Good Things Happened: Weekend Warriors

Can you guess where I spent last weekend?  Yes - the annual Stone Mountain Highland Games, at which we celebrate our Scottish heritage. This vendor tent was doing a brisk business.  I love that so many weekend warriors get to do that Braveheart thing.  "Alba gu bra!" (Scotland forever!)

For some reason, there were a lot of Santas around the games this year.  (I spotted at least five.)  This Santa represented his Clan at the Sunday morning church service. 

My favorite part of the weekend is the Clan march.  I wish my photo could capture the scope of the endless array of Scottish Clans lined up to march onto the field.  It never ceases to thrill me to hear our surname called out as the massed bagpipe bands play us in.

We ended up lined up beside the Atlanta Pipe Band after we paraded in.  A young man in our group is interested in taking up Scottish drumming, so this was perfect placement for him.

By the closing ceremonies, late Sunday afternoon, I was ready for home, but loved being played out to my car by the pipes and drums.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Delightful, celebrating and shadows

This very vocal friend wandered up while I was photographing this delightful "planter."  I reached my hand out, but he/she stayed just out of reach.  The owner of the antique store said her husband discovered this abandoned Queen Anne sofa and she, in turn, made it into a working planter!

Just around the corner from that planter, this mural celebrating our four-legged friends is a new additional to the Greenway walking trail at Lilburn Park - spotted on my walk.  I'm thinking the kitty in the first pic looks like the one on the skateboard there at the top.

My usual Saturday walking partners were both otherwise occupied, so I listened to downloaded music from iTunes and walked alone, which I never mind.  As I've probably mentioned before, I love dragonflies and they seem to pop up when I need them, on good days and bad days.  On this day, a beautiful one stayed with me for almost the whole hour and then, at the end, drifted away toward some wildflowers.

Orphan, julep time, Flower Moon and commute

A late afternoon view of my front porch at the condos last Saturday.  I got several plants potted for the front and back porch and mixed them in with those I nurtured through the winter.  The yellow/green pot on the right was given to me by my neighbor, who spotted someone about to throw it away.  "Lynn might want that!"  And of course, I gladly took that pretty orphan in.  

Also on Saturday - I did something that had been on my to do list:  I polished my silver julep cup, just in time for the Kentucky Derby viewing.  I didn't make a mint julep to go in it, just opting for some pretty flowers instead.  You can click on the red link to see the julep recipe if you're interested in making one.  I do love them.

This grainy photo is a tribute to the Flower Moon from Wednesday.  It was totally full on Wednesday night, but was beautiful that morning, too.  I wasn't expecting it on my early drive to work and gasped the first time I saw it in the dark at 6am.  (I was stopped at a 4-minute red light here.)  I looked up its name when I got to work.  From the Farmer's Almanac:  "We use Full Moon names that were used during Native American and Colonial times to help track the seasons. Depending on the tribe, May’s Full Moon was called the Full Flower Moon as well as Mother’s Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon. The May Moon marked a time of increasing fertility, with temperatures warm enough for safely bearing young, a near end to late frosts, and plants in bloom."

 And this thing has quite a presence!  The photo, snapped during a stop on my afternoon commute, shows just a bit of the Mercedes Benz Stadium that the Atlanta Falcons will play in, beginning in the fall.  I'll probably never see the inside of it, since I'm not much of a fan of professional football, but my rambling afternoon commute home has taken me by here a few times and it's been fun watching it get nearer and nearer to completion.

Just when I had really gotten accustomed to this "new normal" of commuting through Atlanta, on my journey home to the suburbs, they have completed the repair of I-85 and it will be open on Monday.  I am so grateful they used that bonus money incentive and got it done so quickly.

Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Impossible, saving lives and scary clown

I'm headed to my favorite place in the world for the weekend, to recharge my batteries.  I need some river time!  I'll post some pics next week.  Meanwhile - here are some Friday Funnies, featuring three things that make me crazy:  passwords, your vs. you're, and traffic.  :)

I had to change the password for my bank website and it took about half an hour to do it.  We can all relate to this, I think.

