Nora Lee's Nook

Trois Filles a Paris

2010-04-29T20:17:00.006-04:00

Spring in Paris ~ If you would like to follow this adventure with me, my sister, and sister-in-law, click on the post title (TroisFilles a Paris)!

Moravian Candle Trimming

2009-12-01T20:31:00.016-05:00

You know it's almost Christmas when we Moravians gather to trim the beeswax candles for the upcoming candlelight Christmas Lovefeasts. I love the sweet smell of pure beeswax candles. Working with many others at our church we worked on getting all the candles trimmed. When all was said and done 2,000 candles were trimmed with bright red paper, placed in trays, and ready to be lit to proclaim Christ's light. To read about this Moravian tradition click on the post title "Moravian Candle Trimming".

I Love Fall

2009-11-19T20:41:00.005-05:00

Memorial Day. . . Take Time to Remember

2009-05-24T22:04:00.002-04:00

A Beautiful Savannah Wedding

2009-05-08T14:24:00.007-04:00

This past weekend my son married a wonderful young woman, and in less than one year both my children have married. They decided on a very small destination wedding in Savannah, Georgia in Forsyth Park in front of the fountain. The weather was beautiful and we all had an unforgettable time celebrating this special event.

Life is good when you children are happy!

Spring Afternoon

2009-04-27T14:46:00.002-04:00

With the exception of the high pollen counts, I love this time of year. My clematis is growing and blooming like crazy.
After an afternoon rain shower a beautiful rainbow appeared for a few minutes between the clouds.

I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
Gen 9:13

Second 5K - "What was that pop sound?"

2009-04-15T20:16:00.012-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I ran in my second 5K race. It was a beautiful day and my sister and nephew were running also. We had ran a similar course just a few days before that and were pumped to be racing together again. I even bought me a cute pink Nike hat for my run. We gathered at the starting line and as soon as the starter blew the horn we took off. Right before I got to the first mile mark I heard something pop in my hip/leg...ouch! Talking myself up: "Just walk it out for a second don't be a whimp." I waved my sister on ahead and stated to run again, then two very loud pops... OUCH!

Let's just say I never made it to the finish line on my own. After managing to walk/limp/whimper along to the 2.5 mile mark, I had to stop. A kindly race sponsor radioed for someone to come pick me up. I crossed the finish line in a pick up truck; just as my sister was about to come look for me.
At least my nephew won a trophy for coming in second place in his age group!
Oh yeah, that popping was the sound of my leg/thigh muscle tearing.

Note to self: Stop running after you hear it pop the first time! I will race another day...I hope those aren't words I will regret.

Running a 5K...and Other Miracles

2009-03-21T19:03:00.010-04:00

Just a little over a year ago I couldn't hardly walk to the mailbox without huffing and puffing. Since that time I have made some major changes in the way I eat and (gasp ... the "e" word) exercise. I would have rather taken a beating than exercise. But one Sunday afternoon my sister invited me to play racquetball at the YMCA, it turned out to be a lot more fun than I had imagined. I joined that afternoon and it has changed the ugly "e" word to something I look forward to everyday. After many months of working at it I lost 50 pounds and started my own training plan to begin running.

This cold morning at 8:30 a.m. my sister and I set out to run our first 5K! It was so much fun, and even though we didn't break any records it was a record for me just to be able to run at all, much less run over 3 miles.

I have to give her a hard time for not putting her bib on the front of her shirt. You know how it can be with sisters: "I'm doing it right, and your not!"

Here we are at the starting line, or at least as close as we could get with 600+ runners. My daughter was so sweet to come and cheer us one and take pictures.

Here we are crossing the finish line in less than 36 minutes! Whoo-hoo!

Baby Dish

2009-03-15T18:28:00.001-04:00

I really don't know why, but every time I go into an antique store I am drawn toward the baby things. One item that has interested me are the vintage ceramic baby warming dishes with stoppers. Unfortunately they have all been priced between $30 - $50, which is much more than I would pay for one.

A couple of weeks ago while browsing around the Goodwill store I can across this one for $2.00! It's from the 1940's and has a rubber bladder inside to hold the hot water. It looks cute on my high chair.

Sunday Morning Visitors

2009-02-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

As you may have read from an earlier post my little dog Melanie died several years ago, and I miss her so much. She was part Schnauzer and part mutt, but she was a great dog. Last year my neighbors got two miniture Schnauzers, Elvis and Lucy, who come by to visit often. It probably doesn't hurt that I treat them to animal crackers! Last Sunday they greeted me at the door, and it made my day.

Lucy decided to come back for seconds. Aren't they just the cutest?!

Fishin'

2009-02-16T19:48:00.002-05:00

For several days last week my son would stop by after work and thow his line in a little pond near by. He loves fishing as much as my daddy used to, which brings back a lot of sweet memories for he and I both.

My son, the man...still my little boy.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-01-19T09:08:00.008-05:00

Burrr, it is really cold! Well for us it is really cold, even though it is about 30 degrees warmer here than it is in other parts of the country. Actually when I took this picture it had already warmed up from 6 degrees. With it being this cold the best thing to do is snuggle in and start being creative.

My girl friends and I got together and started making Valentines cards. It was a great day.

Going Cold Turkey

2009-01-14T07:30:00.005-05:00

Every year this time the Girl Scouts begin their annual cookie sale. Being a former Girl Scout myself I like to support the cause; but this year I have decided (sigh), no THIN MINTS for me.

This is how it used to go: "Hello, I'm selling Girl Scout cookies. Would you like to support our group?" Then I start to remember how much I love those little crunchy dark chocolate minty wafers. . .mmm. . . always wanting to support our young girls, I buy at least three boxes.

Then they are delivered and the money is hardly out of my hand before the box is torn open. I think I'll just eat a few...oh no just a few more...then the entire plastic sleeve of cookies is gone! Put them up, put them up!! They start calling me from my desk drawer...just one more won't hurt. Oh my gosh, the entire box is gone and the two remaining will be gone soon too.

Well I just can't let that happen this year, so I am giving up my beloved THIN MINTS farewell, my little mint chocolate friends; it was nice while it lasted.

Thin Mint Trivia: Thin mints are the most popular Girl Scout cookie. They make up 25% of total cookie sales, and have always come in a dark green box.

A Cube With A View

2009-01-10T13:13:00.009-05:00

Several years ago my office was moved to a new building, which was great except that I moved from an office to a cubicle. In fact we all moved from offices to cubicles, so I was not the only one who had some major adjusting to do. No more door to close. No more quiet, undistrubed time to concentrate on work. Now it is sort of like the Dilbert cartoon. Nothing like spending the day listening to your co-workers yell into the speakerphone while you are trying to concentrate on the project at hand. No more getting up and going to someones office or calling them on the phone, everyone just yells their questions across the entire office. Oh well, such is the life when working in a cube farm. But that is fine, I am just so thankful in this current economy that I have a job. It is just that working from a cube changes the dynamics of office work.

But I do have one major bonus; my cube has a view! A couple of days ago I followed this storm as it came and went. Beautiful.

Out With the Old - In With the New

2009-01-03T16:03:00.016-05:00

Well its the start of a new year, and there is so much to do around here!
- Take down the Christmas decorations . . . CHECK
- Vacuum and dust the entire house . . . CHECK
- Wash clothes . . . CHECK
- Clean out the refrigerator and throw away all the left over holiday junk food. . . CHECK
- Go to the grocery store for some healthy food . . . CHECK
- Whip up some white chicken chili in the crock pot . . . CHECK

Whew, with that taken care of I look out the kitchen window and see my poor bird feeder has just about had it! The squirrels had chewed off almost all of the plastic perches, and my husband had replaced those with wooden dowels. It had definitely seen its better days.

So off to Lowe's to look for a new one. After pondering for what seemed like such a long time, and after several attempts from Lowe's staff to assist me, I had just about made up my mind. The store security probably radioed them to see why that woman was fondling all of the bird feeders for an hour! This was a big decision! Or at least I make things like this out to be...will the rain get into the feeder; how easy is it to fill up; will the squirrels be able to chew it up; how much feed will it hold, and on and on.

I finally decided on this big beautiful red metal one. But of course the display was all they had in stock, so one of the helpful associates pulled a ladder over and got it down for me.

