Nana Claus is in the House!

Must be December 1st! Time to start decorating.

During my outing today, I found this fabulous felt birdhouse. Isn't it darling?

My view from the back hall. Hope some little birdies find it nice and toasty.

 I found some miniature poinsettia today, also. The ivy was a bonus!

 Joy to the world.

Spring is in the Air

 It was a nice day for a bike ride. And that's just what the hub and I did.

The hub, of course, is in much better shape than I am. So, I told "Lance" to go ahead as I peddled at my leisure and stopped to take photos when I got winded. Why is it when we're young, we never had a thought in our minds when we rode our bikes. Now? "Oh dear, someone is walking--don't run them over." "I need to practice my stopping and getting off the bike without falling." What? When did all this uneasiness start? Well, I guess it started when I was trying the bicycle out and did beautifully. Until, that is, I stopped and my jeans got stuck in my sandals and I did FALL! Pfffft! How embarrassing. Now I'm all paranoid. But today I felt much more at ease. Next thing ya know, I'll be getting a pair of those padded bike pants. Ha. Totally joking. Chill.

Ok, tomorrow's another day! I'm gonna do this thang.

Baby Dave

I don't know why we still call him "baby" Dave. He's the oldest in the fleet.

It's a gorgeous day here; and I am just beside myself. I'm getting a little antsy.  I don't have any desire to do anything.

Gonna put my thinking cap on next week and do something about it.

Spring Fever?

Bella

Bella is a princess.

Paperwork

I don't much like paperwork. Probably not too many people do, I suppose. I'm the pesident of that club.

I've been putting this off and putting this off--"this" being my brother's estate. You know the kind  of work you really, really don't want to do--like every day you say to yourself, "I promise, tomorrow." And that goes on for like, what, 6 months? It's tearing me up. 

I can finally say that I'm beginning to feel better about two great losses in our family. Barely a year apart, my mother left us in October of 2009 and my brother in December of 2010. I truly think he missed her and was quite lonely. I do know, for certain, that he was ready to move on from this life.

So, back to this paperwork. Whoever knew being an executor was such a royal pain in the arse? I had no idea. I suppose after you run through the hoops of being appointed through the courts, it's a pretty simple process. Kinda basic accounting. But, when it's your loved one's paperwork, it brings up all of those memories you're trying to forget. I just want it all to be behind me. Period. But, by my putting off the paperwork, it is only prolonging my full recovery. Right? Silly, I know.

Well, I'm happy to say that today I AM finally facing all that paperwork; and I am working on getting it done. Yesterday was his birthday, so I made a promise last night.

I know I can do this.

PS Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!

Just Sad

I saw parts of Whitney Houston's "Return Home" celebration today. It was just so sad. What a loss of what seemed to be a beautiful soul. I only hope her daughter can now learn to live a healthy life--and with that will hopefully bring peace and happiness. 

She has a lot of folks rooting for her.

Photo above from AP/The Philippines

Missin' Momma

Today would have been my mom's 88th birthday. She passed in the fall of 2009.

I went down to her flat today and looked around. Just wanted to be close to her things. I found an old purse of hers in the closet and pulled it out. I thought I had cleaned everything out pretty well; but I found this short grocery list. 

I always loved her handwriting. For someone who barely finished elementary school because of her family's hardship, she had beautiful penmanship. Mom was always very self conscious of her spelling and kept a small dictionary on her table. I had to giggle when I read "Cricket" lighters instead of just lighters. Wonder what that was about? lol

I miss her little ways very much.

Labeled!

 I've been wanting to do this since I had the kitchen redone. Like four years ago!

Now, we can finally see the spice name without any effort at all. Geez. How hard was that?

Snap!

That's Edgy

My brother Jim has me on this gator kick (yes, along with outlaw country music!). This piece is by Georgia Varidakis.  I found it on Fab. Isn't it kooky? Love it!

And, here is the piece that began it all. This was my birthday present from brother Jim; a vintage Lou Guerin. Mmmmm. It has to be one of my all-time favorites.

While I'm on it, I may as well add another edgy jeweler, Stephen Webster out of the UK. In honesty, this is what the hub (me) bought for Valentine's! It's ok. He knows. ha.

I love wearing funky stuff.

On Baking

 Challenged, yes I am. But, I will not give up. Not this year, baby.

 Easy peasy? Well, this is my second attempt this weekend.

 Much better than yesterday's, but not as good as tomorrow's. Am I right?

Give me a hellz yea.

Dar's Sats

Sherrie was at Riverside this past fall and finally met up with our neighbor Darlene. Dar picked some Satsumas from her trees just for us. I have been drying mine.

They sit in my kitchen window and remind me of her each time I see them. 

