Treasures from Southport

One of my favorite things to do when we go to the coast is to shop in the town of Southport.  We've traveled there almost every year for the past 26 years.  When I see that in writing, I can hardly believe it.  The time feels like it has passed as quickly as those gulls skimming over the water.

When we were younger, Mr. Forest Manor had no interest in checking out the shops in Southport.  I can hardly blame him as he was working full-time and going to graduate school at night and just starting out in his career.  I also think most men really like a good bargain, and when I discovered thrifting, he became more interested in poking through the shops with me.  Southport has some wonderful antique shops, but we've noticed the prices keep going up as more and more people move to that area.  One of the shops in particular has two full floors of goods, and you never know what treasures you might come across there.  It's also amazingly well organized and tidy for an antique/consignment shop.

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Happy Weekend

Hello dear friends!  I can't believe it's Friday, but I sure am glad!  I hope you've all had a good week.  You might have gathered that we were at the coast last week, and it was so nice to get away.  The weather was some of the nicest we've ever had for a whole week, and that in itself was a blessing.

Duncan Has a New Friend!

Hi everyone!  I hope you're all having a good week; I can't believe June is almost here.  Many of you are kind enough to inquire about Duncan when you visit, so here's an update for you.  :)  Himself is at summer camp at the moment.

Coastal Beauty

On impulse I decided to work on my picture-taking-from-the-car skills.  ;)  The last time I really tried that was several years ago when we were in the Amish country with our son on a cub scout trip.  We were blazing through driving through the Amish countryside in a charter bus, and I tried to take some pictures of the farms and barns and clothes hanging outside on the line.  They were not my best pictures ever.

I think I had better luck this time.  It helps when you're not going as fast and you don't have a bus full of noisy boys.  ;)

Memorial Day

Thank you to our American military men and women currently serving all around the world and to all our veterans for your service and sacrifice to our country.  We would not remain free without you.

 U.S.S. North Carolina, Wilmington, N.C.

Southport Cottages, Part Two

This is going to be a post of few words (I hope).  :)  Sharing some more pictures of Southport cottages.

Tweaking The Kitchen

I love the way small details can make a difference in a room, don't you?  Maybe that's why so many of us like to tweak things periodically, and a few changes here and there keep things from being boring.

Those of you who read my blog know that we had our kitchen re-modeled three years ago.  I shared before and after pictures at the time, but the "after" pictures were a bit spartan-looking because I hadn't really finished putting my personal touches everywhere.  Then again, I'm not sure we ever finish that.  ;)  I've been gradually adding and changing a few things to the kitchen since the "reveal" post in September 2013.  I took a few pics yesterday, if you'd like to see.