Tricia's Treasures

Kreative Blog Award

2008-10-22T20:29:00.007-05:00

Thanks so much to The Santa Maker for this award. I will be glad to tell you the 6 things I value most and 6 things I least value.

1. I value the freedom I enjoy to spend time with friends.

2. I value worshiping in a free country.

3. I love my two children and granddaughter and value their love for me.

4. I am thankful for my parents and all they taught me and loved me.

5. I value the goodness of the people in my community.

6. I value the opportunity to travel.

The Six Things I Least Value

1. Having to weigh-in at the doctor's office!( copied from Santamaker)

2. Oh darn, I don't value housework a'tall!

3. I don't value of labels in clothes, purses, shoes etc.

4. I don't value the opinions of snobbish folks.

5. I dislike stealing, lying and cheating.

6. I don't value driving a new car. Mine is 13 years old and just fine!

7. Whining...can't stand it!

Weekend Fun with the Girls

2008-10-11T20:55:00.004-05:00

My camera is on the blink so I missed some great pictures this weekend. Several of us "girls" get together and play Dominoes and have a sleep over about once a month. This weekend we went down to Lay Lake and enjoyed sitting out on the porch talking and visiting. We never got around to playing Mexican Train Dominoes. We ate grilled burgers, potato salad and homemade coconut pie with coffee! This morning, we had the "OLE" breakfast casserole, cheese grits and fresh mixed fruit. It is so nice to just hang out with friends and talk and bond. After breakfast we all hit yard sales and the Big Antique Mall in Chelsea had it's fall yard sale. What Fun! Speaking of Fall..Check out this Giveaway at Cupcakes & Sunshine.

Farming ~ Harvesting Memories~Sub Teaching

2008-10-08T16:40:00.009-05:00

I used to pass this cotton field daily before I retired in May. I took this picture last spring as they farmers were preparing the fields to plant cotton seed. I am now working a substitute teaching job for a few weeks for a teacher friend that had surgery. I'm glad to see this field in full bloom of lovely white cotton.Sue wrote a great blog with pictures of our cotton fields. I know you will enjoy reading it.
Now, back to THE JOB at hand. It has been fun since I have five of the children that I taught last year... except one year older. I now know what teacher's are referring to when they say a student doesn't know certain skills or facts. I KNOW that I taught those skills to 5 students in this class. However, they are having a difficult time convincing me they were NEVER taught that. I keep saying, "remember when we...yada.yada..." They look at me clueless! Oh well, I will never blame a teacher for not teaching some child needed skills previously! LOL Children also like to go back to the previous grade and visit their "OLD" teacher. I have tried to send mine back to their "OLD" teacher several times to be bragged on. It is so funny to watch them go out the door then come back in with their hands on their hips and say, " MS. ARLEDGE, you are my Old Teacher!" LOL Today, I tried to send them back to second grade hall to show their school pictures to their last year's teacher! It worked on two of them!

Pink Saturday ~ October 4,2006

2008-10-03T20:50:00.007-05:00

Happy Pink Saturday once again. Thanks to BEVERLY for hosting this pink party. Today I thought I would share my feminine pink ladies items. I have a vintage pair of pink satin house shoes with rabbit fur trim. They have a square 2 inch heel. Now, how could you be comfortable in your night clothes and heels? I also have a pink vintage box of ladies "stockings," or hosiery. They are silk and in great shape. Along with them, of course I have the pink garters to hold them up. Displayed with the feminine items is a pink stacked hatbox candle. When we have silly shoes day at school, I take the shoes just to show off...I wear a size 10 and can not even get my big toe in these vintage house shoes.

