Once the summer fishing and fall hunting seasons are over, and we have feverishly hurried to do all renovations we can before the cold temps set in and to prepare for winter, we breathe a sigh of relief and kick back a bit. It's a great time for me to fly away to the south and visit my dear parents and as many siblings, (including their families), as possible. By south, I mean specifically North Carolina. Franklin is a gorgeous setting, nestled in the Great Smokey Mountains and not far from Ashville. I have one sister who lives there, a brother who lives about two hours south of there in Georgia and a brother and sister in central Florida.
It definitely extended my fall season with temperatures hitting as high as 70 degrees. My mother made me lie on a lawn chair to soak up some rays so I'd come back with a tan. I don't think I accomplished that, but I was happy to comply. My parents are doing quite well and we had lots of fun and laughter when everyone was together, playing games and telling stories, eating out and visiting different places of interest. Of course, our family has always been like that. To be free of my usual responsibilities and enter into their world for a few weeks was mighty refreshing.
I also had a fantastic time briefly visiting our previous hometown of Ely, where our daughter, Cherish still lives. We made many life-time friends there and it fulfilled my need for socialization to meet up with different girlfriends and "catch up" on each others lives. Relationships are the most precious gift to us on earth. It amazes me how I won't see some of them for quite a long time, but the moment we are together, it was like we never were apart. Kindred spirits, I guess you'd say.
And of course, it is always good to be back home again , jiggety jig, into the welcoming arms of John and Joanna.
Pictures Above
1st- Parents home in Franklin, NC; 2nd- Mom,Dad and Kathy(a childhood friend)
3rd-Brother Rick, Mom and one of my brother's daughters, Mary; 4th-my sister, Wendy
