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Hi, my name is Camellia, a fictional character who is an Alabama girl born and bred. Brenda Wyatt created me as a composite of the finest ladies from her home state who will share good things about life in the south.  Alabama is a place where we love our folks, our friends, our homes, humor and hospitality. My name comes from the state flower, the Camellia. You might call it a shrub, but if you live here you either call it a bush or just say- ‘Would you look at that Camellia’. Like Brenda told me, ‘Darlin’ your name is gonna be Camellia; it’s the epitome of a southern lady- but like me, it blooms in the dead of winter’. Shh…don’t tell it- Brenda is of a ‘certain age’, but she’s decided to flourish later in life and learn some technology! At some point I hope to introduce you to my fictional friend (what other kind would I have?) named Allie Mac, a play on Camellia spelled backwards. Brenda was conflicted as to which character would be the main one. Thank the Lord, I’m the one who won out, Allie Mac is always telling me I need to update and I’m the one telling her we need to do things like we’ve always done.  That’s how things are in Alabama- embracing the future and hangin’ on to what’s good about our upbringing. We were taught to write a thank you note, not an email or a post on social media but a real thank you note on real paper written with a real pen, put in an envelope with a real stamp from the US Post Office. It’s just the right thing to do.

At Camellia’s Cottage we have lots of things to inspire you to love your life and your home. I hope you’ll get out and do some gardening, even if you’re covered with redbug bites! Enjoy nature, sit on the screened porch with a glass of iced tea, read a good book or teach the kids how to catch lightnin’ bugs!

Learn how to make a real pone of cornbread, decorate some tea sandwiches, bake a pound cake for a shut in…and for heaven’s sake – make Sunday dinner every now and then!

If you like to travel- in Alabama, the beach is just a day trip away! Orange Beach or Gulf Shores is right on the Gulf of Mexico! Just look at how pretty it is! (photos below). There’s also the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville or even the Birmingham Zoo. We also love to travel outside of Alabama and we’ll be sharing our travels with you!

When you get back home, slow down and listen to the cricket songs and junebugs buzzin’; say your prayers, listen to some country, soul or gospel music and for goodness sakes darlin’ at least once in a while- laugh your sides off at a story that always starts with ‘you ain’t gonna believe this…’

Welcome to Camellia’s Cottage in my sweet home, Alabama. Thanks for stopping by.

Love y’all!  Camellia

 

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This blog is updated from our very first blog post in honor of making our 50th post this week! Thanks to Word Press for helping us create this blog and continue to inspire us to do it better!

http://www.cityoforangebeach.com / http://www.rocketcity.com / http://www.birminghamzoo.com all other photographs are obviously mine!