New Library Hours

Wesson Library is NOW OPEN an hour earlier.
9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Closed for Lunch
11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

This is a New Blog for Me!

This is Brand New for me. I have never had a Blog before. Please have patients with me while I am trying to get this going.


This Blog is going to be about different things. Some of what I am thinking about, What I have done, Vacations, about my family and about my past.

The way I got into doing this Blog is my boyfriend. He has one and asked me if I would like to have one. I said yes and he is showing me how to Blog now. He is the sweetest Man I have ever met.


This is my first Post and it is going to be a short one. I will be writing more very soon. Thank you for your patients with me. 

Southeastern Flower Show

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Southeast Flower Show at the Cobb Galleria near Atlanta -- which incidentally is still going on today. The theme this year was "In Tune With Flowers." I don't know who came up with this theme, but I can tell you I was very entertained by the exhibits and the theme was one of the chief reasons.

There were the usual exhibits of juried flower cuttings and potted flowers. That is always interesting. My flowers almost never compare.

And there are always some beautiful table settings. In the background, one of the speakers, Vince Dooley, in the background, is speaking to the audience in the Home Depot theater. As most Georgia garden enthusiasts know, Dooley is also a gardener as well as a famous former Georgia football coach. He was here speaking about his book on gardening and owing to the mad crush around him, quite an draw at the show.

This is one of the most unique water fountains I have ever seen, made from wind instruments. It was amazing.

I loved the small tables tucked into curtained "gazebo-like" structures. I would love to do that on my back porch.

The flowers on the table settings were not the only things to emulate. The dishes and decorations were beautiful.

Of course, I particularly liked the vegetable garden displays.

 
The flowers in this exhibit were gorgeous but I laughed out loud when I saw the name -- so imaginative.

And the "hats" in this exhibits were wonderful. This was one of my favorites -- loved the Audrey Hepburn photo in the background.

I did have the opportunity to photograph some beautiful and unusual cut flowers that were apparently lighted for that purpose.

 

One of my purchases, a Venus Flytrap.

I will have more on the interesting things I saw in the next few days.

Singita Sabi Sand South Africa Top Hotel

Singita Sabi Sand offers rare solitude and the ultimate in safari luxury on prime game viewing land recognised globally for its diversity and formidable concentration of big game and frequent leopard sightings. Guests can choose between three unfenced lodges, infused with the glamour and elegance of Singita.
Website: Singita Sabi Sand

Singita Sabi Sand Hotel South Africa
Singita Sabi Sand beautiful night view
Singita Sabi Sand lounge
Singita Sabi Sand bed room
Singita Sabi Sand lounge

Singita Sabi Sand South Africa Top Hotel

Singita Sabi Sand offers rare solitude and the ultimate in safari luxury on prime game viewing land recognised globally for its diversity and formidable concentration of big game and frequent leopard sightings. Guests can choose between three unfenced lodges, infused with the glamour and elegance of Singita.
Website: Singita Sabi Sand

Singita Sabi Sand Hotel South Africa
Singita Sabi Sand beautiful night view
Singita Sabi Sand lounge
Singita Sabi Sand bed room
Singita Sabi Sand lounge

We planted our Late Winter/Early Spring Garden! Hooray! I really don't know what to call it but I do know that it is time for the cooler weather crops like lettuce, broccoli, greens, onions and peas. Gardens never look very exciting at first, do they?

Thanks to the weather that suddenly turned beautiful and dried up a bit, we were able to get into the garden and till, then plant. It really didn't take very much time. I guess I can say that, because I really didn't spend too much time in the garden. My gardening partners, my husband and my sister did most of the work and it really looks good.

We planted some of the seeds we had purchased at the end of the season last year, planted some saved seeds and bought some plants. All in all, I feel rather proud of us. Only problem is, our fence didn't work when we tested it. If we can keep the critters out until we fix it I think things will be fine. Lesson Learned: Check the equipment before you plant!

Here's the rundown on what we have planted.

We had mostly leftover carrots and we just planted them in rows. The varieties are Chatenay, Danvers Half Long, and Bolero Nantes (French carrots). We have never been very successful with carrots but this year we vow to thin them. We have never done that before.

Radishes, Early Scarlet Globe and Cherry Belle.

Spinach, Long Standing. We haven't been too successful with spinach so far but this is a new variety.

We really mixed up the lettuce. We had a wide row filled with mixed lettuce seeds, mostly Italian Mixture, also Great Lakes Head Lettuce, Ashley (a red variety), Flame (red) Royal Oakleaf and Little Gem. We also bought lettuce plants, mostly Buttercrunch and Romaine with a couple of varieties of Head Lettuce.

We planted a wide row of Dwarf Siberian Kale. We love kale. We planted a wide row of Mixed Greens that included, Turnip, Mustard, and Rape seeds. This is a very good mixture of greens for us and usually grows well. We have a nice wide row of greens.

