For Dayle's Simple Pleasures Party: Fruit, Beautiful Fruit!

Fruit is colorful, tasty, and easy on the waistline. It is a true simple pleasure of life.

Artistically arranged, it can also be a dramatic addition to a buffet table.

In the fruit tray shown above, there are two kinds of grapes and each got an individual crystal dish.  Then, there are chunks of mango. This time, they came from Brazil. Sometimes they are from Mexico, Nicaragua,  or Peru.  Mango is a delicious fruit with a rather exotic taste.

There are also fresh raspberries and strawberries on the fruit tray shown.

A dip of cream cheese, lemon juice, and honey could be served with the fruit but it tastes good plain, too. Due to calorie cutting, the platter above was served sans dippy.

Also in the photos, a couple of "firecracker" toothpicks added an extra touch of pizazz.  I had asked my husband if he had any toothpicks and when he handed me a package of those fancy doodads, I just about cracked up! 

Next time you are asked to bring something to a potluck, why not opt for one of life's simple pleasures-----fruit!

WHAT IS YOUR VERY FAVORITE FRUIT?

Be sure to visit Dayle's blog, A Collection of This and That, http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/ and check out all the other simple pleasures? Her blog button is in the sidebar, too!

The Not So Eeensy Weensy Spider in the Beautiful Shiny Web

Some of the best architects and artists in the world are spiders.

They spin incredible silk webs that defy description. Their webs become works of art. 

Spiders are not my friends. The scariest ones I ever saw were in Arizona. One, a black widow, can be deadly. I found one inside my son's box of small plastic building blocks in our garage! Then there was a hairy spider as big as my palm, gliding along the bottom of our shower like a dust mop. My screams must have reached cross-country.  Tarantulas are very common in the desert. Although rather harmless, they look absolutely huge and imposing when found on one's kitchen patio door. Sorry, but I don't miss the critters of the southwest.

Back here in the east, walking up the sidewalk to our front door the other morning, something caught my eye. A very intricate spider's web seemed to have sprung up overnight. It must have been wet from morning dew since when the sunshine shone on all the newly constructed silk designs, it caused  rainbows.

Of course, the first thing I did was run for the camera to snap a picture, praying the little spider wouldn't jump out of his web and land on my shoulder. That would not have been a pretty sight. Unfortunately, the incoming sunshine made getting a clear photo impossible. Photographing from the other direction, however, made the web disappear against the sky.

Because almost everything makes me curious, once inside, I checked out spider webs on the Internet site, http://www.backyardnature.net/.  The kind of web suspended in mid-air above the bush in our yard turned out to be an orb web, built by a spider overnight.  The website noted that first a spider constructs a rectangular-like frame of silk. Then, from the future web's center, or hub, it sends out several rays of sticky silk.  These are called radii or, in the singular, radius.  They are deposited radiating from the hub to the frame.  

According to backyardnature.net, many spirals of silk are laid down over the radii.  Once the web is complete, if prey, like a fly or mosquito, is caught somewhere in the web, vibrations go to the spider so she knows where in the web the prey is located!

See? Now you know what spiders are doing while you are cuddled under the covers, sleeping through the night. Breakfast anyone?

ARE YOU AFRAID OF SPIDERS?

Victorian Dolls for a Birthday Remembrance

At one time, all the dolls in my rather large collection stayed in a small, cramped room at the end of the second floor hallway.  Appropriately dubbed "The Doll Room," it was functional but no one could see the dolls unless they entered that room.

A fellow doll collector suggested the dolls be taken out and displayed in rooms throughout the house so I followed her lead. Now, dolls can be found in our living room, dining room, bedroom, and hallway! 

As the collection grew, I put the kibosh on adding any more beauties to it. Then, September, my birthday month, arrived. Only a true friend who knows my love of dolls would break the "no more dolls" rule, right?  Sure enough, right on my birthday, such a friend delivered not one, not two, not three, but four dolls.  They are all very Victorian which fits in perfectly with our home's decor.

Of the four new dollies, the one shown right above is my favorite. Her up swept hair has little roses and a ribbon in it, as shown below. There's also plenty of lace and satin in her peach-colored dress.

  OF THE FOUR DOLLS SHOWN ABOVE,   WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?

Front Porch Autumn Transformation for Metamorphosis Monday on Susan's Blog, Between Naps on the Porch

 Autumn!  It's here, the season we've all been waiting for, when hot temperatures drop, the air gets crisp and refreshing, and trees put on their fanciest, most fiery finery. 

