Almost Warm Easter

It was sunny and beautiful in Calico Rock for Easter. Not so warm, but almost warm. Now, a week later, it's cloudy and chilly and not so spring-like at all in Memphis. And I have nothing clever to say about that; I'm just whining. Being almost warm but mostly cold makes me whiny. Not surprising to most of you, I'm sure.

Princess Easter.


We take our egg dying seriously.

And we all participate.

If you're feeling crazy next year, get some brown eggs to dye. They really make rich colors. We had some brown and some pale blue, some big, some small. That's what happens when a tornado hits your friend's farm. Long story. But we enjoyed the eggs. Lemonade out of lemons and all that.


I just wanted one good picture with Mer, but by this time she was so tired that even my unusually patient brother was having little luck. See you soon for the big 2 and a half year post.

An EASY Way to Help Memphis

Ever feel like there's nothing you can do to help our city? There are lots of things that are out of our hands in Memphis. I can't impact the INSANE mayor's decisions. I can't make the zoo put the trees back. I CAN make an effort to help save a beautiful building on Union. 

The key here is that there is enough room on the land being purchased by Chick-Fil-A to build their restaurant without TOUCHING the lovely old building. But that's not their plan.

If you care about Memphis, or just care about decent architecture, please click on this link for easy-to-follow directions on the very simple things you can do to save a building that makes Memphis a more beautiful place.

The Gates of Memphis: Help Save the Cumberland Presbyterian Building

First Day of Spring

This week we planted tomato and jalapeno seeds (God, please grant us success, that we might fill our bellies with salsa). Meredith and Papa did some deep thinking on how this seed thing works.

I went to Overton Park and took a few pictures to welcome the spring. You can see them HERE, if you're feeling like an extra dose of spring would be pleasing. And when is it not?

Look Out!

Authorities have recently warned citizens to be aware when encountering young people wearing hoodies. Hoodies can easily be used to conceal faces and weapons.

I was on my guard recently, when I came across this young hoodlum.

Dan Zanes and Friends (Can We Be Your Friends, Dan?)

The moment the time changed, life seemed better. Not that it was such a bad winter, but this week has been gorgeous and the sunshine lasting into the evening makes hours spent on a computer seem silly. SO. This is all just a way to say that I've been a lazy poster this week, and this post is lackluster. And that's likely to continue until I get bored with the spring/summer and return to the white hole of my computer screen. See you in September...

Enough excuses: Here are Walt and Mer with their dads in the lobby of the GPAC, ready to go see Dan Zanes. Walt proudly displays his ticket.


Dan walked through the crowd at the end of the show, to the delight of all. We loved that he did things that the kids adored, even if they must have been somewhat awkward for him (walking through the crowded aisles, standing in the lobby for pictures afterward).


Awww...our kids' first rock show. Well, actually about their 10th. But the first one that wasn't free.

Anticipation

This week, we've waited with bated breath for two things: snow, and Dan Zanes. If you're a parent of a kid under 10 and you don't know about Dan, you owe it to yourself to click on the above link.

So anyway, the snow came through for us. As a Southerner, you learn to live with repeated disappointment on the snow front, and by March, you've abandoned hope. But it finally started on Friday afternoon and it didn't stop until after we went to bed, so we got to enjoy it all evening. We had  a snowball fight (well, some of us watched) on Friday and a nice walk Saturday morning. I say 'nice,' rather than some more superlative word, because Mer still doesn't delight in walking on the crunchy stuff, so there was lots of carrying involved. 

Anyway, here's proof.

Mer checks it out.

Josh and Chris hit neighbor Tom with snowballs while he attempts to deliver flowers to a housebound neighbor. Nice, guys. Real nice. 

Mer learns proper form from her Dad.

Pretty.

Earlier in the week, the kids and I discussed our excitement regarding the upcoming Dan Zanes show. 

Mer: Waltie, Dan Zanes is coming. Yell about it!

Walt: You're crazy.

Walt: Well, maybe I'll yell just a little...

Walt and Mer: Aaauuugghghghgh! Dan Zanes on Sunday! Aaaauuuuughgghghgg!

Ever So Helpful

Almost everyday, my little fashionista pulls out all her clothes and puts together some fabulous ensembles. Fallout of this is that I get to clean up mountains of clothing and put them back in every drawer within reach. So I've been making her help.

Thanks, Mer.

Stay tuned for snow pictures, hopefully.