Christmas 2012 and Birthday 2012

The girls moved so fast I couldn't get their pictures...

Rose had her house  all decorated for Christmas

Our friends Sammia and Mark took us to Cracker Barrel for my birthday breakfast and then we took a drive to Norris Dam..We stopped at the nursing home and visited with Sara Raby.  She knew us and was glad to see us...She is doing well and she likes it there. 

We went shopping on Christmas eve and JMB got this shirt and sweater...

We spent Christmas day with the Whalens ..I got to hold Daniel!

Daniel looking at GGpa's mustache...He grew itfor Todd' and Jana's wedding

 They had a fire going!

Perfect Day in the Mountains

Lunch at Elkmont...

 

Party on the Dome...

 

We went to the Clingman's Dome road closing party...They  closed it for the winter on this weekend, and they were serving hot apple cider and cookies at the shop on the trail to the top.  We stopped at Sugarlands Visitor Center first and took the little (one mile) nature trail behind the center.  It's a nice little trail that ends at the John Ownby cabin.  We met people on the trail from olden times....They were practicing for a party on Saturday at Sugarlands with old time Christmas as the theme.  One of the women had a basket with misiltoe in it and she held it over our mens' head and gave them a smackoroo!!They loved it!

Party on Clingmans Dome

We started at Sugarlands Visitor Center for a hike to the John Ownby cabin..

Add caption

They served us hot apple cider

Thanksgiving 2012

After the dinner we walked around the block.. 

 

 

David and Melissa enjoying...

Gpa and son and grandson..

These two will be married in fourweeks..December 21

                                                                                                                                        

Rose suggested that we have Thanksgiving at our house and I sent out an invitation to the family.We had 16 people on a beautiful warm November.  It was a covered dish so that made it easy for everybody. 

Hike in Greenbrier with Brackneys and Frenches

Marks parents, Rita and Jerry, went with us to the mountains on Tuesday, Oct.23.  Mark drove us up a narrow rocky road to the beginning of the Ramsey Cascade trail.  We walked a ways and then came back to some logs for our pnutbutterapple lunch. It was a beautiful day in the mountains, warm and colorful.  Some people on the trail came back in a hurry and said they saw a 300 pound bear.  We missed him but we had a grand time just walking and looking...

October 16 hike up yhr Elkmont river road

the mountains were orange on top

We had a sunny cool day for another hike in Elkmont. The trees were lit up  across the creek for the whole hike. 

We walked a mile and a half and stopped for our pnutbutter apple lunch. Lots of people on the trail and on the road to see the leaves.   

We drove the Foothills Parkway after dinner at Miss Lilys..We stayed to watch the sunset...Beautiful Day!!!!

Adventure up the Jakes Creek Trail October 11,, 2012

We started  our fall mountain trips with a hike up the Jakes Creek trail.  We were looking for the Mayna Avent cabin and we had quite an adventure.It is a place that not many people even know about in the Smokies.  The ranger  that I asked had not heard of it.  We walked on a pretty sunny day with our friends and when we got to the Cucumber Gap sign , we went to the right.  We came to a clearing with a horse barn on it and we were trying to decide which way to go when three hikers came up from the other side of the barn.  They said we had taken a wrong turn and they would show us the right trail to the cabin.

Sammie started after them and I got behind so that at one point we were all separated on the trail...John and Mark were way behind me.  The hikers said they would put a brush pile  to mark the steps down to the cabin trail so when I got to it, I yelled for Sammie but didn't hear her.  I started down the trail and there she was on a skinny log bridge.  We finally got to the cabin . 

Mayna Avent cabin

We did an October hike with the Frenches.  We hiked up the Jakes creek trail looking for the Mayna Avent cabin.  After a mile and a half, we found it.  John and Mark waited for us on the steps down to the cabin trail. 

Wedding

Laura and Butch and I took a walk around the Vanderbilt campus on the morning of the big wedding

Scott and Abbie on their wedding day

Rose with her nephew and neice

Me and Butch

Synchronous Fireflies again..

We went back to Elkmont to see the fireflies...We had a campsite at Elkmont and when we were told that we couldn't drive up the road to the cabins, we drove in the campground to the trail that goesbto Jakes Creek trail.  We set up our chairs and waited for sundown...the fireflies like we have at home came out first and then  the flasher appeared...they put on quite a show making patterns like moving constellations.  complete darkness and then fireworks all night.  they were still flashing in the campground when we went back at 10:30 p.m.  We spent the night at the Riverside, and next day we hiked on the Kephard Prong trail in North Carolina....

Trip to Elkmont to see the synchronous fireflies

We drove to Gatlinburg on Memorial Day afternoon to miss the crowds.  We checked in to the Riverside and ate supper across the street at the Italian restaurant.  We got to Elkmont in time to set up our chairs at the Elkmont cemetery.  At sundown we saw the firefly show.  It was spectacular!! beautiful flashing patterns on and off all night.  If they got close to our faces, it was like a flash-bulb going off!  We stayed until 11:30 and then went back to the hotel .  We ate breakfast at the Pancake Pantry and then toured the Cove. We did a short hike up the Abrams Falls trail.We had a picnic supper in the Cades Cove Picnic area with the squirrels.  It was a fantastac...wonderful...very good day..!!Thanks to the Frenches for making it possible!!