Category Archives: Family

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Blackberries!

. Family . , , , , , ,

I didn’t like the taste of blackberries until I was an adult. They are an acquired taste, but once you acquire that taste, you’re hooked! The unfortunate part is that they grow on briars, and it is inevitable that if you are doing some serious picking that will produce blackberry jam, blackberry cobbler, or possibly blackberry, homemade ice cream, you will get scratched by some thorns. However, the rewards are delicious.

Right now it looks like we are going to have a plethora of blackberries. I ate some Saturday during a mowing break. They were scrumptious: that tart yet sweet taste. All during my 20s I had a pet German shepherd named Judy. She enjoyed blackberry picking with me. She knew the difference between a non-ripe, red blackberry, and the ripe, black-purple blackberry. If there was a ripe blackberry at her reach, she would gently pluck it off and eat it. She was the best blackberry picking buddy I ever had. Here’s to you, Judy.

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Jogging on the River Thames

. European Destinations, Family . , , , , , ,

Jogging on the Thames

I truly enjoy exercising in both cardio and strength
training. Physical exercise invigorates my body, mind, and spirit. My favorite
cardio is jogging. I started jogging on a regular basis about four years ago.
We have approximately 13 mowed acres, and we utilize about 8 of those acres “manicured”
to use as a jogging track. In fighting middle-age fat, we’ve also had to up our
jogging time to approximately 45 minutes to help keep our weight off. The
sights and sounds of the mountain and fields keep us occupied, and often times
the 45 minutes pass by very quickly.

The deck of the Crown Princess we were on two weeks ago was
very “cut up”, and did not have an extensive track to jog on. Its only complete
track was tiny: 16 laps made a mile! It was terribly
boring. Sean and I started jogging up and down stairs and meandering around the
decks to make the 45 minutes go “faster”. When we returned to London for our
last two days, I needed a place a jog. What was I to do?

We were thankful to get a motel (the Park Plaza at
Westminster Bridge…I recommended it to everyone) in an excellent location. It was a block behind the
London Eye and the Thames River. Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben
were in view from our motel room. We had seen joggers
every day and at all times of the day in that area. On Thursday morning
(6-16-2011) in London, I woke up about 6:00 a.m., and I decided to jog around
the river.

For 30 minutes, I jogged from the Westminster Bridge, beside the
London Eye, over the Embankment Foot Bridge, back along the river, and returned
to the London Eye side.

It was awesome! The two things I kept imagining were the Elizabethan era ships coming and going from that area, and all their Age of Exploration
cargo ships emptying their riches from “newly found places” and the Ancient
Female Warrior, Boadicea. Boadicea is on the Parliament side of Westminster
Bridge. Boadicea was queen of the ancient Iceni who fought against the Romans
who had taken over their lands. She lost and was killed in A. D. 60, but she was heroic none the less. I jogged under her statue and thought of the courage of this beautiful and regal lady.

File:Boudiccastatue.jpg

When I finished jogging, I couldn’t help but consider the
stark contrast of my house’s calm, quiet fields with the ancient, rich history of London’s
River Thames, but it didn’t matter. Both are awesome places to jog! ;o)

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Father’s Day

. Family, Holidays . , , ,
Georgie Caylor, Oliver Haven Caylor, & Haven William Caylor

Georgie Caylor, Oliver Haven Caylor, & Haven William Caylor-Brown -March 1982

Father’s Day

I’ve got to convert the pictures of my father to JPGs so I
can put them on the computer. I will write just a bit about my father today,
and hopefully you all will see him in the very near future. He was Oliver Haven
Caylor (September 19, 1939 to May 28, 1982). He died three weeks after my 16th
birthday. This is my 30th Father’s Day without him. He was such a
wonderful father and Christian example. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and
he was always making up words or changing arrangements to popular songs:
something I’ve found myself doing the past 30 years too.

