Georgia on my mind ...

Georgia is on my mind ... I have to drive back again next week from Nashville to my house in Greater Atlanta for the early voting of the senate runoffs. I already drove twice there to vote last month (500 miles round trip each.)

Georgia is also on everyone's mind because of this important election. Why is this election important? The Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper explained it well in their December 11, 2020 article: Here is part of it: "Why are the Democrats and Republicans flooding Georgia with more than $400 million in television ads? Why has Vice President Mike Pence visited five Georgia cities in two weeks? And why is President-elect Joe Biden taking a day away from building his administration to travel to Atlanta, as he will on Tuesday? It all comes down to Georgia's two U.S. Senate seats, both up for grabs in the Jan. 5 runoffs and now suddenly key to the early success of Biden's presidency. Control of the U.S. Senate rests on the outcome in Georgia." So you understand why Georgia is on everyone's mind right now.

Actually, "Georgia on My Mind" became the state of Georgia's official song on April 24, 1979 when Governor George Busbee signed it into law. Singer Ray Charles (1930-2004,) who had made the song famous, performed it on March 7, 1979, in front of a joint meeting of the GA Senate and House of Representatives. I remember watching him on television that day. The song was originally written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in the 1930s; it was one of Ray Charles' (born in Albany, Georgia on Sep. 23, 1930) biggest hits. I watched him again, live, in 1996 when he performed it in Atlanta's Centennial Park during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Below are pictures of Ray Charles in Atlanta in 1979 (courtesy the AJC.)

Georgia on my Mind, now the official anthem of Georgia, has been a very popular song recorded by many artists, among them: Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Etta James, Eric Clapton, Peggy Lee, Tom Jones, Oscar Peterson, Willie Nelson, Dean Martin, Gladys Knight, Led Zeppelin, Leon Russell and many more. In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine declared it one of the top 50 greatest songs of all time. You can find a rendition of it from all these artists on YouTube. Below is an early rendition by Ray Charles.

My husband, two daughters and I moved to Atlanta in early 1973 when my husband was offered a position in the then Governor Jimmy Carter's administration. We lived there until the end of 2017. Now I live in Georgia part-time as it is still my main residence; I live in Nashville, Tennessee, the rest of the time. On my blog I have shown many photos taken in various parts of the state (and I'll show several in this post.) For my friends overseas I'll give some information. Georgia is located in the southeastern U.S. It was named after King George II of Britain and was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirtheen Colonies. Below are vintage postcards of Atlanta. (Click on collage to enlarge.)

The US state of Georgia has an area of 59,425 square miles or 153,909 km2. It is about half the size of Italy; population in 2019 was close to 11 million (including 6 million in Greater Atlanta.)

Georgia is known for its peanuts, peaches and pecans. Its poultry and egg production is worth $4 billion and its cotton is the no. 1 row crop value in the state. Below, two lower photos on the right are a cotton field and some cotton photos I took several years ago. In the center are a fresh bag of peanuts and a bag of pecan pralines I received this week from Southern Grace Farms in Enigma, Georgia. It is owned by the McMillan family who, for eight generations (since their Scottish ancestors came in 1774,) has been farming in South Georgia.

Georgia's terrain is very varied with farmland, mountains, coastal beaches, wild areas, swamps, numerous lakes, waterfalls, white water streams and a great river, the Chattahoochee. It truly is a beautiful state and offers a myriad of landscape to phogograph.

My house is in Greater Atlanta, in Cobb County, in the northwest part of the state. I love the sea but it is about a 4 1/2 hour drive from my house, about the same distance as from my GA house to the one in Nashville. The North Georgia Mountains are close though and there are stunning vistas in the Appalachian Mountains. Last year I traveled to Spring Mountain in Fannin County where the Appalachian Trail starts, then goes 2000+ miles to the state of Maine.

Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, is the birthplace of Coca-Cola and home of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic site. Atlanta has the busiest international airport in the planet. The city of Augusta hosts the famous Masters Golf tournament and the city of Savannah is famed for its lovely historic architecture and leafy public squares. The University of Georgia founded in 1785 is one of the oldest public universities in the nation. In addition to Coca-Cola, Atlanta is the headquarters for several large corporations: Home Depot, Delta, Equifax, Georgia Pacific and UPS.

Even though much of the state was burnt during the Civil War it still has quite a number of antebellum mansions.

One historic house I usually visit at Christmas time for its decoration and in the spring for its quilt show is Bulloch Hall in Roswell, GA. I miss not visiting it this year because of the virus.

Having been born, raised and lived in Paris until I came to San Francisco in the 1960s (where I lived ten years,) most of my life has been in Georgia and I guess I am now a Franco-Georgian (the state that is, not the country.) I like its cuisine and cook many southern dishes. For example every New Year's Day I prepare the traditional Hoppin' John recipe with greens and corn bread for good luck throughout the year.