When I opened the top and looked inside there were two suet cages that hooked to the sides. I bought Apple Treat Sweet and Orange Delight suet, as well as a bag of fresh 20 lb bag of seed. Best of all when I got to the check out it was on sale!

Okay my little bird friends, come and get it!

Historic West End Holiday Tour

2008-12-30T14:00:00.000-05:00

Every other year the West End Historic District in our town hosts an afternoon of touring local homes. I have always wanted to go into some of these beautiful old homes just to see how they are decorated, and admire the old woodwork and design of the structure. These homes were all built in the early 1900's - 1930's. When my friend asked if I would like to spend a recent Sunday afternoon walking through these beautiful homes, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a nice cool day but at least it wasn't raining...well at least not for the first hour or so. This is when my sweet husband comes to our rescue and chauffers us to the rest of the homes! Now how sweet is that!?!

Saint Paul's Episcopal Church was our last stop. The stained glass windows are beautiful.

It's The Day After Christmas ...

2008-12-26T17:57:00.003-05:00

And all thorough the house, I see things that need to be done . . . maybe next year.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

2008-12-25T09:49:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas to you all!

Christmas Eve ... and the shoppings done

2008-12-24T15:42:00.003-05:00

All of the shopping is finished and gifts are wrapped; ready to settle in for a joyous Christmas with my family. Hope Santa Clause is good to you all.

Peace

2008-12-20T13:51:00.002-05:00

I took this picture yesterday on my way home from work. I love the evening sky.

Draw neigh to God and He will draw neigh to you.
~ James 4:8

A New Look

2008-12-18T14:48:00.003-05:00

I have been toying with the idea of updating my blog layout. Here is my first crack at it...how do you think it looks?

Pink and Blue Christmas?

2008-12-13T17:25:00.008-05:00

I love this paper! I found it in a local scrapbook store and I was drawn to the vintage designs. Pink and blue are not the usual Christmas colors but they will be perfect for making cards; which by the way is one of my new hobbies. Maybe I can get creative and make an advent tree with the numbered paper. Christmas is so near and I am still have not sent out our Christmas cards; well the cards and Advent tree are going on the list of "to do's"

Christmas Open House

2008-12-08T20:19:00.055-05:00

Welcome to my Christmas Open House! Please come in and enjoy some hot apple cider while we munch on fresh baked Christmas cookies. Let's sit for a bit while we reminisce about this past year; it has went by so fast, hasn't it? While it is fun to decorate and celebrate Christmas lets remember the real reason for it all . . . the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ . . .

May God's blessings be with you all this Christmas Season and as we welcome in 2009!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2008-12-01T21:15:00.007-05:00

Christmas is only a few short weeks away, and I am excited about decorating the house. The first thing I put out was this ceramic Santa Clause cup I used as a little girl. Each of us kids had one and my mom used to make homemade hot cocoa and fill our Santa mugs . . . mmmmm sweet memory.

I Miss My Mel

2008-11-13T12:38:00.006-05:00

I love this time of year, especially the beautiful fall leaves. When I got home from work yesterday the wind had blown a huge pile right in front of the garage door. As I began to use the leaf blower to move the piles up towards the street, I remembered a picture taken of my sweet little dog Melanie right in that very place. She looked so cute in a scraggly kind of way!

She was the runt of a litter of puppies and I rescued her when she was just about three weeks old. She was born in a box located in a neighbors carport, and I watched her everyday grow weaker as the bigger pups pushed her aside. I decided on the name Melanie, not your average dog name, but she wasn't your average dog. She was an outside dog most of the time, but enjoyed spending cold nights indoors, or finding a warm place at the foot of my sons bed. I took so many pictures of her, she would pose just about anywhere I sat her down and told her to stay. She knew if I had my camera I wasn't going to stop until she sat long enough for a good snap!

Melanie was a wonderful companion for 13 years, full of adventures that could fill a book. Sadly on August 15, 2005 she died from congestive heart failure. I miss her so much, but just talking about her brings a smile everytime.

'Oh you-u-u got that something...'

2008-10-29T20:54:00.018-04:00

When you hear an old song does it bring back memories of what you were doing when you heard it the first time or when it was popular? I do this all the time, most of the songs I remember were when I was very young through my teenage years. One very vivid memory is of sitting in my high chair (or at least at the time it was mine, it had been used by my older brother and sister before me) the new Beatles song was playing on the kitchen radio I Want To Hold Your Hand. The year was 1963 and I was three years old. Sitting in the kitchen that morning I was eatting an egg "sunny side up" and got a drop of the bright yellow yoke on the sleeve of my pajamas . . . the two piece blue ones with feet in the bottoms, they snapped together at the waist. I had a yellow pair also, but today it I was wearing the blue.

Oh yeah, I'll tellyou something, I think you'll understand. When I'll say that something I want to hold your hand . . .

I remember sitting in that sunny kitchen and feeling the comfort and warmness of not having a care in the world, sitting in that red high chair just enjoying a breakfast cooked just for me.

. . .I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my love I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide . . . When I'll feel that something I want to hold your hand, I want to hold your hand, I want to hold your hand.

Ahhh, I loved that trip down memory lane! With all those sweet memories of that chair and of all the children, including my own that have sat in it over the years, I decided to put it back out in my kitchen.

I Love This Time of Year!

2008-10-13T18:53:00.007-04:00

I love this time of year when the weather turns crisp and the leaves begin to change. On Saturday I spent some time raking up the leaves gathering below the trees and stopped to pick up a few of the red and oranged tinged ones. Growing up I loved to find the bright red ones and examine the yellows and oranges mixed in. It brought back some good memories.

Halloween is fun, but I am not into the "spooky" part of it, just the fun stuff. I found this pretty "vintage" treat jar at Cracker Barrel of all places! Love it!

Hello!

2008-09-18T09:44:00.011-04:00

Well hello all! Yes I am here and doing fine, just taking a breather from blogging for a while, even though I have kept up with all of your blogs.

Well the newly weds are doing wonderfully and are enjoying starting their life together after spending a beautiful honeymoon in Jamaica. They recently added a new kitty to their family, a sweet little yellow calico named Max.

Last month my entire family spent a week at the beach. It was so much fun, thats the first time in years that we have all went on vacation together, and it was such a blessing. The weather was beautiful and everyone "did their own thing" so there was no pressure to conform to any one schedule. I spent my week reading a relaxing ... ahhh I needed that!

Other news is that my son is getting married next May! He and his fiance' are going to be married in Savannah, Georgia at Forsyth Park in front of the fountain. It will be so beautiful. I am looking forward to being the mother-of-the groom rather than the mother-of-the bride which will be a lot less stressful! We are having the rehearsal dinner at Paula Deen's restaurant The Lady and Sons, which will be so much fun.

I want to introduce you to my best friend and scrapbooking partner. She has recently started her new blog Yackity Yack In Yadkin. She has a beautiful home which inspires what little decorating ability I have each time I visit. Please stop by and visit.

Next time, I will update you on my newest hobby.

I "Y"

2008-07-25T09:29:00.004-04:00

I have never been very athletic, actually the word exercise made me cringe with dread! But last September my sister introduced me to racquetball. She had been going to the YMCA for a while with her son and they invited me to go along with them and play. After playing for a bit I was hooked, it didn't seem like "exercise" and we had a great time. Fortunately for me they were very patient and didn't mind that I wasn't very good. As a matter of fact I still haven't even once come close to winning a match, but I did manage to score 8 points this week in a 15 point game!

I had never been to a YMCA other than to enroll my children there for summer camp, and was surprised at how relaxed and encouraging everyone is of each other. All ages and sizes are encouraged to just be healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Taking advantage of the weights, swimming, and fitness classes has helped put me in the best physical shape I've been in a long time. I would encourage anyone of any age or fitness level to "Y" if you haven't already!

Time For Some Changes

2008-06-28T11:02:00.009-04:00

It is amazing how much time it takes to plan and get ready for a wedding. It has been two weeks since my daughters wedding; I am looking around my house and seeing so many things that I have let go! So today I was up before dawn and planning my day. Deep cleaning is not one of my favorite things to do, but everything looks better already!

