HYACINTHS FOR THE SOUL

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Spring in the Texas Hill Country

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Little Blanco River

Welcome to the

The Texas Hill Country

I was fortunate to be a guest

recently at this lovely hill country home.

A beautiful garden of agava, cactus, sage,

bluebonnets, and other Texas

wildflowers greeted us on arrival.

Two stone barns circa1930 anchor

a lovely courtyard garden where we enjoyed lunch.

The courtyard features a central fountain

and raised beds of blooming plants.

Rustic furniture made from cedar trees

on the property offers comfortable seating and dining.

The tables were set with colorful textiles

and pitchers filled with bouquets of spring flowers.

The serving table featured a vibrant cloth

from Mexico, appliquéd in big bright sunflowers.

The bouquets looked as if they had

just been picked from the cutting garden.

Bright multicolored glasses,

reminiscent of a box of Crayons,

were the perfect compliment to yet another

of the hostess' hand embroidered Mexican textiles.

Stacks of assorted pottery plates . . .

Offered both color

and a touch of whimsy.

Lunch was a selection of salads.

~ Black Bean and Corn Salad ~

Served with Pita Chips

Recipe here

~ Mandarin Orange and Chicken Salad ~

Recipe here

~ Plump Seedless Grapes ~

~ Chewy Chocolate Brownies ~

After lunch our hostess took us

on a tour of her prismatic gardens.

Peggy Martin Climbing Rose

and Yellow Columbine

The juxtaposition of the various plants

with the shapes and textures of the stone

provides a tranquil setting within the courtyard garden.

A group of wheelbarrows

serve as planters.

More Peggy Martin Climbing Roses

cover the entrance to the second barn.

Peggy Martin Rose

Click here to read the

story of this amazing climber.

A pair of large iron cockerels guard

the gates at either end of the Arbor Garden.

Raised beds made from stone quarried

on the farm are home to various deer resistant plants.

The garden design is perfect

for its hill country setting.

Mexican Sage

Plants in this garden

are native to the area.

Red Poppies

They can withstand the

Texas heat with minimal water.

Damianita Daisy

All the while providing

vibrant color and beauty.

Hope you enjoyed spring in

the Texas hill country.

Joining

Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm

Oh, the Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Festive Friday Fiesta @ Home Girl

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life
Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings
Blue Monday @ Smiling Sally
Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House
On the Menu Monday @ Stone Gable
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Pretty Things @ TwelveOeight
Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Your Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With An E
The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch
Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Cottage Garden Party @ Fishtail Cottage

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

How to Host a Taco Party

Let's Dish

Spring and Summer are the

perfect times to host a Taco Party.

Pull out your most colorful dishes

and accents that offer a bit of texture.

Mix in some seaside details.

Serve fish tacos

for a light, healthy entrée.

I captured this table setting

at a local Pottery Barn.

Simply couldn't resist sharing these

colorful dishes and fun ideas.

Pottery Barn's Cabo Melmaine outdoor

dishes come in both red and blue.

The designs are taken from earthenware

but made in unbreakable melamine.

In addition to the dinnerware sets,

Pottery Barn also offers several fun

serving pieces, like this set of condiment bowls and tray.

The display table at Pottery Barn

mixed the Cabo pattern with

pieces of PB's Rope Outdoor Collection.

A table runner woven of pure cotton

added vibrant color and texture

perfect for the Mexican theme.

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Pottery Barn's web site offers a wonderful collection of entertaining inspiration for Theme Parties, Everyday Parties, and Holiday Parties. Each party feature includes photos of gorgeous table settings, and party planning ideas and tips, complete with recipes, playlists, and party invitation and placecard downloads.

Click for the

Summer Taco Party

Joining

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Open House Friday @ Bernideen's Tea Time

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Festive Friday Fiesta @ The Home Girl
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life
Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Pretty Things @ twelveOeight
Tuesday Treasures @ Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Your Gonna Love it Tuesday @ Kathe With An E
The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch
Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Oh, The Places I've Been ~ Anthropologie

Anthropologie

Oh, the Places I've Been!

The Tablescaper is hosting a new weekly meme.

Starting April 19th.

Grab the button, join in the fun

and link up on Thursday evenings @ 7 pm

to share those special places you've been

and the sights you've seen.

I'm so excited about this new meme,

that I'm jumping the gun and sharing this amazing

dinnerware seen while shopping at a local Anthropologie.

Oh, the wonderful treasures to be found at

Anthropologie!

Pacifica

Designed by Ceramist Linda Fahey

Linda lives in Northern California

near the Pacific Ocean.

You can read more about Linda at

Linda Fahey Ceramic and Design.

A partial quote below from Linda's site

offers insight into the inspiration of this talented lady's work.

"What can I say about the ocean? The ocean is different every minute of every day. Every moment a thousand different colours, textures, and moods are reflected. The sound of waves I hear in the night, spectacular evening colour and light. The ocean is almost always in my sights and never far from my thoughts, it's influence immeasurable."