Happy Highlands

I needn't bore any of you with more reasons why I love this place. But I do have to post pics of each and every visit. Then it's obvious why I love it.

Wild Kingdom

It's been almost 4 years since Ben and I randomly found this little neighborhood and fell in love so deeply we quickly sold our house and moved here. 4 years, and I still love driving down Colston Road as much as I did in the very beginning. Part of what I love so much, apart from the neighbors and the feeling of home, is how very far away we feel from one of the largest, loudest, most polluted and heavily congested cities in the country.

Take for instance the wildlife we have! In the past 2 weeks alone we've encountered deer strolling down our street in early morning, as well as the following two friends.

I was minding my own business, doing some planting in our new beds by the back deck when I felt something breeze right past my head. I thought it was the biggest monarch butterfly I'd ever seen! When I turned and looked at our arbor at 2 o'clock in the afternoon I was shocked to see a bat! Now, this is especially a thrill for me to see a bat up close, between seeing the cool bats in Austin and that we have so many mosquitos, I've seriously considered purchasing a bat house for our back yard.

I'm sure something was wrong with him, though, that he was out midday like that. I managed to get a few pictures of him and then went about my business. A little while later, I hate to have to tell you he went to fly off, ran head first into our deck and dropped dead before my eyes! I was surprisingly heartbroken by his sudden demise, but since our relationship I've certainly decided to invite more of his family to live in our yard when we're finished our outside rennovations.

Then a few days later, I was feeding Matty dinner when this gorgeous hawk swooped down and perched in our back yard. We actually saw him the very next day as well. I was thrilled to get some good close up pics of him before he flew off. Come to think of it, I never did see the bat corpse after this...

Steppin' Into Summer

I have to be honest. I was born, raised, educated, married and went on to reproduce in the south. The deep south. Lower Piedmont Plateau. And every year I dread the coming of summer. I know there are at least 4 months ahead so hot you can hardly breathe and just stepping outside can be exhausting. And this year, with temps already topping 100 by mid-June, you have to do whatever you can to beat the heat! Fortunately, for the first time in our family's little history a beach trip is just around the corner (16 days but who's counting). In the meantime, it's been pool dates, sprinklers and water tables a-plenty!

I never gave having a pool a second thought when we moved into this neighborhood we love. But come June when my skin is cracking it's so dry, we're thankful to take advantage of our friend's pools! A couple weeks ago we had a late afternoon play date with the Fingers and McNeely's at the McNeely's neighborhood pool. It was tons of fun to splash and play and hang out after the kiddos were done. And Jakers gave us a fun ride from the house down to the pool!

Hudson's grandmother, Gigi, gave Matty this awesome sprinkler toy for this birthday. Reminds both Ben and I of ones we had as kids.

It's not quite as fun as a pool, but in the shade with the water cold enough, Matty's new water play table helps cool things off enough to get us outside late afternoon.

16 days...16 days!

Random Springtime Fun

A smattering of stuff we've been up to in the months since I was posting regularly.

I've been on a mission, like a woman possessed, not that I have that much to show for it. Cleaning out beds, prepping, planning, planting. I so want our yard to be the envy of the neighborhood someday. Someday! Matty's been a helper. First with the leaves and with his own pots. A master gardener in the making?

Like father, like son. Same hairline, same eyes, same strange obsession with buttons, remotes and computers.

Just too cute not to post. Matty and a nice PB&J at the Browning counter deli.

You'd think I staged this, but for once you'd be wrong. This morning, Matty pulled out all the stuffed animals from the pine piece in the sun room, and flopped down in them! Then he wanted to be hidden among them like E.T. I tried doing this so many times when he was really little, but it's a lot easier with a toddler who's a ham and who can sit up on his own!

Last weekend Matty and I had a long-awaited play date with Jake and Caroline. First the park, sliding, running, climbing. Then the crowd took over and we headed to Atkin's Park for an early lunch. The boys were great and enjoyed themselves so much. But I think the most fun was probably just after lunch as we headed to the cars.

There's a big fountain just in front of the restaurant and I think it went something like this:

Mmmm, tastes good!

I'm onna-get you!

God, I live for these moments!

A couple weeks ago Matty and I went to Macon to see Bop and for the Fired Works Pottery show. A huge showroom filled with such cool, local artisan pottery. We'd gone last year with Mom, and I had so regretted not getting a "sussy," as Mama O calls them, for myself. Not to worry, I left with a few sussies for myself and loved ones! Afterwards, we wanted some outside playtime before a quick visit with James and Jodi. Jodi was Mom's very best friend, and conveniently the Macon Magazine office, of which they are both owners / editors, is just across the street from Murphey Park. Named for Matty's Great, great Grandfather, it's a very special place for our family, and also a nice nearby place to blow off some two-year old steam - of which there always seems to be plenty!