CAROLINA ON MY MIND

We haven't been to the mountains since Thanksgiving, so we are very, very excited to get to spend Memorial Weekend up there. Tim's parents have a vacation home near Asheville, and it's the most wonderful retreat from the real world.  It's absolutely breathtaking to wake up every morning to this view: 

And then to walk upstairs to the yummy, southern style breakfast that Tim's mom has prepared is a real treat. She loves doing this kind of thing for her family, and we always let her know how much we appreciate it. 

Tim and I have fun during the day either going into town, doing some hiking, or just hanging out "on the farm." It's fun to think about our future kids having all this space to roam. I can just picture them running down the hills, feeding the fish, and picking wildflowers. 

This is the view during the day. Being so close to the clouds and the sky is so neat. I feel God's beauty all around.

The evening hours are some of my favorite. We sit on the porch and watch the sunset. Again, it's just so breathtaking.... And it is very refreshing not to have the distractions of the TV, computer, and cell phones for a few days. All of that is there, of course, but it's amazing how quickly it becomes irrelevant and unappealing when we're surrounded by the much more compelling force of nature.

I've always loved watching the seasons change. Probably because Florida is so flat and green all the time. This is us last winter, enjoying the snow.

But the Fall is my favorite of year up there. I love the pumpkin patches, the leaves changing colors, the cool crisp air, and sitting by the fire at night. Plus, it's football season, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, so there's just something extra special in the air during that season.

My parents have had fun getting to visit, too. The moms always love getting into long talks on the porch. 
And the dads always have fun cooking out and pretending to be outdoorsmen--even though they're really not. (Note all the khakis and lofers.)
I'll post pictures when we get back, but they'll probably look very similar to all of these. It's truly a vacation when you visit somewhere that's familiar and homey, yet still a wonderful change of scenery from the daily routine of work, errands, and living in the city. The highlight of the weekend is going to be celebrating Tim's dad's 60th birthday with extended family and friends. ( I suppose I can start using the word "father-in-law" at some point in time, but that just makes me feel old and it sounds so formal.... )  

Hope everybody enjoys the long weekend! Be safe if you're traveling!