Mobile Memories

Yes, this is my third post of the day - I can't help it. I am stuck to the computer, shooting out resumes and just relaxing.

As I was looking at the background pic on the computer screen, I decided I wanted to change it - and change it to one of my mobile phone photos.

Then I started going through those photos and man.. were there some amazing memories.

Soo.. my Valentine to myself today, will be a pictorial look back at things I love. Memories I made. Times I shared. You know, if we don't have a camera with us, and we think it is important enough to capture with our cell phones - you know it must have meaning. Though many times the photos are fuzzy and waay too candid - the memories, ah.. the memories are for real. Not posed pics usually - just a moment in time captured.

(Hang in there - there are quite a few.. but man.. they mean a lot to me, and I don't typically have them up anywhere else.. and it is a sneak peak into my real life AND you might see yourself!)

Ahhh.. The old days at work. Just me, my laptop, my reduced fat blueberry muffin and caramel macchiato from Starbucks. Oh God.. I never knew how good I had it. (PS - You see a pic of me and the egyptian in Egypt and that little turtle, I bought it in New Orleans back in 2002 from a Guatamalan lady in the French Market. Its little head bobbles. When I was on a conference call, I would tap its little head. Bless its heart.

Krispy Kreme was right up the street from my apartment AND I had to pass it on my way home from work. About once every two months I would stop by, just me - 1 hot glazed donut, and a cup of coffee. Those were my "I love me, let's indulge moments."

Summer in the south. Sometimes you just have to capture the moment.

Ahhh... my little spot on the sofa. I would fix a nice up of coffee in the evening, sit it on my special coaster from Thailand - and over to the left you see my souvenir from Cambodia - a wood replica of the Ankor Wat. My mug I picked up in NY - of course!

Typical brunch for me in Birmingham. I loved my organic fruits and then I would always buy this fabulous yogurt from the arabic store, and mix it with fresh herbs. I miss having my breakfast - my way.

I remember when I FINALLY selected a flower for my VW bug - I took a pic. It was an occassion. I always know it's summer when she dances. The A/C makes her twirl. That first dance always makes me smile.

My old office. Hmmm... mixed feelings on this one..

I remember this moment. Some great friends of mine stopped by on their way back to Georgia (at the time I lived in Alabama..) And I got to spend time with their kids. This moment was priceless.

Who knew this would be the last time I would ever see Jamie. Don't worry - she is fine, she is at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas. She WILL be the next big thing.

Or what about the time I had my first Krispy Kreme Donut Milk shake at Flip Burger (this gourmet burger boutique in Bham.) The things was smoking!!!!

Or how about my first introduction to Veda Jane? She was less than 24 hours old here...

I'll never forget this duck. OMW - it just bum-rushed me for a BBQ potato chip.

I also remember exposing the egyptian to new things here in America. I miss seeing his curiosity all the time He is totally examing this burger!

A classic for me- Green Chicken Curry. Great Thai recipe. I honestly make the best! (Doesn't hurt that I had a Thai exchange student live with me for one year!)

You can always count on me to drool over my Thai soup and spring roll!

I remember this moment - my sweet inter, Tamika was celebrating her birthday. She was always such an inspiration.. and I celebrated her by buying her a perfect cup cake.

Speaking of cupcakes.. I miss the days I could drop $20 on a box of specialty cupcakes just because...

Everytime I have a caramel macchiato - I think of the afternoons with my english friend - Julie at Starbucks. We would sit at the cafes outside in Vestavia Hills, and just talk about life forever. This very night (I remember well..) we were talking about the Tudor era.. seriously.

This is probably one of the last times I hung out with my friend Telisa and JJ. When I first got to Georgia, I would drive about an hour away and have wings at this great little place in Warner Robins. Haven't seen her in a while...

Or this moment - Having Kim Chee and Yaki Mandu with my friend Kaprial at a little Korean dive.

Or getting reunited with my vampire cat - Lestat. He likes to pose for me.

Or what about a true middle eastern appetizer... yumm...

Or heading to my old dance studio in Birmingham to meet up with my instructor for coffee afterwards...

Let's talk about the incredible tabouli I would consume on a weekly basis!

Or just some random moment a friend caught of me at a restaurant with them

Here is a pic I took on my phone of Autumn, my niece. I used instagram to do the cool frame.. don't remember where we were.. though, afriad to say, clearly we just ate (yes.. food in her teeth.) hahaha..

