The Lavender Beekeeper

Clara is 2!!!!

2011-03-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today after 14 hours of labor, an epidural that wore off, and three straight hours of pushing, Madeleine Clara was laying in my arms for the first time! God blessed me with such a wonderful gift, he knew what he was doing when he gave me Clara. She has made me a better person, changed my life in so many ways, and continues to amaze me every single day. Every single day, no matter how stressed I get, no matter how hard life can be, she does something, whether it's a look or a song, or something she says to me, she keeps me in awe daily. Being a parent is the most amazing thing ever, it's not always easy, it's usually messy, but it is the MOST amazing thing you will ever experience, and no one and nothing can prepare you for parenthood. (That is my mommyhood wisdom.) I have been blessed with the most awesome thing ever, and that is Clara.

Down in the d-u-m-p-s....

2011-03-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

I'm down in the dumps due to hormones, which I would like to thank the Mirena IUD for. A quick note on the mirena IUD it's the devil, I am convinced it is pure evil.
My husband has been awesome, taking care of my crazy self, taking care of Clara, taking care of the house and all our animals, he has been amazing. While I'm going through this spell, that I hope will pass soon, I have found joy in the little things, like our new baby chicks, the spring flowers that are blooming (even though they are making Brent go into anaphylatic shock), watching the birds eat out of my bird feeders, and the two fat squirrels that think they should have a little snack too, my sweet girl literally learning to potty train in a day, my boxer Lola laying right next to me in bed all day watching over me while I deal with my crazy mood swings, Brent still loving me and wanting to take care of me when I'm crying and snotting all over myself, and most of all my family. And like they say " this to shall pass."

( Oh and this little girl makes my day so much brighter to!)

~ Lift them up with our prayers!

2011-03-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

I heard the horrible news this morning about the earthquake that hit Japan and caused the devastating tsunami. Let us pray, send thoughts of healing and love to the victims of this horrible tragedy and their families. Also let us keep Hawaii and California in our prays as they brace for the impacts that the tsunami might bring.

Just so.

2011-03-09T16:43:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures of mine and Clara's adventures in the yard and woods! I love the woods and I know Clara does too! Have you ever noticed just how magical being in the woods can be? I am still looking for a "secret spot" as Forrest Carter says everyone should have in his book The Education of Little Tree. It won't be just for me it will be for Clara too! ( Oh and by the way, I got hold of Clara's bangs thinking I could really trim them up, well trim them up I did, more like hack job! Poor thing all she has left are little twigs of bangs, thank God hair grows back!)

Pray.

2011-03-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite prayers that I find myself saying throughout the day. This is also one of the prayers that Clara and I say at bedtime. I'm teaching her to fold her hands when she says her prayers, well she tries to say them, she's not quite old enough yet to get all the words.
This prayer is so simple and so beautiful and comes from the heart. It brings me comfort when I'm worried, scared, or just plain down. It reminds me that Our Lady is watching over us at all times.

"Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Fairy Houses!

2011-03-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

The hubs came upon an unfinished bird house in our woods, and I immediately thought "that would make an awesome fairy house!" Now let me start by telling you that I am a firm believer is fairies and other creatures of that sort, among many other things that most people wouldn't believe in, but that is for another post.
So....we started making a fairy house, and everyday Clara and I pick something out to add to the fairy house. I haven't completed the decorations for the house yet, and I'm even thinking of doing a whole fairy village! Brent added a moss roof for us, and I added bits and pieces here and there. The pictures aren't wonderful because I took them with my phone, but I'll take better ones soon with my camera so you can get a better look!

The first picture is an abandoned nest I found for Mimi from The Feathered Nest! The egg is not real it is actually one of our eggs soaps!
The other photos are our fairy house in progress!

I have missed you so!

2011-03-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Today I'm taking the day off waiting on my mama to get here so Clara and I can spend some much needed time with her. I've been looking at all the blogs I used to follow and all my blog friends I used to talk to on a regular basis, and can I just say I am AMAZED by some of the wonderful stuff I am seeing! Blog friends I have missed you so, reading your blogs again makes me remember why I started this blog, drinking a hot cup of coffee and catching up warms my heart and inspires me!

Currently reading....

2011-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

I have just finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, which is one of those books you can't put down and spend all hours of the night reading. You know what I mean. Now I have moved on to a book that has sat on my shelf for ages, but I never really noticed it, but it has caught my eye, and my attention and I am stuck in the pages of it daily. The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter makes you look at everything with a new perspective. So far I know how to catch wild turkey, I know that having a secret space in the woods all your own is a must, and that you literally can live off the land if you know what to look for. More updates later.

Diary of a soap maker.

2011-03-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

We have been busy as bees at work, which is a VERY good thing! I love making soap, and never thought in a million years that I would be a soap maker our be part of such a cool family business. It's totally out of the norm, but alas I love it, even though I must admit the soap business can be stressful sometimes! But I get to work with my family everyday and I get to keep Clara with me at work, which if you're a mama you know how great this can be! Here are just a few photo's of soap in progress at the Shop. And by the way I promise every blog post I do will not be all about soap, the Shop has a separate blog for that!;)

And our little soap maker in the making! I'm hoping pretty soon here she'll be able to bag soap and tie bows!!!

Wishing everyone an amazing Friday, and a great weekend!

New obsession....

2011-03-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Newfoundland! I want to visit so badly, it looks beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale! Could you imagine living is a place like this? So rural, so gorgeous and so close to nature.

~ The Butterfly Project.

2011-02-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my good friend from Hippie Chick for telling me about this! The Butterfly Project is to honor the 1,500,000 children who died in the Holocaust. The Houston Holocaust Museum is asking the public to submit butterfly artwork to total 1,500,000 to match the number of children who lost their lives in the Holocaust. The project is based on the poem I never saw another butterfly by Pavel Friedmann, a boy who was in the Terezin concentration camp. Unfortunately Pavel Friedmann did not survive the Holocaust.
I am planning on sitting down with Clara and making a piece of butterfly art to send off for the project. Check out the website for further information. This is something that everyone can do, and I mean everyone!
Click here to go to the website to find out more:
The Butterfly Project

~ I'm back in the saddle again!

2011-02-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make this short and sweet, I know I've tried to re-start this poor blog over and over again, and so I'm not going to make any promises on regular posts, but I will say I sure will try. Honestly when you're trying to juggle a toddler and a full time job, and house work it can get hairy!
So here's a quick update, my husband and father in-law took over a soap business here in Locust Grove, Georgia where we're living quite happily in the country, goats, chickens and all! I work full time at the Shop and I get to take Clara with me which is awesome, and I get to work with my family all the time, also pretty cool I think!
What have I been up to personally, let's see, chasing escape chickens through the woods, making fairy houses with my sweet girl who will be 2 next month! Can you believe that? Decorating the house, making soap, gardening, reading like a mad women, and attempting to make some art which is a new project! Here are some pictures of the going's on around the Edmonson house, so enjoy! Oh and I have quite the little "beekeeper" helper now!

~ Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.

2010-06-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

It has been so long. So long in fact that I'm not sure if anyone reads this silly blog of mine anymore!
We (B.B. and I) met, fell in love and lived in Savannah, GA for a little over 5 years. Savannah is a wonderful, mysterious city that I never thought I would miss as much as I do. We found out we were expecting in July of 2008, and on March 23, 2009 I gave birth to the most amazing miracle who is the love of my life, and my entire purpose for being. Brent and I moved back to his hometown south of Atlanta when I was six months pregnant where we lived with his gracious parents until we could get back on our feet. We felt like we were living in a whirlwind for quite a while, and stressful it was, but we stuck together and made it through what we had to. We moved into the cutest most cozy house ever in late August of 2009, and we cherish our home so much, not only were we able to get our own house again, but we got to spend time as just us, our little family of three with several dogs in the mix. In December of 2009 we decided it was about time we got married, so we did in a small little ceremony with just close family. I was a stay at home mama with Clara and even though I loved it, I missed, and I know this sounds crazy.....working! Yeah I know I am a freak. B.B. and my father in-law took over the soap business that they had been working for, and work became a family business! So I told the hubs I wanted to work again, and work I got! I am now a full time working mama, who loves her job, stress and all, and gets to take my awesome daughter to work with me everyday where I also get to work with my husband all day long.
So that's the story in a nutshell. I am sure that some of you have wondered where I went, what happened, blah blah blah, and now you know. Life changed so fast and I just stopped blogging, I really don't know why, but I do apologize, so I am restarting The Lavender Beekeeper. I have missed it so, and even though I don't live in Savannah anymore, I have jumped into the history of the county and surrounding area that we live in. It's amazing what you can find out in a small town if you do a little searching! So here I go again and you're more than welcome to come along for the ride!

2009-09-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

Beautiful baby.

Moving and other amazing things.

2009-09-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

We have moved into our new house finally! We spent the first nine months of being back in Atlanta living with Brent Boys parents, just recently getting our own place. We have been in the process of getting everything moved and settled in for the past couple of weeks. Sadly I don't have any pictures to show you since I am on Brent Boys laptop. I promise I will put some up soon.
In other news Clara is rolling over and sitting up, assisted, and starting to realize that throwing a fit gets her what wants, it is hilarious to watch, but a little scary because I don't think I know just what I am in for, I'm sure I'll be getting those lay in the floor and scream fits soon enough.

Beautiful baby.

2009-08-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

I like it....alot.

2009-08-16T20:37:00.001-07:00

Okay so I have never been the romance novel type of girl, actually not one bit, but....

I watched Twilight last night, and now I must say I am OBSESSED with getting the books and reading them. I have to say I am just a tad bit embarrased by this because I feel like a thirteen year old again, but oh well I'll just chalk it up as needing some reading material while I feed Miss Clara.

Friday.

2009-08-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Clara is growling at me as I type this. It's her new thing, she really doesn't like me to not give her my undivided attention, it warms my heart and cracks me up. Sweet girl.

Are you real?

2009-08-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

Have you wondered if maybe just maybe fairies are real? I have thought on this over and over again. Why wouldn't they be real, why can't they be real? Apparently I'm not alone in thinking that fairies could and maybe are real. Check out this website:
http://www.fairygardens.com/sightings/adult1.html

More pictures.

2009-08-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

More of my sweet Clara girl. I have four months of pictures to add.

Clara.

2009-08-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile.

Here is a picture of our sweet beautiful Clara girl and me.

Sugar and Spice and all that is nice........

2008-11-01T09:31:00.001-07:00

That's what little GIRL'S are made of!!!!!!!!!
Thursday we went for our 20 week ultrasound, and after much anticipation and a little babe that wouldn't let us see what we were having for the first twenty minutes finally decided to move, and yes ya'll I about fell off the table, we're having a GIRL!!! I have to say that I am literally tickled pink!!

It's that time of year again.

2008-10-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday!!!!!!! I was born exactly 26 years ago at two in the morning in Athens, Georgia. My birthday's recently make me a little sad, one is the fact that I am getting older and I feel it, and another reason is that the past few haven't been spent with my family. I am a big cheese ball and I love to be with mine or Brent Boy's family for all holidays. My birthday does make me so thankful for everything that I have been blessed with though, and it's especially exciting this year because I am getting to spend it with not only Brent Boy but the babe in the belly too!!

~Let the hauntings begin.

2008-10-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

So I promised ya'll that I would one day get around to telling you some more spooky if not downright scary ghost stories about Savannah, and today is your lucky day.
The following story comes from one of Al Cobb's books Savannah's Ghosts. If you are really interested in the tales of Savannah, I would highly recommend this author, because you will find every ghost story you want to know about Savannah in his books. I am a little bias though, because I found the answer to 432 Abercorn (finally) in one of his books.
This story gives me the chills every time I read it, and let's just say I never want to be caught after dark on West Oglethorpe Avenue, and that is saying a lot since I tend to waltz right in to a haunted situation. So here it goes, enjoy.
Apparently, West Oglethorpe Avenue is haunted. The whole blasted street, and not in a good way. Most of the time you have those friendly ghosts, those wandering ghosts, or those just plain curious ghosts. Sometimes though you get those not so nice ghosts, the ones that are of a nasty breed. This story deals with that nasty breed.
A couple and another renter live (probably should use lived here), in a old row house on West Oglethorpe. They shared more than just the same house. Strange things were happening. Very strange things indeed. Things like shampoo bottles flying across the bathroom, cold spots throughout the house, loud crashes for no reason, and the feeling that you were being watched where ever you went in the house, I'm sure at least one or two of ya'll have experienced this not so comfy sensation.
One night two of the three were away, and left was the young man that lived there, poor guy. So there he was in his room with his dog on the bed with him, and suddenly the dogs ears perked up, and he looked as if he was listening and waiting. Now I will tell ya'll when my dogs do this it really freaks me out, especially when they do it for no apparent reason. Suddenly this man started hearing strange sounds, like a flag in the wind, and that is when the dog lost it. Barking and growling and generally going crazy. He felt a sudden cold chill over his bed, then saw something dark hovering over his bed, all the while the dog was trying to attack this thing that was floating there. He felt a cold finger push into his ear, and push his head down, all the while trying to escape this thing that was torturing him. Then he started to smell something foul and disgusting. Finally he screamed, and what ever was harassing him left just as quickly as it came. The dog went back to being a dog, and everything went back to normal. Now what gets me is that their have been many of the same type of attacks, if not worse happen in a two to three mile range on the same street. Just what in the heck is going on? It seems like something dark is hanging out there ready to scare the pants off anyone. My advice, if you ever come to Savannah stay off that street.

~Fat and Happy

2008-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

So second trimester cravings are kicking in. All I want lately is orange juice and bacon. I just finished, and this is gonna sound bad, a whole packet of bacon!!!!!!! What the heck is wrong with me? I just can't get enough. Actually tonight was the first night that I really let myself indulge, and indulge I did!! Oh and don't worry ya'll, I burnt the tar out of it. I am just glad that food is starting to look good again. I didn't realize how much I missed it.
I plan on posting some belly pictures soon, I am just all of a sudden rather shy about it. I think it's because I am convinced that I look like I have a beer gut.

~You've got mail.

2008-09-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

It's late, I'm tired, but I can't seem to sleep, so I checked my email since I haven't in ages, and what do you know, another email about 432 Abercorn, and you know I can't pass it up without sending practically a ten page paper on the place back. I have to say I am quite frustrated with these tour companies here blowing the poor house all out of proportion. Really though, their are much more scarier stories and hauntings that actually took place in Savannah without having to make stuff up........

of course I am going to do a post on them for you!!!!!! You know I can't pass a good ol' haunting up!!

~A thing for blue

2008-09-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy has brought on a lot of changes. The normal changes that you see in your body, and then the weird little changes, like your personal taste. Who would have thought that I would start liking colors that I never really thought much about? Now let me tell ya'll, red is by far my favorite color. I love red. Red walls, red lampshades, red duvet covers and sheets, chipped red barn yard paint on furniture, tomatoes, well you get my point. Lately though I have had a thing for blue, you can call it a crush, and I don't think it's going away. I had a navy blue room once in high school, that is about all my experience with blue. Oh and Brent Boy painted our bathroom a turquoise blue color because it was the only paint lying around. Other than that, I am not a blue connoisseur. Yesterday I caught myself staring in deep contemplation at a dark blue towel that we have. I was just staring away thinking, man that is such a pretty color. Blue to me has a depth that is incredibly deep, no matter what the shade. It's comforting in a way to, safe I suppose. And that is just what I have been looking for. In between all that's going on in my life, the daily ends and outs, the economic stresses, the work stresses, and the moving stresses ( we are planning on moving as soon as we can), who would have thought that a blue towel would give me a sense of comfort, safety and peace? I have always been a creature who like to lounge in cozy surroundings. I am very sensitive to my surroundings as well, so maybe that has something to do with it. Moments where you find yourself just staring at something because it's beautiful and so simple are the best. I love the way that lamps cast a warm glow, or the way books are lined on a bookshelf. The way that candles flicker, and a clean warm kitchen late at night with only a nightlight to light the room glows. The sound of a dryer going when you go to sleep, the smell of clean sheets, breakfast being cooked early on a Saturday morning. Yes I am a creature of comfort. So when we move, whenever that may be, because we and both sides of the family are chopping at the bit for us to move closer to home, I know a room will get painted blue. I am not sure which shade yet, but I guess it really doesn't matter, because I seem to now love the color blue.

~You darn nugget!!!!!!!!

2008-09-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Apparently I do not get along with chicken nuggets. Oh no. Brent Boy cooked some tonight, and one bite, and well lets just say that was all she wrote. Chicken in general has not been my cup of tea lately. Actually nothing much has. What is a preggers girl to eat? The most I can stomach as far as meat is a really charred steak, and a hot dog cut up into little pieces eaten very slowly. I look forward to the day when I can eat and enjoy what I am eating again. Hopefully all this morning sickness yuck will pass soon, with me now moving into my 2nd trimester, and I will be able to make a full plate and eat it to. If anyone has any suggestions on what might help, or what might be easy on the stomach, please feel free to share!!!!!!!!

~Who ever knew you were this smart?

2008-09-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

I know this seems to be the topic of all my blogs lately, but it seems that everyone is starting a blog, and I just have to share. I promise I will post something of substance soon, I have just been feeling so draggy and lazy lately.

My darlin' dad started a blog, and I thought I would share. He is a travel agent among other things, and he started a travel blog. I spent time reading it today, and well I guess I underestimated just how packed full of history and facts my dad is. He did a great post on hidden London, so ya'll go check it out, learn something, and give him a warm welcome!!!!!!!!

http://mikepagetravel.blogspot.com/

~Strange Going's On In Georgia

2008-09-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

Ya'll have got to go look at The Professor's blog for some scary, interesting and local strange stories. Check out the one on big foot and the haunted square. Notice I am not giving to much away here......http://www.georgiamysteries.blogspot.com/.

~Lady Em's guide to those blasted hurricanes.

2008-09-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

1. Become hysterical. (A lot of sighing, fanning your face, and saying "oh Lord" helps.)

2. Call your daddy, your mama, your sister's and brother's, your grandma and grandpa, your aunts, uncles, cousin's, and all your friends to talk about the storm and ask their advice. A rule of thumb, you probably won't have to ask for their advice because they will give it to you anyway.

3. Throw a fit. Depending on how many people are around, depends on the size of the fit.

4. Pack the dogs, your bible, your rifles and your best high heels.

5. Make sure you have a travel size bottle of bourbon in your purse, if your pregnant substitute for seltzer water and just pretend it is bourbon.

6. Talk to everyone you see about the hurricane. Don't worry they will be more than happy to talk to you to. Make sure you get everyone. The lady behind the counter at the gas station, the fast food restaurant folks, the old man in the pick up in the parking lot, the mama's and the little old ladies in the bathroom.

7. Make sure you sit in the back seat of the car, so you can take full advantage of talking your significant other's ear off while he just drives and nods.

8. When you get to your safe destination far away from the storm, cry and become hysterical again.

9. Call all your friends and family again, and say the same thing over and over again.

10. Stay glued to the news, and then cry again when the storm hits. (If you are pregnant you can blame this all on hormones.)

~Hurricane Highway

2008-09-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

So I didn't fall in my mop bucket, I think Betsy was worried about that, but I have been busy with work and sick with the nice congestion that pregnancy brings. We went to the OB last Wednesday, and we got to hear the heartbeat!!!!!! She told me we might not be able to hear it because I was only a little over 10 weeks, but as soon as she put the Doppler on my belly we heard our babe's heartbeat for the first time. It was absolutely amazing!! First we heard my ultra loud heartbeat and then right after the babe's. It was the coolest thing to hear, the heartbeat of our little one. I wish I could hear it everyday.

Well ya'll it looks like we might be getting slammed by a hurricane on late Thursday or Friday. If ya'll have been watching the weather channel or the news I'm sure you've seen it to. Hurricane Hanna, which keeps going between a tropical storm and hurricane is barreling towards us. It's been slowed down by Gustav, but now that Gustav is moving out, Hanna is gaining strength. I was shocked when I saw the projected path. Savannah is usually pretty safe because we are tucked away and we have a ton of marsh land. The last hurricane to hit Savannah was hurricane David in 1979, and even then it wasn't a direct hit. Savannah has a horrible problem with flooding due to our ancient sewer systems, and that is one of my biggest concerns right now. So ya'll I have to say I am nervous. We will be packing up and heading to Atlanta if it looks like it's going to get bad down here. It looks like I might have to come up with my own hurricane list soon.

~I'm throwing in the towel, and the mop and the broom

2008-08-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

I will gladly come and clean your house, and enjoy every second of it, but when it comes to my own you can forget it. For some reason when it comes to cleaning my house I get so overly frustrated, I end up stomping around about ready to pull my hair out!!!!! I love a clean house, but when it comes to the cleaning I turn my nose up at it. Now I am not afraid to get dirty, scrub the bathtub, or clean the fridge, I just get plain overwhelmed. When I start cleaning my house, I somehow convince myself that no matter how long or hard I clean it will always always be dirty and something else will always need cleaning. It really feels like a never ending story. Maybe it's due to the fact that every time you go outside here, you end up tracking in sand no matter how hard you try not to. Or maybe it's the climate, and for some reason I don't associate hot and humid with being clean. Or maybe I should just blame my mama and my grandma for having ridiculously clean houses, I mean impeccably clean houses, all the time. Of course when I think about it they are a little obsessive compulsive about their houses. I need a maid or a bull dozer. Maybe one day soon I will be able to find my cleaning zen and get this house in tip top shape.

Well I'll Be........

2008-08-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

My daddy is probably one of the funniest people I know. He lives in South Florida where they are about to get hammered by that hurricane. It doesn't faze him much since he was raised there and has seen more storms than I could count on two hands. I got this email from him late last night. He is quite the writer in his spare time, and loves to send out these hilarious emails. I don't know how or where my daddy gets these crazy ideas but he does. Anyway he has an alias, he likes to act like he is cajun, which we are somewhere down the line, and he has renamed himself as you will see. Here is his hurricane list.

Well , this time of year de only thing Boudreaux hate more than them damn Miami Harricanes is de real thing , I gawraantee .So , here he go again with de harricane prepared list :

1 . Go to liquor store

2 . harvest crawdad

3 . drink liquor

4 . bring in my bird dog Phidoux and Rove'

5 . Straps my wife Celestine to de big palm tree

6 . drink more . Celestine , she tough to strap down .

7. give bird dog Phidoux and Rove' a shot each . Celestine make them nervous too .

8 . Go back to liquor store

9 . Boil them crawdad

10 . Wait for damn storm

~This Week So Far.

2008-08-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

My food aversions and upset stomach took a break for a couple of days and then came back with a vengeance.

I really really hate spicy chicken wings.

Heartburn is a common thing nowadays.

I am developing mountains on my chest, (pretty cool, but I wonder how big they will get).

I am hot all the time!!!!!!

I have never had such vivid dreams in my life, it is amazing and sometimes scary.

I have a little babe bump!!!!!!

I could and would sleep all day if Brent-Boy would let me.

I am still craving pie.

I am doing a lot of reading on breast feeding. If anyone has any suggestions please share!!

I am in love with two people now, not just one.

~Book Worm

2008-08-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

I am a book worm I admit. I probably should have been a librarian, or maybe I will just become one. I love children's books that make you think. One of my favorites is A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I just finished reading it again for the fiftieth time I am sure. I however didn't know that their were more books in the quintet until one of my best friends told me on the phone, I about keeled over from excitement. So while at the bookstore last week I picked up the second in the series. I would have bought the others, but the second was all they had, I think I was meant to have it. I just finished it, and it was just as amazing as the first. I love getting lost in a book!!!!!!

"You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."
- Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

I've Been Dreaming Of........ Pie?

2008-08-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

That's right pie. Last night I dreamt of making a key lime pie with my best friends recipe, it is delicious. Then I dreamt I made one of my mama's home made cherry pies that she makes me almost every time I come home. Of course in the dream I ate both of them without one ounce of regret, and to top it all off I took a nap this afternoon and right before Brent-Boy woke me up I was dreaming of eating blueberry waffles with whip cream!!!!! I don't think I have ever eaten a blueberry waffle in my life!! I think it might be wise to pick up some pie shells or on second thought maybe just a frozen pie since I have a tendency to burn things in the kitchen, and accidentally make strange concoctions, when I go to the store. I have a feeling that if I don't take care of this craving now it might turn into me stuffing frozen key lime pie in my mouth next time we go to the store.

~Go Visit The Bag Lady

2008-08-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

My dear sweet friend, mommy of two gorgeous babes that I went to high school with (high school, wow) has a wonderful new blog featuring her awesome, homemade bags that will make you drool!!!!!!! Please go take a peek, they are so neat, and I am planning on ordering one or two for diaper bags in the near future!! She puts her heart and soul into these babies, and they are beautiful and funky. I love a funky bag that no one else has!! So give her a warm welcome ya'll!!!!!!!

~Em~

http://sweetgrocerybags.blogspot.com/

08-08-2008

2008-08-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Did anyone see the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Bejing? It was amazing!!!!!! I don't think I've seen anything quite like it. It reminded me of one of the Harry Potter movies, The Goblet of Fire, and to think I thought that only witches and wizards could pull stunts like that off!!!!!!:)

~The Dye Is Cast

2008-08-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

Now the time has come my dear for you to wander else where but here. You will see the things that might make you smile or jump in fright. Don't be afraid, don't be alarmed, for only you can allow such harm. And if you're strong and if you stay, you might just wake to see another day. You've made your choice, you've said you vows, you pricked your finger, you've heard the howls. No turning back, no second thoughts, the dye is cast, and your future is now told.

How, oh how did it come to this. Not more than two hours ago I had sat in the comfort and warmth of my grandparents house and made a choice that I was forced to make. She said it wouldn't be easy, she said that I would see with more than just my eyes, she said I would have to face things that most only dream of in nightmares, and now here I was. I was standing in the woods, deep in the dark woods that surrounded my grandparents house and I was waiting. I was waiting for what Ashlin said would be my initiation. It wasn't supposed to be me, my grandmother was the one that said she would handle it, but Ashlin remained firm in the belief that I should go, it was time for me to go.

So there I stood, waiting and watching, and wondering what I would have to contend with, what I would have to face. I sat down, and stayed firmly planted in the middle of the ring of salt that Ashlin said I should draw for protection. Nothing she said could harm me as long as I stayed in that circle. What I thought would I see? Would it be monster's from story books, trolls that sat under bridges looking for something to eat, or pleasant fairies that would take my apprehension and fear away?

The full moon was gleaming in the sky, and the air was still, and the night calm. And as I started to relax, I saw it. A ripple at first, a ripple in the air, like one that you might see in water coming at me from the trees in front of me. It drew closer and as it drew closer it became a ripple with light in it. And then I saw a figure being born from this ripple that was fast approaching. Before I could catch my breath it stood in front of me, she stood in front of me, ghastly white and glowing, and yet almost floating on the air and looking down at me with such warmth that I lost my fear and found myself more curious than scared.

"Who are you?" I said

The women looked down at me with warm eyes, and I saw what looked to me to be the beautiful women from The Birth of Venus. Except her hair was jet black, and she was as thin as a rail, and wearing what looked to be ivy.

"I am the mother of the crossroads. You have come to meet me have you not?"

"Yes" I said in a whisper.

"Well then you know why you are here, and I am to instruct you in your duty that you will meet to those that have lost their way."

"Those who have lost there way?"

"Yes, look." And with that she turned and stretched out her hand, and I saw a sight I thought might cause me to go weak in the knees and faint, but somehow I stayed alert and awake, and I couldn't, I just couldn't tear my eyes away from the terrific sight that stood in front of me.

(Please look back at old posts to start the beginning of this story. It has taken me awhile, but I promise I will finish it one of these days, it just seems to be a lot longer than I had planned. Oh well, stories once started have quite a mind of there own!!!!!!!)

This Week~

2008-08-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

This week I am......
Emotional.
Full of gas (yuck)!!
Hungry for only certain foods.
Sick to my stomach a lot.
Thoughtful.
Anxious.
Sleepy and then up all night from insomnia.
Going to war with sinus headaches and allergies almost every day.
Needy, clingy.
Amazed.
Still a little in shock.
Excited.
Dreamy.
And most of all thankful.

The New Little Beekeeper~

2008-07-31T16:18:00.000-07:00

Today was the ultrasound!!!!!

I woke up this morning after a not so pleasant night of a bad headache and throw up session last night, but that couldn't keep my spirits down. First let me say that we had the BEST ultra sound nurse who explained every single thing to me without me even having to ask!!!!!! That is a big deal for me ya'll, because I want to know it all. She dimmed the lights and Brent and I got a front row seat to the first appearance of the babe. The first thing I saw was the little heart just a beating away, and I started crying a laughing like a mad women, but I was so very amazed by this little miracle and seeing him/her for the first time, seeing a beating heart and a growing baby inside of me is the most amazing and most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

One shocker though, was finding out that I am not 9 weeks, nor am I further along. I am only 6.5 weeks!!!!!!!! Can you believe that? The crown to rump measurements showed how far along I am and I was shocked. I got over it though, I'll have to do a little back tracking in my books, but I don't want to rush it, and I'm going to try to stop being such a worry wort and just enjoy my first pregnancy, morning sickness and all. She told me that everything looked perfect, and she took the time to show me what and where everything was, and most of all she gave me the sense of comfort that I was looking for. I can't tell ya'll how amazing this lady was!!

On a pretty funny side note, she said I had an anatomically correct uterus that's picture could go in a text book, and then she turned to Brent-Boy and told him he should just keep me pregnant all the time because this is what I was made to do!! We had a good laugh about that, of course I can't think about another babe until this one gets through "cooking" as my mama says, although Brent-Boy has brought it up several times.

So that is about it ya'll. I am going to get Brent-Boy to convert the video to DVD or the Internet so I can post it in the next couple of days and you all can watch this little blessing from God. I feel so so blessed and I am so so thankful, words almost can not explain how I feel!!!!!!

And as Willow says, here is the new little beekeeper!!

(The top of the picture is not an alien head, thank goodness, but the yolk sac. Underneath that is the babe, crown to rump.)

Big Ol' Babe In The Belly~

2008-07-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Okay ya'll, I know you want to know!!

Brent-Boy and I went to our first OB appointment today!! After being poked and prodded by needles, which was not very fun due to my gag reflex lately, we had the exam. Now there has been some question about just how far along I am, Brent says 9 weeks, and I say I don't really know. We concluded that my expected due date is March 03, 2009. And this makes for very interesting news, after the exam, the OB told me that it was possible that I might have a 10-12 Ibs. baby!!!!!! What?! I about jumped off the table. Ya'll I am not very big at all, how am I going to have a baby that big? She told me to watch my nutrition, but it's not like I am eating like a football player before the big game here. She said I could push a baby that size out though, I'd rather not push a 12 pounder out though, maybe a 9 pounder. As far as that though I will have more information and pictures and a video tomorrow, since we are getting our first ultra sound tomorrow at 12:15!!!!!! I think she wants to see how far along I am, and make sure everything is A-Okay in there. Brent-Boy and I are super excited, we've bought the video tape that he will convert into DVDs for the family, and we just can't wait!!

Thank you all again for all the sweet comments, and all the baby blessings!!!!!!

Oh Savannah How I Love You, But You Are So Very Hot!!

2008-07-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

Our air conditioning is yet again on the fritz, and Savannah is terribly hot in the summer. I mean hot hot, steaming hot. I love Savannah but in the summer I could probably do with something along the lines of the Swiss Alps, or Antarctica. We get bugs here to, big ol' scary bugs. In fact I am sometimes amazed by the bugs we get here, and the mosquito's are awful. I layer to do laundry. But I have to say in the summer here, just like in the dead of winter, their is a rough beauty that makes Savannah what it is. Without the heat and the humidity, we wouldn't have our giant elephant ears, our magnolia blooms, or our azalea bushes that almost bloom all year here. Summer is when the wildlife in Savannah comes alive, and when the tourists really come rollin' in. If you make a trip out to the islands, people are catching fish and blue crab by the bucket, and the toughies are catching black fin, bonnet head and sand sharks. I've seen sea turtles the size of a large dining room table take fishing line, and jelly fish caught in cast nets. Summer thunderstorms roll in, and if you are lucky enough to be on River Street when it happens, it sets the stage, it is truly amazing. Summer here is hot and it can and will I can guarantee you be miserable if you are outside in the middle of the day. The mosquito's will swarm, the cicada's will sing, and the Spanish moss with blow calmly in the humid breeze. All you can really do is kick back, make sure you have a good fan, good bug spray, an ice cold drink, and you might just find yourself falling in love yet again with this strange old city.

One Nervous Nelly Makes A Break For The Movies.

2008-07-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

So I have to tell ya'll, I have been one nervous nelly lately. I don't know what it is, first mommy thing and work probably. We've recently had some serious changes at work, and we decided to start a home office and work for one company after being jostled around between several companies for the past four months. So work has been on unstable ground, which will always put you on high alert, especially if you are in sells. And then just waiting and waiting and feeling like next Wednesday will never come, and wanting to know so much, (one of the biggest things is just knowing the baby is A-okay hanging out in the womb), and wanting to ask all the questions that I have, well more like grilling the doctor on the next eight months. I don't know if it is first time mommy stuff that I am just going to have to go through or not. Ya'll tell me?

So this nervous nelly made a break for the movies tonight. Now generally you couldn't drag me to the movies. If something interesting is coming on the History, National Geographic, of Discovery channel, I would much rather curl up on the couch with the dogs, a steaming cup of hot tea, and King Tut if I had it my way, but Brent-Boy is a film major, and going to the movies is a must around here. And the new batman it was, The Dark Knight, and I have to say I was very very impressed. Especially for one girl who has never really gotten into the comic thing. Now I have to say I liked the first one with Christian Bale alot, it was very good, but this one takes the prize, amazing. And I know it's been said before but Heath Ledger did an awesome performance. I was blown away by it. In fact I walked out of the theater saying "my he played an awesome crazy mad man, and he was scary." It was sad though watching the movie knowing that we won't be able to see him in a movie again, knowing that not only did we as an audience lose a great actor, but also lost a great person I am sure. So seeing this movie was enough to take my mind off, well, my mind. And I got a little break from driving myself nutty, and Brent-Boy got a break from me wandering around the house obsessing about every little thing. That is by the way my favorite thing to do when I am nervous or stressed.

So if you haven't seen it yet, and if you are like me, take a break from the History Channel or put the book down just for a little while and go see this movie. Hey it helped one nervous nelly.

Baby Update

2008-07-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

(This is the babe at 7 weeks!!!!!!!)

So my first morning of feeling queasy, usually it's in the afternoon, I got to wake up to a doggy accident in my living room. Brinkley, our English bulldog decided he couldn't hold it, and went to town, thank goodness we have hardwood floors, or I would still be scrubbing. Ya'll can imagine what that did for my upset tummy, it turned circles.

