Saturday, April 27, 2013

Hills and Dales Saturday April 20, 2013

 Here we are on a book club field trip to LaGrange, Georgia to visit an estate called Hills and Dales.  This wasn't a trip connected to any particular book we read, just an excuse for a little Saturday excursion.  Hills and Dales is the family home of the Callaway family (as in Callaway Gardens and Callaway Golf)  The home was built on the original estate of Judge Blount and Sarah Ferrell.   Mrs. Ferrell made it her life's ambition to create a formal garden reminiscent of an  Italian villa.   Her garden was known in town as Ferrell Gardens or The Terraces.   Fuller Callaway purchased the estate from Mrs. Ferrell in 1912 and began construction of his mansion which was completed in 1916.

   In this photo Lori, Susan, Cheryl and I are standing on the steps in front of the formal entrance side of the home.  The more common entrance is on the side with a porte-cochere.  We had a private tour of the house with our guide Joanna.  Photography wasn't allowed inside the house, hence no interior photos for this blog.  We all agreed the home was (surprising for its time) outfitted with some conveniences and luxuries that can be found on many house-hunter wish lists today: things like a full-body spa shower,  master bedroom coffee bar....lovely bright kitchen breakfast area with an appealing black & white tile floor... large kitchen island w/ built in pot rack...a mudroom off the kitchen, to remember a few.   We were lucky to have the whole house and gardens almost completely to ourselves.  What a delight to be in a pretty place on such a pretty day!

Unusual window treatment of espaliered magnolias.
Cheryl, I and Lori are basking in the sunshine!

 The elegant and stately Italian villa which was built in 1916 for
Fuller E. Calloway, Sr.

 Doesn't this espaliered shrub look like a six-fingered hand slapping the pool house...


 Meandering around the house into the formal gardens.
 We were told the long rectangular troughs were for storing the bricks and foundation blocks, but I can't remember why, maybe for maintenance...



 Close up of a calla lily in the greenhouse pool.  Calla lilies were the favorite flower of the  first Mrs. Hallway (Ida Cason Callaway) and have become a Callaway icon.
 Lori admiring the orchids.

Gorgeous white phalaenopsis orchids....they look like they're just begging for a wedding invitation.....

                                  Aren't these polka dot caladiums as cute as can be?


                                         The greenhouse framed by the snowball hydrangea.


The lovely snowball blossoms resembled paper lanterns hanging from the tree....perfect for a wedding photo opp....Can't you just see a bride and groom in this photo?
 An organic arbor formed by some very old cedar trees and framed with wisteria.  We thought this would be just the site for an outdoor wedding.... Insert bride and groom here

....
Lovely view from the garden looking towards the kitchen side of the home.        





                                              Close up of the original Ferrell garden gate.


 The contempletive section...




 This little oriental-style ceramic birdhouse was tucked in the shrubbery near the gate...


                                                  One of the original (read very old) trees...


                                           The formal boxwoods in front of the visitors center.

                                                 Cheryl and Susan at the end of the tour.


I liked this quote found in the tour brochure:
"Life is short, and as we pass this way but once, why not strew our paths with rose petals, so as to leave fragrance on life's way?"....Ida Cason Callaway, 1929.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Good Things Come in Surprise Packages

April 22, 2013, just seven days after the terrible events in Boston...it hardly seems possible.  A week of horror, disbelief and confusion.  There was a bright spot in the middle of the week for me, when I came home to discover a USO package on my doorstep.  I could have been knocked over with a feather.  Flowers from Brendan! Gorgeous, unique patriotic white roses tinted blue and red.  They had the appearance of colored tissue paper once they were in full bloom.  I took them to work so I could enjoy them all day.  Early Mother's Day present?   Late Christmas gift?  Doesn't matter, it was a floral hug from the other side of the world during a week of distress and sorrow.  



That Was Then...This is Now

     In my last post, I talked about my childhood girlfriends and our upcoming beach trip.  I started thinking about my mother and her girlfriends, many of whom she has also known since her school days.  These women are a strong group and they have been a wonderful example of how to support one another through both good and bad - the happy times of babies, childraising, weddings, grandchildren and their own long marriages.  But they have also been there for some harrowing times - serious illnesses, deaths of spouses, parents,  children and sbilings, children who were in trouble or just troubled and the many bumps and bruises that life brings to us all.




     There they were at a charity fashion show when they were in their 30's.  Now in their mid 70's to early 80's, they have no less fun - bridge, trips, Saturday morning breakfast every week, Buddy Dinner once a month and almost daily contact.  Here they are at a recent cocktail party to introduce the new daughters-in-law of Betzy's grandsons.




Here's to our women friends and all the joy, fun and support they bring to our lives! 

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Getting Stoned...


Ladies night out at the Atlanta History Center on April 15, 2013.  It was a few hours of very welcome distraction from the awful and bewildering bombings at the Boston Marathon which had just occurred earlier that afternoon.  We went to hear Curtis Stone, celebrity chef, TV personality/host of Top Chef Masters.  I had no real notion of what was in store for the evening;  I  wasn't sure if it would be a cooking demo, or traditional lecture.  It turned out to be a delightful, entertaining event.  It felt like we were a talk show audience. The highlights were when the affable Australian chef  took questions from the audience.  We fell in love with Pips, a woman (with an Australian daughter-in-law, no less) who was herself in love with THE chef and guest-of-honor.  Tons of  laughter at their banter...and Pips entertained Chef Stone enough for him to whip out his phone and videotape her.  Perhaps we'll  find it on YouTube...   It was a fun evening that ended with a book signing.  You can read more about him here:  http://www.curtisstone.com/About-Curtis.aspx

 Cindy shakes Curtis' hand....note how polite he was to stand up....
 I must be stoned...he's a blur.  That's Susan getting books for Margaret and Frank.
 A gracious host, with a hug for all who patiently waited in line for a signature...
He sure is eye candy....candy? No, dessert! 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

We Are the Sub Deb Girls of Danville

   How many people can say they still keep in contact with ten friends that they started kindergarten with?  Growing up in Danville, VA, the same girls I was riding bikes with or taking ballet with became my best high school friends.  There were eleven of us in the same class (our precious Laura died suddently at 39) that became members of a high school sorority called the Sub Debs.  Many of our mothers had been members of the same group back in the 1950's.  One of several sororities in our high school of course we were THE Sub Debs and therefore the best!!!
    So what did we do???  We met every single Wednesday at someone's home (any excuse to escape on a school night) for refreshments and official meetings and to pay our $1 dues.  But mostly when we met we were planning the two formal dances we held each year - bands, all night breakfasts and what boys to ask were the big topics - or talking about our annual week long beach trip to Myrtle Beach where we took over the Blue Bay Inn ( no parents allowed).  The whole year was spent raising money for these ventures - the biggest fundraiser being a big Brunswick Stew sale (we hired someone professional but we helped make it and tend the pots overnight).
     Thanks to our parents still being in Danville, we all stayed in touch and sent Christmas cards but it was not until 2000 (26 years after high school graduation) that we met for a weekend at Smith Mountain Lake.  Since that time we have had numerous trips to the beach and to Charleston and when we are together it is like going back in time.  As often happens with the best of friends, we just magically pick up like we have never been apart.  As Jane famously said - we KNOW each other - we know where we came from and who our moms and dads were - so there is no need to impress or compete.  What joy there is in that knowledge.



These pictures were taken at our last get together in 2009 at Topsail Beach, NC.  Seven of us made the trip.  We laughed and ate almost continuously and spent alot of time walking on the beach and pouring through three scrapbooks I had kept of our high school years.  When we had the Sub Deb dances, the Danville paper even printed news of the events so we were able to go back and review who we took as dates, where the parties were held, what bands we hired.  Our conversations had gone from little children to driving lessons, college applications,weddings, grandchildren (Ginny now has five and Jane has two!) and even hot flash pajamas!!




Next trip - April 26-28, 2013!!  Everyone is searching for our wonderful silver Sub Deb necklaces and memory books to take along.  As time goes on, there is such a sense of gratitude for long time friends that we know and love so well.  The years have passed quickly but we are all very blessed to have one another.

As the song says, We are THE Sub Deb Girls of Danville...We are the ones who have the fun!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

And You Know I Love You




     There really is nothing in life that compares to the unconditional love of a parent.  As a parent, I know how it feels to love my children no matter what.  As a child, I was lucky enough to have parents who showed me they loved me always.

     When I was growing up there literally was not one day that my Dad did not put his hands on my cheeks, look me in the eyes and say You Know I Love You.  Once I left home there was never a phone conversation or a letter that did not include those words.  How I miss hearing that.  The last words my Dad ever spoke to me were "I Love You Susan".

     It is said that death ends a life but not a relationship.  I know now that is true.  I miss you Dad and you know I love you...always.
    

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Easter Bunny Cake

Easter Sunday 2013.   A rainy day that turned out perfect for staying indoors and doing creative things. I saw this post from Jenny Steffens Hobick about her bunny cakes 
and was inspired to make one of my own.  
Mostly because I realized I just happened to have had all the ingredients on hand.  You can see the original bunny cake here:  http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/


 I liked her pair of faceless bunnies,
But Tony decided my bunny needed some eyes.    That's OK.  Easy peasy, and the results were cute either way, eyeballs or not.  And it satisfied my need to do something to replace the non-existent Easter egg hunt in the backyard...and, the guys at work were the beneficiaries of the other half of the cake and the bunny leftovers.