Happy Monday dear friends. I cannot believe October, my favorite month, is almost gone. Time really passes swiftly, it seems. That is probably because I am getting older.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11 ESV
Yes, I am getting older…today is my birthday! It is one of those that occurs every 10 years when the left number changes. Ah…but what a tremendous blessing!
The Sunshine Cottage was decorated several weeks ago and I am finally able to open the door and invite you inside.
Dish displays are always changing with the seasons! On the left side of the room the top shelf is arranged with pumpkin-colored dinner plates and still life pumpkin salad plates from Williams Sonoma several years ago! The bottom shelf is arranged with apple green dinner plates and Royal Stafford ‘Homeland Turkey’ salad plates. The green and orange dinner plates came from Tuesday Morning many years ago. The new pumpkin teapot decided to take a seat on the shelf. The counter gets its fair share of fall decor and a few old standbys that seem not to move. The Victoria/April Cornell tea set is a summer holdover that I didn’t want to put away. A Fitz and Floyd pheasant teapot is perched in the corner and next to it is a vintage oil painting that moved from the house to the cottage.
An old print of Jenny Lind, one of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, joined my Daddy’s antique typewriter! The framed print had been stored away and long forgotten, but found a new home in the cottage.
This comfy chair has gotten plenty of use over the past three years. The girls and I still manage to squeeze together for reading and snuggling! You might notice a framed cross-stitch has filled in a spot behind the floor lamp. I love needle work…cross-stitch, embroidery, and smocking. While cleaning a drawer a few months ago, I ran across a couple of pieces that I decided to hang in the cottage. Behind the chair is a portion of the Serenity Prayer. This piece was stitched in the early 80’s.
The table is set for a sweet friend to visit soon!
The girls were so excited and couldn’t wait for the day to finally arrive that they could decorate the autumn tree. I only gave a little assistance and they were quite proud of their work! Dried hydrangeas and okra pods, cotton stems, sunflowers, leaves, lotus pods, and turkey wing feathers were all added by little hands.
The tree topper is turkey tail feathers that are in abundance in our pasture and woodlands. As I am typing a flock of wild turkeys are walking at the back of our pasture enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. It is almost daily that wild turkeys visit us, sometimes as many as fifty have been counted!
One of my favorite patterns, Spode ‘woodlands’, decorate the shelves on the right side of the room. I paired the cute bird plates from Hobby Lobby that I found in late August. Anthropologie lily pad teapot, copper mule mugs, and Fostoria, ‘Jamestown’ stemware complete the shelves!
“If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.”
~Victoria Erickson
A table for two is set with Johnson Brothers ‘harvest time’ dishware and beautiful linens by April Cornell. A ‘meridian’ tablecloth and napkins in olive are perfect for the fall season. As an April Cornell Brand Ambassador I have a promo code for you. The code is EVERYDAY15 for $15 off of $100+. This offer cannot be combined with other offers or codes. Their Christmas selection is beautiful and now is a good time to order before the rush. You can see how the linens were used for my recent tea party.
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.”
~Stanley Horowitz
A feathered plaid pumpkin is used as the centerpiece for my small cottage table!
Charlotte Daisy decided to retreat to the cottage at night to prevent raccoons, opossums, and skunks from pestering her. She often visits in the daytime to read and avoid squirrel attacks. EM and EK have trained her well, she never makes a mess. You can see her autumn debut on the cottage porch here.
The cottage has brought me endless hours of joy…reading, relaxing, playing with dishes, and enjoying time with friends. However, the memories that have been made, and hopefully many more to come, with my grandchildren have brought me the most joy. Tea parties, playing dolls, reading storybooks, puzzles, coloring…the list goes on and on. I pray that the memories we make will last a lifetime and one day they can share them with their children and grandchildren. Just the thought fills my heart with joy!
Thank you for visiting the Sunshine Cottage and for your gracious comments. Wishing you a joy-filled day!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Happy Milestone Birthday Wishes to you Pam! 🎉🎂🥳 Wishing you a happy and healthy decade with more joyful hours reading, playing with dishes, and your grands in the Sunshine Cottage! Love your autumn tree, the girls did a fabulous job decorating. I know Charlotte Daisy is happy to be safely tucked away inside away from the wildlife. 😉 Happy Tuesday 🍂🧡
Thank you, Mary. The only remaining animal that hasn’t visited so far is a bear. Yikes, they have been sighted nearby 🧡🦃
Lovely fall festivity at your home, happy birthday!
