Gleaning Facebook: Back from Tallahassee

Home again, home again, jiggedyjog.

Jann Heaton Skeen
There truly is no place like home.

Lyn Davis
That was a fast trip!

Terrell Shaw
Yep down on Friday, back on Sunday. But we had a great visit with our two-year-old niece, Vada ...and her parents and grandparents, of course. 

Barbara J. Gale
I say that all the time and my kids look at me like I'm from another planet...so glad someone else uses it.

Nora Matthews
We have a great time too. Maybe we can make it to georgia in July for fireworks!!

Gleaning Facebook: Nieces & Nephews at Arrowhead

Here are some pictures of my nieces and nephew who came out to Arrowhead for a "private tour". 

My nephew Benjamin checks his wingspan against that of other buzzards

Natalie Davis calms a little gator. He looks pleased.

Brianne Davis & AnnaGrace Turrentine get aquainted with one of our gators.

Brianne Davis & AnnaGrace Turrentine get aquainted with one of our gators.

Natalie Davis's Lake Arrowhead pic.

Gleaning Facebook: Eagle Signage

 The new signage near the bald eagle nest at Berry College

Rain Forest in the Southeast?

Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (Tunbridge Filmy-fern)

My association with Richard & Teresa Ware these last 45 years or so has enriched my life in many ways. One of those ways is by spurring my interest in botany and providing me a passing acquaintance with some of the most knowledgeable botanists in the Southeast. So today I am privy to enlightening posts like this one from Dr. Alan Weakley of the University of North Carolina and the author of Flora of the Southern & Mid-Atlantic States. 

Ecological facts of the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment. The most consistently moist place in North America (month by month, year by year, millenium by millenium, and geologic era by geologic era) is the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment region of sw. NC, nw. SC, and ne. GA, along the gorges of the Eastatoe, Toxaway, Horsepasture, Chattooga, and Whitewater). Waterfall central (more than anywhere else in North America), Shortia, filmy-ferns, and many other wonders, including a world-class hot-spot of organisms requiring high humidity: lungless salamanders, filmy-ferns, liverworts, mosses, lampshade spiders... (thank you, Lewis Anderson, R.I.P.). As end of year approaches, the Lake Toxaway Weather Station has recorded 127.55 inches for 2013, well above the usual standard for "temperate rain forests" of 80 inches, and the rainfall and humidity is higher still down in the gorges than at this station! - Alan Weakley, FaceBook, December 26, 2013

 

Gleaning Facebook: Saving Mr. Banks

 Saving Mr. Banks lived up to the hype. It is one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in years.

The acting was superb. Emma Thompson should be in contention for an Oscar. Tom Hanks was excellent as Disney and the supporting cast were outstanding, especially Paul Giamatti as the chauffeur and Colin Farrell as Travers' father.

The cinematography was gorgeous -- great camera angles and lighting and pleasing visual surprises. The film editing was exceptional, especially the many seamless flashbacks.

Don't rush out. During the closing credits snapshots of the actual people portrayed in the film are shown and an audio clip of P.L. Travers' cantankerous sessions with the Sherman brothers illustrates how well Thompson captured her spirit.

Comments

Jenifer Beaver I absolutely loved it. I plan to see it again during the break. I totally went into the ugly cry during Hanks monologue. Hanks blew me away with those words.
Terrell Shaw Sheila cried too.

George Barton And "Mary Poppins" is finally out on blu-ray.
Clayton Hensley I truly need to get to sleep ... I read George's comment and thought it said Mary Poppins finally came out!

Laurie Cook-Critchlow Good because we are seeing it today

Jim Geist Disney was so anti-union, I am not sure I will be able to watch it....time will tell.

Gleaning Facebook: Union Made

Laurie Craw

 I support unions although I've never been a member. Need them to come back strong to save the middle class.

Marsha Pledger

I have never understood why some of my family hate the union.

Gleaning Facebook: Grandma Ruth & Bradley

 Mary Bradley Johnston, my newest great niece, meets my mother, her great grandmother.

From Carol Shaw Johnston's Facebook: Grandma Ruth (aka the baby whisperer) meets Mary Bradley.

Gleaning Facebook: ACA Online Adventure

 We've got to wade into it with Brannon this weekend. I'm so thankful the ACA is available to her. Still I dread a complicated online sign-up. But I remember the long meetings with insurance guys over the years, at home and at work, so a one-time two-and-a-half hour online ordeal doesn't sound horribly onerous.

