Made in Cape Breton

Made in Cape Breton quilt. 

As we were leaving Cape Breton last month, we stopped in at the Port Hasting Museum Quilt and Craft Shop at the roundabout to see the quilt exhibit.  It's hard for me to pass up an exhibit of quilts.  Although I no longer quilt (I did once make a quilt--completely by hand---pieced and quilted.) I enjoy seeing the handiwork of others.

There are other hand-crafted items there too.  I especially like the little pins made of zippers.

Zipper pins.

And the wall hangings and pillows are pretty too.

Wall hanging.

Owl pillow.

I bought some pretty place mats with a nautical theme in the blues and reds that I like.

Nautical place mats.

I'm looking forward to using the place mats at our summer place in Cape Breton.  The colors match our dining room/sunroom very nicely.

The "Rug Garden of Eden"

Carmel Pine Hill Red Karastan rug.

Earlier this week friend Virginia and I made a quick trip to Eden, NC to take her beautiful Oriental rug to be cleaned.  Scotty's in Eden is one of the few places in the country that specializes in hand cleaning Oriental rugs.

Hand-cleaning Oriental rug at Scotty's in Eden, NC

While there we stopped in at Pace-Stone to check out their Karastan rugs. Karastan rugs are made in Eden, and the prices there are much less than in retail stores.  I was thinking perhaps I would get one for our guest bedroom.  There were two that had the greens I thought would match the newly painted bedroom. The first one, Fern Canyon Sage,  was a soft green that I was sure would work.

Karastan's Fern Canyon sage rug.

 And it did.

This rug works beautifully in our newly painted guest bedroom.

The second one, Pine Hill Red,  I liked very much but thought perhaps it was too"busy" for the bedroom---particularly with the bedspread that suits the room---but might just be the one for the living room.  In the meantime, Virginia liked the PHR rug too for her dining room.  And we don't mind if we have the same rugs. 

Our favorite bedspread for the guest bedroom.

Karastan Pine Hill Red rug.

Although the colors are good, with the bedspread it is much too "busy".


I really wasn't shopping for a living room rug, but I liked the rug so much!  And it would be a nice change for the living room. (This behavior is quite atypical for me, I go shopping with a particular something in mind, and I don't usually buy things on the spur of the moment.)  I could return the rug if it didn't work. So home it came. Anyway, it was the size Virginia wanted, and she wouldn't have to order one if I didn't use it. It would be hers.

The 8 x 10 is a bit too big for our living room, but the 5 x 8 should be perfect.

The colors are perfect for the living room.  I'll be ordering a 5 x 8 though, because we like a lot of the hardwood floor exposed.  This 8 x 10 will go back to Virginia's where it will live in her dining room. 

This trip turned out to be the" Rug Garden" of Eden for both of us. 

  

A "Redo" of our Guest Bedroom

We recently parted with two of our bookcases in the guest bedroom (That "Empty Nest" Feeling  Revisted).  With the bookcases removed we needed to paint the room.

Wall where bookcase was removed.

I wanted to stay with green, but perhaps a lighter shade.  Steve (our painter) and I chose a pretty Benjamin Moore soft green (Rainforest Dew).  To make the room seem larger Steve suggested painting the ceiling the same color.  That worked very nicely.


It was fun rearranging the furniture in the room with more space sans the bookcases.

The reading corner.

A magazine rack from Dan's lab made by one of his students some years ago.

The Murphy bed.

With the bookcases removed and with lots of books still in our possession, we had to find places for at least a few books in the room.  I stacked some under the small table.

Books under the table.

Needing a small bedside table and needing to place books, I decided to make a "table" of books.  We arranged two stacks of books and topped them with a flat basket, and I killed two birds with one stone---books used and bedside table in place.

A bedside "table" of books.

Steve attached a swing lamp onto the vertical frame of the Murphy bed that adds much-needed light for bedtime reading.

Swing lamp for reading in bed.

Steve always has wonderful ideas regarding placement of art on the walls and accent pieces.  He took several pictures we had and arranged a collage on the wall near the television.

Steve arranged this collage of artwork.

I moved one of my favorite pieces of pottery, the green vase "Eve" by Tammy Leigh, from our master bedroom to the guest room.  It just seems to fit better here now.

One of my very favorite pieces of pottery.  "Eve" by Tammy Leigh. 

The new rug makes for a cozy room, and with the Murphy bed in the up position, this is a great place to settle down with a good book in the corner.

Fern Canyon Sage carpet by Karastan. 

A basket of fluffy green and gold towels and we are ready for guests to enjoy the "redo" of the bedroom. 

A basket of towels.

This was fun!!  And thanks to Steve, who was a tremendous help.  Everyone needs a "Steve", and I need another project!!!!!

The Hawkins Reunion (Part Two): The Food and Fun

The food!

At the Hawkins Reunion last Sunday not only did we reunite with a lot of cousins, but we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner prepare by cousin Jerry Scruggs with the help of cousin Shelva Jean and the D's. (Donna, Debbie, and Deedee).

The food ready to eat.

The main dish was grilled turkey.  Jerry sliced, marinated, and grilled 49 pounds of turkey breasts.  Delicious.  I must get Jerry's marinade recipe.

Jerry's grilled turkey breasts.

Side dishes included:  sweet potato casseroles (Jerry's two and Shelva's one).

Sweet potato casseroles.

Slaw, green beans and macaroni.

Green beans.

Jerry's yeast rolls made in advance, frozen and reheated.  So yummy!

Jerry's rolls ready to heat.

Sliced tomatoes, Shelva's pear relish---must get this recipe too. 

Sliced tomatoes.

Shelva Jean's pear relish.

And of course, dessert, Jerry's peach cobbler.

Peach cobbler.

Enjoying the dinner.

After lunch Bingo was enjoyed by young and old. 

One of my winning bingo cards.

My prize.

 But no, we weren't through.  Finally, the pièce de résistance---old fashioned homemade ice cream. There were five freezers (the hand-cranked type) of ice cream---each a different flavor. This really took me back to my childhood. 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Old-fashioned home made ice cream.

Oh I do hope we will be on the invitation list for next year's 25th Hawkins Reunion. I'm already looking forward to it.  

The Hawkins Reunion (Part One): The People

A photo displayed in 2013 of the Hawkins Reunion of 2007.

Dan and I had so much fun at the Hawkins Reunion in Cleveland County this past weekend that I will need TWO posts to cover it.  It would be too long for one post.  The Reunion was the 24th such reunion for descendants of Preston Hawkins. Jerry Scruggs and Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson, grandchildren of Preston and organizers of the Reunion, invited me and my sister Martha to this because our grandmother, Dora Hawkins Greene, was a sister of Preston.  Jerry's mother and Shelva Jean's father were first cousins to my father, hence my sister and I are second cousins to Jerry and Shelva.  I reconnected with a number of my second cousins and met for the first time a number of second cousins, once removed.

The Reunion was hosted by Bill and Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson at their home and farm in Cleveland County, near Shelby, NC.

Shelva Jean Hawkins Wilson.

 The Wilsons have four lovely daughter: Donna, Denise, Deedee, and Debbie.  (Donna said that when they were young they were often referred to as the four D's.)  Denise was not at the reunion this year, but the other three D's were there to help. 

Donna.

Debbie with her Mom.

Deedee (Photo by Donna Wilson.)

There must have been fifty or more in attendance from the elders to the youngsters. 

The elders: Clockwise from left to right Dan Livingstone (my husband), L.R. Hawkins and Jimmy Hawkins (my second cousins.)

The youngsters: Cheyenne (left) and Savannah Carpenter, grandchildren of Eddie and Debbie Wilson Bridges.

Jerry, Shelva Jean, Martha, and  I share the same great grandfather, J.B. Hawkins (the white- bearded gentleman in the photo below.)

Hawkins family photo circa late 1800's.  J.B. Hawkins, white bearded man.  My grandmother (left of J.B.) and Preston Hawkins directly behind my grandmother. 

 My father inherited a pocket watch from J. B. Hawkins, I inherited it from Dad, and now I have given it to my younger son Patrick.  I took the watch with me to the Reunion for others to see.

Our great grandfather Hawkins' pocket watch.

Second cousin, Jimmy Hawkins, with Great Grandfather Hawkins' pocket watch.

Dan Livingstone and Jerry Scruggs.

Jerry Scruggs and my sister, Martha Greene Cabaniss.

It's an inspiration to see such a close-knit family that reunites each year.

I haven't mentioned the wonderful food---most of it prepared by Jerry with help from Shelva Jean and the D's---nor the fun and games enjoyed by all.  The Hawkins Reunion (Part Two): The Food will be the topic of my next blog.  Stay tuned.