October 4, 2015 - From Natchez Trace to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park

We left out of Natchez Trace SP around 7:30 AM heading to our next camp, Elkmont Campground in The Great Smoky Mountains.

Kudzu in Natchez Trace State Park

Nashville, TN

October 3, 2015 - Van Alstyne to Natchez Trace State Park, Tennessee

We dropped Hannah & Maggie at Tailwaggers Country Inn last night for their two week vacation and we headed out at 7:00 am.  We have a little over 500  miles before camp tonight.

Our route takes us through Arkansas, Memphis, TN to Natchez Trace SP.  I missed the Welcome to Arkansas sign but caught the Tennessee sign as we crossed the Mississippi River.

Memphis, TN

Our camp site (#27) at Natchez Trace State Park was beautiful. Right on Pinoak Lake, very large site.  I would love to come back here for more than a night and explore the area.  The park, while covered in Kudzu, is really pretty.  The Fall colors hadn't really appeared here yet, but you could see how it would be gorgeous in the season.

Boat slips at our campground

View from Site 27

Try, Try, Try Again

Hmmm... What's happened in the years I've been away?  Lots!  Some good (new jobs, new house) some awful, (lost both grandparents and my eldest sister) and fortunately or unfortunately I found Facebook thus the real reason for my hiatus from my blog...

I'm going to try again, at least for a few weeks.  We are planning a trip in October and since the spousal unit does not want it publicized all over FB, I'll try (emphasis on try) to post about it here. The trip is long in coming (I hate when life gets in the way of living) - we are headed for two glorious weeks to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Looks like the Fall colors are starting in full swing, cooler temperatures.  We've missed the mountains and the cold temps.  CANNOT. WAIT.

So try to hang on and I'll see where this trip takes us.

In the meantime...

Hello Strangers

Wow, it's been a while... a long while.  I guess with Facebook and the "new" job I just let this fall by the wayside.  :-(

My 2012 wasn't the greatest - lots of family tragedies and just really never had the energy to blog, although it might have helped.  I do have a few photos to post of some trips we went on, holidays, etc but not many... I'll try to catch up soon.

2013 is a new year, a new leaf...  

And I hope to catch up on some of my favorite blogs as well.

Happy New Year!

April 10 - Another Balloon Sighting

This evening Hannah & Maggie go tearing out of the house and raising Cain!  So, I followed them out and could hear a hot air balloon.  I looked up, I looked over, I peeked from beneath the tree and no balloon.  So I come back in - then they race out again, this time I spot it landing on the other side or the tree-line in the soccer field park next to us. I grab my camera and head over...  Well, the balloon cleared the field of soccer kids - and the balloon pilot was sweet (smart) enough to put those 20+ kids to work.  :-)  Here's some photos of the balloon and the wrap up.

View from our driveway

Getting closer - darn, its already on the

ground!

Kids from the soccer fields

Helpers felling the balloon

Getting ready to squeeze the air out

Packing it all in

Balloon Pilot giving the kids a pep talk

Stay in school, listen to your parents and teachers

stay off drugs and in about 10 years you can take a

free balloon ride with her.

How many kids can you stuff into a basket

Sixteen!

Mar 25 - We Are Being Invaded

According to Hannah & Maggie - who reacted exactly like Ben & Bear did when they saw balloons in the sky.  With consternation, lots of barking and running back & forth.

Sunday we woke up to a hot air balloon outside our kitchen window.  At first we thought they might try to land in our pasture but I think they decided it would have been too tight.  I grabbed my camera and captured a few shots.  For those of you in Albuquerque - this is not an uncommon occurrence for you but for me, this is the first balloon we've seen since moving.  So its still exciting!!

Hot air balloon over our pasture

CRAP!  We are being invaded!!

If we race back and forth really quickly maybe it

will think there are more of us than two and 

it will just fly on by!!

We are about to get the interloper chased off - a few more trips,

a few more barks and that should do it!

Past the Pecan tree.

Whew, chasing balloons wears a girl out.

Hannah: "But one of us must stay ever vigilant, in case they 

try to sneak back over."