Family Reunion

We just got back from a quick trip to the mountains for my family reunion. In typical fashion, I had planned out our route and activities (with a list :) !) but when we arrived at our first destination Thursday morning they told us they were closed (contrary to their website information) until the following day. No problem. We would just "reverse" our activities and do Friday's stuff on Thursday - Plan B. We went on over to Oconaluftee Village and enjoyed the heritage and history. [OT: Over the weekend I found out that I have Cherokee ancestry on both sides of my family, although I had known for years that I had it on one side. As you can imagine, many families in the mountains had Cherokee blood that didn't talk much about it because many of the marriages happened in the early and mid-1800s when the Cherokee were being forced onto the "Trail of Tears".] So after a day of enjoying Cherokee, we checked into our hotel and looked forward to the fun rides the next day (we had planned to take the little ones to the newly re-opened Ghost Town). Friday dawned cooler and .... wet, very, very wet! For the first time in weeks the mountains were getting rain which they needed but now I needed to go to "Plan C" (which was nonexistent!). We drove across a few mountains, stopped and got some great local produce including the absolute best muscadine grapes EVER (we've saved the seeds in hopes of growing them - anybody know if they need to be stratified or any particular soil needs for them?? I need advice!). As we drove into Bryson City my 5yo said "I thought we were going to a city. Where's the city?". Big laugh from all of us (along with a little sigh from me as I realized how little my own children know about the area where I grew up)! Since it was Railfest Weekend (unbeknowdest to me earlier but now designated as "Plan C"!) we arrived just in time to take a special 30-minute train ride
and then the kids had a blast doing a scavenger hunt in the Train Museum. The rain almost stopped during the train ride and started back heavy while we were inside the museum so who could complain?! After eating at "Na-Ber's Drive-In" (I am NOT making that up!!), stopping to take a picture of the crushed cars used to reinforce the bank of the Tuckaseegee River (gotta be there), and double-checking our map, we moseyed on down the road past Sylva, driving by it's "almost famous hillside courthouse",
past Western Carolina University (my sister's alma mater which has grown a lot since I was last there!),
and Lake Glenville where I have many, many memories of camping as a child, we arrived near Cashiers. Since it was a little earlier than planned and the rain was only a "spit", we drove a few miles up Hwy 64 to two of my favorite waterfalls - Bridal Veil

and Dry Falls (where on this heavy rainfall day we did NOT stay dry walking behind the falls - which made it even more fun for the children!). Saturday was the reunion with lots of big hugs, shared memories, new babies, sadness at the loss of loved ones, great food, and my children's favorite - BINGO! A family tradition for sure! Unfortunately many cousins were sick or couldn't come and no one brought the horseshoes (the other family tradition) but a new one was started by my 8yo - Ring Around the Rosie for all ages! The oldest family member (my Uncle Bill - age 86) was in the circle with some of the youngest ones and I know my "Pop" would have been right there laughing and playing with them if he was still here. There's nothing so good as family and I pray that my children and cousins and generations to come will hear stories of their grandparents and great-grandparents who prayed for them long before they were even born. May that blessing never be forgotten or halted - that's the Master Plan.