Thursday, May 31, 2007

Show and Tell Friday..........

Well, it's time for Kelli's Show and Tell.......This is one of my favorite belongings. It was made by a dear friend of ours who lives in a town where we lived once. He is a Christian physician, named Ben, who grows the most beautiful flowers. He and his sweet wife, Faye, entertain us royally in their home when we are in their area. He does beautiful shell work including mirror frames and all sorts of accessories.

The shell church lives on our sun porch year round and makes me smile each time I look at it...

The picture doesn't do it justice and the pitcher and bowl do not stay on the table with it.....

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Justin's Place.......







A few weeks ago, we were visiting in Thomaston......there is a very special place there named 'Justin's Place'. Justin was born with Down's Sydrome.....He attended school and when he was a young boy, he lost his mother to breast cancer. She was a teacher and dearly loved by everyone.

After leaving high school, Justin's father was concerned that Justin
would miss being with his friends....one day while riding down a street, Justin spied a closed restaurant. He asked his dad, "Is that Justin's Place?" His Dad replied, "yes." Justin said that's where we'll sell hot dogs and french fries!"

After getting the building ready and adding outside tables and chairs, the big day came. Justin is very affectionate and greets everyone with a hug....

His menu has many choices and the ones we've eaten are delicious.....Always a crowd..Justin is quite a celebrity............

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Give away.........

Hurry over to Pinks and Blues Blog give away. Details here......Dooney and Bourke bag and Victoria's Secret Perfume......

Monday, May 28, 2007

Memorial Day 2007

Happy Memorial Day to everyone..............

All gave some and some gave all.................

Lest we forget...



Freedom Is Not Free...............




Thank you to all our brave veterans throughout the years...........

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Show and Tell..................................




Well, I didn't make the Friday deadline due to being at our grandson's graduation, but I still want to participate in Kelli's, Show and Tell.


I bought these blue and white dishes many years ago when we went to the Little Grand Cayon in Lumpkin, Georgia, one of Georgia's tourist sights....The pattern is 'Elizabeth' by Johnson Brothers, England.



At the time I bought the dishes, I had no grandchildren, not even any sons-by-love but I liked the dishes. Now, I have a twin granddaughter who will be 16 next month.....her name is Elisabeth, spelled as it is in the Bible.......someday they will belong to her.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Our Grandson, Davis, the Graduate.....

Can it possibly be? It's been no time since our daughter announced one Thanksgiving that there would be another mouth to feed the next Thanksgiving.....seems Thanksgiving is the time for major announcements to be made at our house.


Davis was born on July 4th, l989. He was due on June 15th. His great-grandmother passed away on the June 15th and buried on June 16th. Mindy's doctor advised against traveling so far and she wasn't able to attend the funeral. She and her grandmother were very close. The funeral was videoed for her.

After Davis was born, Chip brought him out to where we could see our first grandchild. He was swaddled tightly in a blanket and a little knitted hat. All we could see were big eyes.....He looked us all over and I guess he decided we would do for grandparents. He was something special to us after having two daughters....We didn't know anything about little boys but we learned quickly....We kept him on several occasions when Mindy and Chip needed to be away....He was a good baby and pleasant to be around......

As he grew older, he was all boy..One of Edward's favorite story's about Davis is when we were attending one of his birthday parties when he was 3 or 4. We were all out on the deck having cake and ice cream. Davis was in the den watching 'The Jungle Book'. Edward went in and Davis was peeping out behind the chair when Kau, the big snake, made his appearance.
Davis had some peculiar eating ideas. His waffles had to be cut a certain way with the direction of the waffle grid....
Once when Mama Jean was keeping him and while she was giving him a bath, she was asking him questions. He finally put his hands up in the air and said, "I don't know Mama Jean, I'm just a little kid!"


Our entire family goes to the beach for a week in the summer, the week of July 4th. When our twin granddaughters Erin and Elisabeth were about 5, we were going down town to see the fireworks after just having a birthday party for Davis. One of the girls was seated next to me and as we were riding along looking at all of the flags waving in the ocean breeze she asked "But Mam, how does everyone know it's Davis' birthday?"



Davis played football all four years in high school. His position was lineman. He was on the tennis team, 4-H rifle team. He was one of the top 25 SAT scorers in his high school.


