Spring, finally, spring is here and hopefully warm days filled with sunshine and flowers. And like spring, Americus is popping with activities to entertain and educate. No doubt your calendar is filled to overflowing. Try to squeeze it all in — that’s what makes it so much fun living here.
Tomorrow (Sunday) is the 2018 Porch Tour featuring five homes on Taylor Street where you can sit on the porch and visit with old friends and meet new ones. It’s time to come out from winter’s hibernation and bloom with the flowers. If you don’t have a ticket, you can purchase one at 201 Taylor St. Hope to see and chat with you tomorrow afternoon.
Last weekend was like playing Russian roulette to keep up with it all. And it began on Thursday with the Ladies Literary Club meeting hosted by Jerry Crisp at her lovely home where she and husband, Henry, reside in Dogwood Hills. Our program was over the top, like Jerry’s delicious pound cake — a real treat. Frank Lowery, retired GSW professor, presented a delightful musical program. Accompanying himself on the guitar Frank sang a selection of songs from every era of U.S. history up until 1950. Our guest that day was Frank’s wife Robin.
And we thoroughly enjoyed the 30th annual Dogwood Antique Show and Sale sponsored by the Town and Country Garden Club of Leslie at the Leslie Community Center. So many pretty things to see and moon over. Of course, we had chicken salad and coconut cake for lunch prepared by members. Our luncheon mates were Malcolm and Ann Perry, their son, Matt Perry, Genie Powell and her sister Libby from Tallahassee. We also chatted with many other friends including Jean Deriso, Mary Ferguson, and Phyllis Tucker, Jane Butler, Adalyn Wilson, Sue Lawson, Lynn Lawson, Nancy Poole and others.
Then it was on to a delightful cocktail buffet honoring bride and groom-elect Gatewood Ledbetter and Alicia Morgan at the Victorian home of his uncle and aunt, Jim and Billie Gatewood, on the Macon Road. The bridal couple will marry Saturday, April 28 at Mandalay Bay Hotel’s Valley of the Falls with the reception following at Rivea restaurant. The rehearsal dinner is scheduled at Libertine Social that incidentally has a James Beard chef. Gatewood is the son of Bob Ledbetter and Georgia Ledbetter, and Alicia is the daughter of Melanie Morgan of Montezuma. Many friends of the couple and out of town relatives that attended were Ashley Morgan of Columbus, Ginger Crisp of Tifton, Will Gatewood and Ryan Gatewood of Atlanta. My grandson Beau Barrett and friend, Natalie Mitcham of Macon were there, too. Hosts besides Jim and Billie were Chris Gatewood, Mark and Anne Barrett, John and Theresa Heffernan, Les and Polly Gachot, Darrell and Jan Hobgood, Steve and Susan Lashley, Rod and Lynn Marchant, Tommy and Terri McKenzie, Steve and Vangie Perry, Dana and Earl Snider, Midge and Bob Schuster, Dave and Tracy West.
Georgia Southwestern Foundation saluted the university’s Panhellenic system at a fun St.  Patrick’s Day theme party: Greeks Go Irish. Reda Rowell, executive director of the GSW Foundation, and her husband Kelly Rowell greeted the 120 attendees from every part of the nation as well as Canada. There was dining and dancing to The Tams, another one of my fave bands, and a prize was awarded to the group having the most spirit. The winner: Pi Kappa Phi fraternity alumni. Among the Pi Kap alums and their wives from Americus attending were Dr. Ben and Michelle Andrews, Sparky and Allene Reeves, Stick and Elise Miller, Kevin and Sonja Duggar and Dr. Cecil O. and Carolyn Myers.
Newnan’s Colleen Lipsey Sprayberry, former resident who grew up next door to us, is becoming famous. As “Miss Pearl” Colleen had Four Seasons Garden Club members laughing all morning at their meeting at the home of Andrea Powell last Thursday. With her was another former resident Deanna Pope of the Atlanta metro area. A hearty welcome home to Cindy Dudley after vacationing in Aix-en-Provence, France, with her sister Betty Mattox and niece, Sabra. They also spent several days in Paris before returning.

Leila Sisson Case lives in Americus.