The famous wing dinner nights with Telisa

Capturing that moment at dusk at a small town fair.

Or the perfect middle eastern dinner for me...

You can never have enough Turkish coffee or baklava

Or spending time with my friend Teresa at the event she organized each year - Fiesta!

Taking this tiny tiger to class...

Another photo I took with my phone an with instagram for the frame.. me driving back and forth from Georgia.

My english (NOW AMERICAN CITIZEN!! YAY!) friend, Julie and I at my going away party.

Open faced lamb gyro... always something I crave...

A fried pickle moment!!

Making salt-dough ornaments with Autumn.

Friday night dinners with Lisa & Leslie

Baby Lestat laying near me...

Capturing this moment - relaxing on the beach, sitting in a gazebo - on Tybee Island, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Jan. 1st, 2012

Catching up with my dear friend, Tonya, for almost 3 hours over iced coffee before we went on a road trip.

Me... just catching a pic of myself....

Recent pic- I did a last trip to Birmingham about a month ago, and caught up with my dear friend Laura and Veda Jane!! She has grown!!!

eating pumpkin pie at the diner with my friend Lisa. We meet about once a week for coffee and well.. sometimes pie.

I took a day trip to my college town of Milledgeville, Georgia.. my old stomping grounds..

Playing with Autumn on the playground at Mickey D's - you just don't get moments like this very often!

Watching my mom create.. and watching Lestat.. watching me..

Twilight marathon with Leslie & Lisa ..

Halloween this past year... I thought my make up came out pretty darn good...

I recently found a shamrock at the park. I saw it as a good sign! (Like my sparkly nail polish??)

Nothing says lunch with the egyptian like falafel and hummus...

Just perusing the barrels of candy...

Taking a break on River Street to take a pic with my friend Lisa...

Sitting at the Huddle House with Autumn - just a Auntie Cole and niece breakfast.

Waking up to this on Christmas morning.

Night out with my friend Lisa..

Driving back to Georgia.. knowing.. I would probably never be in Birmingham again!

Autumn aring her sparring techniques.. Moments like this you never get back!

My friend Lisa caught this pic of me when I was relaxing on the roof of The Bohemian in Savannah earlier this year. Now.. this was from her phone.. but I think it captured.. a .. oh.. hopeful moment.

Back in Birmingham for a feast with my friend Tamika. Nothing like a BIG breakfast.

It's a little fuzzy - but I snapped this on the beach in Tybee Island.

The sunset on the first day of 2012 - in Savannah.

I think I was in the car with the egyptian when this one was snapped... about a month ago.

I took this one Sunday night. She fell asleep on my lap.

Finally - my best little bud.. tangled in cords and apparently playing with a gum wrapper..

Happy Valentine's Day. LOVE your life moments.

My Loves

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

That is one of those profound statements that make me treasure the individual in all of us. When I sit and ponder what that actually means, I see pictures in my head of people who have absolutely no concept of how to just be themselves. These people follow a strict set of guidelines and rules, and never, ever color outside of the lines.

These people I have a hard time relating to.


But every one has something they are into, right?? We all have our little wants, needs, preferences, colors that make our hearts skip a beat - right?? I am not alone in this, I hope. If so, I must be the biggest freak in the world, and maybe I am...

I got to thinking about preferences this morning. It was inspired by some friends of mine teasing me about having male strippers over on a Friday night. Yes, it was a joke- and I was teasing back saying I would prefer a poetry reading LOL Yes, intellectual stimulation is always a plus in my book.

With this blog post, I am going to list out my preferences - more so for me, to understand what it is I really enjoy. At 38 (well.. for 3 more days,) my tastes have changed over the years, as well as my wants and needs. So for fun, I will make a "vision" list - just for me to record and check back on, perhaps in a year or six months or so.

Here we go:

1. I love the color light blue. Almost the color of the sea or the sky. I like to wear it, I like to see it. I would like a bathroom with this color. I want more light blue in my life.

2. I love cucumbers, tahini, croissants, coffee, greek yogurt, orzo, olive oil, chicken wings, fried egg plant, goat cheese, coffee/espresso, green tea, bagels with cream cheese, corned beef hash, tacos, guacamole, cheesy pizza, fondue, strawberries, green chicken curry, fettuccine alfredo, balsamic vinegar, coconut, lime, Diet Coke with lime, watermelon, mac & cheese, and mashed potatoes. If this is all I could eat for the rest of my life - I would be happy.

3. My absolute favorite places to eat- Polly's La Mesa (Tex mex dive in Macon,) NuWay (Hot dog stand in Macon,) Papouli's (Greek Cafe in Macon,) Flip Burger (gourmet burger place in Bham,) Iguana Grill (fabulous Mexican place in Bham,) The Casbah (Moroccan Restaurant in Savannah,) Bernie's on River Street (Oyster Bar in Savannah,) The Rookery (bar in Macon that has the best beer battered fries!) The Silver Dollar (Indian in Bham,)- Nothing fancy - just YUM!

4. If I have to choose fast food or chain restaurants I would pick - Sonic, Krystal, Zaxby's, Arby's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Chili's, Charley's, Applebees, and Popeye's.

5. My favorite types of food: Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, Mexican/Tex-Mex, Italian, Wings, Jamaican/Caribbean, Indian, Thai.
6. As for jewelry - I am drawn to pearls first and foremost. Always loved the aquamarine stone. Diamonds are a given - no fad diamond either, just straight, crystal clear. I love cameos, and anything heart shaped. Sapphires are a winner with me.

7. Music - If I am just picking something to chill/lax to it will probably be something middle eastern. When I am driving - mainly dance music. Something pop-like. I do LOVE rock, and will listen on occasion. But I cannot listen to one type of music the entire time, I need to mix the genres up. If I had to pick my absolute favorite voices: John Legend, George Michael, Bruno Mars, Adele, Lenny Kravitz, etc. I love 70s and 80s music. I might surprise you with choices like - Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, even old Kenny Rogers. I am just all over the place. I rarely listen to the radio, unless it is NPR - and always have my ipod plugged in. Don't worry - I keep up with what is new by watching Vh1's top 20 count down. If something works for me, I download it.

8. I love anything Audrey Hepburn (huge fan of Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday,) come to think of it - I love the actual store, Tiffany's. Ahh.. classic. I am a huge fan of Michael Kors and DKNY. I love D&G, and Chanel. Loubutin shoes make me gasp a little (in a good way.) I am drawn to a more classic, feminine style as well as bohemian.

9. I think Jude Law, Henry Cavill, Jared Leto, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Ian Somerhalder are some of the most gorgeous actors around.

10. I choose beach over mountains. International travel over domestic. Exotic over European. Wine over beer. Veg over Meat. Reading over TV. Book store and coffee shops over clothes shopping and furniture shopping.

11. I am not overly patriotic. I see America's blemishes. Though, I am glad I was born here. I don't like flip flops or anything that is super sloppy. About as casual as I will get is yoga pants and a t shirt. I would pick a skirt over jeans any day. I like heels over flats. I would pick color to wear over neutrals. I never leave the house without mascara and lipstick.

12. I do not lay out, nor will I ever. I don't fake tan. I embrace my fair skin and make it work for me. I am all about waxing your eyebrows, and I get a little freaked out when people don't. I believe in facials and massages. However, I shy away from manicures and pedicures due to the risk of fungal infections from unclean salons and instruments.

13. I choose organic, clean food (cruelty free,) over processed food. I would shop only at farmer's markets, if I can get everything I need there. I will shop at locally owned shops before I hit the super market.

14. I don't think I could ever go vegan completely, though I do enjoy a few recipes. I could never be a complete vegetarian, because I actually do like meat. Though I am not a fan of hunting, I am for cruelty free slaughtering (yes.. there are ways, even though death of any animal is difficult to imagine.) I prefer meat that was slaughtered in Kosher or Halal ways. I prefer my chickens to be free range. I will not eat Tyson chicken products (knowingly) or from KFC. There are plenty of documentaries to show you why.

15. I like experimenting with spices. I love to grow herbs. I like gardening in containers. I like bird watching. I like the idea of recycling, and wish it were more readily available in communities. I will buy organic and chemical free if there is an option. I enjoy nature hikes and camping.

16. I love spirituality. I love meditation. I love prayer, specifically centering prayer. I like spiritual retreats. I like lighting candles. I love vespers. I am Catholic, but I love the principles and teachings of Buddhists and Taoist (for living.) I am on the fence about ghosts. Love the idea of vampires, but I realize that's just crazy. ;-)

17. I am passionate about Human Rights. I wish above all wishes I could do some work with Amnesty International - outside of just writing letters. I want to join the Peace Corps, but I am waiting or the egyptian to get his citizenship, so we can do it together. I am going to apply to the United Nations, as a public affairs officer. DREAM. JOB.

