 |
| Cut-leaved Toothwort |
 |
| Spring Beauty |
 |
| Spring Beauty |
 |
| Trout lily |
 |
| Common blue violet |
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Spring in Tennessee
I’m lovin’ spring in Tennessee. These are the wildflowers around our campsite.
That's it for today. Enjoy. Thanks for tagging along.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Mountain Crossings at Walasi-Yi
Mountain Crossings is a unique and special place. Located on US19 near Blairsville, Georgia in Neels Gap it sits atop the Appalachian Trail. The building has two sections separated by a breezeway. This breezeway is unique in that the Appalachian Trail passes right through.
This historic stone building was built by the CCC in the mid-1930s and opened in 1937 as the Vogel Lodge. For the past several years it has been an outfitter for hikers, especially the AT thru hikers. Besides being an outfitter selling all manner of hiking equipment, it is also a small grocery stocking a variety of trail appropriate foods (noodle side dishes, instant oatmeal, snack crackers etc), a limited selection of fresh fruits, and a wide selection of candy bars. Mountain Crossings is also a fast food restaurant offering hot dogs, microwave pizza, and ice cream by the pint. About a third of the store is dedicated to a gift shop with a real focus on AT merchandise, but also a very nice collection of handmade pottery. There is, of course, the T-shirt and baseball cap sections, as well as books.
On the lower level of the residential side is the hiker hostel. Mountain Crossings is 30 miles by trail from Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT. It takes the average hiker 4-5 days to reach Neels Gap and they are more than ready for a hot shower and a bed to sleep in.
Mountain Crossings is turning into somewhat of a museum of sorts, displaying well worn gear from some famous and some not so famous thru-hikers. Two things in particular they seem to be collecting are boots and backpacks. These items are displayed from the rafters and walls or just sitting on the floor around the store. Hanging from a large tree on the front lawn is a mighty collection of old boots.
Not all hikers who begin their AT journey at Springer Mountain are seasoned backpackers. Many limp into Mountain Crossings with feet covered in blisters, wearing jeans that have rub their skin raw, and carry 50 or 60 pound loads on their backs. The staff at Mountain Crossings are famous for their hiker “shakedowns”. Some hikers come begging for assistance in lightening their loads and tips on being more efficient in the wilderness. Others get it whether they want it or not. When the staff sees someone putting themselves in danger with what they’re carrying, they don’t hesitate to offer a few suggestions.
For the past 10 years or so Winton Porter has been the proprietor of Mountain Crossings and he and his staff have seen every type of hiker imaginable over the years. Winton has written fantastic book called Just Passin’ Thru in which he relates some of the things he’s seen and heard as hikers, hundreds of them, have passed through his breezeway. It’s an enjoyable read even if you’re not a backpacker.
So, there you have it--all I know about Mountain Crossings, but you really have to go there to appreciate the feel of the place. Just sit on the porch and take it all in.
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
This historic stone building was built by the CCC in the mid-1930s and opened in 1937 as the Vogel Lodge. For the past several years it has been an outfitter for hikers, especially the AT thru hikers. Besides being an outfitter selling all manner of hiking equipment, it is also a small grocery stocking a variety of trail appropriate foods (noodle side dishes, instant oatmeal, snack crackers etc), a limited selection of fresh fruits, and a wide selection of candy bars. Mountain Crossings is also a fast food restaurant offering hot dogs, microwave pizza, and ice cream by the pint. About a third of the store is dedicated to a gift shop with a real focus on AT merchandise, but also a very nice collection of handmade pottery. There is, of course, the T-shirt and baseball cap sections, as well as books.
 |
| Little hard to see the AT blaze on the brick by the downspout, but the AT passes through this breezeway and up the mountain behind. |
Mountain Crossings is turning into somewhat of a museum of sorts, displaying well worn gear from some famous and some not so famous thru-hikers. Two things in particular they seem to be collecting are boots and backpacks. These items are displayed from the rafters and walls or just sitting on the floor around the store. Hanging from a large tree on the front lawn is a mighty collection of old boots.
Not all hikers who begin their AT journey at Springer Mountain are seasoned backpackers. Many limp into Mountain Crossings with feet covered in blisters, wearing jeans that have rub their skin raw, and carry 50 or 60 pound loads on their backs. The staff at Mountain Crossings are famous for their hiker “shakedowns”. Some hikers come begging for assistance in lightening their loads and tips on being more efficient in the wilderness. Others get it whether they want it or not. When the staff sees someone putting themselves in danger with what they’re carrying, they don’t hesitate to offer a few suggestions.
