Category Archives: Family Time

Snyder Summer Gathering – 2024

New York Hudson Valley looking from a Catskill Mountain Trail

Last year at our annual fall family gathering, the decision was made to meet up in the summer somewhere in Upstate New York. In July Jan and I traditionally head north for a cooler and dryer environment. The northeast easily fit into our travel strategies. Originally the plan was to find a house large enough to hold all of us. That was easier said than done. To make a long story short, we retreated to meeting at the Kenneth L Wilson state park in the Catskill Mountains. This is where Jan and I traditionally stay when visiting Mark and Kevin. The location is in easy reach. It worked great as everyone was able to come, except David who was on his own summer adventure.

The first challenge was Hurricane Debby who brushed by just before everyone got there. She brought plenty of rain and humid weather to keep us humble in so many ways. Her presence was front and center for the first few days but once she was done with us, we got some nice sunny days. However, she left a trail of downed trees which put the restroom facilities out of commission, leaving us with another challenge.

The crew all descended on Mark and Kevin the first day which was high and dry. This was great as we caught up with each other’s lives in a comfortable setting. Good conversation and great food made it all work. A surprise celebration of Dad’s (Larry) 80th birthday was a special highlight. It was gratifying to have everyone together again.

Mark and Kevin’s abode is easy to spot!

Paul and Marty hanging out with the family

Mark, Karl, Cully catching up

Marty and Jan staying in touch

Fiona and Cully catching up on their adventures

Jan, Karl and Mark checking out a game from the past

Surprise birthday party, celebrating Dad’s 80th…

The theme cake keeping in sync with Dad’s long-standing collection of giraffes

Behind the scenes cake prep!

Dad and Mark posing for the photographer

All smiles group shot

There is always a hike or two when we get together. This time we took on the North-South trail in the Catskills overlooking the Hudson Valley. The weather was good, after the rain we were up to an outing. The trail had just the right challenge for the group. It was a fun outing resulting in some good pictures to remember it by

Hudson Valley from the North South Trail taken on the family hike

The Hudson Valley views are eye catching

The trail was a bit of a scramble at times. Everyone made it.

Mark enjoying the family adventure

Paul taking a break…

Fiona enjoying the outdoors and family time together

Looks serious…

Time for a break

Liked this view with the valley in the background

Nice group shot with the valley in the background

There is always at least one shot with this group showing our theatrical tendencies…

The next outing was near Saugerties, Opus 40. The setting is a bluestone quarry. It is an artistic work developed and created by one man, Harvey Fite. He was a sculptor and Professor at Bard College. It is an amazing body of work done over several decades. His work was influenced by Mayan art and technics. He purchased the property in 1938 and died in 1976, just short of his goal of completion 40 years. Enjoy the photos…

Truly fun visit to the Opus 40 Sculpture Park. Impressive that all of this was done by one man.

Opus 40 sculpture tower

The artist vision and work are incredible to see and experience.

There were so many photo opts. This one reminded me of the slot canyons in Utah

The duck weed in this pool was eye catching

The Catskill Mountains in the background, awesome setting

Paul and Mark enjoying one last look

As is tradition, we can always find a spot with good food and good brews. This time the Woodstock Brewing near Phoenicia.

After the hike stop to refresh and refuel at the Woodstock Brewing Phoenicia New York. The food and drinks were just what we needed.

Woodstock Brewing family shot…

The campground setting was a hit. Already planning next year, time and place to be determined. Here are a few shots taken along the way.

Finally, a break from the persistent rain brought to us by Hurricane Debby.

This was our last morning together as everyone headed home and back to work.

Dad doing breakfast…

All good things come to an end as we say see you soon…

Family time is important. As Jan and I, the aging parents, we find we cherish these moments!

God Bless,
Larry and Jan

Christmas 2023

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Merry Christmas! Jan and I send holiday greetings to one and all. We are looking forward to enjoying the holidays here with friends and family. This has been a good year for us as we move beyond the Covid world and the heavy-handed health issues that are now a thing of the past. Although, Larry has managed a couple embarrassing side-steps recently, drawing attention and mandatory timeouts. It seems like staying out of harms-way has become a full-time job. Ending this year in good shape and looking forward to what comes next. Already planning next year with a balance of travel and other fun actives.

Still loving the South Carolina upstate area. So many recreational opportunities. We enjoy checking out the little southern towns as well as quality time in the bigger cities. The first half of this year was spent taking care of the ever-demanding yard and to do list, balanced with just the right number of fun outings to make us feel a bit guilty. With our interest in gardening, wood working, photography, genealogy, tapestry, hiking and traveling in our RV there is never enough time. Retirement is one of the best jobs ever and as we near 80 we like to think we are just getting started.

At the end of July, we hit the road in the RV heading to Michigan for six weeks. It had been five years since we had been back. Along the way we caught up with friends and family. It was good to reconnect and catch up one on one. The trip started exploring the Lake Michigan side of the state, ending up in Petoskey. Over Labor Day weekend the Snyder siblings gathered at Forest Lake near Alger for their annual reunion. Early this month the New York contingent of our family flew in for holiday fun, interesting food and good times. As usual there was more food than we could eat. The planned outings were hampered by rain and unseasonable cold weather. The rebound was a nice micro-brewery to fill the gap with more face time. It was good to have everyone here. There are now plans to meet somewhere in New York next summer

Larry and Jan on the Treat Trail Sleeping Bear NP

If you want to catch a glimpse into our life for the past year, take in the photos that follow.

Both of us enjoy the garden. There was a good return even after fending off the rabbits and deer. When we travel the gardening keys are turned over to Angie. She also takes on the care and feeding of our house full of plants.

Our garden in all its glory. Love the herbs, a key ingredients in our famous Plant-Based dishes.

View from above. This shot sometime in June.

These lilies came from Michigan. Jan sister-in-law, Ginger saved them for us. There are well traveled from Michigan to Missouri ending up in South Carolina where they now thrive again.

One of Jan’s favorite flowers.

Our horse friends next door are interesting company. We keep close tabs on them from our deck, a favorite hangout for us year-round.

Our close friends next door. They do love to eat…

The planters have become an integral part of our deck’s summer landscaping. In the winter the geraniums are replaced with pansies.

Here are two photos taken from our great room.

Rainbow captured from the inside.

Fun photo from the inside out.

There is always something happening at the Biltmore. Our annual membership gives the opportunity to go whenever the mood strikes. The spring flowers are striking, during the summer great place to ride your bike and the holiday decorations are outstanding this time of the year. If you are ever in Asheville, check it out.

Biltmore in the spring.

This is called the Azalea path in all its glory…

Really liked this natural view of the forest. The Biltmore Estate at its best.

This lake was on the Biltmore master plan and has withstood the test of time. The sun makes this a fun photograph on this day.

Here are fall photos taken in the Caesar’s Head State Park. There are so many good mountain views plus challenging hikes that call us back. If you are in the area, check it out.

Caesar’s Head in the fall.

Caesar’s Head view. South Carolina fall view.

This fall we checked in with the white squirrel in Brevard, North Carolina. We like to see him a couple times of the year. Brevard is one of our favorite places to hang-out.

Famous Brevard white squirrel who loves to pose for photographs.

Jan had to check out the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, our first time. Jan is into the yarn scene with her love of tapestry. It is on our list for next year.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Show – pulls in a lot of vendors with outstanding wares.

Fiber Show temptations

Two Fiber Show friends…

This guy was engaging.

Here we are once again ready to get out of “Dodge”. The RV is packed, the GPS set and there is a reservation for every night for the next 45 days. The old RV is hanging in there as it hits its 13th birthday. It is now back in the hands of the Airstream folks who are giving it a renewed lease on life for next years adventures. Really miss seeing it in the its parking place in our yard.

Ready to hit the road. This will be our home away for several weeks.

The summer trip started in the Smoky Mountains at the National Park Elkmont campground. We found Mrs. Owl waiting for us telling us to stay clear of her young ones. Lots of good hikes with Gatlinburg just fifteen minutes away. A yearly stop…

Mrs. Owl

We could hear this creek from our Smoky Mountain National Park campsite.

Love the characters we find in Gatlinburg.

Downtown Gatlinburg…

This was a first time at the Holland, Michigan State Park. Nice campground although a bit like a parking lot. Had a great time checking out the city with a side trip to Grand Rapids for a quick lunch and beer at the Founders Brewery.

Found these lovers in downtown Holland.

…more Holland!

Love the Holland beach. These folks were just hanging out.

Holland light house…

One of the favored Holland photos…

Ileana and Larry enjoying the path along Lake Macatawa in Holland.

There was a three day stop in Breckenridge area, the area where Jan and I grew up. Found a campground on the Pine River which was just two miles from the Neitzke farm. This area was considered the “other side” of the tracks when we grew up so reluctantly made reservation. In the end it was a good choice with a new respect for the area and the Pine River. We used the campground as a basecamp. The objective was to check out some small township cemeteries to fill in holes in our never-ending genealogy project including the Snyder and Neitzke branches.

This was our campsite on the Pine River in Midland County, Michigan

Pine River. Our RV trips always include electronics with ebooks for Jan and audiobooks for Larry.

Next stop was the Sleeping Bear National Park. This was our old stomping grounds. Had a fun time checking out the trails and views in the park.

Great campsite at the Platt River Campground at Sleeping Bear. The only issue was no electricity and no generators allowed. Really had to rough it…

This is a favorite trail to Lake Michigan called the Treat Farm Trail.

This is the trail to the Treat Farm in the Sleeping Bear NP. Great walk back from Lake Michigan through the open fields to the old homestead. I think the purple flower is a type of Phlox.

Love this photogenic view at Sleeping Bear. Surprised at the amount of erosion since our last visit. Great reward at the end of a two mile hike.

Jan enjoying the Lake Michigan view. Great view with lots of wind to mess up her hair.

Larry enjoying the same view, note his hair is not blowing as much…

The iconic sand dune climb is not as high as I remember it.

Attended the Buckley Old Engine Show. It had been a while since we had attended. This is a great show, brings back fond memories. Lots of old red and green equipment lovingly cared for. The problem was we can remember when much of it was new.

The Old Engine Show at Buckley was a fun side excursion. Jan remembers threshing time on the Neitzke farm back in the early 50s. The amount of vintage equipment and the real time demonstrations was impressive.

This JP model of John Deere was used on our farm through the 60s. It was my Grandpa Snyder’s first mechanical tractor back in the 20s.

This International Harvester reminded me of my Grandpa Woodards last tractor purchased in 1948 after World War II. I fondly remember that he would wipe it down at the end of day.

