Love Came to the Rescue

 This story is dedicated to all women who have had to make a choice. Faced with a crisis pregnancy and knowing you could not care for your baby…you made the most difficult, yet noble, decision any mommy could make. You placed your child into the arms of another mother.   

Halfway across the world in South Korea, a young woman was distraught when she discovered she was going to have a baby. Her boyfriend was ill-equipped to be a father and keeping the child seemed impossible. 

This girl’s mother was very supportive and assisted her daughter in the decision to give the child she carried up for adoption. The baby was brought to term and was born on 07/07/07. Isn’t seven God’s number of completeness and perfection? 

As you follow this story, it may seem so in the lives of those involved in this birth.

When the child was born, this mother held her little girl close to her heart and named her Sarang, meaning Love. 

Then this incredible woman did one of the noblest things anyone can do. She placed her child in the arms of another with her only comfort being she was giving her baby a chance at a better life, one she could never provide. 

Then walking away, she knew she would have that little one forever in her heart.  

Sarang was then placed in a nurturing foster home in Seoul with a mother and father who had children of their own.

                

Now on the opposite side of this earth in the town of Hendersonville, a bedroom community of Nashville, Tennessee, lived a handsome couple named Tara and Ken Tolbert who had a young son, Chandler. My husband and I are so proud to know and love Tara as our daughter, Ken, our son-in-law, and Chandler, our first born grandchild. 

This little family was very happy and spent their days filled to the brim with their son who, since pre-kindergarten, loved soccer. Tara and Ken spent many long hours supporting and encouraging Chandler on the soccer fields in addition to the other interests he pursued. Their lives were full and content.   

                          

Eventually, though, all three began to yearn for an addition to their family. Much reflection resulted in the realization they wanted to adopt a child from another country. Chandler wanted a brother or a sister. As a family who had already experienced the rich rewards and blessings of having adoptees from abroad, Tara and Ken also wanted to go in the direction of their aunt and uncle.

My husband's sister, Peggy Blevins Baldock and her husband, Edd, had adopted two beautiful babies, Mary and Victoria, from China years prior.

Plus, Tara and Ken recalled having International students living in their home had been an excellent experience.

Thus the arduous task of the adoption process began.

It took over a year but finally, the endless piles of paperwork and office and home interviews were complete, and the wait began. Now all they could do was pray that God would bring to them the child who was a perfect match for their family. They also wanted to be a perfect match for the child who had needs they could meet.

Time seemed to crawl.Then one day the call came that there was a baby girl in South Korea who was four months old and needed a forever family. The agency shared some details, and an appointment was scheduled to review her file the following day.  

On Halloween 2006, there was the final signing of the papers and details were set in motion for Sarang to become their child! Over the next five months, more information about her first months of life with the foster family was made available, and a complete health history was laid bare along with the brief biography of the child's parents.

Not only were Tara, Ken, and Chandler thrilled, but our entire extended family were beside themselves with excitement and could not wait for Sarang's arrival.

The soon-to-be parents immediately began the preparations for The Homecoming. Tara launched a study of everything she could find regarding the Korean culture. In honor of the new baby’s arrival, a shower was a must. Deciding that Sarang should have a new name more conducive to her life in America, the fun began to choose one that Ken, Tara, and Chandler all agreed on. 

They finally fell in love with Ryleigh Emerson Tolbert. This name won out for many reasons, but the best was because the first, middle and last names all had seven letters; that number seven seemed such a perfect number.

                            

After what seemed like forever, the BIG DAY finally arrived! Tara and Ken flew to Detroit, Michigan where a private escort brought Ryleigh from South Korea and placed her in the arms of her new mommy and daddy. Then a flight back to the Nashville airport was made where Granddaddy Tony and Nana Linda were there with Chandler, waiting eagerly to meet them. 

While waiting for the plane to land, the new big brother, then eleven years old, proudly held up his sign for his sister so she could see it when she came through the door. Those passing were stopping and asking the young boy about his sign. Chandler did not hesitate to tell them who was flying in to meet him. With pride, I held my sign high as well.

                                  

                                     

The overwhelming joy when Tara and Ken walked through that airport door with Ryleigh in their arms was indescribable. That little tyke, as she approached, was flashing a smile so dazzling it lit up her entire face. Ryleigh also threw that smile to everyone passing by as her new family members stood oohing and ahhing over her. Her raven black hair, coal black eyes and skin tone were shockingly beautiful; she also boasted such a beautiful bone structure.

Our family quickly returned to Hendersonville to introduce this precious baby to her new home and the welcome party awaiting her.  When this precious baby saw the decorated living room, that smile never left her face as her eyes gazed at the balloons, signs, and flowers.

                    

                              

And then Mommy, Daddy, and big brother were able, after what seemed a lifetime, to start that first day of loving and living with the answer to their prayers. They even blessed Nana and Papaw by letting us share in their love.

  

Our precious Ryleigh comfortably settled in and immediately began to thrive.

                     

And she grew by leaps and bounds.

                                  

As she grew physically, we began to see more of her other delightful traits.

                                

Ryleigh rapidly became a treasure and delight to both her parents, her brother and her extended family who understood how blessed we were she had been woven into our tapestry of life.

                                              

                                             

Ryleigh today has a charming personality and early on showed she was a very affectionate child. She is now eight-years-old and has two favorite toys, her two cousins, Savannah, age seven and Emmett, nine, and the three are inseparable. The parents of these two cousins are always more at ease when their kids are under the 'protective' oversight of Ryleigh. 

It is because Ry is known to be more cautious by nature, levelheaded and she instinctively draws respect from both of her buds. It is also well established that this child has been known to pull the other two back from the brink when they devise a wild scheme. 

                                        

Never shy, kindergarten and each subsequent grade have been easy for this young breath of fresh air, and Tara and Ken have shared that making friends comes as natural to her as breathing. Tara observed this stems from Ryleigh's big smile, confidence and her love for all.  

Showing love for cute clothes from an early age, dressing up and striking poses delighted this kid!  The time finally came when her mom asked if she had an interest in modeling. Ohhhhh yes! So an agent was secured, and doors have been opened for modeling and commercials through her agent and other venues.  Each audition, whether she lands the gig or not, brings great life lessons in which her parents feel far exceeds any role.   

Has this hobby turned my granddaughter into a prima donna? Not hardly. Ryleigh also enjoys coming up to Misty Hollow and wearing mud with her Nana.

From an early age, dancing and singing have been a delight to that young soul of hers. As always, her mom and dad want her to at least have the opportunity to try in any appropriate endeavor she chooses. If she fails, she will learn from it. If she doesn't, she will learn from that as well. That had been Tara, and Ken's creed with Chandler and the same applies to their daughter.

Getting to dance with the Nashville Ballet in their rendition of 'The Nutcracker' at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center was thrilling for the entire family when the notification came that our dancer made the final cut. The Blevins' clan all drove to Nashville to see her in her performance, another great life experience.  

                             

 As an eight-year-old, this kid's favorite shows are Cupcake Wars and anything on HGTV. She loves to go in the kitchen and pull out all her mother's cooking utensils and ingredients and concoct something delicious. Ryleigh loves to work on various home projects as well.

And recently our little go-getter decided she would like to pursue theater and she joined a company a few weeks ago. Ryleigh just learned she would have a solo in an upcoming production.   

My goodness, this child has showered a lot of happiness upon our family, and we are all blessed as a result of her being a part of us. It is a miracle to see Tara, Ken, and Chandler and their lives with Ryleigh and her's with them.

Now. You may have wondered why I let you take a peek into the two different worlds of the two families I have laid before you today. The story of each is true; the heartbreak and joy are both real as well.

But please listen, my friends. I would have failed miserably in my writing if you were unable to grasp there are no babies in this world who are unwanted. 

Millions of mommies and daddies are out there somewhere praying for Ryleigh's and Raylan's, Victoria's and Mary's. It just takes courage for the women in that crisis pregnancy who realizes she cannot keep her child to open her heart, reach out and let go, just like that precious young woman in South Korea. 

Without her, our baby would not now be in the arms of this forever grateful mommy.

                 

Does this Bathroom make my Butt look Big?

We finally witnessed the birth of a new bathroom addition up here at Misty Hollow on the Roan. The pregnancy seemed forever long, the labor quiet difficult but now that she is finally born…it is impossible to tell you how much I love and enjoy her!

The father?  My awesome husband who came to me months ago because he knew how I loved soaking in a hot tub. He said he wanted to add an additional bathroom to Bear cabin as it had nothing but showers to offer.

“Honey, I know how you feel about altering the architectural lines of this old cabin and I agree so I have an alternative plan. We can add your bathroom by enclosing the side porch. We can move the side stairwell to the front of the cabin. But you make a decision first. That would mean your bathroom dimensions would be six feet wide by sixteen feet long. Can you do something with a room that size?”

