Vogel park and Anna ruby falls

We visited one of our favorite spots on Wed - Vogel State Park

Today we checked out Burts Farm and bought pumpkins and gourds and hay bales to decorate the porch and then tooled over to Anna Ruby Falls which we had not seen before. I think Amicalola has them beat but kind of hard to tell in a drought that has been going on for about a year what they would look like in full swing.

The Randomness of Today

Today we decided to drive to the North Georgia Outlet Mall to visit the Restoration Hardware Furniture outlet to see if we could pick up a bargain, but still very nifty, medicine cabinet for our guest bathroom. We thought we would take about an 8 mile detour through the mountains to the source of the Appalachian trail- Springer Mountain. We set off with our trusty map in hand which is a blow up of the North Georgia Mountains only (ie the detail I see on the map is all there is I am guessing- an erroneous assumption it turns out). So we head out on this little two lane paved Aska road and turn off after a beautiful drive through some creek-filled farm land, mountain passes dotted with trees and see our turn off to Springer mountain, a decent looking gravel road. It really was fairly decent, no huge ruts anywhere and as we traveled the 6 miles up the mountain toward our destination we were treated to some gorgeous views. So we arrive at this kind of parking lot (the kind you find in remote mountain locations) and see a lone car parked in it. I do not have a good feeling. In fact, I am wondering if it might have been a good idea to wear my t-shirt that reads "hike faster, I hear banjo music". (Deliverance for those of you too young to get that). Anyway we check out the sign and see that it is really about a one mile hike to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail from this lot and hmmm we drive a little closer to this old 70's Ford LTD and see that although its tags were current a year ago, all of the windows had been broken out of it. Ok that settles it for both of us, we skip the short hike and decide to drive the rest of the road (which appeared on the map as a straight up and over the mountain) down to a two lane paved highway that will take us to the Outlet mall about 25 miles away. Ahhhh the beauty of the Blueridge Wildlife management district is that they are somewhat more advanced than our newly purchased map, ie, they had more numbered gravel roads than they did the one or two named roads that displayed on the map. So we came to a fork in the road (not on the map) and had to choose which gravel road to take.... well you got it we chose wrong.... so about 15 minutes later, I remember that Wood has a compass in his truck and I figure out what direction on the non existent map road we are traveling in and hopefully where we will reach a semblance of civilization. Speaking of which, up until we took the wrong turn we had seen no one.... then we passed a random truck with hunter types (think banjo music- at least I heard a little strumming) and then out of no where up pops this man in the road asking if we had cell phone coverage. He looked a little fragile to be out there all by himself but neither Wood nor I felt too comfortable staying for a chat so just answered honestly that we did not have cell phone coverage and took off. Ok so then we pass a couple of other folks in trucks ( of course) and then we pass a couple of army trucks with army dudes that are out camping?!?! what is that about??? Ok so next random event on this totally out in the wilderness area we come across a Georgia Federally run Fishery. Ok you have to understand there is nothing around.... nothing. I do notice that we have been following a pretty little creek for awhile and there are some small power poles..... but here it is out in the middle of nowhere- a pretty big US Fish and Wildlife service run fishery..... Ok keep driving for awhile.... still don't see any houses or anything.... an occasional camping spot or two, but then out of nowhere pops a beauty salon ... the kind run out of a home..... but who is going here???? ya gonna trek across the hills for a cut and a perm or what????? so random..... 20 minutes later still no houses visible and hills with trees thick on both sides of us, is your pretty little white Baptist church.... kind of reminded me of the book Christy. It was well maintained so someone had to go there and worship and some one had to be living somewhere around in the hills that we couldn't see. Ok so more gravel roads to choose from and finally we get to a two lane paved little country road that actually has a road sign labeling it and lo and behold it is actually on our map! We have made a big U and are about 5 miles away from where we started a couple of hours before. Off to the outlet mall which is about as opposite an experience as you can imagine. Restoration Hardware does not have what we want, we scurry to get some lunch and get back to our cabin for a 3 pm appointment and what do we do again but get lost this time in the Rich Mountain Wilderness Area.... again our not so trusty map does not distinguish between a road that is paved and a road that is not. We saw some gorgeous homes fronting creeks in the middle of nowhere along this 20 mile or so stretch of gravel roads totally lost in the Chattahoochee National forest.... but gee how do they ever give anyone directions on how to get to their house???? We came across so many roads that weren't on the map and the roads supposedly on the map were gone, that it wasn't funny. Keep in mind there is no cell phone coverage, so luckily before we had made this last venture into the assumed easy way home we had called and delayed our meeting, and we did finally arrive back to paved roads with real signs (ie ones on the map) before it started thundering, lightening and raining and in time for our meeting. What a totally random day!!!

