Thursday Tour of The Vegetable Gardens

We have really been working hard in the yard!
There is "nuttin" on me that isn't sore or painful.....
However the hard work is really paying off.....
Everything is looking wonderful and growing......

This Yellow Double Bloom Rose is showing out !





So is the Joseph's Coat.......................

I love these Louisiana Iris..........................

No, You are not seeing things ! This is one of many baby squash!
We should be eating squash in a few days........................................

We have all kinds of pepper planted, this is the first pepper!

It looks bigger in the picture, it's about like a $50 cent piece.

Yellow Crookneck Squash bed......................

Tomatoes are in bloom......................................................

This is the big garden, which is on its second planting.

The first time it got 5 inches of rain and got ruined.

It has, Watermelons, Cantaloupe, Creole Tomatoes,

Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Okra, Cucumbers and

Zucchini Squash in it....................................................

The green row is Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts and

more Yellow Squash..........

This is my herb bed. It has Rosemary, Sweet Basil, Dill

and Arugula...................

This is the pepper bed. It has Green and Yellow bell, Sweet

Banana, Cheyenne, Anaheim, Pimento and Jalapeno.............

" Thank you God For The Rain And Sun, Those Gifts From

You, Make Gardening Fun"

" Up Close: Harper Lee" by Kerry Madden

In March 2009, the newest addition to Vikings
Up Close young adult series was released:

Harper Lee by Kerry Madden
Hardcover 223 pages
ISBN 978-0-670-01095-0


I really enjoyed this book because I am a Harper Lee
fan and because it was extremely interesting and well written!
I did not feel I was reading a children's book.It was well researched
and as we all know without input by Ms. Lee.
Kerry reports that Miss Nelle said in a note to her;

" I may be old, but I'm not dead yet and biographies are for the dead"

We all hope she lives many more years and she will have written her
memoir for us to read! I would consider it as much of a blessing as I do
" To Kill A Mockingbird"

The quote I have under Ms. Lee's picture on my sidebar came from my
friend Kerry's book...................
If you are a Harper Lee fan, you will really enjoy this book!
Thank you Kerry for your hard work in bringing this book to print!

Kerry is also the author of a wonderful children's series about the Weem's

Family, set in the Appalachian town of Maggie Valley. I have ordered all three for my

granddaughter Taylor's birthday, she will be 11 on July 1st.

In other news.... two of my author friends are attending the Harper Lee festival in Monroeville

this weekend, Carolyn Haines and Terri DuLong, Author Rick Bragg will be presented with the 2009 Harper Lee Literary Award! Girls I am insanely jealous but still hope you girls have a great time!!

" Happy Birthday Nelle Harper Lee" The Literary Queen

Born April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama to Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee who had no idea that the child they named Nelle
Harper Lee would grow up to be the Queen of the Literary World! Her 1960 book
" To Kill A Mockingbird" is perhaps the most widely read book of the 20th Century, it has been required reading in many high schools since the mid 1960s.


She has won many awards for this one book including, The Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and she was presented in 2007 with The Presidential Medal of Freedom Award for her contribution to the culture of the United States. She and this book are beloved by millions!


I read the book the first time at 12 years old. I read it again in 11th grade. I think all total I have read it 8 times.


I once owned a first addition, which I dreamed of getting signed and handing down through the generations of daughters in my family, it burned in my home in 1986. I dream of meeting Nelle so I can tell her how her book made me love the written word so much.



We all know how much she values her privacy, so I doubt that I will ever realize that dream. I would be scared to mention the book anyway but I'm a real positive person and I believe in miracles too, so I will hold to the dream! Those of you who read my post It's Now Or Never March 3rd, know how I feel about this.



So I ask you to join with me today in wishing our beloved author Nelle Harper Lee a wonderful 83rd Birthday and hopes for many more !! We love you NELLE !

" I'm Speechless" Can You Believe It?

Isn't this just the most beautiful award?
When I was notified by my blogger friends
Denis and Frances @ England Rents, Rants & Raves
http://aprodigaltourist.blogspot.com/
that they had given me this award, I was just speechless!



Thank you ! I am SO honored and pleased!

This award recognizes the following attributes:


1) The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervades amongst
different cultures and beliefs. ( I Try To )

2) The Blog contents inspire; strives to encourage and offers solutions. ( I Hope It Does )

3) There is a clear purpose at the Blog; one that fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture, Sciences and Beliefs. ( The Economic may be a problem considering all that shopping I did with "the girl" however I did save alot of money)

4)The Blog is refreshing and creative( I Do Hope This Is True)

5) The Blogger promotes friendship and positive thinking ( I consider myself to be very positive and I never meet a stranger, I hope that shows)

The Bloggers who receive this award will need to perform the following steps:

1) Create a post with a mention and link to the blogger who presented the Noblesse Oblige Award to you.

2) The award conditions must be displayed in the post.

3) Write a short article about what your blog has thus far achieved preferably citing one or more older post to support:

4) The blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award to blogs in concurrence with the award conditions.