That's when I became the mother of the project but by golly I also knew I was in over my head and needed help. Thank God, I knew two excellent 'midwives' to assist in this major birth. I immediately called Plumberry Hollow and chatted with the owners, Hope Collins Hall and Patti Mullins, both designers extraordinaire. I want you to meet them.

 

Pictured above, Hope and Patti, from left to right

                                              

I knew Hope and Patti from the beauty and charm of the work they had completed for me in the past and if anyone could pull off bringing such a peculiar shaped bathroom to life, these two could. In addition, this project was going to be time consuming and I already knew these girls were a blast to work with. Both were pumped positive and such fun;  the word 'impossible' was not in their vernacular; there’s no such thing as difficulty to them, just a divinely sent challenge.

Furthermore, listening to their clients and getting a grasp on ‘the vision’ is important to them yet they know how to gently redirect a client if an errant decision is in the making. I know this personally by working with them and was so grateful they saved me from myself a couple of times. In addition, I admired their cute motto…'Junk to Funk'. Hope and Patti can find items others would toss and turn them into incredible works of art. Stay tuned for the coming photos and I will show you what I mean...

When I met with Patti and Hope things became real simple for me. I shared with them my vision for the bathroom. Number one…once built, it had to look like it had always been there so it needed to look aged from the day it was finished. Number two, it needed to coordinate with our master bedroom as the newly installed door was going to connect these two rooms. Number three, I wanted the interior to look like they had picked up the beauty of the surrounding woods and installed it into our home. Now that's a pretty tall order; I knew I couldn't handle it.

I did not give the girls a budget. A knew from past work their designed pieces were reasonable and they wouldn't take advantage of me. 

Then, with a sigh of relief, I turned the entire project over to them and told them they did not need to consult me, just bring the finished furniture items up to the Roan, working in tandem with the project supervisor. That is called raw unbridled trust, my friends.  Hope and Patti had earned that trust. 

In the meantime there were many calls, e-mails and texts between the cabin and their workshop as I would not make one decision concerning my bathroom that I did follow their advice or run by them.

We decided that real tree bark on the walls would be a deeply rich and different texture and would definitely bring the outdoors inside. Regarding flooring, the girls suggested ‘wood tile’. I had never heard of it. It’s down, it’s perfect and Tony and I love it and are getting ready to put it down in another bathroom.  

The bathroom does show off its eclectic beauty, my favorite decorating style, and it brings out my finical love of music.  In the short time my bathroom has been opened for business and while soaking in my tub, I have relaxed to my  favorite operatic tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, may he forever RIP. Then while I lay swaddled in bubbles one night, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and I let go with Islands in the Stream. I have also cut loose to the Best of the 60's while looking forward to my girls-only time with Adele and 'River Lea',  drowning me in my past. 

The antique door separating the bathroom and master bedroom was bought in really bad shape and needed total refurbishing. The missing old glass door knob of that era sent my talented and dedicated buddies on a lengthy wild goose chase; yet, in their case, they found their prize eventually! 

And ya know what was also neat? From the first time Patti and Hope came to Misty Hollow and started working with me, my horse Trig, a member of our family, fell in love with them and they him. When the girls drove up the lane to Bear Cabin, here he would come…hoping for some lovin' and a treat. Below is a photo of Trig pilfering a cup of sweet tea from Hope’s vehicle on their first visit at Misty Hollow while we girls sat on the porch chatting. The result? A bloody mess. Both girls jumped to grab their cellphones to get photos of Trig's theft to put on their Plumberry Hollow website.

                     

Ya know, it is a fact a picture is worth a thousand words so here is the latest addition to our family and the work of these two sharp women...
                                 

                                    Click on each photo to enlarge.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 Click on the below video for a panoramic view of the bathroom.

As you can see, one can take a side porch and create a long skinny bathroom and it be adorable. And all because I am blessed to be married to a man who is ever sensitive to fulfilling not only my needs but my wants.

This particular 'want' grew into a vision and I, blessed to know two creative, vivacious and git-'er-done kinda gals, was able to carry out my vision.

Thank each of you for joining me as I've opened my home to you. I hope you enjoyed it and may have picked up an idea on a future renovation you may have in mind. And remember...no room is too long and skinny; and only diet and exercise can keep my butt from getting too big!

PostScript: If anyone would like further information regarding Plumberry Hollow and owners Hope and Patti please contact them at https://www.facebook.com/plumberryhollow/  

My Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown

One of the greatest joys I have while living on Roan Mountain is the daily interaction I have with my horse, General 'Trig' O Nometry.

                                                              

 

Trig is a special horse because of his gentlemanly manners with very young children. During my years of owning horses, I've never known of a horse who loved little people more than my beloved 16 hands tall, 1400 pound, coal black Tennessee Walker. And...as strange as it may sound when I bought this handsome gelding I chose him for many incredible traits but the seller never once mentioned Trig's demeanor with children. I didn't learn of that most excellent of equine characteristics until he was bought, delivered and settled in his barn up here on the Roan; then is when the grandchildren began coming up to meet him. Chandler Logan, our first born grandchild- now a college man- fell in love with Trig from the get go.

Savannah was the youngest at that time- God had not yet gifted us with her baby brother, Bowie- and next came Ryleigh and the older of this trio, Emmett. All three adored Trig and he, them. Trig began to wipe out- and does to this day- every step these kids take when up here visiting with Nana and Papa.

The four of them are adorable as the kids scavange around the grounds looking for arrowheads, interesting rocks, buckeyes and anything else that catches their fancy. All the while this huge, huggable horse of mine is right in the middle of the mix and he watches with curiosity their every move. I have finally come to think of the three grand kids as Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes with Trig being Triple Crown.

 

                         

I hope you enjoy this short video taken recently when Savannah and Emmett were spending the weekend with Nana and Papa at Bear Cabin. Spending time together though without Preakness (Ryleigh) is always like having a grilled cheese sandwich without the cheese. Alas, Ryleigh lives near Nashville and doesn't get to come in and join us as often as we wish. Feeling the absence of Ryleigh, Emmett and Savannah asked to join me in Trig's early morning feeding. I offer this clip to let you see how very gentle Trig is with his little buddies.

 

 

                                                                        

A Christmas Blessing in These Mountains

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. –Luke 2:11

I remember like it was yesterday that Thursday morning of March 8th, 1984 when I embraced within my own heart this Christ Child, this Saviour Who gave me the gift of eternal life.

I love the Christmas season so much not only because of the reason we celebrate it but for the wonderful time of family and traditions, and the sharing of gifts as a way of remembering God’s Gift to us so long ago.

I have oft said how very blessed my husband and I are that God planted us up here in Misty Hollow in the foothills of Roan Mountain in Carter County, Tennessee

It did not come as a surprise when this Christmas season brought forth more incredible insight into the kindness of the people who are part of the fabric of our lives up here.

I have the privilege of knowing a special woman named Della Sue Davenport.

Della Sue works as a cook at Captain Jack’s, a local grocery/gas/ fast food store serving country cooking as well as a favorite gathering hole that is known for the best broasted chicken in these parts. This gal Della Sue has a heart of gold and a reputation for being the first to jump in and offer to help when there is a need, any need. She is also loath to take any credit for her labors.

Another precious woman I have come to know is Jennifer Johnson. Jennifer, also known as someone who will give you the shirt off her back, is a real mover and shaker up here in these mountains as well. She, for years, has been the engine of Create-a-Smile, a local organization that seeks out underprivileged children in Carter County to assure they are not forgotten at Christmas.

Jennifer’s annual contact with various principals in the Carter County School System provides a list of needy children, and the organization takes one school each Christmas. Create-a-Smile has served up to 158 children in one year, thanks to Jennifer and her team of dedicated volunteers.

I was unaware that Della Sue and Jennifer were united together in the Create-a-Smile project until I stopped in at Captain Jack’s about three weeks ago. Della Sue walked from behind the ‘hot bar’ where she had been serving up great food and told me she was involved with helping collect money for the project. Would I care to give?

She also told me she would, like always if weather permitted, be delivering the gifts to this year’s chosen school in her wagon pulled by her work horses. Would I like to pile on and help distribute the gifts?

I was heartsick I would be out of town that particular day. Grandfather Don had graciously invited Tony and me to join him on a winter golf trip. Otherwise, I would be on that wagon with bells on.

I left Captain Jack’s that morning though and could not stop thinking of those two women, the rest of the team and the project they were working on. I was touched over how they harnessed their love and drew together in the sacrifice of giving; it was incredible how much they accomplished. I knew they all had families of their own, yet they took this particularly busy time of the year to focus on those needy kids.

As I thought of their sacrifice, I could not help but think of the plight of our world in today’s challenging times and the selflessness of a great God who loved His earthly family so much that He sent His Son as a baby in a manger. One day that same babe so willingly hung on a cross for this helplessly lost and needy world.

