A Dawn of Something New. . .

The morning sun warms my face
                        while the dewy grass washes my feet.

I am renewed,
          and for the first time in a long time,
I breathe fresh air deep into my body
          and my noisy being quiets.

Suddenly, my ears awaken
                    and I hear your clear voice.

Love overwhelms me
and the trees and rocks and mountains celebrate.

Touch me dear Lord,
             give me peace beyond understanding,
joy unspeakable
             and unwaving faith for the journey.

Author Unknown
              taken from life:beautiful Summer 2008

On Crooked Creek ~
                                        a dawn of something new has taken place.

No longer employed,
             by choice,
I've embarked upon a new journey.

Much like the unknown author of this prose,
            I'm waiting for His divine guidance and direction in my life.

A dawn of something new. . .
                                          On Crooked Creek!



Until next time. . .

www.astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek is joining our sweet hostess Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday! A continual source of inspiration for your own home decor. . .be sure to visit often for amazing decorating ideas!

Simplistic Prairie Style. . .

Our first triple digit temperatures of Summer
have officially arrived On Crooked Creek!

So~o~o. . .
while it's heating up o u t s i d e. . .

we'll keep it simplistic on the i n s i d e!

On Crooked Creek. . .
moving the two~tier plate rack to the buffet
keeps plates, dessert/salad plates and cereal/soup bowls
in close proximity to the dining table.

As the temperatures rise ~
a vintage pitcher

and bee glasses on a wicker tray

make "c o o l" lemonade easily accessible!

 Simplistic Praire Style is the theme is Summer living
On Crooked Creek! A garland of Sunflowers extends the length of the buffet complimenting the simplistic prairie dining room tablescape.

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadows."

The words inscripted on this jigsaw wooden puzzle

are food for thought!!!

" Backyard Friends

are Best."

Could easily be the theme in the cul~de~sac of our neighborhood

On Crooked Creek.

A Summertime change . . .

                             a Summer Simplistic Prairie Style. . .

                                    On Crooked Creek!

Until next time. . .

www.astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek is joining our dear hostess Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday! Be sure to visit for inspiring table top vignettes for your own home decor!

 

 

Simplistic Prairie Dining. . .

Summer has officially arrived On Crooked Creek
and with it some simplistic prairie dining!

Early  Summer mornings on the Prairie ~ 
are full of glorious sunlight streaming through the patio doors.

A buttery yellow tablecloth allows me to bring the outdoors in. . .
while leaving the heat outside!

Black~eyed Susan's just say "Prairie" to me!
By placing them inside my wooden spools,
a unique "Prairie ~style" centerpiece is simply created.

Weekends On Crooked Creek begin with breakfast. . .
followed by weekend chores of cleaning, laundry and marketing.

Atop the buttery yellow tablecloth,
I placed a scalloped red floral quilted place mat.
Chili Pepper dinnerplate, dessert/salad plate and cereal/soup bowl are my choice for this Summery Prairie tablescape.

Newly purchased striped mustard hued napkins
are pared with our everyday  beaded flatware.

Bee glassware will serve as juice glasses. . .
and over~sized mugs for steaming fresh Columbian Coffee!!!

Simplistic Prairie Dining
has extended from the dining table to the kitchen hutch, as well.
(We'll save that for another post!)

Sunflowers,
much like those that are blooming On Crooked Creek
fill the baket at the end of the buffet and hutch!

To enhance the Frenchy Farmhouse Style ~

lampshades have been switched from Traditional  silk ivory ~

to red and gold striped linen shades with clear teardrop crystals!

On Crooked Creek ~

                                         Simplistic Prairie Dining. . .

Until next time. . .

With Him In Mind. . .

Father's Day came early this year ~
                                              and early On Crooked Creek!

So~o~o. . .

I called my son and daughter ~in~law. . .

               planned a menu

. . . then set the table for our 2ND Annual B~B~Q!

On Crooked Creek . . . here's
                                         What's On The Menu:

2ND Annual B~B~Q 

B~B~Q Beef Short Ribs

"Bill's Brats"

Creamy Coleslaw

Baked Mac & Cheese

Butterflake Rolls

Iced Tea

Peach Cobbler

Half & Half

Now a Father's Day tablescape ~ with him in mind!