5) The blogger must display the award at any location on their blog.

I hope my blog which is dedicated to the writers, artist, gardeners, cooks and all bloggers who follow their passion, shows how much I celebrate the creative spirit in people. I hope I have been able to express my own passion for the written word, history , nature and all things Southern! I hope that all my followers, commenter's and the blogs I follow and comment on know how much they have added to my life and how much I appreciate them and their blogs!

I chose the following 5 blogs to pass this award to because I have been following them from the start of my blogging and a couple even before I started my own blog. I read them daily and KNOW they DO fit all the above criteria for this award:

1 ) Cynthia @ Oasis Writing Link: http://oasiswritinglink.blogspot.com/

Finally, I get to honor Cynthia who always thinks of me when passing her many awards out! She is a wonderful friend, talented writer and teacher who blogs from Puerto Rico !

2) Vicki @ Vicki Lane Mysteries : http://vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com/

I consider Vicki my dear friend! She is the very first blog I ever read and she inspired me to start my own blog. She is a fantastic author, teacher, gardener, quilter and good ole Appalachian Mountain woman!

3) Willow @ Willow Manor: http://willowmanor.blogspot.com/

I started following Willow also before I started my own blog. Everyone follows Madame Willow!Her blog covers all subjects, she is a wonderful writer, recommends great movies and offers mouth watering recipes! She is my dear friend and fellow "ghost lover"!

4) Catherine @ A Thousand Clapping Hands: http://athousandclappinghands.blogspot.com/

What a beautiful blog she has! I dream of attending a Dinner Party at Catherine's home! A talented writer, creative spirit I love following!

5) Kat @ Poetikat's Invisible Keepsake's : http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/

I stated following my sweet friend Kat from Willow's blog. I love her poetry, wit and fantastic imagination! Her blog is a delight!

Congratulations to you all and keep up the Fantastic work!! I love you all!

PASS IT ON LADIES !!!

Help From Beyond, Coincidence or My Imagination?

Jane Surget Merrill............1864-1932






If you've been reading this blog for any length of time,
you know I am truly fascinated by the life and death of
Jennie Merrill of Natchez! I love history, a good mystery
and Natchez and this woman's story involves all three.






As I've said before, I got interested in Jennie through The Goat
Castle Murder story in Harnett T. Kane's 1947 book "Natchez".
In 2000, I spoke with a lady named Karlyn Richie from Natchez
who voluntarily sent me the paperback book " The Goat Castle Murder"
by Carolyn Vance Smith and Sim C. Callon. After reading it, I was
hooked and knew someday I wanted to tackle a fact based historical
fiction novel on Jennie Merrill's life. I put it on the back burner.




In 2006 I started doing research, visited the locations, although I did not
meet any of the home owners nor see the inside of three remaining
homes. I visited and took photos of all four of the persons involved graves.
I couldn't seem to get the information I needed though. I could find no one
who'd really known any of the four or the answers to why these people
became eccentric after showing so much promise in their youth.



2009! It all comes together! Starting with all of you bloggers interest in
the story, the fact that all three remaining houses were on Pilgrimage Tour
and reading a hatchet job book based on the case, my NEED to write this
story blossomed!



Now here's the part that fascinates me. All the owners invited me back to share what they know.
I met a woman 103 years old who did know Jennie and she invited me back to talk about it! I have ordered several out of print non-fiction books about this era in Natchez to help me capture the feel of this time frame. Last night while reading one of those books I was "blown" away!!



The book is a memoir of a woman from Natchez. It is a very interesting and
vividly descriptive work.It was written in 1950. She was friends with Jennie
Merrill, Duncan Minor, Octavia Dockery and Dick Dana! She wrote a 5 page chapter
on them and the murder. I was not expecting this, and I sat straight up in the bed
and said; Oh My God!



The really " strange part" is I had come to some of my own conclusions about
why Jennie and Duncan became reclusive, her conclusions matched mine!
I believe that Dick Dana was schizophrenic, so did she! I had reservations about why
Duncan Minor's mother was against him marrying Jennie. Kay the owner of Oakland,
Duncan's family home, and I discussed this when I was there. This book told me the reason!
The author's brother was also the attorney of both Jennie and Duncan!



I cannot tell you how exciting it is to have this book. Apparently not even the owners of these homes know about this book! I can't even tell you how I discovered this book and ordered it!
Am I destined to write a book about Jennie Merrill? Did I get help from beyond? Is it all a
matter of coincidence or is my imagination in overdrive? What do you think?

" Happy Birthday Molly "

My youngest grandchild is Molly Nicole.

She will be 7 years old on April 29 th .

She is having a Birthday Party today !

Molly Nicole is our Princess..................








Every Princess needs to wear a Crown so Nana got
her this one to wear at her party!








Here she is with Mom, Kohl, Chloe, Randy and Haley ........









Showing out at Nana's house with PawPaw !







Her brother Kohl shows her some brotherly love !






Her and Chloe Marie have a special bond !