Sitting~ HA, Ha, HA, At a B&B

2008-09-29T21:16:00.006-05:00

I am back from 9 days of Inn Sitting. That is a joke...there was very little sitting. Can you even imagine washing, drying and folding towels, bath rugs, sheets and bedding for 12 guest? The washer and dryer ran non stop all day long! Thank goodness a maid came in to go upstairs and change out the beds and bring down the laundry, trash and freshen up the rooms. My friend Glenda and I have always hated to leave a Bed and Breakfast after a visit. Well, Sunday night, we couldn't get away fast enough! LOL. We loved, loved, loved meeting the guest and talking to everyone, as well as the 2 tea parties we set up. Cooking breakfast wasn't all that bad either. But the best story of all involves the Innkeepers pets, Barney the cat and Amelia the beautiful blue parolett. Barney is a orange tabby cat that is a big hunter. He proudly presented us with a little chipmunk, that we rescued and released, as well as two moles...DOA! BUT, let me tell you about Sunday's breakfast and Barney. We had a house full of Auburn football guest as well as two couples down to play golf at Stillwater. They were all coming down about 8:30 for their breakfast of ham, biscuits, fluffy eggs, fried pears and banana bread. The weather was so wonderful outside that we opened the two sets of french doors off of the breakfast dining room. Some guest had wandered out to the deck with their breakfast and on one lady remained upstairs still in bed. Barney decided to slip into the house through the French doors. I hear guest saying, "No Barney, go back out." I went back into the owner's quarters for a minute when suddenly Glenda came in just screaming."Where is Amelia?" "She's in her cage, why?" I said. Barney has a squirrel caught under the buffet of the formal dining room, and I was so afraid that it was Amelia out. OMG! I went straight to the formal dining room only to hear cat and squirrel just a going at it! The guest were excited as well! The ladies were running, screaming, jumping in chairs as well as the men on the HUNT! Some guest were grabbing their cameras. The men were wanting a flashlight so I ran and got a couple. The squirrel was moving from room to room so I closed all doors leading to all parts of the house in an attempt to persuade the squirrel to go out the front door. The husband of the lady still in bed ran upstairs and told her he thought a squirrel had ran up the stairs and I mean she got up quicker than greased lightening! She came down those stairs all wild eyed and ready for a cup of strong coffee! Well, I continued to try to round up the squirrel by closing the massive pocket doors to the gentlemen and ladies parlors. Finally, Glenda got Barney and took him to the screened in porch. All guest were convinced that the squirrel had exited the front door. Of course, breakfast was stone cold at this point. After we checked the guest out, we went to the owner's quarters and sat down in the recliners to eat our breakfast. We were exhausted and beginning to dose off. All of a sudden we heard the squirrel in the gentleman's parlor that is back to back of the owner's quarters. I went in there and opened the parlor pocket doors, but no squirrel. So, our answer to is the house haunted is now...NO, only a squirrel in the gentleman's parlor. Now, if you have ever heard Ray Stevens' take off on the squirrel at church, this is even more funnier. All in all, we loved Inn Sitting and would do it again. However, Barney will need to stay at a kennel next time. Oh, P.S...you should read the comments in the journals! AND, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

PINK SATURDAY. September 20th~ Poodles

2008-09-19T19:55:00.010-05:00

This is my guest bathroom. It is a pink lovers delight! The pink metal laundry pail and tissue holder were bought at different times but they are a set.

As you can see, I will never run out of Pink Items for Pink Saturday. Thanks ,BEVERLY

for hosting another fun Pink Day.

I collect poodles and have a LOT!

Notice the vintage poodle towels..You better not use them!

They still have the original tag on them. I rag rolled the walls of this bathroom with the same pink paint used in the bedroom.

This wall is above the potty. It has several Plaster of Paris poodles on it. The one on top is a temperature gauge and it turns colors as the humidity changes in the bathroom. Some of my poodles have"spaghetti hair." Some have white rabbit fur on them too! One of my first poodles was the powder container. I like it a lot. It's the squatty pink one.

Not shown are Poodle banks,

poodle bubble bath containers,

and other plaster poodle items.

Do you recognize the Avon bottles? I have a pair of them.

Of course I have salt and pepper poodles...but that's another post.

