Hog's Head

Little Wonderland Cottage, New Orleans, LA. Owner/designer Meghan Scott. Photo by Chris Bynum.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll translate the Mardi Gras colors into simpler fare with some sliced green melon, a batch of purple grapes, and a couple of scrambled eggs to be the gold, please.

Here's to a healthy, healing, restoring day for all...

True, I'd much rather experience Mardi Gras at Universal than in New Orleans! Even if it is all month. Next time will be in summer, 2018. I checked the weather, looking like lower 80's for the high, vs snow here for the next week! Great timing on my side!

Fun decorations, Hecate and elves! Cute house Always!

I'll have a coke, black beans and rice! Yummy!

Good early evening to all,

News Alert ! ! ! If anyone dosen't know yet, it's a Harry Weekend on Freeform! I'm already watching.

Love the New Orleans cottage Always, I wonder how they got it to look like a smile in the lower part of the windows?? It almost looks like a reflection from behind where the camera was taking it. We will never know, but it looks great!

Harry isn't the only reason I'm here earlier today, I'd like to post some Mardi Gras masks for you to choose from.....just in case you haven't decided on what your choice of dress or costume will be........................















Not that you are limited to these............feel free to get creative!





Our favorite Professor is planning on attending, and he's already dressed for the occasion ..........



Blessings for an evening of fun and frivolity! Hecate3fold!

Yes, samtibbs, I thought I had mentioned it. Some did sprout. ...the deer send their thanks...or, maybe it was rabbits. Had one glorious success which looked lonely and out of place where it popped up, but I wouldn't let the yard guy mow it down.

I'll try again.

Not much time these days. Getting ready for a corporate visit and we just received summer shoes and clothing. Of course we haven't sold the Fall/Winter stuff but are expected to have all products out. Grrrrr. Corporations.

Love the elegant masks but I couldn't handle the crowds at Mardi Gras. I like the fantasy celebrations better.

The eclipse was supposed to bring about a phenomenal energy shift. Anyone? Still feeling overwhelmed, myself, and very distracted. .hence my less than riveting entry. Maybe tomorrow.

Good evening all,

What a bummer MissyPotter! I wouldn't want to stay iin something that tacky either. There was something living under the building but I almost sure it wasn't termites, they never come out of the wood they are eating, what you would see from them is a tubular tunnel climbing a wooden beam, if that. Evidently the place hasn't been redecorated since the late fifties or sixties. Did you get to see, was it Disneyland or the new HP place out there?? Hope that was enjoyable for you. I see that you have changed to your spring avatar.....if only the sweet smell of those hyacinths could be smelled over the internet....well maybe someday, nothing is inpossible....................



Maxecat, I'm sure that your corporate visit will come off well. From what you have told us, your store is in far better shape compared to others around the area. Samtibbs asking you about some of the wild sunflower seed that she sent you reminded me about the black eyed susan seeds that I sent. Did you get to plant any of those? It's been so long, I hope that you got them.



Dobby has been busy looking for more Mardi Gras masks and he found 'loads' of the most lovely looking masks that you could imagine.

















He's also done some more enhancement to the decorating..................







And of course Winky has been busy baking up a storm.......................











Enjoy eveyone!

Blessings for a night of 'well manored frivolity'! Hecate3fold!

Mardi Gras Cottage near the French Quarter, New Orleans, LA. Photo by HomeAway.

Good morning. Dobby, for today's simple Mardi Gras breakfast, I'll have some sliced kiwi fruit, a dish of blackberries, and a cheddar cheese omelet, please.

Missyp... sorry to hear Dana Point has deteriorated so much. I attended a weekend seminar there about 25 years ago and it was lovely. Looks like no one's done any maintenance since then.

Went to see "Logan" yesterday. Powerful film, with top notch performances from Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. Definitely different from any comic-book film to date. It certainly earned its R rating and is not a kid's film whatsoever, but well worth seeing if you've liked the X-men films or are a fan of either of the leads. Dafne Keen, the little girl who plays Laura (Wolverine's daughter), was really good, too.

