Thursday, May 23, 2013

Happenings in Georgia and Tennessee

Two more posts on Warm Springs and Callaway Gardens will be forthcoming, but later on.  In early May friends invited us to attend a concert given at the historic Strand Theatre in Marietta, Georgia.  This theatre is by the turn of the century square in downtown Marietta and has been there since the 1930s.  I took pictures of it several times along the years but had never been inside.  I drove by it again this morning and took a picture through my car window.  (click on collage twice to enlarge.)

The Strand Theatre was opened in 1935 as a new Art Deco movie theatre.  It had the latest technologies of the time such as acoustical sound system, heating and air conditioning, a fireproof projection room and seating for 1,000 patrons.  At the time it costs $150,000 to build and it was the most modern theatre outside Atlanta.  "Top Hat" a musical starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers was the first show featured at the Strand in the fall of 1935.  It closed its door as a movie theatre in 1976.

Afterwards the building housed a number of ventures until it deteriorated and became vacant in 2002.  Community leaders formed a group to save the Strand Theatre and after a successful restoration campaign it re-opened in 2008 with a showing of "Beauty and the Beast."  On May 4th, 2013, the "Paradocs" were giving a performance at The Strand.  We arrived early so we could get a good look at the theatre.

The group playing that Saturday came about when a "pair of docs" taking a break in the doctor's lounge at the local hospital started a conversation about music and how much they missed playing.  In 1996 they started playing together and were joined by more medical personnel and registered nurses.

The doctors and nurses call their 15 piece rock and roll band the "Paradocs."  Their repertoire includes great rock music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s to the present.  They also play some southern rock, country and blues tunes.  I was really surprised at their sound - it certainly rocked!

The female and male vocalists were true professionals and could certainly sing on the stage fulltime instead of working in a hospital.  I tried to take pictures, without flash, with my little Lumix camera - it was not easy with all the fast gyrations.

The Paradocs have been playing for five years and most shows are sold out.  They give all the revenues from the performances to benefit the Strand Theatre or other worthy charities.  We really enjoyed the performance.

 The following week I did not go on the computer much as I was trying to finish knitting a baby blanket before our trip to Tennessee.  I finished it just in time.  It was in the same style as those I made for our three grandsons, but mostly pink...

We drove to a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, where our younger daughter lives with her family.  Every time we visit we see how fast our three grandsons are growing - they are now 6, 4 1/2 and 2 years old.

This was a special event - the birth of our little granddaughter.

She was born on Friday, May 10, 2013.  She is a lovely 8 1/2 pounds baby, but has a slight heart murmur which we hope will heal as she grows.  The mother, our daughter, had to be readmitted in the hospital for a couple of days but she is out now and improving.  We stayed several days.  I pre-programmed a post for publication but am behind again visiting friends' blogs

I had time to crochet a "lap" blanket (or security blanket or car-seat blanket) - it is about 23 inches square.

Below is grandson no. 2 making a list of names for the baby.  Eldest grandson is showing his green
soccer uniform and youngest grandson is getting close to the baby to check her out.

While we were in Tennessee the weather was perfect - warm with low humidity.  Peonies and roses were blooming in the garden.

We drove back through Alabama.  Many fields were covered with bright yellow wild flowers.  I could have stopped many times along the way to take pictures.

I am a city girl and the sight of cows in a field will stop me every time.  There was no place to stop on the road but luckily no cars were behind me and I took the pictures from the car window.

It was lovely to see that our roses were in bloom when we arrived back home.

Our wild climbing roses were covering the adjoining trees.

Now we need to get busy planting annuals and herbs before the weather gets too warm.  Looking over this post it seems I have a lot of the color pink showing - it goes well with a new baby granddaughter!






30 comments:

  1. The photos of the farm look similar to the farms and cows in our mountains in NC. Love the pretty flowers too. What a great name for the band. These guys know how to rock.

    Thoughts and prayers your way for your precious granddaughter. Hope you have a nice Memorial Day weekend.
    Sam

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  2. Pink is my second favorite color and you are right, pink to celebrate your beautiful new addition. Gorgeous children who must be bringing a lot of love to their mom, dad and their grandparents.

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  3. Your granddaughter is absolutely beautiful -- I don't know if I've ever seen such a lovely newborn -- and truly, I mean that. You have my prayers for her healing over time and for all to be well and happy. I suspect with all the love in your family, those prayers will be answered in the affirmative!

    And the Strand -- how I ADORE old movie theatres. This one looks just wonderful. And like you had a lovely time!

    Sending love, jeanie

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  4. Congratulations on the addition of a granddaughter to your family. I love her blanket - and her security blanket is gorgeous too.
    Paradocs sounds wonderful. And I love that they support charities too.
    And those gardens made my heart sing. Thank you so much.

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  5. Vagabonde, what a nice morning for me to catch up with you. Congratulations for this beautiful granddaughter and wishing her a happy and healthy life.
    What a great group and that they donate all their benefits to charity, adorable! I absolutely loved the travel through the countryside and how lovely it all looks. And you have already peonies and roses in bloom! We had horrible cold weather and winter seems still half in here. Even not two digits. But I resisted to put the heating on again. We all hope that June will be showing a bit more of the sun. Je t'embrasse.

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  6. The pictures of your Grandaughter are wonderful! She is so lovely! Here's hoping all will be "well" with her,very soon...! And Your Grandsons are darling!!! Such handsome little guys....!

    The Strand looks Wonderful! And that group sounds like they were just marvelous!

    And all the Pretty Pink Flowers are PERFECT!!!

