Saying Goodbye to 2009...

A few bloggers are posting their Top 9 of 2009 + 1. I thought I would join in.

#1. Most Memorable Moment: Holding my nephew, Mark Grayson, for the first time. My brother Brian and his wife Jenni had a beautiful baby boy in May. I love being an aunt! There are many other wonderful moments this cute little guy has given to our family. Like taking a bottle and then a nap on Jenni's lap in the stadium during Ole Miss games. Or smiling his big smile and laughing when his daddy says "Go Rebels!" He's a doll!

#2. Biggest Discovery: My love of kayaking. And I love that Chip and I enjoy doing it together.

#3. Biggest Mistake: Wow - this is tough. I make so many mistakes daily, that it is hard to pick just one! I'll pick something easy - we dicked around and never had our friends over for a cookout and pool party. Now that was a mistake!

#4. Biggest Accomplishment: Backpacking with Chip. I've been wanting to take Chip backpacking for the longest time. This year, I actually convinced him to do it, and we had an amazing time.

#5. Best Movie: I didn't see many movies in 2009 that I thought were great. My favorite was probably 500 Days of Summer or The Hangover. I obviously need some better movie recommendations!

#6. Best Song: ummmm... Don't laugh. BEST I EVER HAD by Drake. I freaking love that song and listen to it over and over. Some of my other favorites of 2009?

This Tornado Loves You by Neko Case.

Oh No by Andrew Bird. I saw Andrew Bird live at The Lyric in Oxford in March and it was phenomenal. He is such a fantastic musician!

Laughing with a Mouth of Blood by St Vincent... I love her voice, the strings, and the trippy sound of this song! I saw her on Austin City Limits. She's just amazing. We actually had a chance to see her play in London when we were there in 2007, but after a day of sightseeing, we were too tired to catch the train to the venue in East London. I really regret that now.

#7. Best Meal: This one is easy. The French Laundry was hands down the best meal of 2009 and the decade and probably the next decade. It is hard to believe that we actually ate there. The salmon coronets were divine. And I'll never forget how melt-in-my-mouth delicious the confit veal heart was, and I never knew I would even eat veal heart.

#8. Best Book: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. A beautiful love story set in my favorite place in the world - the Appalachian Mountains. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this book.

#9. What Made Me Laugh: Mark Grayson, of course! He is so cute and funny.

+1 for 2010... My Biggest Wish for 2010... is that I put more effort into making friends in the Jackson area.

Happy New Year, everyone! We're off to Dallas in the morning for the Cotton Bowl and some Tex-Mex. Go Rebels!

Merry Christmas

The weather outside is frightful! Heavy rains, strong winds, and a tornado watch. I love Christmas Eve. I got out of work early and started on my Christmas baking. I'm going to take a walk, then will get ready to head over to my brother-in-law's house for dinner and champagne.


Some scenes from my house this Christmas Eve.


The stockings are hung.

The tree is all lit up and topped with a pretty new angel.



I set out the gifts that I will be taking to Vicksburg tonight.

And I set out some homemade cookies for Santa Claus. Today I made Chocolate-Almond Macroons and Caramel Pretzel cookies.



Walle is dressed and ready for Santa to come.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Shopping

I love giving handmade and handcrafted gifts for Christmas. I have made a few of the gifts myself - mostly cross stitches - but I'm really not that talented when it comes to crafting. For the past few years, Chip and I have gone to the Chimneyville Crafts Festival in Jackson to purchase a majority the Christmas gifts for our families. Hundreds of artisans have their pottery, jewelry, stained glass, woodwork, quilts, knitting, and crocheting for sale.

The past two years, I've gotten my brother's wife a piece of Lil McKH jewelry. I love Lil's stuff, and my sister-in-law likes it, too. We've gotten jewelry for Chip's mom, stained glass crosses, and wooden spoons from some of my cousins.

I've been obsessed with McCartys Pottery Delta Bells and Mushrooms Chimes for a few years now, and I'd been dying to go to McCartys Pottery in Merigold to buy some of these handmade beauties. My friend Leah was up for a road trip to the Delta to visit McCartys and Peters Pottery, so we headed up there the weekend of December 5th.

We had lunch on Saturday at McCartys in their cute-as-a-button restaurant. The tables are set with McCartys Pottery and all the food was served in their pottery also.

Leah sitting down for lunch at McCartys Restaurant

We headed to McCartys then Peters after lunch. I loved McCartys gallery! It is tiny, but they display their pieces so beautifully. At McCartys I bought Mushroom Chimes for two of my sisters-in-law and a gorgeous bowl for Chip's mom. At Peters, I bought a sugar bowl and creamer and a tiny little kitten for myself.

On Saturday night, we stayed in the Pinetop shack at the Shack Up Inn. It was so much fun! The shack had central heat and air conditioning, but with its wood walls and floors and shabby furnishings, it still felt like an old shack.




Outside our shack... Pinetop Perkins.
Some photos from the grounds.

It was a wonderful trip, and I really can't wait to go back because now I need some Delta Bells for myself!

Sundance Catalog

Chip ordered wine tumblers from Sundance Catalog as a Christmas gift, and this is how we received the box.



They were individually wrapped in one sheet of bubble wrap, then thrown in the box with some inflatable fillers. How many of them were broken? Two out of eight were not just broken but completely shattered.

Sundance definitely has more money than sense.

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December 10th

It was 29F when I woke up this morning. This weather is going to make me sick!

Clarksdale was lots of fun! I got lots of Christmas goodies at McCartys Pottery, Peters Pottery, and Cat Head Blues and Art. We didn't see Morgan Freeman, but we did meet the other owner, Bill Luckett, who is planning to run for Governor.

Leah has posted pics of our trip. I plan to post mine soon.

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And now...

It is 75F outside. That's Mississippi weather for you!

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It's Snowing!!!

I would take a photo, but it's cold out there!


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Chance of Snow

Snowy Skies. It is a cold, wintery day here in Central Mississippi. It is only 43F out there now, and the weather forecast says we could get snow showers this afternoon and evening. The cold weather seems to have come upon us all at once. I still have blooming shrubs and perennials all over the garden.

The leaf situation in the back yard is getting serious. Something needs to be done about this, but I don't know what because I am meeting Leah in the Delta tomorrow morning to go Christmas shopping at McCartys Pottery in Merigold, Mississippi.

We plan to go to Peter's Pottery, too, which is just down the road in Mound Bayou. After all of these fun outings, we will have dinner at Madidi in Clarksdale, some drinks at Ground Zero Blues Club, and will shack up for the night at the Shack Up Inn.

Madidi and Ground Zero are both Morgan Freeman's. Who knows if he'll be there, but if he is, I plan on getting my photo taken with him. As for the Shack Up Inn, I am a bit nervous about staying in a shack when it is supposed to be around 28F. I am bringing flannel pajamas and my 20F sleeping bag. And plenty of hot chocolate and Malibu coconut rum, too! A friend turned my on to that concoction on a camping trip in the Smokies. You really must try it!

Have a great weekend, everyone! Let the holiday shopping begin!