Breakfast for one!

Breakfast for one in the bedroom today...

Our Magnolia tree has many large buds on it. Yesterday the first flower opened! I love the shiny wax leaf and the beautiful large blossom.

The white plate that I am using as a charger and the cup and saucer are part of a set I recently bought at Ross. Casual Settings by Oneida and the pattern is Basketweave. (Sixty five pieces for $30!!)

These two strawberry glass plates I have had for many years. I bought them in Brewster, Massachusetts on Cape Cod at a gallery called Sydenstricker Glass.As described on their website, http://www.sydenstricker.com/ "Two sheets of glass are cut to fit a mold made out of high fire terra cotta clay. The first sheet is decorated by sifting powdered glass through a stencil. The stencil is then carefully removed, and the second sheet of glass is laid over the decorated first piece. Both are placed on a mold and put into a fifteen hundred degree kiln for five hours. At this point, the two pieces of glass fuse, assuming the shape of the mold and locking in the colored design. The kiln is then turned off until the glass is cooled, about 40 hours later."

Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for another fun filled Tablescape Thursday.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-36th-tablescape-thursday-and.html Thanks for visiting Pine Cone Retreat. Have a wonderful day...

Outdoor Wednesday in New York City!

Please visit A Southern Daydreamer http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ to see many other beautiful Outdoor Wednesday posts!

We had a quick trip to NYC this past weekend. It was very warm!! Almost too warm in the sun. We tried walking only on the shady side of the streets! I absolutely LOVE lilacs. I grew up in Massachusetts were we had a large lilac tree in our yard. We would take cuttings and put them in water and the whole house would smell so lovely. They are so fragrant. I miss that now that we live in Texas!

The flowering trees were so beautiful.

Does anyone know what kind of trees these are?

Loads of daffodils, tulips and hyacinth.

New York City is certainly beautiful in the spring!! Thanks so much for visiting me on this outdoor Wednesday.

Tablescape Thursday from Laurie's Home Furnishings

Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for some terrific tablescapes!http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-35th-tablescape-thursday.html

It has been a busy week here at Pine Cone Retreat, but I did get out this week to visit one of my favorite spots. On Tuesday I visited one of my favorite stores - Laurie's Home Furnishings - in Tomball, Texas. There are always wonderful tablescapes featured and they are always changing. Today I was not disappointed!!

I love to walk around this store and get inspired. I wish that I had a better camera (or that I was a better photographer...) because these photos really don't do the store justice.

I just love this vignette...

and the chandelier...

So many pretty things!

Upon entering the store I checked to make sure photos were okay. Every store is different and I know some places have a policy of no photos. Thanks for visiting and hopefully I will be back next week with my own tablescape.

Breakfast in Blue and White Fleur de Lys

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-34th-tablescape-thursday.html Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for some fantastic tablescapes!

Welcome to a breakfast in blue and white... I bought these fleur de lys dishes a few years ago at the Pottery Barn/Williams Sonoma outlet store. I think they are fun to use for breakfast - I especially like the deep bowls - perfect for cereal or fruit. They came in yellow and also red. Wish I had the other colors as well! I sure wish I had noticed how crooked the candles were while I was taking my pictures ;)

I used all items that I had for this tablescape except for the tuilips. I went to Kroger with red tulips in mind - that seemed to be the one color that they didn't have! I like yellow with blue too:)

The silverware comes from my grandmother, the silver sugar and creamer from my husbands grandmother. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

Target birds on holiday - Sonny and Cher

This clever idea comes from Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Visit her blog to see more fun!! http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/04/target-birds-on-holiday.html Well, it doesn't appear that the Easter Bunny has left us much in our basket. Time to go on holiday and see where we land...

We invited Mr. Rubber Ducky to join us, but he says he has plans in a bathtub...

This nest looks like a lovely place to holiday!A little entertainment before bedtime -Sonny pecking at the keys and Cher singing for our supper!

Thanks so much for joining us on our little holiday jaunt...