Decorating Coastal Style

Ho Hum, let's see. New house. New community. Same old Christmas decorations. I'm wondering how to spice up my decor with lighter colors and a coastal sense of humor.

Of course, I can't throw out my Santa collection. And some things in the classic red and green color scheme must stay. Plus, I don't have an unlimited budget! And... I did shop on Cyber Monday making budget tighter.

But still there's got to be ways to reuse, refresh and restore the spirit. Here's how I did it.

First, I challenged myself to shop locally in my small town (population 8,500). Then, I tried to reuse as much as I have. Thirdly, not to spend a lot of money.

I started out going to a few of my favorite shops -- Comforts of Home and Maison -- to get some inspiration. At Maison I also got a complimentary glass of champagne. Woo Yaa!

At the stores I noticed colored rocks lining the bottom of jars with decorations on top. But at $20 per packet of rocks, they were not in my budget. So, I went to Walmart and bought colored bath salts to fill my hurricane glass. I topped it with my star fish and dropped in some silver balls. A bonus is it smells great and I get to soak in the salts after Christmas. Plus, the salts cost $4. In another hurricane candle holder, I added a red candle accented with colored light bulbs. Woo Yaa!

I love the color of lime green so I decide to sub-out some of the standard red ribbons in my wreaths with lime green ones. I also bought some lime green floral decor with sparkles to add some punch to my swags. It's amazing what a person can do with twister's and hot glue.

But one of my biggest changes was to make decorations out of starfish for my outdoor lighted potted trees. It was so easy, I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. I bought 12 starfish in two sizes from a local shell shop. Then I hot glued hooks on the back. Total time - about 5 minutes. I placed the starfish on the trees, then wrapped a string of red wired ribbon around the tree and topped with a lime green bow. 

To punch up my table decor, I reused my red place mats and napkins but added lime green and blue stripe napkins. Place the napkins together on the diagonal to each other, gather up, and then secure with napkin rings. I used my old gold napkin rings. It looks fresh and modern.

In our front cobalt blue pots, I planted hot pink Cyclamen accented with Dusty Miller. Both seem to be deer resistant which is a big issue in our area.

When my husband got home from work, he said, "Wow, the house looks really nice." I wanted to say, "Good, now I'm going to bed."

Then today my friend Winnie, who is an interior designer, stopped by saying how nice the front of the house looks. So, I'd say it's been a success and didn't break the bank.

Wondering how to keep my poinsettias looking fresh through Christmas.

 The Wondering Texan

Quotable Quote:
 My son upon seeing a neighbors light show (it's like the Griswold's house) said to me, "When can we put more lights up? All we have is this puny deer out front!"

Life on King Ranch

Last Saturday we rounded up our tenderfoots to head out to one of the country's largest ranches - King Ranch. The 5:45 a.m. wake up call came early and they grumbled a little, but we enticed them with a warm breakfast cooked by ranch hands as part of the annual Ranch Hands Breakfast. That helped a little.

With their earplugs and ITouches, we (our kids plus one friend) headed out for the little more than an hour road trip. We watched the sun rise over the plains as we headed for Kingsville, a small blip of a town.

"Look, there's real cowboys," my husband told the kids. I could feel the roll of the eyes behind me.

Branding aprons.

The King Ranch is really amazing. The vastness of the place. The quietness. The wildlife and the history. The fabled ranch began in the late 1800s when boat captain Richard King along with a partner bought a 15,500-acre Mexican land grant named Rincon de Santa Gertrudis. Over the century, the family added acreage to make it 825,000 acres and diversified its business from cattle to citrus in Florida, along with many other endeavors.

Three men and one calf. We saw many calfs win.

It takes a town to put on this breakfast. Everyone from official ranch employees to town volunteers help with the shindig. And it's not only food they dish out, but history and education. Demonstrations of branding, calf roping, weaving, and cowboy entertainment kept the morning lively.

Our son had a great time looking at the longhorns, cheering the calf roping competitors, and watching the branding of King Ranch aprons. Our daughter and her friend, well they liked it. But a trip to the mall would have trumped King Ranch.

Coffee anyone?

Afterwards, we toured the museum which is loaded with buggies, old cars and photographs. We tried to tour the ranch, but the next available tour group was 2.5 hours later. We knew we couldn't keep three kids amused for that long before the tour. We'll save that for another time.

As we ended our time on the ranch we marveled at how it's stayed together over more than a century. It's weathered the Civil War, the Depression, droughts, floods, hurricanes, and the ebbs and flows of time.

Wondering when we can get back.

The Wondering Texan

Just a thumb-size portion on the ranch.

City kids love horses.

A Letter to Santa

I think I'll add this to his baby book.

'Tis the time for children to mull over catalogs, circle items and argue that they really have been good all year. It's no different in my household.

Last week, a catalog came in the mail and my 10-year-old son promptly grabbed it and circled about 15 things he wanted. Then, he sat down and wrote to the Head Honcho, Santa.

His letter is so sweet, I had to share it.

