March 2009 – Post Irony

A (Not So) Secret Rendezvous

By Don on Monday, March 30, 2009

The drive between Nashville and Little Rock goes through Memphis, and Memphis is home to some great barbecue joints, and since I’m a barbecue lover it was only right to stop off for lunch on our way home. Gina is generally not big on barbecue, but she loves Rendezvous and the dry-rub heaven they serve, so that was the ticket. (Our waiter took the group shot of us above.)

The restaurant is located in an alley in downtown Memphis and when we turned the corner we saw a big table loaded down with merchandise advertising the University of North Carolina. I thought “now that’s odd.” And then i remembered the NCAA basketball tournament was in town. Because Rendezvous is world famous, I braced for a long wait for a table even though it was 2 p.m.

Nashville traveling Vacation

How To See Nashville With A 2-Year-Old

By Don on Saturday, March 28, 2009

I love me some Dukes of Hazzard, so you can imagine my delight to see this Cooter’s outlet just down the street from our hotel. Abby did not share my excitement at getting my picture taken with the General Lee.

traveling

Gnashville

By Don on Friday, March 27, 2009

Abby and I spent the day in Nashville while Gina worked. We hit the zoo and then we drove around downtown. Here are some snapshots. Gina’s off work today so we’re going to do the tourist thing. First stop: Cooter’s. A Dukes of Hazzard museum/giftshop.

Arkansas Family Fun traveling

Where Have All The Jonquils Gone?

By Don on Saturday, March 21, 2009

It turns out late March is a horrible time to hold a jonquil festival in Arkansas.

We went down to the Historic Washington State Park Jonquil fest with our friends Jim and Brayden. It’s your average Arkansas town festival complete with corn dogs, kid activities and vendors selling useless tackiness at barely justified prices. The little town of Washington is covered up in daffodils of all kinds, but they were all but finished blooming. It put a pall over their namesake festival. I guess the organizers were trying to avoid competing with at least three other such celebrations that I know of across the state in March.

Abby

How About Some Abby

By Don on Saturday, March 14, 2009

Abby helped Daddy make some beef and veggie stew on Thursday. She’s a good little sous chef, but her fingers often stray a little too close to the cutting board. Don’t worry, she made it through with all her digits intact.

Mama let her play with the lipstick on Saturday.

Arkansas Buffalo National River exploring Hiking Indian Creek Outdoor fun Photography Waterfall

Another Waterfall Trek

By Don on Monday, March 9, 2009

Copperhead Falls seen from the top.

This past weekend found me making yet another journey to our summer home in Northwest Arkansas to deal with the aftermath of the Epic Ice Storm of 2009. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do any manual labor this time. I just paid a man I hired over the over phone to climb up in our once magnificent shade trees and cut down the hanging limbs. I realize hiring people over the phone to perform work the results of which you won’t see for a week is fraught with hazard but it worked out well this time.

On my way back to Little Rock, I detoured over to the Buffalo River to hike Indian Creek and see Copperhead Falls and Tunnel Cave Falls. The hike is billed as a dangerous one, but I found it less hazardous than the hike to the slot canyon on Shop Creek I took a few weeks ago. Indian Creek is actually the next drainage over from Shop Creek. An ambitious hiker could do both in one day if he started early enough.

Abby Little Rock spring

It’s Springy Out Here

By Don on Thursday, March 5, 2009

Abby stood with a stiff, but warm, wind flapping her dress and said “It’s springy out here.” We took her tricycle to Two Rivers Park and toured some of the walking trail. On the way back she noticed a field with scattered jonquils/daffodils and made a beeline for them. Even though I’ve showed her a better way, she has been picking the yellow flowers all over Little Rock by grabbing just below the blooms. She comes up with very short stems that make it impossible to put them in a vase or glass or something.

Then she noticed a small yellow butterfly and took off after it. She didn’t catch it, but she had a good time running through the grass. I was running around too, but she didn’t get a picture of me.

Abby Birthdays Family Fun Gina

Happy Birthday To Mom

By Don on Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Gina’s birthday was on Saturday. (She’s doing pretty well for only being 25.) Because we went out of town for the weekend, we didn’t get to do the cake thing. And Abby loves the cake thing. On Monday, Abby and I went out and got one of those half-size birthday cakes and a bunch of candles. Abby helped Gina blow them out.

After the candles were out, Abby went to town on the cake. Well, she went to town on the icing. A little while later she said her tummy hurt and she didn’t want anymore cake.

Natchez Photography Photoshop traveling Vacation

Going Back Upriver

By Don on Sunday, March 1, 2009

We wrapped our adventures in Natchez by dining at the Castle restaurant on the grounds of Dunleith. For some reason we were expecting an exceptional dining experience, but all we got was average for a nice restaurant. We got off to a bad start when the waitress informed us the kitchen was out of filet mignon, which is both Gina’s and my go-to dish when we want to put on the fancy.

Month: March 2009