A Brit in Tennessee

Spring Thoughts

2012-01-29T18:44:00.003-06:00

Surely we are getting closer....
The Robins are in abundance, busily pulling the earthworms from the moist soil, the nests are getting feathered, the Pussy Willow buds are awaking.
Not long now.

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."
~ Proverb from Guinea

Soup's On

2012-01-27T12:50:00.006-06:00

A dark and dreary day.
Mid-winter, the landscape bare.
The perfect time to warm up with a hearty bowl of homemade soup.

Navy or Northern Beans
Cabbage
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Ham Hock
Smoked sausage or Kielbasa sliced
Chicken Stock
Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
Rosemary to taste.

Soak beans overnight, discard water, add chicken stock, ham hock, smoked sausage, herbs, and seasoning, bring to the boil and then simmer for one hour.

Add chopped cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, continue to simmer for an additional hour and a half.
Add water if needed.

Serve with buttermilk cornbread.

Yum !

Family Heirloom

2012-01-25T14:44:00.010-06:00

You've carried milk from the dairy.
Held daffodils in the springtime.
Lived through Victorian days to Cyber days.
Had a mishap now and then.
Traveled an ocean wide.
Is treasured beyond words .

Nesting

2012-01-23T21:58:00.005-06:00

Birds' Nests

The summer nests uncovered by autumn wind.
Some torn, others dislodged, all dark.
Everyone sees them: low or high in tree,
Or hedge, or single bush, they hang like a mark.

Since there's no need of eyes to see them with
I cannot help a little shame
That I missed most, even at eye's level, till
The leaves blew off and made the seeing no game.

'Tis a light pang. I like to see the nests
Still in their places, now first known,
At home and by far roads. Boys knew them not,
Whatever jays and squirrels may have done.

And most I like the winter nests deep-hid
That leaves and berries fell into;
Once a dormouse dined there on hazel-nuts,
And grass and goose-grass seeds found soil and grew.

~ Edward Thomas (1878-1917 / London / England)

The Gentle Giant

2012-01-20T06:18:00.006-06:00

"The tree which moves some to tears of joy,
Is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.
Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see
Nature at all.
But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself."

~ William Blake, 1799, The Letters

Photo taken at The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson, Nashville, Tennessee.

Click image to see the pheasant in the wood

Winter Days

2012-01-18T22:29:00.008-06:00

I'm beginning to get cabin fever, and as the sun shone ever so slighty today, I decided to spend time cleaning the potting shed.

Putting things back in their place.

Wiping away winter dust.

Hanging dried roses from shelves.

"Winter is the time of promise because there is so little to do - or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so."

~Stanley Crawford

Batten Down The Hatches

2012-01-17T17:32:00.007-06:00

Tornado season is once again upon us.
The Tennessee Valley endured a sleepless night of horrendous winds, today was filled with much of the same, tornado sirens, trees uprooted, and roofs blown off.

Thankfully there was no loss of life.

The morning mists settled over the drenched landscape, a serene yet eerily silent mirage, showing little sign of earlier ruination.

Oliver thought it best to watch all the mayhem from indoors.

We reached a balmy 65 degrees here today, not your typical January weather.
Late afternoon the wild turkeys came a trotting, since the young poults are now grown, the flock has grown to forty six.
There seems to be a lot of flapping wings and flaring tails, in an effort to show dominance amongst the males.

Favorite Paintings

2012-01-15T19:10:00.010-06:00

Playtime

I have a love for old Victorian paintings, in particular paintings that depict scenes of children with their pets in playful settings.
The popular work of English artist Sir Arthur Elsley ( 1860-1952 ) being one of my most favorites.

All of his paintings feature children with animals, dogs, horses, kittens and puppies, and are true to life situations.

His works were so popular during his lifetime that many of his paintings were reproduced as prints, and were often used in calendars, advertisements, books and magazines.

Hard Pressed Time To Get Up

A Helping Hand

Wait A Minute

Silent And Soft

2012-01-12T16:43:00.006-06:00

Out of the bosom of the air,
Out of the cloudfolds of her garment shaken,
Over the woodlands, brown and bare
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow
Descends the snow.

~~By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.~~

'Til They're Clean And Sparkly

2012-01-11T06:32:00.009-06:00

For the past several days the weather has been fairly mild, but damp.
This morning it was so foggy, the mailbox wasn't even visible.

Days such as these I get the urge to stay inside and accomplish a little spring cleaning, and so before noon I found myself up to my elbows in sudsy water, and Brasso cleaner.

Shelf-pottery and knick-knacks were bathed, copper and silverware shined.

I know, it is the depth of winter, but that's how I work, either I'm a little behind or a little in front of schedule, nevertheless I give myself a pat on the back for simply making the effort.

Winter Silence

2012-01-10T05:33:00.004-06:00

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the
landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter.
Something waits beneath it - the whole story doesn't show."

~ Andrew Wyeth

Downton Abbey Season 2

2012-01-06T06:28:00.000-06:00

Downton Abbey returns Sunday evening with an all-star cast to season two of Julian Fellowes' Emmy Award winning drama.

Downton Abbey's Granthams and their family of servants have already weathered scoundrels, scandals, and a momentous succession crisis. But by November, 1916, the Great War has rendered everything — and everyone — changed. Even Downton Abbey itself, like its residents, has risen to the call of duty and transformed.

At the war front, life intensifies for Downton's young men in the face of untold horrors. Meanwhile, at Downton, war makes new and often unjust demands. Some rise to its call for a stiff upper lip and a useful turn, and others see change as an opportunity for either growth or exploitation. Far from the trenches, there remains no shortage of scheming, meddling, and dangerous attractions.

As other great houses crumble, a diminished Downton Abbey struggles to prevail into a new era with its residents and its honor intact.

