Tag: animals

Home Decor, Recipes

Share Your Style #397

French Ethereal

Welcome friends to this week’s Share Your Style #397! I am so glad you have stopped by today as we have a bunch of fun features to share with you, including this month’s Pinterest Challenge ~ which mine is shared just below. Let’s take a look, shall we?

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am back painting in the house after Mr. Ethereal and I finished up fixing Gramma’s sprinklers, planting six new Texas sage/barometer bushes, and running drip irrigation lines for those plants out in her front flower bed. This was accomplished over the past three or four weekends and we are glad to have that project behind us! It’s just too hot to play outdoors at the moment, lol.

I linked a couple of my older wreath-type posts down in the party, in case you’d like even more inspiration. Here we go…

Here’s what I shared this past week at French Ethereal…

Create a Late Summer/Early Autumn Wreath from a Dollar Tree Score! ~ This is NOT the final wreath but it IS the wreath form I used. Just click on the title and you can see the new wreath I made from our neighbor’s bushes.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ThriftShopFinds-683x1024.png
A Thrift Shop Adventure, What I Found + A Little History… ~ This one you’ll just have to hop over to find out what I bought! 😉

And here are this week’s featured posts…

green garden tablescape
First up this week we have MaryJo from Master”Pieces” of My Life sharing her lovely secret garden in this post ~ Shades of Green Tablescape in the Veggie Garden. Lovely!!!
Debbie from Debbie-Dabble Blog brings us her 2023 summertime porch decorating this time with Mid-Summer Front Porch Refresh. Love the bright colors with the b&w!!!
Our friend Penny from Penny’s Treasures shared this adorable vignette as part of her Summer Entry Bench and a Container Garden. Love the chickens!!!
Quick And Easy To Make Vegan Frosted Lemon Cake:
Oh my! Claire Justine OXOX has created the perfect recipe for summertime fêtes ~ Quick and Easy to Make Vegan Frosted Lemon Cake. Yum!!!
Zeebaars op cederhout van de kamado
Newcomer Camiel from Siezoenenblog (“Seasons,” or a play-on-word: “Seasoning” Blog — my best guess!) brings us this delightful fish recipe from the Netherlands ~ “Sea Bass [Cooked} on Cedar on the Kamado [BBQ]” — Zeebaars op Cederhout van de Kamado.
Our final feature for this week comes from Estelle over at Homemade on a Weeknight who shared her flock of feathered friends ~ Greetings from the Coop! Really cute story; you need to go check out her babies!!!

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

.

Enjoy the party, everyone!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Gardening, Home Decor

Share Your Style #396

French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #396, dear friends! I am sooo sorry that I did not get Share Your Style out on Wednesday. I am getting used to my husband coming home from work at a “normal” time, and I just really forgot! I am back painting in the house again, and it’s really hot and humid this week, as it is across much of America, so there’s my excuse, friends.

But I thought I’d put SYS up anyway and share your features, just a day or so late. 🙂

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

And with more painting, finishing up working on the sprinklers at my mother-in-law’s home, I didn’t get a post out over the past week, so…

Let’s get to this week’s features!

.

And here are this week’s featured posts…

First up this week, I am totally loving Debra’s post from Common Ground sharing all these seashells!!! Look at this buffet! Perfection bringing the beach home ~
Coastal Vibes with Seashell Buffet.
Woman standing in the lobby of the St Regis in Rome.
Newcomer Rosemary from Distinctly Southern Style shares What I Wore on the Plane to Italy. It’s all about comfort, isn’t it? Welcome, Rosemary!!! Enjoy your trip!
cat kissinger
Next up we have the cutest cat!!! I can’t wait to screenshot this cutie and send him to my cat-loving daughter… Kissinger the Cat is coming over from Aleksandra at Cats & Dogs (pets876.blogspot.com ~ I know he is huge and those tuffted ears!!! You’ll have to check out Aleksandra’s posts. She features many furry friends. 💜 
Popular Types of Residential Fences
Kathryn from The Dedicated House shared a nice post on types of fences ~ 3 Most Popular Types of Residential Fences. Love this! I am still on the hunt for another iron or aluminum fence to finish off the backyard. 🙂
Coco from The Crowned Goat brings out her summer whites on her cool and comfortable front porch ~ Cottage Inspired Summer Porch Tour. Lovely!!!
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Salvaged-Windows-for-Sale-at-Renningers-The-Crowned-Goat-684x1024.jpg
Last up for this week, we have another of Coco’s posts and this one shares 11 Architectural Salvage Decorating Ideas. Love all the stained glass!!! I’ll take the tall triple window with the ethereal lady in the middle… 😉

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

.

