Beauty at Biltmore, December 2022

 Dear Friends,  Hope you had a blessed Christmas this year.   Although the weather kept us from seeing the family on Christmas,  George and I had a very nice Christmas here at home, in front of the fireplace...

The Arctic Cold Front which hit most of the country is finally winding down.  BUT--since Thursday, Dec. 22,   the ice/snow/high winds shut our area down for several days.  They were telling people to stay home and not try to drive.  They didn't scrape the roads for several days --and since we are on a big hill,  there was no way we could go anywhere...Today will be the first day that our temperature will go above freezing.  Hopefully things are beginning to get back to normal for us now!!!

The best news to come out of that 'winter blast' was the fact that we had snow on the ground on Christmas Day!!!!   That doesn't happen very often here...    You know that I loved that!!!!

BUT---today,  I'm going back to Dec. 14 when George and I attended "Christmas at Biltmore" to show you more beauty in the big house (mansion).   The house is always gorgeous especially this time of year.  But--this year they outdid themselves with the decorations.   I showed you the Hearth Decorations --and now I'll show you some of the beautiful Christmas trees in the house.  Hope you enjoy them!!

The LARGEST Tree at Biltmore--over 30 feet tall

A Mama Tree and her children!!!! ha

I love the top of this tree.

This was one of my favorite trees since I love the reds and greens together.

This was a smaller tree---but I love the decorations and the top of the tree.

I love this tree since it reminds me of my childhood --when we used to cover our tree with  ICICLES!!!!! ha ha

I love the big ornaments and that star on top!

Just another gorgeous large tree

Aren't these pretty????  I like the emphasis on WHITE.

This is one of my favorite trees this year since it is all about BIRDS!!!

After leaving the big house,  I captured this picture of the big trees in the front of the home.

I have MORE ---but these are some of my favorite trees.   Do you have a favorite?

Hope all of you are doing well ---and I wish for you HAPPINESS,  JOY,  LOVE,  GOOD HEALTH,  and PEACE in 2023.

Hugs,

BETSY and GEORGE

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2022

 MERRY CHRISTMAS from our home to yours  12/25/22

Much Love, Joy, Happiness, Good Health, and Peace!

BETSY and GEORGE

Picture taken,  12/25/21

Christmas at Biltmore 2022, Fireplace Hearth Decorations

 Dear Friends,  As most of you know,  one of George's and my traditions each year is to attend Christmas at Biltmore every December.   This year,  due to horrible weather,  we almost didn't go.  But--we finally decided we would go and see what we could.  What a fantastic decision!!   This year's decorations in the 'big house' were some of the best we've ever seen.... We were there on December 14, 2022.  

As you can imagine,  we took many pictures...  It's hard to know what to share because it is all so gorgeous.  But some of my favorites each year are the decorations on the HEARTHS above the fireplaces in many of the rooms.   SO--since this year's hearths are some of the best ever,  I decided to share a few with you today.  You'll have to pick a favorite --but I guarantee,  that may be hard.  They are all beautiful in their own way.

Hope you enjoy seeing them!!!!

SO---what do you think????  "Christmas at Biltmore" always MAKE Christmas more special for us and I'm so glad we went.  Even standing in the rain didn't seem too bad once we got inside.  

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season..   Remember the reason we are celebrating.  Jesus was born.   Hallelujah ...

Love to all and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Betsy and George

Christmas Letter 2022

 Merry Christmas 2022

Dear Friends,   This is my first Christmas letter in many years…  When George and I first got married,  I wrote Christmas letters  for several years…  I don’t know why I stopped —but in lieu of Christmas cards this year,  I decided to send our Christmas Greetings to you via Facebook and my Blog.   

Overall,  2022 has been good to us.   Healthwise we both struggle (not because we are old or anything!!!! Ha ha)—but I’m happy to say that we have had no MAJOR problems.  George still has his Degenerative Disc Disease and suffers with pain in his back and right leg..  My heart has been behaving nicely this year (which is a good thing).  BUT—my neuropathy problems in my legs and back keep me in pain a lot these days making it hard for me to walk…. Right now,  both George and I are ‘enduring’ that pain —and keep putting one foot in front of the other each day.  We neither one are willing to ‘give up’….  SO—overall we feel blessed, even if we both use canes continuously now!!!! 

The highlight for both of us this year was celebrating our 80th birthdays!!!!  George turned 80 in March and we took a trip to Florida to visit his son and family.  What a marvelous visit!!!!   Then for my 80th Birthday in August,  George took me to one of my very favorite places:  Cass Railroad in West Virginia  where we rode the old steam engine train to the top of the mountain and back… I was in 7th Heaven!!!!!  (My Dad worked for the railroad —so I have always loved trains.)

Our kids are all doing well—and both George and I are so proud of all of them.. George’s son/family lives in Florida;  His daughter lives in Nashville, Tennessee   and recently took a fantastic trip to Ireland;  My eldest son lives in Knoxville, Tennessee;  My middle son and his wife live in Maryville, Tennessee  (and are hosting the family on Christmas Day);  and my youngest son and his wife live in Dalton, GA (and they hosted the family at their home on Thanksgiving Day).  Between George and me, there are 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren… Two of these Great Grands were born in 2022 —so our family continues to grow. 

We had two sad events this year.  One was the death of my daughter-in-law’s father in Georgia,  and the other was the death of my son’s father (my ex-husband) in North Carolina.  Two births and Two deaths in 2022!!!  That is LIFE!!!

George and I have taken several short trips this year (family trips/events, to Biltmore, Fall Creek Falls, etc.)..  We took three longer trips (but not as long as the trips we used to take).  Our three major trips taken annually are:  Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas in February,   Pisgah Inn in North Carolina in June (to celebrate our Anniversary),  and Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina in December.  

One more highlight of 2022 was another tradition that George and I celebrate.  That is attending “Christmas at Biltmore” in December.  This event  ‘makes’ Christmas so very special for us each year.

Merry Christmas to ALL and God’s Blessings on each of you for an awesome 2023!

Betsy and George   

Happy Thanksgiving 2022

Dear Blog Friends, I'm just stopping by to wish you and your families and friends a very happy THANKSGIVING. Whatever you do, just take a minute and thank God for all of your blessings. 

 George and I will be driving to Georgia for a Family Thanksgiving Dinner. It will be a great day for us since spending time with family is something we all should be thankful for. 

 God's Blessings, 

 Betsy and George

More FALL COLORS around our Yard and Area

Dear Blog Friends....  Can you believe it:  a Post two weeks in a row?????? ha ....  I won't guarantee this will continue but who knows?????   I'm much slower these days --and Blogger keeps changing and making it harder for me!!!  It's not as much fun as it used to be.  Facebook,  on the other hand,  is much simpler and more enjoyable now for this old woman... Oh Well...  I've lost a lot of Blog friends since I don't Blog much --and that makes me sad.  BUT--I do love you all and love hearing from you.

Last week I posted pictures from our trip to see the colors in the mountains...  SO--today I'll share pictures taken from here at home and in our Fairfield Glade area.   It was (gone now and the trees are bare) a beautiful Fall for this entire area this year... Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The first to bloom each year,  our Pink Dogwood  10/4/22

The  REDS of Fall always bloom early!  This is the beautiful Red Maple tree in our yard. 10/4/22  

Another picture of our Red Maple (from below looking up at the blue sky). 10/9/22

A colorful tree in our area 10/10/22

I love the oranges of Fall.   Tree in our area 10/10/22

More trees in our area;  I love the mixtures of colors.  10/13/22

Our Beautiful Golf Course,  near our home 10/13/22

Our Gorgeous backyard with all its trees in Fall;  NOTE the 2 deer in the picture.  There were 3 but one is to the right of my picture!   10/16/22

Another view of Fall that we enjoyed from our deck  10/17/22

I love sitting on the deck looking up at the colors.  10/17/22

Our large yellow Norway Maple tree in our upper side yard.   These maples are some of the LAST ones to turn colors in the Fall..  10/26/22

Our Sweet little home 10/26/22

   

Well---as I say every time I post a Blog,  this is enough pictures for this post!!!!!!  We had a beautiful Autumn this year and I love showing off the Fairfield Glade area including our home... 

Hope you had a beautiful Fall also (unless you live in Australia and are enjoying Spring now)... ha

Have a great week.  

