Waycross, GA

I need to begin by saying I AM NOT A BAKER!!!

My husband and our youngest son went to a BBQ festival this weekend and had me bake one of my apple pies so they could enter it in the apple pie category at the BBQ festival...I got 4th place out of 200 apple pie entries!!!!!

And guess what the whopping prize is for first place? $100 - yes, you read that right...one hundred dollars!!!!!!! Yet the BBQ categories can get up to like $10,000!!! Now how's that fair? tee hee!!!

They only announced the top 10 in any category, so when they got to 5 on the apple pie Wayne really didn't think they'd hear our name, but sure enough....#4!!!! Our son was so excited to get to go up on stage!!

It was the 2010 SMOKIN' IX...in the Swamp - PIE COMPETITION
sponsored by the National BBQ Festival...in Waycross, GA, but they travel all over and Wayne said if I could've seen the magnitude of all the BBQ entries and pie entries, and 3/4 of the entries were from restaurants, of which a lot of them too were part of the BBQ contest.

And people know people in these things, so obviously had never seen my husband and son before, and my husband explained this was our first time yada yada yada...

This was the first time they've ever had a "first timer" entry win in the top 10 right outta the box!!

So if I ever lose the ability to design or type on the computer, I know I can start "hittin'" the BBQ festivals!!! TEE HEEEEEEEE!!!

If you enjoy baking, maybe you would like to whip up a batch of homemade Christmas treats for your special pooch. Nothing beats the taste of special holiday goodies baked just for them by their loving pet parents.

Sophie and Dakota would like to share one of their favorite holiday recipes -

Gingerbread Biscuits

• 3 cups of whole wheat flour
• ½ cup of molasses
• ½ cup of water
• ¼ cup of canola oil
• 2 tablespoons of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl.

Roll out dough on floured baking board to about 5mm thick.

Using a dog bone shape cookie cutter to cut as many shapes until the dough is all used up.

Place cut dough on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 30 minutes.

Allow it to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Depends on the size of the cookie cutter as to how many treats this recipe makes.

Merry Christmas from Sophie & Dakota!

The 12th Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival will be held on Sept. 17, 18, and 19, 2009 in Parson's home town of Waycross, Georgia. Headlining this year's musical event will be Leon Russell, Charlie Louvin, Randall Bramblett, Tommy Talton, Ian Dunlop, and Bloodkin.

The weekend tribute officially begins on Thursday evening at the Waycross College Fine Arts Auditorium from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. At 9:30 p.m. the show moves to Cypress Creek Bar and Grill until closing. Friday's entertainment begins at 6 p.m. at the Okefenokee Fairgrounds and goes till midnight, then picks up again Saturday at 3 p.m. and continues non-stop until midnight.

Leon Russell, long known for his trademark image of long hair, flowing beard, and top hat, is as ingrained in America's musical heritage as blues, rock and roll, and bluegrass is. And he does a fine job covering all those styles to this day. Russell will perform Friday Sept 18 at 10:30 pm at the Okefenokee Fairgrounds.

Also featured during the 3-day celebration will be Abby Owens, Amanda Lynn Taylor, Ashton Herrin, The Bearfoot Hookers, Brothers Marler, Connor Griffin, Corey Bradley, The Crabgrass Cowboys, David Kraai and The Saddle Tramps, Deepwell, Devils in Disguise, Dixie Wreck, Hayshaker, Hickory Wind, Jack Cadillac, Marlin Brackett, The Modern Eldorados, Quartermoon, Ray Harris, Ross Pead, Sam Hester, The Georgia Pines, The Woodgrains, Tracie Mattox, and Uncle Dave and The Younguns.

Advance tickets for the entire 3-day event will sell for $30 per person. Tickets are available in Waycross at Hickory Wind Music in Satilla Square, Wiltronics Music on Valdosta Highway, and Cypress Creek Bar and Grill on Memorial Drive.

If you'd rather pick and choose which shows to attend, admissions are as follows:
Thursday 6-9 p.m. at Waycross College: $5
Thursday 9:30 p.m. - 2 am at Cypress Creek: $5
Friday 6 p.m. - midnight at Okefenokee Fairgrounds: $20
Saturday 3 p.m. - midnight at Okefenokee Fairgrounds: $20
Children 12 and under receive free admission.

On-site RV and tent camping will be available this year. Fees for camping are as follows:
One night fee: $20
Two-night fee: $30
Three-night fee: $40

No drum circles will be allowed; however, acoustic guitars are welcome. Arts and crafts, music, and food vendors will scatter the grounds as well. Be sure to bring a comfortable lawn chair or blanket and cooler, if you wish; but please leave pets at home.

Attendees may register to win an Epiphone acoustic guitar with hardshell case. Winner will be drawn Saturday Sept. 19, at 10 p.m. and you must be present to win.

For advance ticket purchase by credit card, vendor application, tribute information, or sponsorship inquiries, contact Dave Griffin of Safe at Home Productions Inc. at 912-288-3712.