While away on my trip I still thought about Create-a-Smile and wondered how it was all coming together for the kids and their big Christmas party coming up. I would wake up in the middle of the night and, coffee in hand, slip out on the back deck of our condo. The first night there I was stunned to be met by an incredible display of shooting stars. There were more in that one night than I had seen in my lifetime.

And I, in awe of the Creator’s light display, began to think of a favorite old Christmas carol, We Three Kings. I hummed the chorus quietly into the darkness… O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect Light.

 

I don’t think I will ever again string those tiny white lights on my Christmas tree that I don’t remember they too have a significant reason. They will remind me of the stars shining that night long ago as a backdrop to The Star I place on top of the tree, all symbolic of how those kings were guided to ‘thy perfect Light.'

The big day of the Christmas party for the kids finally arrived and was held right after school let out for the day. I, still on my golf trip, thought about those kids throughout the day and those blessed to help. After the party was over I called Della Sue; I wanted to hear every detail.

Della Sue said the party was a big success. The kids were served pizza from Captain Jack’s, and there was, of course, a visit from Santa. There were brown paper bags handed out filled with oranges, tangerines, apples, chewing gum and all sorts of ‘ole time candy.'

The children receiving help this year were thrilled and obviously grateful for the generosity of the gifts. Each child received a bicycle, helmet, and games. All were given underwear, shoes, socks, coats, and gloves. Each boy and girl had submitted a ‘wish list’of toys they really liked, and the team had been able to meet those wishes as well. To top it off, each one received a big Christmas stocking filled with toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, hand sanitizer and other goodies.

It is my understanding this is basically what is given to the children at the chosen school each year, so this fundraiser is no small task; fundraising is usually a year-long event. It speaks well of the generosity of the precious people of Carter County. What a blessing to be living among them.

As I close, I can assure you of this, God willing.

I told Della Sue regarding next year and the Create-a-Smile Christmas project…put me in, coach! I want to work heart-to-heart with this awesome group of people with such generous spirits.

Waking up very early this Christmas morning, I slipped out on the front porch here at Bear Cabin. It was dark, but the property lights showed the fog slowly rolling in at Misty Hollow. I glanced upward, and through the naked trees, I saw glimpses of the sky and patches of clouds. Suddenly there was a break in the clouds and... wait! Is that an unusually large star?! The child within me wanted to believe it was the Star of Bethlehem proclaiming His birth. Regardless, my heart burst forth with a new song…

Joy to the world!

The Lord is come

Let earth receive her King

Let ev'ry heart prepare him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing!

I pray each of you, my dear readers, have a blessed and joyful Merry Christmas.

Up, Up and Away She Goes!

When life throws you curve balls every now and then, the thing is you gotta know when to swing to get far. -Unknown

 Recently my ‘better half’ and I took a much needed getaway. On his end, the bidding schedule at the office had been relentless for weeks. Me? I had been wrestling with the addition of a new bathroom at Bear Cabin for nearly two months.  With the constant shrill of skill saws, electric nail guns, hammers, little privacy from electricians and plumbers… all the while overseeing the project as ‘straw boss’ (as Tony fondly referred to me), I was as near being put down as the wood tile on that bathroom floor. Permanently.

 So I found us a charming little cabin up in the woods between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, aptly named ‘Alone at Last’.  Our desires for this trip were simple.

 We wanted to see Dollywood lit up at night as we had heard it was stunning during the Christmas season. It was. I also had to challenge the race tracks at  Pigeon Forge to satisfy my need for speed with my personal goal of getting around each track with the racecar’s pedal to the metal without letting up. As an aside, my sweetheart does not race but says it is worth a million bucks to watch me; he says I look hilariously serious hunched over that little steering wheel. We did get that done. 

 Most of all though, Tony and I wanted to make the gorgeous drive through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park over to Cherokee Village to add to the grandchildren’s growing collection of Indian paraphernalia for our to-be-continued summer study of Cherokee Indians in the 1800’s. -See My Puppies and the Kind Cherokee Indians. 

 When Tony and I left the hustle-bustle of Gatlinburg the morning of the trip to Cherokee, the peace and serenity of entering The Park was overwhelming. The traffic was light, the weather stunning and I settled down for the first time in a long time… deeply exhaling.

 When we reached the pinnacle of the mountain where you start the long descent to our destination, Tony pulled over at a look-out and we hopped out of the car to enjoy the vista. Suddenly I heard the far-away hum of a helicopter.

 Way in the distance I spotted a yellow Bird flying across the mountain tops with what must have been a chain suspended beneath it hauling what could be a cage or whatever with a…OMGoodness!

