2026

Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to OCTOBER. My header photo this month shows a gorgeous picture showing beautiful Autumn Colors God's Blessings to YOU for an awesome month.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

From Maggie Valley


Be sure to read yesterday's blog---in order to understand this one!!!!

I do have a signal here at the cabin---so I will get to post a blog when there's time. Of course, with all of the yakking and talking the four of us have done today, that doesn't leave much time for blogging!!!!! I also have to iChat with my hubby ---to make sure he's behaving himself!!!! ha

The cabin is nice ---and other than smoking up the house by not having the flue open when we lit a fire in the fireplace, things are GREAT. I got here first --so took a few pictures to share today. Above is our view from the deck at the cabin. We are 4000 feet UP, and the road up is rugged. Below are some of the inside of the cabin.


This is looking toward the living room/dining area. The fireplace is to the left, and the deck wraps around the cabin.



This is looking up toward the loft area. That area upstairs is my room. I have a king bed in the bedroom, private bath and sitting room area up there. Pretty NICE... There are two bedrooms downstairs --which the other three are using.



This is from the living room --looking toward the kitchen. We had a delicious dinner tonight of pork chops on the grill, baked apples, sweet potatoes, peas, rolls and cake.



This is our screened in porch ---where I'm sure we will sit and enjoy each other this week.

Maggie Valley is a gorgeous area --and our cabin is nice. As I said previously, the only thing we don't care for is the steep and rugged road up here. All of us said that we may stay here forever and never leave. Ha Ha.... (My honey would have to move in here too though!!!)

Have a great Wednesday.
Hugs,

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Getaway Gang to Maggie Valley


As I've mentioned several times, my three childhood friends and I get together almost every year for several days on a Girls' Getaway trip. The four of us grew up together in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. We were all four born in the summer of 1942. After high school, we went our separate ways (college, jobs, families, etc.). We lived in four different states.

SO--in 1992, when we all turned the "Big Five-O", we decided to start a new tradition. Each Fall, we get together in different places just to catch up and enjoy each other's company for a few days. Some of the places we have been since 1992 include: Black Mountain/Grandfather Mtn/Blowing Rock, NC; Blue Ridge, GA; Gatlinburg and Sevierville, TN; Boston, Mass; Grand Canyon/Las Vegas; Siesta Key, FL; New Orleans, LA; Tybee Island, GA; Asheville, NC; and Cumberland Mtn. State Park----just to name a few!!!!

This year is no exception. The four of us will be in MAGGIE VALLEY, North Carolina this week (from today through Sunday) at a beautiful cabin there. I will have my laptop with me, but who knows in those mountains whether I will have an internet connection. IF you don't hear from me, you will know that I don't have a signal. If, however, there is internet service, I will try to post off and on during the week.

I hope that you have a wonderful week. Here are some pictures of me and my friends--taken all through the years. The top picture was taken by my son in 1993 when we were near Gatlinburg, TN, at the Wunderland Hotel. Front row: Reida, me, Nita; Second Row: Susan. More pictures are below.




This picture was taken about 1947 when we were all in Kindergarten. Susan and Nita are standing near the window on the left side. Reida is at the head of the table on the right. I am on the other side of the table with a white bow in my hair.




This picture of us as Brownies was taken about 1950. I am on the top row on the left. Nita and Sasan are on the top row--on the right. Reida is on the front row on the left, two people in front of me.




This picture was taken in 2004 ---when the four of us stayed at Cumberland Mountain State Park, TN. We 'pretended' to be the Red-Hat girls.... Bottom row: me and Reida; Top row: Nita and Susan




In 2005, we went to Blue Ridge, GA --and stayed in an incredible cabin on top of a mountain there. This was my 2nd favorite trip with the first one being our first trip to the mountains in North Carolina in 1992. Each of us has our own favorite trips. We didn't get a 'four-some' picture on this trip---so I'll include one that I took of my three friends. From left to right: Susan, Nita and Reida.




This picture was taken in 2007 when we went to Sevierville, TN. Front row: me, Reida; Back row: Nita, Susan




This was taken last October when we went to Tybee, Island, GA. From left to right: Nita, Susan, Reida, me.


Hopefully, I will have pictures to share from this year's getaway. The four of us are almost like sisters --and this year will be even more special since two of the four of us have serious health issues. Reida has MS and recently had kidney stone surgery. Susan has breast cancer which has spread to her bones. Please say a little prayer for the four of us this week.

Hugs,