Something New...

New Years Eve is here and I am in no way ready for a new year... it just seems that I got used to writing 2010 and settled into the year and now its over - someone asked me what my resolutions were for the coming year and for my life of me I could not come up with something grand.

I tried to say I'd buy no more junk, but we all know that's not true, I just can't pass up a good bargain and love making something old new again.

While at Disney I took a few good photos of birds I'd never captured so I guess I have NEW photos; I tried out a NEW mix from Williams & Sonoma and we bought a couple of NEW movies.

I am looking for a NEW paint color for the outside of the house and I am at a loss right this minute. I did find a color I liked but it is too pink.

 I hope all of you have a wonderful NEW year and try out NEW things and meet NEW friends.

Christmas at The Black House - Snelling SC

One of 5 trees we put up this year.

Papa and Althea

We celebrated Christmas three times this year... first with a family trip (3 generations) to Walt Disney World in Florida (along with my childhood best friend and her husband), then with a Christmas Eve Open House and finally with a family breakfast Christmas morning.

Althea, Pluto and Dorie

The Candlelight Concert at Epcot

Christmas Tree at Animal Kingdom

Christmas Tree at Polynesian Resort

I got back in the swing of things this year and baked hundreds of cookies with the help of daughter Becki, niece Emily and great nephew and nieces Mason, Trinity and Kirsten. We burnt up my mixer and I had to make cheese balls by hand but we had a great time.

Mason and his cousins Trinity and Kirsten

I tried a new punch out on family and friends and it was a great hit...

Red Stag Jim Beam, Peach Schnapps, Cranberry Juice, Limeade and Sierra Mist.

Red Stag punch in my beautiful Ruby Flash punch bowl.

We included some long held family traditions this year such as the men cooking Christmas Breakfast
 ( I cheated and baked a Dutch Baby Pancake) and waiting to open stockings until Beth, Junior and Dorie came by and we included some new ones as well...
the Dutch Baby (it was wonderful - a mix from Williams Sonoma) and
 "Crackers" which we all loved and decided we'll do every year.

Frank in the kitchen.

Dutch Baby

Our table, notice the beautiful fine china!



Brad, Aiden and Shane... In Memory

Let It Be

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Santa and Brad

And when the brokenhearted people

Living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted

There is still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Yeah, there will be an answer let it be

 

Aiden grasping his Mommy's finger.

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the night is cloudy

There is still a light that shines on me

Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

Shawn and Shane

I wake up to the sound of music

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Yeah, let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Evelyn's...

I missed a week of My Town so I am doing two at once. It wasn't hard to combine two weeks as not only is Evelyn's my favorite shop in town, I am thankful for it being here and for the wonderful family that owns and operates it and for the friendship they have given us through the years.

Bereley Linder, who owns Evelyn's is one of the nicest people I have ever met and his outgoing personality has made a huge impact on my granddaughter Dorie who loves to visit the store and talk with Mr. Bereley.

Of course one of my favorite times to visit the shop is during a holiday and Christmas is wonderful there. You can always count on some type of homemade goodies and a wonderful beverage to go with it. This Christmas open house we snacked on Peach Pepper Jam over Cream Cheese with crackers and Cranberry White Chocolate Magic Bars while sipping Mulled Cider.

But my all time favorite recipe that has been served at Evelyn's has to be the Pickled Shrimp. I asked for and received the recipe from Bereley and have prepared it for a small gathering to a wedding reception for 100. It is a wonderfully simple dish and one I will gladly share.

Please enjoy the photos and if you'd like you can visit Evelyn's online at http://www.evelynsjewelry.com/ or their entertaining blog at http://evelynsjewelry.blogspot.com/ and if you just happen to drop by our small town please visit the store and tell him Camella sent you!

Guilty Pleasures

Sleeping late, taking naps, quiet walks on the beach and of course something sinfully wonderful to eat!

Here are a few of my favorite things.....

Fresh cut flowers; I love them and buy them often but always feel guilty about spending the money even though they bring me such joy.

My husband Frank LOVES jelly beans!!!

Chocolate... need I say more?

Palmetto Cheese... one taste and you will know what I'm talking about!

Cookbooks are a passion of mine; I own well over 100 and have given away at least 50 to my children.

Christmas ornaments at Evelyn's... you can never buy just one.

Trips to the cabin for some quiet time.

Mini vacations away just the two of us.



The Letter N

Noses with freckles...

and noses with none.

Night falling softly - day is done.

Nemo's blue eyes.

New haircut for Dorie -what a suprise!

Native dancers put on a show.

Nothing like new fallen snow.

Newly weds... so long ago.

Camella and Frank

1979

 

Spooky

I had good intentions of shooting pictures at some of the older churches, houses and grave yards this week but just never found the time. I love old grave stones and have rubbings from some that date back to the early 1800's from family graves in Maine.

Anyway, Dorie, Althea and Becki and I were on the way home this past Monday when we had to make a diaper changing stop and I pulled onto the shoulder of the road next to this old building.

After altering it to make it black and white and blurring the edges I felt it looked a little spooky and a little sad.

Patterns Around My Town

Well I finally left home today to take a few shots for this weeks My Town Shootout. Hope you all enjoy!

A selection of quilts made by the Mennonites in Barnwell County.

As you can see there are various patterns for quilts.

A close up of the fabric pattern and the quilting pattern (lines of hand stitching) that was used in a quilt.

Rows of homemade jams form a pattern on the shelf.

A closeup of the pattern used to form my wicker love seat.

Bottled sodas line up in pattern in a game of ring toss.

Pam chose a wonderful patterned fabric and pattern to make Althea's Halloween dress.

Dorie and Berley Linder became friends when she was just 1 year old; his kindness and generosity have followed a wonderful pattern through the years and Dorie can't go to town without stopping by to see him.

Chair, Chair, Everywhere A Chair

I have always been a collector of old chairs from the first chair my grandfather gave me long ago... A beautiful Windsor chair that in my younger days I had to sell to make ends meet. I have never forgotten that chair and have longed to own another.

When Frank and I were married we were given a wonderful gift of a old rocking chair his grandfather had made. Years of wear and tear had taken its toll and the rawhide seat was ripped and one of the rockers was broken. It took us years to finally restore it and we added a new leather seat and rockers but left the finish as is. It proudly sits on my porch greeting us when we come and go.

One of my favorite chairs is one I found at a local thrift store. It became the inspiration for my bedroom and bath redo. I was excited because it had a slipcover and when I lifted it up to see its "bones" I was even more excited as it wore a beautiful undercoat of Coral fabric that looked brand new.

I have chairs in my garden too, one hold a pot of herbs and a hand painted sign by one of my neighbors and another hold a burlap bag and whatever flowers are in season.