Georgia on my mind

Savannah- Home of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and food network's Paula Deen :a woman after my own heart drenching everything in butter:
My hubby and I jaunted all around this magnificent city, enriched by historical importance and artistic culture. Although, I felt safe at all times due to the large amounts of police who swarmed as soon as the sun set. There was an eerie feeling in the damp air, one that made you wonder about all the tourists who pass though, and all the people who have lived and died there. Apparently there are many cemeteries in Savannah that have been paved over for growth, I think this contributes to this feeling. It could just be an old city thing, who know's. I didn't mind it though. we had amazing food such as: a fresh turkey sandwich complete with homemade cranberry sauce and brie, this all served on wheat toast, an amazing filet mignon, sided with asparagus, and garlic potatoes, and a tomato basil soup fit for a king. I highly recommend Belford's in City Market and Moon River Brewing Company on Bay St. if you are venturing to the Savannah area. Our trip was topped off with a haunted lore carriage ride though the city, it was raining ever so slightly which made it much more convincing! Thank you to Krista, Charlie, and Dell at the Savannah Carriage Company located in City Market. I cannot wait for our next trip, I want to go to the Telfair museum of art, Bonaventure Cemetery. Places I missed it this time.
Below are some photos I took with my Nikon Cool Pics camera.

Ponderment

The truth hurts worse than anything
I could ever bring myself to do to you.
-Fall Out Boy

And they're off...

I ventured off to Camden, South Carolina to the Carolina Cup steeplechase races to be a spectator with some 70,000 other people. I will try to make this as quick and as easy to read as possible. Well first off it was FREEZING. So it was pretty insane to be running around in halter-top dresses, bare legged, with big hats on. Melissa and I had chicken skin legs anytime we were outside. We spent most the time in the truck because of my profound lack of weather planning.

8am - March 29th, 2008: There we were outside my lovely cousins residence some 30 miles from the race course, where the sun was shinning through the patches of gray clouds, it was a temperate 65 degrees. Who needs a jacket this is great weather? I asked myself. This weather kept up until we arrived or so it seemed. It turned dark and cold. To top it all off the wind was ripping around taking with it hats, tents, and all sorts of trash. Most of the morning was spent inside a vehicle taking refuge from the horrible weather only interrupted by occasional bathroom visits. (porta-johns yuck) By noon we had discovered a souvenir stand where of course they had sold out of everything long sleeve, but conveniently had polar fleece vests left. As soon as a wrapped something around my bare back I felt like a new person! We had a great spread of food: three pepper hummus, pasta salad, and sandwich makings. All of which I devoured, the adverse weather had taken a lot out of me. After that we started to wander around seeing the sights, and looking for friends. About 3pm I felt one little cold, wet rain drop so that meant in heels we had to book it to the car again. I felt like I spent all day on a trip/ stuck in a car!! It poured for about 45 minutes; at this point we had, had enough. We packed it all up and headed home.

There was magnificent people watching though: girls chasing hats and trying hard not to have their dresses fly up, intoxicated people, a tent that titled themselves "the frilly tent" complete with pink flamingos and all, dresses covered in mud, people falling off vehicles. All in all it wasn't my best cup year yet, but still fun. I will be back next year!! (I might even re-use my dress and hat, I didn't get it show it off hardly at all!)
Melissa, and Dirty Bird which happens that he matches her dress, convenient!

Me :polar vest and all:, Melissa :smart enough to lose her's for pics:, and Shelly :drunk:

Easter, not just about bunnies

For winter's rains and ruins are over,
And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins.

Algernon Charles Swinburne 1837–1909

Isn't this just beautiful. First off Happy Easter! How magnificent, that some two thousand years ago, Jesus died and was resurrected for our sins. We should all be so thankful how full our lives are. Take this time when nature comes out of the cold of winter and reflect on all our blessings. I know we should be grateful all year round, but it is something about holidays that makes everyone more reflective on our lives. It's times like these where in the face of change all around us, and the great un-known that issues that seemed un-manageable can just disperse almost with a few kind words or a smile. When there is a trauma with-in a close-knit group of people its just like a lot of things don't seem so important as they once were. They have to come together and support one another with love and forbearance. A lot of people now days only want to depend on themselves, but I have come to learn that is a terrible way to live. : lonely, fruitless, downcast: We've got to support and love one another, these are the fruits that God has given us and I believe far too many times we turn our backs on one another and de-humanize our love ones. Let's get back to a straightforward way of living or at least try. I have good feelings about all the changes upon us. I think with lots of prayer, hopes and lenience we accomplish almost anything. A new prosperous year is upon us and I am feeling more alive as each day gets warmer and warmer. I know that everything happens for a reason and it is all bigger than we can even begin to comprehend. So let's all be positive and celebrate the small things.

Yellow Steeplechase Hat

Help! I think I am a blog addict. Everything I do something I think to myself I must take a picture or write some notes so I can blog about this later. I feel very afflicted by this strange attraction to blogging! Well on to the topic... This is a project I finished quite awhile back. March 29th is a huge steeplechase in Camden, South Carolina. All of society comes out in their spring finest for an amazing fashion show of sorts! Instead of searching high and low for a costly hat. I took it upon my self to decorate a plain chocolate brown Nine West sun hat. With instructions partly from My-sister and law and part Internet research I began creating "yo-yo's" from different types of fabric. There are many different ways to make these, most commonly used are circles, then hearts, and squares. I took the easy way out using circles. You cut a circle 2x the size roughly of what you actually want your "yo-yo" to be. I used all sorts of round things as templates: a CD spindle, drinking glasses, coffee containers. Sew a running stitch around the outer edge of the fabric give yourself some room though about a 1/4-1/6th of an inch from the edge. If you get too close you will have tearing when you go to gather it all up. When you have completed your circle take both ends and draw them up letting the fabric gather, making a little balloon type looking thing. When you can't gather anymore tie it off to secure it. Begin the press it all the fabric flat, and move your gathers where you would like them to be. Wah-La you have a beautiful "yo-yo" or flower. You can embellish them with beads, buttons, other fabric flowers that you cut out, and scraps like I did. These look great on all kinds of things, hats, clothes, bags, barrettes. (where I borrowed the idea from) The best part is they are SO EASY! Heather Bailey has an easy to follow tutorial check it out: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/how_to_make_a_yoyo/index.html

As soon as my party weekend comes and goes I will be back with lots of photos, so I can show it off with my dress. Pretty snappy if I should say so myself! I can't wait, I hope the weather warms up for this weekend: Easter, and stays warm. Salutations for now.