From Ray Atkins's Facebook:

The bad news is it took 2 1/2 hours and a Master's Degree to wrangle some insurance out of the federal healthcare exchange last night.

The good news is it is great coverage at an amazing price.

The website sucks, but it's worth the effort.

(put a Buy It Now button on there, y'all!)

Howard Smith
Terrell Shaw, every year my wife's policy (public school teacher) changes and we spend pretty much that much time reviewing our options as I am sure you know.

Laurie Craw
This does NOT relate to your two daughters specifically but to all our daughters. The best reason for healthy young women or young couples to get insurance is the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy. Healthy young people may be oblivious to the possibility of accidents or serious illness but pregnancy is a natural and very common occurrence. Birth control is NOT 100% effective and the cost of prenatal care and hospital delivery, under the best of circumstances runs into the thousands. Complications before, during or after can bring financial ruin. Pregnancy and childbirth are always risky, and not all babies are born healthy. When I conceived our first child back in the Stone Ages, I didn't have health insurance because I had just started a new job, and for eight months I worried about how we would pay the doctor and hospital. The Ob-GYN demanded full payment of his standard delivery fee IN ADVANCE of the due date in addition to payment-at-time of service for the prenatal visits. When you're pregnant, you don't need that kind of stress, daughters. So be smart. Get insurance now before you need it.

Raymond Atkins

Beware the urge to cuss about halfway through the process, Terrell. It'll pass. 

Gleaning Facebook: Two Outdoors Posts

 

"CRBI'S YEAR IN PHOTOS...A look back at 2013 and all the reasons to support CRBI with a year-end donation! PHOTO # 2: Speckled darter in Silver Creek, one of the many beautiful and unique critters that CRBI is working to protect. CRBI programs help keep Silver Creek clean and healthy! "

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Max Hester: "Here is Henry, the male Berry Bald Eagle, bringing a little meal in for his mate. he was so proud of himself you could hear him screaming for her for more than a minute. He needs to learn a lot from the osprey he chased during the spring - carry fish head on for better aero performance."

Gleaning Facebook: Family Photos

Several posts today

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Annie Belle Brannon Snell (r) and Lillie Murphy Brannon. Annie was Sheila's grandmother and a wonderful woman. Sharp as a tack till her death at 97 in 1981. We chose our daughter Brannon's name to honor Annie's memory.

Lillian Shaw
Amazing hats!

Debbie Bullington Quattrin
Thank you so much for posting this! I remembered seeing it but had no idea where. Hugs to you all! Terry, is there a date on the pic? Any guess on the year? Figure she is an older teen or younger twenty-something? 1900 (age 16) to 1905 (age 21) is my guess. Am I close? Lyndsey Anne Quattrin and Maggie Mae Quattrin, Annie Bell is your great-great grandmother, my 'Granny' 

Nora Matthews
Uncle Terry. Dad wants to know where you found this picture

Terrell Shaw
Debbie I imagine you are right about the date. No date on the pic. Nora, I don't remember how we came by this pic. Either Granny (Annie) or Granny (Mavis) gave it to us I guess.

Hill Sawyer
What an incredible photo!

Nora Matthews
So I'm guessing they were sisters? Which one was Brannon named after?

Betty Smith Franklin
beauties.....

Howard Smith
nice hats

John Countryman
Fabulous shot! What awesome "costumes!"

Stephanie Brendel Bradford
This photo is so interesting- they are posing as good as some contestants on Americas Next Top Model”

Amanda Hearn Sims
And here I always thought you came up with Brannon on your own

Hans Andre Dorce
Beautiful Ladies...wow!

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Taken at a rocked-in spring on our property at the cabin on Lake Creek in (very) southern Floyd County during the seventies. Am I a lucky man? Yes, I am. Gorgeous Sheila Matthews Shaw was 23 or 24, believe it or not. Ann Gore You are. -------------------------

We haven't changed a bit, have we? This was taken along the Tear-Britches trail or there-abouts in the Cohuttas in the mid-seventies.

2013

Elizabeth McGinnis Johnson
That's how I remember you looking!

Terrell Shaw
Liz, this may well have been taken while you were my student... about 1973 or 74, I'd guess.

Elizabeth McGinnis Johnson
I left Rome in 75 do yep, you were my teacher then.

2016

Ann Gore
Beautiful people!

2019

Hans Andre Dorce
Wonderful...Beautiful.

2020
Tom Brown
Flower children.!

Terrell Shaw
Tom Brown, show us what you looked like in the seventies! 

Tom Brown
No way. Long hair. Side burns. Hip hugger Bell bottoms. Tie dyed shirt.

Jim Howell
Haven’t changed much. Still two very cool people

Susan Myers Smith
So sweet!

Whit Perry
Hip hikers!

Jeri Carter
I remember those people!! Lookin' good!

Terrell Shaw
Why is this old picture cropping up today, I wonder? I like remembering those days. I was and am a lucky guy.

Deron Davis
You were adorable hipsters.

Mike Bock
Very nice. I was there.

Beau Gordon
There are no notable physical changes that I can see.....wait, let me get my glasses.

Howard Smith
I loved your singing group Peter, Paul and Mary. Please give my regards to Paul when you him. 

Cynthia Anderson Eason
Daniel Eason and I had one of our most memorable dates in that very same area!

Terrell Shaw
Howard Smith you recognized Mary even with that gorgeous long blond hair under the cap! Mike Bock you TOOK the photo!

Stacie Scoggins Marshall
Y’all have been cool since the 70’s!

Terrell Shaw
Cynthia Eason I proposed to Sheila near there about four years before this pic was taken.

Tim Shiflett
I certainly remember those two people, from the 70’s.....

Ralph Davis
Love this picture!! Who’s that guy with Sheila again?  You guys are awesome.

Anita Stewart
Terrell, you certainly picked a beautiful girl to be your bride

Jane Nelson Risdon
Awesome picture!

Terrell Shaw
Mike took it. 

Kanute Rarey
We do wear a little

Julianne Reeves
Sheila Matthews Shaw I absolutely love this picture.

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Brannon considered drawing her job during her pre-school years. She would get home from day-care and go immediately to the little table and chairs set in the living room and draw. Here she decided to sketch her new sibling more than seven months before Lillian's birth.

Julie Dahlinger
Realism has always been her strongest point 

Lillian Shaw
Don't be offended that this is hidden from my Timeline.

Terrell Shaw
What!? I'm appalled. You are OUT of my will. 

Brannon Shaw
Lillian Shaw: YOU DON'T GET MY ART!

CaroIine Atkins
I think we meed to focus on what's really important here. Brannon Shaw I never knew your mom has a shark fin and dog paws! She looks happy to be having Lillian soon.....insanely happy.

Terrell Shaw
Caroline you caused some raucous laughter in our den just now. They say a deep belly laugh each day is the key to longevity. Thanks for extending our lives a bit tonight.

CaroIine Atkins
My pleasure, but I think Brannon is the real star here.

Gleaning Facebook: Old Chair Renewal

 

Miguel's Upholstery will have this chair (and its ottoman) recovered for us by tomorrow noon... I'll take a pic. This is after they had stripped off much of the old, old, cushioning, strapping, springs, and cloth.

Here's the recovered chair with foot stool in our living room. I think Miguel did a great job refurbishing this very old set.

I hope I can find a before pic of this other old chair. It was in our old house when we bought the contents in 1993. Glad to finally have it looking good. I sanded, stained, and refinished the very-dried-almost-weathered-looking wood then had Miguel's Upholstery recover it with cloth we bought at Hancock's Fabric.

Gleaning Facebook: Obama on Mandela

I crawled out of my covers a little early this morning to hear the President's eulogy of Nelson Mandela. It was a powerful, moving summary of Mandela's remarkable legacy and a challenge to himself, and all of us, to follow Mandela's example.

I am so thankful for that example of "Madiba" to the world and so thankful for our young president whose entire political career began under Mandela's inspiration and has embodied so well his principles of freedom and equality for all, but also of actually listening to and respecting and compromising with opponents.

Comments

Joyce Mink

Thanks for posting that. I get tired of the negative attitudes from those who forget where we were when his administration started and how he has had to fight the House for every bill and every penny. Future government classes will study this presidency as an example of divided government and the difficulties of a 2 party system, as Washington warned against in his Farewell Address.

Christie Hufstedler Boyd

I also like that he shook hands with Cuba's Castro. Diplomacy should always come first and since they are our nearest island neighbor we need to to learn to get along. The Cold War has been over for years.

Gleaning Facebook: Kaleidoscope Rock

Booze Creek, looking toward "Kaleidoscope Rock" Dec. 3, 2013 on the campus of Pepperell Primary School.