Hittin' the Road!

On my way to New York, then Dallas.   Hope to catch up soon!

Green Jacket - Macon, Georgia

I was surfing and ran into a blog doing some research on restaurants in Macon, Georgia and it reminded me that during the summer of 1976, I worked at The Green Jacket in Macon.  If you know anything about golf, the name of the restaurant will sound familiar.  Personally I knew nothing about golf, the Augusta National nor the Masters, when I took the job there.  It's been interesting as I've gotten older and learned how significant the Green Jacket is and how fortunate we in Georgia are to be a part of the history.  (My girlfriend's cousin at the age of 17 was kicked out of the Masters for life for yelling "Fore" as a prank but that is a different story)!!!

In 1976 several exciting things were happening in Macon.   The Allman Brothers were a significant force in music and Greg had just married Cher.  The film The Bingo Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings was being filmed in Macon.  During the summer while working at The Green Jacket, both Cher and Billy Dee Williams, stopped in to dine.  In 1976, I was a very small town girl with a very small world.  To this day I think back to the time and marvel at how amazing it all seemed.

I learned a lot working in a restaurant.  I learned that lightening will not strike you down for walking into a bar (raised a Baptist - I was afraid), people working in restaurants work hard with long hours, and, lastly, you never know who you might meet.

Guess we all worked interesting jobs at some point in our lives.   Some of my friends have de-beaked chickens, put fat in the pork 'n bean cans on an assembly line, pulled the peel off tomatoes in the canning process, packed peaches in Ft. Valley, packed panties in a South Carolina mill, served as an intern on Capitol Hill and as a waitress on Mackinac, Island.  Just curious, what was your most interesting first job?  This one wasn't my very first job but it is one of the first and one that I was glad to have tried it, if only for a summer.

Barbara...Walters? No, Nalls

One of my favorite blogs is Life at Willow Manor and one of the things I've enjoyed most about Willow's blog over the past couple of years is the way she shares stories about her family members as she brings to life some of her fascinating family history.   I've also felt an added connection at times because some of the "settlers" in her family have been connected to middle Tennessee.  My dad's family settled in that area and much of his family still lives there or is buried there.  That part of the country is an important part of my life.

What does this have to do with Aunt Barbara?  Well, my mom's side of the family is a different story.  I knew some of my mom's family but they weren't very good at sharing their ancestry nor do they all get along so it's always been difficult to share stories or trace threads of the past.

Then word came that Barbara died.

 
I knew of her but never met her BUT I have fallen in love with her!  We almost shared the same birthday (10/13 and 10/14) AND she was a broadcasting pioneer.  Long before there was Barbara Walters, there was Barbara Nalls, one of the first female broadcasters in the industry!   I've learned that some of the works she was most proud of were her interviews with ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, JACQUELINE KENNEDY and JOHN WAYNE.   I wish I had known her but what an incredible career she had.  It's also interesting to note that her dad was the first person to own a gas station in the D.C./Arlington area.  Isn't that a strange thing to think about!


My husband comes from a family with a long history of amazing people and I've often been a "wishful thinker" hoping that somewhere in my past there is some rich history that I never knew about.  Now it's true.  There is a rich history with an amazing woman with a legacy and I'm so proud to have discovered my Aunt Barbara.   Rest in peace dear Aunt and know that your niece will treasure your memory forever.

My children and grandchildren will carry your American spirit forward into the next generation.

Girls Rock - A Camp!!!

I LOVED camp when I was young and I went to camp until I was 14.  It was such a great experience to try my hand at archery, skeet shooting, canoeing, hiking, camping and crafts of all kinds.  Well I'm here to tell you that camp options have changed since the 60's and 70's.   My niece just finished a week at GIRLS ROCK Camp and what a cool camp it was!  The camp is about music and self-expression and so much more.  It's a camp that's designed to encourage creativity, compromise,collaboration, acceptance of others, production, teamwork and to build self-esteem. 

Dressed and Ready to Go For Hair, Make-up and Sound Checks

My niece Melanie is a reserved young lady and is often described by my sister as having a "gentle spirit."   It was great to go to the Girls Rock Camp concert last night to see Melanie come to life on stage.   

 Melanie and Mom (my sister) - Before the Show

When camp starts on Monday, the girls arrive being assigned to a band "job" - either merchandising, writing or other tasks that must be completed by Friday.  Many of the girls have never played an instrument but during the week each girl learns quickly.  Volunteer musicians work with the girls to coach them as each newly formed band learns to play various instruments, write lyrics, music, create marketing merchandise to promote their band and rehearse like crazy.  In addition there are classes and exercises on topics such as self-defense and self-expression.   At the end of the week the girls put on a concert at the Variety Playhouse.   

 Mel Under the Marquis - A Camp With Bright Lights!!!

 Melanie Played Bass - She Started Last MONDAY!!!!

Doesn't She Look Like a Natural?

Camp Songs - No More Singing 'Round the Campfire

Guess what?  They have a LADIES ROCK CAMP!  From what I hear it's a fantastic camp with a major difference - cocktails!    After the concert my sister asked me if I wanted to join her at Ladies Rock.  I responded that I'm planning on going to a gardening clinic instead.  Her comment back, "We go ahead and be boring!"   Okay Cath - I'm thinking about it.

I just had to share a few pics of Rockin' Melanie!!!  Rock on!!!

P.S.  At thirteen I was lucky enough to have attended this historical event - Jimi Hendrix and lots MORE!!!!   It just goes to show you that there's a little "rocker" in all of us!

