St. Simons Island Lighthouse

The St. Simons Island, Georgia Lighthouse is always beautiful, but especially so at dusk.  My husband and I were walking along the pier a couple of weeks ago when I caught this scene. 


St. Simons Island, Georgia

TREE FROGS AND CATS......

Tree frogs are the cutest little things, aren't they?  Yeah, but, at 5 a.m., not so cute.  My husband and I were awakened at 5 a.m. by a LOUD crash in the living room.  We ran/stumbled down the hall and into the living room where we saw a large picture had crashed to the porcelain tile floor, sending glass into a million pieces all over the room.  One cat was hiding under the coffee table.  One cat ran out the pet door to the sun porch.  One cat was still all, let me at him! let me at him! to the biggest tree frog I have ever seen, which was on the wall above the big empty spot where the picture should be.  My husband reached up to retrieve the tree frog, lost his balance and fell to the floor.  The frog jumped out of his hand and the cat went after it.  I grabbed the cat, whose name by the way is Mojo.  It was like trying to hold an octopus.  He was squirming and reaching out in every direction trying to get away from me and grab that frog!  Meanwhile the frog was climbing the wall and my poor husband was trying to get up from the floor while I was saying, get it! get It!  It's climbing higher!  It's going behind the curio cabinet!  Hurry!  So, he got the frog.  I put Mojo down.  I opened the front door and my husband put the tree frog out in the front garden.  That little fella will have a wild scary story to tell his frog kids and grand frogs some day and I bet he will never venture inside a house again.... at least not this one. 

Sunflowers along the way

 

On a drive along a country road a couple of months ago I spotted a field of sunflowers.  "Stop.  Pull over.  Turn Around!"  My husband just looked at me like I was joking.  I don't know where he comes up with stuff like that.  I finally got him to turn around and go back.  It was a huge field of beautiful sunflowers.  Now really, who doesn't love sunflowers? 

We drove down the road beside the field and got out of the car for a closer look.  I jumped the ditch and got right up close to those spectacular beauties.  I have never seen such a large field of sunflowers ouside of the state of Kansas. 

This field is in middle Georgia.

This is one crop that wasn't ruined by the heat, the rain or drought this summer.  Thank you Sunflowers for your rays of sunshine! 

 

Oreck Magnesium Vacuum Cleaner Giveaway at Southern Hospitality

I just saw this and there is a very short time, I mean only minutes left to enter.  So go to Southern Hospitality blog, Southernhospitalityblog.com and enter to win the best vacuum cleaner ever.  It weighs only 7 pounds!  Seven pounds!  I have cats who weigh more than twice that!!!!!  Go now!http://southernhospitalityblog.com/giveaway-winners/giveaways/the-oreck-magnesium-giveaway/

Amish Community Market

During my visit to Tennessee this weekend my mom, my grandson and I went to a produce market owned by an Amish family.  This family bought a farm which adjoins a farm previously owned by my mother's family.  The trip itself was a beautiful drive along a winding road through
the countryside. 

Around every bend in the road awaited more delights.

  Huge old barns which have sheltered animals, stored hay and provided play areas for children for generations still do all of that even though they show signs of neglect. 

These horses still appreciate the old barn, the generous pastures and the big shady oak trees.

A lot of beautiful weddings and receptions are held at this wonderful place we passed along the way.

I guess they'll finish this fence later.

Fresh eggs for sale.  Self serve, eggs were in an ice chest and a box was provided for payment.

This lovely cow needs milked!  She's waiting patiently.

They have such a beautiful garden.

This is the Amish community swimming pond.  It is lined with a canvas like fabric and has a filtration system of some sort.  They don't use electricity.  There is a platform and a rope swing.  Some little boys were swinging out and dropping into the pond.  I took this picture from the road, then turned down the drive beside it.  I walked over and ask the adult with them if I could take pictures of the children swimming.  He said, "We prefer you not take pictures.  We believe pictures are to be of objects not people."  So, I didn't take any more pictures of them and I edited the children out of this picture out of respect for their belief.  But, they were beautiful.  They wore knee length pants and tank tops to swim.

