Running with zombies

For sure, it was a rough night in the ATL, and also for about half of the country, but the race managed to go on as scheduled.....
.....torrential rain and tornadoes are no deterrents to crazy runners or the undead, and thousands of them managed to converge on Union Point (near Greensboro) Saturday morning to participate in this unique 5K race, complete with challenging obstacles and pesky zombies, and, what turned out to be the muddiest event in the history of......events!
Produced by Run For Your Lives, and hosted at Durhantown Plantation Sports Complex, this was the first of 11 races throughout the country for 2012 (I'm guessing the rest will probably be a piece of cake after the stress of this one!). But it turned out fantastic despite weather issues, so runners commenced running (or trying to, in ankle-deep mud) and zombies commenced trying to kill them off (zombies are tough--hundreds of acres of mud? no problem!).
So here's the 411:
After checking in, we get a belt with 3 flags to wear during the race. As the course is run, the zombies try to eat your brains....uh, I mean pull your flags....along the way. There are a dozen obstacles to traverse (the last being a long mud slide into a lovely mud hole at the bottom) and the runner who crosses the finish line with the fastest time, most flags remaining, and brains intact, wins something (don't know what exactly 'cuz there's no hope it will ever be me!).

If orange is the 'Color of the Year' as the fashion gurus say, everyone here was in high style today!!
Our lovely home-grown Georgia clay stains better than Red RIT Dye! Clothes...shoes...skin...everything!


I loved how creative this company was in the writing of all of their site info, banners, etc.
They also had bands on stage continuously playing, grub, brew, and gear; a place to check your backpacks, a tent for changing, sponsors booths and Project Sole on site to collect shoes for impoverished countries (presumably washing them first) You can camp or rent cabins, and then stay for the after party.

Lots of people made t-shirts for their groups....some professional, and some hand-made, but all totally fun and creative.

See that truck in the photo below? Looks pretty average, right?
NOT! This unassuming transport is the most important vehicle within a hundred miles!!
This truck hauls WATER!! In particular, water that is pumped to big PVC pipes (with holes in them) that are run overhead along a platform stationed at the end of the race, where lines of crusty orange racers attempt to wash the indelible Georgia mud off of themselves!! Yup, that there dude is GOLD!
I am looking forward to Run For Your Lives doing another race here next year, but I sure hope it doesn't rain for a month prior to it!!

(Helpful hints for next years newbs: count on a mile long walk from your car to the event site--no shuttles. And about that line of muddy racers waiting for a shower at the finish line? Count on an hour wait there. Just so you know!)

**A portion of the proceeds of this race goes to the American Red Cross, which was a comforting thought in the wake of the terrible destruction that went down Friday in the Midwest and Southeast!

a little fun in the sun

While in Sarasota I'm usually on the beach at sunrise, and on this particular morning there was quite a bird show.....
.....with the usual precocious gulls.....and lots of these orange beaked birds (below) that I had never noticed before - but have probably always been around (usually I'm scouring the water for dolphin sightings).
None of them were budging from their spots for passers-by, so it was easy to get close pics of them.
Also while in FL this trip, my son and family were doing the Orlando scene before embarking on the Disney Cruise, so we all went to Discovery Cove.
This is another one of those places I had never been to, despite living in FL so many years, and it was a pleasant surprise.
It's a bit pricey, but if hassle-free, water-themed relaxation is your goal (and you can't get to the Bahamas) this is the place to be. Classy and accommodating from beginning to end!
All the (pretty decent) food you can eat, wetsuits, snorkel gear, towels and lockers are included in the price, and they limit the number of guests, so no standing in lines or fighting for beach chairs.
You can do the optional dolphin encounter, or just hang out with the fish and rays in the reef pools. There is an interesting walk-through aviary, long winding river float, and shark encounter (behind glass) in the reef pools.
All in all, a fun time for kids and adults alike.
But alas....it was inevitably back to the gray, drizzly skies of the ATL. (I'm just glad it's a warm winter, anyway!)

Small business salute....Happy Birthday Mom....and a life lesson

Since I am finally done with the big 'Spring Clean Out' (from hell)......I was able to squeak in another trip to sunny Sarasota for Mom's Birthday, and wanted to surprise her with this post on her book store!

