A SMALL TASTE OF THANKSGIVING...

I am not doing much in the way of Thanksgiving decorations this year.  We will not be home for dinner and I am trying to get a whole lot of projects done around the Cottage that, if we were smart, would have been well suited to leave until another time of year.

We are also spending New Year's in San Diego  so will not be doing a whole lot of Christmas decorating either.  It breaks my heart, but since we will be spending Christmas with the kids, then rushing home to take down decorations before leaving for the trip, so that we don't come home in February to all that entails, this is just the way it is this year.

This is a little Amish family that we picked up years ago at a country antique show we did...

This is how the Captain and I were dressed for that country antique show when we picked up the little Amish family...

We were supposed to dress up as fitting for the time of year and since they were simple costumes, easy to sew, this is what we chose.

I will leave you today with some words of wisdom that you might be well put to remember when you gather 'round the table on Thanksgiving Day...

"I ate too much turkey,

I ate too much corn,

I ate too much pudding and pie,

I'm stuffed up with muffins

And much too much stuffin',

I'm probably going to die.

I piled up my plate

And I ate and I ate,

But I wish I had known when to stop,

For I'm so crammed with yams,

Sauces, gravies, and jams

That my buttons are startin' to pop.

I'm full of tomatoes

And French fried potatoes,

My stomach is swollen and sore,

But there's still some dessert,

So I guess it won't hurt..

If I eat just a little bit more."

Jack Prelutsky, "I Ate Too Much"

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Saturday Show Off at The Rosegarden in Malevik

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper

Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Amaze Me Mondays at Dwellings The Heart of Your Home

OF CABBAGES AND ROSES...

I had another birthday last week but we won't dwell on that.

Today I have to share with you the love from my family on my special day.

The Captain gave me this sweet and simple bouquet, arranged in a vintage enamelware pitcher that he picked up, especially for me, from a garage sale.

You know me, flowers that match the color of the room they are intended for and anything vintage, and from a garage sale to boot, and I'm over the moon.

These beauties were sent, along with sentiments of love, from Tim, Tami and Jake.  The colors are just beautiful and I love the way they incorporated cabbages into the arrangement.

Of all the arrangements I have received from the kids, and there have been many, I think this one is the prettiest.

Don't you agree that the florist could be a fly on the wall in the master bedroom, they match so beautifully?  Wow, that's a scary thought!!

Tami requested that the flowers be delivered in the morning and they were, but we weren't home.  The florist intended to re-deliver later in the afternoon but forgot so I received them the day after my birthday.

When they were delivered there was this extra pretty little vase filled with autumn colors and a note apologizing for the mistake.

The local florist called Tami to tell her that they were sorry that the flowers weren't delivered in a timely manner and to let her know that the next time she orders, she will have a $100 credit in her name.

Now, that's the way to run a business.

Thank you, my dear family, for the special gifts for my special day.

I love you all.

...Judy...

Sharing with these lovely parties:

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper

Amaze Me Mondays at Dwellings, The Heart of Your Home

Make It Pretty Mondays at The Dedicated House

A TAIL AND TWO CITIES...

A TAIL AND...

The tail in question.

Two Cities...

Downtown Grass Valley

Mill Street

Downtown Nevada City

Broad Street

We bundled up in our wellies

and our woolies...

Not literally wellies but...it is cold, not wet.

And leashed up Buddy...

...who donned his autumn hued fur coat, in keeping with the season, and set off to share with you some of the beautiful fall colors seen around our area.

Won't you, too, bundle up, and come along?

Our crepe myrtle tree. Didn't have the best blooms this season but the fall color is spectacular.

A little less color, but beautiful nonetheless.

Pretty reflections at the Fairgrounds.

The Virginia Creeper starting to turn on our fence.

A few Victorian homes surrounded by the pallet of nature.

"A little wind sang among the

fir tassels."

Lucy Maude Montgomery

"Anne of the Island"

  

The Buckeye Tree.

 In the spring, the long flowers form along with a full abundance of green foliage that lasts all summer. As soon as autumn comes around all the leaves fall and these  beautiful seed pods form and hang on the tree in a very artistic fashion as though hanging by ropes.

   

Another form of a pod that falls from a tree similar to a maple. I don't know what it is called but very interesting.

 Do these remind you of a nest of baby birds with all their mouths open begging for their dinner?

Chinese Lanterns

This is a branch of the flower that I picked off the vine and dried. It holds its shape really well.

I somehow missed this bloom and it dried naturally on the vine. I had never seen this before. How beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then it was back home for some hot apple cider in front of the fire, and a peek at some of the fruits of the harvest season yet to be seen around the Cottage...

A new addition to my lantern collection from Hobby Lobby for half price.

The Harvest family picked up at a country shop a few years ago.

A few pictures of the parlor mantle dressed for Fall.

And the guest room mantle would not be outdone...  

...with a theme of Nursery Rhyme songs..

..and a colorful autumn bouquet...

A little bit of left-over Halloween.

Tarnished tray blackboard was picked up at a flea market. All other items came out of the Kruenpeeper Creek Gifts catalog. This is my go-to for inexpensive, but very adorable pretties. www.kpcreek.com

A lovely bowl of fresh picked persimmons, graciously given to us by our sweet neighbor, whose name, coincidently, is Autumn.

...Judy...

Sweet Maggie is now doing what she has dreamed about all summer long!

Please join us...

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Simple and Sweet Fridays at Rooted In Thyme