Father's Day 2016

Bob's daughter Debbie and husband Will, who live in Lafayette, GA, about 4 hours from here,  asked us to select a place where we could meet for lunch that was half way for each of us.  Blue Ridge seemed like a good midway point, and Joe's BBQ there had the #1 Tripadvisor food rating, so that's where we decided to go.  It was a scenic 2.5 hour drive along US 76 known as the Southern Highlands Trail.  We had a tasty lunch and then spent another couple of hours talking under the shade of a huge magnolia tree in the town commons before they headed west and we east on our ways home.

 A scenic overlook along the way

The Appalachian Trail is somewhere in those mountains

Blue Ridge is the home depot for the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad

We thought this "no pedestrian" sign was in a strange place considering it was at the crosswalk!

Debbie and Will arrive.  They had decided it was a perfect day for a bike ride.

Bob, Debbie & Will

On the way back, we stopped at a produce/nursery stand in Hiawassee.  To our delight, we found jars of peach salsa and pickled watermelon rind, two items Bob had been looking for, and fresh patty pan squash...a rare find indeed.

 

ChauRam Park Part Deux - June 17 2016

A little over a year ago, we traveled to an Oconee County Park, ChauRam...the second of the waterfall trips we took as newbie South Carolinians.  Like McArthur, we vowed to return, and that we did today.  When we stopped at the guard gate to pay the entrance fee, the attendant noticed the USMC Veteran license plate on the front of Bob's truck.  He asked Bob if he was a veteran, and when Bob said yes, he thanked Bob for his service and waived the fee and waved him through.  It was very touching for him to offer thanks to a vet, and although the fee is only $2, the free entrance was appreciated, too.   I had brought a raft with the thought of floating in the beach area of the river, but an earlier phone conversation with our niece Jenna (who reminded me about flesh/brain eating bacteria in some waters) dissuaded me.  Although the temps here have been in the mid 90's for several days, it was at least 10+ degrees cooler in the wooded picnic areas near the river, especially with the refreshing breezes there.

Another couple visiting the park offered to take this photo of Bob and me

The river as seen from one of the picnic areas

Close up of the rock formations downstream

 

The "beach" area is on the other side of the suspension bridge

 Bob tried casting in several different spots, but the fish weren't going for his line.

So, we settled for fried chicken we had picked up from the grocery store on our way in.  Bob said it wouldn't take much arm twisting for us to come back yet again.  Amen to that!

 

 



 





Twin Lakes Trip -Thursday June 9 2016

Today's adventure was a trip to the SC Botanical Gardens on Clemson University's campus.  The 295 acre garden was once the university's "dump".  In 1958, when plans were being made to build Clemson's Memorial Stadium, it came to light that several species of camellias growing on the land where the stadium was to be built would be wiped out.  The dump was cleaned up; an irrigation pond created, and the camellias were relocated.  The garden expanded from that point on.  In 1992, it was designated as South Carolina's state botanical garden.  In addition to the various plants, trees, and shrubs, the Hunt Cabin, Hanover House, and John C. Calhoun's homestead,  Fox Hill are on the grounds.  Calhoun's daughter, Anna Maria, inherited the Fox Hill property.  She married Thomas Clemson and bequeathed her estate to her husband. He passed away in 1888.  His will stated that the land was to be used to build a college for agricultural science and mechanical arts, and that the Fox Hill home would always be open to the public.  In 1893, the Clemson school opened.  Tiger history enfolded from there.   We walked only a small portion of the gardens, and hope to return another time to view more.

 A large hydrangea bush behind Bob

Many of the picnic tables and arboretums are made of stone.

Part of the conifer garden

 Behind me are a display of various hosta plants.

And here are day lilies

The geology museum located in the gardens will be yet another reason for a return visit.

 

Back at the camp, Bob decided to try his hand at fishing.

 

I would love to say this was a catch, but in fact it was bait he used....

 ...and the fish weren't interested.

Nearing sunset and the end of our getaway.

 

 

