Tuesday, April 24, 2012

U is for Unbelievably Lucky, Useable Art and Unsweet

- Feeling unbelievably lucky and blessed today.  This tree just missed me yesterday afternoon as I was taking my usual afternoon walk at Tanyard Creek Park near my office.  I heard a crash, turned around and saw this tree lying across the trail - it missed me by no more than ten feet.  Approaching walkers and runners ran up to see if I was OK.  One of them said I must be doing something right in my life.  Feeling a little shaken, I thought only of my blog friends, crawled under the tree and went to my car to get my camera. 


- This bench outside the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in Madison, Georgia, makes a good resting place, most likely when it is not cold or hot outside. It is made from pieces of metal farm implements found on an abandoned farm in Morgan County.

Quality Ice Cold Refreshment from Wendy's (aka unsweet tea)

- A woman who served meals at the assisted living home where my late parents used to live, remarked once that I am "just like" my late dad, in that he always wanted plain, unsweetened iced tea with meals, too. For those of you not from the South - at restaurants (or anywhere) down here, if you order tea, and unless you specify hot tea, it comes with ice and is typically loaded with sugar, and known as Sweet Tea. A waitperson will ask you upon ordering tea, "Sweet or unsweet?" I am an unsweet kind of gal - preferring it just as it comes.

Day 21 of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, featuring the letter "U".  Three things that gave me pleasure.  (I mean - seriously - not getting hit by a huge tree that flattened a metal fence gives me pleasure.)  :)

28 comments:

Snaggle Tooth said...

I'm so glad that tree waited for you to go by! How scary for you- a really big one too!
I love that bench- just keep thinking "What is that?" (tool).
You are a sweetie whether or not you like the tea that way-
I like plain green tea alot, but the black tea with 1/2 tsp of raw turbano sugar.

My comment would have been 2. yesterday, but I fell asleep before hitting post (darn!)

Lynn said...

I'm just glad to see you when you post, Snaggle - I know what a harrowing schedule you have.

A young man rode up on his bicycle and said he comes that same way every day, but stopped long enough to go the bathroom before leaving and believes that stopped him from being hit by the tree. I said I had to look for socks in my trunk because I forgot to put any in my bag. We gave each other a high five for not getting hit by the tree. I'm still a bit shaken from that.

And you are a sweetie, too - thank you for saying that, my friend.

I've been using that raw sugar in the package called Stevia in my oatmeal. It's good.

Fireblossom said...

Oh my gosh, Lynn! I leave you alone for a day or two and look what you get into. I am so glad that you are all right. That's a huge tree! They make a big noise coming down, too. A humongous old tree on my mail route fell near me one day--but not as near as this one, to you--and it sounded like gunshots going off. Scared the heck out of me!

I think that, though I am a northerner, part of my soul must be southern, because I love sweet tea.

Leonora said...

Wow! That is one huge tree. Cheers to you for your death defying act!
I remember learning the sweet tea lesson when we first moved south. I had never heard of sweet tea before.

sage said...

That was a big tree! Glad your safe. I too am a member of the Southern Unsweetened Tea Alliance. People always think that's what I want, but I stopped drinking sweet tea in high school.

happygirl said...

Wow, you must live right. I, too, am an unsweet tea drinker. But, I'm a northerner, so my strangeness is expected. "U" already? The time is flying by. :)

Granny Annie said...

This could turn out to be a life saving post for me. I began my walking last night and was noticing all the trees that have died due to last year's drought. I shall tread carefully and listen for the sound of cracking trees now that I see what could happen. Oh my goodness you were so very fortunate!!

Now I must make a bench because, believe you me, we've got many pieces of useable art around here.

I'm and "unsweet" girl too but my spouse has to have brewed sweet tea. My dad was a genuine "teetotaler" and went for unsweet hot or cold tea as well as alcohol abstinence.

Chatty Crone said...

I love that bench - very eclectic. And you were very lucky about that tree! Sandie

Louvregirl said...

