Tales of the Traveling Tote September
This has been a challenging week,
watching the devastation from Hurricane Ida and
praying we don’t have damage on the Alabama Gulf Coast-
the storm was just a wind and rain event for both of my homes
and we are grateful
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers…
It’s September 1,
Time for another Tale of the Traveling Tote!
I spent most of June in the “city” helping with the grands,
driving them to and from various day camps
so their parents could work
I also had a wonderful lunch
with the Alabama Chapter of the Traveling Tote group,
Emily and Ricki Jill
Our first time together since pre-Covid!
July 1 my family and I headed South to the beach house
for a long 4th of July week of fun
It was exciting to watch our pier finally being rebuilt
after last September’s Hurricane Sally
It’s still not quite finished due to back ordered materials
But at least we can walk on it,
the boys can fish, and we can tie a boat to it
The beach is completely cleaned up now
and all the equipment is gone so it’s not a mess anymore
There was a lot of swimming and cannon balling
Most of the time you’ll find me in my favorite spot on the porch,
drawing and painting the day away
I love sitting here,
You never know what you’re going to see!
Floating Tiki Bars
Dolphin Cruise boats
Boats in all sizes and shapes
Even a jet ski with an umbrella!
Once the hurricane word started being said in the weather forecasts
I came back to the city in early August
Hurricane Fred left us alone
but Ida brought wind, rain and tornadoes to much of our area,
not to mention the damage she left in Louisiana
It’s hot, humid and buggy in the city
due to a very rainy summer
so I’ve been keeping cool inside
doing a little early fall decorating
My tote, “Miss Coquille,” and I will be heading to the coast tomorrow
for our annual family Labor Day reunion
and football kick off bash!
Please visit all my fellow Traveling Toters on the links below
Leave a comment with Cherry Kay @ Entertaining Women
to enter the giveaway
Patti, Miss Kenzie and Miss Tizzy @ Pandora’s Box
Debbie, Miss Aurora and Miss Tassie @ Mountain Breaths
Emily, Miss Courtney Childs and Miss Lulu @ The French Hutch
Jenna, Miss Coquille and Hello Gorgeous @The Painted Apron
Linda P, Miss Lola and Miss Gigi @ Life and Linda
Rita, Miss Luna and Miss Penny C @ Panoply
Sarah, Miss Merri Mac and Miss Poppy @ Hyacinths for the Soul
Jackie, Miss Madi K and Miss Pansy @ Purple Chocolat Home
Ricki Jill, Countess De Monet, Miss Square Peggy @ The Sketchy Reader
Cherry Kay, Carrie Ann Hall and Miss Waverly @ Entertaining Women
We’ll be back December 1 for more tales and another great giveaway!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado Love Your Creativity What’s for Dinner
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Turn About Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday Centerpiece Wednesday Creative Crafts
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Happy September Jenna! So glad Ida was mainly a rain and wind event for both of your homes and your newly rebuilt pier is intact. Seeing the devastation in Louisiana has been heartbreaking and I can’t imagine being without power for the foreseeable future in that heat and humidity.
I know the beach is your happy place, watching the parade of boats and happily painting away. Your grands are growing up so quickly, love the cannonball shots. Safe travels tomorrow and hope it’s smooth sailing and blue skies for your Labor Day weekend and reunion. ♥
Thank you Mary, I can’t imagine being without power in the terrible heat in LA, prayers and prayers for all those impacted. The heat actually broke today here, low humidity and mid 80s for the weekend too, perfect!
wow it’s already September! The tote bag looks so lovely and I love the view from your porch, Jenna.
Thanks Angie!
Jenna, how much fun are those traveling Tiki Bars. Your grands are adorable. Glad you are ok.
I am so glad Fred and Ida are in the rear view mirror for you, Jenna. I love how you’re able to get together with the other two gals in AL, so fun. Your beach home porch looks fabulous. I know your weekend will be special, especially since Ida’s path spared you. I always enjoy the apps and meals you share with us after your family gathers, so bring ’em on. Roll Tide, and Happy September!
Thanks so much Rita, we are keeping things really simple this weekend, doing a big shrimp boil one night and a hot dog bar on Saturday for the football games…thanks for the Roll Tide!
So glad all is well for you and your family! Happy for you that you have a pier now. I love the pool shots with the kids, what a great time and such a beautiful pool. That’s where I’d be, haha! Happy Sept. 1st! Tomorrrow night I will be making your wonderful recipe “Picnic chicken”, an all time favorite and make it every time we are visiting my friend at her cabin. Thanks Jenna!
Happy September, I am so happy everything is well at both homes. We had a lot of rain. Prayers for our neighbors who are dealing with the horrific damages from Ida.
What fun to watch the parade of boats from your porch. I could sit there for hours. Wishing you a wonderful Labor Day Weekend with your family, Jenna!
Thank you Pam, sitting on the porch is better than a movie, so many things to entertain…it’s fun to hear all the different music coming from the boats and there is often lots of dancing going on too, it’s hilarious!
Wonderful travels! Have a lovely September!
Thank you Dorothy, Happy September to you too!
Jenna, it was great finally seeing you and RJ for lunch after the long Covid absence. Hoping to do this more this fall. I am so thankful Ida spared our gulf coast but so saddened for our LA neighbors. You certainly had a wonderful summer vacation, especially after the beach clean up and your pier almost completed. I know the boys had a blast, love seeing your family photos. Lovely early fall decorating too. Have a wonderful holiday weekend……
Thanks so much Emily, we are so grateful Ida is gone and that the weather forecast is so nice for the weekend, it’s actually very pleasant outside today, I hope it’s the same in T-town!
