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New Library!

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Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all sit down with our favorite authors like this fellow is doing?

My  six year old sister taught me to read when I was four years old; she was in first grade!  It opened up a world for me that never tires me; never bores me. I am thrilled to see children who love books. A Reading Coach told me that even if a child cannot read the words in a book, yet is making up a story based on the pictures, that is ‘reading’. It is never too soon to introduce children to books!

To love books, to read books, to be a giver of books are all wonderful things- however, we must never allow public libraries to go out of style. In our small town, we’ve had a vibrant little library, with a wonderful Library Board and ever active Library Guild- they’ve been working so hard these last few years to get a bigger and better space- The ribbon cutting was today! Congratulations! Here’s a sneak preview of the Children’s Section…isn’t it great?

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This summer visit your local library, take a friend, your child or grandchild- there are often wonderful programs that enrich lives. We must support our local libraries- it was a good idea when the first public library opened it’s doors before the American Revolution in 1731 and a good idea to this very day. Who knows whether a budding scientist, writer, teacher or engineer may be reading books right beside you ? Books may be inspiring dreams and launching tiny astronauts into to a future we will not see…

Love y’all, Camellia

Top 100 childrens books on Amazon – Affiliate Link- give a book to your local library today!

Thanks to my inspiring friend, Paula, who shared these wonderful photographs of our new library! The top photo was taken on Canyon Road in Santa Fe New Mexico several years ago.

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Lessons from My Garden…

Quote of the Day

Whenever I read a quote about growth, I make a connection to gardening. The greatest lessons I have learned have come to me when I am gardening- doin’ yard work. A good garden is always changing, growing – a living thing.. Gardening is like dealing with the Devil and touching the Hem of God’s Garment.

When my garden and I started out, I had dreams for it; some have come true.

  • I wanted roses spilling over a white picket fence, I wanted my grandmother’s Spiderwort and her Hosta to thrive.
  • I wanted heirloom peonies to pass along to the next generation.
  • I wanted a couple of magnolia trees and a gardenia that knocked my socks off with it’s white blooms and heavy scent.
  • I wanted big blue Mop Head Hydrangeas by the dozens.
  • I wanted to look out of every window and see something growing.
  • I wanted an old gardener’s bulbs and irises to spring up every year and greet me.

I’ve gotten all of that and more. I still have to fight weeds- I still have to prune and vigorously cut back new growth. My best laid plans have been interrupted; I’ve even loved and lost-

My herb garden had to be torn up because of a structural issue. I mourned the loss, I resisted the change. Nature doesn’t seem to resist change– but eases gently, gracefully through the seasons. Plants do not seem to be alarmed or depressed when they are pruned- they just up and put on new growth. There is a quiet wisdom impressed upon me when I garden, nature is a patient teacher. She calmly points out the splendor of the sunshine, the peaceful necessity of a gentle rain and the blinking lights of  fireflies-then, quietly points her finger toward the stars without worry or anxiety about tomorrow..Gardening points me to my higher self-it brings out the dreamer in me. I love this quote by Harriet Tubman:

‘Every dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.’

Gardening helps me believe that within the personality of God, there is an unruffled calm, a perennial pace to life, an order and higher purpose in my life. My doubts and anxieties about aging are overcome when I see a sunset. A Sunset is proof that Nature really does save the best for last. Before the curtains close -She waltzes out, shows off her most glorious colors- spreads her skirts and takes a graceful bow- then tosses out a handful of stars!

‘Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from the morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.’ Charles Dickens

It’s such a treat for me to share some lessons from my garden. I hope your gardens and your lives are abundant and changing ever so gently. I hope there are still stars in your eyes and dreams in your hearts.

Love y’all, Camellia

*image from http://www.quotesgram.com

quotes from ‘The Dictionary of Thoughts’ published in 1959 by Standard Book Company

Find more gardening inspiration on Amazon.com

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Blogger Recognition Awards…

I am very thankful to –The Recipe Hunter for nominating Camellia’s Cottage for the Blogger Recognition Award. This blog is beautiful, the story behind her blogs is wonderful- go check ’em out! And, to my surprise and dismay- Karina Pinella has made this a ‘double award! The Blogger Appreciation Award! The best part, I think, about these awards- is the opportunity to recognize 15 other bloggers who deserve recognition as well…

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Here are 15 blogs I have chosen for the ‘Blogger Recognition Award:

Congratulations! I think your blogs deserve recognition, praise and best wishes! Bless Your Hearts !  Now, Bloggers – should you choose to accept this award, here are the rules:

  • Write a post to show your award.
  • Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.
  • Give a brief story of how you started your blog.
  • Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
  • Nominate 15 bloggers who deserve this award.

