The chapel is a pretty building set on the edge of a lake. Inside it has beautiful stained glass windows with nature motifs for all the seasons.
We walked around the lake and saw colorful azaleas, redbud trees, dogwoods in bloom and a few tulips and daffodils.
One lone rhododendron bloom was out early and I was excited to see it. We have none in our area, or cold enough in the winter.
Such a wonderland of pink azaleas. So pretty reflected in the pituresque ponds.
After our walk we drove to the butterfly center and it was wonderful. A gorgeous building housed a museum and a conservatory section housed the butterflies.
They are so beautiful and flitting colors zoomed by. Hard to get pictures as most kept flying. The plants are beautiful and lots of water features.
More water, waterfalls and a large turtle too.
These brown beauties are a gorgeous iridescent blue on the inside.
Back in the car we drove back to the Discovery Center and walked to the outdoor amphitheater for the Birds of Prey show. We always enjoy seeing Raptors up close and personal. Only three birds in the show, but we enjoyed. They had a Barred Owl,
Horned Owl who flew over the audience from perch to perch.
and a comical Hawk that lives in the Mexican desert. He had a mind of his own and did not stick to the script of the trainers. It was great!
We decided to spend the afternoon visiting Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia. It took about a half hour to get there driving through FDR State Park. We arrived to find a one block long town.
It is cute and we had lunch at the Bulloch House. It is a pretty building with a buffet luncheon. We had fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, rice, beans, collard greens, cheesy pasta, biscuits, salad, beverages and more for $9.95.
Once we were full we headed to the historic site. There is a good museum with information about the FDR presidential years. Lots of displays about the time FDR spent in Warm Springs getting relief for his polio and swimming in the springs with 88 degree water. He built his getaway home there in 1933 when he was governor of New York and used it through his presidency.
In the museum.
FDR died in that home in 1945 while having his portrait painted. This is the unfinished portrait.
We walked from the museum to the house passing a long path with flags and displays from all the states in the union. Arranged in alphabetical order displaying the state flag, stone and when the state entered the union. Different types of granite seemed to be the most common.
Finally we got to the house which has small rooms and set on a beautiful wooded lot. It is amazing that the president lived peacefully out in the woods completely isolated. A great retreat. The small houses in front were for servants and a guest house. Inside was quite rustic and homey furnishings.
Last stop was the gift shop and then we drove back into town to visit the actual springs. FDR financed this facility with three large, connected pools.
Therapists did hydra therapy with the polio in the pools and one was reserved for play.
FDR interacted with the other patients when he visited and often played with the kids in the pool. He was very fond of the local community and they loved him. There is also a small museum there with photos from the 30’s and an iron lung was on display.
Back at The Lodge we had dinner at the restaurant and fell into bed after a busy day.
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