Come on in and visit our little Casita...

Best deal in town... Save gas...while touring the country...blogger style!

House by house.Yes folks...Our friend Julia from Hooked on Houses is hosting yet anotherVirtual open house tour! (The last one was a ball!)

Click the emblem below to see more gorgeous homes on the tour! Or better yet...add your own to Mr Linky on Julia's site!

My addition will be a modest one compared to many.

but....I love this little gem, and want to share...
Welcome to our back yard...amidst the banana trees (no monkeys...I think) and

tropical jungle gone a tad wild... where we are lucky to have a hidden
little gem of a guest cottage or casita. It tucks quietly behind our main house, and is a jewel of coral and persimmon color.
That my Mom (Grandma B) has made her own!

Yep, even better than living down the road...

she lives down the path.

You enter into an enclosed courtyard with a gated entrance(ooooh)

and a vine covered arbor...
...That opens to a winding path...





That unfolds to the little Casita...with a barrel tile roof

and working shutters...



When you enter the cottage, you step into a great room...strong Beams above.

A funky little fireplace in the corner...






One wall is all window/door...open to the palms and tropical fruit...




The tiny kitchen is on one side of this great room...open to living



Old european furniture is at home amongst the white walls and beams



....A small hallway leads to one of the two bedrooms...



Spanish Birth chairs are alwyas ready for a game of chess (talk about multi-tasking!)


...back outside Palm fronds cool ... Birds sing

Translation: Home sweet home. Perfect

...But...let me tell ya....

Said grandma can also make an amazing martini!

A-MAZing!

Phew...that was long...ready for that martini about now...you?

Thanks for popping by...

Do visit more amazing Homes at Julias Blog Here.

Tagged: Five things to love about our state...

Ahh...FLORIDA

photos: Flickr... unless noted
Never thought I would be living here...Ever.

Coming from Colorado and New York...and having only done spring break in

Florida....my view of it was concrete jungle and condos.

I came to live here kicking and screaming...and told my husband three years...TOPS!

10 years have flown by.

I was (and am) wonderfully surprised by it's depth , beauty, culture and people

...and continue to find hidden treasure's

Recently katie-did from California tagged me...asking that I post 5 things to love

about our state (and then spread the love to 5 more) .

Okey dokey then...

What continually amazes me about Florida:

1.that orchids grow wild in the oak trees!

2.We can have a fresh fruit salad straight from our yard...

Bananas, Pineapple, mangoes, papaya, star fruit, Lemon, Lime,

Avacado, mint and even coffee beans (yep...tried our hand at coffee!)

3.There are working cattle ranches deep in Florida...and many are true stewards of this beautiful wild land.

It is a whole beautiful...often unknown, world in its own right.

Photos: Adams cattle Ranch

4. We have one of the oldest cities in the nation...St. Augustine(who knew....eh?)

5. And of course...hard to think of Florida without thinking of the Ocean

...in its ever changing moods and personalities

Now I want to know more about these 5 wonderful bloggers States:

Mabels House

Reflections of Debbie

The Cottage Nest

Lavendar and Roses

Just a girl

....and GO!

Banana Trees or Belgian Chocolate...

Ever had a belgian chocolate?

Creamy, intense... yet simple flavor.

Join me in exploring a home decorated in the Belgian style.

Simple,

Raw, Coarse Texture.

Ancient French doors open into a custom media cabinet and provide the room's gorgeous focus.

...Set for a casual meal. Simple unadorned candles reflected in

a craggy mirror. Large antique lantern.
Chocolate colored linen slipcovers... Yum.
Another simple, single light. Those floors!
The headboard is an old antique door. Tufted Earl chairs.
...Bathroom is clean and fresh...simple.
The sunroom...a place to just be.
The kitchen...pecky cypress ceiling, unstained.
Again...an unadorned, simple light.
Chinese chairs pulled up to a worn farm table.
Another antique door on the wall...This time holding family photos.
Simple gray-green cabinet doors,
Industrial looking light fixtures and back splash.

I love this look...If I weren't surrounded by banana trees and mangos...

I would so be on it!

Coutesy of: House Beautiful Magazine

Photos: Simon Upton

Abandoned...

I was looking through talented architectural photographer Brian Vanden Brinks portfolio...

and came across a haunting set of photos

he has entitled simply

Abandoned

He has amassed a collection of photos of abandoned houses

from throughout the country.

Forlorn, each must have their own hidden story...locked somewhere in the

wind and sun-worn shell.

These homes, no doubt held memories and life for a family...

maybe several.

Once square and proud.

somehow, there is still a stoic beauty.


Thank you to Brian for capturing their elegance.

Balm for the soul...

The texture and soul of old artifacts has always been intriguing to me.

I found a great old indonesian carving this weekend.

He was a "fire sale" and I brought him home for

a mere 20 bucks. I haven't found a place for him...but I will.

yes he is odd, and yes... he is tall (3 feet)...and not everyone's gig.

But he will fit in quite beautifully in our

eclectic abode. I am sure

I love the pics below...

Balm for the soul.

Please click on the pic to get an even better sense.

These images all come from the captivating and eclectic portfolio of Bobby McAlpine.

A talented architect/designer.

timeless.

...Autumn's Bounty...

Fall is slowly creeping our way....ever so slowly...

Enjoy YOUR crisp fall weekends!!

And a Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian Neighbors!!