Sunday Outing

This Sunday was a drive an hour south of us to Table Rock State Park, SC.  I've been a bit under the weather fighting a cold, so a hike was not going to happen, and decided we could at least check out the park for future hikes and see what was available.

I've been collecting hiker medallions as we walk a trail in different states and tack them onto this shepherd's staff not used for hiking, but just as a reminder of all the places we've been from Acadia to the Canadian Rockies.

I purchased this medallion, but it won't be placed on the staff until we actually hike a trail, that would be cheating!

Before we headed out, we stopped at the newest coffee shop which just opened in town, very high-end coffee, very tiny, too expensive, too snobby, but I must say it was delicioso! 

Table Rock Visitor's Center

I love topographical maps showing the difficulty of a trail.  Some of the trails take days of hiking and camping, something we will not be doing, especially after coming home and watching Backcountry!

A 1937 log home now used for events at the park. 

Leave it to Bob to find the hikers with dogs that he can pet!

Last week I forgot to post my rescue dog that I set up a transport for from Missouri to Illinois.  A friend who was fostering him had become ill, and Harvey needed to find a new home and we needed to get him there.

We did it!  Harvey with his new family!  Next post I promise will be an update on the house renovation.  October 31st, big things to come!

Sundays are for Hiking!

Leaves are just starting to turn on the Blue Ridge.

Mountain Ash

Down below trees were still pretty green.  The higher we climbed, the more color appeared.  

Tunnel to Craggy Pinacle.

Craggy Pinacle.

Lots of hikers with their dogs.

Craggy Gardens is just a bald at the top of the mountain a mile high.  It is a destination to see rhodos in the spring.

Of course, Bob has to do a meet and greet with each dog.  This husky's name is Sky from Florida with some friends from Brazil, so we got to talk about our trip to Brazil many years ago. 

Bernese Mountain Dog

This guy is 14 years old, going blind and deaf and is a sharpei beagle mix according to a DNA test.  Can't remember his name. 

Next weekend Table Rock in SC, the opposite direction.

Demolition at the Lake

Pulled up to the boathouse today to find my neighbor taking down the retaining wall to his boathouse.  I was meeting my friend Ziggy to get some goat's milk and show him the place, wasn't nice and peaceful as it usually is, and this huge semi was parked in my space. 

Fingers crossed our rock retaining wall is still standing tomorrow when I meet another friend there, but just in case, I took a lot of photos and videos.

It was no surprise, our neighbor talked to us last weekend when at the boathouse and showed us all of his plans for his place.  He actually owns two boathouses together.

He showed us the nice stone that will replace the ugly cinderblock and he will also be working on the boathouse and dock attached to ours.  His girlfriend wants to paint it salmon, which I think will be very pretty and complimentary to our place, but Dave did not seem to like the color choice.  We'll see who wins!

Once he's finished, I will take photos of the new wall and boathouse color and also show you the beautiful waterfall he placed between the two boathouses that run into the lake.  He had a lot of boardwalks to link up the two, something Bob and I had already talked about doing to make it safer for renters and company.

Can't imagine what this is costing him.  He had to hire engineers.

This is the view of the ugly cinderblock wall from our boathouse.  I can't wait to see the rock, it will really add to the view from our boathouse.  Dave loves my garden and wants me to plant pitcher plants.  Just another thing on my agenda, to make a bog garden once the boardwalk is in.

Right now this is what you have to traverse to get from the stairs to the dock.  The boardwalk will go here, giving a better view of my water garden.  Photos to come.  George and Patti will be very happy to see their new boathouse come spring!