Family

My Mother

When I think of my mom I think of selfless giving and caring. She raised my brother and I alone....My father had visitation, but was not much of a dad....My grandparents on both side of my family were involved in my life....I LOVE my grandparents!!!! My aunt Cindy and uncle Bill were very present in my life as well and will always be so very special to me. But my mother takes the award for being the "Best Mom" ever!! Katherine Sandra Bigger Deaver Gordon is her name and if you know her, you know how much she believes in and loves her family-what a beautiful woman and example she is...My "mama" as I call her has gotten a bad rap because of me. People (family included) like to blame her for my mistakes-they like to judge her from a distance and pretend to know what they would do if they were faced with the challenges that I made my mother face...Remember DO NOT JUDGE!! Karma is a bitch!!! trust me-I know about Karma!!!!

Recently my sweet, giving, loving mama found out her finances have changed dramatically-I will be interested to see if all the family comes for Christmas this year-knowing ahead of time-Christmas will not mimic years past----She is worried about the fact she is unable to provide like she has all of my life!! She need not worry---I think we should all go to Billy Graham's library after Christmas dinner and enjoy the TRUE meaning of Christmas!! Here is some irony...I filmed a video for the Billy Graham library!! Please follow these directions and you will see me in my second ever "commercial"  the first was a Bud Light commercial for the Panthers a lllllooonnnnggg time ago!!

Mama, I love you so much....You are the best and you did the best as a mother!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything!!!!!


1. Click link
http://www.billygrahamlibrary.org
2. Click EXPLORE top of the webpage
3. Scroll down to VIDEOS
4. Scroll down to "Come Visit the Billy Graham Library" 2:11
5. You will see Ed and I at the 1:02 mark and we are shown several times after that.... We really enjoyed filming and love the grounds at the library!!

Grace Katherine "Gracie"

The word grace brings many different meanings to one's mind---when I think of grace, I think of God...and all the many blessings that I have received-my grandmother and daughter both bear the name-both deservedly so! My grandmother, "Mawmaw Bigger"as we call her today, (because of the great-grandchildren my brother and I have given her) is a beautiful woman on the inside and out-She is 97 years old and only recently moved to an assisted living community and currently resides at a nursing home. She is tired but still so gracious and loving with her family, church friends, and everyone who knows her...She set an amazing example for all of us to follow...My daughter "Gracie" who was named after Mawmaw Bigger suffered as a baby, but to look at her now NO ONE would ever know....she has been blessed with a wonderful father and the sweetest and quick-witted step-mother, who both love and adore her so much...My mother, step-father, aunt, and late uncle Bill surrounded her with love and let her know how lucky she is to have sooo many who care about her!! I am blessed to see my daughter and all of her manifestations-she is funny, loves and even sometimes lives in a make believe world, she can size up people in a room quicker than me-and she's a pretty darn good judge of character. Not only is she tall and beautiful she is kind....I know for me this is GRACE!!! I love my daughter, Gracie with all of my heart...one day she will know her story and that will be here quicker than I ever dreamed...she's smart and intuitive...she already ask...she knows I love her and miss her....

*Some of my family have not taken the time to know this beautiful child-whether out of jealousy or anger-I have finally realized it is their loss not Gracie's!! I love you my sweet daughter and I am very appreciative of the woman who stepped up to love my daughter like her own...Amber, you are sent from God....Thank you!

Gracie at 4 years old-legs crossed and looking like a big girl

Stylen and profilen...

"Really, Mama?"

Come in Loma, come in...

Gracie should be modeling children's clothes

Gracie at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens-Christmas, 2010

Gracie reading Snow White to me!!

Easter-Gracie Pooh pouting!!

Ed

What do you say about someone who drives you insane!!! Your one true love? The one you loved and lost? or do you just call them "ED". Ed can be a great guy-giving and forgiving, silly and always complimentary....but on the flip side...hmmmmm stayed tuned...not sure all my business needs to be put on this blog...The following pictures have been taken by me throughout my marriage....

Mawmaw Bigger

Aunt Cindy

Uncle Bill

Chuck

Glenn

Nieces and Nephews

Photography-Landscapes, Portraits, and just plain odd....

**I have a love of photography-not sure if anyone else appreciates my taste or interest, but I certainly hope it gets ya thinking about how you see the world...stayed tuned-I am constantly updating this post!!!

