Yard Wars: Episode 2- Attack of the Xanadus

We have successfully carried out attack number 2 on the plant beds in our back yard. This time we turned our shovels and tanks to the largest plant bed of them all. It sits directly in front of a large back window and houses one of our most prized positions, a triple pigmy date.

Photo snapped just minutes before the invasion.

Yard Wars 2 battle zone.

With this gem located smack dab in the middle of the war zone we had to gather some serious intel before charging in. So we stood there staring at it for a few minutes. Once the intel session was over we unleashed the Fiskars Long Handled Diggin Bomb.

Fiskars Long Handled Diggin Bomb (a/k/a Shovel)

As with the "back bed" we had to systematically remove the friendlies before we could truly start the invasion. That meant uprooting all our variegated flax lillys and Xanadus.

Yard Wars 2 battle zone just awaiting the arrival of the Snapper tank.

Once the frienlies had been removed we sent in the ol Snapper Tank to do the clean up work. It wasn't easy though, the Snapper had to make 3 or 4 passes to get the last of the enemy forces.

Rare photo of the Snapper tank just minutes after battle.

Yard Wars 2 war zone after the Snapper tank's "mow down".

Once again, we had an ally. General Dottie Pottie was there in full force. Lucky for us too, becuase we ran into a most unlikely enemy; we ran into a family of Snakes! I know, crazy huh? Don't worry though, they were cryogenically frozen in some type of egg shaped capsule.

Egg shaped cryogenic chambers containing snakes.

General Dottie Pottie relocated the chambers to a more secure location.

General Dottie Pottie emerging from untamed territory.

850 Steps to Vacation

Here's a quick summary of our 2010 4th of July Vacation.

Ryan's Birthday Celebration
Ryan recently turned 31 years old! Friday morning we celebrated his birthday with a HUGE cake and 1 entire candle! He got a new cycling jersey and a few extra bucks to go into his "bike fund". Now, if only he hadn't just cracked his ridiculously expensive carbon fiber Gary Fisher frame! But, that's a story for another day.

Ryan's Birthday Cake.

Ken and Amanda's Wedding

Our good friends Ken and Amanda got married on Saturday, and fortunately for us, the wedding was held in Clarkesville, just a few miles from where we were staying. Theresa even got to be the bridesmaid.

Ken & Amanda's wedding.

Congratulations Ken & Amanda. We hope you have a lifetime of happiness and smart ass jokes!

The Peach Tree Road Race

Theresa ran in the Peach Tree Road Race, the largest 10k race in the country, for the 4th straight year. While she was out on the course busting her ass Ryan was fast asleep in the hotel room; pretty standard, really.

Peach Tree Road Race

4th of July Festivities
Theresa's brother, Al, always puts on a HUGE 4th of July bash, and this year was no exception. There was enough food and drink to feed a small army, or at least the Porter family! As the sun was setting the entire neighborhood descended on Al's house for fireworks.

Amacolola Falls
Ever climb 425 steps? How about climbing those steps along side a waterfall then turning around and going back down for a total of 850 steps? You can at Amacolola Falls. We did. It was grueling, and our legs were shakier than an unbalanced washing machine, but we did it.

425 Steps!?!

Looking up at Amacolola Falls.

Theresa and Ryan at the top of Amacolola Falls.

 

View from the top of Amacolola Falls.

Summit's Wayside Tavern
BEER! Summit's Wayside Tavern had beer, and lots of it. They had more beer on tap than we've ever seen in one joint before.

So many choices!

We ordered their "Blue Fries", which are fries that are covered in garlic butter, blue cheese, and blue cheese dressing. They were amazing. We all went home and had a heart attack!

Unicoi/Helen Trail
Ryan went hiking on the Unicoi/Helen Trail, a trail that leads from the Unicoi Lodge to the town of Helen. It gave him a total of 6 miles, which he wasn't ready for. Yeah, he was pretty tired and sore afterwards.

Ryan at the start of the Unicoi/Helen Trail

Tubing the Chattahoochee

While Ryan was hiking the Unicoi/Helen trail the rest of the family went Tubing down the Chattahoochee River. The tubing adventure started a few miles upriver from Helen, took them right through the center of town, and ended a few miles down river from Helen. Rumor has it that it was much more relaxing than Ryan's hike!