Are You Ready…?

Enjoy your weekend.

Pizza √

Chips √

Sandwiches √

Drinks √

Ready. Set. Go. Touchdown!

Fruit of a Summers Labor

Autumn is near!  Preparing the household.  Are you ready?

A Season of Change

As I walked outside with my husband surveying our yard and almost simultaneously we thought, “Where has the summer gone?”  We perused the beautiful roses that still remained along with the other summer flowers that were standing tall in all their splendor.  Summer is such a magical time and when it is transitioning into autumn, one suddenly appreciates what is about to become merely a memory.  The grass in the yard is still green; the birds are still flying around, and the squirrels are leaping for joy after a busy season of putting away nuts and other food that will sustain them through the cold of winter.  As I recently read the poem, “The Magic In The Moment,” I could appreciate the following words by © Danielle Spencer:

The wind began to blow
And shook the trees
Heads turned up in unison
Witnessing a season of change

The leaves were freed from their branches
Floating and swinging through the air
Painting the sky with golden colors
Dancing their way to the ground

Then reality hit as I glanced at the pile of limbs and trees and yard cleanup that my husband had been so busy taking care of.  Once again, we prepare for a season of change.

An Autumn Tradition

A delicacy and comfort food for a brisk evening to be enjoyed with family and friends.  No one could make it like Georgia grandmas. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation.  In the south, we call it “Brunswick Stew.” Check it out.

Write On

Had a terrific time recently at Barnes & Noble Booksellers participating on the panel of local authors.  Book lovers had an opportunity to interact with those of us who have recently written books.  My husband and I were happy to be invited to such an event because we are always excited when we get an opportunity to talk about our book, “A Couple’s Cross-Country Road Trip Journal.” We also enjoyed meeting other writers and learning about their books that included a spectrum of genres.  The book signing was fun and we are very appreciative to have our book in the Barnes & Noble inventory.  We are very pleased at how well our book is doing in the market.  Many of our family and friends who have read the book tell us how inspired they were and are now planning similar trips.  A road trip is considered perhaps the most popular vacation option in the Country; it is definitely a most economical way to travel and offers a tremendous amount of flexibility – especially if you prefer traveling without strict itineraries.  As we travel around speaking about some of our favorite spots we visited such as Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore , Hoover Dam, and Death Valley National Park, just to name a few, we are always amazed at how many others would like to visit as well.  These are fun places to see and quite intriguing.  On our trip, we kept a daily journal of our experiences along the way and by the time we arrived back home; interestingly, we had captured so many details and photos about all the places we visited and the fun and excitement we had until we realized that we had a book in the making. So grateful at the positive reception our book is getting and enjoy sharing these wonderful memories with our readers. As we so often say, “Life is a road trip.”  Be sure to take time to enjoy yours.  I’ve attached the following link for more information: http://acouplescrosscountryroadtripjournal.tateauthor.com/

“Bowled Over”

Good family fun can begin at the bowling alley.  Our family spent a couple of hours at a great venue called Riverside Epicenter, located just west of Atlanta.  Patrons can spend time there consuming fun, food, and fitness for the entire family.  How appealing it is to be able to enjoy a concert or play, indoor rock climbing, basketball, bowling, the workout facility, among so many other activities provided – all in one location.  The staff is welcoming and professional; happily providing tours that are so inspiring and compelling that you’re wondering to yourself how you’d like to schedule your next family gathering, reception, or special event there.  On this particular Saturday night, our family enjoyed food and bowling under the umbrella of “FUN.”  We were simply happy to be together – the informal competitive bowling was secondary. We had a great experience in a first class facility that has mastered the art of providing entertainment, events, and fitness.  By-the-way, we also managed to celebrate a family member’s birthday at the same time!

Adult Amusement

A recent trip to Six Flags Over Georgia, one of our favorite amusement parks, proved to be just as much fun as ever!  My husband and I found ourselves as giddy as the teenagers who stood in line with us, waiting to board a ride “for the thrill and excitement.”  Located just west of Atlanta, Six Flags provides an abundance of family-friendly entertainment.  This popular theme park, one of Georgia’s favorite places to visit, creates memories to behold.  It certainly does for us.  My husband was a kid all over again driving the bumper cars; I was a willing passenger along for the ride; our other favorite attractions did not disappoint either.  Sitting at the picnic table eating hot dogs gave us a chance to rest a bit before enjoying more activities. Having visited the 290-acre park for over 40 years, I can truly say that I look forward to our annual visit, and a day of adventure – true adult amusement!

Festival for Book Lovers

Spent a fun weekend at the Decatur Book Festival; the largest independent book festival in the country.  It is an annual event held during Labor Day Weekend in the historic downtown Decatur square.  My husband and I were fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the emerging writers pavilion where we were allowed speaking time on stage to discuss our recently published book about our 2013 cross-country road trip.  It was an amazing weekend filled with great music, delicious food, and opportunities to meet world-class authors, publishers, and booksellers.  We enjoyed the camaraderie with other emerging writers.  Attendees had an opportunity to learn about our book as well as attend the author signing and sales event. This 10th annual festival gave the city of Decatur an opportunity to be a phenomenal host with a very large platform where its population of over 20,000 residents could be proud, especially being an intown suburb of Atlanta and part of the Atlanta metropolitan area.  Definitely a party with a purpose!