I am relieved your beach home is ok. I know it is your happy place. Must be heavenly to hang out on the porch and watch all of the fun boats go by. The grands are so cute, I know how they love visiting. Enjoy your family this Labor Day weekend. I know there will be great food for all to enjoy. Happy September.
Thanks Linda, the grands love the beach house as much as the adults do, total relaxation and a wonderful change of atmosphere…we are very grateful the storms have past and the weather forecast is lovely for the weekend. I hope the smoke doesn’t interfere with your pool time this weekend…
Your dock is coming along nicely. I know you are so happy! I’m also happy our state was spared from most of Ida’s wrath. I love the tiki bars: We saw one on Lake Martin, and I think some college students built it during COVID while they isolated at their lake houses. What a hoot! I really do love all the pretty vignettes you’ve created for autumn already. You are inspiring me! I hope you have a lovely Labor Day Weekend, and I hope that you, Emily, and I can get together real soon. I miss seeing you guys!
Thanks Ricki Jill, we feel very lucky and relived the storm threat is over, but wow, LA is in a world of hurt…I pray they can restore power sooner than expected. The tiki bars in Orange Beach are rentals and they look like so much fun! I have had fun getting out fall things, it’s a nice distraction from the chaos going on in the world. Have a great Labor Day and let’s get together soon!
Thank goodness that you can help with the grands, Jenna, and also that you have your happy beach house. I’m glad that you were spared from the hurricanes, snd that your pier is useable. Seeing all those boats never makes your view dull! Happy September and have fun with your family.
Thank you Kitty, we’ve had a great summer~
Haha those Floating Tiki Bars were the best. I bet you can be constantly entertained watching the passersby!
So glad you could escape Ida. What terrible force these hurricanes have. The dock is looking great. I hope you get the rest of the materials soon.
Thanks Jackie, sitting on the porch watching the activity on the water is so entertaining!
I love seeing your waterside world and hope it fared OK after the hurricane. Whew. It looks great. Love the painting on the easel and all the fun photos!
Thanks Jeanie, my daughter went down yesterday and said everything is perfect at the beach house, yay, and I’m headed down today, supposed to be nice all weekend. I hope you have a great Labor Day!
This is so lovely! I just recently joined your blog as someone told me about it. I also was told that you live in my area….i live in Elberta, Alabama…. and i am a painter/artist too! I was so relieved when Ida traveled through our area gently. I’ve been praying for those to our west that were not so fortunate. I am relatively new to Alabama after moving here a few years ago…after vacationing in this area for decades. SalIy was my first hurricane….it was a long,unforgettable night!
I look forward to more tales with your tote!
Hi Jodie! Patti P told me all about you and I looked at all your beautiful glassware on Facebook! I sold painted glassware for about 12 years and loved doing it. Hurricanes aren’t for sissies that’s for sure, we’re still rebuilding our pier after Sally, ugh. Elberta is charming, and I especially love October on the coast. Happy painting!
So glad you escaped the worst of those hurricanes this time. We got rain, but no damage as they both trekked northward.
Thanks Carole, I’m very grateful, but so worried about LA and hearing the news of the flooding in PA, NJ and NY…my grandson was supposed to fly to NY today and his flight got canceled due to the rain!
I’m glad to hear that you did not have any damage from the hurricanes. I can’t wait for hurricane season to be over. You decorated your house so nice for fall Jenna. I hope you enjoy the weekend with your family.
hi Julie, I guess you felt the wrath of idea in NY, such awful flooding, I hope you’re ok…
I’m glad you and your tote are safe. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend. That used to be the end of summer and beginning of fall and school. It should still be!
Thanks Linda, yes, unfortunately the kids in my area start the second week of August and that just cuts summer off too soon! I hope you have a nice Labor Day weekend!
Jenna, I’ve tried 3 different times to leave a comment. Have you seen any of them show up? One posted as anonymous, but I don’t see it anymore.
Well, I’ll try again since the previous posted tonight.
Glad you are safe and didn’t have damage. My heart sank when I saw the predicted path.
Love your TT post with all the fun photos. How lucky to have a home on the water.
Enjoy your weekend with the family.
Thank you Sarah, what a horrific storm Ida was, we feel so lucky that all we had was rain. Sorry about the comment problem, I don’t know why that happens to you sometimes. We are supposed to have perfect weather for the weekend, very grateful!
This has been a challenging week for all of us, and I’m sorry I’m so late. My company has offices in NJ, NY and Louisiana and we have been dealing with the devastation from Hurricane Ida. I was watching your area as well and glad to hear it was just a wind and rain event for both of your homes. The wedding that my hubby was supposed to officiate in New Orleans on September 12 (our niece) was postponed for the SECOND time. The couple lives in California.
Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend with “Miss Coquille,” on the coast for your annual family Labor Day reunion and football kick off bash. xo
Oh goodness Deb,I am so worried about the people that lost everything and plus have to deal with the terrible heat and gas shortages. So sad about the wedding…I hope you are enjoying this long holiday weekend…
Happy that both your homes were spared and the beach house pier is finally almost complete. You really do have a show that passes by on the water. I don’t know what I liked better, the traveling Tiki Bars or jet ski with the umbrella. 😊
haha, thanks Karen, it was really quite a show this weekend, boats everywhere!