Peace Out!

Ali Grace has a thing lately for all things brandishing a peace sign. Since lots of stuff with peace signs is straight up trashy, she and I have clashed on occasion. When we ran across these khaki shorts embroidered with peace signs at Belk the other day, we found a compromise! 

If you notice in the picture, that's my orange tree blooming in the background! You may remember it was completely incapsulated in ice after the ice storm we had a couple months ago.  I am so attached to lots of "things" around here. I like furniture and stuff with a story. I was heartbroken that we'd forgotten about it and left it out. The sleet had literally beaten more than half the leaves off and the ones that remained, would break off if you looked at them wrong. We've had that orange tree since our Effingham County days. We bought it in Homerville on our way back from visiting Great Mama in Old Town years ago. Losing it would have been like losing one of my memories of her. I know it's crazy but that's the  way I am. Thank goodness it survived!! I have my french doors open now so I can smell the orange blossoms!

I am busier than a one armed paper hanger around here. I am helping my mother in law set her table at the Red Hill Spring Gala again this year, only this year we got our wires crossed and the date snuck up on me! I have something really cool in mind though, but I'm really going to be running it down to the wire to get it done. Still haven't gotten the centerpiece.  But it wouldn't be a Carmen Bennett original if it didn't run down to the last minute. I ordered china for the table, because you all who know me know I LOVE china patterns. It's an addiction. However, it was backordered so I had to go to plan B. Between my mother and I we probably have 25 patterns of china, so it's not like the backorder was a catastrophe! This year I'd rather it not run quite as close as last year though.  Last year we were pulling ivy from a fence post for the centerpiece 30 minutes before guests arrived.  We'll make it. I'll get it done. I'll be the one sitting at dinner with dirty fingernails and stray pieces of floral wire sticking out of my hair  but it'll get done.