Fall is in the air, but we’re still feeling like summer @piedmontpark @ajc– http://t.co/uyumBYKNnW #atlanta
— Robert Payne (@rpayne) September 23, 2013
Category Archives: Musings
Slackers Creek Lining
A Pawleys Island past time.
Last Song
As a boy I had the distinct pleasure of accompanying a local ornithologist on bird banding adventures where we would string fine nets across the marshes and forests of Charleston, SC. Sometimes a Grosbeak or a Sharpshin would punish my hands as I tried to free them, but it was always worth it to hold them for an instance, band and weigh their fragile bodies, and hope to see them and their brethren the next year.
Now as an adult and living in the big city of Atlanta, I wake up every morning to the intricate songs of birds that I can’t believe are able to navigate the incessant dangers of the modern world.
I cringe when I hear stories of southern hunters taking out hawks and owls because they prey on their precious quail and doves. Or watching a not-so-innocent house cat scope out my bird feeders.
Reading this article on migrating birds was the equivalent of waking up on one future morning and the air being filled with nothing but silence.
Brooklyn
Quick trip to New York for a visit with friends.
I would be remiss without a trip to the MOMA in Manhattan, but it was nice to spend a little more time in Brooklyn checking out Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Park Slope. Watching Beck perform “Billy Jean” at Prospect Park was also a nice addition.
Brooklyn is blowing up…along with the real estate. But such a cool and eclectic mix of people and places. The fact that Jay Z launched his new album in a warehouse in Red Hook should tell you something.
Check out Hibino for some awesome sushi, and momofuku’s Milk Bar for an amazing espresso shake.
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Feel free to click any of the images for a larger view.
Boarding School
Paid a long overdue visit to my old alma mater. The trip was a little bittersweet, for it was to see my old mountaineering teacher off to his new position as headmaster of the College School in St. Louis. Nevertheless, it gave me a chance to see some old teachers and heft the Mountaineering Award for the first time in 21 years.
Jekyll Island, Georgia
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A highly recommend exploring Jekyll Island by bike. The island’s stewards have really put a lot of thought into the trails’ construction. In fact, there are even boardwalks that you can bike on that take you over the march and creeks. There is much history and wildlife to explore, and a cool dip in the Atlantic Ocean is never far away.
Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island’s inhabitants are as varied as the landscape. Starting with the Timucua Indians, it has passed hands through Spanish, British and most notably, the Carnegie family. The ruins you see here are of one of the Carnegie mansions that burned. There was also a large recreation center complete with sauna and pool. One can only imagine the life they led in the 1880s till the 1950s. Now a National Seashore, this beautiful island is only accessible by boat.
And of course if you are going to have a mansion, well, you better have a grand oak entrance.
Blue Ridge, Georgia
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The rustic charm and beauty of Blue Ridge, Georgia somewhat conceals the influence of Atlanta. Just a short trip up the road from the big city, you will find beautiful waterfalls and idyllic farm settings tucked into the rolling mountains. Look a little further and you will see those luxury properties that people dream of. It’s all there including a quaint little town with shops, galleries and nice restaurants.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Somewhere in California
Sure was great to be back out West with good friends in spectacular places.
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