Myrtle Beach: Spring 2011

We spent a long weekend in April at Myrtle Beach.  Temperatures were very much like Spring with cool evenings.  We enjoyed the view, walks in the sand, and a little shopping.  We stayed on the south end of Myrtle Beach, which was fairly quiet.

Towns in the Mountains of NC

Hendersonville, Edneyville, Chimney Rock

Above is the former county courthouse and the current Henderson County History Museum.

An Apple Orchard

An Old Cider Mill, turned into a gift shop and tourist attraction, just outside Bat Cave, NC

A View in the Town of Chimney Rock

Fall Football

Scott and I attended two Wake Forest Football Games in September: Wake vs. Prebyterian and Wake vs. Duke. During the 1st game, Wake won by about 40 points, but it was still fun to be in the stands and seeing the action in person. During the Wake vs. Duke game, it was quite a close game, but Wake still won, despite the rain! (Yes, we got soaked!)

Charlottesville, VA

For a 4-day weekend in July, Scott and I visited the Charlottesville, VA area with two friends. Our friend, Dean, is finishing up licensure to be a history teacher, so we took him and his wife on a tour of historical places, particularly 4 homes of previous presidents. We visited Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson's country home, Ashlawn-Highland, the home of James Monroe, and Montpelier, James Madison's home. We also explored the Rotunda of UVA, the University of Virginia, and took a detour through Schuyler, VA to see the Walton's Mountain Exhibit and real-life home of the Hamner Family, the inspiration for The Walton's TV Series.

Monticello

Poplar Forest

Ashlawn-Highland

Montpelier

UVA Rotunda

I'm volunteering for some street entertainment in Downtown Charlottesville.

Schuyler, VA... Home of the Hamner Family aka The Walton's

Our trip was fun and very informative. The summer weekend was bright and beautiful with great weather, but it was very hot. One day, the temperature was over 100 degrees with high humidity.

Raleigh, NC

Catching Up with Friends

Around the weekend of April 11, Scott and I met some friends in Raleigh. Lauren and Kristin are friends from college, and over the years, we both have gotten to know them and their husbands and families. Over the April weekend, we visited the Arboretum in Raleigh, which is sponsored and supported by NC State University. The Arboretum is a facility with indoor rooms and activities as well as many outdoor displays of unique plants, shrubbery, trees, and bushes.

Aaron & Kristin of Kristin Byrum Photography & Bamboo Studios

...................Bennett, Aaron & Lauren

The Arboretum .............................................Aaron, Aaron & Scott

Most of the photos were taken at the Arboretum, but the group photos were taken in Aaron and Lauren's front yard. Check out more photos of Raleigh and the Arboretum here.

UNCG vs ASU

Scott and I visited Appalachian State University on Saturday, January 16th to see the Spartans take on the Mountaineers. Although the game was very close, tied at many points, and the Spartans were in the lead a few times, ASU Mountaineers won. We had a blast, even as the visiting team and smaller crowd, and we displayed our blue and gold, Spartan pride, despite the fact that we had an upset.

Danville, VA:

October 2009

For my birthday this year, we took an overnight trip to Danville, VA. Danville is a small town along the Dan River. We enjoyed a view of the river and a short walk along the river. We did a little shopping in a modern, commercial area as well as enjoyed downtown Danville, particularly the mural and site of the Wreck of the Old '97.

Danville is very historical. When Richmond, the Capital of the Confederate States, fell during the Civil War, President Davis spent a week in Danville at the home of a local merchant. Today, the home is a museum and art gallery. Danville is also home to a National Cemetery.

Check out my Picasa Web Gallery of Danville Photos

Click here for more information about the Wreck of the Old 97

Hiking @ Pilot Knob

Hiking at Pilot Knob... enjoying the warm weather... photographing the view with the fall colors... spending time together and with a friend...