Down In The Dumps

Sea BreezesSunday morning I was ALMOST down in the dumps. My spirit was actually down in the dumps.....er....dump, that is. We drive by the county dump on the way to church. We don't live in the dumps, but we live near the dump. Now, our dump is a nice, pretty clean dump, right off the highway. Actually, it is the county refuse drop off point. We live in the county and have to haul our own garbage. We dump household trash there, and then the county takes it away to The Dump. I haven't been there, but back to the story. We locals call where we take our garbage, the dump. It even has a sign that says dump. We were driving by the dump to church and lo, there sat a piano and a rocking chair. I couldn't breathe for shock. Fortunately for Harold, he was driving. I would have turned into that dump in a second to check out that piano and that rocking chair. Let me admit to being a thrift store, other people's old stuff junkie. I love to poke. I really don't like garage sales, I like free, or almost free stuff. I am a junk junkie. My husband does not understand this obsession. I will tell you I have furnished my entire front porch from great stuff from the Salvation Army that I hauled home in the back of my little convertible. Needless to say, someone else got to check out or take home that rocking chair and that piano. Harold had to admit, the other day, that he actually did try to go dumpster diving. He was taking the garbage to the dump, when along comes a truck loaded with outdoor kid equipment. Nice equipment, he said. Good stuff to put outside for grand babies to play on...and free. He almost got there in time. A guy ahead of him in a truck got to the stuff before Harold could. The other guy asked the owner of the kids' stuff if he could have it, and he did get it. Harold missed out on a load of good quality, free kid stuff. So are we both down in the dumps? I have one child who has inherited this gene for reusing stuff. Blake, instead of getting in trouble during his high school years, spent a lot of his time at the city dump and the junked car dump gleaning parts for his cars. He enjoys working on his cars and his home and yard with other folks' discards. He has found some amazing things such as brand new French doors for his home and an almost new barbecue grill in his local city refuse place. A lot of people in his area, he says, put great stuff out at the street for the city to pick up, and he drives by to pick up, for free, some great deals. So in this bum economy, you might want to consider "gently worn" or "heavily distressed". You too, might get down in the dumps and have fun to boot! Let me know about some of your finds!

Ashantilly Through My Lens

Sea BreezesThe trip to Ashantilly plantation was well worth the time on a lovely October Sunday afternoon. On the grounds of the historic plantation, local historian, Buddy Sullivan presented a talk about the beginnings of The Lower Altamaha Historical Society and its efforts to preserve the pristine loveliness of our river system. A marker was dedicated to mark the plantation and its history. We got to tour the plantation home, and I stayed and poked until I could poke no more. Only the first floor is open to the public. The home has much restoration to be done, but as a lover of old things, I was in heaven. Please enjoy my pictures that I hope will speak for themselves.

History Chase..Here I Go Again!

Sea BreezesAshantilly To Be Recognized in New Historical Marker October 25
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) along with The Lower Altamaha Historical Society will unveil a new historical marker to recognize Ashantilly plantation. The dedication will be held on the grounds of Ashantilly, Highway 99, north of Darien, Georgia on October 25, 2009, at 3:00 p.m.

From one of colonial Georgia's most prominent families, Thomas Spalding was an influential planter who helped develop the plantation economy of the low country as an advocate for modern agricultural ideas including crop rotation and diversifying the crop varieties beyond the standard rice, indigo, and cotton. The Ashantilly property was inherited from his mother, Margery McIntosh Spalding. Although possessing a large estate on Sapelo Island, Spalding built the Ashantilly house as an inland domicile for his family. Accounts of the structure suggest it was classically designed; the building consisted of a central, two story structure and flanking wings. Like Spalding's homes on Sapelo, Ashantilly was constructed of tabby, a concrete like material derived from oyster shells, found in abundance in tidewater Georgia. The Spalding family sold the property in 1870 to William A. Wilcox, founder of the Ashantilly Press.

The marker text reads as follows:

Ashantilly

Built ca. 1820, Ashantilly was the mainland residence of prominent antebellum planter Thomas Spalding (1774-1851), owner of the nearby Sapelo Island plantation. The house, likely built by Spalding's slaves, was constructed of tabby, an equal mix of oyster shell, sand, water and lime. Ashantilly was named for Spalding's ancestral home in County Perth, Scotland. He died at Ashantilly and is interred in the family burial ground adjacent to the property. William G. Haynes, Jr. (1908-2001), proprietor of the Ashantilly Press, was the last private owner of Ashantilly. In 1993 the Haynes family donated the property to the Ashantilly Center, Inc.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and The Lower Altamaha Historical Society....borrowed from the GHS website

Here I go again...running after local Georgia history. I am going to tour Ashantilly this afternoon. Ashantilly is the summer mansion of Thomas Spalding, the builder of Reynolds Mansion over on my beloved Sapelo Island where my friends and I stay each summer. All of the above information will get you caught up, until I come home and share my pictures and tell you more. One of the best parts about living on the Georgia Coast is the never ending living history that is all around us. Ashantilly is maybe 10 minutes from my home, drive time. Folks in coastal Georgia are intense about preserving their history. I am intense about soaking it in. I have had the rare opportunity to speak to folks over on Sapelo Island whose great great grandparents were slaves. Oh my, and off I go again. We are the product of those who came before us in this sacred and lovely place.....the sweat and blood and sacrifice of the slave labor that developed the area I call home is important for me to understand. I equate it with the sweat and blood and sacrifice of my Lord who developed the area I will someday call home. These are my thoughts on this lovely October day in Darien Ga. Will write more later, I am off to Ashantilly....

There They Go!

Sea BreezesWe had a whirlwind grand baby weekend. After coming home from work, the Tennessee babies and parents drove up, camper and van and all. We were sooo glad to see them. They have grown over the summer. Henley is adorable in her glasses, Lander is more boy than ever, and baby Paisley is cute as a little bit bigger button. We enjoyed hugs, kisses, an easy dinner, frog playing, story telling and night night time. Saturday morning brought early risers. Talks of Disney World, a great Pop breakfast, a little early morning TV and more toad catching, brought the rest of the crew. Katie and gang arrived mid-morning, and we were off in the sunny morning to visit Holfwell-Broadfield Plantation, about a ten minute drive from our home. It is an old coastal rice plantation, and a state park. We had fun touring the old buildings and had a yummy picnic under a live oak tree. Back to our home for baby naps and hanging out. Evening brought us going to dinner at B&J's-a local seafood, any kind of food place. All of us ate well. All twelve of us. It is hard to believe we have 12 folks in our family. God has blessed us with ten children. Enjoy a picture of our grand babies. Have a great time in Disneyworld, Sartin gang. Have a great week Olliff crew! We love you all.

Here they come......

Sea BreezesReady, set, here goes, here come the grand babies, all FIVE (5)...Blake and gang are coming tomorrow evening, on their way to Disney World to go camping. We are so excited. Katie and her babies are coming for the day on Saturday, so chaos will be transpiring. How I look forward to these hours with all these children I love who aren't our children, but the children of our children. Scripture mentions seeing your children's children. What a blessing. We are so blessed. They add so much joy to our lives, these children of our children. I am so glad we had children. They are blessings and gave us grandchildren to be further blessed. Thank you Lord for these blessings that come in little boy and little girl packages. Please give us the energy and good health to continue to enjoy and love them. Amen.