Mt. Dora, Florida - continued

I loved this little studio, The Painter's Daughter.  There was an art gallery upstairs, and downstairs there were antiques intermixed with new clothes and accessories.

The outside of the gallery had some very interesting plants along the sidewalk area...

metal corn in the garden...

and a beautiful basket on the entry steps.

This sign also greeted us as we entered the gallery.

"She" was right inside the door...and upon further investigation I noted a quote on her hat.

Interesting, don't you think?

There are many wonderful shops jammed full of gift items

You hardly know where to look!

...this room was full of "beach" stuff!

The shop owners are happy and helpful!  Makes it easy to spend your money! HA!!

One of the things I find most "odd" in Florida is the amount of shells for sale in many of the antique malls.  Really?  Antique shells?

I thought this cute little "vignette" was very "beachy"! 

There is a wonderful clock repair shop in the old hotel downtown.  So many to choose from, along with watches and other table top clocks.

This was one of the only antique stores open on a Tuesday afternoon. 

I think this lampshade was my favorite find of the day.  I took a picture of the three images on the shade.

Too bad it was so large...

Just knew I couldn't stuff it into an already full suitcase!

All in all...we had a great day in Mount Dora.  RT was able to join us for the day, so not only did Peter enjoy taking pictures of all the great old architecture in the town, RT and I were able to roam in and out of all the shops and look as long as we liked.  

 So...if you are in the "region" be sure and make a trip to Mount Dora, Florida.  Great "small town" with friendly people!

Mt. Dora, Florida

Today was a day off from the "convention world" we have been part of.  After 9 days of convention activities...time away.  There were things to pack up and put on trucks back to Dallas, but once completed we headed out of town to Mount Dora.

Mount Dora is about 27 miles N.W. of Orlando, Florida.  It's a small town that evokes that quiet and comfortable “Southern” charm and hospitality of a lakefront community.  There are gentle rolling hills and orange groves surrounding the city. At an elevation of 184 feet above sea level, Mount Dora is Florida’s equivalent of a mountain top town.

The large, beautiful lake upon which the City grew is named for Ms. Dora Ann Drawdy (1819-1885), who homesteaded in the mid-1800's.  Ms. Dora befriended federal surveyors with her warm hospitality. In 1846, the surveyors named Lake Dora for her, and years later, in 1883, the small but growing town was named for the lake. Today, Ms. Drawdy is buried in Umatilla.

We began our adventure by looking for a place to eat lunch.

The locals recommended "The Goblin Market"

The entrance was down an alley...

and through an arbor!

You an see there are several umbrellas on the back patio, and there is a courtyard on the other side of the building.

The inside was dark and felt very much like a cozy reading nook.  The food...excellent!  If you are in the area check it out.

The old buildings were in good shape and there was so much to see.

There were also many other options for enjoying the Florida weather.  I love this patio situated under the larger shade tree.

The pub right on the main street had great wooden shutters that opened up to let fresh air and sunlight inside.

The shops were all very quaint and, of course, very touristy...but full of fun and friendly people.

This is one of the best porches I've seen in awhile!

So many wonderful things to see.

For some reason I'm having trouble uploading my pictures, so tomorrow I'll show you some of the shops and art galleries.

We fly home tomorrow...so things will fall back into a rhythm of being home.  I'll also report on some of the reading.  I didn't get a lot read...once people arrived for the convention, I had a lot more company at the pool which meant a lot more time to visit with old friends.

Till tomorrow,
debi

Reading...continued

Day one at the pool and I completed Texas Roads.

The "gist" of the book is about a city gal (Dani Davis) who just wants to find a place to call home. Miller’s Creek, Texas seems like the perfect place to start over, except for the cowboy (Steve Miller) who gives her a ride into town.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Dani. What an honest and likable woman she was. Every girl from Texas dreams of a cowboy like Steve Miller coming to her rescue.  He was a great cowboy who would do whatever he could to protect those he loves. Aunt Beth is a sincere and wise woman of God. The secondary characters were very well drawn and I felt like I needed to scour the papers and look for a Victorian house for sale so I could move to Miller's Creek myself.

Cathy Bryant has also set up an interesting website for Texas Roads.  She has created an online community founded on Miller's Creek, the fictitious town where her main characters live. The site includes Mama Beth's recipes, Dani's money-saving tips and a Bible study based on the spiritual themes in the book.

This was an easy read by the pool and I enjoyed my afternoon spent with the new friends I met in Miller's Creek.

Today I'll begin:

I'll let you know tomorrow how it read.  It's not very long, so I think I'll have time to finish it today!

I neglected to say that I had this book (The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally,Globally and Online) in the bottom of my book bag...I have been reading it in snippets at Dr. visits, car dealerships, and any other times I find myself with a bit of a wait someplace.  I'll let you know what I think.  So far lots to digest!

Off to the pool...

debi

Reading...

I brought plenty of reading for the next 10 days.  Most of the things I'm involved with here happen at night. During the day I am free to spend my time at the pool and read (Peter and Emily have work schedules they must follow.)  I show up for meals...then back to the pool.  Such a hard life!

Texas Roads was my first choice for reading.  It's by Cathy Bryant. (Check her out!)  I met Cathy in Blogland and ordered her book from her blog! Texas Roads is Cathy Bryant's debut novel.  Her novel was a 2009 finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers' Genesis competition.  Cathy lives with her husband in a century-old Texas farmhouse and is a Texas girl by birth.  Stop by and tell Cathy hello...and be sure to order her book.  So far I'm hooked!

It was Good Making Art to the Glory of God is a collection of over twenty essays on issues relating to making art from a Christian perspective. There are many color artworks from Michelangelo to Makoto Fujimura and from Rembrandt to Tim Hawkinson.  I look forward to learning from many great artists!

