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Hello, My Lovelies!  Clearly it's past March 1, and I want to apologize for all my Tales of the Traveling Totes Friends for not being able to post on time and miss the link party.  

Sorry, y'all!

I thought I'd given myself plenty of time the week before, but I had not.  Before posting, I needed to fix a few buggy problems with my blog and Mail Chimp, and I had a few unexpected things happen that kept me from home and my computer.  Aren't we lucky we have Linda our very own Fairy Blog Mother to help! 





I still want to share with y'all our winter travels to California and New Mexico.


When the University of Alabama Crimson Tide was offered a bid to the Rose Bowl, Mr. Bookish and I decided to go and not only attend the Tournament of Roses Parade and Bowl Game, but to also visit family living in Southern California.

Our first stop: our home away from home, The Fairmont in Santa Monica.


We enjoyed all the beautiful Christmas lights on the property, the famed Santa Monica Pier, and the best charcuterie across from the Fairmont at Wally's.


We celebrated New Year's by visiting family living in Dana Point.  I absolutely LOVE Dana Point, and I can see why our family loves it so much!


The Montage is in their neighborhood.



La Countess de Monet likes it there.  A lot!



We went on really nice walks.






This is Finlay's brother Harold and his Best Beagle Friend Barney.


We spent New Year's Day in Pasadena.  I loved it there, too, and some of the cottages there are some of the prettiest I've ever seen!  This one was my favorite:




I've always wanted to see the Tournament of Roses Parade in person.  It did not disappoint.





You can read my post about the Tournament of Roses Parade including my favorite floats by following this LINK.




Although the Crimson Tide lost to the Michigan Wolverines, we still had the best time at the game.  I had a feeling Michigan would win because our daughter is a good luck charm.  While she attended the University of Alabama for undergrad and graduate school, Alabama won at least three national championships.  At LSU while she was earning her PhD, LSU won a national championship.  Now she's doing a post doc at Michigan...OF COURSE they HAD to win.  When her post doc is over, I will literally cry if she joins the Auburn University faculty.  That can't happen, y'all...

At the very end of January, we went skiing in New Mexico (Taos Ski Valley).  I was really looking forward to visiting not only to ski, but to also visit Taos's art galleries.  Unfortunately for us, the Blue Bus Line that takes people back and forth to the mountain and town wasn't running "due to political reasons" whatever that means.  It snowed everyday, which was great for skiing, but not so great for driving, so I skied everyday.  I was worried about my stamina and getting altitude sickness (we were sleeping above 9,600'), but I did not get it, and I was so happy about my stamina: I skied better than I expected!





Miss Candy Max went on this trip with me.  Our home away from home was the Snake Dance Lodge.



Snake Dance is literally ski in/ ski out.  We were spoiled!  This is the view of Lift One from the Juliet balcony outside our bedroom.



One of my favorite views from the ridge looking at the backside of the mountain.
This is where most of the runs are.



Our trip was with the Birmingham Ski Club, and a few friends brought their ice skates as well as their skis.



Mr. Bookish in his new ski duds he got for Christmas.


I really loved skiing Taos, and I especially loved the ski school and my instructor.  It turned out to be a blessing that I skied almost everyday and did not go down to mountain.  I got my ski legs back under me, and I had a blast.  My only complaint is that it takes planes, trains, and automobiles (and buses) to get to the resort: It's at least a three hour drive from the Albuquerque airport to Taos/Ski Valley.  



Our next adventures will be live on June 1, 2024.






Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill




My Embarrassingly Late Tales of the Traveling Tote Post

Saturday, March 9, 2024

 



Hello, My Lovelies!  Welcome to another tablescape blog hop party hosted by Rita @ Panoply!   



There are sixteen participants in this blog hop, and I'm looking forward to visiting all the other blogs and being inspired by the creative tablescapes.




Thank-you, Rita, for hosting, and also thank-you for always making the prettiest graphics for our posts!


