Even More Thanksgiving Photos

Vivian didn't care too much for this particular photo shoot.

More Thanksgiving Photos

Sneak Attack!



hey y'all go to www.newredneckworkshop.com and watch the 2 minute trailer for my upcoming t.v. show. we will soon be wrapping up production on several episodes and you'll be able to see them online.

Thanksgiving Photos - Finally!

mazie and vivian had fun playing at Nana and Poppie's house.

i think it's very sweet that they call him Poppie.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I did a little research on Cabbagetown for you. And because i don't have any recent photos of the girls. so check it out. This is from wikkipedia...

History

The Atlanta Rolling Mill was destroyed after the Battle of Atlanta and on its site the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill began operations in 1881 and Cabbagetown was built as the surrounding mill town and was the first textile processing mills built in the south. Its primary product was cotton bags for packaging agricultural products. Built during a period when many industries were relocating to the post-Reconstruction South in search of cheap labor, it opened shortly following the International Cotton Exposition, which was held in Atlanta in an effort to attract investment to the region. The mill was owned and operated by Jacob Elsas, a German Jewish immigrant. Its work force consisted of poor whites recruited from the Appalachian region of north Georgia. Elsas built a small community of one and two-story shotgun houses and cottage-style houses surrounding the mill. Like most mill towns, the streets are extremely narrow with short blocks and lots of intersections. At its height the mill employed 2,600 people. A protracted strike in 1914-15 failed to unionize the factory's workforce. For over half a century Cabbagetown remained home to a tight-knit, homogenous, and semi-isolated community of people whose lives were anchored by the mill, until it closed in 1977. Afterwards, the neighborhood went into a steep decline which didn't end until Atlanta's intown renaissance of the mid-1990s. The mill itself was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Rebirth

Today Cabbagetown is an area of tremendous growth sparked by Panorama Ray who operated a photo gallery on the main drag, Carroll Street. Since his death in 1997, Carroll Street has become the home of some nice restaurants and makes a great people-watching spot. Beginning in 1996, the mill itself has been renovated into the nation’s largest residential loft community—the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts—which houses everyone from artists and musicians to business professionals. Although the east building was nearly destroyed by a fire in April 1999, the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts managed to open the following year.

The main festival is the Cabbagetown Reunion, known colloquially by long time residents and displaced residents as "the vegetable", which takes place in the summer. The Chomp and Stomp takes place in November.

You’ll also find popular restaurants like Agave and Six Feet Under (see listings) as well as the historic Oakland Cemetery, where many of Atlanta’s most famous residents, including Margaret Mitchell are buried.

Origins of the name

There are a few explanations as to how the neighborhood received its name. One is that the mostly transplanted poor Appalachian residents (largely of Scots-Irish descent) who worked in the nearby Fulton Rolling Mill, would grow cabbages in the front yards of their shot-gun houses, and one could distinctly smell the odor of cooking cabbage coming from the neighborhood. This term was used originally with derision by people outside the neighborhood, but it soon became a label of pride for the people who lived there.

Another explanation is that a train carrying a load of cabbages derailed by the mill adjacent to the neighborhood, and the poor residents quickly accumulated the cabbages, and used them in just about every meal. A variation of this legend has a Ford Model T taking a sharp turn at one of the main intersections of Cabbagetown, and flipping over spilling its cargo of cabbages across the street. Someone yelled "Free Cabbages!" and they were soon carted away by the residents.

Shirley Plantation

This is the kitchen.



This is the tool shed. All of the posts and beams were hand hewn.




This is the front yard, on the left is the tool shed, on the right is the ice/drying house, just beyond the ice house is the kitchen. In the distance is the main house. 2 other houses flanked this house 200 years ago. One house burned down and the other was moved up the river. All 3 houses were about the same size. That's alot of gutters to clean.

This plantation served as a hospital for union troops during the Civil War and it is rumored that Robert E. Lee was born here.

Halloween Photos

we went on a neighborhood hay ride and the girls loved it.
Vivian never let go of her chocolate bar and it melted down to her elbow.
she was a kangaroo and mazie was a bunny. brandi was a tree and i was myself.

Hello

as you can see i have been tinkering with some colors on this blog.

when i have more time i'll get this thing fixed and post more often - i promise.

i thought you guys might enjoy this photo of Vivian taken last year.

Picking Flowers

Mazie loves to pick flowers but doesn't like to get her hands wet or dirty.

Cowgirls

New Addition to the Gunn Clan

This is Reza. We found him in the corn field across from our house. We then called our neighbors to see if they were missing a kitty. Well, i didn't want to keep him him but i am out numbered 3 to one. That is 3 girls to one boy so it's more like 6 to 1.

-richie

Photo Clearing House

Mazie on the phone with Nana.

The girls at the "Swimmy Pool".


Mazie is our artista: notice she is painting with one hand and drawing with the other.


I think Vivian looks more like Brandi. Her hair is more red now and her "healthy" attitude is taking shape.



Hello,

Here are some photos I took recently.
Mom, i hope your foot gets to feeling better soon.
This is your time to catch up on your reading.

