We had a lovely short trip to the mountains. I do love driving around, looking at views, stopping now and then. And western north Carolina is really beautiful. I missed my Mom some; we were in that area a few times with my parents. I missed my kids, who also used to have adventures with us.

Friday was the sausage-making, which was fun but hard work and took about 3 times as long as we had thought, mostly from the process of putting it in casings, which I decided not to do (fortunately). But it was a group effort and some of the group used casings. We prepared the seasonings, mixed them with the meat, ground it up, and then put it in casings. We got several batches ahead of the casings group, and then we just put the ground meat in freezer bags. There was a goodly amount of serious cleanup, too, not wanting to leave bits of raw pork for small children to find and put in their mouths. My Dad was a trooper, preparing thyme, grinding meat, and walking back up to my house three times for more herbs.

I think it was after two by the time we finished, maybe closer to three. We put our meat in the freezer and ate some lunch. Ray called to say he was done with court (yay!), so I jumped in the shower and finished packing. I was shutting down my computer when he got home, and then we packed up a few groceries and put it all in the car.

We stopped for dinner in Greenville (or Greensboro, I get them confused) at a drive-in, fast food, but not a chain, I believe. It was good and quite entertaining, watching the "flower and chivalry" of the area. It was after 8 when we got where we were going. The cabin was behind a security gate and the owner had mailed me a card to use, but it didn't work! She had given me her phone number and answered right away. She was very apologetic and sent someone over to let us in, but before they could arrive, someone else pulled up and let us in. There is a huge maze of gravel roads all over this mountain (it's called Riverbend, not sure why), sprinkled with homes, some very nice. The one we stayed in was probably at least 10 minutes from the entnrance, near the top, but with no view.

Amazingly beautiful mountain laurel in bloom

It was twilight, but we found the key and carried everything in. We put food away. It was somewhat challenging finding the light switches. There was a giant bed that was pretty comfortable, and stone showers. Beautiful, but not particularly comfortable, and surely very expensive. Also a row of stoen flooring along the kitchen wall, hard on the back and causing a bump in the floor where you could stub your toe.

Amelia and Kevin at the marina, mountains behind

There were tons of informational literature and the next morning, after eating our usual breakfast, we drove out to take a little walk. On our way, we saw a turkey. Later we saw more turkeys, deer, and two hawks (or the same one twice). We stopped at the gate and the gatekeeper fixed the computer so our card would work. The owner had called her and she was very nice--and chatty. Ray commented on her bumper stickers, which were liberal.

one of the newest homes on Lake Lure

wedding in the park

tour boat

We took a short walk (with ski poles, Ray's idea) and then drove into Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. We admired some of the homes along the lake and investigated renting a boat. Renting a canoe was as much as taking the tour.

We went "home" and I showered while Ray called his Mom and talked to her for awhile. Then Amelia and Kevin arrived. It was really fun to have them join us, even just for a few hours. They had brought me Mother's Day and other presents: a dwarf Meyer lemon tree, something I've had on my list for a while, new gardening gloves, German chocolates, and a few things from the Scrap Exchange that Amelia got for free. Meanwhile, I gave her some old mail (insurance bills) and some books to read up on landscaping and designing kitchens.

Buffalo Mountain behind driver

We drove to Chimney Rock for lunch at the best place around. We had to wait quite a while; I can imagine what it would be like in high season! Maybe I need to open a restaurant there...lots of vacant buildings...The food was good, nothing to write home about. We sat outside and it was pleasant. I admired Amelia's plans for her kitchen and garden. She carries a notebook with her and keeps lists of everything--on paper! She was very tired; she had gotten up to bake donuts (for money) very early. In fact, she had brought us some day-old and they were good.

Kevin also was tired, having to get up somewhat early on his day off to drive 3 1/2 hours or so. So we took the boat tour, which was very relaxing and pleasant. The driver was really competent, telling us a lot about the houses on the lake and the history of the area--and making a few bad jokes that Ray enjoyed. It is a beautiful (man-made) lake, with mountains surrounding it. Sleeping Lady, Buffalo Head...Some of the houses are huge and some are gorgeous and some are pretty hideous and ostentatious. There are a few small ones left from the thirties, when they had first filled the lake. Ray and I enjoy critiquing them and deciding which one we would want. What is the ideal lake house? There is also an inn that was built in 1927, where I might consider staying another time. It is not much more than the cabin. We walked around in the lobby area, where there was a display of antique music boxes, the size of furniture! There was also a wedding reception getting under way.

We drove around the lake some, admiring the views, and across the dam. We tried to get into our "development" the back way. There was a gate, but our card did not make it open. Kevin and Amelia and I got out and crossed behind it, trying to trigger it, but no luck. So we drove back around and came in the regular way. We ate ziti and salad, even though we weren't that hungry yet, and sent them back to Durham. Ray and I went to bed pretty early.

I did a lot of reading in a short time, finishing Catching Fire, reading some good but depressing short stories that were at the cabin, and an entire book by Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue, about a woman who takes her ten-year-old son and leaves her husband because he beats her. So I spent several hours yesterday morning finishing that--excellent but not happy.



We ate breakfast, packed up again, and drove around some more, up to Chimney Rock park, turning around when we got to the gate where you had to buy tickets. It was raining and misty and not a great day for walking around on rocks, plus my ankle isn't quite back to normal yet. We drove on toward Hendersonville and had lunch at an Italian restaurant with tons of ambience, but the food was somewhat mediocre. They gave me a free cupcake for Mothers Day. I wondered how you would feel to get a cupcake by mistake if you weren't a mother--most people would be happy, I think.

wild turkey tracks

We drove to Jump Off Rock in Hendersonville, where you would have a great view if it were clear. Then to Whitewater Falls, the highest east of the Mississippi. I dozed a bit in the car. It was raining pretty hard when we got there, but I was happy to pay the Forest Service two dollars to use a nice rest room. It's that system where you put money in an envelope--I doubt anyone will come after you if you don't pay, but I like the idea of it. I put on my raincoat and pulled up the hood. Ray took the umbrella and we walked on the half-miled paved walkway to the lookout. It was spectacular and i can't wait to go again--about 100 miles from where we live and we had never seen it. There were also steps down to an even better vantage point, so we went down (150 steps?). Coming up was much harder.

my Mother's Day present: a Meyer lemon

I fantasized about organizing a trip for OLLI or some other group for the next hour or so. We drove around the wilds of South Carolina in the rain and finally got on Highway 85 and came home. It was about 7 o'clock and we cooked the pork chops we had taken and brought home. Pretty tasty. By now I was pretty exhausted and not much use. Ray did a lot of the preparing and cleaning up, as well as bringing things in from the car. I don't think I was awake through all of Wheel of Fortune and I slept pretty well. A trip like that is so hard on my body, it's really sad. Sitting in the car a lot, sleeping in a strange bed, walking? I enjoyed it and I am glad to be home again.