HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY

Thursday, November 20, 2014

HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY

 It's a HAPPY MAIL DAY here at the Brumfield Residence! Our family photos taken by the fabulous husband and wife duo, Berg Photography, came in the mail! I seriously opened up the package about an hour ago. I'm totally gushing over them and couldn't be happier with the results. And because I have a hard time picking which I like better, color or black and white, I'm sharing pretty much all of them.












Coming Soon on a Christmas Card to you! Thanks again, Kevin and Nicole Berg! Y'ALL ARE DINO-MITE!

STROLLING THROUGH SAVANNAH || WALKING HER STREETS

Sunday, November 16, 2014

STROLLING THROUGH SAVANNAH || WALKING HER STREETS

 I knew I would love Savannah long before we ever arrived. Mostly, it was the pictures I found on Pinterest that got me so excited about visiting the city. The South is full of nice towns, but Savannah is in a class of its own. They have done such a great job of resorting the historic homes and buildings, and not just one here and one there. I'm talking about whole city blocks, one right after the other, perfectly preserved.

During our stay, we only took one home tour (no photos were allowed inside of the home), and that satisfied me just fine. The exterior of the homes were stunning, so I didn't see a need to pay extra money to step inside and look at furniture that may or may not be original to the home. We did, however, get to step into some historic homes that have been transformed into B&Bs and have a look around their living and dining areas. And that was free! Here's my collection of photos I took while strolling through Savannah, walking her streets.

{Sunday, November 9}


The East Bay Inn || In 1852, construction on the building that would one day become the East Bay Inn began. The once cotton warehouse was renovated and opened up as a Bed and Breakfast in 1984. 

We very much enjoyed our stay at the Inn. I developed a love affair with bricks and stones around Savannah, and no doubt, it started in our guest room. The brick wall was my favorite. But the staff was also very welcoming and always helpful too.

Other Favorites From This Day



{Monday, November 10}
The 1996 Olympic Yachting Cauldron || Olympic yachting events were held on the Savannah River as parts of the Atlanta Summer Olympics and this cauldron was lit with the original flame from Olympia,Greece. Brad ran with the Olympic Flame as it passed through Mississippi that year. He had a part, and now he's famous. Kind of. =)

105 East Oglethorpe Avenue || In April 1870, General Robert E. Lee visited here, the home of his fellow Confederate and friend General Joseph E. Johnson.

Chippewa Square || The Square was built around 1815. In 1910, a sculpture of Savannah's founder James Oglethorpe along with this lovely lion were placed in the center of the Square. In more modern news, this Square was home to the "box of chocolates" scene in Forret Gump. The bench was later removed and placed in the Savannah History Museum.

Eliza Thompson House || The first home built on Jones Street in Historic Downtown Savannah back in 1847. The home was originally built for Eliza and Joseph Thompson and their seven children, but was converted into a Bed and Breakfast back in 1977. And look, they offer their guests complimentary sherry in the evenings. =)

The Armstrong House || Built in 1919, and once owned by Jim Williams as an antique shop. Once again, you must read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.


Forsyth Park || Savannah's first recreational park named for former Georgia Governor John Forsyth was laid out in 1840. The famous fountain was added in 1858. Do you see the rainbow in the picture above? Love it!

Other Favorites From This Day
River Street

River Street

River Street

River Street



{Tuesday, November 11}

Colonial Park Cemetery || During our Ghost Tour we were taken to this cemetery and told a storiy that I'll never forget. This cemetery was home to many "common crypts" and numerous people were piled into graves when their families couldn't afford burial arrangements. This was happening at a time when many people were contracting yellow fever, resulting in many being buried alive because their heartbeats couldn't be detected.

They began tying a bell to their fingers before tossing them in the crypt, and a graveyard attendant would stand watch to listen for the sound of bells rings in an attempt to save anyone that might wake-up in the crypt. This is the origin of the sayings saved by the bell and working the graveyard shift. CREEPY.


Cathedral of St. John the Baptist || I don't know anything about catholic churches, but I know this one looks beautiful.

The Hamilton Turner Inn || This very beautiful home was the first to have electricity in Savannah. It is now a Bed and Breakfast.

The Mercer Williams House || This home was the only one that we toured, and while I very much enjoyed seeing things like the chandelier, complete with candlesticks, not light bulbs, I couldn't help but keep my eyes on the floor searching for bullet holes from the Williams-Hansford shooting incident, which was never mentioned during the tour, by the way.

Other Favorite That Day
That door knob was awesome.

