Every Little Birdie

Living the "small" life

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sun, 01 May 2022 15:41:00 +0000

I haven't posted in a while

Been kind of busy re-creating our lives

My last post was about our visit to a charming place

called Smithville, the small town with a Big heart

Fast forward to TODAY, we now live here!!

Folks that live here call it
THE VILLE

After searching for a house that was perfect for us

we decided on the Mill's House

(thanks to Ann & Jeannie, our realtors, for finding the right house for us

and thanks to the Mills Family for the love and care they poured into the home)

Painters arrive soon to paint house Sage Green and Trim and Garage White.

Next I'll add planter boxes under small windows.

We are in the process of making it

THE WILLIAMS HOUSE

"AKA" The Nest

First inside project updating the kitchen

KITCHEN - BEFORE

AFTER

It's hard to tell in this photo but

the cabinets are a very light blue/green

It really gives it a fresh look

We selected bar stools and lighting over the bar

that have a bit of the industrial look

I think it helps give it an updated finish

As you can see this home is quite a bit smaller than our

home in the Victoria area

However, I was able to use most of my furniture

It now has a cozy atmosphere which I think

adds to the Cottage style

We also added a farmhouse chandelier over the dining table

Sitting next to my dining table

is my Grandfather's antique desk

which I turned into a bar

(Since he ran a pub in England I think he would be

thrilled with the idea)

I left the "built in" shelves/cabinets

in the living room natural wood

I think it has a warm feel to it

My antique sideboard sits across from my dining table

The house has 3 bedrooms and an office that Dan

is turning into his music room/office

Here are the bedrooms

My Laundry Room might be small but

it’s loaded with vintage items for decor

And last but not least my favorite

thing about our Smithville house

The Breezeway

We love our little NEST in the Ville

We are making lots of friends and beginning to feel a part of this wonderful community

and we added one more golf cart to

this "golf cart" town

We call her the "Cherry Bomb"

Dan is finding his musician friends

and I have joined the Smithville Garden Club

We feel blessed to be here!

Every Little Birdie says

Y'all come see us in the "VILLE"

A Slice of Americana

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 22:16:00 +0000

Hubby and I recently took a little road trip to accomplish two things:

Check out the Bastrop Area

and

Spend time with our two grown kids

from the Dallas area

and while doing so we discovered a

Hidden Treasure!!

Smithville, Texas

This little town is truly a slice of Americana

It's charming, friendly, and a trip down memory lane

You know like the Good Old Days!!

Downtown Smithville

We stayed at Short Street Cottage in Smithville

It was delightful with plenty of space

for us and the kids

It's located in the historic area which

surrounds downtown Smithville

This backyard spot was the perfect place for

relaxing with a glass of wine and a good book

One day we took a little walking tour

around the neighborhood

Which is filled with charm, history and American pride

This house put Smithville on the map!

They used it in the filming of HOPE FLOATS

(a movie starring Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick Jr.)

My kids even stopped and talked to one lady

in the neighborhood

who extended an invite to all of us to tour

her remodeled historic home

It was incredible and she was so friendly

we parted as new friends!!

Over the next couple of days we explored the

town of Bastrop

Equally charming but with a slight Austin twist

Come sundown Bastrop is a happening place

Hubby and I enjoyed strolling down Main Street

taking in the music and sights

We had dinner one evening at the newest

addition to the Bastrop Main Street Scene

Storehouse Market & Eatery

It's a Farm to table restaurant

We met the owner, Sonya Cote,

a pioneer of the East Austin Food Scene

Sonya and her husband own a five acre farm

one mile north of the restaurant

Most everything is served fresh from their garden

Head Chef Kate prepared some amazing food!

I think we tried almost everything on the menu

(If you know my son and his affinity for appetizers

this won't surprise you)

This beautiful creation is smoked Veggies

and it was smokin' good!

