The Last Two Days of Vacation

The weather is gorgeous. So is the scenery. We're spending the last two days of vacation in camping mode to enjoy a slower pace than the hustle of being in tourist mode.

We've been at Bear Cove Village RV Resort for a week now. It's one of the prettiest settings of RV Resorts we've passed in our surroundings all week. Nestled in a valley right off the main attractions with the Trolley Station within walking distance. 

So we've taken a few hikes on the nearby trails from our home base. They were short and dog friendly for a hike with the Poochie Dog.

 I took advantage of the camp Resort laundry facilities to do the laundry from the first part of the week.

The front office has a wonderful store/souvenir shop that I took advantage of. 

And then on the last day, a new camper couple pulled in across from us. And what do you know? The guys went to high school together and we now live about 20 miles apart. We sat outside late in the evening and chit-chatted. Small world for sure. 

Read about each vacation day this week here, here, here, and here. 

Monday

It's day four in the Smokey Mountains.  Every day so far we've hit one of the major strips of the area in tourist fashion by trolley with all the other thousands of tourists here. 

But today we took the slow way around and drove thru Wears Valley. It's actually a street off the main Parkway that leads to a beautiful drive thru the mountains. 

It's a country setting with farms and fields  of hay with mountains behind. 

All along for miles are hay bales lined in a row that gives the perfect look to the fall October fest season.

Even tho it was a country mountain drive there were quite a few country stops to make. We stopped at Moonshine Ridge Country Store and Cafe to browse around and get a drink. 

The drive was beautiful on a two lane road winding around the mountains and even hairpin curves. 

It was a bear siteing kind of a day. No real bear siteings. Only man made bears.

I loved this one made out of hay bales decorating the front of another country store.

And even the tinyest of bears found.

Then back to camp after an all day ride to take care of the Poochie Dog. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Day In Gatlinburg

It was a beautiful day to be out all day. 

We rode the trolley into Gatlinburg. The strip is loaded with shops and eating places and people everywhere. 

We committed to do only one paid attraction. Since there is plenty to see and do and walk and shop.

 The Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies made it to the top of our list. And it did not disappoint. 

My favorite was the under water tunnel

thru the shark tank. 

I could have stayed in that section for a longer time. But we stood on a conveyor belt type thing that slowly carried you thru the tunnel then on to all the exhibits in the Aquarium.

We walked the complete strip, up one side and down the other, ate lunch, and rode the trolley back to the trolley station and then back to the RV Resort, walked the Poochie Dog, and called it a day.
 

 

 

At Dollywood

The trolley station in the Old Mill District in Pigeon Forge is about a 10 minute walk from our campsite at Bear Cove Village RV Resort. We take The trolley for our second day and go to Dollywood.

We've been here oh about 20 years ago. Same sign as I remember from then. Deja vu.

The little chapel still the same as I remember. 

We walked all around. Looked at everything. Went in all the shops Watched the craftsmen. Umm, if only I had a lot of spare money. 

After lunch, we walked and looked some more. Took the trolley back to our home base cause there was Poochie Dog waiting for our return. I took her for a walk that evening and took her picture with the bears, that she did not like. 

Tripping in the RV

We're on a vacation/road trip/anniversary celebration/Halloween holiday. Call it what you like. As retirees we can vacation anytime. And make it a road trip near or far. This makes forty-two years of wedded bliss. And it's almost halloween, kind of a holiday.

We're tripping to Pigeon Forge in the RV.

Arriving on a Friday and getting set up in Bear Cove RV Resort found the temperature dropping and clouds in the sky. We took the trolley to The Island at Pigeon Forge. 

It's an attraction of food, shop, and play. That's what we did. The Smokey Mountain Wheel was the center attraction. 

It continuously changes colors in different  color patterns. Each gondola is glass enclosed and temperature controlled ride. I rode it all alone. But it's pretty.

My view from the ride.

There was a dancing colorful fountain show performing to music. Very pretty.

So we ate. Walked the shops. And I rode a ride or two.  Then we took the trolley back. And settled in for a chilly night with the Poochie Dog as she so patiently waits for our return to the camper. I don't know if she barks or howls or creates a scene while we gone. Hope not.

 

A Birthday

A birthday for another four year old provided kids and adults with food, cake and gifts on a beautiful autumn day.

A princess cake and cup cakes.

Not The Fair-est Of All

October brings fairs and festivals, Ferris Wheels and rides, the Midway, fair food, agrculture and livestock, and such, which I love and have attended my entire life. 

So we went to one on a Thursday mid-day. Being a school day, it wasn't crowded in the least.  That's me in the center in the pink shirt. 

