And the sun sank slowly into the West . . .

[Belinda Barfield]

with pics for Phyllis Meyer. Didn't get home in time to snap flowers. So I decided to snap some sunset photos from the dock. Not one of our more spectacular sunsets, but not too bad. It ain't flowers, but it ain't snow!

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[Phyllis Meyer]

The pictures are just beautiful! Thank you! Made my day!
Phyllis:)

[Belinda Barfield]

You're welcome! Photography isn't my strong suite, but I like to shoot sunsets anyway.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Belinda..........Nice sunset photos! Reminds me of what the LOML and I saw when we were stationed for a few months at Brunswick, GA in 1970. We visited there again in 2000 with our parents. Gorgeous country!

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks Ken! We're about 90 miles north of Brunswick, and thankfully of the mill as well! This is great country. If you were in Brunswick you have probably experienced sand gnats (or nosee'ums). The sand gnats were out in droves last night. If you are not familiar with them, they are basically teeth with wings. There is no bug spray that stops them. We have found that they get bogged up in Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil, but who can wear that all the time! Burning citronella oils works if you can stand directly in the smoke.

Let me know if you and LOYL are ever back in the area, would love to meet you guys.

[John Hain]

Georgia...............beautiful. I'm moving soon, but can't escape the beauty of this area of the USA.

Early March is the best time of the year here. Temp is in the mid 70s....
Flowers are starting to bloom. Here's a couple pics from my house to uplift those in the blizzard regions of American (where I'm moving to!)

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Azaleas haven't bloomed here yet..........maybe next week! Masters is coming soon.....the flowers always know when it's Masters time!
The Bermuda lawn are still gold, the Zoysia lawns are green as can be!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Belinda....we experienced sand fleas.......I was there from June until September when the wife and kids joined me. We left in December. When the weather turned chilly, the sand fleas moved into the 1890's house we were renting. We thought the kids were bleeding to death. We lived in an older neighborhood in Brunswick. The fishing wharf was 2 blocks West of where we lived and the paper mill was East of us. We would wake up in the morning and we could tell the direction the wind was blowing by the odor....fish...or papermill...........In 1982 we flew into Lewiston, Idaho to buy a home. Woke in the motel the next morning......We had flash backs to Brunswick.....papermill smells.....Luckily the town is stepped on the canyon side. Up where we live we've only smelled the mill smells about 10 or so times in 26 years.

[John Hain]

Belinda....we experienced sand fleas.......I was there from June until September when the wife and kids joined me. We left in December. When the weather turned chilly, the sand fleas moved into the 1890's house we were renting. We thought the kids were bleeding to death. We lived in an older neighborhood in Brunswick. The fishing wharf was 2 blocks West of where we lived and the paper mill was East of us. We would wake up in the morning and we could tell the direction the wind was blowing by the odor....fish...or papermill...........In 1982 we flew into Lewiston, Idaho to buy a home. Woke in the motel the next morning......We had flash backs to Brunswick.....papermill smells.....Luckily the town is stepped on the canyon side. Up where we live we've only smelled the mill smells about 10 or so times in 26 years.

Ken, we have a papermill here too. Southern winds bring the smell. It literally feels like your breathing organic compounds directly. It happens in the winter maybe 10-15 days of the year.

[Belinda Barfield]

John,

Thanks for the pics. Ahh. . . Augusta in the Spring. I was in Augusta from 1985 through 1997. There just ain't nothing like Masters Week in Augusta! I think I miss Augusta more during that week than any other time. Do they will have the Par 3 Party across from the National? And yes, I do miss "Disgusta". I have to admit I have been concerned about the azaleas this year, hoping they didn't bloom before the big week. Glad to hear they are holdin' out for just the right time.

[Belinda Barfield]

I've heard the term sand fleas also. We have to call them "Gnats" in Savannah though, cause we went and named our minor league baseball team after them - go figure. Our team mascot is "Gnic the Gnat". No, the gnats don't show any mercy at the games either. Nothing like gnats in your beer on Thirsty Thursday. Lucily, I don't drink beer.

