Thursday, September 30, 2010

You Capture : Togetherness

The assignment at You capture was Togetherness.
I really enjoyed capturing something that my family loves to do together.
We go on walks on some evenings to meander through
the streets of my parents' neighborhood.
We take our time as we stroll.
I thought that I would bring my camera along
and document the adventure that unfolds as we walk.

Photobucket

We set off into the sticky evening air.
My Dad always has a walking stick for he and Griffin.
Three minutes into the walk, Griffin abandons the stick and then
my dad carries both of them
the rest of the way.

Photobucket

Right outside the door, my dad points
out his new plant called Hearts A Bustin'.
It is quite a sight to behold.

Photobucket

Griffin stops to pick flowers from unsuspecting yards
or to inspect nuts that he finds on the ground.
We all have to stop from time to time to admire them.

Photobucket

Each new discovery becomes a treasure
and ends up in my father's pockets
as we continue our walk.
By the time we get home,
his pants are heavy with rocks and acorns.

Photobucket

We all take a moment to marvel at Poison Berries
hanging on a tree and have a little chat
about the fact they are not cherries
and that we do not ever eat them.

Photobucket

Then, Griffin accosts an Apple Tree
with his walking stick
and rotten apples tumble to the ground
as he yells "Hi-ya".


Photobucket

We stop to pet a friendly cat named Peanut Butter.

Photobucket

Finally, we head back home
before the sun starts to set
but just as the fireflies start to take flight.
I love our little walks and
the feeling of togetherness we get
as we stroll with the
scent of the Georgia evening on our skin.


Photobucket

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Blog swap: Silver Sands of St. Augustine

I would love to introduce y'all to my lovely friend Ama. She is one of the most bewitching girls I have known. We are kindred spirits and I have always looked up to her because she is an amazing writer. Trust me, this girl will woo you with her words. Her blog is a favorite stop of mine and I think that you will enjoy it too. Today, we are doing a little swap, so please head on over to her place and read my post. I put my heart and soul into this one. Come on, give my girl some serious lovin'.


Hi, I'm Ama, thrilled to be guest posting with a blog switch with lovely Leigh.Leigh and I first met when we were in our mid-twenties.We called Leigh "Lil' Magic" for her famous dance routines, though I never had the pleasure to witness her much-talked-about performances. What I remember most about Leigh is that she really is one of the most child-like people I've ever met, and I mean that in the best way possible, not the "she's special" kind of way. I remember her lovely wedding, and I remember her filmmaker friend recording my drunken blessing for she and her husband's wedding video. I hope she doesn't. Anyway. I had heard she'd had children, but it wasn't until she introduced me to her hilarious and touching blog that I'd found out what a wonderful, happy mama she is. It's been about seven years since I've seen Leigh, and boy, we have both grown up a whole lot.


She asked that I simply write about what I write about and share on my own blog, which is a whole lot of stuff, but most of it spirals around a few central themes: writing, inspiration, healing and growth--all very personal, treated basically like a personal journal. So in the vein of motherhood that she is graciously sharing on my blog, Silver Sands of St. Augustine, and in the vein of what I most offer in that place, I am going back to the story, as I have been told about it and of course with a writer's privilege of imagination, of my own entrance into this beautiful world.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Just There

I was a turning engine in my daddy's head before I was born. I spoke from far away to him in a voice I would not for years possess. He heard my flesh before it slid into the elements of oxygen, ready to burst forth all brand new and untouched by any of what was to come. So small but so quick and strong, I came into the world too fast for my his 16-millimeter camera, too fast for the midwife, too fast for my mother's jasmine tea.

Even before birth, someone is predicting our arrival, someone already knows what kind of singing will carry our bones along.




Me at Three-Years-Old




La Traviata put me to sleep in the womb, to keep me from kicking. All summer long tragedy spun from the dusty old record player on Otis street, in Berkley, California, where I was born. Voices rich like waves would rise and break in crescendos, whispered secrets in another language, crashing a life story into my blood.



The truth is, my mother says, what makes everything beautiful is underneath and deep, like the ocean. And what makes that beloved opera so beautiful is the music, an under-the-surface passion that holds true no matter what the story is. That's why she cried and she knew the story anyway, even though all its telling words were foreign. That's why I fell asleep so easily, breathing and pulsing with my mother's blood and my own just as I still do today, speaking with a voice my father heard before I was born.




