Celebrate Summer

Should you visit me these days, I’d offer a gorgeous glass of iced peach tea. We'd sit out back under my umbrella and listen to the trickle of water in my fountains. I'd likely have some smooth jazz playing and there are bright orange day lillies blooming around my patio. The perfect time to celebrate the outdoors is now. The smell of freshly mowed grass and grilling is one of summer's pleasures.
I recently splurged on my trip to Indianapolis and bought these heavy, fat, bright green stubbed off goblets. The picture is a bit deceiving in that they are approximately 6 inches tall and almost as wide. I LOVE them. Here's the secret. (Whispering here.) Wal-Mart has Great Value brand instant peach tea. It comes in small tubs and is packaged like Crystal Light. Each tub makes 1/2 gallon. I make the tea up by the gallon and add 3 individual packets of Splenda per gallon. It is delectable! I also buy frozen peaches in a zip top bag. I serve the tea over ice and float a fat, frozen peach slice on the top. It tastes as pretty as it looks.
For a change, for a summer celebration, take dinner out of doors. Americans tend to think you have to grill to dine al fresco. Not so. Plan to take it outside one night this week. Your family or friends will love it.
I had friends and family over Friday and Saturday evening and told them we were dining at sunset. I clipped some lillies and glads, put them in short vases, rolled out the bamboo placemats, and my table was phenomenal. I grilled chicken breasts with an herb rub wrapped in thick hickory smoked bacon, made a quick cold pasta salad and some deviled eggs. Dessert was pineapple sherbert doused with slushy sparkling apple cider. I broke a biscotti in half and shoved it down in the sherbert for garnish. I SO looked like a gourmet. Hehe.
And yes, we had peach tea in my fat green goblets!
I'd love to hear from you. What are you summer pleasures?

(Note: How do you like my completely ignoring the fact I've not posted in light years? I have no excuse, though I could name 1,000. Thanks for the calls, texts and emails urging me to write. You absolutely warm my heart.)

Happy Birthday to Me

My cell phone rang. The lady on the line reminds me that I have not blogged in quite some time. How well I know. Maybe that is what I needed, a kick in the pants. Here is an overview of life as of late.

I began celebrating my birthday Sunday a week ago (it was last Thursday, the 26th). I love birthdays and simply extend mine as long as I possibly can. SOLO met at my home Sunday evening and we had a cake for the March birthdays. I blew out candles then. Tyler and Jen arrived from Houston late Monday evening. I cooked Tuesday night and we hung out at the house. I crave just being at home with everyone is in town.
B'day photo op
An incredible group of friends took me to Back Door Cafe after church Wednesday evening. Got myself a Walter Anderson print at that soiree.=) The kids and I went to breakfast together the morning of my big day, and when all is said and done, what more could I ask for? All my ducks were sitting with me at the breakfast table. My children did me the honor of sitting for a photo op with Brandy on my special day. For this I am eternally grateful. We then had a late lunch with Nanna. I celebrated the evening with the ladies at Woodlawn. We had a wonderful party celebrating the birthday of every single lady in our church and it just happened to fall on my birthday! How lucky was I? I told them I’d never had that many people singing to me at once. They all pretended the entire party was for me...I let them=).

My friend Mary asked me to reserve Saturday evening to celebrate with her. She arrived at my home with my 3 sisters, Lisa and Tonya in tow. She had me a hot pink boa, a scepter that said “birthday girl”, a crown with pink fur on it, glasses with happy birthday written above the lenses, a “birthday girl” banner, a champagne flute with tall candles painted on it, sparkling juice and strawberries! All this and I’ve not mentioned that she painted birthday hats along with “birthday diva” and my name on her Jeep windows! I was laughing so hard. We had dinner at Walnut Circle Grill. Can you imagine the laughter at the table? The evening was fantastic. I absolutely will never forget last week. My new friend Raylyn has a snazzy red convertible and I topped off the week with a ride to Hattiesburg Sunday afternoon to celebrate Mitch’s birthday. (In my mind the ride was for my birthday.)

Monday was the first day in quite a few that didn’t feel “birthdayish”. I hate to see it go! Please....just once more...Happy Birthday to me.=)

Happy Birthday Sweet Tara:)

Those very candles were on Tara's cake last evening. We celebrated out back under my pergola. I set an incredibly beautiful table, well it was! We dined on lo mien with veggies and chicken. Then ended with good ole' birthday cake. (Tara left the thing here and I can't stop nibbling on it. Grrrrrr.) The evening was perfect. My candlelier was glowing as were my lanterns. Jazz greats crooned to us.