Inn Sitter for Mistletoe Bough Bed and Breakfast

2008-09-17T20:01:00.005-05:00

I told you about Mistletoe Bough about a month ago. I didn't tell you about the wonderful opportunity Glenda and I were offered. While we were talking to the Inn Keeper, I told her my girlfriend and I are so in love with B&B's that we took a course and became certified Inn Sitters. The Inn Keeper immediately asked if we would consider sitting with Mistletoe Bough the week of 21st-27th! She and her husband are going on their first vacation since they purchased the Inn 3 years ago. We answered without hesitation "YES!" We didn't even care how much they offered to pay us! SO-o-o-o I will be gone next week living a fantasy dream. We will have 12 guest Saturday night and feed them breakfast Sunday morning. They had rented the house for 2 days for their daughter's wedding. On Tuesday, we will host a little tea party for 12 older ladies. They will meet in the ladies parlor. Then on Friday and Saturday, we will check in guest for the weekend. These guest will be attending the Auburn-Tennessee game. We will feed them breakfast both mornings. There is a maid that comes in daily to change the beds and clean rooms. Then mid week, another lady comes in a does "deep cleaning." We will book reservations, run the credit card machine and be available for any needs. We will stay in the inn keepers apartment downstairs and also take care of Amelia, their parakeet and Barney, the mouser that lives outside. Glenda (my friend) and I plan to do a whole lot of porch sitting, rocking and coffee drinking. We'll smoke cigars in the gents parlor (NOT) and have afternoon tea and scones in the ladies parlor. Come by and join us. You're always welcome at Mistletoe Bough! Click on the link and take a tour.

Blog Designers Baby Girl

2008-09-16T18:11:00.002-05:00

My Blog Designer has a brand new baby girl. She is so cute. Go over and visit Teale and welcome them home!

Pink Saturday~ Droopy Drawers & Vintage Cabinet

2008-09-12T20:25:00.014-05:00

New Kitchen Cabinet
Hold on, this is a new post for pink Saturday! I have a new child's pink kitchen cabinet to go with my two appliances. Plus, there are cute little boxes of groceries to go with it. Thanks to my Arizona friend Carol for thinking of me. She gave this to me while my sister and I were out for her wedding. You know, Carol must think I'm Houdini. She loves to give me things to try to get through security at the airport! Of course, I had packed only one weekender piece of luggage for her wedding! I stuffed my underwear, bathing suit and God knows what else in that cabinet! It was stuff you would never see in a kitchen cabinet for sure! Would you believe that she gave me a pink handled knife right after 9-ll to bring back on the plane. CAROL!!what were you thinking! The three now fit beautifully in front of my real kitchen refrigerator, on a throw rug.

Droopy Drawers

These cute "Droopy Drawers" are an easily made craft from "away back yonder," as Granny would say. They are made with two dish cloths, ribbon or yarn and a little card attached that reads:

Now don't get excited,

and don't be misled.

These are not for you,

but your dishes instead.

Just pull out the ribbon

and rip out the stitches.

You now have two dish cloths,

but you sure lost your BRITCHES!

The two matching dish cloths were hand or machine basted in a contrasting thread to make it easy to tell where to rip the stitches. The ribbon or yarn was interlaced on the waist and bloomer bottom. They were folded lengthwise then stitched like normal pants would be.

Enlarge picture for better details. My friend, Glenda Rose gave me these cuties!

Sebastian my grandog

2008-09-12T12:14:00.011-05:00

Let me introduce you to Sebastian. He is my granddog. He gets really scared during storms and doesn't like to stay alone. His human used to bring him to my house every morning to stay with my sweet Sugar so he wouldn't be scared and bored. I was at work too, so basically , Sugar babysat him during the day. His human, my daughter, would pick him up after work and take him back home....get the picture. Yea, it was like having a grandchild that stays with Nana during the day. Well, my daughter got married and moved into a new house and Sebastian's living arrangements changed. My daughter decided that they needed to be more responsible pet owners and started putting Sebastian in her daylight basement just during the day while they were at work. The basement had her old sofa for him to still lay around on and a window to look out. He had everything he needed...at least it appeared he did. My daughter came home one evening and Sebastian had blood on his front paws and fur. He was missing 3 teeth and had another loose. When she arrived at the top of the stairs, the door was bloody as well as the door jam. He had scratched his paws raw on the metal door and irritated his claws as well. "What had happened?," was our question. There had not been any bad weather that day. However, that was the day our community sounds off the practice of the weather siren. Maybe that scared him. Maybe he is a creature of habit, and needed his routine back. I went over the next morning and brought Sebastian back to his Sugar and Nana's house. He now resides with me. After Sugar died, Sebastian grieved for her just as I did. He still looks at the door or sits on the back of the sofa and looks for her. Me too! He gets her old toys and shakes them. He comforts me when I need a friend too. He sleeps with me at night so... he must go be groomed every 5 weeks. I'm not sleeping with a scratching, snoring, stinky man! He struts around after his appointment because he knows that he is too cute for words!