My Beautiful Mama Before She Was a Mama at All



My mother tells me that she just wanted some hot tea when she was in labor with me. She says that her back hurt and that she wanted my father to rub her back a little, to0--but that was all. My father rubbed her back, went to the kitchen to boil the water for tea.

I was on my way before he had time to return from the kitchen, racing to their bedroom, where I was born, at 8 o'clock in the morning, in August. My older brother, three-years-old, held the tripod and the camera before the filming began, waited for someone to tell him to let go.

All of a sudden he said, he heard crying, screaming, and thought his mommy was hurt, wondering what this tiny little creature was doing, this tiny little creature getting all the attention, while he expectantly held that old camera, doing his job, waiting for someone to tell him to put it down.




Me at Two, My Cousin Joy, and My Brother Joshu at Five



No one did. The kettle boiled, steam rising in the high-ceiling kitchen, and "all of a sudden," my father tells me, "you were just there. Eyes locked on me tight. Bright, aware. I remember it so vividly, and those eyes have never changed."




My Dad These Days



We are all ghosts, though, even as we are born anew. Ghosts are memories, real as anything else. Everything we collect in life amounts to spirit, which is life. Even love and knowledge become ghosts in the end--ephemeral, impermanent, infinite.




Me These Days




Ghosts are living things, are the voices of that day, of all my living, that walk through me and with me each day. Within me I have collected the ghosts of others, and the ghosts of who I used to be--they spill forth in the morning and at night, too--in the quiet spaces of conversation, and they carry me. They are the singing in my bones.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Happiness Project :: Week 30

Photobucket

A hand picked flower from Griffin.

Photobucket


If you want to jump on the bandwagon
simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy.
Then, steal my button up there
and include it in your post.
Please let me know if you decide to join in.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.


Monday, September 27, 2010

Mama went to the skatepark.

Yesterday Griffin and I headed over to the local Skatepark
because Tony Hawk and his crew were in town.
It was a total trip for me because
I was a bit of a skate Betty in high school and
I would have been in heaven when I was 15 years old.
There were dreamy skaters all over the place.
I mean, half of them I could have spanked
and they might have thought that I was disciplining them,
but that's beside the point.

We arrived early and joined the crowd
to watch all the local kids put on a show of their own.
There were a whole lot of hipsters
standing around or dropping into the ramp.
I had an accidental cathartic moment as I watched them.
I remembered that I had spent a good chunk of my adolescence
surrounded by hot skaters and trying my hardest to be irresistibly awesome.

<span class=

I suddenly felt like I was kind of cool
because somehow in adulthood,
I've quit caring about if I am cool or not
and then being a chubby mom at a skatepark
who didn't care if she was cool
made me feel infinitely cooler.

Anyway, most of those small hipsters fell on their asses but
there were a few who pulled some decent tricks.
Griffin was cheering and jumping all over the place.
I could totally tell that he wished he was a rad skater.
It warmed my heart a bit.

<span class=

We found a spot on the bleachers next to the cutest couple
of teenagers who were so hot for each other that
they both squirmed in their pants.
If you look closely you will see that
they are both resting their feet on his board.
They sat with their arms around each other
and smacked passionately on bubble gum.

<span class=

Seeing this took me back to various skaters I dated in high school.
They melted my butter, if you know what I mean.
It was fun to reminisce about making out with sweaty boys at the skatepark.
Ah...those were the days.

I digress, Tony Hawk came out and everybody screamed, including me.
I was so star struck as he did his Fakies and his Ollies
and Grinded his way around the ramps.
I was four feet away from him at times,
It was awesome.

<span class=

Griffin found a little friend in the crowd
and they kept yelling stuff like
"Don't Fall on your buttocks and bash your brains out, Tony!"
(Griffin isn't allowed to say butt so he now says buttocks all the time, it's maddening).
They also spent a good deal of time making
fart noises with their hands.

<span class=

Then it started to rain super hard.
I pulled out my umbrella and was ready to rock.
When I looked up, everyone was running to find shelter.
I was all like, what's the problem?

Tony Hawk was a sport and gave a high five to every kid
that rushed to the fence with an outstretched hand.
Then ran like hell into a waiting trailer
and was never seen again.

That part was not so awesome.

The end.

Winner : Stallion edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

Caroline of Salsa Pie..

