Druid Hills Neighborhood near Emory University

Posted on April 1, 2012by atlantadecaturhomes

Druid Hills is one of the most desirable Atlanta neighborhoods, located just a few miles from downtown Atlanta in unincorporated DeKalb County, and bordered by wide, curvy Ponce de Leon Avenue.

The Historic Druid Hills neighborhood was originally developed in the early 20th Century by a local businessman who hired the famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead and his son, to design and implement the development of the area. Wonderful foresight produced lovely winding streets, overhanging trees, neighborhood parks and gracious homes along streets like Lullwater, Springdale and Oxford. For a more comprehensive history of the area, Druid Hills resident, David Hartle, has written Druid Hills, A Brief History.

Architectural styles in the area include stately Georgian and Tudors, as well as more humble Bungalows. Flowering Dogwoods and Azaleas are a trademark and present on most of the streets in Druid Hills.

A recent facelift and roundabout has enhanced Emory Village and the entrance to Emory University, which are located in the Druid Hills Historical District. Once a bottleneck, traffic now moves easily through the intersection and into the area. Pedestrian traffic enjoys continuous walkways through the intersection and is a pleasure to transverse.

Emory Village is small with several popular restaurants, drycleaners, bookstore and limited parking. It is located adjacent to Emory University and is a lively, bustling destination.

The main entrance to Emory University is located in Emory Village on the roundabout. Emory University was originally founded by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of Methodist bishop, John Emory. According to Wikipedia, the university has nearly 3000 faculty members and almost 14,000 students. U.S. News & World Reports placed Emory at 20th in national university rankings in 2012. Emory has a beautiful campus with old trees and extensive green space. Several years ago, Emory opted to become a pedestrian only campus and instituted the free Cliff shuttle system for students, faculty and staff. The Carlos Museum is located on the campus and houses one of the most comprehensive art collections in the SE.

Atlanta Decatur Homes, a local Atlanta real estate company, selling homes in Atlanta, Druid Hills, Decatur, Medlock Park, and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years. Professional Rental Management services are also offered.

Dog Friendly City - Dog Parks in Decatur, Georgia

Posted on March 31, 2012by atlantadecaturhomes

The Dog Park

Decatur, Georgia is one of the loveliest small cities in the Atlanta area, well-known for its walkability factor, for charming Decatur homes, friendly neighborhoods and fine restaurants and shopping. It’s also a dog-friendly city with some great local Decatur Dog Parks.

In a comprehensive article by Wikipedia, the Dog Park is described as “ a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owner.

Dog Parks are popular everywhere, offering safe exercise areas for dogs and an opportunity for owners to gather and socialize while their dogs play. Several excellent Dog Parks are located in neighborhoods around the Emory University area in Decatur, Ga:

Mason Mill Dog Park – N. Jamestown Road Decatur, Ga. – Recently renovated – Flat open space with double fences, adjacent parking, water fountains, baggies and trash deposit plus a covered picnic area. Could use more benches.

 

 

 

 

 

Glenlake Dog Park – 1121 Church Street, Decatur, Ga. – Recently renovated – smaller Dog Park within the larger Glenlake Park with water fountains/baggies and trash deposit and a covered picnic area. Suggest entering off Church Street by the Pool and Tennis Courts, as the other entrance is a bumpy ride over stones. Good Parking

 

 

 

 

Adair Dog Park – Trinity Place next to Mary Gay House, Decatur, Ga. – This large park is one of the more appealing with benches and abundant shade – double fences/water fountains/benches/baggies and trash deposit. Limited parking but handy.

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes a Good Dog Park?

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers lists several points that constitute a Good Dog Park on their website. Good Dog Parks generally have the following:

• Parking Close to the Site
• Materials for Cleaning UP – Bags and Garbage Cans
• Drinking Fountains and Shade
• Enough Space to Avoid Crowding
• Separate Entrance & Exit Gates to Enter and Exit
• Two-Gate System to keep dogs from accidentally Escaping

Is Your Dog Ready for a Dog Park?

