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Wow! What an amazing day. The leaves are beginning to show brilliant color in the North GA mountains, the day is warm the nights are crisp. Fall is my favorite time of year. Today was an amazing day for me and forgive me but I feel the need, not for speed, but to share with you why today was amazing. I am a workaholic. My day generally consists of my blackberry sounding off, hours on the laptop, being a mom, being a wife, wedding planner, event facility owner....you get the gist....busy taking care of everything except one thing.....ME! I haven't taken care of myself in a very long time until today. My sweet husband drove Anna Grace to school so that I might have a little time this morning to get ready for my appointment.
A couple of weeks ago as I made my way to the mailbox I was greeted with an amazing surprise. One of my clients gave me a very generous gift certificate to the Littlefield Cottage in Dahlonega, GA. Wow! Talking about a Random Act of Kindness. I was totally not expecting such a generous gift. And today, I took advantage of my gift.
I am ashamed to admit but it has been 9 years since I have been a guest at Littlefield Cottage. You can imagine of all the years of stress I have accumulated on my shoulders, neck and oh yes my aching back. A little apprehensive of the most dreaded part of a massage....the disrobing...the fear of the jello shakes (you know when parts of your body shakes that you are not prepared or want to share) but all that quickly began to dissolve has my senses awoke to spearmint. Ahhhhhhhh aromatherapy......
A massage therapist is really an amazing person. This person comes to you as a perfect stranger but willing to lose all selflessness to serve you. And so it begins. At first, I was aware of every trouble area but then my mind quickly began drifting off and I began to evaluate "things".
A wedding planner is much like a massage therapist. We find the trouble areas, give you comfort and then we begin work. Anyone can do that. Sure anyone can pretend to be a wedding planner just like anyone can be a massage therapist. But it is the therapist that is so passionate about his serving his client that you go to a different level. Today, I went to a different level. For an hour and half, I was able to find my center again. To exhale and as my precious minister reminds me, Breath is Life......I was breathing again and I visually dropped all the different stressors in my life. Even if for 90 minutes. 90 minutes can change your life as we have just learned from the two Northwestern pilots. But what in the world does this have to do with me...the wedding planner and event facility owner. Life is about SERVING Others. If we all lived to serve others, we wouldn't be involved in useless health care reform discussions that will probably lead to no where. If we lived to serve others, we would see things differently. Perhaps in the manner in which we were created. We were created to serve others and to worship. No matter what you believe (we all believe in something) we are better human beings when we are serving. So...as I was coming back to my center today in the tranquility of The Littlefield Cottage, I reminded myself why I am in the very competitive wedding industry. Did you know when I began my business I was the only wedding planner in Dahlonega and when I made my desire to open my wedding business public I was laughed at by many? Oh well....there's that negative energy. Jimmy and I began this business back in 2003 because we wanted to SERVE others and make others HAPPY. It's about serving others not competing with competitors playing make believe with your wedding plans and ever changing websites. It's not about the hunt...it's about SERVING you. It's about meeting truly unbelievable people who are ready to take their relationship to the next level by marriage and they have chosen me to come along for the journey. What an honor! I have been chosen to serve you. And that is what we will do at Waters Mill. Our philosophy has always been about customer service.
It is now that time of year when I begin setting goals for next year and this year's goal may seem simple but it is to SERVE. Just like I was served today. Thank you Littlefield Cottage for losing yourself and sacrificing your ambition to remove my stress and heal me so that I might SERVE others better. Come and let me SERVE you and yes Mr. President we are ready for change. Join me by serving others in whatever it is you do. Take yourself out of the equation and do that which is right so that we can change the world one Random Act at a time. Thank you Elizabeth and Patrick. It is because of your Random Act of Kindness that has re-kindled my spark. Let's get it going. Start by serving others. |
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My legacy of being a traditionist started with my early days of childhood. I have vivid memories of getting up on Sunday morning, my Mom cooking breakfast, Dad and I would watch Tom and Jerry on TV and then off to church we would go. There was no question what the day held for us for like every Sunday, my family and I would have Sunday "Dinner" at Mama Waters and Daddy Guy's house which is now the home of Waters Mill. The table was always filled with family favorites with hardly any room left for your plate to rest on the table. The men ate first, then the Women and then finally the children ate. I would "hide" my favorite piece of fried chicken to insure I would get my much anticipated prize.
