Late Summer Mantel Before and After

Hello everyone,

We actually are going to have a cool down in the weather this weekend. I will be in the garden weeding and cleaning until it's finished. While the weather was hot outside I cleaned the whole house inside and changed the mantel for the next month or so...I can't wait to put my pumpkins out this year.

Since the first of the year I've been using plates as the main interest on the mantel. Go Here to see the Before post. My green plates with bird accents were so delightful all spring long. And now I have some new birds.

I love wildlife photography and artwork (Go here to see my favorite piece) of any kind. I found these  beautiful duck plates at Tuesday Morning and in the basket they went. 

The plates have a Mallard Drake and Mallard Hen swimming in a beautiful pond.

The Mallard Salad plate is Queen's Made in England. The White china dinner plate is Ralph Lauren. Hurricane candle holders have been around since the early 80's. The little wooden duck I bought from a little Mexican boy on the street in Mexico while traveling to the Panama Canal.

I found the metal basket at the thrift shop for $5.00 dollars. I was going to hang it on the front porch, but I love it in the living room decorated with some feathers and bittersweet.

When I was a young girl my dad would go duck hunting every fall and early winter. He would come home with Mallard, Wood duck and Spoonbill. I would help him pick the feathers until the birds were plucked clean. Then my mother would roast the ducks in the oven on Sunday. What a delicacy to have roasted duck on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. 

A mosaic to pin

Thanks for visiting me today and I hope you have a great week.

Joyously,

Betty

Linking to
The Tray of Bliss for Five Star Frugal

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday