All good things must come to end

Au revoir from Campagne Maison

t h e    E n d

The Greatest Mother's Day Gifts

 Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Thank you, Sammy II and Jeremey, for teaching me the joys of motherhood! God gave each of you to me at a time in my life when I needed you most. Your love has, and always will, sustain me.    

Out of all the best Mother's Day gifts I've ever received from my children, these are three of the greatest!

Kaleb

 Haiven

Emma

AND, a very Special Mother's Day wish to my mom who made all these gifts possible.

Sylvia Kathryn Deckelman Gillentine

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Beauties from Le Jardin

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Hydrangea, Red and Pink Rose, Day Lilly, Bachelor's Buttons, Lambs Ear

The farmhouse needed a dose of sunshine today! These are a few of my favorite garden varieties. Sadly, I do not know their proper names but they have all started out strong this year.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Life is like a....

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Life is like a.....

 Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Cherries

Baked in a cast iron skillet

"Life can only be understood, looking backwards"....The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Centaurea cyanus

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Centaurea cyanus, commonly referred to as:

 Bachelor's Button, Bluebottle, Cornflower, Garden Cornflower

The Centaurea cyanus is a member of the Asteraceae family with only disc like flowers. The outer discs are somewhat bell-shaped, with sharp pointed lobes, more frequently blue in color.

Family: Asteraceae – Aster family

Genus Common Name: Knapweed

Native Status: Introduced

This introduced species was brought over to North America as an ornamental by immigrants from Europe, and is commonly cultivated. It is now found wild in every state except Alaska, and is also found in most of Canada. 

In its native southern Europe, this flower grows among the grain field, giving it the "Cornflower" common name.

In Tennessee it is considered weedy and/or invasive by some authorities. In massive growth, I think it rivals the Texas Bluebonnets. (Has this AR native become a Tennessean?)

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

It's SPRING!

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

AND....mowed the lawn, weeded the grass, put up lattice for red velvet rose to climb along, cleaned up the flowerbeds, freshened up the pine bark nuggets, put out the hummingbird feeders, stained the back patio/deck,

AND....planted a few potted plants, two hydrangeas, two yellow rose bushes, and nine tomato plants,

AND...this is just the first week!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company!

Au revoir,

(photo "borrowed" from Facebook post, sorry credits are unavailable) 

Dolly Parton - He´s alive (Full song)

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Easter Blessings to all...

This is my very favorite Easter song as only the great Dolly Parton can sing!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today. We love having company!

Au revoir,

(Youtube video)

ABC's

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Oh my, how the world has changed in a few SHORT years! Albeit, not necessarily a bad thing, as I certainly enjoy the benefits of a few of these.

Easter Blessings to all of you. Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

***thanks to my......  "F"  Face Book ..... friend, Daniel, for allowing me to share his picture

Teddy Bears and Tiaras

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Miss Ultimate Grand Supreme Queen

Teddy Bears and Tiaras

Emma Sue Wells

14 months

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Old Cemetery Inscriptions

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

I love old houses and old graveyards, especially the inscriptions on the tombstones!

Old Cemetery Inscriptions

A truly Happy Person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. And, one who can enjoy browsing old cemeteries. Here's some fascinating things on old tombstones!

Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York:

Born 1903--Died 1942.

Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the

car was on the way down. It was.

In a Thurmont, Maryland , cemetery:

Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up

and no place to go.

On the grave of Ezekial Aikle in

East Dalhousie Cemetery, Nova Scotia:

Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102.

Only the good die young.

In a London , England cemetery:

Here lies Ann Mann, who lived an old maid

but died an old Mann. Dec. 8, 1767

In a Ribbesford, England , cemetery:

Anna Wallace

The children of Israel wanted bread,

And the Lord sent them manna.

Clark Wallace wanted a wife,

And the Devil sent him Anna.

In a Ruidoso, New Mexico , cemetery:

Here lies Johnny Yeast.

Pardon him for not rising.

In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania , cemetery:

Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake,

Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

In a Silver City , Nevada , cemetery:

Here lays The Kid,

We planted him raw.

He was quick on the trigger,

But slow on the draw.

A lawyer's epitaph in England :

Sir John Strange.

Here lies an honest lawyer,

and that is Strange.

John Penny's epitaph in the Wimborne,

England , cemetery:

Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,

Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.

In a cemetery in Hartscombe , England :

On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went out of tune.

Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls ,

Vermont :

Here lies the body of our Anna,

Done to death by a banana.

