A Plethora of Pictures

First off, here's a little "life is sweet" cupcke I finished just before I left for my brief journey this week. As always, as in even my shortest or least distant of travels, I took lots of pictures this week...because you never know what you might need to refer back to for future inspiration! Visiting the town where my parents live is always inspirational because it's filled with stuff I like...an undeniable quaint-ness and lots of antiques!

This is the sign outside the drugstore where I can personally vouch for the fresh squeezed lime-aid with cherry. It's amazing...and so is this sign.
These are inside on the tables in the drugstore. I like these napkin holders...I seem to take pictures of them alot. This may not be so much an inspirational picture as it is a recommendation you'll want to remember. If ever you're in Jefferson, TX- go to Auntie Skinners and order the following: bottle caps (they're sliced, battered, fried jalapenos with ranch dip), an ultimate burger, and a top shelf margarita on the rocks (and have Nancy make that). Happiness will follow.
You should go here, because it's yummy and they also have a cool old-fashioned wooden sign.

Get an apricot turnover, you won't be sorry.

The general store again, I know. But it may be one of my absolute favorite places. I mean, just look at it! It looks and feels the way a General Store should...and they have 5 cent coffee.

A whole basket of Gilliam's candy! Remember those sweet little paper bags from A Few New Things?

That house of pies sign under the general store sign transitions perfectly to the next pic...of the pie case at "The House of Pies". I'm a sucker for bakery cases...I love to paint them (a la Wayne Thiebaud!) I also paint pies in the sky often. It's one of my newer signature pieces!!

I wish I had this bench on my back patio!! It's sitting outisde The Fudge Shoppe (which you may recall my mentioning previously in the same breath as apricot walnut fudge in the July 4th post? I cannot go to Jefferson without getting some. It's seriously that good.

And, finally...these gems-of-a-fruit are a first for me!

There's a huge tree across the street from my parents' house that apparently has been growing these things and we never knew it. One of the limbs broke recently and so we were able to pick a whole bunch...they would have been too high probably, otherwise. And they were so well camoflaged in the leaves that they were difficult to see if you didn't know they were there. In case you've never seen one before, either, this is an osage orange(...my dad called them horse-apples if that rings any bells for you.) Use the link to research them- they're interesting. You can't eat them from what I understand...they're poisonous. But they look super-cool in a basket, and they're a beautiful color. I was very much intrigued...I mean, look at them- what a funny looking fruit! Who'd've ever dreamt that?

So that's the end of my pictures, for now. Plethora is a funny word, isn't it? I can't decide if I like it...

sweetly, happily, and artfully yours,

randi