"Dear Santa,

I have been a very good boy this year & I don't want much but one of my wishes is that my family can be heathy (sic) & happy. I was also thinking about the fact that almost no one even belives (sic) in you. That gets me upset, but don't worry, I still belive (sic) in you. But don't worry about them besides you'll always have me & when I grow up, my children & etc. So Santa, live on! Happy Holidays."

Relaxing by the fire.

Although going through a major illness was truly earth shattering, I do believe that it also had some upsides. One is that my family has learned not to take each other for granted. I'd like to think my children have a more balanced perspective on what's important. Also, we have learned to slow down and enjoy the seasons.

For example, last weekend, my husband and I burned some pinon wood in the fire pit enjoying the crackling sound and earthy smell. With our feet propped up, we looked at each other and savored the moment. Then my husband said, "You're my best friend."

Wondering if Santa can bottle moments like that.

The Wondering Texan

Serving Ick for Dinner

Well, here I am. It's a little after 10 p.m., the kids are in bed and the dogs have been in bed and snoring for hours. I'm waiting for my husband to return home after a four-day business trip.

Looks like a science experiment with worms.

The house is quiet except for the ticking of the wall clock.

This moment is especially pleasurable because today my OCD kicked in and I went on a cleaning rampage in anticipation of my husband's return. I scoured toilets, wiped mirrors, used Clorox on just about every surface, and changed bedsheets. Then, I thought I'd be a super nice wife and make him a hearty dinner, keep it warm, and have a glass of wine with him. It was a good thought, but I just chose the wrong thing to cook.

After I "doctored" it some.

I chose beef stroganoff from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, circa 1981.  The cookbook was given to me in 1987 by my late mother. She inscribed it with "This is one of the best. Enjoy. Love Mom." She had great handwriting which, sadly, is not a genetic trait.

Anyway, I bought the ingredients, pulled out my big cast iron Dutch Oven pot, and got to work as my son completed his homework. I floured and salted the beef tenderloin cubes, buttered the pot, chopped the onions, and spooned in the tomato paste. Stirred, tasted and salted the concoction.

But a funny thing happened as I was cooking. Life interrupted. First, my son kept peppering me with math questions. This is never a good thing. After all, there is a reason I studied Journalism. Then my daughter pulled herself up to the breakfast bar. She carefully laid out a clothes catalog and told me which items she wants for Christmas. Then she said to me, "Mom, I know where you can hide the Christmas presents this year."

"Well, if you tell me where to hide them, that's not exactly hiding them," I said.

Then, I stepped backwards and nearly tripped over a dog. 

I definitely wasn't having a Martha moment. But I continued to read the recipe and kept thinking, "Hum, this is a lot of flour it's asking for."

The taste was kind of bland and gritty so I added more wine. And some parsley. And more garlic. And a little more wine.

Finally, I gave up and served it to my children. Along with steamed asparagus drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. They were so delighted.

So, in conclusion, I guess I'm better at making dishes calling for Rotel, cream of mushroom soup, chili powder and/or chicken broth.

Although my husband will probably prefer the leftover brisket from Sunday night, I'm sure he'll appreciate my effort. That, and the fresh pine scent the house has.

Wondering where exactly did I go wrong?

The Wondering Texan

Throwing a Downhome Thanksgiving for the Brits

Last Saturday night, our neighbors Judy and Les hosted a real American Thanksgiving for their visiting British friends who came to South Texas for a little sun, seafood, and everything Western. So with that, Brits John and Nora experienced their first Thanksgiving celebration marshmallows and all.

Instead of giving you the blow-by-blow of the party, here are snippets of conversations that I think you will enjoy. Try to imagine the British accents of John and Nora while reading.

Conversation #1: Let There Be Sun
John:  "We went to the grocery store today and a guy came up to me saying he hasn't seen white legs like mine in quite a while. I told him, 'yes I know. They're like milk jugs."

Conversation #2: A Cowgirl Hat for Mum
Nora: " I bought a cowgirl hat to wear to the King Ranch."
Me: "Oh really? What does it look like?"
Neighbor Judy: "It's lime green and rolled up along the sides."
My thought: Only a British mum could get away with wearing a lime green straw cowgirl hat to the King Ranch and not get cattle prodded.

Conversation #3: I'm a Little Tea Pot
John: "At Walmart I asked the sales lady where the tea pots are. She took me to these big tea brewing things. 'No I said, a tea pot. A little tea pot.' She got confused so I gave up."

Conversation #4: More Marshmallows Please
Nora: "Oh, you put marshmallows on sweet potatoes?"

Conversation #5: Cranberries and Taters
Neighbor Winnie: "Did you see he put the cranberry sauce on his potatoes?"

Conversation #6: Watch the Nails
Neighbor Judy: "We went and got our nails done yesterday. Nora started to put on her seat belt and I screamed at her 'No! You will mess up your nails.'
Nora: "So I asked, 'But won't we get in trouble with the police?"
Judy: "I told her they won't bother us. So she perched on the front of her seat with her fingers in front of the air conditioner vent."
Me to Nora: "Men in Texas know not to bother us when it comes to our hair and nails."

