‘We’ve been nominated for a Liebster award! Can you believe it Walter? I hate to disturb your nap, but Camellia’s Cottage has been nominated for an award!’~ Walter is looking at me like I’m crazy but Allie Mac, Brenda and I are excited around here! I mean, an award? y’all…really?
Let me tell you what it is…The Liebster Award is given to new bloggers by another blogger. A big southern ‘Thank you darlin ‘- goes to an amazing blogger -Agatha Chocolats ! I think I’ve gained weight just looking at her blog with all of that chocolate! You have to go see what that little Southern girl is up to! To thank her properly here is a thank you note especially for you, Agatha- 
I like Agatha’s blog because of the images she uses- some are even short video clips, the 13 recipes she does once a week, the unusual combination of mystery and chocolate is intriguing and the playful, tasteful way she produces her blog. Currently it has to be my favorite! She has inspired me to be a better blogger.
Agatha had some questions for me when she nominated Camellia’s Cottage-
- What would be the motto of your blog? Agatha, I would have to say, ‘Our Sweet Home in Alabama ‘.
- What is your favorite childhood book? Hands down, it’s ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ – I love the question in it- ‘How do you know you’re ‘real’? And the reply, ‘You know you’re ‘real’ when your eyes fall out, your fur gets loved off and you are very shabby ‘ – by that definition, I am well on my way to- ‘becoming real’!
- What is the best pairing for chocolate? It took one second to answer that one! Coffee!
- What forms of social media do you like best when connecting with your readers outside of your blog? I’m old timey here, I would love to chat with them by phone or at an old fashioned ‘tea’ .
- If you could invite 3 people (living, dead, fictional…anybody!) who would you invite? Well, darlin’ I would have to have 2 parties or one ‘dinner in the ground’! If I could have them back for just one meal, I would choose my grandmother, my husband’s grandmother and my precious mother in law for the first party. For the second party I would invite the ever inspirational Jesus Christ, who attended and even served some of the most miraculous meals ever! Then, C. S. Lewis, one of the most scholarly and prolific authors ever! And of course, Thomas Jefferson- whose wide range of interests never fails to amaze me!
- What would you serve? Agatha, I would want the ladies to cook for me! My grandmother’s turkey and dressing, my mother in law’s famous fresh coconut cake and my husband’s grandmother made delicious ‘southern baked-with-brown-sugar acorn squash’! For the men I would serve Parisienne Chicken, steamed broccoli, Sweet Orange Rolls, and a Mandarin Orange/toasted almond salad.
- What are your 5 best qualities? Well now, that’s a hard one- I suppose (1)my sense of humor, (2)my love of place, (3)I hope I am creatively inspirational, (4)my concern for victims of poverty and domestic violence and the welfare of children; and (5)I would never want anyone to leave here- hungry or empty handed.
- What is the best thing covered in chocolate? Agatha! I hate being pinned down but I would have to say- my homemade English Toffee!
- What is your passion? My threefold passion is a love of learning, reading and writing, all of which come together at Camellia’s Cottage.
- If you had 3 wishes what would they be? Bless your heart, who wouldn’t want 3 wishes? (1)I wish Alabama could be experienced, not by the headlines, but by her natural beauty, a place where talent and technology rub shoulders with farmers, football players, fashion designers and fishermen, where world renowned chefs and home cooks learn from each other; where goodness and greatness show their generosity regularly and where writers and publishers, art and industry exist on a level barely acknowledged; where kind gentle folk work hard, love their families and appreciate what true southern hospitality really is.(2) I wish I could read at least 100 books in 2016- I’ve read almost 50- so I’m making a good start, and finally, (3) I wish folks would choose watching, listening and reading things that aren’t loud and cynical ( where are Huntley/Brinkley?) but factual news which would inform and fill us up with hope and goodwill- I think those things should start with me and hopefully Camellia’s Cottage will do that.
