Well, the birthday boy is HERE! He came all the way from Utah for a visit and we are celebrating his 26th! It was so nice to get a great, big hug! We did some new exploring today with him. We had to start the morning off with the "regular" walk around the lake. It was a beautiful morning in Sautee! Almost 50 degrees at 10 am and we actually had to take our jackets off part way through our walk. We started with Trent being able to feed "Daisy Mae" (yes, we named her and it had to be a southern name). She likes carrots. This really isn't "Daisy Mae" but a relative. Daisy Mae will actually eat right out of your hand. The birds were gorgeous this morning. We walked down to the lake to view them and the wings span on them were huge! You could hear the wind under their wings, they were so powerful. The view of the house from the other side of the lake... Then we headed into Helen with Grandma. She was our DD. We stopped at the Habersham Winery for some wine tasting. We actually found several wines we liked. We were only going to buy 3 bottles but he said that if we bought 6 we could get 10% off. Well everyone likes a deal so we bought 6 bottles to find out we could have gotten 10% with a military discount and not had to purchase the other three...oh, I'm sure we will have company to share with. Then we headed next door to the Nacoochee Village Antique Mall. Oh..my..word...if you need something old, they probably have it. It was room, after room, after room of old stuff. Some pretty neat things but I'm not sure how you would find something again if you didn't take it the first time you saw it. You could spend hours in this place. I'd love to come back and just take my time through each room. Lots to see. Next, we headed across the street to the Nora Mill to get some of Gil's Grit (and apparently buttermilk pancakes and a cast iron pan). I love the people in the area. They are so nice and inviting. We met Tommy! He's worked here the last 29 years and gave us a personal tour of how they grind the corn using the mill. He gave us so much interesting information about the history and past of this unique place. Trent soaked it all in. Onward to Helen...we went to listen to music and get a bite to eat at Cowboys and Angels. The weather was so nice, we were able to sit outside. Did I mention it's January 21st? I may be singing a different tune in August but right now I'm loving it! Grandma stayed back and listened more to the music and we walked around Helen. Trent found his favorite stores...his first one was a glass blowing store. So many neat items they've made. We were able to talk to the ladies making some items and pick their brains a little. His second favorite store was a rock store. There was a great lady that worked there that told us all about the rocks, what were found locally and what were from other countries. She and Trent swapped stores about being "tricked" by parents and finding treasures. When Trent was young we "planted" arrowheads and made he think he found them. He has never forgiven us...all his life he thought he really found them. About 5 years ago, we crushed his memory letting him know Gil went ahead and placed them on the hiking trail. We had a good time chatting with the clerk. We walked the streets a little more and listened to some street music. We found a cute little German lady in one of the stores and swamped Germany stories. Everyone likes to share and visit. It's makes for a nice experience. The people are great! Well, we had a great day and we are back at the house watching football and eating ham and bean soup. We are in for the night with a fire and cuddled under a blanket with a nice glass of wine (we just bought). Until tomorrow....
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Muma Visit.... Gil's mom was admitting to the hospital and they weren't sure what was going on. She had pneumonia and something going on with her kidney. Gil's brother was flying into Atlanta for a quick to see her so we picked him up and headed down together. We had a great visit on the drive to Hephzibah, was able to visit with Gil's family for the day (which is super awesome) and was able to check on Muma. She was released before we arrived so we enjoyed dinner at Gil's brother's house with her. She'd had a long day, so we decided to let her rest and then headed back to Sautee for the night. We brought Richard with us so he could see the new house. It's so nice to be able to have everyone come for a quick visit. The next morning we had enough time to walk around the lake and see some of the wildlife. It was short visit but he left Gil's hat at his house in Maryland that he was supposed to bring...so he has to hand deliver it and come back for another visit!
Well, we are moved in! We are now proud owners of a house in Sautee Nacoochee! We always say "God bless you" after saying where we live. It sounds more like a sneeze than a place. We LOVE IT! We still can't believe this is our house. I will post more on the house as we continue this adventure but today we decided we were going to put down the hammers, packed boxes and dusty pictures and explore the area since it was Saturday. I'm use to living in Utah where all the road are straight and have numbers so you can easily find your way. I am constantly lost and have no idea what direction I'm going so I figured I better get out and try to learn my way around. We first stopped by Sweetwater Coffeehouse for a little coffee cake, quiche (which is probably the best I've ever had..I think there was some cream cheese in it) and a cup of Joe. The breakfast was limited (bakery and quiche) but what they did have was excellent! We meet Renae, the barista, and enjoyed the quiet little cafe. We then headed into Helen. We stayed in Helen when we arrived with the Uhaul a couple weeks ago but we didn't have time to stop by the Visitors Center so we made a quick stop there to get maps (again...to help me find my way) and to look around a little bit more. Once the weather warms up, I'd really like to walk the streets and explore all the cute little shops. As we were driving through Helen we saw "Betty's Country Store". We decided to stop by and I'm glad we did. All the grocery stores are at least 35 minutes away. This was a gem we found! It's a cute little country store. I know, I know.....we'll pay for it in the long run but in a pinch when we need something in the kitchen and don't want to drive far, Betty's Country Store will come in handy! It had fresh fish and meat, groceries and a huge assortment of wine. It was actually a good size inside with a nice selection. When the boys were growing up, Gil always tried to pass on his "southern" roots. He had them try grits, deep fried okra as well as other southern foods. But the one thing they loved that he taught them was RC Cola and Moon Pies (I wonder why they loved THAT). Well, they were together in Betty's so apparently everyone else agrees. Next we headed up to Anna Ruby Falls. The Visitors Center said it was about 1/2 mile hike so we decided to try it. As we headed into the park, the park ranger said "Keep warm". Really? We're from Utah! It was cold but nothing we aren't use to. You know it's cold when the river looks like it has snow but really it is just ice. The waterfall was beautiful! I bet it is spectacular in the summer...as well as crowded. It was about 14 degrees today so it was a little cold on our hike. Next we headed back towards Sautee Nachoochee. We stopped by the Old Sautee Store. Judy, the lady that worked there, told us that it use to be the old post office. She told us the history of the area and the previous owners. It was quiet interesting. They are known for their cheese so, of course, we had to buy some as well as their gingersnap crackers and Glogg (a hot drink like cider). It's a little store that sells cute gifts and clothing. They also have a coffee shop next door that we will need to experience in the future. We ended the afternoon by going to Cornelia, Toccoa, Clarksville and then back home. We did a Lowes and Home Depot stop while out. Good thing we lived in Eden, Utah and we are use to driving to get to these types of stores. It doesn't really bother us at all being away from city.
Tomorrow we will try out first church in the area. We are on the hunt for our home church! |
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