 “Tony! Look at that! Is that a person in there! That must be a new sightseeing ride Pigeon Forge is showcasing!” I knew they had helicopters that took people up for sightseeing tours- I had been up before; this had to be a new, more daring twist. “I have to check that out when we get back to the cabin!” I’ll try anything once.

 We made it on to Cherokee but when we left a few hours later headed back toward Gatlinburg we missed a wonderful scenic photo shot and Tony had to turn around to back track in the opening of a large scenic turn-out .

 Lo and behold there sat that yellow helicopter and she did not look so tiny up close and personal. She had some men standing near her and my thought was maybe this is the place where the incredible new ride is lifting off.

 Telling Tony I was going to check ‘er out I jumped out of the car and, at a fast clip, started in that direction but found quickly there was a rope with yellow flags across the entrance blocking traffic from entering. Was that for cars only? Surely.

I stepped over the rope and started toward the helicopter that was about seventy-five yards away. One of the men broke away from the group and started walking quickly toward me. He carried with him an engaging grin so when we reached each other I extended my hand, introduced myself and asked him why in the world a helicopter was sitting on top of these mountains. Furthermore, as I had noted by then, why were there huge piles of railroad ties sitting not far from it?

Laughing, he said his name was Sergio and he was with the National Park Service and was part of that crew of men working on a park project. Did I want to come over and see what was going on?

Was he kidding?

Sergio escorted me over and introduced me to the rest of his team… Tobias Miller, Trails Manager for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Brad Gotte, the helicopter pilot.

 

 

 And what I learned then fascinated and gave me a whole new Park perspective.

 No, they were not there to give sightseeing rides over the Smoky Mountains- I blushed after I told them that was my first inclination and then had to endure roars of laughter. They were there to augment the work of trail teams stationed around in those mountains below. Each of those teams were expecting them at various times to air lift and slowly lower, honing in by GPS, the needed ties to carry out a pre-planned trail project!

 That tiny brown spec of what looked from my vantage point earlier like a possible person on a sightseeing ride was actually, close range, a massive bundle of logs (nineteen per bundle to be exact!) And there were probably fifteen more of those bundles already harnessed up and ready to be picked up by that helicopter.

 Just think about that.

 Many of us have had the joy of visiting these awesome mountains. We have hiked and used lean-to’s and overnight cabins, clung to hand cables as we passed over trails so high and steep that without those cables we might have plunged below onto treacherous rock ledges. Also, we have, probably without realizing it, hiked trails that had earlier collapsed and were in danger of being totally erased except a trail team had spotted the damage, came in and pulled the trail back into place...oft times with wooden ties.

We have enjoyed picnics with our loved ones, finding the perfect picnic spot after walking over sturdy bridges as we gazed at the white capped river rushing over boulders below. The list of amenities offered to make our park visit memorable is myriad. Aside from the construction of these wonderful resources, it has been said without aggressive maintenance from The Park Service, whole areas of the Smoky Mountains would be reclaimed by the forest.

 I’d just never given any thought regarding how all of these wonderful facilities happened to get placed there for us.

 As I was wrapping up my unsolicited but kindly welcomed visit with my newfound buddies that day, I told them about my Blog and the fact I would like to write their story if it would be okay; business cards and e-mail addresses were exchanged.

 With a grateful heart and sincere thanks, I walked back to the car knowing I would never again visit and enjoy those majestic mountains and view them through the same eyes.

 After Tony and I pulled out and ran back to snap the photo we had missed earlier, we started again down the mountain toward ‘Alone at Last’.  Suddenly traffic started slowing until it was at a standstill. “TONY!”, I squealed. “I’ll bet it’s a bear and everyone’s stopping to see it!” I have memories of that happening when I was a child driving through with my family.

 I opened the car window to lean out and look. Ahead I could see a man in an orange vest holding up a ‘STOP’ sign, blocking traffic both ways. Nope, no bear. So I once again slid out of the car, grabbing my iPad, figuring we would be going nowhere fast.  I quickly crossed the road to snap a photo of a small but beautiful, cascading waterfall.

 Then I heard it!

Muffled at first but growing louder and clearer, I knew exactly why traffic had been stopped!

 I also knew just exactly where to train my iPad for the video I hoped I would capture. 

 

 

Sure enough... UP, UP AND AWAY SHE GOES!

*** With my deepest appreciation to Tobias, Brad and Sergio for your full-time dedication and nurturing of our most pristine and gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains National Park ***