Family Visits

Before Christmas,  George and I made three separate trips to visit some of the family.  On Dec. 20,  we drove to Tullahoma to visit George's 100 yr. old Dad.  We took him to lunch ---and he woofed down some fried chicken,  onion rings,  slaw and a big brownie topped with ice cream.....   Gee---that man still can EAT.... Awesome,  isn't it????  The picture above is of  George and his Dad..  I love that picture,  don't you?

Then on Dec. 22,  we drove down to Dalton, GA to have dinner and spend some time with son Jeff and his bride, Dawn.  Those two are SO happy ---and enjoying their first Christmas together as man and wife.  We gave them a "First Christmas" ornament... They fixed some delicious Gumbo for dinner.... YUM... We had a wonderful time with them.  The picture above is their gorgeous Christmas tree --which they picked out together at a tree farm.  Isn't it pretty?

Here is a picture of the newlyweds which I took while we visited.   Jeff inherited 3 doggies.... Dawn is holding Henry.  The other two are bigger dogs which stay outside most of the time.  Henry is ADORABLE---but it has taken him awhile to share his Mama with Jeff.... ha

THEN--on Dec. 23, we drove to Nashville to have dinner and do some photography with George's beautiful daughter, Kelly, and her hubby, Chuck.  They live in Buffalo --so we don't get to see them often.  BUT-since they were in Nashville attending an event,  we took the opportunity to meet with them for some time together...

After dinner,  we drove to an interesting old cemetery to do some walking and take some pictures.  The cemetery,  Mount Olivet  Cemetery,  is really interesting.  The weather was TERRIBLE (cold and drizzly) --so we didn't stay long.  BUT--we did get some good pictures while we were there.  The picture of Kelly and Chuck above was taken at the cemetery.  They were standing next to a HUGE Magnolia tree (which I have pictured in the next photo below).  NOTE:  Chuck is really taller than Kelly---but she was standing on a large tree root.

The cemetery (250 acres) was established in 1856---so it is very old with some interesting sculptures.  Besides these sculptures,  there were some AWESOME old trees on the property.   The picture above was one of the largest MAGNOLIA trees I have ever seen.   Note the trunk of this huge tree in the photo above of Kelly/Chuck.

Besides the Magnolia tree,   I also saw the largest HOLLY TREE I have ever seen.  In fact, there were several Holly trees in this area ---and probably more Magnolias.  The picture above shows one of these gorgeous Holly trees.  They are LOADED with berries.... So pretty!

And here is a close-up picture of some of the beautiful Holly berries.

Finally,  I'll close with some photos of some of the gorgeous sculptures in that cemetery. 

 As you can imagine,  we had a wonderful three days with family.  That made our Christmas very very special this year.

We drove to Tullahoma yesterday to see Dad.  (We go down there about every other week.)  He is fine ---and kept talking about someone selling all of the horses... HA HA ---he has never had any horses!!!! Bless his heart.

Hope you have a great weekend.  I will see you on Monday.   HAPPY 2013 to YOU.

Hugs,

Emoticons

Life on the Cumberland Plateau

Our little home  during Fall (2012)

As you probably know,  life for us has been VERY busy lately....  First was the big trip out west in September.  That was followed by my son's gorgeous wedding.  THEN---we went to Ohio to do some hiking with our good friends, Neal and Patti...  After coming home from Ohio,  we enjoyed a weekend here visiting with cousins/family/friends who were visiting in the area.

Then,  if all of this hasn't been enough,  we took off to the Smokies last Tuesday to see the Fall colors....   In between all of that ---this is a busy time of year for us in our yard.  We both have spent many hours (with many more to come) blowing/raking/mowing leaves.... Autumn is a pretty season and I love it ---but when those leaves start coming down,  there's alot of work to be done. 

Anyhow---to make a long story short,   I apologize for not visiting your blogs very much lately...  I do try to keep up--but it's not easy.  There just isn't enough hours in the day right now!!!!! Oh Well..... Life moves on no matter what!!!!

Today I will show you a few pictures I took in and around our yard on October 23.    AND--I'll share a few pictures of our visit with  my cousins/family on October 20/21.   Hope you enjoy seeing more of our crazy lives here in Fairfield Glade --on the Cumberland Plateau.  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.