He enjoyed hunting, but his passion was fishing. While most
of my friends spent family vacations at the beach or going to the mountains, we
spent family time while bass fishing around North Georgia and Southeast
Tennessee lakes. My absolute most precious memories of my father are of him and
me raising two Black and Tan Coonhounds (Copper and Chief) and teaching them to
hunt squirrels. He and I had the same love of the outdoors, and we combined it
with my hound dogs to spend our “father and son time” together. I dearly miss
him, but it is such a blessing that the healing love of God and the Holy Spirit
coupled with time heals and fills the empty spaces the death of a loved one
leaves.

I was so blessed to have a father who taught me love and
respect for myself, my family, the environment, human-kind, and most
importantly love and respect for God through Jesus Christ. My Daddy was
absolutely wonderful, and I love him very much. Happy Father’s Day up there in
heaven, Daddy!

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Busy, busy!

. Family . , , , , ,

Vacations can be so enjoyable and relaxing, but preparing
for them can be exasperating. Before
listing what I have to do, I have to say that I am so glad we have our
dear friend Guy to come and house sit while we are gone (the animals appreciate
it too). We are also so grateful that my mother and my sister come several
times a week to check on things as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now,
leaving home for a vacation is better in the winter when we do not have as much
yard work to do, but mercy, mercy: The mowing (13 acres), the weeding, the push
mowing, and spraying Round Up. If we didn’t do the before mentioned things, we
would come home to a jungle with copperheads and rattlesnakes running through our
yard. We also have the cleaning, the washing of clothes, the carrying out of
trash, making sure the four hound dogs have plenty of food, making sure the
cats are taken care of, making sure the dachshunds will have all the exercise
they need, and a whole list of things I am forgetting. If it isn’t bad enough packing
my own things, I have to pack Carter and Ammon’s  things too . You all who are parents know whatI’m talking about! Oh, me, it will be so nice when we are finally on that plane
to London this weekend and all this preparation is over! Wish us luck and pray
that we have a SAFE and enjoyable trip.

luggage 1

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Nanny Caylor: Birthday

. Family . , , , , , , , ,

Nanny Caylor

Her full name was Mary Naomi Alexander Caylor.  She was born May 15, 1918. May 15 was also her father’s birthday who was born in 1875. She was born in Smyrna, Georgia, but she grew up in Atlanta. Her father worked for Southern Railroad as an engineer, and he was killed outside the tunnel at Braswell Mountain near Rockmart, Georgia when his train exploded in June of 1935. Nanny, her mother, and sisters moved to Varnell, Georgia where her mother (My Nanny Alexander) was born and raised in January of 1936.

Two years later, she married my grandfather, Troy Dewitt Caylor, and 10 months later my father, Oliver Haven Caylor was born. Their second son was born in January of 1943. She outlived her parents, her sisters, her husband, and my father. There was a part of her soul that was like Naomi from the Bible especially when Biblical Naomi told the people to call her Mara which meant “God has dealt bitterly with me.” However, she leaned on Jesus Christ as her strength and her redeemer and never forsook him. She was a great mother, a spectacular grandmother, an exemplary Christian lady, and a great friend to me.

She was my Bible study confidant, and we loved to talk about world traveling and world events. We also shared good short stories, classical literature, and she was a walking treasure trove of family, oral history. I could listen to her talk about our ancestors and her childhood forever. Literally, we could sit up until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. simply looking at pictures, family Bibles, or family heirlooms. We had to make ourselves go to bed. When my father died in 1982, she and I leaned on each other in our bereavement. I was so glad God let me have her for three more years. Nanny died on August 10, 1985. She has been dead for over 25 years now, and I still dearly miss her. It is also a treat when I dream about her and her house, but, of course, a part of my heart is lonesome when I awake and she is only, once again, in my memory and in those dreams.

I cannot wait to share all these things plus tons more with Carter and Ammon. Nanny will live on through them. Happy Birthday up there in Heaven, Nanny. We love you!