Dogs come in all shapes and varieties. Some are quiet and shy, some are friendly and outgoing. Aggressive dogs are not generally welcomed in dog parks and basic obedience skills are desirable. Your dog should be able to respond to basic commands, particularly the recall command. It also helps if your best friend is friendly with all types of people and has a history of amiable play with other dogs. Dog parks may be intimidating for pets that are less than 5 months old.

Visit one of these convenient Decatur Dog Parks when you have an opportunity – your dog will thank you!

Atlanta Decatur Homes, a local Atlanta real estate company, selling homes in Atlanta, Druid Hills, Decatur, Medlock Park, and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years. Professional Rental Management services are also offered.

Emory Area Neighborhood - Medlock Park

Posted on March 20, 2012by atlantadecaturhomes

The Medlock Park area is nestled between Scott Boulevard, North Superior Avenue and North Decatur Road in Decatur, Georgia. Small well-kept bungalows and brick ranches predominate, with newer construction interspersed. Families and individuals are drawn to the neighborhood by affordable housing and the convenience to Emory University, located less than 3 miles away.

Medlock Park Sales Update

Thirty-seven homes sold in the Medlock Park area during 2011, with prices ranging from $90,000 – $350,000, selling for slightly less than in 2010, The average list price was $192,424 and the average sale price was $180,497, averaging 100 days on the market.

Medlock Park Shopping/Hospital Facilities

Popular restaurants, grocery stores, shops, doctors and hospitals are all located close by

• Evans Fine Foods – N. Decatur Road
• Rainbow Grocery – N. Decatur Road
• UPS & Kinko’s – N. Decatur Road
• Emory Hospital – Clifton Road
• Egleston Children’s Hospital – Clifton Road
• DeKalb General Hospital – N. Decatur Road
• Publix Pharmacy – N. Decatur Road
• Clairmont Animal Hospital – N. Decatur Road

Medlock Park Area Parks

DeKalb County has numerous parks and walking paths convenient to the Medlock Park area, including recently completed bike and walking trails that lead through the woods, connecting two county parks, Medlock Park and Mason Mill Park. Both parks have been extensively renovated and offer tennis courts, playgrounds, ball fields, picnic areas and Medlock Park has a community pool. The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, located in the Medlock Park area, is a 28-acre nature preserve with walking trails, bogs, and bird-watching sites.

Medlock Park offers prospective homeowners a convenient location, reasonable home prices and recreation facilities within the neighborhood.

Atlanta Decatur Homes, a local Atlanta real estate company, selling homes in Atlanta, Druid Hills, Decatur, Medlock Park, and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years. Professional Rental Management services are also offered.

Why Do You Need a Property Manager?

Posted on February 12, 2012 by atlantadecaturhomes

You need a Property Manager for many of the same reasons you need a professional real estate agent.  To make your life easier.

Realtors are licensed and knowledgeable about  State and Local laws that might affect your property.  For example, in some municipalities there is a limit on the number of unrelated adults that can occupy a home legally.

A good Property Manager can handle most of the sticky issues that may arise in leasing your home.  They can:

• Advertise the property for lease with signs, lockboxes, information boxes and emails to other local realtors and to major local businesses.  Distribute flyers and brochures to the multiple listing service, personal websites, Realtor.com, Craigslist, Postlets.com, rentdigs.com, and a host of other appropriate sites.
• Screen prospective tenants by checking credit histories, references, past landlords, and backgrounds.
• Prepare a comprehensive Lease that protects the Landlord and the Tenant, spelling out possible problems like access to the property, accountability for damage to the property, and early termination of the Lease by either party.
• Keep individual records for each client, collect and hold Security Deposits and   rent.  Pay maintenance bills or lawn service if requested.  Send out an itemized statement to the Landlord each month, and a year-end report as well. 
• Maintain the property by handling repairs when requested or necessary.  Professional Property Managers have good electricians, handymen, and plumbers available, as well as lawn services. 
• Let tenants into the property when they are locked out.

Perhaps one of the most difficult duties that Property Managers perform is maintaining  a good relationship and communication with your tenants.  Tenants come in all forms and not all of them are amiable, even though they pay the rent on time and keep the property in good condition.  Prickly tenants need a diplomatic approach and one that an experienced Property Manager can handle with ease.

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local real estate company selling homes located in Atlanta, Decatur, and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years and offering professional property management for homes in the Emory area.

Riderwood Estates Neighborhood - Decatur Homes

Posted on July 24, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

Riderwood Estates is a quiet Decatur community located near the intersection of Pangborn Road and LaVista Road, approximately 5.5 miles from Emory University/CDC and close to Northlake Mall, a major shopping complex.

Riderwood Drive, Riderwood Court, and Hunting Hill Lane contain mostly mid-century Ranch homes with winding tree-shaded streets and well-kept lawns.  The homes are generally spacious, renovated and appealing to young families, singles and retirees.  The convenience to good schools, excellent shopping and medical facilities make this a particularly attractive place to live.  Recent sales prices in the neighborhood range from $301,000 for a beautifully renovated brick ranch with a stunning backyard to $189,000 for an estate “quick” sale.   

An incredible updated Emory Area home is currently listed for sale at 1794 Hunting Hill Lane, priced very competitively at $239,900.

• Family Room with Fireplace
• Spacious Living Room/Dining Room
• Sunny Eat-In Kitchen with Updated Appliances
• 3 Bedrooms/2 Full Baths
• Hardwood Floors/HVAC
• Finished Office in Basement
• Full Unfinished Basement – Workshop & Bonus Area with Fireplace
• Loads of Space!  Great Family Home!  Fenced Yard
• Super Neighborhood

If you are searching for an ideally located neighborhood with Decatur Homes that is convenient to shopping, restaurants, good schools and excellent medical facilities, drive through the welcoming streets of Riderwood Estates and picture yourself living in this dynamic community.

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local Atlanta Real Estate Company, serving Atlanta, Decatur, Emory University, and Tucker neighborhoods for over 25 years.

Decatur Arts Festival - Decatur Homes

Posted on June 29, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

The City of Decatur. Georgia, is well-known for hosting Beach Parties with sand on the Square,  annual Wine Tasting Events, and Concerts on the Park.  The Decatur Arts Festival is one of their most popular occasions.

The Decatur Arts Festival features an Art Walk with local shops, retailers and restaurants hosting a city-wide art show that is free and open to the public, as well as an Artist Market, free entertainment on the Square,  and Theater and Literary events.

During the weekend, Decatur’s main street is blocked to traffic and filled with colorful kiosks and booths, selling food and unusual art and crafts.  Singers and bands entertain the crowds from the Gazebo on the Square, and children, dogs and families wander through the area, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying this fabulous event sponsored by the City of Decatur.  And, the event is free!

If you don’t make it to the Beach Party or the Book Festival in Decatur, put this annual event on your calendar – it’s a lively affair for the whole family!

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local Atlanta real estate company serving Atlanta, Decatur, Druid Hills, and Tucker communities for over 25 years!

North Druid Valley - Decatur Homes

Posted on May 24, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

Close-in Decatur homes like those in North Druid Valley are among the most desirable real estate in the area.  Nestled off North Druid Hills Road between Clairmont and Lawrenceville Highway lies a hidden community of winding streets and lush vegetation called North Druid Valley. 

Several factors make this neighborhood and these Decatur homes a popular choice for first-time homeowners:

• It is ideally situated within a mile of two major shopping malls – North DeKalb Mall with Macy’s and Marshall’s, and Toco Hills Shopping Mall with several major grocery stores, banks and restaurants.
• It is also located less than 3 miles from Emory University/Emory Medical Complex and the Center for Disease Control
• Home prices  range from $220,000 to $250,000 for 2-3 bedroom properties, many of which have been updated with new kitchens, baths and family room additions
• The majority of homes are ranch-style with spacious well-kept lawns

North Druid Valley has an active Homeowner’s Association and many involved and caring neighbors that help make this area an ideal place to live.  In addition to the closeness of shopping and restaurants, the area is also served by a lovely new library, the Toco Hills-Avis G. Williams Library, just a mile or so away.