I take alot of pictures of our little home --and love to compare them during different seasons of the year.  We had a 'quick' Fall here this year.  Trees seemed to stay green for a long time but turned quickly when they did turn ---and even though there are some reds and yellows around,  the primary colors right now are the browns/golds....  I won't say that we have had a beautiful Fall here ---like we saw in Ohio or the Smokies, but nevertheless,  it is still pretty!!!

Thought you'd enjoy seeing my little Fall decorations up close and personal.   Can you see the big ceramic pumpkin on the porch????  I got that one on a visit to Kroger's one day.  The employee there was setting up a pumpkin display --and accidentally dropped some of them.  We stopped to help him pick up the pieces.  This one only lost its lid ----so he gave it to us FREE of charge.  I bought some Fall flowers and put in it for decorations... Neat, huh?

Here is our pretty Maple in our front yard... I love the colors of the Maples in Fall.

Here is one of the MANY Burning Bushes in our area... This is a very popular bush and there's at least one in most every yard!!!!!   They are gorgeous in Fall.

AND---here's a picture of our front yard looking up the hill/street.  Note that there are a few more ROSES still blooming.  That is our neighbor's big white house in this picture.  Note the leaves on the ground.... That was AFTER we raked and blew them!!!!! Those leaves are really coming down now, just like rain... ha ha

As I said above,  we visited with two of my cousins and their families twice weekend of Oct. 20/21.   This picture shows all eight of us enjoying a meal together at the Cumberland Mountain State Park Restaurant on Sunday, Oct. 21.  We had a wonderful time together.

Here are my two cousins,  Carol (Michigan) and Bonnie (Florida).   Carol and Bonnie are 1st cousins since they have the same grandmother.   I'm a cousin on down the line since their grandmother is my mother's mother's sister.... (Figure that one out!!!!! ha)

Bonnie,  Betsy,  Carol

Finally here is a photo of the three of us cousins...  Since I have so little family left,   I love these gals ---and enjoy being with them so much.  Tennessee is a great place for us to meet since one lives in Michigan and one in Florida!!!!!!




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Last Blooming Roses from our Yard 2012

LATER:  On Saturday,  October 27,  because VERY cold weather was coming our way,  George cut most of the remaining ROSES which were blooming in our yard --and brought them all inside...  I love having them inside --but hate to see Fall end.  We'll have to wait 'til Spring in order to have more rose blossoms...  Sigh!!!!

Hope you had a great weekend.  After such a warm (almost hot) week last week,  someone opened the freezer door--since it is MUCH colder this week... But--I love it!!!!  They even mentioned the "S" word (SNOW) on our TV weather report Saturday night... YIPES....  BUT--I'll stay warm--all snuggled up next to a big roaring fire in our wood-burning  fireplace!!!!

Have a great day.

Hugs,
Betsy

Jeff and Dawn's Wedding

"Me thinks there is going to be a wedding here."

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Wilhite (my youngest son) got married on October 6, 2012 at the Central Church of Christ,  Dalton, GA.  The wedding was fabulous from beginning to end --and this Mama just smiled all weekend!!!!!  I am so happy for these young adults --and am so blessed to have Dawn as a member of our family..

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.  Be sure to click on them to see enlargements.

Rehearsal Dinner

First came the rehearsal dinner (for about 35) in the Fellowship Hall of the church.  Dawn and Jeff's colors were blue/navy and yellow.  Dawn's favorite flower is the Sunflower --so you will see many of them throughout these photos.

The groom's family (George and I, Mel--Jeff's father, and wife Sally) were in charge of the dinner.  Sally furnished the gorgeous table decorations;  Mel prepared some home-made lasagna,  some bread, drink and salad;  George and I furnished fruit trays, veggie trays,  and cupcakes for dessert.  We all --including son, Mark, from Texas set-up for the wedding and then cleaned it all up...  Everyone seemed to have a good time ---including all of Jeff's family.  The bride and groom look so happy,  don't they?

The Wedding Book

Jeff and Dawn had a great wedding book --which they will continue to add to as the years go by... All of the guests were asked to sign the book (anywhere they wanted to).

The Wedding Party

Here is a picture of the entire wedding party.  Jeff's son Landon (to his left) was his Dad's best man.  Mel (Jeff's Dad) is to Landon's left.   Jeff's daughter, Avery,  is on the right side of Dawn,  and my son Mark (Jeff's brother) is to Avery's right.  As you can imagine,  the tiny one (Cameron) stole the show!!!!!

