Beach Condo Make-over!

The view and the sunset is the only thing that looks the same after a complete make over of our Orange Beach condo at Caribe.  It is finally done and we absolutely love it !!!

 Join me for a before and after tour.....

Our vision was for a softer, family-friendly living space, using the colors that compliment our view of the water and the the sand...

here's the "after" ~

The Monkey lamp stayed and I loved all the heavy Italian pottery we inherited but the green vases needed a color change ~

We brought some special pictures all the way from London and had them framed locally.

..... And ceramic fish I carried all the way back from Sicily! 

Our pride and joy is the Oyster painting we commissioned from "Bellamy" who lives in Savannah!

The colors in the oysters are gorgeous and pull everything in the room together. These Oysters hold a special significance for us and remind us of past family times at the beach sharing a platter of fresh gulf oysters .... and maybe a bushwacker or two! 

the before and after Master bedroom....

Love the color change of this chaise! 

Before and after bedroom.....

and bathroom...

with special Beer Beach picture from England!

Before and after twin bedroom....

....and bathroom....

I could not have done this from London, with only a few weekend visits to pick out furniture and fabric, without the help of Merrill Interiors on Orange Beach Highway who coordinated ordering the rugs and furniture, the painter, shutters, seamstress, and Hodgepodge consignment shop.  It was definitely a TEAM effort and perfect for us!  

Oh and ...  Happy Fourth of July!   

Royal Ascot Week

It's June and that means Royal Ascot week!

I take so many pictures of this event because around every corner is an unbelievable hat, a character, a statue or a Royal so here are a few of my favorites this year.

I'll start with "our" Ascot Family and friends because honestly, this is the best part of the day!  

New Hats.....

(Philip Treacy knock-off or the real thing?)

Always a sucker for butterflies!

Does this hat make me look old? 

And more characters .........

Makes you want something chocolate.....

Fabulous lunch and dessert.....

in the Royal Enclosure!

The Queen arrives.....

Entertainment by the "Tootsie Pops" 

Betting.....

and at the end of the day, 

flag waving and singing around the grand bandstand.....

It's always a great day at the races!  

Explore the Jurassic Coast

We have looked forward to this trip for months ... a relaxing weekend with good friends at a charming country B&B, exploring the tranquil and picturesque fishing villages along the eastern Devon coastline and.....



the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site and Brandon's Fossil Walk!
I know, "How do you find these things?"
This time Tim and Sandra lead the way!

We took the train from London Waterloo to Axminster and checked into this adorable B&B in Uplyme -

HEDGEHOG CORNER

http://www.hedgehogcorner.co.uk/breakfast

Meet Joy, the owner .... what a delightful woman!  She is a long time friend of the Eddy's and we enjoyed getting to know her and listening to her hilarious stories about being an "Inn keeper". 

She cheerfully greeted us each morning with a fantastic English breakfast including freshly baked gluten free bread and homemade jams. Sandra enjoyed her kippers!  

All decked out in our best mud-rucking clothes we headed for the harbour of Lyme Regis where we met our guide, Brandon for a description of the fossils we were looking for.  He explained that the cliffs in this area are constantly crumbling and slipping into the sea, revealing fossils 180 MILLION years old. 

The ones I was most intrigued by were the spiral shaped ammonites, looking a bit like a nautilus.  

Brandon taught us how to explore the rock pools and sift through the fools gold.....

I am happy to report that according to Brandon I found a perfect specimen of two Ammonites back to back .... and one day my girls will inherit it and think, "What are we going to do with this teeny tiny 180 million year old snail?" 

I thought the same thing, so we purchased a bigger one at the fossil store - for Dad's desk! 

And it is very cool!!!

Our day was not complete without a walk up the road from the Hedgehog Corner to the local pub for a pint of cider .... no sidewalks, can't be too careful!   

Mud rucking is hard work!