Category: Hugs From Ribby!

It doesn’t often get too terribly cold in Georgia. Obviously, mild winters are a major draw of living or vacationing in the South. But, we do have our occasional overnight lows that lead to frozen mornings! First frost of the season, An unsuspecting chill, Enveloping the last remaining petals and leaves, Freezing them in their innocence. The juxtaposition of ice crystals, Adjacent the colors of autumn, The seasons of life. It’s metaphorical, for sure; to which anyone who has endured an unexpected loss in their life can attest. But, in the reflection, find the beauty. Where science and emotion cross…

The Four Spirits Sculpture at Kelly Ingram Park memorializes the lives lost during the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on September 15, 1963. The four girls represented in the statues are all shown in preparation for the Church sermon, just moments before the explosion that would take their lives. The youngest girl killed, Denise McNair, is releasing six doves into the air as she stands barefoot upon the bench. The second barefoot girl, Addie Mae Collins, kneels upon the bench, helping McNair with her dress. Cynthia Wesley, the third young girl, sits alongside the others with a book in her lap depicting the words…

We celebrated Thanksgiving a day early in our house… Because sometimes life works out that way. But, before we joined each other in the kitchen to prepare our own meal, we spent the day filling Little Pantries around the Athens area with some Holiday Love. I don’t tell you this so you’ll laud our good deeds. However, I do share this in hopes you’ll notice something else. In downtown Athens, inside one of the Little Pantries that I personally see frequented by homeless in our area, I found something that completely warmed my heart. And I hope you, too, can…

One of my greatest joys in life is spreading kindness. I’ve always done it. But, now, it’s even more of a way of life for us, because we want kindness spread far and wide in Ribby’s honor. Today, a little kindness I set out into the universe came back to me. And it couldn’t have come on a day when I needed it more. Today marks three years since the accident that ultimately took Ribby’s precious life. So, this bright, beautiful bouquet may have just been a simple thank you from a client. But, to me, on this day, it…

Rivers and creeks are a beautiful part of the grand scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But they are even more integral as part of the ecosystem that provides life for so many species in this protected area. For us, experiencing a River has become a solemn experience, as we remember the life of our precious Ribby. I always thought I had a lifetime of silly “River in the River” posts, but life doesn’t always flow the way we assume it will. So, now, these quiet moments have become a sacred time for us to honor our beloved…

In November 2016, something horrific happened that changed our lives forever here in Tennessee. Fire. Now, our Tennessee House is about 3 hours from Gatlinburg, so we were NOT directly affected in any way by the fires themselves. However, in Tennessee, we are ALL family. It IS the Volunteer State. And we readily answered the call to help our friends and neighbors in their time of need. Fresh from the reality of our own loss of Ribby, and raw in our own devastating grief, we knew what we had to do… And we spent the next 4 months helping to…

The best part of having Athens, Georgia as a home base is all our fabulous neighbors! It’s always a pleasure to work with area non-profit, Nuci’s Space, to help further their mission of making mental health resources, as well as medical resources, more readily available for area artists and musicians that may otherwise find themselves without proper access to such services. Throughout the year, Nuci’s Space holds many fundraising events, dinners, auctions, concerts, and more. We always do our best to support their efforts. And our favorite annual event is the Drive-By Truckers HeAthens Homecoming Pre-Party and Auction. It’s always…

We were in Augusta tonight to do a little work on the TobyMac / Ryan Stevenson Tour. We helped these guys out for a few dates on this run. Absolutely phenomenal gentlemen, and we were quite honored to be a part of their team! In the mean time, we enjoyed walking along Broad Street, checking out the sites around the Miller Theater. I grew up in Augusta, so it’s always fun to take the kids through my old stomping grounds!

We all have our weaknesses. One of mine is handmade jewelry that represents the history, culture and spirit of an area or its people. I can easily get lost in perusing all the unique, beautiful pieces from a local artist, and I always want to buy as many as the budget allows. And then, maybe a few more! On this day, passing through the Bonneville Salt Flats of Western Utah, we chanced across a warm, jovial gentleman from the Navajo Nation selling these breathtakingly gorgeous creations made by his wife and daughters. Narrowing down a few selections from his plethora…

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has made quite the international name for themselves with their quirky Facebook antics. But, I’m definitely proud to have been a part of the OCSO calling upon the local areas of Watkinsville, Athens, and surrounding communities to come together to show support for our friends in Texas, following the absolute destruction of Hurricane Harvey. As part of a team of volunteers, we worked all weekend in the pouring down rain to take donations from area residents. Traffic was backed up, all day, every day, with cars and trucks LOADED to the brim with generous donations….

The kids gathered a few carts worth of supplies to kick off the Hurricane Harvey Donation Drive at the Fentress County Fire Department in Jamestown, Tennessee. In times of utter devastation, we understand. We know loss. We know grief. But, fortunately, we know compassion. And we know action.

I think we all know exactly where we were the moment we heard the news… September 11, 2001 There are no words I could put here to justifiably honor those we lost. I, myself, have a dear friend that was inside the Trade Center that very morning. Fortunately for him, and those that know and love him, he left shortly before the tragic events began to unfold. But, living with that has never been easy for him. I can’t even begin to fathom for one second what it must be like for those that don’t have the happy ending for…