Opting for the Porch/Truck

How great is this guy? He lives next door to the farm. I mean, how South Georgia is this? The answer is, a ton. And I love it. Ever heard that phrase, "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch"? His choice is clear. And I think he's fine with it.


Love how he becomes totally unconcerned with us and goes back to sleep. Typical southern guard dog.....LAID back.


And even though this over the shoulder shot looks like he's still a little unsure about us - he could either go back to sleep, or kill us in 3 seconds flat, I like to think he's sayin' "Ya'll Come Back..."


And we shall.

More Fun on the Farm

When each grandchild was born, my grandfather named a "street" on the farm after us. Which I thought was so cool. Although, let's take a look at how my street sign has fallen much further into disrepair than Clay's has.


I'm trying not to take that personally. Or as any kind of confirmation that Clay is, in fact, the favorite child. Or as a reminder of the fact that I am just old. I suppose I should just be grateful that my sign is still standing at all. Because I think that the "Clarke's Path" sign has been missing for years. And "Phillip's Crossing" is barely even a road anymore. Yes, feeling slightly better now. Moving on...

Many more adventures to be had on the farm...

Fishing



Clay displaying his inner redneck.


The Row-Thru Brewery


My grandfather's tool shed.


The old dinner bell on the porch of the cabin.


A girl should always have a boat named after her. Even if it's just a row boat.



Family football


Clarke and Phillip celebrate their mad skillz


Clay & Haley celebrate, while Philip suffers the agony of defeat.


And of course, fun with the dogs.


Toby trying to enjoy the remnants of someone's lunch.



Prancing with her Stick


Haley was so smart, she realized that even when we were relaxing on the porch, she could still get us to thrown the ball for her if she dropped it through the railing and it landed at our feet. Clever girl.


Toby has always been afraid of loud noises. One day out at the farm someone nearby must have been skeet shooting or something, because there were lots of big noises like gun shots. Toby got a little freaked out. Well, at the same time, Dad and Clay headed out in the row boat to do a little fishing. Now, Toby does not swim. He will wade out in the water sometimes, but only up to his belly. But the big noises spooked him and, and he set off swimming, following Dad and Clay and the boat, as if he desperately wanted to be in there with them. That was clearly the only safe place to be.


It's as if he's saying, "No, Let me in, let me in."


Then the boys made it out to the middle of the lake and Tobe ran around to try and get in the boat from over there. Here you can see the boat and the tiny speck that is Toby, to the left of them.


We finally coaxed him out. Here he's saying, "Don't let them shoot me, ok?"


He did ultimately live to tell the tale.

Edgebrook Farm

One of the biggest parts of going to Georgia is spending time at our family's farm, which my parents bought the year I was born. 60 some acres, a cabin, a pond and a kind of sad little Christmas tree farm (we always end up with a sparse-ish, Charlie Brown tree, but I love it that it comes from our farm). The farm is also where old cars come to die. Dad and Uncle Chuck have a thing for old cars and we've got at least 10-12 of them living out the rest of their days at Edgebrook Farm. We took lots of pictures, as they were amazing.




This is an old army uniform that my grandfather found years ago. No idea how old it is, except that it looks like it's from the Civil War.




This is a front part of a car that somehow made it into the attic of the barn. No idea.




Geoff also did a photo shoot of me on the tractor. Cause why wouldn't you, when there's a tractor?


This one looks like it could have been my senior picture. Love it.



Another large part of family time is always made up of Clay (and now Geoff) flying remote control airplanes. On one of the many flight attempts, the plane got stuck in a tree.


So naturally, Clay tied a bucket to a long piece of string, swing the bucket around a few times and launched it into the tree to knock the plane down. It also got stuck.


Clay laughing at the mess he got himself into. And ps, I will take credit for that Tshirt, as I think it is hysterical. I gave it to him a few Christmases ago. El Camino, the Mullet of Cars.


Next came many attempts to launch a football into the tree.


Haley was also very helpful and brought her football over, in case we needed it.


Until the football got stuck. Here you can see...plane, bucket on string, football all up there together.


Finally Geoff found the world's longest pipe, just laying around, unattached to anything, and that eventually did the trick. Does this remind anyone of The World's Longest Rake from Thanksgiving?


The plane was finally rescued, and the boys set off for the big field to fly the plane again, only to immediately lodge it in the tallest tree on the farm. Where it remains to this day.

Swainsboro, GA

We spent Christmas in Georgia with my family. It was our first Christmas together and I was really glad Geoff and I were able to be with my family. Christmas has always been the same. At my grandparents house on West Main Street, and my brother and I always had to walk down the stairs and round the corner at the EXACT same time, so no one got to see what Santa brought first. Both grandparents are gone now, but their wonderful house is still our gathering place at Christmas, and it's the one time during the year when I see my extended family.

Decorating the tree with my cousin Clarke.


Half an hour later while I was wrapping presents in the dining room, we heard a big thud and found this.


Don't worry, the tree was righted and Christmas was saved. And look at this AWESOME ornament that Mom made for me and Geoff! I love it.


Clay opening one of his presents from Geoff and me. I just thought he might need a little help. This book was written by an actual second grader. Clay read it and found a lot of good pointers.


Chuck opening a gift from Clay. The world's biggest flask.


My aunt and Uncle gave us this awesome "Boka" sign. There's an artist who goes around taking photographs of letters and things that look like letters. So cool. The "o" is a drain. How creative is that? And yes, I cried when I opened it.


In the butler's pantry of my grandparents' house are some old medicine bottles...some still with medicine in them. So cool looking.



And here I am, peeking in at Geoff from the outside of the butler's pantry.


Whenever we went to Georgia as kids, we always ended up playing with the children of my dad's high school classmates who were still living in town. The Braggs and the Smiths were our constant playmates. And Mary Bragg, the youngest of the Braggs (who also lives in NYC now, and is a great singer/songwriter) got married this year too. So, mom and dad had planned a little "Meet the Newlyweds" party for both Geoff and I and Mary (Bragg) and Jimmy Sullivan.



Musician's corner. Mary & Jimmy Sullivan talking shop with Uncle Jon.


Little Rosemary (daughter of Mary's brother, Ira) was an animal lover. Toby was a perfect friend. I believe he was wearing a little girl's headband at one point. And just sat there calmly wearing it, not bothered at all.


Rosemary got a li' upset later on in the evening. If Daddy's going to keep her up past her bedtime, at least let her play Wii Race Cars too!


Post party - Chuck is famous for feeding Toby people food. Caught red handed.


The boys smoke cigars on the sun porch after the party.


Another Christmas gift that made me cry, was this ladle. Down near the actual ladle part, Dad had my initials engraved on it with the year we got married. Before me, it was my grandmother's (my dad's mom) and her initials are on the top of the handle, with the year she got married (1946). And if you turn the ladle over, on the back are the initials of my great-great grandmother and the year she got married (1855). And she once lived in NYC (at 2nd Avenue and 10th Street). Its so special that this belonged to both of them before it belonged to me.