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I had fun the past week with my 6 year old twin grandkids.  I went to Pensacola from north Georgia, took them camping and hiking at Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, then to Casselberry.  My daughter came for the weekend and to take them home.  My wife and I took them to Dinosaur World where they have over 200 life size dinosaurs.  We all were in awe at the size of the creatures.  I was surprised at how many dinosaurs they already knew the names of.

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Gibbs Gardens is 220 acres of spectacularly colorful gardens north of Atlanta.  50 acres of daffodils covers a hillside next to acres of roses and crepe myrtles.  The Japanese gardens covers 40 acres with paths winding through it. The best view can be seen from the manor house that sits atop the hill that is that is covered with a multitude of colorful flowers. 

gibbs gardens

 

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Georgia's highest mountain is Brasstown Bald, located in the Chattahoochee National Forest.  From the parking lot it is a very steep climb up the mountain to get to the top where there is an observation center and a museum.  There is also  a fire tower, but it is only for the fire lookout rangers and you can't climb it.  Those not strong enough to hike up the trail, can buy a ticket for the shuttle van.  I hiked up.  The peak is over 4700 feet elevation and the 360 degree view was spectacular.
From there I went to Amicalola Falls state park where you  can view the highest water falls in the southeast(729 ft) from the top, midway at several levels, and at the bottom.  Climbing stairs and trails is necessary, but the view was worth it.
Dahlonega also has a community theatre and being a college town (U. of North Georgia) can draw talent from the college.  I went to the play "Spamalot the musical", a hilarious spoof comedy with some good singing voices.

view looking to tennessee

view of the top of brasstown bald

top section of Amicalola Falls

a middle section of amicalola falls

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On the way to north Georgia, I stopped at the Georgia Veterans State Park campground where they have a military museum. Displays are both inside and outside.  Outside are a B29 Superfortress bomber of WW II, jets from the 50's, WW II tanks and cannons.                                                          In Dahlonega, Ga there is a gold museum in the old courthouse that was built in 1836.  Gold was discovered in 1828 nearby.  It was panned in the stream, or hydraulic pressured water hoses blasted away sides of hills, or mined and the rocks crushed to separate gold from the other minerals.  The US government put a mint in Dahlonega to make gold coins.  The civil war brought an end to the mint.  After the war the building was used by the North Georgia College.  After it burned down, the foundation was used for a new college building which still stands today on campus.
In the mountain tops near Blue Ridge, Ga people have built large homes ("cabins") wherever there is a good view of the mountains and valleys of forests that cover the area.  Hopefully not too many cabins will be built that the view will become a view of cabins on mountain tops. Friends of ours recently retired and bought a mountaintop home with a wonderful view of the Chattahoochee National Forest.  I was lucky to be there the same day our friend Julie was starring in the very funny play "Always a Bridesmaid".  She is experienced in community theatre and lucky for Blue Ridge she didn't retire from her hobby of acting.

veterans state park museum

gold museum in courthouse

view from our friends home

 

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Some people have a talent for creativity.  My wife Carol is one of those people.  Whether embroidery, quilting, sewing, or oil painting, she has a talent.  She embroiders on my shirts, on grandkids clothes, on quilts, and on purses.  She sews clothes, purses, and quilts.  She has a knack for coordinating colors as you can see on just some of her projects.

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Classic cars.  When I was young the cars my dad drove are now classics and rare.  You know you're old when cars at a classic car show that are almost 50 years old and you realize that the car was new when you got your first drivers license.  My son Franklin is selling his '77 corvette that he restored.  It is appraised at $20,000 and he is asking $12,500.  He dropped in a new engine, headers, side pipes, and new AC.  He had it painted and the transmission rebuilt.  Before the corvette he restore a '55 ford sedan and a '75 chevy nova.  He drove the nova all through college.  If you know anyone interested in the corvette let me know.

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After having been home for a month, it is time to travel again.  I weeded my landscaping and expanded it.  With the decline of wildlife we need more landscaping and less grass in our yards.  A yard with just grass and hedges helps nature little.  For example there needs to be berry bushes for birds, flowers for butterflies, and the right host plants for caterpillars. It does not need to be expensive as I expanded my landscaping with cuttings of plants I already had.  Here are pics of my natural yard showing how landscaping should be, plants flowing into each other as in nature.