Savannah wedding

Our family gathered in Savannah for the wedding of Carlie, or Evelyn or Evie. She is our lovely niece and she looked like a Greek goddess on a beautiful spring day. Sara looked really sweet in her brides maid dress. Carrie was delightful to watch as she put her heart and soul into capturing every precious moment. Mark and I watched the grand babies at the hotel to give their parents time to attend pre- wedding events. We swam and ate breakfast in bed, walked the riverfront and had a picnic in the park. We saw Drew in his new apartment and met some of his new friends. We enjoyed our weekend.

Sparks

Mom, Aunt Dot and I were driving around Adel looking at spring flowers. I noticed that Sparks was only 1 mile away. The last time that I went to Sparks, Mark and I had been to an auction and bought a lot of stuff including an out door table and chair set made out of steel and glass. It was tied to the back. I was driving and was pulled over by a local police. I did not know what I had done wrong until he asked us to get out of the truck and look. We had been dragging one of the chairs making sparks on the road and sharpening the leg to a point like a sword. He was very nice. He helped us tie it back on and told us not to be sparking down the road of Sparks any more. So, I wanted to give Sparks another chance to buy stuff. We found I thrift store and went inside. It was mostly furniture and appliances. I did find a few pieces of glass. So, I asked the man how much for the purple glass. He went to ask. While he was gone, I noticed that the four glasses were vintage Tiara pattern, but the candy dish was new, with bees on it. He told me 30 dollars for the set. When I told him I was only interested in the glasses, he went back somewhere and came back with the answer. She does not want to break up the set. Okay,, it is not a set, but I decided not to give up yet. So, I found two little glass top hats that may have been fenton. This time, he had to go in a different direction to ask a different person. He came back with this answer. He does not want to sell them, because they may be collectable. We saw a few other pieces, but he did not seem interested in giving me prices so, I gave up. We got in the car and laughed. I have never tried so hard to give someone money and fail so miserably.

scare crow

Yesterday I went to Adel to take Mom and Aunt Dot out to lunch for her 80th birthday. Among other things, I gave her a shirt that said that 80 is the new 50. I have always thought of Mom as being 52 years old because of her energy an constant activity. This is getting harder to believe, now that I am 54. After lunch, we came back to the farm and helped Uncle make my first scare crow. Uncle Virgil never does any thing half way. He is having problems with birds eating all of his fish. So, he got a propane cannon that goes off every 20 minutes making me jump every time. Then he went up town and bought a new red shirt jeans and hat for his scarecrow. I took pictures as we built him and named him something different as he progressed. We stuffed him so full, that he looked like popeye, jojo the giant and maybe even female. Then, I called him gigi for go away birds and for their business. Later, as we were screwing in bolts, I called him Frankeinstein. Soon, as we screwed his country hat on, he looked like Tennessee Joe with a head ache We laughed and struggled and stuffed and worked on this fellow for 3 hours. He had to be just right and then we cross the pond and set him up by his cannon. I sure hope that he sends the birds north, where they belong. I will never forget Mom's 80 birthday.

traveling sick

We came home last Sunday night from Beaches to peaches, where we had a good week of selling stuff. Sunday night, I was sick all night. When I got up Mark said that he sure would like to go buy some more stuff and come back by and see Sara this week. Well, since I was too sick to see the grandchildren this week, I repacked the bag and we took off for Alabama. Traveling sick sure cuts down on food cost. The first day all I wanted was pretzels lunch and grits and eggs for supper at Huddle house. The next day grilled cheese sandwich was the only thing that sounded good. Finally by the next day I felt like eating. So, we picked up Sara and went to a Greek Restraunt and split a plate. I was a pretty cheap date this week. We bought a lot of stuff and got to see our little sunshine and her roommate. I feel better and ready to see the Grands. Sure am glad that I was better, because we picked up kids and took Olivia to gymnastics and Riley to soccer and then fed kids and daddy supper. Then the kids spent the night. The next day we got things ready for setting up at Allen's warehouse, outside of the Calico. Then we went to the Art Center for the play. The women were great. The play was funny and the acting was great. The kids spent the night with us in the R.V. We got up the next morning and Becca helped us sell stuff while Riley went to soccer. Had a great weekend. Would like to thank Jimmy for the opportunity to sell stuff at his place. Mom was right, we buy and sell to each other. Jimmy and Gene bought from us. I bought from Jimmy and Keith. Mark bought from Keith's brother and Kenny bought from every one. A good time was had by all.

The women

We love our local art center. People like Jane Simpson, Connie Fritz, Ken Collier, Larry Sims, Mary Norman, Miss Ponda, Miss Sally, Miss Kathy and Ken Collier and, too many to name them all. Over the years they have turned my kids into animals and Orphans and brides and lions on stage. They have taught the to sing, play instruments, dance, yoga, art, pottery, and even given two of my kids summer jobs. Today , Sara, is teaching art to handicap adults. She started out at art camps in Moultrie. This weekend they are at it again. Larry Sims is directing a play with all women, bless his heart. Two of those women are Carrie and Anna, my girls, and I am very proud of both of them. We try to help out a little by feeding the husbands and kids during practice. We will be going to the play Friday night and keeping kids the other nights. Plan to go to the play, The Women, Friday, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Support our local art center.