Our next stop was the Petoskey State Park. Trips to Harbor Springs, Cross Village, the county fair and downtown kept us busy for two weeks. Looking forward to going back soon.

A stop in Harbor Springs is always warranted. The homes are outstanding plus checking out all the boats is totally impressive.

…more Harbor Springs.

The trip from Petoskey on M119 to Cross Village is a must when we are in the area. Discovered the Legs Inn back in the 60s when we were camping at the Wildness State Park nearby. Note the namesake stove legs on the roof. Polish based food is always fun and interesting.

Legs Inn tree root-based interior is unique to the point of being awesome. This shot is above the bar. Lots of other interesting wood sculptures to take in.

The Legs Inn grounds and outside dinning overlooking Lake Michigan is just plain cool!

As luck would have it the Emmet County Fair was in in Petoskey during our visit. We had not been to a fair in over 20 years, so it was a walk back in time…

Many of the rides were new to us. Fun to look at but way too old to take any of them on. Well, maybe the merry go round would be ok.

Found that the 4H clubs are still alive and well. Fun exhibits and displays.

Walking out the pier in Petoskey is fun and there is always an opportunity for a photo or two.

What is a trip to Northwest Michigan without a stop in Mackinaw to take a picture of the bridge?

Next stop was the Snyder reunion on Forest Lake. It is always fun to catch with everyone. It seems like we can just pick up where we last left off. The only issue was we are starting to look like our grandparents…how did that happen?

Yes, we are all smiling. The Snyder siblings are still having fun. Not often you can get them in the same place at the same time!

Aunt Bonnie’s garden(s) are impressive, always a photo opt or two. This young lady drew my attention.

Our Snyder host has an impressive fire pit. Master fire builders at work.

Great place to catch up and maybe even solve the world’s problems.

A good campfire will keep you warm on a cold evening.

Uncle Duane enjoying the banter.

When in Michigan we always have to catch up with niece Betty and Husband Tom.

Catching up with niece Betty and husband Tom a highlight of the trip.

Every year our sons and granddaughter make their way to South Carolina from New York. It is one of the highlights of our year. There are always good times with plenty of laughs.

The group shot of the Snyder annual holiday South Carolina get together. Another great time together with good food and lots of laughs.

Presents under the tree, a sign we are getting in the spirit of the season. Finding a “real” Christmas tree takes a lot of work in this part of the world. This tree does not have any needles as you can see.

One thing the majority of this group can agree on is life is good if you can find a great micro-brewery.

Fun stop with some outstanding brews and good food.

Hanging out…

These two are tuned in to the camera.

It was so good to have granddaughter Fiona and David with us this year!

Really enjoyed seeing Mark and Kevin at this wonderful time of the year!

Just enjoying the action.

The one thing we do well is the food. Getting ready for breakfast on a cold and rainy morning.

I think the photographer lost control. All I can say is this was not the first time! At least it is not a boring group shot.

Love taking sunset or sunrise photographs. Here are some from this year’s collection.

Sunset photo are a favorite of mine. Taken from the deck in the spring.

This was taken in Holland while enjoying the end of the day on the Lake Michigan beach.

Sunset on Lake Michigan.

Sunset over Lake Michigan at the Sleeping Bear NP.

Have an enjoyable holiday. Jan and I miss everyone at this time of the year.
Happy New Year and God Bless!

Larry and Jan

Christmas 2022

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Merry Christmas! Wishing all of you a happy holiday. Celebrating the reason for the season brings this holiday celebration into focus for us, especially this year. Our web presence is still a comfortable way, on this end, to send our holiday greetings and to share what has happened in our lives. My compulsion to document life with photos provides a level of detail that is awe-inspiring and takes some determination to work through.

Another year, another Christmas picture! Agreed we look another year older.

A look behind the scenes. Hanging out with our tablets in front of a cozy fire.

Our retirement strategy is to see as much of this great country as we possibly can. In the last thirteen years Jan and I have spent time in every state, Canadian Province, and explored the majority of National Parks. Next up on the travel bucket list was to explore the Great Mississippi River, set for the summer of 2022. The idea was to meander along the River from the Gulf to the headwaters in Minnesota with some quality down time in New Orleans. Reservations were made early for a stop in Petoskey for a month to catch up with life in Northwest Michigan. Finally, on the way back home catch up with family and friends for some quality one on one time long overdue.

I think Robert Burns said it best in his poem “To a Mouse”. “The best laid schemes o’ mice an men often go awry” (well something like that anyway). Last October my doctor threw the red flag that called for a timeout, totally interrupting our lives. To make a long story short, a diagnosis of prostate cancer took precedence. Little did we know what lie in wait. With the help of great doctors, awesome technology and proven treatments life is getting back on track. If the body cooperates (and with the blessing of the good Lord) the expectation is to be back on the road by spring. Plenty of ups and downs along the way but neither Jan or I have ever lost faith. Timeouts like this bring into focus what is really important in life.

This is where I spent the better part of this year…

We are traveling this path together, mostly with a smile. There are so many milestones along the way. Here we mark the completion of radiation treatments with the ringing of bell.

Being grounded kept us hanging at home. Not as many waterfalls or mountain pictures to share.

Trying out the new porch swing. It soon became a go to place to kick back and relax.

Peaceful scene from last January. The only snow for the winter.

For a minute, I thought we were back in Michigan.

These guys are wondering where the grass had gone.

Getting our hand dirty was good therapy. Both of us love working in the garden. Summer produce was good, now working a fall gardening adventure.

The spring garden is off to a good start. The black ground cloth will help keep the weeds in check.

This early summer shot shows off our very successful vegetable garden. Tomatoes anyone?

Audio books became my friend. Jan and I spent countless hours enjoying the summer weather and the view from our deck. Then there was our ever presence equine friends next door who always seemed to be posing for that next camera shot.

Spring view from the deck. Spring flowers getting off to a good start.

By fall the landscape is more colorful.

Still enjoy following our friends next door. At the moment the horse in the middle has been banned to another pasture due to poor behavior.

Here are two fun pictures that caught my eye from the oversized digital pile.

These are common visitor to our garden. This guy did a great job posing for this shot.

Sharing a bit of our summer color with a photo shot of the Crepe Myrtles in full bloom.

Celebrated the summer holidays with good food and fun music in the comfort of home.

Grounded at home for a few weeks in the spring trying to stay out of harms way. However, that did not prevent donning the chef hat to create a fun Easter Breakfast. Jan did the Wool Roll, a filled pulled apart bread.

4th of July, blue skies, sunshine, what could be better…

Finally, in late September we were able to hit the road. Local hikes, a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountain in North Carolina and ending up in the Smoky Mountains.

It was fall when the travel light turned green. Pulled the RV out of storage with plans to hit the road. After a little TLC plus some spit and polish we were ready to go.

A yearly adventure is a hike at the South Carolina Botantical Gardens. This is a fun trail.

Another stop along the trail. Great old building with cool landscaping.

Another fun shot taken on a really fun hike.

Here we are back in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Never tire of these expansive views.

Another Blue Ridge Mountain scene taken near the end of September.

The Blue Ridge Highway called us back. Love fences with character. Hardly a cloud in the sky.

A popular stop along the Blue Ridge Highway is the Linville Falls. This stop actually exceeded expectations.

Another Linville Falls…just a bit of hiking to get a view.

A return visit to the Moses Cone Estate near Boone, North Carolina. I think I took this same shot last year.

Lots of trails to choose from at the Cone Estate. This time was a trip around the lake as climbing the mountain sounded like a lot of work.

They grow their Golden Rod very tall here in North Carolina as you can see from this shot.

Great trail around Price Lake. Just had to stop to enjoy this view.

We found ourselves back in the Smoky Mountains enjoying the Little River Trail. This trail was just right for a day hike.

This is our fifth year for an annual visit to the Smoky Mountain National Park. We have found several favored campgrounds. This time setup in the Elkmont Campground, near Gatlinburg, TN. The National Park Service has been restoring Daisy Town. This log cabin goes back to the 1890s.

Here is an example of a successful restoration. There are so many interesting stops here in Daisy Town.

Fall is not complete without a stop at Grandad’s Apple Farm in Hendersonville, NC. Again, we got our yearly apple fix. Two months later we are still working through the bounty.

“Grandad is ready for Halloween with a large inventory of pumpkins and a corn maze.

The green machine on top of the silo always gets my attention.

Blowing Rock, NC is a great stop in the fall, if you like flowers plus the mircobrewery is not bad either.

Jan and I wish everyone a happy holiday. Looking forward to seeing or hearing from you soon.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from South Carolina!

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Link To Our Family Fall Gathering…

Fall Family Gathering – 2022

Fall Family Gathering – 2022

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Getting together at the holidays can be complicated. The suggestion for a family gathering in early November became reality with some herculean effort on the part of the travelers. Getting ahead of the holiday travel rush proved to be a bonus in scheduling travel plans.

It was so good to see everyone. It was fun finding things to do as well as enjoying good food. Putting our Plant Based Chef skills to the test was an adventure, well at least for the chefs. Finding things to do was easy. The final list came down to enjoying time together, a trip to the Biltmore Estate, a hike on the Brasstown falls trails and capping it all off with a brew at the Jocassee Valley Brewing Company.

What is a family gathering without good food. Would you believe all of this is plant based?

A campfire on the deck, great way to catch up and to finish off the dinner dessert.

Nothing can beat a warm evening, a campfire and a little wine to end the day.

Our timing for the Biltmore was right on. The Christmas exhibits had officially kicked off the day before. The day of our visit, it rained so staying dry became a full-time job. The bright spot was the house tour, the holiday decorations and enjoying the botanical gardens.

Back at the Biltmore Estate to enjoy the Christmas exhibits. The weather forecast double crossed us with a dreary rain instead of the expected sunshine!

Here we are just trying to stay dry.

Colorful shot of the waning fall landscape, in spite of the weather.

Still smiling – looking forward to a fun day.

Touring the house, the highlight of the day.

Of course, a tour of the gardens is part of the visit.

Found someone to take a photo of this smiling group.

Being in the conservatory was a good way to keep dry…

Is everyone ready for this shot!

The Biltmore Estate Stable Restaurant an excellent choice for a late lunch.

There is always a hike or two in our times together. This year was no exception. Traveled to Long Creek to hike the Brasstown Trail taking in the three falls. This is an enjoyable easy hike with impressive waterfalls. Took in a new brewery which was a great way to end that day.

Then there was an outing to the Brasstown Falls an impressive stop.

Good hiking trails makes it easy to see all the different falls.

Loved our time together.

More camera opportunities.

So much fun to have visitors from the north.

The pull to get your feet wet was irresistible for some.