I did a little rearranging and hung my daughter's bridal portrait here. What do you think? I am also ready for some new paint and carpet! Amazing how freshing things up, hanging a picture and moving a few things around makes you want to remake a room. I have been visiting other blogs and looking at their houses for inspiration.

Liz, over at Mabel's House, recently had a post on colors and had links to other blogs inviting us into their homes to see some great ideas with colors and decorating ideas. This really makes me want to make some changes around here. Now I just need to take about a month off from work to have time to do everything. Wish me luck on that one!

Looking Back On A Special Day

2008-06-18T21:57:00.014-04:00

Well what can I say? It has been four days since my daughter married. Looking back at it now all of the excitement, work, frustration, anticipation, planning, and yes worrying that it would rain on her outside wedding, all turned out beautifully. It was all worth it! She and her husband were so happy, even the rain did not make one bit of difference.

We started out the day with all of the girls of the wedding party having their hair and makeup done at the salon. Everyone was beautiful, especially the bride.

She carried red roses; all of the other flowers were white hydrangeas. Here she is just moments before the ceremony.

We had decided to wait a few minutes to see if the rain would let up, but decided to just proceed. As you can see by the look on the bride and groom's faces they didn't mind at all. I have never seen two people any happier.

After the ceremony everyone made their way inside for the reception. A great time was had by all as the couple enjoyed several beautiful heartfelt toasts, and time with family and friends. The cake was so elegant and had their monogram on it. The evening went by so quickly and they were whisked off in the limousine to begin their new life together . . .

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes!

Special thanks and credit to my sister Z. Christine Spoon and Matt Spoon for the wedding photography: Website: www.zcsphotography.com

Rainy Day Wedding

2008-06-16T05:51:00.008-04:00

Saturday June 14th started out as a sunny day, but by 5:00 p.m. the rain clouds started rolling in. Not to be out done we decided to proceed with the wedding. Everything was beautiful despite a little water baptizing everyone!

I am still trying to recover from such a busy week, but will post more pictures in the next few days!

Special thanks and credit to my sister Z. Christine Spoon and Matt Spoon for the wedding photography: Website: www.zcsphotography.com

Just a Note ~

2008-06-06T08:03:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday! Just one more week until my daughters wedding and four weeks past her graduation from college and helping her move out. Everyone has been extremely busy. All the plans are coming together and I am starting to be a little more excited and looking forward to the uncoming wedding. Hopefully after that I can settle down again. Hope you all have a wonderful Friday and enjoy the weekend.

What's for dinner?

2008-05-28T15:07:00.004-04:00

What's for dinner? The dreaded question every night! Am I the only one who feels this way? As I have said before I'm not the best cook in the world, but I do love a good homemade meal. My husband is a wonderful cook but hasn't done very much cooking lately. Right now with the fuel and grocery prices going up so rapidly I hate to go to the grocery store. I can't hardly wait for the fresh summer vegtables to starting coming in, but until then I am just uninspired to cook very much of anything.

So my answer to the dreaded question of what's for dinner: "Cereal, it's not just for breakfast anymore"! Not the sugery kind; but a big bowl of oatmeal, or Special K with fresh strawberries, peaches or a bananna, and soy milk hits the spot. After having cereal for too many nights in a row my husband cooked a pot of cabbage, blackeyed peas and cornbread for dinner. Yummy! Man can't live by cereal alone!

Just Makes You Want To Scream!

2008-05-25T06:18:00.000-04:00

I receive e-mails all the time from "well meaning" friends who want to warn me about the ever present dangers lurking at every corner. Almost all of them are urban legends and can be quickly dismissed either by common sense or of course checking it at snopes.com.

Last week I received an e-mail with an attachment about ATM card scams (actually this one was true) in which my friend started out my saying: "Come live in constant fear with me as I share yet another way to become a victim."

My e-mail response:

"Thanks a lot . . . Now I have this to worry about as well as being kidnaped and iced down by strangers who want to cut my kidney's out to sell my organs on the black market; having my achilleas tendons cut with a straight razor by someone hiding under my car, while I am trying to unlock my door; someone hiding an Aids infected needle under the handle of the gas pump dispenser; nuclear attack, terrorist attack, someone rigging my car to blow up as soon as I turn the key in the ignition; driving next to a tractor trailer on the freeway and one of those huge tires flies off their trucks and comes though my windshield and decapates me, while my poor mother is riding in the passenger seat next to me and looks on in horror as I sit there headless, my hands still glued to the wheel in a death grip, as the car careens off the road and down a cliff before exploding into a giant ball of fire before crashing into the rocks below, and shattering into a million pieces, and then landing in the swirling water below! ... I need to make sure my mom knows how to swim!"

Oh well, wishing you all a Happy Day!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T11:46:00.006-04:00

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my Mother."
- quote Abraham Lincoln

A Trip to Remember

2008-05-07T22:10:00.012-04:00

Last week my husband and I took a much needed trip to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We decided when we were married that each year we would take time out to go somewhere and be alone together on our anniversary. We were both so busy with work and life last year that we took a short overnight trip, which was nice, but this year we planned the for the entire week.

Our first part of the trip was to New Bern, North Carolina, where the Neuse and Trent rivers meet. It is only 35 miles from the ocean and is a beautiful historic town. This was the view from our hotel balcony at sunrise.
If you ever get a chance to visit do not miss the tour of Tryone Palace which was originally built between 1767 and 1770, as the first permanent capitol of the Colony of North Carolina and a home for the Royal Governor and his family. All of the furnishings and decor are from the 1700's. Our tour guide was a sweet lady who really gave a great presentation.

I took this picture in one of the palace gardens. Aren't these iris's beautiful?After a couple of days in New Bern we drove on to Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, and Beaufort. The weather was beautiful, and the antique shops were abundant! So guess what I did; I visited everyone! Here is my sweet husband relaxing and people watching while I am going from store to store. He is so sweet and never complains when I am "looking" in all the stores, he is "looking" at all the people!

We did manage a walk on the beach, but it was way too cold to go in the water.

Now back to our touring the town! When we were in Beaufort we walked around this beautiful old burying ground. Some of the graves date back to the Revolutionary War period, and most of the others are in the 1800's. It probably sounds weird, but we like to visit graveyards/ cemeteries . . . its interesting.

And last but not least, what vacation wouldn't be complete without posing next to a life size Elvis Pressley?

Race For The Cure 2008

2008-05-03T21:19:00.011-04:00

Well I'm back from vacation and enjoyed a wonderful time alone with my husband celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary. I will share more about that later.
Today my sister, brother-in-law and nephew participated in the Susan G. Koman Race For The Cure 2008. The weather was wonderful and the turn out was record breaking. Supporters were 15,000 strong and walked the 3-mile route to raise awareness and money for the research and cure of breast cancer.

My sister Christine and I . . .

I loved these little girls shirts! There were so many children and families walking together it was really heart warming to see how everyone came together for this important event.

Today while I was walking my thoughts were about those I know who have fought and survived breast cancer as well as those who have fought and lost the battle. One very courageous woman who is a survivor is Amy over at Four Sisters In A Cottage. If you haven't stopped by and visited her you must, she has a wonderful blog.

Vintage Shopping and Scrapbooking Weekend

2008-04-28T00:00:00.013-04:00

What a great weekend! My girlfriends and I went for a weekend in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. There are so many great vintage/antique shops and roadside stands that are perfect for browsing. Armed with the latest edition of the Flea Market Finds magazine we were ready to shop.

The weather was great for most of the weekend but on Saturday afternoon the thunder and lightening kept us inside working on our scrapbooks. It was really nice getting some rain since we are in a severe drought situation, I can't complain anytime we have rain.

My friend Michele had this t-shirt on this weekend; I love it!

The "theme" for this weekend (not that we really needed one, but it is fun) was tropical, so Michele provided us all with these funny sunglasses. Each pair had parrots, monkey's, flamingos, and palm trees. What's more fun than six grown women laying on a big slab of granite, wearing goofy sunglasses, and having their picture made? . . . nothing really, I would do it again in a heartbeat! I love these girls!

Mother of the Bride (M.O.B) . . . the continuing saga

2008-04-22T15:29:00.016-04:00

Remember a while back I told you about the book M.O.B. my daughter bought me, which was supposed to guide me along the joyful path of being the mother of the bride? Well I think it skipped a few things and I thought I would pass them on to anyone who may find themselves in this same spot.

