Danger in the backyard...

Jackson, aka Cookie Crumb Beard

A pirate, a giant Cherokee Indian and a captured princess

Nice headress, Chief.

Walk the plank, Matey Madeline!

Southern culture up north...

How the Borders Family picks (out a bag of) apples.

After taking Jonathan south to Florida for a taste of southern culture (no, it is not an oxymoron), we decided to go north. My family started going up to Ellijay, in the North Georgia mountains, every fall to pick apples back when I was only knee-high to a grasshopper. So it was high on my list of things to do while we were back this year.

One of our many stops at apple and apple paraphernalia stores

We bought a couple pecks of Winesap and Mutsu apples

And ah-mazing fried, glazed apple fritters

Jonathan saw that this apple store also advertised a petting farm.
So he decided to pet the apples and see
what the fuss was all about.

Apple fritters on the back porch area of one of the stores.
(That's my grandfather and Emogene on the right.)

Rockin' and munchin'

Our apple-filled trunk

More than just apples though...

So how can you tell when these things are ripe?

I found one I wanted to take home!

No trip to North Georgia is complete without a stop for BBQ.

The menu at Poole's BBQ still lists 'freedom fries'. Le awesome.

The famous décor. Oink, oink, snort.

Worn out at the end of a fun day!

Hot and boiled...

Les Masson in May'retta, Georgia

On our way down/back up from Florida, I kept a list of the spelling variations on signs advertising the sale of arachis hypogaea that have been simmmered at about 212 °F until soft and smelly. Here it goes, y'all...

HOT BOILed P-NUTS

Boiled P-nuts

Sunset n°1

Hot PNUTS

Hot Boiled Peanuts

P-nuts FRESH BOILED ROASTED

Sunset n°5

Boiled Green P-NUTs

boiled p'nuts

And my personal fave: Hot boiled P-Nut. (Apparently this stand sold them one by one.)

Last night. I love the kite.

Doing a little mental boat shopping.

The boatyard

And now that we have finally been able to give Jonathan the full Florida beach vacation experience, I'm feeling brave. Tomorrow Stephen and Beth (true locals) are going downtown with us to show Jonathan the city of Hotlanta, up close and personal.

Help us out if you've got ideas of things that are definite must-do or must-see!

Have you hugged a greeting card writer today?

My friend Stephanie recently informed me that September 18th is Hug a Greeting Card Writer Day. While I'm not sure if this is a national or international holiday, I do know this: If the creators of holidays were to ask me, I'd suggest they add a Hug a Greeting Card Photographer Day as well. Then I'd get a lot of hugs. (Like that subtle segue?)

Here's le scoop. Earlier this year, Stephanie launched Red Letter Paper Co. On this site, she sells cool cards with warm wishes... and cards in the 1000 Words series feature photos I've taken over the past couple years. Lyon, Budapest, Rochetaillée-sur-Saône, Avignon, Vienna, Colmar... all there. These cards show God is always around us - just stop to look. The inside of the card is blank, and on the back is a Bible verse corresponding to the photo. (Those were fun to choose!)

When Stephanie asked me to join her in this project, I was very happy. But when she suggested donating 10% of sales of No Vacancy cards to World Orphans, I was hooked. (My sister-in-law Kate works with W.O. - a fantastic organization.)

RLPCo cards are sold individually (only $2.49 with shipping) or in sets of 5, 8, 25 or 100 cards with the corresponding number of 100% recycled mailing envelopes. On average the cost per card is under $2 each - and that includes shipping. (Like green? The cards are printed on recycled paper at a carbon-offset, wind-powered facility and mailed in recyclable envelopes.)

RLPCo is a cool concept and took a lot of dreaming and work for Stephanie to get it off the ground. What I love most is that she took the gifts and talents God has given her and is using them in a creative way that points right back to Him.

Third time is the sandy charm...

The two little dots... that's us.

