eWe celebrated Betsy’s birthday this year by going to Maggie Valley, North Carolina. We traveled part of the way along the Blue Ridge Parkway, also a favorite drive for us. I got this picture of My Beautiful Bride at the Raven Fork Overlook. August 5, 2025..
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On April 21, 2001, Betsy and I spent the day at Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee. This wasn’t our first date, but it was still very special. For one thing, that was where I got my first kiss. Another thing was that it began our twenty-year quest to find waterfalls.
We’ve managed to get back to Fall Creek Falls on April 21 almost every year since then. We visit the waterfalls — the picture above was taken this year on April 21. (Fall Creek Falls is on the left and Coon Creek Falls is on the right,) We were happy to see that in spite of the drought that hit this part of the state last year and earlier this year there was water going over both falls. We’ve seen less water on other visits.
That first year we hiked to the base of the falls, which is something we are no longer able to do. I do, however, still try to get a kiss when we visit there!
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My Beautiful Bride really likes tulips, so we make an effort to get to Biltmore to see the tulips in the Walled Garden. Some years we misjudge the weather and the blooms and don’t see much. Other years the blossoms are gorgeous. The picture above was taken during one of those years. We hope we’re as fortunate this year.
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My Beautiful Bride loves snow (me not so much!) — she can hardly wait to get outside when it’s snowing. Unfortunately we haven’t had much snow here in Fairfield Glade over the past few years. but Betsy is hoping that changes this year.
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Twenty years ago tomorrow Betsy and I had our first ‘big’ date. We went to Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee and had a wonderful time on a beautiful Spring day. We saw all the waterfalls in the park, but the greatest thing about that day was that I got my first kiss while we were there.
That day was so special that we try to make it back to Fall Creek Falls every April 21. (Yes, we plan on being there tomorrow!). We’ve missed a year or two over the past twenty, but I think we’ve done well to keep the tradition alive.
But the best thing about our visits is that I can still get a kiss from MY Beautiful Bride!
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I was working on our container roses along the driveway last year (2019) when I suddenly noticed I was not alone — I had a ‘helper’. We usually don’t like deer to be among our flowers, but this little fellow was so cute that I didn’t mind his presence.
He (or she) was obviously very young; somewhat unsteady on his feet, but he did manage to get around without too much trouble.
My young visitor went into the grass near our bench and checked up on an even smaller young one. It was a younger brother or sister.
By this time I had gotten Betsy out into the yard with me. There is a vacant lot next to our lot, and we thought perhaps Momma Deer was in there, but we couldn’t see her. While I was looking for Momma, the littlest deer seemed to be asking Betsy if she was his Mommy.
We decided that the only way Momma Deer was going to come and reclaim her little ones would be if we weren’t around, so we went into the house. Later we checked and there were no little ones around.
Throughout the rest of Spring and early Summer we would occasionally see a female deer with two fawns on the golf course behind our house. We like the think that those were ‘our’ little ones just checking up on us.
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Betsy doesn’t get to see her great-granddaughter very often, so it’s a treat when we can visit with Vivi, a 15-month-old bundle of energy.
On this occasion Betsy gave Vivi a book, in which she quickly got interested.
Sometimes Vivi can be lost in thought, . . .
. . . but most of the time she is on the run.
Look out world, here she comes!
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As many of you know, Fall Creek Falls State Park is a special place for Betsy and me. We had our first ‘real’ date there on April 21, 2001, It was there that we began our waterfall ‘collection’ and, more importantly, it was there that I got my first kiss from the wonderful woman I was with. For these reasons we go back every year on April 21 to celebrate.
Things were a little different this year. The park is undergoing some major renovations and health problems kept us from doing the hike we normally do when visiting the park, We were, however, able to visit Cane Creek Cascade. The picture above was taken near the top of the cascade.
Because of the work being done, a new trail was created from the parking area to the swinging bridge above the cascade. We were treated to a new (for us) waterfall along this trail. It wasn’t very big, but we were still delighted to be able to add it to our collection.
The trail followed Cane Creek for a short distance, and we were able to enjoy the beauty of the flowing water.
Passing under the swinging bridge, we can to a place where we could watch the sparkling water tumble down to the pool below.
But I still think the loveliest sight in Fall Creek Falls is my Beautiful Bride.
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Desoto State Park in Alabama is one of our favorite places to visit, and we’ve been there several times. The photos in this post were taken during a birthday trip Betsy arranged for me in March, 2013.
We originally went to Desoto State Park for the waterfalls — there are five in the park — but on this visit we hiked a trail along the West Fork Little River within the park. Since it was very early Spring, there weren’t many people around and we had the trail to ourselves.
There were parts of the river that had rapids (as can be seen in the first photo), but along other parts the river was calm and serene.
As we hiked, the channel got smaller and the water got more shallow.
But all-in-all it was a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday with My Beautiful Bride.
Betsy and I have been fortunate to be able to visit Mount Nebo State Park in Arkansas in late winter or early spring for the past ten years or so. We like many things about Mount Nebo — the hiking, for example — but what keeps us going back in ‘our’ cabin. We have stayed in the same cabin each time we’ve gone.
It’s perfect for relaxing, enjoying the scenery, and enjoying a nice fire in the fireplace in the evening. But it’s main attraction, at least at the time of year we visit, is the gorgeous sunsets we can enjoy from the back porch.
The slideshow above is made up of photos taken one evening during our visit in 2008. They can’t compare to seeing the sunsets in person, but I think they do a reasonably good job of showing the beauty we enjoy.
If you would like to see these photos and others as well as the captions for these photos click HERE.
Senior Moments 