lemony heaven

I am officially now head-over-heels for Haagen-Daz's "Zesty Lemon" sorbet. I seriously can't stop eating it, and the tiny pints are $3+ each! Not only do they contain zero grams of fat, but the calorie count isn't bad either. This new addiction can't be good for my pocket book, but perhaps this treat will help me lose baby weight?

autumn, here we come

While I wait (impatiently) for the arrival of my baby, I keep reminding myself to stop and smell the roses. (We don't have any roses, but I digress.) I'm sensing the arrival of fall, my favorite time of year, which officially begins tomorrow. Nevermind that the temperature is still in the 80s. Somewhere, somehow there is a green leaf slowly changing to crimson, and it makes me giddy. I took the above photograph a couple of years ago, and decided to post it because, well, I love gourds. I just love them. Pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors are on sale at Whole Foods already. Call me silly, but I live for autumn.

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My Autumn Top 10:

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10) Cooler temps. We don't get much of a break between summer and winter in Texas, and I cherish all three weeks of it. I adore breezy temps in the 60s.

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9) Halloween. This was my favorite holiday as a child. My elementary school would have a Halloween carnival, and it made the night so much more festive. I don't dress up now, but I never miss a chance to give out candy to the neighborhood little ones.

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8) Thanksgiving. As a young adult, my favorite holiday morphed into Thanksgiving, and my mouth still waters thinking about my Nana's turkey and dressing with the sounds of a football game in the background.

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7) Pumpkin bread. There is a tradition in my family of clove-and-nutmeg-enriched, pumpkin-bread-making in the fall. We are not allowed to begin until October 1, and all baking must cease by January 1. It keeps it special.

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6) Colorful leaves. Lest you begin to think that my entire list is food related, worry no more. I once made a pilgrimage to New England in October just to leaf-peek. I'm a weirdo. In Dallas, we only have a brief show, but it makes me happy.

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5) Football. I'm from Texas. It's a prerequisite.

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4) Charlie Brown's "The Great Pumpkin". Don't laugh. You know you love it, too.

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3) Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum. I begin to lose consciousness (not really) when I think about how, this year, I will have a little one to take to the Arboretum, snuggle her up against some pumpkins, and take a picture. Sigh.

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2) Gourds. Green ones, white ones, striped ones... I'm addicted. It's no coincidence that Cinderella's pumpkin turned into a magic coach to take her to the ball. Gourds are magical. And they don't taste bad, either. Bake a butternut squash with some cinnamon, and you'll be addicted, too.

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1) The State Fair of Texas. This is, hands down, the best thing about fall in Dallas. The fair begins this Friday and ends October 18. I've only missed it once my entire life, and I look forward to it every year. I'm beginning to salivate right now. But it's about more than the fried food; it's the ferris wheel, the livestock, the giant talking cowboy in Wrangler jeans, the tradition of attending a fair that's more than a century old. It's beyond explanation.

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Well, did I leave something out?

just my style

Because I sometimes feel inclined to put a label on things (hey, so what?), I started thinking today about my own personal design style. This sometimes happens when I'm cleaning the house and looking around at how I've chosen to decorate my abode. If someone asked me to describe my design aesthetic, what would I tell them? I'm certainly not just "modern." I'm far from "traditional." No where near "classic." Anything "contemporary" is too new. I like retro pieces mixed with new. I came across the term "bohemian modern" recently, and that seems more like me. Then I thought "vintage modern" might do. Am I over-thinking this?

One of my favorite designers is Amy Butler. She designs mostly fabrics, but her home is divine. Just my style. The above photograph is an image of her dining room. What would you call this? Whatever it is, it's "me."