Saturday, November 29, 2014

November 2014: College Rivalry Weekend Tailgating

A lot of families spend Thanksgiving weekend watching the BIG GAME after the BIG MEAL. My family is no exception. I grew up in an Ole Miss family, strolling through the Grove on fall Saturdays. The Grove at Ole Miss has won awards as the best, most beautiful tailgating location in college football. I'd like you to join me to check out the Grove and the game!
On game weekend, the Grove changes from an open green space in the middle of campus.
A couple of days before the game, the grounds crews set up for the incoming crowds.
Then when the weekend arrives, the Grove becomes a sea of red and blue tents. First we'll stroll through the tents, stopping to say hello to friends and meet new ones along the way.
A few hours before the game, the team walks through the Grove down the Walk of Champions, and kids and adults crowd the sidewalks to catch a glimpse of the team and coaches.
Let's have some snacks! Favorites are dips and chips of all sorts, fried chicken, finger sandwiches, cookies, brownies, and just about every beverage you can imagine.


I hope everyone had plenty of snacks. Let's head over to the game. For Ole Miss, our big rival is Mississippi State. The stakes are high this year with both teams having been ranked for most of the season.
I hope you all enjoy the game. There are plenty of snacks in the stadium, if you didn't get enough in the Grove! Hotty Toddy, and Go Rebels!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

August 2014: A Picnic at Lake Lowndes

Hello, Sisters! I hope that you have been enjoying summer. This month, we are going on a potluck picnic at Lake Lowndes State Park, which is located just outside Columbus, MS. I hope everyone will bring a dish to share!


The park has a lot of open recreation areas and trails, and there is a disc golf course, if you're interested.


We have fried chicken catered by Food Giant, and I brought along some fruit baskets I picked up at the farmers market this morning. There is plenty of water and there is also a variety of sodas and tea.




We'll be meeting under the mail picnic pavilion, which is off the main park road on the left, just past the playground. If you get to the spillway, you've gone too far.

Please tell us in the comments or on the thread what you've brought to share with us. And we'll get the tables set up!

********************************LUNCH*************************************

After lunch, we can walk on the trails or just relax by the lake and enjoy the view. For anyone with a fishing license and tackle, you can fish in the lake. If you don't have a license, I think they sell them at the lodge, which you passed on your way in. I think I'm going to try out the Opossum Nature Trail. Did you know that the original name of Columbus was Possum Town!?


The trail is 3.5 miles, but the terrain is not too rough, so I think we'll be okay in good walking shoes. Did anyone else see the pair of cardinals in that tree? I have seen a lot of them since moving to Columbus.

I hope that everyone had a great day at the lake! See you next month!

Friday, July 18, 2014

July 2014: A Trip to the Phoenix Zoo

I have secured our tickets, so as soon as everyone is ready, we'll head in. I stopped to get a picture with this frog statue. 


To enter the Phoenix Zoo, we cross a foot bridge. If you look down, you'll see some turtles on the logs and swimming in the water below us. They look like they are having fun!



I think we'll go to the bird section first, if that's okay with everyone. It's just off to the left after we enter.



I especially like the Phoenix Zoo because they have some common animals, as well as exotic ones. Check out these turkeys!




Now we'll head off to see some mammals. These little ground hogs are cute.




The Mexican wolves (lobos) are very active today.





It's feeding time for the giraffes! I love how they feed them in those high baskets to simulate eating from the trees.



The tiger seems to be succumbing to the heat. Zzzz...


And the lion, too! In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...







These baboons are looking out for each other!


The monkey enclosure is one of my favorite parts of the zoo, but remember to wash your hands as we leave. As the zoo keepers tell us, they are not very tidy animals!



Let's head over to the picnic area to have some snacks. I have granola bars, fruit, trail mix, juice, and sodas. I also have plenty of water. Make sure to stay hydrated.



Anyone who wants can take a ride on the paddle boats to get a closer look at the birds. I think I'll take one out. Who'll join me? We can fit four per boat.


Let's head over to the petting zoo. This is Mini Muffin. She is quite friendly.





I hope you enjoyed our trip to the zoo!