Roomy airy chicken coops.

Flower beds in front of building.

They built their produce market on the top of a steep hill overlooking the most beautiful country vista you could want to see.  This is the view from the deck on the side of the produce market. 

I didn't take any pictures of the beautiful building with its wide front doors and wide side door opening onto the deck providing a cooling breeze inside.

There were too many people inside and I didn't want them to think I was taking their picture.

Bounty from their garden.

Buttermilk Soap, Peppermint Salve, Corn Relish and Pinalope Preserves (Pineapple & Cantalope)

 Banana Bread and 100% Pure Comb  Honey

 Lots of good fresh food from the Englewood Community Farm Market

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed a beautiful day.

Bye bye!

FLASH MOB THRIFTING - July 28th 2012

Okay, we've all been thrift shopping, right?  But, have you ever been Flash Mob Thrifting?  That's what it was.  Eight high energy, zealous, purpose filled women on a mission.  A mission to find the best stuff in the store.  We swept in, wearing our blue and white @Hometalk tee shirts, our eyes taking in everything at once, like eagles, or hawks, maybe buzzards.  Scanning everything as quickly as possible in order to get the best items first, we walked quickly, heart in throat, almost out of throat when we saw that special item.  The adrenaline was pumping, it was exhilarating.  We started at 8 A.M. and didn't stop for a break until 4 PM.  We had accomplished our mission.  All vehicles were full. 

Flash Mob Thrifters

L-R  Debbie of @Refresh Restyle, Ann of @Shabby French Country Cottage Basement, Kim of @This is my Someday, Debbie of @The Smart Set, Sarah of @Unto the Rainbow, Cherry of @Cherry's in the Garden and More, Mary of @Cotton Wood Furnishings, Karen of @The Smart Set

Don't let the smiles fool you.

*

 Debbie getting ready to load up at the first stop, The Bargain Box.

 Debbie, Cherry and Sarah in the loading line.

 Loading up!

 ***

 Plotting the course and re-living the moment.  We got a lot of attention wearing these Hometalk tee shirts.  Don't know what Hometalk is?  Oh, you are in for a treat.  Check it out on facebook and go to the site and join.  Several shop personnel were interested and asked us about Hometalk.  One took our picture.  I guess we're Thrift Shop Celebrities.

 A musician was performing in one of the thrift stores.  That was pleasant and different!

 Two words I can't pass up.  I bought a beautiful brand new set of white dishes in Vintage Market.  Yes, of course, white.  It is a seven place setting.  I assume the display set was never returned to the carton so it went to the thrift store.  Lucky me!  I love them.  Pictures in another post!

 Off Island Thrift Shop

 Mary and Kim proud of their haul and their loading skills.

 And we aren't finished.

 Debbie and Sarah surveying their treasures.

So many wonderful things. 

Mary and Karen sorting the goods.

 Debbie of The Smart Set reloading.

 Gorgeous hydrangeas photo

 Debbie and Karen of The Smart Set

 Mary and Kim

 Rusty old heavy wrought iron bakers rack.  Isn't it beautiful....

 Treasures, treasures and more treasures!

 Score!

 Hidden treasures.  It's like pirates, only we didn't steal.

 Yes, that is a kitchen island on the left.  Kim grabbed it and practically climbed on top of it and wouldn't let go until someone came to mark it sold and carry it to the front.  Trust me, don't mess with her when she has that look in her eyes.

 We all fell in love with the beautiful Australian Shephards and Welsh Corgi.  Briefly.....

 Look ma!  No tail!  Oh, come on, everybody has a good butt shot.

 Can you spell WONDERFUL???

 Can you believe there is more???

These are two heavy cast iron plant holders.  This was a prized and coveted purchase!

I'm going to write a separate post about my treasures.  I didn't take pictures of any of them during the shopping day.  It didn't occur to me to do that!  We plan to get together again in a few months and do this again!  It will take me that long to rest up.

bye bye!