Even though the invitation company says "these particular invitations don't require extra postage!" Don't belive it. After purchasing $130 worth of .41 cents stamps the weight of the envelope after everything was inserted was over the weight limit. So off to the post office to purchase .58 cents stamps . . .
The bride wants whole coffee beans to go in glass containers with candles . . . simple and beautiful. Now where do I buy 25 pounds of coffee beans at a very very cheap price? Still looking, no luck so far! I say, "Can't we just use really small pretty pebbles? " She gasps, "Absolutly NOT!" What was I thinking?!?
Don't be too helpful. You will be told you are taking control.
Don't be too hands-off. You will be told you don't care.
Don't speak to the bride above a whisper you will be told you are yelling.
Don't say you love her first up-do hairdo...she doesn't like it so you shouldn't either.
Don't make suggestions...refer to #3.

Ring Ring Ring . . . Telephone Call For You

2008-04-14T21:46:00.006-04:00

Talking has never been a problem for me. I was one of those kids in school who always had the X marked next to “Avoids Unnecessary Talking” on my report card in grade school. My job is a communications analyst, so yes I know a thing or two about talking, communicating, telephones, wireless communications, etc. . .

But, you know what? All of this communication is starting to be a burden! Do you ever have those days where you just want to sit and watch rather than participate? Technology is a great thing, but right now I think I would like it if I could just sit on the porch and enjoy life quietly. Of course you can join me for a chat on the porch, but don’t call me on the phone, I’m not gonna answer!

Wedding Plans and Roses

2008-04-12T23:32:00.008-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting this week, but it has been a busy one. Last Saturday my daughter had a second bridal shower, she and her finance' received some really nice gifts. It was hosted by her future mother-in-law and another family member. They gave her this beautiful pink rose corsage.

The weather was not very cooperative but we were pleased that so many took time to attend. The wedding is a short 62 days away, and I am starting to feel the pressure!
Even with the best plans there is a lot of details to attend to. So far I have addressed a little over half of the invitations, Thursday we will pick up her wedding gown with alterations and pressing completed, (did I mention that the place she bought her gown is two hours from our home!?!), and bridal portrait on Friday.

She is graduating from college in less than a month, so after that hopefully she will be less stressed as well, and we can start to enjoy all of this activity a little more. With so much going on here I will post as often as I can, with the ongoing wedding plans!

Stawberries and Cream

2008-04-05T09:13:00.007-04:00

While shopping at Michael's last week I came across these cute note cards in the dollar bin. They had others as well but this one with strawberries and cream was my favorite.

I love this time of year when strawberries start appearing in the produce section of the grocery store, especially if they are on sale. Our local strawberries will not be ready to harvest for another couple of months.

These were delicious, but rather than top them with real cream, I just use low fat/no sugar added vanilla yogurt. Of course there are a number of great recipes using these beautiful red berries, but I would rather just eat them like this. . .mmmm good!

Thrifing Jackpot (Part 2)

2008-04-03T07:14:00.010-04:00

Well I had to share some of the other items found at the Goodwill on Saturday. The first one was this beautiful white glazed stoneware pie plate. I love the roses. This beauty set me back $2 bucks . . . My husband and I received a beautiful silver bowl as a wedding present and I spotted an identical one, complete with the hard plastic liner, for $3! Other than being tarnished it is in perfect condition.
Once home I pulled out the silver cleaner and got to work shining and buffing . . .

Ta Da! My new beautiful silver bowl . . . you just have to love Goodwill!

Thrifting Jackpot!

2008-03-31T03:47:00.000-04:00

Last week was a rough week at work, so Friday night I browsed the newspaper for local yard sales to spend a little time thrifting, which always is a fun stress reliever. Since the weather is beginning to warm up a bit the yard sale signs are starting to spring up about as quick as the flowers around here! I came across the perfect one: "Yard Sale/Estate Sale, Depression Glass, Antiques and more. . ." Great! I set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. and planned to be one of the first ones there. Well when the alarm went off I heard the rain pouring down and the wind blowing it against the windows . . .the sale was postponed. Oh well, there is always the Goodwill, nice, warm, and dry; best of all I could sleep in a little longer.

There are five Goodwill stores within about a 15 mile radius of my home, so I headed to my "lucky" one, and I was not disappointed. Heading straight for the housewares section I spotted a four place setting of Homer Laughlin Eggshell Georgian dishes! The plates, cups, one saucer, and three bread plates were all along the shelf. I snatched up those dishes so fast the people around me thought I was having some kind of spasm. I got all of this for $4

Each cup and plate are rimmed in gold and the flowers are so pretty. When I researched these specific dishes and the markings, they were made around 1937. (If anyone knows anything else about this specific pattern or design I would love to hear your comments).

The markings on each piece is B55N5

Isn't this place setting beautiful!

My next find was a glass dome which I been looking for and found for only $1. I discovered this great idea from Tina over at Cherry Hill Cottage and have wanted to make one of these. It turned out beautifully.

Maybe I'll make some mini-muffins this week and try it out.

These one only two of my thrifting finds at Goodwill I will share the others this week.

Simple Beauty

2008-03-29T21:50:00.006-04:00

I took this picture on Easter Sunday afternoon. Daffodils are so pretty and they last such a short time, but as soon as they bloom it is another reminder that winter is almost over. This picture reminded me of one of my favorite poems by William Wordsworth.

"Daffodils" (1804)

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Show and Tell Friday

2008-03-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

It's Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell. It is always a great time and you never know who you will meet!

This week I want to share with you my tapestry Easter table runner. I bought this several years ago and really enjoy putting it on my dinning room table. The pictures are of an Easter parade with bunnies, chicks, ducks, and lambs . I love how each one is dressed in their Easter finery! I have an African violet plant sitting in the center.

Signs of Spring

2008-03-24T23:04:00.005-04:00

Don't you just love the first signs of Spring? On Easter Sunday afternoon my family spent time together visiting at my mom's house. I couldn't help but wander around her yard and enjoy some of the blooms. She has a green thumb and her yard and flower garden always looks so pretty. I am determined to work a little bit harder this year in my own yard! Maybe I can even grow something that is worthy of a post! But until then you can enjoy some of her flowers~

He Has Arisen!

2008-03-23T10:40:00.006-04:00

Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. Mark 1:9,10

Christians, dismiss your fear;

let hope and joy succeed;

the joyful news with gladness hear:

"The Lord is ris'n indeed!"

The promise is fullfilled

In Christ our only head;

now justice, mercy, reconciled,

he lives who once was dead.

Good Friday

2008-03-21T11:18:00.007-04:00

Today is Good Friday and along with being nice having a holiday from work, my thoughts wander toward the real significants of this day. A day that marks the death of our Lord died on the cross, until he arose again on Easter morning.

The significants of Easter Eggs reflects new life which is what Jesus did for us, many years ago.

Tagged for Another Meme

2008-03-19T19:17:00.009-04:00

I have been tagged by Hope over at A Second Time Around to participate in a meme on 8 facts/habits about myself. I am not very good at these kind of things, but here goes:

In the past year I learned to play raqetball. This is a huge thing for me, as I am not very athletic, and not a big fan of exercise. My sister invited me to join her and my nephew at the YMCA one Sunday afternoon last September. I had such a great time I joined that day! We all play racketball, along with my daughter, another nephew, and my brother. Unlike logging miles walking nowhere on a treadmill, I think racqetball is at least exercise with a purpose.

I love to read true crime. . . maybe that is why I am afraid of everything! My favorite author is Ann Rule.I am an avid magazine reader. . . Country Living, Country Home, Creative Memories, People, Ladies Home Journal, Mary Englebrite Home, Romantic Home, Martha Stewart, Real Simple. . . and anything else I can get my hands on!
"Ding Dong Avon Calling" I have been an Avon Lady for over 22 years.

My very favorite flower is the tulip. I love all colors, but I guess the to me the pinks are the prettiest. I even carried tulips tied with ribbon for my wedding bouquet.

The first car I drove was my parents Chevy Vega Wagon.

