CLOSING OUT MARCH

Good Morning Kindred Spirits...
Hope everything is good in your corner of the world..
March was a good month here in Texas..
we have been spring cleaning both inside and outside... 
thr bulbs are coming up and the trees are showing their leaves..
the lawns are greening up nicely and the sun is shining..
I do love the springtime....



My chosen color for the upcoming seasons is YELLOW......
I fashioned my backdoor wreath out of things I had in storage...

I have a few decor pieces I updated to put out on the patio,
but we have rain this week, thank goodness,
so I am going to wait a bit before placing them outside.

I found this darling little flower pot this week and simply

could not resist...isn't it precious?

The Divine Miss M sent me a surprise gift this week..
this beautiful and plush throw blanket....

Oh I love it so....and it went beautifully with 
my spring throw pillows....

On the menu this week at Estelle's

I made a delicous corn casserole to go with a 
Sloppy Joe Pasta....
you know the old favorite using Jiffy Cornbread Mix,
Sour Cream and Corn....with sprinkles of Cheddar Cheese....Yum-Oh

Our son, who is a wonderful home chef..
made us dinner the other evening and served a
beautiful and oh so delicious Korean Dish known as
Bibimbap which is a Korean Rice Bowl!

And...Apple Enchiladas!

This is a very old family favorite....

Flour tortillas, apple pie filling and a buttery cinnamon syrup....

oh honey....so, so delicious!

There is nothing like a Friday date night.....
the darling and I were off by ourselves to have
dinner in our historic district....

At the moment...life is good

Our little Lucille Louisa Merriweather....
Thank you for visiting Estelle's today....
see y'all next time!

COTTAGE STYLE AT HOME

Good Morning Loves..
tell me what it is that you love...
what style of home draws you in and speaks to your soul?
Breathe softly....there are no rules when it comes
to decorating your home...
I will tell you what I love the most....
traditional and cottage style...along with
a touch of French Country..

As a child, both of my grandparents homes were magical to me...
furniture that had been passed down through time...
everything was beautiful..
it felt safe and comfortable....
as did my childhood home..
my Mothers favorite color was blue,
the yard was full of old Azaleas, gardenias and camellias...
There is nothing that says, "WELCOME",
like a cottage style garden...
it is a feeling of relaxation and peacefulness..
roses, peonies, and hollyhocks...lavender..
there are no rules...



Table linens of checks and gingham paired with 
toile dinnerware will fill your dining experience
with pleasant thoughts and easy conversation..
Create an easy centerpiece with greenery from the garden..
don't focus of perfection, but rather making
everyone feel welcome and taken care of.....
serve platters of fruit , wedges of cheese, a caprese salad
and french bread slathered with butter..

A thoughtfully arranged table..
it need not be expensive or over the top..
more casual and free flowing with elements
of nature..old vases filled with slim branches..
use tea towels for napkins and add a scarf from your closet
for a table topper.

Use rich textures and colors in your living space....
add outdoor elements and cozy throws....
woven baskets, crockery, and wooden bowls
create a vignette on a entry table by displaying
your favorite antiques..

When styling a bookshelf,
try to stick to a color palette..
use the bookcase to showcase your collections
stand  your books up or stack them
horizontally..remove the jackets for
a more uniform look.
Start from the bottom and work your way up....

The layered bed....
quilts are essential..
choose bedding you love and that will
help you sleep well

When I think of my grandmother's house,
I think of lazy summer days...
playing and running...picking blackberries
and catching lighting bugs..
think of
adding a lovely hammock with pillows and throws
which will simply add to the charm of your cottage home.....
a perfect time to spend an evening under the stars...
allow the perfection of nature to shine through....

A FEW TOUCHES OF SPRING AND COOKING WITH ESTELLE'S

Good Morning to y'all...
I hope you are loving your days and are able to
soak up all those warm spring afternoons...
it's been spring cleaning around our house
with cleaning out flowerbeds and making an honest
effort in raking old leaves and debri....an almost
endless task with windy days recently!

I so enjoy keeping in touch with you all
and try to bring things of interest and inspiration to the blog
even if it is just everyday living...
so here we go......
I have purchased all my seed packets
for the upcoming spring and summer but must
first prepare the pots with new soil before planting..
I am really looking forward to this....

I can so relate to our dear friend, Linda, over at Linda's Life Journal,
 who adores sunflowers as much as I do..
This will be my theme for the porch and I feel sunflowers
can easily take us into fall.....

The new garden flog....isn't it beautiful?
This just brings a feeling of joy

I came across a very old candle and ceramic shade the other day
and felt it was perfect for Easter....shades of lavender
with a lavender scent....
This is from Valerie Par Hill many years ago....

A lovely touch of summer in the guest bath...
smells divine....

One of my favorite things to do is read cookbooks....
I thrifted this little gem from Goodwill books.....

Now let's review some recent recipe favorites........

Apple fritters made with just one granny smith apple

Another round of homemade meatballs with bucatini

 A light and healthy lunch of eggplant, zucchini, tomato,
onion and garlic

This was simply scrumptious....
Mocha Pecan Bundt Cake from scratch
 topped with a mocha glaze....

And lastly a lemon cream cheese loaf.....

Warmer days are finally here and we are loving the sunshine...
I hope your health is good and you have something to look forward to...
We have family birthdays and anniversaries coming up in April...
see y'all next time....

FAMILY DINER NIGHT

 HELLO  LOVES....
it's Saturday and a family dinner party has been planned
here at Estelle's and on the menu for the gathering is
a spicy Cajun Jambalaya and Banana Pudding....
so we have a full day of preparation underway...

I wanted the tablesetting to be colorful, yet casual

I decided on Banana Pudding since it's one of my son's favorites.....
the kind with pudding mix, sour cream and cool whip...

Done..now it can just chill in the fridge until we are ready for
this creamy and delicious sweet ending....

Now, believe it or not....
this is my very first attempt at making a good jambalaya...
it is quite a process....
lots of veggies , along with roasted chicken, andouille and fresh shrimp

And, my darling little Lucy was keeping me company
as I was pretending to be a chef in the kitchen....
I started the homemade stock before the chopping of all the
vegetables was underway....
I allowed the vegetables to simmer most of the day
in my favorite stockpot in order for all the herbs
and spices to marry and become deeper and richer in flavor....

I kept the appetizers light in order for everyone
to enjoy the aroma and come to the table hungry

Cajun Jambalaya is a little of alot of ingredients....
peppers, onions, okra, tomatoes, celery, garlic and lots of spices....
it was often called a peasant soup.....little bit of everything...

and now for happy faces.....family..
cocktails and conversations.....

Often times. you mix the rice into the soup,
but I prefer serving the soup OVER the rice.....
and it was HUGE hit....
people went back for seconds....
oh yes, served with hot french bread!

It was a cold, rainy evening and this was the perfect dinner
to enjoy a family gathering....

Normally,  I would serve a Bread Pudding,
but this dessert was a cool and creamy option....

Our sweet Otis enjoyed a bit of french bread....
It's a good thing to bring family together
in order to catch up and enjoy good food and pleasant conversation...
y'all have a good week...