18. I want a really good camera. I want to take a class in photography. I want some photo editing software. I want a Mac to make it all happen. I want to take photos (professionally) on the side. Perfect job of all time - Travel, write about it, take photos of it, sell it. Oh Anthony Bourdain, outside of eating weird things, you have my dream job!

19. I don't ever care to be rich. Was never a priority. I want experiences, and unfortunately, they require money. I want to travel to soooo many places. Follow my Destination Unknown Facebook Fan Page, and each day, I share an adventure I want to experience. God willing, it will happen one day.

20. Finally - I am obsessed with writing. Not fictional writing, just sharing my ideas. Yes, I am a terrible speller and yes, I do NOT proof read, which means you catch all of the typos, and double words, etc. I am constantly reading: I love Anne Rice & Greg Iles - two of my favorite modern day authors. The classics are always a great option.

What about you, what do you PREFER?

PS - I'm linking up!:

I got 99 Problems...

As I was scanning Pinterest this morning, (on 5 hours sleep.. oh yeah...,) I was looking through my favorite quotes on my 'Preach It' board. I ran across this one - the short people problem quote. As soon as I read it, Jay Z's song - 99 Problems started running through my head.

I guess in my sleepy stupor and lack of any good quality ideas to write about, it sort of came to me to write about the problems of short people.

Oh Yeah - I'm going there.

1. A kitchen is a war zone. When you are under 5'2, any cabinet that is at the top, and could possibly contain plastic wear, suddenly becomes a sky with bombs falling from it. Imagine standing on your tip toes, opening the cabinet, when suddenly plastic items come crashing down smacking you in the face. I have learned to always tuck my head when opening a top cabinet.

2. Grocery shopping is better than Yoga. Typically the items I need are on the top shelf. The top shelf IS NOT within my reach. I suddenly become Stretch Armstrong as I go for that box of Suddenly Salad.

3. Dismounting a bike is like playing hot potato. 24 inches is too short, and 26 inches is too tall. Most adults own a 26 inch bike. Once I get on it, I have to keep going. When it is time to stop, I put on the brakes and suddenly jump off, as if I am on a gymnastics balancing board that is scolding hot, and then I just pray I land on my own two feet, typically with the bike between my legs.

4. Becoming an elbow rest. I have tall friends that will stand next to me and prop their elbow/arm on my head. They think it's funny.

5. Pants are continuously frayed. Sooo.. I don't sew very well, actually - hardly at all. It is hard to find petite pants, especially when you are a little on the chubby side. ;-) Most of my pants are about 3 inches too long - hence the reason I typically wear heels.

6. I gain one pound, and it looks like 10. My actual weight on one of my 5'10 friends would look great. At my height, it makes me look like an oompa loompa.

7. Movie theaters are tricky. It never fails, the tallest person in the entire theater will always choose to sit in front of me. I am always thrilled to go to the stadium seating theaters.

8. Concerts suck. Before a concert begins, everything seems fine and dandy. Once the main act comes on stage, everyone bolts to their feet - then my $75 tickets becomes an opportunity to listen to music. Something I could have done at home, with my radio, for free.

9. Walking is an aerobic sport. If I go to the mall with friends, for each of my friend's one stride - I have to take two steps, just to keep up.

10. Risking life and limb on a daily basis. A basic wood chair is my best friend. I use them for so many things. Climbing atop one will not be easy in 40 years.

Set (para) sail for the world

I try to escape it, but it is a recurring theme - TRAVEL.

I need to take risks, and go have a little adventure. It's half the reason I am obsessed with the Peace Corps - I want to travel and I want to do good. I want to write about it and I want to capture the moments.

We all have something we are a little passionate about, and mine just happens to be 'EXPERIENCING' life. For someone who suffers from Panic Disorder, and can have a panic attack by just walking into a room, it might blow your mind to know that I LONG to be free and just really LIVE life. Which is why it feels like hell, for your mind to sometimes try to control you. I think that's why I am able to experience life without meds, or anything of that sort- because I will NOT let that control me.

