Mercury Glass String Lights....warming it up for Fall!

Saw these awesome faux mercury glass string lights a few days ago over on Shannon's Fox Hollow Cottage blog and my heart went pitty-pat!!!  I ran right out to Big Lots and picked some up for my very own.....

Fanciful little things!  They are battery-operated, so you can put 'em just about anywhere.  I have tucked mine into some Fall garland in the living room......

added a pumpkin scented candle.....

and am totally enjoying the ambiance here on the first day of Fall! 

 

Welcome, Fall.....so glad you have finally arrived!  This is my favorite time of year.....the sights, the smells, the cool evenings and soft afternoon sunlight.....perfection!!!

How was the first day of Autumn in your neck of the woods???

Welcoming FALL at HOME!!!

Signs of approaching Autumn have arrived here at Janie's Porch!!!

I finally found the motivation and energy to drag out the bins of Fall decor this past weekend.  In keeping with the simpler, pared down look we've been bringing to the interior of our little cottage, I didn't utilize everything I own.  Instead, I opted for some of my favorite items, in softer, muted tones to complement the new palette in the living room.  

 

And focused on PUMPKINS!!!

Out on the porch, I brought back my standing scarecrow and utilized the potted mums and pumpkins that made their way home with me the last few days.  I picked up an "outdoor" pillow for the rocker at Home Depot - half price at the end of summer clearance - $5.98.  Doesn't it look cozy with its Autumn hued stripes?!?!?

It will be easy to add a few more items when we get into October for Halloween.  "Layering" is one of my favorite ways to jazz it up as we move through the season! 

I'm sure I will be tweaking as September rolls over to October.  But, for now, it feels good to have a jump on the Fall decorating.  What about you?  Have you taken the plunge and done it yet?!?!?  

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will take a moment to leave a comment below and share how you're coming along with welcoming Fall at your home!!!

Check out some other great Fall sites!!!
Linking up with -

"Inspiration Exchange Link Party" at Yellow Bliss Road
"Treasure Hunt Thursday" at From My Front Porch to Yours 

Stealing a Little Time...

Eddie Dale and I were able to sneak away yesterday evening for a bit......

Loaded up his shotguns and some folding chairs in the truck; stopped at the Taco Bell drive-thru; and headed out to Noodle.....

He set up for some dove hunting and I settled in with my camera.  He only got one bird, which we couldn't find in the tall grass.  But, I got some wonderful shots of the sun setting.....

And the moon rising.....

It was a magical time, peaceful and quiet.....together......I love that man so!

Sleep tight, dear friends......

 

 

Solitary Pumpkin Arrives on Janie's Porch!

It felt a bit cooler here today.....like only maybe lower 90's.....

Trust me, that feels like a "cold front" to us here!!!

Made a quick stop at HEB for a few things (essentials like coffee and toilet paper!) and what did my wandering eyes behold?????

 

That's right!  THEY'RE HERE!!!  Huge display right at the entrance....and one of 'em just popped itself right in my cart when they saw how excited I was.

Here it sits on the porch, with those mums,which I am watering every single day, sometimes twice.  Oh, it's looking just a wee bit lonely.....might have to run back and get another just to keep it company. I figure if I just pick one up each time I stop at the store, I should easily have at least a dozen pumpkins by mid-October.  (We really should invest in some HEB stock...)

All is feeling right with the world at the moment.....sigh......

No decor up inside yet.  But, this little bit is sure making me happy!

Be blessed!

Loving Our New Woven Blinds......

Hey, ya'll!  Labor Day weekend is winding down.....hope yours has been great!!!

Mine was actually pretty busy.  Since Eddie Dale had to work all three days, I decided I would work, too - only I stuck around the house to do my work! 

I decided to go ahead and give the woven bamboo blinds I found at Home Depot a shot.  I've been eyeballing them online for weeks because the cost was only $16.97 each.  I simply hate the plastic 1-inch mini-blinds throughout our house - they are not cottage-y - at all!  

So, I ran out to the local store (their handy dandy website indicated they had thirteen 27"x72" shades in stock) and picked up enough to do the living room.  I really like the roman shade style and the way these filter the light, creating a nice soft ambiance in the room.  Although they are not completely private, they are fine in the living area.  Oh, and did I mention they are only $16.97 a window?!?!?  So reasonable, yet they give me the "look" I've been "Pinning" for months!

