For the third week in a row, we took Sunday’s take-out dinner to Richland Creek and ate at the same picnic table. Our smiles were big, because we had Italian food from one of our favorite restaurants. Grandson David and I shared a meat-loaded calzone, and John had mushroom ravioli in white sauce topped with candied pecans.
Airborne seeds were floating everywhere. One landed on John’s shoulder for the duration of the meal. We were sitting near flowering plants that began to stir up John’s allergies. We urged him to go back to the car while we finished eating. David and I checked the labels on the plants – all lilacs. There was Carolina Lilac, Mr. Baker’s Lilac, and common lilac.
We drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at an overlook with a large cascade across the valley. I asked David to pose with it. There was enough water that even I could hear the sound of the water hitting the rocks.
We drove to the place just above the cascade and got out to see the stream where it began. We were fairly close to this little waterfall. It may have been small, but it was pleasant to trace the course of the water that divided and came back together at the base. The stream flowed under the Blue Ridge Parkway and must be joined by other streams to make the impressive cascade visible above.
Mehrling Muse 
Isn’t part of the parkway closed.? Still cool up your way…here too every now and then.
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We knew the Cherokee area was shut to outsiders and saw the gate on the parkway closed. We weren’t trying to go there. We haven’t had a really hot day yet, and it’s going to be cool for the next few days. Guess you could envy that. Wish I could share.
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I am so glad that there aren’t so many people crowding these places so that you can enjoy them. In our town few people are out walking, so we can easily pass by each other. One town over everybody seems to want to walk in the park there. I saw the police Sunday probably going to break up gatherings.(not criminal, just entitled suburbanites.)
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Some people insist on getting too close together in public spaces. What are they thinking???
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They aren’t thinking!
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I like the container of Clorox wipes on the tables next to the food. A sign of the times!
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Thanks for noticing. Usually I just grab the camera and shoot. That day, I turned the Clorox wipes so the label would show. I’m glad it was willing to pose without wiggling.
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It will mark the date for this photo!
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Waterfall adventures and sunday picnics- great post- enjoyed seeing you all out in the open.
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We are being careful. We always wash our hands after going into stores. Today I was very aware of not touching anything unless I was going to buy it. We’re glad the weather has warmed up so that we can enjoy being outside. It’s going to be cool tomorrow.
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Well, the food looks good to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You would have liked the chicken. If you don’t like tomatoes, I would have removed the sauce for you.
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Oh yes, I like chicken. Thanks too, I’m not big on tomatoes.
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What a beautiful spot for a picnic! Sitting amidst lilacs and eathing that delicious-sounding Italian food sounds like heaven!
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You might have sized up the track behind David and me where lots of people jog.
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You’re so fortunate to be able to get out into open spaces and enjoy the scenery of the BRP. I need to get back there when this is all over..:)
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Riding and stopping at the overlooks on the Parkway are delightful restoratives.
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Lovely post Anne! You’re so fortunate to be able to get out and about. Even though I can see the sea from my home we’re not allowed to go walkabout 😦 We can shop for essentials. Your photos are lovely – keep snapping!
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Oh! That’s too bad that you can’t walk where you please. We are being encouraged to get outside and move. John’s sister and husband in New York walk to the beach every day. We continue our morning walk to the creek. Of course, everyone carefully stays the required distance apart.
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Lilacs were my mom’s favourite flower, and they’re mine too! Love their scent! I used to ‘steal’ them from various back yards & front yards for Mom! She didn’t seem to mind, what can I tell you! 😀
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How nice that you love lilacs! We have one bush in our little garden, but it isn’t nearly ready to bloom yet. When it does, I’ll go out and sniff it for you.
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Ok thanks!! 😀
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Sounds like a perfect day to me Anne … the view is perfect, the Italian food sounds delicious and a sunny, cardigan-hoodie day. How lucky you are with the lilacs out already. I just looked this morning when I was out in the yard with the camera and saw small leaves on the lilac tree and the Ms. Kim lilac bush (which flowered last year for the first time in its life, its life at this house beginning sometime in the early 90s)! We won’t have lilacs until May, especially now that we’ve gotten very cold again after having temps in the high 60s several days in a row. The WP tumbler – I’d have missed that, but noticed the Chlorox wipes right away.
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Looks like a lovely picnic spot!
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We all love creeks and streams, so eating to the sound of rushing water is perfect for us. We were there today, having take-out from a local restaurant. There was the cutest dachshund bouncing around while his owner fished.
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