My two sisters and I traveled from three different states (Virginia, Georgia, and Florida) to be together for a few days, by the banks of the Hiwassee River in the Nantahala National Forest, in western North Carolina. The gentle flow of this river never fails to bring me peace.
On the second day, we took the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which boards in Blue Ridge, Georgia, to sister towns McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee. There is a painted line that goes through the middle of the two towns that shows that you can stand in Georgia on one side and Tennessee on the other.
We rode inside the open air gondola on the way there and back. The part I loved the most? Gardeners, fishermen, construction workers, people in their cars, waving to us as we passed.
The weather is still so warm in the southeast that there isn't much fall color in the foliage yet, but I still loved looking for it. Can you see the V in the water? That is a fish weir that was constructed by Native Americans, long ago, to catch fish. The fish swimming downstream would collect in the V and they would swim out and catch them.
On the final day, we visited The John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival. I loved this family band - especially the earnest young man playing bluegrass music on the fiddle.
There were 41 pottery vendors, but I singled out a vendor that I particularly liked and bought a couple of things. I've put myself on pottery restriction again.
I was standing next to a jewelry designer's booth inside the festival barn, listening to this "jamming" band and told her she had the best spot in the house! Music and dancing all day. She agreed. I wish I could have bottled this peace and shared it with the world.