BUT. The rides didnt operate until 4pm. So I didn't get to ride the Ferris Wheel which was my whole intention of going. 

A bigger BUT was not all the livestock was entered. It was only day 2 of a 10 day fair so I guess we were a bit early. 

They weren't too interested in a picture with me. 

And even the food didn't have the same flair as a Mdway filled with rides spinning  round and round and people crowded everywhere. Even the games didn't have the guy luring you in. 

Maybe I just remember the way it was. And not that I'm older and it's different.

Pumpkin Making

Happy First Day Of Fall..........

                        

I'm showing a little love for fall this week. I watched several You Tube videos on making pumpkins for fall decor. I decided on the ribbon mesh pumpkin by combining a few ideas from several videos and then tweaking with my own touch.

I bought the supplies at a recent Hobby Lobby stop. 

• Orange ribbon mesh 21" x 30'. The $9.99 roll is 50% off, so only $5.
• Pack of pipe cleaners. Cost a couple bucks.
• Really only need a spool of trim, but I'm a sucker for any all trim. And always 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I spent $15 on trim. One roll at $5 would have worked.
• Hot glue gun and scissors you have.

Cut the orange mesh in about 12 inch lengths. At the end of the roll I had cut 28 strips that are 21"x12". 

To begin make 4 sections of the pumpkin with 7 strips in each section 

Roll each strip in its natural form and twist a pipe cleaner about 2" from end. Nice and tight. 

Attach the next 6 strips in same manner. Lined up close to each other, nice and tight, twisting pipe cleaner around. Extend each pipe cleaner with another to keep it consecutive. 

After attaching 7th rolled strip, start 2nd pumpkin section in same way, then 3rd and 4th sections. 

That was the top of the pumpkin you just attached together. Now take each section and attach each 7 strips together in same manner to form the bottom. Keep bottom rolled strips in same order as top that you just attached together, keeping them close and tight. 

Now strips at the top and bottom have been connected in each of  the 4 sections. Ready to connect each section.  Twist closely and tightly the hanging end of the pipe cleaner to each section on top and on bottom. 

Push finished ends into the pumpkin on top and on bottom and shape as needed.

Hot glue a circular piece of the burlap trim on the bottom to give a more finished look and will stabilize it for sitting.

Hot clue stem and leaves cut from your choice of trim. I used printed burlap and shiny ribbon. 

What you think? 

Final measurements of the pumpkin are:

12" high

19" across the top

53" around the pumpkin.

Use your imagination for other options like put a string of lights that are battery operated in the inside of the pumpkin or attach it to a wire wreath to make a door wreath.  

Monday

A trip into town went a little like this:

Drop off two chairs and an ottoman at St. Andrews Mission, which is like a Good Will but locally owned and run by a church. We kept the dog.

A stop at Hobby Lobby to specifically purchase some upholstery foam which they did not have so I wandered around and purchased some items to make a fall pumpkin. Wait till you see it!!! I'll post about it soon. 

Cruise thru the mall looking for anything on clearance I might like and then on a whim went into the hair salon in the mall and got a hair cut. 

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Back home to clean house and cook.

And it ends

It's been four weeks of mawmaw daycare after the Louisiana Great Flood 2016. It's come to an end with pre-k/daycare school resuming on Monday,  after the school was flooded and now repaired and resuming classes.

It's sad and sweet. Sweet to see the kiddos grow in statue and learning and developing into their own little selves as they face their world at pre-k/daycare again. 

So to face my sadness to let them go back to their normalcy we took to the zoo for the day. 

All area kids have trickled back to school and their regular schedules since the flood, so the zoo wasn't crowded at all on a Thursday. The weather wasn't as hot in the mid morning and a little cool breeze came and went. The animals were mostly tucked away napping or eating their morning snack. 

The Tigers were the best on this day. Pacing front and center for us a close up view. 

It was a perfect look to go along with our LSU Tigers football weekend. 

Tigers and giraffes as always my favorite of zoo animals. 

Couldn't get enough of the tiger view. 

The giraffe was far away and wouldn't come see us. 

Time out for a snack. 

Back on the trail again. 

There were air conditioned exhibits for the snakes and aquarium exhibits. The petting zoo and playground was next. 

Water features peaked their interest. 

Making our way to the train station for a train ride thru the zoo. 

All aboard!! Waiting to pull out. 

Nice to sit and ride for a while and take in the scenery all through the zoo. ,

A trip to the souvenir shop was a must for me. Then loaded up and stopped for a late lunch. 

My readers can breathe a sigh of relief now. No more grand kiddos pictures for awhile. I have to find something else to do everyday.