For the past 10 years or so Winton Porter has been the proprietor of Mountain Crossings and he and his staff have seen every type of hiker imaginable over the years. Winton has written fantastic book called Just Passin’ Thru in which he relates some of the things he’s seen and heard as hikers, hundreds of them, have passed through his breezeway. It’s an enjoyable read even if you’re not a backpacker.
So, there you have it--all I know about Mountain Crossings, but you really have to go there to appreciate the feel of the place. Just sit on the porch and take it all in.
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Hike to Len Foote Hike Inn
Gene and I have had several conversations trying to decide if we were really ready to tackle a 10 mile mountain hike. After the Blood Mountain hike we felt pretty good and decided we’d go for it, so this morning we were off before daylight to Amicalola Falls State Park to hike the 5-mile trail to Len Foote Hike Inn.
Amicalola Falls is about 40 miles from Vogel State Park, but in the dark over these curvy mountain roads it took a little over an hour to get there. We knew 10 miles was going to take some time so we got an early start.
Our first stop was at the Visitor Center to get a permit to hike the Hike Inn Trail. The permit is free, but it took some time to get signed up. Amicaloa Falls State Park is the home of the Approach Trail which leads up to the top of Springer Mountain and the start of the Appalachian Trail. March 15th is one of the big start dates and the Visitor Center was swarming with hikers. As we waited to get our permit, we watched as the 341st hiker this year registered to thru-hike the trail. He was pretty excited.
When it was our turn to sign up for a permit we learned that you can make a loop hike connecting the Hike Inn Trail with the Approach Trail. From the map we had and the map online, we could not tell for sure if that was possible. We were glad to know we could hike a loop, however, it was 11 miles instead of 10. What’s one more mile, we could do that. Piece of cake.
After we got our permit, we drove up to the large parking lot at the top of Amicaloa Falls. This is where our hike started. There are better views of the falls from down below, but this is a pretty cool view from the trail right at the top of the falls.
From this parking lot The Hike Inn Trail and the Approach trail are the same for about a quarter mile. Then they split and the Hike Inn Trail veers off to the right. This trail was a real dream with wide, hard packed dirt treadway over moderate ups and downs. There were mile posts so we knew how far along we were and at every mile there was a nice resting bench for breaks. We stopped at every bench. There were about 4 creek crossings. Some had foot bridges, some didn’t, but they we easy rock hops. No wet feet today.
The Len Foote Hike Inn is similar to other inns, cabins, and lodges which require their guests to hike to the facility. This hike was much easier than any of the trails leading to Mt LeConte in the Smokies which can’t even compare to the trails to Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. The Len Foote Hike Inn has about 20 guests rooms, a bath house (with hot showers), and a dining hall which serves family style meals. The rates are about $150 (double occupancy) per night which includes dinner and breakfast. On our hike up this morning, we saw 11 of last nights’ guests as they were coming down the mountain.
At the Inn we wandered all around seeing what we could see, then went into the dining room to eat our lunch. They do not serve food except to guests, but there is always coffee, tea, and lemonade for the day hikers who stop in. We helped ourselves to a beverage to go with our sandwich. They also had some bread pudding left over from the breakfast meal. They offered us some of that, so we were very contented hikers. Best trail lunch I’ve had in a long time.
The Hike Inn Trail continues on up the mountain from the Inn for another mile where it intersects with the Approach Trail. By the time we got to the Approach Trail, we could hear thunder in the distance and the sky to the west was getting dark.
The Approach Trail is not continuously uphill, although it may feel like it to the heavily burdened thru-hiker. This trail has its ups and downs and is much steeper than the Hike Inn Trail. Our feet were screaming by the time we got back to the car. Even though this portion of our hike was hard, it was very enjoyable. We saw many, maybe 20, thru-hikers on their first day of their journey to Maine. I can’t imagine what they must feel.
Eleven miles was plenty for today, especially when the rain caught up to us. We hiked for about a mile in rain gear. Needless to say, we were happy to see the car.
Tomorrow will be a driving day for us as we head for Nashville. For now, it’s off to bed.
Thanks for tagging along.
