The May's Oasis in Texas

We tease my brother, Phil, because when he was young he said he was going to have an A-frame house in the woods and live off the land. Now, he has a lovely house that is quite the opposite of an A-frame in the woods. Phil continues to play classical piano and treasures his Baldwin that he bought from a church in the Midwest.When Phil was in the Air Force, they lived in the Philippines for several years. They were wise to purchase some exquisite furniture and have taken care of it. Maribeth has created a peaceful, inviting music room.

I didn't realize how important window treatments can be for a home. The elegant draperies and wood plantation shutters came with the house and Maribeth has used colors that coordinate with them.

Maribeth loves to decorate. Their house has closets everywhere and that's a good thing because she has decorations for every season.

She has a knack for making things pretty and at the same time user-friendly. They both enjoy having people over and do so often.

They both enjoy the back yard that Phil has worked for years to create. They use their hot tub often and Levi gave swimming lessons there during the summer.

As of Monday, the day we left, they're officially Empty Nesters. When Levi went off to college last year, Maribeth's brother was living with them. He returned to Pittsburgh and 2 days later we arrived. (We were easy guests because we brought our own house, parked it in front of their house and only used their shower and washing machine.)

Anyway, we hope the Empty Nesters thrive in this new stage of their lives. Cheers!