Airing January 8, 15, 22, 29 and February 5,12, & 19 on PBS
Check local listings

Wherever You Hang Your Hat

2012-01-04T17:36:00.003-06:00

On being removed from his Christmas-paper squat, Oliver promptly declared he had found a much cozier, albeit smaller, place to call home.

Winter Days

2012-01-03T17:10:00.007-06:00

The recipe books are once again sitting snugly on their shelves, instead of being strewn about the kitchen counter tops.

I was gifted a beautiful enameled, cast-iron dutch-oven at Christmas, something I had placed on my "Wish List".
The prettiest cobalt-blue finish, and heavy as a sack of coal.
I have no idea how Father Christmas managed to squeeze it down the chimney.

My first masterpiece was a wholesome pot of navy bean, cabbage, and smoked sausage soup. Slowly simmered to perfection, and devoured with a slice or two of buttermilk cornbread.

I'm leaving the tartan tablecloth in place for a little while longer, the colors warm and inviting, giving dull Winter days, a much needed splash of vibrancy.

We had a blast of Arctic weather blow through yesterday, tonight, more of the same, although none predicted past Thursday.

Perfect weather on a late blustery afternoon for indulging in lots of tea, and enjoying a shortbread biscuit or two.

"Come along inside... We'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place."

~ Kenneth Grahame, "The Wind in the Willows"

Time To Tidy

2012-01-02T11:50:00.005-06:00

Oliver has taken to sleeping amongst all the Christmas wrapping paper, ribbon, and bows in the spare bedroom, and now it's time to tidy the chaos, and put everything back in it's place.
He isn't pleased, not even a tiddly-bit.

Southern Traditions

2012-01-01T13:36:00.006-06:00

As we start the New Year one of the first traditions that 'Southerners' partake in, is the eating of black-eyed peas.
According to Southern folklore, these flavorful legumes are to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year ahead.

The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War.
At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates.

Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme including:

Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas cabbage is used in place of the greens.

Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.

For the best chance of luck every day in the year ahead, one must eat at least 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.

In some areas, actual values are assigned with the black-eyed peas representing pennies or up to a dollar each and the greens representing anywhere from one to a thousand dollars.

Others say that since the south has generally always been the place for farming, black-eyed peas are just a good thing to celebrate with in the winter. Not many crops grow this time of the year, but black-eyed peas hold up well, were cheap and just make sense.

Some people believe you should cook them with a new dime or penny, or add it to the pot before serving.

Last year, I didn't eat any black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, it wasn't a good year, I'm making sure this New Year's Day I consume my 365 peas !

Ring Out The Old, Ring In The New

2011-12-31T12:08:00.007-06:00

A Happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.

~Edgar Guest

I truly wish each and every one of you, a New Year filled with much love, peace and happiness.
Your friendships have encouraged, enlightened, and made me laugh my frock off throughout this past year.
Here's to a 2012 filled with the same !

To friends and family alike
Many Blessings,
Jo
x

Winter Friendships

2011-12-27T22:26:00.005-06:00

Taking a few days off to catch up on overdue visits with dear friends.
Share a cup of tea, a piece of homemade Christmas cake, and swap Christmas gifts.
Be well !

"Winter, a lingering season,
is a time to gather golden moments,
embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. "

~John Boswell

Ratty, and Mole visiting Badger ~ Wind in the Willows

Peace On Earth Goodwill To All Men

2011-12-24T10:47:00.007-06:00

Christmas is upon us.......

I've so enjoyed our visits back and forth throughout the year, all the sweet comments written, and well-wishes when a word of encouragement was needed.
We truly wish each and every one of you, friends and family, near and far, all the blessings of a Joyous and Merry Christmas.

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love."

~ Ada V. Hendricks

Turn off the PLAYLIST at the bottom of the page by clicking the LARGE round button before playing the video

Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Men
From our home to yours.......

Christmas Memories

2011-12-23T23:50:00.002-06:00

When Christmas bells are swinging above the fields of snow,
We hear sweet voices ringing from lands of long ago,
And etched on vacant places
Are half-forgotten faces
Of friends we used to cherish,
And loves we used to know.

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The Longest Night

2011-12-21T16:45:00.006-06:00

"Lighting one candle
from another -
Winter night"

~ Buson

Finishing Touches

2011-12-20T15:46:00.012-06:00

I managed to do the Christmas decorating without dragging a single box out of the attic.
Fresh greenery, pip-berry vines and dried fruits, it all looks pleasingly festive.

My favorite Christmas dinnerware is the Pflatzgraff Winterberry pattern, I'd like more pieces (hint, hint )

The 'goodies' arrived today, Walkers plum pudding, simply the best.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."

~Norman Vincent Peale

Christmas Cracker Traditions

2011-12-19T06:09:00.004-06:00

Each year as I'm busying myself with the Christmas decorating, my thoughts turn to home.
The traditions at Christmas that have stood the test of time throughout many English households.

The partaking of mince pies, raspberry trifle, sausage rolls, steamed plum pudding, and Christmas cake laden with dried fruit , marzipan and Royal Icing...hard as a rock.
Gathering around the television or the radio and listening to the Queen's Speech.
Afterwards a tipple of traditional sherry, or port, toasting the season and good health to all !

The pulling of the Christmas crackers before eating turkey dinner, wearing the paper party hats, laughing at the silly paper jokes inside, and delighting in the small prizes, most often magic tricks, or plastic trinkets.

Happy times, that are gratefully forever etched in our memories ..........

Let The Merriment Begin

2011-12-15T07:57:00.005-06:00

We've had the strangest warm weather the past few days.
Here it is, the middle of December and the temperature reached a balmy 70 degrees today, folks were running around town, in shorts and flip-flops !

This afternoon, I accomplished a little inside decorating.
Our tree is an Alpine Tree, tall and skinny, and doesn't require any furniture to be moved around.
The mantle is almost finished, I'm going to add a few dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

The English Christmas crackers await eager hands

The silver has been polished

The dining table is set

I've hung a fresh evergreen wreath on the porch, and added two vintage wooden sleds, decorated with boughs of fresh Cedar.
The birds have already decided to make it their nightly roost.
'Tis the season for sharing....