Looking forward to next year.

Link To:

Christmas 2022

Christmas – 2021

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Love this time of the year. It gives us a chance to stop time to reach out to friends and family near and wide to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. Growing up in central Michigan life was community centric. Everyone who was important in our lives was within easier reach. Memories are still strong of those large family gatherings and local holiday events. Times have certainly changed over the last 70 years changing the way we think and view life.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We are in good health (although a little older and hopefully wiser) with more than enough to do. Our to do list is pretty much self-inflicted doing the things we like. This year, it was good to be out from under as many Covid restrictions. We got to hitch up the RV to hit the road after a summer off. Still being on the cautious side, we spent our time exploring close to home. Our revised travel plans took us beyond South Carolina to North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The plan was to spend a week on the road then be home for a week providing a nice balance to our lives.

Today, life is good for us. We are not missing the Michigan snow and cold weather. Most winter days here in the Upstate area the sun shines and the temps average around 50 during the day. Getting snow for a couple days in January or February works for us. No snow shovels required. Spring and fall are the best times here. Summers are easy although they can be on the hot side during the day. The mountain are minutes away an easy escape to cooler temperatures. This summer got our hands dirty with a bit of gardening. Keeping track of the three new horses provides us with plenty of entertainment. Plus, there is always one more photo to take…

Looking for snow pictures had to go back to last February

Love our little garden. Our travel schedule was built around keeping track of everything green plus fending off our four-legged friends! This fall we had a repeat performance providing even more goodies.

These three friends next door keep our interest. Our deck is a great spot for viewing all that goes in in the pasture.

These guys are always on the run. It seems they are playing or maybe a bit on the competitive side.

You can learn a lot living next door to horses. Never knew they slept standing up. They stand perfectly still for long periods of time. The newest addition (on the right) is a Haflinger, a laidback workhorse..

Close up of a garden visitor. These Swallowtails are attracted by our Zinnas and ultimately parsley as their lifecycle plays out in the chrysalis stage.

This rainbow came late in the summer and in the north.

It was good to get the RV prepped and road worthy. There are so many wonderful sites in this part of the South. The summer schedule was built around our stays at State or National Parks. Being on the road making new friends is an important part of our life. There were so many pictures taken over the summer. It was hard to chose which ones to share with all of you.

Packed, ready to hit the road. The plan to explore the surrounding States takes the right gear. Kayaks, bikes along with good hiking shoes are key to successful exploration.

What could be better than a bit of history with some character.

A stop at the zoo is always worthwhile. Enjoying a beautiful summer day in Columbia.

These feisty feathered friends were both loud and colorful.

Stopped here 50 years ago, also with a RV in tow.

The Foxfire campus is an Appalachian treasure. This heritage center is dedicated to preserving and documenting the unique lifestyle. Plan a stop if you like history and learning about the arts and crafts from the past. The old church is a very photogenic.

The Etowah Indian Mounds caught our interest. Great job on curating. Using your imagination, you can visualize life here a thousand years ago.

Liked this photo, a lot going on! Chattanooga and the Tennessee River never disappoints. It is easy to spend a day on the extensive river walk.

Caught this young lady deep in thought…Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Beautiful spring day in the Smoky Mountain National Park! Sunshine and warm weather, what could be nicer…

Peaceful scene in the mountains of Georgia. Quiet time stop on an early morning hike.

Blue Ridge Highway has amazing vistas.

What do you think of this shot taken somewhere in North Carolina? The dead tree caught my interest.

Found the stone fence supports eye catching. My take is they have survived the test of time. This trail took us to even greater views.

This is the “great” view. The Georgia Cloudland State Park exceeded our expectations. Plan a return trip next year.

Idyllic setting…

This trail goes under the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is actually the beginning of a five mile to the top of the mountain

These two are enjoying life by taking time to take in the commanding view.

This scene could be picture for a jigsaw puzzle.

Another mountain view that demanded a stop and look. The clouds being the attention getter.

Never get tired of these sunset pictures.

It seems like waterfalls are a magnet for us…so many falls, so little time. More photos to follow:

Love this river in the Smoky Mountain National Park… Perfect place to set up a tent.

Rainbow Falls at the Jones Gap State Park is a new favorite. Bit of climb to get here but well worth it.

Spring brings more impressive waterfalls.

Nice place to stop to enjoy the scenery.

The big drop adds to the drama here…

Had to work to get this shot…

Mark and Kevin met us in North Carolina for a few days. Good to catch up with them after Covid.

Mark and Kevin catch us on the road… Managed a couple of hikes to enjoy our time together.

Stopping to take pictures along the trail come easily.

Our last four trips were cancelled with a time out for some back physical therapy. This gave us time to stay close to home catching some fall color.

To start fall, out travels took us to Missouri. The color is just starting to pop.

Here is a fall shot along the Ocoee River which is part of the TVA project.

Strong fall color found along a trail somewhere this fall…

The Maple Trees along our driveway doing their fall thing! Love Fall in the South Carolina foothills.

Our plan for the holidays is to hang out around home. Hopefully there will be a visitor or two from the North.

Dressed for the holidays…first time for a suit in two years.

The decorations are hung…

Each of our trips are each documented in the following eight post. Feel free to check them out to follow our adventures. Use the travel link on the right.

