Kousa Dogwoods

Being a Southerner, I have a soft spot in my heart for the lacy flowering dogwoods that grace our yards in early spring.

But I have an unusual dogwood in my yard. It is called a Kousa Dogwood. I was inspired to write this post because my artist friend June Corley, down in  Loachapoka, AL, (who lives in the most delightful magic place) posted pictures of her Kousas in full bloom. Aren't they magnificent?

June Corley

June Corley

Kousa Dogwoods are native to Asia and can be distinguished from the traditional dogwood we see down here by the fact that it flowers about a month later, and it has pointed rather than rounded flower bracts:

Traditional dogwood:

Another distinguishing feature is the interesting fruit. It is bright red and said to be edible. A website called You Grow Girl indicates that you can eat the fruit.

Since my tree is usually loaded with these red berries, I might just try to make some jelly this fall.

What do think? Should I try it? What would I call it? Kousa Jelly?

31 Bits

Every now and then I run across a website that touches me. I found this to be true with 31 Bits. 

31 Bits began after a girl, Kallie Doval, had a dream about changing the world. Specifically, by bringing joy and liberation to women living on the other side of the world. From the website:

"31 Bits Designs is a socially minded business designed to give internally displaced women in Northern Uganda an opportunity to counter poverty. By giving our beneficiaries access to the international market, they are able to earn an instant income, providing homes, food, and education for their families. Our program equips women by providing literacy education, financial and vocational training, holistic care, and strong support systems, empowering individuals to further their careers and attain social equity."

31 Bits is not only changing lives but is delivering a beautiful product that I, and I bet you, will love.
Scroll to botton to view the video.

The whole collection is available online. I have so on my want list. To support 31 Bits you can make a purchase, share the site, host a trunk show, or volunteer as an intern!

Spring

Despite cooler than average temps this year, nature still finds a way to show the beauty of Spring.  I thought I would share some of my garden delights that are not the traditional southern dogwoods and azaleas.

The Cherokee Rose bush. Designated in 1916 as the state flower of Georgia, there is some debate about the origins.  Women's clubs all over Georgia insist it was a flower cultivated by the Cherokees, but today's horticulturists say it was brought over from Asia and should be considered and invasive species.  Regardless, I love it.

Beautiful irises have popped up here and there. I particularly like this old fashioned purple bearded guy. 

The yellow one is not bad either.

And all over my yard is an abundance of Silver Dollar plants. I love their frilly white flowers. They have popped up in the best places this year.

And of course, the short lived, but very pretty and dainty Star of Bethlehem. Considered by many to be a weed and a pest, I love it.

What is growing in your yard this spring?

Happiness

I have recently read several blog posts, articles, etc. about Happiness. There are small things we can do everyday to increase our satisfaction with life in general. There is even a grassroots movement based on the book by Gretchen Rubin, called The Happiness Project. I haven't read it yet, but it is on my list.

I want to share a few things that I do that I think increase my happiness. I am sure there are many more but I am limiting my list to five.

1. Make your bed.

Making your bed makes the overall appearance of your room tidy. When you come home from a long hard day and walk into a messy bedroom, your whole attitude becomes one of defeat and despair. Just a made bed provides just enough visual organization to your room to prevent this feeling. And for me, the few times I haven't made my bed, seems like I have drop-in company. Grrr....

2. Clean your sink.

Years ago, I discovered Flylady.net. Her original website was very simple and she provided a list of tips on clutter and organization. (Now she has a TV show, an on-line shop, etc. etc., but that is another story.) One of her first tips is "Shine your Sink." At first I thought this was rather silly, but over the years I have practiced this and it does make a difference. Stumbling into the kitchen in the morning to make coffee and be greeted with dirty dishes sets a negative tone for the whole day. It feels much better to fill the coffee pot when the sink is shiny.

3. Grow something.

Grow something, anything. A cactus, a simple houseplant, a pot of flowers by your door. Gardening is an art and something many people are not very good at. It feeds your soul to have something to plant, nurture and watch mature. Just one plant that you can tend to and enjoy increases your happiness.

