Charm of the Carolines

RC and a MoonPie

A man walks in and says, "I'll have an RC and a MoonPie."

The guy behind the counter says, "You must be from the South." 

The man is a little miffed and says, "If I walked in and ordered Peking Duck and hot tea would you say I must be from China?"

"No."

"If I ordered Pasta Carbonara and Chianti would you say I must be from Italy?"

"No."

"Then why do you say I must be from the South when I order an RC-Cola and MoonPie?"

"Because THIS is a hardware store."

Waking

One of the sweetest blessings I enjoy is also one of the simplest... waking each morning without the obnoxious blares from an electronic alarm clock.

 

This doesn't mean that I wake on my own. Usually there is a catalyst or two...‎

1. Rooster crowing,
2. Sunlight,
3. Mockingbird singing,
4. Distant Thunderstorm,
5. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee,
6. Churchbells,
7. Windchimes.

 These are my current and much preferred alarm clocks.‎

 

However, 

1. A Paw in my face,
2. Or worse,
3. Phonecall from my little neighbor needing a ride to school,
4. Cat scratching the sofa,
5. Puppy chewing the dining room table.

These are also current, but less preferred.‎

 

Then there is...

1. Dog throwing up,
2. Unwanted Skype call at 2am,
3. Garbage truck on my street when I forgot to take the can to the curb.

...clearly least preferred.

What about the loud, angry, relentless, masochistic, painful alarm clock rudely yanking away soft, warm, pink,downy covers and any hope of sweet dreams? Only if there is an early morning flight to make that leads to a warm, tropical clime and a hammock with my name on it.

Where I can be awakened by the sound of ocean waves lapping the beach. Yes, please.

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Favorite Things - October 2011

Pumpkins

Painting

Puppies in the rear view mirror

Puppies in Goofy Halloween costumes. No matter how many times we've seen 'em, they always make me smile.

Pigskin

Pages, and pages, and pages, and pages

Especially this one 

(Looking forward to seeing you again, Lisa, at the Maury County Library Thursday evening!)

Panaramic Fall Foliage in the Great Smokey Mountains

Peeping Deer beside the road

Petite Fall blooming crocus in my backyard

 
Painting at Rippavilla with friends en plein air

Pulling out parkas and pashminas, scarves and mittens, preparing for chilly days ahead...

 
Pie Wagons

Pounding the hardwood, Julianne Hough and Footloose

Vintage Planes and Air Shows

Precious 1940s Canisters Sets and cookie cutters

Peddling down a country road on a sunny, Saturday afternoon

Pea green with envy!

Feeling immensely Loved even when no one is around

Fondue Vintage

Last weekend I drove alone to west Tennessee to visit with my aunt and attend a family reunion/cemetary decoration day with a branch of the family I do not know. Geneology Geeks like me actually enjoy these things, as hard as it is to fathom among hipper folks with more interesting lives.

I could post the pictures and everything I learned from the Decoration Day and may still do that, but for now wanted to share a sidebar.

On the way home I took a shortcut from interstate I-40 to my home and went through the town of Centerville, TN. I haven't been there in ages. When I was much, much younger I spent a couple of weeks every summer in Centerville at Camp Meribah, a church camp where all the kids went to do crafts and compete in field events, put on plays, sing camp songs, and have devotional at the "chapel in the woods." But I really didn't know what else Centerville had to offer.

This is one thing I discovered... Fondue Vintage.

Just the word "vintage" makes my heart skip a beat. (It's a common birth defect among Geneology Geeks.) So the name Fondue Vintage caught my attention.

Mark and Nicole Lewis handcraft Fondue Vintage's wares from their home studio in Centerville, Tennessee. After covering a few switch plates in their home with some 1950's wallpaper found at a barn sale, they couldn't believe what an impact such a small detail could make. The couple agreed that everyone with boring, plastic wallplates needed to experience the same rejuvenation to the walls in their homes.

Several years later they now have hundreds of rolls of antique and vintage wallpapers and cover a lot more than just switch plates. Their passion for vintage pattern grows as their collection of papers does, and they love giving new life to mundane household decor by covering it in kitschy pink poodles, glamorous magnolias and atomic starbursts. 

I found several designs I'd love to give a new home to inside my vintage artist's cottage or carriage house studio. Just look...

 

 

 
 
  
 
 
  

 

 
 
 


They are so adorable, so vintage, so creative, so simple, so affordable. Why couldn't I have thought of it???   I love them all!!!

Chestnut Group Art Sale benefits Battle of Franklin Trust

 
This past weekend I participated in the Chestnut Group's art sale to benefit the Battle of Franklin Trust. This organization is responsible for the Carnton Plantation, the Carter House, Lotz House, and the McGavock Cemetary. The owners of Harrison House and Homestead Manor graciously allowed us to paint on their properties, as well.

We sold 55 paintings in 4 days, but as of yet I haven't heard the final tally in dollars. Needless to say, many beautiful paintings have new, loving homes and additional funds are now available to preserve the 19th century history in Franklin, Tennessee.

 

For months now, members of the Chestnut Group have been painting studies from several vantage points all over historic properties of the Battle of Franklin trust.

 

The Carnton Plantation hosted a Patron's Party Thursday evening.

 

The art exhibit and sale was open Friday through Sunday.

Here is a small sample of the beautiful pieces that were for sale...

 
 

Painting above is by Nancy Rhodes Harper. Painting below is by Chris Ousley.
 
 
Painting above and below are by Lisa Wallace.