Sebastian is a Shitzu. He does look like a little Chinese man. He will be 12 years old next month. I am his third owner. He still likes to visit my daughter, but he's ready to come home when I leave. My daughter takes care of him when I'm gone on trips. But the rule is...he must spend the day at Nana's House! :)

Angel Trumpet Plant

2008-09-10T10:06:00.011-05:00

I'm so glad you liked the rick rack cactus post. I guess I am on a "Plant Posting" pattern. When you get the spit cleaned off your screen from saying that, I would like to tell you about these heavenly angel trumpets. This one grows in front of the License Office here in my small town. It also grows in Pink and white. They all smell very sweet. The shame is, they only bloom in late summer, then the frost kills them .

Rick Rack ~ This and That

2008-09-09T12:09:00.007-05:00

Rick Rack Cactus are easily rooted, just look at all of those little roots ready to cling to something.
This one shoot just took off towards the sky! It will eventually lie down.

One of my favorite blogs is Reminisce...this and that. Linda talks about rick rack and her love of notions. Make sure you check out her older posts too. I have a Rick Rack Cactus that I really enjoy. It reminds me of the rick rack that was on my little dresses that mother made. It also reminds me of selling rick rack in our store. It was displayed so neatly in a rack provided by the company. If you remember, when I was a little girl, there were no Wal-Marts! I also want to sound off about the Wal-Marts discontinuing their domestic departments. That hurts us ladies that still like to piddle with sewing and quilting.

Pink Saturday, Sept. 6 BlogLift

2008-09-05T16:06:00.021-05:00

I guess my favorite Pink Post today would be...guess what?? MY Blog Lift! Thanks to Teal!

Pink Saturday, Sept. 6

2008-09-05T16:06:00.018-05:00

Happy Pink Saturday, and I have a couple of cute pink things to share with you. Now, Don't get any ideas about trying to steal my butler away. I've waited a long time to have my own personal butler. He's a handsome dude, isn't he! LOL He has to stand near my Shabby Chic pink metal lawn chair. The chair has seven coats of paint on it. I found it at a Flea Market. I move it all over the place because it is so versatile.

AND, just in time for Pink Saturday, Patricia sent me my blog surprise from theunfinishedflower.typepad.com/ I love it Patricia! The pink polka dotted bookmark ribbon with a PINK SQUARE button put the gift right over the top! The mixed media canvas will look so great on top of my antique piano. I loved getting the mail today.

Devil's Horses, Lubber Grasshoppers

2008-09-02T16:07:00.000-05:00

I have an enemy that I hate. Old Timmers called this creature a "Devils Horse." These unsightly grasshoppers are a nuisance at my house. Back in the spring, when the nymph first appeared, there were thousands of them in the yard. Now, the mature adults are just plain disgusting! Nothing, I mean NOTHING, kills them but stomping the mess out of them! And, mess it is! My sister hates them too and she stomped one in my yard then had to clean her shoes off! They are commonly called Northeastern Lubber Grasshoppers. They are very destructive. They are poisonous to birds and even small animals that try to eat them. They hop away faster than you can stomp them. The have a shell like a darn armadillo. If you would like some, just email me and I'll send them to you dead or alive!