Church between York and Chester County on Hwy 49

Parthenon Replica in Rock Hill, SC--go figure

Children's Museum in Rock Hill, SC-was once a bank-the vault now holds the key to the coolest dress-up clothes

Flag on top of Chimney Rock, NC

Pure Gas Sign being eaten by kudzu in Georgia

Spooky place in Helen, GA-

Covered Bridge Clayton, GA

Georgia Guidestones-WEIRD

Little cars left for two little boys taken well before their time....

Hotels, Motels, B&Bs, Inns, Tents (yeah right), and more

Apalachicola River Inn
Apalachicola, FL

Merry Acres Inn
Albany, GA
http://www.merryacres.com

Merry Acres Inn sits on the property once owned by the late Dr. Russell L. Grace. The property at that time housed many structures: old farm house, horse barns, pecan groves (OMG they are everywhere), and a pasture. The doctor and his wife eventually added 200 more acres to his already 500 acres. 

Ms. Grace had a love for trees and flowers which was evident in her landscaping and led the way for the name "Merry Acres". She also had a building on the property made of rocks where she made sausage and cooked chitterlings---gross!! yes, I have tried chittlens' as we call them and they taste like s**t as you can imagine s**t is housed in them...YUCK...anyway....the building was called the Dutch oven.

The property was given to their daughter, Jean, who married a professional baseball player, named G.G. "Speck"Dozier. They created the first motel on the property where this amazing inn is today. The main house was used as the motel (which is now registration), and the Dutch oven was turned into a suite.

**The fireplace from the rock structure (building) still stands today!! **see picture below....

The property remained in the family and additional influential people who married into the family (Miami Dolphin Superbowl ring holder--married one of Dozier's children) kept successful business going.

Today Stewart and Bo own the property and three local restaurants-all three have excellent food as I have eaten at them all!!! Harvest Moon serves pizza, sandwiches, etc. The Catch serves seafood, and Henry Campbell's serves steak. 

This inn has received numerous awards-and rightfully so....

1. 100% customer satisfaction is their goal

2. Nothing like chain hotels and/or motels
3. If a guest need anything the staff goes out of his or her way to see all needs are met
4. Guest can be shuttled to the three restaurants-(they even picked me up from the oral surgeons office)
5. Office staff professional, down to earth, and helpful
6. Housekeeping and grounds crew friendly and professional
7. On-site pub
8. Beautifully landscaped and well-maintained grounds
9. Safe-security on site


Rooms are decorated very modern with modern amenities such as flat screen TVs, duvets, stylish drapes and lamps, hairdryers, refrigerators, coffee makers, desk with a chair, walk-in closets, and an extra chair.

Pub, Registration is around back

**Original fireplace and grill

Pool stays open all year round

Beautiful covered area at the pool to eat lunch, work on the computer or just enjoy the day

Security is not a problem-Many cameras are visible and watched (Makes me feel safe)

Playground

Albany, GA

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Ed is working in Albany, GA for 3 1/2 months....so you guys may learn more about Georgia, East Alabama and South Florida than you ever wanted to know. 

Apalachicola, FL and St. George, FL

Apalachicola, Florida is known as "oyster town" and rightfully so....When I awoke on Sunday morning I was expecting rain (according to the forecast) instead the sunrise gave way to the most beautiful pink and purple sky I have ever seen (or noticed). The men in the boats decided to brave the weather and water and go out for oysters...One of the boats was operated by the restaurant, Boss which is part of the hotel we stayed at....As we finished breakfast and getting ready for the day...we walked the streets and watched as the boat(s) returned with fresh yummy oysters-we ate those oysters for lunch-can't get any fresher than that!! Apalachicola has the cutest downtown-it is a fishing community, but their shops and historic sites are a place everyone should visit....They are stylish, beautiful plants ornament their porches, and the people are soooo very friendly!!! Everyone seemed to be happy that we were there! Granted we were visiting their town during the off-season-I so want to go back and spend at least a week there!!!!

St. George, FL

Crooked River Lighthouse
Carrabelle, Fl

Radium Springs
Albany, GA

Radium Springs once was "the place" to be seen by the who's who of Albany. Coming out parties, debutant balls, weddings, and so much more for Albany's society was held at this beautiful, blue watered, spring throughout the years. The springs were thought to have healing properties by the Native Americans, which they called Sky Water (because of the blue water). The water actually has radium in it-hmmmmm......no wonder they felt better!!

Today it is a beautiful park for anyone to enjoy. There is no fee only specific hours in which one can imagine what it was once like...It is so peaceful; it gave me a chance to sit quietly and imagine the fun that so many experienced.....The sandbar where the children played and the hill in which their parents kept a watchful eye have changed sooo much from the years before. 

