Raven Cliff Falls

This weekend we had a quick visit from a friend in MN. Eric's best friend from his home town hoped on a plane on Friday to come and see us. We spent Saturday driving up to N. Georgia to go on a hike recommended by our friends Michelle & Kelly. We drove up through Helen and decided to grab lunch there before we hit the trail. (Helen is an experience in its own if you have never been there.)

At about 2:00 we hit the trails ready to go. The hike to the falls is 2.5 miles and is a small steady climb, nothing too difficult. We got to follow the river the whole way and there were many small falls along the way. We took the time to catch up with Gabe and enjoy the nice cool weather....it was perfect for hiking!

Gabe & Eric

Gabe trying to push over a dead tree.... Eric and Gabe are two peas in a pod when it comes to dead trees.

Me & Eric

The cliff at the big falls was amazing. Pictures can not show how big this rock is. The river flows right through the rock.... it was absolutely amazing to see!

Gabe & Eric decided to stick their feet in....it was VERY cold!

Gabe, me & Eric

Eric & Me

Catching up

Well it has been too long since I have blogged. Not a whole lot has been blog worthy so I will catch you up quickly. It seems like the trees around Athens have sprouted leaves overnight and all the things that were blooming no longer are. Last weekend I took some pictures of our house while our azaleas were in full bloom and this weekend they are gone.

 Last weekend I also took some time to walk around the botanical gardens to take some last min. pictures of Spring blooms. The Dogwoods and Tulips are no longer around most places but I was able to snag a few pics of what was remaining at the Gardens. I also spotted a few Geckos while walking around. We have had a lot of these guys around our house this year.

Eric and I are still in limbo as we try and figure out what our next step is in our lives. We are waiting for job opportunities in MN and hoping that something comes soon. We would love to go back to MN when the weather is getting nice there!

We had a visitor this weekend from MN but I will blog about that in a few days. Until then, I hope you had a great weekend!

Update!

Here are a few updates from previous posts.....

- Eric passes his prospectus defense! Now he is officially ABD (all but dissertation) and on the job market!!
- Peter Pan was AMAZING! We loved it!!


A few months ago I blogged about changes and that my health was something I wanted to change (for the better!) and I wanted to happily report that I:
- have been eating better
- have not consumed any soda for 3 months
- have been working out at least 4 times a week
- have lost 11 pounds!!!
- and I have been consistently been going to the allergist twice a week for my shots

A List

I am excited for a lot of things right now so I figured I should make a list!

1. The REI dividends are here!! We have some $$ to spend at REI and I cant wait!
2. The weather is getting warm and I hope to spend some time on the canoe this weekend!
3. Eric is defending his prospectus on the 25th....this is the last step he has to complete before writing his dissertation!
4. We are going to see Peter Pan! It is a very cool 360 degree performance... check out the website to see. It is our birthday present to ourselves :)
5. We are planing a camping/canoe trip over the Easter weekend to Devils Fork State Park
6. The dogwood trees are starting to bloom!

Around Athens: UGA's North Campus

Athens has a lot of great places to spend a warm sunny day outside. One of our favorite places to hang out is the Founders Garden on UGAs North Campus. The garden was built in 1946 by the Garden Club of Georgia. It is beautiful year round with its great landscaping. This time of year, there are a few things blooming... lenten roses, camillias, daffodils, and hyacinth. Eric and I spent Saturday afternoon enjoying the nice warm weather in Athens. I took a few pictures of the garden to entice you into visiting. It is a great place for a walk, studying, or having a picnic lunch!

 

All over North Campus there are smaller gardens like the Founders Garden.  We enjoy walking around the smaller gardens, admiring the architecture and landscaping. Here are some more pictures of around North Campus.... complete with a picture of the Arches.

Bradford Pear Trees

Bradford Pear Trees are very common in GA. They line a lot of streets in Athens (including one right by my house, as seen above) and are always perfectly shaped. I love this time of year when they are all blooming. I think they look like beautiful white clouds or snow covered trees. Unfortunately they do not produce edible fruit AND they don't smell very good. I am not sure why but they kind of stink. Here are some pictures so you can discover the beauty of the Bradford Pear without having to smell it :)