I will read anything Charles Seabrook, aka the Georgia Gardner, writes. His columns are like a relaxing nature walk for the mind. This week he writes about songbirds, and includes some common tunes we’re likely to hear here in Georgia this spring.
- American robin: cheerily cheer-up, cheerio
- tufted titmouse: peter, peter, peter
- Carolina wren: tea-kettle, tea-kettle
- Eastern towhee: drink your teaaaa
Take a listen. Once you hear the charming little “lyrics,” it all makes sense!
ALL HAIL THE ROCK LOBSTERS
In Athens, football isn’t the only game in town. The Athens Rock Lobsters, a minor-league hockey team, are packing the house with their own brand of charm and athleticism.
- They’re called the Rock Lobsters in honor of the famous B-52s song. The iconic new wave band was formed in Athens in 1976.
- Their mascot is named Clawdius, because of course he is.
- Even the stadium honors Athens’ musical heritage, with artifacts from the Georgia Music Hall of Fame displayed along the concourse.
- The Rock Lobsters have been playing to sellout crowds thanks to out-of-the-box marketing and promotions and, oh, lots of winning.
🦞 READ MORE: How the Lobsters bring hockey joy to Georgia
THAT’S FIRE, CHEF
Savannah chef Mashama Bailey was named to this year’s Time100 Most Influential People list for her socially conscious Southern food philosophy.
- Bailey co-owns The Grey, a destination restaurant in a restored 1930s-era, formerly segregated Greyhound Bus Terminal.
- Her many accolades include the 2019 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast award.
- Baily is also chairwoman of the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation, where she advocates for Black culinary history and female chefs in the industry.
- As former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote in Bailey’s Time100 profile, “She demonstrates that chefs are leaders not only in the kitchen, but also in their communities.”
🧀 READ MORE: How Bailey’s work champions Southern cuisine and Black history
SIPS FROM AROUND THE SOUTH
🎖️ Richmond Hill, GA: A 12-year-old girl is being called a hero after running into her family’s burning house to alert her brothers to the danger. One of her brothers was also able to save the family dog. Her family says the girl’s bravery could have been the difference between life and death. More from WJCL
🌊 Raleigh, NC: More than $15 million in funds from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality will go toward “stream restoration.” That means local governments and organizations will get to repair and modernize waterways, improve public access to rivers and tackle the ever-present scourge of erosion. More from Happy Eco News
📱 Tybee Island, GA: The AJC’s own Adam Van Brimmer recounts the unlikely journey of his daughters cellphone, which she lost in the tide off Georgia’s barrier islands. Seven months later, in its same airtight container, it miraculously turned up again. More from the AJC
🪕 Hindman, KY: The Troublesome Creek Stringed Instrument Co. produces precise, expert-crafted guitars, mandolins and dulcimers. It also helps people in addiction recovery reconnect with the area’s musical heritage and the profound joy of making things by hand. The Culture of Recovery program features workshops, apprenticeships and business consulting. More from the Mountain Association
TELL US SOMETHING GOOD
Is there a cool event we need to know about? Something great happening in your town? Let us know. This is your space, too. SweetTea@ajc.com.
SOUTHERN WISDOM
We lose a lot more in golf than we win, so when the winning comes around you celebrate it to the fullest.
OK, famed Irishman Rory McIlroy is definitely not from the South, but it was the South that led him to this lovely reflection. After winning his second Masters tournament in a row in Augusta last weekend, McIlroy was asked if he will celebrate any differently this time around.
I was struck by the humble gratitude in his answer. This is one of the biggest golfers in the world, possibly in the history of the sport. An old pro, one might say. And yet he takes every win as if it were the first.
Thank you for reading to the very bottom of Sweet Tea! Join us next week by subscribing to the newsletter.🍑
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
