Ah, Summer....

...What power you have to make us suffer and like it. -Russel Baker. If you've ever spent any amount of time in the South during the three months known both as heaven and hell- especially in the whereabouts of Alabama or Mississippi- you understand this quote all too well. It's a time of melted make-up, sunburned shoulders, and luke warm beer. But, for me, it's also a reminder of how beautiful the world around us can be. That being said, I'd like to leave you with some images from my beautiful summer so far....

"Earth laughs in flowers."-Emerson

A SummerTime Bride. Taken at Scott and Jaclyn Collum's wedding at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

"A garden is to be a world unto itself..."- William Kent

So there is my sweet, Southern summer thus far. It feels like it's been summer for months now, but apparently it's been only a week or so. I can't wait to spend every moment I can enjoying it's gifts. Happy Summer to you!

Happy Birthday Big Gu!

Big Shout Out to my wonderful husband, Gusty! His birthday is in just a few hours! Happy Birthday, babe!

Everytime I find the meaning of life...they change it...

Change seems to be all around us. It's the word of the day this year- political change, religious change, social change. Endless change has become a relentless constant in our lives. The bad news is that change can be hard and is often complicated. The good news is that if you're reading this blog, you're most likely of a generation that greets change at the door with a warm smile, a big hug, and invites them in for a cold beer and some friendly banter. I asked some friends to take a clever "Cosmo"-style "what's in? what's out? approach to change and report back. The results were classic wit:

In: Out:

Green/ Goth
PDA's/ PDA
Blogs/ Beepers
Reality/ Shows Reality
Texting/ Talking
Hybrid/ High Octane
Email/ Snail Mail (This one is a personal tragedy for me)
Climate change/ Global Warming
Corporate Responbility/ Corporate Greed

The moral (if there is one) to this ditty is to chill out when it comes to our world's constant state of modification. Don't take change so seriously. Adopt change....or don't...who cares really? Either way, consider it, ponder it, brood over it like a cup of hot tea, and for crying out loud QUESTION it! But don't ignore it, because the world will pass by with little regard for your inability to cope. Accept, decline, or abstain- your choice.

The thing about change that is so enticingly liberating is that while it gives you just one more opportunity to actively make your own choices, it's still going to happen...with or without you. It happened before you. It will happen after you, and it's how you deal that defines you. Change...deal with it.

4 Is the Most Fabulous Number!!!

Big Shout out to my four followers today!!!! LOVE YA'LL!!! You are so presh!!!!