Here's to a healthy, healing, nargle-free day...

Just popping in. Missypotter, complain complain complain! Send those photos to hotel management and to whatever company owns the place. Tell them who you talked to and what they said and what they did to compensate you which was nothing. Then go on TripAdvisor and leave a review with the photos.  Make a stink! You paid good hard earned money at a high rate and did not get what you paid for so Holler about it. Tell them you want at least a partial refund. You will get some results. It really really frosts me when after paying out my hard earned cash, especially for a splurge hotel room, I get Super 8 accommodations. And if nothing else you, by reviewing on TripAdvisor, save some other couple from wasting their money in the same way. I always feel that if a business is in the business of hospitality they need to be hospitable! They need to deliver on their promise of a high end room if that is what they are advertising. There, my rant is over. I hope you were able to relax a little in spite of the poor accommodations.
Sun is out here after a cloudy day yesterday. Think I'll go water my plants and soak it in.

Woke up to 2 inches of snow! Very wet, squashy snow. Yuck. But the sun is shining! Love that!

Missy P, I agree with MJS - any website these folks are advertised on need a true review - that is gross, as well as very disappointing! Glad you had a good visit with the brother and family, sorry it wasn't longer. Yes, you save for something wonderful, and get what is virtually burnt toast. not good, not fair.

Hi All,
Missypotter I like the different colored fonts, but the green is hard to read. Sorry about the dud hotel. Places on the coast are prone to termites, all that moisture. They need to spray and have a pest service.

Good news. Someone is interested in renting my timeshare. Hope it goes through !
Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Good evening to all,

That's good news Magical Music Dreamer, I hope it goes through,  got my fingers crossed for you.

Weesa. those are beautiful pictures, great color contrast. Did you take them yourself? Or did you find them on the net? Good to see that you are back.

After a long day of watching Harry, I'm watching that Tom Felton special again. I like the approach that he takes with finding out why some people are such fanatics about being fans, either for him or for any one else for that matter.

The colors on that Mardi Gras cottage were a little pale compared to the Wonderland cottage, although I do like that green color, it's so close to being pistachio, which is my favorite flavor of ice cream.  In fact, Dobby if you please................



Mmmm, delicious!  Thanks Dobby. There's plenty more if anyone would like some..............



Maybe an ice cream cake?

Actually, this is an ice cream turtle pie.  Sounds delicious!  And he just happens to have more Mardi Gras cake too, to go with it.



He also has some bananas foster, king crown pastries filled with glazed bananas, and bread pudding with strawberries.  Yum!!......







He also has some joker cookies and cookies with praline frosting, and some divinities...................







Here are a few more of the beautiful masks.  When I look at them, it makes me want to try and make some.  I can picture Karentia and Maxecat working on them too.  Hope they give you some good ideas like they did for me.......................

















And this last one is very special because the artist who made it is wearing it.  So very creative!!!.........



Blessings for a Sunday filled with creative thoughts!!  Hecate3fold!

French Quarter shotgun cottage, New Orleans, LA. Photo by Paul Broussard.

Good morning. Dobby, today I'll go with a couple of plums, a handful of green grapes, and a stack of golden buttermilk pancakes, please.

Here's to a healthy, healthy, felix felicis filled day...

Good morning! Hecate I do plan on making some of the beautiful Venetian style masks! It was one of the tree themes I couldn't see selling or giving away the pile of goodies to make it all. Yes, they are inspiring! But it will have to wait for after my dwarves and elves have been dressed. I still have over 500 peacock feathers, some cardboard style drink trays to turn into the mask bases (paper mache style), silks, jewels, trims and more!

Yay MMD! Renting it is a good start - if they love it, they may ask to buy your share!