Very familiar with that paper mill smell. I have to pass through a little town called Jesup on the way to visit my folks. Pass right by a paper mill - which helped pay for my upbringin' so I ain't complainin'. I am complainin' cause almost every time I drive by I have an asthma attack. I would take a different road, but would have to go WAY out of the way to do that. So I take the bad with the good.

[John Hain]

John,

Thanks for the pics. Ahh. . . Augusta in the Spring. I was in Augusta from 1985 through 1997. There just ain't nothing like Masters Week in Augusta! I think I miss Augusta more during that week than any other time. Do they will have the Par 3 Party across from the National? And yes, I do miss "Disgusta". I have to admit I have been concerned about the azaleas this year, hoping they didn't bloom before the big week. Glad to hear they are holdin' out for just the right time.

Yes, "Disgusta" is the most beautiful place in the world from the last of March to the middle of April. They still have the par 3 party, but like anything else in the "bible-belt", it's under very close wraps. Too bad, the town could really use the money brought in by higher end parties and social gatherings. Unbelievable that such a monetary poor town would not allow free-spending........

But I digress, I'll be here only 4 more months and won't miss it one bit except for late March, early April.

[Phyllis Meyer]

That's it, as I backed my car into the very large snow drift this morning, I thought of you all with your FLOWERS IN MARCH!

I'm packing my bags, can someone tell me how to tear down the laser and fit it into my suitcases?:cool: Belinda, do you have coffee on? I'm sitting on your porch to see the sunset tonight.

Phyllis:)

[Belinda Barfield]

Moving to Savannah from Augusta was a real eye opener. From straightlaced to unlaced! You could hardly find a drink in Augusta and Savannah has 16 oz To Go cups. You can walk anywhere downtown with an open container, carry your drink out of the bar, etc. Just a bit different from my rural, bible-belt upbringing. Good luck with your move. Hope your new location is cooler, with less pollen!!

[Belinda Barfield]

That's it, as I backed my car into the very large snow drift this morning, I thought of you all with your FLOWERS IN MARCH!

I'm packing my bags, can someone tell me how to tear down the laser and fit it into my suitcases?:cool: Belinda, do you have coffee on? I'm sitting on your porch to see the sunset tonight.

Phyllis:)

I'll put a pot on for you! We usually have wine on the porch, as I don't really like coffee when it's 75 degrees (as it is today). As for the packing the laser, can't help you out on that one. I usually travel with a lot of luggage, but never tried smooshing anything quite that large in order to zip my bag. :D

[John Hain]

Well, I brew my own beer.....:)

But Augusta's leaders are sorely ignorant in my opinion.

It's very disappointing when the Masters comes to town and the only beer gardens are at Hooters and Famous Dave's BBQ. Augusta holds a concert for one night at the open mall to the east of Augusta National......folds the tents at 11PM..........go figure.

Why not open up the city for the thousands of people to enjoy.....and pump a couple million into the economy? Why not have acts lined up every night around town? Why not fill the "limited" town arena with a solid concert a couple nights?

I can't understand Augusta. It seems they'd rather be "bible-belt" rather than infuse their economy with millions of dollars. Augusta is a poor town; many are under the poverty limit......yet there's money that could help the town reinvigorate itself just going to waste.

I don't, and will never understand it. Half the town could use city and cultural improvments, but it does nothing. Why not open the city and let concert revenue go to the worn-down schools or charity boosters or train-to-work programs..............

Yet, Augusta does nothing to help its poor/struggling community.

[Belinda Barfield]

Augusta is a poor town; many are under the poverty limit......yet there's money that could help the town reinvigorate itself just going to waste.