Miss her.

Quilt Threads

Arent' these hand-sewn throws to die for? Squeeeeeel!

I spied these Indian throws made from vintage material in Tuesday Morning's recent flyer. Unfortunately, I paid almost three times' as much for one not too long ago. Oy. So, I waited for yesterday to arrive and drove on over to the closest TM. . . . only to find our store did NOT get ANY! Wait. What? Guess that's how they roll. Not every stores gets everything. Big tease. 

Well, when momma gets her heart set on something, momma will find a way. I almost gave up after the clerk called two other stores and they had already sold out. But no. I didn't. After I got home, I called some TMs further outside of Nashville. Yay. It paid off. I found one store that had four left.

Uncharted TN territory for me. After getting lost, as always, I finally did make it  over an hour later. It was worth the drive because they actually had six! I left one behind. Hush now, don't tell my budget what I did. 

I think I'm a blanket ho. 

I Dream of Poppies

I've never been able to grow poppies and I just adore them. They have to be one of the prettiest, yet odd, flowers I have ever seen. One day I want to live in a climate where I can grow and entire garden of poppies. I found this garden at the Lindeth Howe Country House in Bowness-on-Windermere back in the summer of 2010. The hub, one son and my niece went on quite a journey throughout the UK.

I found this photo tonight as I am trying to finish up some journal pages for my niece's travel book. 

What fond memories this one brings back.

Mr. David Allan Coe

I bought tickets to see David Allan Coe back in early December when they first went on sale. I was still on my outlaw-country-high from my brother Jim being here at Thanksgiving. I had been to Marathon Music Works to see Wanda Jackson on their opening night a couple of months back; and it's a fun, new venue. I really didn't know what to expect from Mr. Coe.

The hub was my escort for the evening.  He's not a country music fan by any means; but he didn't seem to mind the folksy Americana played by Johnny Corndawg. I don't know who the feller in the plaid shirt is; Johnny called him up on stage to do a song or two.

Everyone was a'hootin' and a hollerin' when DAC took the stage. Honestly, I didn't know what the guy would look like. I was not, however, expecting a three-foot blond, dreadlock wig. Humm. The beaded, braided beard somehow worked with him, but the wig? Not so much.

Of course, the man has passed his prime, seen his heyday and probably is a mere shell of what he was. But just to go and see him and hear some of his songs live was priceless.

This picture kind of catured the essence of the man that was. A big ol' tour bus parked behind a whole lotta hog. 

Gotta love it.

Coooba

Happies from Key West. I am so waiting for Cuba to open up!

Freshly Home

Greetings.

Just settling in from a long weekend in Key West. We were invited down to help celebrate a friend's birthday . You know, "I'm just a girl who can't say no."

The Bob and I hadn't been down there since the boys were little, say 15 years. Wow. Kinda scary how time flies. Now we have one graduating from university and one graduating from high school.

Time indeed does fly, unless you're in Key West, for course.

Our friends were the hosts with the most and showed us a whole other side of KW we had only heard about. Needless to say, it's a whole other place without kids. Ya think? One of our first stops was a wine bar that was in part of an old gingerbread house. These beauties that have been transformed were abundant. I found this lovely leather bench in the back parlor. Probably not so comfy in the heat of the summer, though. Can you imagine trying to skooch out of there in shorts? Hmmmm. Naw. And yes, that is the front door. I bet that has to be painted every year. Well worth the upkeep.

We passed by the infamous Sloppy Joe's and spied several kitties as we walked through the streets. Perhaps this beauty is a descendant of Hemingway's cats. I couldn't tell if he had six toes or not.

Here's a little bit of the flora and fauna of Key West.

I fell in love with all the gypsy chickens roaming!

And all the tropical libations were mawvelous dawlings. Here is one of the best pina coladas that I have tasted--right up there with Puerto Rico. I loved the little extra sump'm sump'm in the tube. The drinks, the views and the people watching is perfect on Sunset Pier. Always ask for Libby to make your drinks, especially mojitos (or so I am told).

It doesn't get much better than than any of this. I think I asked to be pinched right about here.

We watched an amazing sunset from the edge of the earth.

I can honestly tell you that there was no shortage of food, drink and good cheer the entire weekend. This is how we ended one evening at Better than Sex. Yup, that's the name of the restaurant. And, get this, they serve only desserts! Deary me. But, take my suggestion, either share one dessert between four and/or don't eat before you go. It is as rich as it looks. Ooofy.

I have to send a big ol' thank you to SNR. What wonderful memories were made, probably more than I can (or care) to remember. It was one of my all-time favorite trips--ever. I'm still recuperating, though, almost a week later.

Cheers!