A Blog Award With So Many Little Details

Some people don't like blog awards but I received this one I'm going to participate but break the rules just a little bit.   Cheri at Cherri's Chatter honored me with the Versatile Blogger Award.  I very much liked being tagged versatile and thus decided to participate in this award though I'm going to bend the rules a bit.  

1st Rule is easy - Say thank you Cheri aka Cheryl!   Thank you so much for the compliment!   I met Cheri when she was featured on the Words of Wisdom blog as a Blogger of Note.

2nd Rule - Tell seven unknown/little known things about yourself.  This becomes harder but here goes.

1.  I hate Jello and egg whites.  To me they have similar texture and it just makes me sick to think about eating either one.  Generally I will try anything but don't ever ask me to eat Jello or egg whites.

2.  Speaking of eating.  I have eaten dog food.  That's right.  My sister-in-law and I were always curious what it tasted like and then she dared me to taste it.  As I said above, I will eat almost anything so I tasted dog food. 

3. I am a movie junkie to the point I'm sometimes held back from other weekend activities because I need to watch a movie (but I couldn't tell you a thing about "Housewives of...,", "The Bachelor," "American Idol," or any other primetime show.  I love going to the theater and collecting movies so that I can watch them over and over again.  My current favorite is Avanti and I can't stop singing the theme song. 

My husband and I have had so much fun with the character Anna, the Sicilian maid in the film.  Doesn't Giselda Castrini look a bit like Prince? 

4.  I love to travel - for work, for pleasure - it doesn't matter and I don't mind doing so alone.  I have friends who won't even go to the movie by themselves and are horrified by the thought of going on a trip alone.  Not me.  I'm going to NY on business in a couple of weeks and I can't wait.  Business is on Monday and Tuesday so I'm headed up on Friday to build in a weekend of fun!  

5. Speaking of travel - we are planning a trip to Iceland!!! I can't wait.  We are going in September and I am sure that I will have lots to share from that trip. 

6. I'm a survivor of a car bomb.  In 1983 we were visiting Lebanon and had gone to the movies (of course) when a bomb went off outside the theater.  Seconds before the blast we had just walked past the vehicle that was loaded with explosives.  I was four and a half months pregnant so when they finally allowed us to flee the scene, I can assure you I was a scary fright.  Immediately after the blast I had a bad nose bleed from the pressure of the explosion.  The theater staff held us all in place for about 25 minutes to be sure there wasn't a second explosion, then we ran down the middle of the street to avoid falling sheets of plate glass.  It was a scary time!  We visited the U.S. Embassy exactly one month to the day before it was bombed and I've thought so much about the sweet Marine we talked with while waiting for our appointment.  He was from Virginia and  when he heard me talking he came to me and said, "it's so nice to hear a southerner's voice."  I've always hoped he wasn't killed in the blast.

7.  I'm a workaholic though I never wanted to work.  In my deepest dreams I'd always planned to be a housewife.  I started working when I turned 16 and I've been working since.  Working has made me a far more interesting person than I might have been otherwise so for that I am grateful. 

Okay, I have rattled on with the 7 unknowns.  Now for the last rule.  Give the award to 15 other bloggers.  Can I break this rule and instead offer it to 15 other bloggers?  If you want to receive this award and participate in sharing info about yourself, send me an email and I will compile a list of participants to add to my post. 

Happy Sunday and have a wonderful week.

A Rococo Redo

I'm not too good at remembering to take before and after pictures but today I finally painted a cute little shelf that I bought for a couple of dollars on eBay.  I just happened to get an almost "before" and an "after" picture.  I was so pleased with the little rococo piece. 

Here's how the corner shelf looked before a couple of coats of white paint and gold trim were added.

I'm feeling a bit like Debbie Travis!   Happy weekend!

Summertime and Susan Branch

I can't think about celebrating summer without pulling out my favorite summer cookbook.

I just love this book - to look at, to cook from and to escape in my mind back to simpler times when summer was about vacation, starry nights with fireflies, gardening, flowers and sandwiches.   

My former neighbor and dear friend, Judy, and I have a very special bond because of this book.  When we were neighbors every summer we would schedule a night for a cookout and Skip and Go Nakeds!  

The guys always wanted to share our pink drinks!!!  

If you haven't seen this cookbook, you might enjoy having a look.  

My Son the Pyrotechnician

My son's hobby is fireworks.  During the year he works part-time for a pyrotech company so to celebrate today, I'm sharing his fireworks show from Thursday night. 

Happy 4th to all!

Enjoying My New Deck!

When our house was built a standard deck was added and the wood was sealed and truthfully, I enjoyed sitting on my back deck more than our front porch.  It felt "safe" and less exposed and I've always thought it to be a wonderful space.  Recently we had some work done on the house and the guy doing the work suggested we paint the deck.  At first I wasn't so excited about the idea but I had been wanting some sort of a screen or trellis added to block the western sun.  I had also dreamed of a pergola though it wasn't at the top of my "list."

Well here we are a couple weeks later and I have a few pictures to share.  This was the look of our old deck-slightly weathered, functional, but not too attractive really.

Here is the deck now.

So many little details have been added like the trellis.  It's going to add some shade and privacy once the jasmine fills in. 

I also love these beautiful wrought iron plant holders that my girlfriend's brother-in-law made.  

And it was so exciting to have a ceiling fan added. 

And we added the coolest solar lighting.

Here's the evening view.

Another one of Christine Sibley's sculptures. 

 

So now we're working on the under deck area.  Check out the painted concrete!

So tonight we will be eating on the deck, looking at the Atlanta skyline (barely visible but still), looking for fireworks.  Hope you are having a great 4th holiday weekend!!!