2015 Year In Review

   In January, we took an extremely impromptu trip to Atlanta. Drove through downtown, visited Stone Mountain and historic Oakland Cemetery.

   In March, we went with Mom to visit family in North Carolina. Visited Wilmington, the Outer Banks-Kitty Hawk and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and eventually to Mt Airy, the real life Mayberry RFD.

   On May 10, Mother's Day, we took a little day trip down to Lynchburg, Tennessee. Didn't see the distillery, but stopped for photos in small towns along the way.

   On May 27 we left on one of our biggest trips as a family. We spent a week on a lightning tour of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and all over New England.

   Finally in October, we went to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains. It was rainy, but we were visiting Mom so it didn't really matter.

National Take A Hike Day

A quiet trail in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Walking the Parkway in Gatlinburg

    Gatlinburg's main street is always just as busy as those windows appear. I have rarely walked this parkway when it wasn't packed with people. Summer can be insane, but October is "fall foliage" season and the crowds were nearly as big. Of course the line to get into Pancake Pantry is always a mile long. They must be good but I would never wait in a line like that to find out.

Fall Colors in the Smokies

   Quick trips to the Smokies are one my absolute favorite things. It doesn't matter if we go to the park or visit some shops in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge. Just being in the area fulfills something that I cannot even explain. I'm sure others who have been here many times understand. Maybe someday I will live over there and can experience that feeling more often. For now I will be satisfied that I went one more time.

Thursday's in the Barn

Thursday doesn't have a connection to barns, that I know of, but I it was the only day left when I was setting up subjects with days. I'm going with it.

This barn is located in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. I believe this is the one at the Dan Lawson home place. Lawson died in 1905 and was buried in a small graveyard on a hilltop nearby.