 They were super simple to hang!  Having used some of these inexpensive shades at our place in Pampa several years ago, I knew that I would need different hardware than what comes with them.  So, I picked up some teeny, tiny little cup hooks for an inside mount.  

It took about an hour, with dogs underfoot, to hang all five shades in the living room.  All I needed was the drill (pilot holes for the cup hooks), power screwdriver (for removing the mini-blind hardware), a pencil to mark where I wanted to hang, and a small step ladder.  And let's not forget, I needed scissors to open the packaging and a trash bag for clean-up as I worked. 

I am loving how this turned out!  In fact, I loved it so much that I went back yesterday and got enough to install in the kitchen......

 And the master bedroom.  Since we will have the need for a little more privacy sometimes in the bedroom, I am going to switch out the curtain panels for something a little heavier than what we currently have.  We can simply pull these closed when we want to shut out the light and the world. 

The most time consuming part of the entire process was CLEANING THE WINDOWS, inside and out!  We have a water well for outside watering and there was quite a bit of hazy build-up on the exterior windows from calcium and minerals in the water we run through the sprinklers. If you have this problem where you live, Eddie found a great way to clean up with the least amount of effort!  We used CLR, applied with a scrubber-style sponge.  After giving the windows a good scrubbing, I polished up with Windex and paper towels.  I did end up having to get a razor blade scraper and full-strength CLR in some really tough areas, but the extra effort was definitely worth it.  My windows are sparkling, inside and out!  

All in all, it was a pretty productive 3-day weekend!  

Hope you'll leave me a comment below and let me know how you spent your holiday weekend!!!

Linking up with -

Robin @ All Things Heart and Home for Monday Funday
Alderberry Hill's Make the Scene Monday 
Love of Family and Home's "Inspire Me Please" Weekend Blog Hop

Hugs to ya!

Saying "Goodbye" to a Beloved Pet....

This is a post I have put off for over a month now.....but, it's time to write it, if only to satisfy some inner need I feel to share the memories....of Scout.

Scout was a part of my life for over 13 years.  I got her when she was only 8 weeks old....we bonded instantly and completely.  Through the years, she brought me much joy and companionship.  She was always glad to see me when I walked through the door, yet never let me forget that she was in control!  A strong-willed diva, a princess, the undisputed leader of our little pack....and a beloved member of our family.  She was more than a pet, she was "my baby". 

On July 17th, I took Scout to our vet because she had begun coughing after any physical exertion.  Suddenly, just quick trips outside to "go potty" seemed to leave her winded.  He diagnosed her with congestive heart failure and started her on several medicines.  Over the next few days, we made multiple visits back to the vet....the meds were tweaked, but she continued to deteriorate.  By the evening of the 25th, she began to struggle to breathe.  She wouldn't eat or drink.  All I could do was hold her and pray that she would drift off to sleep and find comfort.  But, morning light found her worse and we made that final trip to the vet's office.  She was suffering so that it seemed her eyes pleaded with me to put an end to it and make it stop....

Although it was one of the hardest and most difficult decisions I have ever had to make, I realized that the kindest and most loving thing I could do for my precious pet was to help her ease over to a restful place.  I stayed with her there until that final breath, wanting her to know how loved she was.... 

My heart still has a hole the size of Texas in it.  Not a day goes by that I don't think I hear her tags jingling as she makes her way down the hall to me.  I miss her cuddling up on the sofa with me in the evenings and laying at my feet as I sit here at the desk and type.....

But, I have lots of wonderful memories....and photos to help me remember.  Sometimes, when I think back on some of her antics and stunts, I find myself laughing out loud. 

Wrestling with her "bubbas" - she sure did love those boys!

She always loved finding a sunny spot

Snuggling with her paw sister, Pepper; they were inseparable!

Trying to entice Eddie Dale to play with her toys....didn't work!

Watching for her tots to come at Sonic...one of her favorite outings

With my whole heart, I know that little pup is parked somewhere in an easy chair in heaven, just waiting for me.  And, although I miss her terribly, I am so very thankful that I had the honor and joy of being her "mommy" for so many years!