Dawn and the 'Girls'

Here are some cute pictures of Dawn and her 'girls'.. My favorite is the bottom right --where Dawn is seated with the little ones!!!!!   BUT--isn't Cameron just precious?

The PARENTS

Here is where it all BEGAN!!!!!  These are the parents.   To the left are George and I.  Top right  are Dawn's Mom and Dad,  Robert and Shirley.  And the bottom right are Jeff's Dad,  Mel, and wife, Sally.

I want to add here that the wedding service was excellent.  Jeff and Dawn used sand to combine the two families as ONE.  That was a nice change to me from the candles that we used to light to unite the families.

ALSO---Jeff and Dawn had an area in a separate room set aside for the memory of loved ones who have died.   Included here were my parents:  Edith and Simon Banks.  Doing that meant so much to me.  (Thanks, Dawn and Jeff.)

Betsy's Sons and Grandchildren

I'll add a personal collage here..  On the top left is a picture of my two youngest sons, Jeff and Mark.  Our oldest son (Bert) couldn't be here --but we all missed him very much.  To the right at the top is George and I with Jeff.  On the bottom left is a happy Mom with her son, Mark (from Texas).  AND---to the right are two of my precious grandchildren (Jeff's children):  Landon (age 17) and Avery (age 14).  Avery is my youngest grand --and she's growing up so fast and getting prettier every single day.  Landon is a amazing young man --and I am a very proud Grammy!

RECEPTION

Next came the reception,  held nearby at a place called Stages 123.   It was also decorated fabulously --thanks to many of Dawn's friends in Dalton.  There was plenty of food for the 100+ people who attended...  The pictures to the right are the bride's and groom's cakes.  There were two groom's cakes (Carrot and Red Velvet).  The bride's cake was a white cake with white icing --surrounded by --what else, but sunflowers!!!!

First Dance --and a Toast

Here was the first dance between husband and wife ---and a toast to everyone for attending and also for good luck.

It's CAKE TIME

Here are some photos of the bride and groom feeding each other cake...  I loved the wedding cake --so wanted you to see a closer view...  Gorgeous,  isn't it?

Mom and Son Dance

Here's the groom's dance with Mom.  We danced to  "Wind Beneath Your Wings" sung by Bette Midler.  I am so proud of Jeff ---and expressed that to him while we were dancing.

Garter and Bouquet Time!!!

Now it's time to throw the garter (Jeff) and the bouquet (Dawn)....  We won't tell anyone that Jeff first tried to snap the garter --and it went the WRONG direction... Tee Hee....

Bride and Groom Leaving

WELL---the party's over and the bride and groom are leaving.  We all formed two lines and waved streamers as they left....  (That is so much better than throwing rice I think.)

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Bruce Wilhite

Finally,  here's one last picture of the Beautiful Bride and her Gorgeous Groom.  As I write this the day AFTER the wedding,  I hope that these two are enjoying a few days of R&R on the beach...

We did have a great time --and the wedding was PERFECT from every respect...Congrats to this wonderful couple!!!!

Hope you ALL had a great a weekend as we had!

Hugs,
Betsy
NOTE: Any family member or friend who wants any of these photos, please email me at betsyadams@mac.com.

A 100th Birthday Celebration

My wonderful father-in-law,  John Emery Adams,  turns 100 years YOUNG today!!!!   As you read this,  we are with him still celebrating... 

This past Saturday,  in the Fellowship Hall of his church,  First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee,   many, many friends and family members gathered to help Dad celebrate his birthday... Today I will share some pictures from that party.

Family members came from all over the country to celebrate,   and many friends stopped by to see Dad and congratulate him.  For me personally,  I enjoyed seeing many old friends from Hendersonville ---since I worked in that church for 3 years before retiring.  That made this party even more special for me.

For those who don't know about my inlaws,   let me tell you that when I met and married George,  I fell totally in love, not only with him,  but with his wonderful parents... Mom Adams used to make me a Peanut Butter Pie (my fav) for my birthday every year!!!!  Mom died in June of 2011.  Since Mom and Dad were so very very close (had been married for 72 yrs),  we didn't expect Dad (who was the older one) to live much longer after Mom died.  However,  he has perked up and has made it to age 100.... What an awesome man--- and an inspiration to all who know him.

Hope you enjoy some of the pictures from the party.... Above is Dad Adams and his three children:  Ken (68)--who lives in Indiana;  Janet (60) -- who lives in Tullahoma, TN;  George (70)--who lives in Crossville, TN.  Janet is the one who deserves the kudos --since she is Dad's caregiver.

