Oh, my gosh! Where should I start? We've had a bit of a crazy year so far in 2013. Everything from family illness(Joel's sweet cousin Stevie) to a death in the family(my mother-in-law) to an accident(my mom's, which resulted in fractures and more) to my husband's surgery(from which he is just now feeling better) to our youngest joining the U.S. Air Force(only to be medically discharged 8 weeks later) to our identity being stolen(someone filed duplicate IRS forms!!) to selling both our house and our place at the river(which required we move into a rental) to a bulging disc in my back(I'm healing nicely, thank you!) and those, I promise you, are just the highlights! Ready for that Xanax now?
Well, we're fine. God's timing has been perfect and we only had to deal with one thing at a time and are now happy to recuperate from all this craziness. As part of that recovery program we have purchased a travel trailer RV and took it to Tennessee for a short week to enjoy the Great Outdoors.
We stayed at Fall Creek Falls State Park, which is a gorgeous 22,000 acre park with several waterfalls and very large campsites. Our second night there a fellow from a neighboring campsite came over to offer us some firewood and we struck up a conversation with him. We ended up spending 2 evenings around the campfire with he and his wife, a lovely couple who live just an hour away from the campground. You can always make new friends when camping....campers are just the nicest folks around. They even invited us to stay with them at their home next time we go up there!
The temperature was cool every morning and we wore jeans and long sleeved shirts to start the day by the campfire. Yes! I know! What a relief it was from the heat of Florida we endure during this time of year. By afternoon we had to change to shorts and cooler tops, but it was so refreshing to feel that cool air on our faces every evening and morning.
These falls were beautiful and surrounded by very steep canyons. The scenery was breathtaking to us. Now that's a steep mountainside, wouldn't you say?
We had a chance to go hiking a bit up some trails lined with rocks courtesy of Mother Nature.
There is even a huge lake for fishing and canoeing. And there is a restaurant on the far end overlooking the lake. We didn't have a chance to go there this trip, maybe next time.
Early in the morning I would sneak out of the camper with my camera in hand and was always rewarded with a "reach out and touch me" moment with the deer foraging for their breakfast. They apparently are so used to campers that they are unafraid of them being in such close proximity.
Around every bend was a new and even more beautiful spot than the one before.....
All in all, it was a great vacation and just what the doctor ordered. Can't wait to go back....maybe to see the fall leaves? I'll bet that would be spectacular.
Ahhh, can't wait for the next trip,
Debbie
