Now 40, trifler, sparkles

- 40 is the new 30, I hear. One day in traffic, a man was spotted taking down the letters - but he was too fast for a 'through the windshield' shot and disappeared inside. John must be the sign guy, because this time last year it said, "Happy Birthday, Me."

- My new favorite radio station AM 1690 "The Voice of the Arts" plays the quirkiest music and they played a blues song yesterday in which a man announced to a woman that she was "a trifler!" Great word, that.

- The wind has been up so much in Atlanta that dandelion blossoms are blowing through the air, looking like traveling sparkles.

I hope you have a sparkling weekend!

Visit, satisfaction and warbling

- Another visit on Tuesday in Milledgeville to a home a few miles away, the family home that we are preparing to sell. When mom and dad moved their young family here, she lovingly planted this azalea so there would be some color in that corner in the spring.

- The satisfaction of gathering a couple of items to donate to the silent auction to benefit my church's preschool program this weekend. I always enjoy this event and it was fun to hand over the hand-blown wine glasses that I have never used, and the never worn watch, still in the box, with the dangling heart-shaped watch face. I hope someone will want them. :)

- Sitting in my car in front of my condominium building to finish a work related phone call, and watching neighbor Marion and his friend Hilda enter his place. They met more than 60 years ago and have always remained friends. When I exit my car, I can hear the faint sound of his piano playing and her sweet voice warbling a tune.

Imagine, loading up and magnificence

The Stovall-O'Brien-Beecher-DeGraffenreid-Calloway-Conn-Gardner House (aka House of 13 columns), Milledgeville, Georgia, ca. 1825

- A visit to my parents' attorneys in Milledgeville, Georgia, is delightful for the opportunity to finally go inside this lovely house in which they have their offices. It was designed by John Marlor in the Federal and Greek style and the fanlight over the door is a feature of the style of architecture of that era. The columns are thought to represent Georgia as the 13th American colony. As I take my leave, I imagine what it must have been like to stand on that porch in 1825.

- A visit to Ryal's Bakery around the corner from the house is a must and I load up a box of brownies and iced shortbread cookies for my next stop to my clients at the cultural center in Madison, Georgia. The goodies are a selfless gift to the clients for our meeting. Really.

- Arriving at the cultural center (which was a school until 1957) and before the clients appear, a beautifully coiffed woman in a navy suit appears at the door and asks if I know where the stage is. I do and show her. No - she wants to go on the stage, she used to appear in plays here in high school until she graduated in 1951. I locate a side stage door and she goes in. As I turn to go back to the conference room, I hear singing. She has burst into the song, "Because." I walk around to the auditorium and listen while her grandchildren snap pictures. She says the song just came out of her - it was sung at her wedding 59 years ago. She lives in Tucson, Arizona now and has returned to Madison to bury her husband in the family cemetery.

Medusa in the city, nice stuff and violation

Photograph by Vernon M.

- A view of midtown Atlanta seen from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. The glass Medusa-like sculpture is by Dale Chihuly. This was taken during one of those cocktails in the garden tours where the fresh spring air was as lovely as the view.

- Riot Kitty's blog post about Nice Stuff that happened to her lately, leaving me with a decided warm and sunny feeling.

- Having dinner and a catch-up with friend Leisa and the blue cheese slathered burger I have been wanting. And then realizing later I violated my Meatless Monday pledge. So I'll do it today - the meatless thing - and actually do that most days anyway. Cheers!

Bursting, congratulating and lovely

- An impromptu lunch sitting beside Bobby Jones Golf Course, fairly bursting with greenness.

- Overhearing a man congratulating another on his new grandchild through the wall behind my office. Then more discussion between these two very nice men about how great it is to have grandchildren.

- A friend tells of walking her dog in her neighborhood and a daily encounter with a recent immigrant from Russia, who knows one word of English. She likes to pet Cathy's dog, crooning, "Lovely!" over and over.

Tending roses, legacy and just the ticket

- Neighbor Tom, who passed away three years ago, planted this cabbagey rose bush. I tended them during the time his place was up for sale. Seeing them bloom again makes me smile.

- Finally meeting clients after picturing them in my head for two years. We are printing a little catalog that my co-worker Marcus used to handle. It is fun to laugh with them while swapping Marcus stories. Marcus left me the gift of his clients, a wonderful legacy, and also taught me much about the printing business. He would love knowing that he is being discussed after all this time.

- A late night dinner of a hastily thrown together spinach and feta cheese omelet was, as my grandmother used to say, just the ticket.

Thank you for walking with me down memory lane today! I hope you have a lovely weekend full of joy and laughter.

Rural living, tip and locked out

- My sister likens living in her sleepy little town in northern Florida to living in Mayberry. Last night she left a meeting with a group of women all going home in the same general direction. One of them called to say there was a horse in the middle of the road ahead that had gotten loose. Where exactly? she asked. Across from the goats. Ah! She knew exactly where that would be and decided that's what she loves about rural living.

- I thought about my sister yesterday while pumping gas. (She and her husband are in the petroleum distribution business.) She shared a tip not long ago when she was in the car with me. When paying at the pump by credit or debit card, always ask for a receipt. So many people are driving off without paying that you should have your proof of payment with you in the event you are misidentified as an offender and they send the police after your car.

- While trying to get into a building for my own meeting last night, I find I am locked out. So I sit on a nearby bench to wait and take a few moments to look at the fresh green leafy trees, birds checking out a nearby birdhouse and listening to church bells in the distance...

Plantings, washed clean and stumped

- My neighbor planted tons of flowers over the weekend. Especially nice - this flower box that I can see every time I walk out of my front door.

- Early morning rain setting in and leaving everything washed clean of pollen and the air lovely and cool.

- Working in the bindery of the printing plant to assemble one of my print jobs for delivery because we were shorthanded. And enjoying the plant manager's attempt to stump me at guessing what country music artist is playing right now. I was stumped every time.

Luring, happy mail and caffeine

- Mr C's tries to lure the kids in for an event that never really took off this past weekend. The local news frantically reported that the spring break festival of students from colleges and universities known as 'Freaknik' was planning a return to Atlanta in 2010, but it seems to have been much ado about nothing.

- Discovering a batch of old Valentine and birthday cards and smiling at each one. It is lovely to get happy mail like this and especially to savor the dear handwriting.

- Three too quiet co-workers with the Monday morning blues try to think what would make things better. One gets the idea of a Starbucks run, another offers to treat and another offers to go. It was nice to be out again in the early morning to fetch a frappuccino, mocha latte and regular latte.

Scope, weeding out and majesty

- It is difficult to capture the scope of National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia, with graves of veterans and war dead dating back to the Civil War. I just watched a fascinating television program in which actor Matthew Broderick traced his great-great-grandfather to an unmarked grave here. This photo was taken on a misty morning last December as I passed the cemetery on the way to an appointment.

- The satisfying feeling of placing cookbooks back on shelves after the kitchen refurbishing and weeding out the ones that are never looked at or used. And only taking two back out of the Goodwill box.

- Attending a performance of Handel's Messiah Parts 2 and 3, in which the majesty of the final Amen struck the crowd silent for a moment, until the harpsichordist started the applause.

Its share, stroller traffic and props

- Passing this blooming vine every morning in the back of my work place, proving that even a concrete jungle has its share of beauty.

- An early work appointment leads me to the area around the High Museum of Art and a nearby preschool. It is fun to fall in behind sidewalk stroller traffic on a sun dappled morning.

- A polite young man calls in and asks if we could print a series of enlarged words on large card stock - 202 of them to be exact. His indie band needs them for props in their latest video. When he picks them up, I make him promise to let me know when to look for the video on YouTube.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - filled with good things.

Step right in, magic and shop cat

Jacqueline Rucker, Gazebo #2, oil on canvas, State of Georgia art collection

- Walking down the hallway of Georgia Public Broadcasting with artwork hanging on either side, I am struck by this oil on canvas that makes me feel as if I could step right into the painted gazebo.

- A mid-week drive to Madison, Georgia to meet with my clients and passing scene after scene like the one above. When we settle down to our meeting, I say, "Do you feel lucky to live in a place as magical as this?" They smile and say they do.

- A black cat sits on a perch in the window of an antique shop, with two small children and their mother petting her. They leave the shop and the cat settles back down to her nap. The shop owner tells me that the cat once belonged to that family, but left them one day, turned up at her house a couple of miles away and seemed determined to stay. Turns out the family, with two small children, a large dog and two other cats, was just too active for this lovely little creature and she set out to find herself another home. Her new job of shop cat suits her just fine.

Waking up, back together and editing

- Saying in a comment last month that dogwood trees only have white blossoms and Kim in Florida (where are you, Kim?) sent a link showing that there pink ones out there. And this week discovering a pink dogwood tree in the driveway to my condominiums. I just hadn't noticed it before. Thanks Kim!

- Slowly putting my kitchen back together after the cabinets were refinished and the new floor was put in. The wood laminate floor feels cool and smooth under my bare feet.

- Editing all the stuff that had collected on the refrigerator and held up by magnets has been a challenge. But finally deciding to leave the side of the fridge at the entrance to the kitchen bare, and the front of it loaded with family photos and collected magnets.

Hope springs eternal, reality strikes and cleared

- Taking my leave of Crescent Centre by the lake door exit and encountering this feathered friend, hoping for food.

- Realizing how old I am getting when one of the star football players from high school is on Facebook, talking about Weight Watchers Points and how many walks he is getting in this week. He was frozen in time before. Reality strikes again.

- My county library system decides to have a fine forgiveness week featuring food donations that will go to a local shelter. We may bring in one can of food for every dollar in back fines we owe. I rustle up four cans and a smiling lady takes them in. My record is cleared.

Peeking out, hooky and basking

- There aren't as many of them around as there used to be, but the dogwood trees are blooming here and there. I love spotting them peeking out between the other trees. And they have their own festival this weekend in Atlanta.

- Playing hooky from the church grounds clean-up day and feeling only a little guilty about it. My excuse being that the pollen intake would finally send me over the edge.

- Smiling up at neighbors congregating on Marion's balcony and basking in their cheery hellos.

The pollen, down came the rain and the long way

- The Pollen - captured on the top of my car yesterday morning at 6:45am while pumping gas. If you haven't been around it, this is just an indicator of what the sneezing is all about in the south.

- Down came the rain and washed the pollen out. For once, no one was unhappy about the rain. There were yellow puddles and little rivers of yellow running down the driveway at work. And then the rain stopped and the pollen came right back. Sigh.

- The end result is so worth it though - the trees are madly leafing out. The best thing - taking the long way home yesterday and enjoying the green.

...Happy weekend, y'all!

South Pacific, singing all week and patience

- Attending a performance of the play South Pacific at The Fox Theatre with the Fun Girls. It opened with these beautiful typed words by James Michener, “I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific. The way it actually was. The endless ocean. The infinite specks of coral we called islands. Coconut palms nodding gracefully toward the ocean. Reefs upon which waves broke into spray, and inner lagoons, lovely beyond description. I wish I could tell you about the sweating jungle, the full moon rising behind the volcanoes, and the waiting. The waiting. The timeless, repetitive waiting.”

- It is always a treat to just be inside the "fabulous Fox" with its simulated night sky in the ceiling, complete with twinkling lights to simulate stars. And I'll be singing those songs all week, Younger than Springtime, Some Enchanted Evening, etc.

- The Fun Girls lived up to their name once again at a pre-theatre dinner at nearby Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, where the best thing turned out to be a wonderfully patient waiter. :)

Popping out, half off and dear...

- It is lovely to see the buds popping out on trees and it is so warm that the couple next door are already enjoying their deck up in the trees in the evenings.

- A co-worker hits the after Easter sale and brings back half off candy to share at work. My favorite - black jelly beans.

- Receiving emails from someone that begin with "Dear ..." and knowing that this person really does mean the word dear.

Welcome back, needed and what I do

- Right on schedule, the potted Hosta makes an appearance.

- Loading up a box of stray unneeded glassware to take to Goodwill. And saving out a lone wineglass, all its mates broken over the years, deciding it is needed because it is so pretty.

- Sitting with some seminary students at lunch and enjoying their talk of hopes and dreams. When they ask what I "do" - I say all my volunteer positions first, realizing that they mean the most to me.

Carpe diem, marvelous and beaming

- Hearing from all over that the weather turned glorious on the first day of April. Seize the day, indeed!

- Quite possibly the happiest postal worker ever cheerfully processes my package, and thanks me by saying "Have a marvelous day!" He always refers to himself as Mr. Marvelous and I thank him by name as I take my leave.

- The youngest acolyte beams when hearing the important role she will have in the Maundy Thursday service at church - extinguishing the candles in the sanctuary at the conclusion and leading the congregation to the courtyard for an all-night watch fire.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends, and may all good things come your way.

Better Basket Blog Hop

A worthy and delicious cause! A lovely idea - thanks to Mama Zen, Jannie and Talon. I virtually award this basket back and hope others will keep it going. :)

HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES

* Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
* Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
* Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
* Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
* Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this Better Basket Blog Hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
* Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).
* Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.

Happy Easter everyone!

In bloom, like real and lazy

Cheryl Whitestone. Oil on Canvas. Proud Little Gardener

- A glorious day for a road trip to Madison, Georgia for a meeting. Blue skies and dazzling sunshine. The cultural center always has regional artwork for sale and I enjoyed this collection, entitled "Georgia in Bloom."

Cameron Hampton. Wax, grass, wire, pastel, plaster. Wild Boar

- This sleepy looking fellow looks for all the world like the real thing and graces the entrance to the center's shop. The best thing about the meeting today - coffee and a blueberry muffin served on the center's china.

Susan Pelham. Collage. Lazy River

- Images that truly capture the feel of middle Georgia. Reluctantly saying goodbye again and heading north, but leaving with a feeling of peace and well-being. And March - it went out like a lamb.