I'd Like To Kill A Mockingbird

We have crazy mockingbirds near my house. My poor cat is being terrorized by them! First, she got trapped in the park near our house for two days. The pair was guarding the entrance in and out of the park and she had to wait for us to find her. Well, she never came home last night and so today I had to go around the street shaking food. When I turned the corner, I heard her and then saw her under a bushy tree in my neighbor's yard. She wouldn't come to me, only sat there meowing at me to rescue her. I scooped her up and she started eating right there in my arms. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see one of these crazed birds coming right at me!! Thankfully, I had the dogs with me and I think that scared it off last second or it would have pecked my hair! Baxter now tells me there was a third incident a few days ago when he saw Pumpkin being chased by two birds around the other corner. Well, they've really got it in for us! So what do I do about that? I really hate birds anyway. I mean, I love to hear them sing and I think they're really REALLY pretty and all - but I have never been one of those bird-people who want to keep them in cages, train them to talk, and have a personal relationship with them. Birds always seem a little aggressive to me - they can fly, they have pointy beaks. I'm just now realizing that chickens are birds and I do want chickens. They're different - maybe it's the flying thing. This is what I thought of today...

Where I'm From

Thank you to Jen for sharing this idea. If you want to play along, you can find the template to write one here.

"Where I'm From"

I am from my own imaginary world of friends and fairies that live in the woods. The place where dreams are real and anything is possible. I'm from Mrs. Butterworth's pancake syrup, Grape Nehi Soda, and cinnamon toast.

I am from the brown brick house that hides behind the mimosas, buckeyes, azaleas and trees. From the living room where I scribbled under the sofa cushions and hand-prints were made on the curb out front.

I am from the hollow tree, the sandy creek bank and the smell of the sweet gum blooming.

I am from Burton and Mayes, Gladys and Lola - hard working, stubborn, generous and kind.

I am from hilarious hat parties and holidays with the most delicious food. I am from beautiful women and charming gentlemen.


From "You can run as fast as a deer!" and "You'll be an author some day."

I am from The Baptist Church where Fagan Durham greeted me in his brightly colored sport coats each Sunday and told me how pretty I looked.

I'm from the city of Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the foothills of Appalachia and from God fearing people who came here from Britain long ago. I'm from muscadine preserves, beans and cornbread, and homemade everything.

From the man who lived in Japan for two years in the snow, longing to come back to his home in the south, and the woman he married when he came back. I'm from every dream they ever shared together.


I am from the photographs hanging in my mother's hallway, furniture that we all pass along to one another, things that no one else but family can teach you and a home that will always be home, no matter where I go.

Spring Possibilities

I love spring so much. I have been impatiently awaiting its arrival and it feels like it's finally here. After several days of fun in the sun, we are being blessed with a thunderstorm...right on time. I planted grass seed in the front yard, wildflower seeds in my front beds, and peas, lettuce, carrots, and swiss chard in our new vegetable patch. They will really appreciate the rain today.

Once in a while, I still think about my dad. I'll be thumbing through a stack of pictures, looking for something and am almost overwhelmed at the sheer number of photos that he made while he was alive. 95% of the pictures I have of my children were made by my dad and they have his style - the way he loved to capture them looking at each other, or sweaty curls sticking to their heads in the summertime, or smiling from ear to ear. Yesterday, while cleaning up the yard, I found myself with a rake in my hands and I missed him. I didn't get really emotional, I just missed him and I wished there were some way I could still tell him that I love him and how grateful I am to him for all he has done for me.

I think he would like what we did with the bathroom. I think he would love to see the yard this year - and the house painted again. He'd like the fact that my car is cleaned out. He'd love to hear that I've had another copy writing offer which may turn out to be incredible for me professionally. He'd love to see my mom and I so close, hugging each other through it all. He would love the strength and quiet mourning of my brother. He would have laughed at me quite a few times over the last few months. I am looking forward to the spring - not just for house painting and plant tending - but for the healing that will continue through this next season. Each season will bring with it new tears and new happiness. That is the definition of joy, isn't it? What real joy have you ever experienced that didn't include a few tears as well? If it was really wonderful, it probably brought you to your knees. The birth of a child, the wedding to your best friend, a lifetime of memories...they are all so hard to hold on to. Spring has rain and we have tears, both are necessary to the growth that God intended.

Silly Things That Perk Me Up

Here are some funny list-type things that I thought you might like...





This is from Facebook and it was so completely hilarious when I tried it that I had to share. Okay, the premise is that you go to Google, type your name and the word needs {ex. Joy needs} into the searchbox. Then, you list the first 10 things that come up. Then, you tag 10 people to do it also. Here's my list:







1. Joy needs tragedy.



2. Joy needs a better understanding of the nature of evil.



3. Joy needs to take a lesson and step to the back of the line.



4. [Bill] Joy, cofounder and chief scientist of sun microsystems...



5. Joy needs to leave her office.



6. Joy still needs $78,000!!!



7. Joy makers needs your help.



8. Joy needs no translator.



9. Joy needs prayers.



10. 5 warning signs that you need more joy or a sense of magic in your life.







I did Baxter too because it really cracked me up -







1. Baxter needs to be institutionalised.



2. Baxter needs integrity.



3. Baxter needs luv.



4. Baxter needs a loving home.



5. Baxter is a wonderful dog.



6. Baxter needs growth infusion.



7. Baxter needs a home and other books.



8. Baxter needs to share this stick.



9. Baxter has become a regular couch potato.



10. Baxter needs a home video on AOL.





Okay, next one - this is also from FB. "Album Cover Meme"





1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random." The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.





2 - Go to www.thequotationspage.com/random The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.





3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days." Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.





4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.





Here goes...





The name of my band is Zane Clark


The title of our first album is That is the Body of Man


Here is my album cover---



http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotobrasil/3295552019/

I think my band is European Pop/Techno. Weird!

I am the first one to do this and I want to tag a few folks...how about 5? Jennifer Carr, Jen Curtis, Mandy, Andrea, Melissa. This was a much needed diversion for me today! Take a few minutes and try one or both of these.