Leaf Watch 2015

Fall is here and soon the North Georgia roads will be full of tourists enjoying the changing colors of the leaves.  Right now everything is green.  The peak season for fall colors in Georgia is late October and early November.

In anticipation of the changing colors, the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources has a site which help you plan your Autumn leaf watching trip.  It's called Leaf Watch 2015.  This site will monitor the changing of the leaves and provide updates on how the colors are progressing.  There are also suggestions on parks to visit and other information that will be useful in planning your trip.

Enjoy the fall colors.

Leaf Watch 2015:  http://www.georgiastateparks.org/leafwatch

Chatham County(3) - Savannah

Travel + Leisure Magazine recently released its list of the World's Friendliest Cities.  Savannah, Georgia's oldest city, is the only American city to make the top ten. Those of us in the South already know how great Savannah is.  It is nice to see our beautiful city recognized by the rest of the world.

Check out the rest of the list here.

Fulton County (101) - Margaret Mitchell House

Margaret Mitchell is best known as the author of Gone with the Wind.  While she was writing the novel, Ms. Mitchell lived in an apartment in this building located at 990 Peachtree St NE in Atlanta, GA.  Click here to learn more about Margaret Mitchell and the house.

The home is owned and operated by the Atlanta History Center.

Outside Magazine Best Towns 2015 Road Trip

Outside Magazine devised an interactive Best Towns 2015 Road Trip Map that connects all 64 towns from their recent Best Towns contest.  In Georgia the route takes you through the heart of the state and back along the coast.  Athens and Savannah are highlighted on the map.  Both towns were included in this year’s contest.  Since I live in Athens I totally agree that it’s one of the best towns in the country.  However, I don’t think of either cities when I think of outdoor activities.  If you want to experience both nature and a great town check out:

Blue Ridge (Fannin County) – This is an outdoor lover’s dream come true.  Hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and taking the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway are just some of the ways to enjoy the surrounding scenery.  Art galleries, specialty shops, and new restaurants help make Blue Ridge a town you must visit.

Waycross (Ware County) - Located at the northern tip of the Okefenokee Swamp, Waycross offers outdoor activities, historical sites, and festivals to appeal to all.  Of course, the Okefenokee Swamp is a must see destination, but Waycross has numerous music festivals including a festival to honor Gram Parsons, the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival which occurs this year

September 25^th -26^th.

  

St Marys (Camden County) - St Marys is called the “Gateway to Cumberland Island” but it’s much more than just a place to catch the ferry to the island.  The town is home to numerous historical buildings, scenic trails and waterfront parks, and several unique museums.  Check out the St Marys Submarine Museum and the Georgia Radio Museum & Hall of Fame. 

Columbia County (12) - Oliver Hardy in Harlem

Oliver Hardy was born in Harlem, GA on January 18, 1892. 
In 1927 he teamed with Stan Laurel to become one of the most famous comic duos in Hollywood.  There is a museum in Harlem dedicated to Laurel and Hardy.

Clarke County (25) University of Georgia Botanical Garden 1833-1856

Location:  Pope Street between Broad and Reese

Marker Text:

In 1833 Dr. Malthus Ward, Professor of Natural History, opened the University Botanical Garden at this location.  Covering the block bounded by Broad, Pope, Reese, and Finley, the four-acre garden was intended as a laboratory for learning and experimentation as well as a location of natural beauty. The promotion of the sciences, both in the classroom and through projects like the botanical garden, reflected a growing trend in higher education away from a strictly classics-based curriculum. Although the garden gained a national reputation and became one of Athens’ greatest attractions, loss of funding forced its closure in 1856. Funds from the sale of the garden property were used to erect the iron fence surrounding the campus and the Arch, a free-standing gate that has become the symbol of the University of Georgia.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Athens Historical Society.

Fulton County (101) - The Poetry of James Dickey

The Library of Congress has posted some of it's recordings to celebrate National Poetry Month.  My favorite is James Dickey who was born in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Mr. Dickey is most known for his novel Deliverance.  This recording is from April 22, 1960.  

Click here to hear James Dickey read his poems.

Click here to enjoy the rest of the recordings.