I was moving to a new townhouse once and went by to clean it the day before official move-in day.  A neighbor left a note on my windshield that said, "Your in my parking place."  I came close to marking up the note with the correct "You're."  But I always like to take the high road, so didn't.  We never were friends though. :)

And the afternoon commute has been crazy since the collapse of the I-85 bridge last month (the morning commute is better since I leave for work two hours early in the morning).  I am grateful for my traffic app, which navigates the best way home.  I've seen parts of Atlanta that I never knew existed - it's been interesting, but I'll be glad to have I-85 back.  Meanwhile - there are times during my drive home when I've felt like the gal above. 

I hope you have an excellent weekend, my friends!

Peace and quiet, fits right in and good things

- During our recent trip to the mountains, my sisters and I wanted to visit Smoke in the Mountains Pottery.  We love Rob Withrow's pottery.  We traveled up some winding roads to find his studio and there it was (his kilns are pictured here.)  He greeted us, along with a couple of amiable dogs, and showed us around.  I can't imagine how hot those kilns must get when they are firing.

- Having put myself on pottery restriction, I vowed to just admire the things my sisters were purchasing.  My place is full of pottery already and I own several of Rob's neat coffee mugs.  But he insisted on giving me this spoon rest, saying "You need something, too!"  Such a nice man.  Here it is on my stove - it fit right in.

 - I can't even remember where I spotted this clump of flowers - daisies?  I like their ruffled look.  I just thought they were beautiful and that's always a Good Thing.  :)

Thank you for coming by!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Little bit of green, nothing in particular and Lenten Roses

Since I've been under the weather a little lately, I've missed my Saturday morning walks.  This past Saturday was a glorious day and I was feeling better, so off we went.  I had to wait a few minutes for my walking companion, and so was able to admire the scenery around me for a bit.

 - This pretty little bit of greenery was popping out in a sea of mulch - reminding me that spring will be here before we know it.

- A man and his young son emerged from the trail on their bicycles, chatting about nothing in particular.  I loved their companionship.

 - And just in time for Lent, which begins next week, beautiful Lenten Roses, bobbing their sweet heads.  Lovely.

In the parking lot across the street, a motley crew of young men and women were marching up and down in formation.  We figured them for an ROTC group out of uniform, working on their skills.

Silver and green, little house and snowman

- Friend Barb and I went on our annual pilgrimage to beautiful Madison, Georgia last Saturday, for the annual tour of homes.  I didn't take that many photos, but loved a home belonging to a young couple married less than two years.  Restoration of their home has been a labor of love.  He told me that he took her to an 8th grade dance and they had been a couple ever since.  Their home was filled with beautiful touches and I loved this silvery vase on the back patio, filled with seasonal greenery.

- They don't have children yet, but there's a little play house waiting in the back yard, for when they do. 

- This snowman in front of a shop brought back a memory of drawing a snowman for niece Mina when she was about two years old.  We were out to breakfast and she brought me a pen and napkin and wanted me to draw a snowman.  She described exactly what she wanted:  branches for arms, a carrot nose and a hat.  Nice memory.

Meanwhile in Georgia..., the sun came out and at home

- I spotted this on facebook and laughed out loud.  Yes - after so many days of rain, it was amazing to see some sunshine. 

- My day was spent indoors on Wednesday, but I managed to get to the park near the office just in the nick of time after work.  There were so many runners, walkers, playground kids out - it was like a big celebration of the sun.  I got the tail end of it, but managed to get back to my car just before the sun completely shut down for the day.

- And I was thinking how cheerful this corner of my kitchen looked this morning, so I snapped a photo of it.  I got the aluminum tray at an antique shop in Murphy, North Carolina last summer.  I love its etched vine pattern.  And when I got home with it, I couldn't think where it would go, so I put my hodge podge of sugar dish and cream pitchers on it.  It's always bright in my kitchen.  :)

Happy weekend, my friends!  I hope yours is lovely.

Happy faces, purple and look at those ears!

It's been a rather dreary several days here in Atlanta, with one appearance from the sun on Wednesday.  And it's been a busy week, with very little photo opportunities.  So again I turn to some photos I haven't posted that have sunshine in them (from late July).  Hope you don't mind!

- At my aunt's home in Franklin, North Carolina - way up on the top of a mountain.  (The drive to get up there is harrowing.)  I like these happy flowers beside the driveway.

- I think she likes purple flowers, as do I.

- And from her sister-in-law's garden - another mosaic offering.  I titled this photo "Look at those ears!"  Handles from old coffee cups, I'm sure.

