From Beaches to Peaches!

2-23-17 a day in Gainesville, Ga:

One of the times that we drove through Gainesville on our way to or from the northern Georgia mountains, we accidentally came upon a really neat street----Green street. I LOVE Victorian style houses and this street was lined with them. Each house was different from the next. I can only imagine what it was like back when they were all residential houses! Now they're almost all a business of some sort. In fact, Angie told me one of them is a Mellow Mushroom Pizza parlor. I've been wanting to go there for a long time. So today we decided to fulfill that wish.
The Mellow Mushroom restaurant.

Ken decided to try their Italian sandwich. Guess it was good, he ate it all.

I got a Maui Wowwie pizza---ham, bacon, yellow peppers, and pineapple on a pizza skin with garlic oil on it. It was good, although if I were thinking, I would have asked for a marinara sauce instead of the oil.

It was the safest place in town when we got there----Ken counted 8 police cars in the parking lot.

the bar area in the "house".

painting in another room.

Mr. Mushroom, himself, greeting us.

After lunch, we rode up and down Historic Green Street, a half-mile corridor of Green Street of 19th and 20th century Victorian and Neoclassical residences and businesses.

Love the huge porches on these houses.

love the designs.

what a place to do taxes.

another view of Mellow Mushroom

love the stately columns.

a short distance from the historic area is this guy. He's the largest tiger statue in the world and represents Brenau University's "Golden Tiger's" mascot.

The world's largest tiger statue is eight feet tall, 14 feet long, and weighs over a ton. It was sculpted by Greg Johnson in 2013, and represents Brenau University's "Golden Tiger" mascot. - See more at: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/46825#sthash.18L0brtk.dpuf

represents Brenau University's "Golden Tiger" mascot. - See more at: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/46825#sthash.18L0brtk.dpuf

It was such a nice day we decided to spend some more time in Gainesville. Took the opportunity to use our reciprocal garden membership again and went to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Gainesville.

interesting dried plant

Don't know what these are, but they were one of the many blooming trees in the garden.

some fungi

Ken heading back to the entrance with a credit card he found on the walkway.

the back of the entrance

we were here once before when it was very hot. Much nicer wandering around today with the temperatures being in the mid 70's.

another flowering tree's bloom

lots of camellias in bloom, too.

can't wait until the trees leaf out again!

another interesting dried plant

a Paper Bush

another view of a Paper Bush

The outdoor train set.

one of the many camellias.

another "kid" enjoying the trains.

There were a lot of daffodils, too, although it looked like they were past their peak.

camellias

another look back at the main building.

Variegated Spiketail

yet another camellia

low growing blooming ground cover.

one of the overlook areas

I even took a walk through the "forest".

the trail came out by the amphitheater.

more of the early spring flowers.

the ever hardy pansies.

Bird watching---I think this is a Yellow Breasted Chat.

Sitting by the exit enjoying the views and the weather.

more paper bushes along the road out.

Even some types of magnolias were blooming.

By now it was about 3 and we wondered if we could find something to do until sunset. I found a series of parks that were connected by a walkway and went about 2 miles from downtown to Lake Lanier.

Ken dropped me off near town and went down to a park near the lake and waited for me to walk down there.

It was a really nice walk.

Even had some interesting structures along the way---like this little stone building.

and this stone bridge.

Even a flowering camellia along the walkway.

and whatever this flowering tree is.

interesting tree along the way

some greenery on the trees, just not the right kind.

The path followed a stream

there were even a couple covered bridges along the path

and this little guy.

Thought this was kind of funny---random plaque along the way.

decisions, decisions---think I'll take the low road.

another bridge

maybe not historic, but still cute.

even some more daffodils along the way. They use to be my favorite flower. I guess that's because it's the beginning of everything coming alive again.

It was still a couple hours until sunset, but we decided to ride over to Lake Lanier anyway.

Went over to Aqualand marina for awhile. Looks like someone's boat burnt up!

One of the few marinas we're able to actually get into. Makes for interesting photos.

a lone sailboat off in the distance.

Looking back towards the little marina from the steep loading dock a few pictures above.

Aqualand---by the picnic table we sat at for awhile enjoying some leftover pizza.

Not sure we'd have much of a sunset with the lack of clouds, but it was a pretty day.

Even came across 3 deer enjoying the day

We managed to waste enough time to go ahead and stay for sunset. But with the lack of clouds, we went to the one on our way back towards Buford---Sunset Cove.