Camp Sumter Andersonville, GA
November 3, 2013

http://www.nps.gov/ande/index.htm

What a sad way to spend a Sunday afternoon-visiting a prison and a cemetery. It was very informative about a war that many still hold close to their heart-the Civil War. It was the war that divided a country, men fought against their own brothers, and many many lives were lost. 

 This prison camp held northern soldiers-it was built to hold  10,000 prisoners; however, quickly it became overcrowded with a total number of 32,000, and over 13,000 died. 

The different states that had men who were held and/or died here all had beautiful sculptures erected in their honor.

Pigeon Roost

The walls contained elevated guard posts where armed soldiers watched over the prisoners.

The North Gate

This is the gate in which the prisoners entered the camp-the left door opened and once the prisoners walked from the railroad they entered hell...

Providence Spring

The sudden appearance of the spring was a treasured memory of the Union "Yankee" soldiers. The prisoners saw lightening strike the side of the mountain right before the spring sprung---don't ya just love the saying, "spring sprung". The spring is still flowing today...as you can see in the pictures

 Sculpture

This sculpture can be seen right after one leaves the museum. The photography does not do it justice-the idea of running water like a curvy stream is genius, sculpting in brick to show prisoners behind a fence is unbelievable, and the man who is standing alone is so emaciated it allows the viewer to understand what happened to these men.  

The Tunnels

Union soliders dug tunnels under the camp trying to escape-they used anything they could find such as spoons, plates, etc...

Clara Barton "Angel of the Battlefield

This sculpture was dedicated to Clara Barton-she was asked by President Abraham Lincoln to come down to Georgia and help identify the dead. Many loved ones sent letters asking about their husbands, sons, brothers, etc. Clara came with pictures in tow attempting to answer the loved one's questions about their whereabouts....

Sculptures from the different States

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Ohio (looks like the Washington Monument)

New York

New Jersey

Indiana

Minnesota

Connecticut

Sculpture for the unknown soldiers

Raiders

The raiders were a group of six men who bullied the others by stealing and even murdering some of their fellow inmates. These rogue soldiers/prisoners ended up going to trial and eventually hanged. The trial was made up of prisoners who were acted as the attorneys, judge, and jurors. The Raiders were not buried amongst the other prisoners. 

Bobby Deen
November 2, 2013

 Staying at Merry Acres Inn has been an adventure to say the least...more about that later!! Still hoping things change....Nothing negative about the hotel it's more about the people staying near us....

Anyway, the Inn had a flyer regarding Bobby Deen coming to the area (his mother, Paula's, hometown) to autograph his new cookbook from Mama's Table to Mine. He is sooo cute and I just had to get a new cookbook since I don't think I will ever see ALL of Mawmaw Bigger's recipes...

I went to the Welcome Center where Bobby was gonna be signing his new book.. I was greeted by a professional staff who directed me to the gift shop where I could purchase the book(s) to have autographed...as I climbed the stairs I could hear the women talking and laughing and I thought Oh Lord what have I gotten myself into....towns like Albany are very close knit and everyone knows everyone....and here I come....with my bag of Lisa Crap...lol...I stood in line quietly- but was very quickly included in the lady in front of me and her friend's conversation. Next, two older ladies who arrived by elevator quickly wanted to know who I was and where I was from....They were hilarious-actually all three were...and made me feel as if I had known them forever!! They tore apart everyone woman in that line who did not dress appropriately and/or they just didn't like...Needless to say I joined right in with the fashion police interrogation of all women who were not dressed age appropriately....I had the BEST time!! I even got three new phone numbers of women I can go to lunch with, shopping, or just talk to in my silent world....I would really like to utilize their numbers to learn all about the local yocal gossip....FUN!! for once it won't be about ME!!!! YEAH....Oh yeah and I got to meet Bobby Deen, his beautiful wife, and get my cookbook(s) autographed....

Bobby was very gracious and so down to earth...I am very glad I went!!

http://albanygacalendar.com/?ai1ec_event=book-signing-with-bobby-deen&instance_id=3075

Tallahassee, Florida

What a beautiful town...First, we went to the Indian Mounds-OMG...are you kidding they were literally a mound of dirt...I wasn't even sure if I was looking at a mound or dirt they moved to make the walkway...Glad they preserved it, but its one of those things where I been there I've done it...

Letchworth-Love Mounds

Native Americans inhabited the area around Florida, North of Tallahassee. These mounds are the tallest ceremonial mounds in Florida-46 feet tall.  It dates back to 1100-1800 AD and is believed to be have been built by the Weeden Island Culture. 

Ed and I walked the path and up the observation of the mounds-I must say I was not very impressed... You decide...