By Golly, I'm Back!

 It's been a while.

Like more than two weeks which is not my style.

But now I am back after more activities than a gal can relate.  More pictures too.

We went to Florida for a week and of course we saw this bundle of joy more than once. 

My goodness what a sweetheart and Bill and Fallon cannot keep from thinking it must be a dream, they are so in love with him. Can you blame them?

But let's back up a bit because there is much to be said. We served at Soul Table on the 3rd of July and here is Dottie in the middle, D'Anna and yours truly decked out for the holiday. 

I nearly forgot that I have not told you about the 4th! After playing pickleball we walked over to the park just in time for the peanut drop! Yes, you read that correctly. And what pray tell is a peanut drop you ask?

I don't know how many they drop, but unshelled peanuts fall from the back of the plane, scattering all over the field, and folks go after them, looking for colored ones that are worth money, ranging from $1-5.

Later on we watched the fireworks display from our neighbor Sandy's porch and while good, and better than from our back porch, next year we are just going to walk the few blocks to the park because for a small town, it is a very impressive display.

Here's something funny. So remember how I went mushroom foraging, more specifically for chanterelles in the forest, and it took like two hours to get to the spot? Arriving at Cobby and Diane's house for a cookout, look what was in their front yard! Diane had already picked a bunch of them.

Meet Tank their beloved cat.

28 hours later, I continue....(life got in the way of my computer time)

Monday morning, nearly two weeks ago, we left the house around 8AM, heading south with our first stop the Costco in Woodstock to pick up our new glasses. Unfortunately for me, I had them tighten mine a little too much and it has taken this long for them to finally be comfortable. 

But I digress...

Surprisingly, the drive through Atlanta was not too awful except for this little bit in the outskirts

By that time it was about 11 in the morning, so what the hold up was, is not something I am prepared to write about except to say that D'Anna says it always backs up in this area and  seeing as how she was raised in Atlanta, she should know.

We made excellent time, arriving in Valdosta, our normal stopping place, about 3:30 in the afternoon. The parking lot at the Drury Inn was nearly empty, so little Missy here suggested we go into downtown to see what we could see rather than sit in the hotel room. Mr. Wonderful agreed. There were a lot of tell-tale signs of a city working hard to revitalize their downtown which was filled with many wonderful buildings.

Lots of interesting murals to admire.

We went into several cute shops where people were enjoying themselves.

Another striking mural.

And who does not like an alleyway filled with colorful umbrellas?

All was good until it wasn't. Back to the hotel that Bruce had very much been looking forward to, he popped in to secure a room and they were ALL sold out! Apparently the word is getting out that it is such a good deal. So, we headed out of town and Bruce drove the four more hours to Orlando, arriving just before dark and in time to stop at Publix for a few supplies. Woo hoo! Passing the time I continued reading aloud all sorts of things to Bruce, eventually coming across a website about world population. Wow, some real surprises there. While we knew that India and China are neck and neck as far as people go, we were both surprised at how many people live in Africa! Perhaps I have mentioned before how Bruce is always game for guessing things, and is usually pretty darn accurate, but this time some of the African countries most definitely took him by surprise.

Much to our delight no real disasters awaited us, that is if you don't count two small leaks in the sunroom awning. 

The corner that you see was leaking, but we were able to secure a visit from the ever-busy Herbert who caulked it and we should now be in good shape. 

Tuesday morning first thing I took an open dental appointment for a cleaning, stopping at the carwash in the complex to rid the MINI Cooper of a few months worth of dirt.

I am including a photo because I suspect some folks up here are really doubting that I actually do drive, if only occasionally!

As I may have reported, we are in the midst of a very expensive assessment to pay for new roofs throughout the community. It was good to see how things are progressing.

One of the other things we hoped to accomplish was to empty our storage unit, the same one we downsized to about a year ago. Since that time, although this space was nearly half the size of the previous one, the rates kept increasing, seemingly on a whim. SO, after seven years, we did it! Or, more accurately Bruce did with some cheerleading on my part. Another big surprise was that while hot, it never was nearly as hot as it was two months ago. Thank God for that!

Our visits to see Christian still revolve around feedings and nap time, but when we were able to see the family it was pure gold. 

Another thing I did on our drive down was contact friends to set up meal dates which worked out very nicely. Tuesday night just Bruce and I popped into a newish place called Moderne, and while I thought the food was uneven, the look was spectacular.

Their menu is meant to be an Asian-fusion small plates kind of place with that fusion being Japanese-Puerto Rican, if you can imagine. Fallon told me later it is supposed to be all about the cocktails. Bruce sampled one for $14 and not only was it pretty, it was delicious according to him. I have no idea what was meant by that clip on art.

Before leaving Murphy we arranged to have both John and D'Anna help with our plants and I am so pleased to report that these back porch plants, corralled for easy watering, took our absence in stride. 