He is a member of the church and active in mission trips to other states.



Davis will graduate Friday night and will be a Freshman at the University of Georgia in the fall. He plans to pursue dentistry......He has been working for a dentist his senior year in the afternoons and this has reinforced his desire from a child to be a dentist.


He will have three pleased grandparents, Mama Jean, Mam and Pop cheering him on at graduation and on through life.....his paternal grandfather, Philip, passed away when Davis was 18 months old. Philip made the comment when he knew he had terminal cancer, ' the sad part is that Davis won't ever remember me'. Through pictures, stories and conversation 'Big Dad' is very much alive to Davis and his brother, Drew............

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

AND THE WINNER IS...........................





This afternoon my beautiful granddaughter, Ellie, drew a name out of a bowl for the demitassee cup and saucer, spoon and a collection of teas given as the prize for my 100th posting on Country Charm.....




So many came by and left a comment. I appreciate your visits and I read each comment......




The winner is RHODA, SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.......please visit Rhoda and see all of her yard sale finds and how she uses them so beautifully in her home.......




Rhoda, please email me your address and I will get your prize in the mail the first of the week..........




Thank you all for participating.............Please pray for rain for our state..........Georgia

Sunday, May 13, 2007

100th Posting Prize Giveaway......


The prize is an English bone china demitasse cup and saucer, a petite gold spoon and a collection of different teas........

I don't know how to add bells, whistles and balloons to my blog but I do want to tell you that in a very few days I will be publishing my 100th posting..........

When you visit, leave a comment and mention 100th post, I will enter your name into a drawing to be drawn on May 22nd. Please be sure to include your name.

I know what I want to offer and I'll be shopping for it the next couple of days.........later I'll post a picture......

Thank you for visiting, commenting, the good wishes, encouragement, prayers when they've been requested, the good times I have visiting with you, and the love we have for our Heavenly Father and each other.........

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Happy Mother's Day To All The Mothers

I am not the author of this but I think it is a message worthy of being read by everyone...............

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU SWEET MAMA'S!

Espescially to my daughters .....Melinda (Mindy) and Amy, who I've learned so much from because they are have exeeded me by miles in the role of motherhood.......

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in
their arms, wiping up upchuck laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry
Kool-Aid saying, "its okay honey, Mommy's here".

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who
can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with
spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their
purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween
costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the
mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on
their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at
baseball, football, hockey or soccer games instead of watching from the
warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me,
Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the
world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and
swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream
before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but
realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained
all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but
just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.
And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted
for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice
calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own
offspring are at home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach
aches , assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get
calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them
up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the
words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year
olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
mothers of those who did the shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their
TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and
now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway?

Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cooks
dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or
daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very
first time?

The jolt that t takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M.
to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to
hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear
news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young
mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...

And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us.

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every
day that we love them. And pray.

Please pass along to all the Moms in your life.........

Friday, May 11, 2007

Show and Tell Friday.........

Kelli's Show and Tell Friday............


I bought this long mirror for $15.00 several years ago. Recently, I saw one just like it in an antique shop for $100.00. It is very heavy. I used it in the bedroom for years and decided to just stand it against the wall on the floor in the den. It reflects light and is a conversation piece. Also, it's wonderful to check appearance when hurrying out the door..........

Monday, May 7, 2007

The Chicken's Traumatic Ride Through Atlanta............


As you know, this past Thursday we were in Atlanta for the funeral of a fellow minister, Don.

Even in the midst of sadness, God blesses us with glimpses of humor and laughter. Thursday, as we were in the heat of traffic in Atlanta, a big truck with crates of beautiful white, fluffy chickens came speeding by us. We had to look twice and pinch ourselves to see if we really saw what we thought we saw. The biggest white, fluffy chicken was outside a crate on the bottom row, hanging on for dear life. I tried to remember where my camera was and of course by the time I found it the truck was gone. I thought to myself that is either the bravest chicken I've ever seen or the dumbest.......or maybe this chicken had fallen in love with another chicken and just wanted to go along.............

Up ahead, traffic had come to a slow crawl, due to one cause or another. We came up on the petrified chicken still holding on for dear life. He or she, got up and turned around and we were afraid 'it' would jump off in traffic to certain death. However, upon arrival at the destination, the chicken in all probability was going to end up for someone's dinner so in the long run maybe 'it' was just trying to escape the inevitable........