I have my first OB appointment July 30th, and I am so excited!!!!! I can't wait. Of course they will probably be shoving me out of the building after a couple of hours, due to all the questions I plan on asking. I am a dork, I am going to write every thing down.

My mom and I are starting to think that I just might be further along then we thought. I already have a belly!! It's not very big, but you can see it, and it's very firm to the touch. Brent-Boy felt it yesterday morning, and I thought he was going to crawl out of his skin, because he said it felt so weird!! I wonder what he's going to think when it starts to look like I swallowed a basketball?

So, I am hoping that the OB will be able to tell me how far along I am, because I really really want to know!!!!!

Oh and all I want to do is sleep, sleep, sleep. In fact I am surprised I am not asleep right now!!

I will keep ya'll up to date on the baby news, wish me luck for my first appointment!!!!!

You Might Be A Southern Gal' (of just a plain old redneck), if........

2008-07-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about doing this post for a while now. I was thinking about my family the other day, and how funny they can be, even though sometimes they seem a little crazy, and what it means to be a southern gal' born and raised in Georgia. So you might be a Southern Gal' (or just a plain ol' redneck), if..........

1. Your grandma tells you it's "over yonder," and you understand where and what she means.

2. "The cows are out again," is a normal thing to hear.

3. You sleep with a shot-gun next to your bed, and it's usually loaded.

4. Riding four wheeler's through cow pastures on a Sunday afternoon with your cousins is your idea of a good time.

5. Your TV is always on the Outdoor Channel.

6. You ever got a spanking with a fly swatter, flip-flop, or other random object.

7. You call you mama, "mama" and your daddy, "daddy," and you are over the age of eight.

8. One of your favorite foods is corn bread.

9. You can't cook, but you sure can pull together a supper of black-eyed peas, cornbread, homemade macaroni and cheese, collard greens and sweet tea.

10. You love to fish, and Bill Dance is one of your hero's.

11. You have at least one aunt that looks like she bought the whole cosmetic aisle at the drugstore, and you are pretty sure she wears it all, at once.

12. The first thing you ever learned to drive was a tractor.

13. Your jungle gym when you were little was an old magnolia tree in your grandparents yard.

14. When you were a teenager, you tried to rebel and become a "vegetarian." When you looked at your grandpa and told him "I don't eat red meat," he looked at you like your were crazy, told you you were crazy, and then piled a big ol' steak onto your plate.

15. You are probably related to more than half the town you were raised in.

16. Your uncles all carry guns in their trucks.

17. Your uncles all carry around spit cups for chewing tobacco.

18. You have fond memories of laying out in the sun on your grandparents roof with you grandma and aunt when you were four.

19. You still have to use steps to get into your grandparents bed, where you still take naps.

20. Everyone in your family speaks with a slow southern drawl.

21. Your step-daddy looks like a character from Gone With The Wind, and he always has a cigar sticking out of his mouth.

22. Your mama made you pick your own switch when you were bad.

23. Your aunt and uncle used to ride the tractor to your parents house when you were a kid.

24. You sit on your grandparents wrap around front porch with them, rockin' in the rockin' chairs, and watch the late summer thunderstorms roll in.

25. Your mama told you that the two night birds that come out in Georgia say "Bob White" and "Whipper wheel."

26. You've ever blasted by a deer stand in the middle of hunting season with a golf cart, and thought you just might get shot.

27. Your brothers wear fish hooks on their hats.

28. Your mama drives a truck.

29. You've spent many a night in a honky-tonk with your sisters, watching a women sing Crazy by Patsy Cline.

30. Your grandparents use well water.

31. You have an alias, and it's "Tammy."

32. Your best friends daddy shots microwaves, VCR's, and old toilets out in his front yard.

33. You say "ya'll" all the time.

34. You say words like "dag gum, blasted, and for the love" when you get mad.

35. You say things like:
"He's got more nerve than Carter's got pills."
"I'm trudging through."
"She hung the moon."
"You need to have a come to Jesus meeting with him."
" The blasted thing just fell apart."
" He sure did slam on brakes."

36. Reenactments of the Civil War or The War Between The States is a day to day activity where you come from.

38. Your parents got stuck in the snow on a mountain when you were a baby, and you all had to sleep in the camper bed of the truck.

40. Your mama calls you just to gossip about everyone in town.

41. The majority of the women in your family are crazed Southern women, think Steel Magnolia's (Weezer).

42. Your whole family is very superstitious.

43. Everyone, including your grandma is a preacher in your family.

44. Your grandma stills scares the living daylights out of you.

45. You've ever eaten chicken mull from the church across the shoals.

46. Your grandpa eats pickled pigs feet, frog legs, chitlens, peanut brittle, canned meat, sardines and drinks his coffee black.

47. Your grandpa gets up at 5am every morning, and wakes everyone up with him.

48. One of the first songs you ever learned was Amazing Grace and it is still one of your favorites.

49. When your family gets together for the holidays, all of them bring their shot-guns and rifles and you all shoot skeet in the middle of your grandparents pastures.

50. You've ever harassed a cow, because you thought your grandma was lying, got charged, and then got stuck on a barbed wire fence.

Tick, tock go see the clock......

2008-07-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

I was just popping around to my favorite blogs like I usually do late at night when I can't sleep. And I stumbled yet again upon something amazing. Rima from The Hermitage,
has gone on another adventure, this time clock making, and I am in awe. Take a look at her amazing new website dedicated to her clocks Once Upon A Clock,
and make sure you have your speakers turned up!! It inspired me to write this little children's poem. I haven't written a poem in years, not very good, and just a little silly to. (I am blushing)

Tick tock go see the clock
You may find yourself upon a strange and mysterious walk
Don't be afraid
Don't look away
Join the circus of fairies and old tales
join the strange parade
The clock tells the time
The time of the day
But if you look closer
And don't look away
You just might see
What the world is really meant to be
And you might find
another clock
not just a clock of time....
So tick, tock go see the clock
Look and find
And to you, my dear friends take this little rhyme.

~Lady Em~

Thank You!!

2008-07-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so very much for all your sweet comments, blessings and prayers!! I am so happy that I can share such wonderful news with such wonderful friends. I look forward to looking at every one's daily posts, and reading comments and such, and just sharing with some of the most warm hearted women that I know. I am proud to call you all my friends. Again thank you so much for everything!! I send my love, prayers, and thank yous to each and every one of you!!

Please Take A Peek....

2008-07-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

Please take a look at my sweet friend Ramsey's new blog. She hails from North Carolina, and is one spit-fire of a southern gal. Last year at this time she was soon to be on her way to Australia and then New Zealand, and I am so glad she is back now!! She comes to visit me in Savannah all the time, where we go ghost hunting, drink chai lattes, and dream of living in Harry Potter land. So ya'll take a peek and give her a big welcome!! I am so glad she has come to blog-land!!!!

No More Sushi For You..........

2008-07-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

So I have had the strangest craving for spicy tuna rolls, I mean I am dreaming about them!! And guess what no more sushi, none, nada, zip. I love sushi, and I am a cravings type of girl anyways, so it's driving me nuts, at least I can still have my miso soup though. Another strange thing, very itchy hands and feet. I thought I was just imaging it, so Brent-Boy told me to Google it. Looks like some pregnant women get itchy hands and feet from the hormones that are running like mad through you body when you are preggers. So imagine me sitting here typing this covered in pink calamine lotion, because that is what I look like right about now. What a weird symptom of being pregnant. Did any of ya'll get any strange happenings like this going on when you were expecting?

Oh, Baby!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Oh, baby....
That's right ya'll I am pregnant. Six and a half weeks to be exact!! Brent-Boy and I just found out last week, and I have to say we are excited and shocked, but we feel so blessed that God has given us such an awesome, wonderful gift. I am almost speechless. Every moment of my days and nights now are filled with baby thoughts, I am so excited!! I am amazed by the miracle of this little babe growing inside me daily. I can't wait to meet him or her!!
My due date is March 01, 2009.
And I hope to have my first OB visit next week.
I will keep all of you my dear friends posted on all the updates and news.
I am thanking the good Lord daily for this wonderful blessing that has come into our lives!!
~Lady Em~

2008-07-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

I recieved this wonderful award from Betsy at My Five Men. I have to say it means the world to me when I am picked for an award. I feel like I some how, some way have made a difference. My Five Men is one of my favorite blogs that I haunt on a regular basis. Everytime I visit, I feel like I've pulled up a chair and been handed a hot cup of tea, to sit down and enjoy the newest news, a great story, or an awesome recipe. Thank you so much Betsy, I really appreciate it!!

Here are the guidelines for this award~~

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving

of this award for their creativity, design,

interesting material, and also contribution to the

blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author

and link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award

and put the name and link

to the blog that presented her/him with the award.

4) The award winner and one who has given

the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico"

blog so everyone will know the origin to this award.

So here are my Five:

1. The Feathered Nest

2. Hippy Chick

3. Willow Manor

4. The Urbs

5. The Little Yellow House

~Friends~

2008-07-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? Thought I was the only one."
~C.S. Lewis~

I've Been Tagged!!

2008-07-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Okay so I am supposed to list seven songs that I have been listening to this summer on a regular basis. I really listen to these songs and artists all the time, not just for summer, I hope that still counts!! And a lot of these are my favorite songs as well. So hum....let me think.

1. Mother Revolution-Tori Amos

2. Tupelo Honey- Van Morrision

3. Into The Mystic- Van Morrision

4. Moondance-Van Morrision

5. LOVE- Nat King Cole

6. Rocketman-Elton John

7. Alison Krauss- Oh, Atlanta

So that's it!! Those are my seven songs that I love. Now I supposed to tag some of ya'll to pick your seven, so if you are reading this, you are tagged!!

Waiting For Fall....

2008-07-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

I am not a big summer fan. I don't know, I guess I just never have been. I can deal with about a month of summer, and then I am ready to skip to fall. Maybe it's because my birthday is in October, or maybe it's the fact that summer in Savannah is like living in a swamp, and as soon as you walk out the door your sweating all the makeup that you just put on off. Or maybe it's the fact that when fall rolls around, the air gets a crisp cool smell, the leaves crinkle under your feet, the fall candles are lit and smell up the house with comfort smells, and the Georgia games start. I really have a thing for fall in case ya'll didn't notice. So a couple more months of summer, the dog days are almost here, the hot hot days, and then fall will be here soon!! I can't wait to bombard the Yankee Candle store for fall scents, decorate the house, leave the screen door open for the house to get cool, drink hot chai lattes, and carve pumpkins!!

(These are pictures I found of fall in Georgia!!)

Vacation, vacation, I need a vacation!!

2008-07-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

Brent-Boy and I are in desperate need of a vacation. A long vacation. Well maybe just two weeks or so. I have to tell you it's been stressful around here for the past couple of months. A lot of it is just the ends and outs of work and life in general. Have you ever just wanted to throw your hands up, say I'm taking a break, and go to some far off land full of magic and fairies? That is me right about now. I have been foaming at the mouth to go the England and Scotland for the past few years, and maybe one day soon, I will get to go. But I would much rather take a trip up to Atlanta to visit with Brent's parents, then go abroad right now. Visiting them is like going home. A place where we can really let our hair down, let the worries slip away, and have fun. Not to mention eating some of the best food ever, and making book store and craft store and antiques store trips with Mrs. Dawn.
I think that once we get things in order somewhat here, we'll take a little trip, a much needed mini break!!

Can I please have a cat? A big, fat cat?

2008-07-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

When I was little, Dr. Doolittle was one of my favorite movies. I guess it stuck with me, because our house is much like a small zoo. We have three dogs, that are more like children, four turtles, a ton of fish, three tree crabs, and now baby frogs. And now I want a cat!! I grew up with cats, and I've had a ton. Brent-Boy however is highly allergic to them though. One of my very best friends has a Maine coon cat, and I just found out that my sister has a Maine coon as well, and I want to jump on the bandwagon!! I don't know if ya'll have ever seen a Maine coon but they are HUGE!! They seem to have a quirky personality to. My friend and my sister's cat both chirp like a bird, and not very often do they meow.