Bringing Home The Tree

2011-12-14T06:52:00.000-06:00

"Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us,
that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.
It may weave a spell of nostalgia.
Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer,
but always it will be a day of remembrance
--a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."

~ Augusta E. Rundell

The Scents Of Christmas

2011-12-12T05:39:00.003-06:00

I ventured amongst the masses yesterday, taking myself off to the thronging Christmas shopping mart, I must confess, it's not my cup of tea.

I much prefer the kind of shops that are a 'hole in the wall' kind of place, chocked with antiques and time-worn utilitarian pieces, their finishes worn with years of use and enjoyment.

And so before long, I found myself rambling around my favorite little shop, decorated to the hilt with fresh Cedar boughs, Magnolia branches, and Rose hip berries, mingled together with gingerbread cookie ornaments and hot mulled cider ; the scents were intoxicatingly delicious.

This is the magic of Christmas.....

Making A Start

2011-12-08T05:58:00.004-06:00

I've decided to go minimal on the Christmas decorating this year, at least that's my intentions.
I do seem to have trouble knowing where to stop, once I've started.

For many years, I would hang twinkly faerie lights from every eave of the house, every tree in the yard, even the bird houses would get a mini-set of twinkle.
I would be the crazy neighbor, hanging lights from the porch long after dark, whilst the rest of the world snuggled inside.

I'm going green, please wish me luck !

And The Rains Came

2011-12-07T12:53:00.004-06:00

We have been deluged with rain these past few days.
Cold, wind-driven rain, mixed with snow flurries here and there.
The creeks are overflowing their banks, Winter is in the air....

Christmas Spirit-Lifter

2011-12-06T06:35:00.002-06:00

When the weather turns chilly, and I'm looking for something to stir my Christmas spirit, I make a batch of Spiced Tea.
The combination of oranges, cinnamon and cloves are a delight to the senses, perfect for sipping fireside late evening, and watching the Christmas tree twinkling in the dark...

2 cups Sugar
2 cups Tang
3/4 cup instant tea
1 envelope Kool-Aid Lemonade
1 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Combine sugar, tea, tang, lemonade mix, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a medium mixing bowl; stir well.
Pour into a 1-pint wide-mouth jar with tight-fitting lid.
Use 2-3 teaspoons in a cup of boiling water.

Double Trouble

2011-12-02T14:23:00.006-06:00

For the cat-lovers amongst us....the latest Simon's Cat video >^..^<

Comfort Food

2011-11-30T05:23:00.006-06:00

When the weather turns cold, we crave foods that stick to our bones and bring warmth and satisfaction to our bodies.....
I made a hearty homemade beef stew today, chocked full of vegetables, with an aromatic tomato base, and spices.
It's a Southern recipe, easy, and delicious.

Always best accompanied by a skillet of buttermilk cornbread, or it just wouldn't be fitting.

Nothing fancy, just basic:

Beef and Vegetable Stew.
I use stewing beef ( or cut up steak )
A Large onion
Two ribs of celery
Cut up potatoes
Cut up carrots
A large can of whole peeled tomatoes chopped up in bite sized pieces
Can of chili beans with the sauce
Can of green beans
Can of peas
Can of corn if I have it.
Chili powder
Bay leaves (2)
Garlic powder
Parsley leaves ( or dried )
Most anything you like to throw in the pot....sometimes I add cabbage.

Southern CornBread
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk or milk
1/3 cup of vegetable oil or solid shortening (melt if solid shortening)
2 cups of buttermilk cornmeal mix
1teaspoon of sugar (optional)
1 ounce of melted butter
1 egg

Oven temp 450 degrees

Place a cast iron skillet, or cake pan with a small amount of shortening inside the oven until the shortening melts and pan is hot.
Add mixture, bake for 15 / 20 minutes until golden brown.

Nesting Season

2011-11-28T21:15:00.005-06:00

A bitter-cold night, ground laden with a hoar frost.
There's whispers of snowfall by morning light.
The kind of evening that lends itself to staying indoors, finishing the Christmas cards, and watching old movies on the television.
A time to nest.

A Celebration Of Life

2011-11-27T13:55:00.015-06:00

They say a testament to a man's worth is how many people go to his funeral. ...

Over the past two days, we have shed tears, laughed, hugged family and friends alike, and said our goodbye's to one of the finest gentleman you would ever wish to meet.
From the moment the funeral home opened it's doors for visitation, until laying our beloved Jimmy to rest, a steady stream of visitors said their goodbyes, shared their stories, and offered their condolences.

Although our hearts were heavy, there was a feeling of peace and tranquility throughout the entire service.
His casket chosen to represent his love of the outdoors was hand-crafted by the Amish, using the wood from native trees, hickory, ash, cedar, oak, maple and poplar and was fittingly named Tennessee Woods.

The pastor, filled our hearts by sharing Jimmy's favorite passages from the bible, and even made us laugh, more than once.
His granddaughter wrote a heartfelt tribute to her grandpa, and found the strength to read it out loud.

At the graveside, the pastor asked if there was ONE word, which described Jimmy, shout it out, and a never-ending stream of words poured from the mouths of friends and family members:

Generous
Loving
Brotherly
Genuine
Compassionate
Fair
Godly
Forgiving
Gentleman
Friend
Unselfish
Honest
Loyal

Our granddaughter honored her grandpa's last request, and as we all gathered around his burial plot, the official state song of Tennessee "Rocky Top", played in the background.
A song adopted by his beloved University of Tennessee Volunteers "Big Orange" football team as their rallying song, a song full of fighting spirit, just like Jimmy.
Go rest high on that mountain, Son your work on earth,is done...

Please scroll to the bottom of the page and turn off the PLAYLIST by clicking the LARGE round button, before playing the video.

