Thursday, June 4, 2015

Mountains of Memories

There is an isolated lake two or three miles up the mountain at this park. A good path going up once you get past the first STEEP couple hundred yards. It is a good walk. So I says to my girl, "Tomorrow let's pack a lunch and climb the mountain to the High Lake and picnic."

Her response, "I was thinking of driving up to Blowing Rock to walk, then down to Boone."
My response, "That is  what I meant to say. LOL"
Up until a couple years ago the road up to Blowing was a very crooked narrow road. But as Teen it was the place to drive to from the Charlotte area on a Saturday date. Now the road is 95% 4 lanes and is cut thru a lot of solid granite.


If you read Jan Karon, you may know that Blowing Rock is Mitford. Sherry read the Mitford series first and liked it so much, I had to read it,  the series is very good. Blowing Rock (Mitford) is a tourist town atop a mountain, and very scenic.  WE love walking the streets and a winding trail with a few  good views.


There were some pretty flowers, and walking the half mile main street doesn't take much time. WE did't go in the shops, not even the  Ice Cream shops.  Sherry spotted a Kilwin's Shop. We first 'met' Kilwins Ice Cream in St. Joseph, Michigan, delicious.

I think this must be a hi-bred dogwood(?).
 I spotted this 1958(?) F100 Ford Pickup, a beauty!


Trees along Main St.

Okay, I yelled for Father Tim here at the Mitford Episcopal Church, he must be off visiting. Father Tim is the main Character in the Mitford Series. The church is beautiful and solid rock.

On our walk there were Rocks every where, these are old rock stairs. My girl smelling some orange Honey suckles, we had never seen anything but white ones.


Above is our walk  above the highway that is Main St and runs thru the little town. Sherry spotted this view below. Sorry, no zoom

On down to Boone and through the town I spotted the 'FIX'  in case our motor home roof  leaks.

As we turned to head home Sherry said, "Bill and Irene" live up here somewhere. Friends that retired to the mountains. We actually found them, and had a great visit, forgot pictures. 

We stopped to eat at  "Hog Heaven", A southern BBQ place. But what I wanted you to see is the siding on the place.  The boards are run thru the saw mill only the to edge of the board is squared. I  see this in  Blowing Rock a lot.

Then on home, it was a great day out.
Nite Shipslog

PS: There used to be the most beautiful home on the side of one of these mountains. As a young guy in love I promised it or one like it to Sherry. Today it does not have that beauty  the BIG road cut into the beauty. I did build Three nice homes for her, but she still prefers the Motor home. I do too.
<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>

1957 Chevy spotted on Bourbon Street the last time in Nawlins.


11 comments:

Unknown said...

How was the BBQ? I drive that way often for work but never stop. I do love it up there though.

shirl72 said...

Remember in Valdese lots of homes and Churches were built out of
rock and beautiful...That was pretty scenery. I wish my dogwood tree looked like that..the one I had in Charlotte was beautiful. Glad you are having a good time and enjoying the mountains...

Rick Watson said...

Wow! That is a beautiful place Jack. Your pictures are great!

Paula said...

What a beautiful and peaceful place. Like that "fix" you found too.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I did read all the books in the Mitford series and loved them too. I've also eaten at a Hog Heaven and their BBQ was great but what I remember was the deep friend dill pickle chips. Thanks for sharing the pictures as always. I enjoyed seeing them.

Elizabeth said...

That was a wonderful outing! I love that area,hope to get back there this year!

Mevely317 said...

(Oops - I read this yesterday, then forgot to commend when I got home!)

'Embarrassed to admit, I've never heard of Blowing Rock. But that doesn't stop me from adding it to the (expanding) bucket list. Or at least, my Pinterest board.

In particular, I love that picture of Sherry and the honeysuckle!

TARYTERRE said...

How neat that you got to visit Mitford. I have read one of Jan Karon's books. I did not realize the place she talks about was real. That siding you showed is interesting, indeed. And those pretty orange honeysuckles must have smelled heavenly.

Unknown said...

What a pretty town Blowing Rock is! Jan Karon is living a charmed life--living in a place that is so pretty and writing fiction.
DH and I honeymooned in Boone.
I believe the dogwood is a Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa). So it's just foreign, not hi-bred. ;-)
I think the orange flowers might be flame azalea. They are natives.
I like the boards on the building side and all the stone structures.
Sounds like a nice day.

betty said...

I liked the Mitford series; how cool to visit the town it was based on :) I'm not sure I ever saw orange honeysuckle flowers; bet they were pretty!

betty

Lisa said...

I love visiting the little town of Boone. The little shops and scenery just have that comfy at home feel that makes ya want to sit and relax in the fresh air all day.
Lisa