Preposterous

I saw this at Lowe's in Savannah & couldn't resist snapping a shot. This is akin to selling bags of sand at the beach.

Memorial Day Weekend

Joe and Levi on the pier at Sunbury :: On Monday we went & explored Fort Morris State Historical Site :: it's located 15 minutes south of us in the community of Sunbury, Ga., which was established in the 1750's

Sunbury Crab Company is located right on the water in the sleepy community of Sunbury - this is an incredible find for us - the most awesome restaurant (expect to be brought here if you come to visit) - wrap around decks built around giant live oaks - a perfect view of the water - and Sweetwater 420 on tap!

walking the trail at Fort Morris :: the fort was originally built to provide protection from the British :: we encountered re-enactors in period dress :: they set off a cannon which sent Levi into a screaming fit - it scared him terribly

a massive magnolia in bloom :: every flower had visitors inside

this is the view directly behind the remains of the earthen fort :: a look over St. Catherine's Sound

Levi is always running in the backdoor with a discovery to share :: this time it's two slugs slithering down his arm

Joe and Levi had a quiet afternoon by themselves fishing a nearby pond

nice catch

Rainy Day Child

It's been raining everyday for the last 10 days here - I pulled up the recorded rainfall for the airfield a few miles from us & they've had 9.5 inches in that time. It feels like it - the yard is spongy and there's standing water everywhere. The mosquitoes will be hell in a week or so.

Mr. "Outside" (literally the first word out of his mouth most mornings) hasn't been deterred - he's out the door as fast as I can open it & puddle jumping in seconds flat. He loves the water & just getting wet in general. I took him to the park this last week, on the really cold day we had - he was bundled in lined pants & a jacket. I get on the phone with Carrie & turn around to find him lying chest down in a huge puddle taking a long slurp... Oh well, you're only 2 once.

Caffeine quick fact

What's the best way to consume caffeine for sustained cognitive performance?

Studies have concluded that caffeine is best consumed gradually, over the course of the time you want to be alert. In other words, you should aim for small and frequent doses of caffeine rather than a venti chug to start the day. This is because caffeine reaches the brain quickly and is then gradually removed by your system.

Here's the caffeine content of some popular drinks (in milligrams, per 6-oz servings):

1. Espresso: 100

2. Brewed coffee: 80-135

3. Instant coffee: 65-100

4. Tea, brewed: 40

5. Coca-cola: 23

Carrots

Okay, so this is totally random, but since we got behind this truck a couple weeks ago in north Florida (visiting Joe's folks for the weekend) I've found my thoughts meandering back to the experience.

This is a semi full of carrots. We got behind it pulling outta the field. And literally if we had stopped and picked up every carrot that came flyin' out onto the road we'd be set for carrots for months - maybe the next year. Especially when this mother went barrelin' around the curves - he was haulin' ass & carrots were flying.

The scope of agriculture in this area is beyond anything I ever encountered growing up in north Georgia (or during my 20's in Athens for that matter). I'm sure if you grew up in say... Iowa, it wouldn't be that impressive - but for me, the vastness of the area's conventional row cropping & the amount of energy and effort to make it all work gets me thinking.

As an aside: this is only a drop in the bucket as far the number of carrots pulled from these fields. I've heard the Burnam's say during harvest time a semi will pass the house every 5 or 10 minutes. Can you imagine what you could pick up on the roadside then?

Atlanta trip

Beth (my younger sister) graduated with a Master's in Applied Linguistics (from Georgia State U) this past Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. We made the trip up on Friday & had a great weekend with all the family. Beth's next stop...? she's got a very promising application in... to teach a course in conversational English at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China!

Beth & I

crazy streamer at the ceremony's end

Carrie (right at 20 weeks) & Greg at the Georgia Dome

the baby decides it needs another slice of cheescake :)

Grandaddy & the graduate

four sisters - tummy time

Uncle Dale & Beth

dharma bums

horsin' around with Daddy

bottlebrush flower at Papa Bill's home in Cairo, Ga.

a brief discription:

Bottlebrush is a small but spectacular evergreen tree or shrub. Of the family Myrtaceae it is well known as Callistemon or Bottlebrush Tree. It is easy to grow and loves warmth, moisture and sun. Bottlebrush is native to Australia mostly growing in moist soil in open or woodland sites.

The weekend before last a friend of my family, Steve, rode down with a buddy from Chattanooga for a visit - they were on their bikes headin' to Daytona for the week - I had to get a ride in while he was here! We rode down to Fort McAllister just in perfect time to watch the sunset on the Ogeechee. Ahh,... made me want a motorcycle... What a beautiful free feeling. In due time...

At Levi's first birthday Theresa gave me a flat of 50 coreopsis plants - a hardy periennel, I got them all in the ground (at our Athens home) & they've come back so beautifully this year - and are covered up with blooms! - I moved a few with us to Savannah & they're now cheerfully blooming in the backyard

Zen

Helping Hands

little hands diligent in their work

helping with the current sewing project = a tie-up valence for the downstairs bath

after I sew the seam he takes all the pins out

he'll proclaim the color for any pin with a colored head & they're always pulled first - all the standard silver ones are last

Cinco de Mayo

We're so behind in our postings! We had guests the weekend before last & then we were gone for 3-days this last weekend (to Cairo, Ga & Jennings, Fl). We'll be in Atlanta this coming weekend for my sister Beth's graduation & then to Athens the following weekend to get our house there ready to sell.

Keeping busy during the week - I'm attempting to put some veggies out in our really much too shady backyard. There are a few sunny spots - not many.

Levi's doing great with the potty training - we are diaper free when at home - though I still put a diaper on him for sleeping. I remember reading this somewhere & I agree: potty training is one of the most thankless jobs of parenting! Though how wonderful when it all 'clicks' & you've got a little one making progress!

We're using the same Mother-ease cloth diapers we've had from the beginning - they've held up, but are showing their age - I bought most of them used (on two previous children). I figured out that I've spent $14.80 per month on cloth diapering since Levi's birth - pretty great I think & NO trash produced at all. I'm down to washing two small loads per week.

We've got dinner plans out tonight with an old friend of Joe's for Cinco de Mayo. I'm counting on some margarita specials!