farm living is (sometimes) the life for me.

I'm writing to you from one of my favorite spots in the world: a sweet little farm in Georgia :)  There are so many things I like about this state.  The #1 best part is that my sister and her family live here.  They have several animals here on the farm - cows, chickens, ducks *shutters*, guineas (I'll show you a pic when I get back home - think chickens with mohawks), a cat, and a dog that is possibly the most slobbery/destructive (sweet) creature I have ever come in contact with.  My other favorite things about Georgia include: 7:22 (if you are ever in Atlanta, you MUST go), the sunsets (I've decided every state has its own kind of sunset), the extreme southern politeness, and the sweet tea.  

Let us pause for some reflection.  It's not like tea isn't in heavy supply all over the south, but it tastes the best in Georgia.  I didn't even like it all that much until I tasted it here.  Sometimes sweet tea is so sweet it's like I can feel my teeth rotting when I drink it.  Here, it is not like that. It is simple perfection.  My theory is that Georgians have a secret tea tap in the kitchen (or a secret button in the laundry room that changes the kitchen tap from water to delicious tea).  I believe this tap is connected to a Top Secret Tea Oasis the locals keep all to themselves.   I don't have proof, yet, but I'm onto you Georgia. 

My niece and nephew are on spring break so we've been hanging out a bit this week.  Shortly after I got here, the rain started falling and it hasn't stopped.  The sky is still a pretty dark gray color.  The sound of the rain hitting the pond has been constant.   All the red dirt roads here are becoming sloshy and hard to drive on.  We braved the rain anyway for some pizza and ice cream and had a sweet time :)   

Over the weekend, Andy (the nephew - age 5) saw his first 3D movie (Monsters vs. Aliens) and it was everything I hoped the experience would be.  The glasses looked huge on his head, which was all kinds of cute.  When the movie started, he responded with a "WHOA!" and started reaching for the people on the screen.  Thus, the cute factor continued to rise. When we walked out of the theater, he leaped up in the air three times, landing as hard as he could (so hard his light up sneakers were blinking like Christmas lights) and screamed, "That was totally awesome!"  And if you can't trust a five year old critic on a film like that, who can you trust?  If you have little siblings, or if you baby-sit, or if have kids, you'll also be interested in this next bit of information.  I've seen monkeys screaming and throwing fruit and gallivanting about the jungles of South America.  Even at their most crazed, most intense moments of monkey-ness, they seemed way more sedate than my nephew.  Yet, he was able to sit through the whole thing mostly transfixed.  Erin (the niece - 11), also thought it was cool.  She and I both wanted to hug Insectasaurus :)  And if none of those things make you want to see the movie, this will: Dwight Schrute plays the villain.  Brilliant. 

In other news:  I saw the preview for Where the Wild Things Are.  Freaked.  Out.  That book was one of my favorites when I was a kid (wasn't it everybody's favorite?).  The colors and the music in the preview are gorgeous.  I can't wait.  

I rode a carousel.  When Erin asked me to ride it with her I said, "Okay.  But there is a good chance I'll throw up."  Like any sweet, concerned niece she said, "That would be hilarious."  The carousel is in the park - gigantic, ornate, magical looking.  There was a lion on the carousel named Aslan :)  (No barfage occurred).

I made it through Atlanta (en route to chez farm) in record time.  I've never gone through the city so fast.  In fact, at one point I wondered why everybody was bumper to bumper going into a city I was leaving.  Do they know something I don't?  Did they find the Secret Tea Oasis?!  

I had some long chats with my sister about books, boys, church, God and the future.  Then we ate chips and dip and watched a movie.  I love her.

Now I'm watching gigantic white birds fly across the surface of the lake.  My sister says they might be called "cowbirds".  She's not sure.  If that's their name, I think they should petition for a change.  They're too pretty to be called cowbirds.  They have long legs, long bodies, and parachute wingspans.  Their feathers are tipped in black but they're mostly white.  On a day like today, with gray skies and rain and little patches of fog, they look especially lovely ghosting over the water.  

Wish you were here watching cowbirds with me :) 

Love (and a glass of tea),

Natalie