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  7. She is a beautiful baby! I do hope that heart murmur will fix itself over time, as you said it's possible. That musical troupe looks very professional! Your pictures turned out very well, considering. What a wonderful trip you had! Sending you lots of cyber hugs, VB. :-)

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  8. What beautiful children.. and your new grandaughter is so so sweet... You worked hard to finish the blanket ..its lovely.
    I live in the country, so see lots of cows andsheep..
    Your drive home through the country must have been exciting for you.
    Your roses are beautiful..
    happy weekend.
    val

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  9. Vagabonde, what fun I've had reading this post and seeing all the excellent photos.

    The Paradocs look to be a very fine group that bring joy to their audiences and help to many ... not just "on duty."

    What a lovely little granddaughter! I wish her well, and think that she is fortunate to have three handsome big brothers.

    Let's see, what else...of course, those remarkable roses of yours are fabulous. They certainly gave you and your husband a beautiful welcome home. xo

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  10. Saving the old buildings and restoring them is something so important to the small towns that dot our landscape. It is an expensive project but sometimes it brings these towns back to new-found glory. A local town did this to its century-old theater about 15 years ago and because they had a centerpiece, new, trendy restaurants and shops opened. A dying town was reborn.

    Congrats on your new grandchild. A new addition to a family always brings so much joy.

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  11. Vagabonde, I really love it when they save old buildings. That's the main reason the we belong to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Congratulations on your new granddaughter! As usual, your photos are top notch. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  12. Congratulations on your sweet new granddaughter! All the children are lovely. I like the blanket - I am knitting blankets these days too.

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  13. Congratulation on your new granddaughter!
    I would like to have granddaughter too, you're lucky!
    I love your roses, do they smell?
    Have a nice weekend!

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  14. quoi dire , sinon que tu me fais toujours passer un bon moment de l'autre côté de l'océan , ta petite fille est bien mignonne et elle a la chance d'avoir une grand'mère tricoteuse crocheteuse , et 3 "grands" frères charmants. J'espère que tout va bien maintenant pour la maman et le petit souffle au coeur du bébé. (si j'ai bien compris).
    Je t'embrasse et continue mes souvenirs parisiens

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  15. The baby blanket is very pretty and your flower photos are beautiful.. Your grandchildren are all very sweet. I also love the country photos. Hugs Judy

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  16. I love how you tied in the pink flowers with your new granddaughter, Vagabonde. How precious to see the boys welcoming her to their world. Things will never again be the same for them. HA!

    And I totally understand about stopping along the road to take pictures of the cows. For me, it's the sheep I can't resist here. I'm such a glitton for them. :)

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  17. That theater is wonderful! What a treasure to have!! They don't make em like they used to, eh?
    Congratulations on your grand-daughter!! What a sweetie! The boys must be thrilled to have a sister too!
    Good to see you today at my post and what a beautiful garden you have....love those roses.

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  18. You certainly have a full life ...and the baby blanket is lovely, as is the wee one herself.
    I don't know that part of the country and will have to make a point to get there. Thanks.

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  19. What an eventful week - congratulations!

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  20. What a great post! Your grandkids are so cute. And those shots of your roses are very beautiful. Your life is complete and in perfect harmony. Aloha from Hawaii.

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  21. Congratulations, Mamie Vagabonde, how lovely to have a beautiful baby granddaughter as well as those three gorgeous grandsons.

    I enjoyed your description of the theatre and the show. There are so many gifted people who play music as a hobby - often more talented than some who make a living at it.

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  22. Gracious, what a rich post. I was absorbed by the history and beauty of the theater...and then there was the gorgeous news of that sweet grand-daughter..and everywhere flowers, flowers, flowers! My senses are fully whelmed.

    I want to thank you, too, for the astute and honest comment you left on my blog post wherein you shared your perceptions and experience with Americans and education.

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  23. Schöner Bericht, für mich fast zu viele verschiedene schöne Ereignisse in einem Beitrag, aber toll. Grüsse Ernst

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  24. Congrats with your granddaughter! she is so sweet! :)

    I love your photos from the field, and yes, cows make me stop too.. :) I lived in a farm when I was a little girl :) and I've always loved animals, still do! :)

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  25. Coucou Vagabonde
    Je prendrais le temps de lire ces deux derniers un jour où je n'ai pas à sortir dans l'après midi, Peut-être ce tantôt mais ce n'est pas sûr, mais demain.
    Bises

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  26. Gosh, you really live in a gorgeous part of the world! I would love to visit one spring r early autumn (I will trust that it gets quite warm in summer!).

    Congratulations on the birth of your grand-daughter!

    I like that old Art Deco theatre. Art Deco is one of my very favourite forms and I'm glad they've saved it.

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  27. Comme Marguerite-Marie, je prends toujours un réel plaisir à venir te lire et admirer tes belles photos.
    Ta petite fille est mignonne tout plein. Samedi, tu pourras venir voir le mariage des parents de mon dernier petit fils.
    Bises
    Je vais ton post précédent.

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  28. You sure has your life full... and you've packed it all in one post. Beautiful photos. Apprecitae your sharing of your grandchildren, they are charming. The blanket you knitted is lovely, and the flowers. BTW, we did have a Grand Theatre that looked very similar to your Strand. I lament the passing of an age, old theatres, big screens. Now the younger generation watch movies on their computers. I miss the good ole days of cinema.

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  29. J'ai adoré la visite de l'intérieur de la Petite Maison Blanche.
    Merci.

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  30. Anytime I go out with the baby and her blanket, so receive so many compliments.

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