Pink Child's Iron~ Pink Saturday

2008-08-29T18:55:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, I received a little iron and ironing board for Christmas one year. I was so excited because the iron had to be plugged into the wall and it actually got warm to the touch. Now that may not sound exciting to the kids now-a-days. What with Easy Bake Ovens etc. however, it was a BIG thing to me. I didn't really realize why, until a couple of weeks ago while watching my granddaughter play. Rebekah is 15 months old and so much like her dad and probably me as a child. She already knows right from wrong, thanks to her mom and dad, however she is so tempted to do the opposite of right! She was running through the house playing chase with her aunt Melody when all of a sudden she noticed an unprotected electrical wall outlet. Rebekah knew all of their outlets at home had covers and she KNEW not to touch it. That was the revealing moment to me. Her curiosity got the best of her. She started towards the outlet with those big eyes sparkling. I said "NO, NO." Next her dad said "No," also. She stopped walking towards the outlet then started running and playing again. However, each time she went past that outlet, she looked at it then looked at me. I'm thinking that I was told "No, No," not to touch a hot iron. But on that Christmas Day, back in 1953, I could finally touch an iron as well as the outlet you plugged it in to! These little pink toy irons still heat up, just as a reminder of Christmas 1953. Happy Pink Saturday thanks to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.

Dill Pickles Anyone?

2008-08-28T19:15:00.002-05:00

My whole life I have seen my grandparents,mom etc. plant dill in the garden for canning dill pickles in the summer. While visiting Bisbee, Arizona last week, I noticed this unusual weed growing everywhere in the town. I told my sister to STOP the car. I think that is dill just growing everywhere in Bisbee! Sure 'nough, it was! It was all along the roadsides, in the ditches and everywhere you looked. It was truly Dill WEED! I had heard it called that but little did I know that it's just a WEED! You learn something every day don't 'cha?

Survey, restoring an old home

2008-08-27T20:26:00.000-05:00

What an odd picture for a post to begin with...right, isn't that what you're saying? Here's what I'm saying. Every morning when I get up, I go to my front porch with a cup of coffee and this is what I see. This "farmhouse" was built in 1853 and has seen more memories than all of us put together. However, now it sits empty and needs a savior. There is a carriage house in the back as well as a wonderful smoke house. It sits on 1 and1/2 acres of land. Our community treasures the house. We fear someone will buy it and tear it down because it is on a corner lot in our town. However, the lady that owned it passed away and left it to her daughter. The daughter had helped her mother "work" on the house for ten years. (Note the scraped walls) They put so much TLC into the place. But, the daughter was diagnosed with cancer and passed away nine months later. She has a husband but no children. The mother has two other sons that live in Boston. To make a long story a little shorter, I Love This House! It calls my name. I have had the pleasure of going inside and could actually fill the LOVE from the walls within. The ladies had the house rewired, replumed and some structure work done inside. It is 4 big rooms with a "dogtrot" down the center. The staircase was torn down from the hall by a previous "restorer." My family would think me crazy if they knew I am considering biding on it next month when the auction is held. As you know, I love old things and this house would display my collection so well. What do you think? How crazy would a retired 62 year old single woman be to buy this "Money Pit?" My financial advisor had me to watch Tom Hanks' movie The Money Pit when I told her my dream! LOL Be thinking of what I should do and post a yes or no. Thanks

Tombstone Territory

2008-08-25T00:12:00.001-05:00

Howdy Partners!

I'm back from the cowboy and Indian territory out West and had a hot, hot, wonderful trip. My sister and I went out for our friends wedding and took in Bisbee, Sierra Vista, Tombstone, Benson and Tuscon. We stayed in an 1819 Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast Inn and Legends Bed and Breakfast Inn. Tombstone is called the "The Little Town that refused to die." When you ride through "town", there are real cowboys hanging out. AZ has no gun law so the men wear their six guns right on their hips. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I had a little Roy Rogers gun and holsters set and really wanted to get my hands on a gun. One of the cowboys at Carol's wedding let me handle his 45. It is really heavy, and that didn't include the bullets. The mountain range is so different from the Appalachians here in Alabama. Also, the cactus were blooming and we were just fascinated with the bright colors. It is good to be home. I missed all of you in blogland.

Mistletoe Bough Bed and Breakfast

2008-08-19T21:59:00.001-05:00

Celebrating my birthday at Mistletoe Bough Bed and Breakfast today was so much fun. This historical B&'B was built in 1890 and is located in Alexander City, Alabama. We girls arrived Monday evening and were treated like royalty. The house is just one shake of a lamb's tail short of a mansion. It is totally Victorian, inside and out. Our hostess, Joanne and Jesse are so friendly and eager to make you feel right at home. This will be my last post for a few days as I leave at 6AM for my friend Carol's wedding in Tombstone Arizona. Enjoy the eye candy of this B&B.