P.S. Chick-fil-A has great chocolate shakes.
Amicalola Falls is about 40 miles from Vogel State Park, but in the dark over these curvy mountain roads it took a little over an hour to get there. We knew 10 miles was going to take some time so we got an early start.
Our first stop was at the Visitor Center to get a permit to hike the Hike Inn Trail. The permit is free, but it took some time to get signed up. Amicaloa Falls State Park is the home of the Approach Trail which leads up to the top of Springer Mountain and the start of the Appalachian Trail. March 15th is one of the big start dates and the Visitor Center was swarming with hikers. As we waited to get our permit, we watched as the 341st hiker this year registered to thru-hike the trail. He was pretty excited.
When it was our turn to sign up for a permit we learned that you can make a loop hike connecting the Hike Inn Trail with the Approach Trail. From the map we had and the map online, we could not tell for sure if that was possible. We were glad to know we could hike a loop, however, it was 11 miles instead of 10. What’s one more mile, we could do that. Piece of cake.
After we got our permit, we drove up to the large parking lot at the top of Amicaloa Falls. This is where our hike started. There are better views of the falls from down below, but this is a pretty cool view from the trail right at the top of the falls.
From this parking lot The Hike Inn Trail and the Approach trail are the same for about a quarter mile. Then they split and the Hike Inn Trail veers off to the right. This trail was a real dream with wide, hard packed dirt treadway over moderate ups and downs. There were mile posts so we knew how far along we were and at every mile there was a nice resting bench for breaks. We stopped at every bench. There were about 4 creek crossings. Some had foot bridges, some didn’t, but they we easy rock hops. No wet feet today.
The Len Foote Hike Inn is similar to other inns, cabins, and lodges which require their guests to hike to the facility. This hike was much easier than any of the trails leading to Mt LeConte in the Smokies which can’t even compare to the trails to Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. The Len Foote Hike Inn has about 20 guests rooms, a bath house (with hot showers), and a dining hall which serves family style meals. The rates are about $150 (double occupancy) per night which includes dinner and breakfast. On our hike up this morning, we saw 11 of last nights’ guests as they were coming down the mountain.
At the Inn we wandered all around seeing what we could see, then went into the dining room to eat our lunch. They do not serve food except to guests, but there is always coffee, tea, and lemonade for the day hikers who stop in. We helped ourselves to a beverage to go with our sandwich. They also had some bread pudding left over from the breakfast meal. They offered us some of that, so we were very contented hikers. Best trail lunch I’ve had in a long time.
The Hike Inn Trail continues on up the mountain from the Inn for another mile where it intersects with the Approach Trail. By the time we got to the Approach Trail, we could hear thunder in the distance and the sky to the west was getting dark.
 |
| Blood Root |
 |
| I'm using the sign to prop myself up. |
Tomorrow will be a driving day for us as we head for Nashville. For now, it’s off to bed.
Thanks for tagging along.
P.S. Chick-fil-A has great chocolate shakes.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Appalachian Trail Up Blood Mountain
Our hike today was awesome. Perhaps part of that feeling of awe was due to our eagerness to get back to some mountain hiking after a couple months in Florida. Other factors contributed to a great hike--the weather was just about perfect, we had fabulous views from the top, and we saw dozens of young hikers bubbling over with enthusiasm as they get started on their quest to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.
We were also very pleased with how well we did for a first mountain hike in a very long time. The trail from Neels Gap to the summit of Blood Mountain is 2.4 miles with 1336 feet of elevation gain. We made the summit in an hour and forty-five minutes. We really didn’t take a break. We stopped once and sat on a rock to rest for about 5 minutes. However, we stopped often to talk to the hikers coming down the mountain to Neels Gap.
There are numerous legends about how this mountain got its name. One of the more popular tales involves the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Before this area was inhabited by the white man, these two Indian nations engaged in a battle so fierce that the creeks coming down the mountain side ran red with blood.
We began our hike southbound on the AT at Mountain Crossings. The outfitter was kind enough to let us leave our car in his parking lot. Their parking lot isn’t very large and they get a lot of business so they ask that day hikers park at a parking lot a quarter mile down the road. I’m sure they wouldn’t have been so accommodating later in the season. We were grateful for their kindness today and probably spent more in the store than we otherwise would have.
