Backyard Neighbor

PINK SATURDAY - HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2012

 Beverly, at How Sweet the Sound, is hosting Pink Saturday for the most fun Blog Party of the week.  Sharing  New Years wishes on Pink Saturday is so special.    Thank you Beverly for being a very special host for a very special celebration.

TO WELCOME...

IN PINK!!!

 

 

Let them have cake!!!

 

And...

 

Pink Champagne or...

pink lemonade!!!

or course.

THANK YOU TO MY DEAR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND BLOGGING FRIENDS...

FOR A YEAR OF SHARING, CARING, CRYING, LAUGHING, PRAYING AND MOST OF ALL LOVING KINDNESS FOR EACH OTHER.

This poem is for you.

New Year’s Reflections

  Looking back on the months gone by,
As a new year starts and an old one ends,
We contemplate what brought us joy,
And we think of our loved ones and our friends. Recalling all the happy times,
Remembering how they enriched our lives,
We reflect upon who really counts,
As the fresh and bright new year arrives. And when I ponder those who do,
I immediately think of you. Thanks for being one of the reasons I'll have a Happy New Year!  

By Joanna Fuchs

NEW YEARS BLESSINGS AND LOVE.

JEANNE

LUNCH AT THE BISTRO AT THE BILTMORE ESTATE - Christmas 2011

Today is Foodie Friday.   Join Gollum, our host at, Designs by Gollum.  I have enjoyed the blogs that participated in this event and I hope you will enjoy mine.  If you haven't visited Gollum's blog before now, be sure and visit to share the fun foodie posts.   You will  be glad you did.

LUNCH AT THE BISTRO ON FRIDAY

 

The Bistro is located at the Winery at the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC.  We are going to see the Christmas 2011 display at the Biltmore Estates and then  lunch at this wonderful restruant.   The food is delicious and Christmas 2011 in america's largest home is amazing.

THE BISTRO

 

brie plate apetizer

 

Surf and turf entree

A few photos from Google is all I can share.  The public is not allowed to take photos of the Christmas decorations in the Biltmore.

THE BILTMORE ESTATE

Magical Christmas 2011

 

The library at the Biltmore

 

The formal dining room.

 

The entry hall by the main staircase.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We live about an hour and 15 minutes from the fabulous home and we have annual passes.  After all the hustle and rush of the holidays my hubs and I are going out on a date together.  Yippee!

Blessings and have a wonderful New Year in 2012.

JEANNE

 

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY - Snow at last...REALLY?

 Susan at, A Southern Daydreamer, is our host for today's event.  Please visit Susan's blog for great outdoor posts.

YOU COULD CALL THIS SNOW!!!

 

 

Three days after Christmas...IT SNOWED LAST NIGHT

 

The cabin deck

 

Our front deck stairs

 

Yeah, it is really snow on our front deck

You could say a dusting...

Not enough to make this...

NOW, THIS IS SNOW... CHRISTMAS LAST YEAR.

Where is the real snow?

Happy Outdoor Weds.

Blessings,

JEANNE

 

KNICK OF TIME & NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY - WOULD YOU SLEEP IN THIS BED?

 Please join Angie at, Knick of Time to enjoy vintage treasures. Thank you angie for hosting this fun blog party.

Linking also to...

 

Thank you Linda at, Coastal Charm, for hosting  Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays  as well.

Please visit Angie's and Linda's blogs for some great fun with bargain and vintage hunting treasures.

A VINTAGE BED

I was going through my photos and found something of interest to share.  Over a year ago I went to an antique store in Ashville and this antique bed was for sale. It has an oriental look about it and it is very ornate.  I can't imagine sleeping in this bed.  How about you???

 

It wasn't very big compared to todays standards.  Small people would fit in that bed or maybe one person.  Maybe royalty or someone wealthy.  It sure made my imagination go into gear. I do not remember how much it was.  There are a few antiques around it as well. I would like to go back to that store again one day.

Happy thrift hunting.

Love,

JEANNE

BLUE MONDAY - YOU ARE BLESSED IF...

Thank you Sally for hosting blue Monday so faithfully.  I always wonder if I can possibly find another blue thing to post but so far so good.  I enjoy this event so much.  Please visit Sally's blog for lots more blue at, Smiling Sally.

This post was an Email sent to me that really touched me.

If you have seen this before than you already know that in many of these statements... you are already blessed!!!

This post is a blessing to you if...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to share this with my dear blogging friends.  Do we think about our blessings everyday or are we complaining that life isn't what it used to be, etc. etc. etc.? How many of these blessings could be yours?

I'M BETTING THAT THERE WILL BE MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD,

Blessings and love,

JEANNE

 

 

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY - THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

 

 

Please visit  Spiritual Sunday for inspiration and blessings.  Thank you Charlotte and Marydon for hosting this special event each Sunday.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 

MAY THE JOYS OF CHRISTMAS BE IN YOUR HEART ALL YEAR

 

 

Blessings and love,

JEANNE

PINK SATURDAY - SHARING CHRISTMAS IV

 Beverly, at How Sweet the Sound, is hosting Pink Saturday for the most fun Blog Party of the week.  Sharing Christmas on Pink Saturday is so much fun.  I for one, am loving it.   Thank you Beverly.  You ROCK!!!

SHARING CHRISTMAS ON PINK SATURDAY

Friday is a special day because our son Brett and his wife Lori are spending the day with us.  As a surprise I invited my sisters and their hubs for dinner.  I set the table with my Christmas plates with the pink trees made by Johnson Brothers.  My table is 9 feet long but very narrow.  Not much room for extras on the table.  However, I love the way it looks.

