Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend was spent at my middle sister, Gin's house.  We came on Thursday to help her get ready for a big family gathering.

Friday night found us at her oldest son, Eric's house for Crayfish Etouffee and all the fixings.

Their lovely home has the prettiest setting by a Cypress Tree slew.  I love the beautiful moss draping from every branch and tree.

The sunset through the moss draped trees was spectacular.

Saturday, we hosted the out-of-town guests at Gin's house for breakfast before going to her younger son, Doug's house.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Doug lives in the historic town of Washington, Louisiana, on Bayou Courtableau.  With all the rain we have been getting, the water is well out of its banks.

It was a stormy day but we were snug inside his and Pam's beautiful screened back porch.  It is such a lovely all purpose room, perfect for entertaining.

Sisters

  

Doug fried delicious catfish filets, and we had more food than we could possibly eat in one day.

Sunday, found us old folks sitting and relaxing on Gin's beautiful garden patio.

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend also.

Wednesday Medley: MOTHER'S

It is all about our mothers today on the Medley.

I also want to recognize the two beautiful mothers who made me a grandmother.

Daughter Christy

Daughter-in-love, Michelle

They are both the most amazing mothers and they are my blessings.

Click HERE to join Terri and the other bloggers who answered today's questions about their mothers.

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MOTHER’S DAY

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1. Where did your mom grow up?

My mom grew up in North Central Louisiana in a small town called Dubach.  There is an old saying, "If you're a Colvin, you must be from Dubach."  And she was.

This is an old family home from my mother's ancestry line, just outside Dubach that is now on the National Registry.  Notice the open hallway down the middle?  That is called a "dog trot" for obvious reasons and was characteristic of many early homes in the south.

2. Tell us about her siblings, if she has/had any.

Mother was the baby of 10 children - 3 girls and 7 boys - and born in 1918.  She is sitting between her parents in the picture above.  Her father died when she was only seven, shortly after this picture was taken, so her older siblings also played a role in her up-bringing.

 Did you have a favorite aunt or uncle?

I did have a favorite and it was Aunt Thyra.  She was a devoted aunt and mentor.  I admired her greatly.  That being said, I loved all my aunts and uncles and of course was closer to some than others.  They each had a special place.

3. What is ONE of your favorite memories you can share with us of your mom?

Oh my, there are so many.  I remember especially the times all three of us girls and our families would get together at our parent's home.  Mother was so much fun and we always loved our times together.

She was a devoted grandmother and dearly loved the great-grandchildren she lived long enough to meet. 

After the death of our dad in 1994, Mother moved to the town where we lived and continued to live near us even after we moved to a different city.  I treasure those years spent with my precious mom.

My most treasured memory of Mother is when she was on her death bed.  We girls and several of our children were gathered around her bed, just wanting to touch and be close to her.  She aroused and looked each person in the face and asked them specifically if they were saved and right with the Lord.  She died as she had lived; caring about the spiritual well-being of her family.

4. Please share a picture or two of your mom with us.

These were taken in approximately 1942 a year before she and my dad married.

1945 - Me with my parents

Taken a year before her death in 2005.  She would be 101 in November of this year.

This was our mother!

5. Let's not leave out the grandmothers. Share what you will.

My maternal grandmother lived with us until her death.  Since Mother was the last child, Mama always lived with her.  I loved her immensely!  She was the most gentle, loving, godly woman I have ever known.

I love this picture of my mother and grandmother because the deep love they had for each other is so evident.

Grandmother, my dad's mom did not live with us, but she would come a couple times a year and stay for a month or so.  We were never as close to her although we loved her dearly.

6. Do you have any special plans for Mother's Day? 

I will be spending Mother's Day with my middle sister.  We will be there for a weekend get-together with all her children and their families.  We are looking forward to that time together.

It's All About Freshness

This is truly a hodgepodge of a Monday post, but I hope you will enjoy it.

A couple weeks ago I added some fresh touches to the living room decor.  I love using silver and ironstone in my spring and summer accessories.

This beautiful urn, set in a silver tray, picks up and repeats the colors in my painting in the foyer.  The gold sculpture piece pulls out the gold in the trim of the mirror and is a conversation starter as well.

There is always freshness on the back porch.

This will bring a smile to your face

Is this a chick-flick you would like to see?

And speaking of freshness!

May God's "fresh" blessings be poured on you this week!

Libby

Saturday 9: Don't Envy Me

Where were you and what were you doing in 1963?

I was a freshman in college and envying all the girls who seemed to have it all together.  If asked, they probably thought I did too.  Oh the games the young play.

I really do not remember this song but I do remember George Hamilton.  He was never one of my favorite actors, and quite frankly didn't remember that he even sang.

Thank you Sam for today's questions.  I had a lot of fun answering some of them especially.

Don't Envy Me

Saturday 9: Don't Envy Me (1963)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) What is it about you that you believe your friends and acquaintances envy?

My phenomenally strong and sexy body, and amazingly sharp intellect.  No doubt about it!

