Jewels from Jan

1/15/2014

Bonjour mes amis!

Happy 2014 Everyone! I hope your New Year is off to a great start. While I'm all about getting on with 2014, I still want to remember so many good things about 2013, so I am going to finish writing about our year in France. I'm determined to finish. I want to remember this experience forever.

Do you remember in November, when I started telling you about my Dad's visit to us in France? Once again, I was taking on my role as Tour Guide, but I got to have an awful lot of fun along the way. We went to this Château in Chaumont-sur-Loire.

I have to admit it makes me sad to look at these pictures now. I miss spending time in Châteaux. The Château at Chaumont-sur-Loire has a huge Garden that we toured, a Jardin Unique, and it was gorgeous!

The presentation of the Garden was named "Jardins Des Sensations". The Climate, Soil, Sun and Rainfall in France are perfect for growing gorgeous flowers...especially Roses!

And Hydrangea (my favorite)!

The Gardens were broken up into little "rooms", each themed in a different way...

And check out the view back to the Château!

Lots of ideas for a creative Garden!

My Dad and I enjoyed it so much! We kept talking about my Miss Emerald as we strolled the paths. She's a Horticulture Major at the University! She's a creative type, and would have enjoyed taking notes!

This next "room" had a "Swimming Pool" and Patio area, and a space to put your shoes...

We even enjoyed photographing the bees...

And "funky" unusual flowers...

See the big turtle in there?

Afterward, my Dad treated us to an Ice Cream Cone!

Our final view as we left the Gardens...

"A Rose is a Rose is a Rose..."
Do you know this poem? Written by Gertrude Stein in 1913, it is often interpreted as meaning "things are what they are". Well, I'll take it! I can't wait until we can enjoy Roses in Texas again, but thankfully, I have many photos of Roses in France to keep me happy.

I hope you enjoyed this Jardin Unique, and have a "Jewel" of a Day!
Jan

1/10/2014

Bonjour mes amis!

It's been too long since I've visited with you...

The Christmas Season got rather busy, and I wanted to enjoy the decorating and baking and especially, visiting with my family. If you've been viewing my blog for some time, you know that my husband (Dr. J), and son (Jewelius) and I recently returned to the U.S., after living in France for a whole year. It was a wonderful year, and I'm still pining away in my thoughts about all the wonderful things we got to do, and most recently, about how we celebrated Christmas 2012 in France. This year, it was all about spending time with those we didn't see last Christmas!

Alas, now we have completed Christmas 2013, and for the past few days, I have been packing up and cleaning up, and I realized I never showed you our Christmas Home this year. It was so fun decorating this year, pulling out all the ornaments, and adding lights everywhere. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to share photos with you today. Enjoy!

This is where we live, and these pictures were taken the weekend of the big Ice Storm! This year, I added wreaths on all my lower front windows. (I've always wanted to do that!)

Come on in...

There's lots of cheer! This little piece was a Housewarming gift from a dear friend when we moved in in 2002!

My oldest daughter helped me get the banister decorated this year, for which I was very grateful! And, I decided to hang the stockings on the staircase this year. Of course, I'm sure you noticed that I have fleur-de-lis stocking hangars!

The fleur-de-lis bottles were a sweet Christmas Gift this year from a dear friend!

I found this little (made in England) antique sugar bowl in a Goodwill store in the Chicago area. I only paid $1.99 for it, and it's in perfect condition. I think that was a bargain!

I love to swag the entry to our Livingroom!

I also clear out my China Cabinet each year, and add red and gold. I have a number of crystal and red glass dishes from a Great Aunt, and her things look beautiful in there. (I'm thinking of doing a makeover on my China Cabinet. Stay tuned!) The JOY hanging is actually a table runner, but I love how it's the first thing you see when you come into my Dining Room!

I had a bit of fun adding some Cheetah Ribbon to the decor this year! Thank you, Hobby Lobby!

I have a pretty good size collection of Village pieces thanks to a dear friend and my family. For this year, I just displayed as much as could fit on my small buffet. Whoops! I forgot to add snow this year. (Oh well, easier cleanup, right?)

I really enjoyed the Mantel this year!

I always enjoy the Tree! My younger daughter helped "be-ribbon" the tree this year! I draped some pretty toile fabric I bought in France this past year, as my tree skirt!

I loved having my Nativity Set on the sofa table behind the sofa. It's the first thing you got to see as you entered the Living Room. After all, this is what Christmas is about. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and then gave Himself FOR US! Glory to God in the Highest!

I decided to step back to the side table by my leopard chair. Do you see it? Yes, it's an Owl! They are still so "in" this year! I picked this little guy up at the Canton Flea Market! Doesn't everyone have a Christmas Owl?

The top of the TV cabinet even got a little Christmas cheer!

Now, into the Kitchen...
Another wonderful gift from my dear friend! (In the background on the right, you can see a beautiful towel that my Mom embroidered for me! Love it!)

Wreaths are a must on a pantry door, right?

An orchid from another dear friend!

Take a look at the little ceramic wreath hanging over my stove! My youngest son, Jewelius, painted this in 2003. He was only seven years old! He did a great job with the colors!

And I brag about these little Snowmen! Each one was made by more four kiddos. Jewelius' taller snowman on the right in the back there has grass painted on the bottom. Jewelius is a Texas boy, and we usually don't have much snow in Texas, so I guess that's why he painted the grass. He was a little tyke when he did this!