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate....this should speak for itself.The best shoes in the world are my Berkenstocks.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T12:48:00.003-04:00

AN IRISH BLESSING
May your neighbor respect you,

Trouble neglect you,

The angels protect you,

And Heaven accept you.

Show and Tell Friday

2008-03-14T06:09:00.007-04:00

It's Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell. It is always a great time and you never know who you will meet or what treasures and memories they'll share!

Today I want to share with you something new and something old...well not too old but but I've had it long enough that it has special memories.

I bought this little bird yesterday at a local vintage shop. It is one of the Seasons of Cannon Falls spring designs. It has a little clip on the bottom and it looks so cute clipped on my yellow Easter basket.

This plate was given to me by my Uncle Charles about 12 years ago. He wrote out is life story, while he took care of his wife who had Alzheimer's, and asked me to type it and save it in a format that could be published. I may share some of his story in later posts; he was born in 1919 and served in WWII, and was a very talented carpenter and dedicated Christian and family man. He passed away several years ago. Uncle Charles gave me this plate titled "Remembrance" the Christmas after I finished his book. I think it is beautiful and the name is appropriate for all of the memories he left behind so that we will all remember his story. . .

Easter Happiness

2008-03-12T23:14:00.013-04:00

Finally we are starting to have warm Spring like days and Easter is only a little over a week away! I have gotten around to putting out a few of my Easter decorations. I found this cute little "All Happiness for Easter" sign at Michaels, which looks cute hung on the knobs of my pie safe.

Everytime I see Easter chicks it brings back a memory of a time when I was about three or four years old I was visiting my grandparents. We had went into a local store, I don't know if it was a dime store or some sort of feed and seed, but there was a large table with the sides built up around four inches, and it was filled with dozens of little baby chicks. Each one was dyed in different pastel color, pink, blue, purple, and of course their natural yellow, just for Easter. Each one making thier peeping sounds and trying to move around that crowded little pin. I begged to get one, but no such luck. I'm sure my mom was glad that I didn't bring home a chicken from that visit!

I also found these cute little bunnies and speckled eggs for my yellow basket. I spotted this vintage Easter card recently while shopping in a local antiques store.

Bridal Shower

2008-03-10T08:40:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my daughters bridal shower! On Saturday she was given her first bridal shower hosted by her aunt and cousins who did a spectacular job. The cake consisted of two decorated layered pound cakes, which was not only beautiful but delicious.

Then there was the cheese straws with pine nut topping . . . and other wonderful dishes . . .

And of course the guests of honor . . .Josh and Jamie . . .

Did I mention the beautiful flowers . . .

Friends and family came to bring their best wishes and blessings . . . And of course kitchen appliances!
After everything was over and the gifts brought home, she and Josh sat down and promptly wrote out all of their thank you notes. . . It was a wonderful weekend, but so busy and just a taste of the activity that awaits us as the days grow closer to the wedding. I am excited!

Show and Tell Friday

2008-03-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

It's Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell. It is always a great time and you never know who you will meet!

This week I want to share with you four vintage copies of Easter Ideals books that I found recently at Goodwill. When I was growing up my mom and my aunt would have copies of these during various seasons. Each is filled with poems, songs, bible verses, and wonderful drawings and photographs. These four are from 1955, 1957, 1958, and 1968

This picture of Jesus holding a little lamb reminds me of the pictures in our Sunday School rooms when I was a little girl. The soft colors are so peaceful and serene. Looking at these books now brings back a lot of memories of those early days of learning about God's love for me.

The photos are always so thoughtful and pretty, usually featuring children, little animals, or families, always with a Christian perspective. I love this picture of the little girl in church. One of my favorite hymns is written on the opposite page "In The Cross of Christ I Glory."

In the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time; All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sub- lime. When the woes of life o'er take me, Hopes deceive and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me, Lo! It glows with peace and joy, When the sun of bliss is beaming Light and love upon the way, From the cross the radiance streaming Adds more lustre to the day. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, By the cross are sanctified; Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide.

Hope you enjoyed show and tell today, I know I did! Have a great weekend!

What Is It About Aprons?

2008-03-01T19:52:00.021-05:00

When I was growing up my mom was one of the few women in our neighborhood that had a career outside the home. Every evening she came home from work, changed her shoes and put on her apron over her dress to cook a full course meal for our family of six. She would stay up late at night ironing, sewing, canning, and then up early the next morning cooking breakfast, making lunches, and then off to work again to start the day all over again. I didn't realized just how hard it must have been for her, until I was grown with a family of my own. It makes me tired just thinking about it!

My mom is a wonderful cook and there were always fresh vegtables on the table. I didn't always like to eat them, but she and my daddy always made sure we had plenty of healthy food to eat. When I see apons now it always reminds me of the hours she spent cooking for her family, and how much I appreicate the sacrifices she made for us. I always tended to take the easy way out and fed my family way too many times from the drive-thru; not proud of it but that was just how it was.

Recently I have been looking at aprons on Etsy sites and Ebay. I bought one last week from the 1950's in perfect condition. I don't think it was ever worn. The price tag of .59 cents from W.R. Grant store is still stapled at the hem. I love it!

I purchased another apron also and it has inspired me to cook a little bit more rather than going out to eat six days a week! When I told my family I was going to cook dinner more often since I had my aprons, they just looked at each other with the raised eyebrows. It probably wasn't so much about not believing that I would follow through with my plan as much as they were scared they were going to have to eat my cooking!

You know what they say: "You can put a women in the kitchen with an apron, but she still don't know how to cook!"

Show and Tell Friday

2008-02-29T06:00:00.006-05:00

It's Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

So glad you stopped by to share in my Show and Tell. Today I wanted to share with you one of my keepsakes from the years I was in Girl Scouts. This is my sash that with the pins and badges I earned for different activities. The two gold stars on green were for the two years I was a Brownie scout, and the four gold stars on yellow are from the four years I was a Junior/Senior scout. Did anyone notice I only earned eight badges in six years of scouting!?! I look at this now and just laugh out loud! One badge is for sewing (which I am not good at) and one was for cooking (again, which I am not very good at). If only they had badges for loving to talk and laugh with my friends, daydreaming, and eating Girl Scout cookies I would have had that sash covered!

Here is a school pictures during that time in which I proudly displayed by Girl Scout pride. Take a look at those chains on my glasses! Too funny!

Well, thanks for stopping by my show and tell today, I have had fun!

Mother Of The Bride

2008-02-26T21:23:00.012-05:00

Well the "countdown" the aisle is on. My daughter is getting married in June so I have the official title of "Mother of the Bride" aka M.O.B., which just happens to be the title of a book my daughter bought me at a used book store. I guess she thought I needed a little direction in this area.

This is what I have learned so far:

Gown Shopping: You tear up after seeing your baby girl in the first one or two beautiful gowns. But after hundreds of miles on the car going from town to town, bridal shop to bridal shop, gown #75 (the one that looks like it just came off a mermaid, and has feathers coming out the backside) you just smile and say "Hey that one looks good, let's buy that one!" She just rolls her eyes, shakes her head no and we move on to the next boutique.

If it has the word BRIDAL in front of it, the cost is 100% more than it would otherwise. A pair of white shoes at a department store $50; a pair of white "bridal" shoes $100+.

The bridal stores offer "Packages" just like funeral homes.

The "perfect dress" is only carried at a store two hours from home . . . and yes I did cry when she tried that one on. She is beautiful in it.

Thank God for family! My sister is a photographer, my sister-in-law the wedding director, my husband just happens to work at a funeral home . . . he will be driving the limo.

The last and most important thing I have learned is that it only seems like yesterday she was born, and 23 years have gone by in the blink of an eye. And I have cherished the time spent with her planning the perfect wedding. My baby isn't a baby anymore.

Disapointment And A Lesson Learned

2008-02-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I read a post by Liz over at Mables House about a vintage Homer Laughlin "Orange Tree" bowl that her husband had given her. I had never seen one before, but thought it was beautiful. I immediately began my search and came across a reasonably priced one on e-bay. There were several bids on it already but I kept my eye on it for several days. The auction was ending while I was going to be away on my scrapbook retreat without access to the internet. My daughter was sweet enough to make sure she was on e-bay and call me as the final minutes of the auction ticked away and made the final winning bid! I was so excited! I knew exactly where it would be displayed when it arrived. Everyday I check the front porch to see if it had been delivered and on Friday my daughter called and said that the postman had just dropped it off! Wooo-hooo! I could hardly wait to get home and open the box . . . .

