Freedom

The American flag gives me a little catch in my throat.

It stands for life, death, victory, freedom, and so much more. 

For the brave men and women who gave everything. 

We remember.

Yes, we go all out with flags on Memorial Day. 

It is not enough. 

We think our veterans deserve the best and do not get much these days.

Joes's father was in the military.

 Joe has lived all over the world on military bases. 

Joe's brother served in Vietnam when he was a young man.

 Joe wrote to him every day he was in that war. 

Thankfully he came home.

 Joe would gladly have signed up but he is blind in one eye.

"The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed in her history in the blood of her patriots"Randy Vader

Olive

Pottery Barn Outlet Spring 2013

 Pottery Barn Outlet was brimming with Easter items this visit. You could not walk for tripping over a cotton pickin rabbit. I saw not one cross. The Eiffel Tower pillow cover was pretty and selling fast.

A slip covered Carlise sofa was priced for $999.00. Two thoughts kept me from taking it home. I was not driving the truck and I cannot spare that amount of money right now. But still, what a fabulous price. I will be quiet now for this photo heavy post. All images taken with my iPhone. Technically they do not allow photos. I misbehave for you my darling readers.

 I bought two Turkish hand towels for $1.97 each, on clearance, and one other small item. Walking out of there for less than twenty dollars was not bad at all.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Be Inspired

Shelley and I are traveling to our yellow house today. 
We plan to take long walks and do some tall thinking.

Olive

Random Hearts

What's a blogger to do who has no Valentine's decor? 

I looked around the house for random hearts.

 I found three.

The cookies count as one. 

The terrier has the most darling hearts don't you think? 

A man gave him to me after Joe and I dug through his barn for treasure. 

The kindness of strangers is always beautiful.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Be Inspired

love is patient and kind

Olive

Limoges Platter

A Limoges Platter with the gold edge chipping off. 

It is large and I can see a holiday turkey on it. 

That is if Joe cooks it. 

Wink wink.

I am drawn to large platters and had been looking for a platter

 with a turkey on it.

 This French one will be a mighty fine substitute. 

I paid next to nothing for it. 

I bought it from the same lady I bought the door Serving Tray from.

Have you started planning for Thanksgiving already?

Linking@Vintage Inspiration Friday

♦

joy and peace

Olive

Stars and Cupcakes On the Patio

Chocolate dolloped cupcakes anyone?

Just after breakfast no less. 

With a definite nod to the Fourth of July celebration.

Hydrangea and butterfly bush flowers from the garden in our sweet Granny's Lenox vase.

The pink hydrangeas are blooming again and I am delighted.

 Plus we got rain last night and when I shot these images it was a cool 70 degrees this morning.

Star plates: Williams Sonoma via yard sale

Siam Forks: yard sale

Vintage Tablecloth: I have had it for years (probably thrifted)

Cup Cake Liners: Michael's

I party on the internet here:

Tabletop Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday's

Let's Dish 

happy 4th of july

Olive 

Joe Started the New Year

Cat Wrestling

Clovis, while a cuddler, holds no love for being picked up.

He escaped.

Sometimes a post presents itself whether you have sun or not. 

If cat wrestling occurs and the camera is handy I say snap, snap. 

Clovis was not harmed by the way.

Happy New Year Dear Readers and Fellow Bloggers

Olive

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

from

 Olive and Joe

 

 

We are thankful for you our blogging family

&

 we wish for you a joyous holiday.

Olive

Now I have to run and clean my oven. A cake exploded (why I do not know) and it is not pretty.

Fireworks On The Savannah

Fireworks

Launched off the Fifth Street Bridge, over the Savannah River, entering Augusta, Georgia is a Fourth of July tradition.

Our daughter captured some of the display with her camera.

These kind of look like something under a microscope in  microbiology class!

 

She took some wonderful shots. We had so much fun at the fireworks show and so did the other ten thousand souls who were there!

Happy Fourth of July

We know freedom is not free and we thank all those in the military past and present. God bless you all for your service to our country.

grace surrounds us

Olive  

Baking Blueberry Cake Badly

The blueberry cake I baked yesterday turned out to be blueberry upside down cake. Me baking badly. Again:)

We have guests arriving in two hours, for the holiday weekend, so this will be our secret. I will tell them that it's a variation of pineapple upside down cake.

Do you want a bite?

Next time I will sugar and flour the darn berries.

I am not sharing the recipe because that makes me terribly nervous to do so on the blog. Yes, I am whacked I know. A friend baked one for us last week and it looked completely different (blueberries were oriented properly) than this one!

The cake pedestal is a recent vintage find from an estate sale just a mile down the road.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

I will be busy with company, garage sales and who knows what but promise to settle down next week and rest with you my blogging friends.

I am linking with the beautiful Debra of Common Ground for the Vintage July Fourth Party.

grace surrounds us

Olive 

Family and Relaxing

Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends. Joe and I wish you and your family a fun relaxing day spent with people you love.

Don't eat too much and we won't either.

We Thank God for our wonderful life.
Thank you friends for talking to me and encouraging me here on Olive Out.

grace surrounds us

Olive



I Am So Into Fall

I am so into fall I am also into Halloween already ya’ll. The dining room table at our yellow house has been evolving every weekend into a Halloween tablescape.

Joe keeps picking up the odd decoration at a garage sale or thrift store and it just grows.

I am just as bad of course.

We are sickos.

Every item on the table came from a garage sale or thrift store including the vintage table cloth. I used Marty’s method of cleaning this piece and it worked so wonderfully well! Thanks bunches Marty!

Is not my zombie a stinker? He is a Happy Meal toy. I adore him and have had him for years. Pull his left arm and his face changes.

Behold, now he is a Mummy! He might just make some more photos on the blog. I cannot help myself.

Zombie love.

I have a lot of close ups of the vintage table cloth that will be another post. Because it is a beauty.

I am linking to Marty’s link party at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

Please visit the others for more loveliness and less zombies.

grace surrounds us

Olive

The Star Spangled Banner in Triumph Shall Wave

The fourth stanza of the Star Spangled Banner:

 

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand.

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land,

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved  us as a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

 

Our flag at the old house

♦Happy July Fourth♦

Be Safe

 

grace surrounds us

Olive