So. To celebrate our tenth anniversary (coming up on Thursday), Chris and I went to Pisgah this weekend.
Yes. Pisgah.
But you know what’s weirder than a town named Pisgah?
The fact that there are two towns, in Alabama, named Pisgah.
I discovered this by trying to map my iPhone to our destination. Then I had to Google Map a “From Pisgah To Pisgah” just to prove to myself that it was true:
But nevertheless, the peculiar naming of this town is a great way to keep a secret… this secret:
Astounding, no?
That was taken on the back porch of the Bed and Breakfast at Gorham’s Bluff – and they weren’t exaggerating when they said that they were on a bluff. It was PHENOMENAL.
When we arrived on Saturday, it was storming – and so foggy that we could hardly see the road, let alone the bluff. It was bizarre how completely covered the landscape was. Here’s the same view, except a day earlier:
It was the most perfectly awesome setup for our overactive imaginations…
Remember the movie “Clue”
We drove 20 miles deeper and deeper into the woods in the rolling fog, rain, and lightning..
We arrived for dinner in the Lodge – a mysteriously fabulous house to be in the middle of nowhere…
We fought our way through the rain and into the inn, only to be greeted by name, despite many guests arriving that day. How did they know who we were??
The dining room was lively and warm, with a crackling fire in the giant hearth, and a room full of strangers dining at a dozen white tablecloths. The indoor ambiance was significantly nicer than the enshrouding fog, crashing thunder, pounding rain, and eerie lightning outside.
Then, with a crack of thunder and an ominous bolt of lightning, the power went out.
Only for a split second, but it was long enough for our imaginings of a murder mystery to be thrillingly heightened…the old house with it’s wood paneled walls and background jazz was just timeless enough to make us think that at any moment the lights would REALLY go out we’d hear a shrill scream, an awkward thud, and then Tim Curry would appear.
But alas, there were no screams in the dark, no candlesticks, and no Professor Plums. But dinner was wonderful, and extra romantic with the storm raging outside the window by our table.
Although we ate dinner and breakfast at the Inn, we actually stayed in a cozy one-bedroom cottage within the resort:
It was the perfect environment to get away for a day and reconnect, seeing as how we haven’t seen much of each other without an accompanying little person or two for the past few months.
And the dining was fabulous – we got a gourmet boxed lunch that we ate in our cottage,
Had an amazing four-course dinner,
And a delicious breakfast.
The fog, rain, and chilly weather was the perfect excuse to stay in and watch a movie together Saturday afternoon, and Sunday’s clearing let us bask in the amazing scenery, which made the perfect vacationing mix.
We treasured our 30 hours of adult-time, but when we got back, we rolled right back into our kiddo-lifestyle when Chris, in his best Dora the Explorer voice, asked me,
“What was YOUR favorite part of the trip, Rachel?”
Then stared at me, motionless except for his blink-blink-blinking eyes…
“I liked that part too!”
lovely!! i’m so glad yall had a great little trip!!
Gorgeous pictures! I knew there was a town called Pisgah – but never realized there were 2 of them! How funny :)
I have been searching for a great bed and breakfast to retreat to – it’s been a dream of mine to stay in one. This one sounds like a great place!
This one’s great, or the General Woods Inn – it’s also one of our favorites!!
high-five on sharing an anniversary! Your trip sounds *way* better than our plans. Actually, it looks pretty awesome altogether.
Poor other Pisgah must be envious.
Happy Anniversary to you!!! Same year?
That all looks wonderful! … gotta admit, a little jealous :)
Happy 10th anniversary!!
Happy Tenth Anniversary!! That looks amazing!!! I hope it’s around by the time I get married! :)
Ooh, that looks lovely! I’d love to come and visit. For our 10th wedding anniversary late last year we went here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Rotorua The hotel we stayed in was good but we had a comically bad (and viciously expensive) meal in a restaurant on a mountain overlooking the lake.
Congratulations on 10 years! :)
That is FABULOUS!!! It certainly would have been nice to vacation in New Zealand… :)
People go on adult only trips for their honeymoon!???!
I certainly hope so!!! But if you mean anniversary, yes.
Haha!!! I did mean anniversary!
It looks like it was a wonderful trip! I’m so glad the two of you were able to get away together. I wondered if you stayed in the Lodge or in a cottage. Glad to have that mystery cleared up!! Of note, the place that Blake and I stayed on our wedding night was largely chosen b/c it so much looked like the mysterious inn that Mike Myers stayed at on his wedding night in “So, I Married an Axe Murderer.” http://www.thevictoria.com/
Love that you stayed at “Clue!”
Oh how fun! I didn’t know that.
RACHEL! You were literally RIGHT across the river from me! We went to check out Gorham’s Bluff a couple of months ago. I’m so glad you had a fabulous (1/2) weekend and congrats on 10 years! Shoot me an email telling me what you’re end of April beginning of May is looking like for coming up here (again) to actually visit the farm this time. :D
I thought about you!! I figured you were somewhere very nearby..
Happy anniversary! What a beautiful location to have a little adult time. That dinner sure sounded good! Wishing you many more years of happiness, laughter and inside jokes!
that place looks fabulous. You’ll have to remind me of that down the road when we have the money for a vacation. :) :) Looks nice. :) :)
I’m glad you had fun.
Wedding pictures please!
Happy Anniversary to you and Chris. I love to go to Bed and Breakfasts. This one looks wonderful!
Ha ha!
Dora : )
Oh wow, great images.Love the view and the atmosphere of the place. I’ve never heard of Pisgah before. You’re right, it is a weird name for a place but it looks gorgeous.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I have SO been meaning to twitter about Dora creeping me out with that long awkward pause she does at the end! It makes ME want to say something just to fill in the tense silence!
I love your pictures!! Those foggy pics are INCREDIBLE!! WOW! So beautiful!
Happy anniversary!
Dora does have a freaky way about her…
Thanks!!
Those pictures bring back great memories for me! When we went there 10 years ago for a weekend getaway, it was that weekend that we started trying for a baby! Took us two years to finally get pregnant, but GB will always hold wonderful memories of a relaxing weekend, full of beauty, good food and the momentous decision to have a baby. Or four. ;)
Oh fun!! Y’all should go back for a babymoon – do you get a babymoon before baby #4??
Wow, that place is gorgeous! How neat that they put your names on the menus! If I lived closer to you that would definitely be our next getaway!
This looks amazing, I am marking this as an option for our 11 year anniversary that is coming up!
Sounds absolutely dreamy, I’d love to go there sometime!
that place is seriously amazing…
I live in Illinois but am blessed to have property in Section, Alabama. So glad you had a wonderful expierence. However, I’m sure you have heard of the tornadoes that went through the area. The town of Pisgah has had a tremendous amount of damage and very little publicity. I just wanted to take this oportunity to remind people that there are still many in need of help. There will be an ongoing need for some time. If anyone has any ideas…would love to hear them.
You are so right – the area is devastated, along with SO much of Alabama!
I actually delivered quite a bit of supplies to a town near Pisgah – Henager – last week. My blog readers have been absolutely AMAZING to donate money for tornado relief – specifically for the needs of babies. Here’s the post I wrote about my trip to Henager, with pictures of the area now: http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/05/what-youve-done-for-alabama.html
Also, here are some pictures of Pratt City, which is in Birmingham where I live: http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/05/twenty-minutes-away.html
It’s devastating here – completely heartbreaking. There is so much to do, but thankfully, so many people are jumping in and helping rebuild, and helping comfort those who have lost so much.
As for ideas, I listed them in the post about Henager, but here’s another post I wrote about how Social Media (Blogging, Twitter, and Facebook) have revolutionized the storm rebuilding process: http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/05/how-to-be-a-tornado-relief-hero-by-using-social-media.html
I’ve been focusing on encouraging my readers (and readers at other sites where I’ve guest blogged, like 5 Minutes for Mom and Southern Hospitality) to do two things: Buying things off of the Amazon Wish List set up by the Christian Service Mission – the items go directly to CSM, and they are delivering to EVERY community affected – and since they’re buying actual items needed, there are no overhead costs that they’re supplementing. The other thing I offered is a personal mission that I’m doing – a Mommies Helping Mommies fund – from which I’m using every penny of this fund to buy formula, diapers, and other baby supplies and am personally delivering them to the destroyed communities – especially the ones that aren’t getting as much attention (like Henager). So far, I’ve been able to deliver 60 cannisters of formula, 20 boxes of diapers, and various other products to different communities.
And there are many other ways to help as well!!
Thank you for commenting and for caring about Alabama in this difficult time!!!