Redecorating for Spring.

Thanks to Karen at Graphics fairy for the bees in my new heading, as well as the background I have been using for a while. You can find links to both and a zillion other things on her blog.

Spring is coming. It peaks forward, then retreats. The sun was bright yesterday and today the rain is falling.

We have what will probably be the last fire of the season going in the fireplace and my Sweet Husband brought fresh flowers in from the yard for me this morning.

This is the original photo for the center of the banner. I wanted to show the dreary winter progressing slowly to spring. The azaleas are not out yet, this photo is from last year.

The elm looks amazing right now. I won't be so tickled when all that pollen starts falling, but for now, I am just enjoying the beauty. I do like pink. (Doesn't my back yard look nice right now?)

Southern Sunrise. Now isn't that worth getting up for?

Spring in one of it's finest forms. So pretty, so cheerful, and they are free!

The Camellia did not bloom at Christmas this year. The storm we had was too much for them.

They are making up for it now, the bushes are all covered.

A little peaceful contemplation.

We are not alone.

Spontaneous, that silly beast, is already hiding from the summer (She is a very well insulated cat).

Well that should do it for now. Let me know what you think of the new banner.

As usual, I need to be doing my homework.

Have a great week.

Kat



Wordless Wintery Wednesday

Southern Snowstorm at Kat's Corner.

As I said in my last post, I had to work this weekend. I really don't mind. We spent all those years in the Air Force so we are used to celebrating our holidays when we can. A calender is just a reminder,

not a commandment.

Some time, very late, on Christmas night, it started to snow. It didn't stick to the roads so my drive to work was safe. I have not driven in snow for several years, I had forgotten how pretty it is.

I know, several of my favorite readers will probably laugh at me, but I really am not used to winter any more. I enjoy the beauty, but I hate the cold. I grew up in Northern Utah, plenty of snow there. Here it is still a rare thing. Our storm last winter was quite unusual and quickly melted.

Anyway, yesterday, while I was at work, it continued to snow. Sometimes big fluffy flurries, sometimes sleet. Most of it melted as it hit the ground.

I did not see much of it as we were quite busy. My Sweet Hubby knows me well, he grabbed my camera so he could share it with me when I got home. now I would like to share it with you.

 The barn

 Peace in the snow,

Smoke house,

 This morning, when I finally talked myself into getting up, it was still a winter wonderland out in the yard.

I just had to take the camera out. Cold though, Brrrrr!

 This old boxwood, next to the steps, is snowy.

 Pandora looks cold.

 My Sweet Husbands little corolla is wearing a blanket of snow.

My pickup is mostly bare, I had to clean it off before I drove home last night.

 I don't think Gargoyles like the cold either.

 The magnolia is beautiful year round.

No worries. Isn't this a comforting sight?

My Sweetheart made a big pot of Earl Grey tea and German Apple Pancakes for breakfast.

The fire is toasty and I don't have to go anywhere.

I hope you are all as warm and content as I am.

Cheers,

Kat

Antebellum Autumn.

Each day here in the old antebellum is a little prettier this time of year.

The sun is shining, but it is cooler.

My leaves are slowly turning.

 The early morning light shows off our house nicely.

 This side view shows how red the dogwood is getting.
See the little tree in front? Nicely yellow.
Plenty of leaves on the ground.

 This is the same dogwood just a few days ago, pretty but not as nice as it is right now.

The little tree, to the left in this picture, is still quite green.

 Even the lizards are putting on their autumn colors.

Ok, so maybe he is really putting on his, hide on the brick, color,

but it looks like autumn to me.
(Don't you think he looks just a little grumpy?)

I took this one in Greenville last weekend.

Look at all that red!

My friend Brian the Cat writes from that part of the world.
I bet he would like my lizard.
More pictures to come,
autumn is just starting around here.
Cheers,
Kat

Wintery Wednesday

It is nearly 80 degrees here at kat's corner this morning and the sun is not even up yet.

I know 80 degrees does not sound like a lot, but it will be a lot warmer later. Thank goodness antebellum builders knew how to compensate for summer. With a few windows and a fan we are quite comfortable right now.