Other Georgia-themed songs are "Midnight train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight (an Atlanta native) and the Pips and "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton, and so many others. One of the early songs I heard was "Georgia" by Elton John in 1978. Elton John lives part time in Atlanta in his luxury high rise condo in the Buckhead area.

What you may not know is that Georgia is the Hollywood of the South. In 2016 more major feature films were made in Georgia than in California (Black Panther, Avengers, The Ballad of Richard Jewell, Lovecraft Country, Ozark, Fast and Furious, Baby Driver, etc.) The Georgia Film Commission started in 1973 with Governor Jimmy Carter who recognized the profitable revenues from the Burt Reynolds' movie "Deliverance." The state offers quite advantageous tax incentives for film productions. Large studios are constantly being built in Georgia to accomodate the growth of this industry. It is not unusual to see actors in Atlanta and other areas. Actually I literally bumped into Clint Eastwood in Savannah some years ago. (See "Savannah's Book ... and Clint Eastwood." Below just two of the several studios. The Atlanta Studio Complex below was for decades the Atlanta Fairgrounds where I used to visit the monthly flea markets.

When I saw that the film "The Blind Side" starring Sandra Bullock had been filmed in Atlanta I had planned to visit local locations from movies and write a post, but then I realized too many films had been filmed here. With the film and television industries and a concentration of high tech companies in the state a more educated work force has turned Georgia blue (Democrat) to the fury of D. Trump. Television series are also set in Georgia like The Walking Dead, Sharp Objects, Stranger Things, Moon and Me, and Sweet Magnolias. I have not watched the Sweet Magnolias series but understand it is filmed in Covington, GA, where Vampire Diaries and In the Heat of the Night were filmed, as well. Looking at the Greek revival mansion from the series I remembered taking its picture several years ago while in Covington, see my post here "Spring in the Deep South, part 1." (The fictional town in the series is Serenity, South Carolina.)

Because of the coronavirus I have not been able to travel very far. For now all my trips will lead me back to Georgia until my house is cleared out - and that will take some time ... so Georgia will stay on my mind.

I'll end up with one of my favorite instrumentals of Georgia on my Mind. It is from my 2019 CD by the UK Peter Frampton Band.

The music we hear now is mostly Christmas Carols or Holiday Music. It will be a bittersweet season as we wish to enjoy it but are filled with desolation at the amount of grief our country and the world is going through because of the coronavirus. I wish you all a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas and a peaceful holiday season.

Stay safe, wear a mask and keep your distance.

10 year blog anniversary, its history and more

Ten years! A very long time when you are a child, but as a senior with a different perception of time, it seems the years went by quickly.  I have enjoyed writing for this blog and visiting my friends' blogs as well.  It has provided me with many hours of fun, creativity and gave me support during my late husband's long illness.  I am back in Georgia right now where spring is exploding with more color than in Tennessee, maybe because azaleas and dogwood trees thrive better here.  Some of the pictures below have already been shown in earlier posts.  The pink azalea bush on the top left of collage was taken yesterday in my backyard.  Click on collage to see better.

Now, let me explain how I started and kept this blog.  I owe the beginning of my blog to three persons, actually.  Ten years or so ago my husband's cousin Lyle who is a physician retired now from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta wrote some of his memoirs for the family.  He constantly urged me to write my remembrance of growing up in Paris so that my grandchildren would know about it.  I did not think my memoirs would be that interesting, certainly not like his memoirs.  When I talked to him on my last visit to Atlanta he gave me so much information on his career in the medical detection field that it would take a full post to explain it.  I'll have a post on him later as he is writing a biographical book and promised to give me an early copy.  He started his career as part of the first Peace Corps medical staff sent to Nigeria in the late 1960s.  He cared for patients during the Nigerian-Biafran civil war, from both sides of the conflict.  He became the staff physician for the Peace Corps in Africa at that time.  Then he pursued a long career as a public health hero at the CDC.  He traveled widely and constantly investigating disease outbreaks and finding ways to stop them, such as the Ebola virus.  He was deployed in many parts of the world and in the US as well.  Through a lifelong dedication to public health, Jim's cousin Lyle is certainly one of the main godfathers of epidemiology.  Below are some photos from Lyle's files.

As we were talking about writing my Paris remembrances then, I happened to read an article on the New York Times about Ronni Bennett, the owner of the popular blog on aging, Time Goes By
(Timegoesby.net, ) who was saying: "The Internet provides people with a new way to tell their story.  When the grandkids aren't interested in listening anymore, older people can still share their stories and get feedback.  The technology makes it simple."  I went to her blog and saw that one could send a story to her and be published.  I thought I could send her some of my recollections and did send her one about a first kiss which was published.  Later I included this story in my first anniversary post "First anniversary and recollection of a first kiss."  Concurrently my husband and I went to celebrate my birthday in Long Beach, California, where our daughter was living at the time.  I told her about writing some articles for Times Goes By.  She replied that only a few of my stories may be published and it would be better to start my own blog.  Of course I had no idea how to do that, but she did.  She helped me set up the blog after we found a title for it.  So I owe my blog to Ronni Bennett, the second person and to my eldest daughter, the third person.  I spent some time looking at photos I have taken during these last 10 years to include in this post.  (Click on collage twice to enlarge photos.) 

