Happy Bithday, Daddy!

Happy birthday to "Big Daddy"! It was yesterday, April 25....the big 56!

By the way....Levi is ready for another tractor ride.

Trip Pics

I made a stop at our house in Athens - to dig up some plants & gather the woodenware from the hive I thought was dead.. instead I found it rockin'

at Lake Herrick in Athens

Athens, Ga at twilight

visiting Aunt Beth at her apartment in Atlanta

storytime with Grandma

our first stop in Chattanooga

at a park in Chattanooga below the Walnut Street walking bridge

thrift store shopping with Aunt Rie

lilacs that Honey planted blooming in Wildwood

helping Uncle Scott

Grandaddy's drive in Wildwood

in Rising Fawn for Alaina's 8th birthday party - all Levi wanted to do was steal jellybeans off the cake

Deanna & Matthew

Easter Sunday: Grandaddy, Tivoli, & Uncle Scott

Grandaddy's first cousin, June, made an unexpected visit on Easter - I hadn't seen her in years!

Remembering

Yesterday, Thursday April 16th a family friend, Mr. Bill Higdon, passed away. He was 89 & the father of my Dad's best man, Dale. Mr. Higdon lived in Wildwood & attended the same church as my folks. When I would visit home, I always remember him asking me about Athens & if I was keeping everyone 'in line' at UGA. Dad will be a pallbearer & my younger sister Beth will play the flute at his funeral.

Mr. Higdon will be buried on Saturday at Forest Hill cemetery in Chattanooga, which is one of my favorite graveyards to visit - my friend Stephen is buried there too - Eddie and I would always go together to see him - my last day with Eddie was spent there. It's a very old Chattanooga cemetery - right at the foot of the mountain - beautiful. Dale said the dogwoods there are now in full bloom.

Home

Levi & I are home today after a full two weeks. I'm trying to get oriented & unpacked. I had a ten day stretch with no internet & so just now easing back into cyberspace & sorting thru the zillion emails that need replies.

I filled the camera card 3 times on my trip & will have some pics up shortly.

I've come home to an emerald wonderland - it is so lush here compared with the early spring feel of Chattanooga. Had a great trip - very full - accomplished most of the connections I wanted to make. Reflective. Peaceful.

Joe's Progress Report: Day 4

Well, I'm now on Day 4 without Mo and Levi, while they visit Wildwood for Bonnie and Marshall's spring break. This is not much fun anymore. The laundry is stacked up higher than the dishes. The dogs are starving and I can't find my razor. Just for reference, it's not a good idea to put Dawn liquid in the dishwasher....Or the washing machine either, strangely enough. Another important note: frozen pizzas cook much better if you take them off the cardboard tray before putting them in the oven.

Just kidding.....I'm actually getting along quite well, but I miss them too much already. The house is eerily quiet without my happy little tornado,.....but I've been cooking up a storm, turkey hunting, and watching baseball.

Miss and love you two and can't wait to see you!!

Busy Morning

Levi & I are pulling out the bags this morn & packing for a two week roadtrip - first to Athens, a stop in Atlanta, then on up to Wildwood to spend the week (it's Mom & Dad's spring break), we'll stop in Hogansville on the way back to visit with Angie!