For the peas, we had some leftover Oregon Giant Sugar Pods, Alaska Peas and we planted a nice long row of Sugar Snap Peas. I like the pods best but my family really likes the peas you shell. I hope we have both.

In addition to the lettuce plants we purchased broccoli, red and green cabbage, a few collards and Georgia Sweet and Red onions. We also bought a pot of cilantro because that is an herb that seems to prefer milder weather and last year we planted it a bit late. I hope we have a better crop this year.

That is all my garden news. We are now waiting for things to grow and shooing away animals until the fence is mended

An unusual surprise garden treat

Our garden is tilled and we are in the planting stages for our late winter/early spring garden.

When my husband (who is our expert family tiller) revved up his engine to till the soil, he uncovered some leftover vegetables deep in the soil where our turnip greens had grown in the fall. There were several pounds of turnips that were uncovered by the tilling process. He collected them and decided to bring them home to see if we could do something with them.

Washing them was a chore and I don't have a photo of how dirty they were when he brought them home but after that job was done I thought we might cook them, though I can't say I was enthusiastic about it.

Even though it is nice to get anything you didn't expect, turnips were never my favorite food. I like turnip greens but the turnips were always something I avoided as a child. I think my mother must have understood this because she never forced me to eat them -- maybe to take an occasional bite but I can't remember anything more than a very small bite and then saying, "No thanks."

They were usually chopped into small pieces boiled in water and served with butter and salt. I didn't think this was a good idea for our few pounds of turnips -- at least not for me, so I decided to try roasting them.

My husband had also brought home some stray garlic greens that had grown up in the garden and since baby garlic really has a mild flavor, somewhat like leeks, I decided to try roasting them together.

My first job was peeling the turnips. I thought that after overwintering, they might be hard and pithy but they were mild, sweet and tender.

I cut them in small pieces, lined a pan with parchment paper and oiled the paper with olive oil. Then I put all the cut up pieces of turnip and chopped garlic greens onto the parchment paper, added salt and pepper and poured about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the top and stirred them a bit with a spatula. I then placed them into a 400 degree oven.

I stirred them about every 15 minutes and cooked them about 40 minutes until they were tender and browned on the edges.

My roasted turnips were a success. Even my 5 year old grandson ate a few. I think the really thought they were potatoes ... but he ate them. My husband was happy because I cooked what he brought home and adding the roasted turnips to my meal of grilled chicken, sugar peas, salad made it a little bit of a treat.

A better butter

 I love butter. I agree with the folks who say you can't have too much butter. It is tasty and adding butter or cream cheese to a recipe usually makes it a winner. Unfortuneately, I have to go easy on those ingredients to help my waistline and cholesterol numbers.

Here is a recipe we are using at my house to cut the fat and add flavor to toast, baked potatoes and things like the slow-cooker oatmeal I ate for breakfast. It won't work for everything. There isn't enough fat in this buttery substitute to saute or use in baking, but it is good as a spread and has only 1/3 the fat of butter. It also has more beneficial nutrients than butter. It is especially good for people who can't eat milk products. This recipe contains coconut milk which has been in the news of late as an ingredient with beneficial fat.

Buttery Spread

3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons millet (or yellow corn meal)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or butter-flavored salt)

Place ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium high. Turn down to medium and allow to simmer for five minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend on high for one minute. Place in a container and allow to chill overnight or until it sets.

Use as you would butter or margarine. If may get stiffer after a few days and if this happens, add a little water until it is a better consistency for spreading.

Makes one cup.

The Oberoi Udaivilas Hotel in Udaipur India

Udaipur, in the heart of Rajasthan, is a city of majestic palaces and beautiful lakes. Here, adorning the banks of Lake Pichola and standing witness to the historic City Palace, The Oberoi Udaivilas captures all the romance and splendour of a royal era.

Conceived as a traditional Indian palace, The Oberoi Udaivilas showcases the rich heritage of the Mewar region of Rajasthan with its rambling courtyards, gentle rippling fountains, reflection pools and verdant gardens. Grand architecture inspired by the palaces of Rajasthan present a picture of majesty resplendent with pavilions and domes that lead you to a journey of discovery. Interiors embellished with decorative domes, hand painted frescoes, intricate mirror work and beautifully crafted artefacts create an ambience of regal splendour.

An enchanting boat ride across Lake Pichola transports you to the ceremonial welcome that awaits you at resort. Rooms with terraces that open on to semi-private swimming pools present exquisite views and are a unique feature of Udaivilas. Magnificently decorated suites with private swimming pools and outdoor dining pavilions are exclusive retreats.

Fine international cuisine, authentic flavours of Rajasthan or a quiet drink are all presented with views of the City Palace and Lake Pichola.

The luxurious spa with its own swimming pool overlooks the lake and is a haven of serenity. Trained therapists pamper body and soul with rejuvenating treatments. The resort also offers the opportunity to undertake private Yoga, meditations and Pranayam sessions with the resident Yoga teacher or explore the city steeped in the romance of the oldest living dynasty in the world.

