A Breath of Spring

After bearing the brunt of a million jokes and much derision for screwing up a mere 1" of snow, we decided to hide our shame in Florida for a few days. Florida seems to have little in the way of snow. Fine with us.

They did have a dearth of good musicians, new jokes and food. It's what we needed to help relieve the our shame at screwing up an inch of snow here in Georgia. I told you in my last post how unprepared most are...I forgot to tell you about the stupid part. I kept asking myself why would you let all schools, government offices, and anyone else with a lame excuse on the roads at the same time...at noon...day of...during a weather event... "We didn't know it was coming." Yeah, right.

Alrighty then...yet another reason for a "task force", at taxpayer expense.

It was warm in Florida...a balmy, porch sitting 70 degrees in the Tallahassee area. The cold had killed some of the "introduced" semitropical plants...but the native plants seemed to have fared well in the cold. There was a lot of music and ha ha's. Always good to have a mid winter gathering of musicians to take us to daffodil time in a couple weeks.

I dis-remember what the Groundhog did, but I and can only hope he routs winter like Seattle routed Denver. I likened there defense to jamming a stick up a hornets nest...they were everywhere. Too bad the groundhog doesn't get paid for his services like the non profit NFL pays.  Does the Commissioner of the NFL really get 30,000,000 a year? Please don't say yes.

The main focus of this mid winter excursion was to the Ga Agricultural Museum in Tifton, Ga., for the opening of their "Women's Faces" exhibit that included some of Janice face jugs and a few pieces of my pottery.

Tifton is one of those towns along Interstate 75 S that gets no respect. It is hot in summer dreary in winter, until you get a mile off the road. It really is a wonderful place.The "living museum" exhibits feature some neat steam engines, the preferred power source before the hit or miss engines and tractors come into prominence. There is a steam powered cotton gin and saw mill, and an old steam train that one can ride around premises.

The Exhibit Hall depicts life in middle Georgia from the 1850's to approximately 1950. King Cotton, Tobacco, and Naval Stores. The staff raises and grind red cane, and make molasses for old way. They plant a cotton patch and seasonal gardens...and actually serve typical meals made with the products. It was really a great experience, and reminded me of my tenure at Foxfire.

If you're ever in the Tifton area, stop in. You can see it from the Interstate. Exit 63 B going South. You won't be disappointed. I'm sure you can go on line and see the list of events throughout the year. It's pretty incredible. As with most museums of this sort...it's the people that really make the difference!

We were treated to spend the night in a "green" house. High efficiency everything. The solar was sold back to the power company, high tech insulation, water systems, sustainable gardens etc. It's about 2000 square feet of very comfortable living space. A "New South" home for sure. Thanks, Bret, for the invitation, and the tour.

We're back in D-ville, looking forward to what's next...pottery, gardens, garlic, music?

Ain't that the way it ought to be?