The smell of Banana Bread.....

Today was my day to bring snacks to our Tues. AM ladies Bible study (we are doing Beth Moore's Daniel study & it's awesome!), so I mixed up this banana bread last night & put it in the oven this morning to bake, so that it would be hot & fresh. This is a great recipe & is actually lower in fat, so I thought I'd share the recipe for those who enjoy baking. I got this recipe from a really sweet Jewish lady in Atlanta, so I have to give her credit...it's a wonderful banana bread & this is the only one I make now. Try it...I promise you'll love it. This is what's left & it won't last long with my hubby around!

Low-Fat Banana Bread

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup Canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease & flour 9x5 loaf pan. In large bowl, with fork, mix first 4 dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mash bananas, add the eggs, vanilla, canola oil, & applesauce & mix well. Add banana mixture & pecans to dry ingredients. Stir until blended (don't beat). Pour into loaf pan & bake for 55 to 60 min. Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing.



Here's my bunny recipe box that I decoupaged a few years ago. It holds all my recipes & looks good on the counter top too. I found this box at a yardsale for, I think $1.00 & it was fun making it pretty.

Old Southern towns....

There's something really special about these old Southern towns. Today, I had the pleasure of going with a group of ladies down to Tuscaloosa, AL (home of the world famous Crimson Tide...ROLL TIDE!) and taking a tour of some of the historical buildings around town. We only had time to visit 2 today, since there were 15 of us, so we will have to go back another day to see the rest.

One of the historical homes we visited was the Gorgas house on campus at UA. It was originally built as the dining hall for the college back in the mid-1800's & then used as a residence for several families. The gentlemen who was the curator of the house was so enthusiastic about telling us all the history & all about the family who had lived there & he was very interesting. His thick Southern drawl was delightful & he really knew how to tell a good story...as so many do in the South.

The other house we visited was the Jemison-Van de Graaf mansion (picture above). This mansion (constructed 1859-1862) was one of the last and one of the most elaborate great houses to be built in Alabama before the state's economy was devastated by the Civil War. The builder, wealthy planter and business man , Robert Jemison, Jr., spared no expense to create a "state of the art" home for his family. The Italianate style house was designed by Philadelphia architect John Stewart who was in Tuscaloosa supervising the construction of the Alabama Insane Hospital (now Bryce Hospital). This enormous structure had been designed by Stewart's partner Samuel Sloan, who also designed famous "Longwood" in Natchez, Mississippi. Jemison's home incorporated the latest innovations in design and technology including an elaborate plumbing system which included running water, flush toilets, and a copper bathtub. It also featured a large conservatory to be warmed by a central heating plant (unfortunately never installed because of the Yankee blockades), and indoor lighting fueled by coal gas manufactured in a machine located in the basement. Other modern features incorporated in the design were a boiler for producing hot water, a gas stove, an early form of "refrigerator" consisting of a deep dry well in the basement that kept food fresh even in hot Alabama summers.

The Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion was almost burned during the waning days of the Civil War. When Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama were threatened by Union troops, Senator Jemison fled for his life and spent several days hiding in the swamp near his plantation. In retribution, Union soldiers sought to burn the home of this leading Confederate senator. Mrs. Jemison was given fifteen minutes to take what possessions she needed from the house before it was put to the torch. Fortunately, during those few minutes young boys, playing a trick on the invading Yankees, rode down Greensboro Avenue crying, "Forrest is coming, hurrah for Forrest!" The Yankee commander, fearful of this legendary rebel general, ordered his troops to retreat. In their haste, they neglected to burn down the Jemison Mansion. The Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion remained in the family well into the twentieth century. In the 1940s the house was purchased by J.P. and Nell Burchfield who undertook a major restoration of the structure. From 1955 to1979 the mansion served a generation of Tuscaloosans as the Friedman Public Library. With the construction of a new library on the Jack Warner Parkway, the structure became the home of two national publications, Antique Monthly and Horizon. In 1991 the mansion was acquired by the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion Foundation. Using grants and generous contributions from private citizens, this not for profit foundation is in the process of carefully researching and restoring this beautiful and historic house to its original appearance.

Description courtesy of the website for this mansion...hope you enjoy a little bit of history today. I know I was inspired! I love to visit old homes & really enjoy imagining how it must have been to live back in those days. I'm thankful for the modern conveniences we have today, but somehow think that we are missing so much of what they enjoyed & that is a sense of peace & community that is missing so much in our society today. We are such a busy country, whereas they took the time to sit & visit on the porch! Ahhhh, for the good ole' days again.

Here are a few of my favorite things....

How could I let Valentines Day go by without showing you the beautiful roses that my sweet DH got me for VD! This is just one of the buds...we had a special lunch out & exchanged some nice little gifts & cards. Valentines is such a sweet holiday & reminds us to be thankful for the loved ones in our lives.