After much back and forth we met Joe and Cynthia at F&D Italian Kitchen and it was super good; the same cannot be said of the picture that I took of them. No clue what happened!

I spent some time exploring the front gardens at the complex and they did not disappoint.

It does not get any more Florida than banana trees and bougainvillea.

I have seen very few butterflies this summer in Murphy, so I was pleased that I was able to see a Monarch butterfly enjoying some milkweed. 

These caterpillars are very cool to see in person while at the same time the gardeners wish desperately not to see them in person!

We also went swimming on a few days which was just delightful. If there is anything I miss about our place in Orlando, it is the pool.

And the lakes, and the surrounding flora and fauna.

And of course our friends and family. Look at this little face!

But then I think of the heat that I just cannot tolerate anymore. Although this visit was bearable, there are months and months ahead that are not. We will continue staying in touch via videos and Facetime like we have with Matthew these many years. As you may recall, I began this blog about a month or so before he left to work in London and both of us are still at it! My word, I just looked at the statistics and it seems as if I have gone over one million views recently. And to think it only took 18 years!😊

Our sermon today was about communication and how important it is to stay in touch with our loved ones, a subject near and dear to my heart. Blogging was not mentioned, although it might have been. I sincerely value and appreciate anyone who spends time reading Camera Crazy, a blog I began in an entirely different part of our lives. I was a college student, Jonathan was still at home, Bruce traveled most every week for days at a time,  and our sons were not married. And here we are now. Gosh, it's a wonderful life.

your friend,

Gail

p.s. More about the Orlando time and the crazy amount of activities since our return to our sweet little, never imagined in our wildest dreams, house on Campbell Street where cucumbers are growing!

It Makes Me Wonder

While riding with Bruce recently I heard Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and couldn't help but think what a great lyric, "it makes me wonder" is. Seriously, it fits so many situations.

Except, I'm afraid wonder is going out of style. No longer do we have to wonder who is that singing a song, or what the population of the Philippines is, or what college did so and so quarterback play for? You understand. Perhaps, while thinking about the future of things, a fitting lyric today might be, "it makes me worry?"

Actually, you may have already guessed I'm a bit of an optimist, preferring to rely on history for my perspective on current affairs. Still and all, I don't know what is more surprising in this article about medicating children for better school performance, the fact that all five children in one family take the stuff, or that Medicaid pays for it. While reading the article I discovered that this practice is becoming common place. After viewing the slideshow, and seeing the family's home and two dogs, I couldn't understand how and why Medicaid is paying for the medication. If you can afford to feed two pit bulls....

While we're on the subject of newish phenomenons, or maybe, not so new.... The other day I was looking for some office supply on Bruce's desk, and came across this pocket watch, the origins of which I have no idea. While photographing the watch, I realized that, although I love watches for both style and telling time, many, many people are once again using a sort of pocket watch. I, for one, rarely think to look at my phone for the time, but I know for sure, I'm in the minority. I do love the tips of those hands, don't you?

Shall we move on to lighter fare? Let's do. Last Monday, after Bruce and I viewed the FAVO space we stopped at our local Dominos to pick up a little pizza for lunch. Turned out to be very, very mediocre (what's new?), but I did get an opportunity to photograph my sweet husband while he was taking a business call. He stepped to the other side of the room and I noticed what a great background the red was to his white shirt. Unbeknownst to him, I brought out my trusty Olympus with the Panasonic lens--his body language says it all...

It has been one major problem after another on the California jobs, so much so, that he is not coming home for the weekend! Although this is not his preference, some problems just won't go away when he is 3,000 miles from the job sites! Oh wait! I was supposed to be on lighter fare!

Here's something sweet and light. Sunday, our friend Blair introduced me to her adorable six month old daughter Cameron, which just so happens to be the same name Rich and Jen are using for their new son.

Blair was definitely the "market babe" for many years. She is just as sweet as she is pretty. It was five years ago that she and Ben started coming to the market with their gourmet cheeses. These days, Ben, having finished chiropractic school has opened an office in Lake Mary. Blair, after finishing her interior design degree and working for Mark Michaels, is a stay at home mom. Ben's father has taken over the business with relish, enjoying it way more than Ben and Blair ever did! Years ago she came to the house with a big cooler full of cheeses and together we dreamed up some photos for their web site. It was fun rummaging through my cupboards and refrigerator for props.

What's say we look at a few creatures? Watching nature unfold is something I find strangely calming and exhilarating at the same time. Do you share my fascination?

Hot dog if those caterpillars aren't back on the oleanders! This one is perhaps not matured yet? The coloring looks a bit different than I remember from before. According to my Audubon magazine, dragonfly watching is the "new birding." Who knew? Seems to me like there are loads of them around this time of the year.

