Travel: Northern Georgia

you guys remember how independence day is my favorite holiday? after a very mellow celebration last year (which was also great), we kicked it up a notch this year and rented a fancy cabin in the woods in northern georgia. two other couples (my best friends and their significant figures) joined us, along with jasper (of course), and we had a terrific time even if the weather was plotting against us. as most of the eastern coast has been experiencing for the past four to five weeks, we had rain all day long most days. we didn't let that ruin our time (okay, the lake would have been more enjoyable sans rain), though! one day we headed to amicacola falls state park (one that i have been wanting to camp at for a long while now) to do some short few mile hiking up to the falls and back down. so great! waterfalls are so empowering, aren't they? the constant stream of water is most amazing, and the speed at which it rushes over the giant cliffs? oh my. while i happened to forget my nalgene bottle (which was a replacement for the other two nalgenes that we accidentally left in san diego in april) (hope someone found it and is using it!), the rest of the day was untarnished and pretty much perfect. we even ate at this sketchy bbq place where they have a "pig hill of fame" (the boys liked it) (okay, j. was a little creeped out)! we caught one of the only bursts of sunshine that afternoon when we got home. j. and a. went upstairs to nap, and k. immediately asked me what my beverage preference would be. white wine, jacuzzi, and damien rice playing? not to mention the delightful company and conversation, and later when the sky opened up, a dance to the most glorious of glories... i love this group of people. i love feeling uninhibited in their presence. i love that they know me through and through (and accept me, even my unshaved pits). i love that we can get away with playing twilight scene it (yes, that totally happened) on one night, and having serious discussions about life the next. everything was so perfect, until sunday. and that day redefined perfect. k. and i were stressing the night before about which hike to go on. we wanted it to be great, bountiful, and with impressive geological variations. resources appear to be low in this part of the state (great hikes, but where are they? c'mon, internet!), and miraculously the next morning we were still able to find our destination. we hiked part of the benton mackaye trail (which was lined with flecks of gold-toned stones - magical!) and part of the appalachian trail. little jasper bubs (who isn't so little anymore) led the way on his partially-robotic body, and seeing him enjoy the outdoors as much as his mama and papa made me unbelievably happy. the forest was green as ever, and it was slightly misty, then drizzly, the whole trail. everything seemed so lush and smelled so sweet that i kept forgetting we weren't in the pacific northwest. we crossed streams and skipped over rocks and dredged through mud, and finally we were back where we started. found a sweet spot next to the cold, fast river, and had ourselves a picnic lunch of [lukewarm] grilled hot dogs, pears, peaches, and grapes... we finished the early afternoon with a hike to a waterfall, that again, entranced us with its great power. that night the skies were finally clear -- the boys, happy about fireworks, a. happy about a fire, and me happy about a sunset. wonderful ending to an, as always, wonderful holiday.

Travel: Table Rock SP | 26-28 October 2012

Two weekends ago we drove the few hours to Table Rock State Park for some good old fashioned camping. If you remember, we went two years ago with Jessie & Daron and Jordan & Jamie. It was time for a little reunion (though we do meet up weekly as it is), and we picked the best time to go with beautiful fall colors everywhere and perfect weather. We were more lazy this time around and kept to just a few little hikes. Breakfast was followed by a game of leaf catching, and after checking out Twin Falls on Saturday afternoon, we drove back to the park, had a picnic at the lake, and all of us proceeded to go on different paths. Jonathan and Jessie napped, the dogs played, Jordan, Jamie, and Daron had a riveting game of Uno, and I finished a book start to finish (I love days like that). We had potato soup and cornbread for dinner, made s'mores, and called it a night.

I was particularly nervous about the trip because it was Jasper's first go at camping. Jordan and Jamie brought Kota last time so we knew she would do great, but their newer pup, Penny hadn't camped yet either. I think all three dogs did well, which makes all of us happy. Jasper even met an older kindred spirit, Cloud (an Aussie), camping across the street from us -- at seven years old, he was the first dog that truly played with Jasper Bubs in a way that he wanted. I love watching Jasper interact with new things for the first time! He went on his first trail, played in his first creek, and met with his first two waterfalls. All that stimulation wore him out, but I'm glad that he's able to do these things with us. The only part of our family missing was Gilly (poor Gilly - when will it be socially acceptable to bring cats to public places?), and I know she was miserable stuck indoors all weekend.

Sunday morning we packed up after breakfast, and on the way home stopped at Caesars Head. J. and I had never been before, so it was fun seeing a new-to-us place. It may be an area to explore later and maybe even backpack some. There was a bald outcropping on the main drive back that we stopped at. The whole thing decorated in graffiti - some of it vulgar, some of it friendly. I'll never understand humans' desires to alter God's magnificence, but it is what it is. Driving back home, we all remained quiet, maybe from exhaustion, but I like to think we all were perfectly content in an otherwise overcrowded vehicle. I love this time in our life, being free to enjoy nature and friends in this way.

Jessie picked up on this amazing root system. Of course you notice the tree growing on the rock, but look how far the roots stretch - to the foreground of the photo!

And on the other side, the roots continue, all the way down the banks to the stream, it's life source





Unexpectedly beautiful Twin Falls

"Expectedly" beautiful friends (:

The other side of Table Rock from Caesars Head




Bald Rock

And of course this trip would not have been complete without our obligatory Table Rock photos (: