Kenny's Latest Project

Mom and Dad in front of a beautiful 1946 Mercury recently restored by Kenny Coggin (in the sepia photo below)! What a beauty! Remember that Mom and Dad were married in '46!

Girlfriends!

Martha, Tammy and me in Orlando. OK, so it was 25 years ago!

A Gift - Bandit - the Cedar Waxwing

Here is the gift that was in my back yard today - a very hungry, very beautiful cedar waxwing. I am so thrilled that I saw him in the nandina bush having quite a new year's feast! He took plenty of time to pose for me but I won't bother you with all 100 pictures...I remember when Kathy and I would ride around in her old Volvo following flocks of cedar waxwings as they flew from holly to holly around Newnan. It was usually in February that we caught up with them. I know Kathy was smiling down from heaven as I took these pictures of this wonderful little bird today! By the way, Kathy, I named him Bandit.

As Thanksgiving Approaches...

...I realize how truly thankful I am. For:

• a special family. I couldn't be more loved.


• Mom and Dad's new home. They are happy.


• my boy who is so small and fragile - he's an aging teacup Yorkie for those who don't know.


• health and happiness. Some take these for granted -maybe I used to.


• close friends who know me so well and love me anyway.


• the children in my life - reminders that life goes on...


• my home that I now have time to enjoy.


• the wildlife that call my backyard home. They wow me with their beauty, antics, and ability to eats many pounds of expensive seed, suet, and critter munchies.


• even the chipmunks who take many pounds of safflower seeds underground for the long winter's nap.


• America - even in the tough times - but my generation has never seen REAL tough times - and I hope we never will.


• God's love for me and for all of us. I list this last because it is the one that I want to dwell on as I go through my day. Such undeserved love, mercy, and goodness - what all I could do so much better.

Happy Thanksgiving. May this season be filled with happiness and love!

And, did I mention that I am very thankful for smiling horses? I am!

Harry Potter and the Jogger

We can't let the kiddies have ALL the fun! Happy Halloween 08!

Home-Baked Goods - The Fun Starts Today

Back in my old principal-ing days, Coach Kidd would always ask me about bringing in home-baked goods. He seemed to be serious, as if I should be expected to bring in goodies for such a great staff. Didn't he know that I was a busy woman who could not concern herself with such as that? Didn't he know that I didn't even have a cake pan - much less a mixer? Didn't he know I thought he was great even if I never made him a pound cake?

When all my friends were getting married (some of them over and over) and having showers and receiving mixers and cake pans, I was in school and working. (Not that Mom didn't warn me - she asked if I would be happy spending my life with my books - and yes, I am pretty happy with them...)

But I must admit that I have fond "growing-up" memories of home-baked goods. Mom and I would bake - with varying degrees of success. Once we had the GE oven man come check the oven. When it was found to be calibrated exactly right and performing properly, Mom and I had to take a bit of responsibility for a few disasters. But we got quite good with Lemon Supreme and Prune Cake (Yes, you read it right - had a jar of baby-food prunes in it - tasted like spice cake.)

My grandmother and my aunts were/are great cooks. I watched them for years and learned a lot.

Martha's Mom and Dad were pound cake bakers. I loved to show up when the cake was in the oven and the milk glasses were in the freezer! Yummm!

My sister and I would bake and still do, actually. We're still perfecting our cookies with royal icing and she's a pro with the gingerbread house. JM and I made a pecan pie once and left out the sugar. About half way through the baking time, we found the sugar bag still out and added it then. It was perfect, teaching us that all these silly steps in these recipes are not all really necessary. And the carrot cake I made for JM's dad's birthday cracked and fell off the plate - so I delivered it in baggies and he said it was the best cake he had ever eaten. He was a precious, precious soul!

Well, I bought my new mixer today and I'm ready to figure out how to bake. I made my first pound cake tonight and I'm proud to announce that over half of it came out of the pan. I felt compelled to eat all that part that stayed in the pan and I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow.

If you have recipes I must try, send them on - and please don't leave out any key ingredients - I'd never know it!

So, Coach, give me a bit of time to practice and then come on over. The home-baked goods will be waiting!

Oh, Italy!

What could be better than a good looking Georgia guy in a good looking Georgia jacket standing outside the Bulldog Inn in Rome, Italy! What a life!

I'm ready to head back to Italy.....