French Quarter Festival: Outdoor Wednesday

Recently we traveled to Louisiana for a family crawfish boil. On the way home, we stopped by New Orleans and walked around in the French Quarter. It was our first time to be in the French Quarter during the French Quarter Festival. It was crowded, but the weather was fabulous, and the skies were crystal blue! These are some random pics that I took that day.

Connor inspecting some art work in Jackson Square

You never know what you’ll see in the French Quarter. Connor had a million questions for this ‘golden’ guy!

Cooper’s reaction to the dinosaur’s loud roar!

A visit to the French Quarter is not complete without beignets from Cafe de Monde

Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square

A magician outside of Cafe Du Monde

Cooper soaked it all up too….

Connor posing in a tree in the middle of Jackson Square

Musicians all over the place playing Dixieland music!

This picture is classic New Orleans!

I love the balconies with the plants!

Large crowds spread out all over Jackson Square to listen to the New Orleans Jazz bands.

Puppeteer performing in the French Quarter

We had a great time at the French Quarter Festival and found it to be family friendly in the areas we walked near Jackson Square and the Mississippi River. It was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it in the French Quarter!

Please join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for more Outdoor Wednesday Posts.

Thanks for coming by!

Diane

2nd Time Around: An Estate Sale Treasure

Welcome to 2nd Time Around. If you love 2nd hand treasures, I would love for you to join us and link your post to Mr. Linky below. Anything that you have from a flea market, antique store, garage sale, thrift store, estate sale, or auction will be perfect!

This week, I’m posting a picture of a mirror and brush set that I bought at an estate sale. The set is silver plated, but very nice! It is one of my favorite estate sale finds. I’ve always wanted a set, and when I found this set, I had to have it. One thing about sales like this…you can’t go in with an idea of what you will buy ahead of time!

Here’s a close up of the details……

Thanks for stopping by!

Hope you have a wonderful day,

Diane

Blue Monday: Crawfish Boil

Last weekend we traveled to Houma LA to a crawfish boil that my cousins have each year.

Look for blue in the pictures….I’m linking to Smiling Sally  and Blue Monday! Be sure to stop by and visit her for more blue posts!

Connor has been for the past 3 years and really looks forward to it!

This was Cooper’s second time to go with us. He was so good all weekend. He loves to be outside and the weather was perfect!

I would not want to be a crawfish! LOL

I would love to know what Cooper was thinking!

 As you can see from the picture, it was a very relaxed and enjoyable time for us. We visited aunts, uncles and cousins and had a wonderful time!  On the way back, we stopped in New Orleans and visited the French Quarter. The French Quarter Festival was that weekend, and I took lots of pictures. Come back Wednesday, and I’ll have my New Orleans pictures posted then!

Thanks for coming by!

Do you worry?

I have to confess, that sometimes I worry. This week I received an email from a friend that said “ An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.” That makes sense doesn’t it??

This is the chorus to one of my favorite hymns:

Here’s the background information about the song:

Mrs. William Stillman Martin had experienced the protecting hand of the Lord during an illness. The incident was so precious to her that she wrote the song, “God Will Take Care of You.”

Once she visited a friend, and related her story and hoping in some way to help relieve the friend’s depressed state. After hearing the story, the friend said, “You know, I shouldn’t worry, should I? We are promised in the Bible that God watches over the little sparrows.”

They then had a little time of rejoicing over God’s wonderful watchful care and protection. When she arrived home, Mrs. Martin sat down and penned this song.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Knowing that God’s eye is on the sparrow is a comfort to me!

Hope you have a blessed and restful Sunday!

Diane

Fun with Pink Dots

Beverly at How Sweet the Sound is hosting Pink Saturday Be sure and visit her for some pink fun!

If you stare at the blinking pink dots, you will see only one color, pink. If you look at the the + in the center, you'll see a circle of pink dots and a rotating green dot.Now, stare at the + without moving your eyes

The pink dots will disappear and you will see only a rotating green dot.
It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot and the pink ones don't really disappear. This is proof that we don't always see what we think we see.

Did it work for you? It did for me but not at first!

Thanks for stopping by, and hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

Diane

2nd Time Around: Auction Teapots

Welcome to 2nd Time Around! If you love shopping at antiques stores, flea markets, garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores this is for you! Just create a post featuring something that is ‘new’ to you and link with Mr. Linky below.

Do you like auctions? To be honest, I really don’t. For one thing, they last too long. And there is something about competitive bidding that I just don’t enjoy! Maybe if I went more often I would become an old pro. But usually I have so many other things to do on the weekends, and don’t have time.

