postcards from alabama

   dusk in pine level, alabama after dinner at red's little schoolhouse out in the country

  dinner was fried chicken livers, fried cornbread, cooked cabbage, black eyed peas splashed with hot pepper vinegar, green beans, lemon ice box pie (oh, the joys of food consumed in the deep south!), all washed down with sweet iced tea (thank you katie, for putting that bug in my ear)

prolific poop factory, seen every morning on my walk through mama's neighborhood with walter

twilight coming on, from mama's back courtyard

magnolia blossom - i picked two or three every early evening or morning to bring in as a gift from daddy to mama, through his daughter.  for those of you who've not had the heady pleasure of drinking in its lemony scent, i hope you will have that privilege in your lifetime.  they make me remember daddy with a fierce pining.

the road that led me home again; i'd spotted the black skies that were just ahead and thought i'd pull off the main road for a walter pit stop before the bottom fell out.  i've passed this spot hundreds of times on my way back home, in northern georgia, but had never pulled over right here.  the light in this beautiful spot was incredible, sunlight washed over everything in my immediate vicinity, thunder clouds hovering over the rest of my journey, and home.

bed, where i collapsed late last night.  i've finally given in to instagram.  not sure quite yet if i get what the big deal might be, but i'm willing to try.  the artwork peeking out of my book is from my potter/painter friend julie whitmore, and makes a wonderful bookmark where i can see her sweet work every night.

i drove down to alabama the saturday before mother's day, which also happened to be the one year anniversary of daddy's passing.  that sunday, the day of celebrating motherhood, it was just my mama and me, going to early service at her sweet little episcopal church (i wore a lavender frock), spending the afternoon lazing around her house savoring one another's company.  she finally reached a point where she was ready to search for another canine companion, urged me to get online to see what i could turn up in the corgi world.  look who i found:
doesn't she look worried?!  callie is a four year old pembroke corgi, from a small country community outside of jasper, alabama - a three hour drive north from montgomery, where we drove on thursday to pick her up.  i've tried (in vain, three times) to contact a blogging acquaintance who has a treasured cardigan, but never have heard back from her.  anyone out there who is familiar with this breed, i'd love to hear from you.  do they always look worried, like this?  will she stop snapping and snarling at poor innocent walter, as time goes by?  is there a chance that she might stop chewing with little pointed teeth on things that are not hers, such as walter's beloved grollie?!  regardless, we love her; i love her for coming into my mother's life at this late date, for being there to keep her company.  it was a wild week, full of dog preparation, long drives, appointments made, engagements kept.  i stayed quite a few more days than i had anticipated, so that i could be there to help in any new-mother-way that i could.  just look at this photo that i snapped a couple of nights before i left:
i want to call her callie mae.  i think that is a lovely name for a southern gal, the mae being my contribution.  she did come to us in the month of may, after all.  here's what we've gleaned about corgis, or callie, in the few days we've spent with her:  she loves to be around people, and is fond of meeting new folks.  she is territorial about her food.  she flopped down in pine straw and refused to get up, so i'm guessing she lived in a barn where there was hay.  she pushes her food bowl around on the floor with her nose.  she has grown to tolerate walter.  thunderstorms terrify her (i've ordered a thunder shirt to send to my poor mother, for callie mae).  she loves laps, and sofas.  and treats.  her bark, from the little we've heard, is firm and bold.  here is what i never thought about, with a tailless dog:  there is no tail wagging, ever.  i think my mother will miss that; i know i will. we've not seen any displays of herding, but i'm sure that will surface, in time.

walter and i have finally made it back home again, where the rain settled in and refused to leave until this morning, 36 hours later.  my four legged fella is thankful to be back in his domain, where no one protests anything that he does (within reason, i add).  the threadbare tennis ball was quietly placed on the ottoman before me, yesterday morning, as i sat on the sofa and wrote some notes.  dear walter.  dear callie.  dear mama.  dear old longtime friends, dear south, dear life.  xo

Comments

[sheila]

i love this so much. you too.
xxxooo

[sandra]

Well I can see you have a t going on...

I think Mae is going to keep your mom busy for sure...

I think Walter has a new appreciation for his own turf.

Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed the pictures.

[Tina in McLeansville]

love the quiet contentment i sense here...welcome home to you and walter! callie is a beauty...looks to be rather protective of your mom already. it seems a good week was had by all...love that you chose "restoration"....quite appropriate for your week, i think. hugs to you and w....xo

[Katherine Langford]

Oh Nina, what an adorable little doggie! Here is a link to their "moods." http://corgisupplies.com/2008/01/15/corgi-moods-understanding-your-dog/

We have a Thunder Shirt and oh, I wish I'd had one a long time ago. It would have saved our door frame many times as our hysterical Tibetan terrier mix chewed the wood. I am now a door expert in repairs. Look at the expression of Callie Mae on your mama's lap - ears up and a smile. She will fit in after a while. When you get an older dog, you get their unwritten history often. We have two ASPCA dogs and one came with some history and the other was the grand mystery dog. Both are wonderful, but there was some adjustments as they worked out the pecking order. Corgis tend to be territorial and like to be the Alpha anything. They have little dog syndrome. Walter will comply as he is a sweetie laid back bonny dog. I am so glad you "restored" and look forward to more of your posts. CHEERS!!!

[Brenda Kessler]

Nina. You have such a way of making my heart sigh! Welcome back to your nest. Callie Mae is going to help make your Mom smile again.
You are a such a gift. Enjoy the quietness of your nest.

[Molly Vollmer]

Well, that was the perfect trip! Isn't it wonderful when things just click along? The menu at the restaurant had me salivating. I haven't had a meal like that for decades. So glad for you, Walter and you Mom.

[susan]

Welcome home Nina and Walter. Thank you for this lovely post of your time visiting with your mama.

xo dusan

[herhimnbryn]

Happy post dear one. The Corgi hound is fortunate to be with your Mama.
Pray tell, what is a 'thunder shirt'? My hound is also frightened of storms, so would it help him too?

[sally]

I've missed you, and although I'm grateful for your time with beloved Mama, I'm glad you're back here again. Callie Mae will be balm and company for your Mother's soul and vice versa. They will heal each others hearts. My friends who have corgi's have clowns, and they are bold adventurers as well. "Stella" loves to ride a jet ski with my dear friend Carey! It will be a love match, I'm sure. Soooooooooo glad you know about Thundershirts! They have changed the life of my terrified 110 lb Akita type Carolina Dump Dog. Relief for us both. Welcome home dear Nina. Welcome back.

[Mary Markell]

I think I will mix up my sheets:) Still here, still love your blog. M

[Dale]

So happy for your Mom to have found such a lively little gal to keep her company. There is an older gentleman in my neighborhood that walks his Corgi each day. Today I commented to my husband " that dog is adorable and it sure is a lot of dog on four little legs." I'm sure Callie Mae will be quite a lot of dog for your mom to love.

[jenni connolly]

Thanks for showing me a little of the South. I love the geese picture. Your Moms dog looks like a real sweetie... may they enjoy each other's company for many years. I have no idea what a "Thunder shirt "is. My little schnauzer is afraid of thunderstorms..however she has got a little bit better with age... and her little toys to keep her company.
Jenni

[Laurel]

ahhhh, sweet corgi face!!! Welcome to Callie Mae! We adopted Aoife a couple of months ago - she is a corgi/cattle-dog mix. You're right about no wagging - rarely there will be a butt wiggle tho. Aoife is about a year and a half old - still very mouthy, as in checking everything out with her mouth and unfortunately enjoys shoes which do not belong to her. She's slowly settling in. Herders are usually VERY smart but they need a job to do. Obedience class might be a great way for Callie and your Mom to bond? As someone else posted, when adopting older dogs, there is that unknown history, but with plenty of love and kind training they'll be come bestest of friends I'm sure!

[janet]

i love that you helped your mom get a dog.
love it.

[Michele]

I feel ever so much better now that I know you are safe and well and were only traveling to Alabama. And that was a good thing. Happy your mum has a new friend, happy Walter has a thread-bare tennis ball of his very own, happy to see all your lovely photos and read your words and happy to know you are, once again, ensconced on Firefly Road. Life is good, isn't it?

XO

[Gretchen P.]

I love this post. Your writing and your photographs are beautiful. Your mother and Callie Mae make a sweet couple.

[carol]

yup, that corgi looks real content on your mom's lap.......dogs over time work out their stuff with each other.......i had a sheltie years ago and brought in another dog...omg ...it was hell for weeks......every time i have brought a second or third dog into the home it has been crazy.....this last time when i brought the third one in....i literally hung out with them for a week or so to dictate an alpha role(me)...so there would be no fighting.......it all worked out...and probably would of even without my "intervention"...lol......not always that way, guess it depends on the personality of the dog.....my youngest, the last brought in....i would think would welcome any new addition.....

[diana giambrone]

I reeeeally love you Nina. And your way with words...and photos....and the way you share. Yes, this is a lovefest confession--i love you girl!
xox, diana

[gayle]

I have had at leat one or more corgi in my house for over the last 25 years. They can be a handful sometimes, as in my experience they love to chase ANYTHING. But they carry a lot of love on those short legs. Don't know how much room your Mom has, but given enough room it seems they can't quite contain themselves and will occasionally burst into running patterns and circles. They will also occasionally come up behind you and "bump" you with their nose. The no tail reminds me, when my daughter used to show her corgi in 4-H she had a button that said "the corgi wiggle makes me giggle".
Sometimes they wag/wiggle so hard they look like they could fall over. Looks to me like your Mom has a lap full of love there. Oh yeah, did I mention they are double coated and shed hair like maniacs? lol, Your Mom probably has figured that out by now I suspect. Small price to pay for such loyal companions though. My one piece of advice would be, watch her weight and protect her back.

[Ketra]

What a lovely post!