I think back to the time I flew to the middle east by myself. Crazy idea. But I did it, and ended up living/staying with people from a completely different culture, speaking a completely different language - and I lived, not to mention, I loved.

I often wonder what all I would see and do if I honestly had the resources. I can assure you - I take advantage of any opportunity I can in order to travel and experience the world. Often times money or time would get in the way. But if there is a will there is a way - and I did everything I could to make it happen.

I've done fun things like swim with the manatee in Florida. I'm not talking about some little swimming pool in a controlled environment - I mean, put on a wet suit, grab a snorkel and head through the springs. I have gone tubing, I have been on high ropes courses and used a zip line, I used to go hiking, camping - sleeping atop mountains with no tent, only a fire to keep me warm. I back packed the entire Pine Mountain (26 miles in 2 three days, 2 nights) carrying only one change of clothes, food and a pup tent. I LOVE adventure.

I am starting to get that spirit back. Something about being out here in the woods, so to speak, and researching "day trips," has got me in the mood to do something wild!

I recently discovered something I HAVE to try. I bet I could talk the egyptian to doing this one day - It's called parahawking. That's right - para-HAWKING, and you can do this in Nepal! What an amazing experience.

If you did not already know, I am obsessed with birds - or anything that flies. When you really think about it, how freaking cool is that? If I was ever to come back as a different being, I would choose a bird - possibly a sea gull, since I love the beach.

Anyway -

There is great opportunity to go parahawking in different parts of the world. I choose Nepal, because it happens to be a country I have always wanted to travel to. I found this amazing website, called Parahawking - yes, that simple. According to the website, Parahawking is a fusion between Falconry and Paragliding. Falconry is a huntung sport where birds of prey are trained to hunt prey. Parahawking is different, their birds of prey are trained to fly with Paragliders and to guide them to the thermals. Parahawking also gives you a unique opportunity to interact with birds of prey in their own environment.



Birds of prey have a natural instinct to conserve energy wherever and whenever possible. During a flight, a bird will burn more energy than it would if it was just sitting in a tree, this means it has to eat to replace the used energy. Sometimes birds will travel long distances to find food. To conserve energy while flying, birds of prey use thermals. Thermals are rising currents of warm air that are created by the sun heating the ground. Birds can gain height and travel long distances without flapping their wings by using thermals. Paragliders also use thermals when they are flying and will often use wild birds to guide them to where the thermals are. Their trained birds are no different, they will find the thermals in order to stay aloft and conserve energy while flying. Paragliders harness their ability to conserve energy by following them as they fly.
*source Parahawking.com

This companie's birds need to be rewarded for guiding people into the thermals. During the flight the passenger will place small morsels of meat onto his gloved hand, the birds will come and gently land on the hand to take the food, and then gracefully fly away to find the next thermal. A perfect symbiotic relationship.



My main question was how does this do good? What's the idea around Vulture Conservation? According to Parahawking.com - Asia's vultures are in serious decline, in the last 15 years the numbers have dropped by a staggering 99.9% which equates to a loss of approx 40 million birds. This catastrophic decline is due to a veterinary drug called Diclofenac. This anti inflammatory drug is routinely administered to sick and dying livestock including cows and buffalo and has proven to be very effective in reducing pain and suffering. However, when the animal dies with Diclofenac still in it's system, the vultures that feed from the animal carcass will ingest remnants of the drug which is poisonous to them and kills them within 24 hours.

Vultures are important in our society, they play a vital role in our ecosystem by cleaning up all of the dead animals that would otherwise be left to rot. Millions of tons of animal carcasses are disposed of each year across Asia, which if not cleaned up, would pose a real risk to human health. Asia's vultures are declining faster than the Dodo and could be extinct in the next 5-10 years, unfortunately not enough people know about the problem. Vultures are considered to be quite unsavory creatures because of this, these prehistoric looking birds are difficult to empathize with. Their company wants to change that!

Their company wants to support vital Vulture conservation projects in Nepal, they donate 10 Euros from every Parahawking flight to Vulture conservations projects.

For more detailed information go to:
Vulture Rescue - www.vulturerescue.org
Himalayan Raptor Rescue

ParaHawking in Nepal


NOW - What wild and crazy adventures would you recommend??

Popcorn, Lights, Action!

I am a total movie buff! I believe even more so now that I have more time on my hands.
As I was pulling out a box of DVD's from storage, I began to think about some of the fabulous blockbusters that I own.