From Mountain Crossings we crossed to the other side of US19 and started up the hill. Almost immediately we came to a sign welcoming us to Blood Mountain Wilderness Area and Chattahoochee National Forest. Being the AT, the trail is blazed in white. Being the beginning of thru hiker season, it was very evident that the Georgia AT Club had been hard at work to get their section of trail in topnotch condition for the hikers coming through.
The first mile of the hike was on primarily dirt through eastern hardwoods and laurel thickets. After about a mile we came to Flatrock Gap and the trail junction with the Byron Reece Trail. We continued up hill.
The second mile was considerably steeper than the first gaining most of that 1300 feet. The trail also changed from dirt to rock. As we approached the summit we were walking across large slabs of granite. It was in this section that we had the best views.
At the summit, we stopped for a few minutes at the Blood Mountain Shelter. This old stone building has the reputation for being the coldest shelter on the AT. The building dates back to the 1930s. We think it was built by the CCC as a trail shelter. It has concrete floors and stone walls. The fireplace has been bricked up. It looks like the roof has been recently replaced. There were lots of hikers hanging around so we only stayed a few minutes.
Out in the sunshine and a much more enjoyable place for our lunch break was back to one of those granite slabs. We found a spot not too close to the edge to take in the view while we ate. Gene even made us a cup of hot chocolate. We had our dessert at Mountain Crossings after the hike--an ice cream bar. They had a freezer full of pints of Ben and Jerry’s, but we hadn’t hiked nearly enough miles for that.
Our descent was a little faster than the ascent. We both put on knee braces to come down that steep section at the top.
Mountain Crossings deserves a whole story for itself. It is a special place. I’ll save that for another day.
I think that about does it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
We were also very pleased with how well we did for a first mountain hike in a very long time. The trail from Neels Gap to the summit of Blood Mountain is 2.4 miles with 1336 feet of elevation gain. We made the summit in an hour and forty-five minutes. We really didn’t take a break. We stopped once and sat on a rock to rest for about 5 minutes. However, we stopped often to talk to the hikers coming down the mountain to Neels Gap.
There are numerous legends about how this mountain got its name. One of the more popular tales involves the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Before this area was inhabited by the white man, these two Indian nations engaged in a battle so fierce that the creeks coming down the mountain side ran red with blood.
We began our hike southbound on the AT at Mountain Crossings. The outfitter was kind enough to let us leave our car in his parking lot. Their parking lot isn’t very large and they get a lot of business so they ask that day hikers park at a parking lot a quarter mile down the road. I’m sure they wouldn’t have been so accommodating later in the season. We were grateful for their kindness today and probably spent more in the store than we otherwise would have.
From Mountain Crossings we crossed to the other side of US19 and started up the hill. Almost immediately we came to a sign welcoming us to Blood Mountain Wilderness Area and Chattahoochee National Forest. Being the AT, the trail is blazed in white. Being the beginning of thru hiker season, it was very evident that the Georgia AT Club had been hard at work to get their section of trail in topnotch condition for the hikers coming through.
The first mile of the hike was on primarily dirt through eastern hardwoods and laurel thickets. After about a mile we came to Flatrock Gap and the trail junction with the Byron Reece Trail. We continued up hill.
The second mile was considerably steeper than the first gaining most of that 1300 feet. The trail also changed from dirt to rock. As we approached the summit we were walking across large slabs of granite. It was in this section that we had the best views.
At the summit, we stopped for a few minutes at the Blood Mountain Shelter. This old stone building has the reputation for being the coldest shelter on the AT. The building dates back to the 1930s. We think it was built by the CCC as a trail shelter. It has concrete floors and stone walls. The fireplace has been bricked up. It looks like the roof has been recently replaced. There were lots of hikers hanging around so we only stayed a few minutes.
Out in the sunshine and a much more enjoyable place for our lunch break was back to one of those granite slabs. We found a spot not too close to the edge to take in the view while we ate. Gene even made us a cup of hot chocolate. We had our dessert at Mountain Crossings after the hike--an ice cream bar. They had a freezer full of pints of Ben and Jerry’s, but we hadn’t hiked nearly enough miles for that.
Our descent was a little faster than the ascent. We both put on knee braces to come down that steep section at the top.
Mountain Crossings deserves a whole story for itself. It is a special place. I’ll save that for another day.
