Keep Me Accountable - Day 18

I wanted to help start your day with a pretty sunset taken on Lake Lanier in Georgia.

Waving to my sister in law, Kari, who is celebrating a birthday today. She works near the lake and can probably enjoy a scene like this from her office. Happy Birthday, Sis!



Yesterday was a no writing day. Not because I didn't want to write, but sometimes, business and responsibilities take over.

That's okay. Today will be a better day. It's back to my normal routine. Like a child, I do better when my normal routine isn't interrupted.

I only have 12 days until my deadline day of April 30. I wanted to have the book finished and pretty much edited by then. I'd better stomp the proverbial "gas" on this one then, as my time is quickly running out!!!

Atlanta Falcon's, Veterans, and Fishing on Lake Lanier

How do all of these things fit together? Easy! The Falcon's hosted the Vets from Fort Gordon in Augusta at Lake Lanier for a day of Fishing with the Falcons. My husband, Billy, was asked to participate. We looked forward to this day for weeks.



The event took place Tuesday May, 19th at Van Pugh Park. Here's Billy's rig in our driveway. It was a very windy day and he was ready with his boat, fishing equipment and his POW and US Flags.

Next stop was for bait at the famous Dam Store on Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Here, Billy hooks up with fellow Captain Corey Payne. They're in front of Corey's Carolina Skiff.

Ready to set sail on a very windy afternoon. Waiting for the Veterans and the Falcons.

Here's a view of all the other boats that participated.

On the water, finally, we've got our honored Vets- One wearing the Michigan T-shirt and the other in the red UGA hat - Go DAWGS! One Falcon is in the front, this is Justin. The other player is Tyson in the middle.

When I think of Veterans I think of men with graying hair talking about the Gulf War, Vietnam, the Korean War and all those other battles of the past. The thing is, its so easy to take for granted the boys fighting for freedom every day. These two Vets on Billy's boat were in their 20s! One young man was injured by a suicide bomber and the other was an IED. I saw another young woman in a wheelchair. Remember these young adults and all the soldiers that have gone before them and the many more that will continue to fight and protect our nation.

Read more about the Falcon's Fishing Day on AtlantaFalcons.com.

After a half day of fishing, we ate some great food provided by Outback Steakhouse.

Of course, I had to get my photo with two of the players. Todd is on my right and Tyson on my left.

Here's the Coach! Mike Smith was so gracious to our daughter Downey. She was a little shy in this picture and really clung to her daddy.

Billy & Todd

Billy and Tyson

And, Billy with the lovely cheerleaders. Not one of these girls made a bad picture.

They autographed a picture for Downey and were really sweet to her. I wish I looked that great in pictures! Downey loved meeting the cheerleaders.

View for your day

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
So why do you worry about clothing? Consider, the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"
Matthew 6:26-30 (NKJV)

Lake Lanier at Sunset

See, you don't have to go far to witness God's glorious beauty.



These were taken tonight from the boat looking over Lake Lanier Islands Golf course.





Did you think you'd see a more beautiful view over our very own, quickly diminishing Lake Lanier?

July 2008, Lake Lanier

You never know what you'll find along the banks of Lanier...

This is an old boat ramp. The dock is out so far you can't see it in this picture. I remember swimming in this area and the water clearly covered the concrete pad near the tree line.

A cove about dry.

Here, we stopped on an island and started exploring!

A Proud Day

For my dear husband... Check out Billy and this 23 pound Striper he caught on Lake Lanier today!

Home in my Heart

This may look like a peculiar and worn stairway to you, but to me, it takes me toward a path I traveled the first 20 years of my life.




To me, this wooden rail and stairs is not old. Its new. The last time I walked onto that rocky Lake Lanier beach, this structure wasn't built.

The rocks weren't there. We never had the money to invest in securing the erosion of this bank.

You may think this yard needs weeding, but this isn't part of anyone's yard. It's Corps property. Part of Lake Lanier shore exposed when the water levels went down and are slowly returning.

The new owners of this property have made some nice additions. This walkway and the rock was needed. It was something my grandparents weren't able to do. My grandmother moved from this location when I married, at 22. I've missed this property ever since.








Look closely at this picture.

Nestled behind the trees is the house I grew up in. Behind the thickness of the vines and ivy is a lovely lake cottage, built in the fifties. The new owners have built a deck around the front of it and maintained it. This quaint gray house belongs to someone else. But to me, it will always be home in my heart.

