Cataloochee

The closest part of the Smoky Mountain National Park is Cataloochee Valley. That was our destination for Kate’s and Nathaniel’s last day with us. We walked up to a lookout point where I took a photo of daughter Lise and grandsons David and Nathaniel.

We were stopped, not by rain, but by a bridge closing. We couldn’t drive to the area where elk often graze, nor could we explore the old house and barn near there. Going back, the younger people went in the old church, but John and I opted to take a short nap in the car. We also wanted to walk across a log bridge, which we’d not bothered to do before. I liked the view as you approached it.

Bridge and stream are more picturesque from a different angle.

I love mountain streams and took a short video from the bridge.

I cooked our last dinner together. For the foodies: salmon with molasses/soy/lime sauce, sliced potatoes with Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese, green beans, double lime Jell-o salad, and frozen lemon pie.

Niece Julie and friend Michael came to pick up Lise to spend a few days in Winston Salem. I hope to remember to take a photo when they return her.

Party after Mount Mitchell Hike

Son John $pencer planned a hike near Mount Mitchell for his siblings and nephews. The only comment I can make is that all of them enjoyed the scenery, the exercise, and the company. John and I had his car serviced, and we met them on the mountain. We were going to a restaurant for a late lunch. Instead, we shopped for potato chips, ground bison, hamburger meat, hot dogs, potato salad, and baked beans and ate at John’s and Rose’s place. As often happens, Nathaniel ended up near the grill. He was chatting with Rose and $ in this photo.

We made ourselves comfortable and enjoyed the feast.

Nathaniel, Lise, Rose, John $, John, and Kate

Hammocks were a hit. David sprawled in one as John $ set up the other one.

Nathaniel took a turn with arms and legs dangling.

I wondered if he would really fit in it and soon saw the answer. He is so long and straight that he made the hammock look like a bathtub.

Rose had a chance to sit on a hammock while she petted Sadie.

A big food hit were the S’mores. Kate brought graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey’s candy. John $ built a fire, and the younger sets roasted the marshmallows. David always heats his marshmallow slowly so that it is molten in the middle without being burned on the outside.

Kate roasted hers, and Nathaniel did one for me. He and I like the marshmallows burned on the outside. For those who haven’t had one, a S’more is an informal dessert made with a roasted marshmallow, a few squares of Hershey’s chocolate candy, all sandwiched between graham crackers.

Lise enjoyed hers to the fullest, knowing she is not likely to have another when she goes home to Denmark.

The Johns, father and son, relaxed while the rest of us hung about the fire.

The drive back to our house took about 1 ¾ hours. I think everyone but the drivers of the two cars took a nap. Fresh air, a long walk, good food, and lots of laughter made us all sleepy. It had been a most satisfying day.

Double-digit Logan

Neighbor Logan is now 10 years old! Our state has not relaxed the rules about keeping a distance between people, so we knew there would be no big party to celebrate the event. We had a pop-up porch greeting, complete with cake, a candle, and gifts. Logan stepped out and accepted the slice of cake from Kate as we sang the birthday song. I don’t know who had the matches and lit the candle, but it all came together at the right moment.

My hands were busy with the camera. My eyes focused on Logan and the flashing lights on the patriotic glasses. I was happy to find that Bob and Shawn were visible in the doorway.

We chatted for a few minutes after the formalities were over. The cake was safe with Kate, and Lise had a chance to pet Emily. It wasn’t much of a celebration, but we did mark the day together. Can you believe our favorite neighborhood boy is now 10 years old? We’ve known and enjoyed him for six of the ten. Happy birthday, Logan!!

Rain on the Mountain

We planned a mountain day when the weather was supposed to be clear in the morning and rainy in the afternoon. Our first stop was our favorite waterfall, Sunburst Falls. It began to sprinkle as soon as we stepped out of the car, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the falls. Grandsons David and Nathaniel walked ahead of us and sat on the ledge to see the water pooling below the falls. (Photos on the left.) The shot on the right shows how deep the chasm is at that point. I was fine with their sitting there, but I’ve seen both son John $ and David stand up where their feet were resting. That makes my heart flutter! I was glad they turned around before standing up.

