On Island Time

Our little sugahbear, Jag

as excited as we are

to be on island time.....

Welcome.....

It always feels so good

when I step inside our little island cottage

and see

"WELCOME TO OUR BEACH HOUSE".....

My hand painted signs remind me to

"Relax By The Sea".....

Relaxing ocean breezes...

lazy island days...

books to read...

paintings to gaze upon and move the soul...

I love my "DD" painting...

Thank you, DD!

Now, to find the perfect frame.

This painting will always be one of my island treasures...

You can visit her island blog at

www.DD-islandtime.blogspot.com

This makes me think of Katrina Key...

An empty stretch of island that was split from our island

during Katrina...

thus the name, Katrina Key...

Another oh-so-special painting,

painted by a dear friend.

It is suppose to be the two of us on island time!

I love it, Sandi!!

It will forever be a treasure...

And a lovely little journal to

jot down my

"Thoughts by the Sea".....

Coastal Living...

It's soul soothing...

Just what the doctor ordered.....

Aaahhh, ISLAND TIME!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

An Island State of Mind

If ever you sleep on an island,

it will call to your soul

forever and ever.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

The Duck and the Prince

Prince Jagello (yag-lo), Jag for short,

arrived at the Kentucky lake house

and spotted a new duck...

inside the lake house...

under the chair!

'Grrrrrrrrr'

Rrrrffff Rrrfffff!!

Yes, it's a duck!
Hey Mama! LOOK!
There's a duck in the house!

Mama, I'm going to sit on my bear rug, by the fire,

and you need to do something about that duck!


I really don't like that duck, said the prince...







Blessings
*****Yaya*****

A Beautiful Thursday

I love the drive to the lake house.

North Alabama has beautiful rolling hills

and I-65 takes you along a pretty area of

gentle rolling hills and pastureland.

From the heart of old Nashville,

we turn West for a short distance

and, once again, North.

We travel the Tennessee back roads

right into Kentucky, an hour and half out of Nashville.

This is our 'off-the-beaten-path' road

that leads right to the door of the lake house.

As I took an afternoon walk today,

the crisp, cold Kentucky air

was filled with the scent of smoke.

The old tobacco barns are still smoking and curing the tobacco.

It's a most unique scent

combined with wood smoke from firewood.

The lake...

reflecting the sunlight

and sparkling like diamonds...

And, the twitter of a few birds...

crunching leaves

and a 'splash'...

Ice and leaves...

Back inside the cozy lake house,
the smell is divine!
A bacon-wrapped pork loin slow baked in the oven
all afternoon.
It was sooo tender
it melted in your mouth like butter.
And the Black-eyed Pea Soup was delicious, as well.
It was full of smoked bacon, collard greens, onions, tomatos and potatos,
seasoned with a Tuscan seasoning.
The cornbread...
What can I say?!?
What's not to love!!?!!




HAPPY NEW YEAR
Blessings
*****Yaya*****

Quiet Moments

Give yourself permission to slow down,

if only for an afternoon.

After the hectic rush of the holiday season,

we should all pamper ourselves.....

Slow down...stop moving...

Take a scented bath by candle light,

put on those new flannels

and that, oh so soft, old cashmere sweater.

Put your new fuzzy socks on those well-pampered,

soaked,scrubbed, rubbed and lotioned feet...

Curl them up under you,

as you sip your spiced tea

while reading your new books that were Christmas gifts.

Snuggle deep into your favorite chair

with a soft throw.

We have a stack of new books

and I cannot wait to read them all.

"Seaside Style"

"The Last Godfather"

"Now You're Cookin' Tuscany"

"The Sharper Your Knife,The Less You Cry"...a cooking book in Paris!

and,

"Mrs. Wolf amd the Servants"....life with the Bloomsbury Bohemian Artsy folks.

Happy Pampering!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

I Want To See Christmas Through Your Eyes...

There is nothing like the magic of Christmas!

On Christmas Eve,

the old country house is full of laughter, excitement...

delicious food, wine...

family...

and story telling.

The boys get snug into bed

and

'Twas The Night Before Christmas"

is always read.

And, every year,

we actually hear the sleigh bells!!!

Oh we do!

It's true!!!

And then in the blink of an eye,

we awake

and,

GASP!!!

LOOK!!!

Santa came!!!

WOW!

AWESOME!

Merry Christmas to all!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Papa's Tradition

Papa is always in some far away land,

but he always makes it to the country house

in time to go to the woods and

find the perfect Christmas tree.

A cedar was the tradition when I was a little girl...

the scent is wonderful.

Today they set off into the woods

and returned with the

perfect cedar tree.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaay...

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh....

Hey!

Yaya, here's the christmas tree!

Yaya, I have a reindeer on my sweater....look, Yaya....

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way...

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh...

Hey!

Okay, let's take it in and stand it up...


Y'all did GOOD!!!
Thank you, Papa, Mose, Beck and Tom...
Once they stood it up and strung the lights,
we all decorated the big Christmas tree.
Santa is loading the sleigh and about to head this way...
Now he will have a beautiful tree to place the gifts under
and I know two little boys that have been very good this year.....



Blessings
*****Yaya*****

Natural Christmas Decor

There is so much beauty in nature....