{Wednesday, November 12}

The Gastonian || A very popular B&B, and also listed in the book 1000 Places To See Before You Die. They offer their guests coffee from silver. Coffee from SILVER, y'all!

Other Favorites From That Day
More Brick love.

Those steps.


On our last night in Savannah, we took a carriage ride around the city, courtesy of Madison Tour Company. While it wasn't very informative, it was very nice. Thanks, Honey!

It's very possibly that I have over looked something or somewhere that we visited during our stay. But all of everything was perfect. Maybe in another ten years we can go back to visit. Please, please take your next trip to Savannah, Georgia. You won't regret it.
We picked up this book, Scampering Through Savannah, for our kids. It was fun getting home and reading it to them, and throwing in the occasional "me and your Dad went there."

But it was even more fun hugging their necks after five nights away from them! 

More from our Ten Year Anniversary trip below:

STROLLING THROUGH SAVANNAH || DRIVING HER ROADS

Saturday, November 15, 2014

STROLLING THROUGH SAVANNAH || DRIVING HER ROADS

 Some of the greatest places we saw while visiting Savannah, Georgia were located a very short distance from Historic Downtown. We visited Fort Pulaski, the Tybee Island Lighthouse, Wormsloe Plantation, and Bonaventure Cemetery, all of which were under 16 miles from our Inn.


{Monday, November 10}
Our first stop was at Fort Pulaski. "Construction began in 1829 and required $1 million, 25 million bricks, and 18 years of toil to finish."
A moat completely surrounds the fort.




The Fort surrender two hours after this room, the Powder Magazine, was fired upon back in April of 1862.

"This rifled cannon had a projected range of five miles and fired a projectile weighing 64 pounds."

Next, we made the short trek to Tybee Island. I'm told Sandra Bullock has a home on the Island. And no, we didn't see her. =(

The Tybee Island Lighthouse has been guiding ships into the Savannah River since 1732. It's 178 steps to the top. It was tough for me and the 73 year old lady that followed behind us. (Note to self: Must exercise. Any exercise will do.)

{Wednesday, November 12}
Let me start by telling y'all of our awesome idea to rent a scooter for our afternoon travels. I mean, it looked fun; why not give it a try, right?
After speaking with the associate about where we intended to go and showing her the route we intended to take, we were given a quick run down of how to operate our "hawg" and told to have a great time.

About a mile down the road, we bottomed-out after ramping the equivalent of an ant hill. Okay, maybe we didn't ramp it. We were only going 30 mph, but we definitely bottomed-out.

Next, I navigated Brad onto the freeway. Yes. The freeway. We are pushing 40 mph up the on-ramp with cars ZOOMING past us. We were taking the route the associate told us was safe. She was wrong. Then we begin to hear whap, whap, whap, etc.

We exited off, and after Brad's inspection, we discovered that all four lug nuts on the back right tire were about two threads from completely coming off. Which means the noise was our tire trying it's best to wobble off.

We almost died.

Okay, maybe not die, but I had an out-of-body experience.

Okay, maybe not an out-of-body experience either.

Brad got the tool-kit, which I'm pretty sure was made of plastic, tightened the lug nuts, and we returned our scooter.

With our bodies safelty buckled into the seats of Brad's truck, we made our way to Wormsloe Plantation, my favorite location from the entire trip. I'm so glad God let us live to see it!
Wormsloe was the colonial estate of Nobel Jones, a carpenter who arrived in Georgia in 1733 with James Oglethorpe and the first group of settlers from England.

My favorite picture, maybe ever. The iron gate at the entrance.

And then the 1.5 mile road, lined with over 400 oak trees. The moss, y'all! THE MOSS!

Jones and other family members where originally buried here, although, his remains have been moved, first to the Colonial Park Cemetery and later to Bonaventure Cemetery.

Photographed here are the Tabby Ruins, the oldest standing structure in Savannah. It took nearly six years to complete the construction of the 1.5 story home.


Wormsloe, I LOVE YOU!

Next, we drove to Bonaventure Cemetery, 103 acres of grave sites, and it was beautiful. And huanting.


Gracie Watson was a victim of yellow fever and died at the young age of six. Her story was one told to us during our Ghost Tour earlier in the week. It is said that the marble statue is warm to the touch attributed to yellow fever that caused her death. The story is also told of how visitors to her former home report having her ghost tug at their clothing as they pass by the staircase she would play under. Creepy.

Johnny Mercer, co-founder and former president of Capitol Records. It was his Grandfather that started construction of the Mercer House, later owned by Jim Williams.

And Jim Williams is responsible for this man's death, Mr. Danny Hansford. You must read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil to learn more.

More from our Ten Year Anniversary trip is below: