My Little Corner of Texas

I had a lot of Real Life going on in March separate and apart from the COVID-19 disaster. As a result, my brain couldn't come up with a real honest-to-God blog topic.

Since all my books are set in Texas, I decided to share some of the Texas items that are in our home. I don't know about other states, if you incorporate state-like items in your decor, but many Texans do. We have other things, too, but our home has a decidedly Texas flavor.

Here's a shot of our mantel. As you can see, a mix of stuff. But the Lone Star flag is the most prominent.


No Texas home - or blog post :) - would be complete without bluebonnets and these are ours, in a watercolor given to me by my sister. This hangs in our living room, between two windows and across from the mantel.


Next up is cotton, which grows throughout most of the state. These are not real cotton stalks, but they're a good lookalike from the craft store. Real cotton is not as uniform, dirtier looking, and has debris embedded in it. This sits in a wall niche near the everyday table between our kitchen and living room.


Last, the Fiesta San Antonio poster from 2009. Each year artists submit their work and a committee chooses one they believe best fits that year's theme. I no longer remember what the theme was eleven years ago, but I still love this poster. And the story behind the poster. Since it isn't my story, I don't feel comfortable sharing it here, but it is a perfect example of serendipity. This is the artist's version of Mission Espada, now part of a World Heritage Site. This hangs near the cotton.

Now that you've taken a little mini-tour of my home and my state, here's another Texas related item.

Don't Mess with Gracie, Book 3 of The Amazing Gracie Trilogy, will be on sale for 99 cents from April 20-26.

   The mysterious Mr. Ott is trying to intimidate Gracie Hofner into being his internal spy at The Bastion Group. She’s learned a lot about him through several sources, even using information provided by the pair of ghosts trying to save their granddaughter. But it isn’t enough. Mr. Ott is an expert in hiding his true identity.
   Gracie isn’t as worried for herself as she is for her family, her friends, and her new tenant, Milo Porter. Her feelings for him have grown, but she can’t show them. Mr. Ott’s threats involve those she loves, and one friend has already been killed. Besides, she’s certain there is someone else in Milo’s life.
   It takes Gracie and her growing support team to unmask Mr. Ott, but it’s what Gracie learns along the way that shows readers the wisdom of the advice Don’t Mess with Gracie.
   This is the conclusion to The Amazing Gracie Trilogy—a story so big it takes three books to tell it. Gracie’s adventures begin with Jalapeno Cupcake Wench, continue with Bluebonnet Ballerina - all set in San Antonio - and conclude here.

I hope your April is filled with renewal and the promise of a better future. I also hope you and your families stay safe and free from the COVID-19 virus.

I plan to be back here on Wednesday, May 7.

Virtual hugs to all!

Carol






Comments

You're right, I've seen real cotton up close and it's dirty.
Stay safe.
Your home is so pretty! It's a crazy time and visiting other writers gives me normalcy. :)
Mason Canyon said…
Carol, good to know all is well with you and your family. As for Texans and their homes, I so agree. I've lived in Georgia and now Alabama and neither of these states seems to inspire their residents to feature state items in their homes like Texas does. Even the cities and towns seem to be proud to be in Texas. I got to say, I love Texas too.
Karen Baldwin said…
I am in Texas now visiting my daughter. I always come this time of year and am always amazed at the Blue Bonnets.
Jemi Fraser said…
Love seeing snippets of your Texas life!! Hope you and yours continue to be safe!!
Rachna Chhabria said…
I had a cotton tree outside my window. It was a host to many birds. Stay safe.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
I can tell your home is one of those super-nice classy homes. You'd come to ours and wonder how we've manage to cram so much stuff into one little space. LOL
Loved wandering through selected areas of your home. There isn't a lot in ours which even shouts Australia, much less my home state. Our decor is definitely on the eclectic side. Which is the charitable description.
Stay safe, stay well.
Natalie Aguirre said…
Love your pictures. If my late husband saw your flag of Texas framed, he would have wanted to do it too. He was from Texas and had lots of Texas pride.
Carol Kilgore said…
Alex - Yep!

