I’m post dating this series of entries about our stay in the mountains as I had issues with uploading from my iPad while at the cabin.
Friday, October 12
After months of anticipation, Rhoda and I are escaping Florida’s heat and humidity for the briskness of October in the Great Smokey Mountains of western North Carolina.
We stopped at two quilts shops (I know WHAT A SHOCK!!). The first was Sew Blessed in Hahira, GA. Rhoda is a huge Ray Stevens fans so our visit was not so much about quilting as paying homage to his “Shriners’ Convention” song. We were hesitant about the reality of stopping there as Hurricane Michael had devastated so much of that area two days previously and calls to the shop elicited only busy signals. However 20 miles out, I tried again and the shop was open so off we went to tour Hahira.
Sew Blessed is a small, neighborhood shop with friendly, courteous, interested-in-their-customers personnel. Wondering where we could lunch, we were directed “out the door to your left is The Church Café.” That recommendation was excellent. Their chicken salad is a treat I’ll have again. We sat with a couple from Valdosta who had driven over for lunch.
Next stop Birdhouse Quilts in Byron, GA. I’ve liked this shop since Letreze and I discovered it a couple of years ago. Rhoda like it and added to her list of future stops.
Final stop for the day before we checked into the Best Western in Mcdonough, was dinner at a Japanese Buffet. Good food, good price, clean restaurant. Even my fortune cookie was praise-worthy.
Saturday, October 13
The beds at the BW were so comfortable I overslept, jolting out of bed when Rhoda texted asking me where I was. Needless to say we missed out planned 8:30 on the road time, but all to the good. I got to try out the purple throne chair! Notice my smirk!!
We decided to dawdle through breakfast (well, mine, anyway) the check out A Scarlet Thread. That excellent quilt shop offered some great deals and Cookie (Karen Cook) who supplied us with a town-by-town list of quilt shops to visit on our way up to Murphy. Hurray for Southern Hospitality.
I don’t have the vocabulary to adequately comment on Saturday Atlanta traffic, especially as their DOT diminished 6 lanes to 2 within fewer than 6 miles!!!
We refreshed ourselves at Strings and Stitches in Ellijay, where we met the resident poodle and lovely woman who makes hand dyed yarns. Then we wandered up to Blue Ridge intending to shop a it more, but the Fall Festival limited parking, so we opted for lunch at Blue Smoke Barbeque. Where the food was divine. And we met two guys on the tri-cycles that even I thought looked fun to ride.
We arrived at Persimmon Creek on the dot of 4. Met Adam and Isaac, the groundskeepers who gave us a list of suggested activities to explore during our stay.
We made a quick Wal-Mart run for groceries, unpacked, and hit the sheets.
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