Boutier Winery and Inn, Danielsville, Georgia

“Wine is the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”

Ernest Hemingway

Danielsville is a lovely farm community with rolling hills and beautiful homes. Joe did some research for our Friday out and about day and we decided to check out the Boutier Winery. It was a short 98 mile drive from home that was a very enjoyable country drive. We drove past the vineyard and into the parking lot of the tasting room. The building was very attractive with beautiful landscaping. As we walked up to the front door and under the arbor, we noticed the gorgeous wooden arched front doors with the Boutier Winery sign above. As we entered the building, we were very impressed by the layout and decor of this tasting room. We were welcomed by Victor Boutier, the owner and wine maker. He greet us and invited us to sit and asked if we wanted to do a tasting. We sat and he poured.

I enjoy white wine and he had many to offer. They were all good but my favorite was his Riesling 2016, which was a dry wine with a light tropical taste. He also had a nice peach wine, mango wine, and blueberry wine that I enjoyed. I was a fan of some of the names of his wines like Diva' Licious and Absolutely Sinful. Joe, on the other hand, is a red wine drinker and he enjoyed many of his wines like his Cynthiana aka Norton wine and his Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Boutier Winery has won many awards for their fine wines. I can see why.

We sat and talked with Victor throughout the tasting and really enjoyed his company and enthusiasm. He told us how he built this winery doing most of the work himself. He did have help with things like pouring the cement, drywall, and plumbing. I loved all the care in design and detail he put in this place. He showed us around and let me take lots of pictures. He said he has been in business for fourteen years in all and ten years at this current location. Victor is a great host and makes you feel very comfortable.

The event room is gorgeous and would be a great place for a wedding, reunion, or get together. He told us that later that night a band was coming in to play and he has events planned throughout the year. Too bad we don't live closer. The event room goes out to a garden area that has a perfect area for having a wedding ceremony. We loved the fountain outside as well and liked there was an outside seating area.

He also has an Inn on the premises where you can rent a room. There are five guest rooms and each has a private bathroom. This is a beautiful building where you can sit on the deck with a bottle of wine and enjoy gazing upon the vineyard. What a great way to spend a day.

We were totally impressed by this place. It was set up beautifully and he keeps it immaculate. There is so much to look at when you are there including a beautiful mural behind the bar and a lovely designed bar area. Along with the wonderful atmosphere, his unique wines are lovely. He is located not far from Athens and Atlanta so stop in and see what you think. I guarantee you will be impressed.  The tasting room is open Friday and Saturday 11 to 5 and Sunday 12:30 to 5.   Www.BoutierWinery.com.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill (Shakertown), Harrodsburg, Kentucky

“Although our opportunities for doing good may be small, yet we must remember it is not the great acts, but rather the little deeds of love that are the truest and the purest.”

Sister Mary Johnston from Pleasant Hill

Many years ago, Joe and I had been here when our children were very little but we wanted to come back and see this amazing community again. We found this religion and community fascinating. Our son, Jason, his wife Joni, and two of our grands – Zoe an Pyke lived near this fascinating spot for a while, so we were lucky to be able to come back and see this again with our loves. This is located 25 miles southwest of Lexington, Kentucky in the bluegrass region of the state. This is the largest historic landmark in Kentucky and has over 3,000 acres. On our way, we drove by horse farm after horse farm with the beautiful Kentucky fences surrounding these immense plots of land. Driving down these curvy country roads was such a joy. We made our way to Shakertown over gorgeous rolling hills and past all these farms with beautiful barns and horses.

This Shaker religious community was active from 1805 to 1910. The Shakers were founded by Mother Ann Lee who was born on February 29, 1736 in Manchester, England. She was a member of the Quaker Sect called the Shaking Quakers and became the founder of the Shakers. She taught equality for all men, women, and all races. She taught them God is love and they believed in Christs Second Appearance. The Shakers believed in being celibate, men living on one side of the house, and women on the other, and believed in a community of good. They didn't believe in marriage or sexual relations. They believed in a brother sister relationship and in hard work. During church services, that were held in their meeting house, the would sing and were eclectic dancers. Mother Lee believed the shaking and trembling were caused by sin being purged from the body and made them pure again. In the community, the men sat on one side and the women on the other during church services or meals. Many of the new members were brought in as orphans which helped the community grow and they always got new members in the winter when food was scarce. They always had a bounty of food and were willing to share.