While my son is a bit of a foodie

my daughter's affinity has always been books

It didn't take long for her to discover this

eclectic book shop on Main Street

She was in heaven at this shop

until her brother dragged her out so

we could go to lunch at Maxine's Diner

(written up in Texas Monthly, you won't

leave this place hungry. Try to save room

for their homemade pies)

One afternoon we wandered

behind Main Street to an area overlooking

the Colorado River

We popped into a bar overlooking the

river and had some delicious drinks to cool off

Then visited some of the shops

This shop specialized in succulents

She had them planted in vintage containers

Coffee cans, tea cups, colanders,

You name it - she had it

It just goes to show you,

you don't have to travel far

to experience some pretty awesome

places right here in the heart of Texas

Every Little Birdie says

Look up

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 21:15:00 +0000

One of my favorite architectural features

in our home is the exposed beam ceiling

While designing the house I looked at a lot of

pictures in magazines to get ideas

I found a picture of a similar ceiling and

asked my builder if this would work for

our future home

and as you can see it did!!

When guest enter our home

the first thing they do is look up

We've received some nice

compliments on our home design features

most being on our unique ceiling

Lets look up at some of the

ceiling I've captured on Pinterest

ENJOY!

Isn't it amazing what a dramatic

affect a ceiling can have

on a house!

Every Little Birdie says

Next time you enter a home, don't forget to look up!

A Light in the Darkness

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 16:01:00 +0000

OK, I'll admit it

I put up my Christmas tree before

Thanksgiving this year

I was so ready for my home to

sparkle and shimmer

with all the Christmas decorations

Bringing a little light and joy

into a somewhat dark year

to play Christmas carols proclaiming

love, joy and peace

A time to think of others

especially those in need

and bring a little brightness

into their Christmas Holiday

A time to count our many blessings

And to remember

there is a light that shines through

the darkest of days

Every Little Birdie says:

May your Christmas be Bright and Merry

and the New Year be brimming with hope

Island Time

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 20:42:00 +0000

What's the Solution to the

COVID BLUES

Time with girlfriends at the BEACH

My sister, Tricia and my friend Cynthia, who's like a sister

I've know her since high school

Getting sand between your toes

Relaxing on the beach

It's the perfect place to social distance

Do a little beach watching

Watch the ships go out

Spend sister time

and just relax

But there is more to Port Aransas than the beach

Hop on to our beach buggy and let's take

a ride around the Island

There's Beach Shops galore

and the Island Candy shop

A Must Stop!!

Beware of the Sharks

and finally our last stop

Trout Street Condos

for a little down time at our

"home away from home"

It's a lovely condo but the best part is the

huge covered porch over looking the marina

The perfect place to kick back

enjoy the ocean breeze

and enjoy the view of the marina

Next to the marina is

Virginia's On The Bay

Only a short walk from the Condo

A great place to sit, eat, and take in the sites

Ahoy Matey

Take a trip on the Island Pirate Ship

Or sit on the dock

and watch the sunset

There is nothing more calming than

a sunset on the water

Every Little Birdie says

Come to the Island man

and wash away your COVID blues

Grateful in Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 22:27:00 +0000

I know Texas is not known

for it's glorious fall weather

BUT

After a long hot summer

(which is May-Sept)

We TEXANS are more than grateful

for that first hint of a cool breeze

A chance to sit outside and not feel

like a fried egg

To breathe in air that doesn't

feel like it's coming from a furnace.....

Well you get the idea!

IT'S FALL IN TEXAS!!

Time to fetch your pumpkins

and start decorating

(The pumpkin decorations make it feel like FALL)

It starts outside

Then moves inside

Then extends to the screened porch

Fall in Texas

is MIND OVER MATTER

if you don't mind

that it's still hot outside

than it don't matter!!!!

Every Little Birdie says

THANKFUL THAT

IT'S FALL Y'ALL!

Loved to pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 20:12:00 +0000

Have you ever read the story of the Velveteen Rabbit?

It's a children's story about a little boy who had a stuffed rabbit. He loved the rabbit so much that it became tattered, worn and shabby but in the process it became REAL

The poor little rabbit was missing it's eyes and it's stuffing was falling out

but because it was loved so much, those things didn't matter

You see, once love makes you real you can't be ugly, except

to people who don't understand

There are those who believe if it's broke or old

it's useless and has no value

But we "junkers" know that's simply not true

When we find those things that have been loved to pieces

we take those well worn pieces and create something else to LOVE!

that's exactly what I did this week

I took an old frame, some old architectural pieces

and created something I LOVE

I love how all the pieces came together to make

a beautiful new creation

And that's what God does with us

He looks at the pieces of our lives

the good, the bad, the ugly

and loves us anyway!!

You are not junk, you are God’s treasure.

God does not make junk nor does He make mistakes.

You are so valuable to God that He sent His only begotten Son,

Jesus Christ, to redeem you.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creation; old things have passed away;

behold, all things have become new - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Every Little Birdie says

Amen

The Art of Collecting

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 21:43:00 +0000

Dishes, Dishes, Dishes

I love to collect things!!

Especially dishes

It's been a passion of mine

throughout my life

Some are treasures I've bought

others were handed down from family

and then there were those that were gifted

to me from precious friends

The above platter is Haviland French Limoge

handed down from my brother-in-laws family

(it hangs over a christening gown worn

by me and my cousins on my mother's

side of the family)

Most of the plates that hang above

my sideboard are Homer Laughlin

I also love finding pretty dish lids

They add a little dimension

My kitchen shelf

includes treasured dishes

my collection of scales

an English hot water bottle

(from my Mom's collection)

along with favorite cookbooks

and the best for last......

I've been collecting white pitchers for years

This shelf is above my kitchen window

it's the first thing I see when I walk into my kitchen

These are some of my favorite pitchers

They were all love at first sight and I

remember where each one came from

Every Little Birdie says

Surround yourself with things you love,

and your home will become your happy place

What treasures have you collected?

Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Mon, 18 May 2020 21:04:00 +0000

My outside patio

needed a makeover

(Since we can't travel this summer
we might as well create our own
backyard destination spot)

Before Picture

Well to be honest, this is after I'd decluttered it!
I decided I didn't want to do the shabby thing
on this patio anymore so I moved
some of my shabby things
to the front porch and threw away the rest

(if you know me you would want to be taking
my temperature right now)

Of course this caused somewhat
of a makeover on the front porch

I moved the old glider to the front porch
and covered it with comfy old quilts
and pillows

I also moved my metal table and
added some shabby touches to it

I decided to list the table and umbrella
for sell on FaceBook Marketplace

Once that was sold
I began to work on a new vision
for this outside patio

Found this Broyhill Pergola

This would be perfect! We ordered it and
once delivered and constructed on our patio
we were ready to decide on
patio furniture

We decided on this conversation set
(2 chairs, 2 ottomans, and a small table)

Now we were ready to create our
backyard destination!!

We love our new chairs
Now we can kick back, put our feet up and chill

and the bar comes in very handy too

I think we will enjoy spending

evenings on our new

Makeover Patio

Every Little Birdie says

It's Patio Time!!

TIME OUT

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 22:27:00 +0000

Some of you may be familiar with this sweet face

It's Leila B, my two year old Great Niece

And if you know Leila B

then you also know her awesome mom,

Katy, my niece

Katy blesses GAM & Uncle D

(Great Aunt Marsha & Uncle Dan)

with a FaceTime call almost everyday

It's our special time to interact with Leila B

Some days we play out in the back yard

Some days we go into her playroom

Leila B insists on carrying the phone around with her

so where ever she goes we go!!

We always find it entertaining and hilarious

Who wouldn't follow this little girl
wherever she wanted to go

However lately the FaceTime
experience hasn't been going too well for GAM

Every time she talks to me she says

"GAM YOU ARE GOING TO TIME OUT!!"

....and then she carries me across the back yard and
leaves me at the back fence

😔😕😖😟😠

"WHAT?? WHAT HAS GAM DONE"

I begin to cry out

"I'm sorry please don't leave me in Time Out"

So she runs over picks up the phone,

looks me square in the face and says

"GAM, I love you, but you have to stay in Time Out!"

and off she goes again

In my defense, I have always tried to be a good GAM - I Promise!!

and have I mentioned

Uncle D never gets put in Time Out

POOR GAM

However, yesterday things were looking up

We were in her playroom and I asked her if

she could make me a cup of tea

(I gave her a singing tea pot for her 1st birthday)

She quickly carried the phone to the kitchen and the

next thing I know......

She puts me in the microwave and says

"GAM, YOU ARE IN TIME OUT!"

I just can't win for losing!!

but Time Out or not

I just can't get enough of
Leila B

Every Little Birdie says

It's her world, I just live in it!!

The dwindling "To Do" List

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:06:00 +0000

I think I've been "Sheltered In Place"

for about a month now

It seems like much longer, as the days just

roll one into another

It's kind of like my 96 year old Mom says,

when you ask her what she's been up to

"Oh you know, just same ole, same ole"

Well, once I realized we were in this for
the long haul I tried to think of ways
to make each day count for something!!

If you are like me you have a "To Do" list a mile long

I'll get around to it one of these days.......

Well forced to stay home, I think a lot of us

pulled out that list and thought this will be

an excellent time to work on dwindling it down a bit

My first project was cleaning out closets,

cupboards, and drawers

Wow, it felt great to donate lots of things to charity!

If felt even better filling up those trash bags with

junk you know you didn't need

I was on a roll

Next Spring Clean the house

This felt good too but not quite as exciting

So when the house was some what clean (I mean

let's face it, who's going to see it) I decided

to move outside to flower beds

This was a big project! Lots of weed pulling,

trimming, and spreading mulch

Took me a few days but I was quite pleased

with all my work

Unfortunately I sprained my hand while weeding

Hmmmmm, I think I better take it easy for a while

To pass the hours I read books, worked on my

bible study, took naps, watched TV

My latest read

My TV list consisted of-
The Chosen (life of Jesus) download the app to watch
The English Game (PBS)
Vienna Blood (PBS)
World on Fire (PBS)
and re-runs of Downtown Abbey to name a few

Then a dear friend of mine who is a yoga teacher
started doing online classes
and invited me to attend on Zoom

Great, now I'm investing in my mind and body!

I had already used Zoom for my Monday Bible Class
and was surprised that I was able to learn
this new app successfully

Thank God for Zoom!

I've now used it for game night with my kids
Family time at Easter
and chatting with girl friends

You know, this sheltering-in-place
is not so bad

Don't get me wrong
I'm looking forward to the day I can
Go get my hair cut!!
Go to church
Have lunch with friends
and visit my mom in her care home

But for now I'm hanging in there
Making the best of it

Trying to be productive
Trusting Jesus for the days ahead
and taking it one day at a time!

How are you filling your days?
I'd love to hear from you

Every Little Birdie says

Keep the faith
and stay safe

A Love Letter to Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 16:20:00 +0000

ITALY

You've either dreamed of traveling to Italy

or you've been fortunate enough to experience

this beautiful country in person

Italy has been calling my name most of my life

I love all things Italian!

Last year the most amazing thing happened

I was invited to join a "girls trip" to ..........yes, ITALY!!

FAST FOWARD TO THE PRESENT

Italy is at the peak of a world wide epidemic

People are dying everyday

No one is visiting Italy or even wants to and the future is uncertain

My heart goes out to these beautiful, outgoing, carefree people

Therefore, as I sit here, Shelterd-in-Place
I thought I would take time to honor Italy and it's people
in words and pictures.......

TO ITALY WITH LOVE

I have such wonderful memories of my time with you.
Let's look back on our time together......

People ask me "Where was your favorite place in Italy"

It is not possible to answer this question

They were ALL my favorite

But I will say ROME was love at first sight

And the heart of Rome is the Vatican

But what's a love letter without a little romance

Which takes us to "The City of Love"
FLORENCE

We fell in love with the culture and charm of Florence

One of my personal favorite's was attending a cooking class
at a gorgeous villa on the Tuscan hillside overlooking Florence

This wonderful experience started
with a trip to the Italian Market

Then onto the villa for our cooking class
where your wine glass was always full

and then there was the AMALFI COAST.....
Be still my heart!

AND

A private boat trip to the Isle of Capri

Lucca, our boat captain was so charming
he sang Italian songs to us
shared his family's homemade lemoncello
and stopped for us to swim in the
beautiful Mediterrane sea

Got to love Italian men!!

AND

Italian food
(leave your diet at home)

The Italians take such pride in their food
It's not just a meal - it's an event

Oh Italy, You are bellissimo!!

We cherish the time we spent with you

You are in our prayers
May God shine His Mercy and Grace on you

"Six Girls From Texas"
send all their love your way

Every Little Birdie says

I loved every minute of our time together
You made me feel so special
Until we meet again.....

Ciao Bella

2019 IN REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sat, 21 Dec 2019 23:59:00 +0000

Greetings from the Williams

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

to all our friends and family

We hope it's been a great year for you!!

Here's a look at what we've been up to this year........

In January we celebrated Avery's 18th birthday

She graduated this year and is now taking college courses and working at Cannon Elementary (Jenn's school) in the after school program. She loves working with the kids.

Love these two beauties - (Daughter Jennifer, Granddaughter Avery & Grandpuppy, Mary)

We also enjoyed a few visits from our favorite solider!! Trace is doing well in the Army. He has reached the rank of Specialist and is working on becoming Sargent Pettit in 2020! He is currently deployed in South Korea. He recently signed up for five more years in the Army. He will return back to Ft. Hood (Texas) in March. We are all excited to have him back home for a while before in leaves in August for his next post - GERMANY!!

Specialist Trace Pettit and his proud PaPa

Papa, Nana, and Trace hanging out at our favorite watering hole

And of course we made time for some fun family get together's at Justin's country place -

Shady Pines (in East Texas)

Jennifer, Justin and Derrick ready for a ride around Shady Pines

We have enjoyed many family gatherings at Shady Pines. A few of our favorite memories are cooking together, playing games, and sitting by the outside fire at the Main house, and lots of cozy times at the cottage. The middle of this year the decision was made to sell the property at Shady Pines. We continue to enjoy family time at Justin's new house in Dallas. It's not so much the place, but it's more about spending time as a family. We will continue to do that and make new memories!!
(but we will always treasure our time at Shady Pines with Pork Chop the pig and collecting fresh eggs for breakfast from the chickens)

Another favorite place for us is the beach!

We were blessed to spend time this summer with my sister and her family in Rockport

Rockport Beach

My sister, Tricia with Katy and Leila B

Me, my niece, Katy and her daughter Leila B

In September the kids threw Dan a fabulous

70th Birthday Party

Me & my "Old Man" at the birthday party

Jennifer, Mamma Marsha & Justin at party

This fall Dan and I took separate vacations

(for the first time in our lives)

I checked one off my bucket list and took a "girls" trip to Italy!!

Six girls from Texas in Italy

(thanks to Janie Sartain for this amazing trip)

We had a fabulous time exploring Rome, Tuscany, Florence,

and the Amalfi Coast - Sorrento, Positano, and Capri

Dan and his brother Keith took a trip to Louisiana

First stop - New Orleans!!

Then on to the Salt Grass Fishing Lodge in the Mississippi Delta area of Louisiana.

They had a ball!

Keith & Dan
Catch of the day

Dan with a big red fish!!

In October we won best costume at a

Neighborhood Halloween party

(First time Dan has ever dressed up

for Halloween!!)

Willie and his Witch

2019 has been a fun year!

We will wrap up this year spending Christmas

and New Year's with family and friends in the Dallas area.

We thank God for all the many blessings

He has sent our way this year.

Hope you and your family have a

Very Merry Christmas

and may God bless you

in the New Year!!

Every Little Birdie says

O Holy Night, the stars are

brightly shining,

it is the night of our dear

Saviour's birth

Sandy toes

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 01:06:00 +0000

As we crossed the bridge over the bay,

the first thing that caught my eye was a sign

ROCKPORT STRONG!

It was our first trip back to

this friendly little tropical town

since Hurricane Harvey came to visit in 2017

The fury of Harvey left a path of

destruction far and wide along the Texas coast

But it certainly didn't destroy the spirit

of these coastal towns

and they are coming back

STRONG!!

The downtown area of Rockport

has been rebuilt and is as charming as ever

and the beach is still an amazing place to have fun

and the perfect beach for

my GRAND niece

to experience sand between her toes!!


GAM (aka-Great Aunt Marsha) & Lelia B

Katy (aka Mommy) & Lelia B

Nana (aka-my sister) & Leila B

The Rockport beach has always been

our family's happy place!!

and now it's Lelia B's happy place too!!

ROCKPORT BEACH

and what's a trip to Rockport without

a little side trip over to another

amazing little beach town

PORT ARANSAS

Crossing over on the ferry

is an experience in itself

and much to our surprise, most of the

delightfully tacky souvenir shops

are back in business

We stopped for dinner at the

A popular place on the Island

and one of the first restaurants to

re-open after the hurricane

After a delicious Italian meal

we headed for the beach!

Surf was up and it was a great
evening for a little beach cruisin'

The Texas Coast has made

an incredible comeback

Every Little Birdie says

that makes me as happy

as sand between my toes

Hello Summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 21:36:00 +0000

We've entered the month of June

over here at Every Little Birdies

Let the TEXAS summer begin!!

