Trippingly Off The Tongue

Some words are just plain fun to say. Ricky Gervais has said many times that his favorites are "ng" words such as flange and whinge. There is something satisfying about words with a strong "g". Effulgent, burgeoning, and pugnacious are fun to say and coincidentally also describe Mr. Gervais. However, an old friend absolutely hated the word fig and compelled all in her presence to refrain from uttering it.
There are people who love words that end with an "eee" sound like serendipity, flucidity, and conviviality, but there's something a little too cutesy about them for me. They sound like they came right out a of a romance novel that sports especially flowery cover art.
Some words just make your face feel nice like moist and boisterous. That "oi" sound puckers up your lips like a kiss. Speaking of kisses, saying prunes makes you look like you're blowing a kiss and mouthing the word colorful to someone looks like you're saying, "I love you!"
And if it's a pleasing pout you're looking for instead of a pucker, try capsule, nodule, or podule.....anything ending in "ule". It seems the "u" sound gives the face a good workout in any form. Ukulele, uvula, and universe do the trick, too.
Plant names are my favorites. I love to get a chance to say sultana and clematis. How wonderful is penstemon? Or digitalis? Syringa and Hydrangea get back to the "ng" sounds, but verbena, verbascum, and veronica are like a little party in your mouth.

Room 101

George Orwell famously created the Ministry of Love's Room 101 in his prophetic novel 1984, where citizens were threatened with their worst fears as a form of torture. He reportedly named the chamber after a conference room at the BBC where he had to sit through endless meetings. Room 101 has evolved to represent pet peeves and bug-a-bears that irritates us daily. If only there were a real place to banish these annoyances, we could all live perfectly happy lives. Some things are already there like rude people, cancer, poverty, and prejudice, but what else could we send away forever?
There are three things I would gladly banish to Room 101. First, toasters.

In fact most small electric appliances I could easily do without. The year I was married, HotDoggers and popcorn poppers were all the rage. We got five of each as gifts and I couldn't return them fast enough.

Next would be sideline reporters at football games. Is it hard hitting reporting to ask the coach as he's running off the field what his game plan will be in the second half?
Or if he will be putting in the player that was suspended from starting the game? No, big waste of time.

And lastly, I would banish static electricity to Room 101.
Every time I get zapped on the car door or refrigerators in the grocery store it takes every ounce of self control to hold in the blue streak of cuss words that want to come out of my mouth. Static electricity; what is it good for? Absolutely nothing! Huh!

No Boys Allowed

The week of Christmas, we three Minton girls got to do something we've been wanting to do since the boys all went to Glacier National Park ......ROAD TRIP. So we packed up our cutest winter clothes and went to Savannah.......that's right...Savannah......just for fun. Our mission was to pay tribute to the Deen family by eating at their restaurants, shop the boutiques of Broughton Street and the antique stores of Abercorn Avenue, and visit as many squares and churches as we could in three days and two nights. First we had lunch at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House.
Even the most hardened tofu eater can't resist fried dill pickles.
Truly cute stuff from @home vintage general on Broughton Street. We loved this collage made from wrapping paper, maps, love letters, and other stuff over the bed. It was surrounded by organza ribbon.

There were lots of very tempting vintage and vintage look Christmas decorations @home too.
Some garland, snowflakes, and houses did make it home with us.

Love the Shiny Bright!

New York store windows got nothin' on us!

The beautiful Paris Market on Broughton.

Not a twinkly light in sight.

Just good ol' RED and GREEN.
On the fence..........

and on the lamp posts.

They just don't build 'em like they used to.

The last night dinner was at the Old Pink House

and it was DELISH!
See ya soon, sweet Savannah.

Tropical White Christmas

Through the miracle of digital photography, even Sunshine State folks can have a white Christmas. It would be front page news if it really happened.
Snow Storm Hits Tampa Bay

Look how much the roses are loving the cold weather!
Brrrrrr!
Come on in and have some hot chocolate.
Would you like a splash of Irish Cream? How about some whipped cream? Mmmmm good!
Ready for the tour? Let's go!
The centerpiece on the dining room table is made to last all season without watering. Let's go across the hall to see the tree.
I've got most of the gifts wrapped.There are a few more ornaments to go up.
I promised Lucy I'd save some for her to put on the tree when she gets home.
Here are some of the nutcrackers that Wes has been getting for his December birthday since his second. He turned 26 on the 14th so these are just his favorites.
Oh look! It's stopped snowing.

Thanks for visiting Windy Corner this Christmas. And big ups to Boo Mama for organizing this Open House.

Merry Christmas!

P.S.
Can you keep a secret? Here are some elves I videoed down in our barn.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE CHRISTMAS PICTURES? THEY'RE ON THE DECKING THE HALLS POST JUST BELOW.

Decking The Halls

Busy, busy busy! The tree is up and decorated thanks to a group effort from all the Mintons. Everybody had a hand in it. Even though it's a prelit tree, most of the prelit part didn't cooperate this year so Hubby strung new lights on the dark limbs and perched the angel up on top. After dinner, Number One Son, Emily, and I got busy putting all the ornaments on.
We laughed and remembered where they came from and who gave them to us and sang along with Christmas carols 'til the job was done.


The next day the essential mantel and baluster garlands were hung and festooned with beads and ribbons.

The kissing ball was hung in it's usual spot in the front hall with gilded mistletoe so all visitors can be greeted with a big smooch. Two new decorations this year are the obelisk in the family room
and the garland on the chandelier in the dining room.
I've wanted to do that for a few years and finally worked out the best way . There's still more to do.
Got to get the china in the glass front cabinets and start making sausage cheese balls and sugar cookies to cut out. Then there's the pecan candy and hummingbird cake. Whew! All this activity is tough for us citizens of procrastination.

The Holly And The Ivy

The Holly And The Ivy is an ancient carol that still charms with it's lilting melody and enchanting lyrics.



Hope your home is filled with music this Christmas season.
Holly and Ivy calligraphy by Rosemary Buczeck for the Gilded Quill

Pink Christmas

There's nothing like being on your own, the mistress of your own little palace. And what fun to decorate for Christmas the first time. Emily was so excited to get out all the vintage trees and ornaments she's been collecting and gussy up her apartment for the holidays that I just had to share. Here's what she's done so far.

A shoe tree full of Barbie shoes shares space with pink disco balls.

The pink Cadillac is a reminder to Santa.

Marilyn has her spot front and center.

What's a Christmas tree without flamingos?

The silver tree with pink ornaments is in the very girly bedroom.

Now let's peek in the bathroom.................there are bottle brush trees with tiny pastel balls sitting on a snowy shelf.

Here's the vintage tree picked up at an antique shop in Walhalla, South Carolina. It's sitting on an old rattan bar cart in the living room.
Those are real Shiny Bright ornaments just like we used to buy at Woolworth's and a few special new ones, too.

Flamingo lights on the garland.

Even the boxes fit in with the decor.
Merry Christmas from Old Florida!