Ya Ha Sisterhood

2008-08-15T02:09:00.001-05:00

My sister and I rarely get to do anything together...just the two of us. Well, It's about time! We are both retired and "free as a bird" to finally make an effort to travel together. Our long time childhood friend is getting married next Friday and invited us to come out to her wedding in Tombstone, Arizona! Well, We're Doing It! I told our friend, Carol, that we would not be able to make it, then all of a sudden, Priceline ran a sale on airfare that included a rental car! We will leave on Wednesday, Aug. 20th and check out the sights a few days before Carol's wedding. We are SO excited to travel our first trip together in a long time. Our parents took us to this same spot out West when we were 5 and 9 years old. It will be so much fun to revisit it.We plan to make this an annual event. Oh, did I mention that we only live 8 blocks apart? My sister, Darthy has 4 grands and Garrison is standing with us at my retirement party. We are both retired teachers.I will post our travels when we return, if the cowboys and Injuns don't shoot us up or lynch us!

Pink Saturday Aug. 16th Prayer Kitchen Ladies

2008-08-15T01:47:00.000-05:00

My Pink post for today is my Kitchen Prayer Ladies. Thanks Beverly from How Sweet The Sound for hostessing this party. My Kitchen Prayer ladies are made by ENESCO by Columbia Ceramics in the 1950's. Each one has an inspirational kitchen prayer or blessing. They come in yellow and blue as well as MY Color....PINK. I noticed that a lovely planter is available on EBay this week. It is going for $30 right now.

Strawberry Shortcake/Vintage Style

2008-08-11T17:18:00.001-05:00

Thanks Sue, from The Cotton Patch , for the great idea for a quick dessert. I too had a Sunday School Class party tonight and wanted to make a cute dessert. I found this wonderful depression glass basket at a yard sale about 3 years ago. I paid $20 for it and it has no flaws. I simply took Sue's advice but layered the angel food cake,strawberries and whipped topping in this depression glass basket.The ladies in my class loved it.

Pink Saturday August 09,2008

2008-08-09T12:52:00.001-05:00

Thank you for inviting me to PINK SATURDAY. I have chosen one of my favorite pink vintage toys to share with you. This vintage metal stove and refrigerator were given to me by my BFF Carol Isley. Carol is a flea/antique-aholic for sure. She is a former travel nurse and knows every shop from California to Alabama. These two vintage tin pieces sit in my kitchen sharing to glow from all of the other pink items. One is Frigidaire brand and the other is Coldspot. The Frigidaire reminds me so much of my dad. EVERY refrigerator was a Frigidaire to him. "Get me some buttermilk out of the Frigidaire," Daddy would yell. We had a GE! I have collected a few vintage dishes to accompany my play set. Come over some time and we'll make up a batch of mud pies with acorns on top.

Passion For Pink

2008-08-08T16:04:00.000-05:00

I am a pink person! I love everything PINK~ I collect Fire King's Pink Swirl dishes....only made during Elvis Presley days. I also collect the dishes my mother used when I was a girl. I never knew the name of them until one day at The Birmingham Fairgrounds Flea Market I just saw them! Turns out they are called Hazel. I believe they came in DUZ detergent.The have no markings on them. I recognized the yellow flower on the plate because I used to scrub the color off thinking it was egg yolk! I have pink aprons, glasses, vintage linens, pink enamel ware and working on finding pink vintage cooking utensils. I have a stand up mixer as well as a portable one. I even have an ice crusher and a meat,vegetable grinder. And check out that 50's clock radio. I try to use everything whenever possible because my kids will put it at the Thrift Store when I'm gone. I am a collector, they are not. I got it honestly from my parents. They grew up when you saved string off of the sacks of flour and hog shorts! I've worn those little calico dresses made from flour sacks. They rarely were pink..do you think? Thanks to my friend Carol for arranging my items on the Hoosier. She can just put junk together so nicely.

