, sand, bleach, and paint my 31-year old plywood siding, which was in really poor condition.  I worked alone and managed to finish about two-thirds of the job.  I haven't been able to make the time this year due to two kids going away to college and one kid getting married, and having to tend to a yard that got neglected for a year while I worked on the house.  Not to mention a crazy busy year at work that left me exhausted.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my remodeling efforts.  I would like to put an arbor on the front of the house to make a nicer entry transition.  I added the cedar ledger board and corner trim to tie into the future arbor.  Lots of work ahead, and it's slow and painstaking, but it's extremely rewarding.

I look forward to 2010 and a season in the sun.  Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the lights!

A Note from Santa

Recently while unpacking my Christmas dishes, I found this note from Santa.

Santa's Workshop

Thanks for the cookies

— S. Claus

P.S.  I don't like shortbread — make more of them chocolatey ones!

P.P.S.  Have since decided I don't like sugar cookies, either . . . what happened to choc. chip?

P.P.P.S.  What's with the 1% milk? You trying to tell me something?

Alright, have to be off — stupid elves in the sled. Wish my elves were as cool as Legolas.

Merry Christmas!

Maybe I should get a PDA . . . It could greatly improve my naughty / nice list.

(Written by my oldest son the first Christmas after the divorce.  At 14, he was stepping in to play Santa just like his dad.  What a character he was and still is!)

Four Day Weekend! :)

I got to have a four-day weekend in December, and it was a blast!

On Friday I had a visit from my BFF!  We don't get to see each other often, so we did Christmas and other occasions all rolled into one fun day!

Later on that night, I made roasted pecans.  Yummy!

Ready for gifting!

On Saturday, my daughter and son-in-law visited, and I finally got my tree!

Then we went to the Salado Stroll.  Salado is a village of artisans and gift shops.  This is the front porch of the Stagecoach Inn.

Every inch of the village is decorated.

It was a cold and foggy night, perfect for appreciating the Christmas lights!

Even Mr. & Mrs. Santa were dressed in their winter finery.

Here's a sample of the pretties in one of the shops.

Even the greenhouses were decorated!

Since it was such a special occasion, I treated myself to a new Woof & Poof.  This one is wearing a taffeta party dress, black fur collar, and silver bell!  :)

I decorated the Woof & Poof shelf.  They always make me smile!

Finally completed the tree today!!! I really like the new white tree skirt.   It fits my tree stand and it jingles!

Jingle Elves

It's starting to look like Christmas at my house!

These Tom Clark elves make me smile!  Their names are J, I, N, G, L, and E.

I like snowmen, too.  :)

I'm making a little progress on the Family Reunion. :)

The MONKEY made me do it!!!

A Start on Christmas

I found this on Friday afternoon.  It's the holidays, and it's good to stock up for all the fun times ahead.  Might help with the cleaning and decorating, too!  Heh.  :)

Shiner Family Reunion

This is my new ornament this year.  It came all the way from Kauai.  My daughter bought it for me on her honeymoon.

I had to get up on the roof yesterday to clear leaves out of the valleys.  This is a view towards the greenhouse.  It was a perfect day to be outside, very cool and sunny.

Chiquita is really a kitty dog.  She loves to climb on things!

Debris on the patio cover is a big problem.  This is what's left in every trough after running the leaf blower.  Scooping by hand is the only way to clean it so the water can drain.

Got the front porch decorated!

I made the front door wreath out of barbed wire, antique garden tools, and a Santa star that was a gift from a precious friend who knows how much I like Christmas.

This is a pile of Woof & Poof.  I've collected them for years.  The workmanship and fabrics are exquisite.  They have beautiful buttons and bells.  I love seeing them every Christmas.  I could do a whole post just on their faces!

When I reached to move the ladder this morning, I got a painful surprise.  This wasp stung me.  I stunned it with a tap of my shoe and swept it outside.  Maybe I've been reading too much Buddhism, LOL!

Actually, that wasn't the first bad thing that happened this weekend.  You know the old saying about how pride comes before a fall?  Yesterday I dropped and broke the Hawaiian ornament.  *gah*  And I broke one of my favorite flowerpots while hanging a garland outside.  Somehow I still managed to be happy. :-))

Today it was cold and dark and drizzling rain all day.  I had to take a break from Christmas decorating, so I went shopping.  I got 3 gifts and found this beautiful tree skirt.  I've been looking for a white tree skirt for what feels like 20 years.  This is the first one I've found that has a big enough opening to fit my tree stand.  It has quilting, gold cording, and bells.  :)

Last but not least, I found this while rooting through the garage looking for decorations.  MONKEY!!!

Good Times and Junk Shop Finds

I wanted to make a post about Thanksgiving break, but didn't get all the photos ready until today.  So here it is, better late than never!  Apologies for lack of people pictures.  I'm leery of using my children's photos on the web.  I can barely stand to see myself here.

This is my favorite corner in the kitchen, and I was having a busy day.

Carrot cake and pumpkin pies, my downfall [that, and the Negra Modelo]  :)

Turkey turned out great.

Cooks at the stove on Thanksgiving Day.  :)

Chiquita in her begging pose

Old bank building in Taylor, TX.  Now used by the Art Guild for gallery displays.

Wonderful photography exhibit

Original bank vault

Beautiful old building

This alcove was added for a movie shot.  Anyone recognize this?

Street scene, charming old buildings, and young love

Mural near the drag in Austin

Junk shop finds from the stores on Main Street in Taylor.  Everything was cheap at half off!  The frame is new, unused from Pottery Barn and it was only $7.50.

Champagne glass, one of five

Manhattan pattern compote

Pretty framed botanicals

Laughing Lab tavern glass

Gorgeous antique ring (carnelian?) backlit by the sun. It's a perfect fit!