A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

Yesterday in post, I skipped one of the most important pictures I intended to show.
For years I have collected small sheep and lambs. Some are reproductions of old
German sheep. Others are bisque or chalk, but they all have one thing in common.
They all represent an animal that Jesus used frequently in talking about His followers.


In this little display are my sheep.


The top shelf contains a redware candleholder, my grandmother's miniature Webster's Dictionary, a salt glaze sheep from my trip to Pennsylvania and a redware bowl my mother brought me from Williamsburg.
The bottom shelf contains a Friendly Village bread and butter plate and my other lambs and sheep.

I say all that to say this...years ago I read the most wonderful book by Phillip Keller. It's title is
A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23. Keller, who was a shepherd himself, explains the context of the Twenty Third Psalm from a shepherd's view. It is not only an insightful interpretation, but it is also a down to earth explanation of the various symbols in the chapter. I think you would find it interesting.

In his concluding Introductory paragraph Keller says that if the reader comes to the book with an open mind..."fresh truth and exciting glimpses of God's care and concern for him will flood over his being. The he will be brought into a bold, new appreciation of the endless effort put forth by our Saviour for his Sheep.."

I highly recommend the book. It's older and you may have to go through Amazon to purchase it. But its revelation will be worth the effort.

September 1st...It's Fall To Me! Fall Tour

Living room gets a hint of fall.

Whether a rebellious red leaf who falls early has been spotted or September the first arrives, I declare it Fall!! And you know what that means!! Time for Fall tips and tours. Viewing other people's houses and their Autumn decor always sets me on fire to get mine done, too. After several months away from the blog, I decided that September 1 would be my target date to get back in the saddle and "giddy up" by crackie, I'm here. Only my dining and living areas are decorated. Didn't want to freak out all the neighbors quite yet!



After removing the leaf from my oval table, I "lost" a chair (until Thanksgiving) and am enjoying the coziness of the round set up. I also added drapery panels and "lost" the toile swags for a little update.

THIS IS THE BEFORE THE FALL UPDATE.

The picture below is the AFTER...just a few adjustments here and there. I did, however, break my cardinal rule of Fall decorating...by bringing out the pumpkins BEFORE October...it's usually fall leaves until the end of September..but, oh, well...  

This centerpiece is a McCarty Cotton Row vase with assorted feathers and berries.
I also added placemats...am having horrible computer issues and can't seem
to load the whole dining room shot...ugh.

Small sideboard got the look, too!
Those lampshades are one of my best finds EVER!
When lit, the black velvet leaves show through the front silk panels...
$2.50 each at Ross.

A recently purchased iron birdcage has many possibilities
for the upcoming seasons. Right now it's a candle holder.

Friendly Village china prepares for the upcoming fall
and winter months.

The coffee bar which houses not only all my
coffee supplies, but also part of my nesting
hen collection only got a few berry sprays.

Pitcher and bowls got the treatment with bittersweet vine and leaves.





My "collections" lend themselves to the fall months.
Pine needle  and woven baskets.

Tiny pine needle baskets.

Redware collection...love the colors.


Below is my salt glaze pottery collection.



Buckrun Pottery houses Cream Brulee candle and is surrounded by
little nutmeg McCarty birds.

 At the risk of losing every picture I post...I am going to add a few more with NO comments. Each time I comment, I lose the picture above and below. I have been at this for about 4 hours over the last 2 days.
Computer issues drive me around the bend! My apologies!



Will try one more time...Buckrun pottery bowl and McCarty bunny on coffee table.



Bittersweet vines and branches are such a reminder of fall.




I LOVE this table that I got on an online yardsale.




Pottery Barn basket (that I got on sale)..with fabric pumpkins that I made years ago.

 This has been such a trial...I have no idea what's wrong with Blogger (or it could be the blogger..me)!
I wanted to show you what I have done...not to brag...not to say..."Look at what I did!" but to encourage you to enjoy the moment...to not worry if it's too early to decorate...to not listen to the "it's not time to decorate" naysayers. I love every season. I enjoy letting my home reflect that. Most of my decor has been
gathered over time or made by me. (For the first 25 years of marriage EVERYTHING was made by me.)

 As I age, I find special joy in savoring the little moments life offers. Fall is one of those moments. Just as your children won't stay little forever...neither will you be able to recapture "the moment".

Pine Needles, Paperweights & Redware

Hot, hot, hot & humid, humid, humid! Ah, the joys of living in the south in the summer...I worked at the Flea Market re-arranging my little "store" today. I so enjoy doing that...and this afternoon I decided to touch base with a non-descript post on the blog. Just some pretty pictures of things I collect..nothing fancy. No tutorials or anything of that nature.
My mother began a collection of paperweights for me many years ago. I have tried to keep the number down, concentrating on clear and green spheres. Here is the first one she bought for me. It's a beautiful "flower" of browns.

Then I got some Kerry Greens...beautiful glass work on these.



I popped in a blue one!

There is something very icy about the clears...pretty on a silver tray and compote.

I moved on to pine needle baskets a few years ago. I got this beauty at a garage sale...I love the neatly done stitches and patterns.

The basket below has no lid and in it are old wooden handled screwdrivers that belonged to my husband's grandfather.

I found this pine needle pitcher in the booth next to mine at the Flea Market. In it are my mother in law's hand carved crochet hooks. No telling how old they are.

Many, many years ago I fell in love with Redware plates. The hubster and I drove to PA in search of the plates of one artist, Ned Foltz. Look what I found...right in Paradise, PA...a Ned Foltz! Beautiful glazes...even though my taste has gone another direction, I can't give up displaying my redware.

I also visited the studio of Dave Eldreth...his salt glazed pottery is something to behold! I have collected numerous Eldreth pieces through the years...

I esp. like his Christmas plates and Santas.

The blue rippled redware plate below is by artisan Steve Nutt. I have several of his plates, one of which was the hubster's Valentine's gift to me many years ago...it has "You will always remain in my heart" written in yellow slip....gotta love the hubster! I also have his Merry Christmas plate that I dutifully drag out every holiday.

Funny little vignettes below & above are my attempts to use some of my silver! It was begging to be used... so why not?! Have you noticed nobody polishes it today? Just lets it sit there and tarnish...wow!!

Hope it's cooler in your neck of the woods than it is way down here in Mississippi!

Take time to smell the roses (and don't forget to water them!),