Enjoy the party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Family

Yoda and the Rainbow Bridge…

French Ethereal
A post I have never really want to write, one of love and loss and supreme love for a pet… Our Yoda went onto his Heaven over the Rainbow Bridge on Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, Flag Day.
This was Yoda out at Sam Rayburn Park near Sanger, Texas in 2017. 
 
He loved his walks!
 
Thankfully I thought to write most of this post early, long before Yoda had to leave… 
 
So today I thought I’d share my favorite photographs of Yoda through the years with you.
 
💖
 
Yoda relaxing in our first trailer in his old dogbed.
 
Another friend Bernadette who writes The Creative Cat creates beautiful sympathy cards sharing portraits of her former and current kitties and I’ve often thought I should share her site. Do visit there if you’d like to keep some special cards on-hand for when friends lose their beloved pets…
It means a lot to all of us who love our furry and un-furry friends so unconditionally… 🐶🐈
 
His poor eyes… He would rub his cheeks on the carpet (or floor) to clean his face after eating and sometimes his eyes would get dirty and infected.
Our first trailer was tough for Yoda that first couple of winters. The underneath wasn’t heated so he was often cold. I think it took a lot out of him then, but he recovered well and loved the warmth of our second trailer, our Prairie Home!
 
Yoda inside our second trailer enjoying the fireplace’s warmth.
 
 
Yoda in the garden area in front of our big RV.

All dogs want to be good…

Yoda was a young dog in this photograph, maybe 5 to 8 years old? No, thinking on it, he must have been around 9 years here as this was one of my first posted photos and taken when my camera was new…
.
Yoda was adopted from a shelter and came to us an angry, frightened, biting young pup of somewhere between 9 months and 18 months old, who bit because he thought his food would be eaten by someone else. Looking back on it now, he grew to his full size after we got him, so my guess is he was even younger, perhaps 6 months old, so we made his birthday March 31st, 2014.
.
He became very overprotective of me. He didn’t like anyone coming up behind me and rubbing my shoulders (maybe someone was choked?), he hated long black coats (a friend wore one to tea), he didn’t like African-American people at all and would bark like crazy! I think he came from a drug house… He did get over his fear of dark-skinned people as he met our new neighbors and came to love visiting with them. It was all in socialization! Detoxing the bad and praising the good things.
.
He bit all of us at one time or another, and multiple times… It took 10 years of love and non-punishment ~ to work it out of him ~ for Yoda to realize that no one in our household would hurt him, that he could relax and forget the past… and heal. 💕
With love, he blossomed into a good dog who loved meeting people, going for long walks ~ and this is where living in several trailer parks really helped his overcoming his traumatic early days before us. 
.
He encountered snow for the first time in Texas up in Sanger! He has enjoyed walking in snow every year for a day or part of a day since we moved to Texas.
Yoda enjoying one of his daily walks at beautiful Lake Skinner!  Yoda thought all 14,000 acres belonged to him and his barks at every new dog that came out to camp. (He also barked at the other dogs who belonged to other camp hosts who live here! Lol!)
August 2015, Riverside County Park – Lake Skinner, Winchester, California)
.
Yoda really enjoyed camping when we moved out of our house. That first fall when many people were done camping for the year, mid-week was mostly empty of people and trailers and this afforded us time to go for long walks and heal from the trauma of moving out of the house, especially for me.
.
I was most affected by having to “lose our home.” Yoda was probably the second-most affected; he had an $1100 emergency visit to the veterinary on a Saturday night for bleeding in his bowels from stress (after multiple house showings). We all needed to time to detox from losing our house and to adjust to living in a trailer, living somewhere else before moving from California.
.
These quiet walks in late fall were a blessing for us ~ time alone with God to cry, walk, photograph wildlife, and the lake, and to heal. Grace is a good thing…
Up at Wagon Master RV Park and Alpaca Farm
In the few years after we adopted Yoda, he learned to play and laugh and race around the house! He began the racetrack game in California and would begin his crazy racing from the family room, through the kitchen into the dining room, slipping and sliding around the corner on the travertine tiles, past the bookcases and down the wide hallway back to the dining room again.
.
At the campgrounds, if he ever got out of the door off-leash, he would race around the yard or around a group of trailers! He was hard to catch when he wanted to race… Such a turkey!
Yoda in 2020, turned 15 this past spring (we think).
Other times he waited comfortably and learned that he could relax with our family ~ out by the pool (in CA) or near the trailers in the cool breezes. 
Yoda helping me photograph in the late afternoon sunlight ~ the Golden Hour.
Helping me garden here in Texas. His cheeks are all white now.
He enjoys our new backyard here in Texas, too, except for the biting “no-see-ums” (mites) and fire ants. When the agony of these biting creatures goes away in the fall, he enjoys lying out in the grass…

