Hello...again

Hello...remember me? I have been off line for a good while, trying to do a little of this and a lot of that. It is a busy time for all of us...especially those of use that are "makers". Our creative efforts kick into gear mid-summer and reach fever pitch right about now. My hand dids for Halloween and Christmas are finished and have been delivered. Aaah...a sigh of relief. 

I've done a bit of decorating for the season. A new addition to our fall decor is this sweet witch from Angela Hillstrom of Olde Raggs. Angela does such a fabulous job bringing her creations to life. The detail on all of her work is unequaled. And once again, this generous artist sent a special package to Annie...an adorable mouse ornament. As soon as Annie opened it, with a very big smile on her face, she said he was going on her owl tree. It will be down from the attic and decorated in a few short weeks.

Can you see an original hooked rug by Rebecca Lundquist in the background? What a great hooker and artist!

I did manage to hook a few pumpkins...long and lean.

And I pulled out this pillow I hooked many years ago. I think it is a Maria Barton pattern. I'll try to get myself together and add a few more decorating pics later.

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Recently, we spent a week in Tennessee. On our way to a board meeting in Nashville, we stopped in Franklin for four nights and spent our days exploring this beautiful and historic area. The house above is located in downtown Franklin. Isn't it a perfect house...especially for this time of year?

Downtown Franklin is a great little area with beautiful homes, churches, shops and restaurants. Just a little off the main street there is a cluster of antique shops...I did a little damage.

A visit to this cemetery was such a sobering and sad experience. Rows and rows of unidentified souls resting in a field on this plantation. Large obelisks with the name of the state and the number of the fallen from that state mark their graves.

The family who owned the plantation is also buried in a separate section of the cemetery...with many graves being those of the very young.

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We went walking in the woods.

And spent a day at Cheekwood Gardens. This is a beautiful mansion, full of art and surrounded by gardens. There is an herb garden, a boxwood garden, a Japanese garden and several more. We ate our lunch in an open area right beside a creek complete with waterfall. Heavenly!

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Midweek we moved on to Nashville to meet up with our gang.

We stayed at this magnificent hotel...The Hermitage. It is an historical beauty and our room (which I neglected to get a photo of) was wonderful, with a glorious view of the state house.

We had a long sit in the lovely lobby. (No lunch available, but we had a yummy lunch with our group on the veranda).

While we were sitting in the lobby, several city tours came into the hotel and gave the group a run down on all the history that has taken place here. The Suffragettes had their first big meeting here.

Right across the street from the hotel is the Tennessee State Museum. It is full of wonderful artifacts like the portrait above, and lots of great information about famous Tennesseans. We love a good museum and this one was an unexpected delight!

Our Last afternoon...a very tired Annie at the Ryman.

Of course, a trip to Nashville includes a visit to the Ryman. Annie is not a fan of loud music so we passed on the live concert with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers and a few others that our group had tickets to see. 

I have to admit the highlight of the trip for me was Franklin. Although it is a bedroom community to Nashville, it still has that small town feel. The Battle of Franklin was a turning point in the Civil War...the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. This lovely town has risen from the ashes of all that death and destruction and, in my opinion, does it's heritage proud.

Annie continues to talk about Cheekwood Gardens and what a fun day we spent there...just walking around...looking at nature...being together. Indeed, we enjoyed that day!

Hope to get around to visit you all and do some catching up.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn