Our 20th Wedding Anniversary (6/23/01-6/23/21)

Hello Blog Friends:   These two little ones were both born in 1942.  They lived in two different states and didn't even meet until both of them were age 59.  Both had great lives before they met  BUT--when they finally met,  their lives became even more enriched--TOGETHER!!!!  WOW---what an awesome 20 years this has been for that little girl!!!!   

I truly met one of nicest, most generous, most loving men in the world!  Thank you, George, for coming into my life  and making me an extremely happy and blessed woman.  Hope we can make it for another 20 years!!!!   Now as we begin our 21st year, let's keep on laughing, loving and searching for waterfalls!!!!  I love and adore you,  George Emery Adams!!!!

Hope you enjoy seeing my pictures today --with just a sampling of how great this 20 years has been.  Stop on each picture,  click on it --and my explanation will pop up!!!!!  ENJOY!!

Finally,  here is our latest picture,  taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina ON our Anniversary (June 23, 2021).  We spent several days of celebration last week at the Pisgah Inn (near Asheville, NC)...  Had a fantastic time!!!

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One more piece of GREAT NEWS:   While we were celebrating in Pisgah,  son Mark and his gal,  Robin,  were vacationing in Charleston, SC.  On OUR Anniversary,  Mark gave Robin a RING--and she said YES!!!!!  George and I are SO happy for both of them... They've been together for quite awhile --and are inseparable!!!  They have so many interests in common.  One of them is to jump into that little red jeep and head out on an adventure!  They take George and me with them VIRTUALLY.   We love it...  Congrats to Mark and Robin!!!!

Here's an adorable picture of a Happy Lady!!!  Mark took Robin to Folly Beach, South Carolina, at sunrise and got on his knees!!!!  (He had asked her two sons -both in their 20's-- ahead of time --asking for their Mom's hand in marriage.)  How cute is that!!!! 

Hope you have an awesome week ahead and Happy 4th of July! 

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

 

Just a Hike near Home with our fabulous FAMILY

At the Overlook in Fairfield Glade in late afternoon, 11/3/19,  we did see a little Fall Color when the sun was shining on it.   This is Mark and Robin!!!

Dear Friends/Family,   George and I have been busy the past several days --so my Blog Post this week is a 'tad' late!!!!!  Sorry.....  Anyhow --I will share with you some pictures from a 1.6 mile hike we took yesterday at the Overlook Trail,  right here in Fairfield Glade...

Mark and Robin came to visit --which always brings JOY to this Mom!!!!  We had some dinner here at home,  sat and talked/talked/talked,  and then after eating that Lemon Bundt Cake,  we just HAD to take an 'adventure'..... However,  since the time changed yesterday,  it now gets dark an hour earlier (which for us is about 4:30 pm now).. Yuck!!!!    SO--we knew we didn't have much time before dark....  BUT--we did it anyhow!!!!!

Hope you enjoy some pictures of FOUR people having a great time --and getting some exercise --as we enjoyed rustling through the leaves...  (Does anyone besides me love walking and hearing --and smelling --the leaves crunching under our feet in the Fall?)

Our little hike took us in and around several beautiful caves and rock formations.  In this picture of  Mark, Robin and George,  the guys are bending down to Robin's level since she is a tiny one!

The hike was a 1.6 mile loop --and the trail was in really good shape.

The trail led us down to Daddy's Creek where we enjoyed seeing some Fall Color --and reflections in the water.

Peak-A-Boo!!!!!!!   I see you two in there!!!!!!

Another neat picture of the clear water --and reflections

Mark, George and me --having a great day.

I love this picture of Mark next to the creek.  The sun was setting --and the reflections in the water were so neat!  Hope you notice all of the HUGE dried leaves on the ground  (brown on one side and a grayish white on the other side)... See next picture!!!!

Mark and Robin said while having that 'puzzled' look on their faces:  "Look at this HUGE leaf"...   (I had the 'job' of finding out what tree all of these leaves were from.) 

Here is a picture of some of the huge leaves....  I did some research and found out that  the trees are called BIG LEAF MAGNOLIAS  (also called The Toilet Paper Tree or the Umbrella tree).   I want to come back in spring to see the huge blooms which can be a foot wide...I've seen lots of Magnolias in my life --but never this one.  

The Big Leaf Magnolia Trees are only found in certain areas along the Cumberland Plateau in the state of TN.  I can see why some call this tree the Umbrella Tree....  WOW!

As we walked along the creek,  I looked up to see the sun shining on the tops of all of the trees.  It was shady where we were --and the sun was beginning to go down.

Here's what we saw from the edge of the creek...  The sun's reflections on the water made it look like the water was on FIRE!!!!

There were lots of beautiful Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel around this area --along with more little caves and amazing rock formations.  Mark and Robin posed for me to get their picture.

Mark and Robin love being out in nature --and have so much fun together.. In this picture,  Robin was pointing as she said:  "Look at this crazy guy climbing a tree"...   ha ha

Mark (like George) loves to climb out on the rocks and get lots of pictures....

Robin and I were having FUN  wondering what was going to climb out of that little cave toward us....

Let's get moving!!!!!  It will be dark soon....  (Loved the trail --which was in great shape.)

Beautiful sunset --once we got back up that mountain to where we started... This picture was taken at the same place that the very top picture of this blog post was taken (of Mark and Robin).  