Oh, the solar eclipse was last week? Mostly seen across the southern states, and Pacific Ocean. It was a ring of fire eclipse. I'm sure you can check You Tube for videos of it? We had overcast skies, did not notice a thing.

Last work day before vacation. Ahhhh. I have a very full two days getting ready to go! Swim, laundry, pack, finish buying pills (still out of 2 supplements), and Tuesday I take Marsha out to lunch. She is donating a foot scrubber to one of the drivers who was one we were praying for - he is back to work! This is the one with the foot infection, who is diabetic. Anyway, Marsha and I will have a great time. Then home to bed!

I looked up Alaska first class, don't have to pay extra for food! Or drinks. Yay! Still will have my own snacks, just in case. And a phone charging jack in my seat! No dead cell at the end of the trip! Checking my bags, only have a carry on for documents, pills, keys, well, like a secure purse. Leaving my car at work, and have three co-workers on standby to pick me up. Spare keys will be in my office. Ahhhh. I like to plan things.... Nice to know Nette noticed this already.

Have a great day! We were supposed to get a snowstorm, but it is gorgeous outside. Cold! But beautiful.

Hecate and Always - an loving all the Mardi Gras photos.My sister had to get some crowns that day so we didn't do anything special. Glad to see that Dobby and Winky have the spirit and have done such a wonderful job decorating. Usually,their is a King and Queen of Mardi Gras that ride on one of the bigger parades and then leads the ball afterwards. I was thinking of nominating Dobby and Winky this year for their marvelous work.

Maxecat - the worst crowds are in N.O. and the French Quarter where all the bars are located. Their are several Krewe's (groups) that make each parade; My father's was always the Krewe of Zulu which gave out coconuts. Lots of smaller cities have their own parades too which are nowhere near the size of the N.O. crowds.

It's a real juggle when one of your family members starts to get better but then another starts to get worse. My sister is starting to get better but we think the stress of her birthday caused my BiL to go into a little bi-polar episode. I helped him out with the flowers and he picked out a very pretty dark pink almost red. On her birthday, he went out to sports store and I'm not entirely clear why. He said he was going to that and then come straight back home. Several hours later, he called and said he went to 2 sports stores and then out to his friend;s house w(ho lives outside the city so it's hard to call or text him which is why my sister doesn't like him going there) and he got the car stuck in some mud. Now, we have plans to pick up someone and go to one of my sister's favorite restaurants at 7. So we called my mom and the friend and told them we were changing the time to 7:30.

Sometimes when my BIl has a little episode, he starts to act like a belligerent, little child, I believe his response was that he was only at his friend's house for 15 minutes completely missing the point. He's very bad with judging time so I'm sure he had no idea it was that late or remembered exactly when we were supposed to go out to eat.He wanted to out to a crawfish boil tonight at a karaoke bar but my sister made him take an uber.

Well, I'm getting tired. Think I'll take a quick shower then go to bed. Night.

Stone Cottage, Culloden Battlefield, Scotland. Photo by Theresa.

Good morning. Time for some plain and simple food today, Dobby, so I'll have a bowl of oatmeal topped with Irish butter, cinnamon, and an egg, along with a big mug of coffee, please.

Karentia... getting down to the wire! I know Mardi Gras is over, but let the good times roll for sure!

Shrivelfig... hope things smooth out for you.

Here's to a healthy, healing, nargle-free day for all...

Yes, we all know Mardi Gras is over, except Universal.  Pretty much plan on ignoring it as much as i can.  I might catch one parade, but every night?  Too much.  Guess they go on every night through March.  

Lazy morning - better get in gear!

Hecate I found all them online. Glad you like them. I've not had a lot of time to post but have been trying to post a pic to just that everyone knows I'm here and thinking of you all.
Hope everyone is having a great day! Hugs to all.

Nice to see you,Weesa. Hopefully things are getting better at your place.

Missypotter, that's a shame you were so disappointed. Went to Silverado resort in No. California and while the accommodations were very nice the chlorine was so overdone in the hot tub it bleached my new and more expensive than I care to admit, swimsuit. The manager said using the spa was done at my own risk and,basically , tough luck. Letters of complaint to the home office did nothing but a large corporation like Marriott might be more responsive.
My son writes letters of compliments and complaints all the time. He usually gets a response.

Hecate, the masks are so elegant. There's a shop in Vegas that sells beautiful ones like these.

I hope you have success with your time share, Magical Music Dreamer.

Shrivelfig, I love the French Quarter but imagining drunken crowds by the thousands? No, thanks. I know your BIL struggles with Bi-polar, but I swear, lots of men seems to have no concept of time.
I bet it can be exhausting for you at times, juggling all those issues.

Hecate, I did get a few flowers. We had some heavy rains that hit just when the seedlings were still vulnerable.

Today I did a store that just broke me....left disappointed and frustrated but it wasn't my circus. The racks were so jammed with clothes I had a hard time getting things off. In the end I redid the entire section. After removing the sale clothes I still struggled to find enough room. I'm pretty sure the employees have found a way to have two items occupying the same space at the same time.

I will never return. They don't care and it's too hard on my hands to fool with.

And.....I'm falling asleep

Love to all. Good luck with your packing,Karentia.

Good evening to all,

Maxecat, who is it that gives you the orders to go to these other stores? and do you have to report back to them when you are done as to what condition the store is in? Just curious. It does bother me that these places are in such a mess and the managers in them don't take pride in their own stores......why are they still kept working for the company if they are not doing their jobs? Sending healing thoughts for your hands and everything else that could use a good jolt of energy.....................Try some of this..............



Hope you're feeling better soon.

Good to know that you are taking a day or so to rest up before you start your trip Karentia.....good travels, may every day of your journey be one of great adventures and new beginnings. Here's a little bon voyage gift..................



Thought I would re-print a picture that I drew many years ago to start off the beginning of the Leprechauns coming to town..............



Along with a tune from the King himself.......................









Blessings for everyone to have the 'luck of the Irish' traveling with them! Hecate3fold!

Rivendell Cottage, Currabinny, Co. Cork, Ireland. Photo by MyHome/Housekaboodle.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll have a couple of eggs, some bacon, and a chunk of Irish soda bread with Irish butter, please. I see the House Elves have begun adding the start of the St. Patrick's Day decorations. Aberforth says there are a few Leprechauns dropping by to help this year. Best keep the quidditch talk to a minimum though... no matter which team you support! Things tend to get all too lively.

Maxe... that store sounds abysmal. Not going back sounds like a wise decision for your body and soul!  

Karentia... happy packing!  

Had another of those patchwork weather days yesterday... rain, followed by patchy sunshine, followed by snow, then sun, then rain, then snow, then rain! Actually rather nice... something different every time I'd look out the window!

Here's to a healthy, healing, nargle-free day for all...   :hug:

What a cutie pie!  Looks so much like a real dog!  Thanks Hecate!  Well, I packed once, perhaps too many clothes, I'm actually taking both my bags separately, unless I can magically make them work on a second try.  I like to go down with everything in my larger bag, so I have room for souvenirs.  Have to remind myself that most souvenirs will be shipped at the end, from one store.  So, lighten the small one, repack the big one, and find my locks!

Up early - body anticipating the time change - usually done by now, until they switched it a few years ago?  I don't know, I just know I've been waking up earlier.  Need to be in bed tonight by 6-7.  Up at 3:00!  Wowza!  

Always, what an adorable cottage!  Thank you!  I'll need it.

Maxie, use the arnica, it will help.  Sorry you have to deal with those kind of stores, and glad you can say 'no' to going back!  Take care!

Not sure news, Jeannette is having issues, not sure if she can make it before Saturday.  I told her I would by her food, just get here!