It's just so plain ....

In Plains, GA.  

We arrived in Cordelle, GA on Sunday ~ finally leaving Chester's (and giving him some rest and his cats some peace) after one month (we were in NH freezing ourselves, but being rewarded by the love of family and the arrival of a precious princess, for 10 or so days of that month!!)

Today we set out on the bikes.  I think it isn't often that I feel strongly (and perhaps I've mentioned this before ~ Rick may disagree but I am not at all certain) one way or another about doing a side trip or whatever in our travels, but this time I felt very strongly (especially after not seeing the Clinton Library, a while back, except from the highway).  Cordelle is about 50 miles east of Plains, GA and I really wanted to see Jimmy Carters home town.  I surely did expect more than I saw, but what I did see was part of why our 39th President has endeared himself to many - his regular, human side!  Unlike his brother, who believe it or not does have a "museum" in town - no we didn't bother and I'm not certain why the heck anyone thought it should be, but that's not for me to decide.  Before explaining the photo tour below ... how is the decision made where a Presidential Library will be placed?  I made the assumption (silly me ~ my Dad taught me about assumptions many many years ago) that a Presidential Library would be in said President's hometown.  I found out after we returned home that in fact President Carter does have a Presidential Library and it is in Atlanta ~ a city I truly have little interest in visiting!

Okay, ready for the tour?  Above is the back of President Carter's boyhood farm.  The furnishings are not original Carter family possessions, but true to the period.   It amazes me how simple the life was, how unassuming it was, how just "regular" the family was.

Above is the kitchen in the home ~ don't you just love that stove.  and that chair - looks just like a shaker rocker I had from my grandmother that I believe my nephew Owen has now to rock his and Jess's babies in ... so straight backed and lovely woven seat.  How 'bout the butter churn.... had a reproduction of one of those too - can't remember where the heck that went!

Above is the bathroom - post outhouse - in the Carter family home ... now I don't usually go around taking photos of bathrooms but, seriously, check out the shower head here - designed by Jimmy's dad Earl ... it is a bucket with holes in the bottom ... and of course I think it was probably not hot and cold running water!  brrrrr

Perhaps out of order here in the photo tour ~ but above is the front of the house ... there was a note in the brochure that the area close to the house was intentionally bare of grass, flowers and shrubs in order to see snakes that may be there!  UGH

Above is the living room (aka front room, parlor) ... below is the dining room ... aren't they just so simple ... I love the simplicity of it all.

Next, above is the "breakfast room" and below is .... "Jimmy Carter slept here!  Yes, his plain, simple rather sparse bedroom ... at the back of the house, across the hall from the kitchen (is that where every son's room should be ... across from the kitchen and back door?!?!)

Above is Jimmy's parents room.

Below is the Carter Commissary ~ I had no idea but they sold the fruits of their labor .. pecans, produce and various other needs of the times ... foolishly I did not take a photo of the price list ~ DAH what was I not thinking here!  As the brochure says "The store adjacent to the Carter home had various rural necessities available for sale: canned goods, coffee, lamp wicks, kerosene, soap, lard, tobacco, overalls, shoes, flour, sugar, cornmeal, castor oil, and homemade syrup.  Earl Carter also sold hams, pork shoulders, and sausage which had cured int he smokehouse.  Farm workers and neighbors could buy their goods on credit and settle their bill on payday, which was Saturday."

Inside the commissary - above to the left of the entrance, below to the right of the entrance.

Above, the barn and the front garden - which was being tilled while we were there.  Below, a pasture to the left (west I believe) of the house.  There were sheep grazing about.

Below is the "Maranatha Baptist Church" where the President still teaches a Sunday School class every week (no even that did not make me want to go into a church)

Okay, historical Plains, GA tour is officially over.  Hope someone enjoyed it as much as I did.

Below was outside a gas station (NO not Billy Carter's service station museum) and convenience store - seemed like a photo op to me!

Below is "downtown" Plains.  No we didn't do any souvenir shop, no cafe, noting - just a photo op.  I did however, miss a photo of the train station in Plains where President Carter's campaign began.

Here we have the history and example of a bottle tree.  I just LOVE it ~ Sister Candy shouldn't you have one in the garden off the master suite?  I do have a prize for you to perhaps put out there, but a bottle tree would be so much more colorful .... this is an example of why I miss the yard at Crescent Street - perhaps a very small reason to miss it ... I sure don't miss shoveling etc.... but the mowing and 1/4 of the raking were great exercise .... but........  Anyway, I thought this is lovely.

Thus, I shall conclude this plain tour of Plains.  By the way ... these photos were taken with the new camera - do you notice any difference in quality??