I have done one of these posts before, and thought - why not again?

I have decided to showcase my absolute favorite movies of all time! I must warn you, for the most part, my taste in movies is more in the drama category, and even leaning slightly toward the independent film range. Regardless, I hope you take a moment, watch the trailers, and consider renting one tonight, or catch one on Netflix.

I promise - they will get you thinking, and quite possibly, change your life!

These are not in any particular order:

1. Beyond Borders. This movie I could watch over and over again. Basically covers one of my favorite topics - Human Rights. I am a huge fan of Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen. The characters are passionate in their quest, as well as their attraction. Amazing look at Humanitarian efforts.



2. Slam. This movie is so very powerful. It sort of takes you to "the other side" and you feel the pain, witness the trials, and get a deeper understanding of what many kids on the street deal with. Also - the words - omg - the words alone - are amazing. Slam, comes from the idea of a poetry slam, and the power of words. Love it. Tears at the end for me, in a good way.



3. Requiem For a Dream. I am a HUGE fan of Jared Leto, and also a HUGE fan of this VERY disturbing look into drug abuse. AMAZING. Life changing. Intense. Be ready... you will never be the same again!
I actually felt as if I was going on the wild ride with the characters. Brilliant.



4. The Constant Gardener. A fascinating look at how pharmaceutical companies could very possibly conduct experiments. Great crime drama, and slightly disturbing. Get the kleenex ready.



5. Crash. An all star cast - and brilliant story line. I always love when movies show how all things are connected.. series of events.. decisions.. whatever. Touches on everything from racism to socio-economic issues. HIGHLY recommend.



6. Under The Tuscan Sun. Ahhhh... my absolute favorite movie of all time. Light hearted, hopeful... Any woman who has ran off to a foreign country and fallen in love.. well... you will get it. ;-)



7. Eat Pray Love. Again, one of those movies I can completely relate to. Literally read it on the airplane on the way to Egypt. The story line follows many things I have experienced.. ahhh.. watch it.. just watch it.



8. Three Needles. This movie is one of the most brilliant movies I have ever seen. Deals with the HIV epidemic.. I hope you watch it. Amazing. Heart Breaking. AMazing.. (yeah, I said it twice.)



9. Trade. One of the biggest social issues that break my heart - Human Trafficking. You MUST see this movie. MUST MUST MUST see. If you don't watch any other.. watch this one.



10. Lord of War. An amazing movie that deals with the arms trade and based on a true story. Scary to think this is how it is... you need to see! Also, Nicholas Cage does an amazing job - PLUS JARED LETO. Need I say more?



11. Babel. Excellent cast and it just goes to show how one bad decision can have a ripple effect.. MUST SEE.


12. Brooklyn's Finest. AND - one of the finest casts! AMazing story line that tackles drugs/human traffiking/corruption - etc. Was on the edge of my seat.


13. For Colored Girls. Beautifully written, amazing casts - again dealing with so many social issues... you have GOT to see.. just as a woman in general.




14. Entre Nos. An amazing film that deals with illegal immigration and heartache. I think every one should watch it.. and just watch with an open mind.




15. Or (My Treasure.) A beautiful Israeli film that deals with prostitution, survival, and the importance of setting a good example for your kids... You MUST see.



Okay - fifteen goodies to curl up with someone you love and watch, or just grab the kleenex and enjoy your alone.

They will move you. They will make you think. They just might change your life.

Also, let me know if you watch any..

:-)

Adventure Saturday!

Autumn and I decided to take a journey into Macon and go on a little Adventure of sorts..

Yes- She has on a sequined fedora.

Growing up in Macon, you sort of take for granted this amazing National Park in our back yard.

Ocmulgee National Monument is a memorial to the relationship of people and natural resources in this corner of North America. They preserve a continuous record of human life in the Southeast from the earliest times to the present, there is evidence here of 17,000 years of human habitation. The Mississippian culture arrived here around 900C.E. constructing mounds in their villages.

 
In the visitor's center - these beautiful replicas of events that took place - RIGHT HERE! In 1704, Col. James Moore, with a band of some fifty men from Charles Town, leads 1,000 warriors from the Creek towns on the Ocmulgee River to Florida. They devastate the Spanish Apalachee Mission system and drive the Spaniards back to St. Augustine. After many of the inhabitants of northern Florida are exterminated, some of the Creeks move into the area and incorporate the survivors into their own group. These people are subsequently known as the Seminole and Miccosuki.

 

From 900- 1150 AD, A new way of life, believed to have originated in the Mississippi River area appears on the Macon Plateau. These people, whose pottery is different from that made by the Woodland cultures in the area, construct a large ceremonial center with huge earthen temple / burial / domiciliary mounds and earthlodges, which serve as formal council chambers. Their economy is supported by agriculture, with corn, beans, squash and other crops planted in the rich river floodplain. Indigenous Woodland people in surrounding areas interact with these people, who possess early symbols and artifacts associated with the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex (Southern Cult).

 

The Lamar Culture, named for the Lamar Mounds and Village Unit of Ocmulgee National Monument, becomes widespread in the Southeast;  chiefdoms marked by smaller, more numerous, often stockaded villages with a ceremonial center marked by one or two mounds; combination of the both Woodland and Mississippian elements

Autumn is enjoying a look into what a home would look like. She wanted me to identify and explain each tool in the house. She was most interested in how they cooked in the pit.

I was fascinate by what the Native Americans ate. Since they lived a very active lifestyle - what did they use to fuel their bodies?

Finally we exit the Visitor's Center and head down and up the hill to one of the most fascinating mounds at the park.

I asked Autumn to just sit and listen. It was completely peaceful here. She heard birds and squirrels..

She listened to the wind.

I think she got it.

Resting on the bench.. just listening...

We crossed the bridge and headed up the hill to the Earth Lodge

Autumn was a little nervous walking into the Earth Lodge..

You'll notice she is walking straight up, I had to bend down - and I am only 5 '1 1/2.

The sun shines very brightly into the lodge.

You'll notice an eagle in the earth.. and a fire pit.

We left the Earth Lodge and walked around it - and look across the great expanse. We wanted to head to the Great Temple mound.. but there is no walking straight there.. oh no... - we headed down a trail to the right.. that took us around a corner, deeper into the woods...

Once we circled the corner, we saw a big bridge, and we walked across it. I was telling her how afraid of heights I am.. and she giggled and skipped across.. lol. Below us was train tracks..

Once we exited the bridge.. we had to pass the "Trading Post" where people came to do business eons ago.. and cut across this great field.. then head down a big hill... and across..

Looking back at the bridge..

We covered it all..

Perhaps you cannot tell.. but the Great Temple Mound is VERY high. We are to the bottom of it now..

Walking across a bridge - heading toward the air of the Temple Mound.. you see the swamp area - connected to the Ocmulgee River. That river flooded in 1994, causing a natural disaster in Macon - hundreds of people were with out homes, and  my family did not have water for 3 weeks..

 I am heading up the stairs to the mound... looking back on the foot bridge I just crossed..

At the top of the mound.. looking back over how far we had walked..

 Relaxing at the top!

Autumn took a moment to sit on the top of the Great Temple Mound, and just relax and reflect. You can see parts of downtown Macon behind her.

Next we decided to head down the stairs and down the big hill to the swampy area to hike the trails.. she kept begging to see an alligator. LOL

Down the hill - looking back over where we were...

We decided to walk each trail - come back to this spot.. and walk the next one.. We did it.

Looking back - you can see the Great Temple Mound through the trees.

As we circled out of the woods - we found ourselves right back at the trading post.. *sigh*

After re tracking our steps, and crossing the big bridge, and heading down the curved path, and passing the Earth Lodge we made it back!

According to my calculations - we hiked approximately 4.3 miles. EXHAUSTED.

Taking a bite out of today

Happy Saturday!

I think I have started it off right - one can of double shot espresso from Starbucks and a hash brown patty...

Carbs & caffeine - my life's constant craving.

Today I plan to take my niece to the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon. Back in the day, we simply called it the Indian Mounds - but that was before people learned to call people that used to live there - Native Americans.

The last time I truly explored this area was back in 2003 with my Colombian exchange student. I mean really explore. I have gone and toured the facility and witnessed a few festivals.. but this is more so a chance to go hiking - FOR REAL. PLUS - we just might meet a little guy like the one above in the picture. Oh yeah. In the words of Paulie D, "Best day of my life." LOL

Of course I plan to take my camera, and I assure you I will fill you guys in on the entire experience.

What amazing adventures do you plan to take today?