Oyster Roast at Tombee Plantation

This year's annual oyster roast to benefit the historic foundation was held at Tombee Plantation, c. 1795.

Front of the house


Side view looking out over the marsh

An age old view through the garden gate.

Back of house with view of the marsh.

A tree swing with a view;)

Garden fountain at sunset.

Walkway to the water's edge

House view from the garden

The marsh

The beauty of the lowcountry

Lowcountry bluegrass

All the oysers you could eat!

Front parlor-all of the woodwork is original.

Talk about a fridge!

Beautiful farm sink and brick backsplash

A kitchen I could cook in!

The evening surrounds the house as the sun goes down for the night.

Antique chandelier in the upstairs hall.

Garden fountain detail.

Tombee gardens beneath the night sky.

Oysters roasted, wine poured, and music drifted beneath a star studded Lowcountry sky. Cool temperatures made the steam rise from the freshly cooked oysters on time-worn wooden tables. Live oak trees laden with lacey Spanish moss stood watch over the marshes setting the stage for an historic 18th century treasure known as Tombee Plantation.

A few of my favorite things...

Much to my disappoinment one of my favorite local shops has closed. Being in a very small town I was elated when it opened here just over a year ago. I loved going in the softly lit store brimming with shelves of floral bedecked boxes of lotions and fragrances. One gets a special feeling when chatting with the sales person (in a small town like this you knew them already:) while purusing the shelves and selecting your favorite scents. Online shopping may be more convenient but it is surely not as much fun.

This got me thinking about sharing some of my favorite things.

'Fresh Cut Rose' scented candles from Yankee Candles

Rosewater and Summer Hill scents (home fragrance, lotions, drawer liners, soaps) from Crabtree & Evelyn

Handpainted porcelains

TEA! My favorites are the loose leaf teas such as Earl Grey Supreme, Paris, and Apricot from Harney & Sons.

Wine (white or red) from Chile, Argentina, Italy, and Spain. I also like Savignon Blancs from New Zealand and Chardonneys from Sonoma County.

What are some of your favorite things?

Remodeling Project

What can I say? Lori at Before the Stroke of Midnight inspired me after she created such a beautiful blog for our classic literature book club (http://adickensofabookclub.blogspot.com/) so I decided it was time to remodel The Victorian Parlor! With a little bit of effort, some photos, and a visit to the thecutestblogontheblock.com The Victorian Parlor has a whole new look! This was as much fun as remodeling the house but with a lot less dust (and fewer injuries:)!

Time to Read!

All day I have been anxiously awaiting this quiet time to begin reading the first of our book club choices, Little Dorrit. With candles lit, a glass of wine, and the TV turned off I can finally curl up and begin reading:)

New Blog!

Exciting news! Lori from Before the Stroke of Midnight http://beforethestrokeofmidnight.blogspot.com/ and I have started a new blogspot! We both love the classics and decided to start a classic literature blogspot. Lori designed the banner and the site and I must say it is one of the most beautiful I have seen! She has an amazing talent for this:) Please visit our new site and join our book club if you wish-we welcome all who love the old classics:)

http://adickensofabookclub.blogspot.com/

We are starting with Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. I have read some of his other works (he is my favorite author) but I am not even sure what this story is about which makes it all the more fun! We will start with chapters 1-3 and look forward to discussing it with you soon!

Happy Reading!

Tea with Jane Austen

Today was the annual Jane Austen Tea hosted by the South Carolina chapter of JASNA.I was honored to have been asked to portray the famous author.
One cannot possibly portray such an amazing lady without first setting the stage.

What is a tea without beautiful flowers? These roses were gorgeous!

Jane Austen Friends!

It was a most amazing day surrounded by friends and fellow Jane Austen fans! Everyone enjoyed the tea and goodies!

In need of advice

I found these crewel work panels at an antique store in Atlanta (they were in the sale bin for $3 each). I am trying to decide what to do with them. I could make a quilt with them or should I make pillows? Any other suggestions are welcome:)
(Kramer decided to make an appearence:)

A thrifting I will go...

I found this green and white toile jewelry box at a local thrift store for $2. I thought it would

make a great storage box for all of my buttons and bling that I use when making my art projects. It had a few stains so I added some vintage photos, lace, and buttons to dress it up a bit:)

Now all of my buttons and bling are organized and ready for my next project:)

Spring dreams

As the winter skies blanket us with cold we curl up under warm blankets in long sleeve shirts dreaming of Spring's warmth.
Alas, I have fallen prey to temptation at the grocery checkout. The first of the spring garden magazines seemed to leap out at me while I placed groceries on the checkout counter. The pictures inside inspire and stir the imagination with bouquets of flowers, yards of green, and roses bursting forth over white picket fences-all under the warmth of spring sunshine.

Soon the fig tree will put forth sprigs of green while flowers bloom in a rainbow of colors once again reminding us of God's glory.

Joy...

Joy…

The silent twinkle in the night sky,
Ocean breezes billowing by,
Birdsong lilting in the early morn,
The long distant sound of a ship’s horn,
The freedom to believe whatever you like,
The beauty of woodlands gracing a hike,
Old gnarled tree branches reaching above,

The feeling one finds knowing God’s love.

Joy is the simple pleasure of a cold winter's afternoon with a cup of tea and a good book.
What brings you joy?

Faith...

Faith is…

Knowing the roses will bloom and the fig tree grow,
Warm sunshine will blanket the grass as I mow,
Squirrels will scurry to and fro,
While birds sing down to us below,

Trees will shade us with leaves of green,
Flowers will blossom scenting everything,
Breezes will rustle through the shades of spring,
Thankfulness felt for all the Lord’s blessings.

(Can you find the squirrel)?