Glorious Mountains

We decided to take some weekend trips this year not too far from home. With gas prices so high it 's been a wise choice. We are so close to the mtns. and just a few hours from the beach.

We had to take my Mom back to Charlotte airport to fly home to FL after her visit last week. We started thinking we would be half way to my good friend Lynn, that has a summer home in Boone, NC . We quickly called and her chalet, that they rent out was unoccupied. It didn't take us long to throw a few clothes together and off we went. It's a beautiful town in the mtns., about 4,000 ft. above sea level. That meant cooler weather. It's 15 to 20 degrees cooler there than at our house.

The view below is from the wrap around deck on the chalet.

This is the outside of the chalet, actually built by Lynn's husband. They finished an apartment underneath to rent out also.
This is what you see when you first come in the door.She is the friend that does estate sales for people and where I found my tea cart and tables on a previous post. She has used those events to pick up furnishings for her rentals.

You go up the spiral staircase to the bedroom and full bath. There is a full bath down also.

Above the bed is a sky light that you can pull back to star gaze if you desire to. It's all so quaint. She did a nice job decorating.

This is the Cone Mansion (13,000 sq. ft) that we toured in the nearby town of Blowing Rock. Mr. Cone was in the textile business in 1889 when he started to build this as a summer get away. Yes, you heard me right, this was not their main residence. It has a gorgeous view of the mtns. It had their own servant quarters as well as extra servant quarters that were for their summer guests who visited with their servants.

This mansion was in the film The Green Mile with Tom Hanks.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer. Thanks for stopping by.

Backyard-Part II

I'M BACK!

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks (TILL WEDNESDAY) and I've missed visiting all of you and missed your visits to me.

It has been a busy few weeks trying to get some landscaping done in our backyard,

fighting an upper respiratory infection, that didn't want to go away, planning for a house full of company and my husband's 60th birthday party. We got the yard done, the party was fun and it was good to have our family visit.

This is the start of sculpting out the area where we wanted to plant trees and put in some plants. We had to kill the Bermuda grass first.

In went the drip system around each tree, bush and plant.
The first tree at the back of the property.

Ceekay suggested I go upstairs and take a shot looking down. They are only 14 ft. trees ( but they will grow) and I'm looking forward to their blossoms next spring and color that the plants should bring to the yard. We put in some Knockout Roses ( I know, but that's what they're called), Day lily plants, azaleas, and Verbina plants.

Everything done and I sat down for a minute before the guests arrived. See yesterday's post for the first half of backyard makeover.

Have a great weekend and thanks for visiting!

Backyard, Families & Parties

It's been very busy at our house. Family members came in from different states for my husband's big 60 celebration. Our daughter and family came from MI and my Mom arrived from FL.
It's a combination of his birthday and our daughter coming home before her family moves to San Bernadino, CA in July. Her husband has accepted a Senior Pastorate position to church plant there. They will have many adjustments in the next few months but we know the Lord is leading. They are so willing to follow. I'm very thankful they are.

With all that's going on I chose to post something that was easy for me this week.

It's warm and steamy in SC. It's about 95 and humidity is very high. It's hard to get out and do very much outside unless it's early or late in the day. I thought I'd show some of the patio and things out back. In a day or two I'll post again and show the rest of the back yard that we finished 3 wks. ago ( getting ready for the party).

A few years ago we moved into this house and a couple of years after that we decided to extend our patio from a little slab to the length of our house and out quite a few feet. The first pic is digging up the sod and getting the ground prepared for the cement.


Here is the cement freshly poured. It makes such a mess when there is work going on, doesn't it?




Then the process of laying the decorative tiles.


Since all the work was accomplished we could start using it and putting furniture on it. We enjoy getting outside and entertaining when weather permits. Below is the table set for company.


This is a little side bar for serving or if needed for extra seating.On one end of the patio we put up a screened gazebo, adding more shade and seating. Thanks for stopping by today.

Buttons

Today at http://quillcottage.blogspot.com/ we are to post something about buttons.

My Mom had a tin of buttons that we always played with or sorted through when we were little just as Miss Sandy had as a child. It's fun to think back on even the little details of our childhood that bring fond memories.

I used to have so, so manybuttons. I had many, many cards of buttons that I used for different crafts as well as making clothes or hair ribbons for my girls when they were little. I have since gotten out of doing some of those crafts and gave a bag full to Goodwill.

These are the only ones I have left in a box that has Coats & Clark written on it. Some are very old and some not so old.

When I was going through them it brought back memories of outfits I used to wear many years ago.

I like the old antique looking ones with the brownish tones so I photographed them alone. Sorry I don't have more to share.

Thanks for visiting today and to Miss Sandy for hosting this event in honor of Laura Ingalls.

Childhood Memories

Welcome to Show & Tell

Kelli asked us to Post a childhood keepsake and I picked my doll.

This the only doll I have left that belonged to me as a child. She was so special when I got her and the latest thing to have a doll that could drink and wet. -- I know I'm dating myself. -- That was more than 40 some years ago. My sister and I played with her as did my two daughters and now my granddaughters. She still is holding her own. (smile) She has tight curly hair and her eyes close when she lays down. She doesn't have shoes anymore, poor thing. She does have more than one outfit though but they are not the originals.

Two more outfits to change into.
This is a homemade Cabbage Patch doll. I made it when I couldn't afford to buy the original ones. Our girls each got one with the color of their eyes painted on, by me. My oldest daughter has hers,for her two little girls. Here's the other one.



This is my daughters Raggedy Ann that is about 32 years old
All these things stay in the "kids closet"at my house. Some sit up high on a quilt rack I wasn't using anymore but within reach when the kids are here for a visit.

Thanks for visiting today, can't wait to see all your posts.

Quilts

At http://quillcottage.blogspot.com/ this week she is asking us to feature quilts that we have collected, either bought or hand made. I only have 3 right now. My Mother has several that her mother hand made and they are very pretty. I wish I had pictures of them. On my next visit to FL I will have to take some snap shots.

This is my favorite because of the colors and that it was a gift my girls one Mother's Day. It's cream with that country blue and I matched it with yellow and blue Toile accents.

This is a little darker beige or ecru than the one below with blue, rose and a little green

This is another circle design that has a lighter cream background and mauve, blue and mint green colors. I'm sorry I don't know the correct names of the designs. I 'd love to see all of your quilts out there.