Basically ya'll I just want a cat, just one. Brent-Boy's mom, Mrs. Dawn over at The Feathered Nest
has two Devon-Rex cats, Thelma and Chester. They are hypoallergenic, because a lot of the boys are allergic. They have the softest fur, almost like down fur, and they to have quite a personality as well!!
So Maine-coon, or Devon-Rex, I want to complete the zoo here at the house, and finally get my cat!!

Forget the car, let's take the boat.

2008-07-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

So if ya'll didn't know, the water and sewer systems in Savannah are ancient, along with everything else. The city will patch up one or two every couple of years, but a major overhaul would mean ripping the city apart. Now when it really rains here, several parts of Savannah flood. The historic district, Ardsley Park and Orin Heights, right in the middle of where we live. Usually it's just a few streets that flood, and that is no big deal, because no damage is done. This morning however we had some ferocious thunderstorms and we woke up to no power and our road flooded to the max. I spoke with a lot of our neighbors that have been here longer than we have, and they told me that they haven't seen it this bad in years. So of course Brent-Boy, my big bass fisherman redneck, decided that he would take a ride in our little Jon boat down our street. I have to say I was a little embarrassed, but all the neighbors got a kick out of it. So as bad as the flood was, even though it did minor damage to a few houses and some cars, we had a morning of meeting the neighbors, and some good ol' southern hospitality. It's been thundering off and on, and we've had a slight drizzle here and there, and we've been checking the weather like crazy. It looks as though some storms are moving in again, but hopefully they'll skip us. Even though we got flooded, we got the rain that we so desperately needed. Here are some pictures from this morning, and yes I was out walking in it. In fact it was like a neighborhood party in the rain.

Happy 4TH Everyone!!

2008-07-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has a very happy, safe and fun 4th of July!!
The majority of my family is in West Virginia at my grandparents mountain house, shooting fire works off the mountain. I spoke with all of them last night, since they like to pass the phone around, and I spoke with my grandpa and told him not to end up in jail this time.....just kidding ya'll!! I wish I could be with them, but we're here in Savannah with all our friends, and we're cooking ribs, baked beans, texas toast, and lots of dip and beer (well for the boys, I stick with the red wine).
From us to ya'll!! HAPPY 4TH!!

Ebenezer Creek

2008-07-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

So the idea for this blog came from Willow . She left a comment on my pictures of Tybee, saying they reminded her of the movie "The Gift" with Cate Blanchett. That made me laugh, because parts of that movie were filmed right up the road from Savannah in Effingham County at Ebenezer Creek. I don't know if ya'll remember the part of the movie where the creepy fiddler is playing in the swamp, or when they are dredging for the body, but that is where those parts of the movie were filmed. Brent-Boy being the film major that he is let me in on this little secret.
Now if ya'll are ever in the area I would recommend renting some kayaks, and taking a trip down Ebenezer. I would also recommend going in the fall or winter since it's packed full of big ol' snakes, gators galore, and river otters, among other things.
The first time that we ever took a trip down Ebenezer was about two years ago in our canoe. We were in hog heaven!! Brent and I had never seen anything like it. We were both born and raised around the Atlanta, Athens area, and swamps were something that we didn't know anything about. Now I say swamp because a vast majority of Ebenezer is like a swamp, but it's also a large creek as well. It's also a great fishing hole, and Lord knows we love to do that!!
One day we decided that we wanted to canoe the whole creek. It's about seven miles long. So we started off around 2pm with a good friend of ours, who was also up for an adventure. We were determined. So we start our journey, and we kept on passing this creepy guy, because that is the only way I can describe him, who was out trying to catch some catfish. We asked him how long it was to the end, and whether or not he thought we could get through since we knew we would have to go through a lot of brush from looking at the map. Well he laughed at us, in a creepy way and kept saying "I don't know." We could never get a straight answer out of him. We've since learned that a lot of people that you meet in passing in Ebenezer are a little off. So we kept on going. Well it was starting to get dark, and we were getting into cypress trees that were in the creek that the canoe could barely fit through. We didn't know where we were, we were officially lost. So of course I am about to lose it, and Brent and our good friend Miles thought this was hilarious, which of course rubbed me the wrong way. So eventually we pulled off on the shore, and the boys had to end up dragging the canoe out, and we come upon this house out in the middle of the woods. Guess what, no one was home. And I was thinking about how this would make the perfect start to a horror movie that I did not want to star in. So they drug that canoe down a three mile dirt road, and I followed holding on for dear life to my little 22 rifle. We finally got to the end of the road, stored the canoe in the woods, and found someone who could take us back to our car. He told us that at that time of year with the water low, their was no way we could have gotten through. So that was our strange adventure on Ebenezer.
But Ebenezer has much darker history. It was December 9, 1864 and General Sherman was on his march to the sea. He was only a few miles out of Savannah. On that day 670 escaped/freed slaves men, women, and children were following Sherman on his march. The army first crossed over on pontoons, telling the slaves that they would send the pontoons back for them. The commander in charge of the crossing, BG Jefferson C. Davis cut the pontoons lose as soon as the army crossed leaving the slaves stranded on the other side. Soon the confederate army showed up, which caused many of the slaves to jump into the icy December water, many of them drowned, the remaining were shot, and the rest were taken by the confederates. It was a massive tragedy that should and could have been avoided. Several soldiers and even Sherman himself admitted to Davis's anger, hostility, and racism towards the slaves. I guess what Davis didn't realize was that his name would go down in history not as a hero, but as a villain.
I have to be honest with you, every time we visit Ebenezer, we do get a feeling of eeriness, and I for one am a firm believer that the spirits of those slaves still roam the shores and haunt the water of such a beautiful place, where such a tragedy took place.

(On a side note ya'll take a look at the map we made in the sand trying to get our bearings, and the picture of the canoe pulled up on shore with all the strange like orbs around it, I'm still not quite sure what those are!!)

Tybee Time

2008-07-02T12:13:00.001-07:00

This is Tybee Island, one of my favorite islands around the Savannah area. I am obsessed with the older beach bungalow's on Tybee, they are by far some of my favorite houses. Alot of people prefer Tybee in the summer, for the obvious reasons, beach, sun, and great restaurants; but I prefer Tybee in the fall and winter, when the beach is deserted except for the occasional year round resident, and the cold wind and the smell of the marsh whips all around you, and the beauty of the island during the colder seasons. The peace you can find on this island in the winter, counter acts the craziness of summer. Tybee is a great place to visit and get lost when you're in the island mood!!

I'm Back!!

2008-07-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll!! I hope this blog finds you well!! Sorry it's been quite a while, and I've been missing you too!! I haven't been lost in a cemetery(unfortunately), I've been lost in the daily ends and outs recently. It hasn't been to fun, let me tell you, but we're trudging on through at the home front. We've been dealing with changes in work, setting up a home office, and the ever present stresses of daily life, and it's taken a tole. The good thing is I started a regular yoga practice, which has been a blessing. So I'm back, and I plan on blogging on a regular basis, and sorry I've been gone for a while. I have missed ya'll too!!

Laurel Grove Cemetery

2008-05-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm on a cemetery kick today, well I'm really just trying to play catch up on some much needed, and much missed blogging. When one of my best friends from North Carolina was in town two weeks ago, we went all over Savannah, and spent a lot of time exploring cemeteries in the area. Laurel Grove which isn't quite as popular as Bonaventure, and is off the beaten path is one of those.
Laurel Grove was developed in 1850 when Colonial Park Cemetery and others were filling up way to fast. Families actually were offered to moved deceased relatives from these cemeteries to Laurel Grove for free, which many did. The cemetery is built on a portion of the old Springfield plantation, and is named for the native laurel oaks which once filled the land. The cemetery was also developed as a segregated cemetery, and today is managed as two cemeteries. Laurel Grove North is the white section, and Laurel Grove South is the black section. As we explored we came upon many a strange sight. A section where babies were buried has a sign up called "baby land." This freaked me out to much, so I didn't take a picture, but Ramsey did, so when she emails me the pictures I'll post it for ya'll, even though it creeps me out just a tad bit. Also odd to us was the "Stranger's ground," which is scattered throughout the whole cemetery. I am assuming that these are burial sights of unknown people. There were no gravestones here, just lone signs. Their is a whole section of confederate soldiers graves here as well. Some of them are marked unknown, others not. This is a beautiful section of the cemetery, and very open, as a vast majority of the cemetery is shady and covered in Spanish moss that grows like wild fire down here, but we do love it so. The confederate section of the cemetery is reportedly one of the most active as far a paranormal activity goes. As Ramsey and I slowly drove around, she caught at one point movement out of the corner of her eye, which freaked her out a little, but of course we high tailed it to the place she saw the movement, and we were welcomed by a rather large monument with the name "Smith." Laurel Grove is quiet and pleasant, and has quiet a peace to it. You feel as though you are walking among spirits there, but it wasn't creepy at all. Like I said it's off the beaten path, so thank the good Lord we didn't have to herd through the tourists as we did at Bonaventure, (not that we don't like ya'll), but we really got to explore. Of course I am bombarding you with pictures of our Sunday morning in Laurel Grove Cemetery, I sure hope you enjoy!!

Colonial Cemetery On A Summer Day

2008-05-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Brent-Boy's parents visit to Savannah. You can hop on over to Mrs. Dawn's blog The Feathered Nest
to see some more pictures of their trip and our adventures here in Savannah. The following pictures are of Colonial Cemetery, one of the oldest in Savannah, and one of my very favorites!! Enjoy!!

Lily Dale

2008-05-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading a book that has sparked my interest and has kept me nose first in it's pages. It's about Lily Dale, the oldest Spiritualist community in America that resides in Chautauqua County, in southwestern New York. Spiritualism became very popular in the late 1800's early 1900's. I'm sure ya'll all have heard of seances and table knocking. This is a town that is full of spiritualist, mediums, and people that not only talk, but seem to commune with the dead on a regular basis. I'm quite taken by Lily Dale, and I guess in a way I hold it close to my heart. My Aunt Susan who was my father's sister passed away in 2001 due to colon cancer that had relapsed and basically took over her body. She fought it for a very long time, and it still came back. I remember being told that she and her husband visited a community like this in Florida before she passed, searching for a cure and healing. Even though she didn't get either as far as the cancer goes, I sure do hope that she got peace of mind. I moved home right before she passed, and I remember my sister and I visiting her at the hospice center to say what we knew was going to be our goodbyes. Cancer is a horrible thing, heart wrenching and heart breaking. My aunt was a shell it seems before she passed. I remember her joy, love, and the fact that she was the biggest clown in the family. She would bend over backwards for you, and I spent many a summer with her, where she treated me like a princess. She gave me my nickname "Lady Em," that is what she called me. She was one of the most loving people I have ever met, and I know she is at peace now.

The author of the book Lily Dale The True Story of the town that talks to the dead, is one of my favorites. Christine Wicker is the ultimate skeptic, just like myself, but she has eyes to see, and ears to hear when the truth comes ringing through. It's a very interesting book that will have you thinking hard and then laughing hard the next minute. It's wonderfully written and reminds me that even though we may pass physically, our spirit lives on. And I know that my Aunt Susan is flitting around on angel wings, even though she had them while she was alive, making people laugh and doing what she did best here and I'm sure she does best there, love. Aunt Susan this one is for you!!

Love,

~Your Lady Em~

432 Abercorn-The Benjamin J. Wilson House

2008-05-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

Alright ya'll, I've been pushed in the right direction regarding 432. The following is information found at The Georgia Historical Society here in Savannah, the county websites, and my new favorite books by Savannah author Al Cobb.

