Roan Mountain

On Wednesday, Kenny had a full day at the church so Wally and I entertained ourselves.  (Wesley went on down to Shelby)  We had a leisurely morning by going to a  coffee shop in Kenny’s little town.  They had Wi-Fi and we got caught up on email.  and we looked in a little shop of “local crafts”.   Then we drove to Roan Mountain, on the Tennessee-North Carolina boundary.  There is a rhododendron garden there.  It was another beautiful drive.  But when we got to the top, the park was closed!  I was kind of disappointed because I really wanted to see the garden.  But we took a different road back down the mountain and just enjoyed the drive.

We took these pics at the top of Roan Mountain

And even though I did not get to see the rhododendron garden, I saw some pretty ones in people’s yards!

Wally and I just loved looking at people’s homes…they were so well kept.  My little eyes felt tired, I did so much looking!  We loved the gardens people had planted, so large!  We just got our corn in before we left, but it is several inches high here. And just about everyone has a porch with a rocking chair on it! 

These are Christmas trees!  Kenny's area is the Christmas Tree Capital!  People have plots of tree growing on the hills behind their homes, small or large.  It takes seven years to harvest.

So ends Day Three!

Blue Ridge Parkway

On Tuesday, we rode the Blue Ridge Parkway with Kenny and Wesley.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and ride!  The Smoky Mountains are absolutely beautiful; and absolutely Smoky!  It was a sunny day but every view of the mountains, they looked, bluish, smoky, or hazy!  The rhododendrons were in bloom and grew randomly all over.  Just a very beautiful, scenic ride…not to mention the speed limit on the Parkway is 45 mph!

Wally and I rode a Honda ST1300 Sport Touring bike.  Kenny’s Pastor loaned it to us for the day and it was really a comfy ride.  Kenny had just purchased a Honda VFR800…fast kind of bike.  No thank you.  Wes was reluctant to even get his motorcycle permit, but we encouraged him to so we could ride together.  He admits he was very glad he did it.  He rode Wally’s bike, a Honda XLV600.  (I think we may sell it for a touring bike…any buyers?)

Enjoy some of the beautiful scenery that we enjoyed…

This is Grandfather Mountain.  Somehow the rocks are supposed to form the profile of an old man.  I’m sure I didn’t take a good picture, but I just didn’t see it!

We rode across this, the Linn Cove Viaduct.  The Parkway began to be built as a part of the “New Deal” to provide jobs during the Depression.  The man who owned Grandfather Mountain wanted to conserve the rock formations and fragile “rock slides” from being disturbed during construction of the road.  So the two parts of the Parkway ended with out being connected for about 45 years.  The land was sold to the state of NC in the 1930’s.  Engineers came up with the plan to build the viaduct and the work began in 1979 and ended in 1982.  The Parkway was completed in 1987, 52 years after it first began.  It is absolutely a beautiful drive.

This is a suspension bridge.  It is a mile high footbridge that connects Grandfather Mountain and Linville Peak.  We did not take time to cross it, but I got a nice picture of it! 

So ends Day Two!

Motorcycle Moments

Kenny seems to have picked up one of his Dad’s habits.  That would be shopping on line for vehicles and finding a great deal in another state!  While shopping for a motorcycle several weeks ago, Kenny found one in Colorado!  How convenient for him!  Wally went and checked it out and made the buy for Kenny.  So of course as soon as the party was over, Kenny and Wes unloaded both the motorcycles (we brought Wally’s along) and rode home to Kenny’s house! 

On Tuesday we rode the Blue Ridge Parkway together.  Kenny’s Pastor loaned us his motorcycle for Wally and I to ride, a Honda  ST1300 Sport Touring Bike.  Very nice!   

I saw this at the Honda shop…thought it was kind of cute.

I also saw this in the Honda shop and thought it was kind of cute, Wes, texting in all his gear!

These guys are kind of cute too!  0I took this picture of Wally and I, our reflection in the glass of a shop window!

Cook Out and Linder Falls

On Monday Kenny had planned a little BBQ.  We went to his church and he cooked burgers and brats.  He had helped build the picnic shelter last summer.  Becky’s family came up and we met them for the first time.

Sandy and Woody Shahan and Becky

Then we drove to Linville Falls.  It seems it is a pretty popular swimming hole---especially on a holiday!

This is the top of the big waterfall.  Stephanie and I stayed here to watch.

The boys and Becky were brave enough to get in. 

