SuzAnna's on Sunday

Sunday afternoon. Warmer temps., sunshine, snow and ice just about gone, good friends treasure hunting. I headed to SuzAnna's Antiques to meet Vanessa of Vanilla Lavender. Also arranged to meet another local blog pal Lisa of pupylov for the first time. She often visits the shop but we kept missing each other before. Can never have too many junk gypsy friends! It was a fun time and Susie and Jenny have been working hard changing displays, decorating and readying for...........you've guessed it, Spring!

The latest offerings at SuzAnna's Antiques are, as always, varied, interesting and often drop dead gorgeous!

Speaking of gorgeous.......................

I've been really bad about posting an updated photo of Susie and her daughter Jenny who together are the owners of the shop. Susie's former business partner, Anna of Chickens in the Basement 'retired' to spend more time with her young sons, but we often see her, thank goodness - she is one fun gal. This mom and daughter combo are two creative firecrackers who do a great job and make a visit to the shop always so much fun.

....................and I can't leave you without sharing Bruce............SUPER nice DH of Susie, daddy of Jenny...............and he's always helping the gals move stuff, build stuff, fix stuff, just as he was doing Sunday afternoon. You rock Bruce!!

You're framed Bruce!!

February Snow Days

Carolina Blue skies have returned and our snow of last week has just about gone. The kids missed three days of school and will have to make them up - no school for just 5" of snow sounds silly to the northerners - it's because school buses can't maneuver on the icy back roads - very little snow removal equipment in the south!

After DH shoveled the big stuff, I delicately swept the front steps with my lightweight broom - sorry but my back no longer does shoveling heavy snow as it did when we lived in New England all those many long ago winters.

Snow angels enjoyed frolicking or relaxing in the sunny winter wonderland.

Before the sun shone brilliantly and the rains came, the garden looked lovely dressed in white.

Candles and snow - at night they cast the prettiest glow.

It was my own fault.....................I left these grinning cuties out since Christmas. Guess Mother Nature stopped by, read the message and granted a wish!

We saw a few flurries yesterday but today sunshine and warmer temps. As for those of you in the East who were inundated by the huge snowfall and blizzard of the past 48 hours, all I can say is, hang in there, stay safe, be warm...............and let someone else shovel!!!

Pink Saturday

It's been a snowy, icy, wet and cold week here in the South.............and this little angel definitely did not dress for the weather!

It's not easy to run a small business even at the best of times, then along comes the weather to mess up the daily routine. My favorite spot for treasure hunting has always been SuzAnna's Antiques. However, when the outdoor area becomes an ice rink (I gave up skating four decades ago!) and the indoor unheated area is colder than outdoors, the business has to close for fear 25 frozen, teeth chattering junk gypsies will invade the tiny office.................where the only heater is located!


So, no capturing new pink images this week...................had to search through my folders to bring you a few touches of SuzAnna's pink on warmer days.

The crystal bottles look a lot like the ice outside my window earlier this week.

And when lovely Vanessa e-mailed and suggested we meet there Tuesday morning, I had to say no way! I'd yet to get down the ski run (I mean driveway), and didn't relish doing figure eights in the cul-de-sac without my ice skates! I stayed close to home and loved it.

Hope you are enjoying your Pink Saturday. Stop by to check in at Beverly's house - How Sweet The Sound - there you can find a lot of fun blogs to visit.

Destination Revealed......and

..............the winner is Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Congratulations Claudia - please e-mail me your mailing address. You picked all four countries on the African continent, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and mentioned Victoria Falls which I'll be visiting.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to visit Africa.

In May, thanks to the amazing generosity of my friend Paula, the Four Broads Abroad (Paula, Jen, Babs and me) will be going on a two week safari to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. At Victoria Falls we hope to also cross into Zimbabwe to view the falls from the opposite side.

When people say they are 'going camping' many enjoy roughing it! I'll be honest, I have never been a camper! Sleeping in a flimsy tent, on the ground, without the comforts of a real bathroom and the thoughts of wild animals and creepy crawlies hunting for supper and sharing my sleeping bag, just isn't my thing...........and that's here in a relatively safe national park situation! In Africa, where the animals are even bigger and wilder, the creepy crawlies more deadly, safari camping for the Four Broads Abroad will, thankfully, be a lot different as we are going in high style!

I'll be sharing more details of our amazing trip in the coming weeks.

Thank you so much for joining in the guessing game. Many of you came very close and I really enjoyed all your answers..............especially as you had me traveling all over the globe!

The World within a Compass

Where in the world will I be?

The journey will be long.

The destination exciting and exotic.

My compass points east.

Found the little gold compass many years ago in my hometown in England. It sat in the window of a tiny shop named The Gold Shop which sold mostly estate jewelery. Knowing it would be pretty on a chain I bought it and wore it often. Now it's on a heavy gold chain which belonged to my friend Paula's late husband. While she was visiting last week and chatting about our planned trip, she handed me the chain saying she wanted me to have something to remember him by. Immediately I knew the compass had found its home...........it would point me in the direction and take me to the places that wonderful man loved more than any other in this vast world. He traveled to over 100 countries. I am soon to see the ones he loved best when I travel there with Paula.

That afternoon we took a quick trip to a jeweler who made a larger jump ring and soon the compass was swinging from the lovely chain.

This very special necklace will travel with me..................to places that were once "no place for a lady" according to Barbara Hodgson's beautifully illustrated book of stories about adventurous women travelers. In the book she traces "300 years of world travel by both celebrated and unknown women who endured bed bugs, scorching heat, exotic diseases, destructive thunderstorms, plagues of scorpions and many other life-threatening situations------------all in the name of adventure."

Am I scared-------------a wee bit!!!!

Note: The guessing game (see my two previous posts for clues) will close tomorrow and I'll name the winner on Friday.

Travel Quiz ~ Part 2

Do you need more clues? These should help.

• 3 Pairs of pants
• 3 Long-sleeve tees
• 1 Long-sleeve shirt
• 1 Vest with pockets for camera equipment
• 1 Warm Jacket
• 1 Hat with a brim all round
• 1 Pair of non-sexy P.J.'s
• Undies - just a few
• Thick socks
• 50 spray cans of OFF!!!
• .....and those flip flops for the outdoor shower where one can watch the pachyderms!

The entire British Royal Family visited here in the 1940's. Bet they were allowed more luggage and someone carried it for them! Luckily English is the official language.

By the way, we'll leave our jewels at home ~ too much glitter might cause a stampede! However, I'll be scanning the ground for diamonds.

No zip codes, no mail, no Internet except for emergencies, so no blogging for about 17 days.......will you miss me?.......and I will need to take a good book to read in the lounging hours between early morning and sundowners!

There will be wild cats, lots of them!

OK, how are you doing? Easy isn't it? Perhaps you've guessed one country..........actually we'll be in three, possibly a fourth to get a better view of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World where a raincoat might be needed........not that I'll have room for one in that little duffel bag!

Don't forget, leave a comment with your guess by Thursday. Perhaps the winner can name the four countries, all are close together. If not three is fine, even two.......and, if you can only guess one, please make it a country not the continent.

After we have a winner I'll give you more details about this amazing trip we four Brit broads are planning!

Thanks for playing along.

Travel Quiz ~ Part 1

Enjoy a little guessing game?

I'd love for you to join in the fun.

As mentioned earlier, I will be off on a trip in a few months. This will be really special as I'll be with my best friend Paula, her sister Jen, and friend Babs from England. We'll be "Four Broads Abroad".

Here's a chance to win a vintage inspired travel journal ready for your next exciting trip, and I'll throw in something special just for you. Leave me a comment with your guess by Thursday as to which country or countries we'll be visiting in May.
If you're one of the few people who already know where we're going, sorry you can't enter for obvious reasons.

Here are today's clues.................let's play!

No elegant vintage luggage allowed, just a duffel bag with 26 pounds total weight!

Only room for one pair of walking shoes, a pair of flip flips for the outdoor shower..............and three pairs of drip dry panties!!

Definitely no space for fancy smancy personal care items - leaving the hairdryer and giant bottles of shampoo and conditioner at home......hopefully nobody will notice my dusty hat hair each night at dinner around the fire pit!

Stumped? Don't fret, tomorrow I'll give you more clues which will definitely make it easier.


Images from SuzAnna's Antiques last week.