DeKalb County Library – Toco Hills-Avis G. Williams Branch

Tucked away on McConnell Drive off Clairmont Road is the new Toco Hills Library, a stunning new facility featuring conference rooms, meeting rooms and a special teen area.  The interior has soaring glass windows that highlight the bright, airy space and encourage reading, studying or searching for your favorite books.  The Library sponsors monthly events like book clubs,  classes for internationals, readings by well-known  writers, and fabulous book sales.  There is ample parking and an exterior seating area.  The Library is convenient to many adjacent neighborhoods and close to schools and Emory University.

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local Atlanta real estate company serving Atlanta, Decatur, Druid Hills, Tucker and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years!

Laurel Ridge Homes - Decatur Real Estate

Posted on May 4, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

 

Brief History of the Development of Decatur real estate in the Laurel Ridge  Community

Laurel Ridge is located 4 miles from Emory University  and is  Northwest of the intersection of North Druid Hills Road and Lawrenceville Highway, roughly across from North DeKalb Mall.

Lawrenceville Highway was a major road from the earliest days of the County, essentially a road that led from the Dekalb County seat in Decatur to the Gwinnett County Seat in Lawrenceville.  North Druid Hills Road was only a two-lane road for years, often blocked by trains passing across the road near the present Hidden Valley Golf Course.

According to a comprehensive history of the area written by Bob Stubbs for the Laurel Ridge Civic Association, until the 1950′s most of the surrounding Decatur real estate was primarily rural with a large number of dairy farms -one large dairy farm was located near North DeKalb Mall. 

 Intensive residential development began in the mid 1950′s when Decatur real estate in the Laurel Ridge area was developed.  Most of the land was originally owned by the Kittredge family and was gradually sold to develop North Druid Woods, Pine Glen, Fork Creek and finally in the mid-60′s, Country Squire.  All of these neighborhoods comprise what is generally designated as the Laurel Ridge area, named for Laurel Ridge Elementary School located in the area.

Many of the homes in North Druid Woods are of modest size, but well-kept with sizeable yards.  This is a popular “starter” neighborhood with good schools and convenient to everything. Decatur homeprices in this neighborhood range from $199,000 to $265,000 for a small brick ranch-style home.

 

Fork Creekwas developed some time later and the homes are substantially larger with more bedrooms and baths and well-groomed lawns.

Pine Glenis another unique area with charming cottage-style homes and brick ranches. 

Prior to the mid-1960′s when Country Squire was developed, orchards and cattle were the primary occupants.  Country Squire homes are substantial with spacious well-maintained yards.

Two DeKalb County Schools are located within the neighborhood, Laurel Ridge Elementary School, and Druid Hills Middle School(Formerly called Shamrock Middle School).

Atlanta Decatur Homes  is a local Atlanta real estate company serving Atlanta, Decatur, Druid Hills, Emory University and Tucker neighborhoods for over 25 years.

Bungalows - Atlanta Home Styles

Posted on April 22, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

Those lovely low-pitched Atlanta homes with overhangs and exposed porches are often loosely described by  Realtors as Bungalows, meaning any small to medium-sized home built between 1900 and 1940 with an open floor plan, and a single story or story and a half.

 

Origin

The original Indian word, “bangla”, was the name used to describe  a small thatched structure for wayfarers.  The British adapted the concept during their colonial occupation of India in the 19th Century, building one-story houses with wide covered verandas and an open floor plan to encourage cross-ventilation in a hot, arid country.

The popularity of the Bungalow style grew at the turn of the century, offering a low cost and attractive alternative for many individuals getting by on modest means.  According to Old Houses.Com, the Bungalow filled more than the need for shelter.  With its style, convenience, simplicity, sound construction and excellent plumbing, it represented the fulfillment of the American Dream.