These teapots are my one and only auction purchase. They were offered together and no one else was that interested, so I got them both for not too much! The first one was the reason I bothered to bid in the first place. I love china with little violet flowers!

This is a close up of the details…….

This one was included in the grouping along with a mismatched sugar bowl. I have it in my secretary, but may use it this season for some fresh flowers.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you will join us for 2nd Time Around. I look forward to seeing your ‘new to you’ treasures!

Bargain Pinks

If you love pink, join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. She has a whole list of pink posts for you to visit!

Today, I thought I would feature a couple of my bargain ‘pinks’. This DKNY shirt was bought recently at Dirt Cheap-a local store that sells salvaged merchandise. They have been putting out tons of stuff from Macy’s! I love the pink and green combination in this shirt!

Last year I bought a few 6 packs of dianthus, more commonly known as ‘pinks’. These flowers were really cheap-50 cents for a six pack! They looked pretty bad when I bought them, but I set them out anyway and I sure am glad.

They have really brightened up my spring flower beds. Only thing is…..I wish I had bought and planted LOTS more. Don’t you just love flowers that come back every year? I know I do!

Thanks so much for coming by and looking at my pink bargains! I hope you have a wonderful Pink Saturday!

Diane

Hot Lips Salvia

Look what’s blooming at my house- my Hot Lips Salvia! Today I thought I saw a hummingbird fluttering near by, but by the time I went outside with the camera, it was gone.

If you want to attract humming birds, try to get one of these plants this spring at the nursery.

A couple of years ago, I rooted a piece of this plant for my daughter, and now she has taken cuttings and is rooting it for her friends. It is very hardy and comes back each year. My plant did not die back at all last winter even though we had some very cold weather. It is a great investment!

From a garden site:

Perennial, evergreen. Sun. Flowers are variable ranging from pure white or red to
red with white, very unusual. 2'x2'. Low water. Attracts hummingbirds. 

Here’s another close up of the tiny red and white blooms:

Do you have a favorite plant that attracts hummingbirds? Please tell me about it!

Thanks for coming by today!

Diane

2nd Time Around: Thrift Store Lamp

  Welcome to 2nd Time Around! If you love shopping at antiques stores, flea markets, garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores this is for you! Just create a post featuring something that is ‘new’ to you and link with Mr. Linky below.

This lamp is one that I bought recently at the Hope Village Thrift Store in our town. It may have been donated by a local furniture store, so it may be new. I can’t remember how much I paid for it…I think it was around $20 which is pretty good for a lamp of this quality. It is perfect on the table between our two recliners.

 

Here is a close up of some of the details……

Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to visiting you and seeing what 2nd Time Around things you have found to share!

First Egg Hunt

 Saturday I took Connor and Cooper to an egg hunt sponsored by our church. This was Cooper’s first time to hunt eggs. Look for the blue in the pictures, and visit Smiling Sally for lots more blue.

As you can see from the look on his face, he was taking everything in. It usually takes him awhile to adjust to a new situation, and he usually spends several minutes staring at everyone and everything with his mouth open!

After the hunt started, he still wasn’t quite sure what this was all about! 

He finds his first egg!

Cooper decides he wants to unload the blue grass and eggs, which he calls balls!

Connor is an egg hunting pro this year. Here he is listening to instructions to his group

They were both dressed alike with Alabama T Shirts and jeans. I did my best to get a decent shot of them together. This one was snapped just as Cooper tumbled off the swing. He didn’t cry-just got right up and refused to get back up there.

 

One the second hunt, Connor wanted to stay with little brother and help him. Wasn’t that sweet?

And one last pic…..

I found out how hard it was to get a decent picture with them both in it. This was about the best I could do!

Thanks for stopping by, and hope you have a wonderful Monday.

Diane

Pink Saturday

Beverly of How Sweet the Sound is hosting Pink Saturday. Please visit her for lots of pretty pink!

You may have to look closely to see the pink this week! I have two little grandsons, and pink is not usually a color associated with little active boys. But if you look closely you can see some pink…in the eggs at the bottom of the photo, the flower behind the rabbit’s ear, and in Connor and Coopers little pink cheeks!

This picture was made about 2 weeks ago when they both spent the night with us. My husband and I took them to the mall for this picture. Cooper had teared up and didn’t really want to be there, so that is why it looks like he is trying to escape! Later, he really warmed up to the Easter Bunny and tried to ‘pet’ him!

And there will be some pink in their baskets too! Note the pink on the bunnies, some pink eggs and pink grass! I just couldn’t resist. Their dad can just blame Beverly! LOL

I hope everyone has a wonderful Pink Saturday and an even more wonderful Easter Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Diane