The eyes have it. At least mine will, along with millions of pairs of eyes, be focused on the solar eclipse Monday afternoon. Countless words have been written about this historic total eclipse that hasn’t happened in more than a century. Everyone wants to watch the dark side of Miss Moon as she slides by Mr. Sun.
This eclipse is a rare occurrence and actually a once in a lifetime experience — although those of us in this area will only see a portion (just short of 92 percent totality), we’ll be able to see quite a bit of coverage. We are fortunate to see this much. Television networks will have live broadcasts; print media including the Americus Times Recorder and electronic media and the Internet are keeping everyone updated.
Since I have a “new” pair of eyes with “x-ray” vision I sure don’t want to damage them by looking directly at the sun during the eclipse, so I purchased a couple of pairs of the protective spectacles from Furlow Charter School for Bruce and myself. We’re planning to jump in Miss Mini and ride out to Georgia Southwestern State University campus to do our watching. Daughter Helen thinks everyone should go to the movies though to avoid being outside or watch the live telecasts.
At GSW’s Centennial Park, the large open area between the administration building and the Storm Dome, some science professors will be onsite from 1:45 p.m. until the eclipse ends a little after 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21. Safety glasses will be available for shared usage and other methods of viewing as well, such as a pin-hole camera. The public is invited. Hope to see you there.
Meanwhile, Elena Carné, the chief executive officer, founder and fashion designer at Tepuy Activewear in Americus, is becoming well known in international fashion circles. Carné and her assistant Paige Greene will present Tepuy’s active wear line at Palm Beach Swim Week at the Arts and Entertainment District, a tony area of West Palm Beach. Carné will be among the designers from around the world where their creations will be modeled at multiple fashion shows.
Carné and Greene were in Palm Beach a couple of weeks ago for the Palm Beach Swim Week media reception and she said Tepuy active wear received great reviews. Tepuy Activewear was the only company in Georgia selected to attend. Quite an honor. And the active wear is all made in Americus.
Dawson Littlefield is home after visiting Kris Lawson, a former Americus resident, in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Angela and Rene Smith enjoyed the sun, surf and seafood in Key West last weekend.  While there they toured the Hemingway house which they enjoyed and were pleasantly surprised that the city’s annual lobster fest was that weekend, too. Of course, they partook of the seafood.
Americus, like much of the South, is well known for its hospitality, at least that’s my opinion. When we moved here years ago, everyone welcomed us and made us feel right at home. This graciousness continues today as I’m hearing from the people involved in restoring the 1850s house at 402 W. College St. that is being filmed for the HGTV network and shown later this year. The crew from out of town was entertained at a barbecue supper at Chokee Ranch last month and this week by the Sumter Historic Trust board of directors at an informal “meet and greet” social after their meeting at the Lee Council House Thursday. And they’ve been invited to the birthday party honoring former first lady Rosalynn Carter in Plains Saturday evening.
We’ll see more hospitality extended all next week to the Japanese delegation who will be guests in the homes of many citizens.
And members of the Americus Rotary Club will welcome Rotary District 6900 Gov. Alec Smythe of Roswell Tuesday who is featured speaker at its regular meeting at GSW and entertain him that evening, along with the Cordele Rotary Club at dinner at the Cove near Lake Blackshear.

Leila Sisson Case lives in Americus.