Red berries, cedar, blue spruce, pine and pine cones

all tied together with left-over red ribbon from last Christmas.....

Cost?

$0.00

Perfect!

Are you ready for Christmas?!?!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful

but the fire is so delightful.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Here in the deep South it is heavy rain.

I love hearing the rain pour down on the metal roof

of the old country house.

I wanted to stay in my flannel pajamas

and snuggle deep into our wonderful featherbed

and pull the down-filled blanket up to my head.

The delicious smell of coffee coming from the kitchen

and the alarm clock that sounds like churchbell and chimes

told me it was time to get up and get busy.

Christmas is almost here

and there is much to do.

Pies, cookies and cakes to bake,

and yeast bread too.

Casseroles to mix

and gifts to wrap....

and company is on their way!

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

The Magic of Santa Claus

Santa and his reindeer are getting ready

for their magical journey on Christmas Eve.....

Oh to see Christmas through the eyes of a child.

It truly is magical.

The reindeer take flight

with lightening-fast speed.

They must have wings!

It won't be long

and on the roof they will land,

then down the chimney

Santa descends,

filling stockings with toys and joy.....

Santa must work with his elves every day.

These good-hearted helpers

know just what to do.

They make trains, skates and dolls,

balls, toy soldiers and books...

The workshop is a miraculous place.

Horses that gallop and dollies that walk,

And teddy-bears ready to cuddle and rock.

Who Santa Claus is,
there's no need to tell.
Children around the world know him so well.....
Jolly old Saint Nicholas,
Lean your ear this way!
Christmas Eve is coming soon!






'Giving' is the secret of Christmas cheer.
Blessings
*****Yaya*****

Winter Time In The Country

Looking at the beautiful Currier & Ives

"Winter In The Country",

causes one to reflect on yesteryear.....

Another era, another time...

A time when life seemed much slower.

We have come a long way

and gained so much,

and yet, it seems to me

that

we have lost something along the way.

Do you miss those olden days

when everyone gathered at Grandmother's house?

Of course.....

But,

I am now Grandmother...Yaya...

Times have changed

but not the tradition.

I can't wait for our children and grandangels to arrive!!!

Merry Christmas to all,

and to all a good night.

Christmastime blessings

*****Yaya*****

Winter Wonderland

I wanted to share another

Currier & Ives

placemat from my mother's collection.

It sets such a mood.....

Oh to dream in winter white.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Currier & Ives

To gaze upon certain things of beauty

can speak to one's soul.

The prints of Currier & Ives

have always filled me with a sense of 'home'.

Somehow, they seem comforting.

As I rambled through storage boxes this past week,

I came across an antique set of six

Currier & Ives place mats.

They belong to my mother

and I recall her using them in my childhood.

I haven't seen them in years

but what a treasure.

They now have a place on the dining room table

and I can't stop looking at them.

I wish for you,

comforts of home and family...

Christmas Blessings

*****Yaya*****

O Christmas Tree

A little Christmas tree

just for the dining room...

All dressed up in shimmering gold,

snowwhites and crystal.....

O Christmas tree,

O Christmas tree,

your leaves are so unchanging.

Not only green in summer's glow,

But in the winter sleet and snow.

O Christmas tree,

O Christmas tree

I always want an angel atop the Christmas tree...

From angels bending near the earth,

to touch their harps of gold:

Peace on earth, goodwill to men,

From heaven's all gracious King.

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

All Through The House

The word Christmas calls up cherished memories.

Oh the happy anticipation...

I always experience the happy anticipation,

the memories and that wonderful longing for the magic of it all.

Christmas always has to do with the getting ready for,

as much as the day itself.

Preparations for the great day start way in advance.

It's a ritual here at the old country house.

Nothing is thrown together quickly.

I take my time and play with everything...

ribbons, pine garlands and cones, crystal and china.

Polishing until everything is all a glow.

I love the decorating...decking the halls.

By the time Christmas Eve arrives,

all will be ready for the arrival of Christmas magic!

The kids and grandangels arrive with their gorgeously wrapped boxes

and the little wee ones listen for sleighbells.

Oh the excitement!!

I just love an old fashioned country Christmas.

It's Christmastime, y'all!!!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Christmas Is...

Magic...

Sweet-smelling cedar...

A dusting of fresh snow...

Pinecones...

Candles so bright...

Ribbons that shimmer...

Silver bells...

Giggles of little elves and children...

Bundles of cinnamon sticks wrapped in red plaid ribbon...

Apples and oranges and fruitcake...

Pretty pine garlands...

Rock candy...

Mama Peggy's peanut brittle...

Gingerbread...

Silvery tinsel...

Walnuts...

Ruby red ornaments, shiny and bright...

A crackling fire and the smell of woodsmoke in the air...

Reindeer in flight...

Presents under the tree...

A star for the Christ Child...

Angels...

Sweet gifts of love...

A glass of wine and a long winter's nap.

May Christmas be a time of great blessings for all.....

Yaya

Boughs of Holly

Wrapped in the soft warmth

of a golden glow,

and the quiet of a cold December night,

we are snug unto ourselves.

The world is put on hold for an evening.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****