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Countdown To Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T22:18:00.004-06:00

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.

~Author Unknown

A Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours .......

There's A New Angel In Heaven

2011-11-23T11:35:00.006-06:00

Our beloved family member Jimmy was called to his heavenly home, late yesterday afternoon.
He fought a long and courageous battle with his cancer, and was surrounded by his family and friends, when he quietly slipped away to be with the Lord.
It's a sad occasion, one is never prepared to say their goodbyes to a loved one.

When I first posted about Jimmy's illness back in 2009 http://abritintn.blogspot.com/2009/03/sad-event_25.html we were given very little hope, and yet he would never give up, always the positive one and grateful for each day he could spend with his beloved family.

As you go about your Thanksgiving plans, sharing a meal and enjoying family time, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare to lay our loved one to rest.

Rainy Days And Mondays

2011-11-21T23:09:00.007-06:00

We are having our fair share of rain these past few days, and warmer than normal temperatures for November.
Tomorrow it's predicted to reach a balmy 73 degrees !
Oliver couldn't resist spending time chasing the squirrels, when he had finally called it a day, he was one soaked puddy cat.

My Life As A Turkey

2011-11-20T14:19:00.017-06:00

I have spent this drizzly Sunday afternoon, watching one of the most heartwarming stories of animal and human imprinting.

After a local farmer left a bowl of eggs on Joe Hutto’s front porch, his life was forever changed.
Hutto, possessing a broad background in the natural sciences and an interest in imprinting young animals, incubated the eggs and waited for them to hatch. As the chicks emerged from their shells, they locked eyes with an unusual but dedicated mother.

Deep in the wilds of Florida’s Flatlands, Hutto spent each day living as a turkey mother, taking on the full-time job of raising sixteen turkey chicks. Hutto dutifully cared for his family around the clock, roosting with them, taking them foraging, and immersing himself in their world. In the process, they revealed their charming curiosity and surprising intellect. There was little he could teach them that they did not already know, but he showed them the lay of the land and protected them from the dangers of the forest as best he could. In return, they taught him how to see the world through their eyes.
Enjoy....

Before watching the movie, please scroll to the bottom of the page, to the playlist and click the LARGE ROUND BUTTON, to turn off the music.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/my-life-as-a-turkey/introduction/7268/

Watch My Life as a Turkey on PBS. See more from NATURE.

Holding On

2011-11-17T13:52:00.002-06:00

'Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
To give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
From Love's shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit,
This bleak world alone?

The Last Rose of Summer: Thomas Moore 1805

Turkey Trot

2011-11-15T17:04:00.007-06:00

It's been a dark and rainy day here in our middle Tennessee valley.
Not a day to be out and about, instead a day to be spent inside, indulging in a little fluffing and cooking.

Around about three in the afternoon each day, the wild turkeys appear.
A flock of twenty or more, spend the better part of an hour feeding and foraging and then head towards the trees to their nightly roost.

They have become quite accustomed to my appearance, and boldly trot on over to the bird -feeders close to the porch.

Autumn Meadows

2011-11-13T14:05:00.000-06:00

To Autumn

Come, pensive Autumn, with thy clouds, and storms,
And falling leaves, and pastures lost to flowers;
A luscious charm hangs on thy faded forms,
More sweet than Summer in her loveliest hours,
Who, in her blooming uniform of green,
Delights with samely and continued joy:
But give me, Autumn, where thy hand hath been,
For there is wildness that can never cloy, -
The russet hue of fields left bare, and all
The tints of leaves and blossoms ere they fall.
In thy dull days of clouds a pleasure comes,
Wild music softens in thy hollow winds;
And in thy fading woods a beauty blooms,
That's more than dear to melancholy minds.

~ John Clare 1821

11.11.11.11.

2011-11-11T04:55:00.003-06:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In Flanders Fields ~ Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Dedicated to all the brave men and women whose unselfish sacrifices and bravery shall never be forgotten.

Thank You.

Gifts From The Sky

2011-11-10T07:26:00.002-06:00

There is something quite magical about finding a feather lying on the ground.
Discarded and no longer needed, yet still beautiful in it's perfection.
Folklore has it, finding feathers in your path, means you have angels in your life.
I treasure my gifts from the sky.

November Days

2011-11-08T05:56:00.007-06:00

Oliver and I stayed outside until daylight had diminished.
Dark at five fifteen now that we have returned to daylight shifting time.

I captured a few more flowers in bloom on this warm November day, the Coreopsis added to the Autumn palette, and is full of tiny black seeds.

Over the arbor, the climbing antique rose has several new blooms, The canes are filled with new buds just waiting to burst open, but sadly after Wednesday's predicted freeze they will have lost their chance.

Ever faithful Petunias still blooming their little hearts out.

And let me introduce you to Albert, my potting shed butler.....
He doubles as my Halloween candy server, with eyes which move left and right, and an entire repertoire of English butler sayings to his credit.

It's quite a surprise when the door to the potting shed is opened, and Albert introduces himself !

November In Bloom

2011-11-07T13:54:00.007-06:00

It's been a balmy 72 degrees on this November day.
Oliver and I took advantage of what is to be the last warm days of Autumn, with a hard freeze predicted by mid-week.

There are still plenty of Summer blooms around to enjoy, although not quite the Autumn palette

The Knock-Out Roses have grown by leaps and bounds this second year, I'll be sad to see them perish.

And guess what decided to treat us to one last showing of color ?
The Foxgloves......in November !
Curiouser and curiouser

Pottering Days

2011-11-06T19:30:00.018-06:00

We were gifted with yet, another perfect Autumn day.
Blue skies and sunshine.

A day spent pottering about the garden, stacking plant pots, arranging shelves in the potting shed, dipping fallen-leaves out of the pond.

The geese flew south overhead.
Squirrels busily transported their overwinter stash to secret hiding places.
Birds feathered their nests.
Wild turkeys led their flock to the nightly roost.

Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.
~William Cullen Bryant

Autumn Mists

2011-11-05T07:51:00.003-05:00

The morning mists, quietly gather and gently wrap the rain-soaked earth.

Morning Mist

In the morning, skies so gray,
Before the sun lights up the day,
I chanced upon a morning mist
That left the leaves and grasstips kissed
With the aqua of the dew,
It left a feeling with me, too
Something old and something new;
Something that comes with the mist again,
Never what, but always when.

A Simple Day

2011-11-04T17:12:00.007-05:00

Some days it's good to do nothing.
No deadlines to meet, no chores to complete, no lists to check twice.
A day to lounge in the comfort of your pajamas and woolly socks, to gaze out of the window and watch the falling leaves drift slowly to the ground.
A day for sipping cups of tea and curling up by the fireside with a portly feline at your side.
A simple day.

Nesting Days

2011-11-03T17:12:00.010-05:00

What a difference a day makes.
Yesterday, we had blue skies and warm temperatures, today has turned chilly and rained throughout the entire day.
I'm not complaining, I love overcast, rainy days.
The nesting days, the kind of day when you can busy yourself with household chores, read a good book, or catch up with old friends.
The sky may be grey, but inside it's warm and cozy......

The rain has hastened the leaf-falling

I've started giving the Blue Willow dishes, their annual bath

The aroma of Shepherd's Pie is filling the kitchen

Serve with a slice of pickled beetroot or a few pickled onions on the side .
Sit fireside to eat.

Autumn Tic Tac Toe

2011-11-02T16:33:00.006-05:00

The sun has shone all day, almost summertime weather.

If I were to close my eyes, I would have thought it to be the middle of August.

The Oak Leaves are finally taking their bow, show over........

Autumn sky leaving the jet contrails in it's warm moist air.

A Bewitching Night

2011-10-31T10:22:00.002-05:00

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

Macbeth ~ William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Scarlet Ball

2011-10-29T17:49:00.009-05:00

"October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band."

~ October's Party, George Cooper.

For The Love Of A Cat

2011-10-28T05:53:00.003-05:00

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains un-awakened"

~Anatole France

Autumn Path

2011-10-27T05:11:00.000-05:00

Garden Chores

2011-10-25T17:16:00.004-05:00

I've spent the last few days enjoying the unseasonably warm weather.
81 degrees on the outside thermometer, perfect for finishing those late Autumn garden chores.
Flower pots and gardening tools have been stacked away in the potting shed, seeds have been gathered from the fading blooms, and perennials mulched to protect against the winter freezes.

"Spring flowers are long since gone.
Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace.
The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks."-

~Louise Seymour Jones

Turkey Talk

2011-10-22T17:22:00.007-05:00

I happened upon this Johnson Brothers Barnyard King plate at one of the local antique shops several months ago.
One plate all by itself, I could only imagine what an entire dinner service would have looked like.

I'm going to display it for the Thanksgiving season, the colors on this picture do not do the piece justice, they are all hand engraved and made in England.

Barnyard King, what could be a more fitting name.

Dulce Domum "Sweet Home"

2011-10-19T16:59:00.003-05:00

The weather has turned chilly, and wet, a typical Autumn day.
I seem to be in the midst of a hibernation, only roused on the days I need to meet outside obligations.
What is it about the changing seasons, that leave us wanting nothing more than a cozy place to nest.
A place in front of the hearth, surrounded by the tea kettle singing on the hob, slippers warming by the fireside, and a portly cat purring at our side.
A time to daydream.

"What a ripping little house this is! Everything so handy! "

~Mole's house: Wind in the Willows

Autumn Splendor

2011-10-17T06:30:00.004-05:00

We've been experiencing beautiful Autumn weather these past few days, highs in the 80's with low-humidity, it makes for perfect outside chore-doing, or just plain rambling-about weather.

All around town people are decorating with Fall colors, pumpkins, gourds, and pots of colorful chrysanthemums, and down on Main Street Oktoberfest is being celebrated.
It's such a pleasant time of the year ~

"I am rich today with autumn's gold,
All that my covetous hands can hold;
Frost-painted leaves and goldenrod,
A goldfinch on a milkweed pod,
Huge golden pumpkins in the field
With heaps of corn from a bounteous yield,
Golden apples heavy on the trees
Rivaling those of Hesperides,
Golden rays of balmy sunshine spread
Over all like butter on warm bread;
And the harvest moon will this night unfold
The streams running full of molten gold.
Oh, who could find a dearth of bliss
With autumn glory such as this!"

~ Gladys Harp

Tying The Knot

2011-10-14T18:12:00.009-05:00

Donning my pearls for a special occasion.

This weekend The First Sergeant and myself are guests at a dear friend's daughter's wedding.
Is there anything sweeter than a simple, country style wedding, surrounded by all things good in life, friendship, food and fellowship.....

Simple yet elegant, the wedding theme is the perfect combination of Southern charm and romance.

Our congratulations to the gorgeous bride and handsome groom, we wish you a lifetime of happiness together.

"Come, let's be a comfortable couple and take care of each other! How glad we shall be, that we have somebody we are fond of always, to talk to and sit with. "

~Charles Dickens

Daily Ritual

2011-10-10T15:08:00.006-05:00

Time to change the teapot from the Summer Pansies back to the Blue Willow design.
I confess to being a tea addict, it's the first thing that passes my lips in a morning and the last thing at night, even going so far as taking a cuppa to bed with me.

I got the addiction honestly, and put it down to all those times we English children were offered milky tea in our bottles as we were growing up.
Yes, they start us at an early age.

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.

~Author Unknown

Following The Road Less Traveled

2011-10-07T05:27:00.006-05:00

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

~ Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

Woolly Socks And Flip-Flops

2011-10-06T07:28:00.005-05:00

We've been gifted with glorious Autumn weather these past two weeks, warm balmy days, and cool window-opening nights.
It's the time of year, when you step outside in the morning wearing your woolly socks and warm jacket, and by late afternoon, you've returned to your flip-flops and short-sleeved shirt.

