Fall Road Trip: Great Smoky Mountains & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #676
I promised to share some photos from our recent road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, so here they are! I tend to not take very many photos during vacations because I feel like photography inhibits my enjoyment and appreciation of being in the moment. Also, I find that my novice photography skills never do justice to the things I am photographing, especially when it comes to nature. You simply cannot capture the astounding beauty in pictures. Some things you simply must see with your naked eyes and not through the lens of a camera or a cell phone. But I did manage to take some photos. Fortunately, Becca is a passionate photog and captured some beautiful moments in pictures which are included in this post.
Our first stop during this road trip was Pennsylvania to drop the kids off at Gramma’s house. This was the first vacation Jeff and I have gone on without kids since our honeymoon so we were extra super excited for 5 days of doing adult things, completely kid-free! Thanks, Gramma and Pap for helping us out!
Next we headed straight to Becca’s house in Tuckasegee, North Carolina, where we embarked on a day of fall foliage peeping along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here are some photos from our day of exploring the breathtaking scenery that the mountains have to offer including the elk who were all out grazing on this day.
We checked out the smallest post office in the country.
We walked beneath a waterfall while Becca and I took photos of each other taking photos of each other.
And we saw all of this beauty in every direction we looked.
On our second day in North Carolina, we headed into Asheville to see Here Come the Mummies at Salvage Station. Oh my gosh, what an amazing show! It was so much fun. I danced so hard my hips hurt for two straight days after! I didn’t take any photos at the show because I was way too in the moment. Thankfully, Becca insisted on a few group photos at the venue. Michelle and her husband Dan were going to join us for the show. They had their tickets and everything. But they woke up feeling unwell on the day of the concert and unfortunately had to miss out. I was sad to miss them but I hope to connect with them on my annual February road trip to North Carolina.
The day following the show, Jeff and I explored Asheville. We stayed at the Hotel Indigo Asheville which was a lovely hotel and is conveniently located right in the middle of downtown Asheville, within walking distance of many attractions, including the Asheville Art Museum. There was so much powerful and moving art in this place. I highly recommend it if you ever visit Asheville.
The day after our Asheville tourist experience, we began the 900 mile drive back home with a stop in Pennsylvania to retrieve the children. We returned home last Wednesday afternoon and then school was canceled on Thursday and Friday due to a water main break that left Watertown waterless for a few days. I saw a meme during our water emergency that made me laugh so hard. It was a picture of the “City of Watertown” sign with “Water” blacked out so it just said “City of _____town” with the caption “There, I fixed it.” I can’t find the original so I created my own.
And that, my friends, is my whirlwind road trip that has left me playing catch up with life things all week long! I am still trying to unbury myself from all the things on my to-do list. I guess that is what weekends are for! I hope y’all have a happy and productive one!
Featured Favorites
Reader Favorite (Most Clicked): Cheryl of Cheryl Shops
Fashion Favorite: Amy of Amy’s Creative Pursuits
Other Favorite: Beth of Creatively Beth
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
20 Comments
Beth
THANKS YOU Shelbee for featuring my Upcycled Denim Blue Jean Pumpkins this week1 Have a fabulous weekend! Creatively Beth
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Beth! I just made a whole bunch of pumpkins out of old socks that I have yet to share. And then I saw your denim ones and they are so adorable, too! I might need to make some to add to my sock pumpkin patch!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
What a unbelievable scenery! What a nature! So impressive. I could sit there and just watch it for hours. After such a long time, Jeff and you deserved some time without kids
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! The scenery is absolutely breathtaking there. It’s what keeps drawing me back! I usually go in the middle of winter when the leaves aren’t so pretty but it is still as beautiful as ever. There is something really special and magical about those mountains!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
What a fabulous trip; that waterfall looks amazing but nothing compares to those photos of the sun beaming down on the mountains.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Joanne! Oh my gosh, when we spotted those sunbeams, I gasped and thought, “Now that, right there, is some serious God-stuff.” If you don’t believe in the divine, I think it’s moments and views like these that remind us that maybe we should believe!
xoxo
Shelbee
Esme Slabbert
Dear Shelbee, you’re awesome, thanks so much for hosting.
I linked up this week with = 21+22. This is a friendly reminder and we would love to invite you to Come and join us Mon – Saturday at SeniorSalonPitStop as well as #WordlessWednesday #Photography Wednesday – Saturday. You will find the info under BLOGGING
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Esme! I should be back to linking up next week. This vacation really set me behind on things!
xoxo
Shelbee
ratnamurti
Hi Shelbee. I’ve been away quite a while but glad to be back on your site. I love, love, love your coat/cloak. Next – everytime I see photos of North Carolina, I’m blown away by the beauty and majesty of that place.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Hi Ratnamurti! I hope you are well. Thanks so much for stopping by! North Carolina really is a place of breathtaking beauty. There is something really special and magical about those mountains!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I hated having to miss you! But it looks like you had an amazing time. Yay!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am so bummed for you that you couldn’t make it. It was an amazing show! I’ll be back the week of February 18. So let’s definitely plan for something!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Johnson
Oh my goodness, that waterfall is amazing! I’ve been to the smokies, the Blue Ridge Pkwy, and Ashville and never saw that waterfall. What is the name of it in case we ever go back? Thank you so much for the feature too. You’re too sweet!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Amy! The Smokies are such a beautiful place. Those mountains just keep calling me back! That waterfall is Dry Falls (also called Upper Cullasaja Falls) in the Nantahala National Forest, northwest of Highlands, North Carolina. The last time I visited, we stopped to see Bridal Veil Falls in Highlands, North Carolina, which is also really cool! I hope you have an amazing weekend, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Stephanie
What a lovely trip! Enjoyed looking through all of the photos. Thank you so much for hosting this wonderful link-up. I hope that you have an amazing day. ✨️✨️
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Stephanie! I hope you are having a most wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
What beautiful photos. You pictures are very good. Looks like a very fun trip. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! It was a truly amazing time!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
Oh, I love the mountains of North Carolina and Asheville! How I wish I lived there! It truly is gorgeous. I’m a lot like you. I take a few photos for memories (or the blog), and then I put the camera away because it’s so important to be present. I’m sorry you couldn’t celebrate the Mummies with Michelle and Dan. I hope they’re feeling better. Oh, I remember driving straight home from places and not thinking a thing of it. Mike won’t do that anymore even though I long to be home once we’re headed that way! Thanks for the link up, my friend!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Marsha! North Carolina is seriously my favorite place on earth! I cannot wait to move there. I’ll be going back in February for my annual winter break road trip. It would be cool if you coordinated a road trip to NC with mine! Hehehe.
xoxo
Shelbee