Highways and Byways

This is a street we traveled many times in Albany GA with the Spanish Moss hanging from the trees. Spanish Moss lives from the nutrients it obtains from the air and dust and not from the trees. Fortunately, we knew not to handle or try to bring home. It is infested with painfully biting insects. Plus, it simply can not live up North. But, oh so beautiful in it's natural environment.

Heading towards Mount Eagle with the lush country side. This area has extreme poverty in some places and tourism has been hit very hard in most places. Lots of "mom and pop" motels and restaurants are shuttered.

A gated garden behind a historic home in Savannah GA. This is a beautiful city to wander and enjoy. The seafood is wonderful and plentiful. Everyone in these southern states talks of the possibility of how the oil spill might affect their tourism, fishing, and lives. Even vacationers from New Jersey were concerned for their beaches and waterways. Most coastal cities are dependant on tourism and fishing and eliminating that would plunge them into financial chaos that might not repair itself perhaps for centuries.

Although 130,000 Savannah natives work the 2nd largest shipyard in the US, tourism is what keeps the town portion alive.

An instant waterfall in Nashville during a blinding rain storm on the interstate. Memorial Day traffic had packed the highway and we were all going 10 mph. The waterfall was coming from the road above. No wonder they had floods in Nashville with that quantity of water. Although we were not able to see the flood damage, it is so sad for the residents and businesses. They are tough and one could see billboards stating they will recover without making it a political nightmare. I had to admire that attitude.

Beaches at St. Simon Island, GA, looking at the ocean. The dunes (protected from foot traffic) in the front. This coastal area has mostly high end vacationers. Few weekly vacationers and more summer homes - very large and expensive homes. The downward economy hit very hard and building has almost stopped. Many building trade workers are unemployed and many huge homes in foreclosure as are businesses. We saw very few vacationers and the result is many of the small tourist businesses are struggling or out of business.

No matter how hard our area may be affected by the downward economy, it was a reminder we have not been hit nearly as hard as the beautiful coastline cities nor many of our south eastern states.

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We just got back from a two week visit with family in Georgia. A wonderful time visiting with children, grandchildren and other family members.

As we drove through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, it reminded me my gardening in Illinois is so precious with the black soil and changing seasons. Each area we traveled had their own special plants and beauty but "there's no place like home!"

I used to try to bring a bit of other areas to my own yard but that is often tempting fate (fate being they die because they just can't adapt here). Now, I simply enjoy and take pictures. Isn't it grand we love our own area more than others? Kinda like grandchildren, there are none more beautiful than our own.