Best Friends…

Rusty and owner PJ’s feet ~ PJ never wanted her photo taken!
Two buds sniffing for other dogs and squirrels…
My friend PJ passed away from a short battle with breast cancer in early February 2020, before the Corona Virus really took ahold of the country and the world. I don’t have a picture of PJ but I do have a few photographs of Rusty, her beloved full-bred Lhasa Apso. Rusty is one of a few dogs whom Yoda really liked hanging out with.
.
You can see in these two photographs why we thought Yoda is probably half Lhasa Apso ~ same body length and height. The fur and face and tail are all Pekingese, though! Our vet thought so, too.
Yoda in the Leaves…
In the early days, I talked a lot with our kids about not throwing away family members, even though Yoda was biting so much (weekly) when we first got him… As a rescue dog, he just needed time with kind people to blossom. So we kept Yoda and worked his troubles out with massive amounts of kindness. It took 10 years for him to outgrow his fears of family injuring him.
.
Update to what I’d previously written (knowing I wouldn’t feel like writing this obituary right at the time of his passing.): Yoda hasn’t been feeling well for the past year. His urine was really dark and smelly (this is lately). I took him to our vet in February and we decided to put him on medicine to help with nausea so he could eat and drink regularly.
He rebounded! I thought things were going so much better. But, that was only a temporary fix. Basically, this “time” was to give me time, and Yoda time, to get used to his need to “go home.”  He enjoyed being out in the grass under the shade of an oak tree while I worked in the garden. He smiled there!
.
But, he really started going downhill here a couple of months ago. He made it here until the morning of Flag Day, June 14th. Waking him up this morning, he was really stiff. I just knew; he was ready to go.
.
Turns out our veterinarian said that he had a stroke. He may have had several over the last few months. Something about the stiffness and the way he held his back legs. The swinging of his head back and forth, trying to “think” but not being able to do so. It was time… So, we all had a good last couple of weeks while I could be home with him and Charles could visit with him during his PTO. We cuddled a lot! I spoon fed him his favorite cooked chicken, veggies and a little cheese. 💖
I am so glad we kept Yoda… He became the great dog he always wanted to be.  🐾
Miss you, Sweet Pup…
                                                                                      Love, Momma 💖
Uncategorized

Share Your Style #317

French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #317. Happy Wednesday to you all, dear friends! 🙂

This link party is for home decor, DIY, crafts, recipes and the like, but you are more than welcome to share any of your family-friendly posts with us all. Please feel free to share this post too and join my small but loyal band of friends. I appreciate you! I appreciate your subscribing, also. As always, I am glad that you are here… 💜

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Happy Wednesday, y’all! The shed is coming along but not quite where I’d like it to be to be able to share the inside, so hopefully next week. 😉 Other than that, we had a quiet Labor Day weekend and just worked on getting the backyard into shape and more things moved into the shed.

I did however get out in the garden and shoot some evening plant photography! Hope you’ll stop by and check out my little garden. <3

So with that, let’s get this party started…

Here’s what I shared this past week at French Ethereal…

Early Fall in the Garden ~ a look during our lovely evening light…

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Baskets6
Fall is a good time for completing small projects, like this upcycled basket by MaryJo of Master “Pieces” of My Life ~ Weathered Baskets DIY. Love it!!!
Sandy from Dinner at Eight shared her 2021 planting story in this post ~
The Backyard Landscape – First Phase. You’ll love Sandy’s labrador puppy! He’s very cute!! ;)’
Asian-style-Vietnamese-dishes-buffet
Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz is back with an awesome foodie post ~ Cultural Cooking Adventures: Vietnamese Dishes. Serious yum!!!
Niky from The House on Silverado speaks my language here with this post on How to Dry Hydrangeas the Easy Way. I just successfully got a small bouquet to dry perfectly since moving here to Texas! Excited to share this post so you can learn how, too. <3
I am loving Penny of Penny’s Treasures new look in her kitchen!!! I think many of us have been cleaning and clearing out this year and Penny explains what all she has done in this post ~ Less is More Wall Decor, New Snack Bar Chairs and a Fall Tour.
I am loving this post by newcomer Sinziana from Coffee Time Classics called
365 Days of Lifestyle Photography – Week 3. Fun photos and lots of good information, plus a challenge we can all jump into! Come check it out… 🙂 And welcome, Sinziana!!
Robin over at Junk Journal shared the before (above) and after photos of this DIY project ~ Spoon Rack Display Transformation. Jump on over to see how it turned out!

