Savannah with my Silver Fox - Day 3

Savannah with my Silver Fox -- Day 3 was highlighted by walking, interacting with people and still more good food. We had a very light breakfast in anticipation of what we knew awaited us at lunch time. We took a brisk 20-minute walk (only taking a wrong turn once) and got in line for Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House Dining Room at 10:30 a.m. This is what the line looked like when we joined it -- a half a block long 30 minutes before the doors even opened!!!!Our hour-long + wait was made very enjoyable by the lovely black couple who got in line directly behind us. They were from Atlanta and in town visiting their daughter who works in Savannah. They had eaten at Mrs. Wilkes' before, so they told us all about what to expect plus numerous insights into their lives and philosophy of living. We laughed and visited as if we'd known each other for years.
In this Boarding House Dining Room, patrons are seated in tables of 10 and bowls of food are passed and replenished as necessary. There is room for about 80 people to eat at each "seating," and each seating usually lasts about 40-45 minutes. Everyone pays the same price, and the only variable is whether you want sweet tea, unsweet tea or water.
The lady in the red dress on the far right of the above picture was the wife we visited with so happily during our wait. We lucked out and got to sit together for lunch, too. Look at that Southern table. I counted 22 different dishes that were passed. There were vegetables of every kind you could name, plus fried chicken and beef stew. The sweet potato souffle was VERY good, and Steve tried his cornbread plain, then with gravy, then with molasses. He was a happy camper.

The only logical thing to do after a meal such as that was more walking. Right? We walked a lot, took a power nap, and then walked some more. The beautiful twin steeples below are from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Within sight of this church, we stopped to sit on a park bench and watch a wedding rehearsal taking place. While we sat, a black man named Benjamin came by hoping to sell the Palm Sunday creations he had woven from Palmetto fronds (this reminded us so much of Palm Sunday practices from Ecuador). Benjamin DID end up with some money from us for his craft, but he also received a gospel witness. We talked to him about his spiritual beliefs. He claimed to know who Jesus was and what He had done for him on the cross, but he had never repented and asked him to be his Savior and Lord. He wasn't ready to make that commitment today, so as you look at the picture of these church steeples I hope they will prompt you to pray for a man named Benjamin who needs Jesus.
We went in a lot of beautiful shops this afternoon and saw some amazing works of art -- one was a bronze piece about 4 feet high of a girl holding a seashell to her ear. Price tag? $13,000. Definitely a "look but don't touch" situation.

In case you're wondering, we DID stop by Paula Deen's place -- Lady and Sons -- as we were walking to the City Market. We had heard very mixed reviews about her restaurant. The residents of Savannah are quick to give her credit for all of the good things she's done for Savannah, but they claim her food is nothing special because, after all, she's not in there doing the cooking. The Paula Deen store had some interesting items, but I was able to resist temptation (Silver Fox has a way of helping me with that). :)

My Clipboard of Fun had Vic's on the River for dinner tonight, but none of the available reservation times struck our fancy, so we ended up in a great place called 17Hundred90. It is said to be inhabited by 3 ghosts, but luckily none of them showed up during our dinner time.

You know it's going to be a great meal when beautiful biscuits dripping with honey show up as a starter.
For entrees, Steve had Salmon Oscar with risotto and mixed vegetables. My plate was similar, except I had crab cakes and several huge scallops drizzled with hollandaise sauce.
During dinner, we watched a wonderful young family seated nearby -- a husband, wife, and two children who appeared to be about 6 and 4. They were beautifully-behaved ESPECIALLY considering the atmosphere and the menu. They were like watching a video of "How to take children into a nice restaurant in such a way that EVERYONE has a nice time." I couldn't resist stopping by the table on our way out to compliment these parents. Their hard work is definitely paying off.

Tomorrow morning we'll enjoy our last breakfast at this wonderful B & B and then begin to slowly make our way back home.

Several general observations about Savannah during these days:

1) It is a family-friendly and pet-friendly city.

2) The food is at least as good as that in New Orleans -- maybe better -- without all of the raunchiness of New Orleans.

3) We parked our car when we arrived and won't get in it again until tomorrow morning. It hasn't been necessary to drive anywhere. This is a great city for walking. Now, if you have ankle or knee issues, you might have difficulty because the streets have lots of bricks and uneven places. But, if you're reasonably healthy and agile, you can get plenty of exercise WHILE seeing a lot of beautiful architecture and nature.

4) This is a place to which we'd like to return. Next time we'll probably tour a few mansions and maybe take a couple of hours to drive over to Tybee Island. Plus, there are still so many good restaurants who need our reviews. We would DEFINITELY want to stay here at Presidents' Quarters Inn on our next visit.

