And the year fades into the next like the sunset in the west ...

Today was a great day. I don't have photos to share, but I wish I did. One thing of note was as the sun was setting, Adam and I walked down the drive to the mailbox with our little baby-dog Sophie.. It's a good walk so it's nice to do. When Adam retrieved the mail, what a nice surprise it was to find my seeds for the spring had arrived. I am still growing the ones I have planted ..and I can report, I've transplanted them into larger pots at this time -- they are doing well. When we headed back .. to our right, there was a excellent pastoral setting full of sky, field, and black cows and it made me wish I had grabbed my camera. When we came back to the house, we headed to the barn and fed the horse named Luke. He's a little bit of a spoiled rotten brat, admittedly, but he's good. I usually don't like to talk of my music world here, but I am happy to say we are getting bookings, and we'll be playing a very neat place called Aztec Theatre in San Antonio on the Riverwalk. I think this will be on my list of all-time shows we've played. Travel Channel says it's on the list of a "Thousand Places to See before you die". I am really excited about this one. I like to separate the music world from this little haven. It's good for me and keeps me balanced and 'grounded' - feet planted in the dirt. I hope and pray 2012 is good for you, and that it is better for us all. I'm an optimist but I always believe in being prepared, so I hope you will consider that. Plant a garden, learn how to can food. It's good for you. (Now I'm sounding like Martha Stewart...) See you next year.

Happy Christmas Wishes

I hope and pray you've had a wonderful Christmas remembering the miracle of Christ, remembering his birth and the love that was sent into the world -- the greatest present of all. Hoping and praying it was special and spent with those you love.. As we head into the new year, I remember all the great experiences and memories, as well as new friends I have made this last year. Again, I thank you all for reading this blog and coming along as I travel through my little life! ;)

Flock of Robins

What a surprise one morning a few days ago when I awoke to see this out of my kitchen window. I didn't catch as many as I wanted to on photo as I wanted but this is what I was able to get. This is the view out of my side kitchen window ... What I saw was a huge magnificent flock of robins gathered around and flying about and on the ground finding their breakfast. Can you see the ones left in the picture? I think we are inadvertently feeding the robins because this, I've found, seems to be where the water from the sink seems to drain! I am trying to be a little more considerate of what I put down that drain. Seeing birds feeding there make you much more aware, that's for certain.

Train Museum and The Soda Fountain

I'm still here! I'm sorry about that but things got busy. I haven't stopped posting though. Please check the Honey Brooke Farm page for small updates from time to time as well. I love days like today. We had a good time -- we went to the Railroad museum not far from here, and it was very interesting. It was all about the various routes that railroads took throughout Texas and how trains worked along with the ways the old train cars that people took were like. I really liked the old china and silver as well as looking at the menus and such. We also were able to board a rail car that Prince Philip actually took as well. It was very neat and I wouldn't have minded a bit to travel that way.

(Inside the rail car - above and below)

(There were beautiful stained glass and crystal lanterns in the car as well)

(Above - Bedroom and Below : Bathroom)

After the railcar, we went into the tower that controls the trains. As we were inside, a train actually did run by and I kind of reverted to a little kid for a moment. The guide showed us an actual 100 year old "computer" that made all the trains run and get to their destinations successfully (below).

I'm not sure why but we didn't get a photo of the caboose! But we did go in ...

Afterwards, we headed across the street to my new favourite little cafe/soda fountain place. We had lunch and I just had to get a cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper .. they mix their own sodas and they are so YUMMY!

Are you looking forward to Christmas? I almost have our shopping done. Almost. After the soda fountain, we went to the antique shops around there and I am trying very hard to find my Mom a present! She has everything and I'm trying not to just find another something that is just SOMETHING. I try to find something special... Well, it didn't happen today.... But I did have a good time!

Happy Thanksgiving - Let the Holidays begin !

Happy Thanksgiving, my pretties... Thank you so much for reading my silly thoughts and every day life ! I appreciate you all and am grateful for this life I have and knowing you (and if I don't yet, please make your presence known!) I'm looking forward to sharing more with you in the next year onwards.... I'll be putting Christmas decorations up this week and will be posting photos of that! Have a great day and weekend.

Finally - The Tea Pots ..

I have finally been able to post about my tea pots now. TMI - But I am doing a gallbladder flush and I am desperately trying to keep my mind here to pass the time. I will tell you how the flush worked, and I hope it does, because epsom salt is not my favourite elixir, indeed.

At any rate, I promised Mariam from Willow Cottage a blog about my tea pots.

The three tea pots above were given to me by my mother - Actually, she gave all of them to me at some point or another. My blue and white one there has to be one of my most favourite ones. I've used it the most, I think.

The one in the middle here was my Nanny (my great-grandmother)'s tea pot, and it is the other favourite. I end up having a hard time deciding which are my favourite really. The green and white one on the left says, "Where the teakettle even sings - that is home" - I believe.

And this is a close-up of the blue and white one for Mariam.

I should've taken a better photo of these and I will actually do that tomorrow. These are from Japan and they are from 1910 which makes them 101 years old! I wish I had more room, I really don't like stacking them like this. Hopefully, I will figure out a better way to display them soon. I like to use these for my Puerh Tea. 

This particular set came from an antique mall that was selling them for 25 dollars! I found the tea pot separately actually. I call this my "Marie Antoinette" set. The tea cups that are white and silver are from our wedding set with plates. I love those too!

Here's an overall view of the inside of my grandmother's china cabinet. I have a wizard of oz glass set. The glasses in the middle are from my mother, and the green glass pitcher is from Williamsburg, Virginia (we went to Williamsburg on our honeymoon). The little plates on the bottom on the left hand side are from Adam's Nanny (grandmother). I found the red bird picture at a thrift store.

Seedlings have sprouted!

I am happy to report this morning that three of my little seedlings have sprouted ! I think I was like a kid on Christmas when I noticed this. I hope the other three sprout! I hope they hurry because I'd rather it be more of the warmer temperatures we are getting for these little guys than the colder part of winter we get. I probably timed it pretty silly. Oh, well, this is my first time. I figure if I can get these to grow in the winter.. Spring should be alot easier around here. Here's another silly thing I did. I forgot to label the peat moss pots. Sigh.

It's definitely a learning process and I have alot farther to go, as you probably can tell. The area I want for the garden is over run by ant beds and Adam's trying to help battle them for me. We shall win this fight!  That space will be MINE!