Just Peeping in..........

Early in the morning as I was making my first cup of coffee, I noticed a perfect little rosebud up against the window pane, peeping at me.  My thought was to get the camera and take a picture. By the time the coffee was finished and the drinking began, the thought had disappeared.  When I made the second cup........

 

.......this is what I saw, an open rose. 

 

 

A day or two later most of the cluster of buds had opened into this pretty rose spray. Do you take time to notice the little "blooms" in your life. I hope you do because little things can help to set the mood of the day! A small appreciated thing can turn a 'not so good day' into a different view!

 

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together"

-Van Gogh

 

 

I love little buds!!

"If you don't have great things notice the small things in a big way."

 

 

And,  just a five-petal rose is satisfying when it is looked at with expectant eyes. 

 

 

A little bush with many small roses is more than enough to put a big smile on my face.

 

 

 

 

As I prepared to leave for two weeks away from home, this big plant, an Agapanthus, had more blooms than it ever has had before but, none were fully open. I regretted leaving it behind and thought I would miss out on seeing it at its best.

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory"

-Dr Seuss

 

 

On my arrival back home I was pleased to see that it was still looking good and had even more open blossoms. Each blossom is about eight inches across.

 

 

The Agapanthus, also called Lily of the Nile, might just be my favorite flower!  What could be better.....

 

 

.......maby a fully blossomed Lily of the Nile with a hummingbird feeding at it!!!  Do you see the little bird?

 

 

They flap their wings so fast, it is hard to get a clear picture.  These pictures were taken through my dining room window.

 

 

 

And, while I was zoomed I thought I might as well get a shot of this cardinal too.  The name of this picture is definitely "I'm peeping at you"!!!

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Linked to Common Ground: Be Inspired

 

I will be back soon to show several other plants which have been doing so good this summer. Lot's of rain sure does help to make things look their best. 

 

A step into the past, #2

If you haven't seen part #1, you might want to go here now to see it first. Being the week of July 4th, Jonesborough was proudly flying many flags - big ones on all the light posts and small ones in lots of flower pots. Beautiful.

From part #1 you will recognize the Court House in the distance.

 

Up behind  main street and in a pretty park-like setting is the Taylor House

 

 

 

 

Dr. Chester built his Inn on the stage road in 1797.

 

 

It has been renamed several times and served in different ways. After the State purchased the Inn in 1989, it was restored to its 1880-1890 appearance.  The present museum opened in late 2011.  This is the place to go if one is interested in knowing all about The Chester Inn and the story of Jonesborough which played a big role in expanding this mountain region. The Inn is the second oldest standing building in the oldest town of Tennessee.

 

I have many more pictures of old buildings in this really neat ancient place, but fear that you might not be as interested in "my home town" as I am so, I will move on to other things, after I show this next one.....

 

 

It is sitting along the pretty creek you saw in the last picture and is one of my favorites of all - an old out house in a backyard.

 

 

 

Many people have come and gone over all the years since Jonesborough was first established.  Several have ended up here - a medium size graveyard. This picture shows just a few of the stones. By the time I visited here, the day was nearing its end and it was still sprinkling rain. I hurriedly took a few close-ups and wish I could have spent more time there.

 

 

Henry Hoss, Born Oct 20 1818

Died Aug 6 1885

"An honest man. He saw his duty and did it."

 

In memory of Sarah Jane

 

 

 

"Our Little Anne's Gone Home"

Anne French - two years

 

 

This one uses two words to 'say it all' or not say much at all! MY WIFE.

These stones make me wish I knew more about all the people.

 

 

In the beginning when we parked the car near this peaceful park-like area above Main Street, I thought, I could sit on this bench for a long time, rain or not, looking over this great old town. And, I hope you have enjoyed the picture tour of Jonesborough. Maybe you might visit it sometime. Oh, one more thing..........

 

 

See the new (relatively) brick building behind the Court House?  This is the jail house.  When I came to town, little did I know that I would....

 

 

......end up behind bars!!!!  Fortunately, someone left the key very nearby!

 

A Step Into the Past.......

Jonesborough, Tennessee a little Appalachian town  nestled between two "ridges" dates back to the 18th century and is Tennessee's oldest town.  The town is the International Story Telling capital. It is truly full of history and local legend. A perfect, restful, vacation destination. It happens to be my first hometown and I still have family living there.

 

I recently spent most of two weeks there. Follow me as I show you around town.

 

 

 

Most of the activity takes place on Main Street where the beautiful Court House is located.

 

 

 

 Every Friday night during the summer, Jonesborough hosts Music on the Square. The street is closed to traffic and people set up their chairs on the sidewalk and street in front of the court house and wait for the Music to begin. We enjoyed a nice dinner in the Old General Store (background) and then took our places to enjoy the singing group of the week. I am on the left, my sister, Mamie  in the middle and my niece, Trudy on the right. Trudy's husband Tony took our picture.
 

 

 

The three-girl group called Underhill Rose was good and their style of music was right at home in old Jonesborough.

 

On another day my niece Freida took me around town to photograph some interesting spots.

 

 

 

   

 

There are many very old historical buildings still here and this is one of them. The Parsons Table, former First Christian Church, ca. 1874, is now used for banquets, receptions and weddings but was used for many years as a restaurant.

 

 

 

This bank of lavender is just to the right of the structure. On this cloudy, rainy day, I was not able to capture it's real beauty.

 

 

On the other side and near the long walk and railroad tracks is this interesting corner. I would love to have this statue in my back garden.

 

 

 

Wouldn't mind having this dinner bell, too.

 

 

There is something a little melancholy about looking down railroad tracks and here is a long, empty, brick walk alongside the tracks. Double the melancholy!

 

  

 

A few steps down the tracks is the old Salt House. Essential for curing meat, salt was rationed to area residents here during the Civil War.  While currently not in use, it has also served as the post office, Masonic Hall and a grocery, among other things, but has always been known as The Salt House.

 

 

 

 

 

Just to the right of the Salt House on Parson's Square is Hawley House, the oldest house in Jonesborough.  It was built in 1793 and now serves as a Bed and Breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like a nice place to relax in a rocking chair and look across to the main street of Jonesborough.

 

 

 

Or you can walk through the garden. Well, we haven't covered much of the little town but I have decided to do a part #2 to show the rest. I am proud of my first home town with all its history and hope you will return to see some more.

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Not What I Should Be Doing.....

Time is fast approaching when I will spend almost two weeks with my sister. When I am there we are mostly house-bound (no car). Last year I took some embroidery kits to work on while we sit and visit.  Long before going, I had planned to make a cute little needle book similar to those I had been seeing on Pinterest. As it goes with a lot of my good intentions, it didn't get done. So two days ago, I thought, here I am again without having carried through with my much desired little needle case! I got busy........

 

I found a scrap of old grainsack fabric that I thought would be just the thing, cut a rectangle, approximately 7" x 10". I used a small checked piece for the lining, cutting it the same size.

 

 

I drew a simple design of flower stems with pencil onto the right side of the plain fabric, knowing this would eventually be the "book" front. I didn't have a completed plan in mind but just started looking through my supplies to see what might work. I decided to use buttons instead of embroidering flowers - a time saver. I liked the look of the four flowers but, it needed something more.  I added the little strip of lace. I did have in mind, before starting, to have the word, "needles" on the front and drew that with pencil and then embroidered it.  The little crocheted round piece came from my stash and is the front side of a loop and button fastener.

 Next came the machine sewing. I sewed the lining and outside together, right sides together,  leaving a small opening to turn it. Oh, I forgot. I also cut a piece of thin batting, same size,  and put it on top after stacking the other two pieces. When you turn the front and lining the batting will be inside.

 

 

 

 

I cut a piece of felt for the "pages" about an inch smaller than the total sewed size of the piece.  I placed the felt piece on the inside of the open piece, folded both pieces in half keeping them together. With the front side up, I machine stitched about 3/4 inch from the folded edge and this secures the pages and makes the folded book shape. I hand stitched the little crocheted piece, leaving the top open to form a pocket. Sorry, before I did that I hand sewed the buttons on it to form the flower. The little green checked piece on the right is also a pocket, machine stitched on.

 

 

The oval is a machine made lace piece that I found in my "stash".

 

 

The opening page - needle holder.  I recently bought a half yard of fabric labels with several different designs. These two are perfect for this purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

On the inside of the back cover I put the little pocket and strip of measuring tape ribbon to hold my scissors.

 

The back is not especially cute but, I am o.k. with that.

 

 

So now, at last, I have the cute little needle keeper and will enjoy using it as my sister and I sit and reminisce and solve all the world's problems. Yeah, with all the things I need to be doing to be ready to travel, it was not high on the list but, I am glad I took the time. By the way, Mamie is 92 and still sharp as a tack! After reading this, she informed me that she is more like, rusty as a nail. Like I said, sharp as a tack!

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Linking to A Favorite Thing - Mockingbird Hill Cottage