Happy Holiday,

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Christmas – 2020

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Tis the season…the nativity scene and village are in place. The mood is set.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! It is that time of the year when the urge to reach out to friends and family comes front and center. It has been a full-time job for us this year just working through the ever-changing Covid world, just like everyone else. Our health has been good but with compelling incentives to stay behind closed doors to keep out of harm’s way. It was disappointing to cancel all summer travel. On the upside, we got to spend our first full summer in South Carolina tending a full-fledged southern garden. Our hiking shoes still got a workout exploring local trails and the hundreds of waterfalls close by. Last fall we committed to six months of very invasive remodeling and house decorating projects. The demand on our time was all encompassing which ended up being ok as we were grounded anyway. Once the house projects were out of the way, Larry took on a six-month online cooking class.

…and before we knew it, the holiday season was here!

This year has been different. Even on the “trail” rules change. Sign of the times.

Social distance, please. You cannot escape the Covid world even on the trail.

Life is never without a good photo opt! Here are some from our side of life… Pictures to follow.

We enjoyed our summer visitors. Our garden seemed to be a meeting place, at times it was covered with colorful visitors. Little did we suspect that the plan was to use many of our herbs as host plants for their chrysalis.

So many colorful Swallowtails.

They come in all colors

Here are snowfall scenes from last year. Our current weather report indicates the possibility of a white Christmas.

The only snow of the season for 2019

It was gone by the next day.

The passage of time confirmed that taking on the house projects was a good decision. Everything that got in our way got painted, all the floors refinished or replaced. The big projects were painting all the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, major upgrade for the laundry room, and a couple of pallets of ceramic tile.

There was a lot of heavy lifting here.

Would you believe 80 gallons of paint by the time the job ended… Sorta of looks like a works of art?

Painting kitchen cabinets turned out to be project not for the faint of heart. I knew we moved the beach cabana from Alabama for some reason. It took on a second life as a paint booth.

The living room housed the drying racks for the never ending painting project.

It is so good not to have dust everywhere…

By the way we have new neighbors…Big Ben and Pumpkin. It is so good to have good friends next door.

These guys are on the move all the time. They bring a bit of balance to the landscape. Each one has their own personality to keep things interesting.

Spent a lot of time on the deck.

The deck, the summer hangout. Great place to grill and eat out. Surprisingly, there are few bugs in this part of the country.

The Fourth of July was celebrated on the deck…

Fly the flag whenever we can…

The garden was great…good resource for the cooking class.

Lots and lots of tomatoes. Developing a herb garden has been very productive.

Enjoyed the flowering trees…

The Crepe Myrtles give our visitors a colorful welcome.

Great sunsets…each one is different!

Our summer evening ritual…wine with the interesting sunsets.

This summer hundreds of photos posted online along with descriptions of tasty culinary dishes. Competed all the cooking course requirements. If you get a chance stop in, I love to show off…

There were so many dishes created for the course. Here is one from the no cooked world. Not sure I would want to live there full time but sure was fun to create plus being very colorful.

Then there was a traditional take in the plant-based world…

The final assignment, small bites. There sure was a lot of great food to work through over the course of the summer. So good in fact that it promotes a News Years Resolution to drop a few pounds.

Then there are all the hikes and fun fall colors…

On the trail in the mountains…there seems to a river and bridge to cross most times.

North Carolina falls. Excellent hiking trail makes getting there half the fun.

Fun setting and a beautiful day make it almost perfect.

There can be a little color here. This is about 5,000 feet and early October.

Meet Hooker falls in North Carolina…

Fun little falls, actually only a few miles out the back door.

Lots of folks on the trail here…everyone anxious to get out of the house.

The Maple trees along the drive do give us a little color. With 25 trees, thanks so much for a mulching mower.

This hike in November at a much lower elevation…still plenty of color.

The bridge that leads to a favored hike…picture perfect.

Still having fun. Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the Christmas Season!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

God Bless,

Jan and Larry

The Family Holiday Gathering – 2019

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The holidays are behind us. Once again, our family got together here in South Carolina. Quality family time, good food, the warm winter weather along with exploring the mountains of North Carolina was the foundation for making fond holiday memories. Jan and I are always happy that the family chooses to come South this time of the year.

We hit the ground running the first day with an adventure to the Dupont State Forest at Cedar Mountain and lunch in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The second day was as busy staying in and catching up along with plenty of traditional holiday food.

Lots of photos to document our time together. Enjoy!

Got everyone in this picture.

Lunch out in Hendersonville, North Carolina at Never Blue

The Dupont State Forest in North Carolina is a fun stop with several impressive falls and very nice hiking trails.

Everyone is here except the camera man…

Now Jan is behind the camera…

On the trail…great day for a hike

Moving down the trail…

Hanging out enjoying the view along the river

Nice spot for that perfect photo…

Nice place to stop to take in the sights

Karl and Mark enjoying the outing

Mark and Fiona spending quality time together…

Top of the falls…great view plus you can hear the roar of the falls

High Falls in the winter…the first scenic reward along the trail

The second reward is Triple Falls

Plenty of food again this year. Everyone seemed to survive our plant based diet. However, we added eggs and cheese to make the meal experience a bit more acceptable for those who have a more conventional diet.

Breakfast time can be lively at times…

Prepping the dining room for the holiday meal. Enough room for everyone.

Impressive spread…

Time to eat!

Digging in…

Flaming the Christmas Pudding was a bit scary… The blue flame did not come through but take my word for it, it was there!

