Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Christmas Lights in North Carolina

Another nice thing about going to the  beach in December (when compared to our usual trip in May) ---besides seeing gorgeous sunrises and sunsets,   was getting to drive around the area to see their Christmas lights and decorations...  OBVIOUSLY,  we don't see that in May.  I have two posts remaining from our December trip to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

Today and tomorrow,  I will share some of the pretty Christmas lights for you.  Above is a picture of one of our favorite restaurants in the area.  This is the Boundary House in Calabash, NC.  It is called that since it is near the boundary between North and South Carolina.





This is a picture of another of our favorite shopping places in Calabash, NC.  The name is Callahan's --and they have tons and tons of Christmas decorations and ornaments in addition to many other things, as you can see listed in the picture...





This beautiful Christmas tree was outside near Callahan's in Calabash, NC.





Here's another picture of Callahan's...  It was a little too cold to sit on the long porch!!!! ha





I love this picture of the side of Callahan's --with the full moon above!!!!





These last two pictures were taken at Islander Inn,  where we stayed on the beach in Ocean Isle, NC.  There weren't many decorations along the beach--but they did decorate the Palm trees at Islander Inn.  AND--you can see that the moon was still with us!!!!







Here is a close-up of one of the Palm trees at Islander Inn--all decorated for Christmas.

Tomorrow,  I will show you some pictures of the lights at Barefoot Landing at Myrtle Beach,  so stay tuned!!!!

Still snowing in our area!!!  We can't get out since the roads are a MESS...  I love snow--but enough is enough!!!!! ha ha
Hugs,

48 comments:

Tracy said...

Good Morning Dear!
Love the photos, especially the Christmas tree with the red ribbons; a quick story...when I first moved to NC I was leaving an abusive relationship from FL. so I packed my belongings in a moving company and put them on hold and loaded the car with necessary items including my cat, Kitty Fe and we headed to NC. I had no job, nowhere to stay and knew no one. We stayed in a hotel. I was blessed with a teaching position in 2 days and found an apt. and was just blessed by amazing poeple; strangers. So that Christmas I bought a small little tree, reb ribbons and attached to each ribbon was the name of a person from birth to present who had affected my life positively or negatively and I called it my Tribute Tree. Your tree reminded me of that and it is beautiful.
love and hugs...

Catherine said...

Those are some pretty lights Betsy!

Hope your snow stops soon. We are getting more this weekend. :(
xo Catherine

Ruth Hiebert said...

I am enjoying these light tours.I would love to see the inside of Callahan's,it looks like an interesting place.I hope your day will be wonderful,in spite of the snow.
Blessings,Ruth

Arkansas Patti said...

Too bad it was too cold to sit on that lovely porch. Those are nice decoarations, not over done.
Bet those palms appreciated the warmth of the lights. Hope they left them on all night and didn't tease the trees.
I can't believe I am hearing Betsy say she has had enough snow. Wow. I am still looking forward to something more than a one inch dusting. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Betsy, Very pretty photos and like Ruth, I would love to browse through Callahan's! The photos with the moon are especially pretty. Stay warm and have a cup of hot tea this a.m.!

Fred Alton said...

What a nice post! Calabash stands out in my memory for the fish meals we had there. The pictures with the moon in the background should be in Southern Living magazine. So beautiful.

penny said...

Seeing your lovely photos makes me want to visit Callahan's, I can spend hours in a shop like.
You and George must have had a wonderful Christmas at the beach and now you get to enjoy the snow you wanted.
You have the the best of both world, Betsy. Lucy you!

warm Hugs,
Pam

Neal said...

Beautiful pictures Betsy! It's hard for me to imagine it being warm at Christmas. I suppose you would get used to it.

MadSnapper said...

i really like the callanhan house and would love to wander through it and sit on that porch. you did a great job with the low light, i know how hard it is to get lights at night.

Anonymous said...

It is still snowing here too. I wish I wasn't scheduled to work today. I don't really feel like going out in the snow and cold!

mamahasspoken said...

Christmas lights are beautiful no matter where they are, even on a palm tree....
I'm home again today thanks to the snow. Can't say that I am tired of it yet but the weathermen are calling for more this week-end...

Jen said...

Christmas lights are still pretty even without snow!

Small City Scenes said...

Good Morning, Betsy. Love the photos specially the fat tree with the red ribbons.
Wonderful shots. MB

amelia said...

I know I would love to shop at Callahans too but it looks strange to me to see Christmas lights with no snow!!!

KathyA said...

Callahan's is so much fun to browse through! The Christmas lights make it even more fun-looking!

PS While I sit here playing, husband is outside shoveling! :)

Lynda said...

We have SUNSHINE today!!!! Ice all over the subdivision roads but it shines with the sun shine on it.

The decorations are sooo very pretty. I love that Christmas Tree, too. Stay warm. In a few more days, you will be out and about again. I know the birds are glad you are there to get them through this weather.

Barbara said...

Good morning sunshine, so good to see your lovely photos. The callanhan house sure is a lovely place, have you ever been to the Dillard House, in Dillard, NC? I bet it was gorgeous with decorations too this time of year, I do love lights, city lights, Christmas lights, just lights in general. I know you enjoy all the same beauty as I, and you snap it as you go, Happy New year my friend, God bless you real good.
Lots of hugs, Barbara

Only Prettier said...

i love Callahans....I could get lost in there! Make sure you always check out the clearance corner....I have found some wonderful things there.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Who says you have to have snow, or even really cold weather, to have beautiful Christmas decorations?! Lovely! Great nighttime photos, Betsy!

Out on the prairie said...

I've been to Callahans a few times.

Busy Bee Suz said...

You have captured these lights so perfectly!!! {jealous!}
Beautiful.

Ida said...

Beautiful pics, Betsy. I love Christmas time! Callahan looks like a place to str-oo-oo-oo-l in and just enjoy everything without hurry...

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

I always enjoy your photos, love seeing the beauty in NC. I agree with the snow "enough is enough"
kim

Anonymous said...

Ohhh I l♥ve l♥ve l♥ve all the Christmas lights... they're all so pretty! =)

Ginny Hartzler said...

I really want to go in Callahan's!! And for some reason, the words Homemade Candy just popped out at me!! But my favorite picture is the palm tree, I have never seen a decorated one before, it's rather charming and oddball. Boundary house is decorated for Christmas all the time, because their name is in red!

Unknown said...

Still snowing there!! Oh my you maybe stuck indoors for while yet!

We always enjoy just driving around looking at the christmas lights, people go in for it alot more here than in the UK. Although on my trip home I did see an increase in home decoration. x

imac said...

Nice.
Bit late for lights 12th night and all.lol.

Mary said...

The decorations are really beautiful! Must have been a great vacation and very Christmasy.

Jo said...

So wonderful that you photographed the Christmas lights to well. I enjoyed the lit palm tree the most. And the full moon, of course. I could "feel" the cold - brrr. Warm blessings and hugs Jo

Jo said...

So wonderful that you photographed the Christmas lights to well. I enjoyed the lit palm tree the most. And the full moon, of course. I could "feel" the cold - brrr. Warm blessings and hugs Jo

floweringmama said...

Hey Betsy! Those are some beautiful shots. I bet the shop is a fun place to walk through. The red ribbons on the tree really stood out, that is my favorite!

Sharon said...

Not snowing here, but still have too much, too cold to melt! DH had to go out, I can see the ice shining on the road, hope he makes it back intact! So sick of it already!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Great photos, Betsy. I love all the wreaths in the windows at Callahan's. Looks like an interesting place to visit! Stay warm and safe in all that snow. We've got snow and bitterly cold temps here. I'm ready for spring now. :D ~Cheryl

Darla said...

I have been trying to visit you all day long, blogger wouldn't load anyone's photos for me...guess the internet cables are cold too. Beautiful red and white light Christmas tree.

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Love the Christmas lights.
My kids are out of school again today. I'm so over this whole snow business!

Glenda said...

You and George find the neatest places to visit, eat, and stay! I'd love to visit Callahan's any time of the year. There are so many pretty places to see in NC.

Wish you could send some of the snow this way!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Very beautiful Christmas lights ..I loved the lighted palm trees and peeking inot the store windows form the pretty porch.

Pat Tillett said...

Very nice Betsy! Not always easy to take shots in that light!

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful light displays. I love the tree with the red bows. The Beautiful moon shot. Thanks for the lovely tour.

DeniseinVA said...

Oh my gosh, aren't those just the prettiest lights and taken so beautifully I might add. Thanks for sharing these Betsy.

Tootie said...

loved the pictures !

Carletta said...

Lovely photos!
They look so inviting. Makes you want to walk right in.
We got home Monday night and it's been snowing daily. We have about five inches and the weather man says it's over. I'm thinking I'd like a few warm days too.
Hope you and George are doing well!

It's been a long time since I was through Bluefield,WV. I'll have to check out that tunnel this summer.

Love Of Quilts said...

You were in a nice place for christmas...would really be nice to be there now with all the snow you have... its stopped here but I haven't been outside since it started. Blessing Trish

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Both my girls loved drama. I was a proud mum. They don't any more.

I haven't taken down my tree, have you?

SquirrelQueen said...

I just love seeing Christmas lights (any time of the year), the festive colors always make me smile.

The lighted palm tree brings back memories of Christmas trips to FL when I lived in GA.

Still snowing? We are at 52 degrees at this moment with rain expected. I'll send some of the warmth out to you in the next shipment!!

Karin said...

Love the lights everywhere - on the evergreen tree, the palm tree, in the stores, in the sky! Certainly brightens up the darkness! Would love to go browsing at Callahan's - not that I need anything, lol! Your snow will probably melt much faster than hours - -9F -23C this morning. The roads are still horrible - especially side streets full of ruts!
Enjoy your day!!

Valerie said...

Oh how I love the white lights and red bow on the storefront and window as well as the tree! So 'Christmassy!"

As much as I love our tree with all the special ornaments - sometimes I wish I could just do white lights and red - it is just so pretty!

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

Beautiful photos...