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The Tour starts today!!! So exciting!
My favorite:
Alberto Contador, Team Astana
Livi & Lance, Team Astana
Team Astana all the way!
My friend, Dana, has tagged me! I’m it!
Here are the rules of this little game:
1) Pick the sixth photo from the sixth album or folder in your photo collection.
2) Post it to your blog and tell the story behind the photo.
3) Tag some other blog friends to do the same.
GO!
Here I go!!
Sunrise over Edisto Beach
Edisto Island, SC
June 2006
In June of 2006, I took a week of vacation, alone. All by myself. I did have some friends and family randomly come visit the beach house, but the overall goal of this trip was to regroup, find myself, and move forward.
I had just left a job that I had been at for three years. That job was very comfortable for me. I was overly qualified so I did not find stress in my work. However, those were also the three worst years and most life changing years of my adult life. By the end of that third year, I had evolved into a whole new self. Good, bad, and indifferent, I was a different person.
After my week at the beach, I started a new and very challenging position with the firm I am still at. I had many growing pains…still do sometimes. It’s the nature of the beast. Later that year, I purchased a home - all on my own. I met my husband the week after I closed on my house.
When I look at this photo, I am transported back to Edisto Beach. I realize now that I have once again evolved into a whole new self. Good, bad, and indifferent, I am a different person.
Sunrise - a new beginning; a new day
I am so happy with how my life has progressed over these segments of time.
I will now tag a few bloggy friends to keep this game rolling:
Keep it going girls!
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Tonight, my hubby and I, and a dear couple are going to dine at a fab Brazilian Steakhouse uptown called Chima. I can’t wait to give you my review of this place. If it is half as good as the Argentinian steakhouse we dined at during our honeymoon, then this place is going to be simply amazing! Sorry, I have snobby tastebuds…just happened in the last three years…
I have stumbled across some new blogs lately, and one of the blogs that has really caught my eye is HuckleBerry Prairie! Maybe the ‘prairie’ part caught my eye first - reminders of Little House on the Prairie, but then…this blog party caught me, too!
The Great American Town Tour - July 1, 2009
Check out Huckleberry Prairie to learn all about our great American towns!!
My town is Matthews, NC. This is not my home town, but it is my current town. I have lived here for a little over one year. Before I met my husband, I had only been to this town once - shopping about 10 years ago with a friend.
I recall that shopping visit years ago to downtown Matthews. Most downtowns are now shut down, depressing, and only a snapshot of years gone by. But not Matthews. It is vibrant and active!
Every Saturday morning there is a Farmer’s Market downtown:
Hardware Store: I love going in here to look at the baby chicks!
Bicycle Shop: I love going in here to drool over the new street bike I want!
Train Station:
Town Hall - it’s beside of the train station:
My favorite spot:
We hit Kristopher’s about once a week - more during football season! Great food at great prices and great atmosphere - especially during…you guessed it…football season!
Matthews is very pedestrian and bike friendly. It has lots of old homes and buildings. It’s quaint. It’s the idealistic All-American town, and I love calling Matthews home! Located only 10 miles southeast of downtown (or some say uptown) Charlotte, if we want something that Matthews does not offer, all we have to do is ride a tiny distance and we have every luxury available - high end shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Really, the only thing more I could ask for is an ocean outside of my door! If I had an ocean outside of my door, I can guarantee you these porches would get some serious use!
Happy July!
If you aren’t traveling to the beach (or elsewhere) this holiday weekend, be sure to check out HuckleBerry Prairie’s All American Town Tour to see more great towns across our great land!
* All photos (except my house, of course) are courtesy of Google Images. If I have taken your photo, I am sorry - I just love Matthews that much!
In four more days, on Saturday, July 4th, guess what begins??
The Tour.
Tour de France 2009
Du 4 au 26 juillet -96e edition
This year, The Tour’s Grand Depart is in Monaco. The final leg (excluding the Champs-Elysees) is the climb up Mont Ventoux! After three weeks of cycling, the riders will have to make one of the toughest ascents in the world up Mont Ventoux - 6,273 feet above sea level. This climb has only happened 13 times in The Tour’s history and has not happened in 7 years.
The climb up Mont Ventoux is especially famous after British cyclist Tom Simpson rode himself to exhaustion -> death in 1967 during The Tour. Below is a memorial to him that is located just below the summit.
Last night, I was watching an interview with Lance Armstrong. He said that he had not already made up his mind to ride this year, hearing that the Mont Vonteux climb was included as part of the ‘09 Tour would have made his mind up. He “has unfinished business with the mountain”.
The climb up Mont Vonteux happens on Saturday, July 25th (Samedi 25 juillet).
This is the 20th stage out of 21.
Grueling and intense.
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On a completely different note,
Be sure to check out my shop today to receive FREE S&H.