I posted winter pictures the other day and my friend at Life Through Reflections...  reminded me that I posted a challenge last winter for summer pictures.

So now I am posting a challenge for winter pictures. There are no prizes, this is just for fun.

So dust off your favorite winter pictures and lets see if we can't all cool down a little.

1. Post your best wintry photos to your blog.

2. Leave a comment here with a link to your photos.

3. Check out the other participants blogs to see there photos.

Easy enough?

My favorite part of these things is getting to share some of my favorite blogs with you.

Here is my entry.

 Snowy back steps.

Snowy old oak.

Snowy Barn.

Snowy Antebellum.

There now, don't you feel cooler already?

Cheers,

Kat

Lets cool down for a minute.

I added a page for the house, somewhere I can share some of the trials and tribulations, as well as the joy involved in loving an old antebellum house like this one. You can click on the tab at the top to see it if you like. While I was looking for pictures, I came across these and you know, I can appreciate them a whole lot more right now. So here goes,

Daffs in the snow, these photos were taken and posted in Feb of this year.

This Antebellum lady looks cold.

The old barn on a snowy evening.

Our guardian tree, remember, this was not typical winter weather in these parts.

Yes, we went for a walk in it, of course.

My favorite photo of all!

There, now don't you feel a little cooler too?

Cheers,

Kat

The Blog That Saved a Barn

This is the picture that started it all. You see, last spring, we had a record breaking hail storm. The storm also knocked down several trees. There was so much damage in the area that the Red Cross came in. My poor little pickup had more than twenty dings on the cab alone and my Sweet Hubby's car was in worse shape. We figured we were lucky.

A while later, some vultures decided to take a break on the barn roof and I was lucky enough to get this picture. I was concentrating on the birds. When my Sweet Hubby saw the post, he said, "What is wrong with the barn roof?"
This picture, I call it "Peace" was on the top of the side bar of my blog for a long time. I love our old barn and this is such a peaceful atmospheric picture of it. We compared the two pictures. Peace was taken well before the storm and when you compare the roof, you can see the damage.

This is the back view of our smoke house. When we checked, we discovered the roof on it and the summer kitchen were also damaged.

You may have seen this picture before, I posted it in the autumn. I love it!, the damage is there, but hidden by the leaves. The roofing companies were busy all summer repairing roofs on houses. (Our house roof is fine, no leaks). So we had to wait for them to come to us. One thing these pictures don't show well is the sheer size of the barn. It is a two story barn and it is huge. We don't know how old it is but from the inside you can see many of the most support beams are "Rough Hewn" (there have been repairs over the years) and the old hand made nails were used, just like in the house.

Remember this one? The Summer kitchen does not look very summery here. My understanding is that the summer kitchen was used for cooking in the summer to keep the heat out of the house. Remember, back then they did not have central air and it gets hot here in the summer.

This is a close up of the barn with snow on it. I can imagine the animals that used to live here. This was once the heart of a working plantation and the barn may be original. It is hard to imagine when you look at all the trees, but they raised cotton here.

The smoke house with it's proud new roof. These buildings were all here when we arrived and are original to the place.
We keep seasoned fire wood here, close to the house for days like today. A solid roof keeps the contents dry and will help keep the building standing.

The summer kitchen with it's new roof. I love the way you can see how these buildings were constructed. It gives clues to the parts of the house you can't see. Notice the summer kitchen has a raised foundation and floor, the smokehouse has a dirt floor.

The barn looks quite proud with it's new roof. I was a little worried that a new roof would look out of place on an old barn, but my Sweet Hubby picked just the right materials.

From a distance with my Daffs in the foreground. This was taken Sunday. Today it is snowing again. Two snow storms in one year is a lot here. That is fine with me, the fire is crackling behind me and none of us have to go anywhere.

My Sweet Hubby stepped outside after I went to work yesterday and took this one for me. He did not want me to miss it. Isn't it the prettiest view?
Hopefully the new roofs will keep the main support structures dry and our old buildings will last for years to come. I feel like I am living with history and I love it!

Have a lovely week and stay warm.

Kat