When Are You coming to my House?

 

                                                             My grandson’s game face.




So this is how it happens.


Yesterday afternoon , around 5:30 pm in the bread aisle of HEB, my phone rings.

And no it wasn’t 5:30 or 6:00 am when I usually grocery shop,  as discussed  here.



It was that grocery shopping time of day when nothing good is going to happen.

The wrong combination of people are usually at the grocery store that time of day.



So the phone rings, I answer, and the voice of my youngest grandson says-



“Madu, when are you coming to my house?”


At this point it is as if I am a special agent being called on assignment with the sound of some code phrase.

The grocery store noise falls away.


There is no question. There is no planning for a seven hour drive.  There is nothing else.

There is just that voice.


”Tomorrow,” I say.

Fall Mantels

2010

These mantels are a perfect example of how I create things in my home.


How do I do it?


I am not quite sure…I do what you probably do.


I haul crates and tubs in the house from the garage , and I start slinging.

For the 2010 mantel above,  my mother’s RC Gorman print was already on the mantel, and its colors looked like fall, so I built around it.

2011

In 2011, I wanted to showcase my Woodland Spode dishes that I love so much- and still do.

I also added some of my favorite mantel elements, antlers, burlap, and feathers. 

2012

In 2012, it was all about metallic pumpkins.  I knew they needed a little softening, so I filled in natural colored raffia.

 

 2013

And one of my favorite mantels was last year’s. (2013)  I love the symmetry and the pumpkin orange color with my bright white dishes with a lace like border.

2014

And finally for this year’s mantel, a special thrifted treasure , the reproduction Staffordshire dogs that I bought on a special trip to the beach with friends were used .   (2014)


And now it’s almost time for Christmas mantel planning!

Do you believe it?
*****

Sundays at Home at Thoughts From Alice

Amaze me Monday at Dwellings

Blogging Questions

I have two blogging questions, for now…


Here we go, In no particular order. 

Warning:  Whining ahead.

Photography:  ( I have a Canon T3i).

Although I enjoy photography very, very much, I NEVER know if my photos are going to turn out well.


They are often out of focus or the color is wrong.


We have some natural light in our home, but not enough to take photos without using all sorts of special camera settings, plus a tripod, and a timer.


I am just not that adept, and trying to read up on the exposure triangle makes me want to stick a hot poker in my eye.


I have been tempted to buy a high quality, low light, wide angle point and shoot.


I can honestly say this has been the single biggest deterrent to blogging more frequently.


Any suggestions?

Miscellaneous:

Does Blogger have a gadget to add a recipe format?

I often see recipes posted within blog posts that look like they are using a template.




Thank you!