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

Happy linking, everyone!

Barb 🙂

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Uncategorized

Share Your Style #307

French Ethereal

Welcome friends, to this week’s Share Your Style #307! Happy Wednesday to you all, dear friends!

This link party is for home decor, DIY, crafts, recipes and the like, but you are more than welcome to share any of your family-friendly posts with us all. Please feel free to share this post too and join my small but loyal band of friends. I appreciate you!
 As always, I am glad that you are here…

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

This past week I’ve been over to McKinney with my mother- and sister-in-law visiting a friend of Jodi’s who moved there back about 20 years ago. Gini and I went over to the City of McKinney’s Vital Statistics building and happily found a microfiche of her grandfather and grandmother’s marriage license from 1897!

On Friday evening, we went to a Texas Rangers’ game down in Arlington. They ended up losing but we enjoyed getting out and trying some ballpark foods and listening to the crowds and announcer, and enjoying the ballgame live.

Saturday was a workday and Gini, Jodi and Corey (my nephew, who flew in on Friday morning) drove over to Farmersville to watch an IOOF and a group of local re-enactors honoring of an 1812 soldier from the area. Because of the busy week, I didn’t go but I would have enjoyed the ceremony. I slept all Saturday afternoon.

My mother-in-law Gini, sister-in-law Jodi and hubby Charles
Corey showing off his perfect pizza!

Sunday we enjoyed baking homemade pizzas out in the Ooni and then we worked on a satin banner project Gini is making for a future IOOF ceremony.

This banner will have a purple backing and other images placed around it and wording at the top and bottom. Should be neat when it is all done!

Since Monday, I’ve been down with a cold or Covid-type feeling illness… If it is Covid related, two days on, the vaccine is beating it down and I am feeling better today. 🙂

And thank you, friends! We had 84 links up last week, and there were so many good posts to look through to feature. Keep ’em coming!…

Here’s what I shared this past week at French Ethereal…

This month’s Pinterest Challenge was all about setting a Summer Table and here is my entry ~ Setting a Beautiful Summer Table with Castleton’s Dolly Madison China.

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Debbie from Debbie-Dabble Blog shares her home decorated for the upcoming 4th of July celebrations in this pretty RWB post ~
A Little Bit More RWB in the Living Room. Love love love this wreath!!!
Juliet from French Country Cottage shared her beautiful find in this DIY post ~ French Country Cottage Sideboard. Beautiful!!!
DIY Sock Gnome
Kippi of Kippi at Home shared her really in-depth instructions to make these
Easy DIY Gnomes [Tutorial]. Totally cute and perfect for us to create this summer for all the seasons coming up!
Awwwww! Puppy Challenges in the Garden was shared by Sandra from Come to Dinner at Eight. Puppies are a challenge but with time and good correction, all puppies can turn into the best dogs! Come check out this sweet post {and isn’t Finnegan just cute??!}…
Perfect as a follow-up, this post from Kelli at 3 Boys and a Dog looks like a fun recipe to make for your favorite furry friends! ~
Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Puppy Chow.
Vintage Botanical Print in the Early Summer Entry is this week’s share from Debra over at Common Ground. I love Debra’s wonderful mélange of goodies she puts together each season here in here entry, and I bet you do, too.
Lori over at Dinner for Eight shared her stunning table set for summer in this post ~ Blueberry Bliss Summer Tablescape. Love the soft blues!
purple floral kimono, olive green midi dress, caged sandals, wicker bag, Style Imitating Art, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
Shelbee from Shelbee on the Edge shared this lovely lavender-filled post
Style Imitating Art: Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterflies. Love Shelbee’s outfit for this garden tour!!
Tara from Stilettos and Shiplap brings us this DIY post ~ Thrift Store Challenge: Coffee Table Makeover. Love how it turned out!
Newcomer Lena from Way 2 Good Life brings us this fun travel post ~
Balloon Festivals in the United States. I can tell you they are so beautiful to
watch lift off! Welcome, Lena!!! She has also shared this post ~ With love from Medora, North Dakota’s Treasure.
Last up for this week is Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home sharing her finished kitchen remodel in this post ~ Cheerful Summer Kitchen Refresh. Love the bright pops of color for the season!

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

Have a great week, dear friends!

Barb 🙂

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Uncategorized

Share Your Style #306

French Ethereal

Welcome friends, to this week’s Share Your Style #306! Happy Wednesday to you all!

This link party is for home decor, DIY, crafts, recipes and the like, but you are more than welcome to share any of your family-friendly posts with us all. Please feel free to share this post too and join my small but loyal band of friends. I appreciate you!
 As always, I am glad that you are here…

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too.  Thank you!💜 

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Happily this week I have some news on our new garden shed! I received a text this week from Wolf Valley Buildings.com wanting to schedule our shed’s arrival, so… Now it’s all about prepping the site and removing all the junk in that area, including the current shed.

Next, as you will see here, I finished the painting in our master bedroom and bathroom. What a big project! As any of you painters out there know, it was about 100 hours from start to finish for the three areas of commode, bathroom and the 15′ x 17′ bedroom with 14′ ceilings at the peak. The crown moulding had never been painted in any of the areas and was put up with just original primer on it, so that all needed special attention. I didn’t get rid of the “alligatoring” from humidity like I should have in the bathroom area, but will another time. I wanted to finish before my mother-in-law and sister-in-law arrived. They are here now and the bedroom was finished this Friday.

So now it’s back to focusing on the garden with prep for the garden shed!… :💜

Here’s what I shared this past week at French Ethereal…

A Star-Spangled Blue Jean Recycle Placemat Project ~ a fun idea I’ve had waiting for this pair of jeans to finally wear out in order to make!
A Glowing New Look for Our Master Bedroom/Bathroom ~ So happy to have this job completed but really just so happy to have a light and bright bedroom and bathroom now! Really loving it!!

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Jeanie from The Marmelade Gypsy shared her glorious peonies in this inspired post ~ The Fragrance of Spring. Glorious!!!
Jeanie also shared this cutely titled post ~ It’s Really Good That I Like to Lick the Batter Bowl. Part of our summertime recipes at SYS…
I HAD to add this post from Tiffany (Tee) from TeeDiddlyDee as I am still just as horse-crazy as I ever was as a kid. Meet D’artagnan, Our Gentle Giant ~ an incredibly gorgeous horse in his prime.
Sarah over at Hyacinths for the Soul shared this patriotic RWB post ~ Inspired Tables of Red, White and Blue. Love this!!!!
Niky from The House on Silverado shared this sweet bench ~ DIY Garden Bench Makeover. Fun project!!!
Renae from Peacock Ridge Farm shared a restyling for the 4th in this post ~
A Fourth of July Hutch Refresh. Beautiful!!! Love the ironstone and flow blue…
uncle-sam-wreath-feature-image
Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz brings us this really fun wreath full of patriotic flare ~ Uncle Sam Wreath Peddles Bike to 4th of July Parade. Cute!!!

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜  Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

Happy summer, sweet friends!

Barb 💜

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Uncategorized

Winter Photography Fun in the Fall… More From South Dakota

French Ethereal
How much  is that doggie in the window?  So sings the song and it was especially apropos on this early fall snow day at our son and daughter-in-love’s home.  
Our trip to South Dakota just a short time ago was plumb packed with apple picking, 
Mall of America shopping and lots of photographic moments like this one.

Come along as we enjoy a little fall snow fun!…


Snow is  enchanting when there is just a dusting of it on the ground ~ it is a bit magical with each tiny snowflake sparkling as the sun peaks through the clouds and sets it aglow.
Our son and daughter-in-law’s dogs were excited to go out and play in the snow as was I.

***
 Snow is also fun to enjoy from a dog’s point of view.
;)’

Luna ~ part Siberian Husky, collie and sheltie, if I remember right.  She has the long nose and a collie’s face with those pale blue husky’s eyes!  Striking!!!

Part of what I wanted to accomplish while I was visiting was to try and capture Luna and Bandit’s expressions.

Bandit ~ like his name, he is hard to photograph.  A bit shy and very quick, I had to focus on his body where I thought his face would be later and click-click to get him to turn.  Love this of him!

I started taking pictures the first morning after we arrived.

This photo of Luna I had to sharpen ~ she moved ever so slightly as the shutter clicked.  Also added a bit of blue to her eyes, backed off the whites and highlights.  Decreased the blacks.  🙂
The lead photograph for this post says it all.
Luna and Bandit are best friends; attached
at the hip.
Where one goes so does the other.
🙂

Happy with these pics I then went on to shoot pics
of the October snow day outside.
According to the weatherman this day and snowfall tie the record for the earliest day since recorded snow in Sioux Falls history.

This was just a study of leaves and eaves.
Ha ha, pun not intended.
😉

I love how the snow highlights the rolled up
garden hose…


Pristine snow and leaden skies with just a
hint of blue…

“Home”
The doormat says it all…

A neighbor’s cute entryway.
How much  is that doggie in our homes’ windows
waiting patiently for us to return each day ~ our best sparkling home decor ever??


Priceless!
;)’


Sharing with
Friday Features ~ Oh, My Heartsie Girl!
Sweet Inspiration ~ The Boondock’s Blog
Thursday Favorite Things ~ Katherine’s Corner


If you missed Photography Lessons at the Falls of Sioux Falls or apple picking at Country Apple Orchard just click on these highlighted sections.  🙂


Sweet doggie dreams,
Uncategorized

Summer Weather and a Sick Dog…

French Ethereal
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

This week  has been a catch up week for me with computer
issues then hubby coming back from a business trip to California with a nasty cold.
Now our sweet Yoda is sick and I am not sure why but his
tummy is upset but I may need to take him in
to see the vet.



He got into a ton of round stickers this week which
Mr. Ethereal didn’t see out in the little greenbelt outfront
so…
I’ve been cutting and brushing Yoda like crazy trying to get them
all off {usually Yoda has a fit if I try cutting his fur so he must
really want them off!}.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Yoda  has been a part of our family since 2005 and was a rescue dog coming to us via a Boy Scouts silent auction
and the Animal Friends of the Valley animal shelter in
Lake Elsinore, California.

He was somewhere between 9 months and 18 months old
at the time of his adoption that October.
He is a Pekingese mix and possibly part Lhasa Apso
being the same height and length as his friend Rusty
who is a full Lhasa.
:)’

Mr. Rusty with his mom’s toes in the pic ~ lol!

Here’s Rusty!  He’s a cutie and it’s funny how similar
their personalities are ~ both only like certain dogs.
They get grumpy in the evenings and sometimes
with each other.


Yoda is a cream colored Pekingese but Rusty is really a pretty cream color.


Peke’s get grumpy too as I’ve heard from many
Pekingese owners over the years so it’s not surprising
that Yoda can be a handful sometimes.
😉


Yoda with Charles at our Big House in California ~ photo taken with my iPad, about 2012.
His behavior has really improved since we first adopted him
all those years ago as he was really food aggressive then
and really protective of me.
He doesn’t have the almost weekly outbursts now and finally realizes that we are trying to help him
instead of hurt him.

He still likes to stay in his dog bed if either of us is still sleeping
of a morning to be there to protect us while we sleep.
If either of us is sick ~ like Mr. Ethereal has been this week with long work hours, lots of travel, and not much rest ~
Yoda tends to stay right with you.
He is a true protector and very loyal to his family.


<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

But my walking buddy of all these years is about 13 years old now and the humidity here in Texas really took its toll
last summer…
We are only going outside in the early mornings and around
5:00pm to potty, then around dusk now for his evening walk
 as temps 85 degrees and above are just too much
for this Old Pup.
Pekingese dogs live between 13 and 15 years of age
on average… and he is right there.
🙁

*He did finally just eat for me this evening ~ first time since last evening when he then tossed most of it back up.
Thankfully he has been drinking lots of water so
hopefully Yoda is on the mend.
I know dogs can get a type of dog flu but he may have
picked up ant poison or something on his paws.
It’s so hard to know.

I did call the vet and I’ll continue keeping an eye on him
and if he continues appearing to be ill
{there hasn’t been any vomiting or diarrhea since yesterday}
then I’ll take him in to be seen.


A favorite photograph of Mr. Yoda in the sycamore tree leaves at our Big House.
However long  we have with Mr. Yoda
it has been an adventure.
Just thought I’d share my heart and some photos
new and old with you for today’s post.

Here’s the first post I ever wrote about Yoda ~ Yoda in the Leaves.
:)’


Sharing with
Wow ~ Savvy Southern Style
Feathered Nest Friday
Thursday Favorite Things






Hugs,
Uncategorized

Places to Shop ~ Posies and Picket Fences

French Ethereal

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Posies and Picket Fences
While out west visiting my friend Kathy who lives
just north of Santa Barbara and Ventura in the rural
coastal city of Nipomo,
she took me to two really neat shops…


The first  shop we visited once I had arrived after driving
several hours {from Ranch Cucamonga/Ontario where my hotel was} to
meet up with Kathy for lunch was to

Picket Fences
1588 Mission Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
805-688-6559


in the Danish-inspired city of Solvang, a city
founded by a “group of Danes who traveled west to
establish a Danish colony far from the
cold midwestern winters.”*


Just off the main road coming into town, Picket Fences has

lots of unique mercury glass candlesticks, candleholders and
urns which are so lovely to use for decorating.