2) Do you have a friend or acquaintance that you envy?

With so much going for me, why would I envy anyone???

3) This song was not a hit, even though it was written and produced by the super successful team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Tell us about a project you had great confidence in at the beginning, but didn't turn out as well as you'd hoped.

That would be my inspired plan to get tons of housework done on Thursday, and seasonal clothes closets switched on Friday.  It just didn't turn out quite as I had hoped.

4) George Hamilton is better known as an actor. He is proud of his performance in the 1960 movie Light in the Piazza. He played an Italian who romances an American girl on holiday in Florence. Did you ever find love while vacationing?

Yes, but my parents made me send him back.

5) George had a small part in Godfather III. How many of the Godfather movies have you seen? Have you read the book?

I think I may have seen the first movie and have not read the book.

6) He's gotten a lot of publicity over the years for his personal life, including his 1966 romance with First Daughter Lynda Bird Johnson. At the time, she was living in the White House. Tell us about a memorable experience you had "meeting the parents."

I honestly never had a memorable experience meeting the parents of any of my boyfriends.  I knew the parents of most of them before we started dating or else the relationship never got that far.

7) George is also known for his year-round tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed? Or self tanner?

We went to tanning beds faithfully prior to a Caribbean cruise and so glad we did.  The only self tanners I have used have been lotions that never really seem to work very well.

8) In 1963, when this record was released, President Kennedy made a historic trip to Ireland. Have you ever visited the land of your ancestors?

Overlooking the Sea of Galilee - 1973

I have visited the land of my Holy Father, but none of the others.

9) Random question -- The last of a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies just fell on your kitchen floor. Would you eat it?

We believe in the 3 second rule in our house.  So yes, I would grab those cookies off the floor and forget they were ever there.

Wednesday Medley: Happy May 1st

My Clematis knows its May so is showing off with an abundance of huge blooms.

These little creatures enjoy playing hide & seek among the stems and leaves.

It's Hump Day on the blog and I'm again joining the Wednesday Medley bunch where Terri always gives us interesting questions to answer revolving around the National Day.  It always makes for interesting thought and conversation.

Join us!

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1.  Ahhh... May Day!!  Happy May!  Did you celebrate this when you were a child by dancing around a Maypole or leaving flowers on someone's porch? Will you be celebrating a special occasion in May?

At the school I attended during 8th - 10th grades, we did have a May Festival with a King/Queen and Prince/Princess.  Both my sister and I were Princesses in the 8th grade.  Of course there was always a Maypole dance with the lower grade children all dressed up and adorable.

This was my pretty May Festival Princess sister.

We will be joining this sister and her family for a few days in mid May for a small family get-together.  It should be a great time.

(There are so many other things being celebrated today that I

think we need to give them some attention, too!)

2.  National Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987.  Can you name a nursery rhyme that would fit your life as it was in 1987?  If you are a youngster and not yet born in 1987, you may pass, of course, but do you have a favorite nursery rhyme?  HERE is a list of nursery rhymes.

Both Jack & Jill and Humpty Dumpty well describe my life in 1987.  All was mended and put back together but it was a tumultuous year.

3.  National Chocolate Parfait Day is also honored on this day. Parfait means perfect in French. Tell us about a perfect day, in your mind, and would/could it end with a chocolate parfait?

A perfect day for me would be to have all my family happily together in one place.  If someone chooses to serve chocolate parfaits as well, that would be fine too.

4.  National School Principal's Day was founded to celebrate these school administrators who support and guide quality teachers and staff to provide productive learning environments for our children.  Did you have a good Principal when you were in school? Do you remember his/her name?

I actually had three principals.

In Elementary I had Mr. Allen whom I absolutely loved. (no picture available)

Middle School and early HS was Mr. Johnson who was a nice man.

 I both feared and respected Mr. Glaze in my last two years of HS.

5. And perhaps the most important one is Silver Star Service Banner Day which honors the sacrifices of the combat wounded, ill, and dying service members from all branches of the military.  Do you have family members who have served this country in uniform? Tell us about them, if you will.

Eric (son of sister above) is my nephew who served in the Navy.  Although all five of my nephews are special, Eric will always hold a soft spot in my heart because he was the first.  He is the only one in our immediate family to serve in the military.

6.  It's Hump Day! How is your week going so far?

I literally spent all day Monday putting the final touches to a photo book for my granddaughter who is graduating from HS in June.  I did this for both of her older siblings, but hers will definitely be the largest with 70+ pages.

It was fun yet stressful to work on because she is such a ray of sunshine and I have so many pictures of her that I wanted to include.  I finally got it ordered Tuesday morning and I hope she will be pleased.

Don't tell her, but this picture may be on the cover.

Or, maybe even this one.

What about this one?

I'll never tell.

I'm writing this on Tuesday and Dick and I have a date to see "The Avengers" this afternoon.  Other than that, the rest of the week will be playing catch-up on house work that I have let slide due to one important book being published.