So, Camellia’s Cottage- it is a blog about the wit and wisdom, the graciousness and the generosity, artistry and beauty of the South and her people- particularly in our home state of Alabama. Camellia herself, is a composite character of all of the Southern women who have inspired me through the years. In 2012, my book ‘Four Days- the Lazarus Principle’ was published- during the editing process, I realized just how ‘tech-challenged’ I was! Out of the desire to continue writing and to update my knowledge of technology, I kept thinking about writing a blog- the book is a Bible Study, however, I love to share other things- funny stories and lifestyle of the South, that I knew as a child and know now. I’m still new at this but- for my two cents worth of advice to new bloggers- this is what I did-

  • I asked myself if I had 30 ideas for blog posts- if I didn’t ? then I probably didn’t need to be blogging.
  • And, I committed myself to blogging regularly for one year to see if I could just be myself, have fun and learn how to write a blog!

Now,  more than 4 months have gone by, and 60 posts written, I haven’t run out of ideas, I am still on a steep learning curve- but I truly enjoy blogging! And to those I have nominated? You could teach me a whole lot more than I could ever teach you about blogging! Thanks to all who have stopped by and for the sweet and funny comments you have made -it’s kept me plugging along! Again, thank you to the Recipe Hunter and Karina Pinella for nominating me for these awards and giving me the opportunity to inspire others!

Love y’all, Camellia

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Doors of Alabama…

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Doors of Alabama … Wood doors, painted doors, old doors, new- Fine doors, screened doors, glass doors or metal- Closed doors, open doors, vintage or serene. Vines twining, paint peeling, wreathed in cotton or magnolia – Country doors, city doors or something in between… This is our sweet home in Alabama, can you guess which one is ours ?

Each one is a snapshot of inspiration… We hope you agree!

A huge thank you to Jeremy Miniard for sharing his personal collection of ‘Backroads of Alabama Doors’ and to friends and family who shared their doors with grace and good humor!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are from private collections and cannot be reproduced or copied without permission .

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Vidalia Onions…

imageIf you live in the South, you know what it means when you hear: ‘They had Vidalia Onions!‘. This is a special type of sweet onion, grown in Vidalia, Georgia- in fact you can’t even call sweet onions ‘Vidalia’ unless they are actually grown there. Listen, you won’t believe this but the Vidalia Onion is defined by the law of the state of Georgia and the United States and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture! That’s some more onion!

According to the Official Website for Vidalia Onions, they were accidently discovered in 1930 and are still hand-planted and handpicked. This onion is the pioneer of sweet onions. ‘Vidalia Onions aren’t just the most famous onion in the world; I think they may be the only famous onion in the world’, says Chef Bobby Flay.Vidalia Onions even have their own Wikipedia page which says: ‘The different varieties are unusually sweet, due to the low amount of Sulphur in the soil in which the onions are grown.’ – This highly prized, sweet onion is like no other! So, when we southerners whisper, ‘I found some vidalias!’… as if we have just discovered French Macaroons or it seems we have received a box of Jacques Torres Chocolates; it’s because these onions elevate a simple vegetable plate, a homemade hamburger sings and in late summer, slice a Vidalia so thin you can see through it, top a tomato sandwich with it …well, it’ll knock your socks off!  Now, that’s an ol’ saying for describing something that’s really good!image

They fry up into the best onion rings you ever tasted ! The growing season is relatively short, and because of so much natural sugar in these onions, they do not store in the pantry for long periods of time. The Vidalias pictured here were brought in from Coot Partridge’s Annual Memorial Day picnic- where a man was frying Vidalia onion rings. Folks were eating them so fast he couldn’t keep up with it! The yellow onion in the photograph is of normal size- the Vidalias are as big as grapefruits! I keep taking beauty shots so I might as well share them with you-

Well…I’ll talk you to death, but I noticed that you can order Vidalia Onions online! So when you finish up here? You might want to ‘google it’ -order, find recipes and more, they won’t be around long! In the meantime, I’ve got some onions to fry!

Love y’all , Camellia

http://www.vidaliaonion.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidalia_onion