In a final act of defiance, Chad rebelled against his mother's advice
to "Lose the mustache" for the Senior Class pictures and lost his shirt instead.

Amy
Chippenfail.

I Live In
...Uni-brow wax or a trim of the bangs...lifes tough choices.
Chad always chooses bangs.

The winner is...
Amy

Chippenfail.

Amy
is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Now head on over to her blog

and marvel at this fantastic award she just earned
to proudly display forever.

Photobucket

Thanks to all the people who played.

Tune in this Friday for another instalment of Freakshow Friday!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Freakshow Friday: Stallion Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, Chad is lookin' fine!

Who wants a moustache ride?

Okay, I feel dirty,
You got a better one for me?
If so, you may just when this awesome award

and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

Photobucket

If you win then I'll linkup to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday



Thursday, September 23, 2010

You Capture :: Flowers

The assignment over at You Capture was Flowers.
We have the cutest little bush of Perennials in our front yard.
I just love the way that they look like little bouquets for fairies.
I also adore the fact that they are so hardy.
I pretty much ignore them and every year they pop back up.

The thing that I love the most about these tiny flowers
is that they are local and first discovered in a lady's garden here in my town.
So, they are named after her and they have the sweetest most southern sounding name ever...

Photobucket

Miss Huff's Lantana

Photobucket

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The day that my grandma taught me the art of creating a memory with a ridiculous amount of shoes.


Lately I've been gathering memories of my grandmother who passed away in 2004. She was a pistol and taught me many life lessons that serve me to this day in my adult life. One day in particular has been swirling around in my heart. It was the end of summer in 1989 and I was spending an afternoon with Mammaw doing some back to school clothes shopping. At the time, Keds were popular and I just had to have a pair to add to my fall wardrobe. I remember heading into the shoe department at JcPenny's and standing before the mirror with crisp white Keds hugging my feet. I looked at Mammaw with hopeful eyes as she smiled and said "Well, I think we just have to buy those."

As we walked down the mall together she pulled me into another shoe store and said "I wonder if they have those Keds in red?" We waltzed in, found them, and walked out of the store with another pair of shoes. I felt so spoiled as we walked down the mall arm and arm with my two bags in tow."You know what?" Mammaw said as we walked into Dillard's (which was just a few doors down from the other shoe store) "I think that you need those shoes in yellow too."

I followed her into the shoe department as she asked the saleswoman to grab me a pair of yellow Keds to try on. Those yellow shoes had not been on my feet for thirty seconds when she told the lady to grab us a pair of orange ones too. To my amazement, she bought me both pairs. It was unheard of to buy four pairs of shoes in one day and I remember feeling so special. It didn't stop there either. We walked up the mall and stopped in every shoe store that carried Keds. We found green, blue, black, pink, baby blue, and purple Keds. She ended up buying me ten pairs of shoes that day.

I remember feeling overwhelmed and beyond happy that she had spoiled me so. I had asked her to stop as she paid for pair number five but she insisted that we keep on shopping until I owned a pair of Keds in every color. She told me that she wasn't just buying me shoes but that she was creating a memory. I was only fourteen at the time and didn't really see the significance other than the fact that I now had an awesome pair of shoes to match any outfit that I wanted to wear to school.

Now, as an adult, I look back on that lucky afternoon and smile. I may no longer own all those Keds in every color but I do own the memory. She taught me so much that day. Sometimes it's nice to go out of your way to do something out of the ordinary for the people that you love. Choose something so indulgent and special that the excitement settles in both of your hearts forever. I have many memories of my fun times with Mammaw that are not quite as exorbitant but this one stands out the in my mind often.

I remember when we drove away from the mall that the backseat was filled high with all the bags of new shoes. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and thanked her for being so generous. She patted my knee and said "I hope that you'll think about this when you're an adult and remember how special you are." Well, it was not lost on me after all because I look back on that shopping excursion and feel her love to this day. I hope to create many outrageous memories for my children and grandchildren. Her love and excitement for life will live on with every ridiculous memory that we create.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Happiness Project :: Week 29

Photobucket

Sharing a doughnut while we grocery shop.

Photobucket


If you want to jump on the bandwagon
simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy.
Then, steal my button up there
and include it in your post.
Please let me know if you decide to join in.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Oh baby!

Disclaimer: If you are a man or have a weak stomach just go ahead
and scroll down the find out the winner of Freakshow Friday

My best friend had her baby boy last week and oh boy is he ever sweet.
That makes three of my closest girlfriends to have had a baby in the last six months.
Needless to say, I have had many conversations about pregnancy and childbirth as of late.
I decided to go ahead and compile a list of

the top 10 things that no one tells you about pregnancy and childbirth

that you probably wouldn't want to know until after you've given birth
but you really do need to know it before you give birth.


1. The week before you find out that you're pregnant, you will get totally smashed and then recall every drink you downed with horror.

2. Once your baby starts growing, your stomach can only hold the smallest amount of food. You will realize this when you order your favorite meal at a restaurant and feel full after one bite.

3. Nature plays a cruel joke on you and six weeks before your due date you will not be able to
sleep. You either have to get up and pee every 15 minutes or you just can't get comfy.

4. When it' s time to push, you don't care who is down there to catch it. The janitor could throw on some scrubs and grab your baby for all you care. All modesty goes out the window as well.

5.You may want to not intervene in any way and have a natural childbirth. I feel obligated to tell you that allowing your OB/midwife to pop your water can cut your labor by hours, trust me, I should know!!! You can still do a natural birth after the water has been popped.

6. You will not get any sleep in the hospital. Someone will come waltzing into your room every 15 minutes. You will want to kill the nurse who comes barrelling in the door at 4:00 am.

7.You feel like your hoo-hah was turned inside out and put right side out again. Ice packs are your best friend and Percocet is your second best friend. Go ahead and put an order into the nurse for drugs the moment that baby is out.

8.They stuff you into these huge non-sexy mesh panties after giving birth and they feel SO good. You won't care that you look like an old woman who had an accident in her pants.

9.You will think that you want to go home and sleep in your own bed, but then you get home and quickly realize that you should have stayed in the hospital one more night. Do yourself a favor and stay where the prescription drugs, nurses, and lactation consultants are as long as your insurance will let you.

10.You will never be so scared to take a crap as you are after you've pushed the baby out. Take a stool softener and you will be So glad that you did.

Please scroll down to see the winner of Freakshow Friday.

Winner: Leather and chains edition.

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.
Moooooog35
I suppose that explains Grandpa's rubber suit in the closet.

Jeremy from We Took The Bait
The safety word is "Metamucil."

Ambyr
Golden Girl gone bad.

The winner is...
Jeremy from We Took The Bait

The safety word is "Metamucil."

Jeremy from We Took The Bait
is the funniest blogger in all the land.
Now head on over to his blog
and marvel at this fantastic award he just earned
to proudly display forever.

Photobucket

Thanks to all the people who played.

Tune in this Friday for another instalment of Freakshow Friday!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Freakshow Friday: Leather and chains edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, this granny is bringing sexy back.

She'll cuff you and take you to play Bingo.

You got a better one for me?
If so, you may just when this awesome award

and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

Photobucket

If you win then I'll linkup to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday

I'm guest posting over at Salsa Pie today.
Head on over and give us some love!!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

You Capture :: My choice

So, the assignment over at You Capture was Photographer's Choice.
Everyday when I drive up my long ol' driveway, I marvel at the sun filtering through the trees.
It looks so dreamy to me as I drive in and out of shade and sunlight.
I decided to try and capture the feeling I get as...
the shade looks like lace cut outs sprawled on the ground and

Photobucket

the light seems to almost shimmer on the tops of the leaves.

Photobucket

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Griffins settles the score and I wax poetic.

We gave Griffin a shot at fishing redemption and guess what...
he caught nine fish.
That's right, NINE fish.
He was glowing with pride as he held up each fish.

Photobucket


I don't know what's happening to me but I might actually enjoy fishing.
Maybe it's because I'm in a boat with the people that I love.
Perhaps it's because it feels like we are creating memories for Griffin
that will live in his heart always.
I remember watching my brother pull up
in Pappaw's truck after a long day of fishing.
He always looked proud and so happy
as they told us all about their adventures on the lake.
When I look at Griffin in that photo, he has the same look on his face.

Maybe it's because the pond is just so beautiful
and I feel calm as we float languidly around the water.