432 or The Benjamin J. Wilson house was built in 1868 and completed in 1869 by Mr. Wilson who moved to Savannah after The Civil War, or as we like to call it down here, "The War Between the States." The house has sixteen rooms and two stories, and the present owner started renovations, but as it states on the one of the county websites, the renovations have stopped and the house has been "left to deteriorate."

Now here's the juicy stuff. Ya'll know I've been rooting around for information on this house for some time now. Lord did I look high and low trying to find something out!! Well who would have thought that what I was looking for was right under my nose the whole time!! I picked up Al Cobb's book, Savannah's Ghosts in the bookstore two weeks ago, read it, fell in love and realized I need to buy his other books as well. So off I went on Saturday with Mrs. Dawn from The Feathered Nest to Barnes&Noble for some much needed bookstore and girl time. I then bought Danny's Bed- A Tale of Ghosts and Poltergeists in Savannah, Georgia. Well wouldn't you know when I got to the last pages of this wonderful book I was staring straight at a story on 432 Abercorn!! In his book Danny's Bed, Al Cobb tells about this house that I think I've fallen in love with. It is haunted but not by the "ghosts" we've heard and been told about. In 1973 the family that lived there at the time had some ghostly encounters with ectoplasm leaking down the wall, and an apparition materialize in front of one family member, but the spirit was that of a women who was wearing what seemed to be turn of the century clothing climbing up the stairs. The family reported furniture being knocked over, boxes being moved, and orbs being seen in the house. It was found out by the author that a man committed suicide in the 1940's on the second floor of the house. The owner now says that she has had no encounters with the paranormal at all. Interestingly enough, Al Cobb's son saw the spirit of the women upon visiting the house, and they have caught photo's of ghostly mists. I'm not giving to much away here because I want you to run to the bookstore or order these books for yourself. If you are interested at all in the ghosts stories of Savannah then I highly recommend these fabulous books.

Here is a list of Al Cobb's books for you!!

Danny's Bed A Tale of Ghosts and Poltergeists in Savannah. Georgia

Savannah's Ghost's

Savannah's Ghost's II

All these books again are written by Savannah author and native Al Cobb and they are worth it!! They are $9.95 each, and I do hope you order them, because they have fascinated me, taught me things I never knew about Savannah, and kept me on my toes!!

I hope ya'll all had a wonderful Memorial day and a great weekend!!

Bonaventure Cemetery

2008-05-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Bonaventure Cemetery today. It was a mild day here in Savannah, thank the good lord, so we didn't roast. If you notice the picture with the change and the rock, we stumbled upon in on a grave. Ramsey and I both felt that is was voodoo related, so we took pictures but no touching!! Strange the things you stumble upon in this city.

My Bass Man Caught A Big One!!

2008-05-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Brent left at 2:30AM to go to one of his monthly bass tournaments, this time on Santee Cooper is South Carolina. They usually hold a few tournaments out of town through the year. So on two hours of sleep and a lot of excitement he headed off. I usually am not able to talk to him until the tournaments are over and he called me around 5pm this afternoon. Now he's been on the third place streak in the club lately, and I think that is fantastic, but he's been wanting first for awhile now. And guess what ya'll? HE GOT IT!! Now I don't know if ya'll have ever been bass fishing, but those suckers are not easy to catch, especially the big ones, because they usually have anglers figured out. He caught this big girl and WON the tournament. She weighed in at 6Ibs,8oz. She was a big girl, and a beauty at that. I wish I could have been there to see him catch that fish. He told me she put up a fight, and even though bass don't have sharp teeth they still bite down hard. So he's sore and worn out and bitten, but he's on top of the world right now!! I love my bass man Brent-boy!!

Here we go again....

2008-05-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll again I apologize for my long absence. I yes, have once again been sick with the yucky respiratory stuff, and laid up for a week taking horse pills and steroids that make my face puffy. Fun, fun.
Anyway my good friend Ramsey(aka Wanda) is in town, and we've been scheming and planning and cooking and drinking red wine and talking Harry Potter and ghosts. So....we took our butts on down to the Historical Society here in Savannah today, my real first day out of the house since I got sick. I wish I could have taken a picture inside for ya'll, because it was beautiful. As soon as we walked in Ramsey asked me if I needed to "change my panties," since she thought I had peed on myself. Imagine Hogwarts if you've ever seen Harry Potter, that's how it was. Wall to wall books, two stories, information and history everywhere and I was in heaven!! We did our research, mine on 432 Abercorn, and a 1800's fire in Savannah that I will blog about later, and then went candle shopping, since the rain threw our ghost hunt off.
So tomorrow we're going ghost hunting around town, Ramsey plans on bringing some proton packs(just kidding here), and we will have lots of photos, and I hope a few interesting stories to post. So wish us luck and happy hauntings!!

(Picture is of my dear friend Wanda posing for the camera on a "mini" hunt the other day. We got some strange looks!!)

Working Women

2008-05-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll!! I've been up to my ears in insurance and work lately, sorry for the absence. I wish I had more time in the day sometimes. I've been dealing with new companies at work, so it's taken it out of me. I am usually exhausted and ready to vegetate when I get home with a cup of hot tea or a glass of red wine depending on how my day has been. I'm sure ya'll understand how crazy it can be!! Maybe one of these days I can spend my days writing and taking care of babies. Brent Boy and I are working towards that, but until we have the resources it's the insurance/office trenches for me!!

I Should Have Been A Flapper....

2008-04-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

I should have been a flapper....
I am fascinated by the 1920's. The roaring twenties that is. It's just such an interesting time period to me. Women cutting their hair into bobs, wearing slinky short dresses, smoking cigarettes, and just generally rebelling. They were the true rebels, and they knew how to have a good time. Maybe I was a flapper in a past life, who knows?

~River Street At Night, & Family Comes To Visit.~

2008-04-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

My mama and my step-dad Big John!!

This is River Street all lit up at night. The County Commissioners,(including my step-dad from Washington-Wilkes County) from all over Georgia are all in town for one of their annual meetings, and the fireworks were in celebration of their visit. These were taken from the Hyatt Bar on River Street. Can you tell I've been in the margarita's? Check out the massive ship leaving Savannah in the first picture. I love those suckers, they take your breath away when you see them pass!!

London Town

2008-04-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

I miss London so much. I spent one of the best weeks here. I think London and I think Mary Poppins's, Portobello Road, Bed knobs & Broomsticks, Harry Potter, fabulous tuna melts, new boots, plays, windows without screens, trips to the country side, green green grass, history, and most of all magic and mystery.

Another Update On 432 Abercorn Street

2008-04-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of taking a walking tour here in Savannah with my mom and step-dad last night. Of course the first question out of my mouth for this poor tour guide who would soon find that my family asks a million questions, was "do you know anything about 432 Abercorn?" Well yes she did. She told me that a lot of tour companies in Savannah tend to embellish on a lot of stories, which I figured of course. She told me that she didn't know personally whether or not the haunting stories were true, but she did say that the city doesn't have it on it's "left to decay" list. She told me that the house was bought four years ago and that renovations were started. She said that since then the renovations have seemed to have ceased. Hum, wonder why? Anyway, I'm taking matters into my own hands, since I want to find out the real story here. I'm marching my butt on down to the court house to pull records on the house, and find out all I can about it. I wonder if they will let me make copies? Anyway, I will be sure to let ya'll know what I dig up. Maybe I'll find out who the current owners are, bake some of my famous corn bread(the only thing I can cook), and pay them a visit!!

~Houses I Love~

2008-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

What a neat house!!

Afternoon gate in Savannah.

I am convinced this house is haunted!! Doesn't it look spooky?

I want to live here. I love the tudor look. It reminds me of my time in England.

I think these are snap-dragons?

The owner was fabulous and let me take some pictures of her house. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS HOUSE!!

Notice the old bird cages hanging from the porch. I wonder what the inside looks like?

Baxter comes to visit!!

2008-04-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Brinkley could care less, he just wants his chair.

Baxter really has a thing for tennis balls. Good thing we're stocked up!!

My girls look thoroughly annoyed. As usual.

I don't know if you can tell, but Gretta is COVERED in drool. And she is oh so sleepy.

Don't you just love his bow? He did some laudry with me this morning and wanted to wear it.

Our good friends are out of town for the weekend, and we get to baby-sit their baby, Baxter!! I know he doesn't look much like a baby since he's about the size of a horse, but believe you me he is. Just like all bulldogs I've come to learn.

So it's a house full this weekend. Baxter I have to say is one of the best mannered dogs I have ever meet. He's just a big ball/blob of love, drool, and playfulness. He really likes to play with Gretta Belle, since she is so small, she is covered from head to toe in Baxter drool. She isn't so fond of him, and it's pretty funny to watch little Gretta beat up on Baxter. He's a good sport though. Brent Boy has been calling me the dog women, because everywhere I go, including the bathroom, these fur balls are following me!! Good thing Brent's around, because without him this house would be a zoo. I am a lover of all animals, and every stray in Savannah would be nesting here if it was up to me!!

Finding Myself Wandering A Hidden Path.

2008-04-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well ya'll might be sick of me going on about ghosts, but I have to say they have become my favorite subject to explore as of late. I usually get like this, I'll immerse myself in a subject and not come out until I feel like I've fully schooled myself on that subject. And ghost/paranormal/spirits it has been.

My family and I have always taken such an interest in the subject, especially my mom, sister and I which I have mentioned before. Coming from a family of preachers and nurses, the spirit world has always been something that we've fully believed in, experienced, and somewhat timidly explored. It seems that as we get older, we are drawn to it more, and I'm starting to wonder if it is drawn to us more. Now I'm going out on a limb here, so ya'll don't make fun of me. Anyway, I've always been able to sense things that couldn't be seen, my whole family is this way, especially my mom and sister. We've gone to certain places and all have gotten the same feeling, this I experienced with my mom at a what we think now was a haunted bed and breakfast we were staying at in a little town in Texas one summer. As soon as we stepped foot in that house, my mom and I got chills. Now being a rebellious teen at the time, I made no mention of it, and just tried to shrug it off. And guess who got to sleep upstairs the first night all by herself, me, because no one else would sleep up there with me!! Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant night, and I refused to sleep up there alone for the rest of the trip. Years later my mom and I discussed this in detail, and she said that she felt so cold in the house, just as I and my sister and even my little brother had. We felt like the old photographs on the wall were watching us. Pretty creepy stuff!! Experiences like this have happened throughout my life, and when they've happened I've always thought on them long and hard, and couldn't come to any other conclusion but my first thought, which is, well it must have been a "ghost."

So, I'm finding myself testing the waters more and more each day, and getting braver as I go, because one of our biggest fears I think as humans, is the unknown. And that is exactly what I am exploring, the unknown. The world of spirits and ghosts, and strange happening's has fascinated me, and has me wrapped around it's finger like a string. So here I go on a wild adventure. I don't know where it will lead me, what I will learn(even though I know I will learn something), what I will see, and eventually when I emerge whether or not I will have a much different perspective. So ya'll bare with me, because I'm sure I'll be flooding you with pictures, telling you stories( some thrilling I hope), and asking for your honest opinion. I'm excited and nervous all at once. I'm on the edge of the cliff, and I am now ready to jump off. Wish me luck, and happy haunting!!

More On Haunted Savannah.

2008-04-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

I came upon this link the other day while searching for yes, you got it, more information about 432 Abercorn. Anyway, I plan on buying this book, and taking one of these tours,(hopefully next weekend, when my mom comes down to visit). We really get into the paranormal and our favorite things to do include exploring cemeteries(which my mom now has on her property, another post on that later); exploring churches and haunted houses, and talking about ghosts. Take a look at this link, it's really interesting, and I think ya'll will like it!!

http://www.ghostsavannah.com/book_extracts.aspx

J.K. Rowling goes to court.