O.M.G. Lynn! (To use my daughter's expression!) I am soooo relieved to hear of your report. May you be protected, and alway. What is the patron Saint of being missed by fallen tree limbs, I wonder? And is there one?
:-)
It MUST have been really close, as the people ran up on you to see if you were O.K.!

I like that bench also, and wouldn't mind having it on the road that goes down from here (that I walk on.)

Louvregirl said...

My God (I went back and looked, again.) That branch is HUGE.
lg!

Louvregirl said...

Unsweet here, too. The southern 'sweet tea' is just to dang sweet (for me.) I add real sugar (but not much.)
Sorry for the 'three' posts. I am so disjointed today!

Changes in the wind said...

Wow you came too close to disater with that tree....can't imagine why it would just fall. You did a great job with the letter U.

Unknown said...

Wow, lucky that you missed that tree and glad you are safe. I am here from the A-Z challenge. :)

Lynn said...

FB -

I know - I still can't believe that happened!

You must if you love sweet tea. :)

Leonora -

Thank you. And for the longest time, I thought that was the only way tea came.

Sage -

I love nothing better than a large unsweet tea from Wendy's or Chick-fil-A. I like that club name you have given us.

happygirl -

Yes - the challenge is weighing heavily now, but in other ways it's gotten my blogging juices flowing again.

Granny Annie -

I'm glad I posted it then - it was a stretch to call that a good thing, but I just had to. Be careful, my friend!

And if you make a bench like that, let me know.

Anonymous said...

wow, How lucky you were. Did you go buy a lottery ticket?
A truly scary photo knowing you were that close.
Visiting from A to Z and wishing you much luck to finish.

Lynn said...

Sandie -

I know - I am lucky.

lg -

And men in golf carts rode over - the trail borders a golf course right there. I think I must have a guardian angel.

My ex-mother-in-law used to make sweet tea so sweet that it gave my fil diabetes!

Changes -

It was on a bank and the ground is still a little damp + the 40 mph wind sent it over.

Melody-mae -

Thank you and I'll visit you shortly.

Lynn said...

coachteresa -

My sister said I should have bought a lottery ticket!

Debra Harris-Johnson said...

I am so happy that tree didn't cream you!. You are blessed and so are we. Great post! Thanks for visiting me Friday.

Sparkling Red said...

My goodness that was a near miss! Poor old tree. I used to be responsible for a big tree, when I owned a house with my ex. I paid a tree specialist several thousand dollars to install cables so the tree wouldn't split in half and crush the neighbours' garage. (Apparently that was a pretty real possibility until we got the tree some support.) Now I see that such things do really happen! It was money well spent, obviously.

G. B. Miller said...

As they say, timing is everything.

Glad you came through unscathed.

Elephant's Child said...

I am so glad that the tree timed its fall so well. That was one BIG tree and would not have tickled if it had landed on you.
I love the bench - such as unlikely and charming use of old farm tools. And I like my tea unsweetened too.

Dana said...

How scary! Glad you're okay.

Enjoyed your post.

Riot Kitty said...

What a cool bench!

Betty Manousos said...

omg, that branch is huge!! too scary.
glad you're okay.



i love that bench.

big hugs!

Lynn said...

Debra -

Thank you and me, too! You have a lovely blog - it's fun to visit challenge blogs, isn't it?

Sparkling Red -

I saw on the news that a number of large trees came down that day - one fell on a car, but somehow the woman escaped injury.

G -

Thank you and me, too.

The Elephant's Child -

It just goes to show that art can be made out of anything.

Dana -

Thank you -

Riot Kitty -

Isn't it?

Betty -

Thank you, and me, too. :) Hugs to you.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lynn .. sure glad the tree missed - that was by the grace of God go I .. Now the bench - what a fascinating thing to make - excellent idea .. but as you say not for sitting on when it's hot or cold ..
Cheers Hilary

Jannie Funster said...

Another one very very happy to hear you did not get hit by that! Gosh. Appreciate the photo.

You must be well caffeinated! And already sweet enough, of course!

Xxoo

Lynn said...

Hilary -

Yes - I am glad, too. :)

Jannie -

Aww - you are sweet, too. Two sweet girls. :)

xo