Outdoor Wednesday & Rose Wednesday at Graceland, Home of Elvis

Celebrating Outdoor Wednesday with Susan, from "A Southern Day Dreamer"~ Thanks Susan for hosting this awesome fun event! Please be sure to slide by Susan's to visit all the other participants today by clicking on the link above after viewing my fabulous and fun experience of touring Graceland, the home of Elvis in 2008 to celebrate my Mother's 75th birthday.

Since Wednesday is also Rose Wednesday with Jan at "Rose Haven", I'll have some roses from the Graceland gardens to share with you.
When I was a little girl, the music of Elvis infiltrated our home. My older siblings adored his music, and listening to him and watched his movies; I fell in love with him too. My mother wasn't too much in age difference from Elvis herself...and she was also a huge fan of his. We, (three of her daughters) took her to Graceland...let me show you just a few small things that made us fall in love with Graceland, Elvis's home. First were his roses we found in the back of his home, along a path that went from the back of the house over towards his pool. They were stunning the day we were there.

This is the view from the back of the home, the rose garden was further on down on the left in this picture. The arbor was so lovely, and the weather perfect that day.

This is one of the lovely statues that is home to his meditation garden. It's very near where he and his family are buried on the property.

This is a view in the meditation garden area...I looked up in the sky and it just seemed like such a perfect view...

Another statue near the meditation gardens, this one is my favorite.

This flower, a gladiola, was also in the meditation garden area. It was absolutely the most perfect color, with a lipstick pink edge to it.

Another view of the meditation garden area...the fountain.

The pool that was built right off the back of the home. This home is a very modest size home for a star as huge as Elvis. We were quite surprised to see that even though he was as famous as he was, the size of the home itself was small in comparison to the homes many stars have today. The property and other buildings built on the property are quite large.

This is the front view of the Graceland Mansion while looking up. I have this "thing"...that I love taking pictures of the sky with the tip of the building in view...crazy, I know! Well this is the "tip" of Graceland while gazing up at the sky!

And...last, but not least, is the Graceland Mansion herself! My mother, Myra, is sitting on the little white wrought iron love seat bench in front of the home. What precious memories we made together there.

And...for anyone who's never gone to Graceland, "Elvis does truly still live". Everywhere we went, his music played 24x7. We stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel and his movies were on 24 hours of the day. There were certain radio stations that played his music 24 hours a day. It was so serene, as if he were still alive. So...for those Elvis fans out there that have not had the privilege to visit Memphis, go to the Sun Studio (another fab trip while there), or visit Graceland Mansion...do yourself a favor and go visit! We all had a lovely and memorable time!

Now, don't forget to visit Susan and Jan to visit the other Outdoor Wed. & Rose Wed. posts by visiting their places!

Till later... ;)

~CC Catherine

Four Seasons of Heaven & Roses!

It's hard to not join in with both Jan on Rose Wednesday at Rose Haven and Outdoor Wednesday with Susan at "A Southern DayDreamer" ! So...I'm doing both! First for Rose Wednesday...

A very simple but gorgeous little hand painted porcelian shaker. I found it one day for 25 cents...lost and lonely and nobody wanted her. I snatched her up, tucked her inside of my purse (after I purchased her) ;) and off we went to my place!
She insisted on sitting perched on top of my crocheted lace tea gloves for her pic...and she loves my tea parties! She always wants in on the action...sweet lil thing that she is!

I don't mind a bit....everyone who meets her falls in love with her. Aren't the color of her roses beautiful?

Thanks Jan at Rose Haven for hosting such a precious Wednesday theme! Please stop by and view the others that have posted for Rose Wednesday!
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Thanks goes out to Susan from "A Southern Day Dreamer" for hosting this fabulous theme each Wednesday! Please be sure to visit Susan so you can see the other posts for this special Wednesday featured event by clicking on the link above.

My entry this week is a special gated entrance that I pass by not too far from my home. I first ran across it last spring when the Bradford Pear Trees were in bloom, in March. The first day they caught my eye it was raining...I knew I had to make it back by before the rain washed away all the lovely blooms! I have captured this view for the past three seasons, spring, summer, and fall. I'm praying for an ice storm or a little bit of snow before winter is over so I can get the fourth season of winter here in GA.
This is a side view of the entrance...breathtaking!

Another view without seeing the gate...I recently met the caretaker of this property when I stopped in the fall to "snap" the leaves turning. He is a kind soul...he told me that someone actually lives at the end of this lane...even though you cannot see a home from the road at all. He told me to come back anytime and take pics! How kind...

Once I get the fourth picture taken of the winter season, my intentions are to mat and frame all four in one frame and call it "The Four Seasons of Heaven". I call it that because the path to me leaves the end destination to ones imagination...and I kind of enjoy the thought of one walking down that lovely path amongst the spring blossoms to enter the gates of heaven beyond what we can see. ;)

The trees seem endless...I can't wait to get my fourth snap so I can then show you each season in a future Outdoor Wednesday share!

Don't forget to go to Susan's now to see all the other Outdoor Wednesday posts

Have a blessed day!

~CC Catherine

Celebration ~ Rose & Outdoor Wednesday In One!

Rose Wednesday: Thanks Jan & Tom for hosting Rose Wednesday! This "Raindrop Rose" was snapped at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. Even though the focus was more on the leaf to the left than on the rose, it's still one of my favorite... A yellow rose symbolizes Friendship! When I think about the wonderful friendships over my life, I feel like I'm watching Romper Room (telling my age). It's like I'm Miss (what was her name again?) saying, I see Vonnie, Kathleen, Janet, and there's Ginny, Val, Mary and Pat...and there's Susan, Lee, Dru, Karla and Kim! =) The list can go on and on, just like Romper Room. (Was it Miss Sally?) You get the point...a yellow rose reminds me of how blessed I am to have such lovely friends. Now, I'm getting to know some of you as friends, and I'm so blessed! Thanks Jan for hosting such a lovely theme day! I want to dedicate this Rose to my friend and sister-in-law Rose, she just went through surgery yesterday.

To see other Rose Wednesday Posts - visit Jan by clicking on the Rose Wednesday @ Rose Haven logo above when you're done reading my Outdoor Wednesday below, you're gonna love having tea in the garden with me!

Outdoor Wednesday: Thanks to Susan of "A Southern Day Dreamer for hosting Outdoor Wednesday! In May of 2006 my mother, Myra, (73 at the time) decided to have an Iris Bulb sale to raise funds for an orphanage to be built in Peru. My sister & I visited that week and helped her during the uprooting, digging, and dragging the lil ole Iris Bulbs from her garden into the car trunks of all that drove many miles to purchase. The pic below is outside amongst the Iris Garden...(she raised over $1,000 selling the roots for $1 & $2 ea.) I had determined prior to our 10 hr. drive to PA that I'd load up tea cups, linens, and my silver teapot & wooden tray so we could have a tea party while there. I never imagined on the second day of the sale that I'd spontaneously decide to have the tea party in the Iris Garden, dirty and all. We called a few of her friends and sitting under the apple trees and there by her Iris Garden, we "par-tea'd with scones and all"! Afterwards, I had to snap a few staged shots for the teapot...I couldn't pass the scenery up for that type of backdrop! To see other Outdoor Wednesday Posts - please click on the Outdoor Wednesday logo above. Thanks Susan for a lovely idea in sharing Outdoor Wednesday!

Now I'm excited to come visit everyone elses post for today...hope you do too!

Don't forget to leave a 'lil' comment before you take off! ~Au Revoir! ~CC