Author: Easin' Along

Helen and I left Knoxville last week for our annual two-week vacation at Edisto Beach, SC. Helen insisted we spend two nights in Cherokee, NC, on the trip down.  She wanted to scratch her casino itch, and being a good husband, I reluctantly agreed. At the end of two days, I probably had a better time, but that’s a detail best kept to myself.

Before arriving at Edisto Beach, we planned to spend two nights at our son’s home in Charleston, SC. More accurately, we spend the night in Dora parked in Collin’s driveway. Collin made it possible to connect our utilities to power and water outlets, giving us the perfect mother-in-law suite. Our granddaughters reward us with an ample supply of hugs.

While en route from Cherokee, Collin sent a text message informing us that we had VIP tickets to an event scheduled for Sunday afternoon…details to follow. We were intrigued.  Collin and Austin are blessed with great friends, and we always have a delightful time around them. Helen and I were hopeful that another friend’s gathering was in the offing. 

We arrived in Charleston late in the afternoon and set up quickly. Helen had prepared a meal of chili that we had brought with us. The girls came home from soccer practice hungry, and the chili was a hit. The long drive to Charleston had taken a toll on my body—I crashed early.

Saturday was a day for football. Granddaughter Bennett had a soccer game in Myrtle Beach, and Austin volunteered to drive her and a few teammates two hours north for the match. Meanwhile, Collin set up a television on his pool deck so we could watch the much-anticipated game between Tennessee and Georgia.  Several of their neighbors joined us. Tennessee fought a good fight for the first quarter, and then it was all Bulldogs. Oh well, they were an eight-point favorite.

The big event on Sunday helped us to shake off the significant loss. Around 12:30, we piled into Austin’s van, picked up friends John and Amy, and headed to Bowen Island for the 2^nd Annual Toadfish Conservation Coalition Shellabration. Casey and Amanda Davidson sponsor the event through their business, Toadfish Outfitters (link here), which sells oyster knives and coastal living products. A portion of every item sold is used to build and maintain oyster habitats throughout the country. The Shellabration is a fund-raiser for the effort, and we had a “shelluva” good time there.

The event staff and volunteers directed us to a pavilion on the pier for food and drinks.  We started with a fresh scallop salad, and once devoured, we quickly moved to a table where a gentleman was serving fresh smoked oysters. We lingered here a while. At the far end of the pavilion, a crowd gathered in front of a table serving a most interesting oyster concoction in a small Mason jar. Inside each jar were fresh oysters and mushrooms marinated in chili oil to be eaten on a cracker. The word terrific doesn’t do justice to this delicacy.

Guests lined up for oyster shooters in front of a bar on this end of the pavilion. A sandwich board listed three selections.  Patrons could select one or all three. We chose the latter. In the picture below, Helen and Austin show off one of their choices.

Back at the other end once again, we tried out a “Caviar Bomb.” A server placed a spoonful of black caviar on the back of a guest’s wrist for the guest to “bomb” it back.  The caviar was delightful.  Ashley (pictured here) agreed.

After viewing the Toadfish items in the Silent Auction, we returned to the open air for more oyster items and drinks. Finally, we decided we needed to leave before we grew oyster shells ourselves. The Shellabration is a lovely event, and I hope we have an opportunity to do it again. Once back at Dora, Helen and I hugged the girls, loaded up, and drove to Edisto Beach.

During our first week at the beach, we had two noteworthy events. An eclipse of the moon took place on Tuesday morning, and Helen woke me up around 5:00 am to take a picture.  Shown below is the “Blood Moon” of 2022.

The next event that came our way was Hurricane Nicole which struck the Florida Coast but sent wind, heavy rain, and high seas to Edisto Beach.  The full moon contributed to some strong surf.  Our campsite is along the marsh, and we had marsh water filling the low spots in our site. We still feel some of the storm’s effects, but it’s nothing but a slight interruption compared to the experience of Florida residents.

Week one at the beach is in the books, and we’re still Easin’ Along.

We had a wonderful weekend in the Big South Fork National Recreation Area during the annual camping trip with Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church. Helen and I look forward to this trip every year when we get an opportunity to be with the young people in our congregation. The fall colors were glorious, the gatherings were inspirational, and the food was incredible. I’ll let the pictures tell the rest. (Click on any image to enlarge)

We’re blessed, grateful for our church family, and we’re Easin’ Along.

Fall colors are on full display in the mountains around East Tennessee.  I can’t remember when we had a show like the one we’re enjoying this year.  Although dry weather conditions have prevailed lately, generous amounts of rain earlier this summer probably provided just enough of the magic needed to light up our hills and valleys. Helen and I decided we needed a front-row seat, so we packed up Dora and traveled into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a closer look.

We reserved three nights at our favorite campground in Cherokee, NC. Helen made sure we had a campsite along the creek. Cherokee is on the eastern edge of the National Park and Happy Holiday campground is just a few miles from the Oconoluftee Visitor Center at the Park entrance. We left after church this past Sunday and made the two-hour drive through some heavy traffic.  It seemed many fellow leaf-peepers would join us.

Campsite number 86 would serve as our base of operations for the next three days. The leaf color across the creek from our spot provided a taste of what was to come.  The reds and oranges stood out brilliantly. After hooking up, we decided to pay a quick visit to the casino for Happy Hour to get the trip rolling.  Cherokee Casino is excellent entertainment, and we always have fun there regardless of the outcome. Still, our priority for this trip to Cherokee was catching a significant glimpse of Fall color.

I had my camera out early the following day because the trees across from our campsite offered a colorful foreground to the low-lying clouds hovering overhead.  The bright blue sky added quite a contrast to the yellow and green of the maple tree. I titled this picture “Mist Over the Mountain.”

After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, we jumped in the truck and made our way up the mountain to the Newfound Gap overlook at 5,000 feet. We weren’t the only ones there—the parking lot was crowded, and I had to circle it twice before finding an empty spot. Helen and I counted license plates representing over twenty states in the short walk to the overlook.

We came for color and were not disappointed. All of Newfound Gap was filled with brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, with just a touch of Evergreen to pull it all together. I had difficulty putting my camera down, but I gave it to a couple from Georgia and asked them to take our picture at the North Carolina/Tennessee Border (Picture Gallery). On our way down the mountain, Helen took a few photos through the windshield illustrating the fantastic scenery along the road.

We felt like we needed some exercise on Tuesday, so we planned a hike along Deep Creek in another area of the National Park near Bryson City, North Carolina, about 10 miles away. The hiking trail is adjacent to the parking area, and the canopy of color invites in. This side of the National Park is busy but not as crowded as Newfound Gap.

The dry conditions have taken a toll on Deep Creek, but the leaf color filled the void. Tom’s Branch Falls was just a trickle compared to our visits in the past.  A small portion of the waterfall’s base provided a pretty good target for the camera. We followed the trail to Indian Creek Falls and back for a hike of about three miles.  Three miles isn’t as much as we needed, but hey, we’re moving. The overhead color was stunning. An unwelcome visitor escorted us for a portion of the trail. In Bryson City, we stopped for another picture.

We had to hustle back home on Wednesday, so that’s about it for this trip.  Be sure to check out the Picture Gallery that follows this post—as I said, it was difficult to put the camera down.

Enjoy your week, everyone, and thanks for checking in. We’re Easin’ Along.