It’s summertime and the living is easy. Well, perhaps for those fortunate enough to be able to remain indoors, but for others whose jobs are outside it’s not so comfortable when the heat rises to 100 degrees in the shade and the gnats and other insects attack from all sides.
However, I do love the summer months, especially Southwest Georgia’s. The climate is much different than where I grew up in Atlanta where nights are cool. Here it just sizzles and zings and buzzes 24 hours, but that’s fine as long as the HVAC system works. We are grateful for the friendly folks at Parker’s Heating and Air — our saviors on blazing and blistering days.
I can remember when we didn’t have air conditioned homes — only the movie theaters, hotels and large department stores. My childhood home had no air conditioning, but we managed to keep cool under the fans. I spent most of my summer days on the porch swing or backyard hammock strung between two sturdy apple trees, reading for endless hours or spending the day swimming with friends at our favorite spot: East Lake.
Although those days only exist in my memory, it is fun to hold them close, smile and remember when.
Congratulations again to Caroline Carroll who was named among the top 15 contestants at the 74th annual Miss Georgia Scholarship Pageant in Columbus last week. She also garnered the swimsuit award during the preliminary competition. Caroline, daughter of John and Beth Carroll of Americus, is a May magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia and enters law school there the first week of August.
Will Caroline compete again in the Miss Georgia Pageant, perhaps for the 2019 title?
Her mom says at present Caroline is catching her breath from last week’s hectic pace at Miss Georgia competition and is grateful for having had the opportunity and exceptional experience. Besides her upcoming studies, she will continue volunteer work with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the American Red Cross, which she feels is important, and will be in Augusta next week volunteering at the hospital there.
Whatever is in store for this brilliant and kind-hearted young lady, it will be significant.
Join me in welcoming Adam and Mary Margaret Shierling Fox and five-year-old daughter, Libby Fox, who have moved here from Columbus. Mary Margaret is the communications director at Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving and Adam is in the landscape business. Mary Margaret, daughter of Razz and Tippy Shierling, grew up here.
Congratulations to Dr. Ben and Michelle Andrews who celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary June 16 with a weekend in the North Georgia mountains in Blue Ridge, where the days were sunny but cool and their cabin on a mountain top overlooked the beautiful mountain range beyond. They dined one evening with former Americus resident Mary Wysochansky and her husband, Walt Foegelle who are making Blue Ridge their primary home. The Andrews’ daughter, Michelle Andrews and her fiancé Tripp Parker joined them one day and the foursome enjoyed spending Father’s Day with their son, Ben Andrews and his wife Casey at their home in Chamblee.
Former Americus Redman Industries executive John Davis of Dallas, Texas, who once resided here with his family, enjoyed a mini-reunion with a few of his Redman colleagues and friends over hot-dogs at Monroe’s last Saturday. With him were daughters, Cathy Davis Gillespie of Dallas and Ina Davis Toms, and granddaughter, Caitlin Gillespie and her friend Meg of Alabama. Joining the group were Dwight “Bucky” Bliss of Athens, his daughter, Lisa Bliss McMichael of Dublin; Joyce and Ed Munn of Lake Blackshear; Ann and Bill Harris and granddaughter, Laura Cate Harris, Jean and Wes Wheeler, Wally and Brenda Summers, Mike and Lee Yates, all of Americus and Stanley and Beth Johnson of Macon.
Meanwhile, Steve and Sarah McLain of Americus are back from a wonderful trip through Ireland, Scotland and England. They began in Dublin, visiting cities located on the perimeter of the island and then Scotland. There they toured Edinburgh and drove to the Isle of Mull and Duart Castle, built in the 1200s, seat of one of Scotland’s oldest clans and one of the last surviving, privately owned clan castles in Scotland. Sarah researched Steve’s family roots and located an ancestor who still lives there. Amazing. Then it was on to London for a couple of days before returning home.
Among those celebrating birthdays this week were Malcolm Perry and John Barrett, both of Leslie.

Leila Sisson Case lives in Americus.