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

Four questions weekly....

1. Where have you traveled and what is the furthest you've been from home

My career allowed me to travel coast to coast in the United States and Canada. I've also traveled outside of North America: Europe, The Caribbean, Central America, and The Pacific Islands. I think Istanbul Turkey is the furthest that I've been from home.

Istanbul, Turkey

2. Is there a location other than where you are, that you think would be a nice place to live?

If cost was not a factor I would have several homes. A summer home in Camden, Maine, a winter home on the coast in Florida (possibly Key West), and a vacation home in Santorini, Greece.  

3. Do you have a photo or story from a favorite place to visit?

I love Architecture; Key West, Florida is home to one of the largest collections of intact 18th century homes. The Key West historic district, with quaint tree lined lanes and stately mansions, is a national treasure to be savored.

There are many other reasons why I love Key West; the tropical setting, the gardens, the locals, the artsy feel of the community, the seafood, etc...etc...! Too many to list.  I Love Key West!

Key West, Florida

4. What dream destination do you have tucked away in  your heart? Do you think you'll be able to visit them one day or are plans in the making?

I've always wanted to visit the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island in Michigan.  When I was young I lived outside of Chicago and the Grand Hotel was a vacation destination within driving distance.  But we never traveled there as a family and after College I never returned to the Midwest. Someday I will get there.....

The Grand Hotel

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

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 

25 Signs That You Are Officially On The Right Track to Being “Old"....

I've always considered myself pretty level headed, fairly intelligent and having a pretty positive outlook on life, but things are changing.  Oh no…. I’m getting old and, oddly enough, I seem to like it! There are far fewer hangovers, considerably fewer terrible decisions being made and many more meaningful friendships.
Life is still fun, but it seems to be a different type of fun.

How do you know you are officially on track to being “old”?
Well your life may look a little something like this:

1.  A massage is literally what you need right now.
2.  What doesn't hurt is currently numb.
3.  That sparkle in your eye is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
4.  Your mind loves to make deadlines your body can't complete.
5.  You wake up early on days you can sleep in.
6.  You consider going to the Costco a “busy weekend.”
7.  People call at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
8.  You had a brief moment when you literally forgot how old you are.
9.  Teenagers exasperate you.
10. You no longer know every song on the radio…
11. …but you can sing along with the elevator music.
12. You finally know all the answers, but the kids have stopped asking you the questions.
13. You have reached the top of the ladder and find that it is leaning against the wrong wall.
14. You no longer care what you look like when going to the Quickie Mart down the street.
15. A fine wine is your new beer.
16. You turn out the lights for economic rather than romantic reasons.
17. You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
18. You know to avoid certain drinks/shots…
19.  …and you actually avoid them.
20. You know what the word "equity" means.
21. You have a “dream home” board on Pinterest.
22. A fire in the fireplace makes you happy…..
23.  … and so do new socks.
24. You firmly believe that the Dyson Ball vacuum is one of the greatest inventions of our time.
25. You’ve had to look up internet slang…. HAND, TTYL

Cheers!
Lori D.

Grown Up Spring Break…

Do you remember your college spring break?

Did it look Something like this...

I believe the wish to escape from frosty locales and cut loose for a week is one that never goes away, even for grown-ups. If there was any group that most needed a mid-season break from the daily grind, it would be those who have long since graduated.

Are you in this group; the individuals who have worked too hard to have their spring break ruined by a bunch of rowdy collegians who aren't your own? Like me, you've probably already been there, done that, and now you've earned the right to celebrate the rites of spring your way — a more tranquil way.

Is it possible to take the classic spring break experience and make it a bit more grown-up? The answer is…yes!  Turns out, there's more to spring break than just Girls Gone Wild— think luxury accommodations, soothing spa treatments, serene beaches, and handcrafted jewelry that you'll want to wear long after your tan has faded.

It can be a bit scary for grown-ups to imagine a vacation in a warm place during the peak drunken revelry times of March and April, but it’s by no means impossible—if you know where to go.

My picks for a “Grown Up” spring fling:

Savannah, Georgia

Historic Savannah is a beautiful and warm city to visit in the spring. Remarkable architecture from centuries ago mingles with trendy downtown boutiques, bistros and microbreweries. Visit the local art galleries and antique shops, stroll through the peaceful historic squares and parks, and sip sweet tea at a sidewalk cafe with your sweetheart. While not directly on the coast, the city does have a riverfront district that comes alive in the evening with street performers, many dining options, shops, and bars.

