January 1, 2022

Well, after a decade of marriage, Paul decides that he wants to discuss how the paper on a gift bag casts a shadow that looks like a squirrel.

So we start 2022 at the Dancing Bear Lodge and Cabins, the place we got married 10 years ago in Townsend, Tennessee. We failed to take a picture of ourselves on this momentous occasion, but we did take a picture of a shadow seen above.  We stayed up until about 1 am and had a champagne toast on the porch of our cabin. So we rung in the New Year here at the "scene of the crime."

Making up for not taking a picture last night. 

Fast forward about 10 hours and we were sitting at Apple Valley having sandwiches,  then we were off for a hike. Same as last year on Jekyll Island! But this time, we hiked Little Greenbriar and did about 7-8 miles. 

The Little Greenbrier area is a popular area, because the elevation gain is only about 150 meters and the Metcalf Bottoms Trail connects a well-used picnic area to an old schoolhouse still standing after 140 years.

Paul stands inside the Little Greenbrier School built in 1882.

At the cemetery outside the school, we were reminded how frequent childhood death was in the past. 

We didn't start in the picnic grounds. We approached the hike from WearsValley. We continued up the path from the school to Little Greenbrier Gap. About a half mile away still stands the Walker Sisters House built by Wylie King in 1840. The Kings were the first to live their in a small cabin, but eventually they built a larger one for their growing family. Eventually, the King's son-in-law, John Walker combined the old and new cabin and he and his wife raised 10 children there. 

The cabin must have been well constructed to last 180 years. The corn crib and the spring house also still stand. 

The Walker property once hosted a variety of farm animals, an orchard and a barn amongst other subsistence items. The Walkers, after all, couldn't walk to a store!  The last occupants were the five Walker sisters, the last of which died here in 1964. As modern times rolled into their lives, they refused to install indoor plumbing. In their day, the bathroom facilities were "men go uphill, women go downhill."  The Walker Sisters negotiated with the US Park Service to remain on their land as long as they lived. 

From here, Paul and I drove back into Townsend and stopped at a new food and tap room, the Peaceful Side Social Brewery and Craft Kitchen. It was really nice, had great outdoor seating on a 75 degree day in DECEMBER in Northeast Tennessee. The pizza looked delish (although we didn't try it. NEXT time!)

The rest of the evening was pretty peaceful at the Dancing Bear. Hot tubbing, and a nice pasta primavera made in the cabin with rain pouring outside and a tornado warning. 

Paul Parris, Pasta Primavera and Pinot

We then watched a documentary about former President Jimmy Carter whom we both admire. During his presidency, he never launched a missile or fired a gun against another country.  Pretty amazing!

I have one life and one chance to make it count for something... My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.

Jimmy Carter