Love to all,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

Our FALL COLORS trip to the Mountains 10/19/22 and 10/20/22

Dear Blog Friends,   Welcome to NOVEMBER.    Our October here in Fairfield Glade was a gorgeous month when it comes to seeing lots of beautiful colors as the leaves changed.  The colors were beautiful here in the Glade --but I always love to see the colors dotting the mountains every year when possible.  SOOOO---On October 19 and 20th we took a short trip to see the colors in those mountains.  First we drove across the Cherohala Skyway (between Tellico Plains, TN and Robbinsville, NC).   We spent the night in Cherokee, NC and that next day we drove across the Smoky Mountains (between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN).   Then on the way home --we drove on the Foothills Parkway (between Wears Valley, TN and Townsend, TN).

What a great trip we had seeing colors most all of the way. We were almost too late to see vivid colors on the TOPS of the mountains ---but at the middle and lower elevations,  they were beautiful.   Today I will share 12 pictures (4 from Cherohala,  4 from the Smokies,  and 4 from the Foothills Parkway).  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!!!!

Come and take a ride with us along the Cherohala Skyway.

God's Paintbrush along the Cherohala Skyway

My favorites are always the reddish/oranges of Fall (along the Cherohala)

The Fall Colors looking across the lake (along the Cherohala)

In the Smokies the next day;  This one got my attention because of the swirls in the sky.  The  angels must be dancing!!!!!

More pretty sky pictures;  One thing I love about the Smokies is all of the layers and layers of mountains.

The Reds may be gone but I love the yellows and rusts here in the Smokies.

Taken in the Smokies near the top of the mountain (near Newfound Gap)

More colors along the Foothills Parkway (at a lower elevation);  Looking across Wears Valley with  the Smoky Mountains in the distance!

From inside our car,  you can see how pretty our drive was along the Foothills Parkway.

There's one of those orange-ish Maple Trees along the Foothills Parkway.

On more picture showing the glorious Fall Colors along the Foothills Parkway

Hope you enjoyed seeing my pictures on our little trip to see the Fall Colors in the mountains.  I am blessed to have taken this little venture.  Of course I did a lot of Oohing and Ahhhhing... You may have heard me!!!!!!!! ha

I have a group of pictures taken here at home, in our area  which I hope to post soon.  The 'home' pictures are different in that I can show individual trees showing off their colors...  

Hope things are doing GOOD with you and hope you've been able to get out and enjoy the beauty all around you.  

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

 

Autumn through the Years in Fairfield Glade

 Dear Friends,   Welcome to October!!!!  As I say every month,  where is the time going????  I cannot believe that September is over....  Soon it will be Christmas! (Mercy)....

We haven't had much Fall color so far this year in our area  (Fairfield Glade, TN)---so  I had fun going through my old photos and picking out one for each year to share  (2003 - 2021).  I put the pictures in order, according to the year.  Every year brings different coloring due to the weather --and some years the colors are MUCH better than other years..  ENJOY!!!!

One of the gorgeous MAPLE Trees which bloom in our area  (2003)

Our little front yard (Oh how it has changed) (2004)

Walking on one of the Golf Courses here in the Glade  (2005)

Our back yard, when the sun illuminates the leaves  (2006)

A gorgeous day to walk in our neighborhood (2007)

One of the lakes in Fairfield Glade (2008)

Then there are the YELLOWS of Fall  (2009)

We have a love/hate relationship with the deer.  Taken from our deck;  (2010)

Reflections in the lake during the late-afternoon sun  (2011)

The blue skies and sunshine bring out the Fall colors.  (2012)

Looking across our front yard (2013)

From our deck,  looking at the beautiful Oak tree  (2014)

One of the few PINK colors in our yard (2015)

Our Home in Fall (2016)

Side Yard (including the pink Dogwood leaves)  (2017)

Beautiful tree at the Lutheran Church nearby (2018)

Beautiful colors from the late afternoon sun  (2019)

Our side yard Norway Maple tree; one of the last ones to turn colors  (2020)

Our beautiful Pink Dogwood showing off its Fall colors (2021)

Don't you love ALL of these different colors?  The dark oranges are some of my favorites.   AND --of course,  there are the brilliant red colors and the golden yellows...  One that is unique is the almost PINK one!

What are some of your favorite things about Fall besides the colors?  I love the smell of Fall,  the cooler temperatures,  fires in the fireplace,  putting on my sweats,  college football (ha),  hot Chili for dinner, walking in the leaves as they crunch under my feet,  ETC.....

Hope you enjoyed some of these photos?  Hopefully I will share some of our 2022 Fall Pictures soon.

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