Hello Fall

The strangest thing about this fall is 

 there's no packing up summer and returning to our military quarters at Fort Somewhere. 

This is it.  

That's been the hardest adjustment for me in this retirement phase. 

I'm not sad, just adjusting.

It also means that I'm decorating for fall at the beach! 

We're a little late on this one given our weeks long "Hurrication" from Florence. 

But, better late than later, haha!

Great pillow finds from Home Goods!

My geraniums are making a comeback in this wacky weather, I've planted some pansies to keep them company.

Did I mention my daughter found a puppy on the highway? We brought her home and named her Lizzie.  She was so adorable the receptionist at our vet adopted her. We had her a full 24 hours and I still miss her!!

Did I mention that Tippet does not miss her? 

We had 7 trick or treaters for Halloween this year...that's quite a change from years past!

 If you want to see what I did with our quarters at Ft. Meade last fall you can check it out here.   Hopefully this time next year we'll figure out a place for the rest of our belongings.

I've been posting on Instagram (quartersone) so if you miss hearing from me you can find me there almost every day!

Thanks for dropping by!

With Gratitude,

Shand

October is My Favorite Color!

  

It's been exactly 3 years and 9 months since I've been able to say I love our Army quarters.  
Don't get me wrong,  I'm grateful to have lived at Fort Myer but those quarters and I had no chemistry.

Nada.

But I love, love the new Quarters One!
(Which is actually Quarters 3 but you know the story...)

 This is the same 1930's floor plan that we lived in, with some variation, at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg. 

 Last fall I thought we might retire over the summer so I gave almost all of my faux fall decor to my daughter.
Even though that hasn't happened (yet) I didn't want to make purchases I had to keep around.

So when I came across a veggie stand full of these beauties...

I decided to fall into my favorite season keeping everything natural and simple. 

And I don't have to pack it up when Christmas rolls around!

These little white pumpkins are the best! They go with everything and just about every room gets one.

One of the few things I kept were pillow covers.  I'm pretty obsessed with pillows.

The foyer.

These heirloom pumpkins are perfect for the kitchen.

The crows made the cut, too. 

See them in last year's fall blog HERE.

We had our first guests for dinner...

Our gorgeous, fun friends,Vikki and Jeff.  

(They seriously look like Grace Kelly and Cary Grant!)

We served our dinner in small, Italian style courses:

Butternut Tarte and Prosecco 

Leek Soup

 White Bean and Fennel Salad

Shrimp and Grits

Ginger Snaps with Cream 

Wine

and then some more wine...

Keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram! 
Thanks for visiting our first post about the new 
(and improved) 
Quarters One!

With Gratitude,

Shand 

Trading Watermelons for Pumpkins

Fall is practically over!

In blogger land I am so painfully behind everyone else in decorating and sharing that I feel like I should skip straight ahead to decorating for spring.

Summer went so fast and I've just been putting off giving up watermelons for pumpkins.

But, here we are, smack in the middle of October so why don't you come on in for a cup of coffee.

Or some vodka, 
you pick...

The big decision I made this fall was to give away my faux fall decor to my daughter. She is starting her own household with her  very handsome Air Force pilot fiancé  and I thought it would be a good move for both of us.

 I've decided to decorate simply and naturally from now on.  

(Or until I see some adorable fall decor I can't resist.)

Here are some photos of our fall decor at Q1 this season...

We spend most of our time on the front porch, it is, without a doubt, the best room in the house.

I love to drink coffee on the porch every morning and watch the caissons roll by.  It is the one thing I will miss when we move.

Which, eventually, we will.

 Every evening at 5 these market lights come on for Happy Hour!
(This table is an inexpensive plastic fold up from Target, it's perfect for the spot without a big investment.)

The kitchen gets a little something...

 I'm wondering if my friend, Melissa, will notice I opened my Christmas gift early this year?? Nuts, anyone?

My newest kitchen decor...Cleo. I love her! 

Have I mentioned I'm a vegetarian? That makes Cleo super happy!

Next to porches, fireplace mantles are my favorite places to decorate.

I did keep these wooden crows, their names are Jon Snow, Arya, and Sansa...I just couldn't part with them!

    

Company for dinner tonight! Vegetable pot pie and salad is on the menu, buffet style.

Have I mentioned my obsession with glass bottles?

The back steps are getting a little fall love too this year...

and luckily my orange colors on the patio are taking me right into the season...thank goodness since I'm showing up late to this party.

If you're new to Quarters One you can check out last year's fall porch here.

You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quartersone

We're on Instagram, too...sometimes...when I remember we have an account!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

With Gratitude, Shand