[herhimnbryn]

Thankyou Nina, for the link to the thunder shirt. xo

[Mary Ann]

Ahhh, my little Dyna is my best pal. Corgis are loving, watchfull pets. Best given to butt wags, if you observe you can see their little rumps wiggle with joy. They are given to bursts of speed, usually in circles. But if you want to lay on the couch and read mystery novels that will work. They like to keep you in their sight. My little girl would greet visitors at the door with many barks, we would instruct her to take the hospice people back to see my Mom and she would lead them back, lay under the bed until they were ready to leave at which point she would escort them out. Great pets. I am sure she has a good home. SHe will warm up to Walter. Give her time. You can see my "studio assistant" on my blog.

[rachelle]

I want a corgi now, lol. U could sell snow to eskimo's the way you wax lyrical. So is it back into the workshop for a while now? I love ur posts. Appreciate it takes time to upload photos and write etc on what must be dial up and not broadband. Hugs. Its always awesome to swing by and see what's up in Nina's part of the world. x

[Robyn Ayaz]

That meal sounds divine! Your posts are always so lovely and full of the joy you have in your loved ones. My Tender Joy necklace arrived and I LOVE it - many thanks, Nina.

[Emily]

I don't know anything about corgis except they are so cute!
Hey ,if they are good enough for the Queen.......
Callie is going to bring your mom so much joy.
And, I have not smelled a real magnolia in a very, very long time.

[JudyMac]

Callie Mae was definitely a great choice for your Mom. Corgis are beautiful dogs, whatever the variety. I've always said that if I ever acquired a dog, it would have to be a corgi. One thing that I heard about them that was a bit discouraging is that they shed quite heavily, at least at times. So get your Mom a good brush or comb for her. Also, they are a "herding" dog; when they "nose bump" you, I think they are trying to "herd" you around a bit.

[Barb Karr]

Oh, Nina...that is just the sweetest looking dog! We had a corgi mix rescued from the pound. Penny was such a sweetheart and so smart. She would herd the kids down the hall to bed every night and if they were chasing around with each other, Penny would herd them around the room, even nipping gently at their heels. Don't worry about no tail wagging...you will probably see Callie's whole butt wagging and lots of smiling...barbara

[Kathryn Stripling Byer]

Welcome back to the mountains, Nina. Wish I were back from the deep South to greet you but I must stay another day here, after returning from our favorite beach at Jekyll Island. I told one of the store owners about your jewelry, to go to your website and take a look. Maybe she will. Callie looks like a good dog, very much like my Corgi/border collie mix Ace. Dogs everywhere on the island. Mastiff, Yorkshire, goldens, golden doodles.....made me miss my three back in Cullowhee. If you go to my fb wall you can find a photo of Ace that Cory posted in my absence! Miss you---xxx K (I'm wearing your necklace right now...)

[Jennnifer Thornton]

i wish i took the time to express what i see and feel. you are an inspiration and such a good person. i still print out some of your blogs and read them quietly when i need to. i comprehend how much time and effort your blog must take but please don't stop. i would love to own one of your pieces but the exchange rate and the fear of theft makes accuiring one of your pieces prohibitive. maybe one day!

[Nelda Ream]

Girl, you made me so hungry describing that meal at Red's. The only thing missing was fried okra and banana puddin'.

That is such a sweet picture of your Mama and Callie. Did you know that Mae is the feminine of Matthew which means "Gift of God"? She definitely needs to be Callie Mae.

[Mary]

Lovely photos. Callie looks worried that someone's going to tell her it's all a dream. They'll be wonderful companions for each other.

[Vicki in Michigan]

I had at least one Pembroke corgi (like Callie) from 1981 to 2009.

Callie will never share food.

She may or may not accept Walter. Do not let her bully him. Don't let him pester her, and don't let her push him around. If she thinks she has to protect herself and her space, she'll get worse. But if she's allowed to push him around, she may also get worse. She'll do best in a situation where she knows the people will make good decisions, and will fairly enforce rules, and will keep the peace. Otherwise, she is likely to take on that job as she sees fit, and you may disagree with her ideas of what is right.....

She will never respect Walter's toys, though she will learn to respect human things, by being gently but firmly redirected toward things that are ok for her to chew.

Corgis are notorious for being afraid of sounds. She will not learn to be ok with thunderstorms, but many corgi owners get miraculous results with Thundershirts.

Corgis love to hang out with their people. A person who is with them most of the time is truly their cup of tea. They have a heavy need to supervise. None of my corgis ever (EVER) let me go outside alone to hang up clothes, for example. So odd -- my current ?beagle? mix doesn't care at all what I'm doing outside without him.

Corgis will watch the neighborhood, and give alerts about anything that is different or needs attention, like other dogs, the mail carrier, or the dastardly squirrels.

As others have mentioned, they shed, a lot, all the time, and a LOT more, twice a year. Too late to worry about that, I guess. :-)

They are great dogs, but are not easy and mellow like a golden.

I miss having a corgi.....

[Vicki in Michigan]

Oh, one more thing. She doesn't look nervous to me. Uncertain, but not nervous. She will lose that look as she comes to know she has found her home. Then she'll start smiling.....

:-)

[pamela armas]

Hi Nina- I loved seeing your article in the recent edition of "Studios". Congratulations!

I missed you at Artfest this year. I hope to catch up with you somewhere now that you're teaching again. Hugs from the Gypsy- pamela