Autumn around town

Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees...or....sometimes you can't see the pretty trees because you only drive from your house to Walmart and back. Today Jenny suggested I take some pictures of a few trees she had seen that were already changing. So, I grabbed my camera on my way to Hobby Lobby, the other store I wear a path to. And right around the corner by our friend Cindy's house there were beauties to behold. I don't know if the photos capture the intensity of the colors, but these few trees really stood out on this overcast morning.
I felt like I was missing Fall or something, since I had been in Florida a few weeks ago , then the weather got too warm for my morning walks, and then it rained like crazy the past few days with the Tornado sirens going off a few times. I really must get back on the street, since in a few days Noccallua Falls will be closing until Thanksgiving evening when the Christmas Extravaganza of lights and decoration begins.
Hopefully the best is yet to come with the trees even though it has been a weird Fall so far.
Fridays high is supposed to be 67, and I can hardly wait!

Autumn around the globe

Russia

Prague, Czech Republic

Japan

Switzerland

Today, I thought I would take you on a journey around the globe. Enjoy the Autumn pictures and imagine visiting each location. I know I imagine drinking tea in each of these places in a cozy cabin with a fire burning in the fireplace and the perfect view from a window. (I always imagine drinking tea in Europe or Asia, it just seems right!)

Dinner Time!

I thought I would share some pictures of my dining room which I had gussied up for company we had last Friday evening. Sorry about the blurry pics, I used my cell phone and since I had dropped the phone in water a few times, things just aren't as crisp as they used to be.
Truthfully, we rarely use the dining room since everyone gets home at different times from work and we just use the coffee table and paper plates because I hate doing dishes. There is usually just one table in the DR with the sewing machine base table on the side, but I cleared them off and placed them both in the middle to accommodate our friend and two children that came that night.
I really liked the way it looked, it made me think of a cute cafe. Everything in this room is used. The rug was from a vintage shop in town , the bench from a yard sale, hutch from a thrift store, one of the table and chairs from The World's Longest Yard Sale, the sewing machine table from an old gent who sold things from his yard, mirror and side table from garage sales. most of the decor from thrift shops , vintage etsy shops, chairs from garage sales and on and on.
I personally love to buy used things because there is more unique style to them and a simple coat of paint can transform an ugly knick knack or piece of furniture in to a work of art!
The next time we will use this room will be for Thanksgiving when my daughter, son in law and grandson will be joining us! I can hardly wait!

Owl Loverly

I still love owls. I know they had been a trend a few years ago, but for me it is a classic theme along with birds, deer, squirrels and bare trees. Those just happen to be a few of my favorite things. Unless of course it is a squirrel in the attic which happens every fall and winter and sounds like it is bowling over our heads. We tell ourselves that it is just a pecan being rolled about because we don't want to believe that some huge animal is up there moving our junk around!
So, back to owls...did you know that they are not really "wise" old owls? I saw a guy on Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart say that they are really dumb animals, but how could they be? They look like they just flew out of a library as they gaze about from their lofty branch. Smart or dumb, I don't care, I think they are quite cute!

Kitchen Before and After

before it was an old fashioned linoleum tile that I originally had loved but found impossible to keep clean!

after it is a beautiful reddish tone tile, I love it!

this is a cabinet I bought at the craft fair in Florida

of course to stash some yarn in!

When we first bought this house and did some work on floors, I really wanted a vintage looking tile floor in a triangle pattern for my kitchen. My husband worked so hard installing that for me and at first I just loved it. However, it wasn't too long before I realized that it was near impossible to keep clean. I couldn't see getting a professional waxing and buffing, so it always looked dirty even after scrubbing it several times in a row.
Until yesterday, that is when my awesome husband made me so happy by installing this wonderful new floor. It is a warm wood look tile that Ray spent the afternoon on and the results made me want to jump for joy! If you have ever lived with a yucky floor, you know how frustrating it can be, and if you ever got a new floor that you love, you know how exhilarating THAT can be! I have the best husband in the whole wide world!
Also,the bottom two pictures are of a hand crafted pine jam cabinet that I bought at the craft fair in Florida last week. A nice gentleman had several of these for sale and Christina bought one as well! Of course I used it for my ever swelling yarn supply, which is exactly what I had in mind for it!
Hope your Fall is cooler than mine (80s during the day still, yikes!)!

this and that

a fun gas station stop on the way home from Florida

my grandson Kavi doing break dancing

my daughter at the craft fair

selling pillows and jewelry

my friend Nancy's jewelry display

As many of you know, I just had a visit with my daughter Stina , son in law Suj and sweet grandson Kavi. We try to see each other once every 4 or 5 weeks and thankfully my husband is self employed and can finagle a couple days off a month. You see, we never knew it would be so long before they could join us in Alabama, but sinkhole problems and the drop in the housing market in Florida have delayed any plans for them to relocate. And it is so hard for us to be a 9 hour drive apart. Kavi was only one month old when we moved and we wanted to make sure to have a good ole bonding with the little guy so back and forth we go. As you might already suspect, our plan worked and he adores Nanny and Pa and his aunties Jenny and Rachel. We all miss Stina ans Suj so much too. They are such joys in our lives along with Kavi of course, and life feels so ideal when we are all together. I talk to Stina almost every day on the phone and we always put Kavi on speaker phone so he can tell us about poopy in the potty, choo choos, cars and Mickey Mouse.
This past weekend Stina sold her wares at a craft fair and her display and her products were just beautiful. Let's just say it was a good trial run, because the crowds were sparse and the age group in this mainly retirement sub division just didn't part with their money too easily. Still, it was a very fun day hanging with Stina and my friend Nancy who was set up next to us. I don't know if you can tell by the picture of Nancy's jewelry, but her displays were tomato cages! Very clever if you ask me!
When we sadly left on Sunday morning, Ray decided to take all back roads back to Bama! We have done that before and it takes just just a little longer than the interstate but without the semis, RVs or the traffic in Atlanta. I personally love going that way, especially now that trees were beginning to change. One of our gas stops was this touristy place in Georgia that sold tons of jams and relishes, cookbooks and corny souvenirs along with having spotless everything automated bathrooms!
Now we are back home and I will be crocheting more things for my upcoming craft bazaar in December and working on a few custom orders.
And, yesterday, Ray and I bought some new flooring for our kitchen which I am really excited about and hopefully you will be seeing some before and afters soon!

Happy Fall Y'all

It is beginning to feel like fall round here. Now we just need the weather to catch on. Up in the low 90s, high 80s, ugh! Well at least this weekends forecast will be low 70s, but I will be in Florida visiting my daughter Stina and her husband Suj and sweet little boy Kavi! Woo hoo!
Stina and my friend Nancy are selling their wares at a craft fair on Saturday and I am excited to help them and I am happy to see that the temperature should be a high of 81 which is pretty darn cool for Florida!
So...I will catch up with you guys down there...Happy Fall!!!!!!