"Home is Where the Heart Is" and my giveaway reminder...

One day, not so very long ago, a wonderful old key was bestowed upon me. I knew right away it held magical powers, as it was a vintage French skeleton key, perhaps brought to me by one of my French ancestors, who's to say, I know they are always close by me...

It dangled from beautiful silk ribbons and the little enamel tag read "10" which is one of my lucky numbers. It also is the age I was when many of my precious childhood memories took place, an age I love to return to from time~to~time in my dreams, to savor those memories once again, for just a little while... there was a beautiful message as well, "A dream is a wish your heart makes". I knew this key would unlock all my dreams and take me to enchanted places. My heart made a wish, as the little saying told me a dream is a wish my heart makes, my wish was to visit my childhood home for just a while... the memories are so sweet. I live in the present but treasure the past, and hold dear the people, places, objects and events that took place, for those are the very things that made me the person I am today. "You aren't just the age you are, you are all the ages you ever have been". I would love to have you come with me, for you too are all the ages you ever have been...

C'mon! It's the perfect day to put on our Keds (mine are red, what color are yours???) and hop on our bikes and head out for a day full of adventures and exploring. Hurry! There are soo many places I want to show you! My little sister Jill is coming along with us today too. She and I got into sooo many escapades as kids, but you know what? We survived! Yep, life was simple back then, and our biggest decision in life really WAS what color of new Keds to pick each summer. I am wearing my red ones today as you can see. Ok, hop on your bike and let's go! Just follow me, and the little map I sketched out below... all of these places really existed and all of the tales really are true, even the names have not been changed to protect the innocent, tee hee hee. Jill and I served "hard time" being grounded for one or two days for many of our "mis~adventures"... Our home is where the little heart is...

Let's ride our bikes up into the orchard and see if anyone's at the secret hut. Be sure to pedal fast past the old haunted house! Look! Someone just peered out from behind those ratty old curtains, I swear, honest they did! Cross my heart! Ok, we can slow down now. What's the secret hut you ask? Why, it's a hidden clearing among the trees where we all gather to tell ghost stories, of course! Hmmm, no one here today. Ok, let's check the thicket. Be careful! It's a narrow little dirt path to there. Sorry, you will need to get off of your bike here, we have to crawl through the brambles into the thicket. Are you coming??? Those stickers won't hurt you! Hmmm, no one here either, that's odd. Maybe they are all down at the swamp. I know, I know, it says "Keep Out", but we are just going in for a few minutes to check for salamanders. Darn! The old raft made out of logs has floated out into the middle of the swamp. Why WON'T you swim out and get it??? Ok, ok, we can come back another day when we can reach it. I swam out last time! Did too!!!

Let's grab an apple to munch on while we ride, Farmer Stringham doesn't care if we pick his fruit as long as we eat it. Let's ride over to Turkeyshoot Drive, it's just down the road a piece. I want to hike up to Mother of Pearl Rock. You can see FOREVER from up there! We must ride quickly past the polygamists farm! They have strange ways and we are not allowed to go there. We can sneak back another day and spy on them!!! Oooh, and the woods! The woods are rather dark, even in the daytime. I think someone is watching us! Honest, cross my heart! Can't you feel them staring at us from among the pines??? Pedal faster! Ok, now we must get off our bikes again and walk. Watch where you step as we walk our bikes down this path, there is a pool of quicksand. Yes, for REAL! Nope, no fence or anything around it. Watch! I wll throw this BIG stick in and it will sink. Neato, huh? Well, I guess our last stop is the old Isinglass mine shaft. Yes, it's abandoned and I KNOW it says "Keep Out" too, but I just want you to see how dark it is inside and there are weird noises sometimes. Don't be a scardy cat! YOWIE!!! YIKES!!! What was that??? Hurry, get on your bike and pedal fast back to my house. And if you EVER want to come with me again, don't you DARE tell ANYONE where we have been!!!

So there you have my whimsical little story (which is all true)... just a reminder too about my giveaway posted in my previous post... you may comment on that post and~or this one to enter. If you comment on both, I will enter your name twice. You must comment by midnight Pacific time on February 1st (into February 2nd). My sweetie will draw the winning name on Tuesday February 2nd, Groundhog Day, and I will post it the same day. xoxo

"How did you arrive at Idyllhours" Giveaway Pour Vous...

I love fairytales and magical things... mystical treasures and daydreams...

I am curious by nature... and since you never told me, I decided to ask... how did you first arrive at my little world called Idyllhours?... did you come by way of my enchanted fairy tree... did her graceful arms point you in my direction...


Or did my Fairy Godmother wave her magic wand for you...

And you arrived here in a golden carriage??? ...

Was it the lure of a spectacular sunset that drew you to me??? ...

Or the eerie enchantment of a full moon above the mountain tops in a dark night sky???...

Perhaps I put a spell on you at Halloween... so you would return to Idyllhours again and again...

