With the boat safely put up in St. Mary’s we decided to have a visit with GranMiri and Papa. We spent a week sleeping in the cabin, exploring waterfalls, visiting train exhibits and enjoying the very pleasant weather in the Georgia mountains.

Flowers in GranMiri and Papa's yard collage Everything was blooming in the yard!

GM and Audrey at Fairy Falls A fun outing to Fairy Falls, just outside of Taccoa Falls.

Group Fairy Falls

Taccoa Falls Taccoa Falls

Cows in Flower Meadow Driving through the surrouding hills

Chau Ram A visit to Chau Ram Waterfall, complete with hiking trails and lots of swimming holes.

floating in Chau Ram

blue tailed skink We spotted a Bluetailed Skink at Chau Ram

Next stop, the girls and I had a solo roadtrip to Illinois to surprise Grampsy for his birthday while Jacob went to check out a property we’d been eying in Alaska.

Solo RT pic Rest stop somewhere between Georgia and Illinois.

Audrey's Hair Cut Audrey decided she wanted a change and got her first ever significant haircut. She was going for a Jennifer Lawrence in Passengers look.

Muskrat at Crabtree NC We went on a Mother’s Day Hike at Crabtree Nature Center and spotted this cute little muskrat.

Grampsy and Lo All dressed up for German food.

Lo's new earings More big changes, Lorelei got her ears pierced.

Grampsy grilling for his birthday Once again, Grampsy grilled his own birthday feast. I don’t think he minded though. It tasted amazing, which is not what would have happened if I tried to man the grill.

Chipmunk on the back porch Lots of fun critter spotting from Grampsy’s back deck.

Deer Including many deer…

Woodchuck up tree …and this woodchuck that got himself stuck up a tree. I wonder what chased him up there?

Olivia, Clover and girls Visit with our family!

Visiting UR and Rick

Friend Collage We love getting together with our wonderful homeschool friends in Illinois!

Jacob joined us in Illinois, and we all started the drive back towards the boat in Georgia.

Jacob biking but first Jacob was able to enjoy a week in Illinois. We love riding in the forest preserve just behind my dad’s house!

Resting with Grampsy after biking

Flower Chicken The Pandolfi’s chicken is such a good sport!

Lo in a flower field

kisses goodbye for Grampsy It’s always sad saying goodbye!

eating cicadas On the way we spotted some cicadas! We thought we might miss Brood X, but we were in for a real treat, when we found them in droves in Maryland.

cicada in a tree

We buttoned up the boat for hurricane season, while the girls stayed with GranMiri and Papa again. Then we all played in Toccoa for another week, before heading north to New Hampshire where we rented a cool townhouse for the month to go to PorcFest, visit friends and hopefully get a feel for the Free State.

catching frogs in Toccoa catching and releasing frogs

river walking

river with flowers

Salamander in Toccoa

Audrey and GM under bridge

working on dollhouse with Chris Papa assisted the girls in putting together a dollhouse while we were there.

Cabin in the woods This is the sweet cabin we stay in while visiting.

Waterfall Collage There are so many amazing waterfalls to visit near GranMiri and Papa’s house.

Minnehaha

bridge with papa

Plein Air painting We did a ton of plein air painting! The weather was perfect for it, and the setting amazing.

Family Gallery:

bear in meadow by April by April girl painting by April by April Cordelia NJ by Audrey Nature Journal by Audrey Taccoa Falls by April Taccoa Falls by April Polar Bear by Audrey Polar Bear by Audrey Silhouettes by Lorelei by Lorelei Silhouettes by April by April Cabin by Lorelei by Lorelei Silhouettes by Lorelei by Lorelei Silhouettes by Audrey by Audrey Dandelion NJ Audrey Nature Journal by Audrey Camping by GranMiri GranMiri did a little painting with us too and created this sweet camping scene. Camping by Audrey by Audrey Mountain Postcard by Audrey by Audrey Beach Postcard by Audrey by Audrey Fish postcard by Audrey by Audrey Rainbow Cat by Lorelei by Lorelei