 I thought my blog would include more stories from my past in France, but then we found out that my husband Jim had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  This changed my blog.  I read everything I could find on Alzheimer's as I knew very little.  I found out that each person's disease is unique but that stimulation to the brain (reading, talking, socializing, traveling, etc.) as well as a healthy diet could slow down the disease.  I also realized that as my husband was losing his short-term memory he could, for a long time, remember events if he saw pictures of them.  I started to take many photos of the same subject, with different cameras, and then showing them to him, and asking him to decide which picture to publish.  It slowed down the posts, but I do believe that it helped him.  He patiently waited during our travels while I took picture after picture of buildings, flowers, animals, food and more so he could better recall them later (I did not tell him why I took so many.)  It would take a while for him to check them as he would have to study up to 300 pictures per post!  For stimulation I also asked him to read every paragraph I wrote, telling him to correct my English.

I remember as we would visit historic buildings, castles in Europe or mansions such as Bulloch Hall here in Roswell that has yearly Christmas and spring quilt shows, I took a great number of photos with both my Nikon and another little camera, my Sony or Cannon.  Then it was Jim's turn to decide which ones I should use.  I know it was a good tool for his brain stimulation.  Now of course, I need to go back and delete all these duplicate photos taking my computer memory.

I would spend hours figuring where we could go, far away or close by, so he would have many visual opportunities, and we would write posts on them.  I studied all the offers on the Internet for budget travels such as 2 for 1 price cruises - as those we took to Hawaii and Alaska.  I would also find out if there were any special events or festival close by, as you can see by the 3 top pictures in the collage above - a re-enactment week-end.  I have not had time to write posts on many of these trips and have enough pictures and material to write posts for the next 3 or 4 years, even if I don't step away from home!  Of course we took many photos of animals and visited several zoos to see them, in Atlanta, Columbus, OH, Houston, TX, Brooklyn NY, Paris, France, Memphis, TN, in Hawaii, West Palm Beach, FL, Tampa, FL, the kangaroo Center in North GA, and many other places (in addition to hundreds of cat and tree pictures.)  Or we saw them in the wild, such as the baby alligator in Florida, the lambs in a field in the Louisbourg National Historic Site, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, the reindeer in Norway Arctic Circle, and the bear below while in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Birds were another favorite.  Toward the end of his illness my husband could not read anymore but he could look at bird books all afternoon as well as each cat in his one-cat-a-day calendar.  It was difficult now to choose which bird photos to include here.

Flowers of course with such an array of colors and shapes were always included in our series of photos and required critical inspection.  My home-made therapy for my husband's disease was quite time consuming.  The trips research, the photos, the posts and decision on photos did not leave much time to take care of the house.  I thought I would do it later - and am doing it now.

As my husband's illness progressed it was difficult for him to remember the beginning of sentences and we would have to read my post paragraphs 6, 7 or more times.  Then when he could not longer read it was the constant reappraisal of the photos.  I did try to be patient but at times it was not easy.  I knew that my blog was our therapy, so we kept at it - for almost ten years!  Even as late as early last year I would ask his opinion on my photos.

Even when we went to eat with family or friends or even to restaurants I took photos and included them in posts so he could remember the meals.  I don't think he realized that I used my blog to help his memory - he believed he was helping me write and select photos.

I am so used to taking many photos for my posts that I don't think I'll change now.  Looking at my photos and selecting some for this post has been a walk through his illness in a way.  It has been bittersweet.  I started my blog ten years ago on my birthday.  Now when my birthday comes around I'll always be reminded of the beginning and evolution of my blog, and what it has meant to my husband and me.  It has helped him, has been fulfilling for me and brought me new friends.  I am very grateful for their taking time to visit my posts and commenting.  I brought my cat Mitsouko with me to Georgia this time so she would not be lonely in Nashville now that her companion Cody is gone.  She had not been here in over one year but quickly jumped into their place by the window, looking out at nature and the sun.  I took a picture of her - my latest picture at the bottom of this collage (to be truthful, I took about 8... can't stop myself...)

Mitsouko, my little cat, is right.  Looking forward to the sun and keeping darkness behind is the way to go forward.  (Below photo of the beach at Dana Point, California, taken during our last trip in 2016 to our eldest daughter's wedding.)