And to jump to another subject, I've been anxiously awaiting spring with the beginning of yardsales...anyone else with me on that? Thought I'd just show you all some of my favorite finds over the last few years. There are many, many things in my house that came from yardsales & every year I hit them fresh & new just to see what I can find. I know you all can relate to the "thrill of the hunt"!

This sweet little tray was picked up somewhere in Atlanta during my past yardsaling...I think I paid about $3 for it & when I saw it, I just had to have it. It's such a vintage looking piece with the fruits & the beautiful lime green color. The middle piece has a lid that comes off for serving dips or jellies. I haven't actually used it for serving, but it sits on my breakfast buffet...I just think it's the prettiest thing!






More vintage finds with the 2 European (Paris, perhaps?) prints. These were about $1 each and I've treasured them ever since. I have a thing for fleur-de-lis, as well as bunnies & have both sprinkled throughout my home.








Two chair prints called my name...I think these were $5 for the pair...how could you leave something as pretty as these & not take them home...I didn't!








Ahh, this vintage little lamp just needed a fresh new look with some leopard fabric on the lampshade...and a bit of floozy trim! This was maybe $2.00.















This little bunny print was $5....and looks right at home in my laundryroom. The Target bunny who looks like he's flying was one of my best finds yet. Did anyone else get one of these last year on clearance? I really lucked out & got the last one in the store for $7.50 & I was smilin' all the way out of the store. In fact, someone else had picked up the very last one after I had been told by another store that there were about 10 left at this particular store. I asked her where she found them...she pointed over a couple of aisles & there were none to be found. I almost thought I'd cry & told her that I had driven all the way over to find one...as I was walking away, she called me back & placed the bunny weathervane into my arms & said...take it! I said "Thank you so much" & ran to the cash register. My bunny collection is almost complete!

One more little guy, I found him last year yardsaling, for I think, $1. He was the perfect size for this little shelf in the laundryroom.


OK, if that doesn't get you in the mood for yardsaling, I just can't help you much! Please come back & share some of your finds with me. I always love a good thrifty find!

Armoire is all finished....

Here it is all finished! It really fits in the room better now, so I'm glad I went ahead & tackled it. I loved the old version, but it was time for a change. Thanks for taking a peek & I hope you like it too!

This is the striped fabric from my bedding & I used a dotted blue & brown ribbon to trim it out. I'm really happy with it now!

It's time for a change....

This old china cabinet was found at an antiques market in Atlanta & was pretty beat-up, however, we saw the potential and made it into something nice and useful. I first made this over 5 years ago to go with my then newly redone bedroom. It's been a great piece in the bedroom for an entertainment center and has served me well. But, like all things...it's time for a change & I just know it will look so much better when I change the color & make it fit in with the blues & golds in our Master Bedroom. So, stay tuned for the changes. I'm working on it now & hopefully it will be done in a few days. I still don't have all the details figured out & exactly what I want to do, but I think I have a plan!

The first version is above right & I was so proud of this one. This was one of my first attempts to paint & decorate a piece of furniture & this one was so much fun to do...as much as I have enjoyed it, I think the new redo will be fun too!

Here it is in progress...luckily my neighbors had a hand sander, so that is helping tremendously with getting off all the old wallpaper. I don't think I want to do that again. This time it will be all paint, I think!

A few of my recent bargains.....

Those of you who know me very well, know that I love a bargain, so I thought I share a few of my most recent finds with you. Not decorating related, but fun finds nonetheless! I have needed new black & brown belts for my jeans (you know, those lower-rise that a regular belt won't work with?) & since I was at the America's Thrift Store last week, decided to look there first & see what I could find. Well, score I did...2 beautiful black belts & 1 brown one....Cole Haan, Levis, & Brighton. Name brands without the name brand cost...all 3 belts set me back less than $8.00. These belts are in terrific shape & will see me through many more years of wear. For those of you who haven't tried thrift shopping, give it a whirl. You just never know what you'll stumble across!

Oh, that animal print fabric that the belts are sitting on.....brand new Jones New York pants (with the tags still on) for $4.00 at another thrift store I visit on occasion. You just can't beat that! So, these are my pick-me-ups for January!

Ready for spring....

I'm sipping coffee from my Bunny mug & wishing for spring to hurry up & show herself here in Alabama. We really can't complain, as we've had such a mild winter, but she is making up for it now! My church had a women's event in January called the Birthday Bash & there were 12 tables decorated for each month. I chose to decorate the April table & used all my Bordallo bunny dishes. It was a fun event & we all enjoyed it. Hope you, too, enjoy seeing the spring greens & we will all be waiting & wishing for spring together.