Atlanta Homes -  Bungalows

While many Bungalows in the Atlanta area were built between 1900 and the 1940’s, the style is still popular today and the influence is evident in many newer Decatur homes, as well as Atlanta Homes.  Most are constructed of wood, brick, stone, or a combination of exterior finishes, and are often characterized by a side porch or a covered front porch with an entryway set off to one side.  Antique Home Style  lists the following typical features of Bungalows.

• Low pitched roof, often with broad eaves
• Entry opens directly into the living room
• Often has large front porch that creates an outdoor room
• Open floor plan and good flow from room to room with minimal space wasted on hallways
• Small with built-ins – like “Butler’s pantries” – for storage and organization.

The most prevalent Atlanta Bungalow styles  are the Arts and Crafts/ Craftsman, Tudor and Cape Cod varieties.

Atlanta Homes -  Craftsman-Style

Our Craftsman-style bungalow has its roots in the British “Arts and Crafts” movement, a philosophy nurtured by William Morris, that emphasized the hand-made over the mass-produced.  The American “Arts and Crafts” movement was a reaction to the over-decorated Victorian era, just coming to a close in the early 1900’s, and encouraged originality, simplicity of form and  the use of local natural materials. These homes were built by the new “middle class”, and were often modest in size with low, gently sloping roofs and deep porches with distinctive square pillars.  Interiors featured built-in china cabinets, nooks, bookcases, seating area and shelving.

Atlanta Decatur Homes  is a local Atlanta real estate company serving Atlanta, Decatur, Druid Hills, Emory University and Tucker neighborhoods for over 25 years.

Decatur Real Estate - Leafmore Hills Neighborhood

Posted on March 18, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

  

History – Decatur Real Estate

Decatur real estate in this part of  DeKalb County sold in 1822 for 10 cents an acre.  The following year, Decatur was named the County Seat and the area began developing. Leafmore Hills and the surrounding area was once a rural farming community with few homes and no  4-lane highways.  Dairy farms dotted the landscape and Clairmont Road, now a major artery, was part of an Indian trail.  There were no shopping centers, grocery stores, or restaurants, just small crop farms and cows!

An expanding population pushed Atlanta eastward towards Decatur, which was becoming a prestigious suburb by the early 1950’s.  According to  history compiled by the Leafmore Civic Association, there was a country store  with a single gas pump, pot-bellied stove and rocking chair located at North Druid Hills Road and LaVista Road.  Development of Leafmore Hills began in 1952 and filled the neighborhood with young families, all new to the area.  Leafmore Hills became a close-knit community with an active Garden Club, Clubhouse, and Pool.

Location

• Located just 7 miles from downtown Atlanta, and less than 3 miles from the Clifton Corridor  that includes Emory University, Emory Hospital, Eggleston Children’s Hospital, Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the American Red Cross, Leafmore is one of the most convenient subdivisions in DeKalb County.

Local Leafmore Architecture

• Most of the homes in the area are well-kept mid-century ranches with large manicured yards, as well as a few newer traditional Decatur homes with  garages and modern features.  Many of the ranches have been recently renovated or updated with new kitchens and baths.

Decatur Area Amenities

• Less than a half mile from Leafmore  Hills, two churches anchor corners of North Druid Hills Road and Clairmont Road, Clairmont Baptist and Druid Hills Presbyterian. Just beyond the churches, Toco Hills Shopping Center hosts a variety of shops and restaurants, including two major grocery chains.  Four banks and 4 bagel places are located along this section of North Druid Hills as well.

 Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local Atlanta real estate company selling homes in the Druid Hills, Atlanta, Decatur and Tucker neighborhoods for over 25 years.

Fabulous Druid Hills! 508 Emory Circle Lot - Atlanta

you would like to build a home in this desirable Druid Hills community, 508 Emory Circle may be the perfect  opportunity!   Historic Druid Hills contains some of the most classically beautiful homes in Atlanta, and vacant lots in Druid Hills are rarely available, particularly lots that  have utilities and sidewalks in place. 