It's Contagious~No, It's Justice

2008-08-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

One week at school I noticed three of my students wearing arm slings. Now, I had taught two of the girls and the other one visits me often and is a sweet little friend. I learned to realize that things are not always what they look like. For example, one of my students from second grade (J) was excused from doing homework for two weeks because she had her arm in a cast...a cast she found in the girl's bathroom! We educators laugh when kids get caught up with. You see, J was in my room once and the mom gave me a hard time about accusing the little girl of doing sneaky things. Well, to get back to the story, J was now in the 4th grade and her mom came in to pick her up early from school. J, unsuspecting, walked out in the hall and saw her mom, and quickly ducked into the bathroom and hid the cast. However, it wasn't quick enough. The mom caught a glimpse of that cast and marched down to the classroom to investigate. We could hear the mom yelling "you a lie" and J bawling clear on the back hall . It was hard to hear above our laughing! Yes, there is justice for teachers, especially if you teach long enough! This is also a reason I wouldn't name my kids J! Anyway, the three girls decided to write their stories and I would publish them. Happy Ending!

Liberty Day

2008-08-05T16:12:00.000-05:00

Every year, during the last week of June, my little town celebrates Independence Day. It all begins the week before with the Miss Shelby County Pageant. As the actual Liberty Day activities approach, we all decorate our porches and yards in a patriotic theme. Many of us with lovely porches, drape them with banners, ( I found out these were called buntings) and leave them up for several weeks. My friends give me red. white and blue items all the time because they know Columbiana goes "all out." A couple of years ago, I found this lovely folk art Uncle Sam at a consignment shop. He proudly stands with his rifle at ease. This year I had to teach him to "cock it" because mischievous teens or "red necks" have walked off with my lawn decorations! My street runs parallel with Main Street so a lot of traffic goes in front of my house on Liberty Day. Main Street is closed on Friday evening so vendors can begin setting up their wares. I love Libery Day. I get to see folks I haven't seen in years. They yell at me on the porch while they are stopped at the stop sign. Horses trot by...poooping the whole time, sirens blast and kids that I don't want to know where I live, discover the location to roll for next Halloween!. None the less, I enjoy every minute of it. I go to the parade that evening to catch junk just like a kid. But, the most incredible part is the fireworks display that night! I starts at 9:oo and the football field is full of folks from miles around. Free watermelon is served by our only grocery store,Piggly Wiggly. All the neighborhood dogs howl and hide during the fireworks. People walk everywhere and it's just a great day. I can still smell the kettle corn and Polish dogs cooking. I gotta close and see if Uncle Sam is still standing at attention...yea, it's August!

Friends and Bed and Breakfast Fun

2008-08-04T12:44:00.000-05:00

One of my very favorite things to do is visit Bed and Breakfast Inns. I really think I might have been born in the wrong era. I love the Victorian ambiance, decorations and colors. I am happy when I am among a lot of friends and enjoying a scone and a cup of tea. The antiques and amenities are just a bonus for me. Although the stairs are getting harder to climb, once at the top, I feel like it is Christmas. Opening each bedroom to see who is going in that room is like opening a Christmas present to me! All of us B&B group just oooh and aaah at every little touch that the innkeepers have added. I am so crazy about B&B's that I actually became a certified Inn Keeper! My friends no longer asked me "what do you want to do for your birthday?" They know I want to visit another B&B. I have even talked my children into visiting one for their anniversary. My favorites are too numberious to list. I adore Mistletoe Bow in Alex City, Myrtlewood Inn in Aliceville, Gorham's Bluff, Pisga, Rose Inn, Fayette, and of course Columbiana Inn right here in Columbiana. The least favorite is in New Orleans and that was only because the Inn Keepers were terrible hostesses. Here are some pictures of the gang.

