Outdoor Wednesday-Snow in the South!

Today is Outdoor Wednesday hosted by our sweet Southern Day Dreamer~Susan. Thank you Susan for another fun Wednesday!

We do not get much snow in the South. When we do, or if it is even predicted, the weather men/women are on 24 hours in advanced trying to predict where it will land. A lady at church winters down here from Michigan. She thought this was the funniest thing! "James Spann our weather man was serious b/c he had his suspenders on!" 24 hour coverage for snow melted by 2 pm. LOL! Well it did last a little longer than that. But I did explain to her and I will explain to you Yankees, our kids have never seen much more than flurries or dustings. This is the first time DD has ever made a snowman. She is 10 1/2. It was so much fun for her. People around here want to know where the snow band will land b/c they will even drive their kids to the outer edges of it, pull over and play in it for a while. And this was a good kind of snow. We had electricity, it did not stick to the roads (well, interstate bridges did freeze...), and was mostly melted by sundown. It was GREAT!!!

Now for photos! (I did not get many b/c we teach 8:10 4th grade Sunday School at church and we had a room full on Sunday!) The snow was already melting by the time we got home.

My Camelia in full bloom and melting snow falling off as I was snapping....

More photos of my Camelia, it is beautiful with the snow...

DD and I have started on a gnome fairy garden. It is in the shade and I had to knock the snow off this little gnome so that you could tell what he was... None of this had melted.

This was covered in white snow as we left for church, but still looked nice when we got home.

For more snow photos, check out my Sunday's Post. For more posts on Outdoor Wednesday or to particiapte in Outdoor Wednesday go to Susan's blog A Southern Daydreamer.

A New Pot!

Welcome to my Blue Monday post! Thank you Sally (Smiling Sally's Blog) for hosting.

My FIL and MIL took our family out to dinner Friday night. They also presented me with my birthday present (I know it was in Jan, but they have been sick, we get sick, travel, etc... just got around to celebrating....) FIL said he got it from the Smithsonian. I think it is lovely and will make a fine addition to my collection of pots.

To see more Blue Monday Posts or to participate, go by Smiling Sally's blog!

Have a great day and God bless you all!
Hugs,
Melissa

Snow In Alabama!

And here are just a few photos....


DD made her first 'real' snowman. Since she has been born (10 1/2 years old) we have not had enough snow to make a decent snowman.


Some of my yard art thawing out.


Yellow forsythia.


I think birdies taking a bath is this birdbath will find it a little cold....

We teach 8:10 AM 4th grade Sunday School and did not get to take photos early this morning. At first, I could not understand why church was not being canceled.... but Hunter Street is hosting a big Missions Conference this weekend. What a big blessing we would have missed out on if we had not gone to church. There was an International Missionary speaking in the services (Adults, Children and Tweens) and delivering the message to all venues. The church halls were full of missionaries here on furloughs and Journeyman who have just finished their first 2 year assignment, praying for God's leadership.

By the time we returned home, we still had some snow and DD was able to make a lovely snowman, DH and I were able to make some lovely photos. I hope that you enjoyed them!

Flaunt Your Red

Good morning! Today is the first day of Flaunt Your Red Party and I wanted to join in b/c I have soooooo much red in my house! In fact, I just took a few photos and there is no real theme. Next time, I will be more organized. :D Thank you Nancy our special Southern Lady for hosting!

First, I want you to show you Zoey's cage. Just because she is a parrot does not mean she does not need style and glam!

I made this. DH's idea, my design. Looks much nicer than the store bought parrot cage covers. And very functional for cages with playtops. The colors go with the decor in my house and I think I have enough fabric left over for a pillow...

Zoey Girl needs a pedicure and her pedicure perch

just happens to be red and matches her cage cover... :-)

I found this tassel (I have a bunch of them, most of them... deep rich red... :D)
It is hanging on my china cabinet door.

The drapes in my Living/Great room and Dinning room are also a deep rich burgundy red. I love this color. If I told you how old these drapes are, y'all would laugh. But, when I go looking for fabric, new drapes, what ever, I do not see anything I like any better and what I have is in fine shape. I found them on clearance at JC Penny's about 15 or 16 years ago. I got the tie back thingys at the same time. When I like something, I usually keep it a loooonnnnngggg time.

I have 2 of these chairs. And more of this fabric. My mom made the striped pillow years ago. The gloved pillow I bought at Civil-la-Tea in Gettysburg, PA about 12 years ago. It would be easy to make for gifts.