There's a chill in the air this morning and it's raining.  I'm thinking I need to put away the open toed shoes I'm so fond of wearing.  It's time.  Hope you have a great weekend, my friends!

Summer fruit, the gulf coast and looking forward

- I felt a little pang at the grocery store last night, when the only blueberries were outrageously expensive, which means summer fruit is on the wane.  I should have stockpiled more in the freezer!  A Whole Foods employee told me once to stick them in the freezer in the plastic container they usually come in (unwashed) - and wash them after they are thawed.  They are slightly softer after being frozen, but still good.  I have loved the Georgia peaches and the blueberries from anywhere! 

- The birds were loving that grass (if you click to enlarge, you can see more birds in the lower left corner.)  Photo taken of the wharf area of Pensacola Bay, Florida, in August 2014.  That's where I'll be for a long weekend, starting tomorrow.  Two little boys (my great nephews) are having birthday parties - one on Saturday and one on Sunday.  I'm so looking forward to being with my family.

 

- I'm sure my sister and I will go to Joe Patti's World Famous Seafood Market on Monday, during our ramble.  This is one of their fishing boats, docked next to the market - which is amazing.  There seem to be endless cases of fresh seafood.  I like this photo and made it extra large because it shows off that nice big boat and that beautiful blue sky.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friends.

Morning coffee, in the spirit and heading south

- My head is still in the mountains, drinking coffee by the river.  I was just having one of those "this time last week..." moments.  But I just had some coffee from home at my office desk and that was good, too.  Love that candle thingie my sister has on the kitchen counter.  It warms the two candles (in glass holders) inside and lights up beautifully. 

- At the condos, newest neighbor Alicia, a very nice, and a bit shy woman, got in the spirit of all the flower planting and put this pot of climbing Bougainvillea beside her front door.  It's trailing up nicely already.

- The last time I visited Pensacola, Florida, in mid-August 2014,  I experienced a moment of pure happiness that my sister was driving so I could gaze at the waters of Pensacola Bay, while going over the bridge to the beach area.  I snapped this photo to commemorate - I knew it would come in handy one day.  That's where I'm headed later today to be with family for the weekend.  I'm so excited!

May your weekend be filled with good things!

Green space, purple daylilies and suburban garden

- The back door of the antiques shop that I frequent on the weekends was open on Saturday - they had decided to let in some fresh air.  I love this green space and asked the owner if they might have a garden there sometime.  She replied that the restaurant next door was planning to turn it into some sort of outdoor seating for warm weather.  Either way - it was a nice surprise to see it.

- I'm seeing more and more daylilies blooming around.  These were spotted along the way on my Sunday morning walk up the street where I live.  I love the deep purple color of them.  Daylilies are so hardy and often seen in the borders of gardens here in the south.  I used to see a therapist at his home, during a sad time several years ago.  He was a widower and his garden was a tribute to his late wife's gardening skills - daylilies being a large part of the display.  We would walk the garden at the end of the session and talk about the flowers.  I guess this is why I focus so much on flowers here and I do love them so.

 - The neighbors in the house across the street from the condos also have a large lot to their right that has always looked a bit like a jungle, but in the past couple of years, they have worked and worked to clear it and make a vegetable garden.  I see as many as five people at a time, wearing big hats, working there, with children playing around.  The sun was so bright at the end of my walk on Sunday that I didn't realize my thumb was in the photo, too.  :)  I cropped out most of it.  Shaking head.  I'll get a better photo next time.  Click to enlarge if you can - a lot of work is going into this plot of land.

Bird's eye view, welcome mile and bridge view

- Ahhh - it was a lovely afternoon for a walk at Tanyard Creek Park, near my office. Pleasant weather with lots of cloud cover, about 82 degrees. That's Bobby Jones Golf Course there - the park runs along side it. It was mostly unoccupied by golfers just then, but there was a bird surveying its surroundings. Click to enlarge if you can - he/she is framed there in the middle. 

- They have added an extension to the walking path since I was there last - making an connector to a tennis center that I didn't even know was there.  It adds a welcome mile to my walk. This is the end of the new section, so I turned around here. This was Civil War battle ground (the Battle of Peachtree Creek), so that's what all the historical markers there denote - they are all about battle lines and brigades. 

