Still Woods Farmhouse

I was perusing the internet for a little 4th of July tablescape inspiration.  Wow...are there some wonderful ideas for any Yankee Doodle Dandy table.  Let's take a look! I love the blog Between Naps on the Porch.  She has a gift for setting a beautiful table.  This one is set with solids of red, white, and blue.  The tall lanterns also lend a patriotic flair and really make the setting cozy. I love the entire setting in this photo from The Gathering of Friends.  The house and yard phtograph beautifully.  Those red chairs really pop! Looks like a great place to entertain and watch fireworks. Tampa Homebody has incorporated some of my favorite glassware into her table setting.  American Fostoria and blue Cape Cod glass make this a festive display. Doesn't this make you want to pull up a chair?  The centerpiece is simple, but quite lovely.  I am crazy about checkered prints.  Super cute from Stone Gable! This is just precious.  Croquet anyone? An Accomplished Woma

Don't you love cool, refrigerated cakes during the hot, summer days? How about one with moist layers of white cake iced with a delicious coconut-sour cream icing?  I adapted a few different recipes to make one that I adore.  We all have signature homemade birthday cakes in my family and this one is mine.  I turned 55 this past week and my sweet hubby made this cake for my birthday party.  Let's whip up this easy, scrumptious cake! The Starting Line-Up : 1- box white cake mix (prepared as per box directions) 16 ounces of sour cream (regular or low fat) 1 large tub of Cool Whip 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar 1- 14 ounce bag of coconut (save a little to sprinkle on the top) Make cake in two round cake pans  according to the directions on the box.  Cool and split the layers.  In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, sugar, and about 3/4th's of the bag of coconut.  Fold in Cool Whip. Taste the icing.  If you want more coconut, add a little more.  You can add mor

My husband would say that I am a collector of "dishes".  I can't help it, "dishes" speak to me in the same manner as old aprons and milk glass. The Tooth Fairy collects teeth and this gal collects dishes! When my husband and I got married, every bride had fine china and possibly a set of everyday china on their bridal registry.  I must say that I am so disappointed when I see a bridal registry without beautiful china. How about you?  My husband and I decided to select both a fine and an everyday pattern.  It was the thing to do! We had two sets of "dishes" when we began our married life almost 33 years ago.  Today, I have 6 different sets!  One of my favorites is Margaux by Mikasa. This was my choice as my everyday china.  Let me introduce you to this gorgeous pattern. Margaux has a lovely ivory background with a basket weave rim complimented by soft flowers in purple, orange, yellow, and white with stems of green.  I love using Margaux in the spr

Oh...what tales our front porch swing could tell.  When we moved from our previous home near the bayou to the solitude of the country, this swing came with us.  The buyer of our home hoped to keep the swing, but I told her I couldn't part it.  For you see, this swing provides memories too rich to give it up. This swing held a newlywed couple as they spent hours eagerly talking about the new journey which lay ahead of them.  It later became a place of solitude and prayer for a young wife and husband who desperately desired a child, but were met with years of infertility.  In God's timing, this swing softly rocked their first son to sleep while he was sheltered in his mother's arms, a prayer of thanksgiving on her lips. Even later, it held two giggling brothers as they tried to see how high they could swing before their mom or dad stopped them. It has stood steadfast in the sun, wind, and rain as it watched the two boys grow to adulthood.  It cherishes those two young men a