More Family Visits 5/20/18

George, me,  Diana and Mark at our home 

Dear Friends,   We had another marvelous Sunday  (5/20/18) with family.    Son Mark brought his good friend,  Diana,  from Texas to visit for the weekend.   Diana had never been to Tennessee ---so we all loved showing her a corner of 'our world'...  She LOVED it ---and I always find so much JOY when someone comes to visit for the first time and shows so much enthusiasm and appreciation...

Mark and Diana spent all day Saturday and Monday in the beautiful Smoky Mountains.   But on Sunday,   they came to our home for the day!!!!!!   After some chat time and snacks here at home,  we took them to the Cumberland Mountain State Park in our area for dinner...After filling our little tummies BIGTIME,  we took a walk around the lake before heading to Burgess Falls State Park  (near Cookeville, TN)...

Even Mark had never been to Cumberland Mountain State Park NOR to Burgess Falls State Park---so he enjoyed seeing these new-to-him areas not far from our home.   Burgess Falls is a series of waterfalls on the Falling Water River leading down to the BIG one,  Burgess Falls..,  We first enjoyed the Falling Water Cascades;  then it was the Little Falls followed by Middle Falls..   We continued down and finally got to the platform where we could see the BIG ONE,  Burgess Falls.   Burgess Falls is 136 feet high.  The trail on down to the bottom of the falls is closed now--so we just enjoyed that glorious waterfall from the overlook.  The loop trail is about 1.5 miles total.   We had a great day!!!

Here are some pictures from that awesome day!!!!

A Canada Geese Family at Cumberland Mountain State Park

Mark and Diana at Cumberland Mountain State Park

Mom had to get in the picture (Cumberland Mountain State Park)

I had to get a picture of Mark and Diana with the bridge in the background  at Cumberland Mountain State Park.  I think every member of our family has had their picture taken here at one time or another!!!!! The water level was low today --so the pretty reflections which we usually get can barely be seen.

Next we drove down near Cookeville and went to Burgess Falls State Park.  This is the Falling Water Cascades  on the Falling Water River...

Mark and Diana  near the Falling Water Cascades

I kept saying for them to step back ---back---back and that would make a better picture... ha ha ha

George got this great picture of  Diana and Mark along the trail.

This is Little Burgess Falls.  

Mark and Diana had to work really hard to hold that big rock up so that we could pass by on the trail!!!!!!!!   LOTS OF HARD WORK.. NOT!!!!! ha ha ha

Middle Burgess Falls

Look at this amazing tree;   Mark carried the umbrella to keep it from raining... It WORKED..... No Rain all day!

A beautiful RED CARDINAL  joined us on our hike.  Isn't he gorgeous????  Mark and Diana both said that the Cardinal was DEBBIE,  Mark's wife who died last August.  

Finally,  we made it to BURGESS FALLS...  We were all in awe while looking down at that amazing waterfall.

George's PHOTO of Burgess Falls;   Talk about amazing!!!!  Wow.

On more amazing picture George took of BURGESS FALLS!!!!

Diana and Mark at Burgess Falls

I cannot thank Diana enough for being there for Mark after Debbie died.   Diana was the best friend he could ever have during that time.   She is an amazing woman and I am so happy to meet her now.  I see many more trips for her to Tennessee ---since there's just SO much to see.

I have a IRISES post ready for publication --but FAMILY is much more important.... We have more family/friends coming to see us on the 26th and again on the 30th....   AND--we'll be going to NC for a reunion on the 27th....  SO--it's going to be a great upcoming week and more!!!!!

Hugs,

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Awesome Mother's Day for ME!!!!

Bert (Tre),  a Happy Mama, and Mark at their home the evening of 5/13/18

Dear Friends,   To say I had a great Mother's Day this year is an understatement... I may have had the BEST Mother's Day ever  thanks to my son, Mark.  Mark and big brother Bert (who had to work on Mother's Day) moved to Maryville in April.   Maryville is only a little over an hour from where George and I live.  Mark has lived in Texas for a long time ---so I can't remember when I was able to be with him on Mother's Day. This year was SO special.