{This is where you might want to stop

a sec and grab a cup of coffee or tea
and a bite to eat…
This post is a lengthy one today!}



Look at all this lovely poor man’s silver ~ mercury glass is really pretty en masse!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

After drooling over all these lovely silvery
stoppered decanters and perfume bottles and browsing
the candles and candlesticks and linen-covered lamps
that were on this table and on the buffet to the left
I fell in love with all the
heart-inspired pieces there in the shop and brought home
three small heart-shaped ring holders ~ one for myself and
two to send to my 
d.i.love and daughter for Valentine’s.


I posted mine on Instagram if you’d like to see it!
Sadly, I didn’t take any photos of the other two.
🙁


<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

I really like  stores which carry “smalls” as they
are easy to pack when you are traveling plus often
these items are a little easier on the wallet.
Each of these hearts above are only $4.95 a piece ~
perfect for saving for gift giving!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Of course  being that we were in Solvang sweet
Danish mementos were in every shop and window!
These are such lovely reminders with their blue and white
ladies in traditional Dutch costumes and clogs
windmills and farm scenes gracing pieces of china
tile or on lace for your kitchen windows.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

This was  a special time for me personally too as I had
spent a weekend with my German host family in
Alkmaar, Holland
back during the summer of 1981 when I was 19 years old.

{Ja, ich kann die Deutsch sprechen und die 
Niederländisch ein bisschen lessen!}

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Aren’t these  brassy hearts really neat? 
They open up so that you can add little notes or sweets
or anything you’d like to place inside.
Perhaps a place to store love notes from your
sweetheart or hubby?

Wouldn’t these be a perfect addition also to a
bridal shower table?
Hearts in many forms are pretty much perfect for
Valentine’s or any holiday celebrations really.
🙂

Then there is the large iron heart just in front of them
which just calling out to go home to my yard… 
sigh!
Okay, moving onward.
😉


<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

A bit dark  I thought I’d share a few photographs
of the whole shop for you.
I had forgotten about the black and white pillows
plus the lanterns on top of the right hand cupboard.
Black and white never goes out of style and I am finding
that though I’m not usually big on black in my decor
I am being drawn to it this year.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

As you can see  the black really stands out with all
the other neutral whites and rusty iron decor ~
I’m loving the look and maybe
you do too!
Still can’t wait until we have a house again and I can
either make some fun farmhouse signs like the one spelling
out “farmhouse” up on the high shelf.
I’d like to hang a few signs around our walls.
Soooo cute and on trend!
And I’m not usually a trend person as I like what I like
but word signs are pretty cool!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

And then  there is a favorite beaded chandelier which 
just whispered to me like a few favorite toys did long ago,
“Take me home.”
😉

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

One last look at this sweet shop which was also just 
up the street from a bakery which Kathy wanted us to visit
but which was closed ~ it was getting new flooring.
Next time!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Love the Dutch doors!
Did you ever wonder how they
got their name?

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Apparently they were invented to keep critters from
wandering into Dutch homes and kitchens since screen doors
weren’t yet invented and though they were created in Holland
they were really a bit hit here in America.
Here’s a neat article on Dutch doors for you to check out.

Solvang is  a great little town that after you’ve parked
you can pretty much walk everywhere to dine and shop.
Here Kathy is leading us on a quick tour around to see
a few other shops.
Oh, and there are a number bed’n’breakfast
places and hotels in Solvang to stay at, too.


From here  we drove back to Kathy’s lovely home but
before we go here are a few last photos of Solvang and one
on the way driving through an ethereal allée of trees!!!

***

Our headline photograph from above, again ~ here you can see the lovely ethereal blouses
and some of their beautiful white on white antiques and vintage goods displayed 

The next day  afters spending the late afternoon having
tea and cherry scones for a snack instead of dinner
{We were still full from lunch, really.} and then talking until
late in the evening about decorating and all the
things Kathy and her husband Ken have been updating
in their new home.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Oh, and touring her garden ~ which I’ll be sharing both
with you in more detail soon.
We drove up to Arroyo Grande, California
and waited patiently for this shop…

Posies in the Village
106 West Branch Street
Arroyo Grande, California 93420
805-481-0404

…to open it’s doors and let us in!
Okay, we weren’t too patient but we did manage to visit
a few antiques shops which had opened their doors at 9:00am
plus we visited with the local chickens!


<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Chickens  are something Arroyo Grande is famous for
and they have always roamed free.
They even wander into shops sometimes
as one shop owner told us
to escape the cold or hot weather.
Cute!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Posies  is on the opposite side of the street from
where the chickens are so they don’t often get in here.
But if they did…
They’d find three beautiful shops in one…


<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Eclectic and fun  there’s a mixture of gift items and
antiques up in the front of the store and upstairs.
Then here in the middle is a display of vintage record albums
which I promptly snapped a photo and sent to my son
who thought the place was cool.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Edwardian Script ITC"; panose-1:3 3 3 2 4 7 7 13 8 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

For me  it was chandelier heaven! Each was unique and
other than this next really large one ($995 on sale) and
another really beautiful French chandelier
most were in the range of $120 – $350 or so.