Happy Birthday dear sister. Simply put, I love you.

(Hello all. Forgive my absence. Life intruded but hopefully I'll soom be back on track and faithfully blogging. I've missed you all=).

Breckenridge

So. I've been busy. Snowed under. And actually have been to snow country. I've missed visiting with ya'll. I'm hoping to get on track and be here more often. Sorry to have been scarce of late.=)


As usual, I had to take the "arms flung in the air happy" picture on the slopes in Breck (the locals call it this).


Modis. A grand restaurant right on Main Street. Exquisite art and beautiful food.


Downtown is colorful. Snow was piled high and I stayed in complete awe the entire visit. Maybe it's the snow, but I can safely say that Breckenridge is the most gorgeous place I've been in the United States.

I promise more soon...details on how I was sure I was dying my first day there....=)

I Officially Have Go-i-tis

First, a non-relevant statement to this blog. I am SO thrilled when I get comments!

Today began early. Now ending late. I'm bone tired. And I have desperate wanderlust. I love my blog and I wish to post daily. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. My brain is bouncing around when all I am trying to say is blogging completes me. When I'm not blogging I'm thinking about it. But life intrudes and I can't make it happen as often as I like. Then I get grumpy and everything that bugs me mushrooms. Right now I want to go to another planet...I mean continent.=)

Shall I dream a bit? Hhhhmmm. If I could fly away to anywhere of my choice today, it would be to China. I really want to walk on the Great Wall. Or India would be grand. I want to pose in front of the Taj Mahal with my arms flung high and wide, like in all my other pics in other countries. Istanbul...here I come. Well, in my mind anyway. I really want to get lost in the marketplace. Let me see...one of those thatched roof huts on stilts out over the water in Aruba would be amazing. Tomorrow, please. Also include a massage therapist that comes to the hut. And place the table in front of that wide door with the view. Ahhhhh...

Gotta go. Need to browse around on Expedia for ticket pricing. Bye bye, now.

Small Town America

Columbia, MS Courthouse
Today has been another of those "live-over" days. I just spent the evening at Back Door Cafe listening to my daughter Tayler sing incredible love songs. Our friend Eric played acoustic guitar and they did a couple of duets. How did I ever get so lucky to end up in "small town America" Columbia, Mississippi? There are only 6600 people in our small city, yet we have an amazing fine dining establishment. For Valentine's Day diners, there were pristine white cloths, fat, ruffled edged camillias and glowing votive candles on each table. Owner/chef Fran Ginn invited Tay to do the entertainment and the ambiance was perfect. Just one more reason my love for Columbia escalates often.

My weekend started Friday with my friend Lori and I spending a quiet evening enjoying homemade chicken veggie soup, strawberries and cupcakes. Last evening I baked, mini and full sized cupcakes then dipped some strawberries in white chocolate. The strawberries went on top of the chocolate iced cupcakes and I added those little heart shapes with writing to the top of the minis. This morning started with delivering mini cupcakes to my friends, the staff at Hardee's.

After breakfast I rode with friends Lisa and Ashley to the coast to pick up Ash's costumes for the high school musical coming up. We drove the beach, crossed the new Biloxi/Ocean Springs bridge to Ocean Springs to buy muffins at Bayview Gourmet, then had coffee at the Roasted Bean in the Beau Rivage. My reservations for dinner were at 8, so we headed home.

I really can't imagine another city of this size having so much to offer. Columbia High School has a musical each year that is highly anticipated. (Tay had the lead the year she graduated.) The band wins "state" each year. (My three were all a part of it. Tyler began his public career of drumming in the 6th grade. Tay played clarinet and Tyren trumpet and french horn.) And that's not even mentioning sports. (Tyren went to state 3 years running playing tennis.) It's "cool" to be in the musical and band here, as well as sports. That was not the case in my high school.

All this and I haven't mentioned my place of worship, the absolute best perk of the entire city. Cultured friends, award winning high school, fine dining and Woodlawn Church.

Heaven's to Betsy I love this well-rounded small town!