Bolsa Chica Wetlands

Got to visit one of my favorite places this past weekend. Sue has much better and sharper bird pictures but just wanted to share the action in these. These are pretty small but this bottom picture has such a diversity of terns, skimmers, gulls and pelicans in it. Just need to see it bigger. And check out the tern splashing in the water at the top of the picture in one of the ones above. (Actually if you click on each picture they will blow up bigger)

the Last lazy days of summer

i love the rivers around our house. We were out exploring last weekend and caught these geese feeding in a shallow spot. When we first drove by most of them were bottoms up, but I just couldn't get them to coordinate again. It was hilarious. this little guy thought there was something really interesting underneath our patio table and we thought he must be doped up or something because he just kept staring at me and letting me get really pretty close to take pictures of him. After I was done, we got just a tad closer with a finger and he was off like lightning

September with the Budds

The 'music room' aka 'used to be play room' was the source of all kinds of family fun after several evenings of late nights working to put some finishing touches on the house before it goes on the market. Dave and Sarah worked like dogs every waking moment and sometimes past my waking moments, cleaning, adding a patio, getting rid of stuff, etc... so this was a much enjoyed break to spend some time just hanging out. Finally a chance to see the newest Budd addition. What a cutie he is with two dimples and a pretty ready smile. He, according to Sarah's scientific method (which really should be pretty accurate) has gained 6 lbs in 6 weeks and is now a whopping 16 lbs. All I know is he is heavy, can already hold up his head and giggles and smiles. We got to have a few snuggles which I really enjoyed. Nothing like rocking with a snuggly baby :-) I just LOVE this picture of Isaiah. He toggles between terrific and terrible two- most of the time wiping out any memories of recent tears with a ready and most charming smile. Even while crying from a fall at the grocery store he charmed a couple of passing grandparents who said how cute he is (and this is while crying!) Isaiah loves puzzles and is a whiz at putting together a United States puzzle (an old wooden one with no outlines to indicate which state goes where). In fact he corrected me on the positioning of a couple of them. :-) I had the most fun going to a farm on Thursday to pick corn. Oh my goodness it was so delicious I could have kept eating and eating it. There was lots of other vegetable growing there as well. Isaiah thought these pumpkins were pretty cool. Ellen has quite the imagination and she regularly regaled us all with her stories of her 'sister' and her many adventures. She is quite the helper for Sarah and keeps both Isaiah and Brennan in line with a firm but gentle hand. Ellen loves to dance and I finally discovered that she gets the wrinkled-up-nose-face that accompanies her dances from her dad who tends to do the same :-) Ellen isn't a fan of getting too dirty but she helped carry the corn basket and helped point out nice fat ears for picking. I did get her to help me break up the potting soil for some whiskey barrels we planted with flowers, but only after she saw how much fun Isaiah and I were having squishing around in the dirt. Too bad there wasn't an earthworm or two in the potting soil. That would have been lots of fun.... for at least one of us :-) I just couldn't be quite quick enough to catch Brennan's smile, but rest assured he really does have two dimples.

Crater Lake

I took a different route to see the Budds in Portland this September. When you fly from Phoenix to Portland, if you have a really super pilot, he tips the plane over Crater Lake. I had never seen it before and was quite in a dither to capture it on camera before I missed my chance. Soooo coool.