Sims Lake Park: A Peaceful Escape in Duluth

 or years, I’ve told friends: “Don’t rush to travel the world until you’ve explored the treasures in your own backyard.”After moving from Seattle to Atlanta, I let work take over—Amazon consumed nearly every hour of my day, leaving little time for balance or exploration. Now that I finally have some time, I’m making good on that promise to myself by exploring Georgia’s local gems. My first stop? Sims Lake Park in Johns Creek/Duluth.

The moment I arrived, I could feel the calm settle in. The park is beautifully laid out—greenery in every direction, the sound of water in the distance, and wide paved trails inviting me to wander. It felt like a space where families, photographers, joggers, and nature lovers could all find their happy place.

Highlights 

• Trails & Activities: Paved walking and biking paths perfect for a casual stroll or light exercise.

• Family Features: A playground for kids, open lawns, and picnic areas with plenty of benches.

• Nature & Views: A shimmering lake surrounded by trees, a deck with benches to relax on, and birdsong drifting from the canopy.

• Photography Spots: Endless opportunities to capture turtles, birds, reflections on the water, or the golden light filtering through bamboo.

Hidden Gems 

• A Japanese garden tucked above the lake, offering a touch of zen.

• A bamboo grove that feels like a secret escape within the park.

• The lake deck, a perfect spot to sit, think, and soak up the peaceful rhythm of nature.

  Best time to visit: Early mornings or late afternoons when the light is perfect for photos and the trails are quieter.

• Bring: A camera, a picnic blanket, comfy walking shoes, and maybe a book to enjoy lakeside.

• Parking: Convenient parking right near the entrance, with easy access to trails and the pavilion.

  
  
  
  Sims Lake Park reminded me of the joy in slowing down and savoring what’s nearby. It’s easy to overlook local gems when life is busy, but this park is a reminder that beauty and balance often sit right outside our own front door. 
  
  

  
  

Honoring History on the Veterans Memorial Walk – Newtown Park, Johns Creek, GA

 I’ve been working my way through a list of parks to explore before the year ends, and this weekend I discovered one that stood apart from the rest. Hidden within Newtown Park in Johns Creek, Georgia, is a place that is not just about recreation, but remembrance: the Veterans Memorial Walk.

From the moment my boys and I stepped into the memorial plaza, I knew this was different. Instead of playground noise or jogging trails, we were greeted by rows of flags representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, standing tall beside the American flag and the City of Johns Creek flag. Immediately, the space felt sacred—quiet, reflective, and intentional.

The walkway is fully accessible, winding smoothly through a series of stone monuments. Each one tells the story of a major conflict—from World War I to Afghanistan—etched with dates, campaign service medals, and images that capture the essence of each era. These aren’t just markers of battles; they are reminders of sacrifice and resilience. If you take your time to really look, the details draw you into the weight of history.

What makes the experience even more meaningful are the personal touches scattered throughout: engraved pavers honoring loved ones, benches for quiet reflection, and a large gazebo that offers a place to pause in privacy. It’s as if the space was designed not just to educate, but to comfort and to inspire gratitude.

As a family, we found ourselves especially drawn to the newer memorials for the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Perhaps because these are conflicts within our lifetime, they felt raw and immediate—reminders that the story of service is not just history, but also part of today.

Walking here isn’t about exercise or checking off another park—it’s about connection. Connection to the men and women who served, to the families who supported them, and to the community that chose to honor them with such dignity.

If you find yourself in the Johns Creek area, take an hour to wander through this memorial. Go with your family. Sit on a bench. Read the names. Look closely at the details. Allow yourself a moment to feel what words often fail to express.

Because in the end, this isn’t just a walk through a park. It’s a walk through our shared history—and a quiet reminder to be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy each day.

Introducing Africancrab

African women have a lot of skills to teach to future generations. Growing up in an African homestead one would easily admire the craftsmanship around the house that women easily created whiling away the hours before resuming their usual tasks. One such interesting craft is the art of crocheting. This is one amazing skill that can be taught through generations and as soon as you get the hang of it, you do not want to stop. Africancrab was borne of this. When Harriet was given her first crochet hook by her aunt, she took it upon herself to learn as much as she could on this amazing craft.

Africancrab

From the pearl of Africa; Uganda, Harriet aka Africancrab had a talent for crochet from an early age of 6. Thanks to the internet, she was able to perfect that art and taught herself how to create pieces by watching videos on YouTube. She would later go on to sell these handcrafted pieces. She has been creating handmade accessories for more than 35 years and enjoys the thrill of freestyle designing and knitting. Harriet runs and manages her shop, Africancrab from home.

Artist And Mother

Harriet is a stay at home mother of two currently residing in Tucson, Arizona in the United States. She thrives on the thrill of being a hands-on artist who loves her craft and gets to practice it as often as she can to create amazing pieces. The thrill of being able to design trendy pieces keeps her going. Harriet is a visual as well as a hands-on artist at heart and is sharing her passion with all the world to see and become inspired too.

Eclectic Style

Harriet has a love of art and a love of crochet and knitting. This gives her a thrill and inspires her to be even more creative when it comes to designing her pieces. She sells her crocheted and knitted items on Etsy. These items are for people with varied tastes. They range from bohemian to retro, hippie to high-class elegance, and even vintage to Rastafarian spirits. She manages to incorporate trending fashion into all her designs, and this makes them stand out. These accessories will be an amazing addition to your wardrobe as they are inspired by a true passion.

A Lot Of Originality And A Little Spunk

All of Harriet’s designs are original and the style is extensive. If looking to switch between a retro or bohemian chic style, between being wild and a little free-spirited to feeling elegant and classy, look no further than Africancrab. These crocheted pieces add some flavor and charm to your wardrobe ensuring you never go out of style.

Find Harriet’s Etsy shop online at Africancrab.etsy.com and find yourself something that brings out your fashion sense. There are also download patterns available on the online shop for anyone inspired by the existing designs and wanting to recreate the look. Harriet hopes her work will inspire and challenge you as well to be equally creative.

Yosemite 2013: Waterfall in Yosemite Valley

Destination Arizona; Scenic Drive to Mt. Lemmon

Women's Slouchy Crochet Hat/ Tam

Another of my creations. Today the focus is on women; inspired by what I love most. This project has been on going, I have crocheted many of these Tams/ slouchy hats in various colors and color combinations. It is an easy project taking just about an hour of my time for each when I sit down continuously.

It is of course tough to get a continuous hour with a 9 month old child who rarely sleeps in the day. Nonetheless I have been able to make this beautiful Ivory and royal purple slouchy for women of style. Itmeasure 26-28 in circumference and can be worn by people with dreadlocks or long braids measureing upto 30 inches in length.

Made using 100% soft acrylic yarn in a non smoking baby friendly environment, and in the comfort of my own home. Attention to detail has been delicate to ensure that the finished product is soft, cozy, warm, friendly and easy to use. It is machine wash friendly, however one needs to use the delicate cycle for washing and lay down to dry, or use machine delicate cycle to dry.

My online shop on Etsy, has the various hats, tams, beanies and many other products to choose from. For November and December only, I'm offering free domestic and international shipping on all items. If you are a shopper like me, you will love the free shipping. I'm a bargain shopper who loves the discounts and free shipping too. I shop online every so often and love it when a seller offers free shipping.

For more information on this stylish slouch hat and others, visit my shop
Africancrab Knits and Crochets

www.etsy.com/shop/Africancrab

The Teeneger I

Since I'm taking a break from traveling, I'm filling my time with a passion I had long let go unattended. I love to crochet and knit, my daughter has inspired most of my creations, while others have come from seeing shopper buy certain types of products.

I made this beautifully unique winter hat for the teenager  Having a teenage daughter means getting into the trends and knowing what is on 'vogue'.

Hand crocheted from a mix of soft acrylic and wool yarn, it is perfect for girls. It keeps the chills out while keeping them in style. The beautiful pink matched with brown makes it easy to wear with just about any outfit.

My shop on Etsy has it ready to ship with FREE domestic and international shipping. The offer for free shipping is only good till the end of December for domestic purchases, while the Intentional free shipping is only good till end of November. Of course depending on how well this works, I just might extend it also to the end of the year to allow holiday shoppers to spend less on the items they love the most. Here is a link to my shop should you feel the need to go spending:

For more information on this particular hat and other products, please visit my shop
Africancrab Knits & Crochets 

www.etsy.com/shop/Africancrab