Many many Family members and friends came by to talk to Dad ---and Dad LOVED it!!!

Dr. Ben and Betty Alexander talk to Dad..  Brother Ben is one of the ministers at the church, and Dad and Mom attended his Bible Studies for years.

This is Janet's two sons and their children. 

This group includes some of Mom Adams side of the family, the Cassidays. 

First Row:  Bonnie (Ken's wife);  Dad;  me;   Second Row:  Ken;  one of Ken's sons (David) and his wife;  George

This family group is the Woodke family,  relatives on Dad's side.

Row 1:  Ken, Dad, Bonnie;   Row 2:  George and me

This was one of the most moving times of the party.  The great grandchildren sang  "Happy Birthday" and "Jesus Loves Me" to their PawPaw.

Finally,  here's one more photo of Dad and us.  Front row:  Me, Dad, Bonnie;  Second row:  George, Janet and Ken

I don't know the number of people who attended that two-hour party---but between family and friends (who came and went all afternoon),  I think there must have been at least 75 people total... Dad handled the day very well---and even ate a good dinner that night when all of the family went to dinner together at the Chop House.

What a remarkable day ---and what a remarkable man.... God Bless You, Dad Adams,  as you enter into year 101 of your life.

Please say a little prayer for Dad today --as we celebrate his 100th birthday together as a family.  If you want to see more pictures of Dad  (pictures of him through the years),  click HERE to see George's blog post today.

Have a great day...

Hugs,
Betsy

Irises, Roses and Family

Cable Car Iris

Our IRISES in the yard have been FABULOUS this spring... AND the good news is that many of them are re-bloomers --so we'll have them blooming again in the Fall.   In this blog post (click HERE),  I showed you several of our Irises... SO today I'll show you some more of our 19 different varieties... Above is always a favorite every year.  Its name is CABLE CAR.   I love the 'rust' color of this one.   We took several photos after a rain--since we enjoy seeing the 'drops' on the flowers.  Be sure and enlarge the photos in order to see them larger.

Electric Shock Iris

Cantina Iris

Wish you could see this one in person.. It has SEVERAL colors --and changes when the sun is on it... Such a beauty!!!!

Floor Show Iris

Here is another multi-colored beauty.   Do you like this one?

English Charm Iris

This is another pretty Iris.... The raindrops were really clinging to this one!

Halloween Halo Iris

If you like Pastels,  you will love this Iris...  The bright orange beards would remind one of Halloween I suppose...




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Southern Belle Rose

Here's two more of the gorgeous Roses beginning to bloom in our yard.  The one above is named SOUTHERN BELLE....  George brought one of these into the house ---and you should smell it... WOW!!!!

Summer of Love Rose

Finally,  this beauty is named SUMMER OF LOVE. I love all of the different colors in this rose...

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Dave, Bonnie, Betsy and George

We visited my cousin,  Bonnie, and her hubby, Dave,  at a Camping and Hang-Gliding area on the top of the mountain near Dunlap, Tennessee on Monday.  Bonnie and Dave have a new (GORGEOUS)  motor home ---and are enjoying traveling these days.  We had a wonderful visit with them.  Isn't that a great view of the Sequatchie Valley?

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BLUEBIRD UPDATE:  I have done tons of research and talked to LOTS of people about my Bluebird Tragedy.  (See Monday's blog for details.)  Click HERE to see a great website if you are interested.   Apparently, my culprit must have been a SNAKE..  Once the Bluebirds nest again,  we will keep the pole greased--which will keep a snake off of the nestbox (I hope)... I also need a new type of baffle (made with stove pipe)... NOW--if Daddy Blue can find a new mate,  maybe they'll try again.  We have cleaned out the nestbox for them... Thanks SO SO much for your thoughts, suggestions and prayers. This has been hard for me!!!

 I need to apologize AGAIN for not getting to your blog posts much this week.  Besides our trip on Monday and doing research on Bluebirds,   I have been working in the yard (power-washing the deck and cleaning the deck furniture).... Fun fun!!!

ONE MORE THING:  Any of you who use Google+ as your profile,  be sure and put your blog URL on there somewhere.  Otherwise,  people cannot find your blog to comment.  Thanks!!!

Hope you are having a 'fan-tabulous day'  enjoying life.....  Get outside and enjoy yourself!!!!

Hugs,
Betsy