Reptile Heels on Date Night

Mr. Mickey is such a social butterfly; he would get dressed up and go out every evening if I were on board for it.

We visited our favorite restaurant, Gourmet and Company, to sit outside on the patio and have a Dewar's and water while enjoying the cooler weather.

  

The gemstone embellished silver cuff is from Chico's. The belt is from T.J.Maxx, as is the clutch. The ring is from B Dazzled in Blowing Rock, NC.

The black jeans and tank are from Chico's. The St. John jacket was another gift from my sweet friend Mitzi.

The suede and reptile heels are old from Belk.

Wear It Wednesday - Fall!

Since my teenage years, a fall ritual has included buying a stack of fashion magazines when they come out with those giant editions in September.

For several weeks I engross myself in fashion trends for the season. When I get the overall picture in my mind, I will purchase a few key pieces to look more current.

Here's a tour of fall fashion trends I spotted over and over again.

Fringe showed up on vests, sweaters, jackets, belts, shoes, necklaces, earrings, and even handbags.

Long tunics over leggings worn with boots continue to be a favorite look.

Leather adds texture and interest, no matter if it is real or faux.

Animal print is here to stay! I look for black and white for my cool complexion.

Quilted jackets, pants, vests, and coats look great if they don't add too much bulk.

The classic combination of black and red with a touch of animal print still gets my attention.

Faux leather showed up in total pieces or trim on countless jackets, pants, skirts, and dresses.

A scarf not only keeps us warm but can also tie together an outfit and make all the difference when wearing neutral solids.

Pewter or gray was seen more times than ever before. We have to be careful of gray near the face because it can wash us out if we don't color our hair. I look for silver-gray, such as this loose-fitting jacket from Chico's Black Label collection.

Leather pants or coated jeans were a statement piece that showed up in almost every fashion spread this fall.

Leggings and jeggings are still a basic we should always have on hand. Remember to cover your bottom with a long top or jacket.

Subtle patterned jeans and leggings are showing up everywhere!

Animal print short boots can be worn with every style of pants to look very chic. 

Boots with leggings and a tunic or long jacket are always a great look at any age.

Tassels and animal print touches are great to wear with neutral colors.

Interesting cuffs can be worn with turned up sleeves for a more elegant look.

Car Coats are showing up everywhere. This is the one I purchased from Ann Taylor Loft. The length looks fabulous with narrow leg pants and leggings with boots.

I hope you have enjoyed my take on fall fashion for fall 2014 and that it helps you add a few key pieces to your own wardrobe.

The Indian

This park is only a mile away from my house. I sometimes walk there on Sundays for a change of scenery.

Johnson City is the sister city to Guaranda, Ecuador, and this is our friendship arch dedicated in 1982.

The park is also home to this massive sculpture by Peter Wolf Toth.

The Trail of the Whispering Giants is a collection of sculptures by Hungarian-born artist Peter Wolf Toth. The sculptures range in height from 20 to 40 feet (6.1 to 12.2 m) and are between 8 and 10 feet (2.4 and 3.0 m) in diameter. There are currently 74 Whispering Giants, with at least one in each of the 50 U.S. states and in Ontario and Manitoba, Canada, and one in Hungary. In 1988, Toth completed his goal of placing at least one statue in each of the 50 states by carving one in Hawaii. In 2008, he created his first Whispering Giant in Europe, Stephen I of Hungary in Délegyháza, Hungary, along the Danube River.

This picture shows the massive scale of the sculpture. 

I am five feet six inches tall.

Lightning struck the sculpture at some time in the past. Thankfully it survived.

Lazy Saturday

We don't always have a variety of activities and events planned for the day.

Occasionally I just want to rest and read on the weekend. So Mr. Mickey honors my need for quiet and lets the day unfold at my pace.

With nothing more than a trip to the grocery store planned, we had time to stop along the way at the Mountain Home VA to enjoy the beauty of the grounds this September day.

I have been fascinated with this beautiful rock formation under massive trees since childhood. Did water or wind form the patterns carved into their surfaces? My mind completes the picture with a prehistoric sea that raged across this land during a long-ago time when the earth was young.

This was the perfect day for Mr. Mickey to practice his photography skills. We both want very much to give you a glimpse of the beautiful area and the life we are so fortunate to share.

I wore old jeans and a white tank top from Chico's. The fabulous burnout white tunic is from Cali and York. The animal print platform shoes are by Vince Camuto from Nordstrom a couple of years ago.

I think we found where all the Canadian geese in the area meet for lunch!

Our day of leisure included a light dinner of the interesting things we found at Earth Fare and Fresh Market. We enjoy trying new foods and wines, so we chose two small loaves of bread, three different kinds of cheese, and the 2014 limited release Apothoic Dark wine for our adventurous meal today. The grapes are the variety "Cotton Candy." The cheeses included Beemster premium Dutch tangy, St. André triple cream French, and a spicy pepper gouda. One bread had garlic and olive oil with cheeses, the other included sundried tomatoes and cheeses. There were also oil-cured olives and regular black olives, and nuts with light sea salt. 

The wine glasses bring back memories of a trip to the Banner Elk winery a few summers ago.

For dessert, we shared a small piece of Black Forest Napoleon served on tiny antique saucers.

It feeds my soul to sit under a tree and enjoy the quiet of a beautiful late summer afternoon.

Wearing White

Wear white all year long!

From the early nineteen hundreds, an old etiquette rule that you should only wear white between Memorial Day and Labor Day still persists today. That is an outdated idea from wealthy women who lived in the city during the winter and summered in their second homes by the sea or in a lodge on a mountain. Most people now dress for the weather, not the calendar.

Straight leg off white jeans are paired with an off white tank and a fabulous metallic white Cali and York sweater.

When you wear one of these delicate sweaters, you get the added bonus of coverage without the weight and formality of a jacket. This one was perfect for an early casual dinner at a new local cafe'.

Since the sweater is almost sheer, I opted to wear the same pale creamy white colors underneath for a long, lean unbroken line from the metallic sandals up. 

Another tip: Pushing or rolling up your sleeves and wearing a scoop or V-neck top makes one appear taller and more slender. 

The bold statement necklace stands out, so I kept all the other accessories minimal.

Wearing jewelry or bags that tend to pick or snag can be disastrous with a delicate sweater such as this one.

These photos were shot by Mr. Mickey in Jonesborough, the oldest town in Tennessee.

 

Being small business owners who are also very involved in the political process, Mr. Mickey and I always try to support new businesses in our area. We visited a new cafe' in Jonesborough called the Black Olive last evening. It is a lovely family-style Italian restaurant with great service and a huge menu. We wish them success!

Wear It Wednesday - Prints

These pants are one of the very few print items I bought this year.

Prints are memorable, and they limit the outfit combinations they can be a part of. I rarely even look at them when I am shopping.

These pants were at the end of the summer clearance rack at Talbot's. This will be the only time I wear them this year, so at less than $20, I didn't mind buying them to wear to my family reunion. The look is fun and comfortable for lakeside activities at the beautiful home of my cousin.

The top is from Chico's. The shoes are from T.J.Maxx.

These photos were shot by Mr. Mickey in the historic old town section of Johnson City.

This is an alternative shoe suggestion for those who don't wear heels or wedges.