I think that about does it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Vogel State Park
As you can tell by the title, we got away from Perry this morning. We had a good travel day even if it was long and tedious. We took I-75 north until we got almost to Atlanta where we veered off to the east first on I-675 then I-285. We exited the interstate system when we got to US19 and followed that north all the way to Vogel State Park. The traffic was heavy on the interstate, but we expected that. The farther along we got on US19 the less traffic there was. The drive through the mountains was very slow over the hills and around the curves. Gene says the drive was hard, but nothing compared to Top of the World Highway in Alaska. At least the road was paved.
We have never been to Vogel State Park before and we’re very pleased with the facility. Vogel is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park covers 233 acres including a small lake. The park has a nice campground with many sites large enough to accommodate 40 foot RVs. All the RV sites have water and electric and there is a dump station near the campground entrance. There are also several rental cabins of various sizes. The park is open year round, but most of the lake activities are only available during the summer months.
We came to north Georgia to hike. We had hoped to have three days here, now we only have two. There are 17 miles of trail within the park, but we probably will concentrate our efforts elsewhere. If we have some time tomorrow afternoon we may hike the short trail around the lake.
Tomorrow we plan to hike to the top of Blood Mountain. It’s only two and a half miles, but we haven’t done any mountain hiking in a long time. I expect that climb will get our attention.
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
 |
| Trahlyta Lake |
We have never been to Vogel State Park before and we’re very pleased with the facility. Vogel is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park covers 233 acres including a small lake. The park has a nice campground with many sites large enough to accommodate 40 foot RVs. All the RV sites have water and electric and there is a dump station near the campground entrance. There are also several rental cabins of various sizes. The park is open year round, but most of the lake activities are only available during the summer months.
 |
| Beach and swimming area |
We came to north Georgia to hike. We had hoped to have three days here, now we only have two. There are 17 miles of trail within the park, but we probably will concentrate our efforts elsewhere. If we have some time tomorrow afternoon we may hike the short trail around the lake.
 |
| A small CCC Museum |
Tomorrow we plan to hike to the top of Blood Mountain. It’s only two and a half miles, but we haven’t done any mountain hiking in a long time. I expect that climb will get our attention.
 |
| One of the 35 rental cabins |
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Not The Day We Planned
We had another great evening with family last night at the end of which we gave and got hugs and kisses all around. Our plan was to leave Perry this morning for Vogel State Park in north Georgia. We weren’t in a big hurry to get on the road. Certainly didn’t want to hit Macon or Atlanta until the rush hour was well past. About 9:30 we were finally ready to unplug the electricity, pull in the slides and leave.
It was the dinette slide that was the problem. It would begin to retract on the forward side, but would stop when the aft side wouldn’t budge. Gene spent the next hour on the phone with the Four Winds service representative. Then he spent the next hour trying to find a mobile repair service to come out to take a look.
George finally came early afternoon, but the diagnosis was not what we expected. According to the Four Winds service representative, problems like this are usually caused by some foreign object (like a cat toy, for example) getting stuck in the mechanism or a broken shear pin. All of the components of the slide mechanism are working fine. The problem--the slide had dropped below the edge of the glide plate on the aft side preventing it from retracting. George used a jack to lift that side up so that it could be retracted. It’s in now and we won’t put it out again until we take it into our dealer for service which won’t be until a week from Wednesday. Fortunately, we can get to everything with that slide in, it’s just a little less spacious.
After George left, Gene went up and extend for another night here at Fair Harbor and reconnected our utilities. Our plan now is to continue with our plan; we’ll just lose a day of hiking in north Georgia.
This pretty much consumed our entire day, so there isn’t anything else to report. Thanks for tagging along.
It was the dinette slide that was the problem. It would begin to retract on the forward side, but would stop when the aft side wouldn’t budge. Gene spent the next hour on the phone with the Four Winds service representative. Then he spent the next hour trying to find a mobile repair service to come out to take a look.
George finally came early afternoon, but the diagnosis was not what we expected. According to the Four Winds service representative, problems like this are usually caused by some foreign object (like a cat toy, for example) getting stuck in the mechanism or a broken shear pin. All of the components of the slide mechanism are working fine. The problem--the slide had dropped below the edge of the glide plate on the aft side preventing it from retracting. George used a jack to lift that side up so that it could be retracted. It’s in now and we won’t put it out again until we take it into our dealer for service which won’t be until a week from Wednesday. Fortunately, we can get to everything with that slide in, it’s just a little less spacious.
