Hidden Magnolias

As these last few days of 2013 slip away, I say goodbye to what was for me a bitter year of sadness and change.  I said goodbye to five family members and three friends this year. Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die. - Mary Elizabeth Frye

Christmas in blogland is filled with gorgeous, eye-catching, delightful and elaborate Christmas decorations. I have noticed the trend of moving away from the traditional red and green Christmas tree to a dazzling array of colors used for the season. Rhoda at Southern Hospitality shared her sister's all white foyer tree. Susan at Between Naps on the Porch shared Marie Barnes' bright tree she has in her back hall. I love the festive colored balls. Also in Marie's house is her perfectly pink bedroom for her granddaughters. Loving this whimsy. Cherish at Southern Soul Mates does a beautiful blue tree. A perfect fit in her lovely coastal style house. Lauren and Van at Necessary and Proper have a simple, understated white and gold tree.  Sandra at Sandra Espinet , shared a purple tree she designed for client. Also at Southern Hospitality is this dazzling bronze and gold tone tree. I hope you enjoyed this quick look at all...

Since this is Wordless Wednesday, I am going to just post some pictures of beautiful Victorian Christmas trees. Enjoy!!! http://www.svvtc.org/articles/HistoricVictorianChristmasFortVerde.htm Pinterest http://www.sheaff-ephemera.com/list/real_photo_postcards_album/036D8AB80F5849D18426.html Pinterest Pinterest

A couple of Sundays ago, my husband and I decided to take a ride north just to do some leaf peeking. We wound up in Cartersville and as serendipity would have it, we stumbled upon the Rose Lawn House Museum. A quick history found on the website:  "Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, this beautifully restored Victorian mansion, now owned by Bartow County and operated as a house museum, was once the home of nationally renowned evangelist Samuel Porter Jones, for whom Nashville's Union Gospel Tabernacle (Ryman Auditorium) was built. In 1978, following a drive by local citizens to save Rose Lawn, the home was purchased by Bartow County and developed into a museum to house the writings and memorabilia of Sam Jones and Rebecca Latimer Felton, another Bartow Countian distinguished for her role in history as the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate." If course it was closed, but that didn't stop me from prowling around and peeking into ev...

Good grief. Sometimes I am just blown away by the number of things people think that they should and do monogram. Of course, monograms must be used tastefully. However, today, all convention thrown aside, people are putting monograms on everything. Here are a few examples. Pumpkins - this year the web was full of pictures, tutorials, and supplies for monogramming your pumpkin. Shoes - many stores this year have monogram clips you can buy to put on any shoe. I do think these are cute. Hairbows - perfect for keeping the locks in place with style. Headbands - a standard for monograms, popular with the sorority bunch. Boots - how can you not put your monogram on your best boots? And in decorating, over the bed. Or the latest craze, the car. And how about the monogrammed case for your phone? A Christmas must have. At one time, it was proper for monograms to appear...

Have you ever had a bath in a big ol' cast iron bathtub? I can tell you that if, not, you are missing one of the most wonderful experiences of life. There is something about the iron that hold the hot water, so you can lay in the warmth longer than in a traditional tub. They tend to be deeper, so that in the summer time after a long day of hot yard work, a cool bath feels like a swimming pool. I found this old fashioned wire soap hanger in one of our outbuildings. I didn't do anything to it but clean it and hang it.  Unlike modern tubs that have an indent to place soap, this little puppy really keeps the soap dry with no slime on bottom. I put some of my favorite old pictures on wall so I can lay there and look at them. This tub is long. So long, I can stretch out, unlike most modern tubs. And, yes, it does have some discoloration. It has the original finish, so some discoloration is normal. It must be 100 years old. If you get the ...