Change

After 5 years of working at Advance Auto Parts as their Commercial Parts Pro, Brett turned in his resignation and took a job closer to home. He is so excited and I'm happy for him! Tomorrow is his first day!

Since he won't get any real time off for a year, we decided to take a few days off this past week and go down to Gulf Shores and see Jim and Mar. The weather was beautiful and we had a couple great beach days. We both got a little bit of sun and had a great time! We were also able to take a walk on Bubba's beach and collect some more Indian pottery fragments. Our collection has grown quite a bit this year.

Mardi Gras 5K

St. Mary's Episcopal Church had their 1st Annual Mardi Gras 5K for their Rice & Beans Ministry yesterday and the weather could not have been any better! 

Brett was in charge of the balloons (all the helium made it INSIDE the balloons!) and I was on official camera duty. The turnout was even better than expected. The last number I heard was somewhere around 160 runners! I'm hoping that next year Brett will be on camera duty while I run!

Sun, Sand, Water (and golfballs!)

Normally I'm the girl who LOVES Winter. I'm practically giddy when the crisp Fall air turns cold and I get more excited than a toddler when it actually snows, so it's pretty surprising that I'm actually excited for Spring to get here. I think that part of the reason is that there were no January or February foals this year and foaling season is one of my favorite times of the year. The first foal is due around the first week of March and I'm very excited to see what's been cooking!

We've finally had some warmer weather so Brett and I took a weekend trip down to Gulf Shores to see Jim and Mar. We spent Saturday morning seeing some of the houses that they've been looking at lately. I know they're ready to get out of that small rental! Saturday afternoon was well into the 60s so we loaded up and went out to the driving range in Orange Beach!

After we left the driving range we drove down to the Bear Point neighborhood to watch the sunset. It was absolutely breathtaking. Mar's family had a beach house in Bear Point when she was growing up so she gave us the tour down there. I fell in love and now I want us to get a little cabin down there!

We spent Sunday morning looking for more pottery on the beach at MeMe and Bubba's house. Their place is a little piece of paradise and I'm so grateful that they share it with us. Fort Morgan really is Alabama's best kept secret!

Snow Day 2014

Southern Alabama actually got my favorite 4 letter word this year --- SNOW! Winter storm Leon brought about an inch of ice and a couple inches of snow last Tuesday and it was enough to completely shut Alabama down for 2 days.

It started off as a COLD, light rain on Tuesday morning and then quickly became freezing rain as the morning progressed. My boss decided to close the office at 10:30 and I decided to grab a quick lunch (and a margarita!) with a friend before I went home. In the 45 minutes I was inside the restaurant, my car looked like this!

Brett's boss let him come home around 1 so we settled in and got warm and cozy because we knew we were going to be home for a while! The freezing rain turned into sleet about 2:30 and then it started to snow right after dark. I'm very grateful that the freezing rain transitioned into sleet quicker than they forecasted because I was really starting to get concerned about the trees and power lines!

When we woke up on Wednesday we had a beautiful blanket of snow covering everything! Nothing is more beautiful to me than a fresh blanket of snow and the absolute quiet that comes along with it. It's so peaceful.

Since the roads were completely iced over and everything was shut down we decided to get outside and play like kids! We rode the 4 wheeler through the woods and spent hours running around with Gomer. I'm not sure who had more fun, Gomer or us! :)

This was the first time that Gomer has seen snow. He was born 3 months after our big snowfall in February 2010. He wasn't quite sure what he thought about it at first, but he quickly decided that it was pretty fun!

I really hope that we get lucky enough to get just one more snow day this year!

Making memories

The past few months have just flown by and once again I forgot to keep up with my blog!

Despite having several "no new additions" conversations, we brought Lola home in October. We found her in the parking lot of our favorite Mexican restaurant which is right next to a busy highway. There was no way we could just leave her there so she came home with us!

Marlene had exhibits at Williams Station Day in Atmore and the Fall Art Festival at the Gulf Shores United Methodist Church and we were able to go to both of those. It's always fun to hang out and watch Mar go into her "professional" mode!

We had beautiful fall weather this year and tried to spend as much time as we could in Shell Banks. Walking along the shoreline just soothes my soul.

Brett and I were both able to take a week off for Thanksgiving so we met up with Jim and Mar and drove up to Aiken. Brett's grandmother had 2 good days while we were there and it was nice to be able to spend some quality time with her. Brett's younger brother drove up Thanksgiving Day so Jim was able to spend Thanksgiving with his mother and all 4 of his kids. As always, we had a fabulous time in Aiken. I honestly think I could live there and be happy as a clam!

Christmas was a little low key this year, but that was fine with me. We had Christmas dinner with my parents and my great-aunt and uncle and had a very good time. This was the first year that I cooked everything on my own and I'm proud to say that it all turned out just fine! (Thank goodness!)

We started off the New Year with some record setting cold temperatures. I was really hoping we would get at least a few snow flurries, but they stayed too far north. Our highs stayed below freezing for a couple of days and we dipped into the single digits at night. I was shocked when our slough at the river actually froze over! I've never seen that before.

2014 was also kicked off with a new look for Brett. The ponytail is officially GONE! She cut off a 16" ponytail, plus cut off another 3". I can't believe he had that much hair on his head in the first place! LOL

2013 ended with some pretty great memories and I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store!

10.01.01

It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years. Some days it feels like it's been forever and other days where it feels like it happened yesterday. My grandmother was one of the biggest influences in my life and there is not a day that goes by where I don't miss her. 

Spring/Summer 2013

Brett and I went to Aiken at the end of March to see his grandmother and spend some time with his half siblings and nieces and nephew. Jim and Mar were up there at the same time so we all had a great time. Brett's grandmother was admitted to the hospital the day after we got there so that changed our game plan a little. In between visiting G-ma, we did quite a bit of exploring around Aiken County and into Augusta. I'd driven through Augusta several tiems, but this was the first time we went downtown and actually checked it out. 

We've taken several trips down to Gulf Shores to see Jim and Mar. While we both miss the Scottsboro area (and the great friends we made up there) it sure is nice to have Jim and Mar closer to us and a great excuse to always get to go to the beach! We've been taking full advantage of the great beach weather this year. :)

My boss and his family took a 2 week trip to Costa Rica at the end of June and the day after they left my only co-worker went out on medical leave. It was an interesting 2 weeks holding down the fort, but it went smoother than I expected. I was BLESSED to have a great temp helper and thankfully nothing out of the norm happened while he was gone. As soon as they came back Brett and I took a trip to New Orleans (my first!) for a weekend. 

 I had a fabulous time and I'm ready to go back anytime. We stayed at the Loft 523 which was a very quick walk from CBD into the French Quarter. We spent most of Saturday walking around and sight-seeing and took a bus ride that afternoon. We had made dinner reservations at K-Paul's, but the earliest they could get us in was 9:00 and we came across a wonderful restaurant next to Pat O'Brien's. I highly recommend the Old Coffeepot on St. Peter Street. The food is incredible and their bartender made the BEST hurricane that I drank the entire weekend.

When we came home from New Orleans we had quite a surprise waiting for us. My aunt and cousin from New York (along with his girlfriend and son) came down to spend a week with us. It was the first time that I got to meet Declan and Megan. We had a ball while they were here!

We also took the Camaro out of couple times this year. A friend of ours drove it in August while my dad was building the motor for his car. It was fun to get to watch it go down the track as just a spectator! 

 

 

It's been nice to have the last few weekends around the house before our fall schedule kicks into high gear!

151

151 years ago today, my great-great-great grandfather enlisted in the Civil War. He joined up with several of his family members, all of them fighting to preserve a way of life that was all they had ever known.

Jacob Perry Merrill (1838 - 1875) was one of seven children born to William Merrill and Susannah McDade. He was the youngest surviving son. The information that I have on his younger years isn't very clear. We do know that William Merrill and his older brother Jacob Merrill settled in the Leon area of Crenshaw County, Alabama in the late 1820's. In addition to owning many acres of farmland, William Merrill also opened a trading post near the Patsaliga River. While tension was high between Indians and settlers during this time, William and Jacob Merrill became known for their ability to peacefully trade with the local Indians.

