Jan and I decided it was a perfect time to do a blog update. Spring is ending and we are packing for our big summer adventure. If you read our preceding blog you find that the last year was a challenging adventure. There is always a sleepless night or two before and after you pick a new place to live. Given we were giving up our native home this move came with many unknowns. Well, it has been ten months in the new house. We can now report that it does feel like home and the reason/motivation for the move has withstood the test of time.
We love the South Carolina Upstate area. It has four distinct season all lasting three months. The spring and fall is beautiful, the winters are mild and yes, we will always be traveling north in the summer to escape the heat and humidity.
The house has come together and we are working on the yard. It was fun to watch spring come to life in the yard with all the trees and plants. Things grow great here although sometimes I think almost too fast. The long-term plan for the yard is falling in place. Our little plot of land in the country is great, just the right size. All the trees are a nice plus and we are enjoying them a lot.
Love the South…spring comes in full bloom much earlier here. Jan always wanted a Dogwood.
The Dogwood shows its colors. Our first spring here brings many surprises,most of them good…
Our neighbor friends – Rojo and Tummy. The sad new Rojo passed earlier this spring.
Love the view from our deck…sunsets are a lot of fun!
The Crepe Mytle’s are blooming. The white ones first then the pink ones. Grass looks pretty good so far…
One thing we really like about Upstate South Carolina is the green.
There is so much for us to do here. The list of things to try and checkout will take us several years to work through. This spring we did five outings with the RV the longest being ten days and the shortest four. There would have been more but painting the deck and other house projects got in the way. Our stays included three South Carolina State Parks, a Corps of Engineer Park in Georgia (near Atlanta) and the Smoky Mountain National Park.
Dusted the RV off early. So far five trips this spring checking out South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.
There are over 100 waterfalls here in the Upstate, Northern Georgia and North Carolina. We are less than 10 miles from the mountains. We try to hit a trail at least once a week.
Jan on the trail to one of the many regional falls.
Jan catching a shot of Larry while trying to get that perfect water shot!
Here we are in the mountains doing a day hike. Love those trails that follow the water!
Another day hike…most days we hike in short pants.
The falls come in all forms. It was hard finding the best photo to post!
Jocassee State Park only 15 miles out is a gem. The RV sites are very nice plus a great place to Kayak.
We now have a favorite lake, Jocassee. It is already calling us back.
Early morning walks are good.
Jan on Lake Jocassee…great day for a paddle.
Being on the water is always good…
Since we retired we had not been to the Smoky Mountain National Park. The decision was made to check out the main campgrounds: Smokemont, Elmont and Cades Cove. This gave us the opportunity to explore Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN both of which now calls us back. We spent 10 days exploring, hiking to become familiar with what the park has to offer. We plan to make a return trip this fall and then again next spring. The spring flowers were awesome as our visit was in April.
Here we are 10 days hanging out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Great views from the mountains. The blue skies are a nice touch as a backdrop.
On this trip we kept getting our feet wet…
Cool Nineteen Thirties bridges…
This CC Bridge was off the back our RV site. Have designs at trying to reserve the site again next year.
The rivers and streams are awesome. Lots of action as the result of spring rains.
Fun shot from under the bridge…yes I was wearing water sandals.
Shot from the river trail…
We came to see the spring flowers and was not disappointed.
The flowers comes in all colors…
Trilliums are plentiful here too!
Lots of moisture makes for green moss everywhere.
Mingus Mill is a working water turbine driven gristmill from 1886. Impressive!
The engineering for this operation was massive as well as impressive.
The business end of the grist mill.
A surprise was the Cades Cove area. This was a mountain farming community which the park has chose to preserve. Not as much nature hiking but lots of history along the Cades Cove Loop Road
This Methodist Church two doors is a sign of the times with separation of men and women. Although the national park curation says it was never practice at this church.
Ancestors of the early settlers can still be buried in the park’s church cemeteries. We find it interesting to discover the stories old cemeteries tell.
A functional building from the past.
I do remember the wood shed from my early life on the farm for many reasons…
The corn cribs from the mountains in the south do not resemble those of the mid-west.
The hog pen was a key building in mountain communities as pork was a mainstay.
