Hidden Magnolias

Well, the day has happened.   Somehow, I never thought it would. (actually it happened in the Spring) I am a Senior . As in Senior Citizen . With grey hair. Gasp!! Since my 62 nd birthday, I have become obsessed with this thought. I remember vividly the night I was watching a lunar eclipse and wondering about life. I counted up how old I would be in the year 2000. I was about 14 at the time. The year 2000 seems centuries away, age 44 seemed almost impossible to imagine. Now it is almost 20 years AFTER the year 2000 and that same little girl, at age 62, is wondering about life. And being 62 seems impossible. How did this happen? When I was a child in school, I would look at the school clock thinking 2 pm would never come.  Now when it is 2 pm, I am alarmed because it is 2 pm and I have so much more to do. Anyway,  I searched around the web to try to find like-minded blogs to read for...

"You sure are frugal" These were the words a recent visitor to my house said after using my bathroom. "What makes you say that?" I asked. "All those soap slivers in your soap dish." Hummm, she was right. I do have soap slivers in my soap dish. Silvers that are too small for using in shower or bath but a perfect for hand washing. While getting dressed this morning, I glanced at the soap dish and though, yes, I am frugal. I am frugal. But not a fanatic about it. I have just learned over the years that saving pennies -- saves dollars. I begin to notice other little things that prove this. For one thing, I use a lipstick brush to get all the lipstick out of the tube -- especially if it is a favorite, discounted color. I just don't throw it out when it is flat. There are many more applications left in that tube, you just gotta work for it. I do take my own coffee to work avoiding the daily stop at Starbucks. Since their regular size, ...

I have been asked many times for the past couple of months why I am not blogging? To be frank, I am not sure. I have several posts half way completed, so maybe I shall complete them and post them. I get frustrated with blogging and bloggers. Mostly bloggers. It is as if they are all commercial now -- their pages full of ads, they get tons of free stuff and blog about using those items in their homes. One woman whom I started reading years ago before she was anyone, was able to buy and remodel a whole house using items for free. the personal nature of her original blogs entries have faded into a commercialized page of stuff no one wants. Others seem to specialize -- only cooking, recipes, Keto, gluten-free. Or fitness, fashion, and style. Or photos, decorating, frugality, children. Perhaps my thoughts and interests are too broad to be a successful blogger? I am not sure. In the meantime, I think I will polish up those half-completed posts and send them along. Pat

It has been a while. Sorry readers -- sometimes life in gets in the way of blogging. Today I want to talk about Cowboy Boots. http://www.wideopencountry.com/handmade-cowboy-boots-in-texas/ I love cowboy boots. Some people say they are in fashion; some say they are out of fashion. But for most boots lovers they are always in fashion. Acredale Saddlery Nothing is cuter than a girl in a darling little dress with a pair of boots. The Country Girl Pinterest    https://www.pinterest.com/source/thedatingexperts.tumblr.com/ The Highland Fashionista loves them – calls them the American Wellies.  http://www.highlandfashionista.com/ And if you like bling, this woman has bling for you!! Jacqi Bling     http://www.jacqiblingsty...

Is another one going to bite the dust? The historic Greystone Inn  has been a destination for tourists since 1903. Tucked away on the shores of Lake Toxaway in the heart of western North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, the setting is quaint and relaxed. In 2016, the Greystone Inn was closed and up for sale. This makes me sad. I have sat on that beautiful porch overlooking the tranquil lake and felt so at peace. Yeah, it was not trendy. And yeah, there are some age issues. But the beauty and ambiance out weighed any minor discomforts. The Inn was originally the home of Lucy Camp Armstrong Moltz, of Savannah, who came to Toxaway and built a mansion on the lake and was only able to enjoy her lakeside home for one year before the dam broke.  Built in 1915 and carefully restored in 1985, Lucy Moltz’s home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  In her lifetime she witnessed the failure of the lake and then the rebuilding many ye...

Ukraine with all the struggles and set backs is still a very proud country. On May 18, 2016, Ukraine will celebrate  Vyshyvanka Day.  http://112.international/ukraine-top-news/ukraines-national-symbol-vyshyvanka-day-festival-5000.html It is a  nationwide celebration intended to preserve ancestral traditions of creating and wearing embroidered ethnic clothing. And their clothing i s beautiful.  This holiday is celebrated on the  third Thursday of May . http://www.polyvore.com/vita_kin_vyshyvanka/collection?id=4739561 Vyshyvanka     is the colloquial name for the embroidered shirt in  Ukrainian  national costume. Women  wear dresses and men wear shirts.  Here are some examples: from http://buy-ukrainian.com/ https://lifeinua.info/vyshyvanka-facts/ http://euromaidanpress.com/2016/03/24/5-ways-to-wear-ukrainian-vyshyvanka/#arvlbdata I just love this picture below of a woman wit...