New sun deck

Our sun deck, with a western exposure, suffered from 16 years of intense sun, heavy rains and heat, and needed new decking. This week, we got it!

Decking will be stained in near future

New doors, too. No more squeaky hinges!

Blue Fish says 'Welcome'

How to find stuff in the kitchen

Here is a pictorial guide to the kitchen: where the stuff is hidden, all secrets revealed! These pictures were taken before we installed drawers in place of the door cabinets, but the arrangement of contents is pretty much the same.

Click on read more, below . . .

Dining at the Lake Rabun Hotel and the Blue Fish Lodge

George, Bill and Shirley, at the Lake Rabun Hotel.
We had to share our little nook with 'Daydreamer,'
a brown bear available (still) for a cool $3200.

This was our second dinner at the Lake Rabun Hotel. It's very nice. Every Thursday, they put on a Featured Farm menu, with food from one of the local farms. A couple of weeks ago, we ate with Ann from a menu using Mill Gap Farm in Tiger; next week, they'll be featuring our community garden on their Thursday menu.

George, Bill and Shirley, plating up at the
Blue Fish Lodge's boathouse dining room.

Art Over Burton

We joined John and Jan for a round of Moscow Mules, then went to the Art Over Burton auction event, to benefit the Hambidge Center in Dillard. It was held at the Lake Burton Club's Lodge, which has a spectacular view over the lake, and the surrounding mountains. 

Marlene from the Burton Gallery put a number of works up for auction, as did the Hambidge Center itself. We brought home Georgia's Christmas present for 2012 (surprise, surprise!), and one of Jan's works, as well.

Moscow Mules, anyone? John, George and Jan.

Tallulah River and Tate City

Taylor and I took a ride up the Tallulah River Road (FS-70), past Tate City and into North Carolina, to a Nantahala Wilderness Area trailhead. We were looking for Flat Branch Falls, along the Tallulah, but had no luck finding the trail. Still, we enjoyed a nice Saturday drive.

Budding rhododendrons

Shopping opportunities at the Tate City Mall

Detail from photo above: TATE CITY MALL. Apparently, they sell
cast iron frying pans, horseshoes, shovels and farm implements.

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

Two hundred thirty-six years ago today:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Andrew, Hillary, Ann & Beau'gard (sitting), Susan, George, Robert,
exercising their unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Andrew, Hillary and the Stars and Stripes

Early harvest at the Old School Garden patch

Starting to harvest some vegies from our garden patch at the Old School Garden in Clayton.

Cucumber, zuchinni, yellow squash and basil

Made me think of this dialog from one of my favorite movies, Animal House:

[Otter and Mrs. Wormer are in the supermarket vegetable section] 
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Mine's bigger. 
[Marion looks questioningly at him] 
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: My cucumber. It's bigger. I think vegetables can be very sensuous, don't you? 
Marion Wormer: No, vegetables are sensual. People are sensuous. 
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Right. Sensual. That's what I meant. My name's Eric Stratton. People call me Otter. 
Marion Wormer: My name's Marion. People call me Mrs. Wormer. 
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Oh, we have a Dean Wormer at Faber.
Marion Wormer: How interesting. I have a husband named Dean Wormer at Faber. Still want to show me your cucumber? 

Well, yes. Yes we do.

New garden bed

This new bed is west of our first garden bed and the old maple stump (from the tree blown down by the tornado). It started out as a pile of dirt excavated from the dry-well hole we dug in the side yard. Then, we built a stone wall around it, and added a truckload of top-soil and mixed that in. After planting it, we mulched it with shredded cypress mulch.

Kilby Mill Creek Falls

This waterfall on Kilby Mill Creek is a short drive from the Blue Fish Lodge.

Late-season white rhododendron.

To get there, go west on US 76 to Persimmon Road. Go north on Persimmon for about 7 miles; it becomes Patterson Gap Road, and passes (on the left) Camp Darom (lake, climbing walls, camp buildings, pool, basketball courts, etc.). After passing the camp, you'll come to a one-lane bridge. Stop on the right before the bridge, and follow the trail upstream, to the falls. You will cross the first creek, hopping from stone to stone, then go a short way before you get to Kilby Mill Creek, and then the falls. The trail is steep, between the lower and upper falls, but worth it. Caution: lots of poison ivy! Wear long pants.