I took the one above at Cypress Grove Park yesterday morning while taking a walk with Baxter. What with the slightly, and I mean slightly, cooler temperature, and lower humidity, walking him is not such a chore. As we came around the corner, heading back to the car, I saw a limo pull up and two women come out onto the porch of the house. From a distance I couldn't make out the older ones outfit. The closer I came, and relying on the zoom lens I had with me, she seems to be wearing a clerical robe of some kind. My guess is this is some folks from the UK getting married on a Tuesday morning.

Another interesting sight I've recently come across on a street during my bike ride is this:

A budding street artist practicing at home? Very unusual indeed.

Monday I was very productive, finishing signing all the prints and the binding on the quilt. I pieced the quilt in early summer, intending to do all the quilting during the Olympics which did not exactly pan out as there was so much more than I imagined. Still and all, I'm very happy with the project. Maybe, four more lines of quilting, and into the washing machine it will go.

I do so hope Bill will be happy with it, which I'm thinking is pretty likely as he's very much into intricate things. Time will tell as it always does.

The Eyes Have It

They say that the first thing most humans notice about another human is their eyes. While I can't say that is true for me, I usually notice hair, I can certainly see the value in such observation.

Yesterday afternoon, while watering the Pentas in their hanging basket, I discovered some eyes staring back at me!

It was so weird seeing those eyes as I held the sprayer over the basket! Now, here's where a macro lens works very nicely as long as you use the manual focus. Most cameras need a fair amount of contrast in the subject to focus properly, and as you can see, aside from the tiny red flower and the eyes, there's not a lot of contrast! I had noticed my once lovely plant was looking a little pekid, and now I know why--a hungry caterpillar!! You've all read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle haven't you? Here's a refresher for you....

After taking the photo, I thought to myself, "Self, now what?" Why I'll just cut the branch off, that's what I'll do. And so I did, hanging said branch by a clip on the yucca leaves so we could get a closer look at my "very hungry caterpillar."

I've tried to identify what kind of caterpillar this is with little success. Anyone out there know anything about caterpillars? What I did learn is that those markings along the side are called, "simple eyes." This morning I checked only to find no trace of our green visitor.

Moving on.....

The older I've gotten the more skeptical I've become. Whereas once I was naive, (some would still call me so), however these days I question our culture a lot. One of the things I've been questioning is the food truck fad. Around here, you'd think it was a brand new phenomenon what with all the publicity and the "food truck roundups." Now, if you want to stand around eating "gourmet" food, after waiting in line in our Florida heat, far be it from me to question it, but food trucks have been around a long time. I am married to a construction worker after all and "back in the day", as in more than 40 years ago, "Dots on the Dot" was the food truck of choice. Arriving at a site before 7 in the morning, they served coffee and donuts for breakfast, hanging around until after the lunch crowd had their fill. They didn't serve, Korean tacos, whatever that is, but for those guys who hadn't packed their lunch, they were there. While not technically a truck, this food purveyor has been around long before food trucks were cool.

By the way, this is not operated by our very own, Matty. That's a joke! When Matthew was small, we used to call him Matty, and at least one of his friends still calls him that, however, our Matty is a vegan, so this definitely wouldn't work for him!

Of all places, when I went to buy the new bird feeder at Ace Hardware, I found a garden bench for the bargain price of $49.99. Although it was marked $69.99, it rang up at the lower price, and I did not complain!

So, I'm really happy with the style, the black, not so much. I've purchased both blue and green spray paint because I can't decide which would look better. Stay tuned! Here's a little close up of the finish:

In my garden, which you may find hard to believe, it blends in with everything else. Angela, when I was over there, said the same thing before I even mentioned it. So, we shall see--the blue is similar to the bird bath color, the green is a close match to our door color. Decisions, decisions!

Moving on......

I second the information in this article from the Times, Tests, tests, and more tests! Good grief, when I was hospitalized because I had back pain and a seizure, I ended up having more tests than was good for me, and we all know what that lead to. Fortunately, despite having a pancreatic tumor marker, five times normal, I am here today to write about how wrong that test was. Thank God! When they start throwing around the metastatic cancer words, you sit up and take notice. The worst part of the ordeal--despite all the tests, I never received a diagnosis, and was sick for more than a year. The other day I remembered that my weight, after leaving the hospital, was 103 pounds. I'd forgotten how thin I was!

Finally, there is this fun article about treasure hunting at flea markets and the like. My favorite part of the article was this:

"Instead we have lots of landscapes with or without animals, bodies of water or rustic architecture; a few still lifes; and several examples of what seems to be a popular still-life subcategory: unanchored, free-floating flowers."

And here, all this time, I thought I had an original idea with my free-floating flowers in the swimming pool.

Surely I should have know better, after all, we all know there's nothing new under the sun.

Come to think of it, why didn't I put my caterpillar in a jar with food and air holes? Duh...