Junkin' Heaven ... and Hell

hey y'all,

my junkin' weekend started on friday, when i met pal bonnie for a little barnstorming (raiding the goodwill bargain barn) in cove. picked up three vintage suitcases, in graduating sizes ... the largest $1, the smaller ones $0.75 each. score!!!



if i had any sense, i'd paint them or decoupage something clever and creative on them. lately, my creative muse has been on strike and i never know when she'll rear her pretty head to inspire me. so i wait ...

also found that sweet lil pink braided rug ... in pic above (which is in need of some cleaning and disinfection ... just sayin') for all of $0.75 ... and some adorable pink checked curtain panels (another $0.75). three to be exact. searched and searched for the fourth panel, to no avail. sweet material that can be used for anything.



thrilled with my finds, bon and i headed to sonic for a quick snack break. then we were off to sue's. well, that's what we call it. sure, it's a crafter's mall full of vendors, but we mainly go there for vintagesue's stuff. i am thrilled that she's shipping her creations down to texas now. we mourned her loss when the dang army took her away.

don't misconstrue, i'm all for the army, in theory. just don't like it when they take away my friends.

but i digress.

so we hightailed it to sue's booth and we were not disappointed!! lots and lots of pretties galore ... vintage linens, dresses, aprons, knick knacks and the like. and best of all, her creations!





lil pin she made

i. am. totally. spellbound. by. her. collages!!!! i started a pile on a nearby table of the ones i wanted, thinking that i'd make my final decisions later.





yeah, right. my final decision was that i needed all of them. wanted, yes. but i neeeeeeeeded them too!! when i'm under her magical spell, i'm totally helpless and out. of. control.





so what? life is short. they made me happy and will continue to do so as i enjoy them around my house, or give them as gifts. happy happy happy.

friday, as it happens, was definitely junkin' heaven.

then saturday rolled around. i had high hopes for the lampasas city-wide yard sale, since lady luck was good to me at last years' sale. i met pal jannetta and we meandered our way around the square.



first thing i noticed was that it wasn't as large as last year.

the second thing i noticed was that many of the vendors who were there, were dealer-types. meaning, higher priced items ... not true "yard sale" vendors OR prices. hmmmph. not what i was expecting ... since the sale was hawked as a "city-wide YARD sale".

okay, so i didn't have to buy anything. i was more than pleased with my friday treasures, so if today was a bust, so be it.



however, i quickly stumbled upon a sweet lil vintage child's chair with chippy pink and green paint, marked at $7 which i thought was v. reasonable. i offered $5, we settled on $6. a quick, pleasant and civil transaction. i was thrilled to have it.



somewhere along the way, i had the pleasure of meeting buddy (miniature terrier) and sassy (jack russell mixed with something else blah blah). they were meeting for the first time also. cute, yes?



later, i found this pretty little vase thingy for $0.25. so there were some bargains to be found. just not a lot of 'em.



moving on, i spotted a pink, plastic, round hat box with a black flower on it. a-dor-able. but it was scuffed and dirty and i was thinking $0.50. when i asked the cowgirl vendor how much, she replied with an extremely curt, "2 bucks!"

okay, this chick's got something up her arse, was my first thought. dare i rattle her cage?

yes! i do dare!

"would you take a dollar?" i asked, shoving whatever it was up a little farther.

"NO. I WILL NOT!" cowgirl growled back at me.

ouch. i just smiled and said okay, thanks as i walked away from her booth. of course, all manner of vengeance was playing out in my wicked head ... none of which i can share with you, lest your high opinion of me be shattered. heh heh

much later, i sent jannetta over (she wasn't with me when all this transpired) to the cowgirl's booth to ask about the hat box. not surprisingly, she was just as rude to jannetta. and she hadn't budged on her price either.

it was our sincere hope that cowgirl went home with her stupid hat box and they live happily ever after together.

let me be clear about something: the b!tch had every right to price her items just. how. she. wanted. it wasn't her pricing that irritated me. it was her stinkin' attitude and how she spoke to her customers.

and this customer won't soon forget. not cowgirl's face, her name or her bright-orange painted toenails. i'll see you next year, sister. same time, same place. courthouse square, lampasas, texas. junkin' hell.

love and hugs to y'all!

terry lee

lampasas is full of ... livestock.

and bluebonnets!! found sooo many gorgeous fields of 'em!

remember him? the obligatory deer head you see at most texas sales ...

