Tried and True and Little Something New

Is there anyone else out there like me who tends to stick with a certain look anymore?  I don't know about you but sometimes I feel like I am just an old stick in the mud kind of gal.  I  especially feel this way after being overloaded with images from blog land, pinterest, facebook, etc. Geez! But....all in all I have to say I really don't care!  Fact is, I like being an old fuddy duddy.  Not really, but I do know what I like and what look I want to live with on a daily basis.  That is why when it works for me it tends to stick around awhile with just a few tweaks.

That's right friends, I'm showing the den again, mainly to share the mantle and  a few other things that have endured the test of a few seasons.

You know I love a nautical look and it tends to take center stage when the summer time rolls around.

I've used this set up a few times now but I'd like to think I've improved on it a bit.

For one thing my willow candle baskets are shown tiered here and are in perfect symmetry.  I don't know why I haven't thought of doing this before.

I had them sitting on a few other mismatch pieces to get the height until I recently found these pewter candlesticks at a thrift store just last week.

They were cheap, cheap, cheap and a matching pair to boot!  I didn't know at the time where I'd use them but just had to have them.  I am so glad I brought them home.

I got home and saw my shell plate which I already had out and bingo it hit me.  They replaced the other stands I was using and were a perfect fit!  Love when that happens!

I found this pretty pompass looking grass at Ole Time Pottery when we were at the beach.

A few beachy looking balls from Merino's home furnishings.

This is the reality of my coffee table.  Now matter how cutesy I make it.  I end up feeling like it's too cluttered.  So I back it all off and this is what works.  One decorative thing in the middle, magazines, and my laptop.  Yes, that's a kindle sitting there on top of the mags. Hey, it's still reading material okay?  

My most favorite repeat look has been this hurricane candle that I have sitting in this basket.  I did this a few years ago and have kept it ever since.  I see now the stores have hurricane vases with built in wicker stands...hmm?? Wonder where they got that idea?  LOL!

Funny story about the shells.  There are a few shells less here then there used to be.  My grandpup was up a few weeks back and was chomping away on something on the carpet and I looked down and he had a half chewed up a sandollar in his mouth.  Puppys!

Back on the other side of the room.  I've still kept the large lantern on our antique card table.   

It still has the sailboats and bottles but I added an electric candle and few more sailboats I forgot I had.

The other big tweak was to eliminate the bright throw pillows.  I loved them in the store but in my den they tended to just pop out waaayyyy too much for me.  I guess I am just a creature of habit after all.

Okay well, I believe that about wraps it up.  One more tour of the den again for you showing just a few tweaks.   One more update for me!   I am also posting this to replace the link picture of my den on my side bar because I like to keep my most updated looks on there.

Thanks so much for joining me if you did!  It's always a pleasure!

Have a great day everyone!

Atalaya Castle - Part One

Hey All! I couldn't wait to share our latest camping trip with you to Huntington Beach State Park.  It is located on the coast of South Carolina right between Murrell's Inlet and Litchfield Beach and is located right across from Brookgreen Gardens.  Atalaya Castle is located on the oceanfront on the grounds of Huntington State Beach Park.

Atalaya Castle (or Atalaya) built in 1931, was the winter home of a philanthropist, Archer M. Huntington and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington.  She is the sculptor of many of the beautiful pieces seen at Brookgreen Gardens.

Arthur built Atlaya with a combination of Moorish Revival and Mediterranean Revival architectural style.

It is located just a short distance from the campground near the visitors beach access of the park.  We rode our bikes over one evening after it was closed to get pictures of the outside and came back for a self guided audio tour a few days later on the inside.  Group tours are available as well as non audio individual tours.   We have been here a few times before and did the audio tour this time because it was not available before and we really enjoyed it!  Because I have so much to show you I am breaking this trip into a few different posts.  I hope you will join me for each.  This post will focus mainly on the grounds of Atalaya outside and inside the courtyards.

Walking around from the entrance we see the side of Atalya castle here.  Her living quarters consisted of 30 rooms total and was built intentionally to be more for residential purposes then for entertaining.  This pictures is looking towards the servants quarters who were a necessary while in residence. 

This is the backside (or front) that faces the ocean.  There is now much foliage and a vast amount of dunes that separate Atalaya from the ocean keeping her safe from storms and erosion.

She has received some damage from the weather and aging through the years.  Atalaya remained a private residence until being leased to the state in 1960.  Only recently has she been adopted by a group who is now sponsoring tours and festivals to preserve and protect this beautiful landmark.

This is the outside of the center sun room that faced the ocean.

It was surrounded by three outdoor seating areas accessed by doors that have been bricked in.

All of the grills are original to the house and were designed by Anna herself and built for protection from the Hurricane winds.

The grills are so very beautiful and span the entire house.  They are everywhere on the outside of the home as well as the inner courtyard.  

Are you ready to go in?

Remember I told you we were going to stay focused on the outdoor areas right?  So with that being said, we are now standing in the enclosed entrance and about to walk through this door towards the courtyards.  They are located on both the right and left of this long narrow walkway.