After George left, Gene went up and extend for another night here at Fair Harbor and reconnected our utilities. Our plan now is to continue with our plan; we’ll just lose a day of hiking in north Georgia.
This pretty much consumed our entire day, so there isn’t anything else to report. Thanks for tagging along.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Family Fun
Just like we expected, we had a blast last night with my family. We gathered at Ben and Amber’s home in Perry. Ben is the older of my brother’s two sons. They have two sons--Brayden will be four years old in a couple weeks and his little brother, Cole, will be two in April.
Normally, Ben does the cooking when we’re at his house, but last night he assigned that task to his father. Mike is an excellent cook. He prefers the down home cooking of the south, so that’s what he prepared for us last night--meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and collard greens. Everything was delicious, but oh my gosh, the greens were to die for. For dessert, he crumbled some shortbread cookies and mixed them with a little butter to make a crust which he baked for a few minutes until it was firm. Then he layered banana pudding and fresh bananas over the curst with a generous dollop of real whipped cream on top.
I took the poppers, but Ben just couldn’t stay out of the kitchen. I was a little confused when he put a pork tenderloin on the grill since Mike had meatloaf in the oven. That tenderloin turned into an appetizer. He spread rounds of French baguette with melted butter and horseradish then ran them under the broiler until the bread was a golden brown. Well, he actually left it a minute too long, but that’s what he intended to do. On the hot bread he put a drop of spicy mustard, a tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a slice of tenderloin, and topped the whole thing with sauteed onions. Ben’s the gourmet cook in the family and he’s very good at what he does.
We didn’t just eat and drink while we were there. We played with Brayden and Cole outside for a while. Brayden had been to a birthday party earlier in the day. I guess kids have theme parties these days and the theme for this party was cowboys and cowgirls. The kids all worn their western outfits. At the party they got hats with plenty of stickers for decorating and of course there were ponies to ride.
Brayden’s birthday party is in a couple of weeks and he made it a point to tell us that his party was going to be at the Fire Station. All the kids will get a tour of the station, get to shoot the water hose (I’m hoping they’ll be getting a whole lot of help from the fireman), and they get to crawl under the smoke from the smoke machine. Brayden’s all excited about it and Amber says it’s part of the fire department public service activities and doesn’t cost anything.
Ben’s younger brother, Eric, was also there for dinner. He had to work yesterday so wasn’t able to get there early. His wife and daughter weren’t able to come because of a previous commitment. Sorry we missed them, but we had a good visit with Eric.
We’re gonna be doing it all again this evening, but tonight Ben is our chef. He wouldn’t tell us what’s on the menu.
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
 |
| Chef Mike |
I took the poppers, but Ben just couldn’t stay out of the kitchen. I was a little confused when he put a pork tenderloin on the grill since Mike had meatloaf in the oven. That tenderloin turned into an appetizer. He spread rounds of French baguette with melted butter and horseradish then ran them under the broiler until the bread was a golden brown. Well, he actually left it a minute too long, but that’s what he intended to do. On the hot bread he put a drop of spicy mustard, a tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a slice of tenderloin, and topped the whole thing with sauteed onions. Ben’s the gourmet cook in the family and he’s very good at what he does.
We didn’t just eat and drink while we were there. We played with Brayden and Cole outside for a while. Brayden had been to a birthday party earlier in the day. I guess kids have theme parties these days and the theme for this party was cowboys and cowgirls. The kids all worn their western outfits. At the party they got hats with plenty of stickers for decorating and of course there were ponies to ride.
Brayden’s birthday party is in a couple of weeks and he made it a point to tell us that his party was going to be at the Fire Station. All the kids will get a tour of the station, get to shoot the water hose (I’m hoping they’ll be getting a whole lot of help from the fireman), and they get to crawl under the smoke from the smoke machine. Brayden’s all excited about it and Amber says it’s part of the fire department public service activities and doesn’t cost anything.
 |
| Cole loves to play outside |
Ben’s younger brother, Eric, was also there for dinner. He had to work yesterday so wasn’t able to get there early. His wife and daughter weren’t able to come because of a previous commitment. Sorry we missed them, but we had a good visit with Eric.
 |
| We made the egg stand on end. |
That’s it for today. Thanks for tagging along.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)