A Vacation at the Top of a Mountain.

Our Thanksgiving trip had been planned for some time. My parents just recently bought a house in NC after looking for what seemed like years. It was decided that I would ride up with my parents, daughter and one of my sisters. My boyfriend would follow in a few days, and my sister would return the day before Thanksgiving.... The entire  9 hour drive I spent with a dog at my hip - Literally

Meet Cloe

When we arrived in North Carolina it was 8 degrees outside and it was 1 am. What the house looked like at night (it was so dark at the top of the mountain I couldn't even begin to tell you, but this is what it looked like during my first morning there.

The most wonderful thing about this trip was that we truly had NO deadlines, no scheduled activities.. When you allow yourself that wondrous freedom, anything is possible.

My mother's next door neighbor is a truly interesting guy, who works at the local creamery. He also grows wine on his property, harvest's peppers, host's bee nest's for the sake of the honey & my favorite, raises pigs for there eventual slaughter. Whose names we were told are Hilary and Obama. Besides all of that, he makes his own cheese and ice cream at the creamy from the cows that are housed behind the facility.

His friend Jeb came over and offered us a wine tasting, boy we had no idea what was in store.

Jeb like many others has a part time home in Sky Valley Country Club. I took this picture from his porch to show how close he planted the vines.

Incidentally he had a bucket of fresh picked grapes with him..  Freshly picked from Paul's vines.

We had no idea what we truly were getting ourselves into. We figured, home growers, a few bottles, a few variations, possible 5 at max. We were never so wrong in all of our life's. Our first stop in the house was oddly the shower, where Jeb hosted the Chardonnay and the Vig Nole (which I have never had) and was by far one of my favorites. Is it odd that we drank wine out of a turkey baster while standing in the bathroom. I am not sure.. But what it was, was good!

Moving on - Next we find ourselves standing in Jeb's kitchen, with our mouths agape. We get to try all of those wines? WHOOPIE!!! Wine from heaven!

Dad had no problem with it & who was I to argue southern hospitality? Oh shit Dad, we forgot we still have to get the cream cheese for mom's dip for the party at 6pm. At this point it was remembered that Dad, myself and my little sister were granted permission from my mother to leave the house to go to the wine tasting (Without her) because she was cooking for the party.

Dang this wine is so good, so tell us Jeb, how do you make it? What does it take? Do we have to be mountain men to make a good wine?

After ingesting about 20 different wines, Jeb brings out his friend who is sick, private reserve. Oh god that was good! Everything was good up until the possum wine. That was straight up the nastiest wine I have ever had. It tasted like grape flavor rubbing alcohol, and I am quite sure one isn't supposed to drink that.

Apparently, they had found wild grapes growing and had attempted to make wine out of them.. Ehhhh - I know they have wild turkey, but wild possum, come on now that's eky! But hey I had to drink the entire thing, respect, right?

I told you about the honey that Paull makes right? A few samples of the yummiest honey I have ever had.

The bucket was the years entire harvest. Paul said it was the worst one he has ever had.

It was 5 pm and more wine was poured, we all laughed, talked and listened intently on all of Jeb's & Paul's how to's.  The machine that you see bellow is the honey processor.

My phone had not rang, Dad's, nor my sisters, but some how we all knew we had to cut the evening short. Mom's cream cheese could no longer wait or she would have our heads. So quickly we drove to the only store within 20 minutes of the house.

On the way we took a little detour strictly for my photo experience, the cream cheese would have to wait!

I am not sure why, but all over GA & NC they had the cutest hay barrels dressed up and painted with different faces/situations.

Since we were already in Sky Valley Country Club, why not tour it?

Tennis Courts, Mt's and Skying, sign me up!

A close up of the Sky Valley Chapel.

Living in Florida, people act like the leaves don't change here as well (I live in Central FL) but they do, No matter, it is still a beautiful experience no matter where you are..

Crap Dad you better hurry, mom is going to kill us, on to the local General Store at the bottom of the mountain.

Oh NO! It's after 5 pm, its closed!

And the windmill is frozen Pa, whatever will we do? The Piggly Wiggly you say, ok Pa but drive like the speed of lightening. We made it back in the nick of time and we only got nipped at, not true gaping wounds, this time.

All throughout the course of my stay there, I tried repeatedly to take a picture of something in the dark. Nothing would stick, oh I got a few pictures of some trees but nothing I would call earth shattering or legible.Until the neighbors across the street turned on every single one of there lights...

The neighbors just happened to be the builder of our house, as well as the designers. World famous decorators, featured in many magazines, as was my mom's house.

After a successful party, in which we didn't get killed at or prior to. The next evening we took it easy. I snapped a happy shot of my parents in there upstairs kitchen...

While the Germans tried desperately to get warm.

I went exploring the next morning to see what was around the house and what I found, I thought was beautiful.. Crap Apple tree's.

A Red one at the neighbor's across the street.

And right across the back of the house

over the dried up pond I found the prettiest

Yellow Crab Apple trees...

We decided to go into the Highlands, its a rather quaint town, coming partally down the mountain with a nice long zoom, I was able to once again capture a shot of that Chapel...

On our way to the Highlands there are a couple of scenic pull offs for you to grab a few pictures of the local mountains in the area..

The problem of course is, nothing is entirely green and lush, but I did find a couple of mountains with annually green trees.

And a semi waterfall.

Some random building in downtown Highlands

Another nice chapel or church

And wouldn't you know the cops were following us...

On our way back, we just had to stop off at this Lick Me Log Cabin. I mean it had a pink car, a water mill, and the name, come on, the name alone... You'd have stopped too.

Pink Car

Our final destination (Has to be only allowed 40 pics per article) was White Mountain...

The very first place my sister and I went, was the bathroom, Ugghh.. Whatever you do, DO NOT GO IN THERE!!! I can't even describe what I saw in there, what I smelt *gag* no, just trust me... ITS VERY BAD!

The one random Mt. Frozen Waterful - Riviting right? No, I didnt think so either!

And sadly, after thirty eight pictures I am sad to say that concludes my tour of Scaly Mt., NC.

Can you see me waving good bye from the view on my moms porch...

Cheers & happy holidays, from my family, to all of yours!