Mary Naomi Alexander Caylor (Photo Date: March 1982)

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New York Review (yep, we’re home)

. Family, United States Destination Favorites . , , ,

Balto, Carter, & Haven

Here are pictures from Central Park. The babies and I are around the statue of Balto. He is the Siberian Husky who led the final leg of the dog sled team when in 1925, the town of Nenana, Alaska was suffering from an outbreak of diphtheria. The sled team was carrying the antitoxin. This is the run that is commemorated in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race each year. We have seen the statue several times in Central Park, and this is the first time I haven’t cried while contemplating those wonderful dogs and their heroic run. I can’t help it. I love dogs!!

Haven, Ammon, & Balto

Once again, it was the first time Ammon and Carter had been on a carousel. They loved going “up and down”. Later in the week we returned to Central Park to simply walk and get exercise. It was very enjoyable.

Carter & Ammon: Central Park Carousel

I also promised Diana from the Cranberry Café that she would appear on the blog. She’s here. The pictures of Friend of a Farmer is a quaint restaurant (77 Irving Place) between 18th and 19th Streets near Union Square. We enjoy the breakfasts there. I highly recommend the breakfast/brunch (pumpkin pancakes!), but the service is usually lacking.

Cranberry Cafe (45th and Times Square)

Haven & Diana (Cranberry Cafe)

Carter, Haven, & Ammon (Friend of a Farmer)

What a treat New York was! One play that we saw that I did not write about last week was Sister Act. It was really good with themes such as “working together with your ‘sisters’ (mankind) and ‘raising your voice’ (in life and to God) were throughout the play. I also thought it was a profound idea where the Reverend Mother said that you find God in people. Patina Miller plays the lead role, and she is very good. She has many mannerisms that remind me of Diana Ross, but her voice is more soulful, and (sorry Diana), Patina is a much better actress. If you liked the movie Sister Act, you will enjoy this play as well.

What a treat New York was, but we are glad to be home. We have been going twice a year, and we plan to return right after Thanksgiving this fall.

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“How to Succeed…”: Broadway

. Family, Theater Shows (Broadway)/Movies . , , ,

How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette

What a comical treat to see Daniel Radcliffe in a happy, teasing role instead of his brooding, troubled Harry Potter, and what a contrast to Daniel’s role as Alan Strang in Equus where his character creates a mythological theology where the horse “gods” watch what he does and he later stabs innocent horse victims in the eyes! I saw Equus here on Broadway just a few weeks before the babies were born in 2008. Daniel was awesome. However…. 2011…

Daniel Radicliffe is a superb comedian and his singing and dancing is great as well. He was entertaining and full of energy for almost 3 hours (could have been a half hour to an hour shorter without character Rosemary’s multiple reprisals). I would suggest that anyone with the time and money see “How to Succeed…” if at all possible. You will not be disappointed.  John Laroquette is great as well, but he is known for being a comedian. A hilarious addition to the cast is Tammy Blanchard.  She plays a Hedy La Rue a ditzy “secretary” with whom John Laroquette has been having a fling. She is nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for a 2011 Tony award. She helps make the show a “success”, and I predict she will win her Tony.

The babies and I also got to see Wonderland. It was appropriate for children and similar to “Alice in Wonderland”, but it wasn’t as animated (no bunny costumes, or Walruses, or mice, etc.) as we had hoped so as to keep Ammon and Carter engaged. They got a little bored, but they behaved very well. As we left the show MANY people around us congratulated them and us for having such well-behaved 2 YEAR OLDS. While they whine at home, pull each other’s hair, smack, and cry we lose sight of the big picture, and forget that, yes, indeed, they are wonderfully well-behaved children and travelers. Back to the show…if you are a fan of “Alice in Wonderland” you might want to see it; however, I would suggest renting the Walt Disney cartoon or the latest Johnny Depp version for a more fulfilling experience. ;o)

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No electricity = Better Family Time!

. Family . , ,

The bad weather that took away our electricity for 24 hours had some bright points for our household. We did not depend on the television for our entertainment. Last summer we were out late at night catching lightening bugs (fireflies for some of you) and playing in the yard, but I did not realize until last Thursday night that the end of April had such long days as well. Because there was no electricity in the house, we played outside until 9:00 that night. It was beautiful, and the babies had a ball! It was also cool reading to the babies by candlelight as well as having bedtime prayers by candlelight.