Trapped

A picture taken from my husband's boat on Lake Lanier. He said they were kind of "trapped" for a while until it lifted.

Looking to build a house on the lake?

Here's a nice lot, right on Lake Lanier...

In Flight

A boom of birds scattering near Lake Lanier Islands.

Old Federal Park - Lake Sidney Lanier, Georgia

My interest in Lake Lanier is rooted in the past. My grandparents bought a small lake cabin in the 60's. I was born in the 70's. My earliest memories are on this lake. It's quickly drying up.

A view of Old Federal's beach and all the little islands popping up as the water continues to recede.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband drove me to the other side of the county to my childhood home. From the driveway, I could see these owners have continued to maintain the property. When they first moved in, nearly ten years ago now, they cleared out the thick ivy growing from the front yard to the cove. They also replaced our meager square dock with a double-decker. And a couple of boat slips. The house still looks the same, even with these changes and a large front porch. I was surprised the little cove I always worried was home to a million water moccasins still had water. It didn't have much, but it had water.

But it's a different story here at Old Federal.

The boat ramps have been closed for some time.

Across the water, docks are on dry land.

More red dirt is exposed.

Here, you're looking at the sailing club.

And I give you another view of the beach.

My next trip here, I want to get out and walk the beach. There were four people out here today, with their dog. I guess people are like me: curious. Interested.

Or maybe they were just walking off Christmas Eve lunch.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I can't help my sentimental side. It takes over when I get near the lake.

We've been blessed with rain this week, but we're still in a water crisis. We will be for some time. It'll take a lot of rain to cover all these bare spots you see in the pictures above. Conservation is key.

But our beaches will be full again.

Some day.

Deer taking a cold dip...

...In Lake Lanier around Shoal Creek Park. My husband took these pictures Monday morning. He'd just put the boat in the water, and noticed something bobbing in the water. At first glance, he thought they were ducks. Here's a video. It's pretty cool. I have never seen deer swimming. Look how fast they go! Just pardon my husband's blunt commentary.

More photos of Laurel Park

Found your boat!

And here's your motor!

Standing under marker 65

here's a closer view in case you didn't see it the first time ;)

Now this is cool...

The picture above is me standing on Old Cleveland Hwy, facing the Cleveland Hwy Bridge.

When Lake Lanier was formed, many houses were left, and just flooded. Many trees were cut, but not completely sawed down.

And as you can see below, this bridge was left too.

Just an overview of the slope. What you'd normally walk on while wading further into the water. It's always the interesting and kind of scary part of swimming in the lake is how it seems to just drop off on you.

And to complete this short tour of Laurel Park at Lake Lanier...

a nice sunset.

Laurel Park at Lake Sidney Lanier, Georgia

Today I went on an adventure.

I went with my sister in-law and brother in-law to Helen, Georgia so our kids could see Santa and Mrs. Claus. To my surprise, my daughter hopped right up in Santa's lap and didn't cry.

Then we traveled back home via Hwy 129, Cleveland Hwy and stopped at Laurel Park on Lake Lanier.

If I told you we were going to Laurel Park just to play on the playground or walk the trails, I'd be telling you a tall tale.

We were on a mission.

To uncover Looper Speedway.

My grandmother made the 6 o'clock news, talking about Looper Speedway. I noticed in an article in the AJC, they call it Gainesville Speedway. Click here to view that video on WSBTV.com.

Aside from details, there is a racetrack under Lake Lanier. We found the bleachers, proof it exists today.



Here, Blake and I pose with the kiddies on the Looper Speedway bleachers!



Blake's getting a piece of the bleacher as a keepsake. Of course, I had to bring home a piece too.



I love this picture because it says "community."

Kari and I met a couple as we were looking for the bleachers. I could smell the coffee wafting with the steam out of their coffee mugs as we climbed upon the steep land left when the water was pulled out of the lake. This couple, I never caught their name, lives in a cove near the boat ramp at Laurel Park. Laurel was one of the first boat ramps closed by the Corps in October. This couple's dock is sitting on dry land. But like us, they were out exploring and together we found the bleachers. The couple is in the background, talking with the other explorers. I told the lady there's nothing like a dried up like to bring a community together.

Click Here for an article out of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution that has some pretty cool pics of things people are finding as the lake continues to go down.