When we left Scottsboro, the woman in the resort office said it was the coldest, wettest year in her lifetime. We have heard that from so many people. She said they watch the weather in Texas and know what's coming their way. We can believe that, since we have been under this storm since Houston! She told me that she had stopped the previous morning to get air in her tires, got rained on, and spent the rest of the day wet to the bone. When she got home, she turned the heat in the house way up, until her son said, "Mom, you're killing me! " So she turned the heat down and drew a hot bath.
People are always willing to tell you their stories!
We crossed into Tennessee near Chattanooga.
For a brief few minutes, we crossed into Georgia.
But it wasn't on our minds for very long, because in about five minutes, we were back in Tennessee!
When we skirted Chattanooga, we began to see fireworks stands, lots of semi trucks, and noticeably clean highways! We are now in the Eastern Time Zone, where we will stay for quite a while!
We are in the Smoky Mountain Foothills. There are signs to the Battlefield of Chickamauga. We will really start to see a lot of Civil War references now.
We got on Route 411 and crossed back into the storm. We see lots of gun shops, a sign for an organ meat processing plant, signs for firearms training, and large stores with signs that say "shooter supplies."
I snuck a peek on my phone to see who had won the Kentucky Derby. It was Orb. One man commented on line, "I won a dollar from my younger son." His name was posted as Theodosius Mandellerot II. That's enough of that!
Our destination is Maryville, and the home of a San Diego friend of ours, Charles Pullen. He was the principal in W. Charles and Associates, the advertising agency that represented my company for many years. He was originally from Knoxville, Tennessee and moved back there a few years ago. He met a girl, Karen Henry, he had gone to high school with, and together they have turned her 80 acre farm into a wedding venue and winery. We can hardly wait to see it! and them!
This farm was part of a land grant given to Patrick Henry's brother Samuel.
The Smoky Mountains are in the background. You can see why they are called "Smoky"
The barn is part of the wedding venue. In their first year, they did 30 weddings. They already have 28 booked for this year, and it's only May. While we were there, they booked several weddings for 2014. We think it's on it's way to being a great success.
Charles shows us the vines they have planted so far, which are already producing savignon blanc wine. They have bottled some.
The vines are being trained to go along the wire.
All of the shoots have to be pruned and thinned to provide energy to the vines. They are doing this by hand.
John and Karen stand in the wedding gazebo
The barn is for the wedding reception. All of the stalls have been cut down for visibility and the barn is beautifully covered in cedar harvested on the farm.
The upper part of the barn is used to stage wedding pictures.
Charles lets us sample his first harvest, which is delicious! He does a great job as sommelier!
They have done a lot of landscaping. which is already beautiful. It will be breathtaking when it all grows in. That's their house on the hill in the background.
Karen made a wonderful meal for us - carne asada and all of the accompaniments!
Monday, May 6, Day 14
The following day, Charles and Karen took us to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, both close by and part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (By the way, Pigeon Forge and Pigeon River - named for Passenger Pigeons?)
These two towns are close to Dollywood, Dolly Parton's big amusement park. We were completely surprised at how built up this area is, and how much of a tourist destination it is. We expected more of an Appalachian theme to the area, but you could be anywhere!
Charles bought this T-shirt, a reference to the movie, "Deliverance."
On our way back, we went through part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, alongside the Little River. The water was very high, and absolutely beautiful!
Karen made us another fabulous meal - a chicken and potato recipe by Jamie Oliver.
And a blueberry pineapple dump cake!
Best of all, Charles mother Barbara came to join us. We have always enjoyed seeing her, and we were so happy to have a chance to visit.
I didn't get my own picture of Charles and Karen, so I took this from his website.
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