5) It has been somewhat warm and humid during midday and early afternoons. I can only imagine how sweltering it might be in August.

6) The Savannah city planners and historical preservationists have done a phenomenal job and deserve to be extremely proud of the results.

Savannah with my Silver Fox - Day 2

Day 2 of "Savannah with my Silver Fox" has been filled with history lessons. We took a trolley tour and heard about many of the famous people and events that have happened in this important city. We learned about James Oglethorpe and his prohibitions against allowing lawyers, strong alcohol or Catholics into the colony. Those big plans didn't last very long, did they? We saw monuments to John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who only stayed for a few months but then went back to England because he couldn't endure the Savannah heat. We saw several tributes to Johnny Mercer who wrote the lyrics for about 1500 songs and was nominated for 19 Academy Awards. My favorite song of his would have to be "Moon River" because I won a talent contest playing it when I was in the 10th grade. :) We saw the house where the founder of the Girl Scouts was born, and I'm sure you're not surprised that I made this picture of the First Baptist Church which was the only church still standing that carried on with services throughout the duration of the Civil War.I'm not sure who this statue commemorates, but seeing Steve standing there makes me think that I'm sure he could probably be known as "The World's Greatest Granddaddy" one of these days, but I can testify with certainty that he would NOT want a statue made of that honor. Can you see the Carolina live oaks in the background with all that moss hanging down? I understand that they stay green all year long, but you don't want to take any moss home for a souvenir because it's full of chiggers!!! Makes me itch just thinking about it. :(
We ate lunch today at a lovely place called Gryphon (pronounced "griffin") Tea Room. It is operated by students at the Savannah College of Art and Design -- known as SCAD. The picture shows what we could see by looking directly over our table. Isn't that amazing? The room had so many beautiful architectural details and a very special ambience.
Steve had smoked salmon on crostini, spread with goat cheese and a side of cucumber salad.
I had chicken salad with orange souffle and cheese straws. And, by the way, the tea was awesome. I'd love to go back some time with some daughters or some lady friends and enjoy their afternoon tea with scones, sandwiches and sweets. Doesn't that sound prissy?
Many movies have been filmed either entirely or partially in Savannah. The Six Pence Pub, shown below, was featured in a Julia Roberts movie called "Something to Talk About."
In the opening scene of "Forrest Gump," a feather floats from the top of this church steeple pictured below. We saw the square where he sat on the bench and shared his story with bus passengers throughout an afternoon in the movie, but the bench is no longer there. At one of our trolley stops, a Forrest Gump impersonator got on for a couple of minutes saying he needed to go and find Lieutenant Dan. His dress and mannerisms were really good copies of Tom Hanks' character.
We did more walking on our own this afternoon and especially enjoyed a nearby cemetery. One large marker showed the burial spot of a man who had been born on July 8, 1776 -- only 4 days too late to be a bonafide "Yankee Doodle Dandy!" :)
Tonight's dinner was our big splurge of the trip. We had reservations at The Olde Pink House overlooking Reynolds Square. It was built in 1771 and is the oldest mansion in the State of Georgia. It was originally a white house, but the soft native bricks began to bleed through the plastered walls and slowly changed the color to a Jamaican pink. Our table was in the original dining room. With the carefully-chosen classical music playing in the background, it was easy to imagine the family of James Habersham, Jr. eating here by candlelight 241 years ago.
For an appetizer, we had "blackened oysters on the half shell, watermelon relish, pear and apricot chutney and green tomato chow chow." It was so delectable that we were half-way finished before I remembered to get out my camera.

Steve's entree was "crispy-scored flounder with apricot shallot sauce, sweet potato fries and fried green tomatoes." This was a LARGE flounder, but he managed to eat every bite. :)
I had "pecan crusted chicken breast, blackberry bourbon glaze, sweet potato with pecan vanilla butter and fried green tomatoes." Scrumptious and amazing. The same chef has been at the restaurant since 1991. He's worth whatever he's getting paid. That's for sure.
Our server arranged a very special dessert. Notice the message written by the chef in chocolate beside the key lime pie that we shared. The crust of that pie had a secret ingredient which I plan to KEEP as a secret because I hope to serve it to guests of my own very soon. It was the best key lime pie either of us had ever tasted -- and we've had it in many places.
We're back in our room tonight, just relaxing. The staff at this B & B has been so attentive and helpful. They've made suggestions and reservations for us and answered dozens of questions. Tonight there were homemade cookies on our pillow when we got in. Tomorrow promises to be another unique day. Gotta get plenty of rest.