I also spoke to several other families on Friday who spent more time together  during the storms and afterwards during the power outages, and you know what? They had great “family time”. Now, I am not saying to flip the switch once a month on your house’s power box so you can spend some quality with your family (LOL), but let’s all try to turn off the television sets, computers, computer games, and cell phones more frequently and share some time with our family and friends.

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Whippoorwill time!

. Family . , , ,

April 19, 2011

For you sleep lovers out there this is going to sound weird…I was so excited when I heard my first whippoorwill of the season EARLY Monday morning around 3:oo A. M. I had to check on Ammon who evidently had a bad dream, and as I returned to bed, I heard the whippoorwill.  I crept to our back door closest to the mountain, propped myself up against the door, and listened sleepily to the bird’s call. Why was I excited? Well, for several reasons. First of all, I love nature.  My great-great-great grandfather was ½ Cherokee (some say ¾) Indian. I know him simply as Grandpa Edwards (Pap Eddards they use to say). I believe I speak for quite a few of us when I say that there’s a sort of genetic encoding where nature beckons to us when we have Cherokee blood. Secondly, my father (Oliver Haven Caylor) who lived from 1939 to 1982 and was a part of my Cherokee ancestry always said that the “warm spring” was officially here with the first call of the whippoorwill. Lastly, I love the whippoorwill call itself. As I listened early Monday morning, I had warm memories of Daddy, enjoyed the whippoorwill’s call, smiled, and returned to bed where a delicious “return to slumber” awaited.

I would be honored if you would read more ABOUT
me and my family.

If you have a penchant for European Destinations, check out some of my other entries.
Give me a Google “Haven Caylor” for some of my other works and enjoy a few links as well.

Dollywood (Country Music Singer’s Theme Park) in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Marriage Equality in Tennessee

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In the ATL (And Rich’s Department Store)

. Atlanta, Family, Nanny & the Alexanders . , , , , , , ,

I along with probably millions of people who have lived in or frequented Atlanta for the past 40 or 50 years all remember Rich’s Department Store. Someone who is my mother’s age remembers it even better. Every time we go shopping in Atlanta, I think of Rich’s. I can’t help it! The family and I were just in Atlanta this past Friday and Saturday morning, and we went shopping at Lenox Square. If for some reason you are not too familiar with Atlanta and the Buckhead area, but like to go to Lenox Square Mall, the Lenox Rich’s was at the Peachtree Street side of the building. Macy’s took at big chunk of it on that end.  I really miss it, and get nostalgic every time we go.

Rich’s was started in 1867 in downtown Atlanta, and by 1906, it was in a large building between Martin Luther King and Whitehall Streets. My Nanny Caylor grew up in Atlanta from 1918 until 1936. She, her mother, and two sisters use to go shopping at Rich’s. When my Nanny was a child, Rich’s had a “pulley system” that ran above the customers heads with containers.  Evidently, the customers placed a ticket that coincided with the merchandise with their money, and then they sent the container to a cashier. The cashier then sent the receipt and the change back to the customer.( Now, if any of you can explain better, please do. It’s been about 30 years since my Nanny last told me the story).

My Nanny’s mother (Sarah Maro Cox Aleander… Sadie Alexander) was also a genius at sewing.  My Nanny rarely had store-bought clothes, but she had excellent home-made clothing. If my Nanny Caylor saw a dress she really liked at Rich’s, my Nanny Alexander would say, “Okay, let me study it for a few minutes.” She would then analyze it, store it in her memory then make my grandmother a dress like it. Cool, huh?

I only got to go the main Rich’s building one time around 1986, and I really enjoyed it. It closed not too long after that. Not just for nostalgia sake, I always enjoyed shopping at the Rich’s department stores that were in the Atlanta malls until the early 2000s. They had great, quality, men’s clothing (especially their ties), and always had good sales. Oh, me, thanks for the shopping memories, Rich’s!