I must find out how you found me... I am elusive and sometimes cannot be found... you know the old saying "curiosity killed the cat"... but I am sure you do not know the rest of the saying... "and satisfaction brought him back"... if you will tell me in your comment how you happened upon this little spot in Blogland called Idyllhours... I will have Jack (who is totally under my spell... tee hee hee) draw one name from those who comment and I shall reward you with something delightfully enchanting...

A beautiful brand~new book of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll... since I am a greedy sort, I have ordered one for myself as well... you need do nothing but leave your comment about your journey here... if you cannot remember how you first found me... play make~believe like I do and tell me a wonderfully delightful whimsical tale of how we met and came to be such good friends... oooh... I would love to hear that! You may leave your comments up until midnight... the bewitching hour... on Monday February 1st Pacific time... I will have my spell~bound sweetie draw a name on Tuesday February 2nd... Groundhog Day... and post it the same day... you need not blog about this, nor link to me or even be a follower... (I have magical powers, I can take care of all that myself you know... tee hee hee!)... now I must go make a pot of delicious coffee... my sweet friend Karyn tells me there is something magically potent in a specially~brewed pot of coffee... we shall see... xoxo

I was country... when country wasn't cool...

I swear, everywhere you look these days, someone is telling you the latest "trend", "fad", "what's in"... "what's out"... "don't wear this"... "do wear that"... I guess you could describe ME as "eclectic"... I have always loved alot of different colors and looks... now I am reading that the "newest" trend is the color "turquoise"... and that the Prairie~western look is in... many of us have ALWAYS loved the color turquoise and the "Prairie~western" look... it reminds me of one of my all~time favorite Barbara Mandrell songs...

"I remember wearin' straight leg Levis an' flannel shirts even when they weren't in style...

I remember singin' with Roy Rogers at the movies...

When the West was really wild...

An I was listenin' to the Opry...

When all of my friends were diggin' rock'n'roll an' rhythm and blues... I was country, when country wasn't cool...

I remember circlin' the drive~in...

Pullin' up and turnin' down...George Jones...

I remember when no one was lookin', I was puttin' peanuts in my Coke...

I took alot of kiddin', cause I never did fit in... now look at everybody tryin' to be what I was then... I was country... when country wasn't cool...

I was country, when country wasn't cool... I was country... from my hat down to my boots... I still act and look the same... what you see ain't nothin' new... I was country... when country wasn't cool"...

On a side~note, my daddy grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico and worked and lived in several other towns as well before joining the Army... (my grandparents always lived in Santa Fe in the little house I remember sooo well)... he bowled with Roy Rogers on a team in Roswell, New Mexico... they were called "The Busy Bees"... back then he sang in local bars and he hadn't chosen the name Roy Rogers yet... his real name is Leonard Slye... no brag... just fact... so, Roy Rogers was more than a western hero to our family... he was my daddy's friend... what have YOU always loved and worn or collected and then suddenly it became "cool"???... I would love to hear!... xoxo

Of Pirates and sunken treasure...

I must have drifted off to sleep for a bit... I dreamt that a dashing pirate came to take me away with him... no... could it have been???... was it really... Captain Jack Sparrow???... my real~life guy Jack knows I fell in love too with Captain Jack Sparrow (what woman wouldn't?)... but my guy also knows he is my one and only, and that even if Jack Sparrow asked me to spirit away with him, I would not go.... (well... maybe just for lunch... tee hee hee... ) besides... this was only a dream... right???...

Captain Sparrow told me about a treasure~chest full of jewels... rubies and emeralds, diamonds and pearls... he wanted me to have them... all there for the taking...

But first I must hear the tale of how these treasures came to be...

But I must promise to keep them safe always... especially a precious cross of silver and gold...

Captain Sparrow's eyes lit up as he told me the tale of the treasure ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha... it was the Year of Our Lord, 1622... the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha was a battleship to protect the annual fleets of treasure ships that sailed from the American colonies to the motherland every Spring with enormous fortune in gold, silver, indigo, tobacco, emeralds, pearls and additional objects of priceless value from the Orient... the Atocha set off from Cuba for the long and perilous journey back to Spain... they were late in leaving and the hurricane season was already fomenting in the Southeast Atlantic... two and one half days out to sea, she was hard hit by a vicious hurricane... desperately the captain tried to save his ship...blown off course she hit hard coral and broke up on the Marquesas Keys... two hundred and sixty persons were drowned and about four hundred million dollars of gold and silver went to the bottom as well... the Atocha's site was finally located on July 13th, 1975... after laying lost beneath the sea for nearly 360 years...

Captain Sparrow showed me a beautiful silver and gold cross pendant... the silver cross was minted from silver actually salvaged from the legendary galleon's watery grave... and depicts coinage that was minted in the Western Hemisphere from the late fifteen hundreds to the mid seventeen hundreds and deals with the variations of the crosses on the reverse side... Jack, oops, I mean Captain Sparrow showed me his map, where X marks the spot where the Atocha lay for over 360 years in the "Matacumbe"......