Getting in and out of the kayaks

Once you're all the way down into a kayak, your center of gravity (meaning, your butt) should be low enough to make the kayak stable. The trick is, getting there!

We use the steps next to the hot tub, for launching kayaks. Put the kayak in the water, front pointing away from the shore, parallel to the front edge of the steps, and floating in the water (not ON a step). Make sure the paddle is within your reach. Carefully put one foot into the kayak, and lower yourself onto the seat, while holding on to the step for stability. Then put your other leg in the kayak, grab the paddle, and paddle away.

If you swamp (and you won't be the first to do so), use the steps to turn the kayak upside down, to get most of the water out. Then pull it back onto the deck, and use the plug at the stern of the boat to drain the remaining water out.

Father's Day weekend

Cap'n Robert, Angie, Michael, George . . . cruising

Camouflage rabbit

Angie and Michael

Peach-blueberry crisp

Bear on a motorcycle

I never text while driving, and I don't take pictures from behind the wheel, either. Except when circumstances require it. And I think this meets that test.

Driving through Tallulah Falls, on the way to the lake.

Note the passenger bear, too, on the luggage rack.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .

We are remodeling our master bath back in Atlanta. We will update this post from time to time, as we complete the work.

Shower area is down to the studs.

Cabinets and wall mirror are gone.

Update, Tuesday, June 12:

Shower is finished, except for the valve plate and
handle, pipe and shower head, and glass enclosure.

Tub is finished except for the valve plate and handle, and tub spout.

Charlie

And then I was like . . . OMG!

More Charlie, below the fold . . . (click on read more)

Rattlesnake

Found slithering across the road that runs from the Hemlock Falls Trailhead, back to Moccasin Creek State Park.

Update: At first I had this identified as an Eastern Diamondback, but a commenter says it is actually a timber rattler. I've compared it to photos of both, and I'm not really sure which it is.

Crossing a gravel road on your belly can't be much fun!

You can see the 'pit' sensor, between the eye and the tip of the snout. This allows the snake
to detect the heat of warm-blooded animals at close distance, while night-hunting.

Our snake has shed his skin about eight times

What's so great about him?

Charlie and Great Uncle Bob

Kayaking

Laura and Bob

Super what?

Yeah, stand right there, Nance . . . don't look behind you. Okay, perfect!

Sunset cruise, May 25

 Sunset cruise with Brother Bob, Nancy, Nancy's brother Bob, his wife Mary, Jake and George.

Sunset over the Appalachian Trail, west of Lake Burton

Sun sets on George

Cap'n Robert

Sun goes head-to-head with Jake, gives up and slinks down below the horizon

Cruising out from the head of Timpson Cove: Bob and Mary, Bob and Nancy

Downstairs remodeling done!

Downstairs sitting area. TV is to the near right, out of the picture.

Downstairs bedroom.

Flowers, jasmine and trellis, outside new space.

Funky mirror, reflecting the funky bedroom beyond.

Rock-a-bye room, with beer/baby-formula refrigerator.

Old School Community Garden

We signed up for a plot in the garden behind the old Clayton Elementary School, and got assigned one just about a week ago. So, our start is about a month after the last frost date, but we're hoping for some good stuff. We've got several varieties of 'maters and peppers, some cukes and squashes, basil, radishes, and some flowers.

George planting marigolds around the tomatoes.

Mystery flower; leave a comment if you know what this is.

Fearsome plastic owl; George in the background,
with hat, and behind her, the old school.

Purple poppies; hope this isn't an opium crop!

Luna moth

Taylor found this at the recycling center. Awesome mimicry of a twig with buds!

Not my photo, but shows more clearly the "eyes" mimicry on the hind wings.

The luna moth is one of the largest moths found in North America, with a wingspan up to 4.5 inches. In the Southeast, they produce as many as 3 generations each year, laying from 100 to 300 eggs each cycle. The adult does not feed; it lives only to mate, and dies after about a week.

Charlie at the Blue Fish

We call this his Tennessee Department of Corrections outfit!

Looking for parks and recreation information?

Our son Taylor has created RecPlanet, a web resource for parks and recreation information. Give it a try!