Hey, looks who’s here: Cocoa Joy! Doesn’t she look great?! She’s smiling and also looking at the camera! On Sunday we hiked to Angel Falls in Rabun County. This photo was taken at base of Angel Falls, which is located at the end of a moderately strenuous one mile hike. We were all pretty hot and in need of water, but I thought Cocoa looked rather good considering she had to jump over at least two sets of fallen trees and tunnel under a couple more. Oh, how ready I am to sing the praises of Dog School 101 again. What a perfect hiking companion she has become. She also had to hike back out another mile. At the end, she played in the water and helped me eat trail mix minus the raisins!

To reach Angel Falls take US441 north out of Tallulah Falls for about 2 miles. Turn on to Old 441 at the Rabun Beach Recreation Area sign. Travel along Old 441 for 2.5 miles and turn left on Lake Rabun Road. Follow the shoreline road around the lake for 4 miles (it is a beautiful drive around one of the top lakes in northeast Georgia) to the Rabun Beach Camping Area #2. Drive to the back of the camping area to the day use area. There is a small 3 dollar parking fee because the area is run by the National Forest Service.

Here’s Cocoa again at Panther Creek Falls. This is the first set of falls you come to and is a great place to sit for a few minutes and cool off beside the spring fed falls. Cocoa waded into the water and just stood there taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Panther Falls is the first falls you come to about 1/2 mile in on the trail that parallels Joe Branch Creek. Both falls are covered with rhododendron canopies.

I love these doors. I finally stopped yesterday afternoon and took a photo of them. They have been restored, and I think that they are so simple that they are elegant. The church is beautiful. I also had a chance to go inside and see where the founder of Toccoa Falls College preached for so many years. Dr. R. A. Forrest (pictured below) was the pastor from 1925 until 1950.

“In 1925, the First Presbyterian Church issued him a call to become their pastor. After much consideration and with the understanding that he would be able to continue his evangelistic work throughout the United States and Canada, he accepted the call and served as pastor of this church for twenty-five years. During his pastorate a beautiful brick edifice was built, and the church membership increased. It is of interest to note that, though he felt several times that he should resign because of the pressure of his other duties. The church refused to allow this until he reached the age of retirement.” —Taken from the book: Achieving The Impossible with God.

Here’s another view of the doors. I love the lamp post, too!

Somebody is sleeping on the sofa in the sunroom, and someone doesn’t mind his photo being taken over and over again.

In fact, striking a pose is on the list for the day.

And getting attention is a great thing. It is the sort of thing that movies are made of. So the camera captures this pose and another pose until . . . .

jealousy strikes and then guess who jumps in-between the camera and PJ? . . . The same little doggy that refuses to look into the lens of the camera.

I rediscovered this waterfall over last weekend when I took Cocoa and Chip for a ride. I had stayed at the camp where these are located years ago when I was in my teens during a church retreat.  The water was icy cold then, and it is now—which is  true of most of the waterfalls in northeast Georgia. They are spring-fed.

The chapel is really sweet, but I can’t say that I remember being inside of it. (I have to be honest and I can hear Delores laugh, but it is true. Teens really do have a vapor barrier to lots of things.)

When I was young, the pool at the bottom of these falls seemed larger and deeper (I do remember that). Of course, all we wanted to do was climb up the rocks and slide down the face of the waterfall. It was the same thing that some of our students at TFC did this past weekend on campus at Glenn Falls. I stood in horror watching them and shouting for them to stop. But they didn’t listen—no real surprise, right? It’s exam week and that says it all.

Cocoa Smiles—sometimes. Here she is looking at the camera and wishing it was at the bottom of the waterfall!

I thought this would be a perfect photo for a Tuesday. Close your eyes and make a wish! That is what Cocoa Joy does. Now, Chip is an entirely different story. He tries to eat these. Thus, I’m always watching to see what he does when he is outside. What a rascal!

A recent hike through a mountain stream and out on to an observation deck left Chip hot and tired.