It's All About The Red!

I shared some red with you recently, but I just found a blog that is devoting particular posts to Flaunt Your Red.  I'm not sure how often this will occur, but the first one is right now!  So here goes my Red that I'd like to Flaunt today!

~click the picture above to enlarge~

1.  Vintage Red Velvet Purse that has been revampted

2.  Vintage Red Metal Telephone

3.  Red and white checked rocking chair pads

4.  Antique Red Jelly Cabinet

5.  Vintage Gameboard

6.  Butler's Pantry painted in red and butternut 

(red metal tiered trays, red berry wreath, red handled rolling pins)

7.  Maggie looking out the red and butternut curtained window.

(red tole lampshade)

8.  Another red wall 

(small vintage black rocking chair with red ticking pillow,

and red "Lee's Surrender" coverlet) 

And of course...there's me...the redhead!  hee hee

You know me.....I have an abundance of red!!  

So come back and visit to get your red fix.  lol

And speaking of a Red Fix, 

be sure to click on the picture on my sidebar 

and visit Nancy who is hosting this, 

as well as, other Red participants!!

Back Porch Blessings,

Rebecca

Easter Decorations

The red & pink and hearts & cherubs have been packed away.

They have been replaced with soft pastel colors.

Out hops bunnies and chicks.  The Easter bunny will arrive soon with Easter baskets and treats!  But more importantly, we will remember a cross and an empty tomb!

Today, I started decorating with my Easter goodies.  

Here are a few pics of what I have started on.

Birthday Wishes!

Happy, Happy Birthday to my niece, Kelly.

She turned 31 today!

She is a wonderfully strong young woman, and an awesome mother!

Kelly,

I hope your day is as special as you are.

We wish we could see you today for your birthday!

Eat something yummy and enjoy the day!

Love Ya,

Becca

Rustic Retreat

Pictures from our anniversary get-away are here, as promised.

We had such a nice time.

Ledford Mill is below the headwaters of Shipman's Creek.  This 1884 gristmill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Tennessee Heritage Trail.  Restored in 1996, it is now a three story country inn with three exclusive accommodations.  

Two waterfalls frame the gardens.  A stone path winds along the creek, over an arched footbridge to the falls.  High above is the mill pond. 

You enter into the lobby-living area which is located on the middle level.  You are greeted by John and Mildred, who are the most precious and gracious owners of this rustic retreat!  They were so welcoming of our Maggie too!

This is the first glimpse of the B & B that you see upon arriving.

This is the front entrance that opens into the lobby-living room, which is furnished with antiques--most all of them for sale!

The door says "closed" as it was after hours for the public.

Mags LOVED the waterfalls!  

We stayed in "The Falls Room", which overlooks the falls, and is located on the bottom level.  One side of the room was a huge wall made from Chattanooga shale.

If shale wasn't so crumbly, my boys would have surely tried to climb it if they were there. 

I love this sweet primitive train above the bed.

With a cozy bed and fireplace inside, and the waterfalls outdoors, 

it was such a peaceful night's  sleep!  

There is a picnic area in the gardens which were right outside our door. 

The bathroom was graced by a clawfoot bathtub for soaking and relaxing!

The kitchen/breakfast room was upstairs in the main area of the B & B.  There was a full kitchen that we had access to, as did the other guests in the inn.  We enjoyed raiding the fridge in the evening and found a decadent chocolate cake, death by chocolate ice cream, popcorn, sodas, etc.  Since it was Valentine's Day, all three rooms were occupied, so we had a chance to meet some couples from other areas of our state.  Breakfast was cooked and served at the time we desire between 8 and 10 a.m.  Upon arriving for breakfast, the owners asked where Maggie was this morning.  We said that we thought we should leave her down in the room.  They weren't having any of that.  They said she was more than welcome at breakfast with everyone else.  Another couple had their two doggies-a French Bulldog and a Boxer.  We enjoyed chatting with the owners and other guests over a lovely and leisurely breakfast of fresh fruits, country ham, spicy egg casserole, cornbread, juice, and coffee. 