On the one hand Augusta is a poor, town. On the other, there is a lot of old money there. Some very wealthy folks live in that town. The two largest golf car manufactuers in the world are there. Yes, there is a lot of money that could help revitalize the downtown area especially. However, IMHO Augusta's leaders have never been very good at appropriating funding where it really needs to go.

I'm not sure they still do this, but when I lived there they would "clean up" the downtown streets a few days before the Masters. The arrested all of the homeless folks and put them in jail for a week or so. Intersting way to use tax dollars, but not very effective in helping solve the problem of homelessness.

[Jim DeLaney]

Georgia...............beautiful....Early March is the best time of the year here. Temp is in the mid 70s....
Flowers are starting to bloom...Azaleas haven't bloomed here yet..........maybe next week!...

The wife and I hope to get down there in late April/early May. She's never been to Charleston, Savannah, etc., and I haven't been there since 1981, when I was stationed at Parris Island (for the third time) with the Marines.

We're looking forward to spending a few days somewhere around Savannah, then maybe over to Atlanta, then work our way back Northward...

[Belinda Barfield]

The wife and I hope to get down there in late April/early May. She's never been to Charleston, Savannah, etc., and I haven't been there since 1981, when I was stationed at Parris Island (for the third time) with the Marines.

We're looking forward to spending a few days somewhere around Savannah, then maybe over to Atlanta, then work our way back Northward...

Jim,

Would be glad to have you visit. Charleston is a beautiful place, even moreso than Savannah. I'm sure you could drive right on by Beaufort, but I'm know your wife would love it! If you need any info during your visit I'll glad to help out. I can translate as well. I speak fluent English and "Merican that we speak here in the South. (No that his not a typo, we speak "Merican.) You'll be visiting at a very nice time of year - no so hot yet!

Like we say here in Georgia . . . "I know y'all weren't born here, but y'all got here as fast as you could!";)

[John Hain]

Jim,

Would be glad to have you visit. Charleston is a beautiful place, even moreso than Savannah. I'm sure you could drive right on by Beaufort, but I'm know your wife would love it! If you need any info during your visit I'll glad to help out. I can translate as well. I speak fluent English and "Merican that we speak here in the South. (No that his not a typo, we speak "Merican.) You'll be visiting at a very nice time of year - no so hot yet!

Like we say here in Georgia . . . "I know y'all weren't born here, but y'all got here as fast as you could!";)
I'm the same. "Merican or a similar thing"

I'll welcome anyone in english, spanish, even italian. I'm working on German. I've got 2 months to work on it before going there for business. I can't get you Master tickets and I can't give you room/board, but I can offer you a healthy dinner with my extended family, who comes to visit during Masters time.....!

Though, I wasn't born here.......I'm ready to leave. Give me a White Christmas and duck hunting in a frozen river!

[Jim DeLaney]

...I speak fluent English and "Merican that we speak here in the South. (No that his not a typo, we speak "Merican.) You'll be visiting at a very nice time of year - no so hot yet!

I do pretty well with that, but I thought it was spelled/pronounced "Murr-ican. :D

When I was there for a while, I even got pretty good at understanding that patois they speak over on the islands - Yamasee, et al. Used to hang out at a place out by Frogmore in my younger days. Way too rough for me now...

[Belinda Barfield]

I do pretty well with that, but I thought it was spelled/pronounced "Murr-ican. :D

When I was there for a while, I even got pretty good at understanding that patois they speak over on the islands - Yamasee, et al. Used to hang out at a place out by Frogmore in my younger days. Way too rough for me now...

I stand corrected on the spelling! I can grasp the meaning when listening to Gullah spoken on the islands, but definitely can't converse. There is an inland version that is very similar known as Geechee. When I was growing up my grandfather grew tobacco in inland south Georgia, and I worked with him during the summer growing season. The field workers spoke a very similar patois - not sure how that all came about.

I bet you have eaten a fair share of Frogmore Stew. You had to be pretty tough to hang with the Frogmore crowd. Bet you still could. :)