Last Locally Grown

Even though I've still got two weeks left in Athens, I'd already arranged for my last time working at Locally Grown be today... Beth came with me & volunteered as well - it was a hot steamy afternoon, and by the end, all the volunteers were soaked with sweat - we could have jumped in a swimming pool fully dressed & been perfectly happy - My Mom & all my sisters have been here this week - watching Levi & helping me pack - we emptied the entire contents of the attic yesterday - and it completely filled one of the bedrooms I'd already emptied - lots of stuff to get rid of - Joe has the camera with him in RH, so no new pics lately - It's 10:45pm & I'm just getting supper out of the oven - long day - cheers

New House

After looking at dozens of homes, Joe thought this one was the best fit - (it's definitely been a challenge trying to decide since I'm here in Athens & can only make a decision based on a few pictures.) It's a 3br/2.5bth that's super close to Levi's new school & the town of Richmond Hill - it's a nice middle ground between Joe's office and Ft. Stewart - about ten minutes to both. At one time we would have never dreamed of living in such a residential neighborhood (scoffed at it actually) - we tend to go for places a bit out. This time, this one feels right.

Anyways, it's a new adventure & the house is really perfect in so many ways = fenced-in yard, a few minutes walk to a huge park, fireplace, garage, plenty of trees, & a skylight upstairs. I'm excited about a two story house - never have lived in one! About the only thing I see that I'm not crazy about is the very early 90's wallpaper in the kitchen... oh well. Our move-in date is 16Aug, so I have several weeks more in Athens than expected - to me if feels like finding out your test has been moved a week further out - I still have a good ways to go on the packing & now feel I can be just as tedious with the second half as the first half. Our new place in Richmond Hill:

Joe's thesis dedication:

I would like to dedicate this thesis to my son, Levi. It is my hope that we spend many April mornings standing together under a blooming dogwood waiting on that first early gobble. I look forward to sharing with you a swim in the river in July, rising trout, bedding bream, baseball games, wood ducks squealing in a winter beaver pond, and the soft crunch of deer hooves in autumn's dry leaves. Here's to the camaraderie of many evenings by a bright campfire while the songfeast tells the tale of the day.
It is my greatest hope however, that you find a deep love and respect for all things natural and wild, and that the simple things in life please you as much as they do your old man. May you enjoy many sunny days afield. I love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

Happy Birthday Baby - I love you & am so proud of you! - a new degree & job in just the last few weeks!!

Please send a shout out to Joe today (gobblerman at gmail dot com), as he's spending it away from his family, working in Richmond Hill - I took a few minutes tonight & found some great pics of Joe to share, enjoy...

One of my favorites, Aug06 in Wyoming, near our last field site, we'd lived the entire summer there out of tent, we would return to Georgia in just a few days, three months pregnant

Joe's first time to hold Levi (just after I cut the cord!) -we left him attached to his placenta an hour and a half

A chance meeting with Nick in Colorado - we were heading east & Nick west to Alaska, this is the beer sampler at O'Dell's brewery in Fort Collins

fly fishing in Wyoming - I'm sure Joe could tell you the river & what they were bittin' on!

Bathtime!

Love! At a wedding in Boone, NC

Ahhh... another Wyoming pic (so many good pics from that summer, and of course a place we plan to have a 'summer home' as soon as possible)... just another day at work... we were working as field biologist for the USFS surveying for Goshawks - no hawks this day, but I do believe Joe spotted a juvenile Golden Eagle - a nice day afield...

How much longer??

Joe was able to be home this past weekend - however, Monday morning he drove down to Richmond Hill & now will be gone for at least two weeks - 36 hours into 'being alone with Levi' & I have to admit I'm frazzled - as others can attest, he's typically more 'high maintenance' when I'm around - I admire some of the stay-at-home mom's I know, having endless patience & crafty activities to keep their little ones busy - I don't feel quite up to par some days, when I am secretly elated by the fact that Levi will be in a 3-day-a-week Montessori program once we move, and I will have some time to myself to work...

Joe's new office

This is the backyard at my new office. The building is located along Demeries Creek; about 4 miles from Ossabaw Island and 15 miles from Ft. Stewart.....and about 50 yard from fishing ;-). We have a boat ramp at the office and Molly and I look forward to spending some time on the water, poking around the marsh and the barrier islands.