Bluebonnets on My Mind

hey y'all,

yesterday afternoon i ventured out by myself for a little P&Q (peace and quiet), in hopes of finding The Perfect Field of Bluebonnets.

not sure if i found it or not, but maybe something close:

a sea of blue!

each year around my birthday i make a special trip (usually to the gorgeous texas hill country) in search of bluebonnets. i didn't get that accomplished this year, so i sliced out a couple of hours yesterday for myself ... and used them wisely.

with chick fil-a (#5 combo meal, diet dr. pepper) in the seat next to me, i rolled onto a country backroad, toward salado. no, that's not the hill country (for those texans who know the area). i didn't have the luxury of a full day get-away. but there are plenty of fields and hills and valleys ... countryside ... where i'd likely find just what i was looking for.

without waxing too philosophical or sentimental or even maudlin, bluebonnets are very special to me. sure, you'd expect a native texas gal to say something like that.

but there's more to it. something that i've never quite been able to explain. each year i feel the need, not just the desire, to go and see the bluebonnets. maybe it's because they're blooming, in all their glory, on my birthday each year ... that i feel a connection to them.



but it goes deeper than that because i never quite feel satisfied, emotionally, until i've schlepped out into a field full of bluebonnets (and chiggers), breathed in that wonderful bonnet-scented country air as deep as i can ... and taken as many pictures as my heart desires. i guess i'm trying to capture the elusive beauties (in photos and in my soul) because i know all too well that soon, they'll be gone.

until next year, that is.

some years it's quite the production, trekking out to the hill country and making a day of it. or staying overnight in a charming town such as fredericksburg. other years, i'm lucky to spy the beautiful blue creatures along the busy highway as i traipse back and forth to doctor appointments.

so anytime i can actually take a drive, with the single purpose of bluebonnet spotting and photo-taking, i'm grateful.

grateful. but forgetful.

was cruising along the curvy backroad, almost to the scary loooong Narrow Bridge over stillhouse lake when i suddenly realized ... I ... DO ... NOT ... HAVE ... MY ... CAMERA!!!!

can you say CRAP?! i did. okay, i might've said something else. just maybe.

well, first things first. i had to navigate that damn Narrow Bridge. when i say narrow, i mean NAAAAAARRRRROOOWWW. it's a long two-laner with no shoulders and it's high above the lake. ack!! just perfect for someone like me: claustrophobic, agoraphobic, acrophobic, aquaphobic ... and i can't swim! i think that about covers it.

okay, at the last minute, i googled an image for you. this is THE actual bridge. can't believe i found a pic of it! see what i mean?!

so i white-knuckled it across the bridge (thank GOD i didn't meet anyone so i could drive right down the middle stripe, thereby protecting myself from falling off either side).

calm down, terry lee. you made it across the bridge. and you DO have your iphone camera ... i told myself.

yeah, but the iphone camera quality stinks, i retorted.

well, you're this far out here, just make the best of it, crybaby (was really getting annoyed with my smartass self by then).

so, i apologize for the quality of the photos. i may have to take another bluebonnet trip with the real camera. we'll see. but for now, here are the best ones. i'm no professional photographer, but it's almost impossible to screw up a bluebonnet. almost, i said.

enjoy!

love and hugs,
terry lee

this is one of my favorite shots. love that rough old tree trunk juxtaposed with the blue beauties.



see how it looks like solid blue grass or water back against the fence line? looooove it!!

this is the direct result of going on the hunt for bluebonnets solo.

another favorite, i think. love getting bluebonnets with old fences.

yes, i realize this is a horse, of course. but as i was driving along, i couldn't help but stop when i saw him. v. pretty, eh? there are a few bluebonnets near him, but they're difficult to see.





sweet mix of bluebonnets with white thingies. love the church as a backdrop ... sorry 'bout that ugly pole right in the center!

Birthday Show and Tell

hey y'all,

not sure where to begin with this post because there's so much to show you and tell you and share with you.

so yesterday was the most important day in the universe. did y'all notice that the earth stopped rotating? the moon had a smiley face on it? the sun and stars danced around my head and all living creatures ceased their activities so they could focus upon The Most Important Event of The Year ... My Birthday?!

yes, it's true! so in case you were wondering what was going on yesterday, what with the birds, the bees, the sun and stars and whatnot, it was all My Fault. what can i say? this is what happens when there's a terry lee birthday. it's a freak of nature. heh heh

okay, all kidding aside. the world didn't really stop for my birthday (oh c'mon, don't act all surprised).

it was a fun, sweet, lovely day spent with family and dear friends.

let me back up. i was born in a little hospital in downtown killeen ... okay, wait. let's not back up that far. about two weeks ago, birthday packages began showing up in my mail.

first one was from my dear pal mary valentine (sweet, sweet name, yes?). she knows me well. lots of pink, paris-themed lovelies and other goodies. what fun! thanks again, mary. love ya!



second package to arrive was from dear friend sue, over at vintagesue. she also knows my tastes very well. she sent all manner of vintage sweetness my way. thanks so much sue!





next, i received a lovely treasure box from sweet pal dana, of dana's chicken scoop. she had ordered a vintagesue box treasure for me. naturally, it was filled with more vintage loveliness! loved it all, dana! thanks so much. (nice work, sue!)









these ladies are terribly sweet and thoughtful ... love my packages. love y'all more!

isn't it fun to start celebrating your birthday early? it's like the whole month of april is BIRTHDAY love!

so, on to my actual birthday, yesterday. woke up to dear hubby, gifts and card in hand. oh, and a CHEESECAKE (!!!) for my birthday cake!! i think that's a first. for me.

hubby knows me pretty well too. loads of blistex (ahhh!!!), body washes and what i like to call the perfect gift: folding money. it's always the right size and color! thanks, DH! love the birthday poem, too.



before the girls (jannetta, bonnie and tara) and i took off to waco for The Birthday Blast, we had another round of birthday gifts. jannetta and bonnie, who are my closest friends showered me with lots of pink sweetness and love. thanks girls.





despite the rain (ack!!) we did have a blast. first stop: the treasure city flea market. we were all waco flea market virgins, and as such, we were a little unsure of the uncharted territory.



as it happens, it was quite interesting, with a fair variety of junk ... er ... merchandise.

yes. brassieres. at a flea market. now that's something i haven't seen before.

tara proudly displays her $0.50 treasure find. jannetta and bonnie share the joy.


the flea market (tara suggested it should be called a butterfly market ... as fleas seem so, well, unseemly) is set up in a U shaped pattern. we gave it our best shot, but could only hack about half of the U. the humidity, the crazy fuzzies flying through the air (what WAS that?!) making us sneeze, aching feet and low blood sugar got the better of us.

time. to. eat!

as planned, we hit ninfa's for lunch. ahhh! it felt sooo wonderful to be inside, sitting. drinking. eating. talking. laughing. junking is great, but sometimes it's nice to sit and chillax.



after filling up on mexican food and iced tea (okay, somebody had a frozen strawberry margarita) we were ready for round dos (that's two, for you gringos).

minor crisis: hit the sally stores (salvation army thrifts) OR go next door to The Shops, which are nothing short of eye candy heaven?

The Shops won. we were there. we already knew we loved it.

if you live in central texas, it's a must-see shop. instead of blah blah blah-ing about it, i'll just let the pictures do the talking. i took so many, i decided to make a slide show ... just too many to put in the blog. all i can say is: EYE. CANDY.

a couple of hours later, it was time to head home. after an hour rainy drive down I-35, i was ready for bed.

but wait! another surprise awaited me. a beautiful arrangement of flowers from my dear sis belinda. they'd been delivered whilst i was playing in waco. they are gorgeous, belinda! thanks so much!



lest y'all think i forgot my birthday cheesecake, i did not. tara put some candles on it, she and ben sang happy birthday and a worn out, half-asleep birthday girl blew out her candles ... in one breath i might add. which as you all know, means her wish will come true! :-)





later in the evening, while checking my email, facebook, bloggity blogs, etc. i got a text from my baby. okay, he's 16 but he's the baby.

"i'm comin' over to wish you a happy birthday, mom!" (he spends the weekends with his dad)

yea!!! i get to see my baby on my birthday!

within seconds (he must've text from the front door!) he's hugging me with his big ol' self (he's a big baby) and generally loving me up. how great is that? he proudly presents me with a card that includes a gift card to starbucks. very sweet ... but he didn't have to give me a single thing. just his presence fills my heart to overflowing.

he's gone before i know it. but for the most part, my day is complete. those of you who know me well, understand that statement. but it's okay ... life is good and i have been reminded once again how wonderfully loved and blessed i truly am.

love and hugs to all,
terry lee