. . . . well this is what I found when I opened the box! I was so upset and disappointed!

I thought the bowl could have been wrapped a little better for protection, but that was neither here nor there. After e-mailing the seller about my concern he agreed to refund half of the payment; which was generous on his part.

I did not choose to pay the extra $1.65 for USPS shipping insurance. The moral of this story: Pay the little bit extra for shipping insurance! It won't fix the bowl but at least I wouldn't have been out the entire amount.

Show and Tell Friday

2008-02-22T08:35:00.001-05:00

It's Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a good week, I am still trying to recover from my scrapbook retreat weekend. We are having a little wintry weather here today, but its warm inside and I have some warm cocoa ready so come on in and let me what I have for Show & Tell!

Today I wanted to share with you something I got a couple of weeks ago. A beautiful black vintage toleware tray! It probably dates somewhere between 1940 - 50's. I love the intricate gold work around the edges but especially the pink roses. So pretty. The red and black toleware trays are my favorite, but I am holding out on getting a red one until I can find a place to display this one! Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting. I promise to be better and post more next week!

Okay ladies, put on some hot cocoa because I am coming over to visit each of your Show & Tells today!

Crop Around The Clock!

2008-02-17T22:36:00.003-05:00

Well I am back from my weekend of scrapbooking with my friends! We had a wonderful time, laughing, talking, and working in our scrapbooks until well after midnight.

I began scrapbooking about eight years ago. I have always taken pictures especially after my children were born. Many of these were framed or displayed somewhere but the rest of the photos and negatives were just stuck in boxes, drawers, envelopes, or anywhere else that might be handy get them out of the way.

One of my best friends introduced me to scrapbooking and helped me get all of my photos organized in one place; which when broken down into the logical sequence of sorting by decade, then by year, then by month, I was surprised at how easy it was to get hundreds of photos covering over 30 years under control! After this monumental goal was met, it made the task of scrapbooking the pictures and the stories they told enjoyable.

I have made scrapbooks for each of my children documenting their lives, made scrapbooks of special trips and events in our lives. I also have scrapbooks that are a continual work in progress like our wedding anniversary album, where a few new pages are added each year documenting our celebration of our life together.

Each year a new scrapbook is started that documents the entire year; not only the special events such as birthdays and holidays documented but also everyday events. These probably are the most important ones; how we live our lives. The pages in my scrapbooks document not only the good times but also the not so good, sickness, disappointment, and the loss of loved ones. Have you ever looked at old family photographs and wondered who the people were, how they were related, and what was going on in their lives? I want our story to be told long after we are no longer here. To me this is important. This is the title page for this year's scrapbook.

You know what the best part is about going off for a weekend cropping day and night with girlfriends? We can be ourselves and just enjoy being silly! I can't wait for the next one!

A Special Day

2008-02-14T22:58:00.014-05:00

What a wonderful day, it began with the sun rising and reflecting on the beautiful unexpected snowfall from the night before. It was one of those wet snows that clings to the branches and makes everything look clean and fresh. I was able to snap a few pictures before going to work.

When I walked into the kitchen this morning my sweet husband had me the prettiest valentine card I have ever gotten, a balloon, and a cute little valentine schnauzer puppy that barks. I only wish it was real, as I miss our little dog that died a couple of years ago so bad. But this one is cute, and doesn't make a mess! It has been a hectic week, as you have probably figured out since I haven't posted for a few days. So this evening my sweetie let me relax while he cooked dinner. Did I mention how lucky I am to have him as my husband? He is one of a kind and makes me so happy.

I will miss you all tomorrow at Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. I'll be off with my girlfriends for a weekend of scrapbooking! I will fill you in on that next week.

Hope everyone had a nice Valentines Day, and a great weekend.

My Pie Safe

2008-02-10T13:56:00.003-05:00

I have wanted a pie safe for several years. My husband and I have looked at antique shops and found several but not in the price range or quality that we wanted. Last Christmas I found this new piece. It is a wonderful piece of furniture and was handmade by a gentleman in Pennsylvania. I love the bead board in the back, it really adds something unique and special.

I love it and play with it like a doll house, adding new things, rearranging, and planning new displays. My husbands tells me I am going to wear the hinges off it it opening it up so much! It may sound silly, but having this place that is just mine to plan and play with makes me happy.

Right now I have many of our family keepsakes displayed; the dough bowl and rolling pin that belonged to my husbands grandmother, her picture in an old frame on the bottom shelf, stoneware bowls, my Old Salem bisque houses, and other collected pieces. I recently bought several vintage table clothes that will be placed in there.

I found this cute white ceramic sign that I have hung on the front right now. You will probably see this piece again in future posts with other displays.

Show & Tell Friday

2008-02-08T07:43:00.000-05:00

Its Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

Another very busy week, but I wouldn't miss Show & Tell!

Since it is so close to Valentines Day I wanted to step away from my usual heritage posting, and show you what I have displayed on my pie safe cabinet. I had these berry stems on my Christmas tree and tied them together with ribbon after taking down the tree. The little house is so cute with a felt roof and sort of red siding; I love the wire "smoke" coming from the chimney. Inside the jar I placed a small bouquet of red silk roses. The portrait is of my husband's daughter who passed away in 1977. I love all the red together!

I hope you all enjoyed my show & tell! Have a wonderful weekend.

Clothesline Memories

2008-02-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Clotheslines. Clothespins. Laundry baskets. Fresh sheets. Stiff towels. Blue jeans that could stand up by themselves after drying all day on the line. The wonderful fresh smell of clean clothesline dried sheets . . . fond memories. . .

I remember when we got our first clothes dryer, which I'm sure was a huge relief to my mom who spent years hanging freshly washed clothes (and thousands of freshly washed cloth diapers; there were four of us kids). But even with the dryer she still hung clothes on the line if the weather permitted. I loved going to bed and having sheets fresh off the line to lie down on; there is no fabric softener or dryer sheet that smell as fresh and clean.

My younger sister and I, along with the neighbor girls, would swing our Saturdays away on the swing set in the backyard, singing to the top of our lungs "Found A Peanut" song; pumping our legs to swing higher and higher to see over the clothesline filled with the weekend laundry.

When my children were small I had a clothesline put up in my backyard to hang the laundry, and enjoyed seeing their tiny clothes hanging between the sheets swaying in the breeze. When my son was about two years old I had just taken a laundry basket of freshly washed sheets out to the line to dry, he was playing nearby with his new shovel. I had just hung up the first sheet and came around to get the next one, and there he was shoveling red clay dirt right on top! If you are familiar with North Carolina clay, you know this is not something you can just brush off! Oh well, I have to smile at the memory now.

The Clothesline Said So Much

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table clothes
With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

Author: Marilyn K. Walker (http://susie1114.com/Clothesline.html)

Valentine Hearts

2008-02-03T18:15:00.001-05:00

I remember when I was in elementary school during the first week of February everyone in the class was given a white paper bag to decorate for Valentines Day. Out came the scissors, red and pink construction paper, doilies, markers and crayons. We all taped our decorated bags to the front of our desks, and then waited until February 14th eager to see who would drop their valentines into the bags. Some even had candy attached to them, of course those were my favorite! My very favorite were the candy conversation hearts. I would read each one, pop it into my mouth, and then on to the next piece. I still have a hard time passing up these sugary treats! I bought this apothecary jar at an after Christmas sale with the intention of using it next year to hold my Christmas cards, but the ruby color of the lid and base are perfect for Valentines Day. Filled with boxes of conversation hearts and a vintage valentine card make a nice decoration and easy access to my favorite valentine treat!

Show & Tell Friday

2008-02-01T07:57:00.000-05:00

Its Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

Oh my, what a busy, busy week! I haven't even had time to stop by and visit many of my bloggy friends. I will try to catch up this weekend. This show & tell is like some of my others, part of a family memory/memorabilia and part history lesson. I hope you enjoy it!

This is the original portrait of my grandmother Bertha Violet on her wedding day May 9, 1915. When it came into my possession it was cracked and broken as you can see. I had it framed to try and perserve it as best as it can be. She was my daddy's mother; I posted a picture on a previous Show & Tell of her holding him.

