Plants And Flowers Around Town

When we're out and about in Texas, I love to look for garden inspiration in and around the towns we visit.

Around McKinney Texas today lovely flower pots are in bloom...

Most shops have pots full of plants and flowers, but some have flowers planted down in the sidewalk dividers too.

A few years back, one of the shopping centers even created a Long Horn topiary to add some greenery to a bedding area...

The shop called My Favorite Room is one of my favorite stops, not only for the wonderful furniture they sell, but for their potted garden in front of the shop.

 The entry to the shop is on the north side of the building and gets less of the hot summer sun than a west side exposure would get. 

I try to remember that when I want to duplicate their look. When we first bought our house, the builder had planted evergreen trees like the ones potted in these pictures of My Favorite Room's entry.

The evergreens our builder planted were on the east..and sort of south...side of our house (where our entryway is) and that summer was terribly hot. We had lots of days with temperatures over 100 degrees, and those poor trees did not last at all!

I'll take the cue from this shop and maybe try planting some of these type trees on the north side of the house in the future. 

When you're not a good gardener, but love the look, I've finally learned it's best to study and copy the ideas of others who do it better. 

If you are looking for ideas for your garden too, come join the party at Everyday Living's Garden Party here.

Thanks for dropping by!

Talkin' Corbels And Paint

I just had to bring up the subject of corbels and paint after I saw a picture on Facebook of this entry bench sold by a local shop in Denison Texas. 

The shop, 2 Chicks And Some Paint, is located in the downtown area of Denison.

2 Chicks And Some Paint

Sadly, it sold before I saw it on 2 Chicks And Some Paint's Facebook page. I was at their shop on Saturday, and they do have a lot more lovely things for sale should you ever be in the downtown Denison area. 

Here's a close up of the corbels on the top of the bench. Be still my vintage heart!

After the bench sold, the shop added a personalized welcome sign to the top of the piece. That just made it better, didn't it? 

2 Chicks And Some Paint

I'm scheduled for a painting class at their shop this Thursday. Can't wait to learn more about how to apply and use the paint and aging finishes they sell, a brand called CeCe Caldwell. If you're interested in learning about their paint brand, click CeCe Caldwell. 

I've used CeCe Caldwell's paint and finishes a few times in the past, but I've learned the hard way that each paint line has its own peculiar application needs and processes. 

For that reason, I've decided to take more classes with different paint retailers and learn what I should be doing as opposed to what I have been doing. I have a feeling there will be a vast difference in those two!

As always, my opinions are all my own. No one has compensated me for my opinions.

Thanks for dropping by!

In The Olden Days

Down in Salado, Texas there are a lot of old things to see. The town has a colorful history, and it isn't too "tourist-ized" yet, like many towns these days. 

This tree may be as old as the famous ones at the Alamo, maybe even older. 

Part of it was practically growing sideways last time we were there. 

It got some help when someone put a stump under some of its limbs, but that was decades ago. There's no way someone could lift that heavy limb now, it's as big as some big tree trunks!

There was once a water pump and a cement trough that stood beside the tree when it was younger.

It appears that was long ago though, when horses would stop by for a drink.

Maybe that was when the stagecoach -- or the covered wagon -- was the only means of transportation to and from other towns!

This wagon has sat in Salado for many years,  just down from the old tree. It seems as if the family just pulled up and jumped off, and forgot to come back... 

The covering is gone, but the ribs that held the cloth covering up are still there just waiting for the next adventure to come along.

It kind of reminds me of a pick-up truck. There's even a step-up on the old sideboard, just like the ones we have now. 

I wonder if the pioneer menfolk talked about "horsepower" when they got together, like our car guys do now?

I think the pioneers were one tough breed of people, no matter where they came from. Times were harsh, but it appears the ride in the back was a little harsher! Just look at those boards...

There's no stagecoach left in Salado, except this replica for kids sitting outside the old Stagecoach Inn.

If the covered wagon was the pick-up truck of its day, then it appears the stagecoach was the true mini-van or SUV (sports utility vehicle) back then. 

Can you imagine cramming in beside the other passengers on a hot steamy August day?

The stagecoach used to let people off in front of the Inn so they could have a meal while the horses were changed out for fresh ones. 

