December 30 Fond Memory of our late Congressman J. Roy Rowland

This is also in honor of our late friend J. Roy Rowland who passed away on April 25, 2022

~
We had no idea, that our Georgia Congressman, the Honorable J. Roy Rowland had a special U.S. flag flown over the U.S. Capitol for both of us, on December 30 of 1993.

This on the occasion of our U.S. Citizenship.

It was not before February 15, 1994 that we were presented with this very special flag. Due to the fact that we were still doing International Consulting and not available before that date.

Here at the Dublin Laurens County Chamber of Commerce the above certificate with the flag is being presented to us by Mr. James Vaden Hilburn.

(Sadly Mr. Hilburn died on Friday, May 4 of 2007 in a plane crash). 

We have this certificate framed and it hangs in our office; will show it to you soon!

Here we pose with the United States flag in front of the Chamber building, with Ms. Willie Paulk to the left and Pieter with me in the center and Mr. James Vaden Hilburn to the right.

YES, the Chamber building did get a new coat of paint...!

Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce

SOUTHERN CHARM!

Frost and our Patio Pots

 It has been quite some years since we had such frost as this winter.

Maximum was –10°C or 14°F.

Our tropical exotics like this Clematis Armandii we long have lost to bitter winters...

You can see it here → (click link) {Our Clematis Armandii - Fragrant Blooms on Evergreen Vine}

In above picture was against our balcony on April 14, 1995.

That one died from frost...

Pieter had managed to save two starters. 

{My Green Sewing Creation} ←click for seeing more photos with its tropical blooms.

Those were the top years for our garden!

But the trees have grown bigger and our other shrubs and plants must compete...

Also we both aged and we opted more for Pot Plants on our Patio.

Also the more hardy ones so not every fall and spring they ought to be hauled in and out of our greenhouse.

On our patio, one pot plant is this Croton Yellow Mammy.

Croton

Croton plants have beautiful patterned leaves.

Crotons are pretty!

Some other pot plants on our patio.

Soon we will see what will be left from our patio pot plants...

Looking out of the bay window we see a lot of dead plants in the garden!

Hate that dreary look but in two months things will start anew.

Our NATIVITY and Angels from Italy

Christmas Once again...

So let me show you our hand carved wooden nativity scene with angels from South Tyrol, Italy. The birth of Jesus is the reason for the season... Our Saviour, who came into this world because of LOVE.

The wood carving is so meticulously done by the Italian craftsmen!

Love the angel holding a HEART; the universal symbol of Love...

At present we do have some Paperwhites blooming again. 

As well as fragrant Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthus p.) (C. fragrans) which you see in the center of this Mandalay Chartreuse vase by Mason, together with Ilex decidua 'Finches Golden' a yellow berried Ilex. 

Last year we only had the yellow Ilex (holly berries) but this year there are plenty of red Ilex.

Do you have a special nativity scene in your home?

Wishing you a Merry Christmas with all your loved ones!

Related link:
{Our Garden's Winter Blooms for Christmas} my previous post about this Wintersweet flower...
Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...