4. Get fresh air and sunshine everyday.

When I was a child, my mother made us go outside to play. She would say, "go out and get some fresh air and sunshine." Today, so many of us never go outside except to get into our car. You don't have to lay in the sun for hours, but just 15 minutes outside, just sitting or taking a quick walk, can relax you, slow down your heart rate, and put you in an overall better frame of mind.

5. Cookies and milk.

Cookies and milk are good for you. Not a whole box of cookies with a gallon of milk, but 2-3 low-fat cookies and glass of skim milk can give you that satisfied, comfort feeling you had as a child.

Sometimes it is the simple and small things that  can give us so much pleasure and leave us with that warm toasty feeling of contentment.

Victorian Fashion Photos

Like everyone else, I am having Downton Abbey withdrawals.  Why do I love Downton Abbey so much? Well, besides, the house, I love the fashions. The Victorian and Edwardian era fashions will never be repeated as far as I can see. Besides, who would want to wear so many restricting clothes? Not me. 

Despite the prim and proper feminine ideal of the day, fashions of the Victorian period created a mystical, romantic look.

I love the one below. Her hair, her face and her clothes are perfect.

A bridal party or perhaps a cotillion? 

Definitely 1880's or before. Bustles were in.

Love the enormous hats and large corsages and of course, the parasol.

A young woman before age 18. At 18, they could "drop their hemlines."

Edwardian fashion refers to the clothing worn in the early 20th century and features an simpler,   elegant, more tailored look for women.

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at some of the these photos. Many are from my personal collection. I never tire of looking at them.

Another Crumbling Mansion in Georgia

I just love a crumbling mansion. When I see one, my fanciful imagination kicks in and I begin to image what life was like living there. Who lived there? What did they do? What kind of parties did they give?And why the house is no longer loved?

This afternoon I was randomly reading blogs and clicking links. I stumbled on Puttin' on the Grits. The blog owner doesn't give her name but she has a wonderful blog. She raises chickens, gardens, cans, and take great pictures.  Anyway, back to the crumbling mansion. As she was driving through South Georgia, she discovered this wonderful house in Elmodel, GA. (I have never heard of Elmodel, so I looked it up. It is southwest of Albany. In the middle of nowhere.)

http://www.puttinonthegrits.com

From her blog: "On our way back to Florida, we took the scenic route and passed this old house in the tiny town of Elmodel, Georgia. From what I've been able to find, it was built in 1908 and the town built up around it.  The man who built it, Mr. Mcrainey, died in 1915 and as the house was passed from generation to generation, it deteriorated.  The current owner lives in a trailer next door and has been known to shoot at anyone who sets foot on the property.  Apparently I got lucky."

What impressed me, was that she not only took a picture, but once home, did some research.  She found this picture on Georgia Virtual Vault in the Vanishing GA section.

Sigh ~~~ Built in 1908, it was lovely in its day. I was hooked.

I did some more searching and found this picture from Vanishing South Georgia by Brian Brown. 

Brian Brown VanishingSouthGeorgia.com

A little more digging and I found some inside pictures from this site: http://www.mcrainey.com/photos/main.php?g2_itemId=1152

I selected a few to post here. 

Lovely pocket doors from hall to front room. Door hardware is missing.

All the mantels were gone from the fireplaces. But the tile surrounds are still there.

Looks like some original wallpaper above the picture moulding.

Staircase must have been quite majestic.

Georgia is filled with these wonderful old homes. This one, I am afraid is too far gone and that makes me very sad.

Made in the South

My favorite magazine, Garden and Gun, always has a section in their magazine about articles Made in the South. I thought I would add one of my own.

I recently became a fan of Carley Ochs, founder and creator of Bourbon & Boweties line of jewelry. She is a good ole’ Southern girl with eye for designing great jewelry.

From dainty to racy, these statement bracelets are a must have.

The Bourbon and Boweties motto is “Made by proud Southern hands” and it envelops all that Carley is and has become in her 27 years. Carley loves what she does and it shows in each piece.

The soft green is so popular right now with this year's Spring colors.

I love the way her bracelets can mix with other pieces.

Visit her at https://www.facebook.com/BourbonAndBoweties