Merry Christmas 2010

 Merry Christmas from Dixie and Ricky...

Ricky and I have been busy around the farmhouse. We're almost finished with the renovation and decoration of the Guest Room. We decided to buy a Sleep Number bed for our guests, since we love the one we sleep on, so much! I purchased a wonderful yellow and white checked Angelo Home chair at CSN. I found an old Crystal Chandelier at Blue Hills Mall last year, and it's now ready to be installed for our guests. Of course we have guests coming for the Christmas Holiday to try out our new digs.

The stockings are hung and we're ready to celebrate... in this order... My Birthday 12/18, Our Wedding Anniversary 12/20, Christmas Day and Dinner at our house 12/25, and Ricky's 60th Birthday 12/26. For Ricky's celebration, we're having an authentic Cowboy Breakfast.. I'll try to post a few photos here after the event.

We wish you all the Happiest of Holidays... and though I'm not here often, you are always in my thoughts and prayers...

from down here in French Lique...

Epilogue

Epilogue according to Wikipedia, is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work.

This post is the Epilogue for French Lique, Texas blog. Over the past 3-months, as most of you know, I've been recuperating from knee replacement surgery. Those 3-months have given me lots of time to reflect and evaluate... the consequence of which is the end of French Lique.

It has been interesting and fun, most of the time, to blog here. I've made some real friends, inspired a few people and made a few people uneasy. I've shared dreams, thoughts, events and a lot of photos of treasured objects. I've enjoyed my stay, but it is time to go.

So here... the Epilogue...

French Lique is a fictional place. In a novel by Laura Lippman, her characters were traveling through French Lick, Indiana... I fell in love with the town's name and decided to name my fictional place in honor of French Lick... with my own spin... French Lique... "Lique" is not a real word, French or otherwise.

You can find the real me by google-ing Saint Hedwig, Texas... population 1875. I really do live in a small town out in the country on about 7-acres of land. I really do have a big front and back porch on a 40-year old ranch house.

I really am married to Ricky. We really do have 6 grown up children all of whom live in Texas..... and we really do have two white toy poodles named Precious and Roxy.

Ricky is Polish through and through... and I'm French and Irish... both of us Roman Catholic. Our heritages and religious beliefs color my thoughts and posts here in French Lique.

I do have 3 wonderful grandchildren, but their names aren't really Panda, Romeo and Little Einstein...though the nicknames describe them well.

Ricky will retire in 2012, and I will retire 3-years after that. We plan to spend our hot south Texas summers traveling, camper in tow, throughout the USA. There are so many places we haven't seen. We hope to spend our retirement visiting all those wonderful places.

Saying "good-bye" to French Lique is sad but sweet... I've given it lots of thought. I have other things to do now, and need to put my energy and time elsewhere.

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." - Herman Hesse

So from me to you..it's been fun... it's been a good ride... it's time to let go... for the final adieu... and a last good-bye from

Down Here in French Lique....

Dixie

IH10 East near New Berlin, Texas... Windmills and Rednecks...

Ricky had the day off today, so we decided to take a little day trip out IH10 toward Houston... and I couldn't resist sharing a little of what we saw while driving through our beautiful state of Texas...

This was my favorite... old windmills and beautiful Texas blue skies...

Ricky's favorite... Redneck Camper... Why does this make me think of Cat Daddy?

I just love my husband's sense of humor... This one's for you Ricky! just gettin' out of the house for a while... down here in French Lique...

Lunch Break!

Today is a happy day! Sister Lili and I are meeting Candy for lunch! I can hardly wait! She's bringing goody bags for us from Paper Cowgirl, that Cindy was sweet enough to send when I had to cancel due to my stinkin' knee! I'm looking forward to hearing all about Paper Cowgirl 2010 and the fun stuff that I missed! But the best part will be seeing Candy and catching up. You see, my friend Candy always, always makes me smile and laugh...

Down Here in French Lique...

Ancestry.Com and knee surgery....

One thing being laid up from major surgery affords... lots of time to work on projects... mine... working on my Family Tree at Ancestry.Com... I've been slowly working on it for about 4-years. Last week I ran across the photo posted yesterday... of a great-great uncle and his family. I just love finding these old photos...

Happy Thursday from Down Here in French Lique!

ps... Doc says I can lose the walker and the TED hose next Wednesday! FREEDOM!!!

Wordless Wednesday... Ancestry.com

Cowgirls Don't Cry....

but I am....

My doctor has grounded me due to my knee surgery infection.... no Paper Cowgirls this year... I am not a happy Cowgirl...

down here in French Lique!

knees and cowgirls...