Time to enjoy a little gardening

I love my Red Geraniums

The pungent smell of these flowers

take me back to my Nana's small

garden in England

and my ferns are in remembrance

of my Dad. He had such a green thumb

and loved his many pots of ferns

a large galvanized tub filled

with asparagus fern

greets folks at our back door

The succulents are loving the warm weather

However, sharing my flowerbeds

with these "nibblers" can be

a little challenging

I recently planted some

Lamb's Ear in my front flower beds

and they have stood the test

of a deer resistant plant

Another plant not on the deer's menu

LANTANA

I love it, Texas hardy and beautiful too!

These tubs are in a bed by the

outside patio

My secret to keeping the deer away

from this area......

I plant different herbs in with my other plants

They hate the strong smells of herbs!!

One can get a little "dewy"

gardening in the Texas heat

My favorite solution.......

Retreat to the screened summer porch

Grab a big glass of iced tea,

kick back and enjoy the summer breeze

(even if it's from a ceiling fan)

Birdie says

It's just a

Y'ALL

Polo @ the McFaddin Ranch

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 03:02:00 +0000

It was a busy Saturday in Victoria, Texas

Two very popular events

just so happened to fall

on the same Saturday!

Polo @ The Mc Faddin Ranch

benefiting the Nave Museum

AND

The Art Car Parade and Festival

benefiting the Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art

Oh my, decisions, decisions

What's a person to do??

Attend both, Of course!!

We met our friends, Chip & Mary Jane Dense

at the Mc Faddin Ranch around 1:00 p.m.

Just in time to enjoy some good music and the many tailgating tents offering great food and drink

Hats & Boots were the attire of the day

after strolling the tents and tasting ALL the many delicacies

(one doesn't want to be rude, you know)

we headed to the main tent to watch the Polo match

Our friends, Chip & Mary Jane

Me & Hubby

It was our first time at a Polo Match

and we absolutely loved it!!

after a very enthusiastic and entertaining game, we left the Polo grounds and headed downtown for our next event

Each year after the Art Car Parade there is a free festival for the community

It's held on one of the prettiest streets in our historic area and the highlight of the festival is the delicious food catered by our friend John Welder

John never disappoints

His beef tenderlion, ribs, and quail are to die for!!

(and yes we ate again)

Happy and definitely full it was time to head home

What a wonderful day!

Every Little Birdie says

We love this community of great people

We feel blessed to call Victoria our home

Feeling Cozy

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:25:00 +0000

I'm all cuddled up on the sofa

with a warm blanket,

and a hot cup of tea

dreaming of cozy cottages on a

cold winter day.......

Can't you just imagine

a warm roaring fire

in this little cottage

or a nice pot of tea in this one

Dreaming...

Dreaming.......

Dreaming........

Every Little Birdie says

That's my winter dream

What's yours?

Afternoon Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 00:08:00 +0000

Tea time is a chance to slow down,
savor the simple pleasures in life and
enjoy the company of dear friends

and that's exactly what happened

at my Nest yesterday

An afternoon tea

with the sweetest of friends

but almost as much fun
as having a tea party is
preparing for one

You get the chance to USE

that pretty china and silver

that's been so carefully

stored away

and grace your table with all
your lovely lace linens

and then there is the

creation of your

"Tea Menu"

decisions..... decisions .....

Tea, delicious food,

precious time with friends

The perfect afternoon

Every Little Birdie says

Once upon a time in WinterONEderland.......

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 03:46:00 +0000

Once upon a time there was a very special

little girl named Lelia Be

Her Mommy was very special too!!

As a matter of fact she had

extraordinary super powers

So ONE day her super mom waved her magic

wand and Lelia Be entered into

the magical land of

WinterONEderland

It was filled with the most

delightful food

(thanks to her super mom )

and lots of her

favorite people

And there was a SURPRISE guest

SANTA!!

Even her Nana & Gam

sat on Santa's knee

And to her surprise

everyone brought presents

But the best part of

WinterONEderland

this very special little girl got

her very own special

BIRTHDAY CAKE

and as she ate her yummy cake

everyone in WinterONEderland

sang her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

After an amazing day

in WinterONEderday she

drifted off to sleep

and had sweet dreams

of Santa, cake, new toys

and all the people in her

life that LOVE her so very much!!

