in my mind i'm going to carolina

wow! this week has been back to reality and not much time for collecting my thoughts. As promised i take you once again to some highlights from our recent retreat to north carolina.

labor day we scurried over to clemson, sc to get our fsu hiney’s kicked by tommy bowden's tigers. of course that wasn’t what we anticipated but it is disappointingly how the night turned out. if there is any consolation in losing a football game (and hubby would say there isn’t- although he agrees with my next statement) the clemson fans might prove to be the nicest people on the planet. driving back to “our mountain retreat” that night at 1:00 in the morning made it a very looooong day. the kind when you can only dream of how good it will feel to have a shower again. but being the party people we are, we managed. HA!

father and son - can you tell?

j & e left to get back to their home in tallahassee the next day. it was right about then that hubby and i looked at each other and said practically in unison, “now why were we going to leave here and drive to apalachicola before going to the fsu home game-opener in tallahassee on saturday?” the time frame was too tight & we were happy as two peas in a pod to be in the mountains so why should we leave earlier than we must? with that settled, we canceled our previous ideas about spending two days in apalachicola. however, we determined to make it happen another weekend.

Anyone else have a crush on charming restaurants even if the food is less than perfect? the lakeside restaurant in highlands is just such a place although i deem the fare very good on every occasion we’ve been. for the record, hubby is not as persuaded as me. we arrived a little early for our reservation so i was out to get some snaps of the landscape. just to the side of this quaintly restored house-turned-restaurant is an arbor made of natural branches with a whimsical fish as its topper.

some of the locals

(note: you can click on the photo to zoom in on the butterflies)

i emerged from underneath and down a short path to a small flower garden overlooking the lake where a lone guest table sits tucked among some ironweed so full of butterflies i couldn’t count the number or the species seemingly magnetized to those flowers. feeling a little shy to disturb the romantic dinner a couple was having at said table i hurriedly got some photos but as you can see, sadly none are spectacular.

there are only 11 tables inside all with views to the lake and small garden. the chef actually comes out of the kitchen and chit chats with the patrons to be sure all are happy with what he has served. he offers a limited menu in order to keep every choice fresh. it was an extra-special night for us since we were celebrating our anniversary.

my next post will highlight a hike up whiteside mountain and our visit to the waterfalls.

then i really must get back to some gardening after all.