Walking down the path to see the 34 original Shaker buildings that are still standing, you get the feel for how these people lived simple and uncomplicated lives. They lived in the Protestant faith and had a strong faith in God. One simple belief they had was “Hands to work, and hearts to God.” They all believed in hard work and it showed by all they did and discovered during their work days. They were way a head of their time by raising excellent livestock with the advanced practice of selective breeding. They made a municipal water system where the sisters could have pump and water right in their kitchens. This was unheard of during this time. They made an elevator to move the grain to the upper floors.

They raised Saxony sheep for the wool which they spun into yarn to make sweaters and blankets. They were skilled farmers and had plenty of fine crops even when times were bad. They grew plenty of fruit to make into dried fruit or preserves. They made flat brooms and baskets to sell. They were known for their garden seed also and sold plenty. While visiting we saw old time craftsmen and woman spinning, making baskets, and making brooms. You can buy their wares at the country store and is a great place to take time and look around at all the interesting items they sell. We were able to buy a broom and just love it. They were excellent craftsmen and knew how to waste very little.

During the Civil War, the Shakers fed thousands of soldiers who came to them near starving. That depleted their resources greatly but they were always willing to help those in need. The Shakers got into a bit of trouble during that time as they would buy slaves and free them which made some in the community angry and a mob attacked and destroyed some of their facilities. Many Shakers left to join the Army during this time even with the sect being neutral during the war. At one time there were over 500 members in this community but by 1900, only 34 remained. The last survivor of the Shakers from Pleasant Hill was Mary Settles who lived from 1836 to 1923.

I love looking at the art and beauty of the rock wall that they built. They put their heart and soul into this wall and the community to make this a beautiful and most appealing place to visit. The work it must have taken to build this wall with all the details.

I have a lot of respect for their belief in God and their strong work ethic. I love song in worship and love their creativeness and mastery of their crafts. There is much to say about the simple way they lived and simple furnishings. I love how they put pegs on the wall to hang their chairs after they eat. There is much of their religion I believe in and parts that is hard to understand. How they could believe they could continue to grow without children to carry on their religion. They are at peace now but there is something to be learned from them.

If you are ever in the Lexington area of Kentucky, this makes a great day trip. You will not be disappointed. It is definitely worth the money and trip. info@shakervillageky.org.

“Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to live, and as you would if you knew you must die tomorrow.” Mother Ann

Southern Railway Freight Depot, Augusta, Georgia

“It is not the beauty of a building you should look at, its the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.”

David Allan Coe

When I look at this beautiful old brick building, that is now known as the Old Train Depot, I think of how things must have been in days gone by. Imagine the freight trains coming right through town and unloading their freight here. Well, not that much has changed as the train track is still there and the trains still go through town right in the middle of Sixth Street. Only difference is they are not unloading freight at the Old Train Depot anymore. It is an unusual site to see the train coming down the road for someone who is not from here. The track was used by the South Carolina Railroad which later merged with Southern Railroad which carried freight up the east coast.  

The Old Train Depot is the only building associated with the train business left from that era that is still intact. It is located on the corner of Fifth and Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta, Georgia. The building needs some work but you can still see all its character and charm. A part of this building dates back to the 1850's and the long freight section of the building was built later in the early 1900's. It is located a block from the Savannah River.

This building sits on six and a half acres and has so much potential. A developer, BLOC Global came to town and was planning to develop this building into offices, retail space, and living spaces. The city administrators are wanting this project to happen but changed some of the terms making it impossible at this time for it to happen. I hope they can work it out so this plan can move forward. It would be nice to see this great building brought back to life.

Pointes West Army Resort, Fort Gordon, Appling, Georgia

“Time wasted at the lake is time well spent.”

Unknown

What a beautiful day to go to the Lake. We packed up our canoe and raft and headed to Clarks Hill Lake (Lake Strom Thurmond) and Pointes West Army Resort. Yes, this lake goes by two names. When the dam was originally built they called it Clark Hill Dam omitting the “s” in Clark. Since it was Clark Hill Dam, the lake became Clark Hill Lake. In 1987, a bill was passed to name the lake and dam, Lake Strom Thurmond Lake and Dam. It was named after a long running senator in South Carolina, Senator Strom Thurmond. Many residents in both states still refer to the lake as Clarks Hill. This lake has 71,100 acres, 1,200 miles of shoreline and is the third-largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi River. This is Fort Gordon's recreational facility located some thirty miles from Fort Gordon and Augusta and is located on a beautiful peninsula with water surrounding the majority of it.

We got to the lake and met up with Jeannine, Darren, Kaley, and children. Going to the lake, we usually stop to get Maryland Fried Chicken but this day the cashier was running late so we were unable to get our chicken. We were disappointed not to be able to bring that to the lake. If you are at Pollard's Corner and are hungry, stop there. They have great fried chicken. We stopped for a few pizzas and lunch meat to hold us over. We pulled into the beach area and parked. There was plenty of parking and we saw that Jeannine and Darren had a table under the one side of the beach pavilion. That was lovely as we had a table in the shade and with a great view of the beach and bathrooms close by. They also have outside showers for rinsing off. The kids were swimming in the beach area and loving it. The beach is open from 10 to 6.

There are a couple horseshoe pits and a volley ball net up that was used by a large group of soldiers who encouraged us to play. We were on duty watching the little ones so we declined plus it was hot as the blazes in the sun. I felt a little guilty declining when a 74 year young retired soldier came to invite me to play volley ball saying he was going to play. Over near the water was a covered pavilion with a grill close by. There was a snack bar that wasn't opened and we laughed at the menu.  Not much for lunch. Great for kids, I guess.

We enjoyed watching the kids swim and playing in the sand. They met some new friends while there and enjoyed playing and running in a pack. Joe gave them canoe rides which they so enjoyed. The kids will have great memories of today as well as us. Today the sky was a beautiful blue and with the sun shining on the water making it sparkle was just lovely. We met a nice retired couple while sitting in the pavilion and shared stories. We are so blessed that the military is a part of our life. It is so easy to talk to military folks as we always have something in common, like duty station, experiences, or just by being a part of a very special large club. 

 

As Joe and I sat there we spoke of our found memories of when Jeannine and Jason were little and they were signed up for “Pine Camp”. That was an amazing camp and very well run and  great for the kids. This was an overnight camp and had all kinds of activities for the day and night. They had counselors who took the kids water skiing, to the beach, boat rides, arts and crafts, and had fire pits with sing-along. They marched the kids around and they would sing as the walked to the mess hall or beach. At the end of the week, they put on a performance for the parents. We so loved it and appreciated all the work that went into making a fantastic camp that they still talk about. It is sad it is not here anymore. What a joy it was to watch all those children having the time of their life. Our kids loved it.

Near the beach is a waterfront motel with suites you can rent. They were nice looking buildings and they looked new. They must have a good view of the lake from there and it is very convenient  to the beach. You can also rent a nice log cabin overlooking the lake set back in the pines. There are six cabins that have three bedrooms and two cabins that have two bedrooms. All are fully furnished with a kitchen, eating area, living space, bathroom and private bedrooms. They also have decks to sit out on with fantastic views of the lake. There are also cottages that can be rented.

Driving towards the end of the peninsula, we saw nice areas in the pines for RV camping with full hook up or semi hook up. That area is located not far from the lodge and the marina. There were a few campers in there but I imagine in the fall it must be crazy busy here.

Driving towards the end of the peninsula, your will see lots of primitive sites with picnic tables for camping. There are breathtaking views everywhere you look. We have camped here more than a few times and it is wonderful and depending when you camp, it can be real quiet. When Joe was here during his Advanced Non-Commissioned Officers Course in the 1980's, we camped here for a month. He commuted back and forth to Fort Gordon every day. That was an amazing time for us and the kids and so relaxing. It was during that time that the campground was always full. It is hard to understand why it is not utilized much more now since they have improved it so much.

They also have a really nice large playground for the kiddos that is new. If you have kids, this is the place for a fun afternoon. If it wasn't so hot we would have taken the kids there. We will have to come back to do that another day.

There is a marina here where you can rent boats, or dock a boat. The marina recently got rebuilt after a wicked storm passed through during Masters Week (April) 2017. That storm damaged some 30 to 40 boats and damaged the marina badly. They have rebuilt it and now it looks beautiful.

There is also a Conference Hall that seats 150 people right on the water and has a state of the art kitchen and fantastic views. There are also pavilions throughout that can be rented for large groups. What a great place for a wedding or reunion.

You check in at the office for any of the cabins, cottages, motel suites, or camping. They have snacks there and Wi-Fi. This is a military facility so you need to have either a military ID card for active duty, retired, DOD, or DOE employed to use this amazing place.

There are hiking trails to explore here as well as a great area to bike. This is an amazing Military Recreation area that is well worth a stay. There is nothing like sitting out by this gorgeous lake at night, with a fire going, roasting marshmallows, and hearing the sounds and seeing the beauty of God's creation. At night, this is a great place to star gaze as there is very little light noise. Take if from us and check it out.