Every Little Birdie says

Happy First Birthday to Lelia Be

May all your dreams come true

Christmas on Main Street

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 18:21:00 +0000

People poured into downtown Victoria

Saturday night for the annual Christmas Parade

The streets were lined with folks

anticipating that first glance

of colorful floats

And the community did not disappoint!

And Hubby and I were thrilled to be right in the middle of all the excitement at a Parade Party hosted by Cliff and Magdalena Kuykendall

They have the perfect location!!

Main Street, downtown Victoria

The historic downtown building

where they now reside dates back to 1905.

It was previously the location of their restaurant, Taqueria Mi Familia, which was a fixture of the community for 25 years. After closing the restaurant, Cliff & Maggie made the decision to make downtown their home and to remodel the building into a beautiful loft home

A hidden Gem in the heart of downtown

Filled with beautiful treasures

of a life well lived

Thank you to our lovely hostess Maggie

for a fabulous, fun night in the

heart of the city

Every Little Birdie says

Great friends + Great community = Victoria, Texas

Starting the holidays RANCH STYLE

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 23:31:00 +0000

Tis the Season

for holiday fun!!

Thanksgiving Day

we gave thanks for

our wonderful neighbors

Chip & Sandra

who included us in their

family Thanksgiving meal

So Fun!! So Yummy!!

Saturday morning we headed out

to Pearsall, Texas

to join our friends Allen & Janie

at their new barndominium

on the Sartain Ranch

I've often blogged on

their beautiful Villa

on the Comal River

in New Braunfels

(Enter Sartain on the search

tab on the right for my posts

on Villa Sartain)

Meanwhile back at the Ranch,
Allen had been dreaming of

building a second home there for years

And now, his dream has come true!!

The house sits on a bluff
overlooking the most incredible views

Allen spent a year designing

and another year contracting
the building of the barndominium

Then it was time for Janie to put

her touch on the interior design

Now that's ranching in style!

But wait....you haven't seen
the guest quarters yet

At the end of the hall is
an antique door that leads
guests into their very
own space

Janie is still working on this space
but being a recent guest I can say,
"It's already dang near perfect"

And you might ask.....

what do you do on a holiday
trip to the Sartain Ranch.....

You begin by piling in the pick-up truck
and heading to town for some good old
Mexican food at Garcia's

Pearsall, Texas

Next on the agenda-

We hop on Santa's
camo sleigh and take
a ride around
the ranch

Stopping by the pond for
a little fishing

and ending our sleigh ride

on top of a hill watching the sunset

Later we enjoyed a little concert
by hubby & Janie

and before hitting the hay
we enjoyed a game of
"chicken foot"

Allen was the BIG winner!!

Every Little Birdie says

We loved our time on the Sartain Ranch

Shop Till You Drop!

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 20:35:00 +0000

Girl's Weekend

Fredericksburg, Texas

Six sister's-in-Christ + roadtrip = an awesome weekend!!

......shopping, walking, laughing,

eating, more walking, talking,

more laughing, buying, more eating......

PURE BLISS

Friday night we arrived at the

RIVER ROAD RANCH RESORT

The River Road Ranch Resort in Fredericksburg invites guests to step back in history. The original ranch structure was built by German settlers in the 1890s and the new structures were all constructed to replicate buildings from the past, including a General Store, a Feed Mill,

a Silo, and a Bunkhouse.

Proprietors Bill and Natalie Bowman have lovingly combined their vision, artistry, and energy to create a tranquil and historic setting on their riverfront ranch. They take great pride in providing their guests with a unique combination of luxury and history in a pastoral setting. It is their desire that all who stay at the ranch will relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings in harmony with nature. Their philosophy is "Come as strangers, leave as friends."

Weary from a long road trip
we were ready to settle into our

"Home away From Home"

Minna's Haus

Minna's oozes country charm

Saturday morning, after coffee

on the porch, we headed to town

for SHOPPING!!

Fredericksburg is such a charming town

and that charm draws a multitude

of people every weekend!!

After shopping all morning we

worked up an appetite

We needed refueling!!

It felt great to sit down and share a meal

I felt like someone was watching us as we dined!!

