Gourd-Jus Centerpiece part 2

This is the beginning of my centerpiece...Gourds, leaves and candlesticks... just as I left it last week. As promised, I was planning to complete the design and post it when I returned from Mt. Dora...


Well.........my intentions were good. All the items I had planned to use were set aside...the design was floating around in my head. But my plans were waylaid a little bit...

Scroll down to see what greeted me when I came home on Friday night...







My dining room has be invaded by Hello Alaska!!! "It's temporary...just a couple of days...(insert cute smiles and lots of hugs) We promise."

"Oh, and by the way, we have 2 shows this week and we need to practice. Is there anyway we can do that before Wednesday?" ("love you, Mom. You're the best!")



My son and his band lost their practice space while I was gone. I received a phone call asking if they could store their equipment for a couple of days, until they found a new location. Being the good mom that I am (or is that "sucker"), I agreed...and I also agreed that they could practice in the house while I was out of town. At least I would not have to hear it!

It's been7 days and the equipment is still here. Where are the guys? That nasty piggy (H1N1) has taken hold of 2 of them. The shows this week have been cancelled...so the immediate need to remove the equipment is postponed. HA!!!
(You should see the garage! Speakers, amps, etc. are piled up to the ceiling!!!)

Does anyone want to guess who the drummer is?

"Mom, these drums have a wood base. Being in the garage might warp them." My response..."You do have an empty loft."
Drummer boy said, "But there are so many stairs..."
(As I said...I'm a sucker!)

Oh well.... I guess that I will have to finish this table another time.

Want to come over to dance?
Don't forget your ear plugs....
Jane

Don't forget to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for many more wonderful tablescapes.

Dancing Sand Cranes

This is a Florida Sandhill Crane. These magnificent birds are often seen strolling through golf courses, in open fields on the sides of the roads, and occasionally in yards. This one was visiting my church one Sunday morning. He and his lady were casually strolling through the open field by the parking area. I have never seen more than 2-4 at a time...usually the parents and colts (babies). That is until...



While driving home from Mt. Dora, I stopped at the ONLY place to get coffee between my sister's home and mine. (Can you imagine? Only 1 Starbucks on this 2 hour trek!!! I really needed COFFEE!) As I left the parking lot, I heard a very loud noise... I looked across the road to see a wetland area filled with Florida Sandhill Cranes. Today, in this pond nestled between a gas station and an apartment complex, I counted 65 cranes! (Rememer, I had never seen more than 4 together at a time.) These beautiful birds were reveling in the mist and obviously loving the change in weather. They gracefully walked through the shallow water, dipping their heads into the muck to find tasty tidbits. Occasionally, the males flapped their wings, as they jumped into the air and called out in their gravely voices (think of a trumpeting sound with a rolling Spanish "r". It's so cool...and LOUD!). Their "dance" was beautiful! I am not sure if it was a mating dance or a warning to "leave my girl alone".
(Click on the photo to enlarge it.) It was an incredible sight!







Not only were the Sandhill Cranes enjoying the pond, there were
25 Ibis (large white birds with deep black edging their feathers) huddled on the far bank, and numerous Mallard Ducks swimming in the deeper areas of the pond. Unfortunately, my camera could not capture what the eye could see...but if you click on the photos, you will get an idea of what was happening before me. It was an amazing sight!





Be sure to visit Barbara Jacksier for Waterside Wednesday and Susan for Outdoor Wednesday. There are always gorgeous photos to transport us away from our desks...


Keep your eyes open! You never know what you will see....
Jane

Julianne's Coastal Cottage - Mt. Dora, FL

From CHAOS........to almost ready.
After 3 days of unpacking cartons, moving display shelves, pricing thousands of items, Julianne's Coastal Cottage is ready for business! Mind you, there is still much to do, but Julie is now able to allow curious customers to enter the store...and even make a purchase. And boy did they ever enter! Even with no window displays...just a lot of stuff...we had at least 50 people stop in to browse...and shop!


JCC is a "Florida" store...meaning that the focus is on Florida businesses and artists. In this store you will find some wonderful artists, such as R.L. Lewis (one of the original Highwaymen, a Florida historical treasure!), Susie Toronto ( a fun and bright line of items from notecards to t-shirts with her art...from Mt. Dora), Nora Butler (she paints pictures within pictures - gorgeous), and even me. (see the crabs?)












Lilly Pulitzer (from Ft. Lauderdale) is represented, as are Florida Citrus Wines (these are fabulous for Sangria!), Ybor City hand-rolled cigars, citrus candies and jellies from the groves in Central Florida, and fabulous rubs and sauces from St. Augustine, featuring datil peppers. And we have cookbooks by local chefs and foods from The Columbia Restaurant...a well-known restaurant in Ybor City (and Sarasota, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and St Augustine). There is something for everyone...including the kids.

If you are ever in Central Florida, stop in and sit a spell... Julie would LOVE to meet you!

Watch Mt. Dora news on google...there are fabulous arts shows and craft fairs. And, twice a year, there is a BIG antique market. People come from all over for these events...the last art show I attended had over 300,000 people!!! The next event is next weekend...Oct. 23-25...the Arts and Craft Fair. We were told to expect 250,000!!!



These three birds were hatched in St. Augustine. They are made from PVC, using a "secret" technique and painted.. They can be used indoors or out! When my sister and I first saw the "flock", we broke out in laughter. These photos do not do these birdies justice...trust me! They are hilarious!!!













Just a few more goodies on the
shelves...I have to admit, there
were lots of things that would
look great in my coastal home...








If you are ever in the area, stop in for a visit and tell Julie you read about Julianne's Coastal Cottage on the blog. (I hope to have her online, soon)

Jane

Gourd-jus Centerpiece

The first time we visited the farmer's market in Dallas, TX, I bought my first gourd. Man, I loved that gourd!!! I had always wanted one...and had never before seen anyone selling them. After picking up each and every gourd in the display, I finally chose "the perfect" one. I used it in my fall decor and always thought I would paint it to look like Santa. This one gourd was the center of my fall tablescapes for many years. (I have no idea why I never bought more gourds...)

This little gourd moved with me to Florida, and once again it was pressed into service. That is until that "demon dog" Hurley decided to jump up onto the table and tear apart the tablescape...and the gourd while I was working at the 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk for my company. Now mind you, Hurley was about 8 months old and maybe 12 pounds, but she had a vertical leap of 4 feet! My friend and I stopped by the house so she could see it...and there was the gourd...all 2000 pieces! I cried... As much as I wanted another gourd, or 2 or 3, I never saw them at the markets around me.

That is, until we drove past Mark's Pumpkin Patch in Dawson (Sasser), GA. What a cool place this is! We first discovered Mark's on the way to Auburn to take our eldest son to start his first year at Auburn. (In August, Mark's was called Mark's Melon Patch. They sold the sweetest watermelons and the juiciest peaches I have ever tasted.) This wonderful place has become a "have to" stop on our way back to FL...from each and every football weekend we attend at Auburn.

Last fall, on our way back to Palm Harbor from a football weekend in Alabama, we stopped at Mark's. What a cool place!!! Not only was the ground covered with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, there were mounds of gourds...fields of sunflowers...patches of zinnias...stalks of corn and cotton...pecans...peanuts (and boiled peanuts)...jars of all sorts of preserves, jams, jellies, pickles, etc... and the BEST
fried apple pies I have EVER tasted. Being the good guy he is, Mr. M. gave me as long as I needed to explore the market. And he was such a good sport, that I left Mark's with 2 peanut sacks filled with gourds of all shapes and sizes.

Now being a woman with great vision, I could picture these gourds cleaned, cut, painted, etc. and used as Christmas gifts for my family and friends. Oh, I had such plans for them...

And as usual, I never got around to cleaning those bags of gourds. However, I did clean the 2 BIG guys that now grace my dining room table. I love these gourds...even more than the first. They are so big, they fill the table with beauty all on their own.

Here's a brief peek at my "centerpiece" gourds. Resting on a nest of fall leaves (fake, of course...we don't see color here until December). The tall candlesticks are from Steinmart...the tealight holders are Crate and Barrel.






Now, mind you, this is just a "peek"...before I run out the door to Mt. Dora. We're readying the shop for its GRAND OPENING. When I return...the completed table will be posted and I'll post photos of the chaos of opening a store.

Have a fabulous week...
Jane

Please visit Susan at asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com for Outdoor Wednesday and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. There are always great things to see each week, thanks to our wonderful hostesses and all our fellow bloggers.

I won! I won!

I won! I won!

For the first time in my blog-life, I have been the lucky recipient of a blog drawing. WooHoo!!!
In celebration of her 100th post, Simone gave away 2 sets of these lovely birds. They flew all the way from Australia!!!

Thanks, Simone. I love these beauties!

Many hugs, Jane

Girls' Night Out...

Girls' Night...




It was Becky's turn to choose our restaurant and she wanted to surprise us. "Grab your sunglasses and dress in cool clothes", she said in the mysterious phone call this afternoon. "I'll pick you up at 6:30!"

We headed for the coast...a short drive from our neighborhood...and turned into the drive at a marina tucked away in a little corner of the Gulf of Mexico. We were at Ozona Blue Grilling Co....a newly renovated restaurant in Dunedin/Palm Harbor.


A delightful hostess greeted us as we entered, and gave us the option of eating inside, on the patio with the misting machines (it was still 89 degrees!), around the swimming pool and hot tub (available for boaters and diners, alike), or under the "tent".










We chose the tent so we could listen to the snap of halyards against the masts, as the waves lapped against the hulls of the sailboats. (I always think of the John Denver song, Calypso, when I hear this sound...and of the days DH and I sailed. We owned a sailboat before a house!)