WELL---for awhile,  I was wondering if we'd make it back before darkness totally took over.   BUT--we did!!!!!   It was a great hike and we love hiking with Mark and Robin since they also enjoy stopping along the way checking things out --and learning more about being out in nature.... Seeing  the huge Big Leaf Magnolia leaves was just AWESOME.

The hike was SO NEAT;  having Mark and Robin here was even better;  AND --it was a GREAT DAY!!!!!!   We drove back to our home --and of course,  we just HAD to have another piece of Lemon Bundt Cake!!!!!!! ha

Have an awesome week...

Hugs,

Emoticons

Follow Me on a GREAT Birthday Trip!!!!!!

Along Skyline Drive at the Timber Hollow overlook on 8/8/19

Dear Friends,   We are home after an awesome trip to Virginia..... I have a 'gazillion' pictures to go through ---but spent Monday just picking out pictures of me taken this past week ---so that I could take you on my journey today...   Prepare yourself for some EXERCISE --and be sure to take your water!!!!!!!   Here we go........

Our first stop on my Birthday (8/5):    We stopped for one night at the PEAKS of OTTER  Resort on the Blue Ridge  Parkway near Buchanan, VA.   We love that place ---and had time for two walks around the lake  (one before dinner and one after dinner at sunset).    

My delicious Birthday Dinner that night at the Peaks of Otter Lodge Restaurant;   I had a salad,  green beans,  and one of the best Pork Chops I've eaten in a long time....YUM!!!  It was huge ---so a bunch of it went into our cooler to take home for another meal.    BUT---since it was my Birthday and since there are no calories on one's birthday,   I splurged and ate some Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.... (It is a good thing that we walked for 2 miles  after eating that dessert... ha ha)

NO---I'm not burning up in the campfire (although it looks like it)..... We just enjoyed sitting around the campfire --after that big meal and walk!!!!!!

The next day (8/6) ---we were mostly 'on the road' ---but did manage to stop at some overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This picture was taken at the Onion Mountain Overlook.   We also took a short walk so that George could get some pictures of  the cascades at Falling Waters Cascade Overlook.

We made it to SKYLAND RESORT  (off of Skyline Drive) near Luray, VA about 3:30 pm...   This was the view we had of the Shenandoah Valley from our room at Skyland.   We enjoyed some hot tea and relaxed a bit before going to dinner.   Isn't this view GORGEOUS?

The next day (Aug 7) ---we took a 1.3 mile hike on the Limberlost Trail off of Skyline Drive not far from Skyland...  What a neat little trail in the woods..... The path was well-maintained,  smooth,  fairly flat,  and there were benches all along the way... 

Along the Limberlost Trail,   the vegetation was so rich and fertile...  Seeing all of the ferns made me think I was in Paradise!

We loved watching the sunsets all three nights we were there... This night (8/7) was definitely my favorite!!!!!   George snapped this picture of me sitting on the steps taking pictures and enjoying God's beauty.

This is what I was looking at in the picture above..... What a gorgeous sunset that evening (8/7),   as it gradually disappeared over the Shenandoah Valley.

On 8/8---we took a couple of hikes... This first one (my favorite hike of the entire week) was  to the summit at   Little Stony Man mountain.   The hike wasn't that long ---but it was UP UP UP.....  I hadn't done any elevation hiking since my Ablation (June 13)---and was so proud of myself for being able to do it... George took this picture of me while we were on the Appalachian Trail on that hike up the mountain.  

We made it to the summit  (Little Stony Man).    SO SO SO gorgeous up there --but VERY windy  (which really felt good after that hike UP)...Elevation here was 3642 feet.... The elevation climb was 450 feet.  I could have sat  up there FOREVER!!!!!!  

After hiking down the mountain  (much easier--ha),   we drove on Skyline Drive and stopped at some overlooks.   This picture was taken when we hiked a short distance and got to Crescent Rock.    (Seems like this ole' mountain gal loves gorgeous views while sitting/standing on some rock cliffs!!!!! ha)

On our 2nd hike of the day,  we went on the Millers Head Trail looking for another overlook.  George took my picture around the pretty yellow flowers   (which incidentally were blooming EVERYWHERE we stopped this week).  WELL--I didn't do as well on this one since the hike was DOWN first and then back UP.... I hike better when I can go UP first.... I was also HOT (afternoon heat) and I was getting tired.   This hike was hard!   

On the Millers Head hike,  We stopped so that I would rest... I sat on a rock with a big hole under my back-side.... I told George I was sitting on the potty.... ha ha ha

Us  at Little Stony Man Cliffs (8/8/19);   A nice young man who reminded me of my hiking son, Mark,  asked if he could take our picture... Of course,  we said YES.  It was so windy that my hair was sticking out all over... I posted a funnier picture showing my wind-blown hair on Facebook last week..... I don't have a lot of hair --but it looked hilarious!!!!

OKAY---enough for today!!!!!   Hope you enjoyed my week with me!!!!!!   There are still two more days before getting home on 8/10.... We drove to Asheville on the 9th,  spent the night in a motel,  and visited BILTMORE on the morning of the 10th before heading home....   As usual,  I  have some great pictures from Biltmore --but I'll show them in another post!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed my Birthday Trip....  Hope you have had a great week.... My advice to all who are trying to stay healthy:   Get out in nature and enjoy this beautiful world.

Hugs,

Emoticons