Colorful  candles, mugs, pretty jewelry, curated clothing
and unique chandeliers all for sale along with spoon rings ~ 
Posies has something for everyone who
comes through their doors for a visit.

🙂


Sharing with
Wow Us Wednesday
Feathered Nest Friday
Thursday Favorite Things
Sweet Inspiration
Create Bake Grow and Gather
Hearth and Soul
Farmhouse Friday


Until next time, à bientôt,
Uncategorized

A Special Little Garden

French Ethereal
 

Gardens are such special places and getting to see how
my friends Julie and Jim’s gardens were coming along was a
real treat on my recent visit to California…
Jim added the shade cover to their vegetable garden to protect the plants there from the harsh
and  intense California summer sunshine.  Great idea to incorporate in our gardens!

Jim purchased the beautiful red barn {top lead photograph above}
and then built it towards the left-back part of their property
in the Wildomar/Lake Elsinore area of Southern California.
*Update: Julie just FB me and said Jim built this lovely barn from scratch.  I am not surprised as he is a terrific carpenter.
🙂
Being that their property is quite wide and is deep ~ nearing a half-acre with a covered porch set up against the eastern-facing back-yard, a large swimming pool to the immediate right and traveling back down along the fence line, bougainvillea along the chainlink fence separating their yard from their neighbors and many lovely rose bushes planted in-front of the bougainvillea,
Jim and Julie were able to do a lot with their yard.
Their next big plans are to add a retaining wall running down the left side of the yard and to plant it with oleander bushes, which grow really big in California and will create a nice privacy screen
with their left-side neighbors.
Don’t ask why  I didn’t take any photographs of the rest of the yard for you ~ I have no idea why except I was there just to visit initially and then Julie suggested we go on a tour.
That’s how we ended up upstairs seeing her home’s
gorgeous bathroom!
I’ve been to their home many times over the past decade for
teas that Julie has hosted and often just to visit or to pick her up
on our way as a group to go antique browsing or out to lunch.
So, at some point I can share more of their beautiful home
and gardens through other photographs I’ve taken back when
we were all getting our photographs printed.
🙂
 
Two sweet chickens who are friendly and enjoy being picked up and cuddled ~ Rhoda (L), a Rhode Island red and Mr. Clara (R), in the apron, and who was originally thought to be a female.  Lol!  The Barred Rock chicken below is Maddie.

Today it’s all about the chickens
These girls are gorgeous in their black and white feathers
and their shiny red combs.
I just looked them up and I think the black and white
chickens are of the Barred Rock breed which are good
egg layers and produce large white eggs.
Here’s a link I found talking about types of chickens that I
found useful in trying to identify these fluffy girls.
Another friend in Northern California who also raises chickens
and whom I went on a long hike back several years ago
says that the way to sex a chicken is by their tails ~
roosters have curved tail feathers as compared to the
straighter female’s feathers.

Julie was telling me a while back that she makes little
“aprons” for her chickens to keep them from getting
picked on by the other birds.
Unfortunately I guess chickens do this a lot as several of
her birds are in separate chicken pens due to having
been picked on.
🙁
Guess that’s where being hen-pecked comes from…
😉
*Here’s a link to pick up some chicken aprons of your own
if you need some:
I am an Amazon affiliate and if you purchase something from me I will earn a small
commission on it ~ please see my full disclosure HERE.  Thank you!
\Aren’t they the cutest??!

I kept trying to get this one chicken to turn so I could get a good picture of her sweet pink apron but she wasn’t budging.
Oh, well!
I loved the big red chicken barn with it’s places to roost ~
now Julie just needs a sweet chandelier to make her chicken’s
home a little “chicken chateau!”
😉
 
Seriously, though, their farmyard garden is a working garden and the chickens are providing eggs for friends and family.
The vegetable side of the garden has pole runner beans, a variety
of lettuces and even tomatoes currently growing in the
Southern California warm winter sunshine!
I have been hankering for a fresh homegrown tomato and if
they had been ripe I would have asked to eat one.
🙂
 
Just a quick post today as that’s all the photos I have for you
from their garden.
Hope you’ve enjoyed the tour!
 
Sharing with
Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make ~ My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies
Inspire Me Monday ~ Create with Joy
Family Joy Link Party ~ Thinking Outside the Pot
Dishing It and Digging It ~ The Freckled Rose
 
 

Happy Monday,
Barb 🙂