This mountain barn architecture is unique to the region. The mountain buildings in Cades Cove present interesting photo opts.
Here houses come in all sizes, shapes and layouts. This one near Cherokee looks very functional for the time.
Many of the mountain homes were small. The split rail fences took you back to the past at least visually.
This house was on one of the more successful farms in Cades Cove.
This one of the many stop along the Cades Loop Road. We actually drove it twice.
This house had a spring house and running water to some degree.
Then there was Gatlinburg where we got to do the real tourist thing!
What is a trip to Tennessee without a stop in Gatlinburg?
Of course it is always fun to seek out the local Microbrewery and in this case the Smoky Mountain Brewery. Recommend their IPA from personal experience.
Plenty of whimsy along the Gatlinburg Streets…Jan posing for that spur of the moment photo.
Across a CC bridge at the Elmont campground was the old city of Daisy Town. I took lots of pictures of the decaying buildings being allow to return to nature. It is an interesting setting and would like to go back overtime to track the changes
The abandoned Daisy Town was a fascinating side trip. It just across the river from our RV site at Elkmont Smoky Mountain Campground.
Good information available on Daisy Town. The National Park strategy is to let nature reclaim the land.
This house is fighting the good fight as Mother Nature does her thing.
The houses and cottages here comes in all styles and sizes.
These dwellings all have a story or two to tell.
The insides were as interesting as the outside.
This is a great old building. It is still straight and standing the test of time.
Now being so far from friends and family it is great when get visitors especially from the north. Our visitors this spring were cousin David and Ileana who were in Atlanta for a reunion and brother Duane and Bobbi who were at a retirement party in Pensacola. They were followed by Nephew Steve and Ellen returning after their son’s wedding in Savannah. It is fun for us to see everyone and be able to show them around.
David and Illeana stop to see us on their spring travels in the South, so cool!
Cousins David and Duane…Their paths cross here.
Larry and Duane sharing a morning workout. Two older guys trying to slow down that aging process. Yes, it is also suppose to be fun!
Duane and Bobbi exploring the Oconee County waterfalls.
What is a trip to the Upstate without a stop and lunch at Chattooga Belle Farm? The vistas are remarkable.
If you get a chance checkout the Chattooga Belle. There is always something interesting going on…
Foxfire Appalachian museum and Heritage Center. Their focus is on keeping the crafts and life-style of the past alive.
Can you see yourself preparing food here? We have come a long way in the last 150 years.
This building is a re-creation. The workmanship was good and we had a good time checking it out.
Local artist demonstrating her weaving craft. Weaving classes are taught here.
Good stop to learn more about the craft of making brooms.
Steve and Ellen stopped for a few days as they passed through the Upstate.
We checked out the South Carolina Botanical Gardens at Clemson University Campus with Steve and Ellen.
We always have a curiosity with the carnivorous plants. There is a nice display here.
Carnivorous plants comes in all colors.
Many stops along the trail.
Photos of paths always pull me in. Here is a path that is mowed and heads off down the hill.
The Clemson Botanical Gardens cover about 300 acres and represent all the South Carolina ecosystems.
One of our favorite haunts is the Biltmore Grounds and Mansion. The more we go there the more we appreciate the experience. The idea that one person conceived this and had the resources to pull it off from scratch is mind blowing. The fact that it has been preserved for the public is a cool twist of fate as well.
The current exhibit is blown glass by Chihuly. It was very enjoyable.
This year we have made several trip to the Biltmore. It is always different plus we see something different each time.
Would you believe this area was logged before George Vanderbilt bought it?
I think we have said this before. The library is our favorite room at the Biltmore.
These tapestries took ten years to complete.
Have you heard of the Glass Artist Dale Chihuly? His works are on display throughout the grounds. We saw it during the day. It is suppose to be awesome after dark.
Display in the main courtyard.
Colorful glass everwhere!
Caught the reflection in the early afternoon light.
Impressive display with a supporting background. The very blue sky helps set the mood for this shot.
The mix of glass in the gardens was a theme we saw as we toured the grounds.
Our most recent adventure was the Greenwood Flower Festival. This is Parks Seed land which has had a presence here for a century. Jan and I both grew up on the farm where Park Seeds were used so wanted to check things out. The festival was a nice local experience. The Parks Company has been sold and no longer has “that” local focus. Plus, we took the opportunity since we were in central South Carolina to check out the Capital and the Congaree National Park. Since we retired we have stayed in 35 National Parks with 29 more to do.
The Greenwood Festival of Flowers was started by the Park Seed Company over 50 years ago.
What is a festival without a car show? If I bought an old car it we be a 50’s Chevy Pickup. The one from the farm was the typical green.
Our first new car was a white Chevrolet Malibu Convertible from the same time period. Has it really been a half century already! This surly brings back the memories.
The restored Model A is a reminder of the early days for the auto industry.
Greenwood has taken the art of Topiary displays to a new level. There is an actual Jeep under there.
There are over 40 topiaries along the streets. This guy looks competitive.
Can you guess who sponsored this one?
Did not expect to find a seahorse on the main street.
One shaggy beast.
Jan thought I should scratch this one. He looks like a school mascot to me.
This one looks very elaborate.
These lean a bit more to the whimsical side of the art.
You know I like Giraffes so could not resist at least one picture.
Close to our RV park at Lake Greenwood was the town of Ninety Six. This area played a role during the revolutionary war. The struggles between the Loyalist and Patriots were harsh in South Carolina. The differences here lingered long after the war was over with the British. Lots of interesting history that was new to us. It also gave us a new insight to the culture of South Carolina.
The town of Ninety Six was halfway between the Indian village of Keowee and Charleston. It is strategic historic location of the Revolutionary War. By the way Keowee is now underwater.
The longest battle of the Revolutionary 28 days was fought here during a time when the war was turning in favor of the Patriots from the Loyalist.
You can hike a trail leading to Charleston.
Next stop with the Congaree National Park. The area is a little like the Everglades but is actually a forest and bottomland.
This stop was checking off the 35th National Park on the list of 54.
The Congaree National Park experience is all about elevated trails to help keep your feet dry and out of harms way.
This area does have a reputation. You need your bug shirt and insect repellent to help make this a less memorable experience.
This park is all about the trees. It is a large tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest.
This was a fun setting as the sun made its way through the tree canopy. The high water was the result of recent heavy rainfall.
More sun showing through…
The majority of the trails were closed. What is the old sailor saying “water water everywhere but not a drop to drink”
This trail ended at the waters edge.
Next stop Columbia. The capital of South Carolina. The Riverbank Zoo and Garden gets good reviews.
It was a hot day for our visit. This Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo had the right idea.
This Koala seems pretty laid back. Do you think you could get this relaxed?
Amelia the latest giraffe addition with mom…
What is a stop at the zoo without taking in the elephants.
Here the zebras share a space with the ostrich’s. Today this one ostrich was on the feisty side.
This guy sure draws your attention. Don’t think it is his good looks.
Here is an iconic zoo shot.
The Golden Lion Tamarin looked like a character.
You can get to the gardens by either a nice walk over the river or taking the shuttle.
As you come into the botanical garden from the zoo you are greeted with many tropical plants.
The fountains and water run right down through the middle of the gardens.
Little water action going on…
The final stop on this trip was the Riverbank Zoo and Gardens in Columbia. There was also a side trip downtown for lunch where we found a very nice Vegan restaurant.
The wall gardens go all the round…
We are heading back to Newfoundland and Labrador in the Canadian Maritimes. This will be our third trip to that part of the world. We start at the Smoky Mountain NP following the Blue Ridge Highway to the Shenandoah NP. After winding our way north through the States, we will spend quality time on Prince Edward Island and then Newfoundland/Labrador. Near the end of summer, we start back south stopping to see our guys in New York and Pennsylvania. As a finish there will be a leisurely tour of the East Coast to complete the summer travels.
Back in time to enjoy the fall weather and relieve our house sitter from all the chores around the house.
After all the spring trips, we are now ready for that big summer adventure…
Have a great summer. Jan and I miss all our friends and relatives in Michigan and Alabama. Hope to be able to catch up with all you soon.
God Bless,
Larry and Jan