Unusual Building Objects

The old-time builders didn't have a Home Depot or Lowe's just around the corner. They had to use what they had on hand, and it seems some of it has lasted for quite a while.

Whoever built this old building certainly saved some time by using whole tree trunks as front porch posts. 

It tickled me to see how much work they saved, but I doubt if...in today's world...this unusual use of tree trunk posts would pass the building inspector's review!

Anyone can build a fence, but adding bikes to the mix really gets your attention as you pass on by.

The owners of a bed and breakfast in Salado TX used old roofs from small dilapidated buildings to make a shady outdoor sitting area for their guests. Love the old "Fish Scale" gray trim on the front side of the roof.

The owners also added old windows in frames to an old roof to make a charming greenhouse structure on the property. 

In the olden days, making a fence was pretty simple! They just took a post made from a tree, put a few large holes through it and stuck a few split-rail logs through the holes. Easy peasy!

Down here in Texas they still use a version of this type fence for decorative purposes.

When barbed wire came along, it looks like they just stuck in some metal bars and strung some barbed wire right along the original split rails.

Reminds me of my grandma, who always quoted this old-time saying:  Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!

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Only In Texas!

Allen Texas is northeast of Dallas about 25 miles. 

We were sitting at a stoplight in Allen recently and were tickled to see this memorial to the first train robbery in Texas!

I would take a better picture if I could find this corner again

The plaque reads:

"The first train robbery in Texas took place in Allen where railroad tracks cross Main Street. Sam Bass led the hold-up on Feb 22, 1878."

Only in Texas would a town proudly boast of having the first train robbery in the state.

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LaurieAnna's At Canton TX Trade Days

Just a reminder to all local Texans that Canton's "1st Monday - Trade Days" is this weekend.

Here's the latest photo from LaurieAnna's shop in Canton...

Laurieanna's

LaurieAnna's shop is broken up into different type rooms. This bedroom setting is in the entry room of LaurieAnna's. Their Kitchen Rooms and Dining Rooms are always my favorite rooms to walk through and pick things up for our house. 

LaurieAnna's shop will be decorating for fall soon, my favorite time of year in their shop.  I'll be impatiently waiting to go there even if it's just to look around and get ideas on how to use the fall decor I already have.

Speaking of fall decor...this mustard colored spray was new at the Frisco Mercantile shop the other day. The vendor was just setting them out so I plucked one out of the box to try at home. Love them!

The Kitchen Pig got this fall sprig to replace the pansies he's been sporting since spring. He does seem to smile a little more since his mini-makeover!

The colors of fall go well with our house since it's a blend of browns, yellowish golds, and such. 

How about you? Do the fall colors make you happy the heat is almost over...or sad because summer is coming to an end?

Thanks for stopping by!

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!

Why Monday Trade Days Are Never On Monday

Texas has a long held tradition of holding gatherings called Monday Trade Days. 

I'm a transplanted native Californian who married a native Texan from an old Texas family. 

When I first moved to Texas in 2005, I was somewhat confused since Monday Trade Days are held on the weekend and are never held on a Monday!

I've learned back in the olden days of Texas, farm and ranch families often lived far out of town and made monthly trips into town in their wagons to buy dry goods (flours, sugar, fabric) and to sell or trade their farm produce, along with ranch animals and such. 

In these Texas communities, the people waited for the "circuit" judge and "circuit" minister to come to their town at a set time period. 

The two would ride a circuit, arriving in town to conduct weddings and church on Sunday, and then court business on Monday, before riding on to the next town. 

One town would be given the first Monday of the month to conduct court business, another town some riding distance away would be assigned the second Monday, another town the third Monday, and another the fourth.  

In Canton Texas, the town was assigned the first Monday of the month. First Monday Trade Days is still held in Canton on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to the first Monday of the month.

Since next Monday is the first Monday in June, Canton's First Monday Trade Days for June will actually start this Thursday (May 31st) and go through the weekend.

In McKinney Texas, where my husband's family is from, the town was assigned the third Monday of the month. 

McKinney still carries on the tradition and holds monthly Third Monday Trade Days on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before the third Monday of the month.

According to my in-laws (ages 92 and 95), McKinney held a dance on the Saturday night of Monday Trade Days, as most Texas towns did. 

When I first moved to Texas, I was surprised at how much Texans love to dance, especially the men! 

The Texas Two-Step is the dance of choice here, and you'd better be wearing your boots 'cuz you can't dance The Texas Two-Step without them.

My father-in-law remembers from the time he was a young boy, his father had a Boot and Saddle Shop in McKinney (in this building in the picture below), played a mean fiddle, and "called" the dances at the Saturday night events. 

Now you know why Texas' Monday Trade Days are never held on Monday. 

This week I'm joining the Share Your Cup party at Have A Cup Of Mrs. Olson's and the Vintage Charm Party at My Thrift Store Addictions. Hope you'll join these parties too.

Thanks for dropping by!

Carnival

How long has it been since you've been to the carnival? 

When we were kids back in the last century, the carnival was a big deal for us small town kids.

Every spring, a carnival now comes to our small town in Texas. The carnival sets up on a Friday and stays through the following weekend. 

For the last two years, the carnival has coincided with a spring break visit of two of our grandkids who love to go to the carnival. 

The kids love the rides that are a little more tame than these two, and mom and dad buy each of them a day long pass so we stay as long as we can...

The littlest granddaughter usually lets us know when it's time to go home...

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Vintage Paint And Window Shopping

Everything painted in this storefront window was painted with a chalk paint line called Vintage, which this shop sells. Don't you love that old world look? 

Storefront Window - Birds And Words Shop In McKinney TX

The painted furniture inside was even more lovely, but I got too involved with mooning over their vintage cubby cabinet I showed a while back and didn't get photos once I was inside the store.

All their paints, waxes, and creams were displayed on that old green cubby cabinet I whined over recently. 

Of all the colors, this gray-blue dresser was definitely calling to me!

I bought this book a while back at another of my favorite stores in McKinney called My Favorite Room...

Since buying the book, I've been looking for the paint. I found it right down the street! 

The best thing about the book (besides all the wonderful projects featured) is that on the right hand corner of the page the book shows each of the paint colors and waxes used to complete each project. 

I'm planning on painting some light fixtures similar to this sconce, so I bought the paint required for this light fixture. 

They used one paint color and two waxes: Warm Cream to paint the fixture, then the brown wax and white wax to age and finish it.

I was happy to find the Vintage paint at the shop pictured here, which is called Birds And Words in McKinney, TX. 

Here's a few "inside the shop" photos of some of their painted furniture from their Facebook page...

Birds And Words Facebook

I bought several small samples of the paint to try along with their dark brown aging wax. I already have a white wax from another brand that I want to use up so that will do for now.

Now all I need is a victim to practice on! I'll go out to my stash in the garage and find a small piece of furniture to use to try out the paint.

Thanks for dropping by!

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