Dinner With Mr. Mickey

After a wonderful day of exploring and traveling, it was nice to take a shower and get dressed for a special dinner with Mr. Mickey.

Breathtaking antiques and art can be found in every corner of the Martha.

The gardens and grounds are equally charming.

We took a walk by the water feature stream near the pool and Spa before dinner.

Bread pudding dessert came with a candle and a special message.

After dinner, we went for another stroll before taking our after-dinner drinks onto the front porch to enjoy the weather. It will be much cooler tomorrow.

The coated black denim jeggings, which appear to be leather, are from Chico's. The sequined sheer overlay blue top is also from Chico's earlier this year. The black heels and gray evening bag are years old.

The Long Birthday Weekend

Saturday, September 13th, was my 58th birthday.

Mr. Mickey treated me to a long, pampered weekend in Abingdon, Virginia.

Along the way, we visited T.J.Maxx. At the beginning of the season, I shop there several times each week because I know the good stuff may only spend a few hours on the shelf.

I found these favorite Jessica Simpson shoes there in the spring. They are comfortable, and they go with just about everything. The gray Calvin Klein bag was a recent find for fall. I think it will become another favorite.

We have eaten lunch at 128 Pecan several times, and the food is always fabulous. Today I tried a black bean burger on a salad instead of a bun. It was the best veggie burger I ever tasted! I will have that when we go back.

Our server at 128 Pecan also works at another great restaurant in the next town. She told us all about the Harvest Table in Meadowview, so we decided to check out the town.

The tiny town has only a few buildings around the train depot, but it was a delightful trip back in time.

We made reservations to come back for brunch on Sunday at the award-winning Harvest Table restaurant.

Loaves of bread and pizzas are baked in this brick oven.  Fruits and vegetables are gathered from their garden to use in your entree. These odd-looking fruits are horned melons.

Below are jars of sun-dried tomatoes from their garden.

The Meadowview Farmers' Guild next door is an old-time general store that includes local works of art, wine, handmade soaps, and body scrubs. There were also local music CDs, locally milled grains, jams, honey, and jewelry.

The jeans and black top are from Chico's. The belt and Calvin Klein bag, as well as the shoes, are from T.J.Maxx.

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.