Focus the Nation

If you haven't already heard, this Thursday is FOCUS THE NATION day.

"FOCUS THE NATION is a nationwide teach-in at more than a thousand colleges, universities, highschools, middle schools, places of worship, civic organizations, and businesses. The goal is to prioritize global warming solutions for America and to create a dialogue between millions of students and citizens and the Nation's decision-makers. The intent is to move America beyond fatalism to a determination that we can solve the challenges of global climate change."

UGA is participating - with seminar highlights including the lecture by Ecology of a Cracker Childhood author Janisse Ray and the Charter Lecture presented by National Geographic executive editor Dennis Dimick. I'm super excited about Janisse Ray speaking - I've read all three of her books in the last six months - I especially *love* Wild Card Quilt. I'm going to drag Levi along & go hear her speak on Thrusday.

Wild Protein

with his one year birthday fast approaching, we have recently added small amounts of meat to Levi's diet - thus far he's eaten a good amount of wild duck (it gives Joe a great excuse to slip out for a morning hunt) & little wild salmon - and just last night, venison for the first time - we hope to keep his protein wild - free from industrial "factory farm" meats - on a somewhat related note (in light of such digestive advances) - we are happy to report the EC'ing / potty training is also advancing nicely with 6-8 successes each day :)

Working from home

for the past six months I've been making nightly treks up to the UGA campus for my part-time lab job - working on a quail chick diet study (click HERE and scroll down to "Chick-diet") - I'm finally far enough along (I've got a majority of the samples prepared in an alcohol solution) that I can now bring samples home - along with a microscope - and work from home - I've set up shop on the kitchen table - I'm going through samples now looking for identifiable insect parts - each part is then documented & photographed (I put the camera lens against the microscope eyepiece)

this is a Lepidoptera (butterfly/moth) mandible

a beetle leg

some sort of Diptera (fly) head fragment

the perks of working at home include never having to get out of your pajamas :)

Thursday

Somebody's getting close to walking....he's got the"want-to" anyway.......

Wednesday

there's a fella down the road with a nice flock of chickens (mostly laying hens) - his house is up for sale & he's not living there now - so the chickens are hold'n down the fort alone - I've been stopping by to throw out some feed - plus I've been trying to decide which of these henny-pennies will be coming over our way (since we only have room for a few) - I can't wait to have a place where we can have such a lovely flock...

the crew meets me at the gate

lunchtime

Tuesday

Gray and rainy today - Levi running around the house, wooden spoon in hand, beating everything within reach, have received a good blow to the head myself not paying attention talking on the phone - we've dinner plans out tonight, good because I'm a little crazy after all day inside - getting the new hens this weekend - started prepping the walls in the bathroom today, mudding over old nail holes, getting ready to paint - listening to Pearl Jam today - some more random pictures, have been looking thru old files

the big tree in the bend - walking down to Lookout Creek - Wildwood

Oct 2007

treetops - love these shots - blue skies, woods

Monday

I can't believe it's so late in the month already - the 21st. We never got Christmas cards out & I kept thinking I'd do some for New Year's - I need to get on it if I'm going to do anything at all. It's another chilly day here - just being homebodies tonight - keeping the fire going, & sipping hot tea. I've got to get the chicken coop cleaned out tomorrow - we're expecting some new arrivals this week - a new crew of laying hens are moving in. Some random pics...

some lovely shroomies

rising fawn - Deanna - woods wondering

smiley little rabbit

Chilly Weekend

The Neely's (my folks + 3 sisters) were in town for their monthly "Levi fix" - it was a cold weekend (rain and snow) & so nice and snuggly in the house. We had a fire going all weekend & loads of blankets & fluffy sleeping bags scattered about. We celebrated the three January birthdays: Bonnie, Carrie, & Greg.

Bonnie, Sarah, Beth, & Carrie

Carrie just braided Sarah's hair... very cute!

Opening birthday gifts... notice Dad already crashed out for his post-supper snooze :)

A fun little trip

We had a fun little trip to Helen, Ga this weekend. The convention for the state chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation was being held at Unicoi State Park (a few miles outside of town). There are usually tons of booths with custom-made calls and other turkey-related goodies....being that it's only a little over an hour from the house I convinced the gang we should go. ;-) Besides, I had a call-making buddy to whom I owed a bundle of switch cane for calls.

Don't need to say much about this one...it was my (Daddy's) idea.....

Molly and Levi in Helen....Mo just bought some pralines

I had as much fun in the toy store as Levi did.

In exchange for a bunch of Oconee River switch cane, my buddy gave this completed river cane turkey call.

11 on the 11th

Levi turned 11 months old today (actually it's after midnight now, so technically yesterday...), the 11th of January. Aunt Carrie's bday was the 8th - she turned 28. She, I , and Levi went to the sushi bar for lunch to celebrate - he had his first sushi nibbles - rice, tofu, & a sip of miso soup - and more fun than you can image with the chopsticks. I'm sure one day he'll be scarfing down the shiitake rolls with the rest of us!

Carrie & I are 22 months apart, so for just a couple months we'll be 28 and 29, respectively. I'm savoring the last days of my 20s. I've had a hell of a ride - some pretty wild times and adventures that I hope my 30s can live up to.

Joe, Levi, & I are leaving in the morning for a weekend trip to Helen, Ga (just 75 minutes north of us). The Georgia chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is holding its annual convention there over the weekend. We thought we'd hit the show, have some good eats, relax, & take in the town.

a little sleep for the weary

It's another red-letter night in our lives, after 14 consecutive sleepless nights... Levi decided to give us a full night's rest. And per usual, Joe & I were not aware of the opportunity for real sleep & botched it up. We didn't make it to bed till 1am (...just one more episode of the Sopranos) and Joe had us both awake at 6am when he left duck hunting. Oh, well...

Pics from the last few days

My first attempt at a challah = homemade braided bread. Topped with salt & fresh rosemary.

Our blooming rosemary is buzzing with honeybees.

The guys getting ready to go run some errands together & give me a little time home alone.

More bee action on the rosemary.

Taking a break from working outside today to get a few Levi snuggles.

2nd of January

We are home & I am never leaving again; nearly two weeks on the road has taken its toll. A fire and a glass of wine to steady my nerves - A low of 18 expected tonight - And a great reason to reflect tonight in front of a cheery fire: the 2nd day of January 2008, JOE NEELY'S 80th birthday. Congratulations!

New Years Day

We had a New Year's Day which I hope reflects the year to come: A day of flowers, working outside, fresh fruit, long dirt road walks, good food (black-eyed peas & collard greens of course!), and family. It is gettin' chilly here... a low of 30 expected tonight & a low of around 22 tomorrow!

Papa Bill showing me one of Nana's camellias. This is one bush of many blooming right now around his home in Cairo, Ga.

Because of the expected cold weather, the citrus fruit had to be picked. Papa grows satsumas (a type of mandarin) and kumquats in his front yard - his trees were really loaded this year. The satsumas are a favorite of ours - the peel is incredibly easy to remove & it has very few seeds. In fact, I just looked this up: there are on average 1.5 seeds per fruit.

Pretty little kumquats. We cut many of these off in "tags" = bunches of fruit & leaves. I think several of these tags would look beautiful arranged around a tall chocolate cake on a glass cakestand - I may just have to try that out when I get home.

Levi "woolied" up for a stroll outside.

Don & Joe - doing the real work - handpicking satsumas.

Deep Pink Camellia

Snipping Away

Awaiting Satsumas