OH DEER

After lunch - MORE SHOPPING

with occasional stops to rest our feet

By Saturday evening we were
ready to drop!!

We headed back to Minna's Haus
for some R&R
(with a good dose of fellowship
and laughter in the mix)

Sunday morning after coffee
we made a B-line next door to the
General Store

The couple that runs the ranch
opened it just for us!!

This general store is filled to the brim
with vintage items, and plain ole good junk!

I've begun to collect old scales
and the general store had one
I couldn't live without!

When I realized it was made in England
I knew it had to come home with me

It's new home - my kitchen shelf!!

After the general store,
we took a tour of the Silo

Proprietors, Bill and Natalie Bowman
have turned an old
grain silo into an adorable
accommodation for guests

It's also filled with lots of country charm

Finally it was time to wrap up

our "Girl's Trip" and head home


With a reluctant farewell we said goodbye

Every Little Birdie says

Friends make life

a lot more fun!!

Vintage Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 11:14:00 +0000

Memories may fade over time

but they never really leave us

I found this to be true when

I helped my sister move our

mother into an assisted living home recently

As we packed up Mom's belongings she would say:
"Oh I remember this. It belonged to my
grandmother or this was a wedding gift,
or your Dad gave me that."

As a young British woman living through WWII she met a handsome American GI (aka- my Dad) who frequented the pub her Father owned

A love story began that resulted in a war time wedding.
By the end of the war she found herself,
joining many other war brides, traveling
by ship to a far away land - America

Now, at age 94, her memory is fading

but she still has her "Vintage memories"

I was privileged to bring home

some of the pictures and treasures

that tell the story of my Mom's life

Not wanting to put them away in a box unseen,
I found places to display them around my home

Pictures of the Lord Nelson Pub where my Mom grew up, my Grandfather, Mom and Dad

This is the suitcase my Mom brought over

on the ship when she sailed to America

Also note: My Dad's Army dog tags

hanging over the front of the case

Picture of St. Martin's Church on the Walls, Wareham, England, up North Street from the Pub

Growing up I remember a framed picture

of this church always displayed in our home

(it now resides in her apartment at the assisted living home)

My sister and I spent hours going through
boxes of pictures, and keepsakes
and I was thrilled to find this print
of a church that has special meaning to our family

St. Martin's Church sits on the

ancient walls of Wareham

and has been an active

church for over 1,000 years

Just think about the memories it holds

within it's walls

Sitting inside her teapot napkin holder is a
picture of her first born, (me)

at the age my Mom took me to

England on the Queen Mary for my christening

and last a vintage case holds

my Grandparents wedding picture

along with family books and bibles

of a beautiful, brave, strong woman
who we lovingly call
the matriarch of our family

Mom, my Sister and Mom's 9th great-grandchild Lelia B

Every Little Birdie says

Today's moments are tomorrow's memories

Fall goes modern

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 14:39:00 +0000

Last year I had the privilege of

decorating a beautiful home

in Dallas for the Fall season

I'm usually out of my comfort

zone in such a modern space

but I love a good challenge!

I had so much fun giving this

amazing home a FALL touch

and I realized that modern

is not such a scary place after all

Take the tour

Stepping out of our "comfort zone"

is how we grow in life

Every Little Birdie says

Anticipating a touch of Fall......

noreply@blogger.com (Every Little Birdie) — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 15:09:00 +0000

As I sip my coffee on my

screened porch

I'm patiently waiting in

anticipation of that

first touch of Fall

Awaiting a single yellow leaf to fall

Anticipating the slightest cool breeze

Watching for that brief transition

from summer to winter

And here in Texas, it can be a long wait!!

Meanwhile I'll just add my own

few touches of Fall

I always begin bringing out

my Fall decor

in September

It put's me in a

"HARVEST"

state of mind!

I used cotton for my summer center piece

For Fall I added a few fall leaves
and some cute pumpkins!

And that puts me in the mood
to curl up with a good book
and a enjoy a cup of tea

Perhaps bake a goodie to go with that tea
or ask Hubby to cook up a delicious comfort meal

Check out my Recipes link above for some of our favorite dishes

I love spending time on my screened porch
during the Fall

After a long HOT summer
it's great to enjoy my porch's company again

To just sit a spell and enjoy life!

Every Little Birdie says

It's Fall Y'all - Let the decorating begin!!