Twin Lakes Wed June 8 2016

Wednesday morning we drove into Pendleton to get a newspaper and some more bottled water.  We headed west into Clemson in error, but as we did, I noticed an old stone building on the left.  After we u-turned,  I asked Bob to stop to check out the structure.  It turned out to be the the Old Stone Church and cemetery that has a very long and fascinating history, as do many of the sites in this area. The land was donated by John Miller to the Hopewell Presbyterian Church after their wooden church had burned down.  Miller had been given the land as a result of the Treaty of Hopewell between the Confederate Congress of the US and the Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians in 1785.  The agreement was signed at The Treaty Oak on Old Cherry Road, near where the SC Department of Natural Resource office is currently located.  The church was built by John Rusk between 1797 and 1802 and was made of stone to double as a fortification from Indian attacks.  The cemetery predates the church, with the oldest interment being of a Cherokee Indian, Osenappa, in 1794.  Little is known about him, except legend states that he befriended Dr Thomas Reese, pastor of the Hopewell congregation,  and his family during their early settlement, and saved them from an Indian uprising.  Osenappa lived with the Reeses for awhile and was so respected that one of Reese's son named one of his sons after Osenappa.  Andrew Pickens and Robert Anderson, both officers in the Revolutionary War, and for whom two counties here are named, are buried there, along with 13 other Revolutionary War and 45 Civil War soldiers, and many others.  The church was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1900, but restored in the 1960s.

 

Weddings and other special events are now held at the old church

 

Inside the cemetery looking toward the church

A monument commemorates the Confederate dead

 

The box next to Bob normally has maps of the gravesites, but it was empty.  Perhaps knowing the history of the cemetery as we now do, we might return and pay respects to some buried there.

On a lighter note, in the afternoon, I went to the lake beach at the campground while Bob waxed his truck.

After an hour or so in the lake, it's time to hide in the shade

 

 

 





Maiden Camping Trip for our new trailer June 2016

Sometime in March, we sold our old Holiday travel trailer to a family in camp that needed something better than what they had.  They knew we had ours in storage and asked if we would sell it to them.  We weren't thinking of selling, but at that time, Bob was so sick, we didn't know if he would be up to traveling again, so we agreed to the sale.  The family was very appreciative, and thankfully Bob recuperated enough that we want to take road trips again. After spending some nights in hotels during trips over the past year, we decided to look around for another small, used travel trailer.  We found one at a dealership in Greer.  It is a 2007 27 foot Jayco trailer, and it is in almost new condition inside. And after Bob did some work to the axles and springs on the undercarriage, it is like new on the outside as well.  But, before we bought it, Bob had realized that the truck he bought last year would not be adequate to tow another trailer, so he traded it for a one ton Ram dualie --something he's always wanted. (Well, he also wanted another dog, but I don't.  So, I told him he could get a dog or a dualie.) So, new truck and new-to-us travel trailer, we decided to go on a little outing to a nearby Army Corps of Engineer campground about 15 miles from here at Twin Lakes outside of Pendleton.  We stayed there in November of 2014. With our America the Beautiful senior pass, camp sites are only $12.50/night. We were there for the 3 pm check in on Tuesday the 7th, and left on Friday the 10th.  It was a very pleasant "stay-cation".

New truck

 





 new trailer

View from kitchen to sitting area and bedroom and bath beyond.  The interior cabinetry is very similar to what was in our previous trailer, but there is a lot more storage space (especially with no tv in the cabinet LOL).

 You betcha!

Each of the campsites offer a view of Lake Hartwell, a level, sometimes terraced,  campsite with picnic table, bbq grill, and fire pit.

Lower level of site

Looking up from the lake

Shore view

 

 

Catchin' up with Cousins - Sunday May 15 2016

We arranged to meet our cousins, Cindy & Wally, at the Stephens County Recreation Area on the Tugaloo River on Sunday, May 15.  The Tugaloo is a northwest dividing line between SC and GA.  (This Georgia park was featured in our blog posting last October.  Bob and I went there after I officially retired from Florida Family.)  It was not quite a half way point for both of us. They live in Snellville, GA, so it was a little further for them than us, but they said it was an enjoyable ride.  I thought we would do some fishing, but Cindy didn't get the memo to bring poles.  That was fine because we had a good time "chatting", as Cindy would say, and enjoyed a little picnic.  It was somewhat cooler than we thought it would be, so we found a table that had more sun than shade.  Cindy is still working, but looking to retire in another two years. Wally tends to his garden now that he is retired and fills in as handyman one day a week or as needed at their church.  They recently bought kayaks and are enjoying those, and hope to get a travel trailer in the near future.

 

The cousins

The cousins' cousins

Company comes to the campground May 7 2015

Saturday, May 7, our niece, Jennifer and her 4 year old son, Owen, our grand nephew, drove from Tucker, GA, to pay us a visit.  Owen was full of energy and chatter, and thoroughly entertained (and exhausted) us.  We hope they will come again when they can spend more time and when we have the boat ready for the lake.

Owen opens a little gift from us - an etch-a-sketch board.  He later made lots of treasure maps on it, as well as a map to Grand Dad's house in Florida.

O & Jenna sitting on the dock o' the "bay".

O was determined to catch fish for our dinner

Lily, one of our park neighbors, caught a frog and invited us to look at it.  We are certain she will grow up to be a veterinarian.