Two Mules For 88

Last weekend we went with our neighbors up to the mountains of North Carolina to visit a friend of theirs whom we have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few times.

The day turned out to be really nice with beautiful blue skies

There is a creek on the property too

Along with some grape vines scattered around

The creek has little shards of rubies and garnets, nothing really big, but hubby got down to start looking for some

I used a pan, and although you really can't see the little rubies as they were just pin dots, it certainly was fun!

Nice thing about a creek you can put a lawn chair in it, plop yourself down, cool your feet, and drink a glass of wine when you are through panning!

Later on our friend told us we could pick as much as we wanted of the blueberries

the pears

and we had a ton of apples that had already fallen to the ground. I brought a huge box home with me

The next morning hubby and I went for a walk

The morning mist was across the mountains

The creek still held its jewels

The mist was slowly burning off, but left the dew on the ground

Poke berries and morning glories along the roadside

A bumble bee busy at work as hubby walked on

The morning light giving an old barn new beauty

It was a little cool that morning and I had to borrow a t-shirt as all I had was a tank top. Next time I'll remember a light jacket. This tree was huge, and is probably at least 100 years old or more.

A valley that seems to go on and on

An old wooden gate to invite you in

The blue of the morning glory as blue as the Carolina skies

A beautiful hydrangea of which I brought several cuttings home

I wish I could have brought this home! He had so many hummingbirds around, but there is a huge lake in the area that crosses two state lines. The hummingbirds always are more abundant around the water.

Such a beautiful area, a nice weekend. Yet I'm sure you are wondering where are the mules? Our friends family has been in this area probably for 80+ years if not more. His grandfather when he was very young bought this land for two mules from the Indians. Two mules for 88 acres. The stories this land could tell, and according to our friend they still have their "pow wows" not too far away from this old homestead. When they are there you can hear their songs and drums as they celebrate the days with the story telling of the past. The sounds carrying through into the evening molding into the valley of their ancestors until the misty morning light shows its face once again.