Thanks so much, Carole!
Happiest of birthdays to you! Thank you for gifting your readers will such a beautiful post. Prayers and wishes for a happy day and a year filled with joy!
Thanks so much, Pamela. Wishing you a beautiful week!
Happy birthday Pam! A new decade begins of making wonderful memories with family and friends. Hope you are feeling better and getting stronger from your recent virus. The Sunshine Cottage is beautifully decorated. Love the Fall tree! The girls did a great job! That’s a pretty tablecloth; love the colors. Charlotte Daisy looks right at home. The plates, cross stitch, pics, and other accessories make the Sunshine Cottage a warm and welcoming place to relax and entertain. Have a wonderful day! We’re getting rain which I hope works its way over to you as we know you need it. Happy new decade! Clara❤️
Thank you for your heartwarming sentiments and well wishes, sweet friend ♥️
Happy, happy birthday to you, sweet Pam. Whatever you wish, I wish for you too. Your Sunshine Cottage brings smile after smile to me, as you go through and describe each vignette. I can only imagine the joy it brings to you. A place for books, dishes and lots of love. It’s beautiful.in its fall finery.
Thanks so much, Rita! Your comments warm my heart!
Happy Happy Birthday Pam! The Sunshine Cottage is definitely your happy place, and it looks wonderful decked out for Fall 🌻 I love the tree the girls decorated, and I know they love their time spent with you there as much as you do. It is such a special place to enjoy your favorite things and put them on display. The turkey feathers are wonderful on the fall tree, and amazing that they came right from the turkeys on your property! Charlotte Daisy looks quite at home, I know the girls love her. You have already made many wonderful memories for the girls…Enjoy every minute of your special day!
Jenna
Thank you, Jenna. We definitely enjoy the cottage and making memories!
Happy Birthday Pam
Thank you, Della!
Happy birthday my dear friend!! The cottage is decorated so beautifully. I especially love the autumn tree how great that you have a space for it, and that the girls decorated it. Yes, your memories will be so special to you as they are now. Thank you for sharing. Hugs and many blessings.
Kari
Thank you, Kari. I appreciate and am blessed by your friendship! Hugs~
Joyful post. . Every memory every word. Theirs not a possibility that the grands will not remember the love you and Butch poured into them through every action of play but mostly time you have given them. Little hands make beautiful messes. Love the autumn tree and its natural decorations. Putting the Jenny Lind picture next to your daddy’s typewriter was perfect as both made beautiful “music” . The safety for Charlotte Daisy is a must when our outdoor friends need nesting material. What a treat to have our own discount code to chose a AC goodie. Many thanks and praying for restored health for you and Butch and peace for Israel🙏
Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Pam🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈
Thank you, Alice ♥️
Thank you, Alice! We are grateful for your prayers. Squirrels would have wreaked havoc on Charlotte Daisy and the girls would not have been happy 🙏🏻
Happy Birthday Pam. The Sunshine Cottage is beautiful! Love you sweet friend.
Thanks so much, Dianne!
What a lovely time of the year for a birthday! The trees are dropping confetti on you as you walk through the day! Wishing you love and joy.
Happy Birthday!!! Without a doubt, your grandchildren will always remember you and Butch and the wonderful memories you have created for them. The love you all have for each other is a legacy that will last for generations. I love the Sunshine Cottage. What a fun place to play. Everything is so beautiful, but your lamp shade behind the chair is especially charming!
Birthday blessings, dear Pam! Your Sunshine Cottage looks fabulous in its autumn decor. I do agree that autumn is a mosaic of all the other seasons—and your autumn tree captures that beautifully. Your decorators did a fantastic job—it’s so beautiful.
Happy Birthday!❤️
Thank you, Nancy!
A blessed Birthday, beloved Pam. Join me in the reversal mode of observing
the occasion, using it to step back one year each year now that the round
number has been reached, so in 2023 you will commence the 1 year reduction journey, 9-8-7, until the years just melt away. The Sunshine Cottage is beyond enchanting and the tree should be a preserved masterpiece for future Autumns. The girls have really caught your flair in their DNA. The dishes,
appointments and placement of all accessories are a joy to behold.
Between the pumpkins, the cotton boll wreaths and the turkey tail feathers, Charlotte Daisy has found her nest and knows where to be for fun and serenity.
Happy Birthday, Pam!🎂🎊🎉I hope that you are having a wonderful day! I have so enjoyed my visit to see Sunshine Cottage dressed for autumn. Those sweet girls did a fabulous job decorating the fall tree. It is gorgeous! Your tablescape is beautiful as well, and you have so many pretties on display in the shelves to admire. Wishing you a joyful day and blessed week, sweet friend!
Thanks so much, sweet friend!
Happy Birthday Pam and welcome to this decade’s club! Sunshine Cottage is beautiful in her fall finery! The girls did a wonderful job with the tree…wow!! The Turkey feathers are the perfect touch. I love the picture of Jenny Lind. Wasn’t she called the Swedish Nightingale? There is no price tag you can put on these wonderful memories you are making with the girls.
Thank you, Roxanne. Yes, she was called the Swedish Nightingale. I read about her and she had a rather interesting life. Making memories are important to me. I always enjoy your memories that you share
Your cottage is just adorable and I think this autumn display might be one of my favorites — beauty, simple elegance and a little whimsy! I’m wild about the turkey feathers on the tree top! What a clever (an perfect!) idea!
Thank you, Jeanie.
Beautiful!
Happy Birthday 🎈🎂🎈
Thank you, Janice!
Happy Birthday Pam!! 🥳💝
What a beautiful inviting Autumn space! And such a relaxing & special place to sit with the Lord surrounded by you’re special things.
Blessings sweet friend, Jennifer 😊
Thanks so much, Jennifer💕
Happy birthday Pam and congratulations on the milestone!! The Sunshine Cottage looks beautiful all dressed up for fall. The vignettes are lovely, and the girls did a marvelous job with the tree. The turkey feathers on top are perfect and it’s just so cool that they come from your pasture. Charlotte Daisy looks perfectly at home (and thankful to be away from critters?). The table is lovely, and I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time. Wishing you a perfect day!
Thanks so much, Kim. The girls love playing in the cottage!
I know it was a wonderful day! Happy Birthday! Love all your decorating. Many blessings to you!
It’s turning cooler! Mike has his fire set up already. Enjoy your birthday. Bonnie
Thank you, Bonnie. Celebrating this week at our favorite place!
Wishing you love, health and joy on your birthday. Thank you for a beautiful post.
Oh my word, Pam, what an adorably decorated cozy sunshine cottage you have. I would have such fun in there as you granddaughters do. I could spend hours upon hours! Happy Birthday to you and I hope you were spoiled and made Queen for the day! 🧡
Thank you so much, Kitty. Yes, I was spoiled by my sweet family and friends 🧡
Wishing you health, love and joy on your birthday. Thank you for a beautiful post.
Thank you!
Happy birthday Pam. I always love seeing your beautiful outside garden. It was fun to see you inside decorating for fall. Beautiful. Hugs. Kris
Thanks so much, Kris!
Happy, Happy Birthday, Pam! The cottage is such a delightful place filled with many lovely autumn things!💖
Thank you for the birthday wishes and sweet comments, Mary!
Happy birthday!!!
Thanks so much!
So pretty, Pam. I’ve often thought about doing a Thanksgiving/fall tree, but my tree is flocked. Maybe I need to get a tabletop tree that green! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and images!
Thank you, Julie for your sweet visit. I love having a fall tree in my little cottage!
Everything looks so beautiful in the Sunshine Cottage! Your arrangements are so lovely and make it so inviting. I can only imagine the hours of joy you and the little ones have together. God has blessed you abundantly, my friend. I don’t think I am leaving comments correctly since the recent changes. I didn’t identify who I was on the last one. Will try to remember to do better! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Thank you, Cheryl. The girls and I enjoy the cottage immensely. Happy Thanksgiving season my friend!