AUTUMN TOUCHES, WILDFIRES AND DOLLY'S BUTTERSCOTH PIE

Hello Kindred Spirits...
it's been a difficult week for so many of us....
the world lost the sweetest soul, our Dolly Parton..
and parts of our beautiful Texas experienced horrific wildfires.....
I thought I would share a little catch up post as we focus on
autumn....progress has been made  here at Estelle's.... 

The family room is being transformed....

The formal dining room shows off a bird theme which I most always
love to do....early autumn



I love the first edition of Candy Corn.....

And, the bar cart sports a romantic botanical fall theme....

The entryway tables featured soft fall artwork accented with
velvet pumpkins along with acorns and my glittered pheasant....

I love displaying my grandmother's goblet filled with acorns,
alongside a pumpkin and woodland art

I fell in love with the toile pumpkin
which is part of the fall collection
from My Texas House

Lucy and I decorated the little guest bedroom....
new pillow covers, a soft cozy throw and art.....

        OVER IN ATLANTA....

Luke attended a Braves game with his friend, Lucas and his Dad...
always a good time....

He works hard which allows him to buy clothes he really enjoys wearing

We were shocked and simply heartbroken to learn of
the passing of Dolly Parton.....
she has been a part of my life since childhood...
I began watching her when she first started out
on The Porter Wagoner show long before color TV....
Dolly was a special gift from God

So, in her honor, I made one of her recipes....
The Butterscotch Pie...and it is just delicious!

Texas has been battling horrific wildfires this week....
This is smoke billowing in the distance from 
the ranch....

Please remember to pray for all affected by this tragedy...

APPLE BREAD PUDDING WITH BRANDY SAUCE, A WEDDING AND GRADUATION

GOOD MORNING LOVES....

Today, I am bringing you Number two recipe for Norma's bread pudding!
This special request dessert from her cafe, is all about apples and brandy.....
but before, we talk about dessert, I thought I would share a few
scenes from the wedding and the college graduation celebration.....

The Friday before the wedding, it was a dark and stormy day down
in New Braunfels.....but God had the sun shining and the clouds floating
overhead as this beautiful couple said their vows....

Everything and everyone looked beautiful..especially the wedding party
and the bride and groom were glowing with happiness...

We enjoyed visiting with friends and family and dined
on a delicious Texas style barbecue.....

Our granddaughter was the Matron of Honor

I can tell you, the darling and I were so honored to be guests
of our beautiful Amelia and her handsome groom, Colin...

We hosted a celebratory college graduation dinner
for our grandson...
what a fantastic achievement in his young life....

I was thrilled we accomplished this gathering as they
all have such busy lives these days....

Congratulations to our Noah for continuing your higher education....
well done!

The garden is in bloom and looking so beautiful...
my Rose of Sharon is blooming in beautiful shades of pink

And how gorgeous our Texas Vitex is looking right now....

Now, let's turn our attention to dessert....
when fall rolls around, I love to think about apples....
you may want to save this special treat for your holiday gatherings.....

APPLE BREAD PUDDING
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 quart milk
1 quart water
12 eggs, beaten
1 t. salt
1 T. vanilla
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 stick butter, melted
6-8 cups french bread, cubed
3 cups chopped apples
1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine the sugar, milk and water in a bowl, mix well.
Add the eggs, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and butter, Mix well.

Stir in bread cubes, apples and pecans,
Let stand until liquid is absorbed.
Spoon into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes,
Serve with Brandy Sauce

BRANDY SAUCE
4 EGGS
1/4 CUP APPLE BRANDY
2 CUPS DARK BROWN SUGAR
1 CUP BUTTER, MELTED

Combine the eggs and flavoring in a food processor.
Process until smooth and well blended.
Add brown sugar and butter.
process until smooth.

