Irish Blessings from Still Woods Farmhouse

A coworker recently commented that "Still Woods certainly has been STILL". What can I say, I have been in a blogging slump. The last few weeks have been full of activity and travel. I have lots to share, but haven't stopped to write anything down. Yikes!

Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would show you one of my new acquisitions. I am a collector of milk glass, but at this point in my collection, I only purchase unusual pieces or pieces that speak to me. These definitely spoke to me! They are the perfect addition to my St. Patrick's Day decor. We often serve desserts on the Reading Room table. I have these ready for after dinner coffee.

Each St. Patrick's Day, our family celebrates our Irish heritage by sharing a meal of Irish food. No green colored pasta allowed here (saw that yesterday at the grocery). Contributions must have Irish roots. We have put our thumbs down to a few choices over the years. Did I mention that everyone at the dinner has a name tag with their leprechaun name? Click here for the link to the Leprechaun Name Generator . Mine is Shamus McFits!

If you don't have time for an Irish dinner, make sure to watch The Quiet Man. My all time favorite movie. It is a wonderfully, romantic movie staring John Wayne as Sean Thornton and Mauren O'Hara and Mary Kate Danaher. A delightful character in the movie is the spirited Michaeleen Oge Flynn played by Barry Fitzgerald. I hear that Turner Classic Movies may not play The Quiet Man tomorrow and to that I say "WHAT?". It is the best St. Patrick's Day movie ever!

Have you traveled to Ireland? It is at the top of my "to do" list. One of the local priests organizes a trip to his homeland each year. He jokingly told me that he would take a Baptist along! I might take him up on that. His family resides in Ireland. I hear it is a wonderful tour. Sit back and let's take a quick tour of this beautiful country. Dunluce Castle will be our first stop. The first castle of Dunluce was built in the 13th century.

I hear that no trip to Ireland is complete without a stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Just beautiful!

Also highly recommened is Boyne Palace. It features tombs older that those at Stonehenge.

The Ring of Kerry is a lovely drive encompassing some of the most beautiful sites in Ireland.

Let's stop at Trinity College in Dublin. The college was founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. Below is a picture of the Long Room in the old library.

I found this little castle for rent several years ago while researching Ireland. According to their website:

the castle, an ancient seat of the Comerford clan, is a five story, 16th century towerhouse 8 km south of the medieval city of Kilkenny. The castle has been restored to its former authentic glory using the same techniques and materials as the original 16th century builders. Couldn't we have a great blogger party here?

Hope you have enjoyed our tour of Ireland. Irish Blessings from Still Woods Farmhouse!

A Treasure in the Vines....Waverly Plantation

Imagine a dream. A dream in which you are wandering through the woods and discover a beautiful, long forgotten home. A home which rises above jasmine vines wrapped tightly around graceful columns. A home which has endured the ravages of rain, the heat of hot Mississippi summers, the infestation of bees and bats, and yet still retains the grace of a bygone era. Such a dream came true for the Snow family. Robert and Donna Snow owned an antique store in Phildelphia, MS. One day a salesman stopped by and told them that he had gotten lost down by the river and found a beautiful home, hidden in the woods near West Point, MS. According to Melanie Snow, one of the Snow's children, her parents stayed up all night thinking about the home. The next morning they told their children that they were going on an adventure, packed the kids in the car, and off they went. Imagine their delight when they discovered this beautiful home . . . Waverly....

A Trip Down Memory Lane

I had planned to share my new front door decor, but alas, like many residents of the MS Gulf Coast, all loose outside objects have been secured as we await the arrival of Hurricane Isaac. Instead, I thought I would share with you a set of my favorite dinnerware. I began collecting Memory Lane ironstone many years ago, but my love of the pattern began when I was just a little girl. My Grandma Mercer had one dinner plate. I imagine that she picked it up either in a box of laundry soap or as a reward for shopping at the IGA of Chattahoochee, Florida. I came to love her one plate. My grandmother would make sure that my food was served on that plate no matter what other dinnerware pattern was set on her table! When she passed away, I was blessed to receive her dining room set which included a lovely buffet with glass knobs along with the matching table and chairs. I also received my Memory Lane plate. During my search for more pattern pieces...

Ronald McDonald House and Recipes: A Winning Combo!

I have collected recipes and recipe books for as long as I can remember. Some of my most treasured recipes include my grandmother's hand written sour cream pound cake recipe dotted with batter and spattered with dots of vanilla. It has a place of honor in my recipe notebook which contains some of my family's favorite recipes. When we built our home, I had a set of bookshelves built in the kitchen to hold my collection of recipe books as well as a collection of milk glass. I love to cook while looking at some of my favorite things around me. Last night, I went to Dillards to do a little shopping. As I checked out I noticed the annual Southern Living Cooking for Christmas cookbook at each register. Only $10.00! I snatched one up and added it to my items. I love Southern Living cookbooks with their beautiful pictures and mouth watering recipes. A bonus of this cookbook is that Dillards has once again teamed up with Southern Living to ...

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