Mama Waters did not have the luxuries we now have in our high tech kitchens but her food was the best. We never had processed food from the grocery store. We were a family of farmers and all our food was grown at home. Now, we would be considered chic but then it was out of necessity for us to grow our own food from vegetables to fresh beef. Mama Waters was known to be a great cook. As a matter of fact, when my Mom and Dad were married my Dad often joked how my mom could only cook spaghetti which a country boy was none to fond of. His mom, Mama Waters, taught my Mom the culinary tricks of being a southern cook. She excelled and as a foodie friend of mine recently reminded me, "Your Mother is one of the finest cooks I know". She is that. That brings me to my point of this blog....Sunday Brunch at Waters Mill.
Sunday Brunch is a new tradition at Waters Mill which brings you "back home" by celebrating the beginning of the week with an excellent meal prepared by our culinary staff in our pristine kitchen. We change the menu each week to give you something different. I don't know about you but I'm tired of the same old stuff now being served at what seems to be chain eateries. The food buffet is ladened with dishes from days past mixed with sometimes new recipes in the food world. This week we have my Mom's country fried steak and gravy (we served this at a wedding for a family of New Yorkers and they were blown away), Poppy Seed Chicken, fresh green beans (which we personally string and break), Mac and Cheese and much more. At the moment, I can't remember it all. But you can go to the website and check out everything on the buffet.
We would love to invite you to the North GA mountains, enjoy the Fall foliage and have brunch with us at Waters Mill. Following your meal, you can sit and rest a while and reminiscent of days gone by while rocking on our rocking chair porch. Walk the grounds and enjoy the Peace that Waters Mill oozes. Be a part of the newest tradition in North GA . We look forward to serving you. See you soon. |
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Think Outside the Box......
I have recently returned from the NACE convention in Charlotte, NC. What a cool town. Glad I have on-star or I would still be circling around the perimeter trying to get on I-85.
What did I see at the convention? I don't want to say nothing but nothing I saw really blew my skirt up. Why I ask? Because at Waters Mill, we are already thinking outside the box. It was good however, to be affirmed that at Waters Mill we are on the cutting edge with our events. Whether it be our simply elegant comforting menus, dazzling florals or sophisticated cocktails with twist of fun. Affirmation is good and we all need to hear it once in awhile. One thing I did learn was how much I love this business. I will say I did bring home a few new ideas but what I love most is that I was reminded of something very cool that we will be offering to our weddings next year. Be sure to ask me about glowing under the stars.....you will love it....I know I do. Getting ready for a very sophisticated, elegant wedding. It is going to be very cool and did I mention I am going to feature a very cool or should I say cold cocktail for this wedding. It will be a hit! |
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Sweet Experience at the Farmers' Market |
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Every Tuesday and Saturday, the side street of Hancock Park becomes populated with our local farmers with their treasures waiting for eager beavers to purchase the latest Heirloom tomatoes, Silver Queen Corn, Fresh Blueberries and the list goes on. I especially love going to the Farmers’ Market in Dahlonega because of the location, Hancock Park. Hancock Park was named after my dentist of thirty years. Dr. Hancock and his wife were tragically murdered because of family conflict. Dr. Hancock was one of the sweetest men I have known and my heart was deeply saddened after I learned of his death. When I was four years old, my father would drop my sister and I off for our “cleaning at 7:30 in the morning. This is when we didn’t worry about our children. I can still remember the smell of his office and his greeting to me was always a gentle pat on my cheek and he would say, “How’s my sweetie”. What a sweet man. So going to the farmers’ market in Dahlonega is a sweet experience for me. Thanks Dr. Hancock for your continue presence in our community.
We are gearing up for Chileshe and Dan’s wedding at Waters Mill. I purchased 300 ears of silver queen corn, prepared the corn and will serve the southern jewel to guests from all over the United States and across the pond, the United Kingdom, this weekend. My father used to say “when preparing Silver Queen Corn you gather as quickly has you can and if you “stump” your toe on your way to the house, the corn has already lost its sweetness. “ Well, I didn’t stump my toe and due to all the “sticky” residue when shucking the corn, I suspect the dish will be quite sweet.
This weekend will be a sweet weekend and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve Chileshe, Dan and their families. Congratulations you guys. Can you tell this has been a sweet experience…..hmmmm I love Silver Queen Corn. Ahhh…it doesn’t get much better than this. |
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