Jacob married Elefare Parrish (daughter of Hamilton Parrish and Belinda Handley) in 1858. Church records from Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church indicate that both the Merrills and Parrishs attented Good Hope and it is quite possible this is where Jacob and Elefare met and became acquainted. Jacob and Elefare's first child, Susanna Melinda, was born in 1860 with the rumblings of the Civil War in the not-so-distant future. Although his father was a farmer and trader, Jacob was listed as a tailor on the 1860 federal census.

On March 24, 1862 Jacob Perry Merrill enlisted with the Alabama 37th Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. William John Merrill (brother), Benjamin Greenberry Merrill (cousin), Greenberry Benjamin Merrill (cousin), Henry Martin Merrill (cousin), Thomas Hezekiah Merrill (cousin), Thomas Lambden Merrill (cousin), and William Reid Merrill (cousin), joined on the same day and all of them served in Company C together. All but Benjamin Greenberry Merrill (son of Greenberry Benjamin) made it home from the war.

Through the United Daughters of the Confederacy application process I was able to learn quite a few details about Jacob's military service. The Alabama 37th fought at the Battle of Iuka and he was captured on September 19, 1862. He was paroled shortly thereafter.

Jacob fought again at the Siege of Vicksburg and was captured as part of the Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863. He was paroled five days later on July 9. Jacob's cousin Benjamin Greenberry Merrill was killed in action on June 12/14, 1863.

Jacob's final battle was the Battle of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga. He was captured on November 25, 1863 and held until December 2, 1863 when he was transfered to Louisville, Kentucky. From Louisville he was sent to Rock Island Barracks in Illinois where he appeared on a POW roll in December 1863. His official confinement date is listed as December 5, 1863.

Not much is known about his time at Rock Island. He never regained his health after he returned back home and died 10 years later at the age of 36. He is buried in the Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church cemetery next to his wife Elefare. Four generations of his descendants are also buried in Good Hope.

Elefare married Daniel Hansome Gainey in 1880 and they had one son, Joseph Samuel Ganey. Joseph went from a teacher in Covington County, Alabama to the superintendent for the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind throughout the end of the Great Depression and through World War II. He also served as President of the American Association of Institutions for the Blind.

A quick glimpse at our new hobby

Brett and I (and Gomer!) have a new hobby and we spent the gorgeous weather yesterday enjoying it to the fullest!

We live near several National Forests and had never really taken the time to get out and enjoy them. We started looking for places to take Gomer on quick day trips and got hooked after our first one. Gomer is a trooper and LOVES going on adventures!

We spent most of yesterday in the Conecuh National Forest. I grew up going down to Blue Springs in the summer and had never taken Brett down there. It doesn't resemble the old swimming hole much at all anymore. The bank has eroded quite a bit over the past few years and they've had to build 2 retaining walls to keep the damage from continuing. Gomer was fascinated watching the fish swim in the clear water, though!

We followed the Conecuh Trail around to where the creek, Blue Springs, and the river meet up. I was fascinated at how different the water looked from each source. I wasn't so thrilled about crossing the bridge over the creek though. It was only 15 feet up, but it was extremely windy and the bridge wasn't so sturdy. I'm PETRIFIED of heights and I think Gomer takes after me in that regard. Brett got Gomer across and I sucked it up and followed. I wasn't too happy about it, though!

We stopped at had a quick picnic lunch at Open Pond on our way out. The shelter they have is extremely nice and overlooks the pond. It's a gorgeous view!

I grew up here and our place on the river is less than 3 miles away, but I had never gone to the actual waterfall that the town of River Falls is named after. I was planning on just stopping on the bridge and trying to grab a couple of quick pictures through the trees, but Brett suggested we actually trek back there. I'm glad we did. When the sunlight peeks through the trees and onto the waterfall, it's absolutely breathtaking! It's hard to imagine that such a beautiful sight has practically been in my backyard this whole time.