Independence,Freedom and Dreams

Many years ago, a group of men got together and decided what being independent meant. It involved the right to make choices on your own behalf as long as it didn't interfere with the right of others to make those same choices.
Freedom to live in peace, freedom just to live, and many fought and died for that freedom.
We dream that our lives will matter, that our families will not only survive but succeed and flourish. And today , for many of us, that brings us back to some very basic things.
So today let's include some very basic things for all of us:
You have the right to be treated with respect, and the duty to treat others the same.
You have the right to achieve great things but not the entitlement to be treated greatly just because you are you.
You have the right to disagree but not to be insufferably disagreeable.
We all have the right to take the time to be more mannerly towards each other, kinder and to insure we don't trample on anothers rights while trying to claim our own.
America dreams that each of us will be accepted with our differences because beneath them we are very much alike. We want to be fed, clothed, have a place to rest our heads, a place to work, a place to educate our children, health care we can afford and to be cared for by someone in our lives.
Let's start with these new rights. Happy fourth every body. Here let me hold that door for you. My pleasure.

Heat Wave

Hi again! Bet you thought I forgot, but here are the photos of the the polar bear and the penguin for those of you that guessed the characters of my piece for TBAI. Isn't that bears face fun! Just looks serious to me. Thought you might like to see some of the detailing, like on the paws. Yes a complete picture is forthcoming with the background.


It is very hot here so I think that polar bear is looking for ice. Me too! My husband say's he saw the devil sweating out there! Stay cool, anybody got an ice tea?

Still Here

Sorry, I seem to be off my game. Haven't been back in my workroom yet. All my activities seem to revolve around food as of late. I do a cooking class for our church summer camp for kids ages 5 - 12. This year it's an Italian summer. The first class was chicken parmesan and a green salad with walnuts and raspberries. There are 25 kids and about 6 -8 that hadn't been in any of my former classes. So they had to start off with how to properly use a sharp knife in the kitchen, I promote safety.
This class also involved cooking for people with allergies as there is a student allergic to tomatoes, dairy and nuts. Having a daughter that grew up eating meat only to become highly allergic to meat, fish and fowl, I adapt well to changing recipes but also teach my other students tolerance and inclusion in their cooking efforts.
These kids pick up so fast and enjoy themselves so much that it is fun to work with them. Then there was another function where I made a teriayki pork loin roast. Like I said nothing but food! Aren't i suppose to be losing weight?!

Nashville, Then Florida

So, wedding over, we left on Sunday to head for Nashville, where we visited a good friend, Georgene Palka,( bear artist under name of George's Jungle), and her family. Then because the turnaround drive is so tight decide to spend the night in town. My daughter is a dyed in the wool country fan so since she's driving you know this was a no brainer. We stayed at a wonderful hotel, the Millennium Hotel and Resort. Their chef was a vegetarian which meant the breakfast buffet was set up where vegan and vegetarian guests could be confidant eating there knowing there food didn't contain items they didn't eat.
everyone could be happy and the food was great!
Of course the hotel had these great country momentoes around the hotel. We even got to witness a country singer newbie hawking his cd to a couple music execs at breakfast. Apparantly he had performed the night before. Hope he makes it.
Then it was back on the road to Atlanta. We were tired. We rested on Tuesday and then it was back on the road to Florida. That is an eight hour trip. Daughter drove again, I'm beginning to think my daughter doesn't trust me with her car. She did let me drive her in my car when we got to Florida. Hehe, she just loves her car that much, it's a toyota yaris hatchback. If you are in the market it does drive well and the gas mileage is great. Once home we went to a new vegan restaurant in Orlando, Ethos and the food is so good, yes that's me the meat eater speaking! Ahh, good food. And we shopped and did silly mother, daughter things. I had a great time. It will have to hold me till our next visit. It's just the guys and me at home and somethings, mothers and daughters just get. I'm back!

Wedding

The Newell, Newton wedding was held on a beautiful Saturday. That's the newly wed couple greeting everyone after leaving the church. Then there's Jenn greeting my daughter LA. That's the wedding cake, no it wasn't on it's side but this photo sure is! The next photo is of me and my daughter.
And that's the bride, Jenn, and LA. They have been friends since they were ten and both our families were stationed in Hawaii.

There was joy at this wedding , not the out of duty, got to attend,but real joy,fun and glad to be family joy. A little girl was pushing a women in a wheelchair around on the dance floor as she danced in the chair. No one was left out, everyone was welcome and the bride made the time to visit with everyone who attended as if they were the only one that attended.
Lovely bride, lovely family, good friends always.

The Trip Continues

Hello, these photos were entered backwards so forgive me. The one with the arch is my daughter and I arriving in St. Louis, Missouri last night. The rocky road is us driving down the highway in Tennessee, after getting an earlier than expected start out of Atlanta(her class got out early).
It was a pretty good trip, not too much construction, about one hour of one lane driving as they laid asphalt in the other lane.
The next photos are of Atlantic Station where we had lunch with my niece, Carma, on Wednesday. They are my girls, though they are grown women.
I'm enjoying spending time with my daughter, she is quick with her wit, smart and silly! And we have fun. Well, today is her best friend's wedding so I'd better get dressed. Are you having a fun Saturday? I hope so.

Atlanta, R.Thomas Deluxe Grill

So I am in Atlanta, ok Lawrenceville. The flight was uneventful, there was a very young military wife on board with her three month old baby girl, who is waiting to join her husband in Germany.
Such a cute baby and she was very good. Our flight arrived early, so early we had to wait to go to the gate.
But my daughter was waiting for me and we went straight to dinner at one of her favorite places, R. Thomas, and it was wonderful. It has great atmosphere and the food was just great. She's vegan so she had the vegan burger with home fries and I had the grilled chiken sandwich with shoestring ginger beets. And the desert, white chocolate cheescake with raspberries,(seriously!) for me, and my daughter had vegan hummingbird cake, both wonderful.
Now I respect the fact that my daughter is vegan so, my husband and I don't eat meat in her home when we visit, only out at restaurants. So this was a place we could both enjoy ourselves. When she visits us, I'm taking her to the new vegan restaurant in Winter Park, Fl. Just as soon as I remember where it is, he he he. I put that review in a safe place, which means I might not find it. Oh well I'll have to call the newspaper to find out where it was.
Hope you had a good meal too.