  

The area surrounding Emory University is known as Historic Druid Hills, and has a number of distinctive home styles.  Streets around Emory Village, like Lullwater, Springdale and Oxford contain substantial estates with large yards and sweeping driveways.  Streets further East, like 508 Emory Circle, Princeton Way, and Ridgewood Drive include smaller homes in the 1930’s – 1940’s vernacular, as well as newer homes that have been designed to fit into the historic neighborhood.  Most of these neighborhoods are within walking distance to Emory University and Emory Medical Complex on Clifton Road, or they are  near the free Cliff bus system that Emory provides for the area.

The lot at 508 Emory Circle is located in the Druid Hills Historic Preservation area, and any home erected on the site must first be approved by the Historic Preservation Committee.  The Committee is concerned that the scale  of the home be consistent with other homes on the street, and with the appropriateness of the design. 

508 Emory Circle is located approximately a half-mile from Emory University and CDC, just off North Decatur Road, within easy walking distance of a major grocery store, shops, restaurants and  YMCA.  Situated in the Druid Hills Historic District and within the Fernbank Elementary School District,  Emory Circle contains a variety of house styles, mostly 1930′s-1940′s brick bungalows with sidewalks and friendly neighbors.  Several  new homes  have been built on Emory Circle, and tasteful renovations have been made to other homes on the street.

508 Emory Circle contained a similar 1940′s-style bungalow, trim and well-kept, which was damaged in early 2010 so severely by fire that it was not salvageable , and subsequently leveled.   This desirable lot is now available for $269,000.  Utilities are already in place, and a former prospective purchaser has been successful in obtaining Historic Preservation approval for a house plan on this lot.

The Druid Hills community has been popular with employees and students of Emory University, Emory Medical Center, and the Center for Disease Control,( CDC),  for many years.  Residents enjoy the convenience of living close to where they work,the convenience to neighborhood parks,  and the convenience to shopping and restaurants.

Decatur Townhomes and Condos – Atlanta, Georgia

Posted on February 25, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

Here are a few popular Decatur Townhomes and Condos located in Atlanta, Georgia, neighborhoods close to Emory University/CDC.  Convenience is a primary concern for Atlanta homebuyers, and these four complexes are all within a mile or two of major shopping malls, grocery stores, and restaurants. 

• Brianwood – Close-in community built in 1974, located off LaVista Road in the heart of Sagamore Hills and Oak Grove and just a few miles from Emory University, CDC.  Close to shopping and restaurants. Features 3 and 4 bedroom homes with 2-car garages, plus pool and clubhouse, priced between $200,000 – $250,000.  Schools:  Sagamore Hills Elementary; Shamrock Middle, Druid Hills High School.

• September Chase Townhomes, built in 1987 with high-end finishes and garages, located in the center of established neighborhoods like Sagamore Hills, Oak Grove, and Leafmore with an east commute to Emory/CDC, shopping and restaurants.  Price ranges from $269,000 for 4 bedroom/2.5 bath to $215,000 for 2 bedroom/2.5 bath unit.  Located in an excellent school district:  Sagamore Hills Elementary, Shamrock Middle, Druid Hills High School.

• Winston Place Townhomes, located off LaVista Road near the intersection of Clairmont Road and less than 2 miles to Emory/CDC, in the center desireable Sagamore Hills, Oak Grove and Leafmore communities. Features beautifully landscaped grounds, pool and a strong Homeowners Association.  Price ranges from $230,000 to $240,000 with 2 bedroom/2 bath units and some 4 bedroom/3 bath units, most have 2-car garages.  This is another favorite Decatur Townhome community.

• Haverhill – A private residential Decatur Townhome and Condo community built in 1976, with 47 attached homes, including 2-3 bedroom townhomes and 2-3 bedroom one-level flats, located off North Druid Hills Road, just South of the Clairmont Road intersection and within 2 miles of Emory/CDC, downtown Decatur, shopping and restaurants.  Haverhill has an active Homeowner’s Association, Annual Community Events, and a great pool area.  Price ranges between $178,500 – $240,000.