Morning, just hanging out…

Yes, we are having a good time

Enjoying the great company along with a nice fire for atmosphere in the background

The Christmas flashing lights sent by Paul and Marty with a bit of creativity sets the stage for a good time

Hanging out watching all the holiday action…

Life goes on even during the holidays…

Taking on a Christmas gift with a fun DIY side. Here is the final outcome…what do you think?

These projects took some real concentration…

Everyone got into the fun!

Here is a family team effort heading to a successful conclusion

The big project was to divide up all the family pictures into three piles. This project only took three years. All the pictures have been digitized as well to keep all the memories from years past.

It is great to be in a place where we can have the family gather and have a Christmas tree…

Kicking off the gift exchange with a bit of food and good wine!

Yes, Our plant base diet was mixed with some good cheese.

Here is some of the group for that final shot with the great handmade Christmas scarves made by Marty. The first group had to leave at 3am to catch that 6am plane back to NYC so they had to miss this shot!

Here are some pictures that capture the mood of our time together.

Happy holidays and happy New Year.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Snyder Gathering – 2019

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This is a snap shot of the 2019 Snyder Clan gathering at Forest Lake. It was great to have Dale, Bonne, Ray and Jill host this wily group. It had been some time since all of these Snyder’s were in one place. It seems we can always just pickup where we left off. It was outstanding that some from the next generation were able to be there as well. The hope is that we did not scare off any of the perspective additions to the clan.

What is a family gathering without a campfire? Dale did a great job at keeping the fires burning. The weather was great, the stories interesting and a time to slow down and just talk.

Whenever there are more than four Snyder’s in the room the cards come out. The games seem to pop all over. Since the setting was on the lake, the lake called. There were good times on Ray and Jill’s boat as well as Dale and Bonnie’s Pontoon. The Denver Snyder’s even brought their own inflatable kayaks.

Here are some random shots. For this post you will need to do your own captioning. The time together went so fast. It takes some planning to get this many people all in the same place. Enjoy reliving our time together…

It is always fun and interesting to see what Bonnie has done with her gardens. It is very impressive for sure!

Over the course of the long Labor Day week end there were lots of meals. Hats off to Bonnie and Jill who planned the menu and did so much of the food prep. Of course, it seems pretty natural for Ray to be behind the grill using this legendary grilling talents. It was impressive to see how many pictures were taken of us just eating. The food was great and so cool that we could all sit at the same table!

Looking forward to next time. The pictures tell a story of another fun family adventure!

Larry

Spring 2019

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Greetings to friends and family. Since we no longer live next door and family dynamics are ever changing, this blog attempts to reach out to keep the connections alive.

The holidays were good for us this year. It seemed too pass way to fast. Once we got past the holidays, we focused on house projects and travel. We have a master schedule to set the target and timeline for all of our projects as well as our planned weekly outings. Our retirement life feels as busy as when we had to go to work every day. Our goals along with an action plan are well in place for the next three years.

As the post comes together, we are thankful for good health and the ability to have an active retirement schedule. We cover a lot of ground and stay on the go. Although we do notice things do take longer now.

Celebrated the New Years and now time to pack up the Christmas Tree. Note the absence of winter snow!

The Upstate of South Carolina works for us. The four equal seasons give us windows to fulfill our interests and life-style. The setting and view out our windows are ever changing, fun and full of life.

Love spring in the South. It is April and already mowed the grass a few times.

Every morning Tummy comes into view. Great neighborhood friend for sure

This spring the stream of Goldfinches visiting us was unrelenting. They were stocking up before the migratory trip north.

After the first of the year we took on many projects inside and out. Our trees needed a lot of attention so we took on the project. Learned a lot from local landscapers and come to conclusion that next year we will seek professional assistance. Climbing ladders and falling branches takes expertise and plenty of muscle. Very visible, if you visit are the updated guest quarters. Bringing the Breakfast Room into the 21st century has been on the list since we moved in.

Love all the mature trees we have. However, they demand a certain amount of care to keep under control. Note all the new tools to make the job more efficient! One positive is we know the route to the Oconee County landfill. This picture taken mid-February and the temps were in the 70s. This routine is now an annual event.

Many house projects this spring. The big one taking on the breakfast room. This is the before picture.

Replacing the carpet with tile certainly had a learning curve. DIY project that almost turned in a career.

This is the after shot. What do you think? Tile a nice solution in an eating space. Pleased with the new wood window valances, a much crisper look and feel.

With us being on the road missed working in the garden and getting our hands dirty. That project was kicked off this spring. The growing methodology is certainly different in the South. Still trying to figure some of it out. Overall good success. More to come in the future.

One of the reasons to move to the country was to have a garden space. Here is the space that was yard last year. Good to get our hands dirty again.

Missed our Michigan perennial garden. Took on creating one here in South Carolina. Learning how to grow things in the South, a new experience.

Recent shot of the garden space. Our green thumb still works here. It was cool to have ripe tomatoes before Memorial Day.

The Airstream is home for three to four months every year. We really like the size for getting into National Parks and many State Parks. We keep talking about one that is larger but for at least the next two years it is still the best fit for what we are doing.

A little elbow grease and some TLC on the old Airstream and it seems again we are ready to hit the road.

The winter was very mild. Almost every week we were able to get on a trail somewhere. Once it got to April we took off on overnight adventures.

Plenty of pictures attached documenting our life this spring. The pictures can tell the story very well.

