Autumn Around the House

Today, My Lady Caroline, who is one of my Twitter friends tweeted that she wished I was as chatty as I used to be on my blog.  Oops, I admit that I haven't been blogging a lot lately--no excuses.  I do spend a lot of time on Instagram now...it's so quick and easy.  Just post the photos and go!  So for those who don't follow me on Instagram, here's a peek at what's been going on at The Roost this fall.

We bought a small house to be near my Mama so that I can scoot back and forth whenever I'm needed to help with her caregiving.  I actually love this little house.  As I am aging, I find that it's important to me to be able to take care of what I have.  The smaller the size, the easier it is!

I'm still using the same Halloween wreath from last year.

I don't decorate with a ton of Halloween stuff like I used to...I just added a lot of orange this year.

Sprayed all my pumpkins gold.

Mary Elizabeth also received the gold spray paint treatment and is decked out with an orange bow--and pearls, of course!

I have cut back on the roosters everywhere, but I still keep a few on the front porch to greet our guests at the front door.  Don't know how long the mums will last.  The pumpkin...well it's kind of a posh pumpkin.  I bought it at James Farmer, Inc. in Perry...

Cocktail hour...more orange.

Tea Time...I love Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibus tea with Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and apple butter.

More orange on the tabletop...

I carried breakfast to a meeting and used the darling Target "Cheeky" plates and to-go cups...

The Halloween tree is up on the porch, decorated witchy-style!

These are my treats this year for the special little trick-or-treaters...

I served Pimiento Cheese Balls at Happy Hour on Gameday last Saturday.  Yes, that's the day the Florida State Seminoles got beat by Georgia Tech.  Of course, I'll never serve these things again!  Bad luck.  I'm VERY superstitious!  But, moving on to the Syracuse game this week.  Go Noles!

Just in case you want to prepare them...I added cream cheese, some chopped cooked bacon, chopped jalapenos, and chopped pecans to Palmetto Cheese and then topped them off with pretzel sticks.

Hope everyone is enjoying Autumn.  Today it was 57 degrees, dark, and misting rain.  I was hoping for crisp, sunny days and cool nights.  I think it's time to get out the boots!  

Cute Loot Booth

So now I have a booth at a local vintage store...Miss Janice's Cute Loot.  Well, it's not really a booth.  It's a closet and a porch.  This is a place where I offer new and gently-used Lilly Pulitzer.  I also offer some aprons (in excellent condition) from my "Prissy Apron Collection," some holiday themed aprons and brand new Lilly Pulitzer fabric aprons.

Of course I had to priss-up the space with pink and green...some of my favorite Lilly prints adorn the walls.


I also offer hostess gifts for sale.


Just some stuff from the house....

Love these little pillows...I'm on a pom pom kick y'all!

Lilly Pulitzer pillows, accessories, and shifts!

If you are in the Macon/Warner Robins, Georgia area, stop in a take a peek!  I am space #135 at Vintage Junktion, 1736 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins, Georgia.  I frequently post items added to the booth on my Instagram page.  If you see something you want, call Dana or Karen (the owners) at 478.302.5005.  They will be happy to help you!

The Champagne of the South

It's National Iced Tea Month and nothing is more refreshing on a hot day than a glass of iced tea.  Known as the The Champagne of the South, The Table Wine of the South, and The Beverage of Hospitality, enjoying a glass of iced tea is one of the most relaxing things that you can do.  It slows you down from your hectic pace and gives you a chance to take a deep breath and relax.

Please remember that even in the South, iced tea is only served at informal meals and at Afternoon Tea, NOT at a formal meal.  Note:  There is no iced tea goblet in a formal dinner setting.

Properly served, iced tea is served in a tall glass with a doily, a saucer (bread plate), and an iced teaspoon.  Many savvy Southern brides include iced teaspoons and crystal iced tea goblets on their Bridal Registry.

If the spoon is used to stir your tea after adding sugar, the teaspoon is placed on an iced teaspoon rest, as shown below...

If there is no spoon rest provided, the spoon should remain in the glass at all times.  Keep the long iced teaspoon in your glass after you stir with the handle toward the far side by the index finger and with the remaining 3 fingers and thumb of the hand, hold the glass while you drink.  It is quite easy to drink your tea and hold the teaspoon in the glass, and if you practice it, you will be able to handle it with grace!  Remember that once used, a utensil is never placed back on the table.

Sugar and lemon are both offered with iced tea.  Add sugar first, otherwise the citric acid of the lemon prevents the sugar from dissolving.  You may place the lemon slice/wedge directly into the poured glass of tea, but it is not necessary to press the lemon.

What to do with a sweetener packet?  Use the sweetener packet and tuck the empty packet discreetly under the edge of your saucer/dinner plate.

In the South, your iced tea goblet may be adorned with a pretty doily bonnet...I've had my bonnets for many years and they are great to use outdoors!

Remember your Teas and Q's:
~Swallow your food before you sip your tea.
~Don't slurp your tea...sip!
~Don't place your iced teaspoon directly onto the table after you have used it, place it onto the iced teaspoon rest, or leave it in the glass.
~It's "iced tea" not ice tea.
~Look into the glass of tea while you are sippin', not over it.
~Stir the tea liquid gently with the iced teaspoon.

The French Market

The other day I drove up to Locust Grove, Georgia to shop at the outlet mall.  The outlet mall isn't large like the ones I've been to in Florida, but I still got to get some cute loot at Polo Ralph Lauren and J Crew.