Fun food at beaches to peaches

We stayed in a hotel for this trip, so food choices are not the same as when we travel in our R.V. The first night, we ate T.V. dinners that cost 99 cents each. The good news was, it was cheap and only 240 calories. That is about all you can say about that. The next night, we invited three friends to eat with us. Mark fried chicken out side and I cooked baked beans and potatoes and bread and we ate in the hotel breakfast nook. We sat and talked until bed time. The third night one of our friends treated us to a nice Chinese Restaurant where we split a meal. Our last night, we were very tired and did not want to cook. Some one had come by and told us about Sister's Kountry Kitchen. The food was good and entertainment was great. Once a month, they have a local band come in to play and it is the place to be in Hazelhurst. The band had an Asian lady on base, a young boy in a Georgia bulldog cap, singing and playing guitar, a quiet man on key board, a man that stuttered as lead singer, that played guitar, zax, and banjo and a senior that was strumming a washboard. A lady from the dinner table stood up a sang. It was kind of like karaoke with a life band. She sang soft rock and Patsy Cline and got a standing ovation. Then there was country songs and local humor about the lead singer being a stuttering bible salesman. Then a serious story about the senior man's cancer. On his last day of treatment, he went to the center with fake hair and sang "walk around me Jesus" for a lady dying to put a smile on her face. He sang it for us using a wooden puppet than dances on a board with the music. Then he told us to tell others about Jesus. He said that in one generation the message could be gone. They then broke out in barber shop quartet gospel and rocky mountain music. By now every one is clapping hands and singing and laughing. I begin to fill like I am at a revival meeting instead of a restaurant eating a buffet meal. When we finally left a another man from the group got up and was singing Garth Brooks, and some one was requesting the pretty lady to get back and sing. It was worth the price of admission. a nine dollar, all you can eat buffet in small town America.

peaches to beaches

We just got back from beaches to peaches or peaches to beaches. I guess it is according to which way you go. It is a yard sale that runs from Byron to Brunswick. We like to set up in the middle. So, we go to Hazelhurst to buy and sell. We had a great time, met a lot of nice people and sold a lot of stuff. We had a rainy day and a very windy day with glass falling off tables and breaking. Going to yard sales is a very fun addiction. What kind of madness makes people get up early and travel for miles and fight traffic just to buy other people,s stuff. I do not know, but I am right there amongst them. Here is an example of things I heard this weekend. "where is the other shoe, I don't know but it sure is a cute shoe". I left before they solved that problem. A girl was told that she had pretty eyes, they were the color of blue toilet water. I am not kidding. A better pick up line may be in order. A grandmother told me about giving her granddaughter a dollar to give at church. When they picked her up from Sunday school, some of the dollar was torn off. When they asked her what happened, she said that she decided to give part of her money to her Sunday school class. Meeting people is the best part of traveling. We love to talk and share stories about children and grand children. One of my favorite things that we do is give jewelry to little ones that come by. They will search for a long time as they look for just the right piece. This trip was the first time that I gave jewelry to a senior man. He was this first man to ask if I had cuff links. It just so happened that I had several from a recent purchase. The problem was they had B and H initials on them and would be hard to sell. When he told me what is name was I could hardly believe it. He told me that they were out of his price range and turn to leave. I told him that they were not and to open his hand. Life is good.

I met the Sand Man

I met the Sand Man. Not the one that puts you to sleep. My sand man has white hair, a red shirt, a tall red and white hat and he dances, He has a great smile and laugh, and he is great with kids. I watched him all day. He would ask questions like, how are you doing in math, are you getting your homework done, do you mind you parents. He would tell to study hard, to be kind, make good grades, and say your prays. He tells them that they are wonderful, he tells jokes and makes the parents laugh. He also uses glitter to make "jewelry" to put on the childs ears, wrist, nose, forehead to make them smile. You get all of this for the whopping price of 3 or 5 dollars that you pay for making sand art with the Sand Man. He can be found a festivals, parties, hospital, or any where that you need the sand man. He has a web page call The Sand Man, and he is from Newnan Georgia.

Festival time is here

We did our first Festival of the season. We sort of got rained out. We still made a little money, saw some friends and met a lot of good people, but we did get wet off and on all day. This is small town America at it's best. This was the Spanish Moss festival at Little Olgamogee state park in Mccrae. The people in charge were volunteers and great and the money went to help the park. Even though the weather did not cooperate,a good time was had by all. They had kiddie rides and toys and of course the sand man for the kids. For the adults there was arts and crafts antique and collectibles, food vendors,and great music all day and night on an out door stage. The park is beautiful, with hiking trails, campground, cabins,and a lodge with tennis court and golf. It is surrounded by a lake/swamp and lots of trees with Spanish moss hanging. With gas prices up and economy down, why not try the parks and festivals for a way to have fun with your family. My daughter calls them stay-cations.

Silence

Psalms 46:10 is one of my favorite verses and hardest to accomplish in this busy world. Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 65:1 says (KJV) Praise waits for thee O God. (ML) versions says silence is praise to thee. (LB) says, We wait before you in silent praise. Praise is due thee, is in the (RS) bible. Psalms goes on to say, You hear and answer prayer. You forgive our inquities and sin. You are the only hope for this world. You created this world for mankind, and provide all our needs. Take time to get quiet before God today and praise Him.

Early morning

Early this morning I watched Joyce Meyers and read Psalms 63 and Proverbs 3. I love how it all came together for a thought to start my day. The first thoughts that you have early in the morning effect the rest of your day. Instead of waking up with the though, what about me, think about what you can do for others. Do what you can do and God will do what you can not do. Psalms 63:1 says God, you are my God, early will I seek you, my soul thirst for you in this dry and weary land. Proverbs 3:21 says have two goals (for today) wisdom-that is to know and do what is right and common sense which is discretion and discernment. Make some one happy today.

Spring is March 20

The first day of Spring is March 20, my mother's 80th birthday. I love and admire her so much.She is a lady who has a servant's heart. She has nurtured so many people in her life. She was a wonderful wife to Dad and Mom to six kids and a special grandmother and great grandmother to more than I can count. She has spent a lifetime taking care of all of us including family, friends and church family. We all love her and hope that she has many more happy birthdays.