For more information about Townhomes and Condos in Decatur and around the Emory University neighborhoods, call Atlanta Decatur Homes.  Follow us to view future articles showcasing Decatur and Atlanta townhome and condo complexes

I Want to Be a Gazelle, But I'm A Giraffe

I want to be a Gazelle, but I’m a Giraffe

Posted on February 21, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

A new book is being published on March 1, by Stefan Swanepoel, an established real estate expert, entitled Surviving Your Serengeti  that contrasts human survival skills with those of wild animals in the Serengeti.  In the first few chapters, Swanepoel details how the Wildebeest endures and flourishes in a competitive environment where obtaining food, shelter and water are critical.

Our patterns of survival are developed slowly, rather like rats in a maze looking for food, bumbling from one dead-end to another until a way opens.  Initially, most of us are nourished and cared for by loving parents, who teach us some of the techniques that serve as survival mechanisms in today’s complex society.  From there, our survival depends on how well we adapt to the struggles and adversity we face as we become adults, breadwinners, and parents.  We are deeply affected by events that overtake us, a sick child, loss of a job, relationships gone wrong. 

Getting through life is full of roadblocks, messy with doors that close to opportunities and windows that may not open.  Successfully navigating the setbacks and disappointments that we face, prepare us to handle the next hurdle as it comes along.  It gives us the confidence and strength to keep trying again and again. Family and friends offer a welcome support system when the worst happens and help you endure whatever you must face.  The knowledge that you’ve survived a previous setback will strengthen your resolve to survive again.

Dani Shapiro writes in her book, Devotion, “we are always adapting to new circumstances.  We think we’ve found an answer that we can carry with us for our whole lives – and then it turns out that the questions themselves have changed”.  She continues with, “the whole world is a lesson – and the lesson keeps changing”.

Heinrich Heine once wrote:  We know only that our entire existence is forced into new paths and disrupted, that new circumstances, new joys and new sorrows await us, and that the unknown has its uncanny attractions, alluring and at the same time anguishing.

Will you survive your Serengeti?  Take the popular quiz, What Animal Am I?  

For Atlanta Children - Of All Ages

For Atlanta Children–Of All Ages

Posted on February 18, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

Someone sent me a list about How to Stay Young that included the following advice:

• Keep only Cheerful friends
• Keep Learning
• Laugh Often
• Cherish Your Health
• Tell the People You Love that you Love them – at every opportunity
• Play with Your Children

Popular Places to Entertain Children in Atlanta

1. The Center for Puppetry Arts -a unique and magical experience for children and adults to explore the wonder and art of Puppetry.  Check out the Jim Henson Exhibit and the Create a Puppet Workshops.

1. Fernbank Museum of Natural History -  enjoy this opportunity to explore the story of Georgia Natural History with 16 galleries, plus theaters and dioramas, including the IMAX theater.  Fernbank has many interesting exhibitions that explain the history of some of the largest dinosaurs ever found, which includes several  full-scale dinosaur replicas.

1. The Georgia Aquarium – View a wide diversity of sea creatures, including whale sharks, manta rays, and Beluga Whales, at this modern Aquarium which contains the world’s largest 6.3 million gallon Aquarium Exhibit. 

1. Stone Mountain Park – one of the largest examples of granite in the Southeast covers 585 acres and offers a wide variety of activities, which include a scenic 1940’s railway locomotive that circles 5 miles around the base of the mountain and a Swiss cable-car ride that affords a fantastic view of the famous Confederate Memorial Carving.  The carving on the side of the mountain encompasses 3 acres and memorializes Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and “Stonewall” Jackson.  There are picnic grounds, grist mills, walking trails and paddle boats, as well as regular annual events like The Yellow Daisy Festival.

1. Zoo Atlanta – one of the oldest cultural institutions in Atlanta and home to the Giant Pandas, where LunLun’s latest cub was recently named “Po”.  Visit the Asian Forest to see the largest collection of Orangutans in North American, the Petting Zoo to see pigs, goats and sheep, the African Rain Forest Exhibit to see Gorillas, and the African Plains Exhibit to see Giraffes, Zebra, Lions and Elephants.