Our friend Gary arrived yesterday for a weekend of rest, relaxation, and exploration. Today we ventured into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by exploring the Oconoluftee Farm Museum and Mingus Mill to get an idea of what life was like in the area a hundred or more years ago. We wandered among the farm buildings that have been relocated here from various parts of the park and and talked at length with the miller on duty at Mingus Mill. And in general just enjoyed geeking out over late 19th and early 20th Century technology as well as walking in the sunshine on a gorgeous autumn day in The Smokies.
Oconoluftee Farm Museum Gary in Photographer ModeFarmhouse InteriorA View from Mingus MillMill Race at Mingus MillAutumn Trees at Mingus MillSpillway at Mingus MillHistoric Mingus Mill
By deliberate choice we were in Medina for all the winter holiday festivities from Candlelight Walk in the days before Thanksgiving through A Christmas Carol and A Celtic Christmas as well as an Alex Bevan Concert and a historic house tour all the way through Medina’s 31st Ice Festival but perhaps the highlight was the town hosting hundreds of folks whose homes and lives were devasted by Hurricane Helene at the A Promise of Christmas Event the middle of January. It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing community!
The warmth we anticipated when we headed to the Caribbean in mid-January didn’t really materialize but the fun we had with our dancing friends and the great crew of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander more than made up for the not so favorable weather.
Aboard Jewel of the Seas, a favorite ship of ours, we enjoyed a foray into the history and geology of Canada’s Atlantic coast while enjoying the joys of friendships, longtime and new. Now we’re looking forward to returning to the same ship for further adventures!
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