Sunday, September 30, 2012

Festive Fall

Welcome!

One of the things Greg and I like most about fall is the local fall festivals.

We recently attended a festival in downtown Columbia, Tennessee, the Southern Fried Festival, which we thoroughly enjoyed.




This festival had...

Fall decorations...




Fun...




Food...





Fabulous arts and crafts...
(where I found a really neat Christmas gift for a family member.  I love shopping early!)




F.Y.I.
Southern Fried Festival
Presented by the Farm Bureau Family
www.southernfriedfest.com

Positive thought:  Be a positive feeler as well as a positive thinker.  (Some things that make me feel better and more positive are: humming, singing, reading, window shopping, getting adequate of rest and sleep, and spending some time in the fresh air and sunshine, like when at the Southern Fried Festival.)



Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky






Sunday, September 23, 2012

A Tennessee Autumn

Welcome!

It's that time of year again, to welcome autumn! 

There are signs of autumn all around us here in Tennessee such as the cooler nights.

And, tinges of color in some of the leaves...




"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn is a mosaic of them all."
-Stanley Horowitz

Fall grasses...



And, colorful flowers gracing the landscape..



There are fall decorations, galore...




This time of year, especially, when the weather is still warm, but not hot, I love to sit on the porch and work on either my art or my writing as I listen to the mooing of cows and watch the birds flying south for the fall and winter, only to return in the spring.

"Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring."
-Anonymous

Positive thought:  "Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."
-Elizabeth Lawrence
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky














Saturday, September 15, 2012

Appalachian Showcase

Welcome!

(And, a very special welcome to our newest follower from Flat Creek Farm!  I really appreciate the nice comments about a couple of my blog posts.)

The Clapboard House in the town of Wise in Southwest Virginia is chock-full of absolutely gorgeous furniture, home accessories, and gifts at reasonable prices.  (It is owned and operated by Travis Kennedy. His mother Bonnie Aker handles the public relations.  Kaye Dotten also works there.  These are three nice, knowledgeable people who would be glad to help you with your purchases.)

One section of The Clapboard House, the Appalachian Showcase, features local art, crafts, and photography, as well as other items.




I feel fortunate to have my coal art for sale in the Appalachian Showcase.  It sells well there because coal has always been a big part of the economy and culture of that area.



These are a few of my coal items that I recently sent to The Clapboard House.  One of the magnets features the Wise, Virginia clock tower. 

Briefly, I'd like to continue with the theme of my blog post from last week (Please see the Sunday, September 8 post.) on the influence your home can have on your life.  A couple of days ago I stopped in an antique shop and saw a cute little piece of  handmade pottery which I bought at a bargain price.  Every time I look at it in my kitchen, I feel really good, because I like it.  The more positve vibes you can surround yourself with, the better.  (However, you don't want to have so much stuff in your home that it looks like you've opened up your own shop either!)  (Also, personal accessories like coal jewelry can give you good vibes, too!)


                                                           My Cute Little Pot

In places like The Clapboard House with hand-crafted items in its Appalachian Showcase, you can find just the right touches to turn your house into a home (to paraphrase the Clapboard House motto).

F.Y.I.
Appalachian Showcase
The Clapboard House
207 W. Main St.
Wise, VA 24293
Phone: (276) 328-4470
www.clapboardhouse.com

Positive thought:  "Home is where the (he)art is".
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Home Harmonious Home

Welcome! 

(And, a special welcome to our newest follower.  I really appreciate his nice comment at the end of my last blog post.  Great to have you join us!)

Did you know that your home can influence your life?  It can can affect you in all ways either negatively or positively.  Is you home dirty or cluttered or inharmoniously arranged?  If so, you might want to get someone to help you change your home for the better, or even do it yourself.  It doesn't have to be done all at once.  A cluttered drawer could be straightened out while watching a 30-minute TV show.  Even fifteen minutes a day can make a big difference in a short time.

I know as a fact that straightening even a small area can have a positive impact on your life.  Even though I am a professional organizer, professional organizers are not perfect in the way they organize their homes.  For example, without realizing what I was doing, I found myself putting little notes, as reminders, on our kitchen counter top.  After a while, I noticed what a mess it had all become.  The pieces of paper would get wet, the cats would trample all over them, or they would fall on the floor, etc.  One day it finally dawned on me that there had to be a better way.  I brain-stormed for a few minutes, and then it became obvious.  Go to the store and find a nice but inexpensive bulletin board.  I did, and I love it!  Now, I feel so good that my notes are all in a place where I can easily glance at them, and my counter top is free of clutter and very spacious.  I pat myself on the back every time I walk in there.


                                                            Mission accomplished!


Which of the following two photos makes you feel better and more harmonious when you look at it?






Positive thought:  To put a twist on one of my all-time favorite quotes from The Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like (a harmonious) home."

You might want to check out my other blog:  www.spiritphotographs.blogspot.com

Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky


Sunday, September 2, 2012

A Typical Labor Day Weekend

Welcome!

"Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold.  But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow."
-Douglas Pagels




Labor Day Weekend in Tennessee-



                                                                           Picnics
         


                                                                 Walks in the Park


                                                                        Fishing


                                                                  Enjoying Nature


Positive Thought:  Look for things to be happy about.  Happy Labor Day and happy rest of the week!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky