Blue morning, giving thanks and family time

A little catching up to do - I haven't posted in almost a month!  Going backwards, starting with last Saturday morning.

Last Saturday morning - 7:30am - the view from my front door.  A blue morning in a winter wonderland.  We are not accustomed to snow in Georgia.  I can't think of the last time it snowed.  It was glorious while it lasted. 

 It was already melting in the afternoon, once the temps rose.  Snowmen were everywhere, but my favorite was this little one on the table in front of Five Guys.

Not to worry - I was sitting completely still when I snapped this photo on Friday afternoon, during the harrowing ride home.  Georgians don't know how to drive on snow, y'all.  It took me two hours to go 20 miles, but it was lovely to get a fire going and have a little sofa nap later.  AND to wake up to that blue morning the next day.

Thanksgiving Day was spent in Fayetteville, Georgia at my cousin's house and the extended family.  Because my immediate family was coming together from Atlanta, Virginia, Florida and Mexico, we stayed at a hotel the night before.  I didn't realize how starved I was for family time until we were all together.  Favorite moment:  a smiling older couple from Detroit, Michigan were also staying at the hotel and just before they got on the elevator to go up to their room, they spontaneously jitterbugged for several seconds.  We applauded.  It was that kind of fun night.

 My cousin's home has lots of space, indoors and out, for the 40+ family gathered together in Thanksgiving.  We convoyed to my sister and brother-in-law's farm in northern Florida on Thanksgiving afternoon.

Thanksgiving crafts by two great-nieces on Friday morning. 

And all the little ones got a tractor ride on Saturday, before everyone drove away.  A lovely few days.

Next week - holiday magic.

Having a moment, before and after

I got caught up in traffic madness in Atlanta last week and have not been visiting blogs at all, so I'll be catching up while I adjust to the "New Normal" of navigating to and from work without I-85.  For those who haven't heard about it, more here.

Meanwhile - a few scenes from the wedding weekend:

The day before the wedding, my sister and I were watching a crew set up for the wedding from her bedroom window (setting up tables and chairs for the reception, stringing lights on the outdoor cook shed, where the band would play, etc.)  She said, "This is like a Steel Magnolias moment!" 

Remember the tree from the prior post?  There it is ahead, waiting for the big moment, as guests arrive.

I've never seen this property look so park-like.  They consider the property to be a deer sanctuary - hunting is off limits, so it's not unusual for them to wander through.  I imaged them off in the woods, during the ceremony, peering out at the festivities.

The church pews were loaned to the bride by a friend, for the family to sit in during the ceremony.  I loved the mason jars with baby's breath hanging on the edge of the pews.

And after the ceremony, as the family awaited being photographed as a (big) group.  The hunting buggy in the background there brought the bride and her father to the ceremony spot.  It's from the plantation where she works.

It was all so gorgeous - one of the most beautiful weddings I've every attended.  And the reception was great fun.  The best part was seeing a couple so dedicated to each other and the looks on their faces when she was walking forward to marry him.

The wedding tree

My niece will marry her sweetheart this weekend under the natural arched branch of this Live Oak tree, on the grounds of her parent's home in northern Florida.  I can just envision the chairs lined up in front of it now.  I am so delighted to be a part of this well-planned event.  More next week.

I hope your weekend is merry and bright!

Path of blossoms, closure and her story

- The shedding dogwood tree leaves a lovely blossom path.  Late afternoon at Crestlawn Cemetery in Atlanta.  When I blogged about looking for my beloved late great aunt's grave in February - post found here - I didn't mention that when I found her grave, it didn't have a date of death on it, and she passed away in 1983.  My cousin asked if I was certain that she was actually buried there, but I attended the graveside service back then, so the answer was yes.  The gravestone is one of those double ones - husband on one side, wife on the other.  Her husband died in the late 1960s and at that time, her name was put on the stone, too, + her date of birth, just awaiting her death.  It looks as if no one ever followed up on that after her death; the cemetery owners assuring me that no one ever paid to have that done.  Hmmm.  I had no way of proving that (cousin's father - the executor of her will - has also passed away), so I enlisted my sisters help and we paid to have her date of death put in place.  I went to see it yesterday afternoon and her date of death has been added now.  I feel better.  I knew her well enough to know, that would have bothered her. This is she, below, the laughing woman on the right (click to enlarge):

 - Aunt H and her friend were on a trip to London (early 1970s, I think) and someone snapped a photo of them on the street.  She lived in the Candler Park neighborhood in Atlanta in a house with a big front porch.  I liked to sit there with her in the porch swing. We were each others only relative in Atlanta; she had no children.  I told the cemetery representative her story, so he would know she wasn't just another name on a sea of gravestones.  She worked for Rich's Department Store for 30 years, in the flagship store in downtown Atlanta.  She always dressed very stylishly, in beautiful suits.  I remember going with her to Rich's for suit shopping once - she chose a lovely, peach one she had had her eye on, and then we went to dinner.  She passed away not long after that.  I miss her very much and was so glad to put some closure on her final resting place, where her body rests next to her beloved Clarence.

A sentimental post today. The photo above is just one I love, taken in Thomasville, Georgia, a few years ago.  It seemed like a good note to end on this morning.  Hope you have a lovely weekend, my friends!

A good thing, I ♥ our weather and fun at the park

A beautiful blossom from the garden I visited on Sunday.

- Asking my mother, during our daily call, if anything good happened to her that day. She thinks about it and says she loved having her feet soaked. A good thing! I say.

- My afternoon walk was under a lovely blue, cloudless sky with the temperature around 70 degrees. I ♥ the weather we are having this week.

- A studious looking Bulldog trots by going in the other direction at the park, a red ball in his mouth, intent on his destination; his smiling owner close behind. I see them later at the dog park, the dog lying in the grass chewing on the ball; the owner trying to get it from him to throw. :)