This month Mom turned 85 and I couldn't be prouder of her--she still works full time and is doing what she loves at her paperback book exchange: Bee Ridge Books.
Books are my Mom's passion, and about 30 years ago she decided to jump in the deep end and open a little store of her own. She found a spot just down the road from where my Dad had built his auto repair shop, located some inventory from a book store closing on Anna Maria Island, and was on her way!
My Dad built the book shelves and helped get everything rolling......
....and it has been a joy to Mom ever since.

This little shop has seen her through the loss of my Dad, her battle with cancer, and these brutal years of recession (plus the added challenge of the coming of Kindle and Nook--and the explosion of on-line book selling).

She has hung tough through it all!!

I hate to think of the small booksellers becoming extinct....these shops are a treasure trove for true book lovers and avid readers!! She has so many fabulous hard to find, and out of print books, and can provide invaluable help with comparative authors, or recommendations from her vast knowledge gathered over the years.
This trip she put me to work re-stocking the shelves....deja vu! I used to work here regularly when my boys were attending Sarasota Christian School and remember all the incredibly nice customers we had--it truly was a fun job!


Also on this trip we were delighted to have a visit from my cousin Jan and her husband Dale from the Quad City area--whom we hadn't seen in roughly 20(?) years! It was so great to see them again!!

Happy Birthday Ma!!

And the life lesson part? If possible...do what you love!!
Blessed are those who are able to pursue what they love as their work!!! I'm so glad my Mom is able to enjoy this gift!!

Exciting announcement!

Mark your calendars for Sept 28.29.30!!

You don't want to miss this!! BELLA RUSTICA URBAN BARN MARKETPLACE has a new venue!! AND is expanding to 3 days!!
The fabulous new site is Milky Way Farm in Lynnville, TN.

Check out this amazingly historic estate, complete with stunning manor house, massive barns and scenic grounds!
Stay tuned for all show details and updates on Linda's blog: Bella Rustica Nashville!

Etsy Cache.....

I've always wondered what other Ebay and Etsy sellers do with all the stuff that is listed and waiting to be sold and shipped. I find myself just decorating a wall in my office with it, since I don't have an extra room for storage.

As my massive cleaning/purging "everything unnecessary that I own is getting donated" project continues (after many months, only 1/2 finished---this is why I run away to Florida!) not much else is getting worked on....especially blogging and creating....but I did manage to make some wire bees during a brief time out. Kinda fun and spring-y--and not too involved.


Hmmm.....make that: "sassy loves trash....but is getting rid of most of it"!!
I found these cool mini photography letter magnets last trip home at my favorite St. Armands shop: Garden Argosy. They come in two large sheets, with about 6 of each letter, and are really fun to play with....I use them on old baking pans.

Motorcycle mirrors have caught my attention lately.....there's an idea brewing somewhere in my brain of how to repurpose these--it just hasn't materialized quite yet.

Back to the drudgery....

Mermaids, Mangroves, and Manatees.......

The gray days of winter made me do it! (post MORE pics of Florida, I mean) I know, I know.....my blog is starting to become a travel brochure, but I promise this is the last of my FL pics.........for now, anyway!
What could possibly be more fun than watching a real live mermaid show in crystal clear bubbling springs through giant underwater windows?

For this aspiring mermaid......NOTHING! (except getting in there myself, but they have silly rules about that)
It's vintage Florida for sure, being one of the state's earliest tourist attractions, and it seems so quaint and low-key compared to the mega-attractions of Orlando, but I'm really glad it's still open and delighting little mermaids of new generations!

My Florida mantra is "off-season...off-season...off-season"! There are such killer deals on fabulous hotels from September to December......and the weather is usually great! The Sanibel Harbour Resort, overlooking Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Island, was practically deserted! (and the pools are even heated....oh yeah!)

Sanibel Island is almost one-half wildlife preserve and the best way to see it is drifting through the beautiful mangrove trails via kayak.

It's beautifully serene to drift along and quietly take in all the amazing scenes of nature as you decompress into a totally chilled-out and mellow state of mind.
Manatees love the warm waters of the Florida inlets this time of year (it's super hard to get pictures of them!).

So much beauty......
.......but the sunsets - with the ever-present seagulls - always steal the show!