Visit www.gramparsonsguitarpull.com for a downloadable ticket order form, schedule of performance times, and links to artist websites.

Ware County Board of Education
1301 Bailey Street
Waycross, GA 31501
Phone: 912-283-8656

A full-time pre-school center, DAFFODIL has become a flagship for Georgia, serving as a model for kindergarten programs throughout the state. Two curriculums, High Scope and Montessori, are in place at the center. The ultimate goal of the DAFFODIL pre-school program is to reduce the number of dropouts in the future by preparing children and their families for kindergarten and subsequent school experiences.

Center Elementary School
2114 Dorothy Street
Waycross, GA 31501

Center Elementary services the communities of Cherokee Heights, Eastover Terrace, Bailey Heights and Hebardville. Serving children in Grades K-5, the school demonstrates its commitment to excellence and to the children served through the use of innovative programs such as: Learning Focus School, best practices, co-teaching classes, team teaching, direct instruction, technology training for students and teachers and an active participation in the system's Character Education program "Learning for Life".

Memorial Drive Elementary School
2580 Ambrose Street
Waycross, GA 31503

Memorial Drive Elementary was built in 1959. It is a Title I school due to the composition of the school. All teachers have completed Learned Focused Schools training. 43% of the teachers have earned their masters degree, 20% of the teachers have earned their specialist degree, 15% of the teachers have or are working on their doctoral degree.

Ruskin Elementary School
3550 Valdosta Highway
Waycross, GA 31503

Ruskin Elementary School, located on the Valdosta Highway in the western portion of Ware County, serves the communities of Ruskin, Emerson Park, Manor and Garlington Heights. Areas of concentration include advancements in technology, improving teaching strategies and implementation of character education.

Wacona Elementary School
3101 State Street
Waycross, GA 31503

Wacona Elementary School, located in the northern part of the county of US 1 South, serves the communities of Jamestown, Dixie Union and Haywood. Recognized several years ago as a Georgia Public School of Excellence, the school continues its tradition of excellence in all programs and practices. Wacona serves approximately 650 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Waresboro Elementary School
3379 West Church Street
Waycross, GA 31503

The motto at Waresboro Elementary School is "Where Everybody is Somebody Special". Located in the community of Waresboro about five minutes from the county seat, students attending Waresboro Elementary come from Waycross, Waresboro and the farming communities of Millwood, Telmore and Bickley.

Williams Heights Elementary School
705 Dewey Street
Waycross, GA 31501

Located in the heart of the city, Williams Heights Elementary School serves a portion of Cherokee Heights, Central Avenue and portions of Memorial Drive and Corridor Z. The mission of Williams Heights Elementary School is to provide a teaching and learning environment where students have the opportunity to excel academically.

Ware Magnet School
4650 Manor-Millwood Road
Manor, GA 31550

In August of 1993 a unique school opened its doors for students in Ware County. The Ware County School of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Sciences, located in Manor, GA, is the only agriculturally based magnet school in the south, and is the only kindergarten through twelfth grade agriculturally based magnet school in the country. The campus is located in the midst of a pine forest on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia. In addition to its magnet emphases, there is strong emphasis in math, science and technology.

Ware County Middle School
2301 Cherokee Street
Waycross, GA 31501

Ware County Middle School is a public middle school that is situated on eighty-two acres and is located on Cherokee Street across from the Waycross-Ware County Airport. Elementary schools that feed into Ware Middle are Ruskin Elementary School, Wacona Elementary School and Waresboro Elementary School. Ware Middle has an enrollment of approximately 740 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.

Waycross Middle School
700 Central Avenue
Waycross, GA 31501

Waycross Middle School is located in the heart of the city of Waycross on fifty-five acres. The school is comprised of five permanent structures, five tennis courts, a track, a football field, a baseball field and a greenhouse. Feeder schools to Waycross Middle are Williams Heights Elementary School, Center Elementary School and Memorial Drive Elementary School. Waycross Middle has an enrollment of 602 students in grades 6, 7 and 8.

Ware County High School
700 Victory Drive
Waycross, GA 31501

In 1994, the doors were opened to a brand new high school in Ware County. Located on the Valdosta Highway and home to more than 1500 students and 110 faculty members, the high school is rich with opportunities. From outstanding academic offerings to award winning extracurricular activities and sports, Ware County has something for everyone.

Ware County residents celebrated the legacy and ideals of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with five days of events in Waycross beginning on Thursday. The 23rd annual celebration focused on the theme "The Dream Alive - Season of Change" signifying the past, present and future hope of King's dream.

The Waycross commemoration historically has been one of the largest in Georgia. More than three dozen community groups and churches participated in the parade, along with the Ware County High School band and the Albany State University marching band.

Waycross Mayor Clarence Billups

Ware County Golden Gator Marching Band

Albany State University Marching Rams Show Band

United States Air Force Mini-Jet

Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner & Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal

Photos courtesy of Gene Dixon.