I left Decatur early Saturday morning to drive up to Greenville. We had planned to go to Clemson back in early September to visit the SC State Botanical Gardens, located on the campus of the University. And had second thoughts, let better judgement prevail when we discovered a 'home' football game on that day. But as a result of postponing, found that we had mostly waited too late to see pretty blooming things. There were some mums, a few asters, big clumps of bright purple salvia and bright red pineapple sage the butterflies were enjoying, but most everything had petered out for the year. We agreed that we should try again in the spring, before it gets hot, when there will be more color.
Homer's daughter, granddaughter and her four kids went along, so it was mostly bedlam every time we made a stop. I'd forgotten how complicated traveling with little people can be: car seats, strollers, diaper bags, sippy cups, snacks, spills, innumerable trips to the bathroom. But it was pretty much an uneventful day, when you consider how easily any of them could have had a meltdown when things did not go to suit.Oh - and Flat Stanley went along. There are some amusing photos of him looking startled as he encounters some fossils in the Geology Museum, where there were lots of sparkly gemstones as well as sabre-toothed tigers and other pre-historic creatures with huge teeth.
A huge stadium, the size you would expect at a university in the south that starts foaming at the mouth awaiting tailgating events and football season. And acres and acres of parking. Homer had called to be sure the gardens would be accessible on a Saturday, and was told that though it was always open, we did not want to come on that weekend when the Clemson Tigers would be playing at home. It was founded in the elate 1800's, has a history of being both a military training school, as well as an Agricultural college. I read something that said the land was donated by the family of John Calhoun, who was a politician/statesman in early South Carolina history, seventh vice president of the US, as well as serving in a number of positions in the state and federal government.
By the time I drove to Greenville, returned to Decatur for dinner at Eddie's with smiling faces, and got on the road back to Columbus, I was pretty much fun'ed out. Having traveled to Valdosta, Decatur, Greenville, back to Decatur and flopping into my own bed on Sat. night, I think I drove well over 900 miles since leaving home on Thursday afternoon. How long do you think I will stay put?
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