A beagle won the Westminster Dog Show in New York tonight. That's right........a beagle. He was really cute and bayed at his handler when he found out he was top dog and even got a standing ovation. But here's the dog that came in second.
Doesn't he just look like he should be wearing a crown? Now, I think I know who I would have chosen if I was the highly esteemed, vastly qualified, hugely respected expert.............the dog that looks like my dog.
Aren't these two precious balancing up on their egg perches?
I love this little lady with her tule tutu and egg garland.
This sweet bunny couple is tying the knot. The bride has a very original bouquet and her tiara is one carrot.If you look carefully you can see that it was a triple wedding.
Glitter is very fashionable for bunnies this year. This fleece lady has made friends with a chick and a frog(prince?). Stay tuned.....more bunnies to come.
It's pretty much common knowledge that if you visit Atlanta, you're going to spend some time on a street called Peachtree. You're probably even going to get lost because of a street called Peachtree. The lists of Peachtree Road, Street, etc. are legendary and don't boost the confidence of a newcomer trying to navigate the winding streets of Atlanta. But what they don't realize is it can be daunting for natives, too. Especially for the natives who navigate by landmarks. A driver can suddenly become lost when the landmark that indicates a turn disappears overnight. Persistent widening of roads and development gives Atlanta a constantly changing landscape. The once leafy and mostly residential Buckhead is rapidly becoming a concrete canyon. Gracious old homeplaces are being turned into subdivisions. Small shops are making way for hotel skyscrapers. Single story medical buildings are being replaced by gargantuan office complexes. More cars than ever drive on Peachtree Road but it is still just Peachtree Road. And as long as there's an Atlanta, people will be getting their Peachtree Streets confused with their Peachtree Roads.
George and Martha Washington were real party animals who hosted more than 677 guests in one year alone. George loved having company and treated them right with big dinners every afternoon at 3:00 sharp.
If the guests were still feeling a bit peckish, a final course of nuts, apples, and raisins were served with Port and Madeira wines. 
The celebration of George Washington's birthday is coming up on Monday, February 18. If you're a fan of American history or homeschooling, here are some links to help you brush up on your knowledge. First, here's the site for Mount Vernon, Washington's beloved estate on the Potomac River. It consisted of five farms on 8000 acres, each with it's own overseer, workforce of slaves (who were emancipated in his will) and their cabins, outbuildings, and livestock. He planted 80 different crops and was constantly experimenting to improve the soil and output of each farm. The 500 acre site you can visit today was called Mansion House Farm and was a self sufficient village. The kitchen garden, outbuildings, and plantings remain just as George Washington planned them.
A biography of George Washington can be found on the White House site here. If you'd like to read more about our first president, Joseph J. Ellis has written a fine book called His Excellency: George Washington that is considered to be one of the most important books on the subject.
Elementary and middle school age children will enjoy reading the classic George Washington's World by Genevieve and Joanna Foster. The book explores what was going on in the world during Washington's life and how those events and people shaped his views and decisions.
Sometimes we take George Washington for granted, but he has a fascinating story that changed the history of the world. America was blessed to have such a man as the Father of Our Country.
I just fell in love with it's strong good looks. But it's not the silent type, on no, this kettle will whistle at you when it's boiling. And the best news is you can get one for a super duper sale price and free shipping at AlwaysBrilliant.com until February 11. I found the same kettle on some specialty chef and cooking sites for as much as twice that price so I jumped on this deal. This kettle is hand crafted in England (where they know a little something about tea) and has a lifetime guarantee. You can get it in copper or chrome over copper with a tin lining.
I'm already day dreaming about making my afternoon cuppa with this beautiful kettle. And it will look so handsome sitting on the stove the rest of the day.
and Lynne Perrella's inspirational new book.....
I can't wait. But even if we just end up making a colossal mess, we'll have fun doing it.
Isn't this the sweetest little cupid? His story is kind of misty but I know he spent a couple years in my great uncle's nursery and probably my dad's too. My first memory of seeing him was in my grandmother's apartment hanging high up in the back hall. He was destined for a thrift store box, but I rescued him and brought him home with me. There's just something about the cute little way he looks down on us mortals that made me save him from such an undignified end. So he's always had a place where we can greet each other every morning and smile at his happy place in the world.