The young men headed down the road and onto a steep path to the rocks below. I think I zoomed in a bit to see them, but it really was quite a distance.

The next shot shows them standing on a big rock.

Nathaniel was taking a photo of us on the bridge as David waved.

Photo by Nathaniel with Lise, Kate, and Anne on the bridge

It was raining steadily as we watched the boys. I was standing in the rain, but Kate wore a raincoat and Lise sheltered under trees across the bridge. We damp people drove up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, hoping to see vistas with clouds. Instead, we were in dense fog. Bummer! We turned around and went back down the mountain, shopping at Walmart before going home.

That evening we ate the birthday cake Nathaniel made for David’s birthday month. It was a dark chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a strawberry filling. It was fantastic!!! In addition, Nathaniel left the trimmings from the cake and the extra frosting on the counter for us to nibble on. What a treat!

David could have eaten the whole cake himself without gaining an ounce!

Raining on our Walk

On the way to the creek, we stopped at the firehouse to vote in a run-off primary election. Lise realized she was eligible to vote, since she uses our address as her legal address in this country.

At the creek, we were teasing about the boys’ long hair, not cut since the COVID-19 shutdown. Haircuts were on the list of things to do that day.

I spotted a three-petaled flower by the stream and guessed it was a trillium. Nathaniel climbed down to take a photo of it.

Walking back home, we saw rain clouds coming over the mountain. That was not in the forecast!

We dithered about staying at the gas station or risking being drenched.

Nathaniel and David walked around a big rig to get a good photo of the storm, and Nate took the short way back. We wondered if people in the cafe were laughing at us. I’m sure the regulars all know us by sight.

Sheltering under the canopy was our choice, but Lise decided she needed the steps. David agreed to walk home with her.

Kate had not walked with us because she wanted to take a shower. Nathaniel called his mother, and she drove down immediately to pick us up. When we caught up to Lise and David, David squeezed in the car with us. Lise walked on alone and was slightly damp when she got home.

Swimming with a Waterfall

When daughter Kate comes to visit, we schedule a swimming adventure for her and grandson David. This year we went across the border to a large stream in Tennessee that son John $ had shared with us. I couldn’t get near the water because of a steep bank with exposed roots, but they picked their way down to the water and waded in.

One of Lise’s favorite photos shows her swimming toward the falls with Kate. I was sitting on the bank in a camp chair, loaned by a lovely local woman who was there with her son and family. I watched the action in the water, zooming in with the camera to see what they were doing.

Kate found a rock perch, and Lise must have been standing up when David climbed up near the falling water. I wished there were locals there to show him where to slide down. It would have been dangerous for him to try it own his own.

When the swimmers came back, a dog was there retrieving sticks. Perhaps he sensed that David loves dogs, so he went to David with a stick. Each time David threw it, the dog came back to him. This kept my three entertained until they were fairly dry.

John and Nathaniel opted to sit in the car and chat while the rest of us were in or near the stream. Before rejoining them, I took a photo of two stacks of rocks in the stream. I don’t know why I like these things so much, but I’m always drawn to them.

We drove back to Hot Springs to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, the Iron Horse. We waited expectantly for our meal and enjoyed every bite.

Having been chilled in mountain water, our swimmers were uncomfortably cool. Lise laughed at herself for using her napkin to cover her legs.

John drove us safely home on twisty mountain roads. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenery when we weren’t nodding off. Nathaniel made a chocolate cake to celebrate David’s birthday that was at the beginning of June. We’ll use any excuse to get our favorite chef to cook for us.

Father’s Day

Five of us gathered around the monitor to attend a streaming church service on Father’s Day After that, grandson Nathaniel got the fire going. Soon son John $ and Rose joined us, and our circle was complete. The day was perfect for eating on the porch. Rose took a picture of all of us at the table. We talked nonstop, teasing and retelling funny family stories. The day was full of merriment and mirth.

