Home Again

It's been a long time since we experienced fall in Washington State, and we are discovering what we've been missing!

The lawn is growing and everything around the house is emerald green!

The falling leaves cover all the trails with a soft carpet.

The fallen leaves come in a beautiful array of yellow, gold, red, magenta and brown.

Even when the sun isn't shining, the yellow Maple leaves give the illusion of sunshine.

Mushrooms everywhere,

Some, like these Chantrelles, wonderfully edible!

Walter F. George Dam on the Chattahootchie River

The dam on the Chattahoochie River at Ft Gaines was built in the 1950's immediately after President Eisenhower announced that no more federal dams would be built.  Then senator Walter F. George petitioned the president and the dam was commissioned.
The dam forms the impound lake of Lake Walter F. George, as it is known on the Georgia side of the lake and by the Corps of Engineers who maintain and monitor the dam and waterways associated with it.  On the Alabama side of the lake, the lake is a well known premiere bass fishing lake, and goes by its more common name of Lake Eufaula.  Tournaments are held many weekends during the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, and much of the recreation around the lake is centered on bass fishing.

Below the dam, the Chattahoochie River continues to where it joins the Flint River, and another dam impounds water for Lake Seminole.  As the water leaves that dam, it becomes the Appalachicola River, which continues to the Gulf of Mexico at Appalachicola, Florida (famous for oysters)!

See our other blog for information about our Georgia house, with lake front on Lake Eufaula that is for sale.

Another Cross Country Trip

Since we started driving from one end of the USA to the other a couple of times a year about 20 years ago, we have always enjoyed the trip.  People say "why don't you fly?" and I suppose that's a valid question, considering the distance.  But people to to Disneyland and Disney World to go on rides that simulate some experience and our trip across the country is much like a Disneyworld ride - showcasing the differences in terrain, weather, even how people talk.  So we are still enjoying the ride!

Some of the most beautiful views are as we cross Washington State and go through the Tumwater Canyon, where you can see evidence of last year's fires, but lots of new growth and beautiful autumn colors.

 Through Eastern Washington and it's amber waves of grain, with burned off areas from this year's fires in places, but surprisingly, most buildings still standing....

Past the Great Grand Coulee Dam and on into Idaho....

 Where we went by beautiful Lake Couer d'alene.  Saw lots of antelope in Montana, lots of sunflowers, corn and soy beans in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

 One of the big cities we passed was St Louis, MO, with it's famous arch.

 More fields of soybeans and corn and more windmills.  Lovely weather all the way through Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Back in the land of low gas prices in Alabama, and back to our evening sunsets in Georgia.

So it's with mixed emotions that we prepare the Georgia house for sale.  Information on the house at our blog about the Georgia property.