January

February 1, 2010 · 0 comments

Project 365. A New Year’s resolution to take and post one photo every day during 2010.

1/31/2010 – Lucy. We’ve had so many dark, cloudy, gloomy days this winter. When the sun came out late this morning it made everyone feel better. Including our Lucy. She spent hours on the deck just soaking up all that beautiful sunshine!

1/30/2010 – Fireplace. We’re enjoying a cozy evening with a warm fire. I think I’m getting a little better as a photographer. Trying to figure out how to photograph fire and why I got those funny purple reflections in the pine cones. hmmm…

1/29/2010 – Dadgum Squirrel. This little guy is driving me nuts. I chase him away from my front door two or three times every day. He’s eating up the trim molding around the bottom of the door and sidelights. Anyone know a remedy to keep squirrels away?

1/28/2010 – Pinebloom. I’ve been in south Georgia for much of this week. The drive there takes me through what we call “plantation country.” There are still dozens of old plantations in the area. Most of them are now owned by large corporations and many are hunting preserves. They’re still beautiful places. The owners, thankfully, preserve the beauty and historic details of the houses. I stopped by Pinebloom today to take a few photos. Pinebloom was built in 1850 by a former governor of the state of Georgia, Alfred H. Colquitt. That’s why it’s called the “governor’s mansion.” The home is gorgeous, but the plaque by the entryway caught my attention today.

1/27/2010 – Brother & Sister. This is my grandmother and her “little brother.” She’s 94. He’s 85. They’re very independent people. Each still lives in their own home and does pretty much anything they want. The only thing my grandmother doesn’t do any longer is drive. My mother cooked dinner for everyone tonight and my uncle picked up my grandmother on the way over. He still hunts for arrowheads and indian artifacts all over this area. He also grows his own grapes and makes homemade wine. She’s a voracious reader. They both have memories that will blow you away. It’s amazing to listen to them recalling details from their childhood. Minute details. I tried to catch her smiling, but she’s never sitting still long enough.

1/26/2010 – Ichauway Bridge. When was the last time you saw a one-lane bridge on a dirt road? Have you ever even seen a dirt road much less a one-lane bridge? I’m at my mother’s home for a few days and on my way today I stopped off at Ichauway Plantation to see if the old bridge was still in use. It is indeed there and still in use. I watched two trucks cross it while I was taking photos. This bridge spans the Ichauway-Nochauway (pronounced Itch-a-way-Notch-a-way) Creek in south Georgia. It’s located on what was once the Ichuaway Plantation which was owned by Robert Woodruff, the founder of Coca-Cola. My mother grew up on Ichauway Plantation. Right at the end of that bridge, actually. See the roof in the lower right corner? That’s the little store that’s at the end of the bridge. My grandparents ran the store and they all lived in a house in back of it. My grandfather also worked for the CDC (Communicable Disease Center) at the “experiment station” located on Ichauway. They did malaria research. Perfect area for it since there’s an abundance of mosquitoes. It’s beautiful out there. So quiet. So peaceful.

1/25/2010 – Setting the Table. I know that keeping your dining room table set when you’re not having a meal in the dining room is a decorating faux pas. I don’t care. I like it. It makes me happy to get out the pretty china and crystal and table linens. Setting the table is deeply ingrained in me from my childhood. We always sat down to the table for meals and the table was always properly set. Always. There were no exceptions. It wasn’t fussy or stuffy or formal. It was just the way we lived. So, setting a pretty table makes me feel happy. And that’s why I do it.

1/24/2010 – Jacks. Did you ever play jacks when you were a child? My sister and I used to play for hours at a time. I still enjoy it and it fascinates the grandkids to watch!

1/23/2010 – Chinese Checkers. I found this vintage set of Chinese Checkers at a local antiques mall. Love the colors.

1/22/2010 – Cook’s Tools. All cooks need new tools once in a while. Saw this set of colorful measuring cups and couldn’t resist.

1/21/2010 – Black Beans and Rice. Shooting photos for an upcoming blog post.

1/20/2010 – A Little Bit of Summer. Wishing for the warm days of summer but we’ll just have to make do with these silken substitutes until then.

1/19/2010 – Afternoon Sun. Late afternoon sun through my dining room window.

1/18/2010 – Lime Zest. Getting ready to bake some cupcakes.

1/17/2010 – Huevos and Grits, Y’all. Photo for tomorrow’s blog post which I call “Huevos and Grits, Ya’ll.” Cheese grits topped with fried eggs and picante sauce. Kind of a cross between a southern and a southwestern breakfast.

1/16/2010 – Winter Garden Surprise. Today was the first Saturday that the temperature has been above freezing since before Christmas, so BeeBop and I got outside and did some deck and yard clean up before the rain set in. While cleaning out the herb garden I found several leeks and a handful of sage. What a surprise! Gotta use these “survivors” in something soon.

1/15/2010 – Friday Night Dinner. Friday night before a long weekend. What better for a relaxed, laid-back dinner than pizza and salad!

1/14/2010 – Choices. What to choose for an evening snack? The last of the Christmas kisses or a nice, perfectly ripe orange. Hmmm…

1/13/2010 – BeeBop. This is my true love, Bill, also known to our grandchildren and nieces as BeeBop. I talk about him often in my posts. I’ll let you in on a little secret – we’ve been married 22 years and haven’t ever had a fight. That’s right…not even one. People have a hard time believing that, but it’s true!

1/12/2010 – Pinecones. I love pine trees. The long-needled varieties especially. Those are native to south Georgia and just seeing these pinecones reminds me of home.

1/11/2010 – Oh my darlin’ Clementine. Clementines make a perfect afternoon snack. Easy to peel, sweet and low in calories.

1/10/2010 – Toffee Bars. Shot taken for an upcoming recipe post.

1/9/2010 – Nandina. One of the few plants that provide color in the winter landscape. This one is just outside my garage door.

1/8/2010 – Snowy Morning. Looking out my front door this morning. Even the smallest amount of snow here in North Georgia is an event. We’re just not equipped to handle it, so everyone simply stays home! Hubby worked from home all day today. It was so nice to have him around.

1/7/2010 – Vessels. Two of my recent Christmas gifts. A beautiful red Emile Henry casserole and a fabulous flame Le Creuset dutch oven.

1/6/2010 – Asparagus Fern. This fern traveled with us from south Georgia when we moved here 2 1/2 years ago. It lives in my office where I see it every day. Before that it lived on my screened porch for about 3 years. Wonder how long ferns can live?