Vacation in North Georgia and Uplands South Carolina, June 2016 ******************* |
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| Oconee County, South Carolina, has been a favorite family-vacation area for over 20 years. The mountain views, waterfalls, quaint towns, historic sites, and tourist spots have been enjoyed by our family over the years. This year, our trip was planned with granddaughter Kate in mind, so we booked a farmhouse in Westminster, South Carolina, described as a working farm with goats, turkeys, chickens, family dogs, crops, and more. Yes, Kate loved it! | |
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Bill and I arrived a day before the Crawfords' arrival. I had pre-planned for Bill and me a winery visit in Toccoa, Georgia, only 20 miles from the farmhouse. Currahee Vineyards and Winery was easy to find and a total delight. The land had once been an apple orchard owned by Marvin Dunson's parents. Marvin was interested in producing grapes for wine on the family farm; he started the first plantings in 2009. The location at the base of Currahee Mountain is beautiful and the wines are good, too, having won medals from INDY. Mr. Dunson enjoyed my reactions to his wines and Bill's conversation about making wine. We were treated to quite a few free samples and bought two of our favorites to take home with us.
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Following our winery visit, we drove a short distance to downtown Toccoa. I was distracted from my mission of finding a place to eat by all the cute shops. One consignment shop required a thorough look! We lunched at a charming café adjoining an antique store, so, of course, I had to browse there, too. We were tired and headed back to the farmhouse, but we want to visit Toccoa again. After John, Elizabeth, and Kate arrived and got settled, we prepared a late birthday celebration for Elizabeth. Kate was anxious for the cake (having spied it in the refrigerator), but she enjoyed the curry dish and salad first. The almond paste and tofu pound cake decorated with fresh strawberries and chocolate glaze was a big hit. It is a heavy cake, but delicious. |
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| Saturday, after lounging on the porch and visiting with the animals, we drove to the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery. Operated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the hatchery is the state's only resource for the culture of trout. Some were ready for release when we visited. In these photos, Kate (below) enjoys feeding the fish and feeding quarters to the fish-food machine. |  |
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| Sunday morning, we drove to Chau Ram Park, only a short distance from the farmhouse. It exceeded our expectations. We parked near a waterfall and watched as a family enjoyed the water. Being such a steep slope (below left), we decided to walk and see more. We were rewarded with a bridge overview of the river and several trails to choose from after crossing a suspension bridge over another section of the water. We chose the orange trail, which runs along the water and is nearly a mile in total length. The rock outcrops reminded me of my childhood home and playtime on the rocks. | |
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| Near the suspension bridge was a small beach (right) being enjoyed by two families. Kate had such fun playing with the other girls in the sand and in the water (below). |
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Behind the beach, we spotted several large sourwood trees. Bill captured a nice shot of one of them (left). We made lunch when we returned to the farmhouse and packed for home. |
On the way home, we stopped in Athens, Georgia, and checked in at a downtown hotel, and walked across the street to dine at an Indian restaurant. Kate told us exactly what she was having—chana misala! It was a most delicious meal and more than I could eat. Elizabeth had made plans to see an Athens friend Monday morning for breakfast so we said an early goodbye. Kate was so excited to visit with us one more time, as shown here with her craddled in my arms. Precious memories. |
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