One hotel that I love is the Mansion on Forsyth Park, a grand 125-room restored Victorian Romanesque mansion. When you stay at the Mansion, you can stay busy or find a peaceful spot to relax. Instead of spending an afternoon tanning on the beach... you can be pampered at the Poseidon Spa, take a hands-on cooking class or simply lounge poolside. Throughout the Mansion there is an impressive art collection of more than 400 original pieces to be discovered.  Once you venture out, cross the street and explore the beautiful Forsyth Park and the surrounding Savannah Historic District.

The city is also filled with amazing bed and breakfasts which offer the best of her charm and Southern hospitality. Most of the inns are in the historic district and furnished with antiques and period pieces. Many offer romance and spring packages.

One word of warning – do not book your visit to Savannah on or near St Patrick’s Day; the city does have one of the largest green beer celebrations nationwide. 

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

If you long for a week at the beach, Santa Rosa Beach may be your perfect spring break destination. Tucked away along Florida’s “Emerald” Gulf Coast, Santa Rosa has become a luxury escape for those looking for a vacation destination to unwind and indulge in a natural paradise without masses of spring breakers.

Known for its sugar white beach and beautiful turquoise water, Santa Rosa also has hiking trails, beautiful bays, and state parks to explore.  Or maybe a round of Golf at one of the many exquisite courses found in the area would fulfill your grown up spring break travel plan.   

With warm Southern hospitality, the intimacy of a bed and breakfast, and the fun of a classic beach house, the WaterColor Inn & Resort creates the ideal setting to relax and unwind. Freshly redecorated beachfront rooms bring the beach within footsteps of your door. From the soft linens to the spa-inspired toiletries, every well-appointed room has been furnished for the full comfort of its guests.

Offering everything from local produce and dairy to baked goods and other local specialty items like handcrafted soap, the Seaside Farmers Market on Saturdays is a fun way to get to know the locals. Instead of buying a “Spring Break 2014” souvenir T-Shirt or a Wet Willie’s Slushy Mug, you can pick up a locally handmade necklace, a fragrant exfoliating sugar scrub, or maybe some organic orange blossom honey to remind you of your grown up spring break in Santa Rosa Beach.

Ashville, North Carolina

Known as “The Paris of the South” Asheville is a good option if you are not looking for a warm waterfront vacation.  The weather in March is variable; you could be tubing downhill in the snow or relaxing in the same tube on a spring float trip down the French Broad River.  If you are weather flexible, Ashville has an eclectic downtown with 30-plus art galleries to explore. The town is framed by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains which offer many opportunities for outdoor adventure.

If you enjoy touring castles, sampling local wines, or visiting spring gardens in bloom, a visit to the Biltmore Estate is a must.  The main house, built by George Vanderbilt, is America’s largest home. Designed to rival the castles of Europe, the 8,000 acre estate boasts an award winning winery, a working farm, amazing formal gardens and the Vanderbilt home. The estate is open daily for visitors.

Asheville restaurants run the gamut from Mediterranean to vegetarian, four-star cuisine to down-home cooking. The city's vibrant restaurant scene goes well beyond its Southern cooking and roots. You can expect the extraordinary in Asheville.  Instead of raucous upside-down tequila shots, order a tart Appletini or sparkling flute of champagne and be blissfully at one with your grown up spring break.

Notable accommodations in Ashville include the Historic Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa and The Inn on Biltmore Estate. The Lion and the Rose is a good choice if you are looking for elegant, B&B ambience; tell their friendly house pup Cedric hello for me.  

Tulum, Mexico

If you really want to get away from it all this spring, grab your passport and head to the sunny shores of Tulum, Mexico. It's quickly becoming the "it" beach destination for the stylish crowd, with its eco-chic hotels, fantastic dining, gorgeous beaches, and the only major Mayan ruins along the coast, but still remains less developed (less student appealing) than Mexico's other resort areas.

I can't imagine a more perfect beachfront hideaway than Encantada Beachfront Boutique Hotel. The small, intimate, family owned and operated hotel is situated on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. It is an environmentally conscious hotel in a remote jungle location. The palapa style buildings were built by Mayan craftsmen incorporating the traditional high thatched roofs using hardwood from the jungle. The rooms do not have air conditioning but were designed to take maximum advantage of the natural ocean breezes through 3 walls of floor to ceiling, screened sliding glass doors. The friendly staff is dedicated to making you feel at home, schedule activities, provide bikes, offer advice on local restaurants, shopping, and yoga classes, or they can also help you schedule tours and activities to make your grown up spring break extraordinary.

If your perfect vacation includes cenote cave diving, sailing, off-shore snorkeling, fishing, golf, exploring a wildlife preserve or Mayan ruins, all are accessible during your stay in Tulum. If you enjoy listening to live music, check out the Luna Maya Hotel on Tulum Beach- Sit back and take in the sounds while enjoying tapas and a killer margarita.

