Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Chattanooga

Saw...
Aunt Carol and Carolyn. Uncle Dave and Aunt Rebeca. Tennessee Aquarium. Salvadorian restaurant with fearsome spiciness. Art galleries. Homeless art. Russian art. Chattanooga Choo Choo. Ben and Jerry's Ice cream. Moon pie market. Bakery with great molasses ginger cookies. Carol's church with some nice stained glass windows. Firefighter fountain.

And this was only the first (full) day.
The famous Choo Choo

Charming train Graffiti

Excellent old diner sign. Note the neon jumping frog.

Feisty Macaws at the TN Aquarium


Penguin hats at the TN Aquarium

Frog hats at the TN Aquarium

African Pygmy Hedgehog at the TN Aquarium

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Pre-game

King, North Carolina:
 Pictured above is a robin outside the kitchen window.

The start of this journey, a small town next to Tobaccoville. In this place the dirt is an iron-rich red-orange. There are tobacco fields among the rolling foothills of the Saura mountain range. These mountains include Saura mountain, Pilot mountain and Hanging rock. The countryside is peppered with small diners, shops and the smallest tattoo parlor I've ever seen.

At our house we have 170 acres, 6 dogs, a new pool, a tractor and a beautiful log home. It's a happy mess and a cozy retreat in the woods. The house was built by my mother and stepfather, who passed away just before they completed it. It's got a very rustic feel with wood floors and giant timbers everywhere.

There's lots of board games, video games, dogs to play with and land to work. Before I left we went to the King fair. There were cows and chickens and rabbits as well as rides and carnival games and, best/worst of all, carnival food.

There are lovely state parks and I hear there are some great climbing areas, but I didn't make it out to them.

It's a lovely place full of lovely people.
Pilot Mountain.

Pilot mountain from a distance.