Sunday, October 30, 2016

Miscellaneous Musings No. 5

If you've been reading my blog lately, you may have come across one or more of my Miscellaneous Musings posts. Not really fitting into any of my menu categories otherwise, it became its own in 2016. A mish-mash of topics, here we are with No. 5. I suppose they'll continue as long as I keep collecting these random thoughts to share.

Are you a fraidy cat?! No need to be with this version - an Art Deco period, all original beaded purse, sporting black cats. It's the latest addition to my antique and vintage purse collection. It's also the extent of my Halloween decorations this year.

Do any of you read Martha Stewart Living magazine? She always has a page titled, "Martha's Month". And, she always has an incredible list of things she plans to (and I'm sure DOES) get accomplished each month. Then there's my month.
Martha plants trees. I pull weeds. Martha winterizes vehicles. I get a few loads of clothes laundered. Martha checks and fill birdfeeders (have you seen how many she has??). I kill 6, very slow flies that have somehow found their way into my home, hoping to winter over. Martha does cardio, core and weight training. I walk (regularly, yay), but then eat a local joint's homemade biscuits, and raid my pantry of cheese sticks, pepperoni rolls, almonds, and anything else I can get my hands on in between meals. Martha sets out tableware. I search boxes (numerous times) for the dishes I know I stored last summer in that basement stash. You catch my drift.  We could all use a team of minions to order things getting accomplished in home and garden.

Speaking of the garden, and all that cleanup needing done...Mr. P. mows our lawn (declaring next year he will have a minion), and he does a fine job of it. He always uses the leaf blower afterward, to get grass clippings away from edges. This time of year we see a LOT of spiders assisting in decorating for Halloween with their webs near any light source, shrubs and gates included. Mr. P. was aiming for one corner of the porch recently, and came in to inform me he made a mess. Um, yea, you could say that. He aimed the blower in the corner, and apparently one spider exploded! I ended up having to clean the entire porch balcony. Afterward, I got my trusty Terro Spider Killer out and sprayed all corners. I should be good until the first freeze, when Mother Nature takes over the chore. This stuff works, and lasts about 6-8 weeks. I use it from spring through fall as a preventive measure. No kickbacks on this blog, just sharing.
I love the South. Good manners, good people, good food. This past summer, when Mr. P. and I were in Tennessee (Bristol) for the funeral of his college coach, I was amazed and impressed with how folks were so courteous when the funeral procession traveled from the chapel to the cemetery. People coming from the opposite direction pulled off the road until we all drove past. I even saw a few gentlemen standing along the side of the road actually take off their hats as we drove by.

Speaking of Bristol..have you seen the latest Geico commercial? I mentioned in this post about the unique characteristic of the town, and how there is actually a Bristol, TN...on the opposite side of State Street is Bristol, VA. Check out this commercial .....Virginessee, or is it Tenneginia? lol



Traveling from Georgia in September, I can't remember which state I saw it in but...have you ever traveled down the highway and seen a similar sight as the photo below (three crosses, highly visible)? Well, it could be a result of a fellow from West Virginia, named Bernie Coffindaffer.
Example of Coffindaffer 'Crosses of Mercy'
These crosses of mercy, as he labeled them, are all over West Virginia, and can now be seen in other states, thanks to Bernie. Here's a little back story on Bernie Coffindaffer, and the start of his personal mission. In summary, Mr. Coffindaffer felt it was his mission to construct these crosses - with his own money, to the tune of nearly $3 million before he died - in areas most in need. Now there's a non-profit established, Crosses Across America, to continue his work and maintain those already in place. 

For those of you who love Fiesta dinnerware (or dishes!) =), the WV Culture Center just opened an exhibit in Charleston, West Virginia, featuring an 80-year anniversary celebration of the WV-manufactured china. The exhibit will go on for six months (through sometime in April, 2017). In addition to some nice local press via an article in the Charleston Gazette, the actual exhibit features every color Fiesta manufactured since 1936 - with its original five colors - and all the years following (with only a break in production from 1973 - 1986). Since its reintroduction in 1986, Fiesta dinnerware has been oh, so popular! If you go, admission to all exhibits and our state's museum at the Culture Center are free. There's a really nice gift shop, too.
Do you have any guilty pleasures? I admit it, I do. I take my daily vitamins with a Diet Coke. An ice-cold, slushy diet coke. Diet Coke that I store in a little Sub Zero right at the top of the stairs, near the bedroom and bath. Ahhh...an ice-cold swig is good most anytime. I drink a lot of water, too, but that Diet Coke is a vice I probably won't give up anytime soon.
I've told you before that I'm always drawn to signs that speak to me for whatever reason, usually because they prompt a double meaning of some kind. Here's just one sign - from our Great American Road Trip - that I was able to catch through the lens.
Spotted in Arkansas, this was the name of a convenience store/gas station. No. Just no. Never. And who do we know that is presidentially famous, and hails from the state of Arkansas? It was the first thing that came to mind when I spotted the sign.

With that, I must go. I've got a lot of things to cross off my list in November, and it's time to turn the page on the calendar. November is here. Martha's leaving me in the dust.

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing: BNOTP, The Scoop

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