I realized the enormity of Ft. Stewart when I was on a quick trip down last week. We drove for 30 minutes and only made it halfway across the property. Mile after mile after mile of longleaf pine, live oaks, and hardwood bottoms. No houses!! I'm looking forward to working on the Fort and to hunting it real soon.......

It's late Tuesday night here - Joe is putting the last of his things in the truck - he'll be pulling out in the early AM - headin' for Forsyth, GA - he'll be there for a few days doing orientation & then will head on down to Richmond Hill (our 'new' home town, 15 mins from Savannah)

This is Levi's new way of smiling - he scrunches his nose up a little and squints his eyes - he's sporting his latest injury: a fall that hurt his nose

Reading Barnyard Dance for the thousandth time, I love that he loves books, he continually brings us books to read to him - he'll hand one to you & then turn around backwards, ready to back into your lap for a good read

I'm always behind the camera - I'll occasionally ask Joe to please document my existence, as I photograph his every endeavour - me sipping wine on the back porch during the late afternoon

Sunday - a quick break from packing

"It never fails to amaze me how a society that participates in the viewing of violence, sex, mean-spiritedness, and idle gossip as entertainment can become 'outraged' seeing the act of breastfeeding" - a line from a newspaper clipping Grandma sent me on the topic of breastfeeding.

Completely random fact for your day: dryer lint can be added to your compost pile.

And I did it all in my Jerry Garcia tie!...

Finished! - a newly passed Master of Science

Joe with Dr. Warren

In the forestry school courtyard - waiting for the verdict

Joe & Susan - Susan was an enormous help to Joe with his stats! - she's a PhD candidate in the forestry department working on similar quail research

Really close friends in graduate school, it's funny that Joe & Max both defended this week - and both start their new jobs next week - we'll be an hour away from Max once we move to Savannah - he'll be a manager on Groton Plantation in South Carolina

"And I did it all in my Jerry Garcia tie" - my favorite Burnam quote of the day

Carrie made the day by watching Levi for the entire afternoon while Joe and I were on campus

Today is here

Years of work, and the grand finale is hours away - Woohoo!!! - Joe started taking night classes for this degree in Fall of 2003! - Congrats, I love you! - Many pics to come...

Wednesday already

I can't believe it's Wednesday already - suddenly it's here & Joe defends tomorrow - I'm getting nervous for him - and then he'll be gone next Monday & I won't see him again for several weeks - there's still so much to do & pack - I haven't even begun to empty the attic yet, what a job ahead - the weeks ahead seem daunting, especially here alone with Levi, he's a full time job by himself

July rains

Packing mantra: do we need this / do we need this many / do we use this / can we part with this? REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

As more & more of our 'stuff' finds its way to the local Goodwill drop off center, I experience something akin to 'buyers remorse' - except it's more like 'parting regret' - coming from a lineage of packrats & misers, my genetic predisposition is to hoard - I picture a news clipping Carrie has on her refrigerator door: it is a photograph of Ghandi's worldly possessions at the time of his death - the entire collection would not fill a shoebox - genetics can be modified by environmental conditions and therefore, it is an axe rather than a scalpel I am using to 'trim' away our possessions

Thursday night

Thursday - such a busy day, I'm exhausted tonight - I have a yard/gardening gig on Thursday morns for a lady in town & then this afternoon was one of my last times working for Locally Grown - 230 orders tonight, a record! - LG will be one of the things I miss the most when we move - it's such a part of my weekly routine & the food is amazing - we've renters lined up for our house here in Athens & Joe will begin the search for our next house when he arrives in Savannah on the 17th - He defends his thesis NEXT THURSDAY AT 1 O'CLOCK - so give him a thought!

Liza & Cory's wedding

We went to Jennings this past weekend for Liza (Joe's oldest sister) & Cory's wedding - a wonderful day in a beautiful setting - an old plantation home with towering oaks & and expansive lawn - Levi was the ringbearer & kept himself busy the entire day running & exploring

Oops! I changed him out of his tux too early! The wedding party & Levi flirting with the flower girl.

handsome in his customized tux

After attempting multiple pics with a squirming child, Joe & I decide to just get a good one of ourselves - notice Levi running in the background!

getting ready to be pulled down the aisle - Levi occupying himself dismantling the flower arrangements

Joe with two of his first cousins - making all the children second cousins