We're off to see the Smokies (part 2)

Okay people, obsessed blog followers, friends, family, lads and lasses.... 
Here is Part two of our awesome vacation (finally)!!


 Now please bear with me on the fact that this post contains LOTS and LOTS of pictures...Some probably weren't quite blog worthy, But I just couldn't decide.:):)  It's like part two AND three combined... And many people asked for "lots" of pictures, so I thought, to keep everyone happy I would just warn those of you who really could careless to just speed scroll to the end, and the people who actually READ each and every one of the comments, well.. Can do so:)
So Enjoy my friends!

Mr. LC and Mrs. Betty are off to the ole cabin
to listen to some good southern pickin!!

The Austins, Cotton, and Us =D
People always say Jam sessions are where you can learn the most...
And I believe that is very true!

Orange Blossom Special anyone??

Having a blast together:)

The "Bass" guys...

The darkness forced us all to enter the cabin... 
And as I'm sure you can tell by the picture, 
we weren't squished at all!

"RUUBYYYY......"
I think by the end of the night we ended up singing "Ruby" (more than once, twice, three times....)  =0 Yikes 0=

Good times:)

Not sure what we were singing there... But if you ask me, everyone sorta looks confused... As if we didn't quite know all the words... Maybe just "Concentrating"?... Yeah, that's it, Concentrating;)

Moving along here, we head down to the McIntosh's basement to can some "Pickled Sugar Beets"... Yum???
(I personally don't have a soft spot for them where taste is concerned... But that's just me..;)

SPICE IT UP GOOD!!!!!

Poppy and Mr. Mac hard at work :)

Oh, the Lovely Ladies:):):)

Gooooood Eats!!
(Depending of course on who you are:P)

... Always be sure to have an adult with you when using sharp utensils(wink)...

Our sink full of hearts...Hey! That's what they looked like....:):)

Mr. an Mrs. Macs AMAZING antique collection!!! Very impressive:):)

We're done!! And the fruits(or vegetables) of our labors...

Over to some friends for a cookout:)
"When free food is offered, I'm sure you won't have to ask us twice"...:):):)

The view from the porch... They had a Beautiful property!

Airs, Me, and Rachel

Gabe's never too busy for a quick snap shot...:):):)

"

And the grillers hard at work...
"Thank you so much, Metcalf family, for opening up your home."
That was some Very good BBQ if I do say so myself!

Now, here you see we have thus left North Carolina and are now staying on top of old smokey (Mtns., that is) Tennessee... On an ever-so-high mountain, overlooking Gatlinburg... This house had the most AMAZINGLY beautiful view!!

Enjoying some SWEEEET watermelon:)
(Mary, however, seems as though she is choking on seeds)

The bright lights of the city below...

Seems as though we have a few mid-night-snack theives:/ hmm...

Next morning, everyone getting ready to go on the first hike of the day:):):)
Every day we hiked all sorts of trails through the mountains...
I think the total over the five days in Tenn. we hiked over 40 miles!
(Gotta work off those mid-night-snacks;)

Here we have made it to the ole water wheel:)

Did a little bit of gold mining while we were at it:) The closest we came to gold were some yellow rocks. (At least we tried.)

So out on the porch everyone gathers to eat some very "Fragrant" eats...
Low and behold our first friendly neighbor "Fred"  decides to mosey by to see if he might try to catch a meal, too...:)

"Helloooo up there".... Some of "Fred's" neighbors smell something as well;)

I must say Fred had the most Oober adorable neighbors! Three little tiny cubs and a very, VERY BIG momma:/
So lets just say it was more of an observation deck, rather than a petting zoo(wink).

Too cute! These pictures really don't do them justice:)

The tumbling fur balls:)

"The sun is setting in the west,
The cattle go down to the stream,
The red wing settles in her nest,
It's time for a cowboy to dream..."

"Purple eyes in the willow,
That's where I long to be,
With my three good companions,
Just my rifle, my pony and me.."

Here James sets at the head of "Ramsey Cascades Trail"... It was only 8mi. total, But it seemed a lot longer because half way up, it began to POOR RAIN! And it did so the rest of the time... But other than the cold, I loved it! Walking in the rain is just one of the best feelings I think:):):)
(Until you get pneumonia!)

This trail was covered in these beautiful butterflies! They were everywhere...

Mamma's ready to go hit the trail:)

In case you didn't notice in the last picture, these poor hikers have been holding this pose just waiting for someone, anyone,  to capture their awesomeness... Luckily we came along, or who knows how long they could have been there!

Best-est pals!!!!!

Tommy toes before the rain...

Tommy Toes during the rain...:):):)
Airs and Tom found this old Indian cave in the middle of nowhere!
Okay maybe not a "cave"... But it was a rock hangover thing:) Could have been a cave???

Almost to the top! It was a gorgeous trail... Thankfully the rain let up once we got to the top, so we were able to get a few pictures of the cascades..

There they are... It looked like you jumped into a postcard...

Notice at the top there is a pair of hands waving at you! HELLO down there!!!

Here's for some more "Crazy" Pollock pictures!

Life is good:)

More of the cascades...

"Magua" (inside joke)

On the way back, soaked and needing nourishment. Stopping for a little trailmix break:)

The trees here were like red woods! HUGE

Now we head downtown Pigeon Forge, to a little diner called "Mel's"... Loved it!

If you're ever in Pigeon Forge, make sure you stop in for some good eats.

Writing postcards to the ones back home.

Happiness! In a beautiful place.

Shoes.... the other half is outside on the porch.

Everyone in the kitchen making sandwiches for an 18 mile hike up Mount Guyot... which we hiked the next morning! It was rainy the whole time so we didn't get to get any pictures, except with the phone:( But we did make it to the top!

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At the top of the mountain we found a shelter to get out of the rain for a while and try and warm our freezing bones!! (It was around 50 deg.)

Getting some nourishment for the hike down.

While we were up there we met some hikers that were on their 7th day of hiking the Apalachian Trail.

They were hilarious!!!

Our last day in Tenn. we grilled pork chops:) Delish!!!

And we had lots of unwanted visitors=O AHHHH!!
We did get a little nervous  when the bear tried to jump over the gate!

Last look at Gatlinburg..:(
Thank you, Alvin and Sue, for an awesome time. Y'all are the best!

Being as normal as they know how;)

:)

Enjoying the last of the mountain air... :)

Back in NC. We go down to the basement for some more pickled beet time;)
Barry Abernathy came by to do some canning and play some music... 

It was so fun to watch him play! And plus all the stories between him and Mr. Mac:):)

He's an amazing musician and very nice (Christian) person and so down to earth and fun to be around.

And another fun night of jamming.......

and singing........

and listening........

and figuring out songs.

The Austins and Whitsons making great music.

 (They have a name for their group, but I can't remember it.)

Momma and us girls took a little stroll through downtown Burnsville, NC. (I love my Airnch, :)

Sadly all the shops were closed but two:(
But we made the most of it:)

"How 'bout some refreshing Coke, y'all?"

Taking a little detour through OZ.

Dr. Seuss meets Pharoah and the Big Bad Wolf!

And there you have it, my friends.  Our trip in a nutshell or maybe a little bigger than that!!
 Until next time, I bid thee farewell. 

Posted by: Christiana