Even the house takes on a different hue of color, orange, offering a warm and inviting glow to nestle inside by candlelight for the evening,

So are the days of changing seasons ..............

Gossamer Threads

2011-10-04T10:01:00.003-05:00

"The milkweed pods are breaking,
And the bits of silken down
Float off upon the autumn breeze
Across the meadows brown."

~ Cecil Cavendish, The Milkweed

Autumn's First Frost

2011-10-02T11:27:00.003-05:00

"The hazy, cloudless skies of Indian Summer.
Leaves scurrying down the street before the wind.
The cold shiver from an arctic blast.
Indian Summer. The last warmth of the sun.
Chilly mornings and glorious warm afternoons.
The Harvest Moon. The Hunter's Moon. The Rainy Season.
Dry corn stalks clattering in the wind.
The touch of frost on grass and window pane.
The smell of burning leaves."

~ Keith C. Heidorn

Silence

2011-10-01T19:16:00.002-05:00

The old wooden garden bench, half-crumbling away, sits silenty; with only a blanket of lichen as it's companion.

View From My Window

2011-09-28T06:41:00.001-05:00

Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.

~William Cullen Bryant

The Little Home

2011-09-27T04:16:00.000-05:00

The Little Home

The little house is not too small
To shelter friends who come to call.
Though low the roof and small its space
It holds the Lord's abounding grace,
And every simple room may be
Endowed with happy memory.

The little house, severely plain,
A wealth of beauty may contain.
Within it those who dwell may find
High faith which makes for peace of mind,
And that sweet understanding which
Can make the poorest cottage rich.

The little house can hold all things
From which the soul's contentment springs.
'Tis not too small for love to grow,
For all the joys that mortals know,
For mirth and song and that delight
Which make the humblest dwelling bright.

Edgar A. Guest

Thoughts Of Home

2011-09-25T15:10:00.004-05:00

The Manor Farm

The rock-like mud unfroze a little and rills
Ran and sparkled down each side of the road
Under the catkins wagging in the hedge.
But earth would have her sleep out, spite of the sun;
Nor did I value that thin glilding beam
More than a pretty February thing
Till I came down to the old Manor Farm,
And church and yew-tree opposite, in age
Its equals and in size. The church and yew
And farmhouse slept in a Sunday silentness.
The air raised not a straw. The steep farm roof,
With tiles duskily glowing, entertained
The mid-day sun; and up and down the roof
White pigeons nestled. There was no sound but one.
Three cart-horses were looking over a gate
Drowsily through their forelocks, swishing their tails
Against a fly, a solitary fly.
The Winter's cheek flushed as if he had drained
Spring, Summer, and Autumn at a draught
And smiled quietly. But 'twas not Winter—
Rather a season of bliss unchangeable
Awakened from farm and church where it had lain
Safe under tile and thatch for ages since
This England, Old already, was called Merry.

~ Edward Thomas 1878-1917

Harvest Moon Picnic

2011-09-24T08:11:00.002-05:00

"The gilding of the Indian summer mellowed the pastures far and wide.
The russet woods stood ripe to be stripped, but were yet full of leaf.
The purple of heath-bloom, faded but not withered, tinged the hills...
Fieldhead gardens bore the seal of gentle decay; ... its time of flowers and even of fruit was over."
~ Charlotte Brontë

A Brief Encounter

2011-09-23T06:34:00.000-05:00

We've had spells of wonderful cool evenings.
The kind of weather, that begs you to spend the last few hours of the day, enjoying the outdoors.

The days are noticeably shorter, the flowers are sharing their last blooms, the birds are retiring early to their nests.
Mother Nature's way of slowing down.

The mosquitoes however are in abundance.

Summer's End

2011-09-22T06:04:00.002-05:00

"Spring flowers are long since gone.
Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace.
The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks."-

~Louise Seymour Jones

Changing Seasons

2011-09-19T13:35:00.002-05:00

Be clothed within an autumn mist
Of morning’s coolest dew
Look upward to the painted sky
Of season’s rusty hue
Step lightly midst the crunching leaves
That blow ‘pon hearty breeze
Then hunker down and lay their bed
Neath winters snowy freeze.

Be crisp the night with snap of chill
And short of day be warm
The sunset mirrors the changing leaves
As stars of night do form
The fields be tanned with burdened straw
Of summer’s life fulfilled
And autumn’s flowers, days be kissed
With season’s colors willed.

~ Sherry Gail Heim

Morning Mist

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand shadowless like silence, listening
To silence, for no lonely bird would sing
Into his hollow ear from woods forlorn,
Nor lowly hedge nor solitary thorn;—
Shaking his languid locks all dewy bright
With tangled gossamer that fell by night,
Pearling his coronet of golden corn.

~Thomas Hood : Autumn (1798-1845)

Duly Noted

2011-09-15T07:29:00.001-05:00

After scolding one's cat one looks into its face and is seized by the ugly suspicion that it understood every word.
And has filed it for reference.

~Charlotte Gray

Shine On Harvest Moon

2011-09-12T17:29:00.007-05:00

It is the Harvest Moon! On gilded vanes
And roofs of villages, on woodland crests
And their aerial neighborhoods of nests
Deserted, on the curtained window-panes
Of rooms where children sleep, on country lanes
And harvest-fields, its mystic splendor rests!
Gone are the birds that were our summer guests,
With the last sheaves return the laboring wains!
All things are symbols: the external shows
Of Nature have their image in the mind,
As flowers and fruits and falling of the leaves;
The song-birds leave us at the summer's close,
Only the empty nests are left behind,
And pipings of the quail among the sheaves.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

A Barrow Full Of Blooms

2011-09-12T06:33:00.000-05:00

The First Sergeant (hubby) went shopping to our local DIY store this afternoon, and returned with a truck load of perennials.......
All marked down to one dollar a pot, twenty pots in all, a mixture of white and pink Coneflowers, and garnet colored Coreopsis.
Despite their end of season bedraggled appearance, I was over the moon, and can just imagine how pretty they will look in the beds next year.

