Tuesday 4....

Hobbies and Interests Tuesday 4 Questions....

1. Do you have a hobby or a special interest?  Do you quilt, crochet, cook, sew, collect things, sing, play an instrument, love dolls , politics, learning, reading, biking, hiking, camping, swimming, flower arranging, watching TV? Do you love to entertain, set a beautiful table or just take a walk? Share it with us won't you? Why do you enjoy it? Can you tell us how you became interested or what particularly interests you about your hobby.

I love camping; it has been my favorite hobby for about 35 years. I started with a very small pup tent camping on the Hawaiian Islands while in college. I upgraded to larger tents several times over the years, and camped all over the USA with friends and family. My husband and I made the decision to trade in our tent for a travel trailer about two years ago. It allows us to pick up and go on the spur of the moment...Love it!

We also coordinate and lead "Glamping Trips" to state and national parks. We provide a comfortable camping event for friends and guests. Some favorite locations are Cloudland Canyon in North GA. Big Creek in North Carolina, and Kings Canyon in CA.

2.  Gardening is a hobby for some. Do you garden or grow house plants? What do you like about it? What are your favorite plants inside or out? Pictures? We'd love to see  photos of you house or garden plants or hear about ideas you have for growing things or creating beauty with plants around the house.

I love digging in the dirt. Flowers in the yard make me smile and give me great joy. I also enjoy the textures and colors of Hostas in the shady spots on our property. My favorite plants are the magnificent varieties of hydrangeas. 

3. If you could design a dream garden or park , how would you do it? What would it contain.? Maybe include a picture from the net of one you think closely fits your dream garden.
It would be filled with hostas and hydrangeas, many rocks for texture, a rock lined stream, and seating for relaxing in the garden. Something like this....

4. Do you like being outdoors? If so, what attracts you to the great outdoors and if not, what keeps you inside? Do you walk in the rain? Are there parks near you that you like to visit?

The outdoors is my happy place. Walking in the woods, sitting on the beach, watching the river rush past, or strolling through the park are some of the ways that I relax, reflect, and recharge. I do not walk in the rain, I walk in the sun. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is only a few hours away; it is a wonderful park filled with magical places to explore.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Rollin' on the river....

Had a great day at the Nantahala Outdoor Center...

We watched rafters go over the rapids and navigate the class III falls. We saw rafts stuck on the rocks, flip on the way down, and many rafts make it over the falls with perfect precision. The river was beautiful today and the weather was perfect.

We shared fabulous nachos at the bar with our friends Dee and Larry Catallo. It's so nice to have friends that love adventures as much as we do! I think the nachos were the best I've ever had, well worth the trip just for the yummy snack!

The Nantahala Outdoor Center is a large complex with many opportunities for fun and relaxation. River rafting and kayaking down the river are the primary activities, zip-lining, mountain biking, tennis, and the Appalachian Hiking Trail winding it's way through the property offer many options for a day of fun.  

  

We ended the day with dinner at the River's End restaurant, and listened to music after dinner at the riverside stage. 

Banjo music, on the rolling river, in North Carolina....hmmmm....imagine the movie Deliverance..LOL.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Beautiful Camping Spot….

This past weekend my Sweetie and I needed some down time so we decided to hook up the travel trailer and head out on an adventure.  We camped in the Lake Hartwell Tugaloo State Park, it was a gorgeous camp ground with most sites facing the lake.  Because we booked our site at the last minute, we were not lakefront, but we did have a very large meadow next to our site for our puppy Sophie to run and play.  

It was so hot and humid (98 degrees, 80% humidity) that we spent more time inside the trailer this time.  I worked on beaded wrap bracelets and Sweetie worked on trailer projects and read two books.

 Sophie enjoyed the A/C too, she especially liked lounging on the pull out bed with her ‘Dad’ and snacking on chicken chips. She has her summer cut in the photo below...Sophie is a Goldendoodle, but she looks more like a poodle when her hair is so short.  She is a very good little camper!

Our next camping adventure will be to Disney's Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World in Florida. Can't wait!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Just another Weekend in the Mountains

One of my besties Brenda and her husband Mario from Atlanta spent the weekend with us here in Blue Ridge, GA.  Their pup Loddy also stayed with us, she was a perfect doggy house guest. 

Brenda joined my monthly bunco group on Friday night for a potluck dinner, a few rounds of bunco, some laughs, and of course lots of wine and chocolate.  Mario and my sweetie Chuck went into town for dinner and a few adult beverages of their own at Treo.

On Saturday Brenda and I worked most of the day in my Metal Clay studio, creating jewelry. We used Fast Fire Bronze; I did not like it much. I think I will stay with the Goldie Bronze brand for future classes.

Saturday night we went to a new restaurant "The Flying Trout" in Blairsville, a town about 11 miles from Blue Ridge.  The food was very good, but the service was awful.  It seemed they were understaffed for the large crowd people. The restaurant was previously a biker bar and some of the regulars from the past were still fixtures at the bar. It was a fun mix of people: aging bikers, city folks up for the weekend, lake people, and locals like us.  We will definitely give it another try in the near future.

Today (Sunday) Brenda and Mario made breakfast for us and we finished up the Metal Clay projects. Our friends headed back to ATL and our cats came out from hiding. I think Buddy and Ghost were ready to get the house back from the the furry invader Loddy the dog.

It was a great weekend with friends!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Logging My Favorites

Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, one of our much loved camping locations is Cloudland Canyon. It is tucked away in a corner of Georgia so remote that until the early 20th century it was only accessible from neighboring Alabama or Tennessee. The 3,485-acre park is one of the largest and most scenic state parks in Georgia.

The park provides beautiful vistas of the rugged geology of this area. Chiseled by wind, water, ice and gravity, Cloudland’s rugged beauty is a joy year-round; each season offering special sights and sounds. Fall is by far my favorite time to visit.

A deep gorge runs through the park, which is filled with creeks, waterfalls, and lush vegetation. The sound of rushing water fills the air, but due to the heavy tree cover it can only be heard and not seen. The only way to see the water is a strenuous hike down to the canyon floor (including a 600 step staircase); it is not a walk for the faint of heart!

It is said that at night, after the campfires are out and the campers have retired to their tents, a ghost wanders the park leaving footprints behind him. He is seen on horseback and in the garb of a Cherokee brave. I have not seen the ghost, but many campers report seeing him at their campsite and finding the tracks of an unshod horse when they wake up in the morning. He seems to be watching the campers, but the sightings are not described as frightened encounters and many believe the Native American is there to protect the land and its forest residents. I can see why he would want to stay in the park even after death, it is one of the most beautiful places we have ever camped.

Cheers!
Lori In Blue Ridge, GA



Love this Place...

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to attend a week long class at the John C. Campbell Folk Art School in Brasstown NC. It was a wonderful experience and well worth the investment!

Mrs. Olive Dame Campbell donated her homestead and created the beautiful campus. The school was founded to nurture and preserve the folk arts of the Appalachian Mountains, it is a nonprofit adult educational organization based on non-competitive learning. Founded in 1925, the Folk School's motto is “I sing behind the plow”. The Folk School has week-long and weekend classes year-round in traditional and contemporary arts, including but not limited to jewelry, fiber, blacksmithing, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography, storytelling and writing. 

The landscape is inspiring...

The studios are well appointed...

Classes are fun and varied...

The classes are beginners to advanced levels...

I took a class in precious metal clay jewelry; the instructor was Pam East – she is a precious metal clay artist who shares her knowledge with beginners like me. She is funny and interesting and a great teacher.   Here is a sample of my work:

Looking forward to my next class this summer!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge

Life in the Mountains... Always an Adventure!

The road leading to our home (old hwy 2) looks like this for about 10 miles, it's very pretty...but scary after dark. Tonight driving home it was spooky dark due to the smoke from the wildfire in the Cohutta Wilderness, visibility was very low. I made it home without issue, but my hands are still stiff from gripping the steering wheel. 

On a good day you have a 50/50 chance of stumbling upon something in the road around the next bend. I've narrowly missed dogs of all shapes and sizes, groundhogs, turkeys (the feathered kind), fox, many deer, a queen size mattress set, an Amish style horse and buggy, and my recent favorite...a runaway tire just rolling down the road.

Our home is located on the beautiful Fightingtown Creek, Old Hwy 2 skirts the creek for several miles. Box turtles cross the road frequently on this stretch of the road. I have a soft spot in my heart for turtles so we always stop and help them across to the other side of the road. Life in the mountains is always an adventure!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet...