NEW HOME GOODS, WHAT'S ON THE MENU AND PROM NIGHT

Welcome back to a visit at Estelle's,,,
It has been spring weather in Texas which
has meant unpredictable weather, such as
a bit of rain, overcast days and tornado chances... 
But right outside my bedroom window,
I noticed how beautiful our Japanese Maple was looking...



My spring cleaning has been in full swing, so I am organizing
and keeping busy in the house....
I have a few new favorites to share with you today....

A new candle is a gorgeous shade of blue
with scents of summer.....
Washed Beach Wood....

I have a few beautiful pieces from
My Texas House and this planter stole my heart

I love wicker accents for the summer months...
and now I bring you a few items that were noteworthy
from Estelle's kitchen...

A delicious Sunday night dinner of

BBQ chicken, yellow rice, fresh green Salad with boiled eggs
and a mayonnaise dressing with hot yeast rolls....

This was a delicious appetizer I served while the boys
watched the hockey game....
four cheese stuffed pastry with a raspberry dipping sauce...

Oh my gosh....the best lemon cake ever.....

This uses a boxed cake mix, lemon pudding and fresh lemon juice

The highlight of the week was Prom night in Atlanta....
They looked like a million bucks and it was a very happy night
for our Prom Couple, Grandson Luke and darling Susie....

We are off to a wedding this weekend and will spend
a few days at a beautiful Air B&B...
I love weddings and am so honored to see our
sweet Amelia tie the knot..

EASY LIVING ON SPRING AFTERNOONS

Good Morning Kindred Spirits...
Hello from the great state of Texas
where the sun is shining and the trees are budding... 
it's been a very productive week as we move toward the end of March

Good news from the ranch....
Warrior and Annabelle have come to actually like each other
and this is great news that they can now reside in the same pasture....
Annabelle can be a bit territorial in sharing her property
and that's to be expected....she is thirty plus years and has lost her teeth..
but sweet Warrior has won her over to be pals....

Very productive work in the garden....
we completed the task of putting new potting soil
in all the planters and the seeds and bulbs have all been planted

We are so grateful to our son-in-law for installing these
beautiful stair rails for us last November

It's been delightful porch sittin' in the afternoon

Right now it's been gorgeous .but I think pollen is soon to appear

It''s a great feeling to bring out spring touches on the patio

We are enjoying light lunches and it is just enough to keep the calories low...

I did want to share my latest thrifted find from Etsy...
this precious creamer which is a Marks and Rosenfeld pottery piece...
this was part of the collection produced from the 1940's to the 1970's
of cottage ware and farmhouse style of decor pieces...

I purchased this from the vendor above and she included this
sweet note of thanks...and yet, I connected with another KINDRED SPIRIT....

OUR TEXAS WINTER STORM DAYS

We are cold, cold Texans y'all....It is currently 15 degrees
with a wind chill of 6 degrees.
I send you warm wishes and hope you are snuggled up
under the covers, staying warm and well in your corner of the world.
Schools are closed and will be for a few days.
Roads are icy and dangerous....
I am so grateful for a warm home and power to cook
delicious meals for the boys.... 
They were so helpful in storing away the last
of our Christmas decor....
let's take a look at our winter weekend....

Out at the ranch, Miss Elizabeth snapped a few moments of
the sleet and snow outside of her window....

The horses wear their winter blankets and gather in the barn on these days....

She lives way out in the countryside.....

Such a beautiful piece of property that holds so many memories
of marvelous celebrations....

Here at home, Otis loved snuggling under a soft throw....
he does not like winter weather one bit...

Sunday morning was made even more cozy with hot blueberry biscuits....

The sleet was beginning to fall....

Just a bit of snow falling, but extremely cold and icy...

This leaves me yearning for spring and sunshine

Even the birds and squirrels were staying in their nests....

I made a sheet pan dinner of roasted chicken, corn and carrots....

Sunday morning, we had a tiny peek of sun...
then a beautiful snowfall began....

Lucy was on patrol....

The greenbelt is beautiful in winter...

There is no place like home....
remember, spring is sure to follow