Magnolia Bend Drive

August 9, 2011

Everything is Peachy-Keen

We enjoyed a bumper crop of peaches this summer. I am not sure if the opportunity to pick your own is still available, but keep it in mind for next summer. If you want some of this in your kitchen next year.

You'll want to visit our local orchard and pick all you want of Cling, Freestone, and White Peaches. They were $89 cents a pound if your willing to pick your own, or $1.49 picked.

This is where we began - me, and my BFF's, Sally and Micaela. Sorry no pics of Sally Wally, but trust me, I talked her into meeting me on the side of the road at their fruit stand one hot Saturday morning in July and she walked all around that tall unkempt orchard and picked $15.00 worth peaches.

These characters have a politically incorrect method of deciding who gets to either "pick and pay", or "pay first and pick".... As Micaela, my beautiful senorita buddy so sweetly said, "this place is so southern"..... I think that has a couple of different meanings to her.

the orchard is large and successful, and the peach trees were loaded. Sally and I picked either Freestone or Cling or both. I thought they were yellow peaches, but she taught me differently. She's a California girl and grew up with a peach tree in her back yard!

These are white peaches. They were firm when we picked them, but in about 4 days...OMGoodness! They were so good and juicy. You know the kind you lean over the sink to eat.... yeah, that kind of good.

Here we are looking so proud of our harvest, and the basket that Micaela scored because she is young, and pretty and pregnant. She was a champ, a trooper, and left the place with a lump on her head from my bad driving skills in the orchard. Again, I am so sorry love...

These were the whites

And some ~~Peach Jam~~ syrup I whipped up for Jeff one afternoon. We will work to keep our weight up this winter by eating the peachy syrup on biscuits, pancakes, and even steel cut oatmeal.

I ate all I could stand, and shared as many as my friends would take, and look forward to next year

And just for fun, me and Miceala rode around and took a few pictures of the the old falling down place.

Mr. Rooster didn't seem to care if we were there.

I am pretty sure an American lives in this house, along with the rooster

the really old red barn that was propped up on blocks

maybe Mr. Jones repairs stoves and washing machines during the off season?

never know when you might need extra lumbar...

Or you do like these smart and clean people, and skip the whole "southern" experience and make a purchase from the fruit stand on the side of the road

Thanks again girlies for indulging me while Jeff's away. Your the best!

June 21, 2011

A blue door and a kitchen window box

Beige is my signature color, so this was a brave move for me and a decision that was made without a lot of thought. But I like it! My front door was brown, like my shutters below.

The color is Dragonfly, by Behr. Exterior satin finish. This is a one day job.

I have summer time dreams of the petunias and potato vine spilling over the kitchen window box that Mister made for me with scraps he had laying around. Next year I think I might try kitchen herbs in the box.

The shutters have a fresh coat paint, "Bear Run" by Behr.

Happy Summer, ya'll.
I'll be linking up to the block party at
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/06/summer-decks-and-porches-party-time.html

May 8, 2011

I love white, and I want to win something

A while back I stumbled upon another blog I drool over, Songbird. She likes white and shows us how to make it work in our home. Her blog is awesome. She is having a linky party for all to show their love of white. And because I play with white stuff too, I am linking up to her party. Plus, she is giving away something and I want to win!

a couple of weekends ago I repainted the front porch furniture, white

a plug for my FIL and MIL - they made this swing for me when we moved to this house. It fits the porch perfectly. They are awesome like that.

I found this bench at Marshalls. It was destiny, honey, really it was.

remember this retro-hoopty I painted heirloom white

I love white quilts. My aunt recently gave me that old colorful quilt.

while we are at this, I'll show you this old white scale. I actually use this when I'm shipping one of my dandyshandy's

white peony's. don't be jealous, they are fake

I just painted this old frame, white. Now what should I do with it?

and lets keep it real here... I've always got white clothes to fold

okay, enough already.

Happy Mother's Day, girlies

May 6, 2011

She did it!

Announcing ...... Marolyn M. Chambers, FNP

there she goes ...again

Marolyn graduated from Methodist School of Nursing in 1987. She walked across the stage in a fitted white nurses dress, and a cute white hat. About 20 years later, after nursing in Memphis, Las Vegas, California and back to Memphis, she decided to go back to school and get her B.S.N., eventually earning her masters degree, while working full time, taking care of her husband and her boy, and managing her home. Take a look at our very own, Family Nurse Practitioner walking across the stage again.

Could she look any happier?

celebrating with the proud parents

and her sweet sister

and with the best of friends

Her men are proud too! They are deserving of a 1st prize blue ribbon for their never ending love and support, while she worked to obtain these lofty goals.

Congratulations, girlie! We are so happy for you. You have shown us that we can accomplish anything if we want it bad enough.

Now then.... how about writing a prescription for lortab for your ole pal?

May 4, 2011

Pink Peonies and a lavendar Iris

It seems that depending on which side of the mason-dixon line you were raised, determines how you say Peony. I've always called them Pee-o-nee, but my Indiana friend tells me it is pe-a-ne. Anywho - this bouquet is from my peeoonee bush. It's called "Pink Cotton Candy". The pictures don't show their true beauty, because I had to use a flash. I am afraid if I wait for the rain to stop the blooms will be spent.