Fort Yargo is a Perfect Atlanta/Athens Get Away

Fort Yargo State Park in Georgia is in Winder, Georgia just 45 minutes from Atlanta and an equal distance from Athens. The park hosts hike and bike trails. The mountain bike trail is for experienced riders. The seven mile moderate trail circles the lake; as does the 12.5 mile difficult trail.

This park includes a log fort built in 1972 for history buffs. The lake is 260 acres. Pictured below are yurts and camp sites on the water's edge. Be sure to ask for sites on the water when you make your reservation.



Fort Yargo State Park
210 S. Broad Street
Winder , GA 30680

(I am visiting, photographing, and blogging all of the GA state parks in one year. This is park number 9 out of 48.)

A New Kind of Scrabble and A Way to Live

So scrabble wasn't my favorite game, in part because I have always played with competitive people. The other day I played with my children and a friend. During the game my friend started helping us. It was kinda weird helping each other, but it changed the mood of the game. (And made us all practice each turn.)

At one point my daughter showed us BUNGALO and asked if that was how to spell it. We got out the dictionary and used it to help us for the rest of the game (instead of challenging each other).  We became a team helping one another and bonded in the family room.

In Seth's style... Do you follow Seth Godin? He's good and succinct.

Take a Friend to Watson Mill Bridge State Park

This park strikes me as romantic. Water, covered bridge, rocks and picnic tables are scattered here ready for visitors. The covered bridge is one of sixteen left in Georgia. This Georgia State Park is just east of Athens in the northeast corner of the state. Here are my photographs I took while watching the sun set. This photograph above is available on Etsy.

I started a facebook post that day before I left about "where did the sun go..." which had some fun responses. I never saw the sun, but you see here that this tree did for a few minutes at sunset.
Watson Mill Bridge State Park
650 Watson Mill Road
Comer , GA 30629

(I am visiting, photographing, and blogging all of the GA state parks in one year. This is park number 8 out of 48.)

Best Banana Waffles

My son was impressed that there wasn't a banana to be found in the grocery several days prior to our pending Georgia snow storm of 2011. He even asked an employee to be certain.

So, just in case you don't eat all those bananas (and they are turning brown) and you need something to do with them I thought I'd share my banana waffle recipe.



Best Banana Waffles

8 T parkay, melted
2 eggs, separated
1 C milk
2 C all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 T sugar
4 bananas, mashed

Melt the parkay and let it cool. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Mix together dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients (except egg whites) after margarine has cooled. Pour into wet mixture. Stir in bananas and then fold in egg whites. Pour approximated 1/3 C of mixture per waffle. Cook in waffle iron. Yields about 10 waffles.

I utilize two waffle irons to speed the preparation.

You Do Not Have to Drive to the Beach for a Pretty Sunset

In my mind I have always believed that I needed to be at the beach to take a beautiful sunset. But Amicalola Falls State Park puts that belief to rest. I took these photographs on January 3, 2011 and the falls align perfectly with the setting sun. Below is an abstract of the sunset.

Amicolola State park is located outside of Dawsonville, Georgia in the Northern part of the state about one hour north of Atlanta up Georgia 400. The drive into the park is very pretty and worth stopping along the way for great photos of nearby farms. Here are the rocks at the top of the falls with a bit of sun on them.

Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge
418 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd
Dawsonville , GA 30534

(I am visiting, photographing, and blogging all of the GA state parks in one year. This is park number 7 out of 48).

Take your Kids to the Booth Museum During the Holiday Break

Ansel Adams never looked so good. The Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia is hosting an exhibit of 131 photographs printed by Adams himself until Feb. 20, 2011. Both these book cover photographs pictured here are included in the show. (I did not see the books in the museum shop though.) His images are all black and white photographs framed in a light wood frame. The photograph to the left is of aspens and one of my favorites from the show.
I enjoyed the presentation by John Mariana a few weeks ago at the Roswell Photographic Society. He is presenting Ansel Adams again at the Southeastern Photographic Society on Jan. 7. It was a nice slide show/history of the man and his work.