Morning Joy

(View from my window this very morning)
On my morning jaunt to my coffee maker, there is a large picture window in the living room framing a massive camellia bush. This time of year, an involuntary smile beams with each passing. My camellias are blooming. There are literally hundreds of blooms on this bush and all of them just for me.

How well I remember the first Valentine's Day as a single lady. I would literally cringe thinking of "that day" coming. How vivid the memory of leaving work and going to the mall is. I bought myself a wonderful gift, my very first fountain. Somehow in our minute minds, we build up these expectations over silly things that absolutely do not matter. At that point in my life, Valentine's Day was a glaring reminder that I was a failure. I was one of those who had the table set in bold red for 2 solid weeks. I baked a heart shaped, strawberry flavored cake each year and celebrated wildly. And the arrival of this day which I wrongly assumed was for couples only, made me as crazy as a sprayed roach. There are many Valentines in my life and it's my duty to celebrate with them. My children and sisters now receive my adoration.

My co-workers got the biggest laugh over me buying my own gift, but it was the beginning of a healing process. I was my own Valentine! Come the next year, I purchased a red wheelbarrow for myself. Again, a gift for me. Every year I get extremely wonderful gifts (exactly what I want!). And the good Lord above sends me the biggest bouquet of all, a full blooming camellia bush in my very own front yard.

It's quite special being His Valentine.=)

Bonsoir=Good Evening (in French=)

I'm not sure if I actually listed this in my New Years Resolutions, but a lifelong resolution has been to learn French. Tay has started me on the alphabet twice, to no avail. She is what I call fluent, with which she promptly disagrees. In my book, if you can converse with someone in French for an hour and you love to pour over books of "french verbs", you are fluent. She vehemenently denies it, but continues to liberally converse.

Tonight I invested in French for Dummies. The decision to purchase this CD set is based on the fact that my knowledge of New York City came from a NYC for Dummies book. Tay will rip me a good one explaining that I have to start with the basics, etc. I want to learn full sentences first so I can say gorgeous French things to her in Dirt Cheap or Wal-Mart! She will have none of it. So...I'm learning from cd's and plan to shock her good and proper.

Check back. I'll let you know how it goes.

Anna Grace Farmer...The Butterfly

(News! I have been published for the first time. Hooray! The following article was published in the February issue newsletter of New Beginnings, the Anna Grace Farmer Adoption Center in Tupelo, Mississippi.)

Simply put, she was a rare, incredibly beautiful butterfly. A minister made reference to this at the service celebrating her too-short life span of 8 months. He explained that it felt as if we all had nets and were forever trying to “catch” her. She would come close and we would shower her with love and adoration, so desperately wanting her to stay. Then she would flit away, just out of reach in the ICCU where her family would stand at her bedside and ask God for a miracle.

Anna Grace Farmer, along with twin brother Wallace, was born October 7, 2003. Her beaming parents were Tonya Wallace Farmer and Clayton Farmer of Columbia, MS. Maternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Wallace also of Columbia, and paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clelly Farmer of Poplarville, MS.

Phones rang incessantly the day it was found out there were to be twins. Soon, a pediatric cardiologist was to give some disturbing news. While still safely ensconced in her mother’s womb, a heart defect was detected. HLHS (Hypolastic Left Heart Syndrome) would require a series of surgeries upon her arrival into this big world. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania specialized in caring for newborns with HLHS, and her parents, along with maternal grandparents, moved to the big city for the much awaited birth of the twins. A very short 18 hours after her birth, Anna Grace went in for the first of her multiple surgeries.

As autumn approaches, a special generation of butterfly is born. The monarch, born to the “Methuselah generation” lives to be seven or eight months old and performs the incredible feat of flying from Canada or the United States to the center of Mexico, up to 2800 miles. Even on cloudy days, their mere half ounce body stays on track with an internal compass, covering some 50 miles per day. They return stateside during spring.

Though Anna Grace had an inconceivably short life span, her mark is domestically and internationally lasting. The Anna Grace Farmer New Beginnings Adoption Center in Tupelo, MS places children with a bleak future into Christ-loving homes. The New Beginnings home for unwed mothers has a direct connection for placing babies that have been saved from abortion.

On an international scale, a water well has been dug in honor of Anna Grace Farmer in Lome, Togo, West Africa at the Institut Biblique de Togo (Togo Bible Institute). This well supplies fresh water to the local village and to the bible school which carries the Word of God into eleven countries in the nether regions of Africa.

The legacy of this tiny butterfly has spread far and wide. Children are taught to love God and are raised in God-fearing homes as a direct result of her life. The plan of salvation and Jesus’ love is taught to those abroad who would never otherwise be exposed.

God has smiled on the Farmer family and they now have Gracelyn Alexis, a beautiful, rambunctious daughter who will soon be two years of age. Big brother Wallace celebrated 5 years in October. A bronze of a little girl with arms uplifted and butterflies lightly resting on her, marks the place Anna Grace was laid to rest. On any given day you will find a couple of small cars and a dinosaur in the lap of the bronze that big brother Wallace has left for her to “play” with.

The 5th year anniversary of her passing was celebrated last May with the announcement of the fresh water well to be dug in West Africa. Wallace and his Sunday School class released balloons to “heaven” for Anna Grace.

Anna Grace is proof positive that though your heart may not be perfect, through God all things are made new. And though it seems impossible, a lasting effect can be had from imperfection being made perfect through Him.

Amazing that such a small life can bring such beauty to the earth and have such a profound influence on the world, be it the half ounce butterfly or the short life of Anna Grace Farmer.

Volcano...from Anthropologie

This is my present, to me, to celebrate Tyler's birth...day. I know I know. But I deserve a present! I did good rearing him! Every time I have crossed the threshold of that store I've carried one around. I walk past the display where one is always burning and I draw a deep breath. Speaking of displays, no one holds a candle to these stores. Ha. Like my pun? I am absolutely on overload with each visit. It's more than a lowly, design-hungry mortal can bear. I overdose.

Knowledge that anyone who walks in my back door will ask "What's that I smell?" is a deciding factor. A book or some funky kitchen item usually takes precedence. Not this time. (Truth is the red jar did me in. They usually only come in cobalt blue.) Good marketing move all you Anthro marketers.

Volcano from Anthropologie. Oh yeah baby. That's reason enough to plan some entertaining.

Original

A case of those were in the fridge when I arrived for the birthday weekend. Smiles are easy when you realize a tad of your entertaining skills have been passed on. I walked in to a sparkling apartment, candles lit and music playing. (I am glad he left a hamper of clothes in the laundry. Makes me still feel needed to do a little something for him.) His apartment is crisp and modern, exactly as you would imagine it if you are acquainted. Being a mother, I look around to see what, if any of my everyday existence has colored his life. I realize having reared him, it's inevitable. I still seek the validation.

He loves books. He devours graphic arts magazines. He is a "right brain". He soaks up anything cultural. He is consciously kind. Fine dining is a must. He has an instinct to always be original, be it dress, decor or design.

"Original" sums him up. And is exactly what I set out to do some 288 months ago.

Happy 24 Tyler Marcus Swanner.

Traipsing About Houston...

I had a German Chocolate cupcake from here...

Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique

And a Red Velvet one from here...

Crave Cupcakes
Both places were fantastic in their own right. Sugarbaby's was all fluffy, pink and apple green with black chandeliers. Crave was sleek, modern and served milk from old fashioned bottles.

Cupcakes have seen a revival as of late. Not so long ago, they were considered rather passe. They are now de rigueur, proof in the numbers of people in line and in the dining rooms at both establishments. I don't normally hit all the cupcake joints, but Jennifer, Tyler's sweet significant other ordered some from Sugarbaby's for his birthday. And when I saw Crave, I simply had to go in.

Oh the joys of the BIG city...

I'm Absolutely Overflowing This Beautiful Morn...

This is the best representation of my heart today...

I awoke to the smile of an extraordinary male today, my son, with whom I will celebrate his 24 years of life this weekend. We will have leisurely breakfasts together, go museum hopping and marvel in the joy we get from just being in the company of each other.

Stealing a couple of days together as we are doing this weekend, makes my life (states away) bearable...well, almost.=)
Happy Birthday Handsome...

Ok. Umm. Speechless.

A picture says a thousand words. All of which I can't verbalize for now. Whew.

Shall I try? Is this a lobby? Restaurant? Hotel room? Is that a suitcase? Do I also see a briefcase in the background? Is the table from room service or last night's party?

