Who said that lighting snow doesn’t strike twice in the same place! We had snow on January 21 and now 11 months later we’ve got it again. Merry Christmas!
Category: Nature
Our family had an eventful weekend. We drove to Meridian on Friday and while TJ went to work with me (Thanks to everyone at work who assisted me!), JJ and the girls attended a Flat Stanley musical at the Riley Center.
We traveled from there to Tuscaloosa and stayed the night in Candlewood Suites. Their suites were really nice, maybe because it had only been opened for two weeks. Earlier this year I joined this Priority Club that allows you accumulate points when you stay in one of their selected Hotels. Even if you travel only a few times each year I would recommend joining. You will eventually earn a free night stay.
Since Alabama didn’t have a football game on Saturday, we drove to campus first thing to show the kids around and to visit the Paul W. Bryant Museum. We had a great time watching videos and viewing memorabilia of the “Bear”. The museum is well done and I would recommend it to all football fans, even if you don’t yell “Roll Tide” after every prayer.
We left from there and attended the family reunion. The kids had a great time chasing the family dog and ridding a golf cart, while JJ and I enjoyed visiting with her family. On our way back we decided to stop off at Dunn’s Falls just South of Meridian. I had always wanted to stop, but had never taken the time. We got there with only about 20 minutes of sunlight. While the grist mill only turns if/when they open the gates, there is a steady water fall at the base of this bluff. It is really beautiful! It reminds me of areas I’ve seen at the base of the Smoky Mountains. All in all we had a great trip.
Yesterday afternoon we took the family to Mitchell Farms in Collins. We went with some other families that are a part of our Vintage Group. If you haven’t been, it’s a great 2-3 hour trip for the family. Here is a recent newspaper article about the farm. I’m posting a few pictures on Facebook from our visit. By the way, be sure to pick up some of their boiled peanuts, sweet taters, and honey.
Three years ago today Hurricane Katrina blew through Mississippi and while most of the country watched New Orleans flood, {because of levy failure} South Mississippi took the blunt of the force. It is difficult to describe the general feelings of our community following the storm. There was much fear, and much uncertainty, and a sense that God had visited us.
Katrina reminded us all that this life is brief and that all the material things we see with our eyes will one day vanish in an instant. This, FINAL STORM, will not be a storm of wind, but a storm of fire. It will blow across all that we have worked for and will ultimately reveal the quality of the workmanship and the foundation on which our life was built. So with Gustav spinning we’re reminded again both physically and spiritually. Prepare, Bunker down, and Pray.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NIV)
I took a day of vacation last week and we took the kids biking on the Longleaf trace. It’s a great place to go that allows the kids to exert some energy and (other than the gas to get to there) it’s free. Here are some pointers for biking with kids on the trace.
- Plan a relatively short trip. We traveled 2 miles from Clyde Depot to the Beaver Pond, and 2 miles back for 4 miles total round trip.
- Bring plenty of snacks and drinks (This will help with point three).
- Make frequent stops so their little legs can rest. This is especially true of kids that are on small bikes that don’t allow them to coast without peddling. “Dad my legs hurt really bad!”
- Take a First Aid kit. We had a three bike pile-up, where I ran over my daughter and a friend’s son! Not good.
- You may want to consider taking a weapon of sorts, especially if you go late in the evening. A knife is good enough for me, but if you are like M.D. you should be packing at all times.
Finally, Have fun!
Between week 7 and week 9 it took off!
And some {seed} fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. Luke 8:8 (ESV)
Read the first post in this series is here.
- Last Friday my Dad and I went to “Bill Waller” and caught 30+ brim. Cleaned them, fried them, and ate them all within an hour. It was primitive living at its finest.
- I went to the Southern Miss vs. LSU baseball game last night. The Eagles lost their 3rd straight, after being on a tear for the last 12 or so games. It was the largest crowed on record at Pete Taylor Park, 5650 in attendance.
- I was driving down 4th street this afternoon and I kept hearing a helicopter over head. After a mile or so the sound kept getting louder. I looked out my window and about 100 feet off the ground there were two Blackhawk helicopters coming toward me! They landed on Pride Field at Southern Miss. So I pulled in and got this pic on my cell phone. They were giving ROTC solders rides around town. Pretty intimidating to see one of these take off.
As of last week we have our garden “in the ground”. A few years ago we planted a small garden in an effort to teach our kids about how things are planted, grow, and harvested. However at the time we didn’t have the appropriate tools. We borrowed someone’s tiller to break up the ground, but after several weeks, weeds overtook the garden and we had no recourse because I didn’t have a tiller.
However last spring, I went to HomeDeopt and found a refurbished MTD rear-tine tiller. (Hint: If you time it right you can get some great deals. I purchased it at half price.) Although they are more expensive that the front-tine, they are much easier to maneuver because of the powered wheels that move it along. So last week we broke ground, created some rows, and planted a variety of veggies & flowers. Stay tuned for updated pictures of the garden through the summer.