As a special bonus... the museum hosts a presidential room, which includes photographs, a letter, the translation and four facts on each President of the United States. My children enjoyed this room and read all of the materials and asked questions. This was a really nice family outing to the Booth Museum. This museum is in the north eastern section of Georgia off highway 75 and exit 288, not too far from Tennessee and Alabama, well worth the drive.

Pictured to the left here is a photography platform that Adams created for the top of his car. Wouldn't I love one of those on top of my Highlander! Would other photographers buy one of these? Maybe my luggage carrier could be converted into a platform.

Red Top Mountain was Glowing Tonight

I have been to Red Top Mountain State Park in Georgia in the past. But tonight it seemed different. But maybe that is the lesson here. Everything looks more beautiful in the right lighting. Red Top's scenery is controlled by the Lake Allatoona Dam located off of exit 290 on highway 75. Tonight the water level was moderate, but the park was still relaxing and pretty. If you are looking for a water adventure, call first and check the water level. The dam was built in 1940s to control the flooding in the Cartersville and Rome watersheds. The dam was built by the Army Corps of Engineers and much of the area is maintained by the corps. There is a museum in their Visitor's Center, which we did not visit, but is a must see to understand the area. Red Top Mountain State Park includes a mountain bike trail, beach and putt-putt for children. It is on Lake Allatoona.

Red Top Mountain State Park

50 Lodge Rd SE
Cartersville , GA 30121
(I am visiting, photographing, and blogging all of the GA state parks in one year. This is park number 6 out of 48).

The Train is Pulling into the Station -- New Year Approaching

Happy whistling
Grinding wheel
The train is on track.
Stay?
Switch?
New transport?
2011

H. Berger

Created a treasury with this theme on 12/22/2010.

'The Train is Pulling into the Station -- New Year Approaching' by MagMoment

Happy whistlingGrinding wheelThe train is on track.Stay?Switch?New transport?2011

Caboose Necklace themorosebee $15.00	PRINT - There is nothing tha... thebigharumph $20.00	The Majestic Crossing Signal... ScooyouPhotogr... $20.00	whistle while you work retrostiletto $14.00
Get Ready - 2011 Planner - S... Phizzwizard $25.00	HANDMADE GREETING CARD INSPI... SusanTracie $5.00	Alice I Have Been. dreamsbythesea $50.00	2011 Wall Calendar, I Dreame... jessicarogers $35.99
Railroad Tracks 30 inch ORI... benwill $189.00	Aloft cathynichols $28.00	BLISS - Cottage Floral Wallp... PreciousPastim... $14.50	Retired Caboose, Original wa... KarenHollyKrea... $225.00
Pink surprise - daily planne... MadalinasCraft... $22.50	Green and Yellow Bird Whistl... gypsypottery $28.00	The Book of Good Thoughts. I... GILDBookbinder... $49.00	Boys train with wall letteri... walldesign $45.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

'In a mood... inspired by ivorymoon' by MagMoment

Every now and then one needs a kick in the seat of the pants. Ivorymoon selected a beautiful treasury tonight, so I am now motivated. You're it. Saw my first kingfisher in Florida in November. I'd love a horse farm. I think that owl is a Van Gogh! "Ribbons down my back" Barbra. Children are everything.

Winter Horses / fine art pho... NicholasBellPh... $30.00	Silk Ribbon Bracelet with Si... charmeddesign1... $32.00	Modern Circles Necklace - Bl... TheBrokenPlate $75.00	Large Metallic Silver Silk R... Brydferth $24.00
Sea's Mystery. Original... FrancesPhotogr... $75.00	Guardian Angel with two Chil... Andreatdesigns $5.00	Sweet Silver Bells Repurpose... ClothandPatina $16.00	Blue Earrings - Sterling Sil... hildes $23.00
Aurora ivorymoon $28.00	Brushed Silver Heart Drop Ea... MojoSteph $45.00	Kingfisher - Original 9x12 F... sstormster1 $150.00	Silk Kimono Clutch/Purse/Bag... puck513 $75.00
PICASSO'S Owls - Vintage... chloesvintagej... $34.00	Vintage Silver Love - Oblon... TheHomeCentric $21.90	NEW. Wonderland. Star-Drop E... caughtredhande... $15.00	Vintage 70s Navy Velvet Hat pistolpoppy $18.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

How I Learned about Handmade

Rehearsal Dinner Dress

I lived in Rochester, Minnesota until I was sixteen. It was so cold in the winter that there were many days we didn't venture outdoors. During that time, my mother taught me to knit, crochet, embroider, and sew. Her mother taught her those arts, so she was able to teach me. With the teaching my mother taught me a special value for handmade. Both grandmothers also had these skills and reinforced the importance of do-it-yourself (DIY). As I accomplished those crafts, I also learned a lot of self-confidence. After all, not many of my school friends were working with hooks and needles. And, I had some finished products. (Yes, I was a member of the local 4-H group.)

College Formal Dress

What have I done with those skills? I attended Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, and I made every single dressy dress I needed for four years. Pictured on the right is a flapper style dress I wore to a dance in college. After that, I made my Rehearsal Dinner Dress for my wedding weekend. I still love it, and it is pictured above in green. I created a lot of Halloween costumes and most recently hemmed  a chorus dress.

As for knitting... we made a few items slippers and bags when I was young, but nothing really stylish.  Last winter I bought this wonderful knitting book pictured to the left and made a pair of fingerless gloves. They weren't that hard. For my daughter's bat mitzvah project we knit or crocheted preemie beanies for the local hospital. Read about the project here. I designed simple knit and crochet patterns, which are included in the post. I recommend this book as a gift for someone who knows how to knit, but needs a little push or direction.

Hat knit hat with baby blue and variegated blue yarn

But my favorite find has been a simple Martha Stewart knit winter hat pattern. All three children asked for them in different colors one winter, so I knit quite a few. In the summer, my daughter carried around her bouncy ball collection in one of them, so it looks a lot like the mitten in Jan Brett's The Mitten. I just finished another hat last night, this one to match my ski coat. I did not use a bulky yarn and added a few extra stitches, but you get the idea. And, it will be in the teens here in Georgia; I will need it for my dog walk today. So I want to invite you to make this beautiful hat. It is knitted with two yarns, so that it goes quickly.

Some of these arts I took to another level beyond what my mother taught me, like sewing. I bought a serger and learned  how to finish seams another way. And, I picked up jewelry wire wrapping easily and created an etsy jewelry shop. Teach your children what you know or find someone who knows and will teach.

Found Hobby Lobby

Over the Thanksgiving holidays, we visited my aunt and uncle and many cousins in Tennessee to celebrate my aunt's birthday. This was a fun family reunion! to be sure... But I also learned a great deal in a brief conversation with my uncle. I am always thinking about new products and The Gift Box in Big Shanty suggested that items under $20 would sell best this holiday. (I have my art at Big Shanty till December 17th.)

I do sell ACEOs, which retail for $5, but I have been thinking about creating another inexpensive product. So as I was exploring my Uncle's garage with him... we discussed framing and he told me to visit Hobby Lobby. Weird that I haven't been to this particular craft store, as I love that kind of shop.

When I returned to Atlanta, I searched Hobby Lobby and visited the Ashford Dunwoody location. Here's the video from my tour.


And, yes, I found the stretcher bars. I am practicing stretching my own work... but it will be a while before I start selling my own stretching because I am determined to sell a high quality product, and it is hard to gallery wrap pre-printed canvas.

As a caution... hobby lobby is not open on Sundays. But I do recommend visiting their shop another day. The chain has 462 stores in 39 states.