getting cozy ...

Fall comes slowly to the desert. So slowly. We look for signs everywhere. Instead of people talking about the heat (today is going to be a record), we start talking about the early mornings (“Wasn’t it just the perfect morning to get out in the garden?”) and evenings (“We sat outside and watched the eclipse under the perfect sky and a hint of fall in the air.”) This time of year, we try not to talk about the hours in between.

If you look hard, enough there are other signs that it is coming. The hackberry, that usually is a nondescript desert scrub of a bush, gets little orange berries that the birds, butterflies and even humans enjoy, if put in a green vase.

The roses start to bloom again. My tortoises are eating as much as they can to get ready for hibernation. Our lemons are starting to get closer to yellow than green.

With so little of fall outside, we bring it in, where the air conditioning is still running. It's is time for making the house cozy.

We buy pumpkins. I had already gotten some but WB found some with wonderful stems last night and brought them home to me. Better than a bouquet of flowers. Orange ones, baby boos, white ones, green ones, blue ones - I love them all.

I change the quilts on the bed.
This old one is my favorite that sits atop my grandparents’ bed.

I bring out the throws.

I have a favorite made by a dear friend, some vintage Pendleton blankets and I can't stop looking at this one from Parachute, a luxury bedding company. It would be perfect with my newly painted gray walls.





I cut eucalyptus branches. I bring out the candles that smell of the woods or a fire in the fireplace. I listen to James Taylor’s October Road. I have gourds in bowls. I start drinking hot tea again. I dream of nights in front of the fire with a bowl of soup, the family gathered around our table and our traditional October picnic in the mountains.

It’s coming. It will be here soon. I just know it.

what I've been shooting this week #2 ...

It is cool enough to get outside a bit more and I am enjoying it - butterflies, hummingbirds and everything blooming. Our September soakers have brought everything back to life again. My poor lemon tree that never seems to know what season it is, is blooming right now. No more words, just some images from this past week. So happy to welcome autumn!

As always, if you have any photography questions, I will be glad to help. I can't seem to figure out how to put a sidebar link for my flickr, Instagram and pinterest accounts. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. My lack of computer skills frustrates me but then I remember, I would rather be taking pictures.

Hope you have a happy week!

inspiration ...

I am so glad that there are glimpses of fall. It is a little cooler in the mornings, the light is changing. I wanted to bring a little fall to the house this week.

I know I have told you the story of my lavadera. We bought it at an antique store 11 years ago. It is a little different than a dough bowl so I still call it a lavadera which is how it was labeled. I have filled this with so many different things over the years. It spends most of the year on my dining room table filled with something seasonal. It wasn't until I saw this post from Anderson and Grant until I remembered I have oak leaves! I always think of them when they turn color but rarely this time of year. Autumn comes later to the desert.

I had the acorns, the gourds and today, while driving past Trader Joes, I saw the happy sight of pumpkins sitting out front. I had to buy 3 and a few squashes too. If I have pumpkins in the house it is officially autumn, no matter how hot it is outside. Now I am just waiting for the white and Cinderella pumpkins.

The blanket is dreaming on my part. We are at least a month away from needing it.
You know I like a simple table, not too much fuss so my lavadera and some candles is good enough for me.

White dinnerware always works for me.

I am so glad I saw Jamie's post or I would have gone with my standby, eucalyptus leaves. I am sure you will see them later in the year. I hope fall is finding you!

Thank you so much, Jamie, for the inspiration!


Joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, the Table It Link Party, Home Sweet Home and Jamie at Your Turn to Shine.

what I've been shooting this week ...

First up, unidentified pods. I live in the desert and love fall. It isn't always easy to find around here. Sure, I can go to Trader Joe's and buy lots of pumpkins like I do every year. We make trips to the mountains to gather fallen leaves and pine cones. Actually finding bits of fall that occur naturally here really makes me happy. These were found in the Target parking lot. They had fallen from the trees that seem to be planted in every shopping parking lot around here. Somehow, I have never noticed them before. I am a plant lover but have no idea what they are. Thoughts of dryer sheets, shampoo, soap and hair spray disappeared from my head when I spotted these. An unusual cool, rainy day gave the blue, autumn feel to these. I photographed them in my vintage industrial dough bucket.

Next, Hatch chile peppers. If you aren't lucky enough to live somewhere where these are available, I am sorry. They are harvested in August and the smell of the roasters fills the air in the grocery store parking lots around here. Hmmmmm, I just realized I seem to have a parking lot theme going on here. I am a spice wimp. Luckily, our grocery store has a mild bin and a spicy bin. We buy both. WB blisters them on our grill and the smell is divine. We freeze them and then after removing the seeds, use as we want through the year for chile rellenos, soups and stews.

Next, just some shots around the house as I am pulling in bits of fall because despite what the thermometer says, I am ready. I spray painted some gourds copper to see if I like them.

Not sure if I like them or not. I generally prefer things natural but I do like copper.





















Some old books with my favorite new candle, Volcano.

Finally, just a little addition to the dining room. I could not resist this owl. He makes me smile every time I see him.

Hope you have a happy week!

Joining the Table It Link Party and Amaze Me Monday.

on a search ...

West Elm came out with the cutest plates for the holiday season in 2013.

