Leelersinc: Anniversary Trip to Helen, GA

I ordered myself a birthday present. Two new books that I really wanted, one that is now available, and one that won't be available until August, are expected to arrive Aug. 17- the day before my birthday! I really wanted both, but I couldn't get free shipping unless I spent $25, which would be buying them both. So I ordered them hoping the one would come right away and the other one when it's available, but it said they'd come in one package by Aug. 17. Oh well, I am excited for them to come! They are Ana Paula Rimoli's crochet book and Amanda Blake Soule's Handmade Home book.

There is an interesting movie I heard about, seems to be big in MN- Fresh, all about the food we eat. I'd like to see it, but looks like I'd have to buy it or go to another state. They said there were a bunch of other food movies coming out soon too.

I am going to post some pictures of our trip! For our 4th anniversary we went to Helen, GA. It's a little tourist town in the Blue Ridge Mountains made to look like a European town in the Alps. First, we stayed at Lucille's Mountaintop Bed and Breakfast, which was really nice. Turns out Lucille, the lady who owns it, is from Bethlehem, PA! Weird! She went to Moravian College.

Views from the porch at the bed and breakfast.

Watching the sunset from the porch.

The view from our bathroom window.

Our first night we ate at The Vines restaurant. At our hotel we saw a menu and I really wanted the vegetable lasagna. When we got there the menu was different and they didn't have that.. so I tried the eggplant parmesan for the first time. It was pretty good! Then we went to the Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen and got some jelly bellies.

The next day we went to a soap store. The B&B had handmade soaps from a local place called Greenstone Soap Company. They are made with natural materials and essential oils. We bought a few small things.

Then we went to a coffeeshop called Sweetwater Coffeehouse. They have fairtrade items and I bought a bag that was handmade in Ghana, Africa (where Joel has been) for a company called Global Mamas. They help support women in Ghana. My bag was made by someone named Esther and Eli-Emma! It's cool to see pictures of the women who made the bag I am using!

Then we went miniature golfing! We realized we had never been miniature golfing together. We had fun and Joel wanted to do it again, but neither of us got a hole-in-one when we could've gotten a free game. I got a hole-in-one on another hole! We ended up tying in the the end!

Then we visited some shops. We went to The Glass Blowing Shop. The day we left, Joel was watering the garden and a hummingbird came to explore. While we were on the porch of our B&B in Helen we saw some hummingbirds. We decided to get a hummingbird feeder when we got home. Well, we liked the ones in the glass shop so we got one there. We already filled it up and hung it outside. I hope we get some visitors!

Then we walked around some more and visited a store called Scandinavian and European Import Company. They had all kids of little things from Europe. I bought a Dala horse and a little straw ornament. I saw a mug that I got from Grandma! There were a lot of neat things to get.

We didn't go on a horse and carriage ride this time. We did that for our honeymoon in Savannah, but not here. But we did go to the Live Tarantulas Gallery!! We watched a video all about tarantulas and spiders. Ick! Tarantulas are not really dangerous to humans, but other spiders are like the banana spider and the black widow. Here are some live spider pictures:

This last one is the Goliath Birdeating spider. It's the biggest spider and can get to be as big as a dinner plate. Sick!! They also had a scorpion, some lizards and iguanas, and a huge albino snake.

After that we went to Dahlonega. We were going to pan for gold, but it was getting late and we wanted to be home earlier. So we ate at a yummy restaurant (I had vegetable lasagna) and then went home. As we were leaving Dahlonega I noticed that our gas light was on. I remembered that we were low on gas coming to Helen and we drove a bit since then. We had no idea how long the light had been on but Joel said we better turn around because the next gas station would be in our hometown! So we did. Joel put it in neutral every chance he got and we turned off the air conditioning. We made it safely to the gas station!

When we got home, the cats were lonely, but we saw my yarn all over the living room, dining room, and bedroom! And the project I was working on was under the table! Eustace!!!

We made some sugar water and hung up the hummingbird feeder.

And, while I was watering the watermelons and Joel was watering the ivy behind the house, a black widow spider crawled out!! I called for Joel and he came over. We watched it for a while and brought it to the pavement with the watering can, and then Joel killed it. We just watched a video about spiders and how black widows are one of the dangerous kinds and then I found one! That was the closest I ever was to one.