Eastern Bluebird ~ Sialia sialis

This morning I tossed a few more seeds on the front porch rail, sat down here at the computer, gazing at the brilliant white of sun on frozen snow, telling myself "no more bird photos today, need to get on with other projects while confined to the house for another day"...........................................


.................when who arrived right outside the window forcing me to grab a camera off the dining room table, slowly raise the blinds, and start snapping away, the delightful Madame Bluebird, bringing proverbial happiness!

She stayed a few minutes, her spindly legs and feet seemingly glued to the sparkling snow, eating a few seeds, looking out over the garden and posing for the camera. I say 'she' because of her duller blue, the male being brighter.


Through the 1940's to the 1970's, the population of the Eastern Bluebird spiraled downward due to changing agricultural practices eliminating nesting sites, pesticide poisoning and some severe winters. This has now been reversed thanks to backyard birders, conservation organizations and farmers, by placing incredible numbers of nesting boxes throughout the their range. The birds responded and are now on the rebound, even becoming common in some areas including here in North Carolina.

The critical feature of a bluebird nest box is its entrance hole which must be exactly 1-1/2 inches (38 mm) in diameter to prevent use of the box by starlings. In addition, the birds prefer boxes located in field type settings with scattered trees not closer than 25 feet.

(Info. from Garden Bird Facts)

Eastern Bluebird ~ visiting the porch January 31, 2010

To see other visitors to the garden yesterday during the snowfall, check my previous post.

Snow Birds

Our snowfall turned to sleet early yesterday morning. The sharp gritty noise it made on the bedroom window woke me just before first light. It continued much of the day making the hoped-for fluffy, sticky stuff, change into blowing drifts and then a hard crust. The landscape was transformed. We were unable to open the back door as the hard snow was piled against it - DH had to go around with his snow shovel (a relic from our Northern years!) and dig us out! The bitter cold will continue for several days. Our birds arrived at dawn. The feeder birds assisted in scattering seed for the ground feeders, all were eating well. It's on days like this DH and I feel money for seed was well spent. The birds are grateful for a meal to keep them warm and their body weight correct enabling them to fly.

Tufted Titmouse ~ year-round feeder visitor.

Male Northern Cardinal ~ often at the feeders for oil-type sunflower seeds.

Female Northern Cardinal.

Brown Thrasher

When you look out the window and see this big 'ole guy staring you down, not scared, not even shy and retiring, just be thankful he has graced you with his presence. He liked having his photo taken, many times, and then decided to sit on a pile of old books under the potting bench.

Brown Thrasher ~ usually only comes to feeders in severe Winter weather.

Song Sparrow ~ rarely visits seed feeders.

Male Rufous-sided Towhee - always bouncing along and visits feeders.

Black-capped Chickadee ~ at the feeders as long as seed is offered.

.......and yes, he and his family were out there in the snow very early, gobbling the dropped birdseed of course!

Here's a list of birds who visited the garden yesterday. I wasn't able to catch them all with the camera - guess they move even faster in the bitter cold to help stay warm!

Song Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Mourning Dove

Towhee

Titmouse

Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

Brown Thrasher

House Finch

Carolina Wren

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Blue Jay

Weather forecast..........be prepared

Oh gosh! Those weather people were right this time. They said prepare........run to the store for bread and milk, large containers of warming liquid refreshment...........................

......................soup ingredients, flashlights, batteries, or good old fashioned candles. Head to the wood pile, stack some logs near the back door.

Pyracantha and Rose Hips.

Funny how preparing for snow has one out in the garden checking about for flowers to pick before they are covered. I discovered the first snowdrop (can Spring be far behind?)......peeking out yesterday afternoon.

Snip pretty Pansies for the kitchen window sill.

The feeders had to be topped up as birds leave their houses and come early morning.............staying all day when snow arrives.

Squirrels seem to know when snow is just around the corner.......running recklessly up and down tree trunks, jumping from branch to branch, checking out the squirrel - make that bird feeders - and flapping those Winter bushy tails that will keep them warm.

Do come visit again later.............I'll show you the beautiful birds in my garden. They're always there but show up so much better in the snow. For those of you up North, probably tired of snow by now, please bear with us here in the South where we're having our first real Winter Wonderland. Being 'snowed in today' is a really big occasion!

All images from yesterday - Jan. 29, 2010