I was recovering from surgery and wasn't allowed to do much of anything. We don't have a West Elm here but once I was able to sit at my computer again, I started having fun just window shopping. (Is there a comparable expression for when you are doing it on your computer? Windows shopping?) Well, by the time I realized I could not resist the Dapper Animal plates, Mr. Bear was no longer available.

I had a very friendly, helpful West Elm employee on the phone trying to track them down for me. A couple of times, I thought I had it but realized the clerk I was talking with had confused the badger with the bear. I became ridiculously obsessed. I needed Mr. Bear. My original thought was to get some for my son's girlfriend because they had several bear encounters while camping. I couldn't find even one so sending her a set wasn't going to happen. I sent requests to West Elm to carry them again. My husband had business trips in cities that were lucky enough to have a West Elm and he checked. No luck.

All the other animals would be in stock for a while and then disappear, only to show up again so of course, I keep looking. Mr. Bear is the only one who has not done this. In my desperation, I even tracked down talented artist, designer, Rachel Kozlowski's email, asking her if she knew if any were available ANYWHERE. She was very gracious to me despite the fact that as I am typing this, I realize that I was behaving like a stalker. No luck.

They even came out with Mr. Bear tea towels but I wanted the plates. No luck.

Last year, they had a Dapper Animal set all dressed up for the holidays in black, white and gold. No luck.

Still no Mr. Bear with his adorable hat that always makes me think of my brother. It's even my favorite, a buffalo plaid. I wish this story had a happy ending but it doesn't. I check eBay and Etsy regularly. I check West Elm obsessively.

A few weeks ago, West Elm came out with a new set of Dapper Animal plates.

There is a bear but it is not Mr. Bear. He just isn't the same. I am sure a few of these will find their way to my table. We are University of Arizona Wildcat fans so the wildcat dressed up in his reindeer sweater may be hard to resist. And look at the moose!

I am a West Elm fan. I have many of their dessert/salad plates. They always seem to have ones that have a little something extra. I have always had excellent customer service from West Elm too. I have had orders that have gotten mixed up and they have always made it good and quickly. I so appreciate their helpful employees especially ones who are patient with a bear-plate-hunting crazy woman.

I have to say these are probably my West Elm favorites, by Shanna Murray, for Thanksgiving or any time we want to celebrate around our table. I have two of these, for each of my children. I hope they will be home to see them this year.

I have enough of these to have one for everyone else, at least for now. It is so hard to decide how many plates to buy when the family keeps growing and growing.

I have some extras of the original Dapper Animals if anyone wants to make a trade. I promise I will give Mr. Bear a very good home.

Mr. Owl looks ready for fall!

(Disclaimer: Pictures 1,2,4 and 5 came from the West Elm website. The rest are mine.) I am joining Susan and others at Between Naps on the Porch.

finally, a tablescape ...

In my absence, I've still been having fun with my tables. Somehow they just haven't gotten photographed other than a quick shot or two with my phone. My dear friends joined me this week for our every two weeks gathering. This week was my turn. After I washed the linens, the flatware and the dishes, I stacked them on the dining room table to put them away. When I saw them this morning, I remembered that today is Tablescape Thursday. So, everything went back in it's place even though the actual gathering was on Tuesday.

We are so lucky. We have been friends for years and try to meet every other Tuesday. Sometimes life gets in the way, but it has been easier since our children are grown.

We are in the hottest part of the year. Although many of our meals here are eaten outside, this wasn't the day for it.

Blue and white always feels cool and calm to me but I did add the orange napkins.

There are lots of colors to pull from these dishes.

This group of women is so important to me. We have been through a lot together. There have been heartbreaking times and times of complete joy. Through it all, we keep meeting every other Tuesday.

They have wisdom and insight. They know when all another needs may be a nod of understanding or a hug. Other times, we talk and talk and talk it out.

Every Tuesday there is a lot of laughter. A lot of laughter.

There are Tuesdays that have been filled with tears but even on those days, we still laugh. It is so very healing.

Our opinions can be diverse but it doesn't matter. We solve the problems of the world. We debate the issues, all with respect and love.

I am so blessed to have these women in my life. So very blessed.

As you can tell, I set a simple table. Sometimes I like to fuss and make it more elaborate but for the most part, I am most comfortable with simple.


Joining Susan and everyone else (finally!) at Tablescape Thursday, with Sherry at Home Sweet Home, Southern Savvy Style, Rustic and Refined, The Scoop and Your Turn to Shine.

oh, my, it's been a long time...

My blog has been "broken" for quite a while. User error, I am sure. Every time I would find a moment to work on it, my frustration won. Yesterday, WB sat down with me, working on two computers, we were able to get things figured out. I only lost one post that I am aware of and hopefully, all will be well from now on.

There is no way to update what has happened since I was here last. Let's just say there were incredible joys and deep sorrows. As always, I try to be grateful for the joy and learn from the sorrow.

I hope to post more regularly from now on. I know a lot of you have enjoyed the photos of the bobcats who like to hang around here. I will start there. Mama and her two babies came to visit. Like many siblings, one was a dare devil while the other was cautious. Mama found a dove for dinner while one baby climbed a tree and the other looked nervous about it. Baby managed to get down and they all enjoyed dinner. Luckily, my kitchen window was clean enough so I was able to shoot through it. I am constantly distracted from the work at hand when I look out that window.

Thank you to all who are still even checking Among the Saguaros. I look forward to catching up with you all.