For this year's Valentine's Day tablescape, I decided to put together a simple one in our breakfast room.  The table is set for two, for Mr. Bookish and me.  




I decided on a theme of hearts and lace, and I started with a pink tablecloth with red and beige stripes.  It picks-up the colors in the placemats.
I set the table for us at the upper end of the table, and I placed two other placemats and scattered three heart-shaped bowls on the lower end of the table.




My plate stack is simple.  I implemented the theme using heart plates and serving pieces from MacKenzie-Childs, and lacy plates and a serving dish from Pier1.




The placemats have heart and lace images on them.  




For breakfast, I will be serving Conecuh sausage and cheddar drop biscuits.  They will be served using the lace platter.  The heart bowl will serve fresh fruit featuring citrus.
Also on the menu:  espresso, because nothing says love more than hot coffee!





I like how the geometric, rickrack-edged napkins look with the placemats.  
The photo below shows the rickrack trim.











The jam pot will hold Strawberry and Champagne Jam from the Waverly Local.
The flowers are from The Fresh Market, and the vase is a wedding gift from my closest high school friend (and she's still one of my besties).  








Resources:

Everything on the table is MacKenzie-Childs except:
Lace plates and platter:  Pier1
Napkins:  Anthropologie
Tablecloth:  Vintage Williams-Sonoma
Flatware:  Horchow
Jam spoon:  vintage
Crystal vase:  wedding gift 



Please visit the other participating blogs.  The links are listed below.














Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill


Valentine's Day Tablescape: Hearts and Lace

Tuesday, January 23, 2024



Hello, My Lovelies!

Many of us are staying inside today due to snow, ice, cold, and other winter nasties.  I hope that wherever you are that you're enjoying a warm beverage and finding a little bit of joy.

In order to help you smile on this cold winter's day, I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite characters from the 2024 (135th) Tournament of Roses Parade.

I've always wanted to visit Pasadena and attend the Rose Parade, and when Alabama was invited to play in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Championship Playoffs, Mr. Bookish wanted to treat me to a trip to Southern California.  We were also able to visit family and friends, and I'll write more about our trip in a later post.

Today's post is all about the parade.  We loved this year's theme:  “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language."  Here are a few of my favorite characters, and I hope they make you smile.



This little pup was on the float that won the Director's Award for the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non floral materials.  The participants were The Pasadena Humane Society and Hill's Pet Nutrition.  The float's theme was "Feed the Love."



This float did not win an award, but it was one of my favorites.  It's theme:  "Bee the Solution,"  and the sponsor for this float was Union Station Homeless Services of Pasadena.  



This float's escaped carousel horse made me giggle.  Winning the Queen Award Trophy for the most outstanding presentation of roses, its theme was "Enchanted Music Box."  The beautiful bouquets of roses covering the float ensured its win sponsored by the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association (see below).






Sponsored by the City of Alhambra, this dragon represented the year of the dragon.  This float won the Fantasy Award for the most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination.  Its theme was "Keep Dreaming."




Winning the Wrigley Legacy Award for the most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design, and entertainment, the flamingos on this float stunned the crowd.
Sponsored by the Downey Rose Float Association,  its theme was the "Rhythm of the Caribbean."




Sponsored by the UPS Store,  this adorable float won the Bob Hope Humor Award for the most whimsical and amusing float.  You can read its theme "The Beat of Achievement,"  and please notice the alligator's watch.  These floats were so detailed, y'all.



The South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association's float won the Founder's Award for the most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization.   The float's theme was "Boogie Fever," and I  loved how the giraffe's instrument of choice.




Winning the Extraordinaire Trophy for the most extraordinary float, the Visit Newport Beach organization wowed everyone with its boat parade float composed of several boats.  My favorite boat was piloted by Frosty the Snowman, and the float's theme was "Jingle on the Waves."

 

 

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill





A Post to Make You Smile

Tuesday, January 16, 2024


Hello!

I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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