Most of you remember that Mark is the son who lost his wife last August.   He spent months grieving and wondering what he was going to do with his life.  He finally made the decision to move back 'home' (Mark was born in Maryville in 1970) near the mountains that he loves SO much.   He found a good job in the Maryville area ---and even though it was hard,  he tearfully left his family and friends in Texas, yet knowing that he had made the correct decision.

Since moving here,  he is doing GREAT...  He spends every spare minute in the mountains hiking or driving around in his new jeep.  Or in the evenings after work,  he is walking on the Greenway in Maryville,  or searching out new places to meet people,  hear music and drink a cold one!!!!!  As much as he misses Debbie,  he knows that she is glad that he is moving on and finding happiness.

On Mother's Day,   Mark asked me ahead of time what "I" wanted to do...   AND --since I also love the mountains so much,  I told him that I'd love to go to the Smokies and have a picnic....  He took my thoughts and made them happen BIGTIME.  Today I will share some of the MANY pictures we took on Mother's Day  (5/13/18).

First,  I received some gorgeous fresh flowers  (Mark knows how much I love flowers.)

Gorgeous cards from Mark and Bert

Off to the Smoky Mountains in Mark's shiny red JEEP;   Mama just thinks she is going to drive it!!!!!! ha

We headed up the Roaring Fork Motor Trail (near Gatlinburg) and stopped at the OGLE Cabin...  

Roaring Fork Motor Trail  (We saw a bear near here not too far off of the road.  George got a picture --but since he left his camera at Mark's house,  we haven't seen his pictures yet.)

At one of the overlooks along the Roaring Forks Motor Trail;  Such beautiful mountains --but you can still see evidence of the damage the wildfires of Nov. 2016  did.  See the dark tree lines in the distance?   BUT--the good news is that nature has a great way of coming back!!!!

George and Mark are rock-hopping along Roaring Fork near the Bales Cabin

A little cascade along Roaring Fork;   Also--note the reflections on the big boulder from the Rhododendron Bushes!!!!

My little hiker ---who loves being in the mountains!!!!!! 

Mark captured this picture of me sitting on a log at the Jim Bales' Place along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail.

We stopped at the Place of a Thousand Drips (waterfall) along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail .   There definitely weren't  1000 drips --but it was still pretty.

Next,  we drove to Metcalf Bottoms and Mark fixed us an awesome lunch  (cheeseburgers,  baked beans, and chips)....  YUMMMMMMMM.

Mark took this picture of two hungry people enjoying a delicious meal...  Food  (any kind of food) always tastes better on a picnic!!!!!)

I think Mark is saying,  "Enough pictures.  Let's EAT!!!!"   ha ha 

Dinner is over... Tummies are full.  Time for a NAP.

Mama got to take a turn in the Hammock... Could have stayed there for hours!!!!!   (But --glad there was no picture of me trying to get out of that thing!!!!! ha ha)

Our next stop was gorgeous CADES COVE late in the afternoon

All of the 'critters' we saw were far away from us,  but I captured a couple of shots with my long lens.  This male turkey was spreading his tail feathers to try to impress the lady...  Not sure it was working!!! ha

Again, far away --but I at least got more than a 'spot' with my long lens;   We saw bears --but none close enough for a really good picture.

Last but not least,   Mark surprised me by stopping by Brewsters in Maryville on our way home for an ICE CREAM cone....  I had wanted a soft-serve cone from the Cades Cove store --but we got there too late.  The store had closed.  (I promise I didn't eat both of those!!!!! ha ha )

What an awesome day.   Who could EVER want more than a ride in an open jeep in the mountains,  a chance to spend time with my son,  a delicious picnic dinner,  and then a Black Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cone????????

Thanks,  Mark,  more than you will ever know.  Just being with Mark is great --since he is so enthusiastic and fun to be with!!!!!!    I just wish Bert (who had to work) and Jeff and Dawn (who had her parents at their home for the weekend) could have been here also!!!!!!

Hugs,

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