2008-04-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

I just read this article. I have to say I like both sites, but I understand where she is coming from completely.
http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/articles/2008/04/13/Harry.Potter.Lawsuit/
I am a huge fan of Harry Potter, so I will be watching this closely.

A Present!!

2008-04-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not Catholic, but I have been searching for this medal for a long time now. I finally found it in a shop here in downtown Savannah called Saints and Shamrocks and knew I had to have it!! Brent bought it for me this week, and I can't even begin to explain to you just how much it means to me, but I think he knows!! The pictures aren't so great, since I'm not so good at taking pictures, but at least you'll get a little glimpse. I will wear this everyday, I love it so. And anyone who knows me well, knows that I have a great love and great respect for The Magdalene.

Sleepy Pups....

2008-04-12T14:53:00.001-07:00

Lola: "Man I wish she'd stop taking pictures of me."

Gretta Belle: "Yeah I know, she's so annoying with that camera thing. She really scared me a minute ago, I thought the camera was an alien space craft."

Lola: "Gretta you need to lay off whatever dog biscuits you've been eating. An alien space craft?"

Gretta Belle: "Hey you just farted on me! And shut-up about the alien space craft thing!! A lot of time out in my cage makes a girl wonder about life on other planets."

Lola: "Weirdo."

Gretta Belle: "Let's just try to go back to sleep, maybe she'll leave us alone."

Lola: "Probably not, here she comes again with that blasted camera."

Gretta Belle: "If only she'd leave it on the side table, then I could chew it up like I did with her and Brent's phone charger, her favorite pair of high heels, and that power bill."

An Afternoon Stroll.

2008-04-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

I thought this was pretty funny, and very creative to!!

A storm was brewing as we were walking. They get pretty scary looking here, but I sure do love a thunderstorm.

Washington Street. The prettiest street in Savannah, I think.

The most amazing things are found in our alley's here. Just look how gorgeous that is!!

This gate looks like it leads to a secret garden doesn't it?

Snow White and her seven drawf's. I was trying to conjure up an image of the people that live here. I bet they're pretty interesting!!

I caught a shot of this little guy as I was wandering around. We were both shocked to see each other! I had the same look on my face when I saw him!!

Storms moving in. It looks worse than it was. It bypassed us....as usual.

One of my favorite houses!! It's just around the corner from me, and I sure do love it!!

Well that was my walk today. I got caught in some "Mary Poppin" wind, (to bad I forgot my umbrella), caught a gnome in action, and got some sun, some fun, some great pictures, and some much needed exercise!!

Take A Peek!!

2008-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon these sights this morning. Take a peek, they are amazing!!
http://www.loriearley.com/ and http://canepabarbara.blogspot.com/ and http://vropars.free.fr/ (this one I've put up especially for Mrs. Dawn at http://www.the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/ I think you will love them!!
Take a look at the little fairies as well, how cool?!

"The Magdalen"

2008-04-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Magdalene~I love her.

432 Abercorn Starts To Unfold.

2008-04-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

More bits and pieces have come my way about 432 Abercorn Street. I never thought this house could fascinate so many, but it has, and I'm sure it will continue to.
Raven at http://oneidiotstale.blogspot.com/ came to Savannah recently on vacation and contacted me regarding 432. She was just as freaked out by the house as I have been. She sent me a link this morning http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=RtmO-Xvh4n8C&dq=the+national+trust+guide+to+savannah&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=hNfzNP9kik&sig=CbRNngcSKE7s_6VZkOKK103sY5o which is The National Trust Guide to Savannah, and includes pictures and information regarding the house.
Also Professor got in touch with me, and let me know it was okay to give out his name, so I don't have to keep calling him Professor, even though I've grown quite fond of just calling him Professor. Anyway, his name is Professor Jeffery Wells, and he is planning a trip to Savannah in the near future to do some research and investigating on the house. I hope to meet him when he visits, so I can drive him nuts with questions and then take tons of pictures to post and let ya'll get in on the mystery of the house to!!
I also spoke with that "blue-blooded" coworker I was telling ya'll about today, and he didn't have any idea what in the heavens I was talking about when I said "432 Abercorn," but lord did he know when I started in with the story. He personally didn't know more than me about it, but he told me that he would find out more information for me, and I trust him with that, because one thing about Savannah is, everyone has a story, and everyone is willing to tell you their version of it, especially after one or two liquor drinks.
Their is also a quick little video showing 432 on You-Tube with one very interesting comment made, and I can't figure out whether the wind was moving those big ol' doors or something else. Personally, I'm going to go with something else. Take a peek and let me know what you think. Very interesting stuff indeed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX2wmazmMpo
I'll keep you up to date on anymore findings, it's getting interesting and it's definitely got me on the edge of my seat!!

Well I Found A House....

2008-04-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

I just happened to stumble upon a really neat blog today http://ladylavona.blogspot.com/ and found one of the coolest posts. It's about these eco, earth friendly houses that are being built across the pond. I have a few pictures, and I have to say these houses are the neatest thing, although I don't think building one in Savannah would be wise. I would need a much milder climate with less bugs. Please take a look at the website as well, it's like a fairy house, I am really amazed and in awe of the people that thought this up, and the ones that are taking this on. What a wonderful idea!! Maybe the cottage I want in England is not that far away?!

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

An Update....

2008-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

So when I originally posted a blog on the strange going's on at 432 Abercorn Street here in Savannah, I didn't think I would get the response that I did. A lot of ya'll are wondering about that house, as am I. For right now it's my great mystery of Savannah.
I was contacted about two weeks ago by a college professor who is in the outskirts of Atlanta, and teaches at one of the colleges up there. I won't revel his name, because I haven't asked his permission yet, so we'll just call him Professor. So Professor is quite interested in this house, and he sent me an email today to let me know that he is doing some research on the house to find out the real story. I have to tell you I am quite excited to find out what he learns, because like I said that house sure has fascinated a lot of us. To find out the real story would be wonderful. I plan on asking one of my "blue-blood" co-workers about that house tomorrow, and see if he knows anything about it. I will keep ya'll up to date on anything that Professor or I learn and let you know. Until then happy haunting ya'll!!

Here is the link to Professor's blog. It's very interesting, go check it out!!
http://www.georgiamysteries.blogspot.com/

Oh Laundry how you bore me so.

2008-04-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

It's been a quiet Sunday morning here. I got up and bathed all the dogs this morning which is quite the task due to the fact that they don't like to cooperate with me. Thank the good Lord the last dog to bathe is little Gretta Belle, because between an English bulldog and then a boxer I am plum worn out!! Living is Savannah this time of year is more like living in a swamp. Our house is actually built on old marsh land, and the fleas here are unbearable, along with the dreaded sand-gnats, or "no see-ums" as we like to call them. They will eat you alive, and you won't catch a glimpse of them, you'll just be covered in head to toe bites.

Well unfortunately my washer and dryer reside outside in our little shed, and I have to tell you I dread it. I know I'm whining like a baby, but sometimes you just have to. I don't like doing laundry anyways, it's not my favorite thing, although I do like clean clothes and sheets, and big fluffy warm towels. But trudging out to the shed to do laundry, and going back and forth all day is a pain in my butt. I keep trying to talk Brent into hooking up the washer and dryer in the house, but he has yet to surprise me with this.

I dream of a brand new washer and dryer from Lowe's, fabric softener galore and dryer sheets that smell like home.

A Blogger Award!!

2008-04-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

Well ya'll I'm back, after being under the weather for a whole dang week!! I got a nasty kidney infection and have sworn off my habit of drinking diet coke like it's going out of style. My doctor said it could be the culprit for the nice infection that rendered me bed bound for three days.

Anyway I received my first blogger award ever from http://ottiliasveranda.blogspot.com/praising my writing!! Lord knows I can't express how much that means to me! I'm a little self-conscious about my writing, and to have a friend in Sweden that is in the process of writing a wonderful story as well means so very much to me. And a big thank you to everyone who has commented and praised my writing. Thank you so much, it just pushes me to write more!! I'm so glad that ya'll enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy writing them.

So the rules are, I am to give this award to five blogger friends who I deem worthy of it, and the reason why. It's gonna be hard but here it goes.

1. First and foremost Mrs. Dawn at http://www.the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/ for getting me hooked on blogging in the first place, making such incredible art that is taking flight in all directions right now, you're art and blog has actually sprouted wings, I'm convinced!! For pushing me to make a dream a reality, and showing me that I can actually do it, to you I say thank you and give you this award.

2. To The Hippie Chick-http://angeljoy-hippychick.blogspot.com/ for keeping me on my toes with your posts. I never know what I'm going to learn when I read them. For having an open mind, looking at the world with an awesome, creative eye, writing wonderful blogs, and getting up at 5am to workout. Lady you kick major butt!!

3. To http://www.intothehermitage.blogspot.com/for some of the most amazing artwork I have ever seen. Visiting your blog is like taking a trip to a fairy realm. When I look at your paintings and blog I see magic, and know it's real. Thank you for sharing your beauty with me, I sure do appreciate it!

4. To http://www.plumtreeantiques.blogspot.com/ for being the best antique store EVER. And for smelling just like my grandma's house! For all the wonderful art and cool stuff I find ever time I visit. And to Mrs. Cindy for having an amazing eye!! I look forward to my trips to the store.

5. And last but not least to http://mabelshouse.blogspot.com/. I've stumbled upon your blog just recently and I love it!! Also I am inspired knowing that you have just finished writing your first book, and I can't wait to read it!!

Please add these awards to your pages!! Ya'll deserve them!!

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has had a good week, and having a great weekend!!

Not Feeling To Hot.

2008-03-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

I woke up sick as a dog during the night. My dang kidney's really don't like all the diet coke I ingest on a daily basis. I feel like yuck, yuck, yuck. You know when you sick and not feeling good, and the only one you want to take care of you is your mama? Maybe I just haven't grown out of that yet. But mama's always make you feel better, I wish she was here to pamper me right now. Oh well I guess Brent will have to do, maybe I'll make him put a blond wig on and talk like my mom, that might make me feel better. I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow, maybe I'll be up and about for the weekend.

My Little Garden.

2008-03-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

This is a window box that Brent made me a couple of years ago out of an old door, and he kept the old handle on there for me as well. Right now it's a home to my sage plant

Brent and I spent the day at home instead of work, I think we both just decided not to get out of bed this morning. Mutual agreement, we wanted to sleep. Anyway Brent is such a turd sometimes, he cracks me up. He told me that he had to go to Home Depot to get wood to build the deck of the boat he's redoing. So I said whatever and went back to dream land, where I like to stay in the morning. Then two hours later he calls me and demands that I help him work on the boat, even though I had told him that the house needed cleaning, and laundry doesn't do itself, unfortunately. So he said put work clothes on and get your butt out the door I'm pulling up. By this time I was ready to declare war, and utterly refuse to help with the boat. Well he does this to me all the time, makes me real mad, and then surprises me with gifts that I love. He opened the back door to the SUV and there sat a ton of flowers for me to plant. Then the goob looked at me and said, oh by the way you don't have to help with the boat, I was just trying to get you out here. One time we were in a full out fight on the phone, he's aggravating me the whole dang time, and he pulls up in the driveway, comes inside, tells me to go get the groceries out of the car, and as I walk out the front door fuming, I notice that their is the big, comfy, leather chair, that I had been going nuts to get. He's an aggravater, but lord knows I love his stinky butt!!

So anyway, I get to planting, something that I love to do. Now we rent, so I try to make sure that everything I plant is in pots. It's a small little garden right now, but hopefully it will start to take full bloom, and I'll add some more plants and flowers as I go along. I love digging in the dirt, so that's what I did all day long. You'll have to excuse the pictures, I can't take a picture to save my life, that's David's forte'. I eventually want it to look like a miniature secret garden. And I've planted some herbs, so hopefully they'll start to make an appearance soon. I sure do love an herb garden!!