Photobucket

I have many memories of Pappaw and my dad fishing together too.
They would come back to Mammaw's lake house with more catfish than she could fry up.
The bond between them seemed so strong when fishing poles were involved.
Just the thought of seeing them stand side by side and pose for photos with their prize fish
makes me feel safe and secure.

So, when I see my dad and Roger standing side by side on the bank of the pond,
tossing in their fishing poles, it's wonderful.

Photobucket


I am such a hopelessly nostalgic girl.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Happiness Project :: Week 28

Photobucket

Throwing rocks in the water at dusk.

Photobucket


If you want to jump on the bandwagon
simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy.
Then, steal my button up there
and include it in your post.
Please let me know if you decide to join in.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Guest post: Ciao Christy

My guest blogger today is an old and dear friend of mine who has the most amazing undiscovered blog called Ciao Christy. I thought that all of you would just adore reading about her adventures. Christy has packed up her life and moved to Florence, Italy. When I read her blog, it's almost like reading the book Eat, Pray, Love. Her observations on the different cultures are wonderful. So, read this post, then head over to her blog to read mine. While your there, hit the follow button, and then check back when she posts again. You will be swept away, I promise! So, I'd like to introduce you to Christy!

Daily Life: Numero Due : Our Homes

I have to talk about the differences in our homes. Back in America, if you are renting an apartment you typically will have a fully working kitchen : oven, 4 burner stove top, microwave, dishwasher, toaster, coffee maker, washing machine & dryer. Right? Not here. If you are planning on moving to Italy you need to know that they do not have all of these conveniences. Get out of your comfort zone, and what you are used to. In Italy, a lot of the apartments come with 2 or 4 stove top burners and a toaster. I mean the toaster that acts as an oven. So you can be thankful in America, that cooking Betty Crocker cookies & brownies comes easy for you! I miss that more than you know!


Dishwashers (if they work properly) are a luxury, and dryers are non-existent. The plus is that you would not get all the charming hanging laundry outside if this wasn't the case. I still love the look of hanging laundry outside the buildings here, its such and Italian trait, and it gently reminds me that I live here. I will not lie though : I love dryers. Mamma mia, I have been in the US for a few weeks, and having your laundry cleaned & dried in one hour is simply amazing. Now, the perk for Italian living is: almost every apartment has a washing machine. In America, that is not the case if you are renting - sometimes it's rare. The Italian kitchens always come equipped with an Italian coffee maker too, delicioso!! I love espresso, so I am happy with this.
More than not, we do not have air conditioning. Be thankful that A/C is equipped in almost every building in the United States. I am lucky because I have a small unit in my living room, so I slept on my sofa for almost 6 weeks because of the heat. The standard beds in Italy are two single beds, that eventually get pushed together to make a "matrimoniale" = our double bed. Queens and King size beds are rare, but who in Italy needs a King size ? the people are skinny & short :) They also only sleep with two pillows. It was always my understanding you set your bed to a minimum 4 pillows, maybe even 6 if you like the real cozy bed ! Believe it or not, pillows are expensive in Florence, unless you buy the cheap ones from Ikea. When I get back I am just invested in another set to make my bed more comfortable.




Anthropologie bedding
The upside to the homes in Italy is, more than not, you will be in an interesting building, filled with history, character and charm. There is nothing generic about the apartments here. There is no such thing as a over sized complexes with 200 of the same layout with the same beige carpet and tacky hanging window panels. Many of the apartments still have the original frescoed or wood beamed ceilings, beautiful ceramic tiled floors and large windows. You do feel a sense that you are stepping back in time when you live here. Somedays it feels good, somedays you want them to catch up to the modern world. But that's Italy. You learn to live without some of the conveniences, and appreciate the beauty in the small things. I have lived in several apartments while being in Florence, and each one has different things that I like about them. I guess my favorite is still the one that has all the Italian charm, but then it had all the modern stuff too::



My old apartment on Via Malenchini
Being back home and having all the conveniences again has taught me not to take them for granted. I think a lot of Americans do not realize how easy life is there. Things work a lot more efficiently in the US, and until you live somewhere that forces you to slow down - you will not realize how lucky you have it. I am looking forward to going back to Florence to work on some "upgrading" projects in my apartment. Feel lucky you have dozens to choose from! How I miss Z Gallerie, West Elm, Restoration Hardware............I wish I could afford the nice home furnishings stores in Florence, but EEkaayaah (Ikea) will have to do! Ciao!