There were rooms available upstairs for the night back then, now there is a modern hotel wing behind the old structure. 

The upstairs was still used for a bar, The Stagecoach Club, when we were there, and the dining room had been greatly expanded. If you chose to go to the bar back then, let me warn you, the stairs were narrow and steep just like in the olden days!

 If the restaurant was full, there were plenty of rockers to sit a spell and wait for your party to be called. 

Let me assure you, the meal was worth the wait! Not only was the food good, the experience was unique. Back in the stagecoach days, the routes were sporadic and a wagon wheel break might delay the stage. 

The Inn only needed the waitstaff when the customers were there, so a system was developed around when the stagecoach arrived. 

When we were there a few years ago, a version of how the restaurant operated back then was still in play. There was NO written menu for the guests.

Note: The ladies in olden times were local housewives who came to do a shift when they heard the stagecoach coming through the town. 

When we were there lunch was a fabulous four-course meal. The ladies came to your table with an appetizer and told you what was available for each course. 

There was tremendous variety of food being served, and it was all delicious.  It was also very fun! But it looks like things might have changed since a renovation was done, so you might want to check their website if you're thinking about going any time in the future.

Thanks for dropping by!

The Little Free Book Library

Now I have one more reason to love the little Texas town of McKinney. This adorable little Free Book Library...

The colors are happy and the base container holding the little library is perfectly imperfect. Don't you agree?

This little library is in front of two buildings. One is brightly colored in mustard yellow, terra cotta, and black and white stripes. The other is a restaurant called Hugs. 

I plan to do some investigating to find out how this little library came about!

Right now though, let's take a look inside and see what's available. 

Books on the top row and mostly magazines on the bottom... 

I've read about these little personal libraries in the past few years, but this is the first one I've actually seen.

The little library is just so darn cute! I may have to make one of my own...how about you? 

Thanks for dropping by!

Joining The Party Here:

Foodie Friday And Everything Else

Five On Friday

Linking up with Five-On-Friday, which is now being hosted by the F.A.S.T. blog.  Amy is taking a much needed break from hosting the blog party, but you can still find Amy at her blog, Love Made My Home.

My Five-On-Friday this week is 5 minutes of gushing about the vendors at a local shopping venue I went to last weekend. 

Most of the vendors were semi-local, coming from northern Texas and lower Oklahoma. I'm hoping to run into them again soon for another "shopping opportunity" when I have a few more $$ to spend!

ONE: The animals painted on the old door was one of the many delightful creations of this talented vendor. I snapped her Facebook details in case you want to see more of her work. 

She does a wonderful job of recreating dogs in art form for their owners. I actually cried over her canine pictures remembering all three beloved dogs our extended family lost in quick succession in July,  August, and December last fall. 

TWO: How is this for adorable? The rabbit above was beautifully hand-painted on old weathered boards. I really NEED one of those! 

So many other things I drooled over too. Can you blame me?

This cow (minus the wreath) did come home with me, and that table she's standing on probably still has my fingerprints all over it. It was a perfect size. I've been looking for a narrow table, but was low on $$ at the time.

THREE: Loved the large, single-letter monograms for the door or wall. We don't see them here in Texas much. I was sorry I had already spent all my allotted money before I saw these. When we were road-tripping in the Huntsville Alabama area last year they were on all the front doors and I really wanted one. 

FOUR: I admit I have eclectic taste in home decor. Here is something that was calling my name too...very loudly.

 The colors on that Mohawk Whiskey sign were perfectly aged and I loved the rustic frame. If I ever see it for sale again, it's mine for sure!

FIVE: I saved the best for last. This vendor was a very sweet Texas gal with lots of lovely signs framed in aged wood. 

While there were others selling similar signs, hers were brighter, crisper, and better styled. She does custom requests too, but when I tried to find her on Goggle I was lost in a sea of Vintage Chics in Texas.

I have a lot of business cards from that excursion. Sadly they got a little mixed up in the excitement. When I figure out the name and contact info for these shops, I'll do a quick post.  

Happy Friday...Hope you'll join the Five-On-Friday party at the F.A.S.T. blog.

Thanks for dropping by!