Okay, Becky did need a little persuading…

The boys, being boys, decided they had to jump from the rocks, and then jump over the waterfall.  From the rock, Wally thinks it was 35 or 40 feet.  Above the fall, it is reported to be 65 feet.  Really, what is it about guys??? 

Here’s the boys climbing up the rope to jump off the rocks.

And here they have arrived and are scoping out the jump.

Should we or shouldn’t we???   Just how high do you think it is???

And so they jump.  Wally also.  He said to be sure and say, he was the only one who actually “dived”---not just jump.  As well, Wally knew better than to go up on top of the water fall.  You can be satisfied with one great dive!   With age, comes wisdom.  Kenny and Wesley, however…

Here’s Wes, peering over the edge.  Should we or shouldn’t we???   Just how high do you think it is???

Such form, such grace, such??? 

Followed by Kenny…a bit better maybe?

By the way, Stephanie took the pics, and even some video.  I was too nervous to look!  So ends Day One!

Same Song, Second Verse

It seems like it has been a long time since Wally and I have been at home on Memorial Day. It seems like we are always heading east for one reason or another.  Or should I say, for one child or another…college graduations, moving kids, and this year’s reason, a wedding!   Kenny and Becky’s wedding!  And of course, trying to get ready to leave town is always a challenge. This year’s challenge was the weather.  We had so many rainy days it was tough for Wally to get his work finished each day.  And getting behind at work only put you behind in all we had to get done at home before we left.  It seems like we always get up around 4:00 in the morning to leave.  But on Saturday we finally hit the road around 4:00---in the afternoon.  And we drove straight through, which was not in my plan book!  What a long trip!! 

Here’s Wesley’s car and off to the side you can just make out the “Leaving Colorful Colorado” sign

We stopped in Goodland, KS for gas.  We usually make it at least to Colby so I can get my last Starbuck’s fix.  But between the wind and pulling the trailer, we did not make it that far. And I had not taken a picture before leaving home, so Wally took this on his phone for me.

You can see I had to get a coffee at McD’s---but really they have pretty good coffee too.  Wes snapped this picture on his phone of the Arch of St. Louis…around 4:00 Sunday morning.

We arrived at Kenny’s church just after 5:00 in the afternoon.   And just in time for the “pounding” party the church was having for Kenny and Becky.

Just three more days now for these two

Road Weary Wally

Backyard Birdies

I enjoy feeding the birds even though I mostly have sparrows and finches at my feeder.  But last week this guy passed by…

I was so excited!!  He was pretty jittery.  When I opened the back door and Gypsy ran out, he flew away.  But I kept waiting and watching and after awhile he came back…

I took these pictures through the glass of the back door…

I don’t know too much about birds but I looked in my Denver Birds book, and I think it is an oriole!  He didn’t stay long and he hasn’t been back.  So I am pretty excited I saw him at all.   If you know its some other bird of a feather, let me know!

Down the Garden Path

We have had a lot of rain in the last two weeks. The ground is so moist today, the weed popping is almost effortless.  I was glad because out front we had removed a lot of flag iris last year and it is trying to make a come back.  In the moist ground, the spikes coming up were easy to remove.  I don’t know why but I always relate weeds in my garden to sin in my life.  Weeding is a never ending job and you really need to stay on top of it or they will take over!  I have not done a whole lot of weeding this year yet, but I am tired of it already!  The truth is, I am weary of sin too.  In the Christian life as well as the garden, you just have to stay on top of it!  There is always some nasty sin rearing its ugly head in my thinking or actions, trying to poke up and find a place to grow in my life.  Sometimes when I try to pluck them out they are so stubborn to resist, aided by my own self will no doubt.  But as I was pulling up those stray weeds today I got this picture in my mind.  If only my heart was as moist and rich with the word of God like this soil is, those sinful patterns would also easily loosen and give way to His pull on my heart!  You really cannot afford to skip one day being in God’s Word. 

Here’s some flowers in bloom right now---

This peony bush is right by the front step…we always watch it come alive each spring as we come and go and anticipate the blooms opening…

This is allium.  We planted the bulbs three years ago.  Wally had seen them in someone’s yard while doing an estimate.  We lined the driveway with the bulbs and the first spring they were beautiful.  But last year only about half of the bulbs bloomed and this year there are only three that bloomed, though I can see five plants.  I’ll have to investigate this guy.

And I love my columbines, especially the Rocky Mountain Blue.  I am glad I got to see this in bloom.  We are leaving for two weeks this weekend, and I know I am going to miss a lot of the flowers.