Despite yearning for summer to stretch out just a little bit longer, I managed to go up into the attic and retrieve some fall decorations.  It's always fun reaching into the bins and boxes to see what was packed away last season.

Of course, part of the fun in decorating is adding new things, too.

This year, the front door sports a very big, leaf-covered wreath, shown above. Isn't it pretty?  My daughter, a very crafty artist, made it for me!   It got placed on the front door just in time for my September birthday. It makes me happy to drive into the driveway and see it from the car.

Also new this year is a sit-down girl scarecrow. Got her at Big Lots. She's very comfy on a brick front step and has the sweetest face.

As bizarre as it seems, all the scarecrow people had to be tied down with ribbon to discourage theft. Last year, a very sweet girl scarecrow literally disappeared one evening. It made me sad because I really liked the expression on her little face as well as her straw pigtails. The fact that somebody would come up to our porch and rip us off made me even sadder. Do you sometimes wonder what this world is coming to?

Other scarecrow cousins greet guests and the mailperson.

Here's the fall rug on the porch:

Ready for Halloween is this little plaque:

Inside the front hallway  this dried fall floral arrangement, made by a dear, craft-oriented friend, adds a bit of fall color.

This little mini-scarecrow sticks up from a plant. I can almost hear him call out "Ye haw!"

So happy fall, everybody!  Hope you have as many wishes come true as leaves turning color on the trees!

Be sure to go to Susan's Between Naps on the Porch to see other bloggers' metamorphosis projects! Her button is right there in the sidebar. Press on it and you'll be transported to her blog!

Through the Eyes of a Child: A Memory of Yesterday

A strange thing happened on the way to a stop light.

A bearded man, with a smile on his face, lovingly held the hand of a little dark-haired boy.  I saw them through the passenger side window of my car as it edged in traffic toward a stop light.

(This is a rose from a bouquet sent to me on my September birthday from my son and his fiance)

The boy glanced up at the man, perhaps his grandfather.  The boy's dark eyes seemed to be filled with love. It was so gratifying to see such a look of adoration on his little face.

My car stopped at the light as the man and boy continued to walk along the sidewalk.  Tears streamed out of my eyes and down my cheeks.  Why in the world was I crying? What was this outburst of powerful emotion from my heart?

Then it came to me.  The little boy reminded me of my own son, now all grown up, living thousands of miles away, and about to get married. Seeing the little boy zoomed me back into yesterday when I held the hand of a little boy with dark eyes.  We had a mutual adoration relationship in those days. 

Where had the years gone?  Where was that sweet little son with the dark, flashing eyes and a smile on his lips? 

The tears continued as the car turned the corner and a little gasp caught in my throat. 

Life goes on and we have to put our memories aside. We have to live in the present and acknowledge that things change. Children grow up and move away. They have their own lives, hopes, and dreams. It just is what it is.

But for that brief moment in time, when I saw the little boy looking up, a smile on his lips, I enjoyed the glimpse into yesterday.

ARE YOU SENTIMENTAL?

Tag (or Yard, Estate, White and Any Other Colored Elephant Sale) Mania

Okay, okay, here comes the guilt.  I am addicted to yard (tag) (estate) (white or any other color elephant) sales.

Recently, I determined to refrain from  looking in the classified section of the daily paper.  If I did not see the sale ads, how would I know what I was missing?  Enough was enough. There was no more storage in this house for more  "things."   I had not opened an Ebay account where I could sell things. There were no indoor flea markets around here where I could set up a stall for all the newly found treasures.

While reading a different section of the newspaper, I spotted a church festival taking place on Sunday. They advertised all kinds of food, musical entertainment, and, oh NOOOOOO, a white elephant sale. I've gone to this event several years in a row but had forgotten all about the fact it was taking place last weekend.

Right after church, I gently told my husband I had to run out for a very short time and would be back momentarily. Slinking away like a thief in then night, I hit the gas pedal of my car and zoomed right into the parking lot of the church.

Perusing the white elephant tables was pure heaven. Most items had 25 cent labels on them but a couple were 50 cents and a few, stragglers were $1 or more. 

First item that made it into my left elbow crease?  A long Christmas tablecloth in perfect condition (no spots). I found it in a cardboard box on the ground. A good washing and ironing and it'll be good to go in December.  It's the perfect size for the dining room table. The cost was $1. It's going to be so pretty during the holidays with my Christmas tree dishes on it, don't you think?

Then came the green bottle (shown above) with the unique pointed top. Come on, for 50 cents, who could resist? If anything, it'll make a great gift for someone who loves green glass. (Like me?)

Then there was the little amber vase that was perfect to join cousins on the kitchen windowsills this fall. Another 50-center, it wouldn't break the bank.

Best of all were two boxes of tapers in holiday red and green for $1 each. The boxes contained a total of 12  candles. The original prices were intact on each box, namely, $14.99.

                                                                                

 A cardinal tray and decorative plate, intended for someone who loves those red birds , caught my eye and the prices were very, very affordable. Uhhh, make that dirt dog cheap!

Last but not least came some brass drawer pulls, perfect for missing ones on a dresser in one of our bedrooms. Cost? $2.00.

With all the new purchases stuffed safely in a shopping bag, I beat it to the car. Only $8 was missing from my purse. Not bad. Not bad at all for a Sunday afternoon white elephant sale. As for my broken no sale promise, "culpa, culpa, mea culpa."

DO YOU EVER SWEAR OFF GOING TO SALES?

"Little Women" Madame Alexander Dolls --- For My Romantic Home's Friday Show and Tell

Madame Alexander dolls have extremely pretty faces with slightly sad looks. They have sweet lips that often look like pouts.  Another given when it comes to these collectors' dolls is they require a deep dip into the wallet.  The little sweethearts are pretty pricey.

                                                                           

                                                                           Here's Jo

                                                                

                                                                                Here's Beth

                                                                     Here's Amy

              Here's Meg

                                                                          

 

                                                       

With that in mind, my ears perked up when I heard two ladies in my swimming group discussing dolls. One said she was selling some collector dolls at a yard sale the next weekend.  I got her address and the time of the sale. Rarely can I pass-up anything to do with dolls.

That next Saturday morning came and I was off to the sale. My friend said she kept the designer dolls inside the house in case I attended the sale. What an honor that was!

There, inside her china hutch was an assortment of Ashton Drake porcelain pint-sized dolls but they didn't appeal to me at all.

Then, on one shelf, four demure little doll babies sat, dressed to the gills in colorful, frilly outfits.

      "Are you selling your Madame Alexander dolls?" I asked. 

     "Oh, absolutely," came the answer.  "For you, they are $5 EACH.

      "What?"  I fairly gasped.  That price seemed painfully low.

Off that shelf came Amy, Beth, Jo, and Meg, dolls representing the four sisters from Louisa May Alcott's beloved "Little Women."  The entire set cost $20.

     

Once home, all their little outfits got a thorough washing. The pinafores, bloomers, and socks got a dunk in hot water, soap, and bleach so they would get whiter.

      The sisters are looking quite stunning these days. They make me smile every time I see

them.

      By the way, on the Madame Alexander website, the four Little Women doll retail for more than $75 each so my tag sale purchase turned out to be nothing short of amazing.

Did you know there was a real Madame Alexander who started the doll company by the same name?  She was the daughter of Russian immigrants. You can read all about her on the company's website.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH MADAME ALEXANDER DOLLS?

Be sure to check out Cindy's enchanting blog, My Romantic Home, http://romantichome.blogspot.com/     to see some of the other entries for Show and Tell Friday. Her blog button is in the sidebar to the right. Click on it and, just like a magic carpet, it will take you to Cindy's blog!

For Dayle's Simple Pleasures Party: Roses

Roses are among life's simplest, yet most elegant, pleasures.

No matter what color one chooses, roses remain a queen of flowers.  My mother loved white roses and  in the last couple years of her life, I gifted her with many bouquets of them, during several visits.

My own favorites are pink but blood red roses also make my heart pound faster.  During my September birthday month, the doorbell rang one day. It was a man with a  floral delivery of a dozen long-stemmed red roses. They were a gift from my son and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law. What splendor! What beauty! My heart filled to the brim with gratitude.

Of course, anyone who knows me, knows I love rose-covered anything, so, of course, one of my dearest, long-time friends bought me a pitcher with matching plates. They are so delicate and stunning.

Another dear friend brought over a single deep pink rose with baby's breath which I put into a fancy wine decanter. It's now decorating the counter of an upstairs bathroom, making quite an elegant mark.

So, this month I received numerous simple pleasures in the form of roses.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COLOR ROSE?

Today's post was written for a Simple Pleasures party at Dayle's blog, A Collection of This and That http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/      It's fun to see what constitutes a Simple Pleasure for others, too, so check out all the other entries. It's a lot of fun. Dayle's blog button is in the sidebar, too!