John $, Nathaniel, John, Anne, David, Lise, and Kate

For the foodies: Nathaniel grilled marinated chicken breasts, asparagus, Bavarian brats, and Pepperjack hot dogs. He also prepared a salad of fresh beets, salad greens, Feta cheese, dried cranberries, and roasted pecans. Rose brought macaroni and cheese, which was a favorite with everyone. For dessert we had a store-made angel food cake topped with fresh strawberries and whipped topping. We also had cheesecake from Walmart, the kind with 12 different slices put together to make a whole. It didn’t stay whole for long.

We gathered under the oak tree for group photos. I liked this informal one where we were talking to Sadie. Sadie obeys the command to “sit”, but she hasn’t learned “pose” yet.

Nathaniel, Lise, David, John Kate, John $, and Rose

Rose took the best shot of our three children, who haven’t been together for 15 to 16 years, according to Lise’s reckoning. She saw $ in North Carolina and Kate in New York, but $ and Kate were not in the same state at the same time. They enjoyed being together again.

I hope all of you who celebrated Father’s Day had a fantastic time together.

Rituals of a Family Visit

Grandson Nathaniel always moves the mirror higher on the wall at the beginning of his stay with us. All others crowd into the photo. Spirits were running high.

On the way from New Jersey, daughter Kate and Nathaniel stopped at our favorite Virginia barbecue place and bought meat and sides for dinner. What a treat for all of us!

The two who had been in a car all day went for a walk, each joined by a sibling. I could hear them laughing as they came down the street. What a lovely sound!

Silliness erupted for a post-dinner snack. Nathaniel modeled a folded trivet.

Lise took the same trivet and balanced the crown on her head.

David is not impressed with the crowned one.

Part of daughter Lise’s success in losing weight was exercising, something she continues to do. She challenged her nephews to do a lively squat exercise. There was as much laughing as squatting. I went to bed when they decided to do planks. How much mirth can a body endure???

Vacations!

This year we participated in four vacations – those of daughters Lise and Kate and grandsons David and Nathaniel. We stayed at home, and all the fun and excitement came to us.

The first evening David spotted a box that had come for Lise. Knowing he was famous for squeezing into tight spaces, I wasn’t surprised that he headed for it. He was inside it in no time.

The next morning Lise and I headed for the creek. It’s traditional for a photo to be taken at the creek on the first walk of a visit. Both creek and daughter posed for me.

It was as good a time as any for a selfie.

As I write this, we are waiting for Kate and Nathaniel to get here from her home in New Jersey. It’s a grueling 12-hour drive. She is much, much braver than I am.

Flag Day

The significant event of the day was going to church. It wasn’t normal, but it was certainly better than we’ve had for months since the virus lock down. The choir sang at the 10 am service outside. I took a photo of the fellows setting up. Not being able to see the screen, I cut John off on the right side. There were wires galore connecting the piano, loud speakers, and microphones. I was amazed they pulled it all together, but maybe they are used to it.

Choir director on his knees. David in the middle. John’s blue coffee mug shows he is within reach.

We had rain at home before we drove the 30 miles to church. We were concerned about the weather, but it was wind that played havoc with the choir music. I caught one page from the choir director’s stand, and others ran after the rest. The pages were copies of hymns, not expensive sheet music. I wasn’t the only one who saw dark clouds approaching toward the end of the service. Pastor had his eye on them and shortened the last hymn to two verses. Everyone pitched in to carry chairs inside after the electronics were wheeled away.

After church, a special cake was served in the entrance so that no one had to go inside. We were celebrating the birthday of a church member who will be 100 years old in three days. Bill attends church every Sunday, and there are always people hugging him or shaking his hand as they pass by his pew. He is amazing!

This was also our wedding anniversary. We decided to try a Caribbean restaurant to have something different, but we couldn’t tell if they were still doing take-out only. David got out to read the signs on the door. Just then a worker came out and told him no one was allowed inside. We went straight to our second choice of the day, Chrimson Crustacean, otherwise known as Red Lobster. I asked David to do the selfie on site, because I thought the men might take off their ties after dinner. The sparkly flag on my top didn’t show at all. Oh, well, I tried.

On the way home, John bought us a tiny chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. The one we bought for David’s birthday was labeled chocolate, but the cake inside was yellow. This time the label was correct, and we all enjoyed our chocolate fix with a minor amount of guilt.