Walking the Fence Line - Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

A beautiful day to walk at one of the prettiest Historic sites in Georgia. Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation near Brunswick. We walked along this fence line surrounded by large old oak trees. This is an example of a common post and wire field fence and a four board, black painted wood fence.

To see more of Hofwyl-Broadfielf Plantation click here.

You can see other fences at Good Fences.

Walk and Eat - Tupelo Honey Cafe, Chattanooga, Tennessee

There's nothing like being slightly lost and very hungry in a strange city. As we wandered around trying to get our bearings we found ourselves in Warehouse Row. It looked like an interesting place so when we spotted Tupelo Honey Cafe we thought we'd give it a try. 

We didn't know it when we went in but Tupelo Honey Cafe is a chain with  several restaurants in the Southeast. According to their website the food is described as "New South Flavors" and goes on to say they serve "traditional Southern fare that is creative, inventive and satisfying scrumptious". 

Even though it was the lunch hour and they were pretty busy we were seated quickly. The waitress was friendly and brought our drink out along with warm biscuits and blueberry jam. I'm not overly fond of biscuits but these were good. Brown and crunchy on the outside and not too doughy on the inside. The blueberry jam was perfection! Tasted just like the jam I make every year. 

The menu was full of Southern things like shrimp and grits, Southern buttermilk fried chicken breast, beef and bacon meatloaf, Carolina mountain trout and Charleston Chicken Sandwich. Everything sounded so good it took a while to look over the menu.

 I opted for the Tupelo Farm Fresh Burger. I'm a sucker for a good burger so I just had to try it out. Especially when the menu said the meat was pasture raised, fresh never frozen, Black Angus beef.

The burger was big and juicy and cooked just right. Lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and even with the Chef's special sauce I had to have my burger with mayo. This is the south y'all.

I opted for the Kale and Carrot Salad as my side which was surprising good. I was hesitant to order this at first because kale can be tough but I was trying to be good and add a little healthy green to my meal. It was actually pretty tender and tasty. 

Nancy ordered the Grateful Dead Black Bean Burger which she said was very good. I didn't get a taste of her burger but I did
sneak a few fries and they were mighty tasty. 

We had a nice experience at the Tupelo Honey Cafe. The food was good, the wait staff friendly and the restaurant was bright and welcoming. Lunch for one with water to drink was right at $13 not including the tip. A little pricey for a burger but I felt it was well worth it.

BTW...

Tupelo Honey

Did you know that Tupelo honey comes from bees that feast on the White Ogeechee Tupelo trees that grow in the swampy areas of Southern Georgia and NW Florida? To be labeled Tupelo the honey only has to have a floral content of 51% but the real stuff can be as high as 95%.

To try the real stuff you have to head to the swamps along the Apalachicola River valley in NW Florida. This area produces the purest Tupelo honey. You can even  attend The Tupelo Honey Festival which is held in Wewahitchka, Florida, (Just call the town Wewa like the locals) The festival is held annually on the 3rd Saturday in May. 

Walking Travels - Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, Brunswick, Georgia

Being from the south I've always know that cotton was a major crop and a staple of many Southern plantations before the Civil war. Even today cotton fields are abundant along the highways as you travel the roads in Georgia. I was very surprised to learn that another crop was grown in the low country of the south and that was rice. It shouldn't be a surprise considering how low and wet landscape of the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina. 

Recently we took a weekend trip to south Georgia and visited a place where rice once was the main crop produced. Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is a Georgia State Historic site located between Brunswick and Darien on US Highway 17. The plantation is located on the south bank of the Altamaha River. 

The historic site is a wonderful place to walk. Huge old oak trees are abundant and offer not only beauty but a welcome shady spot to walk. 

Beware! When you're so close to the river and marsh areas you may encounter yellow flies. If you've never seen one they are BIG and yellow and they bite!

Unfortunately the yellow flies were out in full force. We'd left the insect spray in the car but I had one travel size OFF wipe that Nancy and I divided which helped but you couldn't stop for too long so it was a pretty quick walk!

The plantation remained in the same family from 1804 until 1973 when the final survivor, Ophelia Troup Dent, died. Ophelia left the home and surrounding land to the Georgia Historical Commission.

We took a guided toured the home. It is a lovely example of Federal architecture and the house retains much of the original furniture. 

Click here to read the history of Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation.

5556 U.S. Hwy. 17 NorthBrunswick, GA 31525 

912-264-7333 

Lace up and take a walk into history!

Lunch at the Mud Cat Charlies - Brunswick, Georgia

We spent the morning with Nancy and Charlie Geocaching at Hofwyl Plantation near Brunswick, Georgia. Worked up an appetite so we asked the lady at the park office to recommend a place to eat. 

She sent us down the road to Mud Cat Charlies.

Mud Cat Charlies is located at the Two Way Marina and Fish Camp on the beautiful Altamaha River. 

We sat on the back porch that looks out over the river. The porch has a/c but if that isn't important to you there is seating on the covered dock area.

Mud Cat Charlies is obviously a great place to get seafood and the platters of fried shrimp made my mouth drool as they were carried past our table. But alas my days of eating shrimp are over due to an ever increasing allergic reaction. I loved the fact that I could enjoy the atmosphere of this place while looking out over the river and still find something on the menu I can eat. Not just shrimp, crab and fish but burgers and chicken. Something for every taste.

I decided to try the burger and onion rings.

My burger was really good. According to the menu they grind the meat fresh daily. That's probably true because it was tasty. The meat was flavorful, juicy and cook just the was I like it. Pink on the inside and charred on the outside. 

John had the blackened crab cake. He said it was good but I didn't sample it so I can't vouch for it but I'll take his word...

The Naked Slaw

 The slaw was just a bowl of shredded cabbage with the dressing on the side. I've never had slaw served this way but it was very tasty. The cabbage retained it crunchiness and the dressing was a little like Thousand Island.

Mud Cat Charlies is very casual you won't have to dress up to eat here. Most of the entrees came out in a paper lined basket but that was OK with me. 

Even though the place was crowded we were seated promptly. The wait staff was friendly and attentive and our food came out quickly. Great food and fast service. You can't ask for much more than that.

Driftwood Bistro - Jekyll Island Georgia

This marked my fourth visit to Driftwood Bistro located in the Villas by the Sea on Jekyll Island. My first three times eating here was during a girls getaway back in February. I've raved on and on about how good it was and I've been wanting to come back again. Since John and I  spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach with his sister and brother-in-law we decided to end our stay with dinner and see if it was as good as I remembered. (hint: It was)

We arrived promptly when they opened at 5pm and we were seated right away. As soon as we sat down our waitress brought water without being asked and she explained the wine list. You can order a bottle of house for $10.00 and if you don't drink it all they'll pack it up to go. We ordered a bottle of Riesling. I'm no wine expert but it was pretty tasty.

We started off with a basket of Smashed Okra that was smashed (of course) dredged in corn meal and deep fried. It was good mainly because it didn't taste like okra:-) Crispy but not greasy. 

We also ordered wings. I didn't have any and by the time I thought to take a picture the guys had finished them off. They must have been good.

The menu is pretty diverse to suit most any taste including shrimp, crab cakes, flounder, catfish, pork loin, pot roast,chicken fillet and even meatloaf.  The shrimp, fish and chicken can be ordered grilled, deep fried or blackened and you can choose a regular or a petite portion. They also serve hamburgers and sandwiches.

I ordered the pork tenderloin with sweet potato casserole and collard greens.

The sweet potatoes were a tad bit sweet for me but it was still good and the collards were perfectly cooked with bits of garlic. This is a petite portion.

John had the fried catfish with sweet potato casserole and squash casserole. I had the squash on a previous visit and it was one of my favorite dishes. 

This is a petite portion.

Our dining companions ordered the crab cakes, Yankee pot roast and the meat loaf. All got rave reviews.

And of course we indulged in dessert...

Peach cobbler a la mode topped with real whipped cream. The ice cream was to die for. Smooth and creamy - just like homemade.

Bread pudding topped with real whipped cream, I'm not a bread pudding fan but John said it was good. There was a layer of custard on the bottom then the bread all baked together. 

And a really big cup of coffee to finish off the night.

The Driftwood Bistro is a family friendly place with a comfortable atmosphere. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive and the prices were very reasonable. One bottle of wine, two appetizers, five dinners, three desserts and coffee for $101.00 not including tip. That's pretty good for feeding five people. 

Verdict? I'll still be raving about this place and looking forward to my next visit. 

The Driftwood Bistro is only open for dinner Monday through Saturday. 

You can check out the menu here.

Go and enjoy a wonderful meal and finish it off with a walk by following the signs in the parking lot to the Driftwood Beach 

Wednesday Walking 1

This is where I share the favorite place I walked this past week.

Favorite Place

Beach walk at Jekyll Island, Georgia

You can read about my Girls Retreat to Jekyll Island at this post.

It was cold and windy but compared to our neighbors up north we had nothing to complain about! I loved that the beach was almost deserted. So peaceful.

Where will you walk this week?

Girl's Retreat to Jekyll Island, Georgia

John and I went our separate ways this week but that's not a bad thing.

He went to the Florida Keys for the annual Winter Star Party and I went on a girls retreat to Jekyll Island, Georgia. While John was looking at the stars in the night sky with fellow astronomers I was walking the beach and having some girl time with my friends Trina and Renee. 

We stayed at the Villas by the Sea on Jekyll Island.The three bedroom villa was situated by the ocean and surrounded by a stand of  trees.  Beautiful surroundings, sandy beach, clean, uncluttered rooms, and the only person I had to worry about feeding was me! Perfect get away.

Walking and Eating 

Two of My Favorite Pastimes!

Our villa was near Driftwood Beach. A beautiful beach with a stand of trees that have been turned into driftwood graveyard by the incoming tides. It's actually rated one of the most romantic beaches and many people get married here. Unfortunately the romance is short lived when you realize that the stand of trees has been killed off due to erosion. The Jekyll Authority is doing what it can to stem the erosion by adding rocks to the beach to keep the existing live tree line in tact. Even though Villas by the Sea is 50 feet from the beach it isn't consider ocean view because of the natural trees that form a barrier between the buildings and the beach. 

That's OK. I don't need to sit on my balcony and see the ocean. I'd rather be walking the beach and get an up close view.

Views of Driftwood Beach

A view from the north end of the island. We're heading towards that small bridge on this walk.

Walk to Eat, Eat to Walk!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I love to eat! I guess it's a good thing I also love to walk.

While staying at the Villas by the Sea we ate every night at the Driftwood Bistro.( I think this is the first time I've eaten out that I didn't take a picture of my food!) So no pictures to show but you can check out the link below and see the menu. 

Trina, Renee and I all had different entrees and we didn't have one thing that wasn't perfectly cooked and super tasty. 

I enjoyed the Yankee Pot Roast, Grill Chicken Tenderloin, and the Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin. My favorite side was the collard greens but the squash casserole, sweet potato casserole and the green beans were mighty tasty. The veggies tasted fresh not like anything came out of a can or frozen. 

Renee had the fried green tomatoes and after she raved about them I almost placed an order. But I didn't so I know we'll be making another trip to eat here soon. I'm glad it's only an hours drive from my house.

And should I mention the dessert? Of course! The Georgia Bourbon Peach Cobbler was superb. Just the right ratio of peaches to crust. I had mine Ala-mode. I love it when you can see the specks of vanilla bean in the ice cream  and oh yea - the whipped cream was real whipped cream. Not that fake stuff! I'd go back just for the dessert...

Villas by the Sea - Driftwood Bistro

Grab a a couple of friends and take a walk on the beach!

It's Getting Warmer! Kolomoki Mounds State Park

We're heading south and it's definitely getting warmer. Almost anything would be warmer than where we've been! We were at Cloudland Canyon State Park and at 14 degrees it was icy cold so 40 degrees was like a summer day...

Kolomoki Mounds State Park is located in Early county in southwestern Georgia. Not only are there 5 miles of hiking trails but also a great temple mound that stands 57 feet tall. The park itself is pretty flat but those 76 stair steps make quiet a climb to the top of that mound!

We practically had the whole park to ourselves. I guess it's still too cold for most people to be out but really once you get moving you warm up.

We found 6 Geocaches while visiting Kolomoki. I loved the creative containers and the fact that they were pretty easy to find. I don't like it when you have to do a little (sometimes a lot of) bushwacking to get to the cache. 

