A Smoky Mountain Birthday

ALL Pictures are Courtesy of The Internet or Realtor Websites ~~~~~

We drove up to the Smokies last Sunday to celebrate my 58th birthday which was on Wednesday, September 22nd.




We rented this cabin on top of Bradley Mountain in Townsend, my favorite place in this world!


We knew that we would spend our time up there looking @ property for sale as I was to get my OWN place in the Smokies as my Birthday Gift! :)

On Monday morning we drove to Del Rio, Tn on the border of North Carolina to look at this place which sits on the banks of the French Broad River.




It was a beautiful setting but the cabin was a glorified camp, meaning it had NO electricity or
running water except for a cistern. It had a fancy out house as the only bathroom. The whole downstairs was screened in and the steps to the enclosed bedroom upstairs was also outside. It would have taken a good deal of money to make it comfortable............ Nix this one!


On Tuesday we went to Seymour which is between Sevierville and Maryville to look at this one. We did not like the location. Nix this one!



On to Gatlinburg! This one was in the Arts Community of Gatlinburg which is an area I love but it needed LOTS of work meaning LOTS of additional money put into it. Nix this one!




On Wednesday it was looking in Townsend. Liked it ,but the 1/4 mile gravel road that was in need of some serious work turned me off and there were NO mountain views at all! NIX!


This little house sits in Townsends Historic Kinzel Springs area on the Little Pigeon River. It was WAY overpriced and needed serious updating! However it was on the short list with one more.


It had a wonderful balcony right over the river..............
The winner however was the one least expected! I knew from years of visiting Townsend, about the Big Valley Resort but had never driven up in it. We were just in awe and loved it!
It is a gated community right off of the main drag, Hwy 321 in the heart of Townsend. Just a beautiful drive in..........

It has 2 swimming pools, a 9 hole Golf Course..............

A stocked fishing pond............


That is just gorgeous.............
With a cute picnic area...........

A real nice Club House.........

A playground for the GRANDS............

Tennis Court......

We found a place we love in there! This is one of the views from the screen porch across the back!

Do I see myself sitting out here reading? YES ! I DO!

See the barn down there? Eric and I got married right down the road from that barn!

We put in a offer on this place and are waiting to hear from the seller! I hope to hear tomorrow!

If and when we get it, I'll show you the inside~~~~~~~~`wish us luck ???????????
3 hours and 30 minutes till my Titans play !!! Have a great weekend and I hope your team wins unless you are a Giants fan !! HA! XOXO

" DUMPED" In The High Country

Actually~~~~~~~ I was the the ONLY one left standing in this scenario, it was the other three who got dumped~~~~~~~~~~~

My 10 day trip to the High Country of NC started on Sunday which was spent driving 11 hours. On Monday I went to Valle Crucis (a later post). On Tuesday I joined Peggy Poe Stern and 3 of her writer friends from The High Country Writers for a lunch outing to the famous Shatly Springs Family Restaurant way out in the country. One of the writers, Ree Strawser (not pictured) wanted to take a picture of the rest of us near the OLD farming equipment on display.

As I helped Peggy up on the seat, I remarked that I hoped it would hold her and the remark was not about weight, it was about age & rust! Take the picture Ree, we are all ready! Left to right, Me, Peggy on the seat, Bart and Grace. Notice how Grace has her legs out and relaxed?

TAKE THE PICTURE REE, THIS THING IS MOVING !!!!!!!!!!!!

See me falling backward? See Grace's foot put back trying to brace herself ?

OMG! PEGGY FELL ON TOP OF BART !!!!!!!!!! LOAO!!! The thing collapsed!

Every one's down but me!

I Swear I Tried To Catch Her !!!!!!!!!! :)

BART ?? ARE YOU HURT ??? He was actually straddle of the iron tong. OUCH !

This was hilarious............

I laughed till I cried, had to remove my glasses to wipe the tears..........these guys are soooooo much fun!!! I had such a good time with them!

After we recovered, we had a fantastic COMFORT food meal at this place!

Here you see fried chicken,relish, beans, cornbread, biscuits, gravy & stewed blackberries.

Along with yams, corn, coleslaw, cabbage, mashed potatoes, green beans and tea......

These are some of the shops next to the restaurant.............

I believe you can rent these cabins and fish in the lake to the left of them.......

This was a wonderful day that left me wishing I could be a member of this group !!

Thanks guys for letting me in on the fun!! XOXO

" Almost Heaven "

On Wednesday, September 1st, I arrived home after an 11 hour drive from spending 10 days in one of the most beautiful places in this country! The High Country of North Carolina! I learned that I was actually staying a top the Eastern Continental Divide. I visited Beech Mountain ( a later post) that is the highest incorporated town east of the Rocky Mountains. My FAVORITE visit however was on Friday August 27th! HERE WE GO!!

Wool Branch~~~~~~~~~~~~ A private road...............

Going up, up , up the mountain~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes Indeed! I went to see Vicki Lane @ her GORGEOUS Farm!

My two favorite authors!! Am I blessed or what?? I'm standing on this porch, on this mountain, taking a picture of my two favorite authors and looking out @ one of the most beautiful views in the world! It "don't get no better" than this! Vicki Lane and Peggy Poe Stern !!

I got to see scenes from Vicki's books~~~~~~ like Little Sylvie's Cabin!

Can you imagine sitting on your front porch in a rocker and looking at this?

Vicki can and does !

Looking down the drive~~~~~~~~~``

Vicki served us a fabulous lunch! The salad was outstanding and the cheese bread.......let's just say I wanted both recipes!! You cannot imagine the view from this table! We were viewing the top of a loaded Crab Apple Tree! Doves and Hummers landing all over it!

Cool mountain breeze coming through those windows! Zero humidity!! We had coffee and Ba's Pound Cake for desert, fresh baked!

I got to fraternize with Vicki's dogs after seeing their pictures for so long! As I took Maggie's picture, who by the way didn't want to be bothered ~~~~~~

William was banging his tale against the couch and posing for his ~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Molly was happy to pose for hers too!

What a wonderful day it was and I'm not exaggerating when I say;

It Really Was Almost Heaven !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE !!!!!!!!