No matter what your taste this season, there’s a stretch of sand, a tranquil mountain town or even a historic southern city that won’t be clogged with collegians. Yes, even during spring break.

Cheers!

Lori

Weekend at the Lake...

My Sweetie and I are planning a lake front weekend with a group of our close friends.  Within easy driving distance from Atlanta is the Ritz-Carlton Resort at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee.

 

 

I know we will spend some time relaxing on this lovely terrace. I can picture myself having a bite of lunch while reading the book I recently purchased about a couple who impulsively moved to Key West from England. It's a very amusing true story.

 

I love the design of this bar, a great place for the group to gather before dinner. Like any large group, we usually have some late arrivals...hair, makeup, and matching shoes to the sundress takes time (wink)!





Our friend Richard has rented a boat for the weekend. The resort has a dock that we can use all weekend.  This patio looks like a good spot to dry off and enjoy a tall cool cocktail and some munchies after playing in the lake all afternoon.

 

Planning on a great weekend with our 'family' of friends.

Cheers!

 

 

Going to Highlands, NC ...need advice...

We are planning a trip to Highlands, NC later this month. We've spent many weekends in Highlands, but this time we are taking our 11 year old granddaughter.  I was wondering if anyone has any tips on where to go and what to do with kids. We will be there Friday night through Sunday afternoon.  Thanks!

Lori
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10 Reasons Why Cats Love Camping



1)      Relaxation - an endless sun spot for warmth, no shifting required.

2)      Family Time – no one is in a hurry, there are many folding chairs to lounge on.

3)      Amusements – an abundance of new toys: falling leaves, rolling acorns, fuzzy

dandelions, wild catnip, hidey holes in tree stumps and tall grass…

4)      Bird Watching – unlimited opportunities to view new feathered friends.

5)      Career Advancement – a new position in the pack as Lookout. Keeping pesky bears (moose, raccoons, armadillos, coyotes, etc.) at bay.

6)      Sleep Options – anywhere; nothing is off limits when camping.

7)      Hunting – a million bugs to chase down and extinguish.

8)      Claw Maintenance – after hunting bugs and such, there are scratching posts everywhere!

9)      Sleeping Bags – purrrrfect for a cozy cat nap.

10)   A Giant Litter Box – no time outs for going "outside" the litter box.



Oh yes, cats LOVE camping!

(Vintage post card)

I Need Cookies Stat....

Do you ever get a craving that you just can’t let go of?  I had a craving for those mini gingerbread cookies that are served on airlines (i.e. Delta).  I’d had this craving for weeks. Since I wasn't going to be flying the friendly skies anytime soon, I turned on the computer and started the search.   

It turns out they are made in Belgium and distributed in the US by a company in San Francisco. There is even a retail store on Pier 39 that sells the little two packs of gingerbread goodness. Little did I know, Biscoff cookies come in all shapes and sizes and there is even a gingerbread spread that got rave reviews on their website.

I’m a long way away from San Francisco so this discovery was fabulous, but it didn’t help me with my craving.  Looking at pictures of the packaging actually made the situation worse.  My mouth started to water like pavlov’s dog.  I had to find a Biscoff cookie stat!

UPDATE: Well guess what my sweetie found; Biscoff cookies at the local Publix grocery store.  Hallelujah!  Life has returned to an even keel and I’m ready to face the trick-or-treaters!

Cheers!

Swamp Romp.....

It’s Spring Break here in Georgia. We spent the last few days exploring and camping in the amazing Okefenokee Swamp with our more adventurous camping buddies. The swamp is one of North America’s most unspoiled, fascinating and valuable natural areas. It is the largest, intact, un-fragmented, freshwater and black water wilderness in North America. The swamp covers roughly 700 square miles and is located in the southeastern corner of Georgia. Wildlife flourishes here; more than 400 species of vertebrates, including more than 200 varieties of birds and more than 60 kinds of reptiles, are known to inhabit the swamp.

The Okefenokee is crisscrossed by over 120 miles of water trails. It is a major destination for wetlands nature lovers, paddlers and boaters. We chartered a boat for an incredible night tour. Without any light pollution, the Okefenokee Swamp is one of the best places in the Southeast to view the moon, stars and planets. The night was so clear; we saw Venus vividly shining down on us and thousands of twinkling stars.

At night, alligator’s eyes shine bright red; it’s spooky to see hundreds of red eyes watching you. Park Rangers estimate that 12,000 alligators live within the refuge. We listened to gators bellowing and a chorus of singing frogs and toads. I loved seeing owls and bats silently gliding overhead.

The only advice I can give about camping in the swamp is this: you can never have enough bug spray!
But don't let that keep you from visiting this magical place.

Happy Camping, Cheers!