And Stretch....

2008-03-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well ya'll, I've been thinking....

I've been thinking that since I'm still trying to lose ten more pounds, and my stress level is higher than a cat's back most of the time, I should take up yoga, again. Now I have to tell you that five years ago I was a yoga queen. I would get my disciplined butt up in the morning, do an hour of yoga, go about my day, come home and do an hour of yoga at night. Yes I was determined and disciplined, and incredibly skinny and in shape. I also was very calm, and after a stressful day I looked forward to coming home to an hour of quiet yoga. (Except for that one time that I got stuck in a new pose I was trying out and my mom had to help me get out of it). So as it usually does, life happened and yoga got pushed to the way side, something I should have never let happen.

Now days I can only dream about getting into a full downward dog pose. I've been thinking about yoga alot lately. My mom always tells me I need to go back to it. So I'm going to make a pact with myself, and try to do yoga at least three times a week. Even if that means I have to get up at the crack of dawn. Mrs. Hippy Chick, I am using you as a role model to get up early and work out, I don't know how you do it, but I salute you. This just isn't about weight lose to me, even though that is a big part. This is about getting myself in a better state of mind, trying to find some other ways to control anxiety attacks, and to make my body and my mind feel better.

So ya'll wish me luck. I'll keep you up to date on my progress. Who knows maybe I'll end up teaching yoga classes like I always wanted to do way back when....

The Truth Is Told.

2008-03-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

After my initial shock, I accepted a cup of tea from my grandmother and sat down with the kaleidoscope of strange people I had just met. Never had I thought that I would be sitting next to a gnome, that was stuff of fairy tales, child's play, imaginations that couldn't possibly be real. And the women, who watched me calmly, with such interest, a witch, a witch without moles or a cackle for a laugh, a witch who brought a calm and a protective aura over me. Her name was Ashlin, and she was a local in the next town over, someone I had never heard of or seen. It was though she had appeared out of nowhere.
I sat sipping my tea hands still shaking waiting to hear what they had to say, what they wanted me to know, what I had to know. Something I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. I looked over at my grandmother, she was wringing her hands, shadows under her eyes, something I had never seen before. My grandfather was sitting cross legged in his chair, something my grandmother usually hated, but she didn't even seem to take notice. And he stared into space, as though he was lost in a thought so deep he might not come back.
Her voice brought me out of my trance.
"Child we need to tell you the truth." Ashlin said with a calm smile.
"But I do not think that I should be the one to tell you. Your dear grandparents must."
My grandmother looked at me, suddenly alert with the look I had grown up to recognize, the matter of fact look.
"Emily Jane, you have to make a choice soon, and a very hard choice, a choice that has been passed down through the generations, through all these long years."
" We are not of this world exactly, you are not of this world exactly, we've never been, you've never been."
And at the uttering of this, she broke into a soft sob held hung down.
"My darling girl," my grandfather said looking at me from his seat. We are creatures of the earth, it was mixed in with our blood when we were born. It is a blessing and it is a curse. You will be faced with things so evil and dark that you will be forced to fight, yet you will be blessed with a light so bright, at times it will be blinding."
I put my tea cup down, well more like slammed it down.
" Grandma and Grandpa, now what in the Sam hell are you talking about?" I was screaming now.
"I see a creature on the front porch, I beg for an explanation, and grandma you scream and throw a fit, and grandpa you talk to me like a poet who's hallucinated way to much!"
"And now you want to tell me, you mean to tell me, that I'm not of this world? I'm going to have to make a choice, that I was always going to have to make? Now you tell me after years of thinking you two were just eccentric hippies that never left the sixties!"
"ENOUGH!" Ashlin said with a volume in her voice that I couldn't imagine she'd have.
"You are ready, you must make a choice. It isn't any one's fault. This is in your blood. It is who you are, what you are, who you'll become."
"Well what am I choosing?" I said meekly.
"You are choosing which path you will take. Will you go with your grandfather and choose to bear wings as he does, take care of all the magical creatures, and face those that are unimaginable? Or will you choose your grandmothers path. A sight that is not only from her eyes, the ability to grow and understand the workings of things unseen. Yet also the ability to help those that are lost, that haven't passed over, and the ones that are dark and refuse to pass. Which one will you choose?"
"What if I don't choose either?" I said quietly.
"Then you will become one of the children, the children of the rain. Lost and searching forever, stuck in time, stuck in what was, without being able to touch it. Stuck in self exile, stuck in a sort of purgatory." Ashlin said as she looked at me with wise eyes.
"Your purpose is to help, that is what you are here for, that is what everyone is here for. You are just a tad bit different." She spoke again, calmly and quietly.
I looked around at my grandmother, my grandfather, Sir. Stuart, and Ashlin. I looked around at everyone, knowing that my life would never be the same again. I knew what I would choose. I'd always felt the presence with me. I looked at Ashlin with a sudden shock of confidence and said,
"how do I choose?"

I Have Been Tagged!!

2008-03-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

What book are you reading right now?
The Expected One:Kathleen McGowan- This is like the third time I have read it, it is so so good. And I love it.

Last book you read while on a plane?
I can't remember a book, I know my dad bought me a Rolling Stone magazine before my flight because it had Tori Amos on it, and I love her to.

Last book you read on a road trip?
Brimstone: Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. They are amazing writers, and they have so many books. I can't watch scary movies, or anything with gore in it, but I can read their books cover to cover!

Most unusual place you've found yourself reading a book?
My closet in my room when I was a little girl, I had a huge closet that I loved and I would pile all my stuffed animals in and read away. At that age it was Ann of Avonlea, and Little Women, and south African story tales, because one of my uncles is from south Africa, and a girl has got to know how a leopard got its spots, and a zebra got it stripes.

What would you take with you on a two week trip to the beach?
I live near the beach, but if I was to go visit my dad in Florida, probably half my bookshelf!!

Now I tag Courtney, and Mrs. Cindy.

A Meeting Is Made.

2008-03-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

I awoke to a room filled with morning sunlight. I knew I was snug and tight in my grandmother's old iron bed. I looked out the window, trees swaying in the wind, still groggy and hurting from my fall. But most of all confused as ever and desperate for answers. I made my way out of bed, noticing I was in one of my grandmothers nightgowns, with her socks on my feet. I grabbed a lavender cotton robe that someone had layed out for me, and started to make my way downstairs. I stopped on the second step, I heard voices. Some recognizable and others not. I heard grandma and grandpa, that strange English accent that sounded like it was coming from a miniature man, and another voice of a women with a twang of Scottish to it. My grandmother was arguing with the Scottish women from what I could tell.
"I don't think now is the time to tell her." My grandmother said sternly.
"Well you certainly didn't think that a day ago when she passed out in the barn, white as snow from what she'd seen." The miniature English accent said.
Stay out of this Sir Stuart, you will not make decisions for the what I think is the best interest of my granddaughter." My grandmother said in a voice that would chill anyone to the bone. The famous grandma voice I thought.
"Now Magda don't you think that it is time that she knows, all the signs, all the visits, and the questions she's had, I'm surprised we weren't faced with this years ago." My grandfather said, again not in rhyme?
"I will make the decision! I will decide what we will choose to tell her!" This time my grandmother had lost that icy cool she always had, and was screaming like a banshee.
All went silent for a few minutes until I heard her talk. Her voice was calming, and filled me with a warmth and comfort and I felt safe just hearing her speak.
"The girl needs to know what she faces. The girl needs to know the truth. I've watched her for many years, and she is ready. Their is no other way, we tell her now, we tell her to enlighten her, to give her something she has always been missing, to protect her. We tell her because we must." The Scottish accent lulled me into a trance almost, and all the anxiety I had been feeling left me, and I felt light.
"We will tell her now, because she has been standing on the stairs for sometime now, and I am perfectly confident that she has heard us all. My dear child won't you come down and join us in the living room?"
I was nervous instantly, I didn't know what awaited me, who awaited me. I slowly cautiously walked into the living room, to find my grandmother, looking as though she hadn't slept in days, to my grandfather in his usually attire, looking drained as well, but with a warm smile on his face. To a strange little man, about the height of a small four year old, propped in one of my grandmothers wing back chairs with overalls and a red coat on, and a red pointed hat sitting in his lap. His hair was white and long, and he had a beard as pure and white as snow. He was round and jolly looking, reminding me of a miniature Santa Claus. He smiled at me, knowing I was studying him in shock, and when I must of looked as though I recovered somewhat, he smiled at me and said, "well hello love, a pleasure to finally meet you, I'm Sir Stuart, and from what it looks like you've gathered to answer your question, yes I am a gnome."
Then I looked to my right and faced the voice that had been talking to me, the voice that knew somehow I was on the stairs hearing everything. And I came face to face with one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her hair was as red as Mr. Stuart's coat, eyes a blazing green. She wore a green wool sweater, thick and high around her neck, jeans that were slightly faded and riding boots that came up to her knees. And dangling around her neck was a necklace with a spiral charm with a rock black as night in the middle, no not a regular rock, as I looked closer I saw movement in it, people that were moving as in another world, and I looked up from her necklace to her eyes that seemed to look right into me and I knew this women wasn't an ordinary women, no this women was a witch.

2008-03-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

The only picture I could get were she would hold semi still. Doesn't she look like a little French pup?

Bass Man

2008-03-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of my bass man!! Brent lives for bass fishing, and he's really good at it to. We can spend all day out on the water, I'll catch some sludge from the bottom of the river or lake, and he'll be dragging in fish left and right. He fishes tournaments now, and I know one day he's going to win one. Side note: he doesn't usually wear handle-bar mustaches, I don't know what he was thinking that day, or what the poor people at the park thought of him either. He takes the fishing look to far sometimes and I think he likes to look trashy for all those fish.

Oh cleaning, how you stress me so.

2008-03-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yes ya'll spring is almost here, and Brent and I are trying to clean up as much as we can. Brent likes to spread things out everywhere, it looks like Bass Pro Shops blew up in our house most of the time, especially if Brent is headed off to a tournament. I on the other hand get the nickname "the crammer." I get so overwhelmed sometimes I just put it in a drawer and get in out of my sight. This leads to many a lost item, mostly for Brent. So while Brent is working on his ultimate fishing room, building shelves in the back yard as we speak, I'm trying to get everything dusted and vacuumed and cleaned, just so I can relax. I'm sure some of you know how I feel. If only I could hire a maid.

So it begins....

2008-03-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

I stirred dizzy and blurry, hearing faint voices all around me.
"I think she'll be fine, just let her come around," someone said in a small English accent that I didn't recognize.
"Yes but she has a nasty looking bump on her head, are you sure she will be okay?" That was my grandmother from what I could gather in my hazy state.
"Ah a bump and that is it, better than a gash or worse, well you understand." The little English accent said again.
"Well Magda I think she is fine, let's just give her a minute." This was my grandfather, and not speaking in rhyme?
I tried to sit up, no that wasn't going to happen so soon, I moved my fingers, some feeling, and then I felt the throbbing pain in the back of my head, oh I must have fallen hard I thought.
"Oh look now she's a stirring. I better get a move on, don't want to scare the poor dear anymore."
And as the small English voice said this I opened my eyes to a blur of my grandmother, grandfather, and a strange little man retreating with a red pointed hat on.
"Grandma, grandpa?"
My grandmother knelt down and looked at me with kindness in her eyes, something I rarely saw.
"Oh my Emily Jane I'm so sorry, I should have told you a long time ago."
"Told me what grandma?" I said with a weak voice, still barely conscious from the fall.
"Well my dear child, tell you about, well fairy."
"Fairy?" I said as I slowly fell back into unconsciousness, where dreams came swiftly of wings and gnomes, ghosts and far off lands.