The Bluebird Patch

  Garden Centers Host FREE Evening Featuring Wine Tasting, Light Bites and Store-wide Fall Discounts   With leaves slowly dropping and deep autumn hues slightly peeking through the green foliage, it’s plain to see: Fall is upon us! As an official kickoff to the season, Pike Nurseries is hosting its annual Gardenfest event at all garden center locations on Thursday, September 26 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.   Whether guests are searching for festive fall foliage to add color to their yard or are looking to adorn their doorstep with harvest décor, Pike Nurseries has the perfect plants and outdoor accessories to create a beautiful seasonal landscape. While stocking up on autumn essentials, guests can take advantage of store-wide specials throughout the evening and enjoy complimentary appetizers and German wine tastings.    All regular priced items, excluding grills, propane, sod, pine straw, gift cards and garden services, will be 15 percen...

Texas has no shortage of natural wonders, exciting attractions and educational experiences for travelers of any age. From sunny beaches and authentic western experiences to theme parks, zoos and museums, Texas is a year-round destination that offers families a world of fun for Spring Break, summer vacation and beyond.  There’s so much to offer, families could spend all 365 days of the year in Texas and continue to find something new each day!   Since you can’t send a Texas vacation sample in the mail, TravelTex “Texas on Tour” at North Georgia State Fair is giving everyone the opportunity to have a real-life Texas experience and discover things to do in the Lone Star State. You can virtually train a dolphin, go rock climbing, jet ski along the coast, go on a cattle drive and experience the best in Texas music, as well as discover even more great things that make Texas like a whole other country.  The Tour will be at the North Georgia ...

More than 1.4 billion people in developing countries live on less than $1.25 per day, facing challenges most Americans never will. Compassion International’s Change the Story: The Compassion Experience completed its four-day stop at North Georgia State Fair in Marietta on September 24. The tour took visitors on a journey into the lives of three former Compassion-sponsored children from India, Uganda and Bolivia. The tour is highly interactive, using individual iPods and headsets to offer visitors a sense of what life is like in extremely poverty-stricken areas around the world where more than 1.4 billion people are living on less than $1.25 per day (USD). In the areas Compassion serves, one in five children die before the age of five, mostly from preventable causes, and 101 million children worldwide do not attend school. Tour goers will have the opportunity to “change the story” of children living in poverty by learning more about the issue, as well as Compassion’s chil...

On Saturday, September 21st, Fernbank Science Center welcome the " Autumnal Equinox"  by telling "Stories Among The Stars".  As the star projector depicted the night sky on the planetarium dome, storytellers Mary Apps, Tersi Bendiburg, Sarah Beth Nelson and Nancy Riggs shared tales of the autumn constellations, including the stories of Demeter and Persephone, Andromeda, the Milky Way, and Mars.  Bridging the gap between folklore and science, Fernbank Science Center astronomer April Whitt lead a tour of the season's brightest stars, and answer questions about the reason for the seasons. If you have never visited The Fernbank  Science  Center here are our top 5 reason why you should:  1. Admission to Fernbank Science Center is FREE ! Parking is FREE!    2. Bird Watching Tours: Fernbank Science Center, in conjunction with the Stone Mountain Memorial Association, will offer two bird watching tours at Stone Mountain P...

  Doc Chey’s celebrates 16 th anniversary during National Fire Prevention Month with Atlanta’s only 1-mile race, noodle eating contest and other family-friendly festivities   Doc Chey’s is pleased to announce the return of the fourth annual Morningside Mile 1-mile race and block party benefitting Atlanta’s oldest fire station on Sunday, October 20, from noon to 2 p.m. Participants and non-runners alike are invited to enjoy an afternoon of festivities at the Morningside Village shopping center, home to the original Doc Chey’s. Block party activities are family-friendly and will include the annual Doc Chey’s noodle eating contests for adults and kids, music, food from local restaurants, cookie decorating with Alon’s bakery, a bouncy house, face painter, fire safety tips from Atlanta firefighters and games for kids and adults alike. Race registration is currently open and the number of participants is limited this year. Registered runners get a technic...

ATLANTA— Fernbank Museum of Natural History opens a major new exhibition of incredible artifacts and profiles the 13 th century journey of Marco Polo in Marco Polo: Man & Myth , on Saturday, September 28, 2013. The exhibition opening includes several activities as part of the Marco Polo Celebration Days , which will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 28 and October 12. In celebration of the exhibition, Fernbank Museum is offering two opportunities to enjoy a taste of the Silk Road through event days that feature sights, sounds and tastes inspired by the incredible cultures Marco Polo encountered on his 24-year journey between Italy and China. Activities for September 28 are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include*:   ·   See a live baby camel , reminiscent of the iconic sights from Marco Polo’s journey through the Middle East. ·   Sample tastes of Indian and Italian cuisine inspired by the exhibition and offered...