October is upon us

The rust of Autumn is attacking the leaves on the dogwoods and maples. Beginning tomorrow or Saturday the high temperatures are supposed to be in the high 70's. Lows should be getting down in the forties. The coolness of the dying year will soon be upon us and we will have those days where the morning is chill, with an afternoon warmth followed by a new chill as the evening brings its darkness. Deutsches bier weather. A good time for flagons of ale and sausages with potatoes and cabbage. A trip to Helen, the ficticious Alpine village in north Georgia. Day dying in the western mountains.

Next weekend we will be traversing up to Blue Ridge for a weekend in the mountains of Union County. Buying fresh apples and apple bread and pumpkins and cinnamon spices in the air. Checking the effect of the passing clouds and the sun on the ridges of the mountains surrounding us. Reading a book in a rocking chair. Chasing the raccoons down the road. The light from the headlights reflecting in the eyes of the possums and other critters.

I have a hard time picking between Spring and Autumn. Then again, there are some wonderful things about Summer and Winter, as well.

September sunshine

The sun is high in the early afternoon sky. Soft fleecy clouds hang in the baby blue above. The humidity which hung heavily in the first part of the week is gone now. The temperature is in the low eighties today. Kate is coming home for the weekend. I am travelling to Columbus this afternoon. I hope to return early enough to eat seafood with Cindy and Kate at Sixth Street Pier. I look forward to the rest of the afternoon and the weekend. Its good to have the whole family reunited.

Tomorrow, Carolyn Jones will be married in the grass behind the Buggs' house. We will eat barbecue and enjoy friends and family. The visit from Kate will be over too soon.

Tripping

I am wishing I could be in Lexington this weekend. Watching football and enjoying the scenery and walking around campus at W&L. Rediscovering old mental photos in the album of my brain. Wishing I could do something to show the value of my education. Enjoying the Virginia.

Local Eating

I am sitting here watching Anthony Bourdain walking around the city of New Orleans, my adopted third home (after Christian County-Montgomery County and Dunwoody), enjoying the culture and food of New France. He was talking with a writer/author who was lauding the ability of the Cajun/creole folks to hold on to their food culture. Lately, I have been enjoying Restauants in Atlanta and even at Callaway Gardens where they specialize in local foods and dishes maybe tweaked a bit. Georgia white shrimp is my favorite. But I was thinking about the movie, "The Help" and for some reason thought of a story my grandmother told about a place out in the county in Montgomery County, where African-Americans went to eat good food, drink, listen to music, fight, dance and have a good time. Apparently, there was a door on the side, where white folks went to get takeout. The irony is contained in the idea of a place where the whites couldn't go inside, but, instead, drove up and were served around the side. Just one spot where the usual segregated world was turned upside down. I also was thinking about smoked pork and country ham and peas and butter beans and watermelon pickles and my grandmother's biscuits, which I swear I will replicate some day. Real local Western Kentucky/Middle Tennessee food. I got to get me some!