1 year anniversary on the road
Trip Start
Nov 19, 2007
1
108
170
Trip End
Ongoing
Eatonton,
Georgia,
United States
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 28th
A call to my Tennessee Sister, Lee got me an invitation to "crash" or join her and my Cosmopolitan Sister, Edwina the following day. Edwina bought land through Lee's Realty business and was coming to see it first hand for the first time! Quite exciting. I rented a car and drove for 6 straight hours over the Blue Ridge Mountains to arrive at Sneedville, Tennessee in Lee Valley and be hugged by two sisters at Lee's farm.(see entry #43 for pics of farm, it is worth the time!!). So great to be landed. I had driven only a handful of times in this last YEAR so it was a bit of a crash entry.
We had a great time together missing only our fourth sister, Darcy to really have made it a complete sister's renunion. But the focus was to be on Edwina's land and her desire to use this 90 acre parcel as an experiment or "work" integrating the needs of the local community, neighbors, and the silent but perhaps more pertinent needs of the local forests, pastures, waters, animals and all living things. Can we care for our brothers and sisters of the woods and field while also live and let live? Lee had organized many folks for Edwina to meet including a local hunter, a neighbor, Nature Conservancy people, Americorps and The Department of Agrigulture to help her understand how to fit all the pieces together. The land had been ravaged for timber not but a few years before. I could feel and almost hear the "sigh" of the land as Edwina and her assembled team trudged the land talking all the while about how to care and conserve and rebuild it.
Lee put on a covered dish party introducing us to loads of her excellent friends. What a great group of folks! And good eating too!
Back over the mountains on clear and sunny Sunday, November 2nd. What a scenic drive now taking it all in during the day!!! It is great to be with my Andy Man again in our wonderful, little, yet so complete and satisfying home...our RV.
Thursday November 13th
To love an area I need to love the music and the arts the area produces. I called EPAF (Eatonton/Putnam Arts Foundation) and received a call back from one of the most articulate and charming men to date, who emailed me the list of events happening this month. Julia and David were happy to accompany us to "Red Wing Old Time Music" playing at the Plaza Arts Center in Eatonton. Drop dead gorgeous building totally rennovated by EPAF. We had a grand old time listening to fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass and vocals. Doesn't get better.
We continue to go out with Amber, our Realtor and see houses upon houses. We fall for one in Greensboro and begin the negotiations yet again. Amber has tenacity and we appreciate her emensely.
Julia and David invite us over for Julia's Grandma's 'Chicken and Fluffy Dumplings'. Yum to the max! We are ruined forever!! Perhaps there are 'flat' dumplings that are also great tasting, but we are done in by Julia's delicious rendition of her Grandma's version...fluffy dumplings!!! During the evening we discuss the "new" house we are in love with. David and Julia offer to take us up to the property in their boat. An offer that saves us from renting a boat and navigating this huge lake without the knowledge we really need. We are, needless to say, greatful!!
After seeing the Sandy Creek property from the water, we are hooked on it even more! It is fabulous! Andy takes us all out to dinner at an Italian Restaurant called Hugs. Excellent day, friends and dinner!!
Tuesday November 18th
Andy's tooth is crowned and glorious, 25 degree nights are trying to freeze our little home's water lines, and yet it is hard to leave such a warm and inviting place. On the road again we go to race to the warmth (weather wise) of Florida. We stay at Georgia's Veterans State Park in Corele, GA our first night out. Still cold!
Wednesday November 19th
We stay in a flying J's parking lot the second night and feel the difference in the air. No frost! A fitting accomplishment for our:
!!! ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BEING ON THE ROAD!!!
Here we are in Hobe Sound, Florida staying at Johnathan Dickinson State Park soaking in the 73 degree weather and feeling the tightness in our muscles as we bike for miles for the first time in a month. The flatness of Florida may not have the intrigue of mountains but it sure makes for great biking for us!! It feels great to be here.
Comments
Anniversary
Congratulations on one year on the road. I can't believe it has been that long. Usually your stories about food make me so hungry I have to go eat rather than comment. Tonight I ate first. so before I head out to scare some sheep, I just wanted to send best wishes. I miss you guys.
1st anny
congrats on the first anny. have a good thanksgiving and give Maudie some tuna for me.