Savannah with my Silver Fox - Day 1

Day 1 of our 41st anniversary trip to Savannah has been a big success. We left home about 7:30 a.m. The weather was perfect, and my little Prius got 48.8 miles per gallon! Woohoo! We don't think we've ever been on I-16 from Macon to Savannah, so that was different, but not particularly remarkable. We listened to a great motivational CD as we drove, but mostly we talked about goals and plans for the future (something we love to do), our amazing children and children-in-law (something that brings us much pleasure), and fun possibilities with the grandkids (probably our favorite topic of all).

We found our Bed and Breakfast with very little trouble, and it is a beautiful place called Presidents' Quarters Inn. Each of the 16 rooms is named for a U.S. President. We're in the Lyndon B Johnson Room -- and no, that would not have been our choice because he is most definitely NOT our favorite president, but it has a king-size bed and was within our budget, so there. It's actually a very comfortable and spacious room as you can see below.

This pretty courtyard is where we'll be having breakfast. Tomorrow it will be the Chef's Special at 8:30 a.m. Ahhhhh.
We decided to walk down to the river and eat tonight at a casual place called Huey's. Thanks, Dinah Gamble, for the recommendation. It was delicious!
Steve and I love raw oysters, but we'd never had them steamed before. They're messy and look as if they've just been scooped up from the swamp, but they were plump and tasty. Yes, we do tend to be adventurous -- within reason.
Steve had the shrimp and grits. Again, thanks Dinah for the suggestion. He said it was great.
I'm allergic to shrimp, so I had an oyster po-boy with a side order of red beans and rice. Can't get enough of those oysters.
After dinner, we took a stroll along the river and thought about how much better we like "our" river -- the one that runs right in front of our house. :) But, this one is nice, too. We also thought about the revenue that Decatur is missing by not doing more development along the beautiful Tennessee River. Maybe in the future there could be something wonderful between Rhodes Ferry Park and down Bank Street. Don't you think?
The place Savannah most reminds us of so far is Guayaquil, Ecuador -- just not so hot. We couldn't help but remember the Malecon and the many great volunteer teams that flew into that airport and began or ended their project in that city. There are similarities to New Orleans, of course, too. Who knows what we'll think after tomorrow's explorations?

Oh yeah. The hotel people did a turn-down service while we were out for dinner, and there are some yummy chocolate treats on our pillows. Guess I'd better check it out. Sleep tight.

ANTICIPATION!!

The suitcases are out. The final loads of laundry are finished. It's about time to get everything packed, so another adventure can begin. Ahhhhhh. Anticipation. Plans. A Clipboard of Fun.

I have some great friends who are "fly by the seat of their pants" kind of people. They get up in the morning and just follow their whims and their moods. I, however, could not be more opposite. When I have a chance to explore new territory, researching and, yes, anticipating, are almost more fun than the actual going/doing/experiencing. I love talking to people who have "been there," and I take great pains to read travelers' reviews and such. I reason that I would hate to spend several days in a place and find out after I leave that a wonderful spot had been just a few blocks away, and I didn't know.

Tomorrow morning Steve and I are driving down to Savannah for a few days to celebrate our 41st anniversary (which actually was last week, but this week was just better for our schedules). Because of many mission trips, veterinary seminars, and all kinds of celebrations that I've been able to dream up through the years, we have had glorious opportunities to see much of the world and this country. But, somehow, we've never made it to Savannah.

After much deliberation, we selected a great-sounding Bed and Breakfast in a prime location, and I have narrowed restaurant choices down to six that fit our criteria. We have a rule on trips like this -- We never eat at chain restaurants just like the ones we have at home. We really enjoy sampling the local culture and cuisine. We're hoping to walk, explore, take pictures, shop, eat, laugh and relax. I have my maps and confirmations printed out, and the car's navigation system is already set to go. Steve actually gets a lot of pleasure out of letting me do the homework and planning and then just watching me reveal the "Clipboard" to him little by little as we go along. You might not believe this, but we went all the way to Hawaii once when he only had "a dollar and a dime" in his pocket . . . and he still had it when we got back!!! He doesn't want to worry about the costs or paying the bills. He just wants to be able to savor the sights, sounds and tastes. I, on the other hand, Mrs. Control Freak of the Universe, LOVE to be "on top of things" and keep the trip running smoothly.

Don't worry. I really don't have an hour-by-hour itinerary ready. Mine has more of a Breakfast -- Morning possibilities -- Lunch -- Afternoon possibilities -- Dinner -- Relaxation kind of look to it. See? There is flexibility built in . . . if you look very carefully. :)

I'm planning several blogs entitled "Savannah with My Silver Fox," so be watching for those in the next few days.