When I left, I realized that I had not gotten a picture of the wonderful shabby chic cabinets in the kitchen.  They were so awesome, and I surely meant to get a shot of them!

The weather was just perfect that weekend!  It was great for enjoying the falls, gardens, and all that nature had to offer. 

Country Blessings,

Rebecca

Daffodils Are Blooming!

It's starting to feel like spring.

Oh, what a lovely day!  The sun is shining, there is a gentle warm breeze, and the daffodils are blooming.  I am so ready for it to be spring.  But what?????  The weatherman says snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  Sheesh!  Let's just move on to spring already!  OK?!?

Yesterday would have been my nephew, Patrick's 30th birthday.  It is going on four years since his unexpected passing.  Some days, it seems like I just saw him, others it seems a lifetime.  However, knowing that he is in the presence of our Lord gives me great comfort and peace.  I know that I will see him again someday when I no longer walk this earth.  Last year, I shared pictures of Patrick with you.  This year, I'd like to share the poem my sister wrote in the darkest time of her life.  This poem was read at Patrick's funeral by my youngest niece, Patrick's youngest sister, Kristin.  At the end of this post, I will provide a link so you can revisit ( or visit for the first time) 

the photos of my most creative, talented, loving only nephew.

Eyes Like Mine

There was a boy I met one day

And on that day I did wondrously find,

As I was looking into his eyes

I was looking at eyes like mine.

There was a boy I met one day 

And on that day I did wondrously find,

As I was looking into his heart

I was looking at a heart like mine.

There was a boy I met one day

And on that day I did wondrously find,

As I was looking at his joy

I was looking at a joy like mine.

There was a boy I met one day

And on that day I did wondrously find,

As I was looking at his pain

I was looking at a pain like mine.

There was a boy I met one day

And on that day I did wondrously find,

As I was looking at God's Grace in this beautiful boy

I was looking at a Grace like mine.

I went to meet the boy one day 

And on that day I did wondrously find, 

He was not there; he had gone to Heaven 

A Heaven that would one day be mine.

So when I long to see those eyes 

Those eyes that look like mine, 

I'll know those eyes are on Jesus

And one day, so will be mine.

Poem by Melissa K. Hand 

In Loving Memory of Her Precious Son

Charles Patrick Mangino

February 16, 1979 – July 9, 2005

Please pray for my sweet bloggy friend, Becky, who just lost her precious son last week, unexpectedly.  She is the one I posted about last week, that many of you have already been praying for.  Thank you for all that have visited her and shown great compassion and love for her through this!  Please continue to remember Becky and her sweet family through the most difficult and dark days ahead!

Here is where you can see more pictures of our precious Patrick.....

http://ourbackporch.blogspot.com/2008/02/this-post-is-dedicated-to-patrick.html

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Anniversary!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Today is special for another reason. It is our 22nd wedding anniversary. We are heading to that B & B that I showed you last month. I hope you enjoy your Valentine's with someone you love, 

and that your day is special too! 

Here's a picture that I have shared with you before.  

That's our wedding picture on February 14, 1987.  :)

Now, I'm going to share some of my favorite 

vintage Valentine graphics.

      

             

        

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Happy Anniversary Babe!

Blessings,

Rebecca

Sweets for the Sweet

This post is a sweet one.

The other night was our Bunco night.....a night out with the girls.  Always gotta love that.  Our theme was focused around Valentine's Day.  The hostess, Sherrie, had things decorated so sweet.  And talk about sweet~after a wonderful dinner of bowtie lasagna, salad, and french bread, we were treated to dice cookies with pink frosting and chocolate covered strawberries.  Yum!  Just look at them.....

And here is more sweets.....

In class today, I had my third graders decorate the mailbag that they made for our Valentine party.  This is one little girl's mailbag.  Is this sweet or what?!?

And what about this?  I found this on my desk this afternoon.  

I had mentioned to Sherrie at Bunco that I loved her vintage Valentine cards, and that I collect them too.  While I was teaching, she snuck in and put this on my desk.  How sweet!  

Thank you Sherrie!