Brandi's "Pop Pop" and "Mi Mi" could use our prayers.
The latest i've heard, as of Tuesday at lunch time is that Pop Pop is holding steady at the hospital, and we're waiting to hear back from his doctors about his steroid and transfusion treatment. He is a sweet man and is a great influence on his family.

i'll try and keep you guys posted,
-richie

Happy Anniversary!

Your wife loves and adores you when you get anniversary cards like this one.

Brandi and i celebrated our 5th anniversary this past weekend.
A quick Google suggested that any item fashioned in wood, silver and Elvis were appropiate gifts for the 5th anniversary.

I got Brandi the Beattles' White Album because her step dad has stolen the former. The Beattles are great but of rock-n-roll there can only be one king - baby.


-richie

Hello Again!

This is the iris farm on the way to Good Habour Bay.
Vincent Van Gogh, eat your heart out!

This is the beach at Good Harbour Bay.
We were looking for the perfect stones for skipping.


Hey Y'all,

For the next few weeks i will be working with a web design firm! I might be looking for a career change. I am in the process of learning a handful of new computer programs between now and mid August so we shall see where it goes from here.

i'm also waiting to hear back from some architects in Richmond. i hope i can become productive within the web design biz; it is more creative and less intense that architecture. And i don't have to tuck in my shirt every day. This is the job for me! Yes I'm still working inside on the computer but, i don't have to wrangle with the number of stair treds in a "vertical circulation tower" or, a stair well.


i will keep y'all posted as to where i wind up.

check out our photos from vacation - finally!

-richie

Back from Michigan

We are back from Michigan. We had a good time up there looking around at stuff. It's awesome in the summer. This area will be buried with 6 feet of snow this winter. This is Grandma and Grandpa's house - ain't it cute? Pete and Katy live in a great "mature" suburb about a mile from downtown. Traverse City looks like something Norman Rockwell would paint minus the airport.

I'll post more photos soon. The week we got back from vacation, my job "let me go". As soon as i'm at or near a fast computer i'll post more photos from our vacation.

I am glad Cousin Joe is home!

-richie

Memorial Day Part 3

Vivian is still a big eater.


Pete was a swinging Mazie in the hammock at John's house while Vivian tasted the flowers.
Beep! beep! Ben's got the keys to the van. Oh boy.

-richie

Memorial Day Part 2

Okay where were we? Yes, more photos!

This is the big cyprus tree we pass on the boardwalk to the river.


Brandi's glowing! That's not really the sun behind her.

I'm a lucky guy to have these hard working gals in my family. they picked about 4 pounds of cherries. Brandi climbed pretty high into the tree and scared all the blackbirds away.

we had a sweet Memorial day weekend picking cherries and working in the garden. Mazie helped me stack a stone wall in the back yard. a cook out at our friend John's house brought our holiday weekend to a close and allowed me to return to work on tuesday rested, refreshed and ready to not return to work.

-richie

Memorial Day Part 1

We went over to our friends campground on the Rappahannock River Saturday. Mazie loves the water even if it's cold. She had a blast. We didn't camp out but we spent most of the day there.

It gets better just wait.

-richie

Family Photos

We took these photos right after church. As you can see it is difficult to arrange a photograph with small children and when the photo is being taken by one of the participants.

We got us 2 sweet girls.

-richie

Monkey Bars Daddy!

Every Saturday we drive past the monkey bars on our way to the grocery store. Mazie always knows when we are within 2 miles of the monkey bars. "Monkey Bars Daddy!" is what she says.

The girls love to swing on the swingset.


-richie

Vivian's Photo Shoot

Vivian Faye loves grabbing the camera.

Mazie's Photo Shoot

Hello!

we have been busy here lately.
i have photos from Mazie's photo shoot.
Vivian's photo shoot will be next.

-richie

Easter 2006

yes i know it's a bit late, but here are our easter photos.
this is our church in the background.
brandi helped the girls put on their rainbow tights.

i am a man surrounded by rainbows and pink fluffy things. funny how much things change in short time.

-richie

Happy Birthday to Brandi!

Today Brandi is 28 years old!
She is God's blessing in my life.

I never will forget the day we met and
the first door i opened for her after we were married.

I love you Brandi!

-richie

Happy Birthday!

last friday i turned 31.
on saturday i got sick. brandi took care of me and the girls all day because i was horizontal most of the day.
on sunday i hurt my back.
monday i was tired because vivian was up (almost) all night because she was sick.

is this what growing up is all about?
i thought 40 was the over the hill year.

anyhoo, here are some dinner photos from last night.

love,
richie

Spring Photos

Vivian has officially joined the walkers of the world. She loves to carry something in her hand while walking around the kitchen. She also enjoys rearranging the pots and pans in the cabinets, a skill that runs in the family.
The plum trees in the front yard are a bloomin'. Mazie tried to eat some plums, Vivian ate some leaves.

-richie

More Stuff for Randy

Hey Cuz,
i hope you like these. i would to print these on a billboard scale somehwere, some day.

-richie