All that and I haven't mentioned HIM. A suit, pocket handkerchief AND cufflinks. Reading the morning paper. Is it coffee or tea in that dainty cup? No time to shave. Did he have the flowers delivered? Were they for me? Hehe...

Mr. Gerard Butler is a multi-talented beautiful man. A man that can play the disfigured "Phantom" and the charming, thoughtful husband in "P.S. I Love You" has to be a romantic.

Ok. I'll stop now.

Kitchen Door Color?

Ok. The cobbler's children never has shoes. The designer stresses over choosing colors for her own home. I'm SO in love with the pink door. As most of you know, the outside of my home is pink. (Not hot pink!) I am wanting a pop of color in my kitchen. I'm considering this color for my kitchen door. My cabinets are white, walls are natural wood, countertops are neutral tile, flooring is "french country" peachy, pink, cream brick.


THEN...there is this door. Whoa. My heart pitty patters over it also. Decisions, decisions. Whew.

Whaddaya think? Do tell.

Dreamy Dressing Room

Image via apartment therapy
I absolutely want this dressing room. As in move in today. I am dead over the blue velvet ottoman (Lord, what all I could get into that thing). The nude is classic yet classy. The mirrored dresser, the chandelier, lamps and mirror take my breath away. Ummm, the dog would have to go to Mary.

When my youngest moved out, I created a "media room" of his bedroom. Tay and I simply love it and it ain't getting changed (no dressing room there!). Even if she were to move I'd never use her room. I love entertaining and will always have a guest bedroom. So, only way I'll be getting that gorgeous dressing area would be to add on. And that surely ain't happening any time soon.

I think I'll just use that "look" in my bedroom. Actually, it does favor my private domain. I'll move some pieces around. Give my vanity an update. Remove some access. Then hopefully this raging desire for THAT dressing room will quiet...

Avery

(photo filched from Tyler's myspace)

This precocious, precious child is nephew of my son's "intended" Jennifer Cobbs. Avery had brain surgery day before yesterday and is in Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Long story short, Avery has a cyst in his brain that is hereditary. From being a playful, rough little boy, the cyst has hemorrhaged and caused him severe sickness. The surgery went well but I can only imagine the terror and heartbreak this sweet family is experiencing.

Please say a prayer for Avery, his mom Jessica, grandmother Linda, and aunts Jen and Jeniece.

Ms. Celine...

Look bottom center of this photograph. That tiny person is Celine Dion. This was my favorite portion of the concert I attended last week in Birmingham, AL. I am posting this picture to give you a sense of just how massive the set, arena, and jumbotron screens were. This is Celine performing "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli on the screens. It was indescribable.

Tayler's favorite Christmas gift was tickets to this concert. It was my 4th time to see her and I am more impressed with each "visit". We had excellent seats, the above shot was zoomed as far out as I could go to get the entire set top to bottom. The stage was "in the round" though square shaped, giving each side of the arena equal face time. It had 2 "arms" that actually extended into the crowd, one in our section, putting us literally 25 feet from her multiple times during the evening.

If there has ever been a performer that truly loves her fans and expresses that eloquently, it's she. She is very warm and interacts with her audience and when you leave, there's no doubt she appreciates her fans.

I'm just sure she and I could be bosom friends.

Waaaaaaaa!!! (gasp) (gasp) Waaaaaaa!!!!

That's me squawling my lil' ole eyes out 'cause I want those boots! And I know it ain't happening. Oh well. Can't have everything I want. (sniff, sniff)

Guess I'll just make them my desktop picture and dream everytime I open my Mac.

My Life is Changed...(nothing spiritual=)

How sad is it that my new pillow is what I am referring to? Don't give me some cock and bull story about it having to do with the number of birthdays I've celebrated. That has nothing to do with it! This pillow is "heaven" made of foam. If you are familiar with Tempur-Pedic, you know they make mattresses (a dream that I will own one day) and pillows. I now have half of the original dream. Well, if you call a pillow half. I slept on a Tempur-Pedic mattress at my cousin Rhonda's home last year. I admit that I've always had reservations about these. My thought process was that "memory foam" would awaken me each time I changed sleeping positions. Not so. I was amazed. So I treated myself to a pillow. Kohl's stocks them. Go on. Treat yourself. It's SO worth it.

Now if only Dirt Cheap would get a shipment of these mattresses I'd be set for life.