My Birthday Trip to Big Shoals State Park

I’ve always considered myself fortunate. And as I near my 60th birthday, I continue to count my blessings.

Terry and I have four beautiful children.  All with successful careers and all happily married.  Eight beautiful grandkids.  All unique and wonderful.

And I have two friends, Donna and Yvonne, that have been with me for over two decades.  We started our relationship as co-workers.  We didn’t even work in the same office but somehow we hit it off and have been together ever since. My grandniece even asked once how exactly they were part of the family.  They’ve been with me through thick and thin.  

When Terry and I moved to Houston for a few years back in 1999, Vera joined the group.  A welcome addition.  Oh, and Vera and Yvonne had worked together.  As MERMAIDS at Weeki Wachee.  How much fun was that?

We used to celebrate every birthday and then it was just an adventure every quarter and then it turned into a party for every BIG birthday.  When I turned 40, it was trip in a limo to a really great French restaurant.  At 50 I held my own party and they showed up with a vintage glider.  They always know what I want!

So for 60, my birthday trip was to Big Shoals State Park.  Cause I’ve turned into an outdoors kind of person that likes to hike.

We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in White Springs.  How do I describe the place?  Perhaps a little more shabby than chic. But our hostess was very nice and made us a wonderful breakfast the next day.  And she had a really cool dog with a bad paw that was a birth defect.  Kia Sedona.  We bonded.

The B&B owner suggested we go to Stephan Foster State Park.  Just to check it out.  And then she said, Oh, wait till dark and check out the lights.

What a pleasant surprise!

So much I don’t know.  This place encourages makers. People that create things with their own hands and make music.

And they have a folk music festival in the Spring.

Check out this old quilt.  Beautiful.

And all of these handmade banjos. Made out of unusual things.

I did some caroling with the fiddler. 

This dulcimer couple were playing in my new house.

Just kidding.  I tried to convince everyone that this was my new house.  They scoffed. Really, I could live here!

The next morning, I snapped some pics of White Springs.

And then on to Big Shoals State Park.

We were hiking to the rapids.  A 2.4 mile round trip walk.  We had some concern that since the Suwanee River was low, there wouldn’t be any rapids.  But we could hear them before we could see them.

Very cool.

Then we drove home.  But first we had to stop and get some photos of long-horned cattle, horses and mules.

And then the birthday trip was over.  Oh, wait, we did stop at Crackers for lunch.  And then I made it to the OHHC meeting.  And they sang me happy birthday.  Cause it’s my birthday!

And the party continues!