Holiday Shopping Everyday Gossip

 MJ's first stop in Home Town is Carmen's house. This is the house which got me back into the hobby. My first two granddaughters were born and I wanted to refurbish it with them. I am on my second remodel and still working on it. LOL Two new windows were added on the second floor. You can see the one on this side.

 

Most of the locations you will see here and for the rest of these special posts are in progress or repair. You may see some of the progress or changes. Some, are the homes of the regulars, but may be used for something else while MJ is here.

I made the brown coat Carmen is wearing last year.

 

MJ and Carmen have a good laugh about her travels.

MJ describes her encounters with some of the handsome men she has met.
They talk and talk and talk

 Carmen and MJ get up early, after laughing and talking late into the night, to go shopping. Something they both enjoy. We will see a few familiar faces and places along with a few new ones.

Carmen took MJ shopping at Niecy's boutique

Customer to Niecy: Is this on sale too?

Niecy: Yes, this is also "buy one get one free." Will this be all?
Customer: Yes.



The shop is bustling. It seems everyone is doing their holiday shopping. MJ and Carmen leave to go to the shoe store next door.

Carmen made an excuse to come back to the boutique to price the necklace MJ liked. She just might buy it for her going away gift. Then she leaves again.



GLADYS BELL!
 Thank goodness MJ is in the shoe store next door or else she might have been the subject of a little gossip! Who knows?

 

Gladys  Bell waits until everyone has left. She is up to something I can tell!

Gladys Bell: Well, hello there little mama!

Niecy: Gladys Bell! You startled me! How are you?
Looking for something for Beth for Hanukkah?

Gladys Bell: Oh, ah YES, That sounds like a great idea!

Niecy: I have something she might like.
 Look at the look on Gladys Bells' face!

Niecy: These new bangle bracelets just came in. She might like these. I know she usually wears gold




 

Gladys Bell: So, uh, how have you been feeling these days Niecy?

 

Niecy: Well, to be truthful Gladys Bell I have been a little tired lately. This must  be the busiest holiday season I have had since I opened! I am not complaining! Just tired.

 

Gladys Bell: Oh, I see.

To be continued...

Click on picture for a larger view

Chilly Night-Warm Hearts

South Carolina is full of "Historical" Towns. There is a lot of pride in their history and traditions, many of which are still practiced. MJ and Willie enjoyed a night of "Family Fun" in one such town, Fountain Inn.  

 



This is the scene of the great date

 

CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce was the ambassador of the Family Night. He knew he had MJ in his pocket from the very beginning

 

MJ recognized these folks right away! She remembers seeing them on the Steve Wilkos show in November 2013! I sure hope they reconcile with Granny one day.

 

MJ is sitting pretty on Mr. Squarepants' nose

MJ is cool as a cucumber riding on Larry the
Cucumber.

 

Pooh literally had MJ in the palm of his hand.

 

I think there is some kind of rule in South Carolina that you MUST have funnel cakes at every fair and function

OK, so what are the Oreo's for?

Ever hear of fried Oreo cookies?

Nothing like a romantic horse and buggy ride...sigh!

 Or the excitement of a carousel ride...giddy-up! (turn down sound...very loud!)

Just because it takes a teacher to appreciate a teacher :-)

I don't know...because he is so beautiful I guess! lol

Set next to the outdoor activities is this center.

 

MJ had to get a little closer to that gingerbread man to make sure he wasn't another dessert
 

A tribute to the original inhabitants in this area

Many Cherokees lived in the "upstate" area of South Carolina  



This display memorialized one of the first store owners in Fountain Inn...he owned a "meat shop" and lots of land when it was extremely cheap

 

Peg Leg Bates was known all over the world for tap dancing with just one leg!  He hailed from Fountain Inn.



Peg Leg Bates never let losing his leg stop him from dancing! Here, is his first wooden leg he used .

 

These are real cotton balls just as they grow in the field

Tools and other items from history

Is that a tiny gift
Santa is holding with care?

 

Awww it is MJ!

MJ's bio said she loved Christmas and knows in her heart that Santa is REAL! Oh well, I guess there is no argument here!

 

Taking a little time getting to know one another better.

 



PEACE!

Click on pictures for a larger view

 

 

 

 

"Sole-mates?"

While Maria went back to look at and maybe find few things from the boutique to surprise MJ, MJ makes a find of her own...His name is Willie and the owner of the shoe store at the mall.



MJ: Excuse me do you have this is in a size eight?

Willie: Why, yes we do!



Willie: Here let me take that.

Willie: Is that an Australian accent I hear?
MJ:  Yes, it is! (giggle)
 Willie: Well g'day mate! Does this mean the shrimp is on the barbie?
MJ: giggle
Willie: I am sorry, that is all I can think of when I hear, Australia (lol)
MJ: Don't worry I get it all of the time.
Willie: So are you enjoying...

Carmen: WILLIE! Oh my goodness, it has been such a long time! I see you have met my friend MJ!
Willie: Yes, I have. Now that I know she is a friend of yours maybe she can become a friend of mine too!

Carmen: Now you know why we call you silly Willie! (lol) Come here and give me a hug. It is so wonderful to see you!

Later that day

Carmen: I am so glad we ran into Willie...he is such a sweet guy.

MJ: He does seem nice, but I am not sure I want to accept his invitation for a date. I have met so many men on this trip.

Carmen: Go, you will have fun...I promise you. 

To be continued... 

                                                        Click on pictures for a larger view

Getting Down with Downtown Greenville

The city of Greenville, South Carolina has been the home of history makers through out the years. Several years ago, the downtown area was renovated to attract not just the locals, but visitors and the vast amount of relocated Northerners and others. The bistro lined Main Street has an eclectic feel of an artistic, cobblestoned, quaint village and uptown entertainment. It is the scene for so many things from various festivals to national bike races. MJ and friends had the time of their lives! I spent several hours just on a few blocks of Main Street.

 I apologize for the pictures taken when the sun started to go down.

This name might be familiar to baseball fans. Shoeless is from a small town on the outskirts of Greenville. Can you find MJ? Look over the "J" in Jackson




MJ had to see if he was really shoeless lol

Falls Park On The Reedy is a beautiful 26-acre city park located in the middle of downtown Greenville, South Carolina. It has a waterfall from the Reedy River.

 The Reedy River is a tributary of the Saluda River, about 65 miles (105 km) long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.





The girls are on their way to get a closer view







They let their hair blow in the wind as they drove across the bridge

MJ just had to get out and look. The sun was beginning to set.

The cool winter air made the waves rush over the falls

 



Off to the next adventure!

This is across the street from the Falls. You can see a mix of old and new. Both Falls Park and this area are set under a bridge on Main Street 

The man-made dam lies in front of a series of art galleries

This is the Peace Center Concert Hall. It sets on the opposite side of the street of Falls Park near the end of Main Street. It is where every thing from The Lion King to a Fragle Rock children's concert has been seen (Goggled picture)

This is something pretty new in Greenville. An outdoor Ice skating rink! 

 

 

 Are these little cuties future Olympians?

I actually thought most of the people had walking disabilities, until I was told the blue things were to assist and protect unskilled skaters. hmmm I was looking to see if they had grown-up sizes! lol

The Poinsett Hotel was one of the first "skyscrapers" to be constructed in Greenville. Named after Joel R. Poinsett, the Secretary of War under President Fillmore, the hotel was built on the site of the Mansion House, an 1824 resort hotel. Built in 1925 at a cost of 1.5 million dollars.

Bet you didn't know where the name of the Poinsettia flower came from!
Joel Roberts Poinsett, born in 1779 in Charleston, South Carolina to a wealthy physician, Dr. Elisha Poinsett, and his wife Katherine Ann Roberts, was educated in Connecticut and Europe, gaining expertise in languages, the law and military affairs.
 

There is at least one street named after him in Greenville.

A copy of the famous Italian fountain statue  "II Porcellino" 
 

MJ stands tall in a very popular popcorn store on Main Street.

This is not for the popcorn shy. Their bold flavors make them a big seller and the beautiful wrappings are very festive.
It is also probably the most expensive gourmet popcorn you will ever love!

During segregation the Sterling School was a school for "colored-people"
It has produced many successful and influential people.

"The record of Sterling High School is that of struggle and triumph. It covers a period of nearly seventy-five years.  Reverend D.M. Minus was appointed to John Wesley Church in Greenville, South Carolina in the early 1890's, the beginning of a great work.  Rev. Minus was born in Colleton County, South Carolina, on June 15, 1848, of slave parents; his father was Elijah and his mother was Sarah Minus.  He was the oldest of thirteen children.  Minus was brought to Greenville to accomplish two things: John Wesley Church needed a new brick building and the children needed a high school in Greenville so they could prepare for life's duties without leaving their hometown."




The statues are set in the middle of downtown Main Street Greenville. The bricks hold a significance in the structure of the school. 

You never know what you might see on Main Street!

Horse and buggies are a regular site along Main Street. This one is decked out for the holidays



Downtown Greenville at night

Christmas is all over



Walking down Main Street is like enjoying an outdoor art museum



This is the collective name of the three  below sculptures . Each one is individually named

EMERGE
Front view
MJ felt right at home in her arms!



Back view...or is it the other way around?

CONNECT

TRANSCEND
MJ is enjoying being close-up and personal. Right in front of his face! lol



It was becoming dusk when I took these pictures. You can see them much better here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/24638974@N06/4654562967/

 

Only in South Carolina! Ride 'em MJ!

 

This is one of nine tiny friends who mark points of interest. They serve as guides in a scavenger hunt along Main Street. Each one is different! This one was near an historical war figure, hence the hat. (I was illegally parked so didn't have time to get a picture of statue. lol) There was a book written about them too!

http://miceonmain.com/historyofmiceonmain.html

Hope you enjoyed downtown Greenville! More MJ in South Carolina to come!

Click on pictures for a larger view