Snow Days 2014

The Weather Channel is almost always the channel I have my tv on if I am home alone.  I've been wondering since last Saturday and somewhat preparing for this snow event of 2014 if it would be as bad as they had said  It has lived up to those predictions and then some.  I'm that gal that knows if Jim Cantore says you need to prepare...I prepare... regardless of what he says to prepare for.  Snow and ice in the south is not ever a good thing.  The kids love to be out of school and the idea of playing in snow sounds good to them.  Well, yesterday our school system closed down for what was expected to be "bad" weather.  It was absolutely the right call and I am more than happy that they made that decision.  My kids waited expectantly for that snow.....we got about an inch in the early evening hours which didn't lend to them getting to "play" out in it.  Today, when they both had breakfast they wanted to go out and see what it was like.  It was a bit of disappointment as that snow had really just turned to ice.  So they've both settled in for a day of laying around and playing on their respective computers.  They don't know it yet but I'm about to pull out SpongeBob Monopoly and we are all going to play!  I braved the 14 degree temps to take pics to document the snow fall here in Auburn!

Tables in the Family Room

For a few months now I've been looking for a round table that I could put behind one of the club chairs in our family room. It had never occurred to me to look for a table to change out with the gate leg table that I had been using between the sofa and a leather chair. Recently on a trip over to Pine Mountain, Georgia we stopped by the Emporium and there it was!  An older and by older I am guessing a 1950's, solid maple table that would fit perfectly where the gate leg table had been.  Now I could move the gate leg table behind the chair and raise one of the sides up.  Now this doesn't mean that should I find the perfect round table I won't get it cause I will.  But for now this is the perfect solution.

The Foyer

Ages ago, I promised a tour of our foyer.  Well here I am finally getting that done, better late than never right?!  The furnishings that are in the foyer are probably some of my most favorite pieces.  The french Louis XVI chest is without a doubt the prettiest piece in the entire house!  While living in Oklahoma I found a darling little antique store in Waurika and this piece screamed my name. Sadly, I do not know any of the history of this piece. The inlay work is positively gorgeous.  I like to say she is a show stopper!

The Kitchen Window View

Most folks love the changing of the seasons, I love when winter gives way to spring and spring to summer.  But when summer gives way to fall I have a reaction that I just can’t explain.  Maybe it because I despise being cold and I know that winter is just a few months away or maybe it just reflects the dormancy that fall brings to the leaves and grass.  Whatever the reason I view all changes of the seasons from my kitchen window.  From my kitchen window I watch the cat race down the drive as if he has something he needs to tell me in a hurry, I watch the boys play basketball from that window, I watch my husband drive home from a long day at work, I see my parents make what could possibly be that last trip together to our house and I watch my Sister when she comes and goes from our house.  This window quite possibly is a window to my heart.

A Party within a Dove Shoot

For some 25 years Honey has had a dove shoot on the opening day of dove season.  Years ago it was merely a dove shoot with the expected case of beer, that was it nothing more to it….enter the wife with a blog!  Early in the summer I asked Honey what he thought about having a more organized meal, rather than that expected case of beer. He thought it sounded like a great idea but was quick to remind me this was an outside party with no electricity or running water and most of all that it would be HOT.  We decided on a brisket in late July as the meat, thus began the summer of brisket as it shall be known.  Have I mentioned we spent a few years in Oklahoma?  We did and one thing you don’t leave that state without knowing how to cook is brisket….but I did.  So I tried countless recipes for brisket to get the perfect one, the key for our taste was balsamic vinegar.