As you can see she is wearing a collar with a cameo pinned to hold it in place. A bouquet of purple and lavender violets were pinned to her dress as well. When I was given the picture my aunt also gave me the cameo she wore and a couple of lace collars that belonged to my grandmother. I had these framed and have them hanging in my bedroom.

She died when my daddy was 7 years old, so I never had the opportunity to know her personally, but I am so glad that these small items are mine to treasure and preserve for others. It will be 93 years this May 9th, since Bertha Violet wore this cameo on her wedding day.

As a point of reference 93 years ago, Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States, World War I was underway, in Washington, D.C. the first stone of the Lincoln Memorial is put into place, postage stamps cost 2 cents, and women in the United States were not allowed to vote until 5 years later, when on August 26, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was signed into law.

I wonder if my grandmother ever voted?

Passing On The Joy

2008-01-29T07:57:00.000-05:00

I received this award a few weeks ago, and should have passed it on before now! But better late then never. Being sort of new to this blogging world, I am learning as I go along, so be patient with me.

Everyday I visit so many different sites and get inspiration for a project, recipe, decoration, or just a picture and inspiring words. But there are a couple that I would like to pass this along to. One is Hope at Second Time Around where it is always fun to stop by and see what she is up to, and also for some laughs! Another place that always makes my day when I stop by for a visit with Stephanie over at The Hearts of Hartmann she always has the neatest projects and makes the prettiest aprons. Last but certainly not least I want to pass this award along to Mables House where I can always get my daily dose of decorating and spring inspiration on these cold winter days. Her sweet pup will bring a smile to your face.

So ladies, here is your award, because you always, "Make My Day"!

Winter Birds

2008-01-27T09:45:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful sight outside my kitchen window this morning, bright red cardinals enjoying their breakfast.

I even had a red headed woodpecker seeking out something to eat this morning at the feeder. It amazes me how this bird has to hang backwards just to get their beak into the feeder to get the seed. This is the first picture I have been able to get of this woodpecker, he is always looking around and will fly off quickly at the slightest movement.

During the winter months when all the leaves are off the trees it is nice to see so many at one time. It is usually during the early morning that they all come out together. There was a family of six flying all around, and taking turns at the feeder.

The Red Bird

by Evaleen Stein

Swept lightly by the south wind
The elm-leaves softly stirred,
And in their pale green clusters
There straightway bloomed a bird!

His glossy feathers glistened
With dyes as richly red
As any tulip flaming
From out the garden bed.

But ah, unlike the tulips,
In joyous strain, ere long,
This red-bird flower unfolded
A heart of golden song!

Show & Tell Friday

2008-01-25T07:42:00.000-05:00

Its Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

This show & tell is like some of my others, part of a family memory /memorabilia and part history lesson. I hope you enjoy it!

Today I want to share with you the War Rations stamp books that belonged to my parents. I have these displayed in my family heritage scrapbook. Of all my scrapbooks this one is the most prized; so many family members shared stories, photos, or memorabilia that are priceless, and their history will be passed on to generations that follow.

These were issued in 1943 during WWII. The stamps were used to purchase rationed items such as shoes/leather, can goods, meat, cheese, rubber/tires, sugar, coffee, fuel, and metals to name a few. Each stamp authorized the holder to purchase rationed goods in the quantities and at the time designated by the Office of Price Administration. The purpose was also to make sure that everyone received their fair share of goods made scarce by the war.

"Rationing is a vital part of your country's war effort. Any attempt to violate the rules is an effort to deny someone his share and will create a hardship...Give your whole support to rationing and thereby conserve our vital goods. Be guided by the rule: "If you Don't need it, DON'T BUY IT." - - OPA: Office of Price Administration (1943).

This scrapbook page shows pictures of my aunts, my granddaddy, and my mother. I hope you enjoyed today's show & tell, and I would love to hear any stories you may have about family members during this time of rationing.

I've Been Tagged!

2008-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well I have been seeing that others have been tagged and Hope has bestowed the honor to me. So here goes with 7 random or weird things about me. It took me awhile to think about this, some weird some random, you can judge for yourself which category they fall in, but here goes:

I am a member of the Moravian Church. No not Mormon, not Methodist, but Moravian.
I don't like to put lotion on my hands before I got to bed at night; it makes my hair greasy. . . . go figure.
I love to read magazines.
I have a bad habit of finishing other peoples sentences, because I am too impatient to let them figure out what they are going to say next...just say it...get it over with!
I am germ-o-phobic. Shaking peoples hands...yuck...get out the germ-gel for my hands STAT!
I have lived my entire life within a 20-mile radius of where I was born.
Last but not least I am happily married to the best man in the world!

I think now I'm suppose to tag other people. Since most of you have already been tagged for this, and I am such a new blogger I am going to leave it open to anyone who reads this to particiapte if they would like. So if you like...your tagged!

National Pie Day!

2008-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

In honor of National Pie Day I will be posting the receipe for an easy low-fat strawberry pie. I'm sure there are many gooey, chocolate filled pies that would be wonderful, but this one doesn't have the long lasting effects on your hips as those do! There are a number of different combinations to make but strawberry is my favorite.

Jello - Strawberry Weight Watcher Pie

1 package sugar-free strawberry Jello
1/4 cup water
2 (8 oz.) cups strawberry fat free yogurt
1 (8 oz.) carton fat free Cool Whip
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust.

Boil the water and dissolve Jello. Whisk in the yogurt. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into crust and chill at least 3 hours.

You can make a number of flavors of this pie:
Orange (orange Jello and Mandarin orange yogurt)
The original recipe was for Key Lime (lime Jello and Key Lime yogurt)
You can try any combination, as long as you match the Jello and yogurt flavors.

Serves 8. One serving = 3 Weight Watchers Winning Points.

Thanks Tammy over at The Pink Magnolia for suggesting that we all in blogland put out favorite pie receipes in our posts today! And to Artsy Etc for creating the banner for todays bloggers sharing in National Pie Day.

Enjoy a piece of pie today!

Goodwill Hunting

2008-01-21T22:46:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay I know you all are tired of hearing about my treks to all the Goodwill stores within a 50-mile radius of my home, but humor me on this one. I had to share with you a beautiful old chair that I bought today for $10. I have no idea how old it is but I love it, and think it looks good in my living room.

The cane bottom is in good shape, and the curved carved detail on the back really adds to it beauty.

When my husband saw it he liked it also, but I got "the look" like he might be thinking about doing an intervention to keep me away from Goodwill, since I am always bringing home treasures. I just gave him a kiss and said, "Humor me honey". . . and he always does, as he smiles and shakes his head.

It's Snowing Again...and I'm Nesting

2008-01-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

What a great day! I am off work and the snow is coming down; no worrying about icy/snowy roads and trying to get to work. This kind of day puts me in a mood to settle in and get a few things done around that house that are enjoyable to me (note: I did not say vacuum!) Reading my new magazines: Country Living, Romantic Homes, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Flower Gardens, and Better Homes & Gardens Do It Yourself Weekend Projects. Maybe if I'm lucky something will inspire me to be creative or give me a new idea for spring planting.

I did want to share this photo of two of my recent Goodwill buys, this pretty white cup and saucer and planter. The violets were already in the planter, which are in excellent condition. Each was bought at different times, but they are pretty displayed together! And the best part it only set me back $2.50!

Signs of Winter

2008-01-17T18:14:00.001-05:00

I love winter weather, but unfortunately around here we usually get a lot more ice than snow. The sun shining through the ice on the trees is beautiful, but the damage it causes is more than I want to deal with. We woke up this morning to a little snowfall which was beautiful; of course it didn't last too long before the freezing rain began....oh well...

Josef Originals - Yellow Belle

2008-01-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

My daughter and I went to Goodwill this evening for some bargain hunting. I eyed this little Josef Originals figurine for $1. She is missing a arm, and the bell clapper but other than that is in pretty good condition. When my daughter was young she received several of the birthday figurines and I bought her one for her confirmation.