Teresa - Me, too. My house is a cluttered mess right now, but maybe one day :)

Mason - We do tend to have a lot of state pride. Maybe it's because we were once upon a time our own country.

Karen - I love bluebonnets!

Jemi - Cool! The same for you and your family.

Rachna - I love birds! I especially like listening to our mockingbirds here.

Diane - If I were the only person living here, the decor would be almost minimalist. Maybe casual minimalist, LOL. But together, our home becomes a mix of tastes and personalities and styles. While it is in a nice area, it's far from classy. It needs a lot of work and a lot of love. But it's home ♥ Stay safe!

EC - Ours is definitely eclectic!

Natalie - I'm sure he would have liked it. This one is nicely done. Husband bought it at a garage sale :)
cleemckenzie said…
You are a true Texan what with the Lone Star flag and those bluebonnets.
I loved the tour! The Lone Star flag is great :)
How interesting! I didn't know Texans had so much state pride, but considering your history, it makes sense. We have a little Maryland flag around here somewhere and lots of stuff relating to crabs, but that's just because we like crabs. We have more minions stuff than anything, which I suppose makes us overgrown kids.

Take care and be safe.
Texas, the birth place of Sheldon Copper..............lol
About as much I know about Texas......................lol
Bish Denham said…
Your home looks so spotless and clean and neat! Like Diane Wolfe, I live in a fairly cluttered mess. Ten pounds of stuff in a one pound can. But, living in Texas we have a Texas Sesquicentennial glass poster, and an ancient bluebonnet print from like the 30s or 40s.)
Carol Kilgore said…
Lee - Born and raised a Texan but lived many years up and down the Eastern Seaboard. I'm at home either place, my my heart belongs to Texas :)

Lynda - Lone Star pride :)

Susan - We have a little bit of lots of things around here.

Jo-Anne - Yes!!! I love Sheldon, but very thankful I wouldn't have to interact with him every day :)

Bish - I am the little bit OCD clutter hater in our family. It messes with my head and makes me very antsy. Husband is more a collector. In the process of moving in, we decided to go through old photos. It seems neither of us wants to do this at the same time, and bins full of them are still stacked on the dining room table. I can't even look at it when I pass by. Makes me crazy :)
Thanks for the mini-tour, Carol.
Everything is in limbo... neither here nor there... as the world struggles to control this global tailspin. It's surreal...
Stay safe in your corner of the globe.
Liza said…
I have always wanted to see Texas bluebonnets. I love the picture! Be well, Carol.
Carol Kilgore said…
Michelle - Exactly so about the entire world being in limbo. You stay safe, too.

Liza - I hope you get to see our bluebonnets in person one day. Stay safe!
Janie Junebug said…
I love your Texas items, especially the flag. Someone in my neighborhood is growing cotton and we can see it over their fence. It's not pretty.

Love,
Janie
Carol Kilgore said…
Janie - Cotton is only pretty from a distance. But it is essential for so many products.
DMS said…
I haven't been to Texas, but it was nice to see your "Texas" items. I have loved pictures of the bluebonnets and would love to see them in real life at some point. :)

Stay safe!
~Jess
Carol Kilgore said…
Jess - I hope you do get to see the bluebonnets one day. They're special.
Janet, said…
Hi Carol! I loved the little tour of your house, especially the watercolor of the bluebonnets. My house has a little of everything, even the walls are getting crowded. Congratulations on your book, most of my stories take place in West Virginia. Stay safe!
Carol Kilgore said…
Janet - Thank you. Great to see you here! I love those bluebonnets :) We will all be grateful to have this virus gone. You stay safe, too.
Nas said…
These all look so beautiful.
All the best and stay safe!
Melissa said…
You've given me some ideas for decorating when I finally buy a home next year. I love the cotton. I have some in my kitchen. It reminds me of the times my dad would drive us by the fields in South Texas, after the farmers sprayed defoliator on the cotton plants. The leaves were shriveled, and we could see the cotton bowls.

Hope you're enjoying your new home. What a welcome you got with Covid! LOL
Carol Kilgore said…
Nas - Thank you. Good to see you here!

Melissa - Cool! Yeah, the cotton is all pretty and green until they spray. Then it's a real mess after they pick.

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