Mardi Gras Tuesday

Its Mardi Gras today in the Crescent City.

I've always wanted to go.

I love NOLA,  but have never been during Mardi Gras.

But...its on my bucket list.

Today, in honor of Mardis Gras

I'm making Grillades & Grits for dinner.

I haven't made these before, so today will be a first.

And, what better recipe to follow than one from New Orleans' own...

Emeril.

I'm  using this one...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/grillades-and-baked-cheese-grits-recipe/index.html

BAM!

Happy Mardi Gras, Y'all!

This Is How We Do It

Winter in the South....

My daddy's camellias, in full bloom



                                          

Jonquils (or are they daffodils?) peeking up through the ground.

A bit of sunshine in my otherwise dreary brown garden.

                                       

And, this little fella. 

I think the bluebirds take advantage of the warm days,

not too often seen in February,

to flit around the field. 

When they fly together, they look like they are playing.



from Google images

I think February likes to tease those of us

who are lucky enough to live in the south.

Today, its sunny, and 60 degrees.

A hint of Spring is in the air.

But tomorrow...or next week...

Who knows what Mother Nature will send our way.

Groundhog Day in Georgia

An early spring for Georgia, says General Beauregard Lee!  Can I just get an "amen!"

I'm always hopeful on Groundhog Day, that General Lee will not see his shadow.  Spring never comes to early for this girl.  My southern blood is just too thin for cold weather.

This was on our local news website this morning, and I'm happy:

The South's iconic groundhog, Gen. Beauregard Lee, waddled out of his "Weathering Heights" mansion and failed to see his shadow on the Georgia red dirt.

The development bodes well for warm weather, since no shadow means an early spring. Hundreds of spectators were on hand as the prediction was made around 7:30 a.m. Thursday outside Atlanta.
The groundhog emerged to make the prediction moments after a crowd cheered, "Go Beau, Go Beau, Go Beau!"

Beau's caretakers at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn say he has a 94 percent accuracy rating, giving him a better record than Punxsutawney Phil, his famous Pennsylvania counterpart.
The ranch says that every year on Feb. 2, the Georgia groundhog wakes up to the ringing of an antique bell to forecast the spring weather.
(from http://www.accessnorthgeorgia.com/)


Hurry Spring!