Our server, a sweet man named Tom, was very welcoming and attentive. Once our drinks were ordered, Tom explained the specials...all fresh seafood... and answered all our questions regarding the menu selections. We three girls had a difficult time deciding which delectable meal to try...and we were not rushed. Finally, each of us decided to order appetizers and salad or she crab soup. Great choices!!!

The quiet hustle and bustle around the tables came to a halt when the sky began to turn orange. Tonight was a perfect sunset! Even the servers stopped what they were doing to appreciate the beauty over the water...and cameras and cell phones were pulled out to record the spectacular sight. As the sun melted into the horizon, candles and torches were lit...and the hum of happy diners returned. Raising our glasses of Sangria, we toasted the sunset...and our friendship... and began the ritual of sharing our lives. What a wonderful evening...



The photographs above were taken from the patio at Ozona Blue. It's the progression of the sun setting over St. Joseph's Sound and the Gulf of Mexico.

Be sure to visit Barbara Jacksier at http://barbarajacksier.blogspot.com the host of Waterside Wednesday, and Susan at http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com, the host of Outdoor Wednesday. And don't forget to visit Watery Wednesday for fabulous photos from around the world. It's always a treat to see what all our blog friends share...
Have a fabulous Wednesday!
Jane

Early evening on Lake Harris

It's OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY and WATERSIDE WEDNESDAY again... Be sure to visit all the wonderful posts at Susan's place (http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com) and at Barbara Jacksier's blog (http://barbarajacksier.blogspot.com). You will not be disappointed!

Earlier in the summer, I wrote about the Chain of Lakes in Central Florida and posted a couple of photographs of the sunset over Lake Harris...one of these lakes. Lake Harris is such a beautiful place that whenever I visit my sister, we walk down the path to the lake to watch the spectacular sunsets. On this particular walk, however, I stopped to capture the beauty of her gardens and the land around the lake...

There is something magical about Spanish moss gently waving from the trees. It evokes dreams of days gone by...very "southern" and very coastal. The only time I do not like moss is after a hurricane...

Growing up on a lake near Tampa, our home was surrounded with cypress trees, filled with moss. With the high, hurricane force winds bending the flexible cypress trees, all the moss would end up on the ground...sometimes knee-deep. My brother and I were given the job of picking up this gray mass and taking it to the pit for burning. This job would take days!!! (We lived on 7 acres.) But it had to be done or the grass and bushes would die. Now please understand...this moss is not like the sterile stuff you buy at the craft stores...it's full of tiny "red bugs" which creep under your skin...and in the strangest places. The only way to kill these little critters is to suffocate them...and Mom always used fingernail polish. So not only did we have to do that dreaded job...we ITCHED for days...and had dots of bright RED nail polish all over our bodies (Mom's favorite color). Thankfully, we did not have many hurricanes!!!


This lovely pink vine is a Mandevilla Vine... It's growing up the trunk of
a Bay tree...a relative of the Magnolia. The deep color is striking all
spring and summer long and well into the fall, until the first frost.
There is Spanish Moss caught between the tree and the vine...natures way of framing her beauty...

The spiky grass-looking foliage are varieties of Day Lilies...They have finished flowering for this season, but when in bloom they are a mass of yellow-gold, red, and striped flowers.




This "ancient" turtle planter lays beside the
walkway to the deck. It is filled with
Sansevieria plant...also known as a Snake
plant...or Mother-in-Law Tongue (notice
the sharp points...I hope my tongue is not
that sharp with my daughter-in-law.




Here we are looking down a slope to the lake. There are natural limestone boulders incorporated into the garden. Here you see a variety of Ginger nestled beneath large oaks. Just beyond you see more cypress trees and the lake. Dotted along the lake are restaurants where you can tie your boat up to a dock and enjoy a meal...and often music. Our favorite little place is a "biker bar" (called that because there are always a large number of Harleys in the parking lot...but they're usually ridden by white-haired, young-at-heart Senior Citizens! Maybe they were with the Hell's Angels when they were young...). This dive has GREAT cheeseburgers.



As we strolled down the path, I noticed this "little" creature. He was enjoying a tasty meal. Isn't he wearing the most beautiful colors!
We hated to see him chow down on this plant, but he was so beautiful, we truly hated to disturb his meal.








In the warmth of the last rays of the sun, we spied this nest high in the branches of a Cypress tree. We were unable to tell if it was an Osprey or Eagle nest...but we did hear the sounds of young ones waiting for their dinner.


Look closely and you will see the pods that this tree produces. They are a pale gray/green.












My sister and I settle on the dock's benches to watch the show.
It's a different every night... and we NEVER get tired
of watching it.







As we walked back to the house, I looked down into the water to see what had just jumped, and I noticed all these Cypress "knees" sticking up from the water. Without the sun shining, the water was an eerie black color. The starkness of the gray knees and moss looked like something from a spooky movie... The night songs begin...frogs, cicadas, owls, birds... The little bats are swiftly flying about, catching their dinner... There are the flashing lights of fireflies in the rustling reeds...
And a very LARGE alligator glides by...time to go in!