Time for another Tales of the Traveling Tote!
Where did February go??
I can hardly believe it’s March 1
Spring is on the way!
Our last tale ended on December 1 2022
Looking back to December,
one of the highlights was a birthday/Christmas lunch
I had with the Alabama chapter of the Traveling Tote group
Ricki Jill , the Bookish Dilettante and I
both live in suburbs of Birmingham and
Emily, the French Hutch lives about an hour away
and comes to Birmingham occasionally to shop
In early December we met at a beautiful restaurant
located inside the Grand Bohemian Hotel
We celebrated Emily and my December birthdays
and exchanged birthday and Christmas gifts
On the way out we ran into ladies from The Red Hat Society
taking a holiday photo, aren’t they just the cutest?
I also threw myself a birthday party
and invited a few special friends over for cocktails and appetizers
I made a Snow Pea Tree, Italian Spirals and Pork Belly Bites
HHjr made my favorite Coconut Shrimp
They brought me wonderful presents
and I had presents for them too~
I decorated the kitchen island with MacKenzie-Childs gifts
from my Traveling Tote friends
The foyer was filled with birthday flowers
After Christmas we went to the beach house for a week
My tote, Miss Coquille, always carries my important things,
like my lap top and my Kindle
The weather was so nice, we couldn’t keep the kids out of the pool,
even though it wasn’t heated!
The temperature outside was warm but the water was very cool,
one morning we had such thick fog you could barely see the pier!
I mostly hibernated at home in the “city” January,
the weather was miserably cold most of the month
In early February the Alabama Chapter of the Traveling Tote group
met for a Valentine lunch at a local favorite restaurant
They have dessert shooters that are amazing,
but we were very good and only had soup and salad
and exchanged small Valentine gifts
Our family went back to the beach for the long President’s Day weekend
Mardi Gras was in full swing on the Gulf Coast
Schools are even closed on Fat Tuesday!
The weather was much colder this time
and even though Big E and Charlie Brown went in the pool,
they didn’t stay in very long!
We lost several plants when there was a couple of below freezing days
in January so forgive the sad brown palms~
we will replace them as soon as there’s no chance for another freeze
Everyone bundled up and went boating,
got to get those boat rides in!
Orange Beach living up to it’s name with this gorgeous sunset!
Back to the “city” for Fat Tuesday at home,
the schools don’t close in Birmingham and there aren’t any parades,
but I like to decorate a little anyway
Spring had sprung in my favorite store
The bunnies and woolly lambs looked so pretty
with the fluffy white hydrangeas and green plants
Can you believe this is a grocery store?
They always have fabulous displays when you walk in the door,
it makes grocery shopping exciting!
I hope you enjoyed your virtual trip to Alabama!
I hope you will visit my fellow toters
for more virtual adventures and MacKenzie-Childs fun!
You can visit all the Tales of the Traveling Tote on the links below:
Patti, Miss Kenzie and Miss Tizzy @ Pandora’s Box
Deb, 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, 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 and Carrie Ann Hall @ Entertaining Women
Be sure to comment on Rita’s blog, Panoply to enter the 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
All About Home/ Common Ground & Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Oh My Heartsie Girl / Turn About Tuesday / Our Tiny Nest
Karin’s Cottage Linky Party / Creative Crafts / Crafty Creators
Whimsey Home Wednesday Full Plate Thursday