There was also a small cemetery located in the park. I love old cemeteries...Weird I know.

Take a walk and check out a State Park near you!

Hiking at Cloudland Canyon State Park Georgia

We originally were going to tent camp on this trip. I think it was wise that we swapped our tent for a hotel room...

Cloudland Canyon State Park has got to be one of the most beautiful parks in Georgia. I think it was even more beautiful because of the ice that was all around. Huge icicles hung from the side of the canyon wall and as the heat of the midday sun warmed them up they would come down with a loud crash. Fortunately we were walking the waterfall trail on the other side of the canyon in the shade. Wouldn't want one of those to come down on me!

Step carefully there's ice on the trail!

We took the waterfall trail which is a one mile trail with a series of 600 steps down to the bottom of the waterfall. Of course we had to take the same trail back UP!

The upper falls

The lower falls

This trail is part of the Canyon Climbers Club. If you walk the trails at Tallulah Gorge, Providence Canyon, Amicalola Falls and Cloudland Canyon and get your membership card punched you can win a tee-shirt! We didn't know about this club so we didn't get a card to punch. I guess we'll have to make another trip up here one day. 

Even though it was freezing we still enjoyed a nice walk. The key is to wear good hiking boots and socks, gloves, a hat that cover the ears (a must for me:-) and layers believe it or not you can get warm once you start moving. 

Don't forget your walking sticks. They come in handy on uneven, ice covered trails.

The park in on the edge of Lookout Mountain in the northwest corner of the state.

Bundle up and take a walk!

 I'm linking up with...

A Side Trip to Fort Mountain State Park

On our way to Chattanooga we took a side trip to Fort Mountain State Park. You know when see one of those signs on the interstate and it sounds interesting? Only when you get off and head in the direction you realize you have no idea how far it is? Well it was a good ways and we almost turned around but we persevered and I'm glad we did.

On the way up the mountain we stopped at a scenic pull off and ate lunch. PBJ and pretzels because we're saving money this year so we can travel more. While we were parked we realized there was a Geocache near by so of course we had to get out and find it.

(For info about Geocache check out this website Geocaching.)

The GPS coordinates will only get you close to a Geocache. 

You have to do a little searching to find it. Here's my man braving the cold!

Geocaches come in all sizes and types of containers. This is an extra small, magnetic Geocache container and only contains a small log to sign your name. 

COLD and WINDY!!!

Fort Mountain State Park is absolutely beautiful and well worth the extra miles. Even though it was freezing, cold and windy, we walked the trails. Once you get going it's not too bad.

The first trail we walked was the Stone Wall trail. This trails leads to the highest point on the mountain and believe me I was huffing and puffing to get up there! High altitude seems to suck the air right out of my lungs. Yes I'm a flatlander...

This rock wall is 855 feet long and somewhat of a mystery. It was probably built by early Native Americans as protection from hostile tribes. Pretty impressive.

On the way up to the stone wall

On top of the mountain. Path was very rocky...

From the  stone wall we continued on the Tower Trail. This leads to the fire tower that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp.

We backtracked to the parking lot and then up again to the overlook. Gorgeous views of the valley and surrounding mountains.

Boardwalk to the lookout platform

Doesn't it look like God painted those clouds?

On this side trip we were able to add four miles to our log for the year. Our goal for 2015 is to walk 600 miles together. 

Get off the interstate and you might find an interesting place to walk!

Beach Walk at Jekyll Island, Georgia

Jekyll Island is a Georgia State Park that boasts over 8 miles of beautiful, white sandy beaches. The island has many places to walk including the historic Millionaire Village once a vacation home to America's wealthiest families including the Vanderbilts, Rockefeller, Goodyear, and Pulitzer to name a few.

We started the day off at the Georgia Sea Turtle Museum where we joined an educational tour about alligators on Jekyll. This included a ride over the south beach and a walk to locate an alligator that had a tracking device. We were able to track this gator to a sewer pipe in the parking lot of a hotel. You never know what's right under your feet!

The highlight of the day was the long walk on the beach. There's nothing nicer than cooling your feet off in the ocean...

Take a walk and get your feet wet!