The beautiful cross and all of the jewels were to be mine... forever...

When I woke up, Captain Sparrow was gone... but the jewels... ahhh... the jewels were still there... even the precious silver and gold cross... the tale of Nuestra Senora de Atocha is true... as is the tale of the silver and gold cross... which is mine, to keep... forever... as for Captain Jack Sparrow...

Well...a girl can dream... can't she... xoxo

You never can tell...

Once upon a time, there was a pretty little French mouse who lived at TJ Maxx... there at TJ's also lived a young handsome French mouse named Pierre... since they only spoke French, I will translate their story for you...


Pierre took one look at the Mademoiselle and thought "it's love"... he told her "let's kiss"...Mademoiselle Mouse replied "nice try, no way"... you are a "wild one".. . Pierre said but I "luv ya"... the Mademoiselle told him to "cool it" and be a "nice boy"... then a pretty French lady named Jill bought the Mademoiselle to give to her sister Julie Marie for a pre~Valentines Day gift... Pierre felt his affection for the Mademoiselle was "hopeless" as he called out to her "Bye~Bye" as Jill took her away...

When the Mademoiselle arrived at Julie Marie's Maison, they had some good old~fashioned "girl talk"... the Mademoiselle confessed she had been bitten by the "love bug" and wondered if she should follow her heart... Julie Marie told her "why not"... "u go girl"... the Mademoiselle asked Julie Marie to deliver a "love note" to Pierre... it read... "Dear one... you rock"... I want you to be "my man"... I think you are so "cute"... yes, "it's true" she wrote...

So off to TJ Maxx Julie Marie went in search of Pierre... she delivered the love note and brought Pierre home with her...

Their eyes met, and it only took "one kiss" for them to know "it's love"... Julie Marie overheard their "love talk" as the Mademoiselle told Pierre "hug me"... I want you to be "all mine" and I "love you" and want you to "stay here 4 ever"...

As the lights were lowered Julie Marie heard "kiss kiss" and an old love song playing softly in the background...

"It was a teenage wedding and the old~folks wished them well... you could see that Pierre did truly love the Mademoiselle... and now the young Monsieur and Madame have rung the chapel bell... C'est la vie say the old folks... it goes to show you never can tell"... tee hee hee, don't you just love to be silly some days... xoxo

More hidden tresors...

Well, that was soo much fun playing Barbies in my last post!... we need to do it again soon!... meanwhile, I wanted to show you some more of my "hidden treasures" I uncovered, right here in my own basement closets!... I save everything, so it was exciting to re~discover more of my treasures from the past...

The above photo shows a group of my old Victoria magazines that were hidden away from the others... I have almost the entire collection of old (and new) Victorias, beginning with their Premier issue back in the Spring of 1987... I even remember the day I bought it, it looked like the loveliest magazine I had ever seen... and it was! That is the Premier issue in the bottom right hand corner... then several years ago, I found another copy of it at a thrift shop... (to the left of it)... I am only missing a few in the entire set, and hope to find those soon... the photos are sooo beautiful and as I re~read each article, I remembered them from the first time I read and loved them... it is still my very favorite magazine!... sooo dreamy and romantic... As I kept unpacking carefully wrapped up items, I came across my silver sugar and creamer set... so pretty...

My next "hidden treasure" brought tears to my eyes... this old box camera was my grandpas, then my daddy's, then mine... all of the old black and white photos I have that I took as a little girl, I took with this old box camera... I will put it out on top of my desk, alongside my great~grandpa's gold pocket watch...

I knew I had these little porcelain elves, bought many years ago at J&L Garden Center, which I talked about in a previous post... don't you just hate it when you can't find something... but ahh... when you do find your lost treasures again, it is sooo exciting!...

One of my very favorite treasures is this little set of Lefton Bluebirds cream and sugar... how can you not smile when you look at these precious little birdies...

I've posted before about how sometimes I do feel like I am ten years old again (like playing Barbie!)... well, besides Barbie, I loved to read (still do!)... my favorite books growing up were the Trixie Belden series... I usually got some for Christmas or my birthday and immediately devoured every word... I WAS Trixie Belden... searching for clues in the orchards that surrounded our house I grew up in, solving mysteries... even though I loved girlie things too, I was a tomboy, like Trixie Belden, and loved being outdoors... even my little rural town of Bountiful had many similarities to the little town Trixie and her friends lived in... oooh, for that simple life once more... I have the complete set of these precious books...

And now that I have found them again... I will re~read them and who knows... maybe I will become Trixie Belden once more!... tee hee hee...

Another favorite of mine was Nancy Drew... here are a few from my collection... my sister Jill liked Nancy Drew too, and between the two of us we undoubtedly have the entire series of originals... The Ghost in the Gallery was my all time favorite!...

Well, time to get back to sorting my finds... do you stash things away like I do and then don't remember where they are?... I would love to hear about your "hidden treasures" and the precious memories that go with them... xoxo