I'm so happy about the fact that we've been married for 41 years and are still in love and hoping for 41 more anniversaries. The weather is gorgeous. I expect the flowers to be spectacular, the buildings to be incredible, and the seafood to be scrumptious. You'd think I was a kid going to Disney World. :)

"Let the Words of My Mouth (and the clicks of my keyboard) . . . "

In the past few days I have had jarring and significant reminders about the power of the words that flow through my head and come out my fingers into my computer keyboard. In one case, a friend I haven't seen in years noticed that I hadn't posted on Facebook in a few days, found out I'd been sick and said she'd "been missing me." She didn't mean that she'd been missing my physical presence, but she had missed my brief quips and descriptions of life in, around, and through the Pearson family. That immediately made me do a mental rewind of the tape recorder to think about what I had been sharing lately.

In another case, a friend chose to share her heart with me and to take our friendship to a deeper level because of some responses I had typed to her over the past several months. Whoa.

Just this morning I found out that a friend stayed up late last night reading every blog I'd ever posted. ALL of them. Talk about sobering. I immediately scrolled through to review them for myself. Were they uplifting? Were they consistent with the Christianity that I profess? I don't think even Steve or my children have stopped to read all of them. I realized that this person now knew a LOT about what makes me tick, what motivates me, who Connie Pearson is and what she believes. I took a big gulp and acknowledged again the tremendous power of words -- for good, for harm, for instruction, for destruction.

James 3:5b-10 describes it powerfully. "See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. . . For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and have been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

Because I am married to such a wise man, I have pretty much seen myself as just "the comic relief" for his seriousness. But, in my heart of hearts, I deeply want to be known as a woman of wisdom. I am no longer physically present with many people on a daily or even a weekly basis (unlike my teaching days when I interacted with hundreds each day), but through the amazing connectivity of the internet, my thoughts can be dispersed throughout the U.S. and even to other countries with just a click of the "post" button. Because of these recent reminders, a "default-like" prayer that I learned as a young girl has formed repeatedly in my heart today.

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

I feel certain that if David were writing these words today he might surely add:

"Let the words of my mouth and the clicks of my keyboard that result from the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

Hold me accountable, friends.

It All Began with "Brigadoon"

I must give credit where credit is due and thank my amazing Junior High chorus teacher, Mrs. Annette Shingler, for introducing me to the magic of Broadway musicals. As a 7th grader at Westlawn Junior High School in Huntsville, I heard the story of "Brigadoon," sang the music, and was forever drawn into the world of a play that incorporated singing and dancing, and the feeling of being transported into a make-believe time for a few magical hours. Thank you, Mrs. Shingler.

In a happy turn-of-events, when I went back to school (at age 35) to get a music education degree and did my student teaching, Mrs. Shingler was still going strong and became one of my supervising teachers. She was also STILL introducing students to the wonders of songs from Broadway -- that year it was "Annie Get Your Gun." :)

As a result of her influence, it was natural that I would pass along my love for this vast body of music literature to my own Junior High chorus students during the years I taught that age group. We learned the plot, the characters, and many of the songs from "South Pacific," "The Sound of Music," "West Side Story," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Annie," and "My Fair Lady." Generally, we only covered one per semester, but hopefully if a student stayed in my class for at least 2 years, they discovered a musical that they really liked, and they were able to have their appetites whetted for more.

I was never able to transfer very much of my enthusiasm for musicals over to Steve and Matt, but Steve has indulged me when we've been in New York City and is a good sport about attending at least one show every time. I think even HE would admit to being impressed with the staging and production of "The Lion King." :)

My girls, however, are a different matter. They truly caught the bug, and now it seems that my grandchildren are growing up to love them, too. This past Saturday daughter Julie and granddaughter Allie and I went to the matinee performance of "My Fair Lady."

After the show, I asked Allie what her favorite songs were, and she quickly said "The Rain in Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night," and "Wouldn't it Be Loverly?" Since she loves to draw, I asked her which scene she would want to go home and illustrate, and she said she wanted to draw Eliza's ball gown. Since she sings so beautifully, I imagine she went to bed with visions of portraying Eliza Doolittle in her head.

Is this the most important thing I wanted my students to learn from me -- and now my grandchildren? Of course not. But, is this something fun and life-enriching that we can enjoy sharing together? Absolutely!

(In a great twist in my life events, I actually now live in a neighborhood called "Brigadoon," and all of the streets have Scottish names. I haven't seen any heather, though, and we are definitely visible for more than one day in every one hundred years. :) You should rent this musical. It's a good one).