These days we are social distancing by staying home except to go to the store for supplies.
I grabbed my camera today to go outside in my yard in the glorious warm, sunny weather and capture a few of our first spring blooms. Enjoy!
First Day of Spring – Bee on MilkweedFirst Day of Spring – Monarch on MilkweedFirst Day of Spring -Pink AzaleasFirst Day of Spring -Pink AzaleasFirst Day of Spring -Dogwood BloomsFirst Day of Spring -Dogwood Tree
WordPress just reminded me that today is the 7th anniversary of the Wandering Dawgs blog. Thanks to all of you it’s been an amazing seven years.
I would not still be blogging if it wasn’t for you. I appreciate every one of you who follows the blog, reads the posts, likes a post, or leaves comments. You make it worth while to keep the blog going.
I’ve been going to water aerobics classes with a fabulous group of ladies (and a few men) for years. A few times a year we meet somewhere to enjoy a meal, conversation, and lots of laughs.
This week we met at Cohen’s Retreat in Savannah which was originally a retirement home for men. In 2012, new owners took over and transformed the space into a delightful restaurant with delicious food, a venue for special events, a gift shop, and rental cottages
As we walked through the front doors we knew we were in for a special treat when we saw the vintage ashtrays decorating the walls and a mantle lined with Old Spice bottles and shaving brushes. A wall with a family tree made from heirloom silverware was the focal point in the Perennial Room where we ate. Mounted on another wall of the room was an antique bicycle built for two.
What a fun place to have lunchFamily tree made of antique heirloom silverwareAntique bicycle built for two
Did I mention the food was delicious?
Good food and laughing with friends in a memorable setting made me smile this week.
For the past 40 years we have lived less than 30 minutes from Savannah’s beautiful historic district and until this week, we had never spent any time really touring the city. Last year our Christmas present to each other was tickets to see Willie Nelson in concert and a two night stay in a hotel where we could walk to the concert and be tourists for a couple of days.
The concert was the highlight of our getaway. Once Willie started playing his guitar you would have never known he is 86 years old. Opening the show with “Whiskey River” he played and sang for over an hour and a half. We loved every minute of it and so did everyone else in the audience.
Willie Nelson in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah has been featured in many movies, books, and television shows and is frequently listed as one of the most popular cities to visit in the United States. A popular way to see the city and learn a little of its history is to take a Trolley Tour
The day after the concert was our day to be tourists and do some things we’ve never done before. We started by enjoying a fantastic southern lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. We were seated family style at a table for 8 and enjoyed talking to the other guests while we enjoyed the wonderful food.
Next up was a tour with Old Town Trolley, one of several tour companies in the city. Our guide Lillie Belle was entertaining and we learned things about Savannah’s history we had never heard before. Here’s a little show with a few of the highlights from the tour.
Mrs Wilkes Dining RoomOld Town Trolley
The movie “Forrest Gump” began with him sitting on a bench at this location. The bench is now in a museum.General James Oglethorpe, founded the colony of Georgia on February 12, 1733Azaleas starting to bloom in SavannahProhibition MuseumSavannah City HallWaving Girl Statue (Florence Martus) beside the Savannah River in Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah hosted the Yachting events during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. The Savannah Olympic Cauldron is on River Street
Having a little get away in the middle of the week was a fun way to start off Valentine’s week. Tonight we’ll celebrate at home with grilled steaks and all the trimmings.
I fell in love with Camellias last year when I saw them blooming during my Adventure in Bonaventure.
I have an old Camellia in my yard that my next door neighbor passed on to me many years ago. I didn’t know what I was doing and just stuck it in the ground and hoped for the best. For years I would only get a few flowers each year. A few years ago it was covered with the white blooms in January and February. Seeing those blooms always make me smile.
White Camellia Bloom February 2020New bloomWhite Camellia
When the Camellia is blooming I like to have flowers all around the house.
I enjoy those winter blooms so much that I decided to plant some more Camellias. Last Friday I drove across town to visit a nursery that specializes in Camellias. I spent about an hour with the owner as he told me everything I needed to know about how to plant and care for them. He helped me select three bushes that should do well in my yard – a pink High Fragrance, a gorgeous white Sea Foam, and a red and white variegated Bobbie Fain.
It took me two days to decide exactly where I wanted to put them. Sunday afternoon before the Super Bowl I dug three holes and followed the instructions on how to plant my new plants. There are buds on each of them.
Bud on newly planted Bobbie Fain Variegated CamelliaHigh Fragrance next to the front stairs
It was a lot of work digging those three holes but it was worth it! Seeing the plants in their new home makes me happy.
We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips. This January I am highlighting our January, 2012 snowbird trip to Florida.
Part 5 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida
After enjoying our stay in Alafia State Park, we spent a few days in Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest before stopping at one of our all time favorite campgrounds on our way north. On this day eight years ago, January 30, 2012, we were camped at Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It was our last stop before going home.
We had camped there several times before but this stay at the park was quite different from our other visits. In 2011, a wildfire burned for days in the area and a lot of the woods were badly burned.
As we the drove the last few miles to the park entrance we were saddened to see the devastation caused by the 2011 wildfire.
Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp
The fire also destroyed part of the walkway through the nature trail.
Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp
We returned to the park several times after the fire and the area is recovering nicely. There are pictures from our 2018 visit at The Land of Trembling Earth.
It was great fun wandering around Florida that year. Except for a few cold days in the early part of the trip, most of the days were warm and sunny. We even had a few days when we could wear shorts!
We were gone for 36 days and went a total of about 3000 miles and have lots of good memories.
Wandering Dawgs 