white chenille punkins...

this weekend at the nashville flea market, i was absotootly tickled, to find these white chenille punkins!!

i love old chenille blankets and have been collecting them for years, especially the white ones....there is just something about the nostalgic look of these blankets that has spoken to me for a very long time.....they conjur up feelings of sweet grandmotherly hugs.
you may remember these orange chenille punkins that i shared last year....the same sweet unassuming lady at the flea made these too.

i bought them from her six years ago...the very first year she started selling them....i still love them and have them displayed in my kitchen......

but these white ones are my new faves!!

cute!!

mm

mm

i have been painting away in my studio and i am just thrilled and also relieved....... my long time bestie girlfriend, ANNA (i have known her for 30 years), is coming down from chicago to help me with my art show!!! she is an artist AND knows the art biz AND has been a producer on several independant films AND is one of the smartest and prettiest lady i know.....i feel like a weight has been lifted as she will take care of things like no other...... having her support and love and guiding hand means the world to me.....not to mention how much fun and tinkly giggles we will have together.

with the loving support of my family, my friends and my god, all of the pieces are fitting together.

this is my time.

can you stand some color?

as my beachy freckles start to fade, so soon will our summery flowers.... with the impending first frost just around the corner...i went about snapping pictures of some of my gardens......before it is too late....
the pineapple sage is just peaking now, after waiting all season to bloom...the gorgeous tennessee hills in the background are showing their colors...sorry no blue sky this day, but rain is ALWAYS welcome.

the autumnal leaves are just screaming, "look at me, look at me...i'll soon be a memory......and a big pile to be raked and removed......enjoy me while you can!"

it is good to take pictures, yunno for the record, so as to not repeat this years mistakes....clearly seen here, is the damage the damn deer (yes, that is what i usually call them) have done to the sun coleus......i won't plant that next year, at this snack bar....a pretty snack bar, none the less.

the dragon wing begonia performed beautifully, despite the extreme heat and humidity.

sweet basil gone to seed....thanks for all the caprese salads.

the lantana look great now, but mid-summer were not faring well.

the new dawn rose putting on its last show.

"look at me".

these twin pots fared nicely with evergreens and ivy and vinca...never mind the puny petunias.

and the purple setcretia comes back every year and makes a pretty filler....i love how it has mingled with the fragrant lantana.

and here is my hubby doing some raking (he traded his beach toys in, for yard tools, poor guy).

the FIRST of the raking that is, as this is just the beginning, of the

FALLing

of the

leaves.

mnn

i turned the heat on for the first time today and have a chicken in the crock pot...it may be a soup night! o.k now i need to get back to my sudio to start acting like an artist....i have been going around telling people that i am going to do my very first art show in a few weeks....as if, by VERBALIZING it, will make it true?!?! am i really doing this?

mmm

mmm

it is kind of freaking me out.

a smidgen.

sand in my suitcase...

hello friends!

i am back from the beach........

where i was totally and happily disconnected from....

computer

phone

job

news

newspaper.

and totally and happily connected to....

waves

family

seafood

drink

laughter...

waves

sky

sun

birds

clouds...

waves

dolphins

jellyfish

jetskiis

dragonflies...

waves
white sand
flip flops
tiny shells
long walks...

waves
music
wind whistling
laughing
and
more waves.

love them waves!
and my connection to them.
all photos taken by me, whilst sitting in the waves and trying hard not to get my camera wet.

i miss it already.
it will take me a while, to get back in the swing of things here in tennessee.
where the leaves have changed colors and started to fall, as if overnight.
it is difficult to wrap my brain around that,
just yet.....

gone...

to
the

beach.

xxoo

mmm

mmm

mmbtw...hubby says if all of my followers donated $10 each....

i can get ALL stainless steel appliances.

LOL

are you in?