Mom and Nana went on a shopping spree for Birthday Gifts!









What the Princess wants.........she gets !

Mom got her a Crown Necklace.......................

Nana got her, her first Diamond Ring !

All wrapped and ready to go! One stack from Nana

and PawPaw and one from Mom and Randy...........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS MOLLY !!!

I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN TODAY !!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU MOLLY !!!

Please excuse the extra space between post and comments? I will never learn how you fix this problem!

" I Survived Another Day" Bargains Galore!

As you can see......I survived another day of bargain hunting
with " the girl "......
We drove to Meridian and picked up our favorite Aunt!
My Aunt Wilma has always been my favorite Aunt but
since my mother's death she has also helped to fill the huge
hole left in me. She would not mind me telling you that she is
a very young 75 years old !
Can you believe it?






Aunt Wilma and the girl.................

The pictures did not load as I instructed them to, HA! So

it is gonna be a skip around deal................

At Hope Village I found these two pair of new shoes.....

The Blue Slip On's are Covington, $ 4 .................

The Brown Sandals are Clarks, $ 10........

Don't my new chairs from Hudson's look good with the new

cushions? I got the cushions yesterday................

I found these goodies at Hudson's.......... A Silver plated

Cotton Ball Jar, $ 2 bucks! A Soap Dispenser, $. 60 cents!

Bag Clips, $ .15 cents ! The red plastic box is a photo holder.

I bought 10 for 20 cents a piece!

Here's my new cushions! Regular $ 28.oo for two.

I got each pack of two for $ 7.oo at TJ MAXX !

Melanie Carol and me, at Hope Village.............

At Hope Village I also found these new Jones New York

Jeans, for $ 3 bucks! Regular $ 48.00.............

At Tuesday Morning...........These hanging baskets regular

$ 7.98 were $ 3 bucks each!

The pots were regular $ 35.00.....At Tuesday Morning

I got them for $ 14.00 a piece................

These were marked $ 9.99, I got them for $ 3.99 at TM !

This watering can will reach my hanging Ferns, it was marked

$ 24.00, I got it for $9.99 at Tuesday Morning...............

This is a $ 40.00 rug I got at Hudson's for $ 9.00 bucks!

These are 64x64 100% cotton Mascioni Hotel Collection

Table Cloth's. I don't know what they sold for originally

but I bought 8 for $ 6.00 bucks each to make curtains for

my screened porch!

I found this darling Black and white Sweater Set at TJ MAXX.

It is a Belldini and sold for $ 70.oo, I paid $ 15.00 !

I got this small Alarm Clock for $ 2 bucks at Hudson's

I cannot tell you how tired I was......even baby girl is now

sick of the word " Shopping"! She had to hit Aunt Wilma's

Massage Chair!

After her massage, I let her sleep for thirty minutes, then we

hit the road for home!

She's going home tomorrow......I will miss her :( but for goodness

sakes, I need some much deserved rest! I have book reviews to

do and I have to write up questions for some author interviews!

We still have to visit 6 houses in Natchez!

I am running WAY behind!!

"The Renee Award"

It is one of the most meaningful awards in blog world because it honors someone who is incredibly inspirational in her intelligent and witty writing. And by doing so, this award celebrates women's smart, strong and inspirational spirit! It honors women who spread joy and love like an Acorn......a small package growing into a tall and sturdy oak tree which gives more acorns..............







I am so honored to receive this award from my dear bloggy friend

Cynthia @ Oasis Writing Link: http://oasiswritinglink.blogspot.com/



I am therefore honored to pass it on to some bloggy friends I think fit
the bill for receiving it also!



Josephine @ A Brit In Tennessee: http://abritintn.blogspot.com/



Katherine @ Smoky Mountain Cafe: http://smokymountaincafe.blogspot.com/



Becca @ A Southern Garden by Becca : http://beccasgardenspot.blogspot.com/



Maggie @ Maggie Reads: http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/



Kathryn @ Tender Graces: http://tendergraces.blogspot.com/

Ladies you all make blogging for me a funny, enjoyable and delightful learning experience! Enjoy and pass her on!

Oh No! Not Again!

Actress Sela Ward is from Meridian, Mississippi. It is 90
miles east of here. My Aunt Wilma lives in Meridian. So
today Melanie(baby girl) and I are going to visit her and
the three of us are going, oh no, shopping!!!




Sela Ward built a Children's Home in Meridian called
Hope Village. It is a shelter for abused children who have
been removed from their primary care taker's custody due to
abuse or neglect. She opened a thrift shop in 2000 that helps
support Hope Village. I have never been to it but my Aunt
frequents it and gets loads of bargains. The stuff has all been
donated and she says most of it is new or like new! So we are
going to check it out..................

I shouldn't tell it but most town's in Mississippi also have

one of these and the merchandise is always different!

OH NO ! NOT AGAIN ! I nor my bank account are going

to survive this visit by "the girl"! I'll do a report if your not

already sick of shopping like me!!!