We have now stepped into the courtyard on the right.  

The courtyard is filled with sabal palms and was where Anna's animals were allowed to roam free.

Atalaya means "Watchtower" in Spanish and was so named accordingly.

Here you are looking at the watch tower which is in the center of the complex.

At the foot of the tower on both sides is a trough for the animals to drink water freely.

The sidewalks are all original to the home and were designed to catch rain water runoff for a watering systems for the grounds.  That is why they have the grooves next to them.

Many of the walls on the inner courtyards are covered with creeping fig vines.

There are also several stairs located on the property leading up to the roof.  They are no longer available for access.  I surely would have loved to have gone up there!

Also closed off to the public was this area downstairs.  I couldn't even begin to tell you what this leads to as we didn't ever find out and it wasn't on our audio tour. Hmm??? A dungeon maybe?  I bet this is included in the Friday night ghost tours!

To say I was fascinated with the beautiful teal blue green grill work is an understantement.  I was positively spell bound!  I am every single time I get to see them.

I especially love the views from the inside looking out!  I can only imagine what a dreamer Mrs. Anna must have been.

And now to show you one of my most favorite parts of this home.

I just adore this long narrow covered walkway through the two courtyards.

I adore the moorish brickwork used in here.  It reminds me of a brick fence we had in the home I grew up in.  I remember climbing my fence so much as a child because I could put my feet in the holes to go over the top to my friends house.  LOL!  Oh, I digress!

Within the center of the walkway the brickwork design becomes even more beautiful!

I was thrilled to see all the beatiful plants in place along the sides here as it was intended to be.  When last we were here before the group, "Friends of Atalya" took on this building it was not filled.  

It is just stunningly gorgeous and they are doing a beautiful job!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the outside grounds of Atalaya as much as I do!

 I also hope you will come back again later when I post the second part of Atalaya to show you the inside.  I hope to also post again on some of the wildlife on the grounds at Huntington Beach.  

If you are ever near the south end beaches close to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina you really should visit Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens.  Both are great day visit destinations.  You will be mesmerized!

Thank you so much for visiting with me today. 

Have a great day everyone!

Tossing Out A Few Lifelines!

Help!  Will someone please throw me a lifeline?  LOL!   This picture really shows how I feel out here in Blogland lately.  I feel so out of the loop and floating in space out here!

source; http://www.rtci.net/Nevada/Lifeline_Program.aspx

First things first! I am claiming my blog here today on Bloglovin!  Why?  Well, because it's seems the thing to do since apparently Google reader is ending tomorrow.  

 I admit I barely understand what all this is about and what all I need to do so please try and overlook it if I say something ignorant about this okay?  OK!

If you use Google reader to follow my blog then feel free to go over to Bloglovin and follow me there now instead.  I myself mostly use my blog roll with friend connect to follow blogs.  I admit I kinda freaked and thought that Google reader and Google friend connect were one and the same.  They are not, but I wasn't taking any chances so I transferred all my blogs that I follow over to Bloglovin just in case. Talk about grabbing a lifeline at the last moment.  Whew!  Thanks so much to all of you who are posting today about Bloglovin who got me motivated here.  So go on, and click on the Bloglovin follow me button I will installed near the top of my left side bar. That's the lifeline I am throwing out to you, to keep you in touch with me. 

source; businessinsider.com

All this week, I can't help but think about poor Paula Deen and all of the controversy she is muddled up in right now.  I can certainly sympathize!  Why?  Because I get how it feels when your previous supporters start stacking up against you.  I've been kinda feeling that way about blogging a lot lately.  I know I don't fit the mold of many of those I have enjoyed blogging with and like Paula  have rubbed a few people wrong at times too. I've been dumped too and it's not a good feeling!  But here's the thing.  Why doesn't the media seem to understand or want to portray who Paula is?  Are we all so hell bent on being politically correct at all times that when someone fails to meet status quo we are willing to dump them immediately?  When did we stop considering the whole picture, in favor of only what we would prefer to see?

I see a woman who was raised in the south and has pulled herself up by the boot straps more times then most of those going after her have ever had to do.  I see a woman who is sincere about admitting her mistake even if you didn't like "the way" she said it.  To me, she came across the same way as she has always came across.  She's a very saucy southern lady!  No pun intended there. LOL!  I really just wish that everyone out there would try to be a little more forgiving and tolerant of others, even in their mistakes. Just because the media and many of her supporters contend that we shouldn't be so quick to forgive doesn't mean that we should all fall into this same way of thinking.  Too bad the media isn't letting us comment on this.  Fortunately, the media doesn't write my blog, and for this I am very thankful to be able to just put this out here.   I am sure I could go on and on about this a whole lot more but I'm won't.  Let me just end it here with saying I am willing to throw her a lifeline, because yes, we all need one every now and then, don't we?  

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=142761195926550&set=a.142575665945103.1073741828.142355792633757&type=1

Praise God for sending us the best lifeline of all!  Thank you Jesus!

Happy Sunday Y'all!