 If you are traveling on I-75 through Georgia this summer, you must stop off in Locust Grove...for the outlet mall and The French Market.  I have seen the billboards on I-75 and heard about The French Market and Tavern from new friends.  

The French Market.  It is fabulous!

I spoke with owner Lauren Weaver a bit about her business.  She completely renovated the building which was a former hardware store and it is stocked full of French Country goodies y'all!  She does a lot of catering and hosting on-site events...weddings, birthday celebrations, corporate events, and business meetings.  In addition to the cafe bar, there are two dining areas adjacent to the main store.

This is the entrance to the cafe bar...I simply have to start playing dress up with my mannequin.

I love a place where I can shop and eat and this cafe is fabulous!

Take a peek inside the store...

I cannot wait to go back to this store!

The French Market
3840 Highway 42
Locust Grove, Georgia 30248
770.914.9312
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Covered Dish at the Church

Today we enjoyed a "Covered Dish" meal after church. A "Potluck Party" is also referred to as a "Covered Dish" in the South. 

What's the difference between a "Potluck Party" and a "Covered Dish?" Notsomuch...At a "Potluck Party" each guest brings a dish.  The old-school term "Covered Dish" meals are the same and a staple of church life in the South...I can still hear mama asking friends who would call to invite her for a meal..."Is it covered dish?"

Covered Dish Etiquette:

• Take a dish to share with the congregation.  This is a good time to get to know your fellow parishioners on a more personal level.  Bringing a dish is not optional--it's a requirement.

• Prepare a dish that doesn't need to be cooked at the church...just reheated in the kitchen. Choose a main dish, salad, vegetable, or dessert (pre-cut your dessert into serving pieces).

• Bring a food ID card to identify the dish.

• Allow the elderly to go through the line first.

• Use the serving utensils placed beside the dish to take the food.

• Don't take too much of one dish--sample each item.  Remember, this is not an all-you-can-eat buffet!

• Never make a nasty face or utter a rude comment about a dish. 

• Make sure your dish is clearly marked with your name to avoid confusion after the meal.

• Offer to help with the clean up.

Casseroles (main dish/vegetable) are a staple of the church "Covered Dish" and I decided to take a Chicken Tetrazzini casserole, the recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks--The Blue Willow Inn Cookbook.  I love the Blue Willow Restaurant and it is a must-visit if you are traveling through the state of Georgia on Interstate 20.

"Covered Dish"...not posh, but good home-cooked food!

Recipe for Chicken Tetrazzini:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/8 tblsp garlic powder
1-1/2 cups cooked and deboned chicken
1 small package (8 oz) vermicelli noodles
1/2 cup milk
1 10-3/4 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese (I used parmesan and Swiss cheese)

Cook vermicelli noodles in chicken broth.
Saute onions and mushrooms in butter
Add all ingredients except 1/4 cup grated cheese to noodles.  Mix well.
Pour into a 10 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.
Top with remaining grated cheese.
Serves:  6-8


"HERE'S WHAT I WORE" today...
This is a "White Tag" Lilly Pulitzer shift that I bought many years ago and still love it.  I wore a lavender cardigan, carried a Kate Spade wicker tote, and wore my white Revas.

Bless Your Heart

Southern girls love to sip a coca cola and bless people's hearts.  Down South, you hear this phrase thrown around all the time.  However, I can certainly understand why some people are confused over the meaning of this phrase. Nowadays, Southerners drop the phrase constantly...and not in a kind way--"She shouldn't be wearing that short skirt, bless her heart!"  This is one I hear all the time--"He's wearing cargo shorts, bless his heart!"

  I grew up with a Mama who would always say "Bless your little heart" whenever I was ill, or "Bless Margie's heart, she just lost her husband of 60 years!"  I never once heard her use the phrase as a backhanded insult or to be rude.   "Bless your heart" should be used in a sincere way to express genuine love, pity, or sympathy.

Today, I'm using my "Bless Your Heart" koozie...I love the Southern Girl Collection at the Feathered Nest Boutique.  Kathryn, the owner, is a native of Peach County, Georgia and now resides in Athens, Georgia.  She offers lots of cute loot on her Etsy shop and the items from the Southern Girl Collection are must-haves to show your love for all things Southern! 

These neoprene koozies come in nine designs, fit standard-sized cans and bottles, and fold flat for easy storage.  Talk Southern to me!

Kathryn's mother painted the design for the "Little Miss Southern Charm" tees. Very Southern and very cute!

Now don't y'all need this iPhone case?!  "Southern girls love their sweet tea, mamas, and monograms!"  Yes ma'am we do love all three!

The Cute Mason Jar design also comes in a koozie...monogrammed, of course!

And to coordinate with the rest of the collection, you need the sunglasses straps!

Y'all be kind!  Check out the Feathered Nest Boutique on Facebook and Instagram also!

Monogram Monday

Up today for Monogram Monday is my boxwood wreath with a monogram...from Simply Stunning Home on Etsy.  It's the perfect size and since my porch is covered, I think it'll be okay outside.  I searched awhile on Etsy for this style and found several stores with not-so-good ratings, but this shop owner was very professional...good communication and fast delivery of a product that was just as described on her site!

It's that time of year when I change the door arrangement every week...so stay tuned y'all!