New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite times of the year. Since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with one year turning into a new one. Seems magical at midnight with the whole world counting down and your calendars changing. A couple of years ago, we bought a new house. I wanted to bless it in every way possible in the new year. And, 2019 turned out miles better than 2020! I found my pictures and post from that year and have added a new goal to the list. The last on the list involves grapes, however, we won’t be doing those this time since I’m not going out to one more grocery store this week. We’ll do it next year. Celebrations may be smaller in 2020 but you can have fun at home with these simple traditions for New Year’s Eve. Travel In many Latin American countries, New…
Queen Elizabeth the Second spoke of spreading kindness amongst all nations and people being the light in the world. This year has been one of incredible loss and distance from loved ones yet it has brought everyone together in a united way. We’ve experienced an event that has affected the world and in many ways tied us together. May we continue to be the light in each other’s worlds and remember kindness and compassion as we move towards a better 2021. https://youtu.be/uSftQu9rnBA
Searching for activities during a world-wide pandemic for your family to do isn’t an easy task. We’re all looking for fresh air with outdoor exploration to get us out of our houses. We’d visited Build an Ark Animal Rescue in Ellijay, Georgia, for the first time last fall, and on Sunday, we decided to drive up from Atlanta to see the animals again. It’s a large property so being outdoors and wearing masks when necessary wasn’t that hard to do. Susan Littlejohn founded the rescue in 1993 in Rome, Georgia, later moving to the mountains of Ellijay. Photo Credit: Build an Ark Animal Rescue [envira-gallery id=’5456′] [envira-gallery id=’5459′] You can walk around the property to visit with the animals in their enclosures and some like Bella the pig roam freely. Tom fed Bella who’s a pot bellied pig who much prefers fruit over veggies. She allowed me to pet her…
Eating in Chattanooga is a treat if you know where to go. We’ve got our favorite places, but we like discovering new ones. We enjoy passing along our recommendations. Like anything, you might get a hit or a miss with dining. Fortunately on this road trip we found all winners. We’re going to go in chronological order of the recent Saturday and Sunday we spent in town. This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, Poe in Wonderland will earn a small commission for the referral at no cost to you. Champ’s World Famous Fried Chicken on E.. Martin Luther King Blvd. Champy’s is a treat, especially if chicken is your thing. Their delicious fried chicken is made from scratch and savory with their Champ’s sauce and great sides. All of their dishes are made from scratch. We know people who live in Atlanta…
One thing I was delighted to find out when I first visited the Poe Museum in Richmond was the fact that 2 black cats live there. They were born right behind the Poe bust in the shrine. How perfect is that scenario? The mama and siblings have long gone to homes, but Edgar and Pluto live at the museum and greet visitors daily in the shop or in the Enchanted Garden. I have not been lucky enough to meet them but really hope to one day. Edgar Allan Poe had a beloved tortoiseshell cat named Catterina. Our family loves cats, and I love Poe so kismet. https://youtu.be/MnP1lO38t1g Photo Credits: Chris Semtner and the Poe Museum From the Poe Museum Website: “In honor of Poe’s love of cats, the Poe Museum cares for two delightful black felines named Edgar and Pluto—the latter named after the cat in Poe’s story “The Black…
This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. Recently, my husband, John, and I enjoyed a weekend at the historic Read House Hotel in Chattanooga, TN. Located at the intersection of Broad Street and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard it is a luxury hotel styled in a 1920’s modern design. Gorgeous inside and out with detailed décor it often serves as an event destination in addition to welcoming guests. It’s ideally located within walking distance to key sites around downtown. You can walk to the aquarium, children’s museum, restaurants, the Walnut Street Bridge, and the Bluff View Art District. Bluff view has several galleries, inns, river views, and dining establishments. Where Read House stands now a hotel property has stood for 171 years. Originally, the Crutchfield House was on the property until it burned down…
Off of highway 78 not far from Stone Mountain Park in Georgia, you’ll find a wonderful place for orphaned animals as well ones who cannot be released into the wild. Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary sits along the Yellow River and was once know as the Yellow River Game Ranch from 1962 – 2013. Col. Art Rilling opened the YRGR to give injured and orphaned animals a home and to offer people a chance to interact with deer, goats, rabbits, and more. He sold the ranch to employees in 2013. They ran it until they eventually closed their doors. Along came the Ordway family who have a passion for animals and worked to turn the ranch into a sanctuary as well as a means to educate the public about the residents. The sanctuary kept some of the former animals and added new ones. Tom, Jack, and I visited the venue earlier…
The boys and I went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a quick day trip. It’s only about two hours from Atlanta so easy to drive to and back home. I was dying to go walk the Walnut Street Bridge since it’s one of my favorites and I knew there probably wouldn’t be a lot of people so maintaining social distance wouldn’t be as difficult; timed it the Monday after a holiday weekend. The bridge is usually crowded, but with the pandemic, much less. When we arrived, there were probably 20 people on it and everyone was good about masks and keeping their distances. The view even on an overcast summer day was beautiful. Strange not to see all of the power boats, however, it was enjoyable to see the paddle boaters, kayakers, and few small fishing boats. This time in the world has certainly changed things. You’d normally see a lot…
When we opened our email announcing the reopening of Richmond’s Poe Museum, we learned about a new initiative growing in the city. Mending Walls is a public art project seeking to spark conversation and healing in communities and let the world know that Black Lives Matter. We hope you’ll look them up, and if you have a business, consider allowing them to share their art on your walls. The information below is pulled directly from their website and the Poe Museum’s post. Photo Credit: Mending Walls The Mission Mending Walls is a public art project that brings together public artists from different cultures and backgrounds to create murals that address where we are now in society and how we can move forward through understanding and collaboration. Mending Walls pairs up artists of different backgrounds to create unique connections and give them an opportunity to tell their story collaboratively in an…
I was searching for a way to add to the world-wide cultural tsunami happening in real time. George Floyd’s death was horrific and did not need to happen. The lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, and many more should not have ended. Black Lives DO Matter. Mothers and fathers around the world give birth or adopt babies with the utmost love and desire for them to succeed and not be a statistic. I am supporting Black Lives Matter. I do support police who make a difference – the ones who want to help people and make positive change in communities. I AM against systemic racism wherever it exists, most especially within policing and the court system. I don’t know the answers. I wish I did. I am listening. I am observing. My husband and I are having clear conversations with our teens. We want them to see everything…