We're In Atlanta Still!

But not for long. Tomorrow we head back to the other side of the Big Pond, arriving home in the Netherlands Wednesday morning.

However, till then....

It's my turn again at Vision and Verb. Trick or Treat???
That's always what I think when I think about chestnuts!

After last week's post, we spent Monday to Friday with Bob and Peggy south of Atlanta and had plenty to keep us busy.

First, we went to the nearby Monastery of the Holy Spirit, part of the same Trappists near us in the Netherlands....

...and under the rule of Saint Benedict: peace, prayer and work.
Peggy and I had visited there a few years back so I was glad to share it with Astrid.

Asceticism: The practice of self-denial as a spiritual discipline.
An ascetic is someone, like a monk, who follows this way of life.


They even have their own water tower: Holy Water!

Monastic values are human values: Prayer, Work, Silence, Solitude, Community


I fell in love with him and his hands!

Then one day we went to both the Fox Theatre and the Atlanta Botanical Garden....

Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre is one of the jewels in their crown.
I'd need the fingers and toes of several people to count how many times I have been there, for concerts and plays. But this was my first time to tour behind the scenes. Notice the Moorish designs. That's because it was originally planned to be a Shriner's temple.


It was well worth every minute...and a gift from Bob and Peggy.
Thank you!

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is another gem in Atlanta's crown:

What I love about it is the Midtown skyline in the background...


...and the whimsy, depending on the time of the year.
This time it was Scarecrows in the Garden.


And the flowers, of course!

Nothing topped any of that better than our one-on-one time with Bob and Peggy at their wonderful home in the boondocks.

They both love to cook and Bob also makes his own beer.
We were the lucky queens for several days in a row.


Any place where you can totally relax and be yourself is a home away from home.
(Plus 2 more water towers and a weathervane!)
Thank you, Bob and Peggy!

After we rejoined the kids on Friday, it was time for the north Georgia mountains! Our third year in a row, Astrid's second. It's one of those traditions we never want to end.

Everything you'd want for R&R:
Nature, napping, good food (thanks to Amy and Dennis who did the cooking),
walking, puzzle-making, hot-tubbing, Spades (cards), pool, and something new this year:
Facebook's Words With Friends app, similar to Scrabble.
I'm still trying to beat my kids!


Nicholas had his own "pursuits" this year that put him into his own world.
He was on vacation, too, and got to play his computer games as much as he wanted.
Still, he went on a walk with Astrid and me...always a highlight of my time here.

But Astrid did most of the walking, several times a day. We just don't get weather like this in the Netherlands, day after day. She was in heaven:

All of the above images are from Astrid from her first morning.
The foggy start to each day in the mountains is part of the magic of this place.

Thank you, Amy and Dennis, for once again inviting us to this heaven in the mountains!

All good things come to an end, as they say, so we're now in the packing stage for our flight back over the Big Pond tomorrow, arriving on Wednesday morning. Thankfully, Astrid has the rest of the week off from work. We'll get to relax back into our normal routines....

...while you prepare for Halloween a week from now! Which reminds me of my Vision and Verb post again: Trick or Treat!