Texas Legacy was given to me for Christmas and I haven't had a moment to read these "novels"...

Texas Legacy is a series of three novels by author DiAnn Mills (and they are all under one cover.)  I have not read anything by DiAnn before, but if Texas is in the title I think I may just enjoy the read.  I believe these books are also Faith based novels...so I'm looking forward to diving in!

"It's one thing to have a dream. It's another to do the things needed to achieve it" - that's the premise behind John Maxwell's latest book Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions That Will Help You See It and Seize It (you can read more from the Thomas Nelson's blogger review) John Maxwell doesn't try to tell you the right answers, but instead delivers ten great questions that really should be considered by anyone with a dream.  Hopefully I'll have time to squeeze this one in as well before my 10 days are up.

I also brought along some light reading (learning) for when my eyes just can't stay open anymore (or someone wants to talk, talk, talk to you while I am trying to relax!) HA!

Look for me along the right side of the pool!  I'll be under the yellow umbrellas!

Till tomorrow,

debi

Away

Beginning tomorrow…I am away for 10 days! It will be a great break from all the routines of my life. I’ll enjoy a break from work, a break from sewing…a break from all that is familiar.

 

I’ve packed several books to read by the pool. (I'll report on them later.) I’ve packed paper and colored pencils to sketch, and packed my camera to capture all that is new and interesting around me! I’m also taking my computer and will be able to keep up with any new installments to my favorite blog Mystic Equus. 

If you have not yet met Terri, give her a “holler” and tell her I said to stop by.  Her writing is wonderful!  She will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat! Give yourself a treat and start from the beginning and read all her posts. There aren’t too many right now (17) and it won’t take too long for you to catch up! Mark my words...she’ll be a famous writer some day and you can claim to have “known her when”…

 

Today I want to encourage all you out there to also take a break! It may only be for a day or even an hour but take a much deserved break. Step away from the stress and recharge! There are so many things free things you can do to de-stress, recharge and relax!

• Take a walk in your yard and enjoy the smells of spring in the air.
• Indulge in a piece of chocolate.
• Call a friend and brighten her day (or she can brighten yours!!)!
• Listen to some relaxing music. I love praise music – no words!

What do you LOVE to do to relax?

 

I’ll try to post pictures of the hotel where we’ll be staying, and any other “points of interest”.

 

See you in 10 days!

 

debi

 

Oklahoma Favorite

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of architecture I saw in Oklahoma.  There were so many interesting buildings, both new and old.  Most of my enjoyment came from the buildings that have been preserved from the wrecking ball.  Preserving our history and the integrity of these buildings is important for all generations.  It also is a reminder of the strong men and women who braved so much to build our nation.

Muskogee’s official founding was in 1876, even though settlements had existed in the area for decades.

The Cherokee and Creek tribes had established settlements near Muskogee, with the town being incorporated into both Indian Nations. The Creeks, recognizing the economic value of the location and made Muskogee the Capital of the Creek Nation in 1836.

It was not until 1888 that a non-citizen of Indian Territory could legally even own land in this area.

Charles Haskell came to Muskogee in 1901 and he organized and built most of the railroads running into the city. He built and owned fourteen brick buildings in the city. Through his influence, Muskogee grew to be a center of business and industry with a population of over twenty thousand inhabitants in a matter of years. Haskell often told others that he hoped Muskogee would become the "Queen City of the Southwest."

Many of Muskogee's streets in the downtown district still show their original brick structure and buildings dating back to Haskell’s era are interspersed with modern architecture. 

We took a lot of pictures in Muskogee, OK...but I'll save them for another day.  Today I want to show you a great find that was a little off the main downtown area.

This house is one of those structures that makes me take a second look. 

We had pulled up to the stop sign along the side of this house and I immediately noticed the little bump out window along the front. What a great spot to cozy up and read a book?

The next thing I noticed was the fact there was a Tea Room in this house.  Unfortunately, this was Sunday morning when we drove through Muskogee on our way home.

Miss Addie's Tea Room was closed.  Her signs on the window indicate she has live entertainment on weekends, Brunch from 10-2 (with Spirits) and baked goods available for purchase.

Intrigued to see more we pulled around to the front of the building to get a picture of the full beauty of the old house.  Do you see it?  A Pub! Miss Addie's Pub!

Now my husband will eat at a tea room...if it's the ONLY place in town open and there is NO OTHER CHOICE!  But I think Miss Addie has it all figured out...Ladies to the right...brunch at the Tea Room.  Men to the left... passing the time until the brunch is over.  What a clever woman that Miss Addie is! 

My husband and I were both sorry this place was closed.  We would really have liked to go inside and check out the decor on each side.  I would also like to know just how many men drop their "ladies" off and hang out on the pub side?  So many questions...to be answered another day.

Till tomorrow...
debi

Oklahoma Kitchen Love

One of the best things about our Oklahoma weekend was viewing some of the wonderful "merchandising" that's done in the antique malls.

Like things and colors grouped together make such a statement.  It just draws you into the display!

I'll let you just enjoy. 

Go ahead...I know someone you know had one of these colors, sets, pieces! You mother, grandmother, aunt, sister....I had so much fun looking and wishing......

I love the little girl kitchen set...

My mother gave me a set of canisters just like these...my daughter  decided she "needed" them for her kitchen.  You'll be seeing them again.

Isn't this a great stove?  Sorry...sold!

How about this one!  I love this vintage look.

Ohhhhh...this is MY stove!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed all the kitchen love.  Don't you wish you still had all those "old" items?  Maybe the owners of these items didn't have children helping them.  I know my girls blew up one of my Pyrex bowls on the stove top making macaroni and cheese.

Till next time,

debi