 

The centerpiece with my gold deer and a gold garland of leaves is barely able to fit. The meal has to be served buffet style because there is no room to pass the food at the table. I like to serve buffet style so it works for me.

The deer napkin holders are a thrift find. The candle holders with the gold candles fit nicely.

My buffett behind the table.  Dana at, The Stone Rabbitt made Paula Deen's snack mix and it sounded so good, I too made it to give away. I lined it up on the buffett to hand out tonight at my dinner party.  I made lots more but we are keeping some for company and Bill. He loves it and he told me to tell Dana...A great big thank you!!!

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Now for a few photos of more Christmas in my home.

My fruit tree first.

 

 

 

This tree is in my great room.  All the ornaments are fruit.  It took my a long time to get enough fruit to decorate my 8 FT. tree.

 

Great room mantel.

 

A few angels in a white sleigh.

 

My chandy over the table.

 

I always put these Christmas dishes in my hutch at christmas.  We use them for all of our meals unless I use th pink ones. Smile!

 

 

This plate is a recent gift.  It is the perfect expression for me because I dearly love Christmas .

 

Ho, Ho, Ho Have a wonderful Christmas holiday.

Blessings,

JEANNE

 

 

 

 

 

VINTAGE THINGY THURSDAY - SHARING CHRISTMAS III

Suzanne at, Coloradolady, is our host for today's fun event.  Be sure and visit Suzanne's blog for lots more vintage fun.

Thank you Suzanne for hosting this event.

Sharing Christmas and a few vintage items.

This deer is a gift from my sister Caralie.  She bought it in an auction as she was buying for her antique business, Bluebird Antiques in Atlanta. She knows how much I love deer and especially this hand carved wooden one.  It is hard to determine the age but it is definately a nice old one.  He is beautiful and a treasure to me.

Here he is in the big picture,

 

This is not a great photo but you can see the deer is part of a display on top of the entertainment center.

 

My kitchen window

These ornaments are all handmade and you might not say they are vintage but they were made many years ago.

 

Made by my mom over 30 years ago

 

Also made by my mom. These lovely Christmas balls mean so much to me.  She passed away over 25 years ago.

 

When my daughters were small I learned how to do smocking.  This is a smocked Christmas ball made by me.  Believe me, I only made one. HA!

 

This Christmas ball is knitted or maybe crochet.  I love the work in it but I do not remember when I received this lovely treasure.  Long ago, thats for sure.

 

Santa was handpainted by my mother-in-law many years ago and he is a very special part of our Christmas decorations each year.

I really enjoyed sharing these Christmas treasures with you.

Christmas blessings to all,

JEANNE

 

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY - SHARING CHRISTMAS II

 Susan at, A Southern Daydreamer, is our host for today's event.  Please visit Susan's blog for great outdoor posts.

CHRISTMAS IN MY GUEST BEDROOM

This year I decorated a big tree in my guest bedroom.  It all happened by accident and I'm glad it did.  I asked my hubs to bring in our tree and he brought the one we haven't used for a couple of years.  Sometimes we get our wires crossed and I didn't want to seem unappreciative when he struggled in with the tree from the garage and since he was standing in the hall right next to the guest bedroom, that is where I told him to put the tree.  I used all the old ornaments that we had packed away for many years.  I would call this a traditional tree.  Lots of memories of Christmas past came to me as I hung the ornaments of old.  My sister came over and helped me decorate. She had given me many of these ornaments over the years and most of them were handmade. We had the best time reliving those memories and this ended up being my favorite tree of the three trees I decorated.

 

I made the Santa

 

My mom made this ornament

 

The bell was my mom's. Very old and I treasure the memory.

 

Several vintage ornaments that I love.

 

 

I made the tree skirt from a quilt pattern.

 

I love this old chifferobe.  The quilt was made by me.

 

This vintage wash stand was my mother's.

 

The bed gets dressed for Christmas too. It is not a great photo. Sigh!

 

The JOY of decorating this room was in my heart that day.

Blessings and love this Christmas and always,

JEANNE

2ND TIME AROUND AND THRIFTY NIFTY TUESDAYS - SHARING CHRISTMAS

Thank you Diane at, A Picture is Worth 1000 words, for hosting a great way to share our thrifty finds. 

Thank you Linda at, Coastal Charm, for hosting  Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays  as well.

Please visit Diane and Linda's blogs for some great fun with bargain hunting treasures.

GREAT AFTER CHRISTMAS BARGAINS

I have a hall tree that I love.  It is vintage and it was made in England.  I always enjoy doing something special to decorate my favorite piece of furniture for Christmas.

This is different from last year and I am enjoying the change.

 

I bought the Christmas ball wreath for half price at $15.  The canes are all vintage.  A fun collection.  The Longaberger basket holds our Christmas cards.

 

This was not a bargain. HA! I bought it many years ago.

 

CHRISTMAS IN THE GUEST BATH

 

The best bargain ever...FREE. A beautiful porcelain soap dispenser.

 

Yes free, and brand new.  The soap dispenser thingy was broken. I had one that fit in my home.  This pic is hard to see but the price was 15.99 and the red ink says free.  I found it in the clearance area in a big Christmas store. Oh happy day!!!

My guest bath counter.

The glass and matching soap holder is from Good Will.  Made in the USA and from the 50's. $2.

 

The color is a bit weird because I took this pic at night.

 

The little squirrel was a gift and the holly a Good Will find for $1.

Christmas is a festive time of the year in almost every room in our home. I am sharing Christmas for the rest of this week.

Christmas blessings,

JEANNE