Josef Originals ceramics were designed by Muriel Joseph George. The first pieces were made in California from 1945 to 1962. They were then manufactured in Japan. The company was sold to George Good in 1982 and he continued to make Josef Originals until 1985. The company was then sold to Southland Corporation. The name is now owned by Applause, and the Birthday Girl series is still being made.

If anyone knows anything about this particular figurine I would love to hear from you.

Celebrate! Memories

2008-01-13T16:45:00.000-05:00

I spent this past Saturday at a Celebrate Event in Charlotte. This is the first Celebrate event I have ever attended and it was so much fun! I have been scrapbooking for about nine years, and it has been a blessing to me and my family. Documenting in pictures and words our lives from the everyday events to the special occasions, has brought us closer together. Each year I start a new scrapbook documenting what goes on that year. One of the hardest but most rewarding ones I have completed was a heritage scrapbook. I have also created ones for each of my children growing up. The beauty about scrapbooking is that each one is different and everyone has their own style, so everyones scrapbooks are unique. I use Creative Memories products for my scrapbooks. Digital scrapbooking is also an option, but I like to use paper and scissors! The most important thing is to start documenting your life, no matter how you do it or what you use, so that it will be here long after your gone.

The Celebrate Events are held all over the county, I was lucky enough for one to be close enough for me to attend this year. There were over 800 people scrapbooking all day from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. The 50's theme was so much fun, and spending time with friends doing something we all loved was great! At one point during the day they "passed the hat" to collect money for breast cancer research and collected over $1,700! Isn't that wonderful!

"Show & Tell Friday"

2008-01-11T07:59:00.000-05:00

Its Show & Tell Friday over at Kelli's There's No Place Like Home. Drop by for a visit and see who else is there for Show & Tell.

Today I want to share with you a few of my favorite things. As you probably already know I love vintage items but the most special ones are the ones that belonged to family members.

The oil lamp was purchased by my husband's daddy and momma when they first married and set up house. The picture is of three of my aunts when they were young girls growing up in Virginia, they were outside of my great grandmother's house. The oldest girl is trying to tickle her baby sister sitting in the chair. All three of them have passed away, the two youngest died this past year and both were in their late eighties. I am not sure who exactly who had the tea cup and bowl, but I love the delicate roses on them. The little black bible belonged to my daddy, and was given to him by a Sunday school teacher on October 4, 1942.

The eye glasses belonged to my daddy's mother. She died giving birth to her 10th child at the age of 40. In the second picture below she is holding my daddy, probably around 1935. She is wearing these glasses in the picture.

My First Award...sigh

2008-01-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

I am so honored to receive my first award. Brittney was so sweet to give me. What better compliment than to tell someone that you made their day!

Thanks Brittney, you have made mine!

Ding Dong....UPS, FedEx, USPS Calling!

2008-01-08T21:12:00.000-05:00

Always looking for a bargain I spent a bit of time on the internet looking to purchase items for this years Christmas decorations. Almost everyday I have a new package waiting for me on the front porch...oh goody, goody! I found this beautiful apple/pine cone/pomegranate/cranberry "tree" for only $4.99 from Target! The regular price was $29.99 and I got free shipping...a pretty good deal I would say. Since it is not so "Christmasy" I will keep it on my dining room table for a bit longer.

Nora Lee

2008-01-05T20:44:00.001-05:00

This is my grandmother Nora, she was born in 1896 and died when I was eight years old. When Nora was three years old her 26 year old mother married a 57 year old widowed gentleman. It was not uncommon then for a young woman to marry an older widower, especially since women sometimes died young, leaving behind a husband and children. Her husband had lost an arm during a charge at the Battle of Winchester on August 17, 1864. He was 22 years old at the time and a member of the 36th Virginia Infantry Regiment, under the command of General John McCausland and Colonial William E. Fife. The 36th Infantry disband April 12, 1865 in Christiansburg, Virginia, after hearing of General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, Virginia. In 1888, twenty-five years after losing his arm in the war the State of Virginia granted a pension to soldiers who were injured or maimed; he received $30 annually.
I have always had an interest in the who, what, when, where and how about the history of my family. It has been so wonderful to discover the lives of those who came before us. Share these stories with your family, talk to older family members about their experiences growing up. You will be so glad you did! A good place to start is http://www.ancestry.com

"Show and Tell Friday!"

2008-01-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

This little tin cup and saucer belonged to my husband when he was a baby. You can see along the rim of the cup the indentions of his little teeth marks. I keep it displayed with a ring of holly berries inside. I can't help but smile every time I look at it and think about him drinking and eating from this set 59 years ago. So sweet.

Flour Sacks and Dish Towels...Oh My!

2008-01-02T22:17:00.000-05:00

On New Years Day I visited with my 90 year old aunt, I went through some of her old cloth bags and came across these beautiful prints. Some are stained but maybe I can take care of that without too much damage to the colors. Any suggestions would be helpful. I love the brilliant colors and prints from the 40's and 50's. Some of these were obviously from old cut up flour sacks and the one on the bottom left is a table cloth. I have picked up several dish towels and things with these type prints at flea markets and thrift stores, but it is sort of special knowing that these were used by someone in my family for everyday use.

Happy New Year ~ 2008

2007-12-31T16:19:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year! My husband Bill and I spent a nice quite evening at home on New Years Eve watching the ball drop in Times Square. Our New Years eves are usually spent in reflection rather than out on the town; which is really nice.

January 1, 2008 the beginning of a new year filled with plans and unknowns. February will bring us an extra day this year; my son will be 24 on March 24th; we will celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary in April; Bill will be 60 in May; Jamie, my daughter, will be getting married in June. These are all anticipations of things to come but this year I hope to let God lead my days rather than rush through them.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Beautiful Red Cardinals

2007-12-30T14:33:00.000-05:00

We woke up this morning to rain; lots of rain! Which is a blessing since we are experiencing the worst drought in our states history. But even the rain did not bother these Cardinals as they enjoyed their morning meal. I love the brilliant red color of the males, the females are more of a brownish tan with a hint of red. Hope everyone enjoys this last Sunday of 2007.

Packing Christmas Away

2007-12-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

It seems that I just got all my Christmas decorations up and then it is time to put them away again. Next year I am going to have all my decorations up by Thanksgiving Day so we can enjoy them a little bit longer. I did find time today to do a little Goodwill shopping and found beautiful advent wreath complete with bows for only $1.00! I also went back to Corner Cottage Antiques and Collectibles and purchased two small feather trees for next year since they were on sale. The last time I was there I saw a little stove ornament that looked just like one I used to play with when I was little. It was just too cute so I had to buy it!

Vintage Christmas Handkerchiefs

2007-12-28T14:38:00.002-05:00

I found these beautiful vintage Christmas handkerchiefs and enjoyed displaying them this year. The colors as so vivid on the poinsettias and the Santa Claus reminds me of the ones when I was small.

New Banner for Nora Lee

2007-12-27T21:13:00.000-05:00

I contacted Mary at Isabella's Closet and she designed this beautiful new banner for my blog. I love it! Visit her blog and enjoy all of the banners and logos along with her interesting posts. I told her what I would like and she went from there, I think she did a wonderful job. You can e-mail Mary at IsabellasCloset@aol.com

Birth of a Blog....Nora Lee's Nook

2007-12-26T22:28:00.000-05:00

After spending time visiting and reading so many other peoples blogs I decided to create my own. I hope to use this to share my interests. If you would like to join me here goes......

Nora Lee was my maternal grandmothers name, she would have been 111 years old this year. She passed away when I was eight years old. I decided to name by blog after her.
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I love Christmas! However, in the past several years it seemed to be so much of a chore that I didn't even want to decorate. With that said I made up for it this year, even my daughter expressed her surprise at how excited I was. On Thanksgiving I pulled out my old Country Living and Country Sampler magazines and let them inspire me. The next day I was invited to a Christmas gathering at my friends house, which could be in a magazine it was so beautiful; that was about all I needed to want to begin my own decorating! I was in my element and after a couple of trips to a Carolina Country (a local store that sells handcrafted furniture and county/primitive decor), and Corner Cottage Antiques & Collectibles, everything started coming together. Posted here are just a few pictures of my efforts.

With that said, of course Christmas is about much more than all of that. I am blessed with a wonderful family and friends who also celebrated Christ birth along with me this Christmas!