Elvis Presley the Cat is in Love

Elvis is in love...

with a Raccoon!

When I see him gazing longingly out the window

& hear him purr then I know Rocky is back!

Rocky the Raccoon visits nearly every night. He loves the chopped corn & graham crackers I leave for him. He even comes all the way up to the window and peeks in to say hello to Elvis.

Rocky had the patio & the corn & the graham crackers & Elvis all to himself. That is until...the terror of the neighborhood visited! Rocky tried to be friends but Mr. Opossum is friends with no one!

The reality of defeat! But he'll always have Elvis waiting at the window...

The Pioneer Woman Visits Nashville!

Ever heard of The Pioneer Woman?

She's the newest hit in the blog world.

She blogs about her daily life on an Oklahoma ranch -

that includes stories about her husband & children

& lots of recipes & photos.

Last month The Pioneer Woman - aka Ree Drummond

stopped in Nashville on her whirl-wind book tour.

And did Nashville show up to meet her!

Fans stood in line (some for hours)

to have pictures taken & books signed.

I was no exception.

My partner in crime that night was another devoted fan -

Kristen of Kristen Steele Photography.

I was introduced to The Pioneer Woman via daughter Sarah.

Although Sarah couldn't be at the book signing,

Ree kindly & enthusiastically spoke to Sarah on the phone.

So thanks Pioneer Woman!

For visiting Nashville, teaching Sarah how to cook

& inspiring us with your fabulous life on the ranch!

Ree & Kristen

Ree talking to Sarah

(all photos property of Kristen Steele Photography)

Happy Thanksgiving from Tennessee!

For flowers that bloom about our feet;

For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;

For song of bird, and hum of bee;

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tilly the Turkey

I will not be eating turkey this Thanksgiving.

And here's why....

Meet Tilly.

Tilly has called our yard home from a safe distance

for most of the summer.

Until last month when she decided to move closer.

Now she's on our front porch every morning.

watching the world wake up,

listening to the interstate noise

and checking out the airplanes as they fly over.

Then she moves to the back courtyard & deck.

There she eats the birdseed & cracked corn we leave for her.

She looks in the windows & stares at the cats.

And the cats stare back.

She terrorizes Oscar the cat when he's outside

where she gets very very close.

She either loves him & wants to be friends

or she hates him & wants to fight.

Either way, Oscar wants no part of a relationship.

I think she's lonely.

But she's also getting free meals.

A city turkey living the easy life.

After a busy day of eating & watching the cats,

she settles in for the night in her favorite tree.

Goodnight Tilly.

Hollywood Dream Home

Wow!

5,800 sq. ft. of steel & glass

sitting high in the Hollywood Hills.

Enjoy the pictures...

architectural firm - Belzberg Architects ~ (from brunchatsaks.blogspot.com)

Goodbye Summer Evenings!

My mother-in-law is the original Martha Stewart. For dinner recently one warm evening, this is what she served. Wine, olives, an assortment of cheeses, salad, bread & butter & berries with thick cream for dessert. Simple, delicious, beautiful. Don't you agree? A wonderful way to say goodbye to Tennessee summer evenings.

Elvis Presley the Cat

Elvis asleep

Elvis being awakened

Elvis looking a little annoyed

Elvis looking a lot annoyed

Elvis looking indifferent

Elvis giving the evil eye

Elvis looking embarrassed

Elvis looking scary

really scary

Elvis has had enough

definitely has had enough

Elvis planning his next move

Elvis back to sleep