 "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."  - Maori proverb

Spring all around us - and blog anniversary

Spring has been in Georgia for several weeks already.  I carry a little camera in my purse and, along the way, take many pictures of pretty trees in bloom.  The pictures are from everyday places in town as we go on our errands.  In early March while we waited on our car having a part repaired we walked next to the garage and this is what we saw.  (Click on collages twice to enlarge.)

Around our home, houses nearby have many blooming bushes and colorful trees.

Trees in blooms are not choosy; they will bloom around modest homes as well as around mansions.

Sometimes I see beautiful trees while driving, but if cars are following me inches away and I can't stop.  If I can park, I'll stop for a few moments.  Below, my husband took a picture of me while I was in a driveway snapping blooms.

There should be a sign on my car bumper saying Will stop for trees in bloom!

Since we don't live in downtown Atlanta where there are tall office buildings, our doctors' offices can be in small houses.  Last week I went to my dentist for my scheduled visit, and was in awe of the Japanese cherry trees blossoming around his small building.  I took 20 photos of the trees and blooms; below are some of them.  It looked like some cotton balls or even snowflakes had been stuck on the branches.

Pink blossoms were bursting out on trees in the parking lot of another doctor's office.

In the parking lot of my husband's lung specialist, red tip buds were also showing deep pink colors.

Blooms were even coming out from the tree trunk.

We drove to the Cobb County government offices to bring back a form last Friday.  They were closed because of Good Friday, but we enjoyed walking around their nicely manicured lawns and their blooming trees.

Then yesterday we had to drive to the Georgia Tag Office to get our 2016 vehicle tag.  The skies were overcast but driving back home, in the distance, it looked like some pine trees had a purplish tint.  We stopped and I took many photos, vertically and horizontally.  There was a multitude of wisteria vines growing wild on most of the pine trees on a ridge.  Even mundane errands bring joy when the surroundings are lovely.

Last Saturday, March 26, was my birthday.  I had hoped to go on a small road trip in the Buckhead area of Atlanta to look at spring flowers blooming around beautiful mansions, but it rained.  In the evening we went to an Italian restaurant in Kennesaw called Provino's.  They offer a free dinner on the day of one's birthday.  I had the "Veal Francese" (French veal) which is veal scallopini egg dipped, sauteed golden in lemon butter & wine sauce.  A small side of pasta with fresh tomato sauce came with it as well as a salad and hot garlic rolls.  My husband had a seafood pasta dish - both were good but I forgot to take pictures.  For dessert they gave me a complimentary dish of spumoni ice cream.  I took its picture with my cell phone.

But since this was not a birthday cake, we did buy a belated birthday cake at my favorite French bakery "Douceur de France."  It was a chocolate cake, called "Chocolate Lover" sheet cake, with chocolate mousse, chocolate truffle and chocolate genoise - delicious!

As I mentioned before, we live northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County.  We are located in the west part of the county and are between 6 and 8 miles from five small towns: Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Dallas (in the adjoining county of Paulding,) so there is a good choice of restaurants.  Last year for my birthday we went to an award winning Louisiana restaurant in Acworth called "Henri Louisiana Grill."  It had great atmosphere and excellent cuisine.  It is in downtown Acworth across the railroad.  There were blooming trees along the railroad tracks at the time, and I took their picture, of course.

The azaleas in our backyard are in full bloom.  Yesterday the weather forecast predicted heavy rain with strong winds and even a threat of tornado.  I took several pictures before the rain came.

We have three azalea bushes - pink, bright red and a white one.  The white shrub this year is especially nice.  I took several photos with my iPad.  I wish I could take these azaleas to Nashville whenever we move there.  Have any of you, with a green thumb, been successful propagating azaleas with cuttings?  Any tips?

As I was snapping photos of my azalea bushes I could hear Canada geese calling - they were flying toward me.  I aimed my iPad to the sky and was lucky to catch them.  They were flying high so my photos are not very clear, as I did not have time to adjust the iPad.

I almost forgot - my blog was started in 2009 when we visited our daughter for my birthday.  She  was living then in Long Beach, California.  So my blog anniversary coincides with my birthday.  It is hard to believe that I have been blogging for seven years and am now starting on my eighth year.  Time has gone quickly.  I have enjoyed the comments from many wonderful blogging friends, visiting their blogs and meeting some of them, too.  I thank you all for making blogging so much fun for me.  For now, I'll end with an haiku by Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828.)  He was better known as Issa, a pen name meaning Cup-of-Tea.  He was a Japanese poet and lay Buddhist priest.

Spring breeze -

the pine on the ridge

whispers it

- Kobayashi Issa

Below is a wood block print by Benji Asada, a painter and print-maker from Kyoto, Japan (1899-1984) entitled The Pagoda of Ninnaji Tanyu.

 In my next post, I'll go on with the second part of the Bulloch Hall quilt show.