[LadyX]

Greetings to everyone!!

What a wonderful job you've done, covering so diverse a state, Aqua!
Sorry I had to be away today; but perhaps not, in view of what seems to have been a major access problem..|:>(

I touch the eastern fringe of Georgia frequently, going to Augusta, 40 miles to the west. Love to cross the Savannah River, dividing Georgia from South Carolina, 'seeing' the old days of glory when it was the major source of moving commerce between the coast and the northern part. Imagine all the goods that went up and down it on ships, railroads and rivers the lifelines for the residents! No cars and trucks and airplanes in those days, horses (or mules) and wagons the "U-Hauls"..:))

Saw a lot of Savannah in the days when I was stationed at Parris Island, many a time going there to have dinner and shop. Love St. Simons and Jekyll Islands...
As a lover of history, the state is full of it.

In addition to airline flights going through Hotlanta and 'drivebys,' in 1972 I was fortunate to go there for three days of training in the old Hefty Expense Accounts for Sears Days.

Our Southern Region Managers squired us around to the sights and great restaurants each night, and took us to the "Old"(before it was rebuilt) Underground area where Gone With The Wind filmed the famous hospital scene with the wounded sprawled all over.

My favorite restaurant was the Aunt Pitty Pat's Porch Buffet! Still groan, thinking of all I consumed. We ended that night going to the top of the hotel with the revolving restaurant...great view.

Would love to see the area where you live, Aqua, although I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina often when I lived there, and am sure it is about the same. Went once to Franklin and environs, amd panned for gems..:))

Hey! Now that I think of it, from that high point where you can look over into Georgia, you probably were one of those tiny specks I saw!!
(I should have waved - LOL)

[Aquamarine]

Enjoyed reliving your memories of the South through you're writing.
Have to tell you though, that the Blue Ridge Mtns. in North Carolina are not the same as here, I've seen the difference. The Blue Ridge Mtns. in NC are more majestic than Georgia BUT the sun cast a special southern light on this part of the Blue Ridge. It's true, the sky brightens up when you get to Georgia. You just have to see it to understand it.

[Aquamarine]

Meant to tell you that I wish you would come see these mountains. You would like it and I would love showing you around.

[eddie willers]

Since I checked your profile page I see that you are -ahem- of age enough to might have visited these two places.

Since you mentioned Sears, do you remember the GREAT BIG store on Ponce de Leon Avenue? If so, that was right across the street from the Cracker's Ball Park I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread.

My favorite restaurant was the Aunt Pitty Pat's Porch Buffet!

My favorite restaurant was up in Smyrna....Aunt Fanny's Cabin.

Wonderful down home Southern cooking but would be horribly Politically Incorrect today.

It was built from a ramshackle old slave cabin (Fanny's, of course) and the menu was presented by young black boys with chalk sandwich boards dangling from their necks with the days specials written thereupon. They would sing-song the offerings and, of course, always recommend we try the "Gen-u-ine Smithfield Ham".

Large, church-going dressed black women would walk around from table to table singing gospels and spirituals as you sat before huge bowls of squash and mashed potatoes with their serving spoons sticking out and plates of cornbread and butter.

"Help yourself and eat up".....Yum, yum!