Now I have to include a tea pot. I think I found this at TJ Maxx (Love that place!) and the reds in this are perfect for my home.

I hope that you enjoyed my reds. I sure enjoyed sharing them with you. It is a warm cozy, soothing color. Romantic and beautiful.

For more Red posts make sure to stop by Nancy's blog~ Southern Lady.

Have a blessed weekend everyone and thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Melissa

~Southern Lady~: ~Are You Ready To Flaunt~

~Southern Lady~: ~Are You Ready To Flaunt~

Remember-Southern Lady's Flaunt Your Red is tomorrow. I plan to participate. Get your photos ready and loaded!

Dishaholic Award

I thought that I had seen somewhere on one of my blog surfing expeditions a "Dishaholic Award". I did not snag it. Today, I have spent most of the day looking for it because there are several ladies I want to "award" it to. After hours and hours of searching, I decided I think I dreamed about the "Dishaholic Award". I did find the "Tablescape Award" and the "Dish Addict" award (and I snagged them for just in case...), but no "Dishaholic Award". Soooooo I decided to make up my own "Dishaholic Award" to pass out. :D

I have never made a 'Tag' or an 'Award' before, so I had to think about it for a minute. Then I had an idea. I pulled a few things from the cabinets, sideboards and china cabinet, set it on the table and shot them. Loaded the photos onto my trusty lappy and into lightroomII (love LightroomII) then made my final selection and into photoshop it went. (Hate photoshop though lightroom is also photoshop. Adobe just wants to get all of photographers money... well what nikon and canon doesn't get...)

You know, I never thought of myself as having many dishes, but I guess I do! And I find myself lusting after more. Especially after looking at so many blogs and all the lovely table settings. I hope that is not sinning! I am content with what I have and if I never get another thing, that is OK with me. I suppose I am a "Dishaholic!"

I put a few things together...

I pulled out a few stems as well... then thought about the replacement value. I am fortunate to have my complete set of crystal. And they are no longer stock. There are a few antique pieces thrown in there as well.

I thought this photo would look nice as well...

But I decided on this one!

I guess since I came up with the award, I get to come up with the rules? OK, fun, but simple. :D

1. Post on Blog with link back to awarder.
2. Award to 5 deserving Dishaholics (they can recieve this award a million times and if you think they are a closet dishaholic, give it to them!) Name them for their inspiring taste and display of dishes. The dishes can be displayed anywhere in or around their home.
3. Name your favorite set of dishes/pattern that you own.
4. Name a set of dishes/pattern that you DO NOT own, but would like to own.
5. List a favorite accessory (stems, silver, flatware, etc.)

I am going to stop the list at 5. If anyone wants to list more they certainly can.

Now, there are many many deserving ladies out in Bloggerville who deserve this award and I am not going to pass it out to all of them in this first Christening post of this Award! I have to save some for others to pass it out to.

I have seen and admired (I am trying not to use the words 'lust' and 'envy' here...) the tables, dishes and displays of these wonderful ladies with the most exquisite taste in dishes. I will go back over and over to their blogs just to look at the photos of the table settings. They have beautiful dishes and hundreds of them. In fact the first one could have provided the photo for the award!

1.Precious Shelia @ Note Songs Oh she has such beautiful dishes and a confessing Dishaholic. Just go read her post for today!

2. Sweet Jan @ Rose Haven And what a collection she has. Go see her tablescape for Valentines. Beautiful!

3. Lovely Deb @ Deb's Country Kisses She has been taking a bloggy break, but I bet she has been playing with all those dishes she bought at Marshells a few weeks ago (the one near me closed and she went over there and bought them out @ 60% off) and is taking pictures to post on her blog.

4. Creative Wendy @ Ivory Spring a confessed Dishaholic! Quilt designer, sewer, etc.

5. Extraordinary Linda @ Blue Gate Blog all the dishes she has and what she does with them, well you will just have to go see!

Please feel free to snag this award to pass along to that special friend who is a 'Dishaholic'.

A smaller tag.

Outdoor Wednesday

Today is Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. Thank you Susan for hosting!

Here, I happened to be at the right place at the right time. I call it my 'Farside' photo. This photo was taken on one of the jungle treks at WDW in Animal Kingdom.

To enjoy or to participate in Outdoor Wednesday, please go to Susan's blog A Southern Daydreamer to see all the beautiful posts!