Favorite Child

2008-08-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

My two children have said for the last 14 years that my favorite child was "Sugar." Sugar was a toy white poodle that has been the love of my heart for the past 14 years. I had to let her go to pet heaven a month ago. My human children gave her to me as a Mother's Day gift...well at least a gift certificate for her. I did not want another dog. I had just lost a wonderful Basset Hound and was still grieving the loss of her. One day I saw an add for these poodles in Attalla and Melody and I drove up there and chose her out of about 9 puppies at a puppy mill! She was so tiny, the runt of the litter, and only 5 weeks old. She attached to me immediately. She was "there" for me through so many major parts of my life. She was with me when both of my parents died, when both of my children graduated HS then college, divorce, marriage of both children, birth of grandchild, retirement. When I almost died in 2001, Sugar was written in on my chart as a visitor to the hospital. My kids brought her up to my room and she lay in the bed with me. Otherwise, she had to live alone in our house for 33 days, during Christmas and New Year. You see, she has been through a lot with me. She could get everyone laughing with her singing to our song...Sugar Boogar." Melody taught her to pray with her little paws, so I know she was a Christian and I will see her again. She went camping with me and even went to school once a year to show my class how to care for pets. She also was a therapy dog occasionally. So you see, she was special to me. It took both of my children to help me lay her to rest near the garden pond in my yard. I still tear up and will always love her. She was my Sugar Boogar.

My Daughter

2008-07-31T16:51:00.000-05:00

My husband and I were married 9 years before our daughter , Melody came along. She was truly a "Sweetheart" because she was born on Valentine's Day. I was an "older" parent so I was overly protective of her. She is everything a mother would want in a daughter. She is beautiful, smart and caring. She was a "pageant" girl and won our county's preliminary to Miss Alabama which is a preliminary to Miss America. She is a Godly woman and is a prayer warrior when I need her. She is independent, much like me. God blessed her with a Godly man last year and she is happily married and lives about one half mile from me. I am praying for grandchildren in the future. She is a huge AUBURN fan and he is a Huge BAMA fan. You just have to live in Alabama to understand this rivalry!

A Beautiful Bird

2008-07-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is watch birds. I began birding when my mother, Eva moved in with me the last two years of her life. She loved hummingbirds. When I came home from work in the evening, she would be sitting on the front porch with hummers swarming around her head fighting for territorial rights at the nearby feeder. However, I must say the favorite bird I have observed is the Rose Breasted Gross Beak. www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Rosebreasted_Grosbeak.dtl.html This beautiful bird visits here while traveling from northern South America or the Caribbean to its breeding grounds in the Yukon. The male has a big red heart on it's chest and what lady could resist that? This beauty stayed a little longer, about a month, in May and June while snacking on my enriched bird seed. I went crazy snapping pictures. Enjoy!

My Grandaughter

2008-07-29T22:31:00.000-05:00

Rebekah Kinsley is the first grandchild on both sides of her grandparents. She is also the first great-grandchild...and that she IS..great. I love her so much. When she is in the room, I can't take my eyes off her. Seeing things through the eyes of a 14 month old is exciting. She squeals and laughs so easily. Now that she can walk..run, she is a mess. She was the star at my retirement as well as her birthday, May 17th. She has a great pair of parents too. Marcela, her Brazilian mom is amazing. She is beautiful and a great mom. Marcela is always taking pictures of Rebekah and teaching her two languages as well. Rebekah's first word was "JESUS." Marcela is a Godily woman and will be a great missionary wife for my son, Sam. I watched Sam change that baby's diaper and prepare her food and lovingly nurture her while she was at my house Saturday. He is a prayer warrior for our family. They will be leaving for Belo Horozonte this Fall to serve the Lord in Campus Ministery.

Retirement

2008-07-28T22:18:00.001-05:00

Isn't retirement what we work to acheive our entire life? Isn't reitrement supposed to be great? Well, why has the first two months been a nightmare? Everyone says, " How are you enjoying retirement?" Well, you see, when you have spent 33+ years around wonderful people and children, as a teacher, it's tough! I miss those hugs, I miss my school family and I am lost! Oh yes, I have been signed up to do everything in our little town that volunteers do. I tell everyone that it's hard to tell right now because teachers are off every summer anyway. School starts here next week. I wonder if I'll be able to stay away! I wonder how many of my kids will miss me? I hope I've touched enough lives to help them be strong, 'cause I sure feel weak.