Knee replacement surgery is just no fun.... on Monday, I will be post surgery 4-weeks. I don't know what I expected... but I'm pretty sure that it was something like... "I'll be almost mended and ready to take on the world...get back to work..." Well, that's not happening. I had a bit of a setback last week... a minor infection where the staples came out... taking antibiotics... mending slowly... Still not much in the mood for blogging...

I normally burn the proverbial candle at both ends... I'm finding that my personality type was not made to sit around and nurse oneself slowly back to good health... Beyond bored, I've found myself somewhat depressed... and sometimes even wallowing in self pity... that is just not me... but there is some light at the end of this long-long tunnel...

My sweet sister, Lili, and I are going to Waxahatchie in just under two weeks for Paper Cowgirl Art Retreat 2010! I'll still be hobbling along on my walker... I may have trouble sitting through the classes, so I'll probably be disruptive and have to get up and move around... but I'm determined to be there.... I need to get the creative juices going again...
Be with people... laugh... glue... cut paper... laugh... and so a plug for Paper Cowgirl... registration closes on the 13th at midnight... you still have time! Sign up, and I promise... I'll see you there... Just click on the link on my sidebar and be transported to registration. If you're already coming, let me know.. I'd love to meet you in person... I'll be the old broad with a bandaged knee and a walker...

sending out hugs... from down here in French Lique...

no super powers yet.... but I'm working on it... or.... she made it!

I'm alive! Home! and I've a got a brand new knee... sounds great right? Well, my new knee doesn't work too well yet... it hurts and I've got a lot of work to do to get it up to speed... I won't be blogging much in the next few weeks... reading or writing... but you are all in my thoughts and prayers. I see each of your warm, smiling faces in my minds eye as I concentrate, groan, moan and screach my way to good knee agility.... hugs to you all... see ya soon... from down here in French Lique.... Dixie

Me and My Shadow.... Revisited for Sunday Favorites...

On this Sunday morning... the day before my knee replacement surgery... I thought I'd join Chari for some whimsey and a little mental break... Hope you enjoy my contribution... and in my office... I have a baby... that perhaps dreams, that someday, he will grow up...and be a big boy... but for now... he'll have to resign himself to knowing that, his shadow reflects the metamorphosis of the big boy chandy he will become someday... down here in French Lique...

it made me think about how shadows are often so much larger than the thing they are a shadow of...

and a note about the chandy shadow... I completely forgot to take photos of it's installation... I followed the directions supplied by Wilson Graphics very carefully... and though, due to it's large size, it was a little cumbersome for one person to install it alone, once I got going, I found it pretty easy to do. It does take a while... with all the little "crystal" pieces, which have a tendency to want to stay on the paper you peel off... I used my Martha Stewart boning tool... and with a little patience and care... Voila'! I would highly recommend Wilson's products... I've bought others and been disappointed, but no disappointment here! I love it!

Happy Sunday Favorites... I've had this wall art piece for a couple of months... I bought it for my home office from Wilson Graphics Etsy Shop... Now, the reason for this purchase was...

Warning!!! You'll want to check this out! I promise!!!

Snopes confirmed this warning is legit... There's a site called SPOKEO.COM and it's an online phone book that has your address, phone number, profession, age, how many people live in the house, relatives' names... Remove yourself by the Privacy link on the bottom center of the main screen. (passing along, scary stuff!)...

I just removed us!

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

I've been trying to decide whether or not to blog about this upcoming event in my life... 'cause I don't want anybody freaking out over it or anything... Candy would probably tell you that I don't care much for whimpering and whining about my ailments... I just pick myself up by the bootstraps and keep going... so here goes...

On May 17th I'll be celebrating a new knee... yep... knee replacement surgery... I'm not worried about it... not scared... actually looking forward to getting it over with.

Candy would also tell you that I have significant trouble getting around when we take our little thrifting excursions... and I have to "take a break" quite often... which is why I haven't been to Canton or to Round Top in recent years... I've even had to cut back on my Wimberley Market Days trips this past year... So... I'm biting the bullet (as it were), and getting the surgery... Don't worry.... I'll be back in the proverbial saddle soon! So if I'm missing in blogger action for a while... don't worry... as the Terminator says... "I'll be back"...

racing to the finish line... figuratively speaking... Down Here in French Lique...

Sunday Favorites... Porch Party and Happy 1st Birthday

Today I'm joining in the celebration of Sunday Favorites 1-year birthday! Chari at Happy to Design sure puts on a great party... and I couldn't resist joining in by reposting one of my favorite parties... a repost of my contribution to Rondi's second annual porch party, June 2009...

Hope you enjoy reading... or re-reading... and then drop by to see who else is joining in the party today...

THE ORIGINAL POST

Welcome to the porch party at French Lique... and when you finish partying here....
The flowers are all in bloom and inviting you in...
I'm inviting a few Texas Gals over to help celebrate... What... don't see your name here... why silly thing... it's right here in my hand...
and here's a chair for you... I just painted it yesterday morning...
or maybe you'll like this seat better... you get to choose.
The table has been set with all the things you like... lots of vintage china, silver, and depression glass... and a pretty vase of pure white roses...
Don't these say Porch Party to you? How about a bowl full of strawberries or maybe a bowl of cherries? Go ahead... take one... they're delicious!
Here's that artsy shot you've been waiting for... a guest's eye view...
Yep... that porch furniture painted a nice cottage white.. just divine...

Would you like a glass of Saint Gen's White Zin? See a cake plate can also serve as a nice bar tray for some pretty wine glasses...

Then after lunch... we'll mozy on over to the shady end of the porch for a little afternoon tea... These settees will get their white paint next weekend... But don't they look fresh and pretty with their cushions wrapped in an old chenille cutter spread and a few vintage looking pillows?

Ebay just has be best buys on cottage pillows... don't you think... Why don't you just sit right here and make yourself comfortable...

Nice and shady and ready for us to while away the afternoon... chatting and drinking some lovely Raspberry tea... One lump or two?

I love sitting here and listening to the wind chimes... or maybe even taking a summer afternoon nap...

But today we're just too busy to sleep... Here... how 'bout a sip... Ricky got this pretty vintage china for me at an estate auction... it's called Coralbel...

I have the perfect little place to hang my apron... This sweet apron was a blogger giveaway gift from Cathy at Catherine De the' Cups. It's just adorable... I love to wear it!

Here's what it says on the front... Isn't it just the prettiest thing!

Well... I'm still waiting... but no body's here? I'm sure the invitations said 11:30 a.m. sharp for lunch! Oh no! The invitations! Did I forget to mail them? I've just been so busy painting?!

Oh well... I'll pour myself another glass of nice cool wine and sit here and daydream for a while... It's a good thing I forgot to cook too!

Guess I'll tuck my little pretties away... until next time...Maybe Candy and BJ will come over early and help me get organized for our next Porch Party...

I love a porch party... down here in French Lique...

Flowers down the country road...

With all the rain we've been having here in South Texas this spring... it's raining wildflowers...

These, all photos taken of the country road I drive down every few days, going to the post office... or to church.... so here you go... more photos of Texas Wildflowers... down the country road...

Thanks for going along for the ride...

from the heart of Texas...

down here in French Lique...

I'm more of a distraction than anything else....

Back in early February... Candy and Terry (along with my sister from Mississippi, Lili) came to Geronimo to help me move my booth from the back to the front... here's that story... The Fairies of French Lique... and I remind you of this because...

just this past Friday... two of the fairies... Candy and Terry... were doing a little work in their own booth near Wimberley, Texas... My sister, here again from Mississippi..., and I decided to go and visit Candy and Terry and uh... help? Well, as it turns out... I'm more of a distraction than anything else... after our arrival... they worked for another half hour and then I talked them into quitting and running off to Wimberley for some serious sisterhood style shopping with Lili and me...

I forgot to take photos until we got to Brocante... I just loved these bottles... and the photo of the flapper in the cloche (background)...

Terry loved this debutante gown draped over a wicker chair... she's been wondering what to do with an old gown she has for sale... and now... she knows...

This fabulous piece of art reminded me of the beautiful creations of Miss Rock Candy herself...

but this... oh my... was the Pièce de résistance ...
I absolutely fell in love with this beautiful piece of art... from head...

to toe... Magnifique!
the price... $1800...
probably worth every penny...
but way-way over my current frivolous art budget...

after ooooohhhhing and aaaahhhhhhing... and walking around for about 2-hours... (yes of course I bought something.. but that's for later)...
we decided to stop and get a little Texas Iced Tea...

yes... it is true... I'm more of a distraction than anything else...
but Candy, Terry, Lili and I...
always seem to have a really good time... no matter where we go or what we do...
down here in French Lique...

I love Texas in the springtime... Wildflowers...

Lady Bird Johnson spent most of her post White House life, celebrating and preserving Texas Wildflowers... The photos... not from a nature preserve... but from my front yard...

Bluebonnets... the Texas State Flower... and some yellow... Wild Aster
and more yellow... don't know the name but I love it!

and then...

Wild Verbena

and finally, flowering Redbud...

yes... the rusty wire fence surrounds my side yard out behind Ricky's shop...

no... I can't take the credit for gardening... this one is all the handywork of God...

welcoming Spring... down here in French Lique...