By that time, I had located the camera and the picture of the chicken on the traumatic ride through Atlanta, was captured for posterity.......

Later, as we were contemplating where to eat, the consensus was 'no chicken!'

Friday, May 4, 2007

Friday Show and Tell........





I enjoy participating in Kelli's Friday Show and Tell.......This is a white vase that I bought for a dollar at a Salvation Army store about a year ago. It's about 15 inches tall and I think it has beautiful lines. It reminds me of a tulip..... I like it just as it is........as a piece of art.....





Wednesday, May 2, 2007

God's timing is perfect.......

We have a minister friend, Don and his wife, Sharon, who we met several years ago and bonded immediately with them. We visited back and forth in our respective churches and when Edward had surgery for an abdominal aorta aneurysm, Don and Sharon made the trip, the length of our state (a very long state) to visit with us.

Don, full of dry wit and an infectious laugh, always make you feel better about everything. A very able and dedicated mininster, he was all business in the pulpit...

We were with them the first of this year. Edward was supplying at a church a couple of hours from where they live and they came down to church and afterwards we went out for supper. Don was telling us that he planned to retire this year or next and plans that he and Sharon were making. We had not seen them since.

Just shortly after that, Don passed out at work. He was advanced in telecommunications in Atlanta. At first, it was thought that he had experienced a stroke or maybe a heart attack. After much testing, the terrible news was that he had Melanoma on the brain with no outward signs..... He continued working and preaching.....As time marched on, he began treatments and had gamma knife surgery. He never waivered in his faith and encouraged so many people in their Christian Walk. He sent emails proclaiming God's sovereignty and lessons to be learned from his illness. The cancer continued to spread until it was all over his body.

Sharon stood by him and saw to his every need and was such a lesson on what a caring wife should be. She taught us all by example.....

Hospice was called in to begin last weekend..

Last Saturday, Edward, Mike and Kathy (another minister and wife) and I went to visit Don and Sharon. Don was past talking but he recognized Edward and Mike and let them know that he was glad to see them. Sharon knew the end was inevitable, barring a miracle. She needed to talk about arrangements and make funeral plans and just to reminisce with people who knew and loved Don..Coming home the four of discussed how the time had been right for us to go.........

On Monday afternoon, the call came that Don had passed away. He had won the victory and his family had all been present to bid him farewell.

His funeral is to be Saturday with Edward and Mike conducting the service.

We will be going up on Thursday for the visitation and funeral on Friday.

Perhaps if you find it in your heart to pray for Sharon, the three children, grandchildren and Don's family, I know they would appreciate it. There but for the grace of God, it could be me....or you...

This will be our 5th funeral in a little over 3 weeks...........All dear, sweet friends.......

ANOTHER SAD NOTE:



Davis, Baxter and Drew Christmas of 2006




Saturday, Baxter, our daughter Mindy's collie, was hit by a car. He was x-rayed and had no broken bones or internal bleeding but was kept at the vet's hospital. Monday he had not responded much but when her husband went by to visit, Baxter heard Chip talking and he barked and drank some water. Yesterday, he went downhill and after consulting with the vet, it was thought best to put him to sleep. Chip brought him home and buried him beneath an oak tree. Baxter was a beautiful, loving, mannerly friend.....Farewell loyal Baxter.............

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Happy May Day To You........

Happy May Day to everyone! This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it............



This is one of our three cats. Her name is 'Sister'.........




This is Ling-Ling. Murphy his look-a-like brother is asleep somewhere.



Old fashion petunias........

This is Marion (my friend from Wales) I name my flowers, do you?



A lavender rose, I don't know the variety........



The larkspur is beginning to bloom. It's pretty growing with the roses.......





This is an important gardening tool......Let's me know when I absolutely must quit gardening and go inside........It hangs under the back porch........Big so that I can see it quite a distance away.







This is a David Austin rose........







This is a David Austin Rose......I have several that I don't have pictures of....I really like his roses, as they seem to be very hardy and easy to grow........








This is a Bianca rose.......They have bloomed profusely this spring.......


Thanks for visiting with me.......................