Our weekly schedule includes at least one hike each week. Once into April, we start the travel season the overnight adventures. Here we are at the Table Rock State Park for several days.

Locally, we travel with a lot of gear…makes for a cluttered campsite. This trip involved kayaks, bikes, hiking shoes and of course a camera. This spring the weather has been outstanding albeit a little on the warm side of the spectrum.

Of course the Biltmore is a regular stop. Roaming the grounds is always fun and entertaining.

Edith and George Vanderbilt, a legend in their own rite. Front and center is Cedric who gets considerable historical press.

A major exhibit this year was the Biltmore House Party. The event showed off vintage party clothing (recreated from pictures) as well as many party settings. Great fun talking with staff on the process to bring the past alive.

The dining room in all its glory. Took several hours to set up. The guests of George and Edith were treated royally.

Jan and I being amateur chefs really get a kick out of kitchen tour. This kitchen would still work today. A somewhat center for Biltmore gatherings and parties. The kitchen range has awesome technology.

What is a visit without a stop in the library? In this setting love the period dress. Presentation was “everything” noted by the fact George and Edith would change clothes several times a day.

Biltmore grounds early in the year shot. Note later photos.

The garden is ever changing. Catching it at the best time takes some planning. Here is a very early spring shot.

Biltmore conservatory a setting that has withstood the test of time.

There are so many conservatory photos. It is hard to pick the best one. The hot house we find is an educational experience.

Spring is bringing the country side landscape to life here. Stopping to take a picture from the main house balcony is a must do stop.

Jan taking in the Azaleas along the path. Not sure orange goes with floral display.

Impressive shot!

Strolling the grounds found many views such as this. Love the diversity of color and subject matter in this shot.

…more Azaleas!

The spring display never seems to stop.

A very interesting tree. A type of Bald Cypress.

The Biltmore estate adopted a working estate ideology dating back to 1895.. The Canola is used today for cooking oil in their restaurants and then used as biodiesel fuel to power farm equipment plus the setting provides an outstanding photo opt. The Canola program started in 2013.

On many outings we find ourselves at the Chattooga Belle Farm. A great stop almost any time of the year.

The setting is outstanding. The farm setting is very tranquil and with the mountain views make for an ideal lunch stop.

One more shot of the vineyards. Spring rain bring things to life.

Another countryside view from Chattooga Belle restaurant deck. The mountains of Georgia call us across the state line.

Lunch is good with a fine local micro brew.

We have been here before. The Chau Ram park and hiking trail. Fun footbridge and nice challenging hike.

Jan on the trail at the Dupont State Park in North Carolina. Stopping to enjoy the view after a lunch along the trail.

One of many Oconee County waterfalls.

The Little River in the Smoky Mountains National Park. We planned a week stay in the park only to be sidelined by an equipment failure requiring us to return home after only one day. The take away, things break even in an Airstream.

Fun waterfalls at the Table Rock State Park.

Table Rock Mountain in the background. The mountain has been calling us to do the 3,000 FT – six mile hike. All set to do the hike but back issues asked us to take a time out.

Table Rock – Pinnacle Lake Dam. Very interested engineered dam built during the days of CCC.

Waterfalls at Table Rock along a very nice hiking trail.

Dynamic falls again at Table Rock SP.

Devils Fork State Park our very favorite overnight stop very close to home.

Jocassee Lake setting very rustic in the mountains. Only public access is at Devils Fork. This provides for a great outdoor experience.

Jan on Lake Jocassee.

Larry enjoying the 80 degree weather on a morning paddle.

More pictures at Devils Fork with just a little commercial color.

Jocassee shoreline is a lot like this in many places.

Morning on the water…very quiet.

Dupont State Park – High Falls.

Dupont State Park – Triple Falls.

Dupont State Park – Hooker Falls.

More Dupont State Park after a heavy rain.

Yellow Branch Falls hiking trail.

The “real” Yellow Branch Falls.

Yellow Branch River.

Very interesting Yellow Branch River.

Oconee waterfalls on a recent outing…

Love the display of wildflowers in the mountains. Yellow Trillium bathing in the sunshine.

A favorite of ours are the white Trilliums.

White Trilliums…

The Mountain-Laurel can capture your attention easily.

It seemed to be everywhere this spring.

Oconee Bell Flowers are very specific to the Upstate of South Carolina.

The Oconee Bells like a damp moist setting…The Oconee hiking trails follows that theme.

Lady Slippers are found in good numbers here.

Not sure of variety so I call them white mountain flowers.

This blog is winding down. My signature photos are sunrise and/or sunset so fitting they take a key slot at the end of the blog.

Only one this time taken this spring after dinner.

The photos in this post end with a sunset shot from the back deck.

It is that time of the year when we hit the road. The end of the month we head off for 12 weeks. The reservations are done, the house sitter in place, the equipment is ready to roll so all we have to do is the last-minute packing.

This summer stops planned at 14 National Parks. Ten of them a first-time experience. Our trip will take us as far south as Texas, Nevada in the west and Minnesota in the north. At the end planned stops in Michigan followed by stops with family in the east. As we head home in the fall, we will wander down Atlantic coast to enjoy the outer banks of North and South Carolina.

We miss everyone. Do keep in touch and if you get a chance stop and see us.

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Christmas – 2018

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Happy Holidays 2018! Here are some pictures captured along the way taken with several different cameras and mobile phones. It was so cool to have everyone here in the South. Weather much more “South” like this year.