The Other Highlands

Hubs and I celebrate 42 years of married life this month so whoohoo! Go us!  June is busy here so we sometimes celebrate early or sometimes late, but we always mark the day in some way. It matters. 

Everyone has their own story, but in ours I can look back and see how going the distance (so to speak) has been a series of decisions, choices, moments that might feel small but when strung together add up to something big. I see marriage as a daily thing, as opposed to a one time stand-at-the-altar thing. It's daily effort. Daily intention. Daily commitment. 

Also a tremendous joy and blessing and more than a little bit sanctifying. 

Also we need Jesus who keeps the train on the track when it threatens to derail. 

This year we decided to celebrate early since I'll be helping with preschool crafts in VBS on our actual date. Our third grandson was born on our anniversary and we're going to celebrate him at the lake this year with a cousin party the week after, and Father's Day is thrown in there somewhere too.We know we have to be intentional or the day will come and go without fanfare. 

Which is okay too but, I like a little fanfare. 

We live on a lake surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are loads of charming mountain towns within an easy drive from us, most about an hour or just over but our favorite is a little town on the NC line called Highlands. 

There's a famous hotel in Highlands called The Old Edwards Inn and they have a restaurant called Madisons which is also well known. Hubs has been there once for a work party, but I've wanted to try it since we moved here and an anniversary seemed like a great reason to make that happen. 

We didn't stay at Old Edwards because we brought the little brown dog with us. He's old and hasn't been feeling great lately so we booked a dog friendly hotel instead. We stayed in a place called Park On Main and if you're traveling to Highlands with your pet I highly recommend. 

The hotel is on the main drag so walking distance to all the cute shops and venues, and they've thought of absolutely everything in terms of staying with a pet. 

There was a dog bed, towel, and bowls in the room all ready for him, treats in the lobby, and of course dog decor done in a fun way. The lobby is filled with dog portraits. We had a little balcony that looked out to the back side of the hotel and the manager told us the people who'd stayed in our room before us saw a bear wander down the street there two days in a row. 

We had no such luck, but I was watching. 

We drove up to Highlands on Thursday and it was a picture perfect day weather wise. Our plan was to do a non-strenuous hike (partly the dog and partly my stupid ankle), then have lunch at our favorite lunch spot there (The Wild Thyme), then meander, take a nap, relax in the garden of the wine bar which was conveniently across the street from our hotel, and walk to Old Edwards for a late dinner (8 PM, and yes, that's late for me). 

We made the hour drive up and over the mountain from the lake to the town and went straight to the trailhead for Sunset Rock. Or Sunrise Rock depending on which direction you go. We opted for the sunset side, although it was mid-morning.

It's a gravel trail with a very gradual incline that opens up to a beautiful view of the mountains and some of the town below. 

We hung out on the rock for a short while before trekking back down, and then crossing the street to stop in the Nature Center there. 

We've come to Highlands several times but I had no idea this was even here.

There's a botanical garden just behind the center with all sorts of walking trails, a bog, a small lake, so many blooming beauties including my favorite, the lily pad- 

There were lots of butterflies and even a snapping turtle who smiled for the camera-

We walked all the way around the lake, mostly on a boardwalk path but also through some rooty woods and then got back in the car and parked in town. 

We wanted to dine outside since we had the LBD with us so we opted for our favorite lunch spot-The Wild Thyme Gourmet. The food here is so good and we sat under a very very RED umbrella which made our orders bright. 

A glass of French rosé? Yes please. 

Followed by a cup of the most delicious, delicately spiced gazpacho and then a roasted veggie sandwich for me and crab cakes for the hubs. 

We had ice cream from Kilwins which is just across the square for dessert. Georgia peach for hubs and toasted coconut with chocolate covered coconut bits mixed in for me. If coconut ice cream is on a menu I will almost always go for that. 

We wandered down the main street, went in a couple of shops, then drove the truck down to the hotel to check in. 

As I said we loved our room, how immaculate the whole place was, not to mention cute, and all the little touches. If you happen to have a Tesla they have covered charging stations in their garage. We don't but several of my neighbors do, and some read here. 

Late afternoon we walked across the street to the cute wine bar set amongst the trees there. Friends of ours at the lake know the owners so we introduced ourselves and chatted with them briefly, then sat in the Adirondacks and relaxed. 

Did I mention the weather was perfection? Bright blue skies and temps in the 70's. 

Afterwards we went back to our hotel for a little siesta. I needed to be awake to go to dinner at 8, which not gonna lie is often closer to my bed time than my meal time. 

We walked the four blocks down to Madisons and arrived a few minutes early so were  sent upstairs to The Hummingbird Bar to wait with a beverage. The service was top notch and really made an impression. I had my traditional anniversary drink-a champagne cocktail and it was yummy. 

Dinner was a treat. Hubs had let them know it was our anniversary and there were camelia petals scattered on our table. The chef sent out a sample of their pimento cheese with spicy buttermilk crackers to start, and I have already gone on the hunt for this cracker recipe. So good!! I found a copycat here (Copycat Old Edwards Inn Buttermilk Crackers) so I'll let you know how that goes. 

We ordered our entrees and a server came by and set down a dish of their blue crab dip. We told him it wasn't ours so he moved on and then our server came over with the blue crab dip and a card. 

Turns our our friends (same ones who know the wine shop owners) had called the restaurant and ordered it for us. What a sweet and thoughtful surprise! Not to mention delicious. Truly made our night and I want to pay that forward someday. 

Our meals came, I had the red grouper special with brown butter cauliflower and hubs had a NY strip with broccolini. We didn't have dessert but our server brought out a sweet small serving of a shortbread topped with a raspberry mousse and we did not say no to that. He decorated the plate himself. 

We walked back to our hotel and called it a night. 

Friday morning we enjoyed the continental breakfast included with our reservation then got on the road home. We could have stayed and done some shopping but hubs is mid-home sale for a client and there was some work being done at the buyers new house he wanted to check on. The clients are out of state and he's on top of things for them. 

We were home by 11 and I unpacked, started some laundry, then planted myself on the outdoor couch to blog and soak up the lake view. 

 Cheers to 42 and love that endures!  

Linking today with Joanne (Slices of Life) for Talking About It Tuesdays

Weekend Chatter

Hello Monday. Can you believe next week it's March and then summer and then Christmas? A slight exaggeration maybe, but only very slight. 

We had a nice quiet low key weekend here. It felt good to be home sleeping in my own bed and catching up on things here. Friday the sun shone and it was glorious. 

Hubs and I opted for a hike in a nearby state park and the weather was perfection. 

Thermometers don't lie-

The little brown dog was along for the ride, or maybe I should say run, because we moved at a clip the first two thirds of our walk.  

I think he smelled water and was itching to get to it. There wasn't a great swimming spot so that didn't happen, but it wasn't for his lack of trying. 

If we were following the strict rules of 52 dates in 52 weeks we'd be at number 20 this week. We're at 15 and we'll take it. We had company one week, hubs was away one week, I was away one week, there were holidays in the mix, so it's all good. We make the rules, right? 

We were home for lunch and then spent the afternoon chilling aka napping and reading. We made Greek chicken bowls for dinner and they were super delish. 

I used this recipe (more or less) and the marinated chicken grilled was really good, as was the dressing drizzled on top. 

Saturday we watched Olympics, jimmy rigged an electric shade we have that's ridiculous in design, and did a lot of lounging-reading-blogging. The shade is up high and has a battery that needs recharging, not often but often enough to be annoying. Hubs has to get out the extra tall ginormous ladder to reach it, on a staircase to boot, so he came up with a solution to make it easier next time. No pictures because I was responsible for holding the ladder. He survived. 

Saturday night we had dinner plans with friends. We went to a new-to-us Italian restaurant and enjoyed every bite. They started as a pizza place but are more than that now. I could have made a meal of appetizers.  Turns out we knew the wine manager and he brought us a plate of their arancini to start which were scrumptious. Hubs and I both had their lasagne (it's somebody's grandma's recipe) and it was served in small iron skillets which made for a great presentation. Also the portions were enormous and we took half home for lunches. 

Sunday we watched as much of the hockey game as we could before church and were excited to hear the final score when we came out of the service. I saw a lot of the Olympics this time around and loved all that viewing. There were some exciting moments, some beautiful moments, some patriotic moments, and overall thought they were exceptional. 

I spent a lot of Sunday afternoon organizing a few things I'm in charge of organizing and it felt good to get that done. We tried a new recipe for dinner and it received mixed reviews. Bun-less burgers which meant a lettuce wrap in place of the bread. I used this recipe, and I liked the lettuce wrap which was less filling. Hubs wanted a bun. 

