What’s in a photo? Plenty! I can’t begin to tell you what I went through to get this one . . . and I don’t even like it! It is posed. I had to use a flash and absolutely no one—not one dog would sit still or listen. They were fighting like two-year old children. I tried everything and then I finally said, “Sit down or I’m telling Sandy!” Both dogs immediately dropped to the floor—one in a perfect sit and the other in “down.” Just like magic (C.S. Lewis) the training that was gained from Dog School 101 kicked in.

Merry Christmas! And thank you Sandy, Xalina, and Zandy!

Grabbed a cup of coffee, a camera, and the dogs and drove up to the Old Sautee Store this afternoon where I took these photos and recalled what it was like to visit this place when I was a child. It was a good memory for a gray but very cozy afternoon.

Little ducks lined the windows and a huge Coca-Cola sign hung outside.

Months after leaving Atlanta, I’m finally finding time to enjoy the area around where I live. With each new day, I realize just how wonderful it is to be here and to have the opportunity to wake up and drive into the mountains! Of course, Cocoa loves it and Chip thinks it is just too grand to be true. . . . If Johanna’s mother had been with me when I took this photo, she would have insisted on all of us having hot chocolate and sugar cookies.

“Here’s looking at you kid!”

Oh, she looks just like her father: Sachel.

Having coffee with the students—they call it the breakfast of champions!