Welcome to Metamorphosis Monday!
This week, I will be featuring my balcony.
Before:
Notice the only two pieces of furniture on the balcony are pushed into the corner.
After:
The chairs have been put back ino place, and my new flag hangs in the middle section.
I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of the metamorphosis of my porches!!
Next year, I’d like to get two more flags so that there is one hanging in each section.
I’d also like to have a hanging fern in each section as well.
Make sure to check out all of the other transformations over at
Susan’s Met Monday Party!
Fleur de Glam Tassel
This tassel is not for sale.
Fleur de Glam is extra special!
To learn about the history of tassels and Fleur de Glam,
click here.
This history lesson comes with a give-away at the end so be sure to read the whole thing!
Thanks Kelly for doing this research!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~angela
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The Tassel House is currently having a fab sale that includes
FREE S&H (in the US & Canada).
Check it out!
I recall living in Boston and attempting to make a bank deposit on June 14th. Having grown up in the South, it was beyond me as to why the bank was closed this particular day…until I saw tons of fireworks that night! All across the harbor, I saw fireworks in different towns. Flag Day. I have never forgotten what June 14th is!
Now that I am getting settled into my home, I’ve decided that I need to start working on my porches! A home with three porches takes a while to fill with lovelies unless there is some serious cash trees in the back yard (which there are none in mine).
What’s more Americana than my two Cracker Barrel rocking chairs downstairs, and a vintage style tea-dyed flag hanging from the center section of our balcony upstairs?!
I bought the banner shown above this week at Bob’s Flags. It is so pretty that next year I will be buying two more to complete the upstairs balcony porch. For now, this will do. Next year, I will put my banners out just before Memorial Day and leave out until mid-July.
Next week, I will be showing my before and after banner balcony pictures during Met Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch!
In keeping with my recent fondness for all things Americana, I just had to make a couple of Americana tassels! Check them out over in my Etsy shop (which is currently have a fab sale along with F.R.E.E. S&H, I might add!)
OK - maybe rustic barns and great American colors are more Americana than my CB rockers and my banner?!
What a great way to bring Americana into any room of your home - a lovely tassel that reminds us of our nation and looks fashionable, elegant and beautiful all at the same time?!
In any case, my home is starting to feel very Americana these days, and I’m completely hooked on this! And if I might say so, I think Americana decor is totally fashionable, especially during the lazy days of summer as we remember our nation!
Be sure to fly on over to Julia’s Hooked on Fridays Party and FiFi’s Fashionable Friday Party to see all sorts of fashionable things that people are hooked on this week!!
Stars and Stripes Forever,
~angela
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RIP Farrah & Michael
Today, I would like to award some of my favorite blogs! Visiting these sites has simply become a part of my daily routine. Every day, I must: spritz myself with perfume - 4x, change my earrings 3x, and read each of these blogs at least 2x - once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I love the blogosphere and great bloggy friends that I have made!
First, we have Liz over at Violet Posy! I have never been to the U.K., but when I do get there, I’d love spend a day with Liz, her little girl, and her shadow! (Ok - Paul, too?!)
Next up, we have Gayle over at Planet M Files! Oh, how I love checking out Gayle’s blog and getting involved in Monday Memories! I think this is how Gayle and I met…although I’m not quite sure. In any case, I’m addicted to her blog! I’ve tragically missed both of her Pet Parades, but one of these days…
Design Ties, you’re up! When I get rich, I am hiring Kelly and Victoria to come down to NC (from Canada) and decorate my house. Kelly swears she holds no grudge against me since I am a TarHeel! And be sure to check out their blog soon - it’s going to feature a special something that comes from NC!
My latest obsession, Between Naps on the Porch! Susan, I love the ideas your blog gives me! Oooo…I am green with envy over your porches and tablescapes! The time has come for me to start working on mine because your blog gives me lots of gorgeous ideas!
And lastly today, I would like to include my dear friend Kelli over at Sustaining Creativity! We are definitely kindred spirits (as Ann - with an E, would say)! Love ya, Girl! ps - Your Nannie’s Pea Salad is da bomb!
Congrats!
~angela
A while back, I wrote this post about dishes, laundry, and making my bed. Well, I am glad to report that almost four months later, that last night when I went crawled into my unmade bed, the dishes were all done and all clean laundry was folded and put away! Hey, two out of three ain’t bad.
fyi: This morning, I did not make my bed. Why would I not do that when I’m on a roll? My husband woke me up after I turned my alarm off….53 minutes later. Could this have anything to do with the fact that I was up late last night….doing dishes and folding laundry…
It’s as easy as…pie!
HaHaHeHe
But it really is.
I found this recipe a couple of weeks ago, and Father’s Day was the perfect time to make it!
For the recipe, click here.
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Happy Father’s Day
Much love,
~angela