I'm joining Holly (Pink Lady Blog) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books) today for their Hello Monday blog hop. I have a busy week. Honestly the next several are full to the brim with a combination of fun, family, tasks to complete, appointments to keep, relationships to manage, and people to love. 

One of my very favorite verses was part of my last week's lenten reading in the Psalms, and it's one that helps me stay grounded when life is moving fast-

"I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:1-2

Have a great Monday everyone. 

Weekend Ramblings

Good Monday morning. It's time for the weekly weekend recap, hosted every Monday by Holly (Pink Lady) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books). 

Does anyone else need their phone to remember what they did two days ago? 

We had a nice, low-key weekend here. On Friday hubs spent some time helping the boys with a little outdoor project. We may not have a fairy garden but we do have our own version of a GI Joe Navy Seal Training Facility lol. 

There was even a hammock for Joe to get some r & r...

Friday night friends invited us to meet them at a local Italian place for dinner, and that's always fun. The 'kids' had gone to the college baseball game followed by pizza out, so all dinners were accounted for. 

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day. Beautiful!! Blue skies, springtime temps, a gentle breeze. We loaded up in two cars since we were bringing the pup, and headed to the woods. 

We had a hike planned to a local waterfall which hubs and I both love, and it's one we thought the littles could manage without too much trouble. The hike in is all downhill, but there’s truth in the saying...what goes down must come up. 

Something like that? 

To get to the falls you turn off the main road for a slow mile long trek down a gravel/dirt road before parking. Then you hike about a mile and a half through the woods to reach the falls and the pretty sandy beach beside them. 

My daughter had little miss on her back in the carrier and the boys walked~scrambled~noticed things. The little brown dog ran ahead, but kept circling back to be sure hubs  his person was still right there. 

The falls here are only 12-feet high, but! they're 100 feet wide and so so pretty. They were rushing too as we've had rain recently. 

I read there was once a gristmill on the site, but now it's strictly a beautiful piece of nature with the falls dropping into a natural pool beside the beach, and then the river continuing on its way through the forest. 

We had the beach mostly to ourselves. A couple of people hiked in and looked around, but for the most part it was just us. We got there on the early side and passed more people coming in as we were leaving. We'd packed a picnic lunch and the kids had a ball wading in the icy waters...

...getting their clothes only a teensy bit damp, skipping stones, and hunting for shiny rocks and arrowheads. Hubs is still on a mission to find one, but that didn't happen Saturday. 

This guy who turns ten years old this week was living his best life romping through the woods, chasing sticks thrown into the river, and swimming to his heart's content. 

We were home mid-afternoon and my daughter and her family changed clothes then loaded back up in the car for a ride over to their other grandparent's home for dinner. My son-in-law's dad was celebrating his birthday so a full fun day for them.  After they left I put together a little snack to take to the neighbor's house later in the evening-

A sweet and salty drizzled popcorn (you pour melted white chocolate over popped corn), which is so easy and so yummy. 

Our neighbors invited us over to play cards with another couple, but first we all went out for Mexican food. We went to a nearby spot that started as a food truck, but has morphed into an 'almost' full fledged dining establishment. 

After dinner we went back to the neighbors house and stayed up too late playing our favorite card game- Swoop. We weren't thinking about the time change. We do agree we all have spring fever here and are so ready for float parties, dock sitting, and watching the sunset from the back of the boat. 

Sunday I turned the fireplace on for a while because it was gray and chilly. Not northern USA chilly, but SC chilly. Hubs and I slept in and then met the kids for brunch. They were up early of course (parents of young children rarely sleep in) so they made it to church first. I spent the afternoon finishing a book, hubs grilled steaks for everyone for dinner, and that was the weekend. 

So what were you up to this weekend? 

The Weekend Roundup

Good Monday morning friends. I hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was bursting at the seams, in a good way of course. Linking this post with Holly and Sarah for their Hello Monday recap party. 

Thursday. Yes it's the weekend. Especially when your daughter and her hubs pull out of the driveway at 7 AM and you're left in charge of their three littles for four nights and five days. One of my friends says anyone can do an overnight or two with their grands, but more than two nights feels like a month lol. She's not wrong.

My daughter was a bridesmaid in a college friends' Annapolis wedding this past weekend so she and her hubs got on the road Thursday morning in order to be in town for the festivities. Our day here Thursday started with breakfast out at one of our favorite spots. The boys ate every bite, and I'm nervous about their grocery bill in a few years. 

Next stop was Pet Smart because what better place is there to while away an hour than a store with fish, birds, reptiles and kittens? The kids asked if they could adopt one, but I thought I should check with mom first. I mean we grandparents love to indulge but a live animal felt like maybe a bridge too far. 

We moved on to our next venue which was Lowes, an exciting stop for everyone as we all joined in the hunt for a particular lightbulb. 

Side bar here...lightbulbs in 2025 are one of my pet peeves. Carry on. 

We found one that is not quite right but will work, and then it was back in the car for yet another stop-Publix. In case you've lost count  that's four times getting three kids into and out of car seats in a three hour span of time, and it was only day one. 

Grandparenting is not for sissies. 

Hubs took the kids to the bakery for a cookie while I grabbed a few things, and then it was home for playtime, lunchtime, and a nap for Little Miss. The boys watched a movie and Nana made tacos for dinner because that sounded easy and easy is good. 

My daughter left a little gift for the kids for each day she was away and they looked forward every morning to seeing what was in their bags. I bought a few things for Valentine's Day as well, and having new things to play with when your parents are away helps. 

I bought Little miss a pair of sunglasses that came with a unicorn case with sparkly handles, and she carried her 'purse' everywhere we went all weekend long, including the middle of the forest. 

The weather was lovely on Friday, a little cool but we bundled up for a hike to a nearby waterfall. 

It warmed up as we walked and I had packed a picnic lunch, which we ate beside the rushing water. Such a fun day. 

I carried a backpack loaded with water bottles, snacks, diaper, wipes, dry clothes to counter the inevitable mud, and a jacket or two. Hubs wore daughter1's carrier with Little Miss in it most of the day. Let me just say there is no need for a weighted vest when you hike with toddlers. 

The trail was muddy thanks to all the rain the day before, but we embraced it and everyone loved the sunshine...

the fresh air...

the natural beauty...

And digging in the sand...

The little brown dog came too, because what's one more? While navigating small children and a dog on a narrow trail won't be everyone's cup of tea, it is ours. 

We came home in time for Little Miss to have a nap then went back out that evening for a Valentines' Day dinner. Pizza followed by a stop at the ice cream shop right next door for dessert. 

So glad we got out on Friday because Saturday it rained literal buckets. Hubs was manning an open house for work most of the day so it was me and the three kiddos at home, in the house, all the ding dong day. I made sausage biscuits for breakfast, we worked a 300 piece puzzle in record time, watched a movie, played games, played with toys, colored, Little miss napped, we read books, read more books, and we watched the rain pour down around us. 

When hubs got home we took everyone to grandson #2's favorite restaurant -Firehouse Subs. I hadn't been in one of these in a while, but their sandwiches were so good and the guy making them took extra care with our order. Everyone in the place was so nice and it wasn't busy so we took our time. The boys ate their sandwiches, then I ordered them each a second and they ate those too. Let's hope the price of groceries goes down before they enter their teen years. 

Sunday Nana made french toast and bacon because apparently Nana cooks breakfast every morning now-ha. Afterwards we went to the nearby Botanical Gardens to visit the geology museum there.

It's free and full of bones and fossils and rocks. There's even a little room you go in where you turn off the lights and all the phosphorescent rocks glow, which thrills everyone. 

We bought souvenirs because we're the grandparents. 

After leaving the museum we took our little crew to Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch.  I didn't have it in me to make lunch and dinner both, so lunch out was a win. 

Little Miss went right down for a nap once we were home, but the boys played outside, rode their bikes, ran around and got muddy as little boys are wont to do and then I was back in the kitchen making dinner. You forget how much you cook with little ones in the house. 

The parents will be back home today and we're all excited lol. I'm so glad my girl was able to have a fun weekend away with her Valentine. It's important to recharge, to reconnect as husband and wife instead of mom and dad, and it feels good to wear fancy clothes and sleep in a hotel bed. 

I remember lots of trips I was able to take with hubs when our kids were young and needing so much of me. My parents and in-laws both, were always willing to come and stay and cook and entertain and do the endless tasks that need doing, and I am probably even more grateful for that gift now than I was then. 

Oh I definitely appreciated it at the time but now that I'm getting a refresher course in the particular kind of exhaustion that comes with the daily parenting of small humans I'm feeling very tender towards my own mom and dad and hubs parents too. 

Forty four February 14ths with this guy by my side. We still make a good team.