I began with a sage green window pane check tablecloth, then borrowed the coffee table lower level display for the centerpiece. Guess you could say, "I was fishin' for ideas"!

Next, I tried several place mats. I had three different ones on the table at once. Then I called in the 'resident decorator' for his opinion. His choice was the paisley! So~o~o...paisley it is!!!

Keeping  him in mind,
I already knew which dinnerware would be used. . .

"Mr Ed's" Trout plates!!!

From many years past,

a Christmas gift ordered from the Bass Pro Shop catalog!

A complete set for eight!!!

His dinnerware set consists of dinner plates, dessert / salad plates, cereal/ soup bowls and coffee mugs!

The green rim around the dinnerware complements my vintage restaurant dinnerware nicely! We'll be using the serving size bowls for our Butterflake Rolls!

My men hate using cloth napkins!
Perhaps with all the B~B~Q we'll be having today,
                               it's a  'good thing'  to use the paper napkins???



The completed place setting using our wooden handled flatware purchased from our years in Germany.  Our clear bubble glass water goblets will take on an amber hue when filled with iced tea!

Cereal / soup bowls

are awaiting service in the Farmhouse French Style Kitchen!

Today, they'll be used for dessert!

 

Warm,

 fresh from the oven,

Peach Cobbler will be joined with Half & Half for our finale!



Vintage Oven Ware Fire King sugar bowl holds our spoons. . .

while the creamer waits to be filled with

thick, creamy Half & Half!!!

Our table has  been set for four. . .

                   as son and daughter ~ in ~law will be joining us

                                        to commemorate our 2ND Annual B~B~Q!

On Crooked Creek. . .
                                       with him in mind!


Until next time. . .

That's Entertainment!

It's inevitable...
once I begin to make a change in one room On Crooked Creek,
it's only a matter of time before most everything has a re~arrange!

So~o~o. . .
now that the kitchen and dining room cabinets all have a fresh look for Spring. . .it was time to add a few changes to the Entertainment Center!

Long over~due!
Honestly, it was hard for me to believe I hadn't changed anything since last February!


I began with a change in backgrounds and added single floral prints with a silver frame to each side of the Entertainment Center. . .

Keeping a light and simple color palette, I used a Madonna figurine filled with Lily of the Valley and my French Busts.



Vintage soft turquoise vases added a subtle hue to offset the ivory figurines!

Although the clock and frame are of different colors, their similarity of shape keeps the consistency thorough out the cabinet. I adore e v e r y t h i n g about this frame. Its ivory color, the rope detailing, the feminine bow, and especially the dragonfly print!



Remember this is an Entertainment Center. . .
therefore I added a silver tray with two lidded silver crystal jars and an laser cut ivory shell made into a lily pad atop the DVD player on the lower shelf. 

The opposite side holds my CD player. Which, at all times, is fully loaded with calming classical piano selections! Chosen because this model could hold five CD's for continuous play!


Each side was given a sprig or two of ivy to soften the glass. Books in hues of blue, greens and taupe are used as risers and to hide the easels holding the prints.

One of my favorite features of the Entertainment Center is the lighting. The soft lighting showcases our decor items and adds to the overall ambiance in the evenings On Crooked Creek.


Directly below the glass cabinets are open shelves which hold the photos of our parents.
I added similar hued books, a fern filled urn, and a mourning dove alongside of the photos!

The open upper shelf stayed primarily the same. A shift in the direction of books and the addition of a ivy helps to hide the stereo speakers. I did try lying them down flat as suggested by a follower; however, the quality of sound was greatly effected.

The botanical fern prints were added to the Farmhouse window atop the Entertainment Cabinet. Also, the music box. . . elevated helps to balance the arrangement. New soft leafy vines were placed around the bases of the oil lanterns bringing in the green of the Season!

On Crooked Creek. . .
                                        That's Entertainment!


Until next time. . .

www.astrollthrulife.blogspot.com



and, of course, On Crooked Creek will be joining our dear hostess, Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday! Be sure to visit and come away inspired!