and now all I am seeing is the row of houses across our street. Night and day I tell you. There is just something about breathing in crisp 59 degree mountain air first thing in the morning that just makes you feel alive.The Thornton family clan took a vacation last week. We piled into an airplane and flew to visit Lori's parents at their farm in the Smokey Mountains. Visiting their farm is always something special, as stress melts like butter with each passing minute. After a 1 hr delay at the airport to get a new plane, the remainder of the flight went very well. Christopher was very good and slept most of the flight, and Aidan was so engrossed in playing his PSP he hardly noticed most of the flight.
Lori's mother picked us up at the airport, and 1hr later we were far off the beaten path, and heading for alpine solitude. After arriving at their beautiful Log Home,
we unpacked and prepared for our rural holiday. Like I said before, the stress of everyday life seems to just disappear the moment you step out of the car. The scenery is fantastic, and Steve and Dianne are wonderful host. As you pull up the driveway you are greeted with a rush of colors as Dianne's beautiful flower garden comes into view.
This was Christopher's first trip to the mountains and I must say, he enjoyed himself immensely. He loved riding on Gator (4x4 ATV) and enjoyed all of wildlife, farm animals, and food. Here is Christopher showing his appreciation for the Plum that his brother Aidan picked from one on the many fruit tress on their farm.
Speaking of picking fruit, here is Aidan in action - picking and eating a peach.
Aidan seemed to enjoy picking the fruit and eating it immediately. Very few of the ones that he picked actually made it into the basket. The same goes for the blueberries
and the wild blackberries
he picked. He had a blast, and a full belly.Aidan likes to ride around the farm on the Gator too, but he especially likes it when PawPaw takes him for a ride on his tractor. He was provided an extra special treat this year when PawPaw brought out his new tractor to give Aidan a ride.
Yep, that big Massey Ferguson has all of comforts of home.....complete with AC, CD Player, and GPS. Oh, and to give you some perspective of how big it actually is, that truck that is sitting next to it is a Ford F250 4x4. No wonder Aidan is all smiles.
Most of the days were spent relaxing at the farm and either fishing, exploring, or frolicking in the pool. We did venture out a couple of days to check out some of the local attractions. One of those days was spent at Dollywood Splash Country. While Nana and Pawpaw took care of Christopher, Aidan and Lori and I set out on our journey. It was about an hour drive, and Wow let me tell you, that was quite an experience. Picture Los Angeles rush hour traffic combined with a NASCAR Mud wrestling championship and you get the picture. Aidan had great time at the park, and that is what matters. Lori and I got our pleasure out of knowing that we were looked upon as downright svelte amongst that crowd.
On Wednesday, we went to visit Steve's parents, and while we were there, Aidan and Dad played in the mountain Creek that runs in front of their house.
It is an absolutely beautiful area, and the creek is even stocked with trout.
While we were visiting, MaMaw Stokely found an old stuffed little monkey and gave it to Christopher. Do you think he enjoyed it?
On Thursday we drove about 20 miles away to have lunch in Hot Springs, North Carolina. It's a very small town that is known mostly for it's hot spring baths and it white water rafting companies. Here is a picture of Lori that was taken at the small restaurant were we had lunch. Notice Huck Finn's Whitewater Rafting store in the background.
Friday came in a flash, and after 7 days in country bliss we had to return to "city life". We took a few final pictures
and then headed for the airport. The flight home could not have gone any better, with Christopher sleeping the entire way, and our luggage waiting for us as soon as we got to the baggage claim. After picking up Mystic at doggie day care, we finally arrived at our humble abode. Kitty was here to greet us when we arrived, and he was one happy feline. We were all very sad to leave, and now we are all right in the middle of our rural withdrawals. I am sure that Nana and Pawpaw are now enjoying the peace and quiet, and we are all looking forward to the next time we get to gaze upon another stunning sunset at Poplar Springs Farm.
William
No comments:
Post a Comment