 The Toccoa Swinging Bridge in Blue Ridge, GA is suspended over the swift Toccoa River. It is the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi River stretching over 265 feet long from one end to the other. If you’re planning a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, you won’t want to leave until you’ve had the opportunity to walk this swinging bridge for some thrills and spectacular views. The bridge was constructed in the '70s allowing hikers on the Appalachian Trail to cross the Toccoa River at this spot. 

The bridge offers a scene that is difficult to put into words. Picture a wide river winding through the thick of the forest with towering trees hanging over huge boulders, and imagine small pebbles being whisked away by the force of the river’s current. Imagine you can hear the water talk as it confronts the boulders strong silence in the middle of the river, nature unveils a beautiful masterpiece here.

Your first steps on the bridge might seem a bit shaky, hence the reason it has earned the name “Swinging Bridge”, but have no fear, this bridge is constructed of large timbers and is quite sturdy.  Crossing to the other side offers many places to explore including secluded picnic sites (no facilities, just pull up a log) and areas to wade in the water due to the shallow slope. 

The Toccoa River furthur up stream from the Bridge

Getting to the swinging bridge may be difficult for some.  If your vehicle can handle the 3 mile rough road approach (no low cars; a truck or SUV is recommended), you can get to within 1/4 mile hike to the bridge. It's an easy hike from the parking area, but the path has a lot of roots so wear appropriate shoes and walk carefully.  

You can visit the bridge by taking Highway 60 south from Blue Ridge, continue through Morganton South on 60, all the way to the Old Skeenah Mill and Campground; at .7 miles on the right past the Old Skeenah Mill is the dirt road (3+ bumpy, rough miles on FS 816) to the Swinging Bridge over the Toccoa River. Park at the berm and hike to the bridge on the Benton MacKaye/Duncan Ridge Trail, it will take you about 5 minutes. After you leave the Swinging Bridge, turn left on Highway 60 for approximately 7.5 miles for a side visit to Serenberry Vineyards for a wine tasting in their renovated barn.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Final Blooms of the Season....

Just North of our home in Blue Ridge, GA is the expansive Cohutta Wilderness.  Today we took a drive in the Wilderness and found the most amazing wild flowers along the gravel road. I just had to snap a few photos of the late summer blooms, they are so pretty! Soon the blooms will be gone, replaced by the reds and golds of Fall. 

Come on up to the Mountains....the weather is wonderful.

Cheers!

Lori

Walk in the Cohutta Wilderness....

View from a path in the Cohutta Wilderness, GA

Yesterday we went on an adventure in the Cohutta Wilderness which is just minutes from our new home in Blue Ridge, GA.  Our home is located on the southeast border of the national park. With more than 40,000 acres in Georgia and Tennessee it's the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi. The Cohutta Mountains are part of the oldest known mountains in the world and the southern end of the Great Smoky Mountain Range. As early settlers moved west they avoided these mountains because of difficult access and scant level ground for farming. Only a few hardy Scot-Irish settlers scratched out a meager existence in this section of Appalachia. 

Along the way on our adventure, we stumbled upon the Dyer Mountain Cemetery. The tombstones dated back prior to the Civil War and the most recent burial happened in 2000.  The cemetery was very well maintained and missing monuments have been replaced with beautiful granite headstones. 

The cemetery had a very old open-air church; the pews and pulpit had many layers of worn paint and the roof had been replaced with tin.  Imagine how many souls have used this little church to worship, wed, or celebrate the life of dearly departed relatives.  It was a beautiful place to celebrate and worship!

It was a fun day discovering places just down the road from our new home!

Cheers!

Lori 

New Location... New Life!

Moved to the Mountains....

For many years I dreamed of moving to the mountains...it's now a reality. I left the corporate world (33 years) and I'm beginning a new chapter....I'm reinventing myself.  Below are some photos of our new home in Blue Ridge, GA.  A dream come true!

"Brookwood Manor"

The Brook

Kithen

Master Bath

Screen Room

Master Bedroom

Looking forward to making this home ours and embarking on all the new adventures in store for us in our new location.  Loving the new life so far!

Cheers!

Lori