Finally, Agatha Chocolats asked, which is the my most favorite published blog post? No contest! It was the least ‘liked’ or noticed on Camellia’s Cottage- called ‘ Lookin’ for Fame?’ Posted on March 23, 2016, about the amazing music, talent and recording genuises in the ‘Shoals’ of Northeast Alabama -I hope it will inspire you to at least see the ‘Muscle Shoals’ documentary! here’s a link- https://camelliascottage/2016/3/23/look-in-for-fame And we hope to do a part 2 to go with it, because world famous fashion designers, Billy Reid and Alabama Chanin are doing amazing work up that way too!
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There is more to accepting this award, including my personal nominees for the Liebster Award, which I will do in my next post…
In the meantime go take an indulgent visit to- Agatha Chocolats @ https://agathachocolats.com ! Love y’all, Camellia
Garden centers are blooming up a storm with bedding plants, herbs and vegetables…Now is the time to start planting, but not before you take a little time to think about what needs to go where, I am a big believer in getting the planting spaces ready whether in established beds or breaking new ground. Garden chores are never done, so decide what you want to focus on first. For me, it has to be the front yard; it’s where I usually park, it’s what I see when I go get the mail, it’s what I see when I come home. This year, we have had to install a new front door (more in another post on that!) and we also had to repair the screened porch in the back, not finished yet! Most of the work is now going on out back, So you know it would have to be the front yard again this year. Here is my checklist for getting started.
Alabama Public Television has been offering up some wonderful programming for many years. I was late findin’ out about Downton Abbey but truly loved the seasons I did watch. In the meantime, I began watching other programming such as ‘Mr. Selfridge’, ‘Home Fires’, and ‘Call the Midwife’ . They have become such a breath of fresh air in television programming, such anticipated Sunday night favorites, that I researched ‘Mr. Selfridge’, bought the book ‘Jambusters’ which inspired the series- ‘Home Fires’ and loved author Jennifer Worth’s ‘Call the Midwife’ so much I ordered the series of 3 memoirs and they are page turners! The setting is in England for all of these dramas but ‘Call the Midwife’ is set in the late ’50s, early ’60s and I can remember many of the medical discoveries, the fears of infectious diseases and for sure can recall that in rural Alabama there was a lack of adequate medical care. I’ve known people who were delivered at home and heard of the high infant mortality rates . The music and clothes, the makeup and hairstyles are amazingly accurate in ‘Call the Midwife ‘ as well. You won’t read many television reviews here but these are worth checking out. We are long time supporters of public television and radio, with programming that just gets better all the time. ‘Call the Midwife’ does have mature subject matter simply because it’s about ‘birthin’ babies but even that is expertly filmed in a discreet manner. And if you’re looking for a few good reads I can highly recommend Jennifer Worth’s memoirs . Also the DVDs for the others are highly popular. Support public broadcasting, a national treasure! tell me what PBS programming y’all like!
or we can yield to the Savior who has breathed the Breath of Life into us while we are bound by our circumstances… We can struggle and thrive like the Stalwart Pear or we can merely survive like the New York Swamp Oaks. When I saw the Quickened Stalwart Pear, it gave me so much hope amidst all the sadness. So, hear this-
”When we have suffered the losses that life brings… We know by experience to look for signs. Our instinct whispers in the small things, the gentle rain, a rainbow, a breeze warmed by the sun. The earth welcomes the seed which will sprout, the first tender leaves push up through the garden soil. Our souls begin to stir, knowing the seasons are turning again. Remembering the harsh lessons of winter; knowing full well that nothing on this earth lasts forever. Leaves wither, grass turns brown, and plants die down. Snow blankets the jeweled leaves of autumn -the soil is enriched. The earth is changing ever so quietly, as the days lengthen. We know, as sure as there is springtime -everything can begin again- a fresh start, bright, beautiful and new again. ‘With God all things are possible’.
Camellia's Cottage 