Conversation #7: Poor Camilla
Me: "What did you guys think of the royal wedding?"
Nora: "Oh we had a block party. It was a lovely wedding. She's a lovely girl."
John: "To think, Charles preferred Camilla over Diana! Camilla is a cow."
Nora: "She's lazy. And everybody thinks Diana was murdered."

Conversation #8: No Botox Necessary
Judy: "We took them to eat a Tex-Mex breakfast."
Nora: "Oh my Lord! I took a bite and it had a jalapeno in it. My lips swelled up. I didn't need botox."
Winnie: "Maybe you had an allergic reaction?"
Nora: "You eat those with breakfast?"
Me: "They're really good wrapped in bacon."
Winnie: "With cream cheese."
Judy: "Grilled or fried."

Mock boots. Got 'em in Fort Worth.

Conversation #9: I Gotta Get Me Some of Those Boots
Ex-Rancher Warren: "Hey I liked those boots you wore last weekend. I need some."
Me: "Thanks. But I don't know if they make them for men."
Warren: "They are exactly what I need. I barely can pull mine off anymore."

Conversation #10: The End of the Night
John: "Good night luv."

Wondering if I should buy a cowgirl hat?

The Wondering Texan

The $150 Wrench

The offending wrench.

Late last week as my husband drove my car to work, the back tire blew out. Since we had to order a new tire, we used my husband's car over the weekend. Family of four down to one car. Not easy.

When the new tire arrived and was being put on, one of the mechanics came over and told me my Buick was ready. I corrected him and said I don't own the Buick. "Oh, then you're the wrench lady," he told me.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Come over here," he beckoned. "Hey Dave, here's the wrench lady."

Dave pulled off of the shelf a gray, metal wrench and handed it to me. "When I was taking off your hubcap, I heard a rattling. At first I thought the sensory was blown. But then I pulled out the wrench. In all of my years of being a mechanic, I've pulled out box cutters, rebar, nails, but never, ever, a wrench."

So, the wrench was the culprit. I called my husband and told him, "We just bought a $150 wrench," I joked. Of course, my son thinks it's really cool and wanted the wrench.

When my husband got home from work, I handed him the "new" wrench.

Wondering how in the heck a wrench could puncture a tire?

The Wondering Texan

Quotable Quote:
Our neighbors are hosting some friends from Liverpool, England, for two weeks. We went over the other night to meet them. They commented on how big vehicles are here and specifically about the F250 our neighbor drives. In his endearing British voice, John said, "I've never driven down a highway in a condo before."

This Saturday, they are hosting a traditional American Thanksgiving for their guests. Should be fun.

A Ghoulish Time Pinching Heads Off

The weekend has come and gone, and for that I am one thankful wife and mother.

10 lbs. of shrimp was about 2 lbs. too much for 17 people.

As I said earlier, we hosted our first shrimp boil on Friday night and everyone seemed to have a pretty darn good time. No one got food poisoning, no one broke a thing, and no one needed a designated driver.

Slicing the beef sausage for the pot

For the main course we served 10 pounds of huge shrimp bought for $65 and caught fresh from the Gulf that morning by "Dong The Shrimper." We divided them up into two batches - one spicy and the other one with more kick. For the shrimp, we boiled them in a heavy dose of Zatarain's Shrimp & Crab Boil and added several heads of garlic, sliced onions, some salt and pepper, lemon wedges and cayenne pepper. We also added to the pot beef sausage and frozen mini corn-on-the-cob ears. Put the sausage in first, then the corn, and lastly the shrimp. For those really adventurous, we had hot sauce on the table for extra seasoning. Then we dumped it all on a big platter and let people peel the shells and pinch the heads off.

Served with the shrimp were cornbread muffins, potato salad and two desserts one being my grandmother's blueberry pie with a heap of fresh whipped cream on top.

My little monsters.

The next evening we attended a country/western party. I even got my husband out on the dance floor for one song! Then of course, last night was Halloween. The schools were closed yesterday (I've never seen that before) so all day I heard, "when can we go out?" It was enough to turn me into a monster. To help tame my beasts, I called my friend Winnie and asked if the kids could go to her house to swim with her golden lab.

But a funny thing happened along the way to candy overload. About 30 minutes into door knocking, my daughter returned home saying she was bored and wanted to hand out candy instead. Then my husband returned home about 30 minutes later with our son who wanted to hand out candy and hide in the bushes to scare kids. "You may, but don't scare the little kids," I cautioned him.

Hum, wondering if Trick or Treating is becoming a thing of the past for them.

The Wondering Texan

Quotable Quote:
Over the weekend the little old lady across the street went to the hospital after she fell. This is the second visit by EMS in about three weeks. Her family came down after the first one to help straighten things up with their mom but they don't want to put her in assisted living or a retirement home. Our daughter was listening to my husband and I talk about this situation when she blurted out, "Why don't they put her to sleep?" Before my husband or I could respond, our son said, "She's not a dog!" To which our daughter said, "But, she's a lot of trouble." She was being totally serious.

I told my daughter, "I'm very afraid to grow old around you!" But we still love our little Kevorkian.