Back from more Georgia Traveling

Jekyll Island (photo)

It is wonderful living in the South, especially now that it is getting a bit cooler. Over the last four weeks Kenn and I have been blessed with two four-day excursions within our state of Georgia. Two weeks ago we drove two hours from Atlanta to the North Georgia mountains to stay in a cabin just outside the town of Blairsville. Flea markets abound there and I found some good treasures, most of which will be painted. I began a painting of the cabin we stayed in to give to the owners but am still working to finish it––thus no painting posts to date.

With only one weekend to regroup we went on a ( 4 day ) weekend trip this time to South Georgia. It was three hours down to Fitzgerald, farm country, and then east to the Golden Isles ( 4 and a half hours from Atlanta to the Golden Isles ). We stopped to pick a sprig of cotton on the way to Fitzgerald to check out a dog breeder and to visit Kenn's high school friend. Dan is the guy who sent me the red corn which I painted earlier and I finally got to taste those fabulous grits he grinds from his special red Arkansas corn––they were absolutely the best thing I've had in a very long time! What a difference they are from store bought grits! I'm going to have to paint up a bowl so you non-southerners can see what grits look like. We spent the day and night on Dan's "farm" and enjoyed heavenly barbeque pork that he had smoked overnight and into the next day until dinner. He makes his own charcoal! We enjoyed his horses, his hunting dogs, his wonderful family and the food as well!

The next day we set off to the Historic town of Brunswick, Ga. There we roamed the oak lined streets of the quaint downtown area, moss hanging from the hundred year old trees. We spent time on Jekyll Island and St Simon's Island, each only a twenty minute drive from Brunswick. The town of Brunswick and the two area islands each have a different atmosphere, culture and way of life. It is unusual that an area has such a variety of things to do within a short distance. There is tourist business there but you don't get the sense that the population as a whole is depending on that. The townfolk and islanders are just regular people living a wonderful lifestyle near the coast. The pace is much slower and relaxed, the people friendly and happy in this low country. Of course I took many photos, some of which I may paint and also review often as wish I

was there again. I know that we will be taking many more trips to this beautiful part of Georgia. I'm sharing a few of the shots so you can see a bit of the South. ( St. Simon's Beach, cafe in Brunswick, sunset from marina on Jekyll Island and view from Spanky's restaurant deck as we ate lunch)