Don't you just love a bargain !

We Shall Never Forget

2011-09-10T18:41:00.004-05:00

Together we pause to remember the victims,
to grieve with the families and friends of those who died,
and to honor the heroes of that day and each day since,
who have sacrificed to save lives and serve their country.

An Elephant Never Forgets

2011-09-09T16:45:00.008-05:00

When I first watched these videos I couldn't stop crying.

First aired in 2000 "The Urban Elephant" brought viewers the touching story of Shirley and Jenny, two crippled elephants reunited at the Elephant Sanctuary in Howenwald, Tennessee.
To learn more about the Elephant Santuary visit here:
The Elephant Sanctuary : Hohenwald Tennessee

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.
~Henry David Thoreau

(Please turn off the MIXPOD music player before watching the videos, by scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking the LARGE ROUND BUTTON on the MIXPOD player )

By The Light Of The Silvery Moon

2011-09-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon;
This way, and that, she peers, and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;
One by one the casements catch
Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Couched in his kennel, like a log,
With paws of silver sleeps the dog;
From their shadowy coat the white breasts peep
Of doves in a silver-feathered sleep;
A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws, and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam,
By silver reeds in a silver stream.

Silver : Walter de la Mare

Autumn Cottage

2011-09-07T17:28:00.005-05:00

Autumn is in the air, and for the past three days we've been led to believe it's already upon us.
Cool mist-filled days, and cooler, crisp nights.
The trees are beginning their changing of color, yellows, oranges, and reds.
The songbirds now busily returning to their winter homes.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

To Autumn : John Keats 1795-1821

Cooling Rain

2011-09-05T15:41:00.004-05:00

A break in the heat
away from the front
no thunder, no lightning,
just rain, warm rain
falling near dusk
falling on eager ground
steaming blacktop
hungry plants
thirsty
turning toward the clouds
cooling, soothing rain
splashing in sudden puddles
catching in open screens
that certain smell
of summer rain

~ Summer Rain : Raymond A Foss

Summer Rain

2011-09-04T14:29:00.001-05:00

We had rain today, a gentle-falling rain, the kind where you can use an umbrella without fear of it being turned inside out.
If you listened carefully you could hear the trees and flowers, heaving a big sigh of relief, their roots and foliage drinking in every last drop of moisture.
The temperatures fell, and for the first time in several weeks we enjoyed a tolerable 81degrees.
Oh, how I love days such as this.

How beautiful is the rain!
After the dust and heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!

How it clatters along the roofs,
Like the tramp of hoofs
How it gushes and struggles out
From the throat of the overflowing spout!

Across the window-pane
It pours and pours;
And swift and wide,
With a muddy tide,
Like a river down the gutter roars
The rain, the welcome rain!

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Nobody Left To Love Me

2011-09-02T07:25:00.000-05:00

Someone always leaving
and never coming back.
The wooden houses left too long abandoned
to turn old and gray.

Weeds pushing apart . . .
Trees gone wild,
Fields taking over
Shredded curtains blowing in the wind.

Beams of weathered wood . . .
No longer able to hold in
The soft heartbeat of Home.

Autumn's Calling

2011-09-01T06:52:00.000-05:00

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours,
But in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.
The cricket chirps in the noontide, making the most of what remains of his brief life.
The bumblebee is busy among the clover blossoms of the aftermath,
And their shrill and dreamy hum hold the outdoor world above the voices of the song birds,
Now silent or departed."-

~ September Days : Rowland E. Robinson, Vermont.

Celestial Helper

2011-08-30T06:56:00.001-05:00

" Sun shines, birds sing, garden angels flowers bring "

Come Fly With Me

2011-08-29T17:53:00.003-05:00

Just living is not enough," said the butterfly," One must have sunshine, freedom and a little
flower.

~Hans Christian Anderson

Sleepover

2011-08-27T12:18:00.001-05:00

Late Summer Meadows

2011-08-27T04:32:00.003-05:00

The wildflowers continue to share their beauty, despite lack of rain, and hotter than normal days.
It's been a HOT summer, period.
And so, as we transition into the gentler days of autumn I share with you the last few flowers of summer........

Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium purpureum, is an amazing plant that is an herb, a wildflower, a butterfly plant and an ornamental for the flower bed.
It obtained its name after a Native American herbalist, named Joe-Pye, cured fevers using the Eupatorium plant.

Though we tend to think of it as a wildflower in the U.S., it's long been an ornamental plant in England where our cottage gardens are so popular.

I enjoy gathering the flowers, stems and all, to hang from the rafters of my potting shed. Surprisingly enough they stay vividly colored until late Winter.

The Wild Yarrow, Achillea Millefolium, also known as Milfoil, Soldiers woundwort, Nose Bleed Weed, Sanguinary, and Devil’s Nettle is a very useful medicinal herb.
Yarrow has also been used as a food, and was very popular as a vegetable in the seventeenth century.

The younger leaves are said to be a pleasant leaf vegetable when cooked as spinach, or in a soup.

Yarrow is sweet with a slight bitter taste. The leaves can also be dried and used as a herb in cooking.

Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, are herbaceous perennial species found in the meadows and pastures, along roads, ditches and waste areas in North America.

Parts of some goldenrods can be edible when cooked, they can also be used for decoration and making tea.
Goldenrods are, in some places, held as a sign of good luck or good fortune.

They are considered weeds by many in North America but they are prized as garden plants in Europe.

Queen Anne's Lace, also called " Wild Carrot" is a common plant in dry fields, ditches and open area. It was first introduced from Europe, and the carrots that we eat today were once cultivated from this plant.

The plant blooms from May to October, and is a biennial plant, which means it lives for two years.

It will spend the first year growing bigger, and then bloom the second year.

Morning Surprise

2011-08-25T18:13:00.014-05:00

The Morning Glory vines are growing at an alarming rate, each morning I've checked, but sadly NO blooms.
Until today......I was greeted by the first beauty !

The vines are bursting with tiny flower heads, and so hopefully in the next few weeks, we'll be once again surrounded in the garden, by a splendid display of Summertime 'blues'....

THE MORNING-GLORY

Was it worth while to paint so fair
Thy every leaf - to vein with faultless art
Each petal, taking the boon light and air
Of summer so to heart?

To bring thy beauty unto perfect flower,
Then, like a passing fragrance or a smile,
Vanish away, beyond recovery's power -
Was it, frail bloom, worth while?

Thy silence answers: "Life was mine!
And I, who pass without regret or grief,
Have cared the more to make my moment fine,
Because it was so brief.

"In its first radiance I have seen
The sun! - why tarry then till comes the night?
I go my way, content that I have been
Part of the morning light!"

~ Florence Earl Coates ( 1850-1927 )

Optimism

2011-08-24T12:15:00.001-05:00

Real optimism is aware of problems but recognizes solutions;
Knows about difficulties but believes they can be overcome;
Sees the negatives, but accentuates the positives;
Is exposed to the worst but expects the best;
Has reason to complain, but chooses to smile.

~William Arthur Ward

The Dog Days Of Summer

2011-08-22T16:07:00.004-05:00

Dog Days defines a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress.
The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, was somehow responsible for the hot weather.
Either way, we seem to have hit that mark....

Warm August Nights

2011-08-20T18:36:00.000-05:00

How sociable the garden was
We ate and talked in given light.
The children put their toys to grass
All the warm wakeful August night."

~ Thomas Gunn, Last Days at Teddington

Rain Dancing

2011-08-19T07:48:00.001-05:00

I was out running errands today, and couldn't help but notice, all the dried-up lawns and dying Cedar trees.....everywhere.
The rainfall has been minimal these past couple of months, and now we are seeing the effects, it's a sad sight.

"Spring flowers are long since gone.
Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace.
The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks."-

~Louise Seymour Jones

Cottage Dreaming

2011-08-18T07:53:00.001-05:00

The cottage homes of England/By thousands on her plains."
~ Felicia Hermans

The Little Home

The little house is not too small
To shelter friends who come to call.
Though low the roof and small its space
It holds the Lord's abounding grace,
And every simple room may be
Endowed with happy memory.

The little house, severely plain,
A wealth of beauty may contain.
Within it those who dwell may find
High faith which makes for peace of mind,
And that sweet understanding which
Can make the poorest cottage rich.

The little house can hold all things
From which the soul's contentment springs.
'Tis not too small for love to grow,
For all the joys that mortals know,
For mirth and song and that delight
Which make the humblest dwelling bright.

~Edgar A Guest

Trees

2011-08-16T07:40:00.008-05:00

TREES

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by people like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer 1886-1918

Porch-Sitting

2011-08-15T07:08:00.002-05:00

Ooh, it's been a glorious day......
One of those days, where the temperature has cooled, and the humidity has returned to the point of tolerable.
A breezy porch-sitting day.
You can feel that Fall is in the air, just around the corner, and I'm excited, because it is my favorite season.
I've always felt that since my birth month is early November it's a coming home of sorts, a kinship to my genetic roots.

"Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn."

~ Michelle L Thieme :August's Crown

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-14T10:51:00.009-05:00

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest. "

~ Robert Montgomery

Fun, Food And Frolick

2011-08-13T07:35:00.002-05:00

Our hometown of Wilson County has always been known for its rustic quality of life—rolling hills and lovely landscapes with good weather year-round.
Somewhat of a sleepy little town, just far enough away, from the hustle and bustle of the big city lights.

However, every August something spectacular occurs in our county, and the town takes the bragging rights as the State's center of attraction.
The reason is The Wilson County Fair.

Attracting more than 450,000 people to Lebanon every August for eight days of fun at the 240- acre James E. Ward Agricultural and Community Center, the fair has continually been voted Best Fair in the State , and tenth most poular in the entire country.

The first documented Wilson County Fair took place in 1853‚ and featured agriculture and home economics displays and competitions.

While those types of livestock shows and crop judging contests still exist today‚ the fair has grown by leaps and bounds.

The principle to a successful fair according to the organizers:"For a county fair to be successful nowadays‚ it must reflect the community it represents. While Wilson County still has its agricultural sector‚ not everyone who lives here is a farmer.

So we have branched into other facets of entertainment that range from automobile giveaways and banjo-picking contests to demolition derbies and barbecue cook-offs.”

Other attractions include photography contests‚ wine tasting‚ Civil War re-enactments‚ tractor pulls‚ a midway carnival and nonstop musical entertainment.

This event is continuously voted the best county fair in Tennessee . It is extremely clean‚ and each year features fresh and new entertainment. Whether you are 5 years old or 100‚ the Wilson County Fair has something for everyone.

See you at the fair !!

A Serving Of Ginger

2011-08-12T07:32:00.001-05:00

He really does lay in this quirky position all of the time......

Domestic Staples

2011-08-10T07:45:00.006-05:00

They've held homemade jam and summer's bounties.
Children's colored-glass marbles.
Buttons of all shapes and sizes,
Lit the path of newlyweds,
Become the vase of choice for wildflowers
Illuminated trees at summer picnics,
Sat glowing filled with Lightening Bugs on bedside tables,
Held more than their share of Southern Iced Tea.....

Through it all, simple Mason Jars remain eloquent symbols of domestic comfort.

Summer's Waning

2011-08-09T07:25:00.001-05:00

" When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and like a dream of beauty glides away. "

~Sarah Helen Power Whitman

The flowers are fading fast.
What remains are mostly wildflowers and perennials.
Autumn gardening chores patiently wait.