Saturday Sod and Southern Hospitality

Trip to Georgia ~~ Day 2

Woke up early Saturday morning, with no hangover from the tequila of the night before.  Interesting...but it was only two shots.  After a quick shower, I noticed everyone had disappeared outside.  Went outside to investigate and found them busy unloading sod off a trailer.  Vic's brother Jaime works at a local landscaping/nursery company and he was able to get Vic and Chris a great deal on the sod as it was just beginning to turn yellow.  It took us about two hours to unload two pallets of sod.  The other two pallets belong to Jaime.

The sod crew L-R: Beth, Jaime, Mathew, Vic and Chris.

Once unloaded, we took a little lunch break to cool off, as it was now approaching noon.  After lunch we headed back outside.  I only lasted about 45 minutes in that hot Georgia sun, and had to go back indoors.  Actually, I was sent inside by my younger sister as I have two bad discs in my neck that require surgery.  I don't fancy the idea of anyone touching my spine with a knife, so I've been avoiding surgery for three years now.   After all the problems our mother had with her back, Chris didn't fancy the idea of me over doing it.  First time my younger sister ever bossed me around!

Later that afternoon, Chris and I headed over to her in-laws home to help prepare for Beth's Graduation Party the next day.  Vic's mother, Virginia, is a true southern lady who puts her guests at ease with the grace of her southern hospitality.  Chris had just parked the car, I was outside unloading grocery bags, and when I turned around, there stood Virginia beside me with open arms, welcoming me to her home.  The last time I was in Georgia was five years ago.  I got a long warm hug before we made our way to the kitchen, where Virginia was in the process of grinding the meat for hash.  I love Virginia's hash!  When I was a child, my Mom made us hash on a regular basis.  But I don't remember Mom's hash ever tasting as good as Virginia's hash (sorry Mom).  And when Virginia makes hash, she makes enough for an Army...no small pots on the stove in her home.  No siree!  After helping in the kitchen and getting most of the prep work complete, Chris and I returned back to her home for dinner.

In Georgia, every home has a porch and on that porch are chairs.  Sitting on the porch is a part of everyday life in the South.  So, naturally after dinner we retired to the front porch with our sweet tea, where we were treated to the song of a nearby whip-poor-will and the lazy dance of fire flies.  Sorry, no pics of the fire flies :(.  We don't have fire flies in the Northwest, and watching these little guys is always one of the activities I look forward to when I plan a visit to my sister's home.

When the kids were younger, we'd spend hours watching them catch the fire flies in jars, then dash to show us their prize, eyes wide in excitement.  The kids were allowed to keep the flies in the jar for a short time before setting the flies free.  Sometimes the flies were so thick, the children caught seven or eight in one jar at a time.  Personally, I could spend hours watching them; after all fire flies are nature's fireworks ;).  And fireworks hold a special place in this daughter's heart.

 

~Play is for adults; for children it's serious business.~