Today we see the Smokies

Now my mom has been making pilgrimages to this part of the country for several years. She loves this area and we have never seen it. Today was the day.

We drove through Great Smokey Mountain Nat'l Park.Those mountains really do look like they go on forever! They are more forested than the western mountains of CO, WY, MT and ID and not as high, of course. There is a gentle, undulating rhythm as you look out across the peaks. Breathtaking. The roads are twisty and turny and fun! The tourist towns of the area are beyond tacky. Didn't stop, didn't want to. The smaller, quieter places are lovely.

We had the good fortune to be able to reconnect with an old friend from Maine today, Chris, and meet his terrific wife, Cathy, and brand new baby, Hannah. It was great to have the chance to see them all. We also had another reconnection- of sorts. While visiting the town of Hendersonville (really nice!!), NC, we found a little shop which sells intricate German Christmas ornaments (among other cool European treasures). The lady who owns the store lived for many years in Germany. She and her husband became friends with many of the owners/artisans of the German companies which produce these amazing wooden or pewter gems. Each piece, still after generations, is painted by hand by artists in their own homes. Ok, cool, so why is this a reconnection?? When Rich was young, his family lived in Germany and collected many German Christmas ornaments which have now made their way to our annual tree. He was DELIGHTED to see so many of the things he remembered from that time in his life and take that walk down memory lane with the shop owner. Sometimes, the most unexpected moments can just make your day. 

Now we are winding down for the day with our respective books. Late afternoon ice cream served as dinner (see Mima, you're wearing off) so it's cheese and crackers now before bed. What would our children say? They would join us!!

Tonight we are staying in Asheville which we will check out a bit in the morning before heading back through Virginia. There are a few more towns we need to investigate......hee hee