Lost in Mississipi

After leaving Jenny's house we got on the Natchez Trace Parkway for a few miles and visited the historic town of Raymond. St. Marks Episcopal Church

The Courthouse was getting a makeover...more of that stimulus money at work. Many of the roads in the SMNP were getting repaved with stimulus money also and were closed. Much of the history of Raymond, as many of the small towns on the Natchez, is a sad story of the civil war. After the battle of Raymond, citizens cared for more than 1000 wounded soldiers, Confederate as well as Yankee, in this church, courthouse and private homes.

We found this little church a perfect scene for a picnic lunch. The little graveyard had a lot of little children and babies graves. A sad reminder that in our grandparents and parents days, more than half the children died before they were 5 years old with diseases that are prevented by vaccinations or cured with antibiotics now.

More Smoky Mountain: Mingus Mill

About 200 families came here to get their corn and flour ground. We enjoyed the warm wood stove inside! I got my photos from Shutterfly and have 3 pages done in my album!

Lost Weekend

This has got to be one of my favorite scenes. Three Dog Night is the icing!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEjPryaIDaA

Quote of the Day

I think marriage and children were designed by God to be redemptive in our lives to cause us to trust him. Dennis Rainey

Most of you who know I love to listen to programs on Christian radio. Family Life Today is one of my favorite and I was really blessed the last two days by a message by Crawford Loritts.

The subject is prayer and the text is Hebrews 4:15. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin. So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our mericful God. There we will be be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.

I often wonder why I continue with some of the same old wrong thoughts and behavior that has been hanging around since I was a child. This is a sweet reminder that Jesus is not surprised that I have not learned better and does not become impatient or tired of my weaknesses. He is just waiting with kindness and forgiveness for me to come to him for grace, mercy and healing.

Historic Mountain Farm Museum

These buildings are from the late 19th century and were assembled from different locations and brought to this site near the Oconaluftee visitors center.

Apple House

Cantilever Barn
the stalls were in the middle of the structure with a large loft overhang on both sides. (Pay attention, there will be a test.)

The blacksmith shop looked very familiar to me. I watched my grandfather work in his for hours when I visited him.

The garden

Sorghum press and still

The house was built from chestnut trees. In the 1930's, the chestnut trees in America were destroyed by a blight.

This river is in the front yard.

This big chimney is for cooking.

I'm thinking there was not much sittin' on the porch taking place here. Looks like more workin' than sittin'.

Especially for the women

Gatlinburg, Tennesee: gateway to the Smokey Mountains

The road we took to the park every morning

We stayed at this huge time share in Gatlinburg. We had two adjoining apartments.

My husband is very meticulous about packing. He is quite the opposite at home.

Our living room

with a little balcony

We cooked breakfast and supper and packed a lunch every day. Jenny always beat me to washing the dishes.

Downtown Galinburg is full of anything you would want to do or see.(Or buy)

J took a picture of Papa taking a picture of him!J took this from the sky ride.

We found this museum while looking for parking. ( Free parking if you go to the museum, so we did!) It was really nice. It has 12 scenes of the life of Christ with music and scriptures and dialog.

I had never eaten at a Hard Rock Cafe. I still haven't. We really intended to, but the music was too loud.This is just to show you that San Angelo isn't the only town with painted animals. They are all over the country. We saw moose in Colorado last year. West Yellowstone has buffalo. St. Paul Minnesota has Snoopy's. Los Angeles has angels. Cincinnati has pigs. This craze was apparently started in Chicago when they painted cows to sell at auction and raised $3.5 million for charity. This fellow is in Cherokee, North Carolina, a little town on an Indian Reservation on the other side of the park.