At The Oberoi Udaivilas, the magnificent setting combines with royal service to make your holiday a journey into the romance and grandeur of another century. This resort offers an experience created exclusively for those who know there is nothing like too much luxury

The Oberoi Udaivilas luxury hotel of India
The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur
The Oberoi Udaivilas

The Oberoi Udaivilas Viw

The Oberoi Udaivilas Hotel in Udaipur India

Udaipur, in the heart of Rajasthan, is a city of majestic palaces and beautiful lakes. Here, adorning the banks of Lake Pichola and standing witness to the historic City Palace, The Oberoi Udaivilas captures all the romance and splendour of a royal era.

Conceived as a traditional Indian palace, The Oberoi Udaivilas showcases the rich heritage of the Mewar region of Rajasthan with its rambling courtyards, gentle rippling fountains, reflection pools and verdant gardens. Grand architecture inspired by the palaces of Rajasthan present a picture of majesty resplendent with pavilions and domes that lead you to a journey of discovery. Interiors embellished with decorative domes, hand painted frescoes, intricate mirror work and beautifully crafted artefacts create an ambience of regal splendour.

An enchanting boat ride across Lake Pichola transports you to the ceremonial welcome that awaits you at resort. Rooms with terraces that open on to semi-private swimming pools present exquisite views and are a unique feature of Udaivilas. Magnificently decorated suites with private swimming pools and outdoor dining pavilions are exclusive retreats.

Fine international cuisine, authentic flavours of Rajasthan or a quiet drink are all presented with views of the City Palace and Lake Pichola.

The luxurious spa with its own swimming pool overlooks the lake and is a haven of serenity. Trained therapists pamper body and soul with rejuvenating treatments. The resort also offers the opportunity to undertake private Yoga, meditations and Pranayam sessions with the resident Yoga teacher or explore the city steeped in the romance of the oldest living dynasty in the world.

At The Oberoi Udaivilas, the magnificent setting combines with royal service to make your holiday a journey into the romance and grandeur of another century. This resort offers an experience created exclusively for those who know there is nothing like too much luxury

The Oberoi Udaivilas luxury hotel of India
The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur
The Oberoi Udaivilas

The Oberoi Udaivilas Viw

 As I was driving to work last week, I kept seeing these little yellow signs all over the place -- Movie Crew Parking and JN. I also noticed that Broad Street was blocked off in places. I decided to take some photos and see if it was the new movie called Joyful Noise that was filming in Newnan. (Those JN signs were a pretty clear clue.)

I found this on Facebook about the movie:

 

Dolly Parton makes her big screen comeback for the 2011 Musical "Joyful Noise", alongside Grammy-winning actress Queen Latifah. The gospel-musical centers on an unlikely friendship that's the result of a choir director's death. His widow (Parton) assumes she's going to be left in charge of the struggling choir, but a strong-willed mother of two (Latifah) has already taken on the job. Soon, they learn to work together, and with the help of the choir, make musical magic on stage.The two team up for Dolly's first big-screen debut since 1992's Straight Talk. Set to come out summer of 2011. Shooting starts in January. Who else can't wait?

Dolly Parton makes her big screen comeback for the 2011 Musical "Joyful Noise", alongside Grammy-winning actress Queen Latifah. The gospel-musical centers on an unlikely friendship that's the result of a choir director's death. His widow (Parton) assumes she's going to be left in charge of the struggling choir, but a strong-willed mother of two (Latifah) has already taken on the job. Soon, they learn to work together, and with the help of the choir, make musical magic on stage.The two team up... (read more)

Screenplay By:

Todd Graff

Produced By:

Warner Brothers 

 

 

 Pretty cool, huh? I am not a celebrity chaser but it is interesting when "Hollywood" comes to your town. I would have gone a street over and taken some photos but the police were stopping would-be gawkers, as I would have become. I am not sure if the stars were in our town but it is nice to have the movie filming here because I would imagine it helps our local economy.

The great thing about it was everything seemed to be handled in an orderly fashion. It was exciting for a couple of days for us and I think the filming will be moving on this week to Atlanta. I only wish I could have gotten some better photos.

Notre Dame De Paris

Notre Dame DE Paris (French for Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île DE la Cite in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedral (official chair), of the Archbishop of Paris, currently Andre Vingt-Trois. The cathedral treasury houses a reliquary with the purported Crown of Thorns.

Notre Dame DE Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. The first period of construction from 1163 into the 1240's coincided with the musical experiments of the Notre Dame school.

Notre Dame DE Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. The cathedral was essentially complete by 1345.

The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. An extensive restoration supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc removed remaining decoration, returning the cathedral to an 'original' gothic state.

Jean de Jandun recognized the cathedral as one of Paris's three most important buildings in his 1323 "Treatise on the Praises of Paris":


Notre Dame DE Paris classical interior
Notre Dame DE Paris Tower
Notre Dame DE Paris statue
Notre Dame DE Paris view
Notre Dame DE Paris