Little Ocmulgee State Park, GA

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~~Anne Bradstreet

We camped out at Little Ocmulgee State Park this past weekend. Our niece, Mary Grace, went on this trip with us. We arrived on Friday evening as it was getting close to dark. Like many state parks, sites are first come first serve. And, many of the nicer sites were already occupied. We chose a site for the night although the slope of the site had too much incline. Since it was dark, we decided to stay here for the night. We enjoyed a nice campfire, home made hot chocolate and s'mores.

On Saturday morning, we decided to move to another site that was more level and it was much more pleasant. The downside though was that it only provided 30 AMPs for electrical needs. The park is very nice though. It has a beautiful golf course, cottages located right on the lake, pool, beach and a lodge with a nice restaurant.

Jefferson Davis Historic Site

If the Confederacy falls, there should be written on its tombstone: Died of a Theory~~Jefferson Davis

We drove to the Jefferson Davis Historic Site in Irwinville, GA, on Saturday. It was a little over an hour from the campground but we wanted to visit it as they were having a reenactment. The problem was that there was a 90% chance of rain through most of the state for Saturday. We called the site and they said they would have the reenactment rain or shine so we made the trip hoping the rain would abate some while driving there. Shortly after arrival we watched a short film and walked around the museum. A little information on this historic site follows:

When Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a few remaining staff members crossed the Savannah River into Georgia on May 3, 1865, they were headed for the Western theater of war where Davis planned to unite rebel forces and continue fighting for the "lost cause." On May 9, 1865, they camped in this pine forest, not knowing that pursuit was so close behind. At dawn, they were surrounded by two independent groups of Union cavalry who were unaware of each other's presence. Gunfire ensued until the federal forces realized they had been shooting at one another. Two Union cavalrymen died during the skirmish. Davis was taken prisoner and held in Virginia for two years until released. Today, a monument marks the spot where he was arrested.

Shortly after arriving, it was steadily raining but it wasn't unbearable. We decided we'd walk a short distance down the trail and we spotted a couple of men dressed as Confederate soldiers sitting at a camp fire in the rain. These guys were dedicated! We wish could've stayed longer to talk with them but it was at that time that the rain started coming down even harder and we had to retreat back to the museum. They had an interesting take on history though. They said they didn't think the Union soldiers mistakenly shot at one another. He believed one regimen was trying to take out the other because they wanted to lay claim to capturing Jefferson Davis and claim any gold he may have had in his possession. But, you won't find that theory in the history books.

You can't tell how hard it was raining just from looking at this picture but if you focus on the glare from our wet coats and the rain splatter on our pants, you'll get an idea.

We were then ready for lunch and we grabbed a bite in a restaurant in Fitzgerald, GA, before going back to our camper.

We enjoyed a lesson on mammals with the park ranger on Saturday evening back at Little Ocmulgee State Park. The girls learned about all types of mammals in the park and the ranger had some previously injured animals that she rehabilitated for the girls to pet.

Sunday was much nicer although still quite cold outside. We made an appointment at a privately owned ranch on Sunday morning in Vidalia, GA. Before driving to Vidalia, we made a brief stop in McRae, GA, to see the miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty and the Liberty Bell. One day we'll make it to Philadelphia and Ellis Island to see the real ones.

Buckhorn Creek Ranch

Osama Bin Llama

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. ~Martin Buber

Buckhorn Creek Ranch is about 30 minutes from the state park where we were camping. I found their website while searching for things to do around the park. The girls had an awesome time. You do have to call ahead and make an appointment. We were the only customers so we had the undivided attention. It was $6 per person. This included a hay ride and food for the animals. They had all kinds of animals; chickens, deer, elk, bison, wild hogs, camels, horses, llamas, etc. I think our favorite was the camel. Although the best name given by the owners goes to the llama named "Osama bin Llama." The owners were very nice people and I highly recommend this for families, church and educational groups.

Hiking at Little Ocmulgee State Park

We spent Sunday afternoon enjoying Ocmulgee State Park. We logged about three miles of hiking. We bribed them with icecream if they made the hike. What can I say? Even in 40 degree weather, kids love ice cream! The temperature outside was still cold but very manageable with coats and gloves. We didn't have any snow but it didn't stop Anna from making a "sand" angel while hiking.

On Sunday evening, Jeff built a warm campfire and we enjoyed dinner at the RV. One of the nearby campers had a movie on extremely loud. Anna, never being one to be shy said, "People, turn that down!" She is the one who says things the rest of us think but won't say. Not that the people with the loud speakers heard her.

We ate breakfast at the restaurant at the park lodge on Monday morning before heading home. It is a very nice restaurant with a rustic appeal. They also serve lunch and dinner.

It was quite cold on Monday morning--freezing to be exact. Below is a picture of a water faucet at the campground. And, yes, that is ice, not flowing water.

The trip back home was uneventful. I did forget to mention that this trip was Simba's maiden voyage. And, he did extremely well. You'd never know it was our cat's first road trip. Here he is kicked back with Rachel and Mary Grace watching a movie on the way back home.