Sunshiney Days

This weekend was my son Connor's senior prom. He and his sweetie, Lea Anna, (how is that for a great Southern name!) made some cute photos before they left for dinner in Ocean Springs and then back to the school for Prom. Yep, they were going "old school" this year by having the Prom on campus. Hard economic times affect everything!

This is one of my favorite shots...a giant wood bee was buzzing around the barn. Con said through gritted teeth, "Hurry up, mom...a giant bee-a really giant bee is coming!"

Lea had some gorgeous heels, but this softball girl loved her bare feet better!

Now that Prom is over, maybe I can get back in the groove of making and creating things. We are hosting a movie night with some couples from our church next month and boy, my honey-do list is getting longer by the moment! I know we need to build a long serving table, a frame for our outdoor screen, and I am thinking of placing some dividers in the garden trug (below) I made back in January.

 Right now it is housing some flowers, but I think I could make some slip in/slip out dividers for cutlery and napkins.  Maybe just fill with some tin cans for dividers? That would be a cute, easy fix. Any ideas? Tell me what you think. Blessings to you and yours as the days of sunshine get longer and hotter here in Mississippi. May your days be blessed as the changing of the season comes your way.

Becky

Let's Get Gardening, Mississippi!

It seems I only get to post on the weekend, but my weeks are always so full! Spring is beginning to show her face around here, so it has spurred me to get busy with some outdoor projects. My oldest son, Jameson, gave me a tiller that I absolutely HAD to have for Mother's Day in 2010 and can you believe this weekend he finally taught me how to use it? And yes, I love it, but my biceps know I used it! Our high school FFA has been selling tomatoes and I could not resist, so we tilled, amended, and planted. Now hurry up, Mississippi sunshine, and make me some tomotoes for my tomato sandwich craving!

The other project I worked on today is still in progress. About 10 years ago I bought this old settee at a shop in Pass Christian. It was all chippy white then, and over time needed repainting. I did a quick job last fall, but the color was somewhat off. Not what I had in mind at all.  I will show you the before, even though it is dreadfully drab. I still have to finish the cushion cover, so when that is done, I will give you the "after".

See what I mean? Good lines, but the color is just blah, blah, blah! I think we can do much better. When it is done, I think you will approve. Then I can sit in the sun (or shade, as it sits now) and enjoy good times.

Blessings to you and yours,

Becky

Spring's Coming!

The "week-end" did not exist for me. My Saturday was spent in a workshop getting some credits to keep my administrator's license current. The content was very pertinent and the information good; it just wasn't what I had in mind for my Saturday! Today we celebrated my youngest son's 18th birthday, which was March 1. He had a little help from a friend blowing out the candles. I spent a short while this morning before church looking at a perennial catalog and a new Flea Market Style magazine. Other than that, it has been church, dinner with family and friends, and a little more browsing and dreaming.

The sun is bright, the sky is blue, and the breeze is still cool. I took just a few shots of the flowers that are beginning to pop in our yard. I can hardly wait to get my hands dirty with more. Spring is welcome to arrive any time now at our Mississippi farm.  Maybe next time I can share some of my make-over works in progress. Blessings to you for a wonderful week.

Becky

Ole Miss and Delta Dining

Talk about sunshine! Yesterday was a cool but sunny day as we visited the Ole Miss campus in Oxford for an open house event. Our youngest son is trying to decide where he will attend school in the fall. The Lyceum, above, is a historical building in the center of campus. The columns on the Lyceum are depicted in the Ole Miss symbol you see on literature and around Mississippi on car tags of UM supporters.

We met a lot of prospective students from different states and saw a few acquaintances. It was a good morning. Then we traveled across the hills to the flat land of the Mississippi Delta to see our best friend. Next week is our son Connor's birthday and our friend Mike pulled out all the stops and surprised him with a delicious birthday supper with some old and new friends.

                                         The table was set and ready for some Delta dining.

We made a special trip to a tamale stand down the street to pick up some of the best in town.

I was so jealous that I could not try Mike's crabcakes (have a shellfish allergy), but everyone else said they were out of this world. Aren't  they a beautiful golden brown?

And...after much persuasion from the other guests, Con donned his birthday crown

as "Uncle Mike" joined in the fun.

We made it home to the coast in 5 hours with only one stop. Now, the washer and dryer are going, I am in my pjs watching the Oscars, and getting ready to start another week. No signs of my tulips yet. I think we will have to settle for azaleas this year! Blessings to you for more good times and sunshine.

Becky

Tulips and McCarty

Spring is just around the corner...or is it? I have been waiting for my tulips to bloom, and no, these are not mine. These gorgeous tulips grow and thrive at the McCarty Pottery in Merigold, Mississippi. If you have never been to McCarty's in the early spring, it is worth the drive just to walk through the garden and see the large variety of tulips, not to mention their to-die-for pottery. (Check it out at http://www.mccartyspottery.com/ ). My husband and I planted four tulip varieties for this year, but no sign of them yet. Or maybe they are hiding under that bed of straw and I just haven't noticed, but I am looking!

The garden at McCarty's is filled with a variety of other plants as well as blooms.

The contrast between the old barn wood and the vivid tulip colors is amazing.

I am so ready to dig in the dirt again. Excuse me, soil. What is the difference between dirt and soil? I am so glad you asked! One of our Kindergarten classes at school had a guest speaker from the USDA on the People's Garden Project this morning. I missed the first part of the lesson as she explained the difference between dirt and soil. However, I did hear one little boy's answer to the question when Dr. Coker asked, "What is the difference between dirt and soil?" A sweet little voice replied: "Soil is black and dirt is brown". She kindly told him no, but I said out loud, "Well, I like that answer." Later I asked the teacher what the real answer was. Dirt is soil out of place. That's pretty good, and I learned that in Kindergarten. If-no-when my tulips bloom, I will share them in all of their glory. Hopefully, the sun will shine and they will rise to meet it. And quickly. Blessings to you,

Becky

Farm Sunrise

It was a sunny 65 degree day in south Mississippi today. I took advantage of the beautiful weather and spent most of the day on my John Deere mowing the lawn, around the barn, and the dam on the pond. My forehead is half pink and half white because I wore a warmer over my ears. Hence, a tender two-toned face is mine. I missed the beautiful sunrise today, but my nephew captured it and his photo was too special not to post.

 I am longing for spring. Tomorrow I will check out some sources for what it takes to plant sunflowers: lots and lots of them! Good times are just around the corner. Blessings to you and yours.

Becky

because NICE matters

This week-end we endured a lot of water and NO sunshine! It was rainy and dreary so after the laundry was (mostly) done, I spent some time creating (playing) in my little space that belongs only to me. I made a bookmark, which found its way into a framed piece, and a couple of tags along with a framed saying "because NICE matters". I like that. Sometimes it is not easy to be nice but it is the right thing to do. So I placed this new piece where I can see easily see it to remind my self that it sometimes takes a big old bundle of good character to be NICE, but in the end, it really does matter. I am thankful that I have three days off to celebrate whatever my heart desires, because I don't do Mardi Gras, but am glad for the long five day week-end.

Maybe we will see a little sunshine tomorrow. If not, I will make my own. Blessings to you,

Becky