Food + Fellowship = Fun

Friends, family and a grill - a quick and easy camping outing.  Just a mile or so from the house, we set up a campsite where soybeans are juxtaposed to pecans.

John & Becky, and Jerry & Angie joined us with their campers.  Little did we know, we would be in for some booming surprises.

Three campers set up

Just after we had gotten the electrical cords situated and put the potatoes in the Dutch Oven to bake, something exploded.  Was it the potatoes?  Jerry checked.  Was it a breaker?  John checked.  We ladies sniffed around, seeking the source.  A battery.  Yikes!

John & Becky headed into town to get a replacement. Then, noises.  Did that battery explode again? Nope.  Truck trouble!  What a way to start a Saturday afternoon camping trip!

But all's well that ends well.  The battery got replaced and the truck got repaired, and the camping continued.

The warm afternoon sun and light breeze created flawless Fall weather.  The gentlemen grilled some Coca-Cola chicken on the Weber and baked potatoes in the Dutch Oven.

Those birds will be delicious in a little while.

The temperature dipped after nightfall, so we gathered close to the campfire, grateful for the warmth on this first cold experience of the season.  The clear night sky allowed for some stargazing.

Sunset

We toasted the arrival of Fall with marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey bars.

Camping close to home has its benefits.  The pianist among us made it to church on time to fulfill her responsibilities.  Gipper, Huck and Sara came for breakfast.

Jamie & I lingered late into the afternoon enjoying the outdoors, wishing we could have this kind of weather year-round.

Autumn at Hannahatchee

At the end of a dark, dusty, two mile trail, our headlights illuminated the locked gate.  Jamie retrieved the hidden key, located exactly where the caretaker told us it would be.

We continued along the half mile drive, moonlight making us aware that much of the treescape had changed from our previous visit here.

The time was just after 11:00 PM as we arrived at our weekend campsite.  Deserted. Alone in the wilderness. Far from civilization. So it seems.

Hannahatchee is our ideal, last minute getaway spot after a Blazer football game against Stewart County. No reservations needed. No neighbors to disturb.

Friday night sunset from the football field

A couple extra hours of sleep - no Saturday agenda to rush us.  I awoke to find he had set up our campsite with table and chairs, brewed the Maxwell House Original Roast, and started breakfast. I am blessed.

We set out after breakfast to explore: a walk around the square in Lumpkin, a desolate ride to Eufala for BBQ at Phil's, a brewery tour & tasting in Omaha, and gator rides across the rugged terrain of this Georgia gem.

In the woods at Hannahatchee

A view of the distance at Hannahatchee

This fella never cared that we were in his space.

Rugged terrain with some logging roads and comfortable autumn temperatures made for an adventurous afternoon

The tasting room at Omaha Brewing Company

Spent leaves in shades of gold and rust fluttered like Monarchs falling to the forest floor ahead of us.  This, along with the low humidity and light breeze, sang "autumn is here" at last. Music to our soul.

Speaking of butterflies, they were plentiful, but flittering hither and yon, they eluded my camera lens.

While our steaks grilled on the Weber, we marveled at the yellow, orange, and pink hues of this October sunset from what appears to be the highest elevation in this area.

The Weber and Kingsford in a bucket - prepping for a steak dinner

I love the colors of a sunset.

A weekend in the SolAire is always a welcome respite from the hustle of our weekday responsibilities.

Until next time . . . 

Uneventful Relaxation and a Second Blogspot

Our latest travel adventure was an uneventful, relaxing getaway to the lake.  I mentioned it on my In a Nutshell Baconton Blogspot.  I have begun jotting down a few thoughts on occasion about professional topics and my Attitude of Gratitude joy journey on that page.

If you're interested, skip over there to see what's been on my mind lately.

Here's a funny video for you.  Gipper begged for Jamie's attention while Jamie was mowing grass this week.  So, what did Jamie do?  Attach the trailer so Gipper could ride along.  I laugh every time I watch this.  Gipper brings me joy!