- I love the view from this bridge on the other side of the park. That privet was blooming all over the park and smelled heavenly. There was a toddler walking with a nanny just ahead of me before I stopped - I love how they walk like the proverbial drunken sailor.  :) I don't take this walk often enough - new resolve to do this more often. It was lovely.

It's the weekend already! I hope you have a happy one!

Shyness and beauty, out front and loyalty

- The spring potting is underway.  Company is coming, so I was motivated to get started.  This is my very shady back porch, so I've got Woodland Fern, Hosta and New Guinea Impatien there.  And I always love my shy angel that sits on bricks from my maternal grandparents' home.  When I was there for the last time - I walked around their back yard, saying goodbye to it and saw some bricks stacked against the house.  I asked my mom if could have them - and I've made good use of them, I think.

- Out front - I named this photo "Lantana and friends" because that's the only name I remember - there are other type plants in that planter on the right.  And I do remember from posting about Lantana last year, that it is not revered in other parts of the world, as it is in the southern US, but it reminds me of home, so in the pot it went.  (But it does kind of smell bad - maybe it'll keep the mosquitoes at bay.)  :)

- When I opened the front door this morning, neighbor Cali there licked my toe.  She always does that when I walk out in flip flops.  :)  The photos I took of her are comical.  They are all action shots - she never stops moving, so I had a hard time getting a good one, but in this last one, she only had eyes for the door her person went into for a moment and there she stood until neighbor Rhonda came back out. 

My sister Jo and her daughter, niece Amanda are on their way to visit from Florida, for some city happenings.  I'm off from work today, and excited to be with family.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Neighbors, March is busting out all over and good eats

 "She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,

   She wore her greenest gown;

She turned to the south wind

   And curtsied up and down.

She turned to the sunlight

   And shook her yellow head,

And whispered to her neighbor:

   "Winter is dead."

- A.A. Milne

- That poem is called "Daffodowndilly" - it seemed to fit the photo and the mood of my city this week as it shrugs off winter - although it is supposed to drop to the freezing mark tonight.  We'll have to cover the Japonicas, as my dad used to say.  I always think of that when this kind of weather happens, although as far as I know, they didn't have any Japonica in their garden - I think that phrase might have been passed down from my grandmother.

  - The cherry trees are in full blossom this week (this photo snapped on work errand).  Photos never seem to do them justice.  There is even a cherry blossom festival in the city of my birth, Macon, Georgia, this week.  The head of a family owned real estate business in Macon, William A. Fickling, Sr., planted one Yoshino cherry tree on his farm near Macon.  He shared seedlings for others to plant, and now there are more than 250,000 cherry trees spread around our state.  

 - And I've been inspired to cook light and springy things, such as this Grape Tomato, Olive and Spinach pasta.  It was for lunch at work all week.  So good.  You can find the recipe here.  I was using up a box of Ziti pasta, but next time will use Penne, as the recipe suggests.

The funny thing about the photo at top:  I spotted the dandelion and her neighbor, the purple vine flower in front of my car as I was leaving work on Wednesday.  I was squatting down with my phone on the pavement, snapping the photo, when a coworker was leaving the building and called out, "Are you OK?"  He just shook his head when I reported "Just taking a photo of a flower."  :)  May fun and quirky things happen to you this weekend, my friends.  Have a great one!

Luck of the green, a walk in the park and Lenten Roses

I know I said that I would have more photos of the coffee place in Grayton Beach today, but decided to post them next Tuesday.  I just have to show you the beauty that is popping out in Atlanta right now in honor of the first day of Spring - starting with Mr C's sign.  :)

- From Mr C's sign on St. Patrick's Day, 7:30am:  "The more green you spend - the luckier you are." (Click to enlarge.)  The large SUV to the right realized I was taking a phone pic of the sign and hung back so it wouldn't block me.  Unexpected, but nice.

 - After work yesterday - a head clearing walk in the park.  How I have missed this park on the Atlanta Beltline.  There were lots of walkers and the children's playground was full of little ones, parents and nannies chatting.  Everything is just budding out.

- Beautiful Lenten Roses on the banks of Tanyard Creek that runs through this park.  I'm always mindful when I see blooming things such as this along the path, that this was once someone's garden.  I'm glad that the legacy from that person who planted these lives on.

Thanks for stopping by!  Amazing to thing that Mr C's and this park are within a mile of each other.  It shows that urban life is beautiful, too.  Have a wonderful weekend!