This is Jonathan's third trip to the beach with my family - and the first time that nature has been on our side! The first year, we had to evacuate due to a hurricane blowing in. (And to be honest, the company could have been better. But Chris and Kate were on their honeymoon or something.) The second time, in 2005, we arrived at the same time as red tide. If you've never experienced breathing during red tide, imagine fire in your lungs.

But this third time, nature has been 100% on our side. It's been insanely perfect - except that Chris and Kate aren't here. Next time?

Bigger dots.

Dot-free.

The pier

He's thinking, "I should totally tweet this."

The 'rents

Wave crusher

Jonathan crusher

Debatable.

The water was so clear. Even further out.

The writing on the wall (of sand)

Sea shell colors. I was channeling my inner Mina.

The pier

Just chillin'... in perfectly warm water.

The sand is so white and fine. I've never seen any like it.

This guy's got a great ocean view.

Still playing in the waves

My minivan office...

You’ve heard of a home office? Well, I’m taking the concept a couple miles further. Welcome to my minivan office.

We are currently en route for the Florida panhandle for a family vacation. This ‘family’ includes the two of us, my parents and my grandparents. I’m telling you – you haven’t really been on a road trip until you’ve cruised down to the beach with 90-year-olds.

Here are some quotes from my grandmother so far:

“Al Gore invented the Internet? I thought he invented global warming.”

“I didn’t bring anything to read on this trip. I’m counting on being entertained by the fascinating conversation.”

“People just mess me up with all these names for their children. Just give them numbers instead and I’ll be happy.”

"Bill, what's the name of that memory problem they tried to diagnose you with a couple years ago? I never can remember it."

"Look - that place has tortilla shots."
(Jonathan corrected her that the sign said 'tequila'.) 
"Oh. Well that answers my question as to how they inject someone with tortilla."

"Breakfast is my favorite time to eat cake. I think I may be kin to Marie Antoinette."

And in reference to my mom asking me questions about blogging: “It sounds like they’re speaking Hungarian. That must be why I don’t understand anything.”

The osteopath is in...

My sister-in-law Skyped me earlier to ask if her osteopath was available, or if he was with another patient. She said it jokingly, but in fact Jonathan was treating someone right when she sent the message. (That particular someone is no stranger to this blog. Everyone wave and say, "Hi Kari's Mom!")

When we started thinking about these months in the US, we wondered if Jonathan would be able to find enough patients/volunteers for him to keep practicing regularly. There was also the challenge that he doesn't have a table here. But he's a make-do-er, so he's been using the dinner table on the back porch.

So if you're in the neighborhood and could use a session, swing on by. If there's no one on the dinner table, you can hop on up and get manipulated. Oh, and tell him you heard about it on this blog for a great discount  ;)

The family that drinks together...

One of the best parts of being with family is that you get to be with family. Once you get caught up on each other's big news, you can just sit and chat on the porch. If you're like us, those chats are often over coffee.

Remember Kenwood, our little two-cup coffee maker in Lyon? Well, this week we brought home little Kenwood's long lost big brother: Hamilton.

The boys working on some brew

Hamilton is an espresso maker, which means we are a very happy and caffeinated bunch around here - with one notable exception. My mom does not like coffee. I say 'does not like' because she's the one that wouldn't let me use the word 'hate' as a kid.

But since the rest of us (Borders fam extension in New Jersey included) are big coffee drinkers, Mom has decided to do her best to join us. She is determined to start liking coffee, and was encouraged by a drink she ordered and liked at Starbucks recently - the White Chocolate Mocha.

So we stocked up on the ingredients and made Mom a coffee drink, with Hamilton's help. Kind of.

Cile's Coffee-ish Drink

3 tablespoons Hills Bros. white chocolate caramel mix
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup steamed milk
1/4 cup brewed coffee (I decided to start her off easy)
2 good squirts of whipped cream
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
note: requires a spoon



She let me try a bite, saying it this coffee drink was "so good". Oh, but be sure to get some of the ice cream in there. Otherwise the liquid part just tastes like -  and I quote - "straight coffee".