It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,

But the skin of the thing that made her go.

On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket ,

Massachusetts :

Under the sod and under the trees,

Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.

He is not here, there's only the pod,

Pease shelled out and went to God.

In a cemetery in England:

Remember man, as you walk by,

As you are now, so once was I.

As I am now, so shall you be,

Remember this and follow me.

To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:

To follow you I'll not consent,

Until I know which way you went.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

on "being reasonably happy"

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

 

(Although known most widely in its abbreviated form above,

the entire prayer reads as follows...)

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir!

It's NO Secret

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

It's no secret that I love watching The Housewives of Beverly Hills! I think Lisa Vanderpump reigns supreme in glamour, beauty, and as a successful restaurant entrepreneur. I've recently signed up for a "Dose of Divine", a newsletter written by Lisa that offers her opinion and advice on various subjects including wonderful recipes such as these:

 Campfire Cookies aka S'mores Cookies

Rather than copy and paste the recipe, I'm adding the link here where you can find it along with other sensible and practical advice.  I'm in agreement that it's the caramelization of the marshmallows in the batter of these cookies that make them "Divine".  

 I've also jumped on the "Drop Cloth" slipcover bandwagon.

The Mauve Wing back (with my assistant, Jack)

 I'm half way finished with the project but unsure at this point if I'll complete the cover. For some reason, it just ain't the look I'm going for! When I get to a fork in the road such as this, I usually sit is aside and "stew" over it for awhile.



The center back ( inside out )



The right wing--or is it the left?



The way I look at, I have two options--one:  toss it and find another material that "feels right", or two:  finish the project. Either one will be o.k. 'cause life is too short to sweat the small stuff!



Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit! We love having company.

Au revoir, 



Color me RED

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

RED excites the emotions and motivates us to take action. It signifies a pioneering spirit with leadership qualities, ambition, and determination. RED can give confidence to people who are shy and lack will power.

 RED boosts our physical energy levels, increases our heart rate and blood pressure and prompts the release of adrenalin. RED being the color of physical movement awakens our life force, stimulating deeper and more intimate passions, such as love and sex on the positive side OR revenge and anger on the negative. Often used to express love--as on Valentine's Day--it actually relates more to the passions of sexuality and lust rather than love.

RED stimulates the appetite and is often used in restaurant decor, increasing a craving for food.

Too much RED can cause irritation, is fast moving and requires a need for action. RED is an attention-getter, demands you to take notice, and alerts you to danger. This is why we have RED traffic lights and stop signs - it is the universal color for danger. RED has a powerful effect on the assertiveness and aggressiveness of everyone.

In Eastern cultures such as China, RED is a powerful color and is typically used as a color for good luck. Brides traditionally wear RED instead of white, and RED envelopes with money are typically given as gifts to the children in celebration of Chinese New Year. Putting money in a RED envelope cleanses the money of negativity and gives the receiver happiness, according to Feng Shui.

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

photo credits: Big Boy Restaurant, Flickr.com, google search

The Virgin Dress Form

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

I've slipped into my vintage lace and satin

added my tiara and pearls

and left my groom at the altar, because

today  I'm attending the big extravaganza at:

 The Polka Dot Closets Dress Form Party

psst......I hope they let me in because I've not been altered. But, I am wearing Jacque's 45 year old wedding dress and it still fits...moi!

Gotta go. The carriage is awaiting and I still can't find one of my glass slippers!

Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Who the heck is Foofa?

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

Well, let me introduce you....

This is:  FOOFA

and these are some of her friends: Muno, Brobee, Plex, and Toodee

They are characters in one of Nick, Jr's educational programs, Yo Gabba Gabba,  and are brought to life in stories told by D.J. Lance and his magic boom box

It was officially decided on the Sunday before the following Saturday--yes, an astounding six days of which one required an overnight stay at the hospital and another required a 7 hr drive to party destination--that Emma's first Birthday Party was to have the "Yo Gabba Gabba" theme. THAT put Mamaw (moi) in a frantic Internet search because it has been over ten years since this family had an infant having those "firsts" to celebrate in life.

"Yo Emma, Emma...Happy Birthday"

As those previous ten years birthday parties kept REcurring in cycles thru my brain--and in no specific order---Tellie Tubbies, Tweetie Bird, Looney Tunes, Blues Clues, Spiderman, Toy Story, (well, you get my drift) and knowing that time was of the essence, I quickly began a Google search:  Nick, Jr..FOUND IT!!  "Yo Gabba Gabba"... FOUND IT!!...  FREE downloads--tell me this a'int so!!! I've hit pay-dirt!!  An online order for party tableware and a quick trip to Walmart completed the deal. Now, it was up to me!

a Foofa Onesie with the addition on her pink tutu completed her party outfit
(thank you Nick Jr for the free character downloads)

Working frantically, I suddenly REalized that Emma wasn't the only one getting older, as my once steady hands and keen eyesight struggled slowly to complete their tasks.  

 Her very own Foofa cake

and a cake for all her guests

 

 LOTS of presents to open

I am THIS many!!

What else could any girl ask for?

Yo Emma Emma, Yo Gabba Gabba...Happy 1st Birthday !

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit! We love having company.

Au  revoir,

Special Thanks to: Pam Gonzales Cakes and Nick,Jr downloadables

Dear Friends...THIS is why I BLOG...

Bonjour from Campagne Maison

As we progress into 2012, I want to thank you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.

I can no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, nor let the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel.

I can't sit down on a hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking one's nose.

Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can't touch any woman's handbag for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public toilet.

I MUST SEND MY SPECIAL THANKS by email now that  rat poo is in the glue on envelopes making it necessary to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing. ALSO, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I can't have a drink in a bar because I fear I'll wake up in a bathtub full of ice with my kidneys gone.

I can't eat at KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.

I can't use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

THANKS TO YOU I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer buy fuel without taking someone along to watch the car, so a serial killer doesn't crawl in my back seat when I'm filling up.

I no longer use Cling Wrap in the microwave because it causes seven different types of cancer.

AND THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face, disfiguring me for life.

I no longer go to the cinema because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS when I sit down.

I no longer go to shopping centers because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

And I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a huge phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore and Uzbekistan .

THANKS TO YOU I can't use any one's toilet but mine because a big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

AND THANKS TO YOUR GREAT ADVICE I can't ever pick up a dime coin dropped in the car park because it was probably placed there by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over.

I can't do any gardening because I'm afraid I'll get bitten by the Violin Spider and my hand will fall off.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, and the fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s ex mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's best friend's beautician . .

Oh, and by the way..... A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mails with their hand on the mouse. Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

P. S. I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because I was told by e-mail that water splashes over 6 ft. out of the toilet.

AND, YES...I received every bit of this information via email!!

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,

Bonne Annee from Campagne Maison

Bonjour et Bonne Annee from Campagne Maison

I am sharing great news with all of you today! "The Parisienne Farmgirl" is launching an online quarterly magazine that will debut in April 2012. She is super excited about this announcement and is hosting a very, very generous give-away for everyone to enter. Please hurry on over to her blog for all the details and for sign up information!

http://www.parisiennefarmgirl.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the magazine. I did and I am super excited and eagerly awaiting the first issue!!

***************************

Our humble little farmhouse is situated about five miles off interstate Hwy 75, in the beautiful Sweetwater Valley of East TN. Almost exactly midway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, downtown Sweetwater oozes with history and features many antique and specialty shops nestled alongside family owned and operated businesses. As a former Main Street director, I can attest that this town is the epitome of what the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street REhabilitation program stands for!

No, my cottage is not a French chateau and to my knowlege, has no history of French heritage. In fact, she sits 4300 miles from the French countryside, built from lumber that was hewn by hand, on-sight, from trees that were cleared from the hillside almost 100 years ago. She has housed several  families and undergone several REnovations--some good, some bad! But she is filled with a history of hard working people who raised their families to have strong work ethics, strict morals and a desire to contribute to the growth of their community and to society. They desired what I--like you, desire--a home that bids all to enter, "sit a spell", and put a great distance from the hustle and bustle of  LIFE!

Even though it meant selling our home and RElocating over 400 miles away from our children, grandchildren, and friends, we felt compelled and destined to become the caretakers of this property. I knew immediately that she was to become our home in the country, our "Campagne Maison".  I just knew, that I knew, that I knew!!  Even though health issues and budget constraints are making our progress slower than we initially expected,  it is still a "good" satisfying progress. Besides, our